Simon’s
5800 Franklin Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50322
Simon’s Menu
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Address :
5800 Franklin Ave
Des Moines, IA, 50322 - Phone (515) 255-3725
- Website https://www.simonsdsm.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Jewel P.
This place is amazing. We had the most lovely dinner here and I can't wait to return. This place is dark and lit by low lights and candles. Its bigger on the inside then what I expected with tables, booths, and a bar. As soon as we got in we were approached and got to choose where we sat. Their menu size is average but the options range from duck to pasta to pizzas. I have never had duck before so I ordered that while my husband ordered meatballs and spaghetti. While we waited we ordered stuffed mushrooms and I had a Cinnamon Roll Martini. Best martini I have had in a long time and the stuffed mushrooms were delicious. When our food arrived I was so impressed by how neat everything look and even more impressed but how amazing the duck tasted. If I ever want duck again, I will be coming back here because it was just out of this world delicious. Overall my experience with this place was very good, service was wonderful, the food just right and I loved over all ambiance of the place. I can't wait to go back to try what else they have!
(5)Koby A.
So glad we finally stopped in here! This place is close by and we gave it a shot this weekend, very pleased we did, we will likely become regulars. I had the shrimp scampi and house Pinot Grigio, my husband had the lasagna and a Moscow mule. One of the better ones he's had on both counts he said. My food was delicious, just a touch too lemony on the sauce but that's the only complaint. The service was fantastic, the owner came out and spoke with all the tables. There is amazing artwork at every booth. Priced decently at $15-25 for most entrees, sandwiches for $10ish. They also played some of our favorite music all evening. We will be back!
(5)Haley R.
LOVE this place. Comfort food and awesome cocktails. Perfect date night spot or bring your friends and share. Because everything on the menu is great.
(5)Michael C.
Phenomenal!! Pasta was amazing. Get the stuffed chicken. Service was fantastic. Just go here already.
(5)Durk H.
My cousin took us here when were recently on a trip to Des Moines. From the outside, you really wouldn't think it was much, but we were really impressed with the food and the service. I had the seafood chowder, followed by lasagna that I shared with my partner. Both were excellent and we'd definitely be regulars here if we lived in Des Moines. Note to Yelpers from out of town: apparently Simon's and J. Benjamin's are the same place, so don't be confused. I never did get the story as to why it seems to go by both names. If someone knows, please post an explanation.
(4)Kaley H.
This was our first visit to Simons and I can definitely say that we will be back! The service was on point, the food was delicious and the complimentary chocolate cake was the perfect finish to our dinner. We had the stuffed mushroom appetizer which was amazing. I ordered the stuffed chicken pasta and it was cooked perfectly. My boyfriend ordered the steak with garlic mash. Buttery, rich and oh so good! I really can't say enough good things about the owner, Simon, and his staff. Attentive, friendly and certainly happy that you're there!
(5)Mary G.
Love this little neighborhood restaurant. We've been there numerous times and never a bad meal. Most times we struggle deciding what to order. The only time we don't is when they have their steak de burgo, garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. A meal to die for. Add a bottle of red and you're in heaven. I can't even think of a negative as we've never had a bad meal, service, etc. The owner will check in with you and it's not just for show. He'll sit and have a conversation if you want. He truly cares about your evening and wants to make sure everything runs smoothly, your expectations are met and you are fully sated.
(5)Kayli M.
Driving by you wouldn't think to stop in for a great bite to eat but I'm so glad I did! Great service and atmosphere, margaritas were delicious and the chicken I ordered was the best I've ever had! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone! Don't let the outer appearance scare you it's what's on the inside that counts!
(5)Todd M.
The best hidden gem in the area! Great pasta ,red sauce or Alfredo, great pizza etc. I or my family have never had a bad meal,. And Simon the owner, most personable man in the biz! And he will toss u a few dessert to share, wish he would open a place in Waukee.. Grey job Simon.........Todd.
(5)Bill M.
A true hidden gem, this neighborhood bistro is a real find. Everything is fresh and well prepared.
(5)Zane S.
A pleasant surprise. I went here for a biweekly dinner with my dad. It was recommended to him by his coworker. Atmosphere is cozy, classy, and comfortable. One can actually have a conversation. Great service. For "classic American" cuisine everything tasted extremely fresh and well balanced. Nothing came across as heavy. I ordered the lasagna and it was delicious. I could even taste the basil and the ricotta was not overpowered by the marinara. The coffee was decent as well. I don't know when but I will definitely be back.
(5)Kim B.
My husband and I swung by Simons/J Benjamins/whatever this place is called last night to use up a gift card that had been given to us a few months back. I have to admit, the few pictures of this restaurant's exterior that exist online are a bit off-putting so we hesitated going at all. Like many others, I was pleasantly surprised with the food and service. We went at around 6:30 on a Thursday night and got a table right away. Yeah, the place is a bit dark and it's about as unpretentious as you can get... but after dinning at my fair share of all-style, no-substance places in bigger cities, its occasionally refreshing to eat at a place where people don't take themselves too seriously (and know how to make a good pizza). I had the bianca pizza which was pretty tasty and my husband had a make-your-own mac and cheese dish (which he loved). Drinks were decently priced and we got a free piece of chocolate cake at the end of it all (which appears to be their schtick). But hey, if some one wants to give me free dessert, I'm on board. It's safe to say we'll be back. Too bad this place doesn't have a patio for summertime drinks... that could turn it into a real neighborhood gem.
(4)Nick K.
Absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is quaint and personal, the food is very good, and the service is fantastic. Where else can you go that gives you complimentary dessert and has the owner ensure your meal was ok? My fiancee and I went for the first time tonight and had no idea what to expect. We will surely be going back in the future. Great neighborhood restaurant with delicious pizza.
(5)Angela T.
J Benjamin's is a rare gem in Des Moines. The food is outstanding and the staff is incredibly friendly. The restaurant is very small though, so call to make a reservation before you go. We called but we still waited an hour before we sat at our table. Plan on a long night of dining, as we were there for 3 hours, and we only had a party of 4. With that said, it's definitely worth the wait. The owner came over and chatted with us for awhile, which makes it a special experience. And we even got free dessert! It's definitely a dining experience, not just a dinner!
(5)Sarah N.
I used to frequent this establishment quite afew times a month and when I first starting eating there it was good. The food was well priced and the service was excellent. Also the food was very tasty as well. Once the place started getting more popular though things started declining rapidly. Cold food, long wait times to even get our salads and drinks. We did not eat here for a year after that. Que about a month ago, we were hungry and decided to give them another shot. The menu hadnt changed but other than that everything was very pleasant. Food came out in good time and the waiter was awesome. - so last night after a very frustrating day my mom and i drove over from the other side of town. The place was not too busy as the 2 groups of people were just leaving. We waited about 10 minutes for the waitress to take our order of a glass of wine - a steak that we were splitting and an extra salad. The salad took an additional 15 minutes to come out and the wine 15 minutes after that. The waitress was way to busy- as there was only one for the whole place. We tried to call her multipul times and she just didnt hear us or didnt care. We even asked the bus boy to get our waitress or get Simon (the owner) who we had seen earlier. At this point we had been at the restaurant about an hour. - Ten minutes later the waitress came out with another persons order and was going back into the kitchen. My mother then stood up and had to call out very loudly to get her attention. She was very rude and said "Im busy" - mom said she must had called her 5 times and even asked the bus boy to get her or simon. She just said "Well Simon's busy" - my mom said fine then and said to forget everything that we were leaving. The waitress said did we want the check and a to go box- mom said she would not pay for the steak we did not eat but we would pay for the wine and the salads. - the waitress disappeared into the back roo and we thought she was getting simon. about 5 minutes after that she came back over and said "If you dont want a check and you dont want the steak then you should leave."- We again said we would pay for the things we ate - and she said no just go. No apology- just a bad attitude. The table next to us were still waiting for 1/2 their order and there was atleast 1 other table waiting for their food who were their before us. This waitress has been working here forever so I dont expect anything to be done. - but Simon I hope you read this and realise you have an issue. You need to take charge of your staff. This was bad bad bad- I doubt mom and I will be back- so I guess the next time I see you will be when I run into you at the movies.
(1)Kathie S.
J Benjamin's is a wonderful place to eat. Cozy and comfortable and EXCELLENT food. Service was great on our sat. evening visit. Great drinks and very tasty food. We've tried a couple Italian dishes which were outstanding, the white sauce is delicious. We started with the onion rings, perfect, sliced thin with a very tasty batter. We had the house ranch dressing as dipping sauce, very very good not only with the onion rings but on the salad too.
(5)Ricky T.
I have eat here a couple of times and am a fan of the very low key cozy atmosphere. oh and the food is good too. :-) No really the food is really why you would go. Mix of American/Italian fair to tease your taste buds. One interesting thing is the first time we ever went there we got sat close to the door and it was winter time and this younger looking guy in his parka comes in and just starts talking to us asking us about our food. come to find out later he was actually the owner. :-)
(4)William S.
An absolutely wonderful restaurant! Don't let the "rough" exterior deter you. J. Benjamin's has a rough exterior, but the interior is warm and welcoming and the food is delicious! We decided to try J. Benjamin's because we were in the mood for pizza and our friends have always raved about the pizza here. The pizza was wonderful! I must admit, however, that our appetizer left something to be desired, but the pizza more than made up for that shortcoming. We ordered the Pepper Cheese Bread for our appetizer. This is toasted french bread topped with assorted peppers (red, green, jalapeño and banana peppers) and a sprinkle, literally, of cheese. I was not impressed. But, the mariana sauce that accompanied the Pepper Cheese Bread was chunky and delicious! Now, on to the pizza! First, I should note that J. Benjamin's prepares their pizza's exclusively with thin crust. I had a small Chicken Santa Fe which comes with white sauce, chicken, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and green chiles. WOW! It was SO good. Honestly, the pizza seemed to get better with each bite. I certainly recommend it. My girlfriend had the Veggie, which was also very tasty. J. Benjamin's always has a wonderful wine list. OH! Draft beers are $3.50. You can't beat that - Blue Moon, Boulevard Wheat, New Castle, and others, all $3.50. Not bad! We had a wonderful meal at J. Benjamin's and certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a wonderful dinner in a warm and cozy restaurant with friendly staff!
(4)Kris D.
We wanted to like this restaurant, we really did. The first time we dined here we thought it was amazing--the pizza was great and the restaurant was packed with happy customers. The owner personally greats every guest and even treated us to free dessert! The second time we ordered traditional pasta dishes, and we were disappointed--the food was just okay and the service was sluggish and inattentive. We were again treated to a free dessert, so felt special and vowed to come again for the pizza we liked so much the last time. The third time we tried this restaurant. the service awful. It took way too long for anyone to take our drink order, and even longer to order our pizza. The pizza took about an hour and when it finally came, it was burned. Our waitress un-apologetically gave us the option of eating the burned pizza or waiting for a new one. We took the option of eating burned food over waiting another hour for our meal. We were once again treated to free dessert, but this schtick got old, especially after paying for such bad food and bad service.
(2)Mike O.
Simons (formerly J Benjamin's) Des Moines Iowa How can a person not love Simons? Upon arrival there was a 20 minute wait for a table that is usually but not always a good thing, take the Olive Garden for example. We were greeted at the door by the owner who took our drink order and went and got them. This is where the review gets difficult to explain. Simon (the owner, chef, bartender, host, busboy, waiter) is the most impressive part of the Simon's dining experience. The guy is everywhere, one minute he is in the kitchen, then at the bar, next you will see him at the door but most of the time he is visiting with his customers. At one point in the evening he literally pulled up a chair and sat at our table. We asked him about one of the employees he had he told us that this kid started hanging out around the place after school since about the age of 9 and when the kid turned 14 he wanted to give the kid a chance and he gave him a job bussing tables and filling water glasses. This goes back to my original statement, how can you not love Simons? As you may be aware I grade on certain criteria two of which are atmosphere and service the scores for Simons were difficult to give. The place was dark and somewhat loud our waitress was average at best but because of Simon I had to give each a 4.5. The wait for our food was longer than one would like, however it's hard to explain but there is doesn't matter. Now finally for the food As in most Italian places they start you out with some bread and Simons parents have a bakery and they supply the bread for their son's restaurant. I had the beef stroganoff; it was very good the beef was very tender which is hard to find in similar dishes. I had hoped for a bigger serving but left full so go figure. Teresa had the baked pasta with pepperoni again very good and a nice portion. Jared had the Chicken Florentine a nice twist on chicken. But probably the highlight of the evening was Stacy's mac and cheese, one of the best I've had. To top off the evening Simons dad makes chocolate and carrot cakes for the place and they are complementary while supplies last. We had the carrot and it was also good. As you can tell Simons is in fact about Simon and as we were leaving he must have been busy because he literally ran outside to catch us and tell us thanks for coming and goodbye. I've said it before and I'll say it again "how can you not love Simons?" Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) a night out Overall rankings all based 1 to 5 Atmosphere: 4.5 Service: 4.5 Food: 3.5 Value: 3 Overall 4 Simons 5800 Franklin Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50322
(4)Mathew D.
Rare find. Definitely cozy casual atmosphere. Excellent food .. The owner was so personable, it could easily have been the best dining experience I have ever had. We are from out of town but we will make this our dining spot when we pass through town. Free dessert!
(5)Erin F.
The pizza here was AMAZING! That's where my compliments end. We showed up at 5:00 to beat the dinner rush but still had slow and unfriendly service. The other reviews call this place "cozy" which is code for dark, small, and dirty. I had a $7 salad that only included iceburg lettuce, cucumbers and cheese. Really?!? I'm glad we can say that we checked it off our list of local spots to try, but we won't be going back.
(2)