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The Latin King, Des Moines, IA

The Latin King

4.7
4.7
209 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
The Latin King restaurant was founded in 1947 by Rose and Jim Pigneri, who immigrated from Terravecchia, Italy to Des Moines. Rose and Jim wanted to bring authentic Italian fare to Des Moines and began this undertaking in earnest upon selling their home to finance the Latin King restaurant lease, which had previously operated as the Cinderella Sandwich Shop (circa 1930) and the Chanticleer Restaurant (circa 1937). Pigneri named the Latin King after New York City’s Latin Quarter and operated the Latin King for 35 years, notably taking only 10 days of vacation time during his tenure. Pigneri sold the Latin King to his third cousin Bob Tursi in 1983.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (515) 266-4466
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 209 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Best Service

  • Iowa

    Best Value

  • Iowa

    Neighborhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Value

  • Des Moines

    Neighborhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Latin King delivers a memorable dining experience with "fantastic service" and "great food." Known for its "consistent great food and staff for over 30 years," it's perfect for special occasions. Highlights include live music evenings, attentive staff like Molly, and delicious specialties like Chicken Spiedini and Tiramisu.

209 Reviews
  1. Callen

    Palm Springs

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food prepared perfectly. Professional servers. We were celebrating my son’s graduation from college and couldn’t have picked a better place. Highly recommend.
    The Latin KingResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for the 5 stars! We are pleased to hear about your experience with us, and Molly will be delighted to hear your positive words. Hope to see you again soon.

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  2. Dave

    VIP

    Des Moines

    15 reviews

    2.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on December 12, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Where do I begin, on the positive side the service was excellent. We sat in the large dining room and it was absolutely freezing in there, not only me but my dining companions on a 20 degree evening. Two recent visits the food is not what it was with prior owner. Lettuce for salad was old and filet was overcooked and tough and tasted like fish (cooked next to fish?). Baked potato was so small, I did not even know they had potatoes that small and literally was barely even warm. Dining partners commented the same with their steak, potato and salad. Pasta dish other dining partner not strained properly and in plate of water. Sorry to experience this theme on recent visits, but new ownership brings unfortunately changes, not all of which are good.
    The Latin KingResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for the feedback, we are thrilled you enjoyed excellent service. We will look into the issues you raised. Were you able to speak the management and get your meals replaced. The ownership has been the same, as it was for your recent visits.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Dave

    Des Moines

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great table service was provided by our waitress.
    The Latin KingResponded on December 12, 2024
    Thank you for the review! We are pleased to hear that the service you received was excellent, and we can't wait to see you again for another wonderful dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

  4. helen

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great holiday lunch. Service was very attentive but not overbearing. Chicken spedini was amazing.
    The Latin KingResponded on December 12, 2024
    Thank you for your kind review! We're delighted you enjoyed your holiday lunch and the chicken spiedini. It's great to hear the service hit the perfect balance. We look forward to welcoming you back!

    Is this helpful?

  5. James

    VIP

    San Diego

    47 reviews

    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was fantastic as usual and our server, Mollie, was the epitome of professional. The rest of the staff were excellent as well. We enjoyed our experience at The Latin King immensely.
    The Latin KingResponded on December 12, 2024
    Thank you for your glowing review! We're thrilled you had a fantastic experience and will pass your kind words along to Mollie and the team. We can't wait to welcome you back to The Latin King!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Chris

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and even better service. server was very friendly and helpful with my wife's questions about the menu and provided great insight into each dish.
    The Latin KingResponded on November 18, 2024
    Thank you for the 5 stars! We are thrilled to hear you not only enjoyed the food but the service as well! Our mission is to provide wonderful customer service to all of our guests, and we hope we can provide the same service on your next visit.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Theresa

    Des Moines

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always look forward to our dinners at Latin King. Staff is so friendly and courteous. Food is delicious- my favorite is The Gamberi Diavlo. My husband always gets prime rib or NY strip. Great appetizers and cocktails too@
    The Latin KingResponded on November 18, 2024
    Thank you for your loyalty and wonderful feedback! We're thrilled you enjoy dining with us, and we look forward to serving you and your husband again soon—cheers to more great meals and cocktails!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Nathan

    Chicago

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent waitress and busboy - service was phenomenal. Menus is good and varied. Food was wonderful and plentiful. Prices are great for what you get.
    The Latin KingResponded on November 18, 2024
    Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed the service, menu, food, and value. We look forward to welcoming you back again!

    Is this helpful?

  9. James

    VIP

    San Diego

    47 reviews

    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on November 3, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. Our server Molly is the absolute best. Fantastic experience.
    The Latin KingResponded on November 14, 2024
    Thank you for the 5 stars!

    Is this helpful?

  10. JP

    VIP

    Des Moines

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on November 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was fantastic and Abby our server was great.
    The Latin KingResponded on November 14, 2024
    Thank you for the 5 stars!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Latin King is rated 4.7 stars by 209 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Google Map for The Latin King

2200 Hubbell Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317-2522

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Des Moines
  • Hours of operation
    Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
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