Django, Hotel Fort Des Moines: User Reviews

I enjoyed strong drinks and super fresh oysters and shrimp during the happy hour specials. Great ambience and very attentive staff.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

I have been wanting to try Django for a very long time! I cant believe it took me this long to get there, but hey, I made it. I had heard stellar reviews and was sincerely hoping that I didnt go in with standards that were too high. I was not disappointed in any way! It was a truly fabulous dining experience.

My fiane and I ordered the onion rings for a starter (they are my major weakness) and they were amazing! . The escargot was perfect, and served in a garlic and butter sauce.
My main course was one of my favorite meals I have ever had. I ordered the Scallops St. Jacques, .with pan seared scallops were served over Gruyere whipped potatoes and a mushroom and shallot bechamel sauce.

Django was not only a fabulous meal, but an elegant and special atmosphere that, is exactly as they claim-the French food without the pretention!! I cant wait to go back.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

Django

A and D made reservations at Django for their first visit on a Tuesday evening.

Parking on the street is difficult, but the new city parking garage across the street works well. Park, use the elevator, exit the lobby and cross 10th Street to the restaurant entrance. Parking is $4 in the evening.

The restaurant entrance is reminiscent of a French bistro/brasserie. A huge antique map of Paris hung on the wall adds to the feeling. Lighting at the entrance is gentle and the reservation desk inviting. The hostess met us with a large and welcoming smile, noted our reservation and immediately led us to a quiet table.

The decor is French; old glass wine and vinegar balloon bottles, dark wood, wine cabinets, and architectural detailing with a European flair. The central raw bar is stunning with its load of fresh oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp and prepared seafood platters.

Table service is another classic bistro touch -- bentwood chairs, dark wood tabletop, white napkins, heavy silverware, unique plates. Perfect choices for the French illusions.

The menu is a work of art. Not only is it interesting and fun to read, but there are clever twists to the names of various dishes. The range of dishes is another surprise. This may be the best thought-out menu in all of Des Moines. Offered are starters of fresh, raw seafood, classic French dishes, charcuterie flights, wine flights and tastings, the prix fixe menu, the extensive wine menu, and daily specials. The diner's choices have been thought about and planned carefully. The entree selections are extensive, creative, new and exciting.

A began with a classic shrimp cocktail: large, crisp, fresh shrimp, a delicious sauce, all served in a large Martini glass. D began with classic sweetbreads: generous portions of each of the two types of sweetbread; a reduction that touched on the sublime; toast points and flavorful 'chunks' of bacon throughout the sauce. A magical dish and one of the best preparations ever tasted anywhere in the world by this sweetbread lover.

A ordered the hanger steak and twice-fried frites, again a classic French frite preparation ( a la The Market). The cut of steak is naturally dense, but the flavor of Django's version is extraordinary when prepared to a perfect medium rare as this dish was. The Béarnaise sauce was full of good flavor, thick and rich. A superb entree and superb cooking.

D ordered grouper with shrimp and mussels. The grouper filet was thick, perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The accompanying shrimp were tasty, as well. A mussel had gone off, as happens, and its rather unpleasant flavor was but a slight error in preparation. The fish was served over a bed of French haricot verts and strawed carrots, perfectly crunchy and retaining color and flavor, as expected. A very good dish.

A and D brought a bottle of Frank Family sparkling wine from a prior Napa trip. Frank Family is one of those small treasures of a vineyard and winery that produces exceptional wines and sells them entirely at the winery. Django is very intelligent regarding wine and corkage. There is no corkage fee charged (actually they do charge on the bill, but deduct the charge at the same time, so you see what a value you are getting). Our server provided a full champagne wine service, as if we were buying from the wine list. This waiving of the corkage fee is brilliant, as it allows the diners to spend more money on other menu items, such as cheese platters, after dinner port or brandy, other wines by the glass, desserts, and espresso or cappuccino, all of which A and D took advantage of having.

Dessert was a malted milk chocolate crème brulee for A, which was perfection with a hard, flavor-filled crust and a rich, velvet chocolate custard. This was a dessert made by a pro. D had a cheese plate consisting of three wonderful selections, a small apple and lettuce salad, a rich chutney, flat-bread crackers and a selection of olive-oil cured

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

We had to try this new French spot, having been to several French locations. It was kinda disappointing. The service was just OK, the food was good and bad, not at all what we hoped for, but cost like it should have been fantastic. We should give it another try, but with such a tasteless cassoulet and the prices so steep, I doubt we will.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

Having spent quite a bit of time in France, I admit I went in with high expectations. Folks all over had said this was a great restaurant from personal recommendations to reviews in Juice and the Register.

The restaurant was noisy, but really, what place isn't these days?

Service was okay, the wine was good. I had been assured by many that the chefs were great with vegetarians and that not only were there vegetarian items on the menu, but they were also helpful with changing other things. When I asked about this, the waitress was quite snippy and said that the two options on the menu were what I could have. I ordered one of those and it would be okay.
I was TERRIBLY disappointed by the bread on the table. It had the flavor and texture of the Pillsbury frozen dinner rolls.
I was most disappointed at the dessert. I ordered some sort of choux a la creme or something that should have been light and like puff pastry. It was hard and again more like the Pillsbury dinner rolls. It was terrible. When the server asked how I liked it, I told her and she told me that I shouldn't expect something Italian, but something French!
And then, when I was looking at the bill, she charged us for wine that was $2/glass more expensive than what we had ordered.

Bad bread, bad dessert, bad for vegetarians, and bad bill. Bad experience and I will not be going back.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

Django is batting 1.000 for our visits there. Not only is the food some of the most distinct in town (duck confit, duck fat frites, foie gras) it is consistently well-executed and served. Whether out for a Saturday night "date night" dinner, or a Sunday evening post-matinee dinner with our teenage daughter it hit the mark. Consider the nights with no corkage fee and it is just a wondeful new option downtown!

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

After hearing about Django from friends and reviews lavishing praise on George Formaro's latest creation, we went with high expectations...and they delivered.

We made our reservation for 9pm, but arrived a few minutes early, and we were seated right away. Our waitress was very friendly, and the service was very good.

The real standout was, needless to say, the food. Simply AMAZING. I started off with the Short Rib Poutine, a delicious riff on a Canadian comfort food staple, while my wife tried Escargot for the first time. We were both astonished at the Escargot's taste - chewy, garlicky, buttery goodness.

For our main entrees, I had the Le Royale With Cheese, definitely a knife-and-fork sandwich like our waitress suggested, while my wife had the Bouillabaise. I must tell you, the Le Royale is not for the faint of heart, considering it's a 10-oz. ground New York Strip burger, with molted cheddar cheese and a fried egg on top. My wife's Bouillabaise was delicious; a tour de force of flavors.

Django definitely lives up to the hype surrounding it. I shall remember this day 30 years from now when I'm diagnosed with atherosclerosis. So totally worth it.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

We recently celebrated our anniversary here w/ family & friends & to eat in a French restaurant, in a French named city, and a waiter who had a French name, well, we felt like we were IN France for the couple of hours we all spent there.
The hustle & bustle of the brasserie is very new to Des Moines & not pretentious at all! Our server, Beau, anticipated our every need, and was very charming & knowledgable about the cheese & wine flights, and kept us laughing thru dessert, which was "on the house", because of our anniversary!
The ambiance was spectacular as well, and we've all decided to spend all our future special occasions w/ our family and friends at Django. Especially this New Years Eve!!!

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

Our evening w/ eight friends was spectacular, except for a very rude waiter named Lawrence (no attitude?), who briefly put a damper on things, but his co-workers @ the raw bar made up for it quickly by a offering a sample of an oyster & told us all about them!
The food was the best we've tasted in Iowa & actually better than what we had in France last summer.
Other than requesting another server next time, we look forward to our next visit this weekend!

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review

After several visits now, the consistancy & service rises far above the oceans of mediocre restaurants in Des Moines. The cuisine is cutting edge & style of service is unique to Des Moines
All of the ingredients used speak volumes of the LOCAL suppliers & organic farmers.
The restaurants' management & staff continue to sparkle & dazzle & if a guest is unhappy, the management goes above & beyond to remedy the problem.

Ambiance:

Food:

Service:

Value:

Report This Review