Home > Des Moines Restaurants > Editorial Review > Editorial Juice Review: Maxie's Restaurant

Maxie's Restaurant and Lounge has been a dining mainstay in West Des Moines since 1967 when unadulterated farmland still dominated everything west of 35th Street. The place epitomizes the lounge experience with dim lighting and mellow elevator tunes, as well as walls adorned with lithographs of cars straight out of Gatsby's garage and flower-embroidered booths for comfortable seating.

THE GOOD

As contemporary establishments flirt with reinventing the burger - jalapenos belong on nachos, and Philly steak and cheese belongs on, well, a Philly steak and cheese - Maxie's makes traditional half-pound patties. If less beef is your thing, then go to B-Bop's. The Maxie Burger serves as the canvas upon which customers may choose from six combinations of lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon and sauteed mushrooms. These delectable monstrosities are served with both onion rings and fries, so the only decision you need to make is whether you can take it all down.


THE BAD

It's great that meals come with both fries and onion rings, but it results in a compromised flavor of both items. And the rings aren't exactly rings, but rather appear like someone lodged a handful of Black Cats in a blooming onion and served up the remaining fried shrapnel. You need to eat them with a fork, and ketchup is needed to disguise the salty flavor. The fries are about as exciting as a trip to the post office.

BOTTOM LINE

Impeccable service, delicious food and charming ambience. Amidst the movement toward dubious food combinations, Maxie's sticks to the basics.