The best steakhouses in Des Moines

Des Moines is, quietly, a serious steak town, and not just the polished prime rooms. This is also the home of steak de burgo, the butter-garlic-and-herb tenderloin dish born in the city's Italian-American kitchens. Here's where to go, whether you want a white-tablecloth splurge, a dark-wood supper club, or to grill your own over charcoal.

The prime splurge

801 Chophouse downtown is the benchmark, aged USDA Prime, an in-house butcher program, a deep wine list, and a clubby room built for a big occasion. It's the flagship of a family-owned group that started here in 1993. Out west near Jordan Creek, the two national heavyweights hold court: Ruth's Chris, with its prime steaks served sizzling on a 500-degree plate, and Fleming's, which pairs the beef with around 100 wines by the glass.

Steak de burgo, the Des Moines classic

If you try one thing on this list, make it steak de burgo, and the definitive version is at Tursi's Latin King on the east side, a Pigneri-family institution since 1947. For another great take with more of a classic-steakhouse feel, Jesse's Embers on Ingersoll has been searing hand-cut steaks (and those famous paper-thin onion rings) since 1963. And Johnny's Italian Steakhouse does a polished supper-club version out in West Des Moines.

Old-school supper clubs

For the full dark-wood, relish-tray, endless-salad-bar experience, Des Moines delivers. Christopher's in Beaverdale has been the neighborhood Italian-American supper club since 1963. Chicago Speakeasy on Euclid pairs aged steaks and prime rib with a 40-plus-item salad bar (since 1978). And John & Nick's in Clive runs one of the largest salad bars in Iowa alongside its prime rib.

Grill your own

Something a little different: Iowa Beef Steakhouse on the east side (an institution since 1982) hands you a big choice cut and lets you grill it yourself over an open charcoal pit. Low-key, fun, and very Iowa.

The quick cheat sheet

• Prime splurge: 801 Chophouse (downtown), Ruth's Chris & Fleming's (West Des Moines)
• Steak de burgo: Tursi's Latin King, Jesse's Embers, Johnny's
• Supper club + salad bar: Christopher's, Chicago Speakeasy, John & Nick's
• Grill your own: Iowa Beef Steakhouse

A steak dinner is also one of the great date nights, more of those in our best date-night restaurants guide, and this is one chapter of our bigger guide to the best restaurants in Des Moines.

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