Reviews of Baru 66 (Restaurant)

Leanne Dronet

the food was really good but I don't think the waitress could have hated me anymore. There were four of us at the table and none of us knew what I possibly did to to deserve the way she was treating me, the way she spoke to everyone else the table was completely different from how she spoke to and treated me. Definitely Maybe experience not as pleasant as it could have been but luckily I had good company so we were just laughing about it. Food was phenomenal and the hostess and bartender were very friendly and nice.

Aaron W.

A one of a kind dining experience. The five course meal will not disappoint. It's pricey, because it's fresh, incredible, inspired, and unmatched in the Des Moines area. Service is impeccable and the atmosphere is intimate.

Kelly Baughman

We stopped f or desserts and after dinner drinks. The staff was top notch. The desserts were delightful! Thank you! We'll be back for the full dinner experience soon.

Nikolas Pugmire

My husband and I celebrated our 5th anniversary here and were completely blown away by the service, ambiance, cocktails, and food. We opted for the four-course chef's special, which also included some additional bites between courses. Every single course was outrageously delicious... I only wish I would've gotten more pics. But what can I say? I was enjoying it too much. The bill for two of us was in the $140 range for everything - but I would happily pay that again for the experience I had here. Would HIGHLY recommend.

Bev Burns

Food, service and atmosphere absolutely top-rate...

Matthew Chapman

This is by far the best french restaurant in Des Moines and one of the overall top restaurants. My girlfriend had the quail and it was beautifully presented and delicious. I had the lamb loin and it was beautiful and perfectly cooked and delicious. My only complaint about the lamb was that I like a deep raunchy lamb taste when I eat lamb but that's a personal preference and not for everyone. This lamb tasted like a beef fillet with slight lmby taste. Foe grass was excellent. I like my foe grad so rich most people would only be able to take 1 bite and I'd say this was half that level of richness but so good

Jonathan Preisser

Incredible food, and a wonderful experience.

Angela Boyd

The space was clean and aesthetically pleasing, staff was professional and personable, bartender and serving staff has been well trained, alcohol lists were extensive and artisinal, and the food - incredible, to say the least! Baru 66 tailored to our every need and request. Thank you for the wonderful birthday dinner. We will be back. :)

Meredith Palomo

My wife and I visited Baru 66 after our courthouse wedding four years ago. We were nervous when we arrived because we were the only people there throughout our entire two hour dinner. However, the food and service were phenomenal. We don't live in the state, but we will definitely go again if we find ourselves in Iowa. Thank you for a perfect wedding night dinner!

Brock Ascher

I have been to Baru 66 twice in the last three years and both times was served some of the best food I have ever had. The best restaurant in the metro.

Vicky Hansen

Wounderful French Food We did the 6 course meal with wine pairing. We were served our wine right before the course came out and we had so much fun trying to guess what we would be served. Everything was beautifully presented and delish. Our server was spot on. Only draw back is very $$$. If you are a big eater and a meat & potatoes kind of person this is not the place for you. But if you are a foodie and want real table clothes and cloth napkins and want an sepecal evening you need to go just be ready to open your wallet.

Julia Shebarshov

Fantastic romantic dinner for two!

Dara Teno

One of the best restaurants in Des Moines. My fiancé and I love to explore new restaurants, especially beings he's a chef. This was truly a great experience for our anniversary. The atmosphere was elegant and peaceful. Our server Allie was beyond wonderful, one of the friendliest most informed servers I have ever had. The food was plated so pretty that you almost didn't want to eat it. We loved everything we ordered and had the pleasure of meeting the chef who owns it and the wife who runs the front. We also learned that their son does deserts. Knowing this is family owned and ran means a lot. We love supporting our locals. We can't wait to go back and have a new experience.

Curt Brooks

Great food, great service!!!

Noah Notch

Classic French cuisine in an intimate dining space. The food is lacking modern day trends and cuisines. The prices are a little steep, but if you go here you usually are planning to spend at least 30 dollars a person. On the exterior it looks just like the few other shops in the strip mall and might be hard to spot especially in the dark

Gabby Smithman

WOW. My husband and I decided to get reservations here for our Christmas dinner, with plans to do the tasting menu and really splurge. We arrived for our 7 pm reservation about 10 minutes early, and were seated right away. Every staff member we encountered was kind and positive, and seemed to genuinely enjoy their job. We both ordered the 5 course tasting menu, and were continually impressed by the food, dish after dish. The food was amazing, and worth every penny. As there were five distinct dishes, I'm going to break from my review tradition and not review each individual dish. However, I will say that each dish was complex, used fresh ingredients, and each aspect of the dish gelled perfectly together. Keep in mind that this is a TASTING menu, so the dishes will be smaller than your average American wine-and-dine entrees or meals. If you come in expecting to leave stuffed, you may be disappointed. If you come in expecting to try a bunch of amazingly fresh, beautiful dishes, you will leave VERY happy. Our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable, our glasses stayed filled, and the decor of the restaurant was very classy and chic. We will definitely be back!

Terry McIntosh

The food here is always amazing! We like to come here for special occasions and do the chef's tasting menu. It's a little pricier but well worth it and can be ordered with or without a wine pairing. I like the tasting menu because it gives me the opportunity to try foods that I otherwise may not but not have to worry about whether I will enjoy it. Honestly everything on the menu is good, I've never had anything I didn't like. Great wait staff too!

Jamie Christensen

Best restaurant in Des Moines. Chef David is a genius and his staff is incredible. He's been consistently providing phenomenal food for over 5 years now and he always manages to delight!

Alison Doering

What a lovely restaurant with creative dining and authentic French flair!

Keith Wilson

Very nice ambiance. First two courses were very good, especially the seafood. Generous pours of house wine. Bread was overdone. Not enough servers led to spotty service. Prices were reasonable given the quality. Worth another visit.

Kyle Beach

The food was absolute fantastic. Even better, the hostess was amazing and tended to our every need.

Kenzie Wells

Very exquisite food. Waiting staff was great. The owner is amazing. It’s on the more expensive side, but it’s worth every penny. So yummy!

Palma Grewell

Excellent

Lisa Pusin

Spent an amazing time having dinner and drinks with impeccable service. The chef came to check on our food and allergies were taken into account. It was amazing!

John Healey

Never a disappointing experience, always new and exciting for the taste buds.

Steven Peretti

I had the dover sole the other night and it was perfection.

Steven Lawyer

Hands down the best French haute cuisine in the state. The proprietor, David Baruthio, grew up in Strasbourg and trained in Paris. He brings to the table unmatched authenticity in the quality, style, and presentation of his dishes.

Stephen Pohl

Excellent food and service!!

Tristan Nhuyen

Been to other French restaurants in Chicago so I knew what to expect as far as portions and prices. There were three of us and we spent close to $260, food was good but not great, each had a glass of wine, I like the ambiance but not much else.

Baron Cao

If you are interested in a fine dining experience, be sure to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant. I went to 1* Parachute in Chicago a week or two before I visited Baru 66. Besides the price tag and food plating, it had a lot more to demand. By dishes: - Pan-seared scallops: Not expecting much, but also did not notice anything surprising. - Quail: Claimed to be boneless, but it's more semi-boneless. I made it a mess. The lingonberry sauce offered felt mediocre, just like a regular jam. - Creme Brulee: portion was too large, and the kind of sweet was achieved with just loads of sugar. Service: fair at most. Did not feel that the servant was trying to build a communication in any way, nor did she seem to have concrete knowledge on dishes or drinks.

Brayton Weber

If this place is run by the same people as Prime, see below for visit to Prime. They should be ashamed. Prime visit receives Zero Stars. Easily the worst experience at a restaurant in DM in fifteen years. Tried for days to get reservations, all phone calls and emails went unanswered, and no way online to reserve. Decided to go anyways because we wanted to try somewhere new. Went on a Wednesday night for a birthday dinner at 5:45pm, zero people there during their happy hour. Asked for a scotch, they had zero to offer me. My wife ordered a martini from the menu, they didn't have the ingredients (vodka) to make it. The bartender just laughed each time, he said they were sort of "low" on lots of items. After telling him the issues with even getting communication from the place, he shrugged. We walked out and decided to go to Proof downtown, had a wonderful three hour dinner, one of the best in a long time. I will never visit this restaurant or any run by this ownership group again. We will stick to places like Proof, Centro, ROCA, Flemings, ETC.

charles reed

I have stayed here on many occasions and wish I could always stay longer. Wonderfully clean and nice staff. Sherry the bartender is magnificent. Excellent at conversation and really knows how to treat people to make them feel special. Drinks are good, strong, and made withg expertise. Great location to just about anywhere you want to go downtown

Bradley Boyd

Everything was perfect. Absolutely wonderful. The service was prompt, elegant, and friendly. The food was dynamic, delicuous, and filling. The cocktails were refreshing and delightful. The wine pairings were well thought out and creative. My wife and I came to Baru 66 to celebrate her birthday, and the teamat Baru 66 went above and beyond. I even mentioned that my wife is Korean in the reservation notes. Their team reached out to a friend of the restaurant and wrote her "Happy Birthday" in Korean. (생일 축하 합니다). Great work, Baru 66. From chef to service, from flavor to aesthetic, you've nailed it.

Nick Canney

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Probably the best or tied with the best in DSM. A quaint French establishment with master chef Barruthio at the reigns. Everything on the plate is edible and an important part of the dish. I really cannot say enough good things about this restaurant.

Melody Liu

Delicious! 3 course dinner menu is $53 and changes seasonally. The Chef is from France, and the food is meticulously good. The egg appetizer was amazing, with all the flavors on point and the egg cooked perfectly. The service is professional, the atmosphere is nice, and it’s a perfect place for an evening out or for something special.

Justin Williams

We have been a few times and it is excellent every time. Food and service are both top notch. The Chef does such a great job. I do the chefs tasting menu each time we go. Bravo!

Dan Gray

One of the very best romantic eateries in Metro

Tanya Keith

So delicious, and the staff was lovely.

Beverly Lopez

Centro Restaurant is located on first floor of the old Masonic Lodge which got remodeled into the Temple of Performing Arts. It is near the very large outdoor Des Moines Sculpture Park. This is great place for an anniversary dinner or for an top notch dinner with a business client that you want to impress.

Matt Evans

Excellent experience. Had the 6 course tasting menu. Every bit as great an experience as we had at Le Cirque in Las Vegas, for half the price. Do yourself a favor and go here. Des Moines is very lucky to have a chef like this in town, doing this kind of food. This is one of a kind for a city this size.

Philippe Couillez

Always fantastic food

Ian Dielschneider

This place is must if you are at all interested in experiencing food in a new way and tasting food that you will remember all year. We come here for anniversaries and have never been disappointed.

Sean Wright

6 course tasting menu was excellent, and cocktails were on trend in terms of ingredients and balance. The service was great, also.

Zac Kuehl

Food was fantastic!

Peg M

Wonderful Valentine's Day feast for lovers, great chef, staff, and wonderful ambiance

Timothy Olson

Best dining experience in DM.

Kim M

Always great food and service. One of the top restaurants in Des Moines.

emily wood

Outstanding Chef's tasting, impeccable service. Small but well appointed wine list.

Becky Hammar

Simply amazing! Everything was fantastic! We were inside, comfortable seating and excellent table setting. Sound level was great so even hard of hearing people were able to visit within their table. Coffee was pretty good... Was not quality of New York City Italian coffee but it was still worth ordering their French press coffee. Wait staff was excellent and chef was amazing. I would go back for a romantic dinner or a family fine dining experience.

Vicki Gatter

Excellent food and service - PERFECT for celebrating a wedding anniversary!

Jeffery Jewell

For over a decade, Chef David and the entire staff at Baru 66 have excelled in all aspects of fine dining. Amazing creativity. Flawless presentation and service.

Sara Skinner

This place is WAY over priced!!!! Their food is flavorless and boring. They're charging fine dining prices with questionable quality at best. Do not be fooled. This is not good French food. My risotto was undercooked and bland. Thanks for nothing on our anniversary Baru 66. We will not be returning.

Jodi Baker

Absolutely wonderful experience. Impeccable service. Courses were well spaced, allowing for a leisurely experience. Chef worked magic to accommodate my husband's dairy-free requirement. Definitely a top tier establishment.

Allen Hentscher

Small but fabulous bistro/restaurant. My wife and I had the four course chef's tasting menu and it was absolutely delightful. Staff was super friendly and explained everything we needed to know about the menu and the food that was delivered. We each had a cocktail and both were also very good. Dress is smart casual my wife had a nice blouse and dark jeans, I was wearing slacks and a button shirt but we saw more casual and more business dress there as well. Before we left we were already planning a return with friends. Prices were reasonable for the quality and taste of the food. I believe the 4 course tasting menu without wine pairings was $65. They also have a 6 course tasting menu that was more. Most menu items ranged from $10 (sides) to $66 (filet) with most entrees being in the $30 range with outliers that were cheaper and more expensive. All in all, very good food especially for the price. My wife and I couldn't think of anyplace we had been on our travels that matched the quality at this price point from New York to Maui. Give it a try you won't regret it.

Gail Gonwa

Enjoyed a thoughtful, beautiful, delicious Mediterranean Sea menu. Each course was elevated with unexpected nuances. What a nice experience.

Chris Seymour

From a foodie who cooks, Baru is world class.

Blondie White

This place is a Michelin star!

New Horizon Cuisine

The best French restaurant in Iowa. The food is absolutely incredible and Chef David is a master of his craft. Every detail is perfect at Baru 66. From the artistic plating of the food, to the incredible wine selection, to the gorgeous dining room and bar. Do yourself a favor and get the 4 course or 6 course tasting menu with wine pairings.

Rick Manion

Best food in Des Moines. Perfect for a romantic special occasion.

John Reese

OUTSTANDING!! The food, the service, the atmosphere, perfect!!

Mickala Elwell

My fiance took me here for Valentine's Day! When we first walked in I thought this was going to be a great experience it was a small dimly-lit restaurant that had a nice Ambience and the hostess was very friendly. But it kind of all went downhill from there. We were seated next to a glass window that had some sort of painted design on it. Through it we could see that they were stacking up dirty towels behind it which then instantly took away from the ambiance. We took a look at the menu, everything sounded absolutely delicious and we were excited for the food. On this occasion we opted not to have any alcoholic beverages and just ordered an iced tea however the waiter forgot to bring our tea. We did not get our iced tea until we were through with our salad . Anyways the meal started out with mozzarella cheese a Clamato Olive and a tomato with balsamic vinegar on it which that was delicious but I think that's something that's hard to mess up. Next we were then served our salad we chose the lobster salad which was probably one of the part better parts of the meal. However the lobster was just cut into slices and had little to no flavor I think that it could have used some sort of sauce drizzled over the top of it a squirt of lemon or maybe a splash of melted butter. Next we were serve focaccia bread which was flavorless and disappointing. Then for whatever reason it took an extremely long time to get our entree. We had ordered the sea bass. Prior to the entree all of the food had been coming at a very normal pace. When we received the sea bass it was just bland it could have used some sort of seasoning or sauce. The sea bass came on top of a cauliflower risotto which I would have to say it was probably the best part of the meal. Then dessert came I can't remember what the name of the dessert was that I ordered but it came with a piece of flan and the flan was really rubbery and I struggled to cut it with my Fork and it didn't have much flavor plus it was chewy not the texture I had expected. My partner ordered the chocolate fondant and it was probably the worst cake I've ever tasted in my life. They did finish off the meal with two chocolate covered strawberries which was a nice touch good but it's hard to mess those up. Overall this whole meal missed the mark. Every course was rather disappointing. Since It was Valentine's Day our meals cost $75 a person. Needless to say the quality/taste of the food wasn't even worth $20 a person When you're paying those kind of prices it's kind of insulting that your waiter can't even remember to bring you an iced tea. I would never return to this restaurant even on a regular night. At these kind of prices and considering the chef has cooked for presidents I was expecting a spectacular meal and was let down all the way around. Needless to say I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. There are plenty of better culinary choices in the Des Moines Area. Don't waste your time or hard earned money at this restaurant. Also as a side note during the meal my fiance started to feel very ill and this progressed and got worse throughout the entire dining experience which was over 2 hours. Needless to say he went home walked right in the door and threw up the entire meal. Not 100% sure if it was related to the food but the only thing he had had prior to the meal was a pastry so you be the judge.

Karlee Schwake

Awesome food! Super nice people. We did the 4 course dinner with wine. Expensive but never done anything like it before. Anxious to go back... Many options other than 4 course dinner with wine

April Harris-Gray

Great food!! Excellent service!! Perfect for date night or anniversary!!!

William Brady

For a year my wife and I had been wanting to go to Baru 66. We finally brought ourselves there and with high expectations. We became very ill. We were both feeling it before we left the restaurant which was 3 hours later. It was the only meal we had together in two days...you tell me? It was either the escargot or the way under cooked creme Brule. I wanted to experience what I'd read and been told about Baru 66. Our waitress was outstanding though

Chris Lekwa

Absolutely fantastic food and amazing service. Probably tied for the fanciest place I've ever eaten. have specialty dishes that change regularly and are very unique. The night I went, they had actually imported camel from Morocco and it was phenomenal. The final course was a perfect passionfruit cheesecake that was the perfect ending to the meal. I think I will actually have to go back and rate all the other places I've been to a star lower to compensate for this place. That being said, you pay for what you get, so bring your credit card

Kelly Carroll

A wonderful experience with great food well prepared and presented. Bravo!

Igor Tereshchenko

Delicious French cousin. Good place to celebrate.

Smirking Designer

Went for the first time recently. French onion soup was good, fiancé loved the creme brûlée, and me? I found the crepes Suzette to be delightful. The pommes frites were strictly okay - little crunchier than I like. Next time I'll be trying the escargot!

Kurt Bingham

Phenomenal chef, amazing food! Can't go wrong with the wine pairings

Valarie Rowland

This restaurant has great chef inspired food, wonderful service and an intimate atmosphere. It is wonderful for a fancy date night.

Patrick Benware

Staff and guess was owner seem to act to damn stuck up. Food was good Waiter was ok 1st and last

Jason Bennett

The best restaurant in Des Moines. The best food, service and drinks you can find. Baru Degustation is always amazing.