Malo Des Moines

45720 ( 1710 reviews )
Checking... See Hours
$20–30
900 Mulberry St, Des Moines, IA 50309, United States
+1 515-244-5000

Malo Des Moines delivers an exceptional dining experience, showcasing the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine in a welcoming atmosphere. Located conveniently at 900 Mulberry St, this gem has garnered rave reviews from patrons who praise not only the creative and delicious dishes but also the attentive, friendly service from staff like Katie and Megan B.

Guests have particularly enjoyed the Chicken Quesadilla and the Jalapeno Chicken sandwich, both noted for their robust flavors and generous portions. The Chicken Tortilla soup stands out as a favorite among several reviews, demonstrating Malo's ability to create comforting, authentic dishes. One customer highlighted the freshness of the chips and guacamole, paired with the savory Posole Colorado soup and a Mahi Mahi torta, marking an all-around satisfying experience.

A noteworthy mention is the free dessert for birthdays, such as the churro sundae, which adds a sweet touch to special occasions. With a mix of outdoor seating and margarita specials, Malo Des Moines wraps a memorable dining affair in a charming setting. It’s a must-try for anyone in the Des Moines area looking for a culinary treat that blends creativity, flavor, and warmth.

Amenities and More

  • Accessibility
    • Has wheelchair-accessible car park
    • Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
    • Has wheelchair-accessible seating
    • Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
  • Service options
    • Has outdoor seating
    • Offers kerbside pickup
    • Offers delivery
    • Offers takeaway
    • Serves dine-in
  • Highlights
    • Has fast service
    • Has great beer selection
    • Serves great cocktails
    • Serves great dessert
    • Has great wine list
  • Popular for
    • Popular for lunch
    • Popular for dinner
    • Good for solo dining
  • Offerings
    • Serves alcohol
    • Serves beer
    • Serves cocktails
    • Serves coffee
    • Serves comfort food
    • Serves food
    • Serves happy-hour drinks
    • Serves happy-hour food
    • Serves healthy options
    • Serves late-night food
    • Has private dining room
    • Serves small plates
    • Serves spirits
    • Serves vegetarian dishes
    • Serves wine
  • Dining options
    • Serves brunch
    • Serves lunch
    • Serves dinner
    • Has catering
    • Serves dessert
    • Has seating
  • Amenities
    • Has bar on site
    • Has toilet
  • Atmosphere
    • Casual
    • Trendy
    • Upmarket
  • Crowd
    • Family friendly
    • Good for groups
    • LGBTQ+ friendly
    • Popular with tourists
    • Popular with university students
  • Planning
    • Brunch reservations recommended
    • Dinner reservations recommended
    • Accepts reservations
  • Payments
    • Accepts credit cards
    • Accepts debit cards
    • Accepts NFC mobile payments
    • Credit cards
  • Children
    • Good for kids
    • High chairs available
    • Has kids' menu
  • Parking
    • Paid street parking

Reviews For Malo Des Moines

heather widger
Jun 24,2025
Food is outstanding-creative and delicious!! Katie was our fantastic server this evening-she was attentive and funny and provided great recommendations. This was an evening we will remember and will come all the way back for this again.
Ryan Duckworth
May 17,2025
When visiting Des Moines, this by far was arguably the best restaurant we ate at! I would highly recommend! Service was good and the food was great! Good flavor and portions. We ordered the Chicken Quesadilla, one normal and one with “light” (less) cheese. I think the one with light cheese was a much better choice. Especially if you’re not a huge connoisseur of cheese. We also ordered the Chicken Tortilla soup and the Jalapeno Chicken sandwich. All of it was extremely flavorful and well prepared. The Malo Fries were good as well! Cost is slightly on the higher side for a lunch meal. But definitely worth a try!
Tracey Rabjohns
May 9,2025
We were able to sit outside and our server by Megan B. We were both super hungry and I was very indecisive!! We added on the queso and gauc to the chips and salsa, and all of it was great! The chips were super fresh tasting, and the gauc was really good. I had the Posole Colorado soup, which was tasty and the Cuban with fries, both were excellent. My S.O. Had the Mahi Mahi torta with the fruit. The fruit is a winner! All around great experience and food!!
Amber Sherwood
May 2,2025
The blackened chicken Cobb salad was amazing and enormous! I went there for my birthday and found that they give out free deserts. I got the churro sundae and it was also amazing. Our waitress was really nice and helpful as well.
Emily Jasman
Apr 7,2025
This is very close to the Hotel Fort DesMoines we were staying at. It had good reviews, so we decided to try it. It was an excellent choice. Nice atmosphere. Great service. Try one of the taco trios. It’s a great value. Everything coming out to the neighboring tables looked delicious. There were margarita specials too!
J. C.
Mar 19,2025
Absolutely love this eatery. The Dos Pescados was muy delicioso! I really want to give my experience 3 because the bar service was absolutely ridiculous. My friend ordered her meal and it took an hour and a half to get. We were so perturbed by the time we left. However, the food was good enough it made up for the poor service. Eat the Tacos! Half price margaritas are a WIN!
Scott Hayes
Mar 17,2025
Excellent food! We had street tacos including Al Pastor and shrimp. The salsa options were excellent as was the guacamole. The downtown location is convenient to hotels and the civic center. We caught happy hour so beers were discounted as were some appetizers. The service was great, our waitress was chatty and funny. We really enjoyed the experience.
Giovanni Carrillo
Mar 6,2025
Beautiful inside and out! But the murals and decor inside are some of the best I’ve seen in any Mexican restaurant. Staff was very friendly and had great recommendations! Food was brought out piping hot and quick. Helped ourselves to a delicious appetizer of loaded tots with the nachos fixings on top. Then we got various tacos and other Mexican staples as entrees. If you’re looking for Mexican, look no further in Des Moines. This is the spot!

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