Drake Diner

Biscuits and gravy were horrible service was OK at best and there’s no one here I won’t be back ever don’t advise anyone to eat here

Its your basic dinner food. Its usually always filling and good but I have been disappointed a few times usually when I try something new, but for a burger fries and a milkshake your not going to be disappointed.

We went here today for our monthly outing. We got there at 11:45 and it was packed. There was also a camera crew filming people about the place which make it even more chaotic.
We got sat down at 12:25 and it took 10 minutes for someone to ask us what we wanted to drink. We also ordered our appetizers and food then as well because we didn’t want to wait. The appetizer came out five minutes later which was fast. Then we got our food 10 minutes later.
The onion rings were to small for my liking. The hamburger tasted good but I asked for them to cook it medium but they cooked it well done. They gave a good amount of ranch and I loved their fries.
As for the service the front desk lady was nice but the waitress we had, we asked for our check three times before getting it and the waitress that served the two tables we were in between got their orders wrong.
The place was unique but the table that we sat at wasn’t clean what so ever.
Hopefully it was just today and it isn’t like this all the time.

A favorite among students, I took my daughter for breakfast here as a good-​bye before starting her semester. I had a bacon and egg platter, and, while unremarkable, the location is quite good for Drake University students, and the service is friendly.
I would recommend Drake Diner as a good place to grab a quick bite of diner food, though don’t look for a gourmet experience.

The breakfast was ok, pancakes with more flavor than cardboard but nothing to rave about. Rarebit burger with side of frozen Sysco fries were meh.
Desserts were not good. Chocolate cake had no flavor and had a gummy mouth feel. Bread pudding was weird. The hot cider was good, cinnamon stick was a nice touch.
Server seemed to not understand concept of clearing dishes or refilling water.

Large menu, breakfast all day. Ordered the rarebit like I do every time and this time it was just ok. A rarebit is supposed to be drowned in queso. This one was meh on the queso and the burger was super overcooked. If you ask how I want it cooked at least try to make it that way. The fries were not crispy which was a disappointment. I ordered a water and was given a small glass of water. Not enough to keep one content as far as a drink goes. Once our food was delivered our waitress did not reappear until our checks came. I was thirsty and my food was meh. Very disappointing visit. It was not a super busy time for them so there was really no reason for mediocre service other than the person waiting on us didn’t want to be there. I want to like this place but they have made it almost impossible with their service and food. I would not return unless our group lunch wants to eat here. I do not like saying that I won’t return but I have given Drake Diner too many chances only to receive very mediocre service and food. Sad, it could be a really great place to eat. Maybe someday!

Good comfort food and fun atmosphere. Parking can be a challenge on busy days, but there is street parking. Near university, so on game days and after Church lets out on Sundays can be quite busy. Reasonable prices and recommended.

The atmosphere is cool and I wanted to like this place as a cool vibe local diner, but the food just isn’t very good. We had a burger and a reuben. The burger was overcooked and bland and the reuben was mostly bun and underwhelming. Even the fries were blah.

its real good n they got good pancakes. Sausage is good too. The service is real nice n everybody is allways happy to talk a bit. I been here 4 times now n gonna go back whenever Im in the area. only problem is some times theres loud college kids but its not there fault.

THIS MORNING my fridge was bare. I was hungry from shoveling a shit ton of snow. My girlfriend suggested the Drake Diner. Sold! I ordered the Biscuits & Gravy (Homemade country sausage gravy served over our freshly baked biscuits.) $ 6.99 and the Sunshine Express (breakfast sandwich on a buttery croissant with egg, cheese, Canadian bacon) $ 5.49, coffee to drink.
I will put this in writing: Drake Diner’s biscuits and gravy is the best I’ve ever had. Huge serving, light flaky bouncy biscuits smothered in grandma-​made country sausage gravy, the sausage provides all the seasoning and a bit of heat. I almost licked my plate clean in a busy restaurant. The Sunshine Express left a bit to be desired as the cheese tasted like cheap processed American. I am a cheese snob though. The croissant was buttery and flaky. A better quality cheese would take this sandwich to the next level. The COFFEE is a bit thin. If I can see white mug after drinking half of it, it’s too thin. I realize this isn’t a nearby Mars cup of joe.
The SERVICE was fast and professional. The staff here handles and loud busy restaurant with ease. The North dining area can get kind of loud.
I had to wonder if this building was designed by the same person who designed Ted’s Coney Island on Ingersoll. Same kind of art deco arched ceiling look. Anyone know?
CHANCE OF RETURN: ¹⁰⁄₁₀

Stopped in for dinner and had a great meal. The server was friendly and the food tasted great. I would like to stop in for breakfast sometime.

Cleanliness 4
Service 3
Food Quality 4
Likelihood 4
1 – 5 (5 Best!) 3.8
I met some local friends for breakfast as my spouse ran the DSM marathon. The service started off engaging, and strong, and then quickly diminished. Refills and clearing dishes took a long long time.
Food was INCREDIBLE! Hot, fresh, tasty.
We will for sure give this another try when we are in town again.

We stopped here after the Unilocal!event. This was a good stop as 2/​3rds of us were craving breakfast. I got chicken and waffles, the wife got the #2 and mini-​yelper got a cheese burger with bacon. It was all very good and the service was fantastic!
Can’t wait for our next visit!

One of the few places still in Des Moines that serves authentic diner food and they know what they’re doing. Their chocolate cake shakes are made with homemade chocolate cake that will make your insides oh so happy, though it’s probably a good idea to split one since they’re so large! (Unless you’re like me and have quite a sweet tooth!) The blue plate dinner specials are great comfort food and they don’t skimp when it comes to portion sizes. All around a fun place to go with friends or family for a casual night out.

Drake Diner is a great staple place. A huge menu to choose from and they serve breakfast all day long. I remember as a kid, they served their beer cheese soup with a popcorn garnish, I don’t believe they do that anymore. I feel like the quality has declined a bit. Not horrible, possibly lacking seasoning? My burger was bland and could have used some simple salt and pepper. My husband had the Santa fe grits which he felt was disappointing as it said it had green chilis and cheddar cheese, but just tasted fried.
Everytime I come here, I tend to get the same thing, even though the selection tempts me to try something new and on occasion, I do.
Today we are enjoying the beautiful weather and dining in their screened in patio.
Overall, typically a good dining experience, including service. Our waitress was awesome!

Good diner spot, very popular and very busy on a Sunday at 9am: huge menu with lots of house specials. I tried one: the Waffle Dogs. Sausage on a stick covered in Waffle batter and deep fried, served with maple syrup for dipping: tasty.
I also ordered the Eggs Benedict (with sausage): I was expecting sausage patties and not links and the hollandaise sauce was not as creamy rich as it’s supposed to be, but the dish overall was good. Service was excellent even when this busy.
Cute outdoor seating area (fills up fast).

I’ve eaten at the diner since they open 25 years ago. One great thing I can say is that the food is always consistent and there’s a good variety. The waitstaff is usually on the ball, with a few exceptions. The place is clean and the décor is upscale diner, and the mood is casual.
Great home made oatmeal for breakfast
Good burgers, sandwiches and salads for lunch.
Blue plate specials with real mashed potatoes for dinner.
Don’t forget to have a milkshake!

Went here for the first time for my birthday brunch, and it was amazing! The exterior and interior is a traditional diner like atmosphere, and its so so cute! The drake diner gave me this homey, classic vibe that makes you want to keep coming back.
For brunch I had the eggs Benedict, and the hash browns were the star of the meal. Crunchy on the outside but buttery and soft on the inside, so good. We also had a bacon cheeseburger, a skillet and an omelet and all were cooked very well and really flavorful. Will come back again!

I absolutely Love there Bloody Mary, sweet potato pancake, and there hashbrowns! This local drake spot has been around for awhile and you normally see dsm locals dining in.

How cute! Definitely a greasy spoon/​hangover kind of establishment located fittingly on the Drake University campus. I was rocking the comfy clothes during my visit but luckily a hangover was nowhere to be found (what can I say, I just wanted to heavy breakfast food…). The exterior of this building is iconic diner vibe with metal siding (I believe that’s how you would describe it) and booths and bar space available in the interior. Nothing fancy but plenty of nostalgically cute vibes to go around.
I was surprised to find that they have a liquor license and plenty of booze to go around for morning cocktails like rum and cider or peppermint schnapps and hot cocoa. Note: the apple cider is not real cider — it’s one of those powder mixes and they’re charging $ 2.50 per cup for it!
I counted on my fellow handy Unilocalers to decide upon my order which consisted of the veggie eggs benedict and hashbrowns topped with gravy (gravy was a personal addition — I know, it’s hard to believe I didn’t have a hangover given my beastly breakfast order). Note that egg beater substitutes will run you $ 1.50 extra. I loved my order and would have finished it had I a second stomach. My boyfriend’s side of bacon was especially good (and heart stopping) — something about it tasted like pork cracklings? We couldn’t figure out why but I’m not complaining.
Our server was a powerhouse — fast service, slightly cutthroat and perfect to keep things rolling along. (not that I’m a fast diner) He was borderline unfriendly but I couldn’t help but appreciate his Soup Nazi-​like charm.