Simple, old-school place for housemade pasta, pizza & Italian & American steak & seafood.
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Bambino’s | West Des Moines IA – Facebook
We are a family restaurant that has operated in the Des Moines area for over 20 years. We specialize
Bambinos, 1220 S 20th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265, US
Get more information for Bambinos in West Des Moines, IA. See reviews … Bambino’s is a cozy Italian restaurant in West Des Moines, IA, offering a …
Bambino’s will close July 1. Here is their post on Facebook
Food Lovers – Des Moines – Reviews from us, the customers. Bill Guess May 18, 2017 . …
Reviews
Matt Allen
Absolutely love the pizza. I also love the atmosphere. I had the pleasure of talking with the owner who is amazing. She loves getting to know her guests and she shares that love with her staff. If you want a place that feels like home this is the place. It may take multiple visits but you will feel like you just left a friends house with a full stomach and full heart.
… moreFrank Loncar
This place is the real deal. Had the baked Caveletti, the pasta was definitely home made and the red sauce was flavorful. No gimmicks, they just do the basics correctly, and the results are excellent. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and very comfortable. Prices are competitive, considering the quality, this place is a good value. Can’t wait until I come through town again to try some of their other dishes
… moreS B
I’ve eaten at this Location twice in the last week. The first time i had a Pasta Dish. It was just ok. I actually could get the same from the Frozen Section at the Local Grocery Store for a lot less and just as good. I also had two Drinks. Those two drinks were $6.50 each ! Very pricey compared to most places.
On my second visit i had Pizza ( to go ). When i walked in to pick up my Pizza there was literally one Elderly Couple in the entire place. The reason i mention this is because the Crust on my Pizza was Burnt around the Edges. Now if they were really busy, i could maybe understand it. But two Patrons in the whole place is all and they burnt the Pizza ?!?! I’m a Pizza Lover. Big time. And i can honestly say the i have had better Gas Station Pizza ( Casey’s ) on a REGULAR BASIS than this Pizza was. That was enough for me. I will NEVER GO BACK. I have no complaints with the Service. It was the Food QUALITY and PRICE, mostly the Quality.
… moreOn my second visit i had Pizza ( to go ). When i walked in to pick up my Pizza there was literally one Elderly Couple in the entire place. The reason i mention this is because the Crust on my Pizza was Burnt around the Edges. Now if they were really busy, i could maybe understand it. But two Patrons in the whole place is all and they burnt the Pizza ?!?! I’m a Pizza Lover. Big time. And i can honestly say the i have had better Gas Station Pizza ( Casey’s ) on a REGULAR BASIS than this Pizza was. That was enough for me. I will NEVER GO BACK. I have no complaints with the Service. It was the Food QUALITY and PRICE, mostly the Quality.
darla legg
My husband and I went to this establishment last night for the first time. We both had the Bambino’s Special. The food was good. The steak was done the way I wanted it and the shrimp was a little to crunchy for my taste. The Onion Rings are the small ones that we like. The meal was a little over priced. But, the atmosphere was sub par.
The owner was sat in the booth behind us with a pair of friends. She got up from her table to seat us and sat us in the booth right behind them. The language we had to endure during our meal was inappropriate, at best. The man was inebriated, obviously. We could not hold a good conversation because of the loud talking of this man. When the friends left we could finally have the rest of our meal in peace. They did not ask where we would like to be seated. I wish she would have sat us away from her table, knowing how the friend of hers was acting when we walked in.
It is too bad considering we live very close to this restaurant and was hoping for it to really mean the logo it uses about family traditions. I really would not want to bring our family or our grandchildren to this restaurant. First impressions are everything. We will not be going back anytime soon.
… moreThe owner was sat in the booth behind us with a pair of friends. She got up from her table to seat us and sat us in the booth right behind them. The language we had to endure during our meal was inappropriate, at best. The man was inebriated, obviously. We could not hold a good conversation because of the loud talking of this man. When the friends left we could finally have the rest of our meal in peace. They did not ask where we would like to be seated. I wish she would have sat us away from her table, knowing how the friend of hers was acting when we walked in.
It is too bad considering we live very close to this restaurant and was hoping for it to really mean the logo it uses about family traditions. I really would not want to bring our family or our grandchildren to this restaurant. First impressions are everything. We will not be going back anytime soon.
Giacomo Catanzaro
Edit: Conventional pizza oven, Rand C? There’s brick inside the metal casing. This is highly usual. Take a cooking class. And every bartender I know always smells ridiculously like sanitizer and bleach. Unlike a regular person, they have to constantly moisturize their hands due to constant contact with these harsh chemicals that even kill the GOOD bacteria! I hate it when people who know nothing about running a restaurant trash a good place’s name due to their ignorance. I have a feeling Rand C. would have complained anyway if the bartender cleared other people’s plates away BEFORE serving him. “They just cleaned up plates and let us sit there without any drinks or food!” Great food and great people! We love coming for the pizza and chicken saltimbocca! Very authentic Italian cuisine! We’ve also come for lunch before, and they have quite a few new dishes that they haven’t served before. The soups are always delicious and unique. The Italian Grinder is the best in Des Moines area, hands down. I think the reason that some people don’t like them is that they’ve never actually eaten real Italian food before. Go to southern Italy…this is what you will find. Still though, if you don’t like it you can go fight over a table at Olive Garden and we’ll keep our wonderful little hidden treasure.
I saw someone comment about their old buffet. From what I understand, the buffet lasted a lot longer than five weeks. They moved to the Grand location in 2012; they eliminated the buffet almost a year later because (from what I’ve heard) it wasn’t selling as well in the West Des Moines location. Try fifty weeks, not five.
And yes, I’ll admit the prices aren’t dirt cheap. How can they be? They aren’t some franchise buying food from a vertically-integrated corporation. They just aren’t going to be as cheap as Little Caesar’s. And I don’t want them to be. The pizza here is as close to real Italy as you can get in DSM. And guess what? I got a large pizza at Fong’s last weekend (also a local restaurant and not a chain) and it was just about the same price as it is here. Their prices are the same as everyone else’s prices. Go to Pizza Hut if you want cheap pizza.
… moreI saw someone comment about their old buffet. From what I understand, the buffet lasted a lot longer than five weeks. They moved to the Grand location in 2012; they eliminated the buffet almost a year later because (from what I’ve heard) it wasn’t selling as well in the West Des Moines location. Try fifty weeks, not five.
And yes, I’ll admit the prices aren’t dirt cheap. How can they be? They aren’t some franchise buying food from a vertically-integrated corporation. They just aren’t going to be as cheap as Little Caesar’s. And I don’t want them to be. The pizza here is as close to real Italy as you can get in DSM. And guess what? I got a large pizza at Fong’s last weekend (also a local restaurant and not a chain) and it was just about the same price as it is here. Their prices are the same as everyone else’s prices. Go to Pizza Hut if you want cheap pizza.
Jenn Cross
I wish I could comment about the food but we never got that far with our visit. I am guessing this woman was the owner, but she persisted to prod us about POLITICS as we were looking through our menus. She was highly offensive and lacked decorum. Unfortunately, I understand why we were the only ones there at 12pm on Friday. We had been looking forward to trying this restaurant, and had many friends tell us to not to waste our time or money as the food is pricey and not tasty. Lesson learned but we did end up eating at “Maxine’s” and it was AMAZING.
… moreJuanita Mendenhall
The Lacona family have been feeding the Des Moines area for well over 50 years! We LOVE eating at Bambino’s. My standard meal is to have a salad with as many delicious homemade rolls that I can eat, enjoy my entree (typically the sampler plate as I can never decide what I want) and end up taking most of it home because it is so much food! The wait staff remember us and what we like to order (we visit about once every 60-90 days). This is a place that is like going home. It is not too fancy and always welcoming.
… moreScott Grasso
The worst food ever. Pasta was under cooked and frozen. Not homemade. Sauce had no flavor, tasted like pure tomato paste. For $65 ticket we felt taken. Pure quality. Meet ball, yes one little meat ball for a $16 plate tasted like a Walmart brand meat ball. Don’t go, there is much better places to go in town.
… moreA Google User
The food was ok. I ordered spaghetti and when it arrived, I thought it was an appetizer. The amount I got was so small for the $14 that I paid for it. The dish was the same size as my girlfriend’s mini lasagna. I also asked for Tobasco and got a very old bottle with brown Tobasco in it, and the labels and cap was so disgusting. Their was black stains on them that resembled motor oil. I have pictures of it. That was a wasted $35.
… moreRand C
Not sure if I was missing something, but their menu says brick oven pizza. If I’m not mistaken, they use a conventional pizza oven. Also, the bartender did not wash his hands after removing plates, and failed to remove old plates from the bar top when me and a few others sat down. I’m not sure why restaurants do this, but having a bus tub at the bar might be handy, but it’s absolutely disgusting to have that anywhere near food being eaten and handled. Also, bartenders merely drop dishes in there and never wash their hands afterwards.
… more