Amazing restaurant in downtown. Parking can be a tricky however the food makes up for any shortcomings. Their Shrimp appetizer is YUM! So are their pastas and burgers!
When my wife and I ate there it was relatively early (5:30 PM) on a Saturday night so it wasn't too busy yet - I think this helped considerably because, as the Google Maps Photos and other reviewers have commented, if the place was packed then you'd have people sitting 2 feet to either side of you. I know it's not a very large venue, but I feel that trying to squeeze as many seats into the space as possible is not the solution.
As I mentioned, it was early on a Saturday evening, and the crowd of wait-staff that were standing around just watching us as we talked, ordered, and drank/ate was a bit unnerving. Our waiter himself was okay, I wouldn't say that he was great. He seemed polite and professional but considering the place was not busy at all he didn't spend any more time at our table than he had to.
A small issue I had, and maybe a little trivial, was that I was very much disappointed that our waiter did not grate fresh Parmesan cheese on our meals for us. After having that service at chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Bravo, I was very surprised that Centro skimps in that regard.
I had the Spicy Sausage Rigatoni and my wife had the Chicken and Prosciutto - The food tasted good, had good presentation and we both had enough leftover to take home for a healthy leftovers portion. We each had a drink - I ordered a Bellini, which I would not order again, and my wife ordered a Pomegranate martini which she liked. I found the drink-selection process to be cumbersome because they brought us a tablet with an interface that didn't really work very well and on the whole was not an improvement over simply printing out a drink menu with what alcohols were available and what their specialty drinks might be (back to the old adage that Less is More).
Food/Drinks
Overall my experience wasn't terrible, but when I measure Centro up as a fine-dining establishment where the main entrees are in the $20+ range I found it to be lacking and probably not someplace I'll be going back to.
Service
We were surprised/disappointed that there was no desert - or at least none that was offered to us.
Seating
Another great restaurant in downtown. I bet my husband and I go here once every couple of months and have never had a bad experience. I highly recommend Centro to my friend and family and to those ready the reviews wondering if it is worth it. Its not too expensive and a great atmosphere and great food. One of the best in downtown Des Moines.
One other thing - we thought it was a little peculiar that he didn't offer to send the remainder of the complimentary bread home with us.
Was recommended. We were not disappointed. Our server Sarah was very pleasant and quite busy. Wish we could have had a table away from the front door and the cold breeze coming in the front door with each new arrival.
Stopped here for lunch while driving through Des Moines. Had a great experience with friendly staff, good food and excellent speed of service. Waiter recommended the Kill Bill sandwich that had initially caught my attention. Because you only live once I went all in in the enormous pork tenderloin topped with ham, bacon and a fried egg. An excellent choice for a strong appetite! The fries and pickle were great complements as well. The environment was pleasant and felt more expensive than the meal itself.
Centro is a US Bar based in Des Moines, Iowa. Centro is located at 1003 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA.
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