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The Latin King, Des Moines, IA

The Latin King

4.6
4.6
231 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

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2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
7:00 pm
Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
The Latin King restaurant was founded in 1947 by Rose and Jim Pigneri, who immigrated from Terravecchia, Italy to Des Moines. Rose and Jim wanted to bring authentic Italian fare to Des Moines and began this undertaking in earnest upon selling their home to finance the Latin King restaurant lease, which had previously operated as the Cinderella Sandwich Shop (circa 1930) and the Chanticleer Restaurant (circa 1937). Pigneri named the Latin King after New York City’s Latin Quarter and operated the Latin King for 35 years, notably taking only 10 days of vacation time during his tenure. Pigneri sold the Latin King to his third cousin Bob Tursi in 1983.

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 231 people are saying

The Latin King reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Child-friendly

  • Iowa

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Value

  • Des Moines

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Latin King offers a consistently delightful dining experience with "fantastic food" and "great service." Known for its standout Chicken Spiedini and extensive Italian menu, this long-time favorite ensures a memorable meal. The warm atmosphere and attentive staff make it a preferred spot for special occasions.
231 Reviews
  1. Chris VIP

    Des Moines37 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a treat to enjoy pasta at the King. Service spectacular, apps (rings & cheese sticks) highly recommended.

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  2. dogbo

    Des Moines4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 19 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Very pleased with everything regarding our meal. Latin King is becoming our families go-to restaurant.
    The Latin KingResponded on 24 March 2025
    Thank you for your support! We're honored to be your go-to restaurant and look forward to serving you and your family again soon!

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  3. Carol VIP

    Chicago5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 9 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food and service are always great. Lately they frequently are out of things. Last night it was French fries, last time it was fried chicken. Also it seems like you look online and there are no reservations available, but when you go in, it isn’t even busy.
    The Latin KingResponded on 13 March 2025
    Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoy our food and service, and we appreciate your patience with occasional shortages. We'll work on improving availability and the reservation system. Hope to see you again soon!

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  4. Gail

    Las Vegas13 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    I was very disappointed. Salad and meal served at the same time.
    The Latin KingResponded on 13 March 2025
    We're sorry to hear about your experience. We appreciate your feedback and will work to improve our timing. We hope to have the chance to serve you again soon.

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  5. Shawn VIP

    Tampa17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 5 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have been a Latin King customer when the Tursi family owned it, and the food/service has always been very consistent. The meal we just had was spot on and the service was perfect.
    The Latin KingResponded on 13 March 2025
    Thank you for your continued support! We're so glad you enjoyed your meal and experienced the great service we strive for. We look forward to serving you again soon!

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  6. Daniel

    Des Moines3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic food! Try the house specialty, Chicken Spiedini. Amazing!!
    The Latin KingResponded on 27 February 2025
    Thank you for the great review! We're so glad you loved the Chicken Spiedini—it's a favorite for a reason! Hope to see you again for another wonderful dining experience!

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  7. Chelsey

    Des Moines1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great service. We had reservations and it was very quick.
    The Latin KingResponded on 17 February 2025
    Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad you enjoyed the food and service, and that your experience was smooth and quick. Hope to see you again soon!

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  8. Lauren

    Des Moines1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    I enjoyed the food and overall atmosphere of the place. I felt like the service could have been a bit better and felt rushed out since it was Valentines day.

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  9. Barb

    Des Moines1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We signed up online for a reservation but were able to arrive earlier and were able to get seats earlier. Very pleasant man at the register helped us. The waitresses were very helpful and fun. Food was delivered in a short time and was delicious. Waitress was attentive to our needs. Great experience!
    The Latin KingResponded on 3 February 2025
    Thank you for the great review! We're so glad you had a wonderful experience, from the early seating to the delicious food and attentive service. We hope to welcome you back again soon!

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  10. Greg

    San Diego3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The meal was horrible and we are never going back
    The Latin KingResponded on 3 February 2025
    We're really sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate your feedback. We hope that you will give us another try!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Latin King is rated 4.6 stars by 231 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking


Booked 10 times today
Google Map for The Latin King

2200 Hubbell Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317-2522

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Area
    Des Moines
  • Hours of Operation
    Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
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