Splash Seafood Bar and Grill
Downtown, Des Moines
Restaurant in Des Moines, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Landlocked Seafood Authority
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Splash Seafood Bar and Grill is the downtown Des Moines pick when seafood and wine service matter more than a casual room. Its 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence gives it a real special-occasion signal, especially for dinner. Cross-shop 801 Chophouse for steak, Clyde's Fine Diner for a looser meal, Café Madeleine for daytime plans.
About Splash Seafood Bar and Grill
2025 is the useful signal here: a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence gives Splash Seafood Bar and Grill a clear reason to consider it for an evening meal in Des Moines. The restaurant is a relevant option when the night calls for a planned dinner, it can be compared with other choices such as 801 Chophouse.
Choose this for dinner when the group wants Splash Seafood Bar and Grill specifically and values a wine-related accolade. The strongest case is not a named chef, tasting menu, price point, or rare format. Its profile includes evening hours, smart casual dress, a 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Choose it when wine recognition is part of the occasion
The Award of Excellence is the clearest trust signal. It does not automatically mean the restaurant will outperform every peer in Des Moines, but it does give the venue a point of distinction. For a special occasion, that makes Splash Seafood Bar and Grill easier to justify than a generic dinner choice with no comparable recognition.
The tradeoff is specificity. Without a price range, menu details, or signature dishes, the safer planning strategy is to treat this as an evening choice built around the venue's profile rather than around a particular dish or format. If the group is still comparing options, 801 Chophouse and Clyde's Fine Diner are natural names to review alongside it.
Better for dinner than daytime plans
This is a dinner decision, not a lunch fallback. The schedule points clearly toward evening service: Splash Seafood Bar and Grill is closed Monday and Sunday, opens at 4:30 PM Tuesday through Saturday, closes at 9 PM Tuesday through Thursday, closes at 10 PM Friday and Saturday. That makes it better suited to planned evening occasions than spontaneous midday meals.
For ambiance, keep the decision tied to occasion fit rather than other details. Splash Seafood Bar and Grill has smart casual dress and evening hours; Café Madeleine is another option to compare, while Clyde's Fine Diner may also be worth reviewing for a different dining plan. For broader planning, our full Des Moines restaurants guide is the useful next filter.
Who should choose it, who should cross-shop
Choose Splash Seafood Bar and Grill if the group wants an evening restaurant in Des Moines with smart casual dress and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Cross-shop if the occasion has a narrower brief: compare it with 801 Chophouse, Clyde's Fine Diner, Café Madeleine, Table 1912, or LT Organic Farm Restaurant depending on what else the group is considering.
The bottom line: this works when the wine recognition and evening schedule fit the occasion. If those details do not matter to the table, another option may fit the night better.
Planning details
- Location
- 303 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
- Website
- splash-seafood.com
- Phone
- (515) 244-5686
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Splash operates as a serious downtown seafood destination that reads more like a kitchen-first restaurant than a themed, coast‑side imitation. The narrative centers on sourcing and ingredient integrity—an important stance for a seafood concept in a landlocked market—while the room itself leans neutral rather than nautical. With a price point that sits squarely in the $$ bracket and the capacity to “fill a room most nights,” the service and atmosphere land somewhere between polished and convivial: focused on the food but energetic enough to feel like part of Des Moines’s compact dining cluster on Locust Street.
Best For
This is a dinner-oriented spot that suits nights out when quality matters: date nights, business dinners and special occasions all make sense here given the two-course pricing framework and elevated expectations around ingredients. Located in the walkable downtown restaurant cluster, Splash works well for visitors and locals who want a reliably refined seafood experience without the structure of a tasting menu. The $$ price bracket and explicit discussion of sourcing signal that this is a place to book for an evening meal when guests expect a clear justification for the spend.
Ordering Tips
Because the menu’s premise hinges on sourcing and ingredient quality, prioritize dishes that showcase the kitchen’s seafood handling. The signature items—Splash Crab Cake, Lobster Mac & Cheese and the Royal Surf & Turf—are logical starting points: the crab cake and lobster dish spotlight shellfish technique, while the surf-and-turf lets you gauge how the kitchen balances land and sea. Given the two-course targeting and mid‑range price band, plan a focused meal rather than an extended tasting; choose preparations that clearly reveal freshness and provenance, which the restaurant frames as its chief point of evaluation.
Venue details
Ambiance
Elegant and intimate atmosphere with colorful modern decor in a renovated historic building and saltwater aquariums.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
- Splash Crab Cake
- Lobster Mac & Cheese
- Royal Surf & Turf
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Café Madeleine, Notable alternative
- 801 Chophouse, Notable alternative
- Clyde's Fine Diner, Notable alternative
- LT Organic Farm Restaurant, Notable alternative
- Table 1912, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How it compares in Des Moines
Café Madeleine is the better fit for a lighter daytime plan, while Splash Seafood Bar and Grill is more useful for an evening seafood dinner with wine as part of the occasion. If the goal is a polished dinner rather than a quick bite, Splash has the clearer celebration use case.
801 Chophouse is the safer choice for steak-focused groups and traditional business dinners. Splash is the better cross-shop when the table wants seafood and a wine-led meal instead of the steakhouse format. Clyde's Fine Diner should be the pick for a more casual room and easiergoing energy.
LT Organic Farm Restaurant and Table 1912 sit outside the metro context, so they make more sense for diners willing to build the meal around the destination. For a downtown Des Moines dinner with a recognized wine program, Splash is the more practical booking.
Explore Des Moines
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Splash Seafood Bar and Grill guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Splash Seafood Bar and Grill
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Splash Seafood Bar and Grill | Des Moines | 2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence |
| Café Madeleine | Des Moines | No published awards |
| 801 Chophouse | Des Moines | No published awards |
| Clyde's Fine Diner | Des Moines | No published awards |
| LT Organic Farm Restaurant | Waukee | 2025 New York Times The 23 Best Restaurant Dishes |
| Table 1912 | Cedar Falls | No published awards |
How Splash Seafood Bar and Grill compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are alternatives to compare with Splash Seafood Bar and Grill?
Cross-shop Café Madeleine, Clyde's Fine Diner, 801 Chophouse, Table 1912, or LT Organic Farm Restaurant if you want to compare Splash Seafood Bar and Grill with other named options. Use the details for each venue when deciding which best fits the occasion.
What should I order at Splash Seafood Bar and Grill?
Specific dishes are not mentioned here, so do not plan around a named signature item from this guide alone. The clearest signal is the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2025), along with evening service and smart casual dress.
Is Splash Seafood Bar and Grill good for a special occasion?
Yes, it can work for a dinner celebration if the details fit the night. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2025), smart casual dress, evening hours give it a clearer occasion profile than a basic quick-stop choice.
What should I wear to Splash Seafood Bar and Grill?
Smart casual is the dress code. Aim for neat dinner wear rather than very informal clothing.
Is lunch or dinner better at Splash Seafood Bar and Grill?
Dinner is the clear choice, since the restaurant is closed Monday and Sunday and opens at 4:30 PM Tuesday through Saturday. That schedule makes it a planned evening stop in Des Moines, not a lunch fallback.
How far ahead should I choose a time for Splash Seafood Bar and Grill?
Specific reservation lead times are not specified. Because the restaurant serves evening hours Tuesday through Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday, plan around the posted schedule when choosing a dinner time.
