4708 University Ave.
(At Polk & University by Waveland Golf Course)


Average Overall Rating:

(3 out of 5)

Average Coffee Refill Rating:

(4 out of 5)

(3 out of 5)

Review by: Harveyman53 on 4/4/2014

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I do like the food here but it is kind of a dirty place and if your not careful, very expensive. I ordered the breakfast special $5.95 and a cup of coffee. I upgraded to a full order of their delicious loaded hash browns. My bill came to over $17.00, $21 w/tip! I was in shock when I got the bill and still have no idea how it could have been that much. I will not be back for quite some time if ever.

Award Nomination: Best Service

Review #24775Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 1/14/2014

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A little overpriced for the 1/2 size, but the food's worth it. Called in for a half-order of Everything Hashbrowns-to go. I had to drive downtown & before I had a chance to eat and the food was still warm after 20 min! Their jalapenos absolutely make the order stand out. A must-have at the cafe!
Plus, I have allergies to dairy and their cooks have never screwed up an order in the last 5 years. That's service worth mentioning!

Award Nomination: Best Service

Review #24696Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 12/15/2013

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I absolutely LOVE the Waveland!!! Biscuits and gravy are DELICIOUS and the place is honest as can be. Very kind and caring staff, too.

Award Nomination: Most Comfortable

Review #24673Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 4/23/2010

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My husband and I make it a point to eat at the Waveland any chance we get...usually after a DSM area race. We love it! The food is just amazing and the little restaurant is unique. It is a bit crowded, but that is part of its charm! Very good deal for how much food you get and tastes much better than your standard chain restaurant food. We can't wait until our next visit!

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #19883Review by: moonyean65 on 3/8/2010

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I Love this place.The servers are Real..They are not waitrons.They hide nothing,if you want discreet,This is not the place for you. They have plenty of Restaurants where the waitress can hide behind a wall. And Believe me I know what goes on behind walls..And at the waveland You can see whos cooking your food.Not like other place,where your cook..well never mind..At the waveland you know all and see all. If you like To guess what your waitress and cook are doing behind that wall..Then this isnt the place for you..

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #19522Review by: travis1sg on 12/10/2009

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The everything hash browns are AWESOME, the waitresses were very friendly, place was clean and neat. Mixed bunch of customers that were enjoying the meal. I will return to WAVELAND every time I am in the Des Moines area and have a chance.

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #18774Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 12/10/2009

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I love the breakfast everything hashbrowns. The waitress's are great and friendly. The place was clean and had a mixed clientel of customers. Will return again when in Des Moines. Can't say enough positive about my numerous trips there. WAY TO GO WAVELAND.

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #18773Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 9/27/2009

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The fairgrounds cafe keeps getting worse all the time. business seems to be sliping every week I go in there. When they had managers that cared it was a clean decent place to eat. Now it is a pit and the wait staff could care less if you get waited on.

Award Nomination: Worst Service

Review #18135Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 9/25/2009

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I can't believe the bad reviews. This is hands-down the best place for breakfast in the entire Des Moines metro. I go to all 3 locations and have been equally happy with all 3. The everything hashbrowns are SO good. Maybe the haters are just too picky, finding something wrong with anything? I'm not sure.

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #18115Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 9/21/2009

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the fairgrounds restaurant used to be a great place to eat clean friendly staff, fast service. but in the last month service has fallen, place is filthy, no pleasent talk with server or management, wait there is no management anymore simply the place sucks just like the one on university.what is wrong with owners do the not care.

Award Nomination: Hugest Dump

Review #18093Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 8/20/2009

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The Waveland is the best spot in the city for breakfast. There is a reason why EVERYONE from D.C., from Brokaw to Donaldson comes here when they are in town for the Caucuses. The waitresses are as good as they come--friendly, funny and they make a point of getting to know their customers. Real professionals. The breakfasts are fabulous! The KYR Monster and the biscuits and gravy can't be beat. Omelets are always done to perfection and your coffee cup almost never hits bottom. I am in disbelief over some of the other reviews on this site because I've visited the Waveland hundreds of times and NEVER seen a waitress be rude, count their tips, or wipe a table with a nasty cloth and when it comes to food quality, there is no place in Des Moines that comes close to the Waveland for breakfast.

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #17797Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 7/28/2009

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The waitresses are rude. The food is not good. The cook was constantly YELLING at the waitstaff any time a fried egg sat in the window for more than 10 seconds, yelling so loud the entire the entire restaurant could hear. Then a waitress would be yelling back at her. It was like Jerry Springer Cafe. The bathroom was disgusting. The price is way too high for what you get. A fair price for their food would be about $0.50. For some reason this place is sort of a historic DSM restaurant... too bad it sucks.

Award Nomination: Hugest Dump

Review #17577Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 3/27/2009

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The restaurant is filthy. Our waitress wiped our table with a cloth that was full of food so the food smeared all over our table. She then dropped the cloth on the floor and instead of rinsing it out or getting a clean one, she picked it up and continued using it. Also, when filling our coffee caraff, she dropped the lid on the floor and picked it up and put it back on the caraff instead of getting a clean one. The food is good but it's impossible to get passed the grime.

Award Nomination: Hugest Dump

Review #16631Review by: bbuck006 on 1/18/2009

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I had breakfast there this morning. I was very hungry as I only ate one meal yesterday. I ordered the bisquits and gravy and half an order of everything hashbrowns. I specifically asked for the add on hashbrowns (not available with my breakfast you had to pay full price). Even though I made a point to ask for the add on, the waitress did not tell me that I would not be able to do this. When the bill came it was over $15. I asked about it and then she tell me that it is not available as an add on. AS I sit here typing, I also realize that even though I andded on half an order, she charged me for a full order. I love the food at Waveland, but things like this make me never want to go back.

Award Nomination: Biggest Ripoff

Review #15941Review by: jamie777 on 10/17/2008

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RUDE and NASTY Waitstaff, under cooked greasy food, dirty tables, congested and overall mess, AVOID THIS PLACE!

Award Nomination: Worst Service

Review #15119Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 4/11/2008

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I guess these people never sat where you could see into the kitchen! It is absolutly filthy. I had to ask a waitress to rewipe our table because it had not been cleared properly and this seemed to bother her quite a bit. Strange, becuase they had time to carry on loud personal conversations accross the room the whole time we were there. My ham and cheese omelate was browned on both sides and quite dry. Add the hassle of crossing busy University, or parking in the muddy lot in back and I cannot find one reason to recomend this place to anyone looking for a decent place to eat.

Award Nomination: Hugest Dump

Review #13329Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 7/27/2007

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The Fairgrounds Waveland, which is located right across the street from the Fairground on the Eastside, its - by far- the best breakfast I have had in a while. All the waitresses are very very friendly. Especially a little blonde gal named Chelsea and a burnette named Chris if I'm not mistaken.. They both are outgoing and made my time there very pleasant. The cooks there seemed to take extra time to prepare my meal just the way I like it, however have it out before my first cup of coffee was down. Highly recommend this place!

Award Nomination: Best Service

Review #10949Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 5/17/2007

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there is a waitress that whistles constantly, very annoying during breakfast...... for that matter, anytime. If I wanted to hear her rendition of what is blaring out of the kitchen, I would ask her to..........

otherwise, the food is good

Award Nomination: Worst Service

Review #10372Review by: loosechn2 on 8/29/2006

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The best breakfast in the city. Awsome eggs and hashbrowns. Lunch is great also.

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

Review #8378Review by: MrBreakfast.com Visitor on 4/12/2006

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Servers were not very neat and we could plainly see them counting their tips which I thought was tacky. Food was fine and came very fast. The servers need to try a bit harder ( a clean countercloth badly needed ) and be a little more discreet. Overall the food was pretty darn good and very inexpensive. Would not go again because of the heavy smoke.

Award Nomination: Best Bargin Breakfast

Review #7235Review by: cakecrazy on 6/2/2004

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I had heard about this tiny little place with "awesome breakfast" but had never tried it so I decided it was time. Oh man. For one the entire restaurant (complete with your diner counter and barstool seating as well as tables) can't be any larger than a 2 car garage! The menu consists of hasbrowns covered in cheese, delicious biscuits and gravy, homemade fresh skillet breakfasts, french toast, THE BEST apple cinnamon pancakes I have EVER tasted and to top it off a nice little "coffee mug club". It's your small town diner in the heart of the capital's metro! If you are in Des Moines and need good eats.......don't forget the Waveland Cafe!! (I hear they have good lunches as well!)

Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever

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Reviews submitted here are meant to pertain to breakfast only. While Mr Breakfast cannot vouch for the validity of each restaurant review, he feels pretty good vouching for the excellent character of the residents of Des Moines, Iowa - who are primarily responsible for the review(s) you see above for The Waveland Cafe.