Palms DSM - in Des Moines, Iowa

Tried Palms DSM and it absolutely lives up to the reputation they built before opening their restaurant. We ordered the honey suya wings and coconut curry wings, and my friend got the jerk wings. Every flavor was excellent, but my favorites were the coconut curry and the jerk. The jerk has real flavor and a little spice, but it is not overpowering. It is approachable for people who do not love heat, while still being bold and satisfying. If you like it hotter, you can easily add sauce and take it up a notch. The flavors across the board were layered, balanced, and genuinely well thought out, not just “spicy for the sake of being spicy.” I also had the candied yams and rice and peas, and both were seasoned beautifully. Same theme here. Nothing bland, nothing heavy-handed. Just really well-executed food with a sophisticated flavor profile. What really matters though is this: these guys know what they are doing. They did not just wake up and open a restaurant. They spent over six years at the farmers market, building a following and refining their food before ever opening a brick-and-mortar. That experience shows in the consistency, the confidence, and the execution. The atmosphere and branding are also worth calling out. The space feels intentional, custom, and like a real experience. The staff was professional and prompt, and the owner was there on a Sunday. He was friendly, passionate, and clearly hands-on. You can tell this is a hardworking local family business that actually cares about doing things right. If I had one suggestion, it would be to add a vegetable or greens option as a side, since the current sides lean more carb-based. If you are unsure whether this is your kind of food, go anyway. If you like chicken, you will like Palms DSM. This is not a risky try. They have already proven themselves, and the food is genuinely great.

We've been eyeing this place for a few months now and decided to stop in tonight! The smoke on the chicken and the tender oxtail are landing pretty high on my list of favorite things I've eaten this year. We got the Jerk Chicken Tacos and the Oxtail Pizza. The flavors melded so well together! Hefty amount of meat, and perfect balance between salt, sweet, spice, and acidity. The hibiscus mocktail was also wonderful! Our server was so lovely and extremely attentive! The owner also came by and apologized for how cold the restaurant was (the heat went out earlier in the day). He didn't have to, but it was really nice to have him visit our table. He bought some space heaters and was putting them all around the restaurant when we came in. This is a really special place. I can't believe it took us this long to make it in. We'll definitely be back to try the more traditional dishes and the Oxtail Cheesy Grits on Saturday!!! Definitely Vegetarian, GF, and DF options, as well!

Our first visit to Palms was such a great treat! We don't know much about West African or Caribbean food beyond Jerk Chicken, but we're adventurous eaters and tried our luck without. What a great surprise! The space is bright and open, everyone there was really friendly and their service was perfect. We started with the Jerk Chicken tacos (being newbies) and they were very tasty. I had the coconut curry wings, my wife had the Suya pepper shrimp. Both were amazing, the pepper shrimp was nice and spicy without being too much. We've been on the hunt for authentic Jamaican meat patties and we finally found the real thing! The pastry was light and flaky with the beef filling perfectly seasoned and delicious. We will absolutely be back so we can work our way through their menu!

With my husband being from the Caribbean this was a nice treat to find in the Des Moines area. We moved from Los Angeles and are always looking for great spots that give our palates delight. Everything we had was delicious and just the right spice you would expect with the jerk seasoning. Highly recommend!!

The vibes are immaculate at this locally owned gem! I tried this place for the first time the other day and we all really enjoyed our meals! The atmosphere is clean and inviting and great music! I had the jerk tacos and the mac and cheese and it was delicious! My friend said the wings are amazing as well as the yams. You should definitely give this place a try!

This was recommended to me by a car rental clerk at the airport. I got the jerk chicken. It was the most flavorful chicken I have eaten. The outside was crispy, and had some heat, but not too much. The inside was full of flavor. I met the cook and he was very friendly and showed me how he cooked . He was proud of his food and he should be. This will be my first stop if I ever in the Des Moines area.

Such a gem in Iowa! Love when I can find a restaurant with food from different cultures! Would definitely go back! The picture is of the Curry chicken wings, they were great! Although my kids love eating different food I would not recommend this place for kids, but perfect for a date night!

Had a wonderful first experience at Palms DSM! Started with delicious cocktails and decided to split a few things with the group because we all couldn’t decide on just one thing- and everything was absolutely great (don’t mind the half eaten meals in the photo, we got too excited when it came out). Honey Suyo Wings were top tier as well as the Jerk Chicken Alfredo and Plantains. The service was so kind, friendly and thoughtful. Can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu!