05/02/2026
Last weekend we were in Des Moines and had breakfast at Early Bird. This was our second time trying Early Bird—both visits at different locations. We really love the vibe, and the menu has so many great options.
Jesse ordered the EB B&G—two buttermilk biscuits smothered in pork sausage gravy, served with tater tots and two sunny-side-up eggs. He paired it with The Good Doctor (Five Farms Irish Cream, Frangelico, Early Bird roast drip coffee, and whipped cream).
I ordered the EB Combo: a cinnamon roll pancake, two scrambled eggs, and two pieces of cob-smoked bacon. I also got a Salted Caramel Sweet Cream Latte (caramel syrup, espresso, milk, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt), which can also be made hot.
I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again—Jesse is always happy with biscuits and gravy. His only complaint this time was forgetting to ask for no whipped cream on his drink.
My experience wasn’t quite as good this visit. I asked for my coffee hot, but it came iced. They were very busy, and by the time I could’ve asked for it to be fixed, our food had already arrived, so I just went with it (I’m still not—and probably never will be—a cold coffee person). The cinnamon roll pancake was delicious, but I had asked for crispy bacon and it was nowhere close. The scrambled eggs also tasted like they may have come from a carton.
That said, this is just my honest review—and I do want to add that the first time I tried Early Bird, I ordered the breakfast tacos (scrambled eggs, your choice of bacon/sausage/chorizo, cheddar, pico de gallo, and avocado crema on corn tortillas), and they were amazing. So overall, I think I just had a bit of bad luck this time around.
So if you are looking for a breakfast spot in the Des Moines area, Early Bird has three locations and definitely worth checking them out. Let me know if you try them or you have and what you thought.
