Terminal 1 landside option with a 5 p.m. weekday cutoff
Berk & Chesters Kitchen + Bar sits before security in Terminal 1 at Des Moines (DSM), so build in extra time if you want a sit-down meal here. It runs daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Saturdays when the lights go off early at 3:30 p.m. That timing skews this place toward lunch and early afternoon flights rather than late-night departures.
Prices hit the midrange $$ mark for airport American, so plan on paying more than downtown Des Moines but less than a hub airport steakhouse. The menu follows a local-plus-classics pattern: think burgers, sandwiches, and bar plates with a Midwestern lean, instead of anything too cheffy or experimental. Since it’s landside, it also works as a meet-up spot if you’re saying goodbye or grabbing a bite with someone who isn’t flying.
Because it closes by 5 p.m. most days and 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Berk & Chesters is a non-starter for the last flights bank. If your departure is after 6 p.m., assume you’ll be relying on post-security grab-and-go or another concession instead of this sit-down bar. Earlier in the day, it’s a better play than trying to stretch a snack cart into a real meal on a 2–3 hour leg.
With no strong consensus on standout dishes in current reviews, treat this as a safe American option rather than a destination restaurant. Expect familiar bar food at airport prices, not a culinary story you’ll tell for weeks. Order what you normally get at a midrange grill—burger, chicken sandwich, or a basic salad—and skip anything that sounds overly ambitious for a pre-security bar running limited hours.
Practical tip: if you want Berk & Chesters before a noon flight, aim to sit down by 11:15 a.m. so you can eat, pay, and still clear DSM security with a 30–40 minute buffer.