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Interior - Aura Restaurant & Lounge, Clive, IA

Aura Restaurant & Lounge

4.6
4.6
248 Reviews
$31 to $50
American
12851 University Ave 400, Clive, IA 50325-8254

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for fine wines
Lively & flavorful tapas along with vibrant cocktails offer a unique shared experience that challenges the traditional. At Aura, it's good vibes only! Our invigorating environment is the perfect place to gather friends & family.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Contemporary American, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Nolan Tenney
  • Catering
    We have a flexible catering option for all events.
  • Private party facilities
    We have multiple spaces for semi private dining up to 40 guests indoors and up to 60 guests outdoors
  • Neighborhood
    Urbandale
  • Cross street
    60th and University Ave.
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • May Wine Dinner

    May 15, 2025 only
    Join us on the 3rd Thursday of every month for our monthly wine dinner! This month we are featuring the wines of Marchese Antinori. They are one of Northern Italy's most famous wine producers. We are excited to have them be on the table this May at Aura. Get excited for us to be paring some of our favorite Classic Italian dishes with some of our favorite Italian wines.
    May Wine Dinner Photo
  • August Wine Dinner

    Aug 21, 2025 only
    Come into Aura for a break from the summer heat! Our wine dinner this month will be focusing on South American Fare and Wine. Stay tuned for more info!
    August Wine Dinner Photo
  • June Wine Dinner

    $100.00 per person

    Jun 19, 2025 only
    Join us on the 3rd Thursday of every month for our monthly wine dinner! We are partnering with Johnson Brothers and Delicato Family Wines to provide a unique and delicious experience.
    June Wine Dinner Photo

Offers

  • Happy Hour Everyday!

    Multiple dates available
    Mon - Sat - 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM
    Discounted food and drinks every day 3pm-5:30pm.

    Happy Hour Everyday! Photo

What 248 people are saying

Aura Restaurant & Lounge reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Healthy

  • Iowa

    Great for fine wines

  • Iowa

    Good for special occasions

  • Iowa

    Lively

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Ambiance

  • Des Moines

    Healthy

  • Des Moines

    Great for fine wines

  • Des Moines

    Romantic

  • Des Moines

    Good for special occasions

  • Des Moines

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Aura Restaurant & Lounge offers a "welcoming atmosphere" with attentive staff, highlighted by "spectacular" service from servers like Nick. Known for its "delicious and unique" menu, it's perfect for date nights and special occasions. Guests praise the "beautiful setting," "great cocktails," and the owners' personal touch, ensuring a memorable dining experience.

248 Reviews
  1. Joan

    Des Moines9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had dinner with another couple. The appetizers were great Korean dumplings and potato croquettes. We were given plenty of time between the courses and the main entrees, salmon, fish and fries, and potato picatta. All the dishes were perfect. We did order a bottle of wine that went well with our meal. Our server Alyssa was a delight and also assisted the food with making our time at Aura so enjoyable for a Saturday evening date night.

    Is this helpful?

  2. John

    Des Moines1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service. Nice people and atmosphere.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Dana VIP

    Des Moines7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love Aura! It’s one of our favorite, go-to, date night spots. The staff our always incredibly kind and attentive. Jason and Cephus have done a wonderful job creating a welcoming atmosphere, delightful menu and always stop by to say hello and chat for a minute. Can’t recommend Aura enough.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Shari

    Des Moines2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was my third visit to Aura. I can say without hesitantcy that the food has maintained high-quality, the service has been great, and the setting is lovely. I would recommend this to anyone who wants delicious and unique food in a in a beautiful setting.

    Is this helpful?

  5. stephanie

    Tampa1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server, Nick, was spectacular. He made our group feel welcome immediately and took care of all our needs before we even had to ask. It felt like we were his only table! Food was delicious, everyone thought their meal was their new favorite. Thank you

    Is this helpful?

  6. NancyV

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a birthday celebration, great service, great attention paid to the birthday person

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Omaha1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and appetizers. Convenient location. Perfect for a business lunch. Service was excellent with Nick our server.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Des Moines5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome! Great drinks and great food! Would recommend to anyone!

    Is this helpful?

  9. S VIP

    Des Moines10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had appetizers and drinks at the bar. Service from Bailey was great! The Dumplings and Brussel sprout appetizers were delicious.

    Is this helpful?

  10. James VIP

    Chicago12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first visit. The wait staff was exceptional, and the food was excellent. The owners came over to answer any questions and were always checking in. They have a tremendous bar with just about every taste you would like. This place is at the top of our list.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Aura Restaurant & Lounge offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (515) 225-6005.

Aura Restaurant & Lounge is rated 4.6 stars by 248 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Iowa
  4. Des Moines
  5. Urbandale

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Aura Restaurant & Lounge

12851 University Ave 400, Clive, IA 50325-8254

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    60th and University Ave.
  • Neighborhood
    Urbandale
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Contemporary American, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Nolan Tenney
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We have a flexible catering option for all events.
  • Private party facilities
    We have multiple spaces for semi private dining up to 40 guests indoors and up to 60 guests outdoors
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