Aura Restaurant & Lounge

4.6 (253)

$31 to $50

American

12851 University Ave 400, Clive, IA 50325-8254

Make a reservation

2 people

May 14, 2025

May 2025

7:30 PM

Booked 5 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
(515) 225-6005
Website
http://auradsm.com/
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

Location
12851 University Ave 400, Clive, IA 50325-8254
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

Gift card

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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.
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!
July Wine Dinner
Jul 17, 2025 only
Join us for our 3rd Thursday Wine Dinner. This month we will be focusing on elevating a Summer BBQ experience. Pairing with bold flavors from both sides of food and beverage, this will we a mouthwatering and dazzling take on an American Summer.

Offers

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

What 253 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
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Iowa
Great for fine wines
Iowa
Lively
Iowa
American
Des Moines
Best Service
Des Moines
Best Ambiance
Des Moines
Healthy
Des Moines
Hot spot
Des Moines
Neighborhood gem
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 is a delightful spot known for its "amazing service and wonderful food." Perfect for celebrations or a quiet meal, the restaurant offers a cozy ambiance with attentive staff who ensure a welcoming atmosphere. The menu features "fantastic, flavorful, and consistent" dishes, complemented by a superb drink selection. Aura is highly recommended for date nights, business lunches, or group gatherings, with guests often praising its "spectacular" service and "outstanding" dining experiences.

253 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
Des Moines10 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service and wonderful food! Everything was perfect! We truly enjoyed our dinner!
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D
Dustin
Des Moines1 review
5.0
Dined on May 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My Wife and I went there for the first time on our Anniversary, they brought flowers to our table and my wife was able to take them home. Several staff members stopped to wish us a Happy Anniversary, and the food and drinks were outstanding! We will definitely go back!
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SH
StephanieH
Des Moines3 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Eight of us met up at Aura for a Women Who Wine reunion. The servers were attentive and accommodating. The food was fantastic. (More than one person mentioned wanting to lick their plate!) And the ambience was wonderful. Highly recommend!
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S
Shannon VIP
Des Moines15 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aura was very quiet and had comfortable booth seating. All three of us liked our food and the wine was delicious. Our waiter was fun and checked in on us as needed. We will all be going back to Aura again!
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A
Alex
Des Moines6 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cool restaurant with interesting vibe, great food and service!
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J
Joan
Des Moines9 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
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.
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J
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.
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D
Dana VIP
Des Moines8 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.
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S
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.
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s
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
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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 253 OpenTable diners.

Aura Restaurant & Lounge does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

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