Such a well planned atmosphere. The chandeliers and news articles, the flamingo wallpaper and pink…read moreChristmas trees are amazing. The food was wonderful. Ordered the beef tip pasta, I would highly suggest it. The boys all had burgers they loved and the salad was large enough for 3 people. The waitress was so kind and attentive. Couldn't have asked for better service on what was an obviously busy night. Definitely a local gem.

Yep my girl just turns 40 and attempted to have a party tonight to celebrate…read more Two weeks ago, she made a phone reservation for up to 20. Management called earlier this week requiring 1 check as they don't want to deal with customers. Flamingo just called to cancel this evening's reservation as they are concerned about the weather. WTF? I understand we are now in summer and you risk the weather. Guess they don't want our business. If this is how you treat customers, I hope your business tanks.

This tiny house is giving Des Monies the vibes it's missing…read more.. On a short layover in Iowa, I was looking for good drinks and food without a lot of waiting or being overcrowded. What I found was a little gem off of one of the main roads in downtown Des Monies. Even before you enter this self described "Tiki Bar" you see all the brick buildings, and then you see an actual grass covered roof...yep that's the place and a really nice touch. The interior is equally cool and spacious, you are greeted by the bar area immediately when you walk in. To your right are comfy couches and instagram friendly neon wall signs, with that signature tiki touch of floral patterns and great lighting. The location is connected to a Asian food restaurant, so they get their food from them as you drink some of the most well crafted adult drinks I've had in a while. I came for happy hour on a Saturday 4:00pm-6:30pm. The drinks were basically 2.00 off with discounted food, the menu is limited to mostly chicken wraps and crab rangoons etc. I will say the portions were filling and very delicious. The star of the show was my El Colmillo, a tequila based drink with lime, orange juice, lime. The bartender did say it's all pre mixed, and that day she subbed the tequila with Casamigos, because the house tequila was out. Customer service was great, until it wasn't. Our server was excellent, until a guy came in off break and they seemed to have some tension. She really didn't have that same positive energy as before, otherwise an overall excellent experience. Pro Tip: Take a walk over to "Hello, Marjorie", it's a completely different vibe but drinks there are just as good...if not better. Go see Travis, he is 10/10 at "Hello, Marjorie".

Simone is the coolest bartender. She went way above and beyond with her service, up to pulling out…read morea light and taking pictures for me and my friend. They have such a lowkey cool vibe here. This is a great place to pull thru with a group of friends.

New speakeasy below hotel fort Des Moines. Went here on a Friday night around 9pm. You are led…read moredownstairs where the bar is. The decor was super nice and certainly have a speakeasy vibe. Most of the seating here seemed to be targeted towards large groups so there wasn't a ton of option for a party of 2. We did not have a reservation so there was only 1 high top area that was honestly super uncomfortable. I would recommend making a reservation if you want a chance to sit at one of the lower chair areas. The biggest issue was the service. It took over 20 minutes for anyone to come over and take our drink order. This is a newer spot so I'm hopeful things can improve. It was super loud and not the most inviting space. Some of the seating was a bit awkward with spacing. The drinks were small but I would expect that for a higher end cocktail. For DSM, I did think some of the drinks seemed a bit expensive. The drinks were okay but seemed pretty weak where they were super juice heavy. Overall I would probably not come back unless I had friends who haven't been and wanted to try it. Super bummed as I do think there is potential here but need to work through some of these issues.

This speakeasy bar is located inside the hotel fort in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. To get there,…read moreyou will enter the coffee bar, once you walk around the bar, you'll see a velvet rope. Somebody will ask you how many people in your party and then open the wall pantry. This will lead to the stair that goes downstairs to the basement. Bar lighting is dim, intimate feel. There's bar seating, high tops, tables that accommodate large parties and VIP room that has a curtain for privacy. We ordered cocktails that were unique crafted. Bathroom is available, hallway of pictures of people dressed in the 1920s all over the wall. We enjoyed this speakeasy bar and will definitely come back with more people.

A great bar. Very low key. Low lighting. Low noise. Good job blocking out background noise and…read morenearby table noise as well. Drinks were on point and perfectly crafted. They also looked good. The staff were friendly & attentive. Would recommend.

Beautiful space, attentive and expert bartender, appropriate and interesting playlist, curated and…read moreinteresting drink menu - YAY!! It's telling when the other bartenders in town all agree that they love the same place - and this is that place in Des Moines. The craft cocktails are exquisitely made and the menu is organized for success, grouping drinks by their primary liquor.

This place hasn't changed. Great "dive" bar. The drinks are reasonably priced. They beers were…read morecold. They have live music. The great part was we were here on a Friday and the music started at 5. The music wasn't too loud. We could still talk. They also had a TV with football on. We enjoyed a few hours here before our movie

The great atmosphere and top-notch bands make this a stellar dive bar! The very reasonable drink…read moreprices make up for the mostly surly bartenders. You just have to learn to ignore their attitudes and enjoy the music and the vibes! Ha ha!

This hole-in-the-wall bar is a great spot for a few drinks with a date or small group. I've been…read morecoming here for Wednesday night martini specials for years. Martinis don't disappoint in my opinion. Not all are equal, but they do have some good tasting ones. I personally like the dirty and gimlet martinis the most. But their more fruity ones are good as well. Atmosphere is great. Walls are decked with local art, which I believe is also for sale. Good music plays throughout and not too loud where you can't have a conversation. Service is always friendly and helpful. Overall, it's one of my favorite spots downtown. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed the vibe here and the cocktails are good and reasonably priced. I had a Manhattan,…read more$10. The dimly lit room, local art and music are fun. Of course, the actual "lift" is the centerpiece. Definitely a great spot in a great city.

We try to catch at least one show a year at Noce (but it is always nice when we go more than…read moreonce!). We usually try to go as part of my birthday celebration and tonight we enjoyed the Des Moines Big Band playing "Sounds of the Season". Two hour show with about a 20-minute break and it was an excellent concert. My husband and I both enjoy jazz and Noce is an excellent venue. Small and intimate with a full bar and, if you are hungry, you can order a cheese plate or salty snacks. There was a biting wind when we went tonight so the hot toddy warmed us from the inside out. Our server replenished the hot water midway through, which was appreciated. Great night out, we really should do it more often!

Max Wellman has created and fostered one of the warmest, most welcoming, creative and lovely rooms…read morein all of Central Iowa with Noce! It is among my favorite local gems to introduce locals and visitors alike to. The jazz music line-up is always evolving, and Max has such a gift for curating a calendar that elevates other artists (musicians, singers, dancers and more). I have so many fond memories made here over the past 9 years. It's a grown-up night out that's not stuffy or stale, and the service is always a beautiful ballet to watch, too! Highly recommend visiting early and often throughout the year, any time Max and/or Napoleon are singing or for all of the Voix de Ville and holiday shows you can snag tickets for. You won't be disappointed!

My spouse and I overnighted at The Savery Hotel on a Friday night. After dinner (elsewhere in DSM),…read moreand upon our return to the hotel, I wanted dessert. I took at look at the menu in our hotel room and the chocolate torte sounded yummy. We got on the elevator and headed back down to the Coda Lounge. It wasn't too busy when we arrived; another couple and two families having drinks and dinner, someone at the bar. We were promptly greeted by Deborah. She was awesome! I didn't ask her, but it seemed like she's been doing this for a while. Very experienced and had an ease about her that made me think it wasn't her first rodeo. I ordered the Blood Orange gimlet and my husband ordered one of the beers on tap. An aside: being from Iowa City, I liked seeing their use of Cedar Ridge liquors in a number of their mixed drinks. We ordered the almond lemon cake and the flourless chocolate torte. Both delicious, but we agreed that the lemon was our favorite. Since the lounge wasn't terribly busy we hung out a while. They had table top bags boards set-up, so we spent a little while playing. A very chill place to unwind if you're staying in the hotel (or not). Very friendly staff and the prices were reasonable. You're sure to experience 'Iowa nice' here. Recommend.

Amazing service! Great conversation w healthy food…read moreselections Did I forget to mention Licor43 key lime Martini made by Kim

It is one of those Des Moines staples, and i am so glad that we did it, because it is a damn good…read morevisit. Street parking, busy indoor environment, casual attire. A fun stop, full of energy and good food. Our server, Michelle, was outstanding, mixinga fun personality with a terrific energy and awareness. Loved my High Life Burger basket, and our Chicken Pot Pie was incredible. Coke products.

Take a walk back in time in this laid back spot. Tucked away on a quiet side street across from a…read moreparking garage, is this endearing gem. The vintage decor is everywhere. The huge bar, tables and booths with retro signs and chachkies everywhere really create the perfect vibe. The ladies serving fit right in. Our server felt like sweet Aunt who wants you to eat all of your food or no dessert. So cute and adorable. Our food was very tasty. My pot pie looked unique but tasted soo good. My friend loved her turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. Comfort food all around. We really loved our experience and will definitely return!

This place is starting to become one of the places we pop in to when we are downtown. Atmosphere is…read morefun with an obvious nod to the Chicago Bears but still feels like an old, big city bar rather than a new sports bar you'd see in the suburbs. Their special drink seems to be a "mini beer" which is a shot that looks like a beer. Personally, I am not a fan of the scented candles, but they moved it for me when I politely asked when there wasn't another place I could move to. Definitely a place to check out when you are in the East Village, and a must if you are a Bears fan.

A great location and space for all Bear's fans. And even if you are not a Bear's fan, you will…read moreenjoy hanging out in this cozy sliver of Chicago here in Des Moines. I have never had a bad time in my visits and you can get all the classic Chicago beers and drinks you can think of!