My cousin recommended this place for margaritas. I was talking about licking tajin on the rim of my cup and she brought me here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice vibe when we walked in, bar side was dark yet intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The patio was nice and well lit, weather was nice so it was perfect to sit outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I heard there's an upstairs dining area but was closed when we were there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I checked out the food menu and looks delicious, however we already ate dinner and was there for drinks. I'll have to come back to try the food next time. read more

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Wednesdays are a great night to visit as it's happy hour until 6 PM where you can get half off their chips and dips. And then they're buy one get one margaritas till 9 PM. When we arrived, it was just after six so we missed the half off apps, but still took advantage of the margaritas which I failed to get pictures of. I got the blackberry which you can't go wrong as it is sweet and hides a lot of the tequila flavor, which I prefer since I'm a whiskey drinker. My husband got the spicy Mezcal, which is a smoky jalapeño flavored margarita. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There weren't that many people there which is why I think they added these deals so take advantage soon.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was amazing and the ambience is great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]However, I prefer a little bit more light when I'm trying to read the menu.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Coa Cantina - Salsa and chips - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Three star because this food was INCREDIBLE and this was our 3rd time visiting, second time being for the St Pattys day crawl. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Absolutely incredible food, great place to pause in the evening to get drinks and food and watch the games momentarily.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was able to get an incredible virgin Mango Margarita that was divine, I do want to state the reason for my 3 rating - the service. This last St Pattys day was frustrating. If you weren't a female the bartenders on the bottom floor wanted nothing to do with you. Halfway through my husband waiting to order a drink or get their attention I popped into the end of the bar and a bartender was with me in moments. Frustrating, but nonetheless the drinks and food drinks were good. read more

Coa Cantina - Elote & Chips - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Very good service, great food and great drinks! The tacos were quite spicy, but the margaritas were amazing! read more

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4.4* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $23 05/08/2024 I stopped back with a friend to update my information on HappyHourDesMoines.com and in addition to the Happy Hour Drinks (see pictures), we also shared an order of Carnitas Nachos (see picture). The nachos were delicious - with quality, taste and presentation well above average bar nachos. While I loved the 1/2 priced Margaritas for Happy Hour, I strongly dislike restaurants adding a 3% Service Fee, so knocked the Value down to 4* as a result. You'll love the atmosphere, food and drinks - and the Margaritas are 1/2 price during Happy Hour! read more

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Unfortunately all reviews can't be stellar. I was totally bummed because I like to brag, especially on this place. But tonight was not a good day at the Coa Cantina. The service started out pretty good but soon after we got our drinks and an order of nachos things started to go south. The drinks were delicious as usual, but the margarita was 98% ice. The bartender was so distracted by his phone that we basically had to beg for attention and a beer. He literally was texting every time I looked his way. The nachos were worth the $12 but the add on of a protein makes them almost $17. and we didn't realize that until we got the bill. In addition we asked for some extra salsa and were charged for chips and salsa at $4.50...what? We got there during happy hour and the draft beers were supposed to be 1/2 price before 7pm...nope. We got charged full price for that too. Unfortunately we were in a hurry at the end because we had to catch a show, so after waiting to get the bartenders attention again we had to leave and I didn't get to ask the questions about the bill. So frustrating. I can count the times on one hand that I didn't leave a tip. My tip tonight is "Put down your phone and take care of business." read more

Coa Cantina - Paloma and a blackberry margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I just keep wanting to like this place but every time I have been in here there is a problem. The service is the slowest thing I have ever seen. We ordered chips and salsa and it took 30 min. The drinks are super good but we are going to be late for a show at woolys because we never would have imagined food would take this long. The staff was very nice but unless you have endless time and patience I would skip. read more

First time we have been here and the LAST!!! The manager was very disrespectful and rude to our entire party of 5 when we arrived and while we were there. We had planned on eating and drinking but quickly changed our mind with the attitude of the entire staff. read more

Those bb margs are off the chain and the cuc and jalepeno not bad either. perfect mix. a really good cocktail. [[HIGHLIGHT]]outside patio is perfect for a sunny day[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and service was attentive and nice. tried the pizza was pretty good. tacos were decent too all around highly recommend esp for happy hour and the drinks! read more

Come for the margs, stay for the amazing service. Always have had a pleasant experience both here in person, and at their food truck, which travels around downtown. Many different flavor and tequila options available to customize your margarita with. I am convinced all of the servers here are literal models, such beautiful people with beautiful souls. The kitchen staff is so sweet too, always friendly and giving me good food recommendations. Bartenders here are always attentive and quick, love them so much! Usually a dj here on weekends, it is a smaller venue so it can get packed here pretty easily on the main level, but there is extra seating and space available both upstairs and on the patio as well. Thank you Devan and Crystal for the wonderful experience yesterday! Y'all are the best! read more

I didn't try the food I was only there to bar up around downtown because I am from California. The Margarita was nice and strong. The chips and salsa were good. The salsa was a little on the weak side, maybe it needed a little bit more pepper or some more tomato or maybe even an onion or garlic but it was good. I even packed the chips to go and ate it the next day I just left them in the bag tied up and they were just as fresh as the day before. Service was good the bartender was nice didn't take me long to get seated and she checked on me every 5 to 10 minutes. read more

Coa Cantina - Chips and salsa with a marg. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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This tequila bar located in the East Village is one of my favorites. The bartenders are attentive, the food is great (get the chips, queso and salsa flight at the very least but I love their tacos and street corn too) and their margaritas are delicious and they have so many flavors to chose from. It's an upbeat vibe with a bar and outdoor patio on the first floor but there's more tables on the second floor. They have a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights so get there before 11 PM if you want a seat otherwise prepare to stand! read more

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Love the artwork of Frida outside and inside! Very Vibey and the music was on point! Def was giving. The margaritas are poured in a big glass! 10/10 would recommend the mango margarita and the peach and Chong beer which is locally brewed in Des Moines! Good spot if you're looking to have some drinks with friends read more

10/10 recommend blackberry margarita and Devan and Crystal were the bartenders and the drinks were on point!

Date night or happy hour must! They were open for quite a while before I had a chance to try it and I'm sad I missed out on a lot of good months! Things I can recommend: The Mexican Ashtray (a messy but fun beer, tequila, hot sauce, lime, and Tajin served with MANY napkins), several flavors of house margarita including my favorite the passion fruit, a mezcal based Negroni that knocked my socks off, and a flight of chips and salsa. The tacos (both carnitas and vegan chorizo) were ok. Flavorful but fell apart and took a lot time to be served. And while we were sitting there Instacart delivered dozens of bags of chips from Costco. The vibe inside is intimate, dark, and fun. First floor is all high top tables, the second floor is more lounge, and the patio in warmer weather is going to be phenomenal. Loved the wallpaper and whole esthetics. We will definitely be back! read more

Coa Cantina - Salsa flight and passion fruit margarita. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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BEST MARGARITAS IN EAST VILLAGE DES MOINE! Love this place and they honestly have the best nacho as well my favorite ones are barbacoa beef. The toppings are crazy and the meat is so tender. Plenty to share with a group of say 4 friends. Only down side is parking is street so you have to pay for parking. I have been here twice and both time the servers have been phenomenal and very attentive. read more

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Parking: located in east village you gotta park along the road somewhere and pay via the parking app. Seating: such a great variety of seating from high top bar outside, patio with low tops, bar inside, and high tops on both main level and upstairs. Atmosphere: I'm obsessed with this place. A cozy space that's a perfect date night or friend's night out with a sexy vibe that is perfect tequila bar energy. When it's nice out they put the garage door up to open up the space. Food/drinks: legit obsessed with their blackberry marg. So delicious and tasty and made perfectly -- not too strong or weak. Their food always hits the spot for a quick bite to pair with drinks. I feel like they're more of a bar first and restaurant second, but again, I love both their food and drinks. read more

Coa Cantina - Blackberry marg - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

4.7 What a great surprise this was this past Sunday. The drinks were very well done and the food super nice. The decor is slightly cold but I'll bet it's quite caliente come late night. great job! read more

Went in this past Sunday to have a few drinks and some food. Was mainly looking to have some drinks. Sat down with my cousin who joined me for the evening since we had a concert to attend later on. We thought the bar area would be better to try out drinks so we choose that area. They have a patio, inside and downstairs dining it seemed like. Anyhow we had to flag the bartender down because it seemed like he was the only one there. He was kind of rude rushing to get our order and then the rest of the stay we had to get his attention to get his service. Both had a vegan chorizo taco that was tasty. We shared a queso with chips and chorizo. Queso was delicious I'd give it a 8/10. Enjoyed a mango coa margarita with a delicious rim of what seemed like tajin. Honestly we would of enjoyed another drink or three but seeing how the service was bad we decided to just leave. Ambiente was pretty cool though the music playing was good and lively. Just service needs improvement. Might try it out again later this summer but for now it didn't leave me with the best impression. read more

Grace was the best waitress I have ever had! She was so personable and made great recommendations on drinks and apps! We loved visiting here during our staycation! A must go for people staying at the AC hotel in East Village! read more

Great place for a stop during girls night in the East Village! Love their margs, plus they have great salsa and taco options. Their patio is fun during the warmer months and the upstairs is always an option when it is still chilly outside. It is always poppin' on the weekends so be prepared for after hour vibes. read more

Great service.... The most amazing blackberry margaritas and the nachos plus the games!we had a great time! Who knew it was two stories! Loved the place! Fun, happy people! It's an East Village , fun experience! Will always go for the ambiance, clean and fun' read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Love the Friday night vibe![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Went here for drinks with the girls!! Grace is the best server ever- she deserves the best (give her the best tips ever) Bartender is good too - love the drinks!! Keep calm and drink on! read more

Every-time I come here I love the service, Lauren is always a great help every-time, would highly recommend asking for her if you come in! The food is amazing here, every-time I come in I ask for the corn so if you're hungry grab a bowl! The ambiance is amazing, great music and service. Make sure to check the place next time you're out! read more

Coa Cantina - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

After doing some Christmas shopping, we decided to try this place out. After asking for suggestions, I ended up with a delightful margarita. Fill berry flavor. The chips and salsa were great addition to our drinks. read more

Coa Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Checked this place out when visiting my best friend in Des Moines. I love the vibe & all the fun drink options!! We sat on the cute little patio & our waitress was super sweet and gave us great recommendations based on what we told her we liked. Will definitely have to come back! read more

Coa Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Fun place to stop in a have a drink! Their food is pretty good too! Service is a bit slow when it comes to food, but they aren't a full service restraunt! read more

Coa Cantina - Barbacoa burrito - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Coa Cantina has made East Village even more of a need to visit neighborhood. Ever since they opened this Fall/Winter, Ive been wanting to go! The tequila variety, drinks, good pricing, and not to mention the coolest building and art ever! My friend and I each had a Tierra Roja and a Margarita...wow the flavors were just mind blowing! Date night, girls night, or just a solo visit... go go go!! read more

Coa Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Staff was nice, timely, honest with prep and point of sale technology. I've been here a handful of times and every time I leave, I look foreword to my next visit. The vibes and ambiance are high! The DJs are great! The bathrooms are clean! The prices and happy hours are well-timed and communicated! No complaints. Also their sister bar, Bellhop Tiki, has all of the above as well! read more

Lemon drop shots were fantastic 10/10. My friends and I had a wonderful time. Waitresses were so attentive.

Did lunch here with a couple friends last Friday and was very happy. We started with the chips and queso which was way above average. They have a taco lunch special (2 tacos and a side). I chose the chicken tacos and street corn. The tacos were flavorful and the street corn was top tier! I can't wait to come back for dinner and try a cocktail because they looked fantastic on the menu and the bar was super cool. read more

Coa Cantina - Lower level bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

GRACE WAS AMAZING! So vibrant! She is the most irreplaceable EVER! If she isn't there than I'm not coming back! I swear it's not because they changed the menu and that all the good yummy food is gone and that their margs changed! Anyway, if she is there I'm back! If not, I'm going to Rita's! read more

This place is a whole vibe! If tequila is your jam, great music and some pretty decent tacos, check this place out. My favorite margarita is Coa Mezcal margarita, passionfruit, mango read more

Great service. Amazing food. Fantastic drinks. The atmosphere was very alluring as well. 10/10 read more

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Grace is the best waiter here! She recommended the best cocktails! We both got the Cantaritos and the guac/corn and chips! [[HIGHLIGHT]]the music is great, and patio is the best during the summer![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely made this trip a great experience, from someone coming from Chicago! read more

I really like COA, the atmosphere is typically very chill and my server was great, knowledgeable and very attentive. I think her name was lily or Lilian? But seeing the bartenderTrevor, that night get into a fight and punch a guest at the entrance kind of killed the vibe. If I wanted bro vibes and fights I'd go to court ave. But I still love the high end tequila menu and the location, but let's keep the Drama to a minimum so your average guest can enjoy the night without a fight! And the street corn was on point. read more

Great service, cool drinks. Love the atmosphere. We didn't eat but the food looked good!

Grace is an AMAZING server! This place is great and the bartenders are very nice. The clay mugs are very cute and they have fun designs :)

Grace was so attentive and we had the most pleasant experience. Will come again!! Mexican mule was perfectly mixed.

Amazing margaritas in a variety of flavors!! Went recently and they've added a small food menu! The salsa trio is delish, and fun to share! The queso and tacos are also delish!! Some nights there is a live DJ which always creates a great atmosphere! I've always had a great experience at COA, just wish they were still dog friendly read more