In town for Junior Olympics and stopped in after I found this restaurant on yelp. Walking in it is…read morevery dim lighting. The waitress was very knowledgeable and helpful in making our choices. We ended up getting the turkey melt, the focaccia and a side of fries. Everything was very good. We tried the lemonade which was great. Our friends said what they got was good too. Definitely try this place if you're in town or even if you're local.

What a great hidden spot. Food was great service was super friendly. In fact I had planned to only…read moreeat half my sandwich and once it arrived I knew I was going to finish it.

Okay, this one's got me scratching my head. ‍ In my entire…read morelife, I've never caused trouble in a bar. I'm well-behaved, I don't make a scene, and I always tip my bartenders well--because respect goes both ways. Last Sunday I was at Thirsty's: had two beers, paid as I went, played a little pool, and left when the bartender said he was closing early. No drama, no issues. But tonight? I walked in, and the same bartender took one look at me and said, "I'm not serving you." No explanation. No reason. Just... refused. Now, I get it--Iowa is a right-to-refuse state. Legally, he can do that. But I've never disrespected him, never caused a problem, never even raised my voice. Honestly? I'm just shocked. I didn't deserve that. So to my fellow polite bar-goers: I guess you can do everything right and still get shut down. Cheers to taking your good vibes (and your tipping money) elsewhere.

Went in to hang out with a buddy, as soon as he left I went to the bathroom and came out for…read moreanother beer (3rd beer). Bar tender with a pony tail accused me of telling everyone at the place that I was drunk and cut me off after 3 beers. Never said anything to anyone as I have never been there and even had a game of bags lined up with an awesome couple but the bar tender's ego ruined everything. This was my first time at this bar and the last. I even left that sensitive bitch a tip after I left from his false accusation. He didn't even have the balls to prove what he was accusing me of. Multiple witnesses around me agreed I did nothing wrong. Good thing this place is in the ghetto. Never stepping foot in this poor ass place again

Didn't have any food here but did have a few drinks. No complaints…read more We kind of accidentally went here on our way to Ceviche. I'll definitely be back. Really enjoyed the vibe.

Incredible little low-key spot. It's grungy, it's cool, you meet creative and interesting people…read morethere. Everyone is very friendly, and it's a great vibe. We just moved back here and my coworker recommended it. We've now been twice and loved it both times. There's absolutely nothing like in Des Moines-- It feels like New York underground, but Des Moines, down to earth, easy parking and SO welcoming. Also, bartenders are super nice. The girl bartender servicing us even said she would make us a custom cocktail, based on what we were in the mood for. My husband told her what he was craving and she made him exactly that. Might I add...with little information on his part. (He's not the biggest talker hehe!). He said it was his favorite drink he's ever had. Tonight was a little more chill, but the first time everyone was dancing and it was just as fun both times. This is our favorite new little spot and we will definitely be back!!

burger and beer night is easily one of the best deals in the city. I've tried all of the burgers,…read moreand they've all been great. Tonight I went with the tenderloin, and it was awesome. The Sriracha seasoning on the outside gives it a nice little kick without being overwhelming. The fries and tots are pretty average, but overall, we always have a great experience here. It remains one of our top local spots, and we'll definitely keep coming back!

I went there hungry for some unhealthy food and thirsty for some Iowa beer. AG did its thang!…read more Loved the Poutine. Loved the PB&J Burger. Liked the beer. Liked our bartender/server and her friendliness . Loved the divey-but-not-too-divey atmosphere. Shout out to their kitchen being open on the later side during the week. It was very hard to find a good meal in this area at 10:00pm on a Monday, but AG came up clutch.

Small south side bar. Rough around the edges but bar staff is always friendly. Quiet older crowd…read moreand lots of old country and rock playing on the box. 1 pool table and outside smoke patio.

Quite little bar on SW 9th and Rose Ave. Worth stopping in. Friendly staff and cheap drinks! Bring…read moreyour classic car on Friday night's to hang with the guys! They've got a free pool table which is hard to come by with most bars in Des Moines. Bathrooms are small. Women's restroom does not have it's own sink. You have to go out to the hallway to use a community bathroom.

I really don't want to review this place because, if people realize how cool it is, it will be…read moreimpossible to get a table. Awesome, small speakeasy with a macabre vibe. This is where Edgar Allen Poe would hung out. If you're a cocktail enthusiast, they have some great options and offer an authentic absinthe fountain. If you're a mocktail drinker, they have a variety of NA options to make drinks with that aren't just overly sweet, fruity drinks. Old horror movies on the projector with popcorn adds to the vibe, if you're looking for something off the beaten path. Great addition to the DSM speakeasy scene!

From the owner: Amidst the strains of haunting melodies and the whisper of hidden corridors, The Haunt offers a…read morerefined sanctuary for those who seek to commune with the enigmatic, where every sip is an invocation of the sublime and the supernatural.

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.

Run, don't walk, get to this bar and settle in. Great drinks, vibes and service. If you get down…read morewith retro, it's your groove.

Hands down one of the coolest bars I've ever visited. We randomly stopped while in town for a…read morewedding and it was the perfect way to end our night. Somewhat nondescript from the street (except for a neon sign), you walk into an office building and wonder if you're in the right place. Yes, yes you are. A hostess greeted us, checked our IDs, and escorted us to a table. The drinks were strong and the service was outstanding. My perimenopausal brain has no recollection of what I ordered, but I came with a mini disco ball charm for keeps! Every time I look at it, I think of Hello, Marjorie. Don't sleep on this place! Highly recommend.

Tiki bar that transforms you to the beachy vibes. Very cute interior with great service and drinksread more

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".

This is my second time/ year back for the holiday pop up. Last year i got the grasshopper and…read moreenjoyed it. This year i got Tom & Jerry, and my friend got the Cider. We both really enjoyed our drinks. I wanted to get the chocolate later but it was sold out! A bartender let us try the menthol foam by itself and it was yummy. We had great service and the vibes was fun. All of their drinks are really delicious. Cant go wrong.

There are not words strong enough to describe how incredible this experience was. Some of the best…read morecocktails of my life. Incredible flavors, theming - this is art and storytelling through cocktail. The ice cream on the cake was the sample ice cream flavors we got to sample. I'm not exaggerating to say this was also some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted. I'm legitimately and justifiably upset that I can't buy it anyway to have it again. The atmosphere is fun too, but the cocktails and the obvious time and passion that go into them are the draw. This is not a place where the theming outshines the drinks, I'd be blown away by these offerings even in a brightly-lit Chuck-e-Cheese. I will be back every single time I'm in Des Moines, and I hope it's packed with a waiting list because this kind of artistry deserves to be shared with everyone.