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    Hessen Haus

    4.0 (430 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Hessen Haus Takeout or Delivery

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    HESSEN HAUS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - Hessen Haus

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    Inside
    Anders Christofer C.

    Great German restaurant in Des Moines. They had different types of schnitzel and wursts. Very cool place and gives a German beer house feel. Great service and it was semi busy when I came but not too loud. The only surprise is that they didn't have spelling water. German staple!! I got some water jaegerschnitzel, currywurst and mixed greens. The schnitzel was delicious and very large as it should be. Definitely 5 stars!

    Best of the Wurst Platter: Weisswurst and smoked wurst on a bed of sauerkraut, pickled red cabbage, and German potato salad.
    Mark O.

    Went here on a Friday evening and I was surprised to be able to get in immediately. We had a young female server (probably early 20s), blonde hair. I don't remember her name unfortunately, but she was very attentive the entire time. Everything overall was very good at worst and outstanding at best. I highly recommend the weisswurst--while mild, nothing overpowered the other. Great flavor. The smoked sausage, while tasty, didn't seem much different than Hillshire farm. Would recommend a different selection. The bed of sauerkraut the brats were on was both snappy and tangy. Similarly, the red cabbage I had on the side was flavorful and a great accompaniment to the brats. The German potato salad (I subbed for mashed potatoes) could have used a tad more vinegar and would have been better had the potatoes been peeled. But still, a very good option. With all this quality food, I think using Gulden's as your mustard is a cheap cop-out. I'm certain your chefs could do better in-house!

    Hillary P.

    Parking in the area can be a little tight. There is a public parking lot next-door that offers reasonable rates and offers a little protection for your car. Happy hours : Monday - Friday from 3 to 6 PM offers half off a number of select appetizers and discounted half liter drafts. Great atmosphere when you walk in, definitely has the old world ambience and fantastic beer taps along long old-fashioned bar. Community seating or private tables available based on first come first serve basis. The menu is a litany of old world comfort foods meets new world burgers. Desserts are offered but honestly the hearty portions on main dishes left no room for any extras! Definitely an experience to be tried when you're in the Des Moines area and guessing this place would be a blast for fall Octoberfest celebrations.

    Happy hour deals!
    Lauren S.

    Loved this German bar! It was super authentic and definitely had the right German vibe to it! They have the proper steins for beer, and the beers come in half liter or liter sizes! I also got a Moscow mule and they had the authentic copper mugs for it! They also use draft ginger beer which made a huge difference in the taste and was something I found to be very unique! They have a very large bar, as well as larger tables for groups. There is an outdoor area as well that featured a large tv for watching sporting events. The food here was super good too! Would recommend the pretzel! You seat yourself here, and a server will come over to your group. Makes this a group casual spot for catching up with friends!

    Liter Ayinger Hefeweizen
    Megan M.

    Perhaps the best happy hour in Des Moines, Hessen Haus is an amazing spot to drink and snack with friends. Most of their apps are 50% off and a couple bucks off beers. We had a party of 8 and our server was super attentive and accommodating. They do a shot special as well when the train goes by! We loved the giant Bavarian Pretzel and the fried pickle chips. All of the cheeses on the peasant plate were great too. Super solid spot with great food and an even better German beer selection!

    Mac & Cheese Baden Bäden with added brisket. They have another Mac and cheese with brisket but this version is superior.
    Amanda A.

    When we walked in we were told to find our own seat which was great. The waitress came right over with menu's asked if we were ready to order drinks. I wasn't so she said she'd bring water. She was very attentive didn't make us feel rushed. We got fried pickles which were very good. My husband got fish and chips which he loved and I got the German style Mac and cheese, with brisket. I thought it was delicious. The restaurants theme is great a nice German feel. Felt very homey, and not too loud. We will definitely be back.

    PubPass stamps
    Kirk M.

    Needing to find a place to park our bikes, get some awesome food and enjoy a drink we pedaled to the Hessen Haus yesterday to not only use our pub passes but revisit one of our 'first date' spots. Although we didn't 'pass the boot' this time we did enjoy the shaded patio where we could see our bicycles, see what was on the tv and listen to some good music. (Although not very festive for the vibe) If you're looking for a German style beer and food, the drink menus are extensive and so is the regular menu. But don't worry the waiters are always fantastic and quick to answer any questions about their menu, including talking us down from ordering of the massive pretzel. So we ended up getting a medium jumbo pretzel It was warm and salty and perfectly paired with the bier cheese sauce...I ordered the schnitzel basket with delicious truffle fries and a side of the gravy sauce! Um, oh my god that was not only delicious and came out super fast, but also a ton of food! Honestly this is such a fun place and has such a cool vibe I dont know why we don't get there more often!

    Blueberry Mule & Deal's Orchard Blackberry Cider
    Tracy S.

    EVERYTHING tasted excellent! We had such a great meal here. Loved the blackberry cider, Rouladen, Schweinshaxe, Haus red potato, sauerkraut and the made from scratch German Chocolate cake. This is the very best German chocolate cake I've ever eaten. This is serious German food and it's absolutely delicious!

    Beer and a Jumbo Soft Pretzel is win!
    Don L.

    This place knows German! OMG this was a highlight of my trip for a conference. I felt like a kid again with amazing pretzels, brats, and beer (for adults of course)!!! I sat at the bar and the staff was quick to update me on details of the menu, one of the bartenders was a former football player who was hyped about the game playing - this made the game more interesting for me as well at that point! He was great as was all the staff and the beer was huge! The joint reminded me of the local German restaurant my family would go to when one of the kids did something commendable like good grades. The moment you enter this place you feel like you are in a German Oktoberfest with all the details that adorned this place. The outdoor seating was great for large parties but the bar was for me and I enjoyed a few of their large beers while the game played, eating a giant pretzel, and then stuffing myself with their amazing German plates of brat and knockwurst. Stop in if you are in the area and give it a try - fun for the whole family can be had here!

    Dee W.

    Pleasantly surprised. Took a huge group of people and haven't been here in ages. Service was fantastic and food was great. We had multiple apps, I tried a couple different dishes and dessert. Loved our waitress Rachael!

    Jeff B.

    It was utterly amazing. Atmosphere is super authentic, except the surfaces have less beer all over them than a brauhaus would in Germany. Friendly. Really tasty. Reasonable prices. I can't wait to go back. I just wish I could pronounce or spell what I ordered. Oh ... and get the spatzel.

    Cider and beer
    Ami S.

    Great service and a fun beer hall. We were sitting inside but wanted outside and as soon as an outside table opened, our waiter helped us move. Fun place!

    Jagerschnitzelwith mushroom gravy , mashed potatoes and sauerkraut

    The meat/cutlet was on the cusp of burnt. Very dry n hard. Plus Gravy could use some diluting. Was too concentrated. Mashed potatoes wasn't hot throughout it was nuked and not throughly hot. Some spots hot. Some Not and very stiff like dried out. Felt like yesterday's leftover food . The sauerkraut was very very sour. I rinsed it three times with hot water b4 it was palatable. If it was busy. I'd understand n be more forgiving. But there wasn't much more than 5-6 tables in this large place. So it wasn't like they were very busy. The kitchen needs to do better. . The young server was sweet. The place is cute n rustic Bar looked nice Glad I had a pic to show the cutlet was over cooked.

    Seasonal drinks

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    8 months ago

    Great food, they were busy and while we had to wait a little the servers were not standing still ever.

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    1 year ago

    Cheese curds were off the chain. Im going to order additional food but this review couldn't wait

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    Hessen Haus Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hessen Haus

    El Bait Shop

    El Bait Shop

    4.3(588 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    The Ultimate Stop for Bikes, Beer & Bites…read more After a day of biking, we made it back to El Bait Shop with some friends. This place is a solid choice, whether you're in the mood for the world's biggest selection of tap beers or some fantastic gastropub and comfort food from the lounge next door. We love it here because we can park our bikes in the provided area off the patio and still keep an eye on them. The outdoor service area is semi-shaded and the service is just as good as you'd get inside. As a beer lover, I can tell you the selection is ridiculous and expansive. If you want it, they probably have it, and from four or five different breweries at that! The menu is also loaded, with choices from both El Bait Shop and the High Life Lounge. Today, our food order was as impressive as the beer list. While I can't recall all the beers we had, the food included a Prime Rib Sandwich with tots ($14.99), the Pizza Burger also with tots ($11.99), the Philly Style Pot Roast Sandwich with a side of potato salad, and a massive bowl of Macaroni and Cheese ($11.99). We were starving after our ride, but that didn't change the fact that the food was all delicious, well-prepared, and served by our very attentive waiter, Kyle???, May. No one had any complaints, and the beer was cold and on time! Overall, we love the eclectic vibe of this place. Its downtown location gives you some great views, and more importantly, you're within walking distance of almost everything downtown Des Moines has to offer. This is a go-to spot for me, and I love taking first-time visitors here because it's so unique and the quality of both the service and the food is always on point. Oh, and did I mention the beer selection is completely insane? If you haven't been here yet, you are missing out, and you don't even know it. PRO TIP: Come here, and before you leave, slip over to the High Life Lounge for a throwback moment. Next time, start there and slip over here for a beer!

    Wow this is not a dive bar, no matter who calls it that…read more We came in for a bite to eat and a beer while passing through Des Moines based on Yelp reviews. Had a sour with three fruit flavors that was lovely, and lunch of broasted chicken and beef stroganoff. The beef was surprisingly tender. Friendly service. Highly recommend this place!

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    El Bait Shop
    El Bait Shop
    El Bait Shop

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    Iowa Taproom

    Iowa Taproom

    4.0(449 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Large group friendly

    I stopped in on a Friday night with a small group of friends and we were seated right away. It took…read morea little bit for our sever to come to us, but we didn't mind. We ordered drinks and food. Both came out without having to wait too long. Everyone enjoyed their meal here. I wouldn't say there's anything super special we couldn't wait to eat again, but good food and reasonable prices is a win for me. Our favorite part about this place is how many beers on tap they have. It's so fun to get a flight and try lots of local craft drinks. Definitely the place to be for a few drinks and good vibes with friends.

    The service is really good! The hostess was friendly, and the waitress was attentive…read more The food is not good. I've been a handful of times, and everything is always overcooked and dry. I finally have decided I'm not going back after a few failed tries; the spinach and artichoke dip literally gave my friend and I food poisoning (we hadn't seen each other in over a week and this is the only thing we shared, and our symptoms started at the exact same time). I do love that they have the gluten conscious menu. But the chicken ranch meal is so dry it's not worth the money. The Cole slaw has the least flavor I've ever experienced (and I love Cole slaw). The burgers come out overcooked. I haven't strayed away from sandwiches or salads, maybe the pasta is good? I won't be going back, though.

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    Iowa Taproom
    Iowa Taproom
    Iowa Taproom

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    Hessen Haus - german - Updated May 2026

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