Decided to try Hessen Haus before a show at the Civic Center. Went with the Fish & Chicken with Chips. Two pieces of cod, two pieces of chicken, and French fries. The fish is better than the Mile. Light, Crisp Breading with flaky cod fish. The curry sauce is very nice & add a surprising flavor that was so good. It's definitely oily, but hot and fresh. The breading stayed on and I love how it was crisp. The chicken is very good, tender and juicy with the crispy breading. I love this combo to be able try each. The fries were good as well, but just a distraction from the fish & chicken. I feel they could drain some of the oil off the food would help. For lunch it was plenty of food. The service was good and it wasn't very busy. Would definitely come back for the Fish or Chicken & Chips. read more

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A unique Braverian-themed restaurant that includes a bar, and it is a longtime Des Moines staple. Our server, Karina, was really good, and she helped us navigate a complicated, unfamiliar menu. Really liked the Bavarian Stroganoff, which was delicious and one of their most popular options. Enjoyed German Meatloaf from a family member's plate, and the Pretzel Basket was great! German Chocolate Cake was great, but enormous. Topped it with French vanilla ice cream. Also enjoyed a side of German Potsto Salad. My only complaint is that the bar leaks well into the eating area, and our table was drowned out by a loud nearby group who were drunk and prevented us from having any level of conversation. That lessened the experience considerably. read more

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My coworkers and I went to Hessen Haus on a recent work trip and we had a a great time. The atmosphere is so cool reminded me of a German brew hall. They have great food and beer as well! I got the fish and chips, the fish was super fresh and the batter was great . The fries were crispy and fresh too. I would definitely come back! read more

Hessen Haus - Das boot - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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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! read more

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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! read more

Hessen Haus - Best of the Wurst Platter: Weisswurst and smoked wurst on a bed of sauerkraut, pickled red cabbage, and German potato salad. - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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. read more

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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! read more

Hessen Haus - Happy hour deals! - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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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! read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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! read more

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Always enjoy eating here when in town for work, I believe this was my fourth visit. Love the decor and familiar feel when you walk in. Food is very good and consistent. read more

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! read more

Hessen Haus - Beer and a Jumbo Soft Pretzel is win! - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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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! read more

Hessen Haus - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Home made tavern food is the best comfort food. The food I ordered was the sample platter with beer cheese, brat platter, bismarck with vinegar based potato salad and german chocolate cake with nuts, coconut and carmel. It was outstanding. From the food the chefs made to the service I had from Autumn was incredible. I love this place and the entire vibe. Will be back soon thank you! read more

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. read more

Hessen Haus - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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! read more

Hessen Haus - Cider and beer - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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. read more

Hessen Haus - Jagerschnitzelwith mushroom gravy , mashed potatoes and sauerkraut - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Absolutely love their choices of seasonal drinks - I feel like they really understand their target audience. Our entire table enjoyed the shots we were granted at the time of passing trains - what a fun tradition we got to be part of!! As for the food, the cheese curds were MASSIVE & so incredibly delicious. All of the sauces that accommodated the food for dipping was amazing. We highly recommend the happy hour as it was extremely affordable, so tasty & we WILL be coming back. Our server was so very sweet - she gave her best suggestions of what we would like from our input. Truly a great experience all the way around!!! read more

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We had a group gathering here. Arriving around 12:30, must have been after any lunch crunch. Promptly seated for our group of 11. Great German feel with lots of German beer signs. Menu has both German (what else?) dishes and American sandwiches. Taylor M was our excellent server. Courteous, patient, attentive. Worth asking for her. Nice beverage menu--cocktails, a big variety of mules, ciders, and of course beers! I had schnitzel fingers. A very generous 1/2 lb of breaded pork strips with a good sized serving of fries. Honestly this is shareable. Dessert was Oma's Apple crisp with ice cream. A good choice. Others had German chocolate cake. That was Huge!! And good. Worth stopping in. read more

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There are some things they do extremely well and others that are just not that great. The thing that pushed this place to above average is the ambiance and the beer. I have been to Germany and the food is close but cheapened a little. Schnitzel is ok, just seems processed and some of the dishes that require gravy or extras, like the Yager Schnitzel, there is barely any gravy and the mushrooms are just nonexistent and taste like they were dehydrated. I will add that the apple desert is phenomenal! read more

Husband and I were in Des Monies for the weekend and he wanted to try German food. So we looked German restaurants up and Hessen Haus popped up! We got there about 3pm and the place was nice, quiet and very welcoming. The waitress was amazing. Husband wanted to try a cider she said they were out of that one but recommended another one. Turns out it was amazing. The flavors hit you in waves. Everything we ordered was amazing and delicious! We left with yummy leftovers and a souvenir glass boot! We will be going again next time we are in Des Monies!! read more

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Really solid atmosphere and great beer selection. I go there for the schnitzel which multiple topping selections! I also enjoyed the curry wurs, common street food. Portions are generous! For change of pace, cool atmosphere, and different vibe on food, go for it!! read more

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

Ordered takeout.... The Crispy Chicken salad was fresh and delicious! The Mac n cheese with brisket looked absolutely amazing as well. Fast service. read more

Great selection of German beer. Sauerbraten was delicious, I just wish they'd put more red cabbage on the plate. Happy hour 3-6 with deals on apps and beer. read more

The food was great. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. We had a table immediately and the service was excellent. Loved the stein collection. My only complaint is the parking lot is cramped. Someone parked behind us the long way and we had a hard time getting out. Next time we would probably find a different lot or on street parking. read more

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

4.5* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 4* 06/16/2023 We have stopped here for biers and appetizers several times while downtown and this most recent stop added another item to the 'must try' appetizer list. They have an extensive tap and bottled bier selection - many of which are from Germany, so are pretty unique for the area. We have had the Armadillo Eggs (see picture) appetizer several times and have really enjoyed it every time. How can you go wrong with jalapeno poppers inside a chicken breast - and wrapped in bacon! On this visit, we also tried the Pretzel Crusted Sauerkraut Balls (see picture) and also found them to be excellent - the dipping sauce is a great complement. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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Food was terrible. Jagerschnitzel- schnitzel was dry and unseasoned, mashed potatoes were congealed, pickled red cabbage was good. Pork rinds- good sizes rinds and good portion size. Bacon jam dipping sauce was clearly from a jar, terrible and over powered read more

Had the schnitzel with sauerkraut and spaetzel it was delicious! Going back to try the Sauerkraut balls and maybe a few more things. So many choices.....! read more

As always....Very good. Been before, will be back soon and I don't even live in the area. Do wish my beer flight had cooler beers (were room temperature) but the food, good as always. read more

Hessen Haus - Beer flight - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Fantastic server...great food on Christmas eve. Served quickly and food arrived very fast. read more

Hessen Haus - Lunch choices...tomato basil soup, grilled cheese, spaetzle, and German chocolate cake. - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Fun vibe, great food and great service! Hassan Haus has a great happy hour with 1/2 price apps. We started off with some beers that we came for on our last pub pass and were just going to split an entree until we saw the happy hour list. We got the pretzels with beer cheese and ground stone mustard - very good (pic attached) we also got the Muenster cheese sticks- my favorite cheese sticks, served with sauce and ranch. We ate them with a fork because they're that big! The other app we got was the rouladen rolls. They're like a hush puppy with sourkraut in the middle that you dip in thousand island so kinda like a Reuben without the meat. For our entree we got the meatloaf with curry. It was awesome! Smokey flavor smothered with curry sauce. Served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes and gravy! We recommend this place and our 11 year old gave it a 10/10 LOL. Our waitress was awesome and service was fast even when they were really busy we had our food 10 -15 min after orderingIt wasnt our first time and won't be our last! read more

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Food was good and beer selection was great. My husband's schnitzel was better than my rouladen but I wanted to try it. Next time I will get the schnitzel--it was great! read more

This place is amazing. The food is authentic and delicious. From the pretzels to the spaetzle to the pork is all the best. The service is great as well! read more

Greatest selection of German drafts in the US! Terrific happy hour of $10 liters and half price appetizers! read more

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Great restaurant! Amazing selection of beer. And the food is fantastic! The Monster Munster Cheese Sticks is a great starter course. Their ranch dressing is wonderful! We ordered a schnitzel Fingers basket. This was good, but I think in hind sight we would have ordered a regular sized Jagerschnitzel. All in all a great restaurant in downtown Des Moines. read more

Food was amazing, came with rock star service in a German pub atmosphere. Hands down authentic German cuisine. Must stop in and try. Also a large array of pils on tap. read more

To know: seating is open to seat yourself. We did share a long table with another couple, but that was fine. Also, the waitress said she had 14 tables which seemed to be a lot here. So, it was about 20 minutes between seeing our waitress. We went here as it's on this years Pub Pass. This gives you a free drink on draft at about 25 places around Des Moines or the city you bought a pub pass for. We loved the drink selection and the large amount from Germany. We started with a pretzel with cheese. Then, we got the 2 entrees pictured. We highly recommend the roast beef! Lastly, don't pass up the German chocolate cake made there. read more

Hessen Haus - 72 hour roasted beef and potato pancake underneath - German Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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