My companion and I visited Juniper Moon after an event On a Saturday night around 9pm. Place wasn't very busy with maybe 10 people having cocktails. We sat at the bar. Ordered drinks off the menu. I got the impression that the bartender didn't care if we were there or not. I tried making small conversation with him but he clearly wasn't interested. My companion ordered mixed nuts off the menu and in a short manner he said "we are out of them". No "sorry" or explanation. There are a lot of places downtown to go for $12 cocktails. I don't feel the need to visit Juniper Moon after this visit. Great ambiance, service was meh. read more

What a great stop! I was with a ladies for a bachlorette group who decided to stop here. It was an early Saturday and the bartender was spot on . He came right over to our little group. We were a little rowdy but he was able to take care of all of us. I bravely tried something I haven't tried before. The service was great , the drinks were great. It was great that they have their own special phone that calls Gusto pizza next door. We ordered a quick meal and it didnt take long to come over and feed the hungry wolf pack of ladies. Great little place. read more

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Solid cocktail bar with excellent patio and lounge inside. Surprisingly good service out on the patio: how annoying is it to always have to run in for each round when you're all the way out on the patio? (Then again, it's not always bad to stretch your legs). But still: I was surprised how good the service was. Drinks were also great. I'm always on the hunt for dry cocktails and this place didn't disappoint. Old Man & the C was a perfect cocktail for a summer night on the patio: imagine a scotch-based cocktail that accomplishes that. Nice & dry, with a little citrus, and somewhat herbal. Somehow for Friday night was also quite perfect in terms of the number and range of folks there. Yes, there was a table of 20-somethings, and yet they reigned it in. And then plenty of "older" folks like me. read more

"Can we use the fire pit?" No, we don't have propane. "Can we please order this drink?" No, we don't serve that. Our online menus are old." "Can I please order this drink?" No, we actually ran out of an ingredient for that. "If you haven't made my friend's drinks, can we please leave?" No, the drink is already made. *proceeds to bring out receipt. read more

Great cocktails, fun vibe. It's nice and quiet with comfy seating so it's a great date spot. The server was nice and helped me pick my drink. (Clean bathroom too.) I will come here again with a couple friends! read more

Stopped in with a friend on Saturday evening to have a cocktail and chat. The place is really quite nice and classy. Excellent cocktail menu. The staff was very friendly. Its a small intimate spot. It did get very loud in there with some rowdy ladies so that did spoil the intimate feel. I highly recommend coming in to chill and have a nice drink. read more

Love Juniper Moon. We are very picky about cocktails and this place does it right. The inside setup with decor and ambience is perfect - options for sitting at the bar, tables, or lounge group seating. Wonderful patio outside as well. Always had good service here with knowledgeable staff and great bartenders. read more

Lowkey spot, which I absolutely loved! I don't drink alcohol but they made me a non-alcoholic Paloma. It was amazing! I will return when back in Des Moines read more

Juniper Moon - Bar - A tall cocktail glass with a drink and straw is placed on a bar counter, with a background of liquor bottles and warm ambient lighting. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Love this place. I like that you never feel like you've stumbled into someone's private hangout, nor do you feel knee deep in the "bar scene." We go early if we want a chill, quiet vibe, and we go late if we want the energy of the crowd. Love the old movies on the TV screens and the beautiful assortment of vintage cocktail glasses. It's a bit of a slow burn, just the facts ma'am, no-gimmicks sort of place. Cocktails have always been on point and never too sweet. In our book one of the very best in Des Moines. read more

Love the Moscow mule options! We went on a busier day when only one person was working. Our bartender had great taste in music and was very helpful. Love the small bar snacks but definitely order a Gustos pizza to share while you are there. read more

I enjoy discovering new places when I travel. I've really enjoyed the vibe and drinks at Hello Marjorie, a couple of blocks from my hotel, but I wanted to try something new. Thanks to Yelp I discovered Juniper Moon. I took an Uber from my hotel downtown to this trendy bar in Sherman Hill. Juniper Moon is located on the ground floor of a modern apartment building/lofts. The decor inside is great and very inviting to conversations. I deduct here a star purely because the lighting wasn't conducive to reading, a slight disappointment since I had no one to banter with. Certainly my aging eyes may be partially to blame but I'd have enjoyed my libations even more if I'd been able to read my novel. No complaints here on the drinks or the service. I started off with a Brooklyn cocktail which was explained to me as a drier version of a Manhattan. Indeed that description fit the drink perfectly and this was a nice drink. Still, my palate usually prefers drier libations still so I followed my first drink up with a martini. This was the best and most creative martini I've had in quite a while. I ordered an assortment of nuts to accompany my drinks and I thought the portion was ample and generous for the price. Juniper Moon is a bit out of my way since I typically navigate the city via Uber, but I'll certainly be back when I crave a good solid drink! read more

Juniper Moon - Brooklyn - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I walked into juniper moon about an hour passed open on a weekday. A good group of folks were sitting at the bar having business conversations. The bartender was in the middle of making a few drinks so I figured I would sit and wait patiently but he was right on it getting me a French 75 (delicious) Great location going west on grand. A place I can bring both my grandma too and also bring my work colleagues. Great Bar hands down! read more

The hoob and I went to Juniper Moon this weekend because he wanted to check out their whisky selection and we wanted to have a nice date night. He got a Lagavulin 16 year and I had a delicious Exile beer, Peach Berry sour, which everyone absolutely must try, especially if you like beer and wine. Juniper Moon's atmosphere and décor is very cool , conversations are abuzz all around, nice jazz standards fill the air, giving it a fabulous ambiance. The lighting is also genius, very "cool" and romantic, depending on what your evening's intentions are. They have an abbreviated menu comprised of pizzas from Gusto Pizza Co and some "munchies": olive plate, roasted nuts, cheese plate, and desserts. You can never go wrong with Gusto Pizza Co: we had the Spartacus, excellent as always. Juniper Moon also has a respectable whisky selection (per the hoob), as well as beer and cocktail selection. Most people wanting a classy drink in Des Moines would be satisfied at Juniper Moon. We got a tiny bit of attitude at the beginning from one of the servers, but I want to chalk it up to the fact that they may have been really busy. Prepare your budget, this place isn't super cheap, but it's definitely in an acceptable price range for an upscale place. They call themselves a Conversation lounge. I like that. I will definitely return. Recommended for date nights with your s.o., spouse, or to impress a new boo on your horizon. Also good for groups of friends. read more

Juniper Moon - Enjoying a peach berry sour Exile beer on Saturday - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Went on a Monday night with a friend. The inside is dark and old fashioned looking with tables and chairs but also a few sofas. They have a nice selection of scotch, whiskies, bourbons, etc. When we were there, they had a photographer taking pictures of their cocktails, and they would pass the cocktails along to the folks at the bar to enjoy. They were pretty tasty! It's nice to have a place so close to home with such a varied selection of whiskey. I think I saw that you can order pizza from Gusto next door, which is pretty cool. They have outdoor seating and what looks to be a fire pit, but I am not sure. Will be back! read more

This place is my new cocktail hot spot. So far I've had the pleasure of having the Juniper Moon, Cider House Rules, Freckle Face, and Tempelton Jam, all amazing and unique. This place gets super busy so come early! I love sitting on the sofas, enjoying the Charcuterie place they offer and catching up with friends. Now if a meat and cheese plate isn't your thing, you able to jump into the phone booth and order Gusto pizza and have you brought to you. But my friend and I had the nut blend (amazing) and the Olive Medeley and its all great, if you aren't looking to eat anything heavy. With such a cool atmosphere and fantastic drinks, you can't go wrong by coming here. read more

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We went for the first time a few weeks ago. The decor was very nice featuring local artists. The drinks were delicious and the coolest thing there was you can go to the phone booth the have in the bar and order Gusto Pizza and it will be delivered to your table in the bar. Very unique concept! They also have a lovely patio with great furniture too. Nice place to unwind after a tough week at work... parking is limited! read more

Wonderful drinks, laid-back atmosphere, and comfortable seating. I came here for my friend's birthday, who was visiting from LA, and he even said this place made him feel right at home. If you're looking for a bar with the chillest vibe, this is it. read more

The service was awesome. We loved our server she was very sweet and had good recommendations. The drinks were small but not priced tooooo high. We were a little sad that they didn't serve food but that was because we arrived late after their food service was closed (They get food from the pizza place next door) read more

Friendly staff, a GIANT menu of unique and wonderful cocktails, and a comfortable lounge type of atmosphere... it is the perfect place in Des Moines to catch up with friends and unwind from the week. Only word of caution is that this is a primarily drink based establishment - there are a few options for noshing, but nothing substantial that could be considered meal-worthy. read more

Nice place to grab drinks! We stopped by since we had about a half hour and each got some crafted drinks. The drink I had was tasty and consisted of bourbon, honey, lemon and some ginger beer. Everything blended very well. My fiancée had the seasonal sangria and she enjoyed that too. We sat outside in their patio which was really nice. I like whiskey, bourbon and scotch so I'll be checking this place out again. read more

Juniper Moon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Nothing like heading out on a Tuesday night in the frigid cold of the DSM winter to have some drinks with a friend! With all the new places popping up around town we made it a point to stop at one of them! I'm glad we choose Juniper Moon! I dig the modern open layout and for a Tuesday night at 8pm the place was pretty hopping! The lighting was nice, not to bright, but I could still see the menu and the bartenders work! I like watching bartenders work, so we sat at the bar! These two were pro's, mixing fancy cocktails, cutting fruit, making the drink presentation top notch! For me though, I'm a beer guy! I choose the Bell's Amber on tap! The beer prices seem a bit high, maybe a dollar more then other spots around town, but not a huge difference! I like that you can order food from Gusto (same ownership/right across the parking lot) and they will deliver it to you at the bar. The atmosphere was perfect for casual drinks with friends, or if you are looking to impress a date, this would be a great spot to do so! I will be back for sure, maybe I will even man up and try one of these fancy cocktails, that are presented so nicely here! read more

Juniper Moon - Bartender hard at work - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Very cool cocktail location! Their cocktails range from classic to inventive, but they're all good! All drinkers, from beer lovers to winos to cocktail enthusiasts will find something to drink here! I'd suggest coming for their Happy Hour from 4-6pm Monday-Friday, otherwise the drinks add up to a high bill. Their appetizers are so delicious but they always seem to be out of one or two cheese tray ingredients and don't substitute anything in their place, which is a little disappointing. read more

Juniper Moon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My new Des Moines favorite spot! I have been craving a well made, beautiful cocktail for ages. Yes, DSM has a few decent venues serving drinks, but none come close to being as good as Juniper Moon. I'm a weirdo and enjoy trying places at off peak times, which almost always works to my advantage. Wanna drink at 4:15 on a Tuesday.....? I do! My companion and I lounged in some very comfortable chairs and sipped on a Templeton Jam and a Cider House Rules. The cocktails are gorgeous and are served in high quality glassware---I love that! And they taste amazing. Are the drinks pricey? I don't think so. You're paying for quality here. Also, the atmosphere is soooo sexy. I definitely could not replicate this cocktail experience in my home, so go try a fancy drink! PS: PATIO SEATING (OMGGG!!! i'm excited (!!) can you tell?) read more

Best cocktail bar in Des Moines ! Hit it up during happy hour and order a Moon mule. 5 bucks for an amazing cocktail!!! One of my favorite features is the phone booth in the corner. This unassuming booth allows you to order pizza from Gusto pizza next door. Fret not dear friends they bring it to you. The whole vibe speaks to a more chill and laid back atmosphere. I personally hit this place up every time I'm in Des Moines . As of yet I've had nothing but good drinks and service here , indulge yourself and stop in! ...Cheers read more

Juniper Moon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Juniper Moon is fantastic! We moved here from Seattle and it has reminded us so much of home. There's comfy seating, good lighting, a pizza phone, and so many original drinks to keep you on your toes. Not to mention the happy hour is fantastic. We are now regulars and love the service, ambiance, and drinks. read more

Very slow service, but great drinks and atmosphere. It is fairly small so it fills up quickly. There are only about 6-7 different seating areas outside of the bar itself. Although it was busy, you'd expect with only a few tables to serve that they would be prompt. I was with 3 other friends and we were sitting down in a couch/chair lounge area (one of only 4) and we waited about 20-25 minutes before our server even showed up. We ordered our first drinks and cheese plate at the bar. We actually had to tell the guy that brought our cheese plate that we didn't have a server stop by and then she eventually showed up. It's a great addition to Des Moines, but they need to iron out the service issues. read more

Juniper Moon is a fun cocktail bar and a great place to hang out with friends/colleagues. Good service, music and décor. Be prepared to pay $10 or $11 for a signature cocktail or $7 to $10 for a glass of wine. Almost 30 hand-selected beers available. The highlight of an evening at Juniper Moon is the opportunity to enter an old school phone booth and use a candlestick telephone. The phone looks like something out the "Andy Griffith Show" but it is directly wired to Gusto's Pizza across the street. Order your pizza, 20 minutes later your server will deliver it to your table. A fun experience and chance to move from cocktails to beer. My only beef with Juniper Moon is the noise level. It is a great place for a romantic conversation but, only if you can hear your date. Sound attenuation is needed. Go an enjoy a great drink in a hip place. read more

Love this new spot! It's such a great addition to the Des Moines scene. The atmosphere is great. The different seating areas make it feel like a more urban spot, and the lights are beautiful. The location, too, gets big points for me. There is no gigantic parking spot out front - or out back for that matter! The drinks are wonderful! Though the namesake isn't the prettiest color, it sure is tasty! The other signature cocktails that I've tried also are delicious. Finally, the food: You can order pizzas from neighbor Gusto inside a fun little phone booth. Just tell your server what you ordered, and they'll deliver it to you after the folks from Gusto bring it over. In short, Juniper Moon is an exciting addition to Des Moines; I can't wait to go back again! read more

Ah, darn! I really liked the atomosphere of this place. The cocktail server was very nice an knowlegable but the bartender was a bit of a jerk. I really wanted to like this place. Their patio is on the East side so afternoons don't have intrusive sun. We were there at happy hour. I was happy about that because their cocktails were about $11 each. Their drink menu mentioned half price cocktails between 4 and 6pm. I ordered two and my friend ordered one. We got the bill and for the three drinks it was $33. I questioned it and they showed me the part on the menu where they state that there are only three specific drinks that are half price during happy hour. I missunderstood that. I was less than happy. I haven't been in a bar where there are only three drinks half price at happy hour. They were tecnically right and I was most certainly wrong. I did feel duped, however, and unfortunately I won't be back, at least not during happy hour, where everyone is happy at OTHER bars! Too bad for them. read more

Had an awesome first experience here and brought my husband and some friends here and were turned away because a table was "reserved" (not marked, just assumed we would know? Was given some rude attitude when I said "oh sorry, didn't see a sign"). Which is fine but there wasn't any effort to say anything to us other than kick us off the table. Standing there just looking for a table for a group of 4 was just awkward because the staff didn't seem to care that there were customers that were confused (generally, not good customer service?). If there were a wait list or something, that would have been fine (expected if you take reservations?). I realize I'm negative on the experience as it just happened but it was just an annoying experience. (Giving 4 stars because I would have given 10 out of 5 on my first review but I was disappointed by this experience) read more

For a place that's supposed to be "upscale" and maybe "swanky", that was not our experience. We sat at the bar and were greeted by a not-so personable bartender. Not that he was rude or anything, but spoke very little and was not engaging. Also, he and the other bartender were wearing jeans and hoodies? Not my idea of upscale cocktail attire. The ambience was nice, but we had one drink and left. Customer service is everything. read more

They call this a conversation bar. The moniker fits. The space is warm and intimate with well-crafted cocktails and well-poured beer.

Hubby and I went to the Boz Scaggs concert at Hoyt Sherman last night and wanted to stop for a drink afterwards. Being " over 40- actually Way over ) we didn't want a loud bar packed with kids- so we stopped at Juniper Moon. What a perfect choice! Classy, comfy and just a great vibe. We sat at the bar, watched the Cubs win, had a couple drinks and ordered a pizza from next-door Gusto! It was a perfect ending to a great date-night evening!! read more

I love a good lounge and I'm so excited that Des Moines has a new option in Juniper Moon! Great atmosphere. Space is very limited, so sink into one of the big chairs if you get a chance and hold on to it. Service is slow and I suspect they're working through some growing pains. Juniper Moon's beer selection is top-notch and deserves not only a 100 emoji but also a fire emoji. If you're hungry, you can order a pizza from Gusto (across the street) and they'll deliver it to your table. read more

Nice upscale atmosphere, good for after hour drinks or a fancy date night. Has a classic but hotel bar kind of feel. Definitely go for the happy hour. Otherwise drinks can get a bit pricey.. read more

I am a huge fan of cocktails. I make one or two a night and plan some of my going out nights in places with a good cocktail menu. So of course I decided to go to the new cocktail spot Juniper Moon. Twice. It's designed to be a cozy cocktail bar to have conversations with friends. It does that. The cozy couches and unique chairs take the place to a must see. It has really big windows to let in light and you can even see a little of downtown. Some will say it's a little loud but I didn't think it was that bad. It is a charming little place. Old pictures adorn the wall and beautiful chandeliers light the place up. It feels like you're in a speakeasy in Chicago or NY--without the whole secret hidden watering hole part. It is something new and different in DSM. The service was ok but prompt. I wasn't there when it was super busy, but it's a small place that only holds about 40 people, so service should be good. The bartenders shook every drink like they didn't care. 2 seconds and done. Not enough to really mix everything like it should or put on a show. They just wanted to be done with it and move on to the next person. No heart in the cocktail making. For me the down side of this place are the drinks and consistency. First off I went there thinking it was a cocktail bar. That's what it's been advertised as and it even says it on their logo. I opened up their menu to find it is dominated by beer and wines--over 20 of each. They only have 12 cocktails on the menu. 5 vodka cocktails. 3 gin cocktails. 3 whiskey cocktails. 1 Rum cocktail. And 1 tequila cocktail. It's not what I expected when they have Juniper a key ingredient in gin and a great ingredient in cocktails in their name. The cocktails on their menu has a lot going on. Nothing looked simple. it's ok if everything goes together. This seemed to be a little pretentious. Each cocktail had at least 5 different ingredients in it. But that didn't stop me from tryinga few. I tried the Templeton Jam (whiskey), Corpse Reviver #2 (gin), Freckle Face (vodka), Moon Mule (Vodka) and Saint Vincent (Tequila). The only one I liked was the Moon Mule. The rest were unbalanced, too sweet or citrusy, and just a little off. My guess is the fault of free pouring instead of jiggering. It drives me nuts when Des Moines bartenders don't jigger in cocktail bars. Because they're never consistent so you never know what you're going to get. Most of the really great cocktail bars around the world do. My drink problems. I was given a salted rim on the saint vincent instead of a cayenne like it said on the menu. The drink itself was unbalanced--which was a common theme in every drink--and too tart. It could have used sugar. The Freckle Face was uneven. Every time I took a sip I got something else. It felt like a 7 layer dip without the satisfaction. One sip it was all balsamic Shrub. Next all vodka. Next all St. Germain. and so on. I couldn't really get a taste of everything together. My Corpse Reviver #2, which is one of my favorite all time cocktails, isn't what it should be. It's a classic cocktail that dates back to the 20's and what they gave me was their interpretation. So in my opinion it should be called the Corpse Reviver #4--cause there is also a number 3. It should be made with one part gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and fresh lemon juice with a dash of absinthe. It is delicious that way. What they made was not. To top it off my drink was orange instead of white. At first I thought "oh I guess that's how they make it," but when the girl next to me ordered one and hers was a cloudy white, the color it should have been. This could have been avoided if they jiggered or cared. The bartender set it down and walked away. Didn't even acknowledge that he made the drink wrong. He didn't even taste it to see if it was close. And the other bartender didn't care to see I had the wrong drink as well. It would have been nice if he asked how it was. But no he didn't come back for a while. So a long story short. Amazing atmosphere. Ok service. Poor bartending. Inconsistency on drinks. Cocktails seem like they were made by a chain restaurant. And there isn't much of a variety of drinks. Almost everyone is shaken. It needs clear stirred drinks. I will go here one more time in a couple months to see if it has gotten better. Because I want this place too be good and not taste like a chain restaurant cocktail menu. I think could be a cool place to relax after work. I hope they get everything situated. read more

Well when we walked in they were playing one of my favorite Buddy Guy songs so I was already kind of a fan. I like the casual ambience with the chandeliers and the low lighting. My friend compared it to a drag queen's parlor where she would host a salon, which is pretty high praise! He tried a signature drink while I stuck to a classic. They were both well made and quite tasty! We didn't want to drink on an empty stomach so decided to order from Gusto's next door. Pretty convenient, just pop into the old timey phone booth, place your order and your server brings it to you! It was a little awkward to eat at our table, we opted for the couch with a little table and they brought it in a big box, but the pizza was delicious regardless! The bathroom was also very nice and classy. They seemed to have a good playlist going but the speaker by us wasn't working or turned off so we couldn't hear it all that well, but oh well we were able to talk to each other without shouting! Good place to bring a date unless you like a lot of personal space and privacy! read more

Juniper Moon - A bit windy but still a good day for a patio drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great place for cocktails! We made our way over to Juniper Moon with a group of 6 after having dinner downtown. None of us had been there before. They have a variety of seating areas including couches and chairs, tables and the bar area. We arrived around 10 pm and a couch area opened up for us as we were waiting for our drink orders. We had a variety of cocktails, wine and bourbon and everyone was happy with their drinks. The decor is a bit upscale but not pretentious. The warm woods and smaller seating areas make it feel intimate even though there's a decent amount of space. They have a small patio but it was too cold for it to be open when we visited. read more

Pretty ambience, top notch beverages, but the service wasnt amazing. I kept getting small young lady ignored for all this old dudes in sports jackets. Even when i was trying to pay it took about 15 minutes of me standing at the bar after no one came to my table to bring me my check. Then I had to tell the bartender what i got. Kinda lame. But the drinks were good and it's pretty in there, so a good place if you want to take a date there then be left alone...like really left alone, because no one will ever come to talk to you. read more

Cool little place on Ingersoll. They have a nice happy hour and you can order pizzas from Gusto next door and have it delivered to the restaurant. It's a little pricey, but if you want that swanky atmosohere, I'd go for it. read more