I've been a fan of Mars since it opened. I have a lot of great memories tied to this shop. The coffee is great. The food is really good, but is a bit pricey. The staff are always friendly and helpful. If you're a coffee hipster snob, you will enjoy the coffee. The staff are knowledgeable. If you just like coffee, Mars has great coffee both brewed and fancy drinks. read more

Best lattes! Ethically sourced coffee, expertly roasted coffee beans, super cool atmosphere read more

Mars Cafe - Awesome coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Pretty decent coffee place. Kinda dead here on a Sunday summer time. No students around which is good and bad. Get work done but no hustle and bustle that some might want. Selection is decent and staff is really nice. Parking is a pretty big issue and street parking is tough. Lot is behind the coffee shop but looked kinda full too. I'll stick to Smokey Rows which looks nicer in my opinion and has more traffic. read more

Cofee Panini turkey pesto hummus and veggie are goof ,, small palce but certaily worth a try

Mars Cafe has a good amount of seating. There is a cozy reading area, booths, and tables. When I visited, there was a good gathering of people. Plenty busy, but not too crowded. Espresso and lattes were good. read more

Bad wireless connection. If your plan on doing work on your computer and need the internet....look some place else. Modern atmosphere. Lots of students around. Hopefully they can invest a little in their internet connection. read more

Really pleased with this coffee shop. The staff is very personable, and the coffee, which is most important, is spot on. Their espresso drinks are non-traditional in the sense that they aren't over-roasted and milk that is too hot. You get latte art with every order. My kids love getting hot chocolates there, and even they get latte (cocoa?) art in those, which is very difficult. Also, their beans are really good (Kickapoo out of Wisconsin). I tend to buy more beans than lattes since I make espresso at home, but theirs are better than what I can muster. read more

Great little hippie place right off campus. Highly recommend the Sputnik Latte. Good for casual dates! read more

Lively, wonderful atmosphere with great music! Great place for college students due to its proximity to Drake University. Parking can be a bitch especially if you're not much of parallel parker. Overall it's a relaxing place to get work done, or study while sipping some coffee or tea. Also, you can get together with friends and play board games such as Monopoly, Chess, and Clue during your spare time. Did I fail to mention that local bands come here every Thursday to perform live music! As for what coffee to get it, try the Moonwalker. It is so delicious that you'll wanna sip another one. And if you're a fan of latte's then I've heard the Sputnik is really good! Also, try the Mudslide Mocha! It started off as a special but because it sold out so fast, it will become a regular! And FYI, brunch is very popular here. If you're a fan of the Nutella spread like I'am I encourage you to get the Nutella & Banana! I wouldn't recommend getting any of the paninis as there is nothing special about them & its a ripoff! read more

Out of this world. Great coffee, good people, cool vibe. Plenty of seating and workspace with power outlets for laptops and whatnot. Lovely location near Drake University. Rotating artwork and occasional live events. As with the best coffee shops, truly a community center and hangout hotspot. read more

Mars Cafe - Bustling at Mars Cafe. Des Moines. Iowa. USA. Earth. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The staff is friendly, the coffee drinks are good (try the eggnog latte!), and the latte art is adorable. It's a nice-sized space, but fairly crammed with tables. To my knowledge, baked goods are not homemade and run out quickly, and the bottled drinks don't seem to have prices listed anywhere. My only real critique, though, is that Mars can't quite decide what it wants to be. The interior design is mostly pretty bland and modern, but with a few hints at a space theme and board games and a couch that give a cozy feel. I think Mars can succeed in feeling homey, space-themed, and modern, but it needs to try a little harder to really sell it. Then again, who cares what the place looks like if it's a nice place to sip a tasty, warm drink? It is pretty quiet with college students studying, so it's a great spot to get work done but maybe not the best choice if you're looking to meet up with friends. Support local and stop by Mars! read more

Was so thankful to find this coffee shop while visiting from Madison, WI. As a total coffee nerd, this place fulfilled my desires and needs that hadn't been met by other places in town. Pour-over, chemex and quality coffee from Kickapoo. Nice inviting atmosphere. Perfect! read more

How did I love Mars Cafe when I was but a lowly undergrad living in Des Moines? Let me count the ways. 1. I loved you for your space race-inspired drinks, particularly your Buzz Aldrin (a drink known elsewhere as the sludge cup, the red eye, or even a "barb wire") and your cute little pots of tea, particularly when you'd persuade me to blend two of your delicious loose leaf teas together. 2. Your hummus sandwich kept me fueled through a number of late night paper-writing and finals cram sessions. That mixed greens salad on the side with that herby balsamic vinaigrette...yum. 3. Your wi-fi afforded me the company of sympathetic others as I studied out of the confinement of my teeny tiny dorm room, without having to stifle guffaws at various jokes on the webatrons (typically LOLcats in those days) like I would have to at, say, the library, or a less imbecile-friendly environment. 4. The ability to drink Pyramid Apricot Hefeweizen....while studying. YESSSSS. 5. Fun but not junky decor, friendly faces, and that back booth in which I so often took up residence, feet stretched across to the seat opposite... having to switch out laptop power cords with my friends when we were all laptopping. 6. Those rockin' baristas who made the fun designs in the "fancy" drinks--never touched the stuff myself, but mad props for trying to bring vestiges of the modern era into the Wayback Machine of Des Moines' "Dog Town" neighborhood...shudder to think we accommodate young people in this one horse town. 7. Honorable mention: One of the few places I actually went on a REAL date in my 4 year tenure in the city. The anomalous nature of this event alone makes the locale qualify as an historic site. I sincerely miss this cafe and wish that I could find an equivalent in Chicago. The closest I've come is Metropolis, which is no less than amazing, but still missing that certain something. I suppose that, like NASA to Sputnik (circa 1957), the second city's cafes must grow by leaps and bounds in order to compete with Mars... in my heart. read more

There are few places where you can get both good coffee and beer or wine. It is very civilized. The last time I was there, I arrived 2 minutes before closing, and the barista was kind enough to make me a latte to go instead of kicking me out. read more

I miss Mars SOOOOOO MUCH! I went to school at Drake, and when I first came to Des Moines there was NOTHING on University east of 25th street, except for some empty shop on the corner that had a promising sign saying "COFFEE SHOP COMING SOON." About a year and a half later, the corner was still empty but this place called Mars Cafe popped up. Having always fantasized about lounging at awesome coffee shops while preparing for finals, and drinking quadruple shots at 3am, Mars made my dreams of the perfect college kid cafe. With that said, it's also suitable for all ages! In lieu of the previous entries, I shall number the ways Mars makes my day: 1. Mars has variety of seating - counter, booth, couch, tables. 2. Very delicious & affordable menu 3. Knowledgeable baristas- many of whom attended competitions and conferences to learn how to make the perfect cup. And of course they are always friendly and helpful. 4. Inviting to all avenues of art- there's always an interesting music selection on, a variety of live music, and art from the local scene that changes every several weeks. 5. My choice in the nasty, frigid days of february - a medium breve (steamed half & half, and espresso), an adult's hot chocolate if you add some cocoa powder to it. DELICIOUS! And for the blazing hot, sticky days, Mars has REALLY good & fresh iced coffee. What more can I say: great atmosphere, an active member of the community, food/drink that does more than hit the spot. Mars is fabulous! I MISS YOU MARS! read more

My friend and I went to Mars Cafe because we heard it they had good coffee and a neat store. So we found a spot on the street right outside but traffic is very heavy in the spot and a lot of people are not patient enough to let you parallel park. We walk in and there is a a couch area and many tables and about 4 or 5 booths to sit at. Just throwing this out, it is not very welcoming to have a young man sleeping on your couch that looked like he was a student at drake. I ordered a Carmel Mocha and my friend ordered a Hot Chocolate. I believe we waited at least ten minutes for coffee and there was nobody in line behind us. We ordered the coffee for there and the coffee was luke warm, the mug it was served in was not even warm. The coffee had no flavor and honestly I felt like I was drinking luke warm milk. My friend said the hot chocolate was nothing amazing and also was not very warm. Looking around at the clientele many different ages come in college students, business workers, and people who just want to sit and have a conversation. We did notice a few people at one of the tabes who had many empty beer cans and were ordering more, thought that was interesting for a small cafe/coffee shop. I like that they have free wifi that worked pretty fast, but many of the booths have huge holes that are all just covered in duck tape. It isn't very inviting and hard to tell what it is if just walking by on the side of the road. Service is slow and many tables were not cleaned. I was not very impressed at all and probably won't be visiting anytime soon. read more

Mars Cafe is perfect for what it aspires to be. The coffee and espresso are very good. They work to train their baristas well. The food items are also delicious, and the environment is cozy. If you like live music, they have bands play occasionally as well. I would definitely recommend coming here for good, quality drinks and food. read more

After having the strong smooth flavor of Mars' coffee and lattes you'll be spoiled for good! The green tea latte is yummy too. Food is fresh made with local bread and ingredients from Des moines own farmers market. This coffee house is good for the community, and all the guys there are easy going and fun to talk to. read more

I've been going to Mars here and there for the last 5 years and it's just not great. Their black coffee & cold brew is so acidic it almost requires cream and their foamed drinks are just okay. I like the atmosphere of the place, which is why I go back time to time, but I would recommend driving a few more minutes to another coffee shop. read more

What do I say about Mars? It saw me through 7 years at Drake, not once disappointing me. This is the best coffee in town as far as I'm concerned. Their baristas know what's what and will make you the perfect cup of coffee every time. BUT, perfection takes time, so be prepared to wait a few minutes, especially if you go during a busy time of day. The food is also good, but you will wait a long time for it, maybe 15-20 min sometimes. Worked for me because I'd go there and study all day. They have free wifi and places to plug in laptops if you need a place to chill for a while. Always good music playing and local artists on the walls. read more

I love this place, and whenever I'm in town, I insist on going here every single day. The baristas are friendly, it's spacious, and the iced cosmonauts.... Well, I get 2 of them, that's how good they are. read more

As far as I can tell, this is the only good coffee in Des Moines. College areas always have good coffee, and this place is right next to Drake, so perhaps it's unsurprising. They whip up a mean capp here, though, been here three times, it's been good each time, from three different baristas. Also, good brekkie sandwiches, friendly hipsterish people, I'm down, read more

All my coffee snob friends tell me Mars makes one of the best coffees in town so take that for what you will. I like the coffee but personally think it's a little too acidic for it to be my favorite coffee ever. Love doing work here, could stay here for hours. Great vibe without being too loud. They also feature really interesting artwork. There's one with a full sized wooden ladder on it right now that I really want to climb, but will refrain. read more

I love the vibe and atmosphere at Mars Cafe. The drinks are absolutely delicious and unique. I could sit, visit, and eat/drink all afternoon here. The baristas and wait staff are a cut above the rest. They are very attentive and friendly people. read more

A fun neighborhood spot! This place is always hopping and takes great pride in their coffee; a true gem for all of Des Moines!

Absolutely fabulous coffee. Just stopping through town while on a road trip and found this place through Yelp. As a barista, I can appreciate a well-crafted and well-made latte and this was epic. Thank you guys! read more

A true coffee house - professional and engaging baristas serving up perfect capps, macchiatos - all the espresso drinks. Breakfast is worth the time as well - Sunday brunch is the bomb. I do miss the Intelligentcia beans with the recent ownership change but still 5 star joint. read more

Delicious coffee and good food selections. It's not every day that a regular machine-brewed drip coffee impresses, but Mars' certainly impressed me. All of their brews are roasted in Wisconsin by Kickapoo (my first time tasting their beans), and they definitely know what they are doing. The food is good and well priced. A great spot to do work on the weekend or afternoon. read more

Love Mars Cafe!! Have been somewhat of a regular since it opened. The art is fab as well as the drinks. FYI - the map on Google isn't correct. Mars is located on University Ave. in Des Moines near Drake University and not on University Ave in West Des Moines (West Des Moines likes to steal all the good businesses). LUV it!!! read more

Best soy latte in town! I don't get here often but when I can come and work here for an hour or so with my laptop, a coffee and a light meal I'm so happy! read more

If you like coffee this is a must stop place when you are anywhere close to Drake University. I liked the CHEMEX but LOVED the V60! Wow. What a smooth, flavorful and robust cup of coffee. Reminded me of some of the coffees I enjoyed in Europe. read more

Awesome place to hang out or study, plenty of seating, free wifi, great coffee and food if you get hungry. I am in Des Moines for a month and was looking for a cafe to study at on a regular basis and this may be the winner. read more

This is the best coffee in Des Moines by far! I have been all around and nothing beats Mars. If you're looking for actual QUALITY poured coffee this is the place to go. Also I don't usually like "sweet coffee" but the Sputnik is absolutely delicious. read more

Always great coffee, great food, and great service. I basically lived there during my formative college years, had my first drink there when I turned 21, and never pass up a visit when I'm back in Des Moines. There's nothing I don't love about Mars Cafe! read more

Friendly staff, cool atmosphere, nice selection. Had the Sputnik...would be curious to try something new next time! read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Rolled in from out of town for Hinterland Festival and saw great reviews for Mars Cafe. We're so happy we went! Cool feel, DELICIOUS food, and really nice staff. Oh, yeah, the coffee is top notch and fair trade. Had such a great lunch we returned for breakfast the next day. Thanks for directing us here, Yelp! read more

Coffee/sandwich shop. Cool place with a college feel. Italian panini was solid.

Ever since returing fromt the PNW, this is the place I choose to get my coffee.

This was the only 3rd wave coffee shop I could find in Des Moines. It was cheaper than most. $3 and some change for a 16oz Chemex. They have complimentary sparkling water and the barista was nice. I didn't try the espresso. The Ethiopian coffee that I ordered was good, but I've had better in other shops around the globe. Either way, nice lil place. I'm taking away a star cuz it had a gift shop and ice cream shop, and I usually prefer a more specialized institution. read more

Great coffee. Upbeat and hip atmosphere, but not so hip that us regular folks are out of place. My go to coffee shop. Say high to Matt O'Mealy, the best Barista in town. read more