I was served riblets which were practically ice cold by the time they hit the table. I sent them…read moreback and was told I would get fresh ones as soon as they could fire them. A few minutes later, I was brought the same riblets. You could see the place where I had taken a bite earlier. Something smelled burnt, so I turned over the cuts to see an absolutely charred mess. The front of house was great. Our server was nice and attentive and the manager who brought our food and addressed our issues was very nice, professional and apologetic. Unfortunately, it's a fail when cold food that is supposed to be hot slips through the cracks and then the kitchen gets an attitude.

Good bar service Good food and hot!…read moreChill atmosphere. Good for casual dining Recommend if in town

We wandered in on a week night and had so much fun! I imagine given the gorgeous space, incredible…read moredrinks, attentive serve, and delicious bites, this place is packed on the weekends. Oh and BTW... The Contrary in Des Moines has also been recognized as a national semifinalist for Best New Bar ( 2026 ). The Food is elevated Bar Bites The Drinks are contemporary craft ( both cocktails and mocktails ) and the Vibe is New York Chic with Iowa Elbow Room.

The Contrary is one of those places that just gets it right…read more The atmosphere is intimate and stylish without feeling try-hard, and the menu is creative in a way that actually works. Every dish we tried was thoughtful, well-balanced, and full of flavor--you can tell there's real intention behind the food, not just trends for the sake of trends. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and timed perfectly. We never felt rushed, but everything flowed smoothly. It's a great spot for a date night or a low-key celebration where you want good conversation and even better food. If you're looking for something a little different but still comforting and elevated, The Contrary is absolutely worth the visit.

Love their burgers but especially love their taco salads. I also that that can order half a taco…read moresalad.

5-17-26 Lunch with family to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were seated in a booth by the…read morebar, we had a 2 month old and a 3 year old with us. We arrived at Legends at 12:45, waited to be seated until 1:00, the waitress didn't our drink orders until 1:13. We ordered our food and waited 55 minutes to get our food. There were empty tables & booths everywhere, it wasn't that busy! Our waitress was also bartending, she was talking to the only two people at the bar the entire time, complaining about what a bad day she was having and swearing, out loud in front of us! She never came around to see if we needed anything while we waited for our food, I had to wave her down to get refills on drinks! The baby and toddler were more then over the wait & getting restless! My food was cold when she finally brought it to us & I got sick to my stomach on my way home! Worst experience ever!!!

Located approximately one block off the high trestle bridge bike trail, the public house is open…read moredaily (primarily morning hours, however, currently offering several days a week later afternoon check web for updates). A wonderfully preserved older building that offers indoor and outdoor seating, coffee bar, meeting areas, and a little stage area for musical events. Great pastries available too! Clearly a staple in the downtown Slater Township, this cute little shop has great service and excellent coffee!

GET YOUR AMAZING COFFEE IN THE COOLEST SPOT - I am obsessed with this location. The coffee is so…read moredelicious & the interior is genuinely amazing. They have a pool table & large area that would be perfect for a team meeting. Their coffee is delicious & the staffing is super helpful & quick to answer my questions. I even ended up spending more money on some homemade waxes they make & they are decadent & I get compliments on them so much.

My husband & I love this local speak easy vibes type cocktail bar! We went for my birthday in…read moreJanuary & it was such a nice time. Ambiance is exactly what you'd expect; intimate, petite bar, calming lighting & the cutest little tables whether high tops or lounge type. They make a delicious dirty martini & even hand stuff the bleu cheese olives. They always have a menu of other craft cocktails available. Service is always prompt and I've never had a cocktail I didn't enjoy here. For an added bonus; check out Cyclone Liquors selection. Very impressive!

YES so much fun to drink here. They also have a beer menu if cocktails aren't your thing. Great…read moreservice. Speakeasy.

I think the last time I went out to a bar, smoking was allowed! Well, maybe not that long ago but…read moreit has been many years! We went tonight so we could enjoy "Son of a Nutcracker", the community cocktail feature benefitting Des Moines Refugee Support. We were lucky to snag a booth as the bar was otherwise full on a Friday at 5 pm. Moe was an excellent and attentive server. He apologized that they were mixing up another batch of the special cocktail and that it would take about 15 minutes. We ordered some appetizers - jalapeño and peppadew peppers stuffed with cream and goat cheese and the sweet potato chips and house party dip. Both were good and the peppers had happy hour pricing, a bonus. The bar was festively decorated for the holidays and we enjoyed our time out!

This place is super cute with great drinks! The outdoor patio was the perfect place for us on a…read moresunny day. The service was very friendly. Dogs allowed on the back patio as well

went there for happy hour and the bartender was a an unhappy bartender ! Je yelled pre much at…read moreanyone that asked a question. He yelled at a woman who was trying to buy me a drink. He yelled at some man and he ended up leaving after like 2 drinks. It was the worst experience of being in a bar ever!!! I do not recommend going to Rabbits when Chace (or what ever his name is ) is working ! There were so many other people he was at as well. He was doing more shots than actually waiting on customers. I know I asked twi for a drink and he pr to help 2 other people then went to the bathroom and then asked if I wanted another drink! THIS was the WORST treatment I have ever experienced as a customer EVER!!!

Stopped in for an Untappd badge. On a Sunday evening it is very quiet. It is the stereotypical…read moresmall town bar. The people inside knew each other "Norm!!" The one employee working was very nice and she took our photo. My mother in law was introduced to PBR and liked it.

Gorgeous jazz bar with exceptional drinks. I'm a huge Old Fashioned fan. I tried both the smoked…read morebutter pecan and the cinnamon one. Delicious. Service was excellent from a new bartender on his second night. Ice cubes were a fun touch. This is a great date night location.

My husband and I love speakeasies, whenever we visit cities we get excited about trying one out, so…read morewe've been to quite a few. This one was disappointing. LOWS: Food: Mozzarella sticks were pale and bland. The red sauce tasted like canned tomato paste. The charcuterie board was a let down too. The prosciutto was overly slimy and smelled spoiled. The bread wasn't a fresh sourdough like advertised, it was a Texas toast. HIGHS: Cocktails: The drinks we had were great! They have over 100 different bourbon and a variety of cocktails. Mixed Feelings: Music: The band Nola was fantastic. They matched the vibe we were expecting. But no one told us about the $5 (per person) cover charge. It wasn't on the menu, the website or the reservation nor was it mentioned to us verbally. Ambiance: The decor and dark chairs were great. However I've never been to a speakeasy with wide open windows that let so much light in.

Amazing pizza, Dick's Special, essentially a reuben on their outstanding crust!! My mouth wanted to…read moreeat it all but my stomach made me stop after 3 slices. Fabulous music too!!

We have loved their pizza in the past, especially the Italian Grinder but for the 2nd time they are…read moreout of Graziano sausage. You would think in a pinch they could just buy some at the Hy-Vee meat counter. Also, it took an hour for a carry out pizza. This time the experience left something to be desired. Just found out they didn't charge us for the pizza so that helps.

I split my time between Marshalltown and New York. Back in Marshalltown and I head to La Carreta…read more Fantastic food and people!!

had heard good things from this place, guess they were wrong…read more the steak had no flavor whatsoever, didn't taste like it had any seasoning. had ordered the tacos and i didn't even finish them. my wife had the chicken tacos and she's been throwing it up all morning. even the tres leches cakes was ass. only good thing they had was the horchata.