A massive selection of beer, ciders and seltzers with great service. The atmosphere is laid back…read more We got the fried pickles and the ranch was killer. A guy next to us ordered the biggest burrito I've ever seen. Gotta check this place out

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!

Confluence Brewing Company in Des Moines is one of those places that just understands the…read moreassignment. It is right off the trail, has free water, free live music, free bike parking, and a great patio. Add in cold local beer at fair prices, and it is pretty hard to complain. The people serving were mostly friendly, the beer was very good, and the selection is always great. If you go inside and head up the stairs, the selection gets even better. My only suggestion: please consider selling mix-and-match 4-packs or single cans to go. We wanted to buy some to take with us, but we could not agree on one flavor, so we skipped buying more and just stuck with what came out of the tap. For cyclists, bridge beers and bike beers are a real thing, and it feels like there is a missed opportunity there. That said, we will absolutely be back for all the "free" stuff, the local beer, and that amazing patio. Great trail stop, great beer, and a perfect place to take a break. Keep up the Lord's work. Cheers!

Added Confluence to our route while biking on a beautiful summer Friday night because they are…read morelocated right off the trail and had a live band playing that night. Plenty of bicycle parking, outdoor shaded seating with an outdoor bar and they were hosting a food truck. More of an A/C type, there is seating inside with the main bar and a variety of board games to keep you entertained. I appreciate the wide variety of beers, including a couple sours, seltzers and NA options. Staff were friendly and super helpful! What a great night out.

burger and beer night is easily one of the best deals in the city. I've tried all of the burgers,…read moreand they've all been great. Tonight I went with the tenderloin, and it was awesome. The Sriracha seasoning on the outside gives it a nice little kick without being overwhelming. The fries and tots are pretty average, but overall, we always have a great experience here. It remains one of our top local spots, and we'll definitely keep coming back!

I went there hungry for some unhealthy food and thirsty for some Iowa beer. AG did its thang!…read more Loved the Poutine. Loved the PB&J Burger. Liked the beer. Liked our bartender/server and her friendliness . Loved the divey-but-not-too-divey atmosphere. Shout out to their kitchen being open on the later side during the week. It was very hard to find a good meal in this area at 10:00pm on a Monday, but AG came up clutch.

I'm not originally from Iowa so I had this place recommended to me by a few people when I came into…read moretown. It's a nice place and easy location. Walking in we were immediately greeted and led to our table. They had a QR code (see pictured) of their extensive local beer selection. $7.00 for a 16oz or 3.50 for 6oz I got a few 6oz selections to try a few different options which was an enjoyable experience. Lily was kind and attentive even the busier it got throughout the evening. Thank you so much for the service!

What an amazing stop for some fantastic Iowa craft beers! The staff was extremely friendly and…read morehelpful with the beer and food selection. They were quick when we wanted to order and the food came out exactly as described. The bar and seating area was open and inviting. It was a little earlier in the midday on a Friday, but it was still pretty open for anyone to enjoy. I'd go back for another couple of different beers!

In town for Junior Olympics and stopped in after I found this restaurant on yelp. Walking in it is…read morevery dim lighting. The waitress was very knowledgeable and helpful in making our choices. We ended up getting the turkey melt, the focaccia and a side of fries. Everything was very good. We tried the lemonade which was great. Our friends said what they got was good too. Definitely try this place if you're in town or even if you're local.

What a great hidden spot. Food was great service was super friendly. In fact I had planned to only…read moreeat half my sandwich and once it arrived I knew I was going to finish it.

This place is starting to become one of the places we pop in to when we are downtown. Atmosphere is…read morefun with an obvious nod to the Chicago Bears but still feels like an old, big city bar rather than a new sports bar you'd see in the suburbs. Their special drink seems to be a "mini beer" which is a shot that looks like a beer. Personally, I am not a fan of the scented candles, but they moved it for me when I politely asked when there wasn't another place I could move to. Definitely a place to check out when you are in the East Village, and a must if you are a Bears fan.

A great location and space for all Bear's fans. And even if you are not a Bear's fan, you will…read moreenjoy hanging out in this cozy sliver of Chicago here in Des Moines. I have never had a bad time in my visits and you can get all the classic Chicago beers and drinks you can think of!

Friendly place with good beer. You can either be seated in the restaurant, sit in the bar area, or…read moreoutside on the patio. They had a wide selection of beers and a decent menu of American style foods. We just stuck to drinking since we already ate. Our bartender was very friendly.

Finally! Chicken spedini! It was tasty with broccolini & carrots. (It could have used more amagio…read moresauce.) Hubby's penne & meatballs was delicious. Red sauce was excellent! We ordered salads as an extra, but they didn't bring them before our meal. That was weird. We didn't think to ask because we just assumed it would happen. Our drinks were good as well. Service was good & the restaurant is clean!

Lua is a great spot for a group dinner, drinks with friends, or grabbing some food at the bar. They…read morealso have a nice patio and outdoor seating. The staff was super friendly and attentive. It does get busy, though, so it can take some time to be waited on. The vegan mushroom French dip was phenomenal! A friend and I shared the sandwich and fries, along with the vegan miso mac with tofu, and everything was SO good! The bread was soft, the sauce took me back, and the mushrooms were . The sandwich got the right kind of soggy, soaking up all that delicious sauce. And they have THE BEST fries, which are mostly soft shoestring fries. IYKYK. The miso mac is spicy, so you may want to request the chili sauce on the side or ask them not to stir it all in. So grateful they have a vegan menu (don't forget to ask for it ) and that they're continuing to expand their vegan options!

Just left here. Had high hopes as I had been wanting to try Lua for a while, so I thought, while…read morein Des Moines... It was hot out so we sat inside at the bar. It was a touch past lunchtime but the bar area was still busy, yet had seats open. We sat at the end and after some time was given some a water carafe and 2 small glasses (with no ice). She (never gave us her name) then came back for our drink order. And immediately asked for food, which we were not ready for. We gave her our drink order, after that we never seen her again. Sat there awhile. For so long we started looking at other restaurants around to eat. Then we she finally looked our way my husband made a motion to pay so we could just leave. Name on the receipt said AM B. Needless to say, we won't be back. Nor will we ever recommend it.

10/10 taste 10/10 service (shoutout Tiffany + Katie)…read moreAnd chill vibes. I'll be back when in town

Out of towners, looking for a solid meal that isn't a chain restaurant. Skips hit the spot…read more Food is phenomenal. We had the bruschetta, chicken quesadilla and chicken noodle soup. Very good, very big portions.

Okay, this one's got me scratching my head. ‍ In my entire…read morelife, I've never caused trouble in a bar. I'm well-behaved, I don't make a scene, and I always tip my bartenders well--because respect goes both ways. Last Sunday I was at Thirsty's: had two beers, paid as I went, played a little pool, and left when the bartender said he was closing early. No drama, no issues. But tonight? I walked in, and the same bartender took one look at me and said, "I'm not serving you." No explanation. No reason. Just... refused. Now, I get it--Iowa is a right-to-refuse state. Legally, he can do that. But I've never disrespected him, never caused a problem, never even raised my voice. Honestly? I'm just shocked. I didn't deserve that. So to my fellow polite bar-goers: I guess you can do everything right and still get shut down. Cheers to taking your good vibes (and your tipping money) elsewhere.

Went in to hang out with a buddy, as soon as he left I went to the bathroom and came out for…read moreanother beer (3rd beer). Bar tender with a pony tail accused me of telling everyone at the place that I was drunk and cut me off after 3 beers. Never said anything to anyone as I have never been there and even had a game of bags lined up with an awesome couple but the bar tender's ego ruined everything. This was my first time at this bar and the last. I even left that sensitive bitch a tip after I left from his false accusation. He didn't even have the balls to prove what he was accusing me of. Multiple witnesses around me agreed I did nothing wrong. Good thing this place is in the ghetto. Never stepping foot in this poor ass place again