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    Monsterama Arcade

    4.0 (11 reviews)
    Closed Closed

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    Shopping M.

    Literally a "hidden gem" since you enter the arcade through a secret door in the soda vending machine. The arcade is a blast! All day play so no wasting money pumping tons of quarters or refilling a players card - just the entry fee. Thank you for a friendly, clean and family-affordable fun zone! The horror themed decor was a fun touch too.

    Penny wise n me
    Hailey W.

    Alex helped us out today, she was very nice and made sure everything came out perfect. We met both of the owners as well and they were as sweet as could be. The arcade was so fun and set to free play after paying the cover charge to get in. Pizza was wonderful, we also had mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, and the cheesy bread! Would definitely go back if we ever find ourselves back in Des Moines

    a man and a child playing video games
    Candi K.

    Kids and parents alike - we love coming here. The pizza never comes home because there is never any left. "I'm bored" or "is it time to go yet?" don't exist here. The vibe is "It's Never too early for Halloween" and I get to play pinball to my hearts desire. The place is clean - including the bathrooms! The overall value of this place cannot be beat - reasonably priced Good food, and all you can play arcade games for one LOW price? If we weren't over an hour away I would be a regular here. The biggest selling point of Monsterama is the amazing and friendly staff. The wonderful lady server that has always been there during our visits is kind, patient, and thorough. The manager (owner?) is kind, generous, and pleasant to talk to. He even takes the time to talk to my 5 year old son. During 2 of our visits we had observed a guest with (very) poor behavior be handled calmly and quietly. The staff member resolved the situation so effectively that the moment of unpleasantness didn't reflect on our experience whatsoever. If you love pizza and pinball, and haven't yet been to Monsterama - you are missing out on a life experience.

    Stumbled upon Monsterama Arcade on SW 9th, and let me tell you it's a great place for kids and adults. The food was very good with a choice of different apps, pizza hot dogs, or Calzones. I took my 4 kids and we got breadsticks with Mama Rosa sauce for dipping, portobello fried mushrooms with a ranch dressing that was primarily dill (so, so good), and a half pepperoni and half cheese. We went to the back to play with the pin ball machines and classic 80/90s games. Kids were so very happy with their time here. Diffently recommended for something new and fun.

    a variety of snacks and snacks

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    The food was good and reasonably priced. Games were entertaining, and the kids and adults all had fun. Overall, it was money well spent

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    2 years ago

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    El Bait Shop

    El Bait Shop

    (588 reviews)

    $$

    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!

    Wow this is not a dive bar, no matter who calls it that…read more We came in for a bite to eat and a beer while passing through Des Moines based on Yelp reviews. Had a sour with three fruit flavors that was lovely, and lunch of broasted chicken and beef stroganoff. The beef was surprisingly tender. Friendly service. Highly recommend this place!

    Confluence Brewing Company - The patio

    Confluence Brewing Company

    (136 reviews)

    $$

    Confluence: A Biker's Paradise…read more Our most recent visit to Confluence in Des Moines was short and sweet--we met up with friends, grabbed a beer, and jumped back on our bikes. It's a fantastic spot for a quick stop or to sit and enjoy. Bike parking is ample and well-thought-out, just a short walk from the expansive outdoor patio. This space is a big draw, welcoming to both humans and dogs, and it fills up fast, especially when live music draws in the crowds. A big bonus is the limited walk-up bar on the patio, where you can order and pay with cash or card, as well as a fresh, cold water spigot to fill up your water bottle or give your furry friend a drink. The beer selection is generous, with a solid variety of their own brews and guest taps. Confluence makes some truly great beers, and the Des Moines IPA is one of my go-to staples. Inside, up the stairs, you'll find a great area with a full bar and plenty of seating, offering views of the brewery's inner workings. I believe they do tours, but I can't say for sure. One thing I can say is that the restrooms are clean and cool!

    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.

    Angry Goldfish Pub And Eatery - A quality visit

    Angry Goldfish Pub And Eatery

    (245 reviews)

    $$

    Friday Night At the Angry Gold Fish…read more This is usually a solid place to get a burger, but came up short. We arrived around 7:30 and it was busy. I asked for the corner table which was large and there were two of us. I chose it because it was quiet and it was so loud. The waitress seamed super annoyed. I am deaf in one ear and this was the best place so I could hear and actually enjoy the place. I didn't feel her attitude was justified. If she would have kept pushing the point it was going to get pushed to the manager as I have several disabilities and I don't use them, but I do choose certain places to sit to help manage them. My expectation is for the waitress to be kind and shouldn't matter if it's two people, four people, or six people. Should be glad to have a customer and business. My wife and I got a Knob Creek on the rocks to start off. We also each got the old fashion, one with tots and one with fries. The burgers have really good flavor, but wasn't even hot. The bun was super dry and I wound up leaving the bun and eating the burger. The tots were really good, but also not hot. My wife's was the same. The French fries were good, but not hot. I didn't say anything to the waitress because based on her attitude it was just going to make the night worse and I was out to have a nice evening. I have been here several times and this is my first bad experience here and I hope it's not a sign that the restaurant is going downhill. This is one of my go to spots in Des Moines to get a great burger and it should be fire on a Friday night. Fresh and delicious, not cold and dry, is the new requirement, an angry waitress to complete the Angry Goldfish vibe?

    The food was amazing, and enough for several meals. I had the bowl, I know the name is longer than…read morethat, but it was so good. My daughter had the pot roast, and it was so perfectly cooked. The waitress was very sweet and attentive. The atmosphere is laid back and full of great little eye catching details. My daughter mentioned that if she ever moves to Iowa it would be for the pot roast!

    Old School Pinball and Arcade - Pinball wall

    Old School Pinball and Arcade

    (19 reviews)

    Daughter and I stopped in to check this out a couple weeks ago! Was smaller that I though but we…read morestill had a great time. We're not much for video/arcade games but we ended up spending an hour and a half here. Definitely like the one time fee. We will probably be back if we need a lil time to kill.

    With a wall of pinball machines, a special room full of even more spectacular pinball games and so…read moremany retro games (with a few newer ones in the mix) how can you go wrong? We could have played here for many more hours! One price gets you all the games you can stand until closing time. There's something for about all ages and skill levels. We loved the selection. They have a party room which would be great for a celebration or event. The menu has a variety of fun ice cream treats. There is a slightly higher fee if you're going to use the special room of pinball machines. It would be very worth it if you were intending to play yourself and not there with a small child. The only bad thing is the "all for one price" deal gives rise to many ADHD players who seem to hop from one game to another without having played for more than a minute or two. Many machines are sitting mid-game from players walking away. Plus there's no thrill of winning the extra ball at pinball or extra player in a game because there's no weight to the loss. The space also fills up so much there's little to no walking room so you have to squeeze between players once there's more than a dozen or two in there. As a tip: a couple of the pinball games were stuck at a selection screen or unable to provide any balls. The power switch tends to be on the bottom, front right side. If you reach under and power off for 10 seconds and back on they all reset and appeared to work perfectly. Our six year old loved it and we plan to be back again soon.

    Monsterama Arcade - arcades - Updated May 2026

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