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

Found this delightful coffee/breakfast spot on a trip to Des Moines. Excellent cappuccinos and…read moreespressos with a dark roast flavor. I also had a very tasty cinnamon roll. The cafe is in the corner of a hotel and had a lively vibe with a good crowd on a Saturday morning.

I travel to Hotel Fort DesMonies regularly and the employees of Hobnob are dedicated and pleasant…read more But they fumble back there with no clear direction of who is doing what causing patrons to stand around wondering what the delay is. But even worse than that, stop being so cheap and get LARGER usable paper coffee cups. The little hotel coffee cups don't cut it. I see people over fill and spill all over and guess what - the employees say it happens all the time! So here's a hint - if you want to be a respectable coffee spot - get the damn proper coffee cups and stop being so cheap with less than 12oz cups.

My how I have missed my favorite restaurant in the Midwest! This was my first time at their new…read morelocation and it did not disappoint. Chef Lynn greeted me when I walked in and took time to chat with me. Everyone and everything here is fabulous and I will be back as often as possible. The food, service and ambiance are fabulous!

Train wreck-in every way. We flew into Des Moines from AZ and a friend suggested this restaurant…read more We arrived at 8pm for our 8:15pm reservation. There were two other tables in the whole restaurant so needless to say it was quiet. Our server was sweet but obviously not trained on efficient and fast service but was probably encouraged to run like a bunny when things go sideways. We ordered two glasses of wine and an old fashioned. Figured I just got off of a plane so why not get the evening going with some bourbon and have a Plan B with the glass of wine when I am ready. Two glasses of wine were delivered but no old fashioned. Who does this? Anyhow, old fashioned came out next. We ordered a cup of soup and a small salad to start with and then ordered a burger, medium, with fries and the pasta bolognese. The soup and salad came out but there was a long stretch of time before entrees came out. When they finally arrived the burger was very rare inside so my wife let the server know and she apologized and scurried off. I tried to wait but it was getting cold so I slowly nibbled. After 20 minutes, I flagged down our server and asked if the burger was coming out and she said "oh, do you want another one"? It was now 9pm and they were closing but we were not leaving until we enjoyed a medium burger. When the new burger came out, she said the "owner made it himself. We cut it in half to check the temperature it was still pink. How can an owner of a restaurant not know how to make a medium-medium well burger? And why didn't he walk out and deliver it himself and apologize? Not a word! My dish was finished and plate was gone while my wife finally had her burger. We had planned to eat together that was not going to happen tonite. She ate half and we took the rest of it to go. With wine, an old fashioned and the worst dinner experience, we spent $174 with tip. Huge mistake. Here is my tip: train your servers on how to take care of customers. To the cooks, invest in a thermometer if you can't tell when a burger is medium. To the owner, step out and make sure your customers are happy and enjoying your food.

Very good - highly recommend! Awesome service and great food. Recommend for a night out.read more

*CELIAC / GLUTEN FREE REVIEW…read more SO many GF or GF-modified options available! They have a safe fryer, with most fried things being naturally GF or made with rice flour. Servers are also very knowledgeable and can mark the order as an allergy. we got the happy hour cheese curds and the carnitas tacos (they weren't marked GF but our waiter said it was a typo and they actually are!) both were SO good and definitely worth the stop. During this time of year they have live music on Wednesdays and Sundays, and it's a nice venue :) I did not get sick!

Drinks before and after the show at RŌCA…read more The drinks were all fantastic. The Pig & Fig Manhattan was fantastic with Bacon Fat Washed Bourbon, sweet vermouth, and house bitters. Excellent start. She got the smoked margarita which was really cool and smoky. Don Julio Blanco, lime, Cointreau, Agave, and Apple-Wood Smole. Very decadent. After the show we got: The Polar Express O with Diplomatico Rum, Sweetened Condensed Milk, coffee topped with cold foam, and grated chocolate. Very boozy and strong. Didn't look very good in the glass, but tasted ok. Very strong. She choose the Cold Brew Martini and it was excellent with Ketel One Vodka, Averna Amaro, Madagascar Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup, and House Cold Brew Coffee. The service was great. Will be back for more drinks.

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $46 06/28/2025 Enjoyed our latest visit to RoCA with friends after Mass Saturday evening. My wife started with a Smoked Margarita (see picture) and I opted for the El Chapo (see picture) - both were delicious. The great thing about a small plates restaurant, especially with 4 people, is that you can try a bunch of different things...and that we did! We each chose one small plate and I'll say up front that all of them were wonderful and I wouldn't hesitate to order any of them again. We started with a BBQ, Pork & Apple Flatbread (see picture), followed by the Deconstructed Ribeye Nachos (see picture), Fondue (see picture) and Graziano Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread (see picture). Of all of these, our favorite was the Fondue and Deconstructed Ribeye Nachos...but both Flatbreads were also very good. The only negatives to the atmosphere were having to go downstairs for the restroom and a bachelorette party next to us that got a little loud. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

I attended a Yelp Elite event here late afternoon/early evening yesterday. The space is quaint and…read morenestled in a historic hotel. Admittedly it's not exactly my scene. I'm not really an upscale guy when it comes to my typical stomping grounds. More often I stay more West and don't frequent downtown without a specific purpose. There's a lot of great businesses downtown. I'm just a small town guy and I sometimes feel a little out of place in the heart of the metro. And anyone else hate that back-in parking found in the E Village? Lol That being said... The bar has a nice vibe, quiet and dimly lit (at least at the time of day we were there), and with large windows with a view of both E Walnut and E 4th St. Parking options mainly consist of metered parking on the adjacent streets. The food menu includes mostly finger foods. Flatbreads, bruschetta, and charcuterie. The flatbreads served were pretty good. I really liked the honey garlic alfredo flatbread ($12 on the menu)! The gentleman manning the bar was doing a fantastic job especially considering our event started at 530pm and he was pretty much hit with a rush of all of us attending. The old fashioned I ordered was done well and I enjoyed it (Bulleit bourbon and $10 on the menu). A lot of their signature cocktails are named keeping with a railroad motif. Happy Hour is 300pm - 600pm and a reverse Happy Hour from 800pm - 1000pm most days. Half price select cocktails and wine. Check out the Specials section of their site. Link is below. The bar is adjacent to the lobby area which was setup with a few high tops, tables and chairs, and couches for us to relax on. I'm not sure if this is standard or was specific to our event. All in all I enjoyed my time at The New Northwestern and would definitely go back if invited or I found myself in the E Village with time to make a quick stop in. A big thank you to the owners and staff of The New Northwestern for hosting us! https://thenewnorthwestern.com/

Ugh this place is so cute and chill, great place to go if your wanting great drinks and conversion…read more First drink of the night was the bras rail, its got a smokey smell on top but its sweet and light, second drink was a loco mojito so fleshing very coconuty which is not my jam but still very tasty

This place does old-school hospitality really well. The manager, Eva, is wonderful. She is so…read moreknowledgeable about wine and always willing to help you pick out just the right glass or bottle, no matter how busy it is. The servers are so welcoming and attentive. We always feel so at home and comfortable there. The food is fantastic. You can't go wrong with any of the tapas or empanadas. I haven't tried any of their sandwiches yet, but they all look good when others order them! They have dessert options from Dore Bakery and I've liked all of them that we've tried. A low-key gem in the East Village. Very happy to have them close by.

It's slim pickins when it comes to tapas in Des Moines and Purveyor is top tier. The menu is…read moremeticulously curated and well executed. It's not just a bowl of macaroni and cheese to slop at the pigs, it's creative and light. I'm a Purvert for Purveyor.

This bar is also in the basement, across from the black sheep. The lighting is better, pretty big…read morewith lots of seating options. They offer food however the kitchen was already closed. This is a whiskey bar, the only cognac they have was corvosier. I ordered a shot anyway.

Tried this place based on a Google search. As a bourbon fan, I was a bit disappointed in Ken's …read more The service was excellent, food good, but selection not quite what I expected. Prices are reasonable, but keep in mind that pours are about 1.25 oz. The atmosphere is as expected for a place advertising a speakeasy vib. For some reason, they are advertising tiki drinks. Not quite in keeping with the prohibition drink theme!

We try to catch at least one show a year at Noce (but it is always nice when we go more than…read moreonce!). We usually try to go as part of my birthday celebration and tonight we enjoyed the Des Moines Big Band playing "Sounds of the Season". Two hour show with about a 20-minute break and it was an excellent concert. My husband and I both enjoy jazz and Noce is an excellent venue. Small and intimate with a full bar and, if you are hungry, you can order a cheese plate or salty snacks. There was a biting wind when we went tonight so the hot toddy warmed us from the inside out. Our server replenished the hot water midway through, which was appreciated. Great night out, we really should do it more often!

Max Wellman has created and fostered one of the warmest, most welcoming, creative and lovely rooms…read morein all of Central Iowa with Noce! It is among my favorite local gems to introduce locals and visitors alike to. The jazz music line-up is always evolving, and Max has such a gift for curating a calendar that elevates other artists (musicians, singers, dancers and more). I have so many fond memories made here over the past 9 years. It's a grown-up night out that's not stuffy or stale, and the service is always a beautiful ballet to watch, too! Highly recommend visiting early and often throughout the year, any time Max and/or Napoleon are singing or for all of the Voix de Ville and holiday shows you can snag tickets for. You won't be disappointed!

Incredible little low-key spot. It's grungy, it's cool, you meet creative and interesting people…read morethere. Everyone is very friendly, and it's a great vibe. We just moved back here and my coworker recommended it. We've now been twice and loved it both times. There's absolutely nothing like in Des Moines-- It feels like New York underground, but Des Moines, down to earth, easy parking and SO welcoming. Also, bartenders are super nice. The girl bartender servicing us even said she would make us a custom cocktail, based on what we were in the mood for. My husband told her what he was craving and she made him exactly that. Might I add...with little information on his part. (He's not the biggest talker hehe!). He said it was his favorite drink he's ever had. Tonight was a little more chill, but the first time everyone was dancing and it was just as fun both times. This is our favorite new little spot and we will definitely be back!!

Didn't have any food here but did have a few drinks. No complaints…read more We kind of accidentally went here on our way to Ceviche. I'll definitely be back. Really enjoyed the vibe.