Definitely a slow, cold night downtown, but that meant a nice night for us at The Continental. Bartender was attentive and fun. Our drinks were full of flavor and we shared the double smash burger. It was decent, had flavor, but the fries sealed the deal. They were crispy and had great flavor and I was always not a fry fan. On the weekend they have live jazz so we will probably be back for that. read more

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Love the ambiance. Food is to die for, and service is excellent! I highly recommend it

The bartenders were super friendly and knowledgeable about the cocktails on the menu. It was a quiet Thursday afternoon so we had a great opportunity to chat with the service staff and owner. The whiskey smash ($12) was a lot like a whiskey mojito and refreshing. The beer taps ($6) are limited but the few on tap are solid beers for the season. Oh the truffle mushrooms!! Yum. Pleasantly surprised with both the flavor and portion size! Flatbread is pretty standard, all ingredients were definitely fresh. I would have like the beer to be a little colder, especially for a standard lager. They don't offer a Happy Hour at this time so that was a negative for us being that we could get some great drink specials walking distance from here. read more

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Perfect service also I loved the menu, The comfort and the service were very good, I recommend them. read more

The Continental - Doble smash burger - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is such a cozy, cool bar and restaurant! Great jazz music playing. We stopped in for appetizers and drinks. It was late afternoon, so not many people. Had a very sweet server. Loved this place and will definitely be going back! read more

Small and Intimate. Yummy Food and Tasty Drinks! Staff is always attentive and super friendly.

Muy buen servicio, la comida estuvo muy deliciosa y la personas que me atendieron fueron muy eficiente

Under New Management Excellent service and a good smash burger! Kevin one of the new owners was very attentive and friendly! read more

Nice place for small plates and drinks. We went later in the evening on a week night and were able to find meter parking right in front. The building has a historical feel to it with a warm atmosphere. The servers were friendly and attentive. We ordered the spicy meatballs, crab cakes, and warm goat cheese salad. Spicy meatballs were my favorite! The salad took a long time to come out but the fried goat cheese on top was worth the wait. The crab cakes were a tad dry so we used a lot of lemon on them. We ordered chocolate raspberry cake and pumpkin cheese roll for dessert. The pumpkin cheese roll was amazing! We will be back to try other dishes! read more

The Continental - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

A mojito served with brown mint. A watered down Old Fashioned that only filled about 1/3 of the glass. Sangria was good. Draft Beer not nearly cold enough. Staff was friendly. We went elsewhere. read more

Fun place, a block down the street from their former location... similar menu, different vibe in the new space. read more

The Continental - Seating - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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If I can give it. A zero I would bartender just had terrible service and attitude. Says it closes at 2 and she just waited for us to leave and locked the doors it is 11. She waited there like a dog just waiting to leave like if you are having a bad day don't take it out on the customer. Sorry hope you have a better day lady. read more

The new continental! It's a nice looking place and really well decorated, outside of that it's the same sort of high quality cocktails and snacks. The Frites? Nope, nothing notable. I like it just a bit of a let down as we were expecting a rethink. read more

The atmosphere here is nice but the food and drinks were nothing special. We had queso fundido and the tortilla chips were so stale ‍. They were also having issues with their computer system so the service was really slow despite it not being busy. Our waitress was sweet and apologetic. I probably wouldn't come back for food. I think this place could be better just needs a little tuning up read more

The Continental - Queso fundido - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Has it really been 9 years since I've stopped in at the Continental? The last time was with Mom and Dad, who don't remember the pleasant experience. I arrived at DSM last Thursday afternoon and on my way up to Ames to visit my parents, I dropped by for a happy hour snack of 2 tacos and a local draft craft beer. I sat near the bar in the front, and a little too close to a couple guys having a heated political argument. Actually, it was one guy (a Trump supporter surprise surprise) who was doing all the yelling and threatening. Luckily, his foil didn't take the bait and his 2 friends managed to calm him down enough to hustle him out and then apologize to the guy and the folks working behind the bar. All this time I'm quietly sitting there wondering if I should move or duck. Plus at 5:30 PM on a Thursday, it was way too early for this kind of thing and definitely not the place to be having it. Once that drama resolved itself, I had a lovely happy hour time. Service was friendly and attentive. The tacos were superb and the beer was a great match. The rest of the menu looked very good too and I'll make sure I pay more attention to The Continental as a dining choice the next time I'm around. read more

Great find, on a recent visit to Des Moines. It was a rainy afternoon so in between shopping we decided to stop in here. We sat at the bar. . Jazz in the background, and a quiet atmosphere are great for a Saturday afternoon. We ordered drinks and truffle mushrooms. The mushrooms arrived hot, were delicious but needed a pinch a salt. A check of the garnishes should have been done. Mint for a mojito and a Southern Belle was borderline rotten. The service at the bar was slow at first, with few people sitting in the entire place. If I could give t a 31/2 I would but I would try t again. read more

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I was excited to check out this spot but the bad service and poorly made drink quickly changed my excitement to disappointment. The frumpy white dreadlock bartender wasn't very friendly and made the worst old fashioned I've ever had. On top of that I notice him pocket all the cash after another customer paid with cash and left, definitely shady. This place could be cool if they get rid of lame service because it has a cool atmosphere and is in a great location. read more

Food is overrated and over priced. Service was terrible, absolute bitch of waitress named Rachel. Ambiance was strange to say the least. Also the place is smaller than it looks in photos, basically had to scream for anyone to hear you over the mediocre jazz duo. read more

Delicious! Great new location! Best lunch i've had in months. The tomato soup was creamy and perfect, the cheese sandwich on a lovely small bun. read more

Good atmosphere but as our sandwiches we placed on the table, we were informed they are out of buns. there was no one in the restaurant and they just now fine out. read more

All I could say is AMAZING !! Adrina was our server , she was very attentive and made sure we never had an empty glass , she was also very knowledgeable with the food and beverages, She recommended the Cesar pita which is now my new favorite in Des Moines! Perfect food , perfect server , perfect experience ! I will be requesting Adrina and telling everyone about this place! read more

I lovvveee the Continental, but more-so for a nice place to grab drinks. Don't make the mistake of ordering food. Just trust me. The atmosphere is so romantic but comfortable, especially during the mid-afternoon and early evening. Once a friend and I played a game, where we drank our way through all of the specialty cocktails. Most of them were delicious, we laughed harder than we had in a long time, and then had to ungracefully uber ourselves home. Plus, one of the cheapest PBR tallboys in the East Village! read more

It is a delightful spot in the east village. The staff are ridiculously nice and friendly. The menu is large and the food is very yummy! The drinks are very special. They have interesting flavor profiles. It was a great place that wasn't too loud and we were able to have a good conversation! It is worth going back more often, that is for sure! read more

After waiting an extended period of time at the bar to get my drink order I finally ordered a beer and some light food...I'm waiting, the bartender is talking, eating off of a friends plate at the bar, chatting more, bringing the people next to me food. No beer, no look, no nothing...it wasn't busy AT ALL. So in short-DON'T go here! Can't even get the basics of pouring a beer. Let alone bring me my food. read more

I'm giving the Continental 5 stars because it never dissapoints. I use to live in Des Moines, and I loved coming here with a friend or two, on a date, etc. for tapas and cocktails or wine. It has a very cute patio out back with a few tables and hanging lights. The bar area is legit and the back area is small, but it works! The food...I've tried about every tapa on the menu, and I'd have to say some of my favorites include: the olive empanadillas, the spicy meatballs, the pomme frites (truffle oil :), the queso fundido, and the tacos. I've never ordered anything but the tapas on the menu, but who doesn't love sharing tapas?! Definitely a great place to go if looking to share some tapas. I noticed they had pastrami egg rolls; I didn't try them, but the Continental is on their game!! The drinks...I was actually quite impressed coming here 2 years later at how much they had increased their cocktail menu. They definitely know how to create a drink menu and actually follow through with legit cocktails. Very trendy with the new hip healthy cocktail scene. I had heard their service had declined since years ago when I use to frequent, but last weekend, we had an excellent experience with our waitress. Nice, midwestern hospitality! They do get very busy, so I guess I could see how people might say they could be slow, but all in all, I love the Continental, and I'm happy they have stuck around in the charming East Village area! read more

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We stopped in on a Friday night before a concert as they were not too busy and timing was critical to make it to concert on time. Service was great! Food amazing. Prices were very reasonable. We had the bbq chicken flatbread, a pepperoni flatbread and smash burger. We were all very impressed and will definitely be going back. read more

Cocktails are great and the staff was really fun! Get the Lion's Tail! The atmosphere is exactly what we were looking for after being at a much busier bar down the street with a younger crowd. Romantic lighting and the staff was informative and fun to chat with. read more

The Continental - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

First time here. Newly remodeled. Nicely done, clean modern feel. Had breakast, small selection but well done. Wiil come back for dinner for sure. read more

The Continental - Our favorite in the east village.great service, variety in the menu. Worth a visit. Hit all spice while you are in the area - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Tried here again. Only because I had to meet someone. Burnt empanadas and broken chips for the queso fundido

Review on drinks only. The bar space: wonderful. The rest of the restaurant: leaves something to be desired. We love sitting at the bar and have entertained several guests here. But when we sat toward the rear of the building, our experience dramatically changed. The server we had was just not equipped to keep an eye on our table as well as the family next to us. He was busy serving them food and couldn't keep checking in with relative frequency. Most disappointing: wrong drinks to wrong people with no explanation. Maybe he wasn't very familiar with the drinks menu? Nonetheless, the bar is work the experience. Knowledgeable staff with quirky trivia. Comfortable making recommendations and modifications. Old-school technique. read more

Mallory was just the best. We came in three years ago, had just a meh experience and decided to try it again tonight. Mallory was our waitress and made the experience so amazing! When they were out of the Pinot noir she offered to let us try whatever wines we wanted until we found one we liked. She made sure my cocktail was perfect. The chef's creations were AMAZING (we tried the brisket tacos, the tomato bruschetta, and the avocado egg rolls). So happy about all of it. Honestly, love this place. We will be back. Hands down, Des Moines is lucky to have such a restaurant. read more

The food that I have had there is good but sometimes the portion sizes are too small for what they cost. The place looks nice and has a sweet location in the east village but for some reason they keep the place super dark regardless of the time of day. Even the bathrooms are left dimly lit. One major frustration is that the service is really slow. I even mentioned that I needed to leave fairly quickly and asked for the check early. Despite that, it took our server a long time before she actually took my card. Before that she had completely disappeared for a while, so I couldn't even find her to flag her down. Basically if you are already in the area, then it is a decent place to go to. Especially is somewhere line Zombie Burger is crazy busy (as it usually is). Otherwise there is no real reason to head out of your way to stop here. read more

So many better places in Des Moines. I googled "tapas" and this place came up. What they serve ain't tapas. It's not really even a restaurant. It's a bar with a decent kitchen. Just about everybody in there when I showed up on a Wednesday night was there to drink, not to eat. The cocktail menu was impressive. The cocktail I had -- a gin mojito with basil -- was less so. I didn't get any taste of basil, just the gin. Great idea, tho. I ordered a hummus tahini salad with blackened chicken. It convinced me of three things. 1: there's such thing as too much heat on blackened chicken. I couldn't taste much beside pepper and chili powder. 2: arranged salads are kinda dumb. 3: hey, chef: eat your own meals on the regular. No's 1 and 2 would become readily apparent if you sat down to one of these meals and found yourself wrestling with a cucumber slice as thick as a deck of cards and as big around as, well, a late-season cucumber. Finally, some advice. Ditch the sticky, unvarnished plywood table tops for something a little more sanitary. Nothing distracts from the restaurant experience like having your wrists stick to the table while you're eating. I wish you well. Really. read more

Over the weekend I made a second visit to Continental with a party of four. We mistakenly passed the little sign that said to seat yourself. We awkwardly waited there for some time as 3-4 employees congregated at the bar 25 feet away trying their best to ignore us. They saw us but not one person thought about informing us that we can sit wherever we'd like. It's an interesting form of hospitality. We sat at the bar until a table opened up and then moved to the table quickly. We sat at the dirty table with dirty empty plates and cups for some time as the server didn't notice we were not the same people that were sitting there before. We flagged down the server and mentioned that we would like the table cleared and some menus. We brought our drinks from the bar with us. As the server was clearing the table she placed a glass inside my already full drink. My whiskey drink went all over the table draining directly to my pants and also hit my jacket. Apparently I'm destined to be wet and smelling of whiskey all night. I was informed my drink will be replaced on the house. Now that is impressive hospitality. I'm looking like I had a wee bit of an accident in my pants but the drink I already bought once will be replaced. I really thought they could offer me more since our table of four ordering drinks and food will certainly create some revenue for them. I decided to put this in the past and move on with the night. The server did not take notes on our orders but she also couldn't remember what we ordered. After hearing our orders she tried to confirm them but already was forgetting. We repeated our selections. As the food came three of the orders were correct and one was not what was ordered. There was a lack of attentiveness in checking if we need drinks, if we're ready for the bill, etc. throughout the visit. The food didn't stand out. The spicy meatballs were good, however simple they are to prepare. It's a dish you really can't get wrong. The poutine flat out sucked. It was advertised to have beef but there was not one speck in the dish. The gravy was very tasteless which made the entire dish very boring flavor-wise. The drinks were another story. I had several of the craft cocktail offerings and they were spot on. The service on my visit was unacceptable. The cocktails tasted great although they were slow coming. The food was not inspiring. I don't know that I would return any time soon. With so many great options in the area I'd rather choose a restaurant that at least can pretend they want my business. read more

The Continental is the best place for a great bite and a good time in the east village. Kevin knocks it out every day of the week! This is the best date night place in downtown Des Moines. The tapas plates are delicious and have so many choices. The people and the views are out of this world. The Continental should be the go to for late night enjoyment in the east village for years to come. I enjoy the wide variety of music that they have, it's a different style every day. They do a great job of switching up the music all the time. The go to is the queso fundido, truffled mushrooms, and the hanger steak. read more

Cocktails are yummy, and I'm not a cocktail person. Our first round was delicious and our second round not so much. We told our waitress and she had the drinks remade. Maybe bartender in training? Anyway, service was impressive and our food came out in a timely manner. Only been here for happy hour and it doesn't disappoint. Tacos and avocado egg rolls are definitely worth a try. read more

A nice and busy cocktail bar and restaurant. I got an old-fashioned and the tender used a cherry instead of the singed orange peel. Nice twist on something that's become a ubiquitous offering. Also had the pibil tacos from the app menu, and a nice zin from the wine list. It was hopping on a Friday night, but the tenders worked diligently and stayed on task. Must say, the downtown DSM scene is jumping and very interesting. Obviously a lot of work has been done, and it's showing. Good job to the Continental, and the rest of the businesses in this area. read more

Awesome fries and a great Blackened chicken sandwich. The roasted pear salad wasn't bold at all. Great atmosphere and service. Cold beer. Really good music. A must try when you are in the East Village. read more

Coming to Des Moines from Chicago, my wife and I have been skeptical of the quality of food here in Des Moines, to say the least. In the previous 6 months here, we have found most restaurant food to be tremendously bland and uninteresting. Maybe luck of the draw, but it's been fairly consistent, even though we don't get to dine out as much as we used to. As our 10th wedding anniversary approached, we found ourselves with a rare night away from the kids and a chance to explore Des Moines' East Village. A few co-workers had a handful what they considered 5-star recommendations, and from there we closed our eyes and picked one based on the best menus on each restaurant's website. I know, very sophisticated. When I called to make a reservation, whomever picked up answered with a very high school, "hello." Bad sign, red flags. I had to clarify that this was actually a restaurant that I had called--once we had that established, I secured a table for 2 on a Saturday evening. Silly me, as it turns out--when we got there for our 6:30 table, the whole place was empty. More red flags. Panic is starting to sink my stomach. As informal as things had been to this point, they continued with what appeared to be a manager asking us if we needed anything. We were then promptly greeted by our server, and the evening began to look up. A couple of glasses of their house red blend and a healthy selection of tapas were delivered in short order. We were happy with the atmosphere, music selection, our server's perky if mildly pretentious disposition, and the overall attention that we received. Yep, we were still the only ones in the joint. The food arrived and we began to sample the order. Remember, tapas are small samples of food, almost antipasto, so to complain about portion sizes is dopey. Order 3-5 selections for two people and you will be plenty full. We were happy to find out that everything we had ordered had--hold on to your hats--flavor! Kim and I were thrilled with everything all the way around. The food was great, and the total bill with drinks and a decent tip was just north of $70. For a dinner like that in Chicago, you're easily into 3 figures. People complaining about cost might need to have some different perspective from other foodie cities. We both loved it, and consider it a hidden gem. We will be sampling other East Village restaurants when we have he chance, but wound not hesitate to go back again for a quiet, "date night" kinda dinner. And both of us still are in shock that the place was so empty for a Saturday night. Maybe it was our AARP dinner schedule. Maybe things get hopping later in the evening, but either way, The Continental should be on everyone's list for quality dining in Des Moines. read more

For the most part, my experiences at The Continental have been positive. I enjoy several of the tapas offerings, although I don't think any of the entrees are noteworthy. If anyone in your party has a big appetite, then you might try a different option, as it can be annoying to hear how "the portions aren't big enough". You would think any patron would realize a tapas joint isn't a buffet, but it isn't always the case. On my visits when the bar wasn't packed, the service was prompt and I had no major issues with the experience. However, on my two visits when the bar was packed it was a much different experience. I understand that drinks to come excessively quickly when a bar is completely full, but waiting 20 minutes after speaking with 2 different servers is never acceptable. I enjoy the ambiance and the exposed brick of the building. If you are lucky enough snag a table by the window it makes for great people watching (though on weekend nights there is often live music occupying that spot). read more