I love the Dam Pub. This is an 80's themed restaurant/pub that has amazing food. They have some very unique dishes here that are a must try. I ordered the Monte Cristo which is a deep fried ham and Swiss sandwich that comes with a spicy strawberry jam. Omg, this was amazing and was like eating a fresh fried donut sandwich! Be cautioned though, the strawberry jam is no joke. It was very spicy but good. My wife ordered the grilled chicken with a honey and goat cheese topping that she thought was incredible as well. Her side was a spicy cream corn that is much like a Mexican street corn and was excellent. I had the Italian pasta salad and it was just as good. Other members of our party tried the French dip and an asiago cheese chicken sandwich. They raved about their sandwiches as well. Lastly, our server was a young blonde girl that kept the drinks flowing and provided amazing service. We were here on a Thursday for dinner and they had $2 cans of beer of some of the 80's greats like Hamms, Little Kings and even Montucky. If you are ever in the Des Moines Iowa area, definitely stop here to eat! read more

See all

Fun vibe! Stopped in on a Saturday evening & found seats right away. There were people on the rooftop but not outside. We started with tasty fried mushrooms with parm dipping sauce, which I saved for my tater tots. The portion is small. Beers were cold & reasonably priced. I had a Cuban with my tots. It was good--heavy on the ham. I took 1/2 home. Hubby had the hot honey chicken sandwich. He liked it. His mashed potatoes were dry so he didn't eat them. Friend thought the hot honey chicken was too spicy--hotter than the description. She said she would not order it again. She thought the pasta salad was homemade and it was fine. Her hubby had the French dip sandwich and said it was delicious! It ranks right up there as other French dip sandwiches he has loved. The waiter checked in on us several times. It's a fun place with a good vibe. Pay attention to the specials each day of the week and stop in if you're in the neighborhood. read more

The Dam Pub - Hot honey chicken sandwich with mashed potatoes. - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Undercooked wings and rude staff. I have gave this place three tries. Not very good food at all.

My significant other and I stopped here on a Saturday afternoon. It was busy, but we easily found seats at the bar. The service is wonderful. Everyone that helped us was kind and continued to check on us as needed. I love how extensive their drink menu is. There is a drink for everyone and every mood. I tried a few of their cocktails and my favorite was their espresso martini. We also ordered a few appetizers while here. We ordered the fried pickles which I enjoyed with their spicy sauce. It did seem like a pretty small portion, but we still enjoyed them. We also ordered the nachos. They were just alright. I loved the vibes of this bar and will be coming back. I am very excited to spend some time at their upstairs bar and patio and try mor of their food read more

See all

My second favorite bar in Des Moines! You can't go wrong with a 90's themed bar. The fried pickles are delicious, and the Moscow mules go down too easily. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is upbeat and fun! Perfect place to throw a surprise birthday party with mullet wigs!!! read more

This is a nice bar. Neat decor. Very friendly staff. Love the MTV Classic videos on the TVs. And all the 80's and 90's memorabilia. Food is average I'd say. Spicy cheese curds were good. Wings were good. But, nothing super special. Pork tenderloin was good. Tots were super crunchy. Chicken and waffles probably wasn't bad, but were used to what The Chicken offers, and this didn't even compete. Pizza was average at best. Beverage prices decent. If this place was close to where I live, I'd frequent it. But I don't live close so likely won't return just for this. But, glad I tried it. Not bad, but not the best. read more

See all

we wentvon a Wednesday at lunch. Potter was our server. I had the pimento chicken sandwich and it was so good. lots of cheese spread on it. the jalapeno corn was very good. my mom doesn't like any spice. she got the monte Cristo, but comes with a spicy jam. Potter figured out a wirk around for a substitution. she enjoyed the sandwich. good service and good food. i can't wait yo go back. it's nicely decorated for the holidays now. lots of pink in their decor. loved it. read more

See all

Love the rooftop! $1.00 bowl of spicy pretzels...totally worth the money. Came on a Monday. Half price pizza, dollar off mules. Minus 1 star just because the South of the Border pizza had way too much sauce, BUT it was really good. So all in all, two thumbs up! Yes, would recommend. read more

The Dam Pub - South of the Border pizza - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My go to place for a delicious juicy burger & waffle fries! I love the staff here. Always super friendly & for the most part, fast & efficient! We love the drink options, the atmosphere & food. Quiet clean neighborhood, dog friendly. Lots of patio options to choose from! Definitely make a point to come here. Street parking read more

See all

Great food, Great prices, tasty drinks, and kick ass service! Definitely a great place for drinks and dinner. read more

See all

We went to the Dam Pub to celebrate Mother's Day and get some brunch items. We were greeted and the gave the moms roses. Nice touch! Today the server was super friendly and very attentive. We ordered some bloody Mary's and the spicy is spicy and delicious. I am providing pictures of all the food. I personal ordered the chicken and waffles and honestly some of the best I have ever had. The waffles were sweet and stayed crispy! The chicken was tender and juicy! Perfect combo and I'm glad I tried it here! The place has such a cool vibe and we usually come when it's warm out so we can enjoy one of the 2 patios or even the groovy rooftop bar! I Love that. I can also say the nachos here are really good! We have never just come to hang at the bar but it's always busy and looks fun! I'd say this place is a great combination of dive a classy. Weird in a good way! The staff has always been friendly and fun! Come check out the 80's themed bar! Cheers! read more

See all

Been here 4x have good fried foods, sandwiches, and burgers. The potato croquets are pretty good as well!

Unsuspecting for how great the food and drinks are! We hung out at the bar with potter who was awesome, great service. Did hot coffee, breakfast and sangria -- such a big menu they definitely have something for everyone! They even have deals for the day of the week and it's such a cute cheeky bar, makes me feel like I'm in Denver. I cleaned my plate and wait to try more food and drinks! read more

The Dam Pub - Seating areas inside, patio, and rooftop - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Cool vibes, good food, good service . A neat little local dive for some creative cocktails. get the nachos

We went here to celebrate. Met up with a group in the back. Street parking or park across the street in the Ace Hardware parking lot after a certain time. As you walk in the main entrance it feels like the place is small. As you work into the room the bar is on your left and tables line your right. As you near the back it breaks off into another room. We started at the back booth like table. After a bit we grew to enough people we moved into the expansion room which felt much more open. We got in a huge booth and were comfortable and chatted for a long time. The staff were great. We had help and they brought us multiple drinks. Some of the table ordered a little food but I didn't get to try it. When we moved tables, someone at our table accidentally dropped a glass and they were quick to get in and get it cleaned up. I think at some point I had been here before with live music. Tonight it was just music from the jukebox. The service was really really the main reason for my review. They were all over our table helping out and getting drinks, making the the evening very enjoyable. read more

Staff was very friendly and helpful. Food was good but nothing outstanding. I had fish and chips. Happy with it but I wouldn't go out of my way to just to eat there for the food read more

The weather was perfect and we got to eat outside. I got the Mac and cheese with panko. The cheese wasn't so melted and the panko sat on top. The taste never blended. It was like eating elbow macaroni with cheese and bread crumb. I'd suggest getting something different My daughter enjoyed her pizza and I tried it. For thin crust it was quite good. So because of the nice atmosphere and the extra slice of pizza I'd bump the score up to 3 read more

The Dam Pub - Outside look - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great Rooftop seating. My salad was fresh and crisp. Chicken was hot, juicy, and tender. Others in the group enjoyed the burgers and sandwiches. And Grainbelt tall boys!! Tom D. read more

I absolutely love this place & will continue going back as there are SO many things I still need to try. The atmosphere is so hip, fun & upbeat. They have indoor & outdoor seating which is perfect for nice days! Seasonal drinks keep things interesting & always something new to look forward to. I've never gotten bad food & service is great. read more

The Dam Pub - Lunch All Day - Brunch Till 2 - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

I usually have my two youngest kids in the afternoon on Christmas day. My normal Christmas day routine for the past several years has been to take my older disabled neighbor to a Chinese buffet. I'm grateful his family has come around this year and he is spending his lunch with his youngest daughter and her family. This left me dining solo. I remembered The Dam Pub and The Angry Goldfish (same owners) were open today from 1100 AM until midnight tonight. The Dam Pub is located in a strip right across the street from the Ace Hardware in Beaverdale. There are a couple parking spots up front, but plenty of parking nearby. I was greeted right away by the bartender when I walked in and he told me to take a seat anywhere I liked. I chose a booth near the back of the pub/restaurant where my server also greeted me shortly after I sat down. I ordered a coke, a bloody mary, breaded portabello strips, and the steakhouse burger (pepper jack cheese instead of blue cheese) with a side of potato salad. My total was $33.75 before tip. I love blue cheese, but for some reason not on a burger or a steak... I've been to The Angry Goldfish a couple times but this was my first visit to The Dam Pub, and the first time I've tried a burger. The food was wonderful. The portabello strips came with a garlic parmesan sauce that complimented the earthy flavor of the mushroom. Crunchy breading. Cooked perfectly. These seemed a little pricy at first, but after trying them... It was money well spent. The steakhouse burger was cooked done, but it was juicy and flavorful. The bacon was crispy. The two patties were smash burger style off a grill and I'm almost sure butter was liberally used in the cooking process. I could be wrong... Even with the steak sauce the quality of the meat really came through. It tasted great. I'm picky with my potato salad. Quite often I just don't mention it in a review for unsaid reasons when I order it. I come from German ancestry and the version of potato salad I grew up with isn't fancy...and it's heavy on the mustard. "Gourmet" potato salad isn't my style. I could see skins when it arrived with the burger. I thought... "Ugh. Here we go." I was pleasantly surprised. Even with the skins there was nothing here to complain about. If you don't like mustard this won't be your thing. I'm not a blood mary expert. It was spicy. Included olives and a dill pickle spear... It was good. In small talk my server said that everyone working today had volunteered for the shift and she was able to spend some time with her family this morning. She was fantastic. Quick with refills on my coke and checking on me now and then before and after my food arrived. The bartender also checked on me while he was was making a run to the back. Good food. Great service. If you have to spend part of your Christmas day alone this is a great spot to do it. All staff was masked up. Seating is at the bar and at a combination of table and chairs and booths. The booths are separated with plexiglass dividers. 2020 has kind of sucked. I lost my job and I'm still looking. Fortunately I'll be okay for another few months if it takes that long to find something in my line of work at the income level I need. Many people, and small businesses, are in the same boat but are not as fortunate and are facing catastrophic circumstances. Make sure you take care of your service staff today if you venture out. Merry Christmas to you and yours. read more

See all

LOVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEE THE SERVERS HERE. They're all so divalious and beautiful but there's one male waiter I specifically love. He's average height, young, brown fluffy hair, and very charming. He's probably no older than 20 but he has the manners of a gentleman. He was an amazing server and was very attentive to my party. I definitely will be coming back soon because of his great service! Hopefully we get him again. TBH I think about him whenever I have gone to other restaurants and wish the servers were as good as him. I love him tbh!!! I hope he gets a raise like actually, he's the sweetest and so charming, I truly wish him the best and love this cutie bar!!!! The food was delish btw and the trendy toast was amazing. read more

The bartender tonight was friendly and engaging without hovering. Monday night is half off pizza night so we got picked tow. Yum!! The Thai pizza was great! Only improvement would be to have the nuts chopped like you get with pad Thai. The south of the border had this amazing avocado sauce. Looking forward to coming back. read more

See all

The patio is a perfect place to spend your Friday evening. The appetizers are so delicious and have a unique take on your typical bar appetizer menu. We have the pickle chips and they were phenomenal! The servers are so nice and helpful when you are having trouble deciding by what you want. The pizzas are okay, I probably wouldn't order it again but I do want to return and try the other entrees that they offer. read more

First time to visit. Ordered a mash potato mix up with chicken corn gravy and cheese. Basically a big pile of grease and salt. Yuck. Friend ordered hamburger with mushrooms. Looked very minimal and the bottom common denominator of burgers. Service was good. Won't go back. read more

Came by on a Friday night, has great atmosphere and music playing. It is a little loud if you like a quiet place. We tried the goat cheese pizza, bacon burger with tater tots, and the dam chicken with waffle fries. All were fabulous the bartender served our table and he was great, we also had a lot of workers check on us. Everyone had a great attitude and very friendly. Definitely be back! read more

See all

First visit tonight. Fun atmosphere. The neon lights are a treat, reminiscent of Miami Vice. The stencil and murals on the wall are entertaining. Great quotes from nostalgic movies that fed our conversation. The service was great. I appreciate truthful input from servers. And the food was delicious. Well prepared with generous portions. I had the chicken and waffles. Perfect. With Asiago Mac and cheese. Amazing! They have a diverse drink menu and desserts for every sweet tooth. Definitely check out The Dam Pub next time you want something local and delicious. read more

The Dam Pub - Chicken and waffles. - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Amazing staff!!! The food was good and I love sitting outside. Seriously, the servers were the BEST: attentive, but not overbearing and they know the menu/food. They made substitutions for me with a smile and kindness. And the prices were very reasonable, which is hard to find these days. read more

Great food! Best steak burger I ever had! The spicy cheese curds were so good!! Great atmosphere and staff!! read more

See all

My boyfriend and I come here every week or every other week!!! The food, people, music, and atmosphere are some of the best in the Des Moines metro! We have tried almost everything on the menu and not a single thing is bad. Our favorite appetizer we would recommend are the mushrooms! They are perfectly hot and juicy when you bite into them. If you aren't the mushroom type, the cheese balls are also amazing ( a little kick). Outside or inside you are guaranteed to be taken care of as a paying customer! And if you need anything the waitresses and waiters are always there checking in on you. We bought shirts to support of course, and will frequently be here through out the foreseeable future! read more

The Dam Pub - the mushrooms!!! - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great deals are found at The Dam Pub! Tuesdays are for HALF OFF full plates of nachos and $4 drinks with Tito's! I personally indulged in a plate of their nachos that are made with their homemade tortilla chips, delicious queso, your choice of chicken or steak, and other nacho toppings. Would I recommend? Absolutely! The Dam Pub is a chill environment with seating indoors and on their rooftop when it's nice out. This spot is tucked in the heart of Beaverdale. read more

The Dam Pub - Nachos - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Loved the food sooo yummy! And the drink were great. The service was great also server came and checked on us just enough. read more

See all

I cannot recommend this place enough. We celebrated 2 birthdays here with a group of friends, 7 people in total, including a toddler. We were able to make a reservation, which I did not expect at all, but was so nice! They put us in the game room, so we could chat and be comfortable. The menu is pretty broad, and the food was delicious! The staff is accommodating and friendly, and very knowledgeable. The decor is fantastic, and I loved the nostalgia. read more

The Dam Pub - Example of the decor - Pubs Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Staff were friendly, however if my burger ever saw anything "Fresh, Locally Sourced" as they claim, it must have been in a different lifetime... Meat was gray, dry, and tough. At least it was hot, must have just come out of the microwave... read more

Went there on Saturday and had to deal with a drunk bartender. I didn't catch his name. I decided to go there again tonight and waited for the lady to address me after waiting for several minutes. She was preoccupied on her phone. Although the service was a bit better, she was very short with me. I guess they aren't friendly to outsiders. I live nearby and was looking for a regular joint. Guess I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

Great atmosphere, drinks, and food! Would highly recommend this place, and the Dam Nachos.

Well I actually loved there cheese sticks and they just changed them to cheese curds and they are just not as good at all. We decided to eat in for the first time and it is really a bar vs a restaurant. The music is good but very loud. The theme of the bar is super cute and it is fun to watch the old MTV music videos too read more

I don't know what happened to this place, but it's not the same. We gave the rooftop a try, and it was fine. The service was okay. There is a limited on tap drink menu but full, regular food menu. I had the Thai pizza--it was soggy and just not good. The S/O had the chicken and goat pizza, it was better, but the onions were raw and not pickled as the menu promised. I don't think we will be back. read more

See all

Let me start by saying that it's very very rare for me to write any sort of negative review- especially during covid when new businesses are struggling. However, the experience here was so poor that it feels necessary. First, we walked in and not one single staff member was wearing a mask. Second, we went to the patio where there were few people and the waitress was not even attempting to distance. We ordered food and the forecast quickly changed to thunder storms so we immediately requested we get our food to go since we walked a mile there. We expressed this to our waitress. 45 minutes later, we finally got our food. Mind you, our food was biscuits/gravy and eggs and toast. The staff was completely dismissive of why it was taking close to an hour to get food that takes 5 minutes to cook. Other patrons that arrived significantly later than us had their food- tenderloins and burgers. The food was subpar at best but the service makes us not want to go there again, which is disappointing since it seems like a fun atmosphere. read more

Visited Des Moines from out of town and decided to stop by this place. I will definitely be back. Food was good, staff were friendly, prices are decent. Environment was good. Definitely my new go to night spot when I visit Des Moines. read more

Cannot recommend enough!!! Such a cool vibe and our waiter was great. Drinks were well made and the food was delicious! We ordered the goat cheese pizza, best dam chicken sandwich, and classic burger. It was all fantastic. Definitely looking to go back. read more