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.

I ordered the New York steak and peppers sandwich with coleslaw. It had lots of peppers which was…read morenice. Had great service from the staff. The inside looked pretty classy for a bar and grill. Not super ideal for large group because seating is mostly high tops. They do have smaller booths so I feel like this is a good date night location.

Yay!!! Portermill now opens at 4am. This is a win-win!…read more They had ample customers at 4:30am for the early departure flights (5:00-6:00), which had always been a gloomy part of leaving the DSM airport...you got there, got through security, and your food/drink options were largely limited to convenience store offerings. Now, you can sit down in a bright spot, and have food hot food, and easily get to your flight. For the restaurant, they are making income in the early rush - it was always a surprise they didn't open before about 5:20am if you were lucky, and that depended on the morning team. THANK YOU Portermill!! The food was hot and good (as always), as was the staff! (Note: they don't sell alcohol until 6, so no Bloody Mary, which made a few customers sad...but that is an Airport or locality rule and not the restaurants).

Stopped in for a bite before a flight. Busy place with a lot of tv's, great vibe there. The service…read moreis very fast and friendly. Food was great.

I really don't want to review this place because, if people realize how cool it is, it will be…read moreimpossible to get a table. Awesome, small speakeasy with a macabre vibe. This is where Edgar Allen Poe would hung out. If you're a cocktail enthusiast, they have some great options and offer an authentic absinthe fountain. If you're a mocktail drinker, they have a variety of NA options to make drinks with that aren't just overly sweet, fruity drinks. Old horror movies on the projector with popcorn adds to the vibe, if you're looking for something off the beaten path. Great addition to the DSM speakeasy scene!

From the owner: Amidst the strains of haunting melodies and the whisper of hidden corridors, The Haunt offers a…read morerefined sanctuary for those who seek to commune with the enigmatic, where every sip is an invocation of the sublime and the supernatural.

Fun dive bar. That is a compliment. Took the kids and they had room to run around and a few games…read more Can't beat the prices.

After leaving the flea market at the Iowa State fairgrounds my daughter and I ended up at Jack's…read morePlace today for lunch. Jack's opened up on the Southside last November and has been getting some traction for their burgers and tenderloin. The menu is simple enough at just one page... Dimly lit like many neighborhood bar and grills. The decor has a rustic feel. Lots of wood, metal, and "leather." It's seat yourself. Seating is a bar and barstools. There's at least one high top and multiple low top tables and chairs. They have a small parking lot in front of the restaurant right off of SW 9th and there appears to be an adjacent parking lot that can be used too. We were greeted right away when we walked in and the bartender/our server told us to take a seat anywhere we wanted to. Our drink orders were taken a minute or two later. I can't remember if we were given menus or if they were at the table with the condiment caddy and extra napkins. When asked I ordered the tenderloin (just onions and pickles...mustard was at the table) and fries. My daughter wasn't very hungry and she just ordered the pretzel bites. Those two items and two fountain drinks were $29 and change before tip. They accept cash and cards. The bill is presented to you at the table and the payment is picked up from the table as well. There's a small surcharge for using a card to cover the service fees. I was able to steal a couple of pretzel bites from my daughter. Both of us really liked these. The cheese sauce that came with the pretzel bites is a beer sauce, but one that isn't overwhelmingly flavored like beer. It's subtle and VERY good. Served hot and fresh! Same with the tenderloin and fries! Hot and fresh and both, without a doubt, right out of the fryer... The tenderloin is obviously hand cut and breaded. It's a thicker tenderloin...and I like that. I'm not a thin hubcap guy where the bun is almost an afterthought and is basically a waste of real estate on the plate. I want to taste the pork along with the breading and the condiments. This tenderloin checked the boxes for me. I'd order the tenderloin here again in a heartbeat! One memorable thing about this visit was a conversation with a Vietnam era veteran who was sitting at the bar waiting for a to go order. The cook had called out to ask if I wanted mayo on the tenderloin. I'd laughed and asked... "What kind of an animal puts mayo on a tenderloin?" So no. He and I had something in common besides service. The holy trinity...pickles, onion, and mustard only. And I'm just TEASING! You do you! My girlfriend eats mayo on her tenderloins too and we've been together for over a decade. And I rib her every time. It's not my fault some people weren't raised right... Lol I was a Nick's guy. Is this a Nick's replacement? No. BUT it's a great tenderloin and not far off Nick's as far as thickness and tenderness of the pork. I'm still looking. To say our server Raina (I might not have spelled this correctly) was personable and friendly is an understatement... She's one of those national treasures. Someone who can make almost anyone smile and not only do you walk away with a good experience you feel like you have a new friend. If the food had sucked I'd still recommend Jack's on her service alone. Raina shared with us that there is no Jack. That the restaurant's name comes from their signature sauce. Can't use the whole name of one of the sauce's base ingredients... Trademark and all. Lol I wish I could remember the cook's name... She popped out of the kitchen a couple of times and Raina said that she is the one that makes the magic happen. And from the taste of the food she might not have been joking... They offer daily food and drink specials and it looks like items often pop up that aren't regular menu items... So watch their Facebook page too. Once again... A neighborhood bar and grill for the win. Great people and food! Jack's has several TVs available to watch the games on. Raina was wearing a Hawkeyes shirt and there's a Hawkeyes sign behind the bar... Being an Iowa State fan I kind of avoided talking about football. Anyone else notice who the Cy-Hawk trophy went home with yesterday? Go State! https://www.facebook.com/JacksPlacedsm

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.

It's a nice kool spot to hang with family and friends. Tuesday they have a whole meal and a pint of…read morebeer

My friends and I had an amazing time at Marjorie Bar! The drink menu offers a fantastic selection,…read morewith something for everyone, and everything we ordered was excellent. We spent the evening out on the patio, which had such a fun and relaxing atmosphere--it was the perfect place to catch up with friends. Even though the bar was busy, the staff provided outstanding service. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and attentive, and we were impressed by how quickly our drinks arrived. You could tell the team genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. Between the incredible drinks, the inviting atmosphere, and the exceptional service, Marjorie Bar is definitely a place we'll be returning to. I highly recommend stopping by if you're looking for a great spot to enjoy drinks with friends!

Great visit! Loved the decor. Bartenders were super friendly. Drinks were great! A must stop when…read moreyou are in Downtown Des Moines!

Tiki bar that transforms you to the beachy vibes. Very cute interior with great service and drinksread more

This tiny house is giving Des Monies the vibes it's missing…read more.. On a short layover in Iowa, I was looking for good drinks and food without a lot of waiting or being overcrowded. What I found was a little gem off of one of the main roads in downtown Des Monies. Even before you enter this self described "Tiki Bar" you see all the brick buildings, and then you see an actual grass covered roof...yep that's the place and a really nice touch. The interior is equally cool and spacious, you are greeted by the bar area immediately when you walk in. To your right are comfy couches and instagram friendly neon wall signs, with that signature tiki touch of floral patterns and great lighting. The location is connected to a Asian food restaurant, so they get their food from them as you drink some of the most well crafted adult drinks I've had in a while. I came for happy hour on a Saturday 4:00pm-6:30pm. The drinks were basically 2.00 off with discounted food, the menu is limited to mostly chicken wraps and crab rangoons etc. I will say the portions were filling and very delicious. The star of the show was my El Colmillo, a tequila based drink with lime, orange juice, lime. The bartender did say it's all pre mixed, and that day she subbed the tequila with Casamigos, because the house tequila was out. Customer service was great, until it wasn't. Our server was excellent, until a guy came in off break and they seemed to have some tension. She really didn't have that same positive energy as before, otherwise an overall excellent experience. Pro Tip: Take a walk over to "Hello, Marjorie", it's a completely different vibe but drinks there are just as good...if not better. Go see Travis, he is 10/10 at "Hello, Marjorie".

The food and service were great! Had the chips and guacamole, steak tacos with beans / rice, and…read moretheir mild and spicy salsas (the spicy sala is the best). The steak taco meat was tender, flavorful, and not fatty. Beat our expectations. We highly recommend!

Great margaritas, lots of flavor combo options. Typical Mexican food spot. Service was great and…read morethey gave us a lot of salsa

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.

Great vibe. Perfect place to get drinks with friends or for a date night. Huge cocktail menu and…read moreall great drinks ranging from your classics to super unique flavor combos.

Stopped in on a hot Sunday for a frozen drink. I saw they have a patio online; however, with the…read moreheat of the day, I ended up taking a seat inside. The server was efficient and quickly served me a mug of water. I started with the flamingo, which is a frozen daiquiri. I loved the glass straw and my drink stayed frozen to the last sip. Then I switched it up and got a mocktail. The Karate kid was carrot forward with a hint of ginger and spice. It was all around refreshing. I couldn't leave without taking a picture of the art above the table where I sat. I especially liked, "Be a Good Loser."