While on business in the area, my travelling companion and I went for a beer and a burger at…read moreBoulder Tap House. This is a nice place with a good vibe. We each selected a beer and ordered the Western Burger, which is a six-ounce patty. He added fries and I had some good slaw. We agreed, the burgers were OK, not great. To start with they use beef that is too lean. The burgers were on the dry side. The main issue is that they are not seasoned and have no grill crust. You know they are beef because you can see it and the texture says beef, but beyond that they really have no flavor. This was a "just OK" experience for both of us. We will have to keep looking for a great burger in Ames. These were not remarkable.

This place is casual and lively. When we walked in, I can smell the greasy air in the whole…read morerestaurant. We came for dinner with a group of coworkers and half of us didn't like the food. The servers got our orders wrong (we ordered bone in wings and they gave us boneless) and she took it back and have us waited for another 10 mins. My potato soup was horrible, looks like from bottom of the pot that we so thick that I could used a folk to scoop and tasted nothing like potato. The Caesar salad dressing was sour. The cheese curd was good but can't have more than 2. Overall, didn't like the food and experience.

Just came to town and was the best atmosphere ever. Such a fun place to hangout, everyone was so…read morefriendly especially the bartender Stormi!!

I loved being able to go here to unwind after a long week as it is not too far from my home. I have…read morealways enjoyed the down to earth atmosphere until recently when I stated my opinion about something and bc a few people disagreed with me I was told I was unwelcome. I was in utter disbelief! I guess the "mentality" (using that term loosely) there is that you are not allowed to speak or have your own thoughts or beliefs. So unless you like being discriminated against I highly recommend you go somewhere else. In the meantime I am going to suggest to management that they post a sign on the door that says, "If you have a brain and use it in this establishment you will be asked to leave."

East Side Eddie's seems to have been here a bit. On a Thursday evening in early January the dark…read moreparking lot was a little off putting. A couple cars outside was deceiving. There was a big group already in there. A few tables pulled together and they must have been at the lull of the rush because every table had proof that someone had just eaten. The walls are scattered with regular bar decorations. Included decorations that seemed to possibly been Eddie's. Stepped up to the bar as the one worker was handeling everything Mindy was quick to welcome us and get us drinks and menus. Hubby asked her to surprise him with a drink and she played along. She let us know the specials and what was available for happy hour prices. She said fried pickle SPEARS and my mouth instantly started to water. I love spears. They came with house made buttermilk ranch. If you don't burn your mouth on the first bite of spears you're doing it wrong. We didn't have to wait long for our meals. I got the Eastsider burger. There was a lot going on with this burger. Bourbon glaze, fried onions and fried jalapeños. It was good. Hubby got the KC hoagie. He was going to get fries but Mindy shook her head at him and told him tots. She told us something wth their frier cos the tots perfect. Hubby did not argue. He does love tots. Both meals were good. We enjoyed sitting at the bar and chatting it up with Mindy. She told us about their new breakfast menu and now I want to go try that too. Glad we stopped. Don't let the parking lot fool ya. The chef is fantastic and worth the try.

Eastside eddies, where you can go to a racist atmosphere. Where the customers use the N-word freely…read moreas the staff laugh along and condone it! I will never ever order anything from there again or have a drink there. Now I know why I was so uncomfortable when I walk in and it would get so quiet. Proven fact that the customers drop the n-word frequently, which the staff laugh along with them joyfully and condone their comments attitude and atmosphere. How fitting for a Des Moines neighborhood bar.

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".

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.

Excellent happy hour charcuterie board and bourbon bacon. Pork sandwich is a must try.read more

Stopped in for a cocktail and found a lovely bar with tons of seating. The bartender was so kind. I…read moreordered the Southern Living, which is a very sweet cocktail as described by the menu with peach puree and simple syrup and a lemonade popsicle. Even still, I was not prepared for the first sip! It was way sweeter than the cocktails I generally enjoy, but no complaints from me. It was perfectly executed. The bartender asked me what I thought and when I said it was sweet, she insisted that she could make me another cocktail that I'd enjoy better. I appreciate the thought, though committed to the drink. She did add some club soda when I drank it down a bit which helped! Very kind of her.

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.

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!!

Everyone needs a bar within walking distance of their home to finish off the night and just let…read moreloose -- this is that bar. Beer is cold and cheap - just the way I like it!! Great pool players here who are very serious about the game if that's your thing, also they have a collection of board games for some Sunday Funday shenanigans. Also free popcorn, as any good dive bar should offer!

LADIES BEWARE! The last thing I remember at this bar is the male bartender and 2 guys pushing shots…read moreof Crown Royal on me. I was tipsy when I walked in. I only remember 3 or 4 shots. I'm a pretty heavy drinker. A few shots in a row wouldn't put me in the state I was in by the time I left. I was falling in and out of consciousness, vomiting, barely breathing, couldn't even sit up and according to witnesses there were three men trying to get me to go home with them. I don't want to accuse the bartender or either of the men of drugging me, but witnesses say that's looked like what happened. No bartender I've ever met would push drinks on a patron like that, nonetheless a female while 3 men were all over her. It's clear he gave no shit about what happened to me, and I'm pretty sure he was helping those patrons try to date rape me. Where I'm from, bartenders will take your keys if you get that drunk and wouldn't let some drunk girl leave with 3 men she didn't know. He let me leave and get in my car. I could have killed someone. Another man joined in somewhere after I blacked out and lost most of my memory. He tried to put me in his car and drive away. Him and another man went to jail that night for fighting with emergency personnel trying to take me. A guardian angel was with me that night and a bystander stepped in and wouldn't let any of those men near me. This happened Friday night around 11pm. The bartender had longer hair and a beard, I think. I hope the owner checks the cameras. I'd really like to know what happened and what that bartender was thinking. If I don't hear back, I'll be sharing my thoughts with the liquor control commission.