Had an opportunity to venture in on a Sunday (No Food Service) to review the minimalist bar food…read moremenu should I return since I do not partake in libations. The food choices were very limited $$, but there was an array of beers, wines, cocktails, and an assortment of other mixed libations. The decor is like a bar dive if liquor is your main thing. As a non drinker -- nothing stiffer than a Dr. Pepper-- this would not be my vibe, but may be yours if all you want is a solid selection of creative and mainstay libations from a very friendly bartender whose primary purpose was to please all who entered -- this tipsy topsy environment ( Like TV Cheers) -- then this may be the place for you.

There is nothing worse than sitting at a bar, during happy hour and having the bartender working…read moredirectly in front of you and not speaking, not making eye contact and completely ignoring you. He was short in his response when I asked about food and basically told me no, and I was angry when another group was served food. The space is cool and has an awesome atmosphere but dang, first impressions matter. There was 3 of us and the one who recommended it said that service can be questionable at times. Tonight was one of those times. Bummer. And it's loud so be ready to shout a bit.

Great place for a beer and to watch the game. Locals kinda place with a decent beer selection and…read morea comfortable feel to the place.

It's a dive bar, a friendly dive bar. I had heard their specialty was drinks made from fresh…read moresqueezed oranges and grapefruit, which was true. It's sort of an odd location, feels like it's in the parking lot of Fareway. There's a decent sized amount of outdoor seating, but it was too late in the year for that to be open.

Stopped by the Work in Progress Bar last night for a VERY late lunch/early dinner... Work in…read moreProgress is located in the basement of the Val Air Ballroom. Work in Progress has two entrances (door 8 and door 9). They can be a little challenging to spot... Door 8 is handicapped accessible and winds you down a ramp past the kitchen and the bathrooms into the bar. Door 9 is a short flight of stairs. Being in Val Air there's a large lot with plenty of parking. Jake (the afternoon/evening bartender) and Kelso (the lunch/day bartender) greeted me as I walked in. Seating is a combination of standard bar seating, some high top tables and chairs, and a few low top wooden spools and chairs... I'd browsed the menu online and decided to stick with what I know and ordered the tenderloin. Their Heavy Liftin (sandwich) menu comes with a choice of fries or a salad with blue cheese dressing. Jake doubled up as both my server and bartender. Then they introduced me to their $3 mystery beer machine (pick a letter for a random beer) and their shot wheel... Both are perfect for when you can't decide what you want... The mystery beer machine was a new concept for me and the letter R rewarded me with a Montucky Cold Snack Lager (the unofficial beer of Montana). It was pretty good... In fact I had two... Lol The tenderloins are hand cut and hand breaded so your mileage may vary. Today mine was pretty thin... It was cooked well and tasted good. They drag it through the garden so if you don't like lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup, and mustard...speak up. I forgot to. The side salad was kind of epic...at least for a side salad. It's huge! $22 total before tip for the tenderloin, salad, and two beers. The vibe here is really cool. Very relaxed. A framed picture of the Home Improvement cast behind the bar... A few misc. construction themed signs. King of the Hill playing on at least two of the TVs. A pool table. A claw machine. Definitely a great place to stop in after work, wind down, grab a couple of beers, and a bite to eat...! A big metal air duct runs the full length above the top of the bar... Stickers and magnet donations are encouraged! Stick 'em up there if you got 'em! And I almost forgot to mention... There's a planned watch party for the new upcoming King of the Hill season...! Lol A big shout out to Jake, Kelso, and Javi (one of the on staff cooks for both WIP and Tom Archer's Poor Man's Country Club) for some fun conversation and making me feel welcome! Good food and a great staff! Someplace new to check out if you haven't already! https://www.wips.biz/

The atmosphere is like a grunge bar. The pool tables and spools for tables were good and the…read morebartenders looked like construction workers. It had concrete floors and a vending machine that dispenses $3 mystery beers. I got an icehouse and I didn't even know they still made them... We didn't eat so I can't speak to the menu however there are several items I would like to try.... Local is where it is at!

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."

The server was friendly. The signage to find it was poor. The space inside is claustrophobic. Many…read moreof the drinks have flowers or vegetables instead of fruit. I got the Lambrusco which I didn't realize was a sparkling wine from a can. I made myself drink a few sips so I didn't feel like I was just lighting my money on fire. My friend ordered and expresso cocktail which we both tried and also had a disgusting face reaction to. I don't know how this place has such great reviews. Their menu is misleading and tells you it's like cherry popsicles instead of sparkling wine from a can.

We loved everything we tried! The meatloaf and the Mac and cheese were great! The Brussels sprouts…read morereally stole the show though! So good and crispy! Great service and loved the back patio!

It's lunch and now you find yourself driving toward that icon spot of Cooper's on 5th in Valley…read moreJunction to savor that delicious Cajun Meatloaf Meltdown Sandwich- Simply Delicious. My only issue is food temperature---while served eye appealing it was just warm -- work on food temperature control -- the sweet potato fries were awesome and the egg rolls with barbecue sauce and sausage were solid. Jeffrey -- my wait staffer-- bar mixologist-- made me a Lavender Lemonade Mocktail and it was every bit as good as a "Mr Pibbs." The soft music cascading in the background provided the serene feeling to allow me to play message catch up by iPhone and a tab, or utilize the quiet spot to socialize with great company. This space gives you a choice for fun socialization.

I was here for a work group dinner and we had the upstairs area to ourselves. Great service and…read morevery cute atmosphere. Our buffet was good, although not GF or Vegetarian-friendly. This could very well be our organizer's fault, not theirs. Wonderful salad, though. They had the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. dished separately. The drinks were great. We loved the Vodka Sodas - with chosen flavors, such as blueberry, Strawberry Basil, Raspberry Hibiscus, etc. There are restrooms upstairs as well.

Stopped while out riding bikes at the nearby park. It was lunch on a Friday. The service was great…read more The waitress was very friendly and helpful. Friend's chicken salad had kind of an odd texture because it appeared to be finely ground rather than shredded. It said it was basil chicken salad, but the basil was only there as a little hint. The bread was tasty as was the side salad with fresh ranch dressing. I had the lunch special - - two items for $12 or three items for $15. I had their tasty fries with a half turkey and Swiss. The turkey was meh. Kind of like reheated. I had requested a different bread than offered, and the waitress was unable to put it in the iPad. However, she did remember and it came out with my preferred bread choice. That's great service! We sat outside & it was a great day! We'll be back with our hubbies!

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!!

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.