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!!

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.

Fabulous. Love the…read morefood menu & drinks. Love the staff. Love the patio great prices & service. Props to Rusty.

Very queer friendly, great people, food, and performances and positive atmosphere. I Appreciate the…read moreowner very much

I was in town for vacation and came across this bar online and was not disspaointed--it was a…read moreThursday night which meant all games were $.10 which was awesome and they have tons of old school classic games like Paper Boy, NBA Jam, Tetris etc. Also a nice selection of drinks available which I liked. I could have easily stayed there all night and just played pinball because they had a nice variety and I always love playing pinball games! The best part was they had a Super Nintendo setup so you could play Mario Kart for free which was amazing-this is a must visit if you are in Des Moines!

Fun spot for grabbing drinks and having an activity with all the game options. The security…read morechecking IDs were super funny and welcoming. They did have pizza there which I did not try, but thought it was nice they did offer a food option. The games take quarter tokens and they have a machine to convert dollars into the tokens. Unfortunately, a lot of the games were broken. This is also a very gaming style heavy arcade. The only games they have that are not arcade style games is skee ball and basketball (which was broken). Overall a fun spot in DSM for a date night or hanging out with friends!

A trip to Des Moines always includes a night here. This LGBTQI+ space has a nice staff and the…read moreneighborhood bar energy, especially during the week, makes for a perfect place for catching up with friends. Drink prices are lower than I'm used to in other cities which is an added bonus.

The Blazing Saddle is about the only bar in town that might be packed on any given night.. I have…read morebeen here a handful of times and ever time is been super fun and inviting! Recently I went with some pals on a Sunday night and it was packed! But we found a high top table, got some cheap beers, and double sized mixed drinks! That's there specialty! If you are looking to drink cheap and get your money's worth this is a great spot! They do a have a small little cute alley fenced in patio outside. They are always playing good music. The staff is always super kind and quick with a joke! This bar is a great part of the LGBT community and hosts big time events during PRIDE every year! Everyone is welcome here and that's another things that so great about it.. The crowd is diverse.. Old and Young, all looking to have a fun drinks and fun! Love this spot!

Cute spot! LOVED the photobooth. Great service and fun drinks…read more Paloma - yum! Funky Flamingo - good but a little too funky for the large drink portion Banana daiquiri - holy moly delicious. Intense for a full drink.

This "tiki" bar is located downtown. There is metered street parking available to park. It is…read morereferred to a tiki bar because they serve tiki drinks. It does not look or feel like a tiki bar. It has a Miami bar kind of feel to it, with its bright lights. The bar is located in the center of the place and is in the shape of a square with seating on 3 of its 4 sides. They have a television and it was playing my favorite movie, the Last Dragon, while I was there. They have a decent selection of tropical tiki favorites including daiquiris and a full bar too. The bar tender was very nice, but he was kind of slow and not very attentive. After waiting about 10 minutes at a table I found him at the bar, placed my order and went back to my table where he brought me my drink that I ordered. I was chasing him down the entire night to get my drinks ordered. In learned that it was one of his first night alone, so I am sure that he will get better. I ordered a Pain Killer, a Funky Flamingo and a Pillow Talk. All the drinks were very good. They went down so smooth and were delicious. I will admit that the ice is a bit on the heavy side. Anyway, I believe this is the best option in the city for those searching for tiki drinks. I highly recommend checking this place out. Cheers.

We wandered in on a week night and had so much fun! I imagine given the gorgeous space, incredible…read moredrinks, attentive serve, and delicious bites, this place is packed on the weekends. Oh and BTW... The Contrary in Des Moines has also been recognized as a national semifinalist for Best New Bar ( 2026 ). The Food is elevated Bar Bites The Drinks are contemporary craft ( both cocktails and mocktails ) and the Vibe is New York Chic with Iowa Elbow Room.

The Contrary is one of those places that just gets it right…read more The atmosphere is intimate and stylish without feeling try-hard, and the menu is creative in a way that actually works. Every dish we tried was thoughtful, well-balanced, and full of flavor--you can tell there's real intention behind the food, not just trends for the sake of trends. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and timed perfectly. We never felt rushed, but everything flowed smoothly. It's a great spot for a date night or a low-key celebration where you want good conversation and even better food. If you're looking for something a little different but still comforting and elevated, The Contrary is absolutely worth the visit.

Another birthday stop!…read more We stopped here for drinks and a game of pool. The place is really cool with an old triple arch back bar with lots of history. Not to mention the vibe here is classy and clean. It gives me an old prohibition period bar feels. Craig the barkeep was very friendly and welcoming. He did a fantastic job telling g us the history of the place and his role there. He expertly provided drinks and made me a spot on old fashioned! The liquor selection is very extensive and great qualities of bourbon and whiskey. The place was immaculate and the glasses were all spot free. However, it was a Sunday afternoon so not a lot of business but I'd like to come back during a happy hour! We will definitely come back here and would recommend trying it out for yourselves! Tell Craig, Hi!

My favorite whiskey bar, then it wasn't, and now it is again. With new management, Craig has made…read moresweeping changes for the better. Besides the speakeasy vibe, old Charm, and great whiskey selection, you can now order tapas and listen to live music. A gem in the east village you don't want to pass up.

New speakeasy below hotel fort Des Moines. Went here on a Friday night around 9pm. You are led…read moredownstairs where the bar is. The decor was super nice and certainly have a speakeasy vibe. Most of the seating here seemed to be targeted towards large groups so there wasn't a ton of option for a party of 2. We did not have a reservation so there was only 1 high top area that was honestly super uncomfortable. I would recommend making a reservation if you want a chance to sit at one of the lower chair areas. The biggest issue was the service. It took over 20 minutes for anyone to come over and take our drink order. This is a newer spot so I'm hopeful things can improve. It was super loud and not the most inviting space. Some of the seating was a bit awkward with spacing. The drinks were small but I would expect that for a higher end cocktail. For DSM, I did think some of the drinks seemed a bit expensive. The drinks were okay but seemed pretty weak where they were super juice heavy. Overall I would probably not come back unless I had friends who haven't been and wanted to try it. Super bummed as I do think there is potential here but need to work through some of these issues.

This speakeasy bar is located inside the hotel fort in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. To get there,…read moreyou will enter the coffee bar, once you walk around the bar, you'll see a velvet rope. Somebody will ask you how many people in your party and then open the wall pantry. This will lead to the stair that goes downstairs to the basement. Bar lighting is dim, intimate feel. There's bar seating, high tops, tables that accommodate large parties and VIP room that has a curtain for privacy. We ordered cocktails that were unique crafted. Bathroom is available, hallway of pictures of people dressed in the 1920s all over the wall. We enjoyed this speakeasy bar and will definitely come back with more people.

Our first experience here was 2 years ago during the St. Pattys day crawl - we had the best…read moreespresso martinis we've ever had in our entire lives. This year, there was about 18 of us bar crawling and when we arrived we were told there were no espresso martinis. We then watched them restock and prep for more espresso martinis - we were not among the lucky few to receive them and it didn't matter how long we waited in line. It was truly frustrating and we would've waited a long period to receive those drinks. The entire purpose of our visit and the highlight of our evening would've been ending the night with espresso martinis. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Daylen was a joy. someone you want to walk in and have greet you. Smile, humor, and total…read morefriendliness amazing. I will definitely go back.

I'd heard so much raving about Wooly's, I was excited to see a show there. It was a serious…read moredisappointment. With all the great venues and shows that come through Des Moines I am not in a rush to return. The crowd was extremely rude, talking over the opener. She was a talented songwriter with a gorgeous voice, but it was hard to make out all of her lyrics due to the patrons shouting over her. The place is dirty and staff was less than pleasant. The restrooms cinched the deal for me. They are in a creepy basement and are filthy. I'll pass next time!

Wooly's is a rad music venue living in the East Village. It's a more intimate venue (just under 700…read morepeople fit) with limited seating (you can get a booth reserved for a fee), a plethora of bars and a diverse calendar of bands/shows. Reasons why Wooly's is rad. -The staff was friendly. -Air circulation -- they have massive fans which are a godsend. -Cool shows come here. -Pricing is on point-- honestly my bar tab was less than I thought! -Tons of food/drink options nearby to grab a bite before or after the show. -Not a bad seat in the house... unless you're stuck behind a giant. Reasons why you may not think Wooly's is rad. -Holy gross bathroom, Batman. -- I mean, this is par for the course. -No coat check? -- I went to a sold out show a random Friday in December and due to it being a sellout there was no coat check! Eek. -AXS App required. -- I'm all for putting tickets in my wallet. Having a separate app was another hoop to jump through but now that I have it, no complaints. Wooly's has been a DSM staple for over a decade. Peep their calendar and go to a show.