I attended a work event at the Nature Lodge today. The room we used was able to access a very large…read moregroup (over 50) comfortably. Large windows brought in plenty of natural light. There was a large rolling rack for coats by the door. The entrance was welcoming with large seasonal planter. Parking was convenient and seemed to manage our group. Forgot to take pictures but will add some next time I am there.

I attended my Nephew's wedding here last Saturday. The Decades building used to be Dahl's grocery…read morestore, and I personally found that this place was hard to find, even with directions. The most likely reason is that the Antique Mall (that shares a common wall with Decades) otherwise known as the Picker Knows has clearer signage. Besides wishing Nathan and Brooke well, my other important task was driving my 95 year-old Dad (aka, the Family Patriarch) here, as he had a key part in the ceremony. Oh yes, my brother Tom and his daughter Charlotte were in town from Taiwan. They were in the car as well. Decades is basically one large room, that included the bar, lots of table seating, an area for the band, and of course, a place for the ceremony. Our family was in the minority, as the Bride's Italian clan in attendance was huge. And they were certainly enjoying themselves. I don't think our side fit in more than 2 tables, of which we were content to enjoy our "Dinner and a Show". And I did get to chat with all of my Nephews and Nieces in the process. I've attended fancier wedding venues, but when you consider the bar, seating, quite good buffet food, professional staff, guests enjoying themselves, the ceremony and of course the glowing Bride and Groom (and their Parents), our evening had great synergy and enjoyment. The overall noise level had its moments, but it was a wedding celebration after all. It would have been fun to stay longer, but when my Dad started looking at his watch, it was time to take him home. And I should be as active when I reach his age. My only wish is that he lives long enough to enjoy at least one great grandchild. Hint - Hint Nathan!

This review is for a large wedding party. We flew in for our family member's wedding. The space is…read morelarge with a large bar on one side. The staff at the bar aren't the most professional but they are friendly. There was a rent-a-cop hanging out to make sure that there were no underage drinkers. The entrance was great for greeting guests, signing in and dropping gifts and cards. The dance floor is great. Very large in the center of the room. The decor is fairly rustic, but nice enough for a traditional wedding reception. This is not the place for clean modern and showy. I think the adjoining business is a flee market or antique shop. If that is okay it's you then this is a solid choice for event space. The reception was about 200 people with room to spare. They had a private bride room. I didn't tnotice many other amenities. Definitely a space worth a look if you're looking. Just remember that many things aren't noticed when the lights are low.

Pretty fun experience! We came in from Omaha to see the space and I was blown away with the size of…read moreit all. They offer a wide array of services thats honestly a little overwhelming. They have a outdoor space when AC and tvs for people to chill and hang with their dogs. Our dogs are not real active so I appreciate this spot. For more active dogs, they have a MONSTER of a back area for dogs to run and play and have the best time! Their restaurant was a little confusing at first and their food was pretty much just bar food that really didnt blow me away at all but you go more for the pups.

I absolutely loved it here! We were visiting from Kansas City where sadly our version of a place…read morelike this closed down. We didn't bring our dog on the drive but we wanted to check it out anyway. This place is better in every way. I love the amount of seating in the covered dog area, I loved the enclosed and monitor play space. I especially loved the 3 acre yard with all of the fun structures for dogs. The food and drinks were also great. They had a small dog area that sadly no one was using, but honestly that seems to always be the case. Please come to Kansas City!!

We were driving late and were looking for a hotel. We generally trust Marriott hotel but had never…read morestayed in an Element. We loved the location and the hotel. The breakfast was great with so many options. The yogurt bar was fantastic. The decor in the hotel was nice and trendy! The rooms felt like a little apartment and were very roomy. We would definitely stay there again when traveling on I80

The location was very convenient for us and we needed a place that we could bring our dog. This…read morehotel had good reviews and our room was $320 a night. For the price point, we were expecting something higher quality. We messaged beforehand to have a pack n play for our son and when we got to the room, there was black, fuzzy mold growing on multiple bars on the crib. The staff did not seem to think it was a big deal. Aside from that, the room was pretty beat up with scuffs all over and chips out of the cups. The walls were also paper thin. We definitely won't be staying here again and will look for a different Marriott property in the area.

Wow, fancy pants new events space just south of downtown! I…read morewas invited to the DSM MAGAZINE cover unveiling party, so I thought I would check it out! Little did I know there was going to be free food and drinks in a new fancy pants events space.. The River Center is set up perfect for an event like this! Lots of space upstairs and down stairs, and also fun outdoor space! The River Center had bar set up in all three locations as well, up/down, and outside! The staff was super nice and were super accommodating! I got to check out the upstairs bathroom cause naturally I brought my son ( bad idea?) and he had to go! Bathrooms were super nice, the food looks fab (again my son ate like 5 fancy cookies) and the space and sound system worked really well! If you were going to have a huge wedding, prom, or a big corporate event, this would be a great spot to do it.. It's fancy without being, to fancy. It got lots of parking around it, and it's close to other fun restaurants and bars, and the baseball stadium if you need to venture out and eat more food since you didn't get to eat 5 cookies like your kid.

One Great Location for any Gala Occasion, the Event Staff and Culinary Team can make your ideas of…read morethe perfect Swarah Happen. Chef Diego will make Magic happen with an appetizer spead, buffet style meal, or a full plated table service. Check out the Catering Guide online, Call the Event Directors, and get your Event Scheduled. This is an extremely unique Event Space that can handle small business Groups during the day and large Cascading Parties day or night...Dream it, Book it, then Enjoy it...

I visited the establishment on a night it was hosting a benefit for a local nonprofit. The space…read moreitself has tiered levels with a large flat portion at the bottom. Bathrooms were clean. Nothing was overly new or noteworthy, but it would make a adequate space to host an event.

From the owner: Events Center West is a 350 seat venue for weddings, receptions, corporate events and holiday…read moreparties. Feel free to work with any caterer you choose, we also have a list of local vendors who have worked with us in the past.

We had an amazing time relaxing & catching up with family. We drove up from Kansas & they drove…read moredown from Wisconsin. Must do again!!!

Stopped by for some wine and had a great time! Lots of selection and friendly staff. Sat on the…read morepatio and enjoyed the beautiful scenery!

Chose Lua Brewing for Dinner because it was close to Hoyt…read more We had a little bit of a wait. I started with a Climbing Kites Mixed Berry which tasted fine. The Smush Burger with American Cheese, fried onions, pickles, and Lua Sauce. I wasn't expecting it to be so incredibly delicious. I got the Lua Sauce on the side because I wanted to taste just the burger. This has to be one of the best burgers. How does this place not get recognized or have I just been sleeping because the burger is phenomenal. Juicy, great flavor, and the Lua Sauce is excellent as well. The fires were very good too. The Service was good. A minor annoyance is the 3% fee for CC. Paid cash and still got the 3% fee. Just figure it into the price of business if you're going to get charged for it either way. Just an annoyance. Will definitely return for the burger. Sorry haters I felt it was better than Lachelle's, better flavor. Just my opinion.

Just left here. Had high hopes as I had been wanting to try Lua for a while, so I thought, while…read morein Des Moines... It was hot out so we sat inside at the bar. It was a touch past lunchtime but the bar area was still busy, yet had seats open. We sat at the end and after some time was given some a water carafe and 2 small glasses (with no ice). She (never gave us her name) then came back for our drink order. And immediately asked for food, which we were not ready for. We gave her our drink order, after that we never seen her again. Sat there awhile. For so long we started looking at other restaurants around to eat. Then we she finally looked our way my husband made a motion to pay so we could just leave. Name on the receipt said AM B. Needless to say, we won't be back. Nor will we ever recommend it.