The classic hotel rooftop bar. Their menu is small, but the views and vibe are great. I've had almost everything on the menu and never had a bad meal. Republic is great for meeting friends, having an appetizer or eating a dinner when staying at the hotel. It's a fun place and would be good for a date as well. They have a full bar, TVs and a variety of seating options. Flatbread pizza and the Gnocchi are my favorites. The waitstaff is always friendly, but there is usually only the bartender and one other person. If you are in a hurry sit at the bar. read more

The Republic on Grand - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We went here for their Rudolph on the Rooftop holiday pop up. We loved the Christmas deco, and the vibe was merry. The food was good. I really enjoyed the pesto and tuna and charcuterie board. Our waitress checked in on us often. We would come back here. read more

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Chill sunny vibe. Attentive service and fabulous appetizers. We loved the wings along with the flatbread. But by far the best was the Traveler cocktail. read more

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The restaurant is on the top floor of the AC hotel. Very nice rooftop covered patio. Especially with a nice little breeze it's the perfect spot in downtown Des Moines to hang out and grab a good bite or drink. Service was very good. I got the salmon and it was very tasty with a little bit of spice. Salmon was cooked just right and the noodles were a good complement. Prices were as expected for this dish and type of restaurant. read more

The Republic on Grand - Salmon - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The ROG gets 4.5 stars from me. (I'd give them 5 stars if they started calling themselves The ROG). I typically only go to this restaurant in the summer because they have a really nice rooftop that overlooks Des Moines. It's the perfect place to go after work to sit in the sun and drink refreshing cocktails. The food is just ok and if you sit at the bar, there's not much to look at. The service is good though, and the staff is Nice. The buzz on the street is that people like The ROG bc of their creative themed events (Halloween, Christmas, etc.). So if you're looking for a place to wear your Halloween costume next year, this is the place to go. read more

We stopped in on a Tuesday, and it wasn't that busy, but that was good. We sat at the bar and didn't have to wait for service. I love the decor and how it's a rooftop bar/restaurant. Their whiskey selection was decent and I got to try a new bottle, Oak & Eden. We shared just try meat tray. All but one meat was great. The baguette was soft and they made their own special spread that was decent. Our server was attentive and polite. The shareable foods draw you in as well. read more

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Got stuck here with weather and flight issues. Food was amazing, drinks were great, service and atmosphere so nice for a bad travel day. read more

The Republic on Grand - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Sam was awesome! He was very attentive and gave us great recommendations! Glad we came here! read more

The Republic on Grand - Awesome vibes here! - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Stopped by Wednesday night. Sat at the bar, looked around, no one around. Several servers walked by, not even eye contact. Three servers huddled near the end of the bar, appeared to be strategizing about who was covering what table. We both looked at all three of them, no eye contact or recognition we were alive. We stood up and walked out. It was clear to us that no one was going to acknowledge us, much less hand us a menu. Won't return anytime soon. read more

We love this place! Stopped here last week for date night. Had some flatbread and a few drinks. Food and drink was great and the staff was super friendly! read more

The tuna appetizer was fresh, expertly prepared, and a perfect start to the meal. The duck arrived perfectly plated on a rich bed of risotto, which had a wonderful balance of sweet and savory flavors and looked as incredible as it tasted--hats off to the chef." read more

Went the weekend prior to Halloween for some fun themed drinks and costumes! As a table we had a total of 6 drinks and only one tasted "good" while they were aesthetically pleasing they were not delicious. Our waitress worked very hard and was bussing tables all night making sure to come back and check on us. They were super busy also it was very cold and uncomfortable! read more

The Republic on Grand - Specialty drink for Halloween Wicked event - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Great place for happy hour and hanging with friends! Even on an 85 degree summer afternoon the cover patio was cool with plenty of air moving. Specialty cocktails at a reasonable price make it easy to get the good time started. Don't miss out on the food specials either, the flatbread- we ordered mushrooms and arugula and added a cheese board and it was all delightful. Service was attentive and nice, with a smile. We had an extended stay so tipped heavy for all the appreciated attention. read more

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Neat atmosphere, would be great for a small group get together, but I was there for travel and party of one. They were out of the menu item I really wanted so ended up with a boring flatbread that was just okay and an underwhelming dessert. Got to witness drunk girls stealing alcohol from a cart left unattended by an employee near the elevators. Overall a less than impressive experience. read more

I hopped in for a drink after my haircut tonight, and ended up having an incredible meal too! The soup of the day at places is usually fine, but holy shit this blew my socks off. It was a chicken verde soup, and it had the flavors of a perfect chicken enchilada while being a perfect, warming soup. Then, the chef was testing a new menu item and sent out the most decadent cookie cast iron creation with toffee, pretzel, carmel, and chocolate chips, to test out, and wow it was delish! The team was so nice, and turned my post haircut drink into such a nice evening. The drinks and food were both delish! I'll be back soon! read more

The Republic on Grand - The most delish dessert cookie - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Fun view at the top of the hotel in Des Moines. We had the drink special and it was yummy. Ordered the cheese and meat charcuterie and it was generous and well presented. They even brought more bread to enjoy with the cheeses when we asked for it. read more

Excellent service. Great views. Tasty cocktails. Seating options year round indoor and out.

Saw on Instagram about Rudolph's Rooftop... you go into the hotel, take the elevator to the top floor and the festivities start as soon as the doors open. Super cute decor all over the hallway, bar and restaurant. One side had live music with "Bad Santa" with high top tables and comfy crochet booth like seating around the windows. and the other side had the super cute decor hanging from the ceiling with more sit down lower tables. The bartenders and servers were dancing and singing and having fun, but we still got great service. The food was good. I would have liked a bigger portion size , but to be expected from this type of cuteness. I didn't make it out to the balcony with the domes but next time. read more

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Got there early to sit in igloo! Decorations are festive. Had drinks & a couple of appetizers at happy hour. Then had holiday special drinks. Waitress was attentive. Nice evening. read more

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Great food, great service, and view. Really cool spot to grab dinner or a drink. Chicken and Avocado fries were fantastic. read more

The Republic on Grand - Amish half roasted chicken - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Overall good! We must not have read a lot about the restaurant because we didn't realize it was inside the AC Hotel on the 6th floor! But wow, so cool we were super excited, nice views of the city, inside and rooftop and outside seating. Inside was dead on a Friday night at 6, but the outside was packed! We got 2 seats at the bar. Server was okay, not super attentive, I ended up grabbing the water pitcher from the end of the bar and refilling our own waters, and she seemed kinda annoyed when we ordered dessert. Food was very good, the jalapeño Margarita was so spicy it was almost undrinkable, we took all the jalapeño pieces out and seeds and added some water and it helped a lot. read more

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My first dinner outing was amazing. The service was top notch. Though I had never heard of this restaurant until an hour before I walked in the door I felt like a regular. The food was amazing but the crème brûlée flight was absolutely delicious. read more

It's a good place for drinks with a view of the city. Bartenders were attentive. The tuna takaki tasted off. Other than that, we enjoyed our experience, 3.5 stars. read more

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We were a large party a couple of night gets ago . First the restaurant is beautifully done with great views, second the staff was simply amazing , friendly and very efficient. .i had a type of squash soup that was the best I've tasted . Everything about this restaurant is 5 Stars. Well done Des Moines! read more

One of the best bars in Des Moines! And best of all there's rooftop views. I love this place. It's on the 6th floor in the AC hotel. The drinks were delicious. Rose flight was interesting. They have heaters for times when it's cold. Watch them smoke drinks in the middle of the bar. Cool experience. read more

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Our server was great! Busy night but she did well on getting us food (nice job kitchen) and drinks. Great space. read more

Fun spot with a great outdoor space. It's hard to not love a rooftop patio and this place doesn't disappoint for vibes. I grabbed a seat at the bar to have dinner and drinks. They were out of the drink I wanted and were unable to improvise a drink with mezcal. This was a bummer for me as I always hope the bartender has substitutions when out of certain items. We did settle on a fire martini though. 10/10 Got the Bacon Jam Minis for dinner and these were great! Would love the option to have fries, but alas there were only chips. Check out this spot for drinks with friends. Make sure to get there early when the weathers nice to grab a seat outside! read more

The Republic on Grand - Bacon Jam Minis - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We sat on the balcony that overlooked the capital of Des Moines! The views and food were there! I would order the tacos again read more

We made it in before the new year to see the holiday decor, they did an excellent job with the decoration and seasonal cocktail menu. We had a party of four, seated right away after a concert nearby at Wooly's. Each couple ordered a flatbread and a round of cocktails. Food and drinks came to the table well prepared. The flatbread we ordered had a bit more spice than my wife generally cares for but she still loved it. Service was solid and on par with my prior visit. The ambiance though is what it's all about. The open air feel, even in the colder season is accompanied by adequate heating to keep it cozy. read more

We stopped here for drinks and small plates on a tuesday night. The servers were great, the cheese board was excellent and the flatbreads did not disappoint. The menu is pricey but the food is excellent. read more

The Republic on Grand - Water - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We came to the Republic on Grand to celebrate a birthday. They have great service & and great atmosphere and the people in our group said their cocktails were tasty! The chef even offered a complimentary dessert. Overall such a great experience and I'd recommend it to anyone! read more

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Always a good time! Food is great, drinks are better! The Grandview is my favorite drink. Every time I come to Iowa I have to go there!

One of my new favorite brunch spots! Plenty of comfortable seating with awesome views of the city. Our server gave recommendations on food and drinks. We ordered the farmer's market Bloody Mary which is a light version of a bloody topped with soda. We weren't fans of that version and ended up ordering the Bloody Mary flight instead. That was delicious! We also ordered the grand mimosa which is a bottle of champagne and 3 different juices with fresh fruit skewers. We ordered the beef brisket skillet and breakfast tacos. Perfect flavoring on all dishes. The bruschetta board was addicting! Ambiance was as amazing as the food! We will be back for dinner soon! read more

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I am in town for work, staying at the AC Hotel which is a very nice hotel adjacent to many places, I decided to try the rooftop restaurant on my first night which was also a travel day. I walked in the place was not busy at all I sat at the bar, and waited 15 min there were 3 bartenders in the bar and not one of them came over to me or even greated me upon arrival, an Instacart person walked in to make a delivery after 15 min of me sitting there looking at the menu, she had a delivery for one of the chefs I knew this after they came out, she stood right next to me and one of the bartenders walked over to her and interacted with her once again completely ignoring me and went to grabbed the person the deliver was for and did not come back to ask if I needed help, finally after 20 min as I was about to leave someone came up and took my order. I ordered the Ahi Tuna Tataki which was amazing! I also got the Hot Honey Pepperoni flatbread to go for lunch the next day. After finishing food, I sat for another 15 min waiting for someone to come near my area to even ask for help or the check. As someone finally walked by I asked for the check. This was not the first person to walk by me there were several who all ignored my when I said excuse me to try and get their attention. Sadly, this place service is absolutely horrible! It is a good ambience place that if had better service would really be rated a top 5 place to go while in town or even staying at the hotel. I am here for two more nights and will be choosing to leave the hotel for dinners as the service was that disappointing. read more

Excellent upscale bar food. Had dinner one evening, and Brunch on Sunday. Great views of the city from the rooftop. read more

I was staying at the hotel for work and not up for leaving to find food. The ambiance was nice and relaxed. The bartenders were friendly and the food and drinks were great. I will not worry about having to hunt down a place to find dinner when I am in town for work. This will be my spot. read more

The Republic on Grand - Pasta and Traveler - Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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We'd been here before for an event and wanted to try it again to combine some appetizers and call it dinner. There is a great outdoor space along with the bar and interior tables. We grabbed an outdoor table to enjoy the warm fall night. We placed drink orders-they have a good wine list, and a full bar. We shared the brisket mini-sliders and a Torta Cubana. The brisket sliders had a good combination of condiments. The meat was pretty good but about 25% fatty, which is a bit chewy for my taste. The Torta Cubana was the winner of the two items we ordered. A nice-sized serving with a great blend of flavors. Each came with a small cup of crosscut potato chips. Service was good and the view outside is nice. Good stop for a drink and some snacks or a light meal. read more

The Republic is an outstanding venue that offers both exceptional food and some truly outstanding views of the city that you can enjoy while you dine. The warm ambiance (which is accentuated by fireplaces that are ablaze on cold days) is a very welcoming plus as well. The first time I visited the somewhat limited menu concerned me, but it shortly became apparent that the dishes available are an eclectic and delicious assortment; I'm confident that there's something here that will appeal to almost any taste. A few of the dishes I've enjoyed thus far are the brisket sliders, bruschetta options, deviled eggs, and the avocado fries. These last should be ordered with care as they're instantly addictive! ;-) Service has been consistently good each time I've visited, but it was most notable the last time I was here. After receiving a spot-on recommendation from our server, my friend and I ordered a cheese combo plate to share. When our combo arrived she proceeded to give a very impressive and detailed explanation of each item included in the combo plate, all from memory! The cocktails she recommended that day were truly exceptional as well :-) Overall, the venue is not only upscale and welcoming, but the prices are quite reasonable given the quality of the food and service. I look forward to many return visits. read more

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We stayed at the AC Hotel while visiting family. Went to the Republic on Grand since it's in the hotel. Food was okay. Service was a bit slow since they were hosting a Christmas pop up bar. Would definitely suggest avoiding during the holiday unless you're looking to hangout with a bunch of drunk 21 year olds. read more

Great rooftop patio with fantastic food and drinks. I highly recommend the Grandview (Grey Goose, house-made berry puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, strawberry). Ask them to skip the simple syrup - it's so much better that way. The Asian Chicken Salad was probably the best meal I've had in Des Moines). The sliders also looked delicious. Oh ... THE VIEW would make it worth the visit even if everything else sucked. Highly recommend! read more

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