This place is starting to become one of the places we pop in to when we are downtown. Atmosphere is…read morefun with an obvious nod to the Chicago Bears but still feels like an old, big city bar rather than a new sports bar you'd see in the suburbs. Their special drink seems to be a "mini beer" which is a shot that looks like a beer. Personally, I am not a fan of the scented candles, but they moved it for me when I politely asked when there wasn't another place I could move to. Definitely a place to check out when you are in the East Village, and a must if you are a Bears fan.

A great location and space for all Bear's fans. And even if you are not a Bear's fan, you will…read moreenjoy hanging out in this cozy sliver of Chicago here in Des Moines. I have never had a bad time in my visits and you can get all the classic Chicago beers and drinks you can think of!

We came here on Wednesday and shown a table right away…read more Since I like to try local beers when traveling, I ordered a Pseudo Sue Pale Ale. Pale ales are usually not my choice but it was worth a try. I ended up ordering 3 before we left. For food each ordered 2 tacos each a la carte. I ordered one grilled shrimp taco and one blackened chicken taco. My friend ordered one fish taco and shrimp taco. We ordered 1/2 order of the jumbo pretzel appetizer which came with one jumbo pretzel, queso, and nacho chips. The queso had a good amount of heat. The pretzel was soft and not too much salt. Our server was professional and friendly

Breakfast at the Beaver Tap…read more Walked in for a late breakfast on Sunday. Met a girlfriend to enjoy some breakfast. Tables were almost full. Bar was busy too. We snagged a spot near the back. The waiter was quick to take our drink requests. He came back soon and I asked his recommendations. He sold me on a omelet and my girlfriend got french toast My girlfriend sold me on the Taps potatoes. I haven't had potatoes like that. Almost cut like potatoes chip but then fluffy and fried. Not over crunchy and not to heavy. The make to order omelet was good to. For some reason they left the bacon out but I just tossed it on top with the avacado I was craving. The TVs were on but not to loud yet. There was some football playing later in the afternoon but it wasn't game time yet Music played as we sat and chatted. The food was good. My friend really liked her French toast and black tea. I'm glad I made it out for breakfast. The staff was friendly the whole time. Completely affordable breakfast for us two ladies. I think I want to come back and do this again.

We stopped into Kelly's Little Nipper after our trip to the Botanical Gardens and somehow ended up…read morehanging out with a room full of friends we didn't even know we had. The bartenders, Skye and Hailey, were awesome -- super fun, welcoming, and made us feel like special guests right away. They were even coming up with new holiday drinks just for us. Bree also deserves a shoutout -- she wasn't even working but clearly loves the place and was hanging out with us. And yes, the chocolate cake shots were amazing. Thanks, Bree. We were snacky but not starving, so we ordered the nachos. I won't overhype them -- solid bar nachos with plenty of cheese and toppings. We tried the brisket nachos. I'm not personally a fan of smoked meat on nachos, but Kim loved them, which is really what counts. They were also great about keeping the spicy stuff on the side. We were hoping for live music, but it ended up being canceled that night -- no big deal, we were still having too much fun. We ended up chatting with the owner, who sold us a bottle of their house vodka, "Why Not," and told us the story behind how it came to be. That kind of personal touch says a lot. The vodka itself was surprisingly smooth -- honestly good enough to sip. Great vibe, great people, and one of those places where you walk in as strangers and leave feeling like regulars. We'll definitely be back!!

I'm dissapointed in me for not getting here sooner. It's a bit out of my normal travel routes, but…read morenonetheless it is worth a short diversion for excellent food, personable and friendly service, a cool vibe, and great drinks. It's a small place which makes for semi-forced socialization (that's a good thing folks!). The menu has lots of options, and the prices are VERY reasonable. There are a few specialty drinks..try the 'Why Not Lemonade' for a little extra kick of vodka in your drink. Jeff, the owner, was our server, and he's a very friendly guy who knows the long history of his establishment, and who provides phenominal service. I got the Chicken Philly Sandwich with onion rings. The Philly was one of the best I've had--lots of gooey cheese and wonderfully flavored chicken. My wife got the Steak Sandwich. A MOUND of steak bites, with a great flavoring on them. The fries and onion rings were both great! We even got a delicious sweet treat to top off our meal. This is a decidedly casual place, and it's mostly street parking in the area, but we didn't have any problem finding a spot. The outdoor seating is a handful of large tables, so you can bring a group or make new friends. The inside is pretty compact, with a nice bar and a few tables. Highly recommended!!

Food as always wonderful. Danielle was server. Excellent job! Just two of us then a large group…read morecame in using three tables. She is definitely a Pro. She was professional and efficient. She deserves a Raise. We will be back thank you

Upstairs closed, downstairs a bit difficult for a handicapped person in our group. Very very noisy…read more Food- decent with generous portions. Waitstaff seemed minimal and worked hard but pleasant. The whole place was disorganized and no team leader. Long wait time from seated until we ordered then another 30 minutes until food arrived. Appetizers arrived with our dinner.

Just had a great experience at Buzzard Billy's. The food was genuinely impressive. Everything came…read moreout hot, fresh, and full of flavor. I had the Crescent City Chicken, and it was enough food for two. The kitchen was clearly putting in the effort. But the standout was our server, Allianna. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel genuinely welcome. She checked in at the right times without hovering and had a way of making everyone at the table feel taken care of. I highly recommend Buzzard Billy's for its great food and excellent staff.

May 4, 2026. Monday. Dinner…read more I hadn't eaten all day. Had an almost seven hour delay in DFW due to a broken monorail and false gate information on the American Airlines phone application. I'd missed my connection and got bumped by a last minute female runner even though I was first on the standby list. I stepped off the hotel shuttle, checked into my room, dropped off my baggage and walked here for dinner. Needless to say, I walked in the door quite hungry. I sat at the bar for the quickest service. I ordered a local lager, Des Moines Exile's Maria lager ($6.75/5% ABV). To eat, I seldom go wrong with fried catfish. This time I got the fried catfish strips, with tartar sauce, 2 large hush puppies, and a bunch of fries ($16.99). The smooth lager hit the spot and the fried dinner really filled me up. Catfish average, hush puppies had great texture and taste, and fries were hot. The bartender/waitress really wasn't too attentive. Spent most of the time talking to other customers and staff. I ordered another lager from Exile. This one was an award winning Ruthie Gold lager ($7/4.9% ABV). I preferred this lager to the first one. It had a more rounded taste and mouthfeel. The huge meal didn't wow me, but it did feel me up. Thumbs up to the two local lagers I tried. They were good. Come here if you need a large meal and mediocre service.

This place kicked ass. We needed a snack and this place delivered. The host that helped us was…read moresuper friendly and nice. I wish I lived close to this place so I could go there every day. I wish I could buy this place and move it to where I live.

Probably my new favorite neighborhood sports bar and tavern. Great food and drinks priced right!…read more And close to Capital and East Village.

University Library Cafe may be a bar, but showing up late morning before noon felt like discovering…read morethe quiet study section before the crowds arrived. The funny part? Once the food hit the table, everyone suddenly got focused and very quiet. Shhh like we are in a library! Apparently we were all majoring in comfort food with a concentration in burgers, fries, and bar food done right. Nothing fancy here, just great service, generous portions, and food that earns an A+ in comfort. You definitely will not leave hungry!

Well we came back on a Sunday for breakfast and I am so glad that we did! The place was happily…read morecrowded and we lucked out with a clean and ready booth, just before the bigger crowds started rolling in! Between the bartender and the 2 folks taking orders and serving the food the place was well covered and the tables were turning over at a nice pace. It was fun to see the food parade and the crowded bar, and everyone in easy conversations. We started off with their signature LIBRARY LATTE - Vanilla Vodka, Irish Cream, RumChata, and Cold Brew Coffee for $9, these are both dangerous and delicious! My mom ordered the bacon and mushroom omelette with potatoes and a pancake $13 + 1 on the side. Kimee ordered the biscuits and gravy $11 with eggs and I got the eggs Benedict $13 with the salmon +$3 (wow) and side of potatoes. The order came out quite quickly and everyone was really happily eating in no time. Honestly this breakfast has to contend as one of the best in Des Moines! It was packed and standing room only when we left! We have plotted a new route already planning our next visit! Side note. They are still waiting on getting the beer cooler repaired.

Stopped by while waiting on some friends. Definitely glad I did. Really enjoyed chatting with the…read morebartender. Theur a/c was on fleek. They have totally cleaned up and organized this venue since it was previously Buddies. I'm definitely glad they are still friendly. Prices were very reasonable. Service was the fastest in town. With a little dance and a tune on the side. I'm so glad I wandered in here on such a peaceful evening.

New bar in the east village with a strong nod to the original Gas Lamp. Small stage for live music…read more(super small!), popcorn machine and dart board (plus some other games. Limited seating but they also have a patio that we didn't check out. According to their Facebook page they have happy hour and late night specials. Hot dogs available after 9pm and some nights they have activities (Wednesday is trivia night). Definitely going to be a stop on our EV bar crawl.