50 Best Bars near Altoona

“I love this place, everyone that goes there are so friendly and nice i love the atmosphere there we are all there to enjoy ourselves and have fun specially on Saturday to watch our Hawkeyes play. Also luv that they carry Pickle ? beer my favorite. I go at least once a week if i can.“

“Good local bar just to stop in and have a drink.
Regulars are welcoming during the week, weekend entertainment is there.
Bartender's are straight to the point.

Want a in and out drink, this is the place to go.“

“Great atmosphere and great people.“

“I think Mary go round is the most comfortable bar in Des Moines u never have to wait for a drink and prices are reasonable“

“My go to for comfort food which is mostly this sausage sandwich, I’m 100% Italian and have consumed almost every sausage sandwich in Des Moines, this one is the best to me… because it’s different! Will love you always and forever!“

“it's a great neighborhood bar. Bingo on Wednesday nights is awesome. i have came several times.“

“Outside sitting by the river is awesome. There is also inside seating for the hot days. All ages and great people and atmosphere.“

“We have been to visit The Republic several times and have had a phenomenal time each visit! The staff are second to none! Ask for Nicole Ripperger for great service!“

“I can't say enough of the bartender. In my book she was great has all the skills to make a bartender. Came in just to kill some time. But found myself haveing a great time playing pool with other customer and enjoyed the outdoor space. Great place to take a bike ride and stop to stretch your legs. I will be going back there 5?✴??????“

“Amazing spot to watch sports and enjoy drinks with friends!“

“Women were gorgeous and polite..only thing is alcohol to expensive“

“I LOVE the burgers! and the crispy chicken wraps are amazing. all the bartenders are absolutely wonderful and so nice!“

“Hands down my favorite bar. All the bartenders rock, the space is cozy, the drinks are actually reasonably priced, and they don’t skimp on the liquor. If it’s a busy night it can be HARD to find seating, but that’s most bars to be fair. Highly recommend“

“nice little gem hidden on the southside.“

“Everyone on the east side of Des Moines remembers this place as "Johnny Macs". Now as "Champs", it definitely has the potential to bring in the clientele. It is cleaner, brighter, and more diverse. As a black guy on the east side, I was shown all love both times I came here. I highly recommend this spot, especially on weekdays (when I will get to meet new patrons).“

“Love this place… brought friends with us last night, great female server, very friendly… only complaint, wish u had tap beer.“

“best place at the fairto watch drunk idiots make fools of themselves, if you're lucky you'll get a glimpse of some of our glorious leaders and their wives in all their glory, have your cameras ready!“

“great service, cheap prices . go there befriend Pam. shes amazing“

“It’s obviously…the coolest place to hangout! 🍹🎉“

“I've been going to UpDown since the night I could legally drink. I have had so many great experiences. Tonight I was out with a friend and a guy touched her and made and offensive comment to her. The staff, Derek who was the doorman and Jessie who was the manager, handle my complaint immediately and respectfully. I truly appreciate knowing that UpDown cares about the comfort and well-being of their patrons to level I was shown tonight. Thank you so much for making sure that me and my friend were ok and taking us seriously.“

“We were visiting with friends on a Thursday night sitting at the bar.

Service: Excellent
DRINKS: Wonderful
Food: we had chips, queso and salsa. I highly recommend this!

The pariaso ahumado was very delicious. The pineapple puree and hot honey was a fantastic combination of flavors along with the mezcal. I had 3. Get one for yourself!“

“Sure, it's a strip mall bar that's pretty much a dive, but I love it. Staff is surprisingly attentive and polite for how busy it can get and I've never had much of an issue with the clientele. Love coming hear to watch Hawkeye, Cyclone or Cubs games. Insanely low prices also. One of my favorite bars in the city.“

“Ken’s is a very nice speakeasy and it’s no secret. Food was good and drinks were also really good. Being from Texas it was nice to taste some of the local beer. Sorry no pics I can’t believe it myself. Well I guess your gonna have to come see for yourself. Thank you to all the staff. We were on a company sponsored event and Ken’s knocked it out of the park. Overall a great experience.“

“Wonderful bar to catch some live music or just play some pool. The night we went there was only one bartender and she was absolutely killing it. Didn't get her name but hopefully she got some credit for how well she did. Definitely will be coming back in the future. Thanks for a wonderful time Fremont!“

“Best spot in the neighborhood💯🖤“

“This place is a vibe. The outside is so unassuming you’d think you’d be walking into some random basement in the middle of nowhere but once inside you are engulfed in an experience of good drinks, good company, and great music. If you like tequila and mezcal this will be a great spot for you! Coming from out of state I am glad I was brought here as it certainly was a unique experience to be offered in Des Moines.“

“WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME...“

“We went here for a drink cuz our regular bar was closed for the night. The bartender was rude and ignored us even after I said hi to her. parking lot sucks. Bathroom sucks. Other customers gave rude dirty looks. We will NEVER be back. Poor example for our east side.“

“We just celebrated our marriage there with drinks and tacos! They had a killer beer and taco deal going on. We thought the drinks were delicious, the ambiance was perfect, and the staff and service were top-notch!! I would highly recommend, and can’t wait to head back!“

“All the bartenders were great. The only reason for a 4 star rating was the DJ. He was incredibly rude when asked about a request. I was about to mention what song I would have requested if requests were accepted, and he acted as if I was assaulting him or something. It was meant as a friendly interaction, but I left feeling like an intruder.“

“I was in town visiting some friends when we decided to stop in here. Food was AMAZING, drinks were FANTASTIC although I think a lot of that had to do with our amazing bar tender Adrina. She was super quick with the drinks and made the best expresso martini I've ever had! Thanks Adrina/Civeche “

“Food is beautiful and delicious! Staff is wonderful and makes great recommendations!“

“Great food and beer, and very friendly staff. We come here every time we visit Des Moines!!“

“Great food! Huge portions, and very friendly service. Such a great addition to the east village. We got the pho special, the honey spicy wings, Ube cream coffee ?, and tofu spring rolls

Vegetarian options: Tofu spring rolls were great!“

“Best karaoke bar in town!“

“Great food, great service!! Best brunch in Ankeny!!“

“We had a small celebration of life there. We rented the little party room and it was perfect! The owner took such great care of us and was so sweet! We will definitely be back!“

“It was a pleasure working with Iowa Professional Painting. The work was excellent and the price was very reasonable.“

“Best pizza in Central Iowa!! Great family environment, ownership, and staff!“

“Good food,happy hour during the day.“

“This place is priceless. it is a must stop when you are in Des Moines. Love this place and all the graffiti decor. Amazing!“

“always lots of fun, sports, good drinks, food, come on in. If you are sensitive to language, off colored jokes, flirtatious., stay away“

“The wings were amazing! I didn't realize they only have one sauce flavor. If you don't mind some heat, you'll be fine. The place was super dark and the booths needed a facelift. The service was not great. The waitresses were nice but not attentive to our table, but I would go back again.“

“All the servers looked happy and smiling. Our server Gavin was soooo nice!!! Would definitely recommend eating here.“

“We stopped here for drinks and live jazz. Both were fantastic. We didn't try the food, but will the next time we are in town.

The best part was the bartender. She was so fun, attentive and despite working a very long day, made our evening memorable in the best way possible. We're glad we crossed the river to come here.

We'll be back the next time we're in Des Moines for sure!“

“Huge lunch portion! Great food!“