50 Best Bars near Altoona

“Jensen is an amazing bartender and person. She lights up the bar with her great service and smile! She is amazing with the customers knowing exactly what they drink before they order. Definitely recommend stopping in when in Altoona, IA.“

“Awesome little bar. Heather the bartender was very attentive and very friendly. Got served quickly. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommend.
I have food at a five, but they dont serve food. Im sure if they did it would be a five star review.“

“THEY GOT FREE RESTROOMS AND THOTS!“

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

“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“

“Great atmosphere and great people.“

“Great food Great music awesome outside in the summer. I give this place a 💯.“

“Fair proced drinks but amazing selection of retro games. With everything being a quarter it takes a while to blow through $5. The tilt sensors on the pin ball machines are turned way down compared to anywhere else I have played allowing you to actually save a ball. Amazingly even with all the machines being old retro game only 2 were down when I was in, top notch experience. Wish I would have gone with friends to play some super smash bros.“

“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!“

“New owners came in and dropped a coat of paint on this bar, hired a great manager (shout out Jess!) and made the place feel more inviting. Plus, hard to beat one of the best steak dinner deals in town on Thursdays. Excited to see what they do with a planned expansion to the kitchen. Looking forward to some breakfast.“

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

“nice little gem hidden on the southside.“

“Best spot in the neighborhood💯🖤“

“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?✴??????“

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

“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.“

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

“If you’re looking for a place with professional, polished, emotionally stable employees… keep driving.

Carney Tap has somehow assembled the Avengers of sarcasm.

Cheyenne has perfected the art of making you feel welcome while simultaneously making you question every life decision that led you to order another round.

Kyle acts like he’s one minor inconvenience away from quitting every shift, yet somehow remembers everyone’s drink before they even sit down. It’s unsettling.

Tina has mastered that “I’ve seen it all” look. You could walk in riding a llama and she’d just ask if you wanted your usual.

Tracy somehow keeps the place running despite being surrounded by what appears to be organized chaos. Either she’s a magician or she’s accepted her fate.

Kinleigh… proceed with caution. She has a dangerous habit of stealing hearts. If you bring your wife, don’t be surprised if she suddenly starts questioning whether she’s been limiting her options. Consider yourself warned.

And then there’s Kevin, the owner. Whoever trusted him with owning an establishment clearly lost a bet. He’s somehow managed to create a place where everyone knows everyone, everyone’s laughing, and strangers become regulars after one visit. Frankly, it’s suspicious.

The worst part about Carney Tap is they remember your name, your drink, and probably your embarrassing stories. You can’t even sneak in pretending you’re a respectable adult anymore.

10/10. Terrible for your wallet, outstanding for your happiness.“

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

“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!“

“IF YOU RUN THIS PLACE, FIX THE MUSIC PLAYLIST.

Ok, for the rest of you: Ernie’s is the best bar in DSM. Cheap drinks, good atmosphere, cool bartenders, and the food truck sells great burgers. Recently the owner(s?) has/have enforced a strict playlist on the place (which is worse than letting your bartenders pick the music, if that needs spelled out), but this is a recent hiccup in a place that I frequent and love.“

“Did not expect to find a place like this in Des Moines it was so cool. The staff is amazing, shoutout to Frankie and Sunny who were so attentive and just had an awesome vibe. DJ disconnect was on the scene playing bangers and giving the bar a great energy. Loved my visit to the Black Sheep and the bartenders truly made the night great.“

“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!“

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

“Bike night on Wednesdays!“

“Great service. Delicious food, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Special evenings like car show, Halloween weekend and many other events at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The menu has options for everyone. Best food you can get on the grounds and reasonably priced. Amazing service day or night.“

“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.“

“My absolutely favorite place in DSM. Food and drinks are incredible. Exceptional service. Awesome people and vibe. 10/10/10 recommend. Go try it you will not be disappointed.“

“Excellent service and food!“

“Trailside Tap is a must-visit in Ankeny! The back patio is amazing. The Berry Summer Salad and Three Pepper Burger were packed with flavor and just the right size. And do yourself a favor—order the Mulberry Mule. You won’t regret it!“

“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!“

“my daughter and I stumbled upon this neat place today. she has the classic burger with a side of fresh fruit and she loved it. I had the grinder with a side of amazing tomato bisque soup. we shared some tasty chicken loaded nachos and will definitely be making the 45 minute drive again very soon. our waitress was a lovely lady named Tatum(I cannot remember how your name is spelled,I'm so sorry). she was rocking the bar and taking orders all by herself. she constantly made sure we were doing ok. 10/10🤟“

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

“Events during the week are great! Fun bartenders, local patrons and all around great time!“

“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.“

“Picture quality 1…..food and service 10!!!! Holy moly! We don’t get our often so we bought a Groupon for Ceviche Bar! Wow!! 10/10! The food and drinks we outstanding!! We took chat GPTs recommendations and had the Ceviche to start (not your typical ceviche! More of a fish/shrimp bruschetta. I don’t even like fish…. But WOW!!! The flavors POPPED!! We are half before I remembered to take a picture) For entree we got the Cuban sandwich and the Ropa Vieja. Lord have mercy!! The flavors were CRAZY!!! Wrapped up the dessert with the Chocolate Espresso Cake
ganache tarte drizzled with chocolate, and garnished with seasonal berries
(Description copied from the website). This was good but not my favorite. It was a very hard block of chocolate. My husband liked it. I was thinking more “cake”. I had 2 mojitos (YUM!! Took me back to a Cuban restaurant in Mexico!) and hubby had a Cuba Libre! He was very happy!! Service was excellent!! Go check them out!!“

“You guys were right! Michelle IS GREAT! I was like are you Michelle and she’s like yes! I’m like you have so many positive reviews and she’s like omg really I had no idea! She went over exceptional, it was my and my friends first time too! Had a sampler of dips, elote, and chips! I have been drinking a lot of water and I just asked her to make it look like a fancy flavored water and it was awesome!“

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

“Didn’t feel like cooking so I called to pick up some burgers on the way home. Turns out it was a good idea. I’m never disappointed w any of the food I’ve gotten here. I always see the owner in there greeting customers and leaving the table full of smiles. This is the best example of local hospitality and food I can think of. Stop in and have a burger or a sandwich or some pizza or even a drink. You will be satisfied with your decision and may even wonder about being a regular. I’m glad this place is open.“

“No where else my friends and I would rather be on a weekend night in DSM! We always have so much fun, and all services are top notch, from the drinks, to the music, to the company.. especially bartenders Katie & Trent! 🤍 Also, how can you not love the Photo Booth!“

“The Continental was an unexpected stop for us today. (We were searching for Waldo at local businesses around the East Village. A little something fun for the month of July; pick up your sheet for stamps/stickers/signatures at the stores participating and enjoy shopping, dining and just wandering the East Village.) We happened to see the board advertising today's specials and decided to give it a go. Oh my gosh! I'm so glad we did!

My son and I shared the tilapia tacos. My husband had the chicken tacos. My daughter ordered the nachos, chorizo on the side and I got a side salad to share with my hubby. We all took at least one bite of each other's orders.

The nachos were delicious with the meat. Our picky eater, daughter, didn't care for them just chips and cheese. (Remember, she's picky.) My son and I preferred the tilapia tacos to the chicken, but hubby, not a fan of fish, preferred the chicken tacos. The side salad was fresh and the house vinaigrette was SO good!

If you get the chance to stop by, you definitely should!“

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

“I love the atmosphere at this place! The service is amazing as well! Definitely the place to let yourself loose“

“We came from out of town. Now every time we come to Des Moines, we know where we're eating!!“

“Wow, just wow. The chicken wings were absolutely amazing. Crispy with a creamy, smoky wing sauce that gives a nice heat to your lips but won't send you running for the milk. The corn poppers were also delicious and 3 kinds of exile on tap means you'll have a decent selection of beers. Our waitress was really great despite it being very crowded. Definitely a gem of a find with dive vibes but good for gatherings. If you're looking for good wings in des moines, these are some of the best I've had.“

“Fun atmosphere! Delicious food! Excellent service 😊 Great view!“

“Huge lunch portion! Great food!“

“Good food,happy hour during the day.“

“We were in for lunch yesterday, my grandson wasn't feeling well. Our waitress refused to wait on us. She must have gotten the manager, he was a real trooper, took our order and delivered our food. I thought it was unprofessional of her. But we were suppose to get salad, he even said he forgot the salad and never brought it. Never again!!!“