16 Best Cocktail Bars near Ankeny

“Best restaurant in ankney! By so far haven’t change. Has best customer service and FOOD!“

“Definitely our go to resturant. The drinks. The food. The atmposphere. All of it!“

“Can't wait to come back! Got the Bananas Foster French Toast. It was very good, I probably would get a side of eggs or meat for more substance though. Tried the biscuits and gravy with eggs, which the gravy was well seasoned! Also tried the pancake sandwich and it is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Intend on getting the shrimp and grits the next time I come back!“

“What a fun New Year’s party! Thanks for hosting a great event. We all look forward to coming back. Great drinks, fun decor, and super friendly staff. Thank you!“

“We don’t get out much with littles, so when we do we love when it isn’t a disappointment. The Contrary offered something we’ve yet to find here in Des Moines. Being from Southern California where incredible restaurants and bars are in abundance—this place was truly impressive. The cocktails were 20/10. Crafted with intention, fresh, and incredibly tasty. The details from the lighting, wallpaper, and old disposed brick made for a unique modern yet historic feel. Food was great. Music was chill. Went on a weeknight and it was a perfect place to get a drink, light bite, and enjoy good ambiance with great company.“

“Came in to do some karaoke and gotta tell ya...the staff treated me with really good hospitality, had no issues with anyone or anything. Really nice people there, I'd recommend checking this place out if you're out on the town and need something to do.“

“A tight knit clan rolls there, the regulars, but ever expanding I think. I didn’t feel too much an outsider, but the guy sitting next to me was there exactly for that reason, to wander and be the quiet stranger at a mid town pub. It’s quaint and an asset to the neighborhood. Thank you.“

“great place great service great food they treat you like family steak night is amazing definitely go“

“Oh my gosh!!! Sophie!!! If you see this, please know I've been meaning to write this for over 1 yr now. You're the best server- you're so so sweet, genuine, and you go out of your way to help customers.
The food here is great! Their pre-meal snack is so different than the typical bread and butter..and oh so good; it is cooked corn with these 2 amazing homemade sauces. 🤩 You wouldn't believe these creamy sauces are dairy free, if that matters to you.

I also had a delicious chicken entree a few times. Check this place out at the Farmers Market where their pupusas sell out by 11am lol.

Lastly!- the place was low key and perfect.“

“We had our wedding reception here and our guests were blown away by the staff and the atmosphere! Such a great place and awesome staff!“

“Great little place. Definitely for the Cubs fans. Great variety of bomb drinks. I had the Capri sun and that's exactly what it tasted like. Black cherry rum with an orange monster Delicious. Bartender was great, friendly and helpful. Will be going back when we are in town again.“

“Bears fans need to come and watch a game“

“A delightful meal for the price! We were there for the restaurant's 13th Anniversary 4 course dinner. All the food was delicious. The first course, the Soup Duo (half roasted corn, half tomato) was amazing! Portions were moderate. Servers were very pleasant and accommodating, although a bit undertrained & seemed stretched too thin. It was a Tuesday, and the restaurant was half full.“

“We hired Nightingale to bartend our wedding reception. Can not recommend highly enough! My husband and I had a pretty specific vision for what we wanted for the bar, and from the first meeting Heather and Tovka clearly committed to learning and achieving that vision. Great communication throughout the months leading up to the day, and heard a ton of compliments from guests about the service and drinks. The bar they set up exceeded our expectations! Hire these folks right now.“

“We stopped at El Patron on my birthday on a ridiculously hot day and had a good time. The chips and salsa were good, especially after asking for the hot salsa, and the cheese dip was good enough that I probably could have just kept eating that and called it lunch.

Our meals were good with generous portions, but the drinks were definitely the star of this visit. They were hitting! 😂

Service was okay. Everyone was friendly, but they seemed a little distracted and we waited for attention a few times.

The restaurant itself is colorful and fun, and apparently mentioning your birthday gets you the full treatment. I got the song, giant sombrero, and a shot of some very questionable tequila. 😂 It made for a fun birthday memory!

Overall, good Mexican food and a fun atmosphere. I wouldn't make a special trip across town for it, but if we're nearby again, I'd happily stop in for chips, hot salsa, queso and a margarita.“

“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!“