31 Best Cocktail Bars in Des Moines

“I got a chance to see Napoleon Douglas perform his “For Once In My Life” show here. Breathtakingly good! I hope to catch it every time he does it moving forward.“

“Not sure if there are many places like this one in Iowa. Very different from your sports/dive bar. Here, the ambiance and music go to a more sophisticated level. The drinks are thoughtfully designed and crafted for a complete experience.
Probably one of my favorite bars in town.“

“The vibes were immaculate, I was blown away by the staff, the energy, the time they took to explain/recommend the cocktails. And on top of all that, it started at the top, the owner was behind the bar, greeting and conversing with every customer. It felt like the most well run business run by mind reading best friends“

“Love the location and food trucks on occasion“

“Amazing drinks and atmosphere!“

“Finn’s is a great bar!! Everyone is so kind and welcoming, the staff are all awesome, and the drinks are great! It’s such a vibe there and as a lesbian in and interracial marriage, my wife and I have never felt uncomfortable at all. All the patrons are great!“

“Fantastic space decorated by the total babes from nearby Divine Times Vintage in authentic 70s style. Amazing staff - especially KC! Staff Tally and Tess are great too. Perfect for late night cocktails, vibes, and cheese/chocolate fondue with friends.“

“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.“

“5 stars for atmosphere and live music. Can consistently find live music here and drinks a very reasonably priced. If you're looking for fancy go elsewhere. If youre looking for consistent service, cold drinks and music then head on in.“

“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!“

“Thank you Alex for the delicious cocktails & conversation. One of my new faves. We look forward to visiting again“

“And amazing waitresses!! Had a blast night listening to Stark Raving Madge😊“

“Samy the delivery driver was very pleasant when asking for my signature to confirm my order.
My food was delivered on time and still hot!!
This my 2nd time eating fromTullpa Restaurant!!! Love it!!! Will definitely pass the word around town again!!
Peace and Blessings!!“

“grabbed breakfst at the breakfst club in ia n it totally hit the spot. food came out hot fresh n plenty of it. coffee was good too. staff was upbeat n kept things movin even when it got busy. chill vibe all round — def a spot id swing by again for a mornin boost.“

“I can honestly say I did not expect a restaurant of this caliber in Des Moines but it was AMAZING!!!!

I’m mad at myself that I forgot my servers name, but he was amazing!! Every single dish was incredible, the wine selections were perfect, and I couldn’t pass on the banana split!

Money was spent, but it was worth every dime!“

“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.“

“The only thing better than the great food is the great hospitality and service. They have great drinks and the best oxtails and cheesy grits, you'll ever find.“

“Bears fans need to come and watch a game“

“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 little place if not on patio.“

“Very good. We will return. Clean place also.“

“My new favorite Mexican restaurant! I got the lunch special steak fajita. Delicious! The service was fast and if a worker that wasn’t serving me saw I needed something they handled it. A truly team player atmosphere from the workers. The restaurant its self is gorgeous. So much beautiful art work to admire. If you’re in the area a perfect choice.“

“Great service! Awesome food. Best Korean bbq in town. My kids love going there and alway request DZO for their special occasions.“

“The bison dinner was a work of art! This was my first time having bison and I would definitely come back for the dinner again! And their specialty drinks have great names with amazing flavor…. Staff was phenomenal and I really can’t say enough great things… Definitely a must to eat here!“

“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!“

“We try to come here every year around our son's birthday. We went on our first date there after losing him, and they had comped our meal and taken wonderful care of us. That kindness has stayed with us through some of our darkest moments. We love coming here. We don't visit often, but we make an effort to come once a year.“

“I love sushi and I had been on many sushi places From San Francisco Ca, Guadalajara Jal and this one Blue Sushi Sake Grill in Des Moines IA and this one was special different and I loved it; Not only the food, the service was exceptional, the lady that helped me was amazing cause when she learned was my first time there she gave me edamame and the way the do it was a little different, I loved it; all the rolls were amazing but the one that I loved the most was the one with cucumber that I forgot the name, but was not all; honestly I could not finished all and she told me let me put this for you to go, OMG this beautiful lady packed my stuff really well even I got this lil plate for the soy sauce, so I really recommend this place to eat there or even to go, cause their service and the food is exceptional, and definitely if I am close I going to come again, thanks !!!!“

“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 “

“Rooms were a bit on the small size. There was not enough closet space or dressers for clothes. We only had three in the room and we had to use our suite cases to keep our clothes in. The beds were comfortable. Service on the concierge level was outstanding. The banquet meals were over priced and not worth the money we paid for them.“

“Service, food. Ambiance is great.“