32 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.“

“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!“

“**Hello, Marjorie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐**

Hello, Marjorie is a standout modern restaurant that offers a beautifully crafted dining experience with creative, seasonal dishes and bold flavors. The menu changes with fresh inspiration, featuring high-quality ingredients and elegant presentation in every plate. The atmosphere is stylish, intimate, and perfect for a relaxed yet elevated night out. With attentive service and a polished vibe, it’s one of Des Moines’ most memorable dining spots. Highly recommended!“

“Incredible cocktails, great music and the best vibes with a few fantastic plates on the menu.

This spot is run by some of the coolest and most creative people in the city. James Beard semifinalists. Don’t sleep on it.

The only downside is that it can get a little busy, but it’s always feel good. If it’s chill, ask one of the bartenders to make you something custom. They know what they’re doing.“

“Love the location and food trucks on occasion“

“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!“

“Amazing drinks and atmosphere!“

“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!“

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

“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!“

“As a Peruvian living in Ames away from my family out on the East coast, this felt like a taste of home. Service was incredible, food was falling off the bone, and you can even get a 2L of Inca Cola to take home! Will absolutely be visiting again!“

“Easily one of the best breakfast meals I've had. I got the biscuit benny, and it was outstanding. The place was cute, the service was kind and attentive. Parking was simple. We were passing through from out of town and were very glad we chose it!“

“Four of us dined tonight at Oak Park on Ingersoll. We were welcomed at the door and thanked for coming out on a snowy evening. After being seated we were presented with menus from our server (who did a great job throughout the entire night). The menu was explained well to us and we made some choices that everyone loved from starters and through the entrees.

Some of the best starters were: the Brioche bread and the potato gnocchi. The gnocchi was truly the hit of the evening with everyone. My Filet Mignon was wonderful (and I am picky about steak having grown up on an Iowa farm where Dad raised Black Angus). My wife and SIL both had the Chilean Sea Bass which was also wonderful. I tasted some of it and it was better than any other I have had at high end restaurants anywhere.

We brought our own Magnum sized bottle of wine to share for which we paid one corkage fee. The desserts we ordered included Crème Brûlée and scoop of sherbet and some fresh-brewed French Press coffee. Overall we all agreed that dining at Oak Park tonight was a better experience than any other fine restaurant in the Des Moines area.

The service from everyone was truly fantastic.“

“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.“

“Great place to celebrate with bottle service. Variety of music to keep everyone dancing. 2 for one drink on Friday and $100/bottle service. Posh place“

“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 smashburger sliders were amazing and so was the painkiller drink! Also loved the candied yams and fried plaintans!“

“Quesabirrias! Delicious! Never disappointed“

“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!“

“Bears fans need to come and watch a game“

“When the food is this good, the celebration gets even better 😋🔥 Celebrating my son & my new daughter-in-law’s birthdays at DZO Korean Restaurant — highly recommend! 💕🎂Seriously you can’t go wrong to coming here!“

“Great little place if not on patio.“

“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.“

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

“Best service food is absolutely amazing and delicious 😋! Strawberry 🍓 margaritas are amazing ❤️

Management is wonderful always welcomes my husband and I when we get there.

Loyal customers who will always return since they come over to where I work and shop 😄 across the parking lot 😊“

“**Coa Cantina ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐**

Coa Cantina is a vibrant and modern Mexican restaurant that delivers bold flavors and a fun, energetic atmosphere. The menu features creative tacos, flavorful entrées, and fresh ingredients that bring authentic taste with a contemporary twist. The margaritas and cocktails are a standout, perfectly complementing the food. With stylish décor, friendly service, and a lively vibe, Coa Cantina is a great spot for a night out or casual dining. Highly recommended!“

“It was wonderful seafood as always and friendly and attentive service. The only concern is that our food (seafood, broccolini, potatoes) was barely warm - like it had been sitting for awhile before it was served. It was still delicious, just would like to have had it served hot.“

“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 !!!!“

“Absolutely one of the best hidden spots in Des Moines! The Cuban sandwiches are out of this world and the ceviche is so flavorful you might think you’re actually in Cuba. I would recommendq them for anyone looking for a unique dining spot in Des Moines!! Even if you’re not hungry stop in and grab a Mojito…it’s worth it!!“

“As a Marriott Bonvoy member, I wanted to try Mash & Marrow while we were near the hotel, and it ended up being a great choice for lunch. The service was excellent, our server was attentive, friendly, and quick with drink refills, which always makes a difference. I ordered the Caprese sandwich with chicken, and it was fantastic. Fresh, flavorful, and really well balanced. The sweet potato fries were also delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, exactly how they should be. The other entrées at our table were the Asian salad and the corn chowder, and both were excellent as well. Everything tasted fresh, thoughtful, and well-prepared. Overall, a really good lunch experience and definitely worth stopping by if you’re staying at the Marriott or nearby. Friendly service + great food = an easy recommendation.“