The Bartender's Handshake

I am a regular here, have been here multiple times. Just got told “hey you cannot be here I kicked you out last week for spitting on the floor last week”, I am also a business owner on Ingersoll Ave and I’ve never disrespected an establishment, let alone the one I come to at least once a week. I don’t know if the bartender (Long blonde hair, glasses, male) was drunk or was racially profiling me for someone else but will not be supporting this establishment anymore going forward. This is not the safe space I thought I was and considering I was with a business partner it was very embarrassing. No thank you.

Service: 1

Doesn't matter the day or the time, the Handshake is a good idea! Great drinks, great atmosphere, FANTASTIC staff, and their food is amazing!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great place. Love the drink options.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great service. Very friendly bartenders. The drinks were creative and delicious. It was noisy. There was a group of people who were quite loud.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 5

I came here for my 21st birthday and it was amazing! I felt very fancy which was exactly what I wanted for my birthday! They had plenty of non alcoholic options for my DD and the mystery drink was the best part!! 10/10 recommend!

Small, cozy, and worth a revisit. We had a few N/A drinks for dry January; the Vacation Email was good without being overly sweet. Perfect for a happy hour in the winter.

Always delicious, unique cocktails. Good little menu of bar snacks. Wonderful atmosphere.

This is one of the coolest bars I've ever been to! Love the retro atmosphere! What a gem! Visiting from Minneapolis.

Amazing little local bar with excellent service. We had an amazing experience and will go back

Best cocktail bar in Des Moines!

A tasty Good Time Man before I hit the road back to Minneapolis. Super cozy spot, would love spots like these back in the twin cities tbh.

My go-to bar in town. Always great service and interesting cocktails mixed in with the classics. It's tiny, but if you get there at the right time, it's easy to find a seat.

Ben. BEN. Janey. JANEY. I LOVE IT HERE. This small dive feels like Wes Anderson but also like home. GREAT SERVICE. AMAZING ATMOSPHERE. I can’t stress enough how impactful the conversation was. We will be back! ?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The evening vibe here is just unique. The place gets crowded here during the winter. The drinks here were incredible.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ben. BEN. Janey. JANEY. I LOVE IT HERE. This small dive feels like Wes Anderson but also like home. GREAT SERVICE. AMAZING ATMOSPHERE. I can’t stress enough how impactful the conversation was. We will be back! 💖