29 Best Cocktail Bars near Des Moines

“I wanted to really love Marina Mercantile. Made a Mother's Day Tea reservation. Our initial arrival was not welcoming and I was asked twice if I had a reservation. My mom, my daughter, and I waited an hour for our tray of treats. We were last to be served. People that arrived after us were served before us. We are the only minorities in the shop. It felt racist sadly or their service was extremely slow. The food was ok not the freshest tasting for a special Mother's Day event. Prepaid $200 with fixed gratitude and service charge. 🫤“

“I first heard about Kanishka's Des Moines location through a friend who saw somebody raving about it in a Seattle foodies group here on FB. My friend and I went to check it out and, well, it's my new favorite restaurant. I've been here 3 times and Door Dashed it once in the past month. The food every time has been absolutely fantastic, and the portion size are quite generous. The appetizers are almost entree-sized; the first time I went there with a friend, we filled up on appetizers and had to get our entrees to go. Dish recommendations: Chicken 65 and Fish Pakoras for appetizers; Mixed Grill, Lamb Vindaloo, and Paneer Korma entrees. Also, listen to your host as it seems like they're always trying out new dishes that haven't made it onto the menu yet.“

“Cool vibe, friendly servers & tasty food!“

“The amount of gushing I could do over Manuscript is endless. First date local. Rec and the reservations were set by the third party 5 STAR food, service and location. Hands down new favorite.“

“Excellent food and service“

“This was our first visit. I saw their menu and a few pics on line and decided to give it a try. This is a charming gem of a restaurant. Our bartender/server, Chloe was very nice and made fabulous looking drinks. I had wine but will try one of her cocktails next time. The food was so good! Can’t wait to go back.“

“Excellent service from Elizabeth! She was so friendly and attentive! I ordered brisket with mac & cheese and potato salad and my friend ordered the bacon & blues burger with a brisket add on and talk about mouth watering! We also ordered the fried pickle jar and highly recommend that appetizer! We saved our leftovers for the next day and it went just as hard! Amazing hospitality from this establishment and the vibe was so country it felt like we were back home in Texas! Don’t skip out on the banana pudding and a big thank you to management and the cooks who help keep the place running smooth!“

“Loved the service and ambience, fun place to catch up on major WWE events! It was a random find to catch up with a vibrant crowd and enthusiasm accompanied by cocktails, on tap drinks and nachos! 🍻 They have a minimal Food menu: nachos with cheese and jalapenos, Hot dogs (2 options). But you can get your own food from other restaurants inside Lariat.
Booth seating, high stool bar seats or just lounge on the old charm seats.
Requesting Lariat to add fries to their menu!“

“Highly recommend! The buffalo chicken salad was the best salad I’ve had in a long time.“

“What an amazing restaurant. We had a relaxing time in the bar area catching up. The drinks were great! Service was great! I had the plantains-amazing! The most gorgeous bathroom. So glad to have a new hangout spot during the week. I invite more to hang with me there. You won't be disappointed!“

“We Love Ruby Brink! Burger night—say no more…! The beef dip sandwich on the lunch menu is another favorite. We love eating here for so many reasons though. This isn’t a “high staff turnover” type restaurant where you’ll be greeted by stressed out workers plastered with fake smiles fighting over tables like you might be used you. This is a grown-up establishment with grown-up food and grown-up and experienced, competent and empowered staff and I appreciate how this dynamic expressed itself in terms of guest experience. When I say that the food is grown-up I mean that it is carefully selected and prepared from scratch and this means it does not taste like what other restaurants are doing, which often is buying bags of frozen soup and sauces from the chef supply store to keep costs down and to keep everything tasting exactly the same, every time. You will taste different things here and that might surprise you. Ready yourself for that and enjoy!“

“We, Lulu and I had Sunday breakfast today. Very spacious inside, our server, I did not catch his name is very considerate and attentive. Seating was easy and quick. The menu has many creative takes on standard diner dishes, as well as traditional. The portions are generous too. House made waffle is great! Pancakes could maybe use a little more baking powder to raise up, otherwise very good as well. Chicken fried steak top notch! Really seems house made, crispy coating, tender meat, no freezer taste. Gravy also must be house made. Will return and try some of the other dishes with a Mexican flair. Oh, and the coffee is fresh and good.“

“Service was awesome… food was great . Definitely will recommend.. highly recommend the Pier 88 combo“

“First visit to Jude's. I love it when you meet long-time staff who know the history of a place - Jada was our bartender - hope I spelled it correctly! She knew her cocktails too! If you read up on the background of this place, wanting to be your neighborhood joint, great food and drinks and ambience, then I think they are there. We had the mushroom etouffee with Cajun prawns, fried chicken sandwich, apple salad, and the beignets! I'm sure it is a personal preference, but I thought the beignets were better than at Toulouse Petit. Can't wait to try brunch!!“

“Neighborhood pizza spot, with familiar and friendly faces :-)“

“Super fun vibe! Karaoke is amaze!“

“Visited with some friends, ordered garlic burger medium with a little pink however it didn’t have any pink. Still was a good burger. Friends ordered fish and chips and they were a little bit overdone but they said it was still good.“

“love this place! Great food and drinks!“

“Best dim sum and ramen! My son could not believe what he was eating! We love their food and friendly service and cannot wait to go back. We drive down from two counties north! It’s a worthwhile pilgrimage.“

“My family held a retirement dinner for my Dad at Le Sel and we simply could not be more pleased. We struggled to find a fine dining spot in Tacoma that could host a larger party without an ungodly fee and were so happy we found Le Sel. The food was exceptional, the service was genuinely kind, and the location was gorgeous. We felt cared for and that truly matters. Thank you - we'll be back for brunch!“

“I’m recommending it based solely on service and quality of food. I have not been to this establishment. But I love tacos and plan to soon. I look forward to you serving me.“

“Great hotel bar with friendly staff. There’s a few good local beers on draft and plenty of bar games like pool, shuffleboard and board games too. Didn’t try the food so can’t comment on that but definitely a decent place to hang out if staying here night before a flight from Seattle.“

“Good chicken fried rice and pad Thai chicken“

“Rica comida y la mesera extraordinaria muy buen servicio“

“Saw this place on Tiktok and had to go after work. I was not expecting it to be so incredible. It's in an interesting area, but the building has a gorgeous mural on the outside and plenty of parking. When you walk in, you're greeted by the sweet tunes and friendly smiles. They play music videos on a tv, and I got to listen to my favorite, Rauw Alejandro and more. The drinks were exactly what I needed after a long day. Excuse the photo with my friend in it 😅 food was delicious. They have homemade corn tortillas there. Don't even bother getting flour because the corn is the best! Tiktok did not disappoint with this place. Portion sizes are just how I like them. Filling with a little to take home.“

“Great casual vibe and incredibly friendly staff! Food was really good (I highly recommend the street tacos) and the beer suggestions were on point! 5/5“

“Absolutely amazing food & mimosas! Definitely 5 star service!“

“It feels like a special occasion the moment we walk in the door. The staff is excellent and service is spectacular. Everything fits seamlessly here, from decor to dessert cart... the experience is so much fun. Then there's the food & beverages... unrivaled is the best way to put it. Small bites, salads, full course meals, and anything we could think of from the bar. Champagne is the specialty, and after a conversation with Makaila (the bar tender) she chose the perfect bottle. Oh, getting a bottle of Champagne there is a treat too... trust me, just do it. The wine list is impressive, and the espresso flight is something I'm still telling all my friends about. We've gone with friends several times, and everybody has enjoyed every part of the experience. Check their calendar, some fun stuff happens there. Or better yet, just go there and ask the staff what rhe next few events are while sipping your Champagne!“

“La comida es muy rika 🍤mi felicitaciones a los cocineros 🙏el ambiente es muy agradable y la sección del bar un espectacular servicio tanto como en todo el Restaurant“