Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa, US, with a population of 699,292, according to the 2021 population census.
Des Moines has much to see, feel, experience, and enjoy. Beautiful tourist sites like the gold-domed Iowa State Building, Des Moines Art Center, Pappajohn Sculpture Park, and many other notable landmarks attract the attention of both locals and guests in the city.
With the attention and traffic of visitors, it is only fair that it has hospitable restaurants, hotels, and bars for their comfort and pleasure.
Would you like an electric, funky cocktail bar, or a sophisticated space for a fun time? Des Moines has it all.
To guide you to the best bars in Des Moines, IA, here is a list of the best places to have a fun nightlife in this part of Iowa.
Best Bars in Des Moines, IA
1. Black Sheep DSM
Finding a good bar can be quite hectic, but Black Sheep DSM is a good find for those lucky enough to stumble upon it through self-search or recommendations from friends, family, or locals.
It would be best if you visited this bar to have all your imagination about bars in Des Moines come to life, as Black Sheep has all you need to have a nice time in the 83rd most populous city in the USA.
Customers are treated like family at this bar. The servers are always on hand to attend to your needs and provide a 4-star rated service that you will appreciate and commend for its swiftness.
Patrons are ushered into a world of drinks, a fun atmosphere, and a lively relaxation spot as they descend the many flights of stairs leading into the bar’s red-lighted interior.
Black Sheep offers customers the opportunity to enjoy its collection of drinks alongside its hospitality and excellent customer service. There are drinks like Local Brews, Spirits, Old Fashioned Manhattan, Cocktails, and many other drinks you will enjoy.
Black Sheep DSM opens from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am on Tuesdays to Saturdays.
Address: 223 E Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone:
2. Revival House
There are only a handful of Tiki bars we can boldly recommend in Des Moines, and this bar is one of them.
Revival House is a fantastic tiki bar located on Court Avenue. It serves the good people of Des Moines with an amazing collection of well-made cocktails and a plethora of enjoyable drinks that customers find pleasing and irresistible.
Often referred to as one of the best bars in Des Moines, this beautiful bar has a wonderfully-made interior that is beautiful, amiable, and well-structured for ease of navigation and to give the place a nice appeal in the eyes of customers.
Revival House hopes to combine mixing techniques of classic, exotic drinks with the current trends of cocktail innovation, taking the hospitality world by storm.
The bar offers drinks that customers are ever-happy to recommend to others due to their well-refined taste and enjoyable feel, making the evening more wholesome and satisfying.
Some of the drinks on the menu range from Strawberry Daiq Slushy, Pinky Gonzales- Trader Vic, Peach Fuzzy, Suffering Bastard – Joe Scialom c. 1942, Saturn- J. “Popo” Galsini C. 1967, Blue Hawaiian, and many others you will enjoy.
Revival House opens from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and 4:00 pm to 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 316 Court Ave Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: (515) 379-6800.
3. The Bartender’s Handshake
You cannot but love this bar when you consider its exquisite list of offerings, amazing ambiance, and wonderful atmosphere that is comfortable and easy on the eyes.
The Bartender’s Handshake is a model bar that other bars hope to emulate when it comes to finesses, class, amazing offerings, and world-class customer service that has won the admiration and praise of customers.
This fantastic bar is a good place to host your friends for a pleasant, enjoyable evening where you can chill and share healthy banters or have one or two business chats as you enjoy the vibrant and bubbly feel of the bar.
The Bartender’s Handshake has a beautiful and exquisitely designed interior featuring a colorful bar section and a well-arranged seating format that gives room for group seating for those who do not want to sit on the highchairs at the bar.
You can order A Lion’s Tale, Aperol Spritz, Garibaldi, Gold Rush, Curry Negroni, Jack Horner, Old Fashioned, Chokes & Smokes, Vacation Email, Army & Navy, or any of the many drinks on the menu to make your evening even more wholesome.
The Bartender’s Handshake opens from 2:00 pm to 12:00 am on Sundays to Thursdays and 2:00 pm to 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 3615 Ingersoll Ave Des Moines, IA 50312. Phone: +1 515-630-3008.
4. Alleged Lee’s
With a name derived from fancy wordplay and a reputation that precedes its well-coined name, this bar is a local hang-out spot where locals and visitors gather to enjoy the tasty offerings on its menu.
Alleged Lee’s is a beautiful place to be, and it is considered one of the cool bars in Des Moines due to its bubbly atmosphere and lively ambiance that makes the bar an ideal spot to unwind after a hard day’s work.
The bar has a well-decorated interior that can host events like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and so much more. There is a spacious outdoor spot where customers can hang out as they enjoy their orders and the beautiful starry night or cool evenings.
Alleged Lee’s cocktail bar has a lot to offer. You will certainly agree once you explore its well-packed menu with drinks like 1920 Old Forester, Banquet Cool, Wilson’s Cherry, T.G Dragon Fandango, Surly Oktoberfest, Big Grove, and many more.
The bar opens from 4:00 pm to 11:30 pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays, 2:00 pm to 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Sundays.
Address: 510 E Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: (515) 244-6624.
5. Hello, Marjorie
Are you looking for a place perfect for a night for two? Or are you looking for a place where you can rekindle that dying flame of passion with a vast collection of drinks that will roll the ball and make conversations easier? Then Hello, Marjorie is your ideal spot to visit.
The bar offers customers a pleasing drinking experience that makes their evenings better, brighter, and more enjoyable, with a plethora of drink options that are affordable and amazingly satisfying.
This fantastic bar has an expansive interior with delicately hung lighting that adds color to the interior. There are numerous tables and chairs for group dining and tables for two for love birds hoping to spend some time alone in their world.
You can order drinks like House Old Fashioned, Vodka Martini, Big Grove Easy Eddie IPA, Editor’s Note, Daydream, The Pistachio, Weekend Layover, Tiramisu, Betty Blanco, Paper Plane, Aviation No. 2, and many others.
The bar opens from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm on Mondays, 4:00 pm to 12:00 am on Tuesdays to Thursdays, and 4:00 pm to 1:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 717 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 5030. Phone: (515) 369-2296.
6. Up-Down
Game and drinks can make a nice mix when placed in the right place, at the right time, with the right choice of games and drinks that will tickle the fancy and attention of game and beer lovers.
Up-Down is a gaming spot with a great bar that plays home to some of the finest collections of drinks, games, and other amazing features locals easily find attractive and enjoyable.
Fondly ranked among fun bars in Des Moines where customers can enjoy themselves with the many offerings the bar brings to the table of its patrons, Up-Down has no shortage of exciting moments that will send adrenaline rushing down your spine.
This fantastic bar has cool features that make it one of the most visited bars in the city. Various games like Pinball, Super Mario, Arcade, Shooters, and many others make it a perfect spot for game lovers to hang out.
The bar also has drinks like New Holland Dragon’s Milk, Bearded Iris Attention Please, Bearded Iris Attention Please, and many other drinks customers relish and recommend to newbies.
Up-Down opens from 5:00 pm to 2:00 am on Mondays to Fridays and 2:00 pm to 2:00 am on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address: 500 E Locust St Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: (515) 243-4322.
7. Secret Admirer
Secret Admirer is an attractively unusual cocktail bar with a cordial appeal and a park-inspired patio that customers adore.
This famous bar has strived hard to find its way onto the list of top bars in Des Moines, IA, and thanks to its dedication to serving the people of Des Moines and guests with a plethora of amazing cocktails and a host of other interesting offerings, it has been able to achieve its goals in no time.
Secret Admirer welcomes numerous customers who come by to renew their loyalty to the bar through the patronage of its drinks and exploration of its many suitably-placed features that make it comfortable.
The bar features a beautiful log-made interior built with well-polished logs perfectly shined. There are large windows that illuminate the bar more than the hanging lights do, and this adds more brightness to the interior.
You can order local favorites like Cold Brew Martini, Toppling Goliath, 46 Flavors, Horsefeather, Admirer G&T, Jolly Rancher, and more.
Secret Admirer opens from 4:00 pm to 12:00 am on Tuesdays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm to 1:00 am on Fridays, 2:00 pm to 1:00 am on Saturdays, and 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Sundays.
Address: 110 SW 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50309, United States. Phone:
8. Crazy Cooter’s Garage Bar
Small, laid-back, often quiet, and well-patronized by locals mainly: these all point to one bar in Des Moines, and it is no other than the impressive but modest Crazy Cooter’s Garage Bar.
Crazy Cooter’s Garage Bar is one of the fantastic cool spots in Des Moines where people are found relaxing and sharing details about their day with buddies over a bottle of Bud Lite and other drinks brands that this bar has to offer.
Located in the sleepy part of town, this bar has a mid-size interior with walls covered in memorabilia and pictures taken in the bar to keep the memories of past events evergreen and well-preserved for future generations of patrons to see and possibly have their pictures hung there too.
Crazy Cooter’s Garage Bar offers customers an array of drinks that range from beers like Corona Lite and Bud Lite to a selection of local brews on tap and other amazing drinks worth spending money on.
Crazy Cooter’s Garage Bar is open 24 hours daily to satisfy your thirst.
Address: 100 SE 33rd St, Des Moines, IA 50317, United States. Phone: +1 515-867-3332.
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9. The Operating Room
The Operating Room, fondly called the ‘OR’ by locals and patrons, is a good find by all measures when it comes to places customers can have a fun time with family and friends, and kids inclusive at specified hours of the day before adults come out to play at night.
The Operating Room is one of the top Des Moines bars where you can have unlimited fun with all members of your family with great features like Arcade games, 3D Pinball, Golf Simulation, and a host of other interesting games.
This bar has a cool and fun atmosphere which you will find enjoyable. There are tables and chairs for a more relaxed drinking experience, and the bar is ideal for group gatherings for special occasions or fun group days.
The bartenders often recommend that newbies start their evening with drinks like Orange Genius, Vodka, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Jack Daniels, and so much more.
The Operating Room opens from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm on Tuesdays, 3:00 pm to 1:00 am on Wednesdays to Fridays, and 11:00 am to 1:00 am on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address: 5515 Mills Civic Pkwy Ste 130 West Des Moines, IA 50266. Phone: (515) 226-3333.
10. The Copper Cup
It would be a shame if this is your first time in Des Moines, and you are about to leave without checking out The Copper Cup.
Locals love this place and rate it highly as it is a bar that has grown with the host community since 2014 while carving a special place in the hearts of locals as their favorite go-to bar for a good time.
The Copper Cup is a comfortable and lively American bar with a lot to bring to your table; it asks that you visit with a weighty pocket to enjoy its well-packed list of goodies, which you are guaranteed to enjoy.
This bar features a dimly lit interior with a subtle design that gives the place a regular American pub look that many are familiar with and can easily blend in with little or no effort.
Customers rate this bar’s customer service as excellent and near-faultless and enjoy the signature copper cup with which it serves its customers.
There are drinks like Jeremiah Weed Rum, Old Fashioned, Peach Mule, Ginger Beer, Moscow Mule, and many more.
The Copper Cup opens from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am on Mondays to Fridays, 11:00 am to 2:00 am on Saturdays, and 12:00 pm to 2:00 am on Sundays.
Address: 207 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: 207 4th St Des Moines, IA 50309.
11. 300 Craft and Rooftop
300 Craft and Rooftop is a favorite local bar popular among night crawlers and lovers of premium beers. It is a perfect place to enjoy a fine selection of local brews that have been enjoyed by locals and guests, with a resounding acceptance of the blends of flavors that have come to stay.
This amazing craft bar is considered a fantastic place to relax and chill while exploring and taking in the beautiful sights that Des Moines offers from the rooftop view of this bar.
300 Craft and Rooftop’s stunning appearance adds to the bar’s appeal to customers. The bar is beautiful in and out, especially with its three levels of see-through glass walls showing the patrons an elevated look at the city’s busy nightlife.
Patrons are also treated to an even more beautiful look from the exclusive rooftop drinking area, where customers sit to enjoy sweet melodies of playing live bands.
Customers often start their evening at this bar with drinks ranging from brews on tap, wines, tonics, and gins, and many other options you will find worthy of your time.
300 Craft and Rooftop opens from 3:00 pm to 12:00 am on Mondays and Tuesdays, 3:00 pm to 2:00 am on Wednesdays to Fridays, 12:00 pm to 2:00 am on Saturdays, and 12:00 pm to 12:00 am on Sundays.
Address: 300 W Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: (515) 288-3414.
12. Francies
Francies is a traditional American bar with all the features of a regular American bar put together to serve as a place where guests can let loose, hang out with buddies, and talk about whatever they find interesting enough to banter on.
1987 saw the birth of this bar, and so far, it has had a lively atmosphere where customers often stand up to dance and sing hearty tunes in unison with the jukebox dishing out sweet melodies in the corner.
Francies should be your go-to bar if you want to meet new people, as the staff makes it easy to socialize by organizing the seating arrangement.
Customers often order beverages like Bud Light, Exile Ruthie, Budweiser, Miller High Life, Busch Light, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, etc.
Francies opens from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on Mondays to Thursdays and 11:00 am to 12:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 2100 Wakonda View Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321. Phone: (515) 285-5207.
13. Thirsty Sportsman
Identified as a good local bar located in the suburbs of Des Moines, this beautiful bar is home to some of the best drinks you have ever had.
Thirsty Sportsman is a good hang-out spot where locals meet up to share good-tasting drinks with family, friends, and sometimes strangers.
This amazing local gem has a beautiful appearance and appeal. Plus, it has some of the best hands in the hospitality industry in Des Moines, making drinking at this bar a fine experience.
There are pool tables for people feeling competitive and a TV for customers to watch their favorite sports channels.
While at Thirsty Sportsman, try out drinks like imported beers, local brews, whiskeys, and other satisfying options.
Thirsty Sportsman opens from 3:00 pm to 2:00 am daily.
Address: 4808 SW 9th St, Des Moines, IA 50315, United States. Phone: +1 515-953-0377.
14. Gas Lamp
For an extraordinary drinking and nightlife experience like you have never had, we recommend Gas Lamp bar because of its track record of excellence and creativity in engaging patrons with fun activities and ensuring they enjoy their time there.
Being a new addition to the ranks of bars in Des Moines has not slowed this bar down; Gas Lamp has worked its way up the ladder to achieve its goals of becoming a local favorite drinking hub that customers flock to for their share in the pleasurable drinking experience the bar offers.
Gas Lamp has a rave-like interior with colorful lights adding to the club-like appeal of the bar. Occasionally, music shows are held at the bar to thrill the patrons and give them nice tunes to dance to.
The bartender is not shy to suggest drinks that range from Guinness, Local Brews, Budweiser, Bud Lite, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, Coors, Corona, Heineken, and Natural Light.
Gas Lamp opens from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am on Mondays to Thursdays, 2:00 pm to 2:00 am on Fridays, 9:00 pm to 2:00 am on Saturdays, and 2:00 pm to 2:00 am on Sundays.
Address: 1501 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: (515) 280-3778.
15. The Dam Pub
A trip to Des Moines is incomplete without stopping at The Dam Pub to explore its vast array of spirits, beers on tap, and imported beer brands that come at a good price.
The Dam Pub is considered a great find by people who have visited the bar once, twice, or too many times to count, as the offerings and features of this bar are quite alluring.
Alongside satisfying drinks, this bar has one of the best and most dedicated teams of staff in the whole of Des Moines. The staff is dedicated to ensuring you get your money’s value in service, educated drinks suggestions, and a warm smile that warms the heart.
Dam Pub has a welcoming ambiance that you will find warm and cozy. The bar is well-arranged, and there is a fully-stocked bar right in your line of view as you step into the colorful bar.
The bartenders on standby often recommend that customers try their favorite drinks brands. Still, if they are in the mood to explore, they can pick from the various brands of Whiskeys, Spirits, Cocktails, and Imported and Local Beers available.
The Dam Pub opens from 11:00 am to 12:00 am on Mondays to Thursdays, 11:00 am to 2:00 am on Fridays, 10:00 am to 2:00 am on Saturdays, and 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on Sundays.
Address: 2710 Beaver Ave Des Moines, IA 50310. Phone: (515) 279-444.
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Have Fun!
Des Moines city has all you need to have a good time at a pocket-friendly price that is affordable to most.
Before you leave the city or when you get there, explore these listed bars to taste the wonderful experiences you will remember for a long time.