Highland Underground

Highland Underground
3614 Sixth Ave., Suite 100, Des Moines
highlandunderground.com
Wednesday – Thursday: 3-10 p.m.
Friday: 3 p.m. to midnight
Saturday: noon to midnight
Sunday: noon to 10 p.m.
Monday – Tuesday: closed

As one business shutters, another often snaps up the location and revamps it, reopening within a few years. Yet, for the Highland Underground, it took more than 40 years to be transformed from a department store into a cocktail bar.

The Highland Underground opened in early October and is in the basement of the former Klein’s Department Store, located in Highland Park at 3614 Sixth Ave.

If you have never been there, don’t look for large outdoor sign. It’s not there. Instead, look closely for a discreet sign in the building’s window. Then, follow the neon sign, walking downstairs. 

Give your regards to the permanent hostess dressed in 1970s attire and head on inside. The dimly-lit spot resembles a 1970s basement with orange, gold and green décor. Dark paneled walls are reminiscent of your parents’ or grandparents’ basement. Completing the look includes gold velvet chairs draped with crocheted afghans (an ancient name for blankets). 

All of the décor are original, period pieces. Old kitchen tables, barstools, lamps and bar glasses are all thrifted from secondhand stores. Mannequins are draped with department store finds. Choose from a stack of cork and wood coasters at the bar to place under your drink to avoid water rings.

Rotary telephones that actually work ring from one booth to the next. As the bartender answered the ringing phone, a table of ladies sitting across the room giggled, as if they made a prank phone call.

Now, on to the drinks. They have put some creative effort into naming the drinks and keeping the department store feel. The Signatures department offers a handful of cocktails for $12. The Earlybird Shopper is a twist on the tequila sunrise, and the Paisely Print is Cedar Ridge bourbon, nonino, spiced pear with floral bitters.  

Their Classics department includes a Chuck’s Mule, with Cedar Ridge vodka, amaro Averna, demerara and ginger beer for $10-$11. The Fragrance department includes gin, honey, hibiscus, lemon and Freixenet Negro Cava. The Classics are $3 off during happy hour from 3-5 p.m. 

A full bar also includes wine by the glass, starting at $7, with most bottles costing from $28-$32. A simple Tito’s drink is $7. Bottled and canned beer starts at $4 and includes local and domestic beers. 

The only food they serve is either a cheese or chocolate fondue. The cheese fondue arrived in a vintage pot, with a lit Sterno underneath to keep it hot and melty. It came with bread, sausages, pear, potatoes, celery and red peppers. Surprisingly, the cheese to dip ratio came out perfectly, without leftover cheese or food. A cheese or chocolate fondue for two costs $28; for four people, it’s $52. Stay tuned for a few more snacky food items serving one person.

There are no televisions — well, ones that work, that is. There is a brown TV console used as an end table, but, otherwise, there were no sports to glance at, which is a unique concept in today’s entertainment-driven bars. The bartender says the ambiance provides for more “forced” conversations. 

And, it did. As another boomer couple arrived, we chatted about the similar retro furnishings that we grew up with. We laughed as we pointed out the cork coasters, that we both still have in our home and promised to return soon to the Highland Underground. ♦