Mavericks brings energy to growing West Des Moines hub

Mavericks general manager Joe Ferin stands among a spacious room of tables during an afternoon lull between lunch and happy hour last Wednesday.

If Maddy’s Again was the weird stoner who got shoved into lockers in high school, Mavericks is the star football quarterback who did it. Maddy’s Again might have been the only somewhat dive bar of the western suburbs. It was dark and dingy, and the only real, “high-energy” nights came with a karaoke mic — it was a good thing the family-friendly dining area was separated by a wall. But it was loved by loyal patrons who were sad to see it close last fall. The location has since welcomed a sports bar — a far cry from what the neighborhood was used to.

“I miss Maddy’s, but I love this place,” said bartender Cherese Schirck, who, as the only Maddy’s Again employee to be absorbed by the new owners, says she “pretty much came with the building.”

“The people and the owners here are amazing and fun — everything I could hope for,” she said.

For local sports fans, Mavericks is also everything they could hope for. With more than 100 flat screen TVs lining the walls and hanging from the ceiling in a spacious room filled with rows of tables and chairs and wooden benches, there’s not a bad seat in the house on game day — nor an empty one if a local favorite is playing. But it’s not a Hawkeye vs. Cyclone pub. It’s a sports bar for the sports fan, regardless of the team or the sport.

The old wall that separated the Maddy’s Again bar from its restaurant has come down, which is convenient for the bellied up sports fan, because if you sit in just the right spot, you can watch five different TV screens using the reflection from the back bar mirror.

But it’s not all about sports at Mavericks. The kitchen keeps the food — which includes prime rib, steak and seafood on the weekends — coming well into the late evening hours, and the beer and wine selection is a refreshing change for the location. More than 100 different wines are sold by the bottle, 16 by the glass, and “beer is huge” among patrons who’ve discovered the bar since it opened on Nov. 6.                

“We have 25-ounce mugs and 50-plus bottles of beer in our selection, which is heavy on the IPAs and specialties,” said general manager Joe Ferin. “We plan to offer anywhere from 20 to 50 more in the near future and more local brews, too.”                

But perhaps Mavericks’ best selling point is the shuttle bus that will not only transport patrons to and from its sister bars, Tonic, Saints and Beaver Tap, but it’ll take you home, too.      

“We’re kind of a mesh between Tonic and Saints, but this bar has a real neighborhood feel to it,” Ferin said. “As the population continues growing west, I think it’ll just continue the steady flow of people coming in after work, after shopping at Jordan Creek Town Center or just to grab a bite to eat.” CV