Guesthouse Tavern+Oyster
7/2/2025
Step into the Guesthouse Tavern+Oyster and you might think you’re in a lodge, alongside a lake or river located in northern Wisconsin or bordering Minnesota.
But you’re not.
Instead, you’re in West Des Moines in a strip mall bordering Waukee.
The Guesthouse Tavern+Oyster opened in February 2024 and was established by co-owners Pete Faber of Barn Town Brewing (just a few doors down) and Derek Eidson of Django.
Once inside, a fishing and hunting lodge vibe includes canoes, lanterns, fish and deer heads adorning the walls. Plaid booths and a collection of fishing reels greet patrons. The décor isn’t cluttered; it’s just right.
Numerous vintage beer signs add to the ambiance with plentiful Hamm’s Beer signs. The land of sky blue waters was once a mainstay of dive bars, and it’s available here, too, along with Barn Town Brewing beers.
With a restaurant name containing oyster, it better have fresh oysters. Guesthouse does it right. Oysters on the half shell, Rockefeller, chargrilled or stuffed come straight from the raw bar, starting at $21 for a half dozen. During happy hour, oysters are just $4 each, with a minimum of three. In landlocked Iowa, fresh seafood is flown in about four times a week.
The menu includes many supper club touches. Try a relish tray with pickles, veggies, spreads, sausages and crackers for $22. Opt for other fresh seafood, such as shrimp, mussels, lobster and crab cakes, lobster poutine and a white fish dip.
What would the menu be without some Wisconsin cheese? The curds and peppers includes cheese curds and pickled Fresno peppers, served with jam and pickle ranch for $12. A cast iron hot dish includes tater tots, braised beef, mushroom cream, cheddar and peas for $14.
Lobster roll aficionados will enjoy the roll served Connecticut style, with butter and chives, served on a new England roll for $30.
Supper dishes includes steaks, pork Milanese, pork shank and more. Looking for more seafood? A favorite is the walleye. This beer-battered Canadian wild-caught walleye is lightly fried and served with a side for $26. Come in for Walleye Wednesday, and the price is just $20.
Pasta dishes include beef stroganoff, baked cavatelli, ricotta gnocchi and more starting at $23. They’ve got sandwiches, soups, salads and unique side dishes, including a Yukon gold potato salad (tastes just like homemade), a hashbrown casserole, twice-baked mashed potatoes and more.
Daily specials include Kentucky fried Tuesdays with fried chicken. Friday night’s surf and turf offers add-on seafood and steak choices. Saturday is prime rib night with baked potato and salad for $31. If you hit happy hour (it goes until 5:30 p.m.), you’ll get select pull-tabs for a chance at free food or drink items.
Save room for dessert. The Guesthouse s’more is a chocolate tart with homemade marshmallow, caramel and graham cracker crumble smoked under a glass. It’s like the campfire version but without the burnt marshmallows, for $12.
If I wasn’t in the suburbs, I’d imagine fishermen and women sitting at tables, talking tales of their fishing expeditions.
That didn’t happen, but I did hear people exclaim how they would return.
