Posted December 24, 2014in Belly Up To...
Iowans used to have to make a trip to the nearest Olive Garden to get a taste of Italy. Similar restaurants offer varieties of pasta and wines, but none so authentic as to make diners feel as though they are really on an Italian vacation. None, that is, until
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Posted December 17, 2014in Belly Up To...
Dust off that favorite little black dress in the back of your closet, ladies, and strap on your best heels. Ditch the tennis shoes, men, and find that one tie you only wear for work parties and funerals. Tonight, try something different with a romantic dinner date at downtown Des
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Posted December 10, 2014in Belly Up To...
It’s Saturday night, and the whole group is together. The women want different wines, and men want football and a cigar-induced hangout. The only thing the group can agree on is that everyone wants to go somewhere classy. Sound familiar? Downtown Des Moines is home to a place that can
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Posted December 03, 2014in Belly Up To...
Twelve years ago, John Johnson and Jason Kiesau gathered a group of friends together and rented a party bus. Each dressed like Santa Claus and set out to have a good time in Des Moines while visiting four bars. Most everyone seemed to love the idea, and the event spread
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Posted November 26, 2014in Belly Up To...
At Cowboy Jack’s, Daisy Duke will be your server, and you’re sure to find cousins Bo and Luke at the bar, never meaning no harm. It is a relaxed and lively saloon-style restaurant and bar where everyone in West Des Moines is sure to make themselves right at home. But
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Posted November 19, 2014in Belly Up To...
I moved to Des Moines in May, as a lifelong Iowan with far too little knowledge of all that its capital city has to offer. When I took up this column, my first thought was, “How long can we go on writing about a new bar every week?” Little did
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Posted November 12, 2014in Belly Up To...
If you’ve ever had a taste for the excitement of the stock market, you’ll probably find The Exchange is right up your alley. If you have no idea how the stock market works, you’ll probably still find it is a great place to spend your Friday night. Located on the
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Posted November 05, 2014in Belly Up To...
How many craft breweries is too many craft breweries? When will brewers run out of new flavors to use? Is craft beer just a trend doomed to fade away, like MySpace and gel pens? These are the questions asked by craft beer critics in light of the Brewery Boom that
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Posted October 29, 2014in Belly Up To...
Granite City isn’t your average restaurant chain. It’s part food, part brewery — all fun. Granite City takes pride in its in-house brewed beer, featuring such creations as the Broad Axe Stout, with notes of roasted chocolate and coffee; the Bennie, which is a German-style lager with caramel flavors; the
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Posted October 22, 2014in Belly Up To...
Looking for a little bit of Europe in central Iowa? Maybe a place to reminisce about that study abroad trip to Belgium back in college? You don’t have to look too hard to find it; just talk to enough people, and they’ll point you in the right direction. The Royal
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