Posted April 03, 2013in Belly Up To...
Sometimes it’s nice to get out of the bars where everybody remembers what you did last weekend — but you — and spread your wings somewhere new. Be anonymous for a night. There’s freedom in that. The old building on Main Street in what locals consider “old Grimes” has been
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Posted March 27, 2013in Belly Up To...
At first glance, Tokers seems like a run-of-the-mill hippie bar one might stumble into unknowingly while visiting San Francisco: Bob Marley on the jukebox, bearded, dread-head patrons chilling in their grandpa’s Grateful Dead T-shirts under flannel button ups. Within the cloudy haze of euphoria, regulars lazily smile, eyes glassy, sipping
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Posted March 20, 2013in Belly Up To...
Bar staff and patrons care about their health at Brecks. For example: “We drink so our livers have a job to do — we don’t want the little guy getting lazy,” is one of the bar’s recent Facebook status posts. How thoughtful they are of one of the human body’s
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Posted March 13, 2013in Belly Up To...
The new owners of Doc’s Lounge in Johnston have lofty dreams of generally goofing off — so much, in fact, they’ve made it their business. It’s not that Mary Ann and Brian Lee don’t take their new business endeavor seriously, because they certainly do. Both work full-time day jobs, which
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Posted March 06, 2013in Belly Up To...
Last Saturday was girls’ night out. What better way to spend a night out downtown with your favorite ladies than at Raccoon River Brewing Company at a free Bonne Finken show? Nothing could be more pure girl power than catching Bonne unplugged. You can’t take her picture. Although the band
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Posted February 27, 2013in Belly Up To...
Combining two of peoples’ favorite things to do, drinking and shopping, West End Salvage offers its patrons a non-traditional bar scene that’s easily missed unless you’re in on the secret. At first glance, it doesn’t look like your typical bar. That’s because it isn’t. West End Salvage began as an
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Posted February 20, 2013in Belly Up To...
Most bar owners claim their establishment is a “Cheers” kind of pub. Not Tom Morris, owner of The Hull Avenue Tavern. It’s simply not that kind of place. He does claim, however — in bold writing on the new sign out front — that his bar is “Des Moines’ oldest
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Posted February 13, 2013in Belly Up To...
Some people go to church and pray to God for love of the Holy Trinity; others go to the bar. (Some do both). At Whiskey Dixx downtown, the holy trinity includes Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Johnny Walker, and if you love it too much, you could end up praying
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Posted February 06, 2013in Belly Up To...
Every bar has its thing. Whether it’s a memorable bartender, a drink that can make you forget the unforgettable or an atmosphere that feels like home, every hole in the wall is so much more if you peer inside for a look. At Cooper’s on 5th, the bartender is memorable,
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Posted January 30, 2013in Belly Up To...
I got an education on how to drink beer upon my first visit to Sambetti’s on Second Avenue in Des Moines. My uncle — a veteran drinker even then — introduced me to the cozy booths, the warm Italian food and the term “big boy” in reference to beer. I
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