Updated at: 07-10-2023 - By: John Lau

If you’re looking for a great place to catch the game and enjoy some good food and drinks, Des Moines has plenty of options to choose from. From classic sports bars to trendy gastropubs, there’s something for everyone.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best sports bars in Des Moines, as voted by locals and reviewed by experts.

Top 14 Best Sports Bars In Des Moines

Smash Park

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Smash Park is an entertainment venue located in West Des Moines, Iowa.

It opened its first location in September 2018 and features six indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, as well as other indoor/outdoor games such as arcade games, cornhole, darts, shuffleboard, and bocce ball.

The venue also has a full bar and serves American pub grub, including burgers, fries, flatbreads, and kale and quinoa power bowls.

Smash Park is a unique indoor/outdoor venue that offers a whole new level of entertainment to its visitors.

Kinship Brewing

Kinship Brewing is a brewery and restaurant located in Waukee, Iowa. The establishment offers craft beers, fresh food, and live music, and has a dog park and patio.

The food menu is chef-driven and features fresh ingredients. Kinship Brewing also hosts events, although the events page on their website is currently being updated.

The business has been successful, raising and donating over $50,000 to local causes in its first year of operation.

The Station on Ingersoll

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The Station on Ingersoll is a sports bar and grill located at 3124 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa.

The owners are T.J.  Rushing and Alex Mason of Des Moines and Willie Dugan of Kansas City. The bar offers local food, drinks, and sports.

They serve a variety of appetizers, including Nacho Graziano, Made to Order Pretzel Bites, Crab Rangoon Nachos, Wisconsin “Kicked Up” Curds, Fried Cauliflower, Firecracker Cauliflower, and State Fair Cheese Curds.

The Station on Ingersoll aims to provide the community with a true sports bar, high-quality pub fare, and an array of drinks.

Wellman’s Pub (two locations)

Wellman’s Pub & Rooftop is a sports bar, restaurant, and nightclub with two locations in Des Moines and West Des Moines, Iowa.

The West Des Moines location is at 597 Market St, West Des Moines, IA 50266. They serve food and drinks, and are available for parties.

The West Des Moines location has a rooftop area, and is known for its happy hour and brunch.

The Front Row

The Front Row is a sports bar located in Des Moines, Iowa. It was established in 1995 and has become the premier Hawkeye bar in the state.

There are multiple locations of the Front Row in Iowa, including Clive and West Des Moines. The Front Row in Clive is known for accepting credit cards and having bike parking available.

The Front Row in Windsor Heights has a menu available online and offers breakfast and steak nights

Johnny’s Hall of Fame

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Johnny’s Hall of Fame is a long-running sports bar located in Des Moines, Iowa. The bar is known for its memorabilia-filled interior and American pub grub and drinks.

Johnny’s Hall of Fame serves breakfast, food, and beer, as well as offering merchandise for sale. The bar has a health score and is known for its full menu.

Johnny’s Hall of Fame has received mixed reviews on TripAdvisor, with some customers praising the food and atmosphere while others have criticized the service.

The bar has also been reviewed on Foursquare, with many customers praising the sports bar atmosphere and selection of drinks.

Mullets

The restaurant is located at 1300 Southeast 1st Street in Des Moines, Iowa. They offer breakfast 7 days a week and have a variety of breakfast options, including breakfast tacos, burritos, and sliders.

Mullets is known for its sports-themed decor and is described as an upbeat roadhouse. If you are interested in visiting the restaurant, you can find more information on their website.

Francie’s Bar & Grill

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Francie’s Bar & Grill is a locally owned and operated sports bar located in Des Moines, Iowa. It has wood-paneled interiors and a covered patio, and offers American eats, cocktails, and beer.

The bar is open from 11 am to midnight from Monday to Saturday, and the kitchen closes at 10 pm. Francie’s is known for its cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. They offer takeout services.

– Address: 2100 Wakonda View Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321

– Phone: (515) 285-5207

– Hours:

+ Monday to Thursday: 11 am to midnight (kitchen closes at 10 pm)

+ Friday and Saturday: 11 am to midnight

– Menu: Francie’s Bar & Grill offers a full menu of American eats. You can find their menu on their website.

Starbar

Star Bar is a restaurant and bar located in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers a globally inspired menu of small and large plates for lunch, dinner, and brunch, as well as cocktails.

The restaurant has patio seating and a relaxed atmosphere. According to reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor, the restaurant is known for its good food and drinks, but some reviewers felt that Des Moines has better places.

Star Bar also offers takeout and delivery options.

Trophys Sports Bar & Grill

Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill is a restaurant located in Des Moines, Iowa.

– Location: Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill is located at 2701 Douglas Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310-5840.

– Reviews: There are mixed reviews of Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill. Some reviewers on Yelp and Tripadvisor have praised the food and atmosphere, while others have criticized the service and cleanliness.

– Menu: The restaurant serves American food and has a menu that includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers.

– Features: According to Foursquare, Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill used to have karaoke nights and was attached to Plaza Lanes. However, it is unclear if these features are still available since some of the search results indicate that the restaurant is closed.

It is important to note that some of the search results indicate that Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill is closed, so it is recommended to call the restaurant or check their website for updated information before visiting.

Cheap Seats Sports Bar

Cheap Seats Sports Bar is located at 2301 Hubbell Ave, Des Moines, Iowa. It is a sports bar that is known for having TVs.

They do not take reservations. The bar is open from 3 PM to 2 AM. The menu for Cheap Seats Sports Bar can be found on MenuPix.

Noce Jazz Club

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Noce Jazz Club is a chic venue in Des Moines that is known for its jazz cabaret events and specialty cocktails.

It is a 125-seat listening room that features Iowa-based and nationally touring musicians, and there is free late-night admission on weekends.

Noce Jazz Club is located in beautiful downtown Des Moines and is Iowa’s premier home for live jazz music, chic events, and classic cocktails.

The club has about 25 tables seating four people and a few other seating options. Noce Jazz Club has a cover charge of $10.00 on some nights and free admission on others.

The club is designed simply and with class. They take reservations and accept credit cards.

Noce Jazz Club hosts various events, including Jazz on the House with Saxophonist Wayne Page & Company and Fly Me To The Moon: Max Wellman Sings Sinatra w/ The Nate Sparks Big Band.

Up-Down

Up-Down DSM is a retro arcade bar located in Des Moines’ East Village.

It features over 60 arcade games from the 80s and 90s, pinball machines, skee-ball, Nintendo and Sega console gaming, life-size Jenga and Connect Four, and three classic Skee-Ball alleys.

All games cost just 25 cents to play. The bar also offers a wide selection of craft beer and cocktails, with 20 beers on tap and even more bottles and cans.

Up-Down DSM has weekly specials, including $1 off all tap beer on Mondays, 10 cent tokens all night on Thursdays, and 2-for-1 tokens from 2pm to 9pm on Saturdays.

The bar is open daily until 2am and is only open to those aged 21 and over. Up-Down DSM also offers a monthly family hour on Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

El Bait Shop

El Bait Shop is an offbeat hot spot in Des Moines, Iowa that features a wide variety of craft beers, creative Mexican-American eats, and live music.

The restaurant is open from 11 am to 11 pm Sunday through Thursday.

According to customer reviews on TripAdvisor, El Bait Shop is highly rated, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The restaurant also offers gift cards and merchandise for purchase.