11 destinations to dine and drink with a view in the Des Moines metro
There is no shortage of patio and outdoor dining and drinking opportunities thought the region, but occasionally diners are looking for something a little unusual or special when they head out the door.
The following list of 11 already popular venues provides a broad cross section suitable for any occasion. From a low-key meet-up with out-of-town friends and family, or an excuse to dress up for a night of elegance and new memories, these roofs with a view and waterfront settings provide a perfect aperitif to any meal.
300 Craft & Rooftop
The hint is in the name. Downtown’s 300 Craft & Rooftop takes great pride in owning one of the finest skyline views in town. Located a five-minute walk from Principal Park, the bar has evolved into a repeat must-visit destination pre-, or post-game, or guests can take up the sport of people watching within its buzzy indoor and outdoor layout. A fun, but popular, attraction is timing an evening visit to coincide with the stadium’s firework displays for one of the best nighttime panoramas in the metro.
On the menu, a casual pub grub menu featuring hearty one-third pound burgers, branded with the company logo seared onto the bun. The thirst-quenching roster of cans, bottles, and tap beers include a curated list sourced from Iowa and Midwestern brewers, plus a handful of far-flung rarities to satisfy informed beer hunters. Don’t forget to linger inside to discover the framed artwork from Iowa-based creators.
Location: 300 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy., Des Moines
Contact: 515-288-3414; 300craftandrooftop.com
Hours: Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 p.m. to midnight; closing at 2 a.m. on Thursday and Friday; Saturday from noon to 2 a.m. and Sunday also opening at noon but closing earlier at midnight. Closed on Mondays.
More: 9 places to dine near Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs, plus one great cocktail bar
Brick & Ivy Rooftop
If you are going to create a rooftop for your Altoona sports bar, it’s tough to find a better location than the Brick & Ivy Rooftop, sitting in a prime spot directly across the street from the big thrill rides of Adventureland. Out on the patio, the bar often schedules live music and customers can cheer on sports playing on TVs mounted above and behind the ground floor bar top. Upstairs, there are unique views of the theme park’s Monster and Tornado attractions as they hurtle around riders on the tracks.
Smart regulars know to check online for the bar's weekly food and drink specials or turn up on a whim to dive into a menu featuring Lake Geneva cheese curds, sandwiches, brisket-blend burgers, wings with a choice of nine different sauces, and the house specialty Chicago-inspired thin crust pizza. The bar also serves a collection of baseballinspired mules designed to throw its guests curveballs.
Location: 400 34th Ave., Altoona
Contact: 515-381-7990; brickandivyia.com
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday extended hours from 11 a.m. to midnight; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.
More: These dog-friendly patios at Des Moines restaurants, breweries make dining with pets easy
Burger Shed Altoona
While deciding what to order from Burger Shed’s extensive menu of innovative bar food, take a moment to soak in the views from the restaurant’s backyard patio overlooking Prairie Crossing’s calming mini-lake. A casual dining centerpiece of the Altoona development, Burger Shed’s signature dish is created with two 4-ounce patties placed between toasted buns stamped with a “BS” sear. Among other options, equally enticing appetizers of beer cheese fondue, and pork belly burnt ends, plus soups, sandwiches, salads and novelty milkshakes.
Inside, diners can spy on the hard work inside the open kitchen, and also take a seat on the mezzanine level. Outdoors, guests can sit and sip the "tap flights," four 4-ounce glasses of any drinks currently on tap, or try one of their cocktails, including modern versions of a mojito, rum punch and vodka mule. Happy hour deals are scheduled from 3 to 6 p.m. during the week and offer up half-price wines, tap, and well drinks.
Location: 500 Bass Pro Drive N.W., Altoona
Contact: 515-630-7433; eatatburgershed.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and closing at 9 p.m. on Sundays.
More: Here are the best restaurant, bar patios in Des Moines to eat and drink outside
The Dam Pub
Beaverdale locals have embraced ’80s and ’90s themed The Dam Pub over the past four years and learned to look for the neon sign and head upstairs to the lively, compact rooftop patio equipped with its very own funky bar shack. Popular for cocktails and shot and beer combos, the pub is open for brunch on the weekends, serving up breakfast pizza and the popular "dam bowls."
The usual pub-grub menu features burgers, sandwiches, pizza, shareable plates, and options like Asiago mac and cheese, or chicken and waffles for diners with a bigger appetite. In addition to a long bar on the ground level and a separate dining area that is popular with families, there is another shaded outside space a few footsteps from busy Beaver Avenue. Before you go, don't forget play a little Pac-Man and other retro arcade games in the game room.
Location: 2710 Beaver Ave, Des Moines
Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturdayfrom 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Contact: 515-279-4449; dampubdsm.com
More: 31 great brunches to try in the Des Moines area right now, including Early Bird, Eatery A
Destination Grille
Grimes’ Destination Grille likes to promote it takes customers to the “next level” while they dine and relax. And that includes a second-floor patio with wide-open views extending beyond the landmark Johnston water tower rising in the northeast. Designed with a modern spin on a casual tavern, the grill also features a separate ground-floor patio and a large interior space for diners to order dishes prepared in the scratch-made kitchen. Upstairs, the rooftop patio has been furnished with couches, tables, and shaded cabanas, and frequently hosts live music events during the summer months.
The Destination Grille menu is focused on a long list of gastro-pub favorites, ranging from filet steak and baked North Atlantic lobster, to lighter bites of seared scallops, Mexican street corn dip, plus an evolving collection of gluten-friendly options. Cocktails, mocktails and craft beers can be enjoyed while watching games on the restaurant’s 170-inch screen or admiring the neighborhood at a seat around the outdoor firepits.
Location: 2491 E. First St., Grimes
Contact: 515-355-1153; destinationgrille.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bar service continues to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
More: The 27 essential restaurants in the Des Moines metro: 2024 edition
Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse
Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, a close neighbor to Burger Shed at Altoona’s Prairie Crossing shopping district, features an extensive menu of Italian classics and 28-day aged steaks are among the popular staples. Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, home to lakeside dining right by the water, offers a warm, clubby, but welcoming atmosphere inside the restaurant for ordering generous portions for lunch and dinner, including a house spin on steak de Burgo, lobster mac and cheese, and the veal Sinatra, sautéed with shrimp, crab meat and mushrooms.
Outside, the highly coveted patio extends to a covered jetty that seats diners on the edge of the mini lake. A must visit during the twilight hours or under a twinkling nighttime sky, there is also a comfortable outdoor lounge space with its own firepit that creates a perfect spot to indulge in a slice of limoncello cake or enjoy one of the steakhouse’s contemporary cocktails.
Location: 550 Bass Pro Drive N.W., Altoona
Contact: 515-957-9600; johnnysitaliansteakhouse.com/altoona
Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
More: Here are 14 of the best steakhouses in the Des Moines metro for prime rib, steak de Burgo
The Republic on Grand
No reservations are required to partake in a sophisticated evening at this East Village hot spot. Topping the sixth floor of the AC Hotel, The Republic on Grand merges elements of big city urban style with an enviable, climate-controlled vantage point over Des Moines’ downtown scene, and views of the illuminated Iowa State Capitol.
Winning local fans for its craft and seasonal cocktails, The Republic is also known for its fun flights of bourbon, "bubbles," rosé and red blend drinks. The curated menu includes shareable bites, flatbreads, and mini dishes, plus more substantial choices like shrimp gnocchi, duck confit, and salmon Romesco that are large enough to satisfy all appetites.
Sunday brunch is served until 3 p.m., mixing up flights of espresso martinis and mimosa creations to accompany French toast, salmon cake Benedicts, or cheesy "hangover tots." Guests planning ahead can check the venue’s website for details of regularly scheduled live music entertainment.
Location: 401 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines
Contact: 515-518-6070; therepublicongrand.com
Hours: Open Monday to Thursday, 4 to 9 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight, serving food until 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
More: Here are 16 of the best restaurants in Des Moines' East Village
Mullets
As Mullets continues its expansion around the region, the original sports bar and restaurant home on First Street offers a prime rooftop hangout. Diners face the convergence of the Racoon and Des Moines Rivers, where Mullets guests can dine on the famous breakfast dishes and wave to bicyclists riding along the trail bridge.
A perennial favorite for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, Mullets outdoor seating fills up fast, as diners dig into omelets, French toast waffle rarebit, burritos, seafood hash and a burnt ends Benedict. Burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads are part of the lunch selections, which can be paired with a bloody Mary. Mullets has also been quick to offer a number of gluten-free and vegan alternatives.
Note, the Mullets location in Ankeny also has a rooftop patio.
Location: 1300 S.E. First St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-244-1443; mulletsdm.com
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Trellis Café
An inviting addition to any rewarding day out at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, the Trellis Café from chef and owner Lisa LaValle provides a relaxing interlude that is worthy of visit in itself. Only open for lunch, the café’s outdoor patio looks onto the botanical garden pond, and toward the downtown skyline across the Des Moines River.
On the menu, that can be sampled indoors, or facing the open kitchen, a frequently updated list of soups, sandwiches, and salads, plus a daily choice of burgers and pastas, and a committed focus to creating vegetarian-friendly dishes. The restaurant also offers a menu of locally produced sweet treats from Desserts by Doré. Among the drink selections, wines, sparkling favorites, tap beer from Iowa brewers and a caffeine pick-me-up from Ingersoll Avenue's own Zanzibar's Coffee. Trellis Cafe donates 10% of the bill to help with sustaining the botanical gardens and there is no extra admission charge for visitors who are only headed to the café.
Location: 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Contact: 515-323-6288; https://dmbotanicalgarden.com/visit/dine/
Wellman’s Pub & Rooftop West Des Moines
The original Wellman's Pub has already found a loyal following for its expansive outdoor patio and views of Ingersoll Avenue, but head to West Des Moines for a different perspective, both above and below. Launched in 2010, and conveniently close to the Mills Civic Parkway's big box stores and franchises, the casual pub's umbrella-shaded outside space is bordered by a rock garden and a relaxing water feature flowing into a small pond.
Indoors, the bar retains the Wellman's well-known sports bar atmosphere, while a walk up the metal outdoor staircase leads to a rooftop patio, with its own bar and elevated perspective of the neighborhood. In addition to martinis, mules, and updated spins on classic cocktail recipes, the food menu includes wings, Rangoons, and street tacos, to pair with sandwiches, wraps, pizza and burgers, all served in generous potions. For guests looking for something a little different, less common dishes include garlic shrimp alfredo mac and cheese, a Gochujang chicken rice bowl, and cranberry salmon salad.
Location: 597 Market St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-288-3414; wellmanspub.com/wellmans-pub-and-rooftop
Hours: Open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Who’s on 1st
A recent newcomer to the vibrant Ankeny bar and grill community, Who's on 1st's heated, upper-level patio offers comfortable seating, four-top tables shaded by umbrellas and views of the neighboring Ankeny to the north, south and east. The upper level is often the space to catch live musical acts.
Downstairs, the popular main room has been designed with a wide-open industrial look and welcomes guests of all ages. Weekly dining specials and drink deals are posted online, and join weekday lunch specials that are served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other menu favorites include wraps, wings, the cowboy bruschetta appetizer, burgers and sandwiches, plus a filet with truffle fries, or a 10-ounce Iowa chop for heartier appetites. Iowa brewers are represented on tap, and behind the bar flanked by multiple TVs, the team mix up specialty cocktails, like the CrownRoyal Peach Whisky John Daily, and the Babe Ruth Old Fashion with a Screwball peanut butter whiskey base.
Location: 810 E. First St., Suite 102, Ankeny
Contact: 515-965-9191; https://whosonfirstankeny.com
Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11p.m.; Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The kitchen closes every day at 9 p.m.
Richard Lane is a freelance writer in Des Moines.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Restaurants in Des Moines where you can dine with a view
