If you like beer then you will like El Bait Shop. I love beer so I love El Bait Shop. They have over 100 beers on tab, many local Iowa beers as well.
At this place you come for the great beer selection, not the food. They have okay bar food but nothing amazing. Wait I take that back, you can order from the attached bar called High Life and if you do get the Velvet Elvis dip. It comes with tortilla chips, and is really tasty.
This bar is a big hit for bicyclists and on the weekends it turns into a hot spot with many people in spandex and helmets - it makes for a fun atmosphere.
This is a great place to grab a drink with friends or co-workers. It is rather large so big groups fit well. Their patio is fantastic during the summer. I brought my dog one afternoon and we just hung out all day on the patio.
Great place!
Easily the best bar in Iowa. Tons of beers all varieties. A whole wall of beers on tap. Plus good home-style foods from next door at "Miller High Life Lounge" and their own bar foods (good nachos and pretty good wings). Both restaurants share the same kitchen, so you can get food from either.
Review Source:El Bait Shop is where it's at in Des Moines. Â Over 100 beers on tap, a wicked cool interior that is full of decor that belongs in a bar, and a solid food menu.
They've got both Lost Coast and Stone on tap here (which is kind of awesome), and we had the bacon wrapped tater tots with jalapeno that were a knockout.
Add in the High Life Lounge next door, the outdoor seating for summer, and the myriad of beer choices, and you're in heaven. Â No need to look further.
5 Stars.
Quite possibly the best chicken I have ever had--and growing up in the south, well that says a lot! Â They describe it as being cooked with a "patented pressure frying process" and it was one giant oral orgasm. Â I chose the breast-breast option and had 2 giant, mouth watering breasts served up with sides. Â Â It came out piping hot, crispy and juicy, served with 2 sides that were delicious as well, but that chicken--well you just have to experience it to believe it.
The place is nothing fancy-- a perfect dive bar appearance without trying too hard. 100 draft beers on the wall and a friendly staff--they are serious about their beers. Â I don't live in Des Moines, but if I did, this would be one of my hangouts. Â Prices are more than fair and the menu offers everything from sandwiches to Tex-Mex. But if you don't try the chicken at least once, you are missing out.
This was quite possibly love at first sight! Â Everyone knows how much I love beer, and this is an amazingly wonderful place, especially for Downtown DSM.
The decor is quirky and cute without trying too hard (unlike High Life Lounge next door). Â I love the wrestling hall of fame near the front door - so random!
The service was amazing - our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Â It was a crowded Friday night, and there were only 2 bartenders on, so it was a bit of a wait to get our beers, but that happens!
I was impressed by the beer list - there were things on the menu that I can't even get here in Vegas! Â I ordered an IPA from a local brewery that was suggested by the server and wasn't disappointed. Â Then our group decided to try a couple of the flights. Â These are by far the best way to go if you would like to sample quite a few beers. Â The flights are either $8 or $9 and come with 6 tasters. Â They had quite a few flights to choose from, but since it was busy, we were limited to one flight at a time.
They look to have pretty good food - but the best is that you can order from the High Life Lounge menu as well - HELLO BACON WRAPPED TATER TOTS!! Â The prices for the food and beer are decent, and they always have specials.
A great stop while in Iowa!
Great place to get a beer if you want a good selection. The name perfectly describes that how much of a dive the place can feel. It's really fun during the summer because you can sit outside and feel like you are on vacation instead of Des Moines. Outside, the atmosphere makes you feel like you are in the Florida Keys (just outside some trailer park on the bad side of town).
Review Source:If you live anywhere near Des Moines and you consider yourself a beer aficionado, then you have to check out El Bait Shop. Â They've got a tap selection that is bigger than any place I've ever seen in Chicago. Â The only place that surpasses it in terms of variety, as far as I've personally seen nationally, is Zeitgeist in San Francisco. Â
There are a few other things that I really liked about El Bait Shop: (1) The restaurant and bar have a weird and welcoming feel with vintage posters, lacquered wood, brewery stickers everywhere, and a random miniature WWF Hall of Fame near the bathroom...this place makes it easy to feel comfortable. (2) Their food menu, if you don't mind pub food, is not too shabby at all...I was really satisfied with the enormous Mexican burger. (3) They've organized their bank of available beers into a more manageable set of taster glass flights. Â I got the Iowa beer flight, featuring 5 beers that you can't find in Chicago, and if I didn't have obligations in the morning, I would have been on board for at least one other flight series. (4) The wait staff is really laidback and they appear to really enjoy working here, which makes for a better experience for us guests. Â Lastly, it may be worthwhile to note that we visited El Bait Shop on a Saturday night around 8:00 in mid-October and there were plenty of tables available, no wait.
El Bait Shop was so good, it may stand alone as enough of a reason to go back to Des Moines soon.
Been many many times. The bartenders are pretty friendly and know their stuff. As far as food goes I shared a cheeseburger & sweet potato fries with my bff after rollerblading there from Gray's Lake a couple times, both times it was very good! I've had better fish tacos but the beer selection, fun environment, & convenient location will definitely keep me coming back.
Review Source:Great beer selection. Â Whenever in Des Moines, I try to stop by El Bait Shop. Â I love craft brews, and this is the place to get exposed to some new and unique beers. Â The prices are fair, the staff is great, and the setting is perfect.
The restaurant does get pretty crowded at times, but enduring the crowd is usually worth it.
I came here with friends after our outdoors meeting. Â Pretty cool atmosphere but not my ideal place to hang out. Â Beer selection is decent but it just looks a little rundown in my opinion. Â The parking is a bit crazy on the street. Â I would rather find a nicer pub in downtown or just head for West Des Moines.
Review Source:Let's just say the selection of beer is impressive to say the least. Â It's positively overwhelming to look at, actually. Â But the bartender really was pretty patient with the three chicks standing there not knowing what to order (read: us) and made suggestions and even mixed a rocking mixed drink for the non-beer-drinker among us. Â The onion rings were tasteless. Â I think probably one doesn't go for the food. Â You go to try every American beer ever created and for the atmosphere.
Rockin'. Â No complaints.
I likey.
El Bait Shop was recommended by, pretty much everyone, when I told them I was moving to Des Moines. Â Well, six weeks later, and 4 El Bait Shop trips, I dig it.
Their beer selection is ridiculous! Â Love the way they break down the menu, so depending on my beer mood, I can navigate the menu by category. Â Makes things super helpful, especially when their menu is massive.
Food is decent. Â It's bar food. Â I like that you can also order from the High Life Lounge menu, too. Â Good times.
If you like beer, this is a place to go. They have a ton of brews on tap and a ton more in bottles and cans. Good rotation of craft brews from around the county.
We sat under a portrait of "The Most Interesting Man In The World" and admired the eclectic decor of the place. It is also connected to the High Life so you don't even have to go outside to bar hop.
This place is an oasis in an otherwise sea of chain restaurants in the Des Moines area. Â Most bars/restaurants in this city seem to have the usual flair of "we've got any beer you'd want - Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Miller High Life, MGD, and Miller High Life Light". Â This place is the exact opposite.
I'll be honest - I came here for the beer, nothing else. Â I had dinner but don't remember what because it wasn't important. Â I had an IPA sampler that was enjoyable, as well as numerous other kinds of craft beers on tap, including Bells Expedition Stout. Â Next time I'm back in Des Moines I'll be stopping by this place.
This place was a weird amalgamation of things that left me with sort of mixed feelings. I'd probably actually give it closer to 3 1/2 stars, and I'm guessing on other nights it would be a higher rating. We got there at 6:30 on a Saturday night, two of us really excited about the outstanding beer selection that El Bait Shop promises. We parked across the street, then attempted to walk in. I should say attempted because a couple of very drunk looking bros stood in front of us and literally blocked my girlfriend from entering. She managed to get around them, only to get cut off by another bro at the door. So we get inside, and of course, it's packed. We were thinking it would be more of a restaurant, but it's really just a giant bar and as loud as any bar could claim to be. There's really nowhere to stand (or sit) if you don't have a table, so we ended up standing awkwardly in the middle, and there were only two servers manning the entire joint. Everyone appeared to be trashed out of their mind, adding to the fun. We had almost given up after about 20 minutes, but then some very nice gentlemen offered to share their table with us, and we finally had a seat. By then we were all a little grouchy. The decor is interesting, but I was more focused on the huge line of taps behind the bar and trying to block out a drunken argument between another bro and his very inebriated girlfriend. At least the music wasn't blasting, so we could hold conversations at a reasonable tone of voice.
Anyway, onto the better part of the evening, the beer and the food. El Bait Shop definitely rivals The Flying Saucer in KC with their selection, and the drink menus are very comparable, down to the fun combination drinks on the back. I started out with a Prickly Passion Saison from New Belgium that I had wanted to try for a while, and it was good. Alison tried to get a trappist cider, but it turned out to be $20...bummer. But the server did warn us in advance, which was helpful. Rachel and I ordered beer flights, which are quite the deal. For $8 you can make your own flight, the portions are generous, and the presentation on the old wooden boards is pretty cool. We both got to try some interesting brews, and also learned that a flight is a lot for one person to handle. I was impressed that the server knew off the top of his head which beers were available and which were not...usually they have to come back and forth to inform you, after you've gotten your hopes up. Dinner is standard bar fare, but my fish tacos were really good by those standards. Rachel loved her veggie burrito, while Alison was sort of lukewarm on her regular tacos. We ended up staying about two hours, having some fun with the guys who shared our table, and it turned out pretty well in the end.
I'd give El Bait shop a 5 for their beer selection (well done!), a 4 for the food, a 3 for the service and a 1.5, maybe a 2, for the atmosphere. It was super loud and I just wasn't digging it, particularly with all the past-their-prime frat guys milling about, and the layout was odd. I'm guessing we might have hit it at a bad time since Bacon Fest was the same weekend, but it's hard to say. Maybe if we'd hit it up during the week if would have been more low-key. An interesting experience, nonetheless!
Came home to visit Iowa, which I don't do very often since I find options for dining and entertainment very limited.
My dad suggested El Bait Shop for the variety of beers on tap. I couldn't decide what I wanted, so I opted for one of 6 beer flights (one was $10, but the rest were $8) for six 4-oz beer samples. You could also make your own custom beer flight for $8. We ordered several sides and an order of thai peanut wings...not to of the line cuisine, but it certainly paired well with the beers. The server was helpful and attentive. The sheet number of beers on tap makes this spot with a try!
1 star for the food
1 star for the service
1 star for the atmosphere
2 stars for the beer selection
This place is great for a quick lunch, bunch of drinks, or casual conversation. I have been here many times and have never had to wait for a table or have had any complaints. I am a craft beer lover and this place is where to go in Iowa if you love beer as much as I do.
I really wanted to love El Bait Shop because my fiance enjoys it so much (must be the wide range of beer selection) but I just could not.
We stopped in after an iCubs game wanting to sit outside but of course, on a nice day, it is hard to do. Â So, we sat inside. Â We waited for around 30 min before a server came to our table (we even went up and asked if anyone was going to serve us). Â When she finally came, she was only interested in taking half of the tables order until we spoke up that we wanted to order too!
The beers are just fine, but the mixed drinks are tiny and cost $4. Â Their food is well priced but it just tastes ok. Â I had the fish tacos (not fried) and liked them better than Dos Rios' fish tacos but the rice and black beans were not very good. Â A friend had the Spicy Diablo Burger which she enjoyed and another couple had the nachos (w/o cheese because they were out of it) and they liked them too.
Overall, with bad service, ok food and tiny mixed drinks, I cannot rate it any higher.
I love Bell's Oberon. El Bait Shop currently has it on tap. Therefore, I love El Bait Shop. I didn't really consider any of the 100+ other beers they have on tap but its nice to know I could have branched out to another summer wheat beer. The bartenders will give you free samples if you want to test any out before having to drink a whole glass of a vanilla stout, for example. They have live bands, food (including awesome sweet potato fries) and a patio for those 4 months where its warm enough to sit there.
Review Source:Are you kidding me with the beer selection at this place????? Â I am a beer joint maniac and this place had the best selection I have seen in any of the places I have visited in the 50 states!! Â I had an oktoberfest style beer flight that was great. Â Bartender, i forget his name, gave me several samples of some of his favorites before I made my selections. Â He deserved the 40% tip that I left him!!! Â I didn't try the food but I saw a bunch of people eating the nachos and they looked good. Â I did go next door to High Life and get the tots and they were outstanding!!
Review Source:Awesome place for bar hopping and great location for cyclists. Â There are about 100 beers on tap too.
Food was ok - good selection considering it is a bar! Â We had the nachoes which had layers of toppings within the chips rather than just on top. Â I had the shrimp quesadillar which was huge and would be good to share. Â They also recently participated in a Travel Zoo local deal where you got 2 beers plus $40 in credit for only $20. Â They give you the credit on a gift card which is also good at their sister locations like the Hessen House and High Life Lounge.
Always a must on any night out in Des Moines. Â So much beer! Â My only complaint is I never know what to order. Â Generally I'm lucky enough to have a server or bartender who will help me out. Â Sometimes it works, sometimes I end up with an awful beer. Â I still drink it. Â It's still beer.
You never know what will happen here. Â Scratch that. Â You always know you will take drunk pictures in the shower, but beyond that, you never know what will happen here. Â On our last visit, our large group and the large group across the room ended the night by joining together in a rousing chorus (or four) of "Take Me Home Country Roads". Â Indeed.
There is a shower in this bar. Â Yes, a shower. Â Why? Â So that drunk patrons can take silly pictures of themselves inside. Â Or, is that just us???
The shower is just one of the fabulous decor choices in this bar. Â You will also find a stuffed deer wearing a sombrero, a "Where the Wild Things Are" mural, and a big garage door that they roll up during the summer. Â It is like your grandpa's garage, but so much cooler. Â
Bait Shop has at least 100 beers on tap, and even more available in bottles. Â They also do combinations of different beers on the menu - not just your standard black-and-tan or snakebite, but a Nutty Buddy (Rogue Mocha Porter + Rogue Hazelnut), etc. Â Deciding what to order is the most difficult part. Â
I've ordered nachos and a couple of other things here, but nothing very memorable. Â No matter; they could serve dog food here and I would still go crazy for the beer selection.
Bait Shop is connected to High Life - another excellent bar - and it has a huge patio in the warmer months. Â Easily one of my favorite bars in Des Moines!
This place was a huge disappointment, and I still am rating it 4 stars. Any place that has a beer selection like they do deserves minimum 4 stars.
I was in town for business with nothing to do. It sounded interesting and was w/in reasonable walking distance from my hotel. The place was pretty empty, but then again it was a Tues night.
I was looking forward to beers and BBQ. Sadly, I could only get beer. No more BBQ, according to the menu. I was stuck eating a good, but overpriced burrito.
Go here for the beer, and the beer alone. Unless you like having hilarious gas all night. Then get the burrito too.
Whenever I would visit my friends in DSM, I would request that we go to El Bait Shop. Â I couldn't get over the fact that they had nothing but microbrews on tap (well over 100). Â Now that I live here, it is my favorite place to grab a drink and go out w/ friends. Â The atmosphere is very chill and it seems like the douche bags that typically go out on a Friday or Saturday night avoid this bar, which is really nice. Â I discovered some of my absolute favorite beers there including the Left Hand Milk Stout and the Point Amber (delish).
Plus, they have live music on Sunday and Wednesday nights, Big Buck Hunter and have tacos on the cheap. Â What's not to love?
Beer and taxidermy are two of my favorite things which makes El Bait Shop a damn fine bar in my humble opinion. Some might find it a bit hokey but it's a solid spot to cool off with a pint on a hot summer night. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in the greatest city in the world.
Review Source:Very chill bar with an amazing beer selection. Â I'm not much of a beer drinker lately but I'll always find something that leaves me wanting a refill here.
Cool atmosphere, love the "Wild Things" mural and the old school wrestling pics.
Food is great too. Â Old school tacos. Â Good chips/salsa. Â Excellent bbq.
We haven't been for the live music, but they have some good free shows.
We stop by every time we're back in town. Â Thumbs Up!
One of the best bars. So many beers, so many decisions. I tried to drink a new one every time, but fell in love with a milk stout from Colorado. The vibe is chill, with all sorts of people enjoying the barley and hops combinations.
This place wins the prize for atmosphere. Wooden tables, a garage door that is open during the summer, a working shower, beer memorabilia, Where the Wild Things Are tribute, and random small stuffed animals (like a fox).
I need 7 stars for this one kids...
"The only 1970's & fishing Mexican BBQ restaurant you'll run across...ever"
This is by far the best bar I have ever been in. Over 100 beers on tap, killer smoked meats to enjoy, heck they even use the smoked meats in their Mexican dishes. Crazy good. 70's stuff all over the walls along with
fishing crap everywhere....I'M HOME!!!
One Bad thing about this place? It's not by me....sad.
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