I love this bar and especially the Red Monk upstairs that serves killer Belgian Beers. I always get their Guinness stew over mashed potatoes which is perfect on a cold winter day.
I do however wish they would become the dedicated soccer bar of Des Moines. We need a good soccer bar and this should be the place!! What do you say Royal Mile you into soccer?
We are still enjoying our Westy 12 (XII) that they were able to get in, very cool that you guys participated.
I come to Des Moines once every few months, and I've had great experiences here in the past. Â Solid Pub food, knowledgable bartenders, and a very cool whiskey / scotch wizard machine with touch screen. Â I'm a huge scotch guy, so that's what I came here for this time. Â They are known for their excellent selection. I went here expecting the same level of service I had last time. Â Then there were several disappointments.
-The whiskey/ scotch wizard was broken! Â One waitress even commented, "I'm kinda new but it's been broken since I've been here." Â Another waitress gave the ambiguous promise, "We plan on getting it fixed."
-I thought, oh well, I know what it recommended for me last time, So I ordered the same scotch (Pedro Ximénez).  After a few minutes of searching...looking like he wasn't sure what he was searching for...I was informed by my waitress that they are "out"
-I asked the waitress if she could recommend a similar scotch. Â I wanted to tell her the region and taste I was looking for. Â She only knew about / liked one scotch from a menu of dozens.
-I asked if anyone there was knowledgeable...the waitress said she probably knew more than the bartender...basically a no...I found out he was "new" also
-The pours seemed light, I even asked if they were 1.5 oz pours. Â The pour felt like an ounce...and I pour with measuring a good deal at home. Â I put this towards the bottom because I have no proof, but after going through so much trouble to get a scotch...and paying $15 (about 1/5 of what the entire bottle would cost)...I didn't expect a light pour.
The reason I gave more than one star is because the staff was friendly and apologetic. Â I never felt unwelcome, but I was still disappointed. Â I also wrote management and after 5 days did not get any response.
This is my favorite bar in Des Moines to date. Whenever I am downtown with friends, I try to stop at the Royal Mile. The pub is small but has a very cozy atmosphere, almost as if you are in a British pub. The selection and variety of beers is incredible. This is true especially if you like imported beers and lagers. You can even go upstairs to Red Monk and get your fill of Belgian beer. They have the television on and you can watch the games.
I have been here several times. Royal Mile is very accommodating to a group gathering or post-date drinks. I have ordered Shepard's Pie off the menu, in part from curiosity after baking it myself with a friend after her trip to Ireland. It is delicious!
Having said all that, I heard that there is a patio. I have to venture downtown in the warmer months to check it out.
This is one of my favorite "sit down" spots Downtown. Â
The beer selection is incredible. Â Coupled with the Red Monk upstairs...you probably wont find a better selection of import beers anywhere in town. Â (That's actual imports, not Rolling Rock...which some places list in their "Import" section)
Having been to London...they really have done an amazing job making you feel like you are there. Â Bonus; the food at the Royal Mile is WAY better than the food in London! Â Having legit, draft kegs really adds to the feel...even if only slightly chilled beer isn't your thing.
I can't say enough about the food though. Â The Shepard's Pie is one of the most amazing meals ever. Â Also, if you order it hungover...you'll be cured! Â The Beefeater is also top notch...just make sure you don't order it on a first date.
The patios is one of my favorites. Â Brick everything, in what feels like an alley in London. Â East/West facing...it keeps the sun on you longer during the cooler weather. Â The "No Smoking" policy isn't enforced here really, but meh...we are outside and it's a London Pub, what can ya do?
Something magical happens after about 10pm, and this place gets crazy on the weekends. Â Those high proof beers really creep up on ya.
Fantastic pub! We ended up here after an unfavorable experience at another bar. The service was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. We ordered the Shepard's Pie Balls to try something off the menu. They were awesome! Perfectly fried and not heavy at all, really a delicious appetizer! We also tried a few drinks off of their new scotch and whiskey drink table top menu. Drinks were wonderful and tasted as expected. We will definitely be coming back here and will recommend to any and all.
Review Source:The beer selection is very good. Â But the food is seriously lacking. Â I ordered Shepherd's Pie, which might have been okay had it not been buried in bland cheese. Â My partner got the pasty, which was merely acceptable, but also had the cheese. Â He got the Thai ginger coleslaw with it, which was the best thing on our order, but lacked tartness and had a bit of a musty taste. Â They also do not note on the menu that it is full of peanuts - so beware if you are allergic. Â We also shared a Scotch egg, which was awful. Â The sausage was bland and nasty and the egg was rubbery, and again with the cheese! Â Bleh. Â All in all, good for a drink, though the place is darker than it needs to be, even for atmosphere, but avoid the food.
Review Source:This is as close to an English pub as you're going to find in DSM. It is so popular, especially on weekends, that I normally visit during the week or early on the weekends. Service is usually pretty good even when busy and the staff is always friendly. They have a great selection of import beers, some that i'd never heard of before. The guiness steak pie is my favorite item on the menu. A flaky crust with large pieces of steak in a delicious broth is very tasty and filling, especially on a cold winter day.
Review Source:I would give it 3 and a half, but I round up.
This is a very good bar, with a  good vibe. I've been here three times. First: best bread pudding ever. Wow, the cardamom. I highly recommend it.
Shepherd's pie -- so so, not bad, but not inspired either. Fish and chips were no better than the average bar in my opinion. And in my opinion on two visits the beer was rather flat. This is very common with either Iowa bars or how the bartenders pour to minimize head...pet peeve.
Last time I was there the beer list seemed to be improving with more American craft and specialty ales. The problem with imports seems to be that they're pasteurized and force-carbonated so going with American beers over imports yields much better results these days...
Oh, and the Scotch eggs were disappointing. How can that be? I want to LOVE this place but wish the kitchen just tried a little harder.
after a stroll through the saturday farmers market, we stopped in the royal mile for a drink. i had a bloody mary that was filled with tasty, tomatoe-ey, peppery goodness.
the atmosphere is pretty standard bar, but alot of folks were eating breakfast items in there, so i assume their food was good. the patio out the side door is nice to get some fresh air.
lots of uk sports memorabilia, and lots of oak....lots of it.
we went back later that night, and it was packed with bar goers. my buddy said it's a popular spot and so it well seemed. for the whiskey and scotch drinkers, their shelves were overflowing with selection.
Years ago, my brothers and I resigned ourselves to the fact Des Moines wouldn't get a good pub because it just didn't seem like a town that wanted a diverse beer selection. However, we found Royal Mile, a pub not only with a variety of beer on tap, but also a bar with a wide selection of whiskey. And did I mention that it has another pub on top of it (Red Monk)? And there is a nice little patio on the side. A pub, on top of a pub, with a patio on the side...like a black and tan followed with a shot of Jameson.
The bartender has the best qualities for a pub bartender: attentive, knowledgeable, and jovial. He greeted us and made solid beer recommendations. When more people flooded in, he took it all in stride and still was willing to run upstairs to the other pub in order to get us the drinks he thought we would prefer. And for a Tuesday night, he seemed genuinely happy to be there.
There was one feature to this bar which I hadn't seen before: a touchscreen computer for selecting beer and whiskey, for the person who doesn't like to talk to the bartender (I assume). One of my brothers became fascinated by this gizmo. My other brother and I were shocked because this brother doesn't drink because he is such a lightweight. After going through several paths of criteria, he selected a beer and I ordered it for him. Apparently, he chose the beer because of its alcohol content. Now, whether it was because it was suppose to have a high or a low percentage of alcohol, we will never know. But oh, the shenanigans that followed! So thanks, Royal Mile, for finding a way to getting an oddball to drink. Â
One favor to ask of RM: please get darts. I know you revoked their use due to problems with less than skilled dark players, but you could be discretionary about its use. Come on, just look at this face; I can be trusted to throw sharp objects in the correct direction!
We came here after spending most of the night at Mickey's on their brand new outdoor patio. Â The guys really like their drink options like good scotch. Â We sat outside on their patio which is really just an alley. Â It had such a strange feeling to it. Â I felt like an alley cat should have jumped up on our table or something. Â There were also a group of people who thought it would be fun to pile all the bikes on top of each other and then they doused them in beer. Â How mean!
Not a bad bar, just a strange place.
Just wouldn't be right if I didn't submit a review for my favorite spot in DSM! Â The bartenders are all extremely knowledgeable about all things beer and scotch, the wait staff is friendly and helpful, and the overall atmosphere is great!
Best deal here? Â Try the Guiness Beef Stew. NOM.
I thought this place was cool. I didn't go upstairs which is where my friend who sent me there wanted me to go. I didn't even see the upstairs but I guess its nice. We sat down by the bar and were greeted quickly by a nice server. This place is all about the beer so if you don't drink which I didn't the day I was there you will miss out. I had a Scotch Egg, Cheese chowder and Fish and Chips. There is not much on the menu if you are not a meat eater. I liked everything I had, but I will never try a Scotch egg again. It was a hard boiled egg, wrapped in sausage, battered in breading and baked then served with spicy mustard. It was something to try once but made me gag, just not my taste. Overall I liked the place but its more a bar than some place you go to eat.
Review Source:Definitely was a haven from the dreary gray drizzle. So, it was easy for my eyes to adjust to the darkness within. It's a seat yourself sort of place with a nicely stocked bar, televisions playing soccer, basketball and ESPN, and bar food with an seemingly UK influence.
I had the shepherd pie balls and scotch egg. Try ordering that first one with a straight face. The Scotch Egg had too much of a breakfast sausage taste for my liking. Wished it was less dense and fattening tasting. The pie balls were a definite winner. Shepherd's pie within a battered ball only to spill at the first cut. Gravy was excellent alongside it.
If you have an inkling for heavy food portions and beer, this is your place.
Fullers ales, hand pulled - Bitter, London Pride, ESB, Porter. Â Albeit served in a glass that looked a tad smaller than a royal pint.. so, order more.
Bangars Cheese Chowder. Â Never had anything quite like it, and my god it was delicious.
Fish and Chips. Â As good as any I've had, fresh and lightly battered.
Knowledgeable and friendly bartender.. and patrons too for that matter.
The atmosphere is more bar than restaurant, very much in keeping with the pub ambience, but don't let that throw you off. Â This is top grade pub chow with some of the quirkier English bits showing through. Â A really unexpected find.
This place seems more English than the country itself, especially at the bar, where it manages to pack in more varieties of UK beer than I thought possible into that small a bar. Scotch too - ESPECIALLY Scotch. The food's pretty good, if only because it doesn't shy away from some of the odder aspects of English cooking. The Gala Pork Pie, for example, was a mixture of pork, potato, and spices, flanked with hard-cooked egg, cooked in puff pastry, and served cold. Not being very familiar with this type of cuisine, I found it to be a little plain in its cold form, but with the addition of some of the citrus-dressed greens that came along with it, or the sweet chutney, the flavors became a bit more vibrant.
Every city has their own half-assed pubs serving a subpar fish fry, but the ones that really accomplish and feature what the British people bring to the table. Royal Mile does this, and adds enough contemporary flare to not scare away the uninitiated.
I love this place. Knowledgeable bartenders, comfortable setting, generally a fun crowd, good food, great selection of single malts and imported beers. The alley right outside is a great place to hang out in the summer.
If things get a bit crazy in Royal Mile, just head upstairs (you can take your drink with you) to the Red Monk. There's more seating upstairs and non-regulars generally don't know about it. Also, the Red Monk has a great selection of Belgian beer.
First of all, I've been to this place before and drank from their great beer selection. Â I was back in Des Moines visiting some friends and decided to eat at this establishment as I like English-style pubs. Â I'm always a fan of a good shepherd's pie. Â There's something about the meaty stew covered in mashed potatoes that connects with my Midwestern meat-n-potatoes upbringing.
I asked the waitress if the Shepherd's pie was good and of course she said yes. Â Admittedly, though, she said she doesn't really eat meat. Â Riiiight...I ordered it anyway and it came out in what seemed like a few minutes. Â It took about as much time as it took to get my beer, seriously! Â
I've ordered shepherd's pie at English pubs before and it's generally the same in that it is freshly baked and hot when served. This is not what I got from the Royal Mile. Â I received a rectangular, maybe 3"x6", piece of mashed potato 1 1/2" thick on a thin layer of ground lamb (at least it wasn't hamburger), onions, and carrots in a brown sauce. Â It was served in a large bowl so the sauce expanded into the oversized portion. Â The worst part was that it was barely warm. Â It was like when you have leftover food but you're really hungry so you don't heat it enough, but it's just warm enough to eat anyway. Â The finely shredded cheese sprinkles on top of the mashed potatoes didn't even melt. Â I let the waitress know about the disappointing pie, but I kept it anyway. Â The last thing I need is a shepherd's turd-n-pie, or whatever else the cook might add to returned food.
I'm giving two stars because I was happy with my beers. Â It's a good selection, and they have Boddington's on tap. Â The shepherd's pie was edible at best. Â Had it actually been baked thoroughly, it could have been a bit better. Â They also need a lesson on the ratio of potatoes to rest of the meat and veggies.
Hurrah! Â I love this place! Â I've searched long and hard for an English pub with even a smidge of authenticity. Â I lived in London and northern England, and since coming back to the States, haven't found anything that even comes close (yes, Brits in Minneapolis, I love you dearly, but don't even pretend you're the real deal).
We went a few weeks ago to support the English side in one of their World Cup matches (I won't say which in case I'm accused of being a bad American), and with me was a flatmate from my time in London. Â We both raved about the authenticity. Â The fish and chips were a tasty treat, compared well to the same that I had enjoyed in Dublin just a month before. Â The beer list is unbeatable in Des Moines, and the atmosphere (a bit dirty looking, shoddy decor, smelling of stale beer) is spot on. Â
I'm looking forward to heading back soon to try a Cornish pasty and throw back a few pints on a weekend afternoon!
My only complaint was our surly server, but perhaps that leant to the authenticity as well....
Great food and an awesome beer selection marks this tavern in . downtown Des Moines. I went there a little past 5pm on a weekday and the bar was somewhat quiet inside with around ten patrons spread out between the bar and the outdoor seating area. Most appear to be frequent patrons on first name basis with the bartender, who appears friendly and was very attentive.
I had a Guinness Pie with a side of Cucumber Salad (see photos) along with a glass of Harp. The pie came filled with chunks of beef, potatoes, and vegetables encrusted in a layer of  warm,buttery, and crunchy pastry. Cucumber salad is a mix of diced cucumbers, onions, and cashews dressed with oil and vinegar. Both dishes tasted delicious and I seriously contemplated taking another meal to go as a late night dessert...Anyways total bill came out just under $15 not including tips.
On the positive side this place has tasty English pub food and drinks that is both good and won't drain your wallet. The downside is that the lighting indoors is a bit to the dark side and in general felt a bit unclean, not to mention the outdoor patio seating area that resembles entrance to a dirty back alley. Regardless of that, this is one place I would look forward to come back to again.
Royal Mile, I can't stay mad at you. Â We've got a history together, you and I - ever since you opened, I haven't been able to keep myself away. Â The beer selection. Â The food. Â The scotch eggs with coleman's mustard, MY GOD, those scotch eggs are fantastic. Â And then a year or two after you opened, you converted the upstairs restaurant into the Red Monk... you know how I feel about Belgian beers, Royal Mile. Â You were the perfect bar for me.
So I trusted you when it came time to plan last year's big birthday bash - we rented the Red Monk, ordered the food, invited guests. Â But you lied to me, Royal Mile. Â You left out a couple of important details and ended up charging me way more than we'd agreed. Â In fact, one of your bartenders got into a shouting match with my boyfriend and we vowed never to go back. Â But you knew I couldn't stay mad for long, didn't you? Â Not with all those amazing beers on tap and THOSE DELICIOUS SCOTCH EGGS. Â
You're my favorite bar in town, but I just can't give you five stars yet. Â Give me another year to get over the birthday disappointment, and I know we'll be back together and better than ever. For now... let's just say all is forgiven and I'll be back again soon.
Love,
Megan
English pub? Des Moines, IA? Steak and Guinness pie? With a freaking Belgian beer bar ABOVE IT? Where do I sign up?
I love the Royal Mile. I love the Royal Mile so much that my wife gets mad that we don't branch out enough when we drive down to Des Moines. I pretty much dig all their food. It's authentic enough for me. I do believe that the desserts have sugar in them and are not tasteless shrines to cream and an attempt at something sweet. I really like the pies and the pasties. I a a fan of the veggie items also. I might say that the fish and chips were a tad on the grease wagon side, but not terrible.
What I love about the Royal Mile is that the servers will pair a beer with a meal and get it right. I have attempted a "you pick it" with two different servers and both were spot on. Â This is not even the real genius of the place. This place is insane because of the BELGIAN BEER BAR ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
Wait. Let me get this straight Royal Mile. You are going to offer me real pub food, real English ales poured correctly, and then let me walk up the steps after 8 and drink St. Bernardus on tap? Oy. I can't take it. It's as though God made this restaurant day 6 and then went here to hang out on the 7th day. Brilliant.
Wonderful. I think I might just love it more than my own family.
Located right downtown in the Court District the Royal Mile offers a great selection of beers and great British pub food. My coworkers and I have had pretty much everything on the menu and none of it disappoints. The bangers are actually made onsite and are the best I've ever had. If you want to nitpick, during the week the place is dead at night. With the selection of beers and the quality of food though, who cares!
Review Source:For fellow beer connoisseurs/snobs, the Royal Mile is the perfect place to taste something new.
On tap, you will find only the best selection of English and other Western European brews. Â Their bottled beer collection is also pretty impressive. Â For a beer drinker who prefers a specific taste, you will certainly find something you can inhale all night; stouts, reds, wheats, ales, browns, hefeweizens etc. Â
The place can get pretty packed on the weekends. Â This includes the upstairs bar, "The Red Monk." Â If you get a table, hang onto it for the night if you plan to stay.
The atmosphere is rather mixed. Â From the indie-punk crowd, the business-casual-happy-hour types, artists, musicians, sports fans and everyone in between.
The lighting is low. Â The decor is entertaining. Â The staff is always smiling and happy to make suggestions for the undecided.
The food is rather complementary to the brewskies. Â If there is anything you must try, it's the ruben rolls. Â Yes, your favorite sandwich, in a roll. Â Personally, i don't like to share mine, so you may need two orders. Â They also have a lovely chicken wrap and tasty fish and chips.
Without question the best bar in Des Moines and the entire state of Iowa. Â Be sure to check out the Belgian beer bar upstairs complete with neo-gothic decor. Â The downstairs serves amazing fish and chips or other predictable pub food. Â Features an absurd drink selection and always a great time outside on the patio. Â Come early in the night if you want a table.
Review Source:My sister and brother-in-law drive two hours for the RM's pasties. They drove me two hours out here for fish and chips. I used to live in England, and hellz, this was some of the most damn authentic British pub grub I've had this side of the pond. (I say "British" intentionally, since there's a bunch of photos of the Royal Mile  in Edinburgh, and I noticed Scottish flags are in the central place of honor). The Newcastle Brown was served at the right temperature, even if it tasted a mite stale. All in all, this one's a keeper!
Review Source:Yep, this is pretty much the most authentic English pub I've been in over here, right down to the so-so food and sticky carpets. Â Everything else about it is cool, it's a comfy local boozer type of place. Â Frankly it seems a little out of place amid the near-sterility of downtown Des Moines, but I guess it's part of the gradual, (very) slow rebirth of the area. Â Friendly staff and punters, all they're missing is a one-armed bandit and a too-loud brewery rep called Gaz
3/22 I have to add, that while most of the food is mediocre (like I say, it's authentic) the Bombay Chicken curry is awesome - soaks up that booze a treat!
I lived in England for 3.5 years and am yet to find an English pub as good as this one. What most people don't understand about English pubs in the US is that its not really meant to be clean and nice around the edges. The Royal Mile is dark, a bit grundgy, has the nasty looking carpet laid down in the seating area that doesn't belong anywhere but a pub, and is great for all these reasons. They have all the classics like fish and chips and various pies but I went for the "Earl of a Sandwich" which was absolutely fantastic. Big selection of beers, good prices, and locals make the Royal Mile a must if you are ever in Des Moines.
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