February 6, 2012
Lots of beers to choose from, but not enough outstanding brews to make a dent in the wallet. The food is decent and the service is average. Probably the best beer selection in the state. Atmosphere is very laid back and the interior decorating is fun. This is a must stop place (at least for Iowans) if you are in the area.

December 8, 2011
Des Moines has needed a place like this for ages. A wall full of taps with an excellent array of different styles of beer. Don’t be afraid to ask for a sample if you are unsure about what to order.

August 29, 2011
A whole lot of taps, but too many mediocre selections clutter the field, that said there is nowhere else in Des Moines (iowa for that matter) to find a bigger beer list. If you know the bartender than you get great service, otherwise... good luck! The atmosphere is a bit cluttered, but fun & very beer themed. The food is decent, taco/bbq/bar grub stuff, but just ok. it is cheap to eat here though. All in all, a good bar to grab a beer with some friends.

June 20, 2011
Stopped by here on a Saturday evening. Was pretty busy, especially outside. Service was poor, with the waiter nearly impossible to get a hold of, and our beer left sitting on the counter for a good 10 minutes before he brought them to us. Prices were good, and selection was solid, albeit it not great. I would prefer a smaller number of taps with less "filler" beers. Either way, it is good selection, especially for the area. Food was good, but not the reason to go to the place. Overall, an interesting place, and somewhere I plan on checking out again. Don’t expect a wide range of amazing gems, but if you are in the area, definitely worth stopping by.

December 29, 2010
Great spot! Huge tap lineup of 100+, and lots of bottles on top of that. Wasn’t hard to find a couple that I hadn’t tried yet. More of a roadhouse vibe than a dark wooden bar (such as Court), but still a lot of fun. This will be a must-stop for me when I’m in town based on selection alone.

September 10, 2010 [ Updated July 6, 2011 ]
I have been a few times since. There is always something new to try. I just wished they would keep the tap list current. It always seems as if they are out of the first few beers I order. As others have said, great atmosphere, seems like a fun place and a fun crowd. Our waitress was super cool, even when I gave a hard time abut some Rogue brew name confusion. The food we had was very good and at a great price. The same food at any chain place would have cost at least a couple more dollars a plate. Worth a visit if in the area. I was able to get a few new to me brews on tap, and it is nice to see that they really make an effort. I predict I will spend lots of time and money here. One of the most fun beer bars I have had the pleasure to visit.

August 10, 2010
Great place to try lots of different brews. Everything from local beer to bottles for accross the country. Really fun and quirky place.

June 14, 2010
This is the center of the Iowa beer world that I found. With the help from our waitress Regina we had a nice lunch. I had the Meatball sub & my wife had a Shrimp Po’boy, both were good but lacked good crusty bread. The beer selection was as good as I have ever seen. Regina suggested 3 local brews & even brought us small tasters of all 3. Lunch & 2 beers & a tasting flight of hoppy IPA’s ran us just under $40. Regina should also work for the IA Chamber of Commerce, she was very helpful with info on other brewerys & beer bars in Des Moines. Of course many owned by the owners of El Bait Shop. Thanks Regina your the bomb.

August 20, 2009
Stopped here on our way west beginning our bicycle journey across Iowa. Had to end the journey here as well. The wall of taps is a must see. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Try the Snickers Bar. Our group favorite

February 24, 2009
This is a great bar to go hang out at during the week days. It gets really busy on the weekends and it is hard to enjoy your beer. They have an awesome selection of beers even though Bud and Miller were just introduced onto the tap handles. I like to dip in here when I am looking to get out of the house and want to enjoy a quality beer at a great price. They still have their specials on beers so you can usually find a pint for a couple of bones. I think their food is great for bar food. Not over priced and pretty tasty. Especially their taco deal on Thursday nights during homebrew night. If you like free beer Every Thursday they have a new homebrewer and creation on tap for you to taste. The staff is very friendly and for the most part know their beers. If you are ever in the DSM area this is a great stop.