El Bait Shop

Totally not expecting to find a bar with over 250 beers on tap in Des Moines Iowa but I'm glad we did. This place has a great atmosphere and the service is wonderful they checked in on us regularly and made sure the next beer was on the way. The food was good and they have many old fashioned type offerings, I had the meatloaf and my father in-law had the liver and onions both were great. This is definitely a stop if you're in the Des Moines area.

Always an awesome experience at El Bait Shop! Service is top notch, even for a “divey” kind of place. Servers are always attentive, and super flexible. Huge group? Don’t stress, they’ll split checks (please though, ask at the start not the end!) and not raise even the slightest fuss! Food is always consistently delish! I usually get the Diablo burger with fries, and sometimes get the bacon-wrapped tots. My husband usually gets nachos or the same burger as me, and is always happy with it! The portion sizes are worth the prices, and even on a half order of nachos, we had leftovers. The tap selection is beyond stellar, and they always have great beers, ciders, and the like on tap. If you’re wanting a cocktail, no worries, just ask your server, and they’ll bring it over from the highlife lounge nextdoor! El Bait Shop is one of my absolute favorite spots in DSM, and it’s a must-stop for beer lovers!!

By coincidence I was in Des Moines two times recently and had a lunch and then a dinner. Each time the food was great with quick and attentive service. We sat at the bar and reveled in the long beer menu. I look forward to my next trip through Des Moines.

The food was excellent! The number of craft drinks was exquisite. They will even make you a craft drink. BUT really the experience was the service by the server named Shoe. Shoe's table side manner was spot on and he knew what would be the perfect drink for us. Shoe was extremely knowledgeable and had great listening skills to help make the experience amazing. We also played a game of HOT ONES with the hot sauces which was a blast with the onion rings!! We will definitely be back and before our 11th anniversary.

I'm so glad that I decided to walk over and give this place a try. I drove a 2nd grade field trip up to the Blank Park Zoo and the Science Center and had about an hour. There was a lot to look at, sports memorabilia and Supernatural on one of the TVs. I ordered the burger with fries. I wasn't disappointed, it was delicious and there was plenty to eat. The waitress was delightful, we talked about the show, some of the many beers on tap and the nostalgic wrestling photos in the back. What a great place, too bad I didn't have more time to look at it more, maybe next time.

We came with our 3 children and the service was great, beer was delicious, got free samples of other beers on tap which was fun. Drew our server was attentive, chill and took good care of us. Definitely recommend for families or a date night.

What a place! So much stuff to see on the walls, but it’s not gimmicky feeling. The music is very 90’s punk on a Monday night which is fantastic, and goes either way the homemade feel of having boasted chicken that is juicy and crispy. There must be 200 beer options including 2 great hop water N/A options. They’re good enough you don’t need a bunch of other N/A choices I’d say! Friendly service. Right location!

Great food and a large drink menu. Went for the funk'd beer special. Me and friends tried lots of wild, tart, and funky beers. We didnt find a bad one in the lot. Funky has ended but there are still lots to try.

We were in town for my husband's 40th and he wanted to visit El Bait Shop. Wow, wow, wow! The ambiance and service were memorable. So many beers to choose from it was a bit overwhelming. Enter our server, Brandon, who offered up some suggestions. In addition to our drinks we also tried the cheese curds, fish tacos and steak quesadilla. The kind of food you want to load up on for when you're day drinking. Food was tasty, but I don't think you really patronize EBS exclusively for the food. We arrived late in the afternoon on a Friday, before the Iowa Cubs crowd started piling in. By the time we left there were families, grandparents, friends, and a table full of tween girls. I appreciated the inclusivity of the place. As seen on the Travel Channel (didn't know this pre-visit) and recommended by local DSM folks. Not sure you'll see as many beers on tap this side of the Mississippi River anywhere else. Recommend.

Best lunch time spot in DSM for us one hour lunchers. Great speedy service to get you back to the office just in time. Love the chicken

Place came highly recommended by a server at Iowa Taproom and this place did NOT disappoint! Loved the vibe here too and they put on my Purdue game and even watched it with me when they could! Servers were the best part here... Won't call out by name (but I should...). Great peeps who know their beers and one of them CLEARLY is the of the operation. I always seek out local places like this when I travel and this one was great. Dry-rub wings and fish tacos didn't get pics before they were outta sight A shout-out to the owner for what has been done here and the types of folks that keep it going... Hold onto them and pay them well as at least one of them (if not more...) are assets you simply CAN'T operate without You know who that is... Cheers!

2024 visit. Great liver n onions once again. Jump in the car and get here. Lots of sporting events on TVs. My server suggested a new to me wheat beer and it is tasty. My husband has ordered dessert next. This place is active and fun! DSM is the perfect stop between home and fishing the Boundary Waters.

So I am the Duke Guess Iowa doesn't Yelp You can kiss the crown The advertising is the most taps on the West Side of the Mississippi (262 according to their Insta). Have to say it is true. Been to the Raleigh Beer Garden (which was the most at the time) and then the Charlotte Beer Garden (most taps in the country -300 plus). When you are above a hundred, though, who is counting? I'll take the Midwest over the State of Relocated Yankees. El Bait Ship and Iowa Taproom keep me heading back to Des Moines. Three and a half hours from Minneapolis through some boring ass landscape. I hate the drive to Des Moines, but I love Des Moines. Damn you pleasure-pain dichotomy!

Broasted chicken is my go-to here. And you can't beat the beer selection. I like this place each time I visit I wonder why it's been so long since I've been back!

Unique, good bar food, funky fun atmosphere, the Bartender is a good, helpful guy and there are so many beers to choose from. Canned cocktails, outside seating. Used to be an old Bait Shop

So this place is a dive like no other. It's dirty, messy, and as bad as they come. However, they appear to have every beer under the sink on tap, amazing wings and some how the unattractive staff is top notch This is a crazy place when busy so get your rest before you cone! Can't wait to cone back here for superbowl Will be intense!

This place disappoints me. Ugly posters and a terrible environment and smell when I walk in the building. That I order a high life burger, thinking maybe their food will make up for the weird and humid environment. I receive my food and what come out is a Disgusting and moldy burger. Not returning I hate it. Do not come here!!!!

Sunday night date night was a success here! They weren't too busy, so we had excellent service. We got the bacon wrapped tots! They had surprise jalapeños in them, but they were not spicy. The breaded tenderloin, chicken sandwich, and French fries were all good. Nothing to complain about!

Established in 2006, this is considered one of the best beer bars in the United States, If not in the world! Very reminiscent of your college days dive bar, but nicer. 252 beers on tap, another 152 types of beer in cans or bottles, a seasonal group of beers rotated through here to what your pallet. Many craft beers of all styles for you to try. A really nice menu to complement everything that they serve from a liquid perspective. Our bartender was very attentive and knowledgeable of the product served at this establishment. There are a number of rooms with all types of seating configurations to make anyone comfortable. Outdoor seating is available during summer months.

If you are looking for a wide selection of craft brews, and a comfortable atmosphere this is a must stop when you are in Des Moines. The food today however was very sub par. The pountine was not very flavorful, I was disappointed. The coleslaw was bland with very little flavor. A companion I was with could not even finish the mashed potatoes and gravy. The two bright sides was the broasted chicken and the bacon wrapped sausages were very good according to others I was with. I have eaten here before about a year ago and the food was good so maybe I was just unlucky on my choices this time. I am not rating on the slow service as many places now a days are claiming short staff and I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. This information is based on the el Bait Shop and not the accompanying high life bar attached.

We stopped into el bait shop on a weekend trip to Des Monies and I was very pleasantly surprised to say the least. It may look like a small bar with not a lot to offer but in this case, it's the exact opposite. El bait show has tons of beers on tap and very informed bartenders to help make you find the perfect beer. I love magic cloud by dimensional and was sad when I found out that they ran out. Josh and Micheal did everything they could to help me find a replacement. Giving me tons of samples and helping me find exactly what I was looking for! If you are looking for a quant bar to have a few drinks at, look no further!

The open-air, patio-style bar made by locals, for locals. Music and beer tastes for those with the most violent cases of ADD. Bar food with a personality. A really cool place situated near the banks of Racoon River, just like a bait shop should be.

Great food service and world class craft beer draft selection. Would highly recommend both sides of this classic place!!!

Great outdoor seating - I had walking tacos right before the I-Cubs game. It's a great place to visit outside with my friend.

So this is a dive no doubt, but so cool. The largest selection of beer I have ever seen - and I have looked. The food is noteworthy. The location is in the heart of downtown Des Moines within walking distance of the Riverwalk and Principle Park. If connects to another well known establishment and has a fantastic patio and out door bar as well. This is nice if you ride bikes from miles away and are sweaty, or if you just want to keep an eye on your rides while you enjoy a refreshment. This is a pretty regular stop for us. If you are in Des Moines and like dives that have class this is that place to check out!

Most beers I've ever seen in one place. It's at a great location and it hands down the best dive bar in the state!

We came here because the google maps review said "BEST BAR EVER." Honestly we almost didn't go in because it was a little divey and we'd been sitting in the car for a while. I needed to remember that deep down I am a dive bar girl. El Bait Shop was so fun and inviting. Every person we encountered behind the bar was a delight and it felt like they felt like they could be their authentic selves. Literally we are already talking about driving back down from Minnesota just to come back. We scanned the QR codes for beer on our way to a wedding and loved that the beer is separated by flavor profile. I am a sour fruity kinda person and my husband loves IPAs and hazy IPAs. With hundreds of taps, this place has something for everybody. We loved it so much that we came back after the wedding on the way back home to get some food. We got nachos and wings. The nachos were a half order and still way too much food!! The nachos were 10.99$ and the wings were about $13. The hot Buffalo wings were delicious and "fat" -- the sauce maybe had cinnamon in it? YUM. The steak nachos with everything were delicious and I literally ate all of it (if I had pants with a zipper I'd unzip rn, it was such a big portion). Parking was easy as heck and there were tons of spots. Lots of seating inside and out and everywhere you look inside was something new. We absolutely loved it.

We stopped by El Bait Shop for appetizers and a drink and we absolutely loved the atmosphere, the service and the food. We ordered the bacon wrapped tater tots with cheese, bacon wrapped little smokes with maple syrup to dip in, so yummy. Fired cheese curds, deviled eggs and chicken gizzards. All was delicious and our server, who wonderful, suggested a fruity beer that tasted like fruit punch, I could have had 3 more glasses it was that good. I can't say enough of our experience, it was clean, fun and enjoyable. We will be back!!!

Love it. Great service, food and a beer selection you cannot find anywhere else. Great place for regulars or the out of towners who love a good beer

El Bait Shop is co-owned (I think) and directly adjacent (inside and outside) to the High Life Lounge, and share a common kitchen. I came here last Sunday with various family members (My Dad, Brother, plus Sister, her Hubby, 3 Sons, and a girlfriend). We easily scored an oddly shaped high table that fit all of us, and before you could say "The Champaign of Bottled Beers", we were off. I've been itching to come here from the time I saw an El Bait Shop ad that promoted their yellow beer night ($1 cans for classics like Schlitz, Miller, etc.). One joke about that: What does American beer (non craft) and a couple making love in a canoe have in common? Both are f**king near water! Not to worry here, the craft beer selection is indeed impressive! Other thoughts: - Cool vibe inside and out, although on this cold evening, no one was outside. - New development surrounds this place, which makes you wonder about who has offered El Bait Shop a ton of cash to move somewhere else. - I enjoyed the menu, especially the bacon wrapped tater tots. Sandwiches and Burger selections are plentiful, plus there's a number of tempting main course selections. Everyone in our party enjoyed their selections, although my 94 year-old Dad thought that his cheeseburger was only "OK". - Service was good and timely, although I thought our wait person was a little short at times. My Sister lives in West Des Moines, and the best she could come up with for the family getting together for Dinner was Olive Garden! So I take full responsibility for wanting to go to a unique locale and having a more interesting and tasty night out. El Bait Shop checked all the boxes for me, only leaving a cocktail with Gayle at the High Life Lounge to add to our next visit.

Food and service was great! If you like taps they have it all! Staff was great! I would recommend anyone downtown to stop and check it out.

Straight from my dad, "This is the best chicken I've ever had." Not sure I need to say much more. Come for the chicken, the baked beans, and the onion rings. Stay for the hundreds of beer on tap and the laid-back cool, funky atmosphere. The chicken tho. Outta this world.

Beer fans will have a plethora of options. However, the menu is the typical Iowa fare of burgers and fries, breasted chicken, etc. that you can find at a billion other places in Des Moines

A great place to get a drink. I have NEVER seen so many beer choices in front of me. They have a QR code scan to pull up the whole online drink menu which makes it a bit more comprehensible if you don't know where to start. The food is great! I have not gotten anything there that did not meet expectations! Favorites: Cheese Curds, Sweet Potato Tots, Prime Rib Sandwich, High Life Burger. Customer service is great. They really take care of you. I can see why it was packed on a Friday at 1pm, because people go back to where they feel welcome and appreciated.

Excellent food, beer and service. Atmosphere is really fun. Best pizza burger I've had in 20 years!

What a find! Edgy and authentic , El bait shop delivers great food and awesome beers. The staff is so knowledgeable and willing to help you navigate the HUGE beer list! The fish tacos are to die for. The atmosphere is a little divvy, a lot of chill and oh so fun. If you can't find a beer you love, well, you don't love beer!

One of my favorite places to eat when I am in the Des Moines area. Indoor and outdoor seating was a nice atmosphere. The food came to my table surprisingly fast considering how many people were in side the bar. I absolutely love the prime rib there and I go back often.

Always a winner but be patient as they are usually pretty busy! Food is dependable and it's nice to have a couple options on where to sit. Patio is great when weather permits.

Good food, good service. Bacon wrapped sausage and tots!! Unique building. Lots of beer choices.

Went here when attending a Cubbies game, great place to grab a burger and a beer as they have one of the largest selections on tap I have ever seen.

We really enjoyed our dinner at El Bait Shop. Classic bar food, but they put their own spin on it. The bacon wrapped tator tots are a must try! Wings were ok, but kinda sad we didn't try the fried chicken. Will definitely be back! Fun hang out spot and really great service. Plus every craft beer you could think of!

Amazing selection of beers on draft. Cool vibes both inside and outside. We sat at the bar and gawked at the number of beers on draft. Despite the overkill on the dry rub of the Jamaica jerk dry rub wings, I'd highly recommend checking this spot out. The crinkle cut french fries were a good bar snack.

This place rocks! Great atmosphere and great service! Loved the bacon wrapped lil smokies for an appetizer! The chili was mighty tasty as well. Chicken salad is just want I needed. You gotta try this place if you haven't yet!

Great selection of beers on tap. Great home cooking options. Chicken pot pie is my favorite. Kids live the cheeseburger baskets with tater tots of course. Sometimes service is a miss .

The bartender who took care of us was excellent at his job, and so hilarious, we laughed the entire time. We ate at the bar, being that the place was packed with an eclectic, happy group of patrons. Fantastic downtown Des Moines energy. Food was tasty.

Cool place, a lot of things to occupy you while you try some of the never ending selection of taps.

Still a fan. Solid bean burger and a bar that offers broccoli as a side. Thumbs up. Oh, they have beer too ;)

A classic and must go to for that old mom cooking in the 70's mixed with a little bowling food atmosphere (in a good way). It's just highly well made comfort food that brings memories of the good old days. Selection of beer is top notch (probably the best in town for local and non). Tenderloin sandwich, broasted chicken (as shown on Triple D via Food Network), hot beef sandwhich, goulash...I think you get the picture. There's a reason why this place is always packed.

Good food, always good service. 2 for 1 type restaurants. Great energy and wonderful comfort foods grandma use to make!

Talk about a great place for food! I love liver and onions so this is my go to place. They have a really nice menu

Holy tappers! Incredible amount of beers on tap. Wish I had more time to ride the rail and try more! Server was great and didn't disappoint when recommending specific beers. Such a cool spot and would definitely take people back here. An absolute Des Moines iconic spot!

Really loved this place. Amazing beer selection, great staff, super friendly patrons. Food was perfect. I may have to come back again tomorrow.

Great place and amazing people Food is great. I would recommend it if you're looking for a relaxing place

I nice atmosphere to dine with friends. The staff was friendly staff and very attentive. The food was great and allot of different beers on tap to select. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area. The chicken pot pie was delicious and reminded of ones you get in Europe

Good place for cold beer, great people there .. down town beer joint .. I have had great time there !!!

Best place to have an enormous beer selection. Also fun location because it's close to the baseball stadium. Parking can be challenging so if you are downtown, walking or ubering is the best idea. I am not a huge fan of the food but that's not the focus at this place. The outdoor area is also great but doesn't offer a ton of shade in the summer.

I stopped in with some friends on a busy afternoon. Our food was great and our server Madison was awesome! Will definitely be back

Great dive bar! Ambiance is fantastic, food is really good and service is engaging and attentive. And the beer...just pick one! They have a zillion on tap. Great spot to watch a game on tv. We were in town for the weekend and visited twice. Fun!