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Bar, American Restaurant, and Café$$$$
Downtown Des Moines, Des Moines
"Best crappy beer around town!! Yeehaw!"(5 Tips)
"Can't go wrong with a cheese burger basket with tots."(19 Tips)
"Their cheeseburger basket is a good deal."(3 Tips)
"bacon wrapped tater tots and the High Life Man Burger."(2 Tips)
86 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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- high life man
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Stevie-ZSeptember 23, 2012Best bar ever! Great 70's decor and beer signs.. Nothing but great real beers introduced no later than the 70's so if your looking for hipster microbrews you are SOL! The Food is great as well!Upvoted Nov 5, 2024
Erik RowleyMarch 12, 2015It's like stepping into a time warp where it's still the year 1975 (wood panel walls and all, minus the ash trays). Also they have freaking tang here in powder form! Great with vodka.
Casey BaileyNovember 16, 2014This is my second time stopping by here when in town for a show over at Wooly's. Great lil place to grab a drink and a quick bite. The atmosphere is laid back, staff is lovely, and prices aren't bad.
Kate AnnDecember 24, 2016If you have a hankering for crappy American beer, here's your place. My uncle can even get his fave--Schlitz. Good comfort food, the ambiance is like stepping into the 70s. Great staff, good service.
KT FloridaJune 2, 2015Great place to hang out when El Bait Shop is too crowded. And you can walk over with your drink too!
- I go at lunch and love their goulash with a side of coleslaw. Their cheeseburger basket is a good deal. The tater tot casserole's also good. The mac and cheese..... :)
Natalie UyenoApril 27, 2014This place reminded my husband of a VFW w/the shag carpet & the retro beers! LOL :) The baked beans have a slight kick to them & they're out of this world!
Andrea BingerDecember 28, 2013Deviled eggs on the menu! I like mine with a bit more mayo but these are still yummy! Great service and cold beer.
If you're staying for more than one, consider the 8-pack of High Life ponies. At $8.50 for 8 7-oz bottles, it's the best value in the place!
Macy K.February 9, 2011Try the crispy pressure-fried chicken and bacon-wrapped tater tots, both of which were featured on Man v. Food, a show that explores the biggest & best eats across the nation.
Ben BJune 2, 2020A High Life feels right in this place, despite the awesome beer selection next-door.
Juice MagazineJune 22, 2012Bacon wrapped tots: So popular that High Life Lounge burns through the equivalent of three to four laundry baskets full of the appetizer each week. Read more- Sean Courtney provides the best bar conversation in town. If he's behind the bar, you're in for an enlightening experience.
- Juice MagazineApril 24, 2012High Life Lounge keeps things simple and serves no beers created after 1979. This spot was voted #8 in our reader-determined Top 50 Bars. Read more
Busch Light and all the most delicious appetizers you could want!
Brandi BruceJuly 22, 2016This is the best bar in the Midwest. Hate giving that honor to Iowa... But... Well played sirs, well played!- Juice MagazineJune 12, 2012Thursday: High Life Lounge, 200 S.W. Second St., hosts Crappy Beer Night each week with $1.25 cans of the best, crappiest, beer. Read more
When they are out of the chicken pot pie, the "Highlife Man" burger is a great choice. Unbelievable combination of flavors!!!!
Little known fact: the High Life Lounge serves homemade French Silk Pie. It's not on the menu, but is available. Delicious!
Make sure to sit outside if you can! There's a few tables on the side.
- The Chicken Fried Steak special on Wednesdays is the tastiest Hump Day deal going.
Try the Italian Sausage - Graziano's: Sausage the way God intended.
Emily HoenerJune 6, 2013Even if you have to wait 10 minutes for service, the food is totally worth it!
Come on Thursdays for crappy beer night! 1.25 a can, PBR, Busch Light and Hamms
The broasted chicken as take-out makes for a great excuse to stop by on the way home from work!- Jeff LoganMarch 29, 2011Can't go wrong with a cheese burger basket with tots. Wash it down with a Grain Belt.
![Evan[Bu]](https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/user/32x32/1718914-0E4PXEUXZ2KFIAR4.jpg "Evan[Bu]")
Evan[Bu]July 7, 2011Shag carpet, cheap shitty beer, and a 70's/80's theme. What more could you ask for?
338 Photos
Foursquare © 2025 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Des Moines owned and operated purveyor of classic brews, classic food, and classic Americana.
Open until 2:00 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Sun
- 11:00 AM–2:00 AM
(515) 280-1965
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express)
Wi-Fi
Yes
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Food & Drink
Drinks
Beer, Full Bar, Cocktails
See More
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