Iowa Archive

  • (Cumming, IA) Scooter’s 1355th bar, first visited in 2019. Because it’s adjacent to a trailhead for a major bike path (in fact there’s a path blazed from the trailhead directly...

    #1355: Cumming Tap

    (Cumming, IA) Scooter’s 1355th bar, first visited in 2019. Because it’s adjacent to a trailhead for a major bike path (in fact there’s a path blazed from the trailhead directly...

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  • (Valley Junction, West Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1354th bar, first visited in 2019. Not technically in Valley Junction, but close enough that it’s the best way to describe it. Located...

    #1354: Fox Brewing

    (Valley Junction, West Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1354th bar, first visited in 2019. Not technically in Valley Junction, but close enough that it’s the best way to describe it. Located...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1353rd bar, first visited in 2019. This is a brand new brewery, only open for a few weeks at the time of our visit, directly...

    #1353: 1717 Brewing Co

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1353rd bar, first visited in 2019. This is a brand new brewery, only open for a few weeks at the time of our visit, directly...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1352nd bar, first visited in 2019. There were a crap-ton of cyclists here. And, despite the rainbow banners outside, in one corner was a small...

    #1352: Peace Tree Brewing Co. – Des Moines Branch

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1352nd bar, first visited in 2019. There were a crap-ton of cyclists here. And, despite the rainbow banners outside, in one corner was a small...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1351st bar, first visited in 2019. This is primarily a karaoke bar but we were here way too early for karaoke. So our entertainment was...

    #1351: AJ’s on East Court

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1351st bar, first visited in 2019. This is primarily a karaoke bar but we were here way too early for karaoke. So our entertainment was...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1350th bar, first visited in 2019. The original location! Though it had recently expanded and taken over a second level, it was originally just the...

    #1350: Up-Down DSM

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1350th bar, first visited in 2019. The original location! Though it had recently expanded and taken over a second level, it was originally just the...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1349th bar, first visited in 2019. This is a gay bar, but we got here too early in the day. We kind of felt like...

    #1349: Buddy’s Corral

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1349th bar, first visited in 2019. This is a gay bar, but we got here too early in the day. We kind of felt like...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1348th bar, first visited in 2019. This is an odd duck in that it is a new-build dive bar. That’s really hard to do, you...

    #1348: Ernie’s Boondock

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1348th bar, first visited in 2019. This is an odd duck in that it is a new-build dive bar. That’s really hard to do, you...

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  • (Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1347th bar, first visited in 2019. We walked down here from Carl’s, and despite having had breakfast just 2 hours earlier, we were hungry again and...

    #1347: Exile Brewing Company

    (Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1347th bar, first visited in 2019. We walked down here from Carl’s, and despite having had breakfast just 2 hours earlier, we were hungry again and...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1345th bar, first visited in 2019. This is a fantastic-looking English pub right in the heart of downtown. Along with the great interior, there is...

    #1345: Royal Mile

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1345th bar, first visited in 2019. This is a fantastic-looking English pub right in the heart of downtown. Along with the great interior, there is...

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  • (Sherman Hill, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1346th bar, first visited in 2019. After breakfast we had an uber take us to what Yelp calls the best dive bar in all...

    #1346: Carl’s Place

    (Sherman Hill, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1346th bar, first visited in 2019. After breakfast we had an uber take us to what Yelp calls the best dive bar in all...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1344th bar, first visited in 2019. We returned after nearly an hour and found the place still way too crowded. Absolutely no way of getting...

    #1344: El Bait Shop

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1344th bar, first visited in 2019. We returned after nearly an hour and found the place still way too crowded. Absolutely no way of getting...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1342nd bar, first visited in 2019. When we stepped in the door there were only a couple of seats at the bar but there was...

    #1342: The High Life Lounge

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1342nd bar, first visited in 2019. When we stepped in the door there were only a couple of seats at the bar but there was...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1343rd bar, first visited in 2019. We tried to go to El Bait Shop next but it was wasn’t happening — far too crowded. So...

    #1343: Shorty’s Somewhat Fancy Bar

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1343rd bar, first visited in 2019. We tried to go to El Bait Shop next but it was wasn’t happening — far too crowded. So...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1341st bar, first visited in 2019. Since we foudn foot at Mullets we decided to save Iowa Taproom for tomorrow as originally planned. We checked...

    #1341: Hessen Haus

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1341st bar, first visited in 2019. Since we foudn foot at Mullets we decided to save Iowa Taproom for tomorrow as originally planned. We checked...

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  • (McKinley School/ Columbus Park, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1340th bar, first visited in 2019. Since Exile Brewing was closed we contoinued our attempt to go to Iowa Taproom a day...

    #1340: Mullets

    (McKinley School/ Columbus Park, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1340th bar, first visited in 2019. Since Exile Brewing was closed we contoinued our attempt to go to Iowa Taproom a day...

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  • (McKinley School/ Columbus Park, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1339th bar, first visited in 2019. Originally we had made the difficult decision of cutting this place from our itinerary. But after...

    #1339: L D’s Corner Bar

    (McKinley School/ Columbus Park, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1339th bar, first visited in 2019. Originally we had made the difficult decision of cutting this place from our itinerary. But after...

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  • (Greater South Side, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1338th bar, first visited in 2019. Though I’ve had some of their beer before, this is my first visit to an Iowa brewery....

    #1338: Confluence Brewing

    (Greater South Side, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1338th bar, first visited in 2019. Though I’ve had some of their beer before, this is my first visit to an Iowa brewery....

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1314th bar, first visited in 2019. An odd fusion of Chinese, Italian, and Polynesian in a borderline dive-bar setiing that somehow comes together and works....

    #1314: Fong’s Pizza

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1314th bar, first visited in 2019. An odd fusion of Chinese, Italian, and Polynesian in a borderline dive-bar setiing that somehow comes together and works....

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1313th bar, first visited in 2019. I tried to visit this place a couple of years ago, but some sort of bike event/street party (not...

    #1313: Iowa Taproom

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1313th bar, first visited in 2019. I tried to visit this place a couple of years ago, but some sort of bike event/street party (not...

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  • (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1312th bar, first visited in 2019. I was walking from Locust Tap to Iowa Tap Room and spotted this place along the way. It looked...

    #1312: Beechwood Lounge

    (Downtown, Des Moines, IA) Scooter’s 1312th bar, first visited in 2019. I was walking from Locust Tap to Iowa Tap Room and spotted this place along the way. It looked...

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