City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 277-0404

Description: A wonderfully old-school movie house across the street from the Drake campus, with a single screen and a popcorn machine wedged in just behind the ticket window. Prices are reasonable, and they usually have something interesting playing on any given weekend—often an independent or overlooked film, although they do show mainstream Hollywood fare as well. It may take you several minutes to find parking on the street—plan accordingly with your movie’s starting time.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 270-2100

Address: 560 S. Prairie View Dr.

Description: A West Glen comedy club that features numerous touring comedians, including the occasional celebrity appearance. It’s a typical comedy club setup, with tables surrounding a small, low stage. The room is small enough that you should have a good view no matter where you sit. Seating is first-come, first-served. The club is completely nonsmoking. There’s an extensive food menu and full bar. Shows run Wed through Sun nights, with two shows nightly on Fri and Sat, and typically cost $10; more for the big names.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 564-7010

Address: 5535 Mills Civic Pkwy., Suite 100

Description: Inside this sleek, futuristic, dimly lit space in West Glen, there’s little more than a bar and couches along the walls, leaving plenty of room to groove to the pounding bass beat on the DJ’s sound system. Swirling colored lights and the sparse decor give this space a chic, big-city vibe, which is further fueled by the fact that it doesn’t get going until late in the evening. Have a drink, preferably something vodka-based, chill out, and ease into your own personal dance zone.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 327-1303

Address: 8800 Swanson Blvd.

Description: A big, cavernous dance club inside a suburban strip mall that at first glance resembles a honky-tonk—the saddle hanging from the ceiling is a tip-off, and there is plenty of line dancing to country tunes here. Hang out awhile, however, and you’ll hear an incredibly eclectic mix of music, with rock and hip-hop in addition to country (you’ll probably catch all three styles of music in a single night, sometimes one after the other). On weekends the line to get in can snake out the door, and the dance floor fills up as the night grows later with a young, stylish crowd that likes to party while slamming down drinks. Closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 221-2317

Description: A hangar of a dance club with an airport-size parking lot. The huge dance floor has a mechanical bull at one end and an actual beer truck pouring drafts. On weekend nights it’s virtually indistinguishable from a college-town meat market, with a young crowd and suitably loud music. Doesn’t really get going until late at night, but packs ’em in once it does—expect to get hot and sweaty. The adjoining sports bar is a somewhat more low-key scene, with plenty of televisions on which to watch a game.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 246-1299

Address: 416 E. 5th St.

Description: If not for the clientele, which is largely (though not entirely) male, this nondescript redbrick building on an East Village side street could be any dark, narrow bar with a pool table and a crowd of loyal regulars. There’s a welcoming atmosphere here, with friendly bartenders pouring beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Attracts a mixed crowd of young gays and older, more buttoned-down professionals, as well as its share of lesbians. There are drink specials throughout the week. Hosts drag shows and can get a little carnival-esque on the weekends, but overall it’s a pretty low-key spot.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 243-3965

Address: 112 SE 4th St.

Description: Housed in a converted warehouse space out past the southern end of the east village, this bar and dance club attracts a younger crowd of both men and women, gay and straight. During the week, the ground-level video bar is a fairly low-key spot to grab a drink, with friendly, energetic bartenders moving to the pulsating bass of dance tracks that play on the room’s many screens. The dance floor heats up on weekends, and there are regular karaoke nights and drag shows. Drinks are reasonably priced, and there’s usually no cover charge earlier in the evening or on weeknights.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 288-4872

Address: 1301 Locust St.

Description: Not explicitly a gay/lesbian spot, but one that is very LGBT friendly, this funky little cafe in the Western Gateway section of downtown has a full vegetarian menu of healthy meals and snacks like quiche, hummus, and panini, as well as some yummy breakfast items. It also has a full complement of coffee drinks and other hot beverages, and hosts music acts on its small stage. The decor gives a definite international vibe, with Tibetan prayer flags, tie-dyed items, and similar accoutrements. Closed Sunday.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 278-6718

Address: 8350 Hickman Rd.

Description: Though it has a vaguely Australian theme, this place is really a sports bar on steroids: Endless televisions showcase games in every sport and with every team you might possibly imagine (and some you haven’t). Abundant drink specials throughout the week make this a favorite of both regulars and the weekend party crowd. Lots of dartboards are in constant use by local sharpshooters. There are pool and video games as well, and a respectable menu with a wide selection of appetizers, pizza, and sandwiches.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 274-1710

Description: All the sports bar touchstones can be found here: memorabilia cluttering the walls, a generous selection of tap beers, and, most important, wall-to-wall televisions to watch games. However, there are some atypical features as well: the pressed-tin ceiling and carved, dark wood back bar make for a somewhat more sophisticated drinking spot, and the crowd can be a little more low-key than a typical sports bar (although not during Hawkeyes games). A lengthy menu has plenty of burgers and sandwiches to choose from and munch on while cheering on the team. The name may be a sports reference, but it also refers to the signature drink: A “yard” of beer, served in a long, thin glass. Located on the main drag of Valley Junction, and a good spot to take a break from shopping in nearby stores.

City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Address: 2920 Ingersoll Ave.