The Garden
Dancing · Video Bar · Des Moines, IA
About
You might expect a divey video bar, but The Garden throws in a spacious dance floor and house beats. This East Village spot has been under new ownership since 2013, with a revamped drag show lineup on weekends.
The bartenders are described as welcoming and polite now, and drink specials run all week. It's a casual, mixed crowd spot where you can catch a show or just dance to the tunes.
Features
- ✓Drag shows on weekends with local queens
- ✓Video bar with a big dance floor
- ✓New management since 2013
Good for
What people say
54 community ratings.
From the community
“New Owners/Management”
As of May 2013, there are new owners and management at The Garden. The bartenders are now a great team, welcoming and polite. There's a new drag show on weekends featuring some of the best queens in the state, plus great drink specials all week long. Visit the website for a list of specials, events, and more.
A visitor · Over a year ago
“I love this bar!!!”
I adore everything about this place, especially the showcast. They are absolutely the best!
A guest · Over a year ago
“should be called ghost town instead of garden..”
The same music has been playing for the past 8 years. Last time I visited was in 2009 and it was dead on a weekend in March. There's only one bartender who is personable and well-mannered; the others are terrible, especially one woman who only caters to her own group and ignores you. The bar now caters more to straight people than gays, which is a shame. The drag shows are bad, and I will never go back to what was once my favorite bar.
A recent visitor · Over a year ago
“best dance floor in town!”
If you want to dance, this is the spot to go!
A local visitor · Over a year ago
“Great Dance Club”
The dance floor is nice and there's a great outdoor bar. It's a lot of fun during the summer.
A visitor · Over a year ago
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Garden have drag shows? +
Yes, weekend drag shows feature some of the best queens in the state since new management took over.
What's the crowd like? +
It's a mixed LGBTQ+ crowd, described as casual and welcoming under the new ownership.
