Capital City Grill and Brew Pub

Cool airport bar but the drinks are very expensive. I should have known since they don’t have a beer menu and their cocktail list doesn’t show prices…

A usual before our plane leaves we sit at a table and pray for speedy service. The food is decent but seems pricey for what you get. We also order a beer which is average price. I’m not sure that we will return because the turn around time is too long. It shouldn’t take half an hour to get a burger. It is clean and spacious. Staff seem friendly enough but mostly acting as if they would rather be elsewhere.

Actually, had better service than prior visits, but it wasn’t as busy– perhaps the new establishments across the street has an impact? Still feels a lot like Champps just a block away.

Typical bar and restaurant in an airport. Good food and prompt service. Loved the staff, friendly and typical Midwestern hospitality.

Went there with a large group of people and all of our hotdog buns smelled like they had been run through an ashy tray. We let the server know that we couldn’t eat our food due to the smell and the owner came out and made excuses instead of apologizing. She said they don’t hire smokers… pretty sure it’s illegal to discriminate, but please MAKE YOUR EMPLOYEES WASH THEIR HANDS. Will never go back.

I had a nice chicken Caesar salad here before my flight back to Denver. This is a pretty typical airport sit-​down restaurant. Staff were pleasant if a bit harried (it was very busy).
Food was good, ambiance a bit noisy (but that’s expected).

My Father and I enjoy a running discussion on how the Des Moines Airport can be International. Maybe it’s an occasional charter that goes to Mexico or it connects with Chicago or other Cities that have International Service? In any event, DSM is a small and under-​served Airport that is nearly impossible to lose your way.
Once through Security, there are slim pickings consession-​wise. There’s a new stand, a couple snack counters, and the Capital City Grill and Brew Pub. The later part of the Title is a bit of a misnomer as I found the draft beer selection to be somewhat limited, few if any Iowa-​based choices, and no on site brewing. What’s most surprising is the huge amount of real estate that this place occupies, and easily enough to hold a full flight. And there’s plenty of nice tarmac views if that’s your thing.
One of the differences between me and Gayle is how we handle extra airport time before the plane is ready to board. I’m happy to grab a paper, order something fast at the counter, and then sit down at the Gate for the duration. Gayle prefers to find a sit-​down place, order a Bloody Mary pre-​flight, and relax by being served. The Capital City Grill is the only such place at DSM.
Service was friendly and relatively quick, the food was better than what I was expecting, the drink prices were of course high, and free Wi-​Fi was nonexistent. Yet it’s not such a bad thing to stop staring at the electronics and actually talk with each other. And with a nice view of the outside, it was a most pleasant way to enjoy our last minutes in Iowa before we headed home.