The Underground

Jerrad Atkin, manager of The Locust Tap, opened The Underground with his brother-in-law, Kevin Wahlert, who manages the bars at Prairie Meadows. The Underground isn't just a catchy name — the bar is actually located in the basement of the Teachout Building. The space was the home of the East Des Moines Club in the 1970s. "We're looking to bring back a cool spot that has been forgotten for 30 years," Atkin said. The Underground is a dark lounge that isn't "wall-to-wall TVs." Thge bar focuses on music, conversation and customer service. The few TVs The Underground has will be dedicated to things like old kung fu movies. The bar has a special tucked away shot closet, which will come in handy if you don't want to fight for one Jager bomb. "Some bars have 100 martinis," Atkin said. "The Underground will have every shot you could ever want."

See more: East Village bars, Downtown bars, City of Des Moines bars