Where to go for a night out in Grimes, from the Main Street bars to a neighborhood pour.

Where should we go to dinner for a night out in Grimes?

Destination Grille (2491 E 1st St, 515-355-1153) is the dress-up-a-little dinner in town. It calls itself contemporary, upscale, and family-friendly, with steak, seafood, a lobster roll, pasta, pizza, and specialty cocktails. The rooftop terrace has lounge seating, TVs, and fire pits in warm months and is enclosed and heated in winter.

The bar stays open later on Friday and Saturday. Reserve by phone or through OpenTable. For something looser, Uptown's half-pound burgers (The Uptown is $13.75 on its menu) or Pour Choices both work as dinner and drinks in one stop.

What bars are in downtown Grimes?

Three bars sit within a block on SE Main Street, so you can park once and walk.

• Uptown Bar & Grill, 201 SE Main St, (515) 986-1290. Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday. Its weekly lineup: Monday free DJ trivia at 7 p.m. plus all-day happy hour; Tuesday $2 wells and domestics; Wednesday $1 off whiskey and wine, with a euchre tournament the last Wednesday of the month; Friday $10 domestic pitchers; Sunday free DJ bingo at 5 p.m. It also does a Sunday breakfast.
• Sips on Main, 104 SE Main St, (515) 330-9928. A wine and bourbon cocktail lounge in a renovated 1930s home, with a Sip and Shop boutique on the second floor. We checked its Chamber listing and Facebook page again and still could not confirm regular hours, so call before you go.
• Stevie C's, 204 SE Main St, (515) 986-9004. The pub on the block, with online ordering through its website. Hours are not posted there; call ahead.

Pour Choices Neighborhood Bar

Pour Choices Neighborhood Bar (1895 SE Grimes Blvd #101, 515-561-6705) is the neighborhood option, in the same building as Lightbrite Coffee. Happy hour runs weekdays 2 to 5 p.m. with $1 off most drinks, there is a Golden Tee machine, and military and first responders get a discount with ID. A 2020 Cityview write-up noted its large patio facing Highway 141.

Where can we get dessert or a late bite after?

• Culver's, 1601 E 1st St. Drive-thru open until 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.
• Al's Dairy Freeze, 1220 NE Station Crossing Dr. Soft serve, noon to 9 p.m. daily per its site.
• Pancheros, 2250 E 1st St. Open until 11 p.m. every day.
• Taco Bell, 2227 E 1st St. Drive-thru until 2 a.m.

More scoop shops are on our ice cream guide.

What else is there to do at night around Grimes?

Grimes has no movie theater; see our movie guide for the nearest screens in Waukee. For a concert, Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee and Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines are on our live music guide, along with Destination Grille's summer rooftop music. Grimes does not have a brewery of its own yet; for a taproom, the closest are in Des Moines and Waukee.

A sample Friday night

• 6:30 p.m. Dinner on the Destination Grille rooftop (book ahead).
• 8:30 p.m. Drive downtown, park once on SE Main: a glass at Sips on Main (call first for hours), then Uptown.
• Late: Culver's drive-thru until 11, or Taco Bell until 2.

On a Monday, swap the bar hop for trivia at Uptown at 7 p.m. Please drink responsibly and line up a ride home.

Grimes night out: FAQ

What bars are in Grimes, Iowa?

The SE Main Street district downtown has Uptown Bar and Grill (201 SE Main), Sips on Main (104 SE Main), and Stevie C's (204 SE Main). Pour Choices Neighborhood Bar (1895 SE Grimes Blvd) is a bit east.

Does Grimes have a brewery?

Not at this time. The nearest breweries and taprooms are in Des Moines and Waukee.

What bar in Grimes is open latest?

Uptown Bar and Grill at 201 SE Main St lists hours until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until midnight the rest of the week.

Is there a trivia night in Grimes?

Yes. Uptown Bar and Grill hosts free DJ trivia on Mondays at 7 p.m. and free DJ bingo on Sundays at 5 p.m., per its weekly specials page.