Bar Nico

Name: Bar Nico
Address: 428 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA, United States, 50309-1910
Telephone: (515) 243-0611
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (102)

$30 and under

Mexican

428 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309-1910

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 16, 2025

11:30 PM

Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

Gluten-free-friendly
Neighborhood gem
Great for creative cocktails

Our restaurant's mantra is "Sin Maiz, No Hay Pais" meaning "without corn there is no country" as such, our tortillas are hand ground in house from heirloom organic Mexican corn varietals - made daily & cooked to order. As a result of our corn obsession, we have no flour in house & are a completely gluten-free kitchen.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Contemporary Mexican
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(515) 243-0611
Website
https://www.barnicodsm.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Matt Small

Location
428 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309-1910
Neighborhood
Des Moines
Cross street
East Locust St. & East 5th St.
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 102 people are saying

Bar Nico reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Iowa
Best Food
Iowa
Best Value
Iowa
Healthy
Iowa
Neighborhood gem
Des Moines
Best Overall
Des Moines
Best Food
Des Moines
Best Service
Des Moines
Best Ambiance
Des Moines
Best Value
Des Moines
Healthy
Des Moines
Neighborhood gem
Des Moines
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bar Nico offers an authentic dining experience with "excellent, authentic tacos and margaritas" and a "100% gluten-free" menu. Known for its "amazing food & service," patrons highlight the "amazing experience" and "exceptional" service. Though noise levels and wait times can vary, the overall experience is highly recommended.

102 Reviews

K
Kristin
Iowa1 review
3.0
Dined on June 4, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
Food was pretty good, maybe a little overpriced for what it was but some unique options. Service was sooooo slow.
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S
Scott Molly
Denver / Colorado4 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food & service. One of the best places and experiences ever. Izzy took excellent care of us.
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J
Julie
Iowa1 review
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had awesome service by Alex. He gave us explanations on the food choices, and drinks. Very pleasant dining service. We will definitely be going back.
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B
Brent
New York City19 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Good food, friendly staff. Loud music wasn’t matching the vibe
Is this helpful?
A
Andrew
Chicago / Illinois3 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 13, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Did not need a reservation. It was sparsely populated on a Monday night. Good service, goid and drinks. Good for gluten free diets.
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s
stacey VIP
Washington, D.C. Area3 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very cool spot in the East Village. Excellent, authentic tacos and margaritas. The churros - oh my! Fun afternoon on the patio!
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T
Tony
Iowa1 review
5.0
Dined on May 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Alex was an awesome server, happy hour prices were unbeatable!
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E
Ernest
Iowa6 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 29, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food, service terrific, and quality of ingredients amazing. I would recommend only two people go. The tables/booths are small and cramped for four people. I will definitely go back with only one other person.
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G
Gary
Iowa4 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an excellent experience. Servers were perfectly attentive, and the food was first rate. Even the cocktails were inspired. Will return gladly.
Is this helpful?
A
Alicia
Iowa2 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and inventive drinks. Both delicious! Great host and server!
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FAQs

Bar Nico is rated 4.7 stars by 102 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 16, 2025

11:30 PM

Booked 7 times today

428 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309-1910

Additional information

Cross street
East Locust St. & East 5th St.
Neighborhood
Des Moines
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Contemporary Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Matt Small
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.barnicodsm.com/
Phone number
(515) 243-0611

Bar Nico

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Menu

What 102 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Bar Nico restaurant rated?

Is Bar Nico currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information