Hessen Haus

We were looking for a place to grab a bite downtown last weekend, trying to come up with somewhere we hadn't been for awhile. We decided to stop in at the Hessen Haus - Des Moines' own little piece of Detschland. Located at 101 4th Street in Des Moines, the Hessen Haus serves up an excellent variety of German bier and some tasty German food, too.

The interior is very German bier hall - lots of wood with regular tables, plus long bench style tables where you may be sharing a table with others. Lots of beer steins and great German bier signs.

And the selection of German beer is fantastic! 30 different German beers on tap - even more available in bottles - gives any true 'bier' fan plenty to taste. The staff is very knowledgable about the beer, too, so don't be afraid to ask questions (like I did!).

Grant ordered a Warsteiner Pilsner, while I enjoyed a Kronenbourg 1664. Both were BIG and strong - love that about German beer! The menu has some decidedly German fare, but there is plenty to choose from for someone not that into international food. Some of the German dishes include Schnitzel, Stroganoff, Goulash, and even a 'German' mac & cheese. They offer some unique appetizers, soups, salads and sandwiches, too.

And, of course, there's Das Boot. If you have 3 or more people in your party, you can enjoy two liters of one of their tasty German tap beers and follow some pretty specific rules while you're at it!

I had heard they made a pretty decent breaded tenderloin at Hessen Haus, so that's what I ordered. It was lightly breaded, nice and crispy, and the pork was juicy and flavorful. I hadn't had a tenderloin in a while, and this one surely hit the spot.

Grant tried the Schweine Flugel. Delicious pork shanks, which were quite meaty, served with red cabbage and mashed potatoes and gravy. Very filling, Grant enjoyed this meal at the restaurant and then again at home - he seriously couldn't eat all of this entree.

We sat at the bar, and our bartender, Sally, took great care of us. Service was friendly, fast, and efficient. The Hessen Haus also hosts live music on the weekends, including polka music (which I love)! What can I say, I grew up watching the Chmielewski Funtime Show on Saturday nights. I wonder if any of these Iowa Pokla Hall of Famers ever show up?

The next time you're looking for a good lunch downtown Des Moines, give the Hessan Haus a try. Excellent German bier, some interesting German food, and great service all add up at this fun place - get Das Boot for only $10 11am -  2pm Monday through Friday, too!

Hessan Haus

101 4th Street
Des Moines, IA 50309

515.288.2520

Kitchen Hours

Monday - Saturday 11am - 10pm
Sunday 12pm - 10pm

Bar Hours

Monday - Tuesday 11am - 12 midnight
Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 2am
Sunday 12pm - 12 midnight

For more information check out their website at www.hessenhaus.com