Bar Nico — Restaurant in Des Moines

I appreciate what they are trying to do with the corn and avoid flour, it’s original and rare to find maíz azul being used. That’s the only positive thing I can think of regarding this restaurant. I don’t consider this authentic Mexican cuisine. I was excited and high hopes; I was hoping to see authentic Mexican beverages like palomas, but the menu focuses more on what locals are familiar with (margaritas), rather than introducing something new and encouraging local diners to try something they’ve potentially never tried before. We were most disappointed in the desert menu as it doesn’t reflect Mexican cuisine at all - there’s a tremendous missed opportunity to explore the corn concept… why not experiment with uchepos and atole for example? I was born and raised in Mexico and my wife was born and raised in Iowa. We love Mexican cuisine because there’s something for everyone - she disliked most dishes because they were so spicy and had a lot of heat built into the recipe, but in Mexico, this isn’t how dishes are prepared. True, authentic Mexican cuisine (especially tacos) are served without spice but rather with a variety of salsas for the table so that each diner can experiment and explore the flavors at their discretion.

Restaurants and kitchens in the Des Moines metro are filled with Mexicans, but here, only one person in the back of house is Mexican and it seems he was the dishwasher. There’s really no excuse for this.

There is so much potential for authentic Mexican cuisine and we would all love to see it and would support it wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the current Bar Nico fell far short of our hopes and...

Met a friend for lunch at Bar Nico - excellent quiet spot to retreat for a bit on a Sunday afternoon. Dining space is limited. Brunch menu choices offer a fresh take on a few classic Mexican entrèes with some other creations that pop with Tex-Mex flavors. Options include apps, entrees, soups/salads and desserts. Backside of the menu showcases tequila-heavy and Mexican-inspired cocktails, wine, and beer. Only a few options on tap, but overall a well-rounded drink selection along with a decently stocked bar.

I had the pozole with chicken and husband got a cheesecake - I ate all of mine and he scraped his plate. I had their Paloma and a Sirens Song, a tequila based cocktail - both were delicious. Husband had coffee - 2 cups and no complaints. Our buddy is vegan and opted for the sweet potato tacos which can be made vegan. They have few other vegan options. He's a bourbon-lover and enjoyed a couple old fashioneds. Our waitress, Isabelle, was excellent! She took great care of us and made recommendations based off our preferences. We were all happy with the choices offered and made.

Bathrooms are clean and well-maintained. It's only the 2nd time I've been here and both times I've been pleasantly surprised. Highly recommend for a date night, happy hour, or meeting a friend. Would be difficult to accommodate larger groups as the only seating options are 2-top or 4-top booths, or one 4-top table in the very front, and bar seating. Small venue, but excellent stop for...

I ate here for the first time last Friday and visited again with another group of friends yesterday for Happy Hour. I wouldn't call this food Mexican, or even Mexican fusion...maybe Mexican-inspired. Who cares really? Maybe people looking for authentic Mexican food... Whatever it is, I loved it! The flavors were complex yet complimentary. Service was on-point. Restaurant was nicely laid out and decorated. They might have an issue getting groups over 4 in as I only saw one table that could accommodate such numbers.

Happy Hour is from 3pm to 5pm. Not sure if that occurs every day. Happy Hour is a good way to get your feet wet and try a few different things. Their house margarita and seasonal margarita are on the HH menu. I highly recommend the seasonal. It's made with tamarind but it's not heavy. There's just the right amount. They do not serve salsa with your meals but will bring you a salsa that will complement all of your food if requested. Everything I've had there was fantastic. My boyfriend thought his wings were pretty underwhelming but who goes to a restaurant like this to order wings? He can write his own review.

All in all, I highly recommend coming here. I loved it. All of my friends loved it. As I said in the beginning, the only people that may be disappointed are those that take branding seriously and are looking for mom and pop Mexican restaurants. If you want to try what I consider to be modern, worldly...