Good News, Darling — Restaurant in Des Moines

This place gets my vote for the most special cocktail bar in central Iowa. While all of Nick Tillinghast’s bars (Hello, Marjorie…Secret Admirer) are absolutely fantastic, Good News Darling is the crown jewel. Dark and intimate, unique and consistently high-quality, this is the place to go for a truly special date night out. Mixologists here are highly skilled and take special pride in inventing and delivering amazing drinks. Presentation is first-class. Value is also strong, considering the high-quality drinks served here. It’s a small place and reservations (through the website are a must. Service is both personal and very consistent. If you’re looking to impress or simply feel pampered, there’s no other place like it in Des Moines. Staff very proficient in explaining ingredients and bringing them together in drinks that can only be found here. There’s no other...

The host was very kind to let us in even though it was packed with only 1 bartender. We went around 10 pm on a Saturday. The theme was 'No Menu,' which meant you told the bartender a few flavors you like, and he'd make you drink based on your preferences. My husband went with whiskey influences, and both were flavorful and sweeter than I would have predicted. He loved both drinks. For my first drink, I asked for lavender, elderflower, honey flavors. I forget what he called it, but it was decent. The second one I asked for tajin. He made me a margarita with butterfly pea flower (or whatever makes your drink purple), egg white froth, tajin on the rim and he said, "I forget what else - I blacked out when making it." 🤣 Bartender and atmosphere...

Boy, did we feel cool when we got to go to the secret speakeasy behind Hello Marjorie. We asked the bartender what the rationale was for the bar and she said it was meant to be a smaller, more intimate venue where they could mix complex cocktails. They were complex for sure! We highly recommend the Lemon Bar. My friend did not care for her drink and the bartender Josh made her a different one. He was so accommodating, even moving a giant hot dog so we could all sit together at a table (go visit this bar- the hot dog will make more sense). Highly recommend. We had a great...