Nightingale Cocktail — Restaurant in Des Moines

my friend i came to nightingale for the first time last night. we headed to the bar in the back where the bartender asked us what we wanted. we asked for some time to look at the menu online. about 30 seconds in, my friend decided on a drink but i was still looking, so i told her to order first. she told the bar tender her drink and he looked at me to see what i wanted but i told him i was still looking. he rudely replied, “im not gonna make anything until i know both of your orders.”

what is so difficult about making her drink first and then taking mine after? i’ve never had an issue skimming the menu at other bars, mind you, the bar wasn’t even full at the time, the bartender had one other customer he was attending. ONE. it was not rush hour. i’m a server and have worked kitchen, not a bartender. i understand he may have his own way of working his bar, but there are nicer ways to treat customers.

my friend compliments the bartenders nails and he dismisses her, acts like he didn’t hear her. my friend didn’t end up liking her drink so i told her she can have mine because i truly didn’t want to feel like an inconvenience to the rude bartender any longer.

the bartender motions his hand in an annoyed way, hinting that it was time for payment of the drinks. mind you, we had barley received our drinks so obviously it was time to pay, i didn’t need an unnecessary reminder, because we had just paid a cover… it’s not like we were gonna run off with the drinks.

i felt bad for my friend because she is queer and wanted to vibe tonight in queer spaces. overall not a pleasant experience from a presumably queer bartender at a queer bar, which was the whole point...

Terrible experience, this guy who claimed to be a manager definitely abused of his power, he pepper sprayed my boyfriend after making racial discriminatory remarks. This actions were uncalled for as my group was not acting aggressive, physical or threatening. When I reached out afterward, the owner — who wasn’t even present that night — kept making excuses for his employee’s actions and repeatedly tried to blame us instead of taking any accountability. He even said that our version of events are “PROBABLY false.” I even told him to look at the cameras so he can see it for himself that none of us got physical as they claimed we were but he refused. This kind of dismissive and defensive attitude from management is unprofessional and unacceptable. I would strongly caution others to be careful when visiting this place, it’s not worth it.

Oh and one more thing, you shouldn’t own a business if you can’t take criticism! Thank u bye🫶🏻

DO NOT LET THE RECENT 5 STARS REVIEWS FOOL YOU!! ITS THEIR OWN STAFF MAKING THOSE FAKE REVIEWS!! (Funny how they got so many 5 star reviews in less than 20 minutes right after I talked about my experience...

Nightingale is like your cozy little corner of East Village that somehow feels like a mini Vegas. It's not huge, but hey, that’s part of the charm. They’ve got arguably the best patio in East Village, and those handcrafted cocktails? They’re no joke. They use Lavazza coffee for a killer espresso, and everything’s made with fresh juice, not a bunch of sugary syrup. Yeah, you’ll pay a bit more, but you’re getting top-shelf quality.

And let’s be real, this isn't some plug-and-play DJ situation. Wednesdays are packed with actual pros who’ve been doing this for years, and by Thursday with salsa night, and the full-house Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll want to come early so you don’t end up waiting in line. You’re paying a cover for a reason: you’re getting that great sound, awesome light shows, and a lineup of the best DJs, not just whoever walked in off the street. So yeah, it’s a small spot with a big personality and...