Entry No. 15 — the Des Moines file — filed under: speakeasy
Ken's - a not so secret speakeasy
Named for 1920s Des Moines society bootlegger Kenneth Sonderleiter, Ken's hides in the basement under the Iowa Taproom with no sign at street level (head down to the right of the Taproom entrance). Low ceilings, brick walls, gangster and flapper-era photos, and privacy booths built from salvaged elevator doors out of the old Equitable Building. The menu is Prohibition-classic plus a shelf devoted to Iowa whiskeys and bourbons.
The move: Slip downstairs without telling your date where you're headed, grab one of the salvaged-elevator-door booths, and do an Iowa-whiskey flight from the local shelf while trading old-fashioned-vs-Manhattan opinions.
📍 Before you go Ken's sits in the heart of the East Village, Des Moines' walkable historic district of indie shops and restaurants just below the State Capitol, so it pairs easily with a pre- or post-drink stroll. It's an evening and nightcap spot rather than a daytime stop. Because it shares a building with the Iowa Taproom, the big Iowa-tap beer hall upstairs makes a natural warm-up or fallback if the basement is full. Worth noting: this small basement room is sometimes booked out for private events, so it's smart to confirm it's open to the public before making the trip. Expect street parking or one of the neighborhood's public ramps.
- 📍 East Village
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 215 E 3rd St, Des Moines, IA
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: dmcityview.com · catchdesmoines.com
last checked: 2026-06-06