Part of the Gay Des Moines Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Des Moines, Iowa
LGBTQ+ complex in Des Moines' East Village with restaurant and rooftop
The Garden is a Gay-owned complex in Des Moines' East Village that works as a restaurant, drag show lounge, and rooftop bar all at once. Co-owners Rusty Jones and Jerry Byrd ran the club for 36 years out of an old Southeast Fourth Street warehouse before moving it into the former House of Bricks space on Grand Avenue in 2021. The current room leans all-black with silver and glitter accents, and a garage door drops to wall off the performance area once the show starts. The central stage is named for the late showgirl Yazmine You'nique DeMornay. A full kitchen turns out dinner and weekend drag brunches, and the rooftop patio adds a second bar above the neighborhood. The Garden is one of a small cluster of LGBTQ+ spots in the East Village, and it's the one that doubles as a sit-down dinner before the night gets loud. Come for a weekend drag show, stay for the roof.
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