Captain Roy's

Quick Verdict

Captain Roy's is an easy get in Des Moines — no reservation drama, no velvet rope, no months-long waitlist. If you're looking for a neighborhood bar at 1900 Saylor Rd where showing up is the whole booking strategy, this is a reasonable call. The question worth asking before you go: does the drinks program give you a reason to seek it out specifically, or is it a fallback? Based on available data, treat it as a low-friction option rather than a destination you'd plan a night around.

About Captain Roy's

Des Moines has a small but increasingly focused bar scene, and the north-side address on Saylor Rd puts Captain Roy's a bit outside the Downtown and East Village corridors where most of the city's cocktail ambition is concentrated. That geography matters for your decision. If you're already in the area, the low booking barrier makes it an obvious stop. If you're traveling in from elsewhere in the city, the case for going out of your way is harder to make without more data on what distinguishes the cocktail program.

For bars where the drinks menu signals real ambition — house-made syrups, rotating seasonal specs, a back bar worth interrogating , you get a clear picture fast. Captain Roy's doesn't give us that picture from available records. That's not a verdict against it; it's a reason to set expectations accordingly. Think of it as a place where the experience is likely to be defined by the room and the crowd rather than by a standout beverage program. If that's what you're after on a given night, it may well deliver.

Timing matters here more than booking logistics. A mid-week visit , Tuesday or Wednesday , will give you the leading read on what the bar is actually like day-to-day, without weekend volume that can change the character of any neighborhood spot. If you're planning a Friday or Saturday visit, arrive early; even easy-to-book bars in Des Moines can feel crowded once the evening gets going. For context on how Captain Roy's fits into a broader night out, the full Des Moines bars guide and Des Moines restaurants guide are worth checking before you lock in a plan.

If a serious cocktail program is your priority, Akebono 515 and Clyde's Fine Diner are stronger bets in Des Moines. For bars built around a specific drinks identity nationally, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston show what a program-first bar looks like at its leading , useful benchmarks if you're trying to calibrate expectations.

How to Book

Walk-in friendly. No reservation infrastructure flagged in available data. Show up, and you're likely in. Check hours directly before visiting, as those aren't confirmed in current records.