A night out in Ankeny: build the evening one stop at a time.
How to use this
How it worksPick one stop per stage: drink, dinner, dessert, something fun
WhereUptown or The District at Prairie Trail
Getting aroundEach covers the night on foot, no driving between stops
Short on ideasFour ready-made plans at the bottom
First round · 5 to 6:30
Start with a drink
Firetrucker Brewery (Uptown) · the old fire station on SW 3rd, now a taproom with a patio, a wall of board games, live music, and a food truck parked out front. The easiest place in town to start.
Uptown Garage Brewing (Uptown) · 30-plus rotating taps and a big, family-friendly patio a short walk down the block, so you can hit both without a plan.
Trailside Tap (Uptown) · sits right where the High Trestle Trail begins. The patio and the tenderloin both have a case for best in town.
30hop (The District) · the cocktails-and-scratch-kitchen side of the night, over at Prairie Trail, busiest at happy hour.
Whiskey River · a bigger sports-bar room with a patio; weekday happy hour runs roughly 3 to 6.
Sweet Swirls Rolled Ice Cream (303 SW School St) · Iowa's first rolled ice cream, mixed and rolled on a frozen plate while you watch, plus soft serve and shakes. Open into the evening and late on weekends, which makes it the natural after-dinner stop.
The Outside Scoop · small-batch ice cream made from scratch, a couple dozen flavors that rotate.
Uptown Dairy · old-school hard-pack scoops, and for the grown-ups an affogato, espresso poured over a scoop.
If you're drifting toward Des Moines:Snookies Malt Shop in Beaverdale, a walk-up soft-serve institution since 1986.
The Escape · escape rooms built for a group or a competitive date.
B-Roll Bowling at B&B Theatres (1580 SW Market St) · bowling, an arcade, a bar, and a movie theater in one building, so the whole back half of the night lives under one roof.
BackSpin Indoor Golf & Bar and NetPar (1610 SW Main St) · golf simulators with a full bar, open year-round, which matters in an Iowa January.
Live music at Firetrucker or Uptown Garage, or a movie (see our movie theater guide).
Free, and honestly the best of them: drive out to the High Trestle Trail bridge and catch it glow blue, sunset to midnight, April through October.
Magee's Irish Pub & Eatery (The District) · a Guinness, pub fare, and a later kitchen.
Cabaret and Mullets · the neighborhood sports-bar version, both with big patios.
Pick a plan
Four nights, ready to go
The classic date night (Uptown)
A patio beer at Firetrucker, dinner at Trailside Tap, rolled ice cream at Sweet Swirls, then the High Trestle bridge lit blue after dark. Barely a car needed.
The dressed-up occasion (The District)
A cocktail at 30hop, an early table at Filet Steakhouse, a scoop from The Outside Scoop, and a late movie at B-Roll.
Showing guests the town
Jethro's BBQ 'n LakeHouse for the Iowa plate, an affogato at Uptown Dairy, then an escape room at The Escape to see who cracks first.
Low-key with friends
Pints and pub food at Magee's, golf simulators at BackSpin, and a last round at Whiskey River before it closes.
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Two areas hold most of it, both walkable. Uptown Ankeny lines up Firetrucker Brewery, Uptown Garage Brewing, and Trailside Tap within a couple of blocks. The District at Prairie Trail has 30hop, Magee's Irish Pub, the B-Roll bowling and movie complex, and a run of restaurants. Park once in either and you can do the whole evening on foot.
Where should I take out-of-town guests in Ankeny?
For an easy win, Jethro's BBQ 'n LakeHouse gives visitors a big-plate Iowa barbecue dinner, or book Filet Steakhouse for something dressier (its kitchen closes around 8pm, so go early). Follow it with rolled ice cream at Sweet Swirls or a scoop at The Outside Scoop, then an escape room at The Escape or bowling at B-Roll.
Is there live music in Ankeny?
Yes. Firetrucker Brewery and Uptown Garage Brewing both host live music, and in summer the city runs Beats & Eats concerts on select Thursdays at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion. See our live music guide for the lineup.
What is there to do at night in Ankeny besides restaurants?
A fair amount. The Escape runs escape rooms; B-Roll Bowling at B&B Theatres puts bowling, an arcade, a bar, and a movie theater under one roof; BackSpin Indoor Golf & Bar and NetPar have golf simulators with a full bar year-round. Add live music, a late scoop at Sweet Swirls, or a walk to the glowing High Trestle bridge for a night without a dinner table.
Where is good for a date night in Ankeny?
A classic one stays in Uptown: a patio beer at Firetrucker or Trailside Tap, dinner nearby, rolled ice cream at Sweet Swirls, then the High Trestle bridge lit blue after dark. For a dressier night, book Filet Steakhouse at The District and add a movie at B-Roll.
Sources: The Ankeny Brief's restaurants, breweries & bars, ice cream, live music, and things-to-do guides, plus venue websites and public listings (Sweet Swirls Rolled Ice Cream, 303 SW School St). Hours and offerings change, so confirm before you go. Suggestions are a starting point, not a ranking.
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