Mars Cafe

Friendly staff, cool atmosphere, nice selection. Had the Sputnik… would be curious to try something new next time!

Casual coffee shop located by Drake university campus. Wifi is free and fast. Coffee was pretty good with a good variety of specialty drinks. They have some good — salads and panini sandwiches. I got the humus panini on wheat bread. It was an ok sandwich… nothing great but not bad either. It was an appropriate place for me to grab a bite and some caffeine while also getting some work done.

Came here every day on my weekend trip to Iowa. Really wanted to try some other coffee shops in the area but I think when it comes to coffee if you find something good just stick with it. I had the iced Sputnick with an extra shot and extra ice. It was the perfect balance of sweet and strong. Baristas were friendly, prices were fair, shop had a good vibe. Plenty of space to read, do some work or just hang out with friends. Looking forward to visiting again for just a regular cup of coffee and some food. Everything on the menu sounded pretty good!

This place is great for coffee.
In short, the atmosphere is super collegiate, old run down furniture, and stand-​off-​ish Baristas.
I honestly haven’t tried the food, but I feel like they really focus on the coffee.
I still don’t believe that this holds up to the Intellegensia roasting Scenic Route Bakery over in the East Village. (Most people would be surprised, bc that’s a bakery, but they have fantastic beans and baristas. But I digress…)
The macchiato here is pretty consistent. It’s a little fluffy on the micro-​foam, producing a heavy sip, BUT their Kickapoo beans are really good, and their cup sizes are correct (the one thing they hold over Scenic Route)
Def. the second best coffee place in Des Moines. Would highly recommend if you’re in the area.

A fun neighborhood spot! This place is always hopping and takes great pride in their coffee; a true gem for all of Des Moines!

It is of my personal opinion that Mars Café serves the best black coffee in Des Moines. I know there are local shops that roast their own beans but I still find Mars using Kickapoo Coffee, a Fair Trade artisan roaster located in Wisconsin, tastes best. I like that they feature a single origin as well as a blend. I select based on my mood. Depending on how much time I have I’ll order a pre-​brewed cup or spend a little more and have a Chemex or Hario. I do find that some of the employees suffer from ennui and aren’t always friendly. I like that Mars Café supports local artists. I can usually grab a parallel parking spot in front on University on weekend mornings.
TIP: They sell Hario 02 V60 coffee filters for my home pour overs. The only place in Des Moines I’ve been able to find them.
CHANCE OF RETURN: ¹⁰⁄₁₀

Delicious coffee. Great service. Friendly environment.
Great for someone traveling and in need of a coffee shop with fast wifi.

Great coffee. Upbeat and hip atmosphere, but not so hip that us regular folks are out of place. My go to coffee shop. Say high to Matt O’Mealy, the best Barista in town.

I’ve been a fan of Mars since it opened. I have a lot of great memories tied to this shop.
The coffee is great. The food is really good, but is a bit pricey. The staff are always friendly and helpful.
If you’re a coffee hipster snob, you will enjoy the coffee. The staff are knowledgeable. If you just like coffee, Mars has great coffee both brewed and fancy drinks.

Love Mars café. The atmosphere is awesome really upbeat and modern!
They have a nice selection of coffee with fast and friendly baristas!
They have a great seating areas.
It’s a great place to study or catch up on work.
Love to support local businesses.

Had huge expectations for this place. It’s very average coffee with even more average service. Disappointed

What do I say about Mars? It saw me through 7 years at Drake, not once disappointing me. This is the best coffee in town as far as I’m concerned. Their baristas know what’s what and will make you the perfect cup of coffee every time. BUT, perfection takes time, so be prepared to wait a few minutes, especially if you go during a busy time of day. The food is also good, but you will wait a long time for it, maybe 15 – 20 min sometimes. Worked for me because I’d go there and study all day. They have free wifi and places to plug in laptops if you need a place to chill for a while. Always good music playing and local artists on the walls.

This is one of the best places in Des Moines for Coffee and Community! I have met some friends and strangers here– that have became friends!
Great place to pop in or chill out– or get some reading/​writing done!
They really try there best to make the customers happy– my only complaint it that I have seen people camp out here for an entire day and only but a coffee.

Rolled in from out of town for Hinterland Festival and saw great reviews for Mars Café. We’re so happy we went! Cool feel, DELICIOUS food, and really nice staff. Oh, yeah, the coffee is top notch and fair trade. Had such a great lunch we returned for breakfast the next day. Thanks for directing us here, Unilocal

Out of this world. Great coffee, good people, cool vibe. Plenty of seating and workspace with power outlets for laptops and whatnot. Lovely location near Drake University. Rotating artwork and occasional live events. As with the best coffee shops, truly a community center and hangout hotspot.

Best lattes! Ethically sourced coffee, expertly roasted coffee beans, super cool atmosphere

The good: this place has one of the best hand poured mochas in Des Moines. Other coffee shops like Scooters, Starbucks, Caribou, Ritual, Freidrichs don’t come close to the authentic taste and design that comes with Mars Mochas. It’s also convenient for Drake students and located next to many other restaurants in the area. Parking is easy and I’ve never had a hard time finding a spot (even in the winter).
The bad: the inside doesn’t feel very comfortable. This place needs new seating (not comfy) and a makeover. With a little work, this place could blow other coffee shops out of the water, because they have the taste and good service.
The ugly: the artwork on the walls.
Personally, I go to this place a lot because I love the coffee and it doesn’t feel as busy as say Smokey Row. I give it ⁴⁄₅.

Friendly staff, good food, delicious coffee, and great atmosphere! It’s also conveniently located, definitely coming here often

I had the privilege of meeting up with my coworker, Patrick, at one of his favorite spots in Des Moines on a recent visit. My first thoughts when strolling into Mars Café on the snowy morn: cool, laid back, earthy, spacious and friendly baristas. I especially liked the tall ceilings and large windows found all along the front wall facing the street.
Located near Drake University, Mars Café is able to pull off the cool, Idontgiveashit college vibe yet with a diverse clientele and clean atmosphere. I also liked that I didn’t walk out smelling like I often do in many of Indy’s poorly ventilated coffee shops. The highlight of my visit was hands down the adorable hot cocoa topped with barista heart art (I’m pretty sure there is a name for the swirly magic they were rocking).
If you’re looking for a great space to spend a few hours coworking and soaking in a chill environment, I highly recommend paying Mars Café a visit.

The place I’m most likely to bump into one of my best buds, is definitely Mars Café.
The coffee here is great, and is a Des Moines hot spot for people working from their computers, whether they are college students from near by Drake or just townies hanging here for the good music they play over the speakers or the great food and coffee.
The barista’s take pride in the lattes and I always love the option of almond milk, or soy for my coffee. Sandwiches and bakery good are always available. They also have local beers, and energy bars if you just need a pick me up!
Lots of seating make this a good meeting spot for a one on one or group of 4 business meeting.
They also have local art featured on the walls in a rotating fashion. They have acoustic live music on the weekends, it’s called Sound Rover and features local singer songwriters sharing there tunes along with the sounds of espresso’s being made!
If you need a friendly cool, environment to work in, try Mars, I might see you there!