Hello, Marjorie Named One of USA TODAY’s Best Bars of 2024

“The most beautiful girls in the world live in Des Moines,” a pink LED sign above a fireplace beckons. The quote from Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel “On the Road” defines Hello, Marjorie, a throwback to the 1950s when mid-century modern decor reigned supreme.

Owner Nick Tillinghast’s retro cocktail bar in the former Des Moines Register & Tribune building serves up some of the most creative cocktails in the Midwest. It was named one of 27 bars to the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list, compiled by USA TODAY Network food journalists from across the country. The list includes everything from humble dives to high-end cocktail bars.

What makes Hello, Marjorie so special

Hello, Marjorie opened in 2017 on the first floor of the former Register & Tribune building in downtown Des Moines. The opening ushered in a new era for cocktail bars in Des Moines, where bartenders serve up complex drinks with many nuances.

Tillinghast created cozy sitting areas with retro sofas in gold and hunting green tones, low chairs and sideboards decorated with old books, globes and lamps.

Renovations inside over the past three years have created smaller seating areas and even a high nook. The side of the room facing Locust Street feels like smaller parlors with an odd collection of lampshades hanging above to give the room a soft glow.

“It’s slowly becoming the bar I always envisioned,” Tillinghast said.

More: He goes to Asia every year for inspiration. Now his restaurant has been voted top in the US.

What to order from Hello, Marjorie

“The bartender is more like the chef than the bartender,” Tillinghast said. “They’ve taken flavors from food that they like and turned them into liquid.”

The Marjorie: General Manager Todd Patrick recommends ordering the namesake Marjorie, made with elderberry and spiced pear vodka. “It’s definitely one of the easiest to go to if you don’t really know what you want. I feel like everyone is always more pleasantly surprised by it.”

Publisher’s Note: The cocktails feature American Prairie Bourbon, Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur, house-smoked apple bitters and sugar syrup, with apple slices and dried apricot garnish.

Scarlet Grove: Patrick creates many of the cocktails at Hello, Marjorie, including the Scarlett Grove, made with Suntory Whisky Toki, fortified wine, orgeat and caramelized papaya syrup. Albums like Jazinus’ “Audio Bartending” inspire his drinks, right down to the name. Scarlett Grove takes its name from a song by Maribou State.

“I find it really easy to play instrumentals and things like that during and after dinner, for late night, because it really creates a nice environment for conversation,” Patrick said as he created the cocktail.

Jalapeno popcorn: Another cocktail, the jalapeno popcorn, uses a popcorn-infused tequila and curacao with lemon curd made in-house and a jalapeno basil olive oil. Many of the concoctions, such as the lemon curd and elderberry and spiced pear vodka, are made in-house, infused, pureed, and spiced for use in cocktails.

Of course, the espresso martinis and Old Fashioneds are still flying off the bar.

The lounge also serves non-alcoholic composed drinks.

Hi, Marjorie also has Prosecco and rosé on tap.

View the full menu.

Did you know?

Hello, Marjorie is named after Tillinghast’s grandmother, whose husband Harry died of a heart attack in 1965. Marjorie Anderson raised her three daughters alone, and Tillinghast described her as “superwoman” to his mother and aunts. She enjoyed a sloe gin and a cigarette. A painting of her hangs above a Wurlitzer spinet piano in the lounge.

A separate speakeasy, Good News, Darling, is located in the back of the space with its own distinctive menu and atmosphere. Make a reservation in advance or ask the hostess at Hello, Marjorie if there is space. Often the speakeasy has its own pop-up, such as the current one, Honeymoon, which offers a VIP experience in an outdoor festival atmosphere, or Naughty List for the holidays.

Details: 717 Locust St., Des Moines, 515-369-2296, hellomarjorie.com.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and food reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitteror Instagram, or message her at [email protected].