Come for the martinis, skip the wine list
Downtown · Des Moines · Cocktail Bar with American Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into The Stuffed Olive and the cocktail menu is basically a novel — ambitious, layered, clearly the point. The wine list, by contrast, reads like an afterthought someone printed from a grocery store circular. This is a martini bar that happens to have wine, and it wants you to know the difference.
The list leans almost entirely on mass-market California brands you've seen at every chain restaurant from here to Phoenix — Meiomi, Josh Cellars, Cupcake, Barefoot. There's no real regional story being told, no independent producers, no effort to surprise. International representation exists in name only with La Marca Prosecco holding down the sparkling category. If you came hoping to find a Rhône valley Grenache or even a decent Oregon Pinot, redirect your energy toward a dirty martini.
Roughly 8–12 pours available by the glass, priced between $7 and $11, which is genuinely reasonable for downtown Des Moines. The range doesn't rotate with much intention — what you see is pretty much what you always see. At these prices, the glass pour program is fine for a casual Thursday out; just don't expect anything that'll make you put down your phone.
La Marca Prosecco — $26
At the low end of the bottle range and honestly the most fit-for-purpose wine on the list given the lively bar atmosphere — light, easy, and it doesn't pretend to be something it's not.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
It's a crowd-pleaser brand, sure, but Meiomi is actually a decent pour for a relaxed tapas night — lighter body, soft fruit, and it won't fight the flatbreads or stuffed olive apps.
Cupcake Moscato
Sweet, one-dimensional, and the kind of wine that exists purely because it sells. Even at $7 a glass, there's a better call on the list.
La Marca Prosecco + Stuffed Olive Appetizer Selections
The briny, salty punch of stuffed olives needs something with bubbles and acidity to cut through — Prosecco does that job cleanly without overcomplicating the snack.
Tuesday — Half-price bottle specials on select wines on Tuesdays — applies to a portion of the list rather than everything. Worth asking your server which bottles are included before you commit.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Stuffed Olive is a genuinely fun downtown bar, but the wine list is strictly there for guests who don't want a cocktail. If wine is why you're going out, keep looking — if you're here for the martinis and want something in a glass that isn't shaken, you'll survive.
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