Restaurant
Unclaimed profile85 Bar West
Waukee, IA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
85 Bar West runs a wide beverage program: a cocktail list balanced between seasonal inventions and classics, a deep draft and packaged beer selection, and a nonalcoholic lineup that goes beyond soda. Named drinks like the Wrigley Water and Key Lime Social show a playful, fruit-forward bent, while the State & Rye Espresso adds a boozy coffee option. Beer drinkers get familiar drafts plus sours and lagers. House lemonades come in seven flavors for $5.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Spicy Pineapple Margarita if you want heat, or the Key Lime Social for a dessert-like tequila drink. The State & Rye Espresso offers a coffee-cocktail twist. For something lighter, the Gold Coast Glow uses fresh watermelon juice. Beer-wise, Odell Sippin' Pretty Sour adds tart contrast to the standard lagers.
- What should I expect to spend?
- House lemonade runs $5 per glass. A Monday special pairs a domestic draft with burger and fries for $12. Weekend Nightcap offers $8 margaritas and espresso martinis; Sunday Funday features $5 vodka lemonades and $6 Moscow Mules.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The cocktail menu is notably creative, with drinks like the State & Rye Espresso combining rye, Frangelico, and espresso, and the Key Lime Social using coconut tequila and condensed milk. The nonalcoholic list is also thoughtful, offering NA beers, hop water, and a variety of flavored lemonades.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Seasonal and classic cocktails with a playful, fruit-forward style. Eight named drinks include the Wrigley Water, Red Line Rum Punch, Key Lime Social, and State & Rye Espresso. Specials lower the price on margaritas, espresso martinis, and vodka lemonades.
Menu strengths
- — Menu balances seasonal creations with classic cocktails, offering a variety of spirits and flavors.
- — Recipes show range, from the fresh watermelon juice in Gold Coast Glow to the rye-espresso mix of State & Rye Espresso.
- — Drink specials like Weekend Nightcap and Sunday Funday make the cocktail program accessible.
Standout selections
- — Wrigley Water: Absolut Wildberri vodka, blue curaçao, passionfruit purée, lime, simple syrup, lemon-lime soda.
- — Key Lime Social: 1800 coconut tequila, Cointreau, Licor 43, lime, condensed milk, lime zest and sugar rim.
- — State & Rye Espresso: rye, Frangelico, Kahlua, espresso, banana liquor, caramel, nutmeg, dried banana.
- — Spicy Pineapple Margarita: Espolon reposado, pineapple, jalapeño, agave, lime, Tajin rim.
Pricing: Weekend Nightcap $8 margaritas and espresso martinis; Sunday Funday $5 vodka lemonades, $6 Moscow Mules.
Beer
A large draft and packaged selection includes eight named drafts: Coors Light, Miller Lite, Blue Moon, Hamm's, Golden Road Mango Cart Wheat, Odell Sippin' Pretty Sour, Revolution Cold Time Lager, and Yuengling Lager. Monday special bundles a domestic draft with food.
Menu strengths
- — Draft list spans domestic standards, a mango wheat, a sour, and a lager, giving variety.
- — Monday special pairs a domestic draft with burger and fries for $12, a clear value.
Standout selections
- — Odell Sippin' Pretty Sour – a tart option among the drafts.
- — Golden Road Mango Cart Wheat – fruit-forward wheat beer.
- — Revolution Cold Time Lager – a craft lager choice.
Pricing: Monday special: domestic draft with burger and fries for $12.
Nonalcoholic
Beyond soft drinks, the menu lists NA beers (Exile Ruthie NA, Corona NA, Heineken NA), Lagunitas Hop Water, and house lemonades in seven flavors. The lemonades are priced at $5 and offer a non-alcoholic alternative with variety.
Menu strengths
- — Includes multiple NA beers and a hop water, expanding nonalcoholic options beyond typical sodas.
- — House lemonade comes in regular, blueberry, strawberry, mango, peach, ginger, and lavender flavors.
Standout selections
- — House Lemonade – $5 per glass, available in seven flavors.
- — Lagunitas Hop Water – a nonalcoholic hop-flavored option.
Pricing: House lemonade $5 per glass.
Spirits
Classic cocktails demonstrate a working knowledge of gin, whiskey, and vodka.; Cocktail recipes use a range of spirits including rye, tequila, rum, and bourbon.
Menu strengths
- — Classic cocktails demonstrate a working knowledge of gin, whiskey, and vodka.
- — Cocktail recipes use a range of spirits including rye, tequila, rum, and bourbon.
Standout selections
- — Manhattan – Maker's Mark whiskey, sweet vermouth, angostura bitters.
- — Negroni – London dry gin, Campari, sweet vermouth.
- — Moscow Mule – Wheatley vodka, ginger beer, lime juice.
How it sits with the food
The Monday special pairs a domestic draft with burger and fries for $12, suggesting beer-friendly bar food.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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