Entry No. 41 — the Des Moines file — filed under: speakeasy
Cellar 626
“no sign, no street presence, and no reason to exist — except that it absolutely does”
Tucked behind the beer cooler at Cyclone Liquors on Lincoln Way, Cellar 626 has no sign, no street presence, and no reason to exist — except that it absolutely does. You walk through a working cooler door to find a 30-seat bar where the drinks are named after liquor store employees and the Smoked Stan (a smoke-finished Old Fashioned) is the kind of thing you'll describe to people for years. It started in 2015 when Cyclone Liquors needed a bigger tasting room and ended up accidentally inventing one of Iowa's best bars. Word has gotten out just enough to earn a USA Today "coolest bar in the state" nod and a 4.5-star Yelp rating — but it's still a secret to most of central Iowa, and there's still no sign to tip off the uninitiated.
The story
In 2015, the owners of Cyclone Liquors on Lincoln Way needed dedicated space for bottle tastings. Rather than setting up a foldable table next to the wine racks, they cleared out room behind the back wall and built a secluded 30-seat bar, sealing the entryway behind a functioning glass-and-aluminum walk-in cooler door.
There is no street-facing sign, no exterior entrance, and no hint from the strip-mall parking lot that anything exists beyond package alcohol sales. The drink menu is explicitly local, with house cocktails named directly after store employees—most notably the Smoked Stan, a smoke-infused Old Fashioned named for a longtime team member.
What it's like
You pull into the strip-mall lot off Lincoln Way, walk past the floor displays of beer and wine like any normal retail customer, and make a beeline for the rear cooler wall. Push through the standard cooler door to enter the dark, low-lit bar on the other side. The room only fits about 30 people and operates on limited weekend-heavy hours (typically Thursday through Saturday, 4 PM to 11 PM), so grab a seat early before the small floor plan fills up.
The move: Walk into Cyclone Liquors like you're buying wine, drift past the craft beer wall, and slip through the cooler door in back — then order something off the house cocktail list and let your date figure out how you knew where to go.
📍 Before you go This is the back room of Cyclone Liquors, a strip-mall package store on Lincoln Way in south Ames — there's no separate entrance and no signage, so park in the store lot or grab free street parking, walk in like a normal customer, and head for the cooler door at the rear past the beer wall. It's a small, weekend-evening operation (think Thursday through Saturday nights), so arrive early if you want one of the few seats — walk-ins are welcome, but it fills up. You're a short hop from Iowa State and Campustown, so it folds easily into a longer night out. Confirm the current days and times before making the drive.
- 📍 Ames
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 626 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50010
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Time Out Ames — Follow up custom drinks behind a beer cooler door with pinball and retro arcade cabinets less than half a mile away.
- In Spyrit Metaphysical (& Des Moines Paranormal) — Pair your hidden drink with a stop at this local metaphysical shop co-run by active ghost investigators down the same strip of Lincoln Way.
- Paradox Antiques, Art, & Oddities — If you are making the trip from Boone, start your day browsing Victorian oddities and taxidermy before heading east for evening drinks.
Good to know
Where is the entrance located?
Inside Cyclone Liquors at 626 Lincoln Way. Walk straight past the retail aisles to the walk-in beer cooler at the back of the store and open the door.
Do I need a password or reservation to get in?
No passwords or reservations required. Seating is strictly walk-in and first-come, first-served.
What days is Cellar 626 open?
It operates on a limited schedule, generally open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 4 PM to 11 PM.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · cellar-626.wheree.com · irock935.com · restaurantji.com · cycloneliquors.com · Facebook
last checked: 2026-06-09