Des Moines Register
When Smash Park closed in January 2024, it not only left a hole in the restaurant scene in Pella, but also eliminated an entertainment venue as well. Enter Orchestrate Hospitality, the company behind restaurants such as Centro, Bubba, and Django in Des Moines. While the company kept the pickleball courts open, it has now introduced Pella to a second restaurant from the hospitality group in the city.
West Side Social Sports Grille and Game House opened in Pella with food, drinks, and plenty of entertainment. It joins sister restaurant Liberty Street Kitchen and Main Street Markt, the specialty food store, from the company in Pella.
“West Side Social is Pella’s entertainment headquarters,” said Orchestrate Hospitality President Paul Rottenberg in a news release.
The 21,000-square-foot facility includes an additional 10,000-square-foot patio. The dining room accommodates 78 diners, while the bar seats another 18. West Side Social includes private and semi-private dining rooms with seating for groups of up to 100. The space features 70 televisions broadcasting all of the games.
On the entertainment side, customers can find four indoor pickleball courts, two golf simulators, two electronic darts lounges, shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, an arcade, and seasonal outdoor gathering areas.
What to eat at West Side Social Sports Grille and Game House
A full roster of family-friendly sports bar fare is on the menu.
For appetizers, try fried mac and cheese bites, birria taquitos, elote corn dip, or a pretzel charcuterie board with soppressata, gouda, cornichon, fig jam, spicy brown mustard, and beer cheese. Wings come with ranch or blue cheese dressing, bone-in, boneless, or cauliflower-based, with sauce options such as Buffalo, honey barbecue, Kansas City barbecue, or garlic Parmesan. Diners can also choose a rub, such as Cajun, ranch, or lemon pepper. Appetizers range from breaded cheese curds for $10.99 to roasted poblano hummus for $16.99, although that pretzel board is $19.99.
Flatbreads come with hot honey pepperoni, street corn, or Buffalo chicken and ranch. All cost $12.99 to $13.99.
Salads start at $12.99 with options such as berry chicken, hot honey chicken and waffle, birria taco, Mediterranean chopped, or loaded chicken Caesar.
For entrees, diners can opt for fish and chips with beer-battered cod, a 12-ounce steak frites with ribeye and Bordelaise sauce, Cajun salmon, hot honey mac with fried chicken strips, or pomegranate grilled chicken, in the $18.99 to $13.99 range.
Four versions of smash burgers can swap veggie or turkey burgers as an option, and sandwiches include renditions with burnt ends, steak, a lobster bisque roll, saucy chicken, or shredded pork and ham dubbed the Bar Be Cuban. Sandwiches and burgers range from $13.99 to $24.99.
See the entire menu at West Side Social.
What to drink at West Side Social Sports Grille and Game House
The drinks menu includes beers and craft cocktails, as well as nonalcoholic drinks. Margaritas, mules, and frozen drinks have their own space on the menu.
Where to find West Side Social Sports Grille and Game House
Location: 1000 Fifield Road, Pella
Contact: 515-581-7104 or westsidesocialpella.com.
Hours: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pickleball courts are open for private rental from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].