How It Works | The Rook Room Des Moines Board Game Cafe & Pop-Up Events

You’re at the Rook Room Game Lounge & Cafe. It’s a first and only for Des Moines. We’re a full restaurant, bar, cafe, and game space all in one! Learn more on our About Us page.

How does it work?

It’s simple! Sit, stay, and play a while. As a game lounge and cafe, we encourage you to get comfortable, order something tasty, grab a game from our game wall, and have fun.

How do I order?

We have table-side ordering. Flip to the “Welcome” side of your Table Tower and scan the QR code for a menu. You can peruse the menu and order right from your phone. You can even keep your tab open and add to your order at any point. No more waiting for a staff member. It’s quick and easy so you can keep enjoying your game!

Do you have paper menus?

We sure do! Want to go old school? Signal a staff member by pressing that FOOD button on the remote at the top of your Table Tower. When you’re ready to order, press that button again, and a staff member can take your order.

How can I find more information about allergies or dietary restrictions?

Our front-of-house, kitchen, and management teams are all trained to be experts in finding you some answers and doing our best to keep your experience safe and happy. Feel free to call a staff member to address any concerns and get your questions answered. Just hit the FOOD button on your Table Tower remote.

I need more room on my table. How do I clear my dishes?

We know, games AND food take up a lot of table space. Once you’re done with your trays, plates, glasses, or anything else, we’ll get those for you. Our staff is constantly bussing finished tableware when they see it. But if you need it gone ASAP so you can get right to gaming, feel free to press that HELP button on your Table Tower remote.

Do you offer carry-out?

We do not offer carry-out food at the moment. We’re planning that for the future once we get settled into our new space. We do have carry-out coffee and breakfast items, though. And if you have any leftovers from your meal, we do have to-go containers. Just use your Table Tower remote to signal a staff member to get you what you need.

What are those buttons on my Table Tower?

We call that a remote. Our staff members are wearing super-cool watches. When you press one of the buttons on the remote, a staff member will be notified of your table number and what you need. FOOD for food and beverage help. GAME for game help. HELP for anything else. CANCEL to cancel your call.

What are the flip cards on my Table Tower?

It’s a great system for making friends…or not. Keeping it on the GREEN, LET’S PLAY side will signal to others that you’re open to people joining you. Turn those strangers into new friends. If you’re already set with the friends you need or in the middle of a game, the RED, NOT TODAY side tells people that you’d prefer not to have anyone join you.

How do I get a game?

Walk right up to the wall of games and choose whatever you like! Our games are categorized by play style – Strategy, Cooperative, Family, Classic, Party, Gateway, Children, and 2-Player. They also have a Weight Rating on them. A 1 will take about 10 minutes to learn. A 5 could take two hours or more.

Where do I return my game?

When you’re done with your game, we kindly ask that you return it to the purple card on the far right end of our game wall. That helps us keep track of what’s being played and make sure there are no missing pieces. Thanks for your help!

What is a PlayPass?

We have PlayPass hours after 4 PM. It’s $7 and is essentially a cover cost to come in, stay, and play during our busiest times. If you park in one of the nearby public parking lots, it also includes a Parking Pass that allows you to conveniently park for free. Mondays are PlayPass-free, meaning you can come in and play without paying!

Why do you have a PlayPass fee?

Great question. Full transparency, we aren’t trying to nickel and dime you. The PlayPass fee helps us maintain our library of games. As you can imagine, with food and drinks in the mix, games can get damaged pretty easily. That’s fine – that’s what they’re there for! The PlayPass helps us maintain and get new ones. Additionally, most restaurants rely on fast table turnover with lots of food and beverage orders to make a profit. Here, we want you to stay and play as long as you like without ever feeling like you need to order anything – so our PlayPass fee helps cover costs even if you want to play all night and never order!

What is a Parking Pass?

We want to make parking as convenient as possible. There’s plenty of nearby, free street parking, but if you’d like the convenience of a parking lot, there are several nearby public lots as well. The public lots cost ____ per hour, but with our $5 Parking Passes available for purchase, you can park as long as you’d like without racking up a big bill. Order a Parking Pass from our menu, ask a staff member, or see the host on your way out. And remember, a Parking Pass comes free with your PlayPass fee – so ask for one if you need one!

Do you have memberships?

Aww, you love us that much? We sure do! Yearly memberships are $160 (that’s only about $13 a month!). If you’d like a membership for the whole family, it’s $160 + $100 per each additional family member. We’re constantly working on new, exciting perks for members, but for starters, your membership includes: free entry during PlayPass hours, discounts on food and beverages, member-exclusive gifts throughout the year, and even access to some member-exclusive quarterly events. Want to become a member? Order a membership off the menu or speak to a staff member.