The Doghouse Bar & Lounge

Ankeny’s karaoke hot spot kennels up inspiring singers

Located in one of the oldest drinking establishments in Ankeny, The Doghouse Bar & Lounge, known as “The Doghouse” by its regulars, has gone through a few changes in the last couple of years, since current owner Dave Riccadonna took over.

“When I got the place, I completely gutted the inside,” he said. “I wanted a fresh start and to mix-up the clientele.”

Riccadonna added his new look, “a doghouse theme,” starting at the front door and engulfing the inside.

“The back of the bar resembles a doghouse and we painted around the fuse box, giving it that same look,” he said. “And if you notice the spotlight outside, it’s inside a doghouse.”

But a tribute to “man’s best friend” wasn’t the purpose of the new look.

“Every time you stay out and drink too much, you end up in the doghouse,” Riccadonna said. “So if you’re going to eventually end up there, you might as well start your night there.”

Happy Hour runs Monday through Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m., featuring buy-one-get-one-free specials on everything but Patron (tequila). The Doghouse also features daily specials. On Monday and Tuesday, stop in for Happy Hour all day, as well as a pitcher of beer and a pizza for $10 on Tuesday; and on Wednesday, a weekly drawing is held at 6 p.m., with the winner receiving T-shirts, hats, promotional items and free drinks.

“We are trying to make our drinks affordable to everyone,” Riccadonna said. “We strive to build a clientele of regular customers. When people stop in, they know they’ll have a good time.”

Karaoke singers rejoice. The Doghouse features karaoke Wednesday through Saturday starting at 9 p.m. Every time customers sing a song, they receive a free shot, as well as having their names entered into a $50 cash drawing happening every Saturday at 11 p.m.

“The free shots help everyone build some courage. By the end of the night, things get a little crazy,” Riccadonna said. “Karaoke is a big draw for us. People like being involved, feeling like they are a part of the show. Plus our staff is into it, which is important, because it’s tough to succeed with karaoke unless everybody is having a good time.”

The bar has four beers on tap and more than 20 in the bottle. Stop in for the house specialty shot, “The Scooby Snack,” but Riccadonna isn’t spilling the drinks secret.

“We run a lot of shot specials throughout the week,” Riccadonna said. “One of our more popular shots is the ‘Washington Apple,’ comprised of Crown Royal, Apple Pucker and a splash of cranberry.”

Riccadonna is proud of the wide variety of people who frequent his establishment.

“We get all kinds, from construction workers to school teachers,” he said. “Everybody meshes together, and we are lucky to have such a great group of customers.”

Riccadonna knows the type of establishment The Doghouse is, and he’s not trying to be anything different.

“We are a friendly, old-fashioned, neighborhood bar. We’re not the country club or a hole in the wall,” he said. “If you want a nice atmosphere with competitive prices, stop in and see us.” CV