A new tavern in Des Moines, Iowa is being accused of racism after complaints emerged over the bar's enforcement of a strict dress code.

Tipsy Crow Tavern said it would refuse service to patrons who were seen wearing clothing such as baggy jeans, plain T-shirts, and construction boots, according to The Des Moines Register on Thursday.

Other restriction include no do-rags (a scarf or cloth worn on the head and tied in the back), sideways caps and jeans hanging below the waist.

Management later removed a sign stating the dress code after a fierce backlash erupted on social media.

Customers in Des Moines, Iowa have accused a tavern in town of being racist after a dress code was instituted at the bar (pictured Tipsy Cow Tavern)

The dress code bans includes baggy jeans, do-rags, plain tee's and construction boots (pictured from Facebook)

It remains unclear, however, if the policy has been abandoned.

The issue has raised a debate in town on whether dress codes at local bars are instituted for safety purposes or a thinly veiled scheme designed to discriminate against minorities.

Detractors claim that the clothing ban is aimed at young African-American males who are most likely to wear the apparel.

'Not just downtown bars, but all bars want it both ways,' 28-year-old Arnold Woods told the Register.

Woods, who is black and a graduate of Iowa State University, added that 'they don’t want minorities there because if too many black men are in a bar it brings trouble.'

Critics say that the dress code specifically targets young African-American men (pictured Tipsy Cow Tavern)

The tavern owner said the issue has nothing to do with discrimination, adding that he has a responsibility to keep his customers safe (pictured Tipsy Cow Tavern)

'It's obvious what they are trying to do,' he said.

In response, Steven McFadden, owner of the Tipsy Crow, said that discrimination was not a factor in enforcing the dress code guidelines.

He noted that nearby establishments had encountered problems with rowdy customers, including a recent shooting in 2015 that left one man dead.

'We all, of course, want those good customers, but some of the disruptive clientele are now being dispersed to other nearby establishments, and many of the nearby establishments have adopted similar dress codes,' he wrote in an email to the publication.

McFadden decided to take action after a group of white and black men harassed other customers last Saturday.

'Our establishment experienced an isolated incident that made several customers feel unsafe and caused a disruption in the business,' he said.

Tipsy Crow Tavern opened in mid-June and the Des Moines human rights council has not yet received a complaint

Advocacy groups, including the The Des Moines Human Rights Commission, have yet to receive a complaint on the issue.

Tony Tyler, who posted on Facebook the printed version of the dress code displayed outside the restaurant last week, said he thought the restrictions were peculiar.

'Who doesn’t wear a plain T-shirt?' asked Tyler.

'It looks like a great place, and I heard it’s the place to be right now, but I will not go to a place that targets racial groups,' Tyler added.

McFadden insisted 'everyone is invited to our patio restaurant,' but noted that as the proprietor of a bar, it's his responsibility to make sure customers and staff are safe.

'We will do what is necessary to be proactive in this by preventing gang members and unwanted customer violence from entering our establishment,' he said.

McFadden opened Tipsy Crow in mid-June.