It isn't often that our days off lineup for a regular date night together, so we always look for something special. With time running out on a Sunday evening, we knew we wanted sushi and Akebono was still open so we decided might as well give it a shot. This was quite possibly the best dining experience I've ever had the opportunity to enjoy. Our server Nick picked up on the date night vibes immediately and knew exactly what to do. Curating the entire meal for us, every single bite he brought to our table was everything we wanted and more, from the tempura shiso leaf hamachi serrano to the torched tuna nigiri as the final bite. One of a kind conversation and etiquette through the entire service, exceptional food produces by the chefs, and the corner table on the patio made for a date night we won't soon forget. Get yourself into Akebono if you need yourself a roll or a bowl that will stick with you for a lifetime. read more

Akebono 515 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This hidden gem was perfection! Outside there is no sign on purpose. Our server said once you visit, you won't forget to its mysterious location. We popped in for a lunch and could not have been more pleased. The modern spacious room was perfect. The cool 80's music was a fun and unexpected touch. Our service was absolutely incredible. Two men assisted us and were so nice. The one guy chatted with us and really made us feel welcome and appreciated. We are from Chicago and found out the owner is as well. The food was fresh and tasty. The portions were very generous. We loved or classic maki rolls and sampled some of their very creative specialty rolls. Wow, every bite was de-lish. I would definitely return. read more

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The vibes in here are immaculate. The service was amazing. We are tourists stopping in from California and we can honestly say we have never had a better experience at a restaurant. Our waitress was amazing (Kimberly you are a queen) and all of the employees were so great. The food was so good too. If you are ever in Des Moines, IA looking for some sushi, I cannot recommend it more. read more

We got takeout after a volleyball tournament and it was perfect. Online ordering was a breeze, they called to confirm something on our order, and it was ready exactly when it was supposed to be. The fried dumplings, bento box with the fried chicken, and the sushi rolls we chose were excellent. Everything we needed to enjoy a sushi feast in our hotel room was in the bag. I would love to go back and eat in the restaurant as it looked cute and cozy. read more

This place is one of our favorite spots locally! Our go to roll is the nonsense and the seared scallops. One of the few spots in town that offer Uni too!! Convenient location downtown for out of towners that are visiting. Staff is always helpful with the items on the menu if it's your first time there. They have a bar inside as well if you wanted to just stop in for drinks. Definitely recommended for any sushi lovers! read more

Akebono 515 - Uni - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I've been going to Akebono 515 for over six years now, and there is truly no better place to get sushi in the Des Moines area. The food is consistently delicious--I've tried countless menu items over the years and have never once had a complaint. Every visit reminds me why this is our go-to spot. But the best thing Akebono has to offer is hands down our family's favorite server, Nick. I genuinely have never met, and probably never will meet, a server who goes as far above and beyond as he does. He's been working here for at least six years, and it shows. He knows our family by name, recognizes me in public, remembers every detail of past conversations, knows the menu inside and out, and always gives the best recommendations. On top of that, he's the funniest person I've ever met. Nick truly makes the experience. I honestly think he could serve me dirt and I'd still be happy. He deserves all the raises, all the promotions, and more. I don't think this business would be where it is today without him. read more

Great all around experience. Waiter was very engaging and made lots of jokes, there was a sleek ambiance and everyone was very happy with their food. I got the beef yakisoba and It had great flavor and texture. It also came with a salad and miso soup which was nice. Conveniently down town so it was easy to take a little walk afterward and enjoy the sculpture park after our meal. read more

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Not the best sushi but not the worse. Thus the three stars. Food came out fast. Server and hostess were friendly.

My friend and I went there for dinner . Nice and authentic Japanese cuisine. We love sushi and have been eating sushi in different places. The sashimi are fresh with good quality, just a little disappointing at the cut . Could have been cut more professionally for a Japanese restaurant. The Hamachi Kama was a little disappointed because it was not exactly fresh . Probably not too many people like to order that in Iowa . Great customer service and good dinning experience. read more

Akebono 515 - Sashimi, fresh but poorly cut . - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Food was amazeballs. We had a few of the specialty rolls and the ramen, delicious. Service top notch as well. read more

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First off, I had a Fargo and Dragon roll (both pictured) and they were top notch, I'd highly recommend giving either a shot. Bit where this place really killed it was the service, I sat at the bar as I was alone. The bartender, whose name I failed to get, did an awesome job of not only making me feel welcome; but when I seemed a bit overwhelmed (everything looked great) offered to pick out a couple of things to try. I'd generally ask for advice anyway, no one knows the menu like the folks working with it, so I put him in charge and he crushed it. Just sitting there enjoying the food I got to hear banter with numerous customers and see him greet some guests as they came in and overall I'd say this is the kind of person most restaurants and other service jobs wish they had working for them. Definitely stop by if you're able to. read more

Akebono 515 - Dragon roll - top right Fargo roll - bottom right Tamago nigiri - left - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My family had dinner here and it was amazing. Nick was our server and he was incredible! He only works Sundays so make sure you go on a Sunday because he made our experience so much better. Every single thing we ate was top notch. Best dinner we have had in Des Moines in a long time, food, service, drinks, and atmosphere was all top tier. read more

My coworker & I stopped in with time to kill before she took me to the airport (I'm a DSM visitor). She is obviously a regular because before we sat down, Nick asked her if she wanted her regular drink and what I wanted. I asked what they had and he said "Everything I make is magical". You can't beat that. We had already had lunch, so we wanted drinks. We sat in a booth and he told me not to look at the cocktails in the menu. I said I liked the sound of their blueberry vodka drink and he said he would make me something similar. He did. Amazing. For my second, he asked if I liked cucumber. What he brought was not only picture perfect, but a light refreshing vodka drink with slices of cucumbers. See photo! Before I was finished with that, I slid a new fruity cocktail onto the table for me. All were amazing drinks. We ordered the fried cheesecake that was so different and a great dessert. What a great first visit and he encouraged me to come back. I would like to taste their food next time. Nick is delightful. read more

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My sister recommended I try the bento box. It was really delicious and was a big portion of food. I had pleasant interactions with multiple servers, which made it a good experience. Our table split a bottle of the white peach sake, super delicious as well. Looking forward to coming again and trying out a specialty roll and some more sake. Service was very fast, friendly, and personable. Really good energy and vibes here. Thank you! read more

Akebono 515 - Yaki Niku Bento Box - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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We had such a great evening here with our extended family. Nick decided to take us under his belt and we got the royal treatment! We ordered so many different kinds of foods that we loved it all - the carb conscious roll (tuna, salmon, snow crab mix, massage, avocado, wrapped with cucumber, served with ginger), salmon bento box, yaki nike donburi (marinated sliced beef) and sashimi large and of course, some drinks -old fashioned, cosmo, sho chiku bai nigori and angry orchard draw. Nick sent several sake bombs to the table along with shots! It wa fabulous and it really was a treat to laugh, and enjoy good food with our family! I highly recommend going here while in Des Moines! Take a gander and go here! read more

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Staff was friendly and attentive. Food came out surprisingly fast. Would definitely recommend.

We've been here a few times, but we dog in so fast that I forget to take pics. Here are some from our visit last weekend. The food is amazing! Service is always great, and atmosphere is very fun and inviting! They offer great drinks and the prices for their menu is very reasonable. We love this place! Highly recommend! read more

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This is my FAVORITE sushi spot in DSM. Not only is the food amazing, but the staff is so welcoming. I hate to forget his name, but a specific bartender/server (he could be the manager because he's doing it all) is so funny, energetic and interested in his customers. It's always a great experience when friends and I dine here !!! read more

Met a friend for dinner here. We had a great time! The restaurant has a good atmosphere and the booth was clean and comfortable. Everything came out really quickly. We split mushroom tempura and edamame. Both were fresh and tasted good. They were generous portions. My friend ordered one of the rolls and liked it a lot. I got a sashimi platter and was pleasantly surprised by how fresh and high quality the fish was. I think it was a good price for the quantity as well. The only think I wouldn't order again is hot tea. The cups they use are boiling hot... by the time the outside has cooled off enough to drink the tea the tea is room temperature! Just a heads up if you were thinking of ordering tea you might lose your fingerprints in the process. Otherwise, I will definitely come and enjoy sashimi again this is a great date night or meet up spot. read more

Akebono 515 - Chef's choice sashimi large - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Ordered the sashimi small and the chicken bowl. The sashimi prices were super small! I wouldn't recommend it. The ginger also had a weird white residue on it was made it unappetizing. The chicken bowl had a good amount of chicken but could have used less rice and a bit more sauce/seasoning. read more

We were in town from California for my daughter's gymnastics competition and she wanted sushi. Found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try since it had good reviews, and it did not disappoint! The restaurant had a really cool vibe and we were welcomed and seated right away. Nick was our server and he was super nice and made every point to ensure we were having a good time. He made some great recommendations and we loved everything. Tim also came by bc he heard my daughter was a gymnast and shared that his daughter was one too! He talked with us for a while, and my daughter loved sharing her gymnastics stories with him. Service was great and food was delicious! We'd definitely recommend! Thanks for a great time Nick and Tim!! read more

The sushi was really good and the chicken katsu sandwich was disappointing. I ordered the spicy scallop nigiri and the torched salmon nigiri to start off. Both were phenomenal and out of this world. The chicken katsu sandwich was not good and dry, but the fries were amazing. The seasoning on the fries were really good and crispy! The chicken sandwich was dry and not good. The chef did apologize for the delayed arrival of my meal and gave me an order of gyoza on the house which was really nice of them. I also ordered a Taz salmon nigiri which was good and unique. I also ordered the Akebono roll and it was good. The fish were really fresh and the tempura shrimp was well cooked and crispy. Overall, my meal was delicious, the staff were nice, and the ambiance of the restaurant was nice! I liked the music and my waiter was very hospitable! Next time, I will probably just stick with the sushi, but I will be back! read more

Akebono 515 - 1 Piece Seared Salmon Nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Nice Japanese restaurant right downtown. Many compliments: -Nigiri was awesome, yellowfin very fresh -Rolls fantastic , especially the surf & turf and crispy salmon skin -Decent beer selection, nice to see local brews -Wife never has had sushi- enjoyed the captain crunch and spider rolls Service was impeccable, 5 stars for the service alone! We will be coming back regularly! read more

Akebono 515 - Various rolls... Captain Crunch Roll Spider Roll Salmon Skin Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Modern ambience. Excellent service. Outstanding food - something as simple as the Akebono edemame (cooked in soy and garlic) may make me not be able to eat any other edemame / the tonkatsu bento box was excellent / the Rising Sun roll was full of flavor! read more

Phenomenal service with sushi and sides that are fresh and beautiful! If you are looking for delicious food and an experience look no further. We had the caterpillar roll, dragon roll, and seaweed salad. Speciality rolls came with miso soup and salad for dinner. read more

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If Akebono doesn't have the best sushi in Des Moines (and it might), it's still the best sushi RESTAURANT. Owner, Nam Tran, has been rolling here since 2001 and has remained the same tireless, attentive crowd pleaser the whole time. It's Nam and his personable staff that have always made Akebono (and his previous place, Taki) such a treat. They remember names and faces, visit tables, bring sake bombs, and serve up special items based on individual tastes. We've been to most of the other sushi restaurants in the Des Moines metro, and still venture out to them from time to time, but we always end up wishing we'd just gone to Akebono again. Try the tuna cucumber salad, the Naminator and Cupid rolls, and if you're lucky, the fresh scallop dish (only available occasionally). The special edamame is fantastic. Cocktails here are mostly forgettable, and at some point they'll land a special bartender who will revamp the cocktail menu, but it's not hard to keep it simple with a lemon drop and a Manhattan, or with some draws of Kirin, and have a wonderful night. Park in the adjacent parking garage and Akebono will validate your ticket. Can't go wron read more

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If you are looking for the best Sashimi and creative specialty rolls - this is your place! They feature a new special roll every month, and it never disappoints. I've tried several other sushi restaurants in town, and they have the best Sashimi I've had yet, and I'm incredibly picky about it being fresh. They also have the best edamame (Akebono Edamame) in town. So much flavor! When an order leaves the kitchen, you smell it through the restaurant and everyone also wants to order. Very cool location and vibe inside. read more

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Food is amazing! Service was great and I enjoyed the experience. I recommend you check it out! read more

Akebono 515 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place just hasn't been the same since Covid hit. Their menu has slimed down, which is fine. But they axed the one thing I always ordered, the anime burger. Sushi is good, nothing special. It's no different than any other sushi restaurant in Des Moines, in my opinion. The skewers are very good though. Overall, not quite the same as before, but it's still a nice place for a small dinner party or date night. read more

I love this place. Great energy and service. I love to come for happy hour. The mules are delicious and good food discounts too. The bar is intimate and the lighting is good with the shades down in the evening. The rolls are really beautifully presented and taste delicious also. I really recommend the captain crunch roll. It takes just a minute for them to prepare,but it's soooo delicious. I never have trouble getting a seat and the parking nearby on the street is pretty simple. The restaurant is clean and tidy. The bartenders are all friendly and answer questions without any attitude, even for newbies like me. read more

Akebono 515 - Captain crunch roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Oh how life happens and suddenly it's been four years since I came here. For this visit I brought along a friend who enjoys sushi but considers herself a novice (although I'm no expert either). We had plans to drop by another downtown location for dessert so came here on a Saturday at 5:00pm. We were hopeful to miss the dinner time rush. I had looked online but didn't see anything stated about reservations so I assumed they no longer took them. Upon arrival, they did ask if we had a reservation. Thankfully, we were seated right away. The empty tables filled up quickly. There was a large party that took up a good amount of the dining room. It's good to see them very busy. Our waiter came quickly with our waters and came back shortly to check on other drinks. Thankfully he was patient because my friend and I need to catch up after not seeing each other for a while. We did order drinks and I was excited for my white peach sake. It was perfect! Delicious peach flavor and went down easily. Knowing we were getting dessert after, I opted for a couple pieces of nigiri and a specialty roll. I had Maguro nigiri (always a solid choice) and the Twister roll. My friend asked for recommendations for rolls without shellfish and although it took the waiter a moment to roll the menu through his memory, he landed on one for her. She also ordered seared salmon nigiri and another roll. Our nigiri and two of the rolls came out in good time. She was almost finished (and full) when her second roll came out. My Twister roll was a bit challenging to eat. Since it was tempura fried it was structurally well constructed and wouldn't collapse to fit well in one bite. It had a good amount of height to it. I, personally, like to take as few bites of a roll piece to get the full flavor. The end piece was especially massive and took multiple bites to finish. I'm sure I looked hilarious fitting the rolls into my mouth. The Twister roll tasted great! Our waiter didn't check on us a lot but there was no need. He likely saw from across the room that we still had our water, sake, and sushi so we were good. Once done, they promptly presented the check and when I asked about parking garage ticket validation, our waiter handled it. A good experience and a sushi location that will remain as a top choice for me. read more

Akebono 515 - Twister Roll and 1 Piece Maguro Nigiri (2) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Came here on Valentine's Day, reservation for 2. They were busy. However, we were attended to, served food and beverage - all the way until our actual order was served. Even better than Flemings! Not to take lightly. Come anytime you want great service, food, atmosphere, and be an appreciated customer. read more

First off, the food is definitely worth the price! We got a few sushi rolls, the octopus and seaweed salad, and a mushroom bomb I think it was called? I loved all of it. For desert we got fried cheesecake, which also comes with ice cream scoops, and it's enough to feed two people. The service... well, I didn't know this but you should definitely make a reservation! When we went in (me and my mother) we waited in line for a bit and when it was our turn, we were asked if we had a reservation and of course we didn't. He looked at us like we'd spit in his cereal and got us seated as if he couldn't believe we hadn't had a reservation. It was very humiliating and rude, especially because he then seated us in the worst seat I'd ever been in (far corner of the restaurant, in front of the windows, right next to the bar so it was cramped), though that was probably because it was the only one left. It was a very full place, but we honestly didn't know it was going to be that way. Anyway! Our waiter was a GEM. He was super nice, patient, and attentive. He really turned the night around with his service, and the food definitely helped. My disappointment was completely gone by the time we were halfway through the meal, and I really would recommend the place, just with a reservation! Avoid being treated like you broke and entered just to pay for some food there. read more

I frequent this place. It is always so good. On this occasion, I had Overload and Cupid. I sat at the bar, and Laura served me. She was very nice and great at her job. All the waiters that passed through the bar were also very kind. read more

Akebono 515 - Top: Overload Bottom: Cupid - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Fun place to sample Asian cuisine. I had a bento box which included sushi and seaweed salad. I loved the seaweed but unfortunately it was placed on a bed of greens which was partially frozen... The service was great and enthusiastic. The warm saki was delicious. I'd try it again. read more

Great service and great sushi! Server was charming and showed us many options. Sushi was above average in size and taste. Will go again. read more

Good service however they have a Limited bar menu, food was good and portions were notable. read more

Hands down the best crab puff/ragoons in Des Moines. I would honestly go back just for these! We also got 2 rolls and ramen. The rolls had plenty of fish and were very fresh! The ramen was also delightful since it was a cold day. I would recommend everything we got! The meals also came with salad and miso soup. I also had some green tea with our meal. We'll definitely be back. read more

Akebono 515 - Crab Puff - Sushi Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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The wife and I were excited to eat here, but sadly the food was nothing to be excited about. My ramen came out luke warm and the noodles were not properly cooked. My wife had some meat skewers which were good. We shared the rainbow roll which was fine but a little fishy. The service was good. Everyone was nice. Would love to go back if the food was better. read more

We made reservations for 6:30 on a Friday night, and when we arrived we were seated right away. The ambiance is really welcoming and fun, and our server was absolutely amazing. He had great recommendations, and was just a delight from start to finish. I started the evening with a glass of plum wine which was absolutely delicious. My husband said it was like juice, which we both loved. Our server then brought out some miso soup and salads, which were also both very good. On to the main food! Tempura Mushrooms - Absolutely WONDERFUL. Juicy and plump mushrooms in a light and airy tempura batter. Highly recommend!! Kara-age Chicken - This was flavorful and delicious as well. Perfect for dipping into the sauces that come with it. For sushi, we ordered the Akebono and Dragon specialty rolls and they were both I would absolutely order rolls here again! We also got some nigiri (fish with rice) and it was good. We usually frequent Wasabi Chi for nigiri so our bar is pretty high for quality fish. It was good, but I would stick to the specialty rolls in the future. Overall, we LOVED our experience at Akebono 515 and would love to go back. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for some good sushi at a downtown location. Superb service! read more