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Great service and nice ambiance. If you are in the area I would give a try. Good for group or date setting with full bar and plenty of seating.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Food was amazeballs. We had a few of the specialty rolls and the ramen, delicious. Service top notch as well.
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.
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!
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!
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!
4 months ago
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
25 days ago
3 months ago
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
3 months ago
1 year ago
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
6 months ago
2 years ago
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
4 months ago
8 months ago
10 months ago
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
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
1 year ago
Food was amazeballs. We had a few of the specialty rolls and the ramen, delicious. Service top notch as well. read more
2 years ago
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
7 months ago
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
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
3 years ago
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
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
1 year ago
11 months ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
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
4 years ago
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
4 years ago
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
4 years ago
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
3 years ago
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
2 years ago
Food is amazing! Service was great and I enjoyed the experience. I recommend you check it out! read more
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
1 year ago
4 years ago
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
3 years ago
3 years ago
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
2 years ago
2 years ago
I really enjoy the atmosphere here, the service is always great and fast. I really enjoy the surf n turf roll and always come back to get it. I recently tried the iowan which is pulled pork, cream cheese, and bbq sauce. Something different if you're not a huge sushi lover, it was excellent. You get a house salad and soup I love mixing the ginger and vinaigrette. Overall, have never had a bad experience here and will continue to come back when I'm craving sushi. read more
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More info about Akebono 515
215 10th St
Ste 120
Des Moines, IA 50309
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(515) 244-5972
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