I usually wait a few weeks before trying a new restaurant that has just opened because it's usually crazy busy and they most likely have a few kinks to work out with the waitstaff and the service in a new space. But I was so excited to try this place that I couldn't wait and I'm so glad I didn't. My husband and I went tonight on their opening weekend. It was busy as expected and the line was almost out the front door but everyone in line was being patient and friendly and it smelled so good! I really love the decor and look of the place. The bright yellow walls are so cheerful, along with the neon lights and bright furniture. The exposed brick on one of the walls is a nice touch. Everything looks inviting and well thought out. I liked it immediately the moment I walked in. We waited in line about thirty minutes before we got to the counter to order. Being Korean I had high expectations. I had already read several glowing reviews so I was expecting nothing but the best. Oh my gosh, the food is wonderful! I got the five-piece boneless chicken with the double dunk sauce. That's a combination of their sweet honey butter sauce and their spicy gochujang sauce. You can get each of the sauces separately but I wanted spicy and sweet and it was wonderful! For me it's always about the sauce. If something doesn't have the right sauce it can ruin a good meal. They totally nailed it with the sauces. It comes with three sides so I got cabbage kimchi, soy garlic shishito peppers and Korean potato salad. My husband got the bacon and kimchi fried rice. We both absolutely loved all of our food so much. I wanted to lick my plate because everything tasted so good. The shishito peppers were tangy and vinegary and perfect. The chicken was tender and had a great crunchy coating with that yummy sweet and spicy sauce. I didn't know what to expect with the potato salad but it was delicious, too. I would order the same thing again but I want to try everything on the menu. While this isn't like the traditional Korean food I ate growing up, I totally loved it. It was more like Korean street food but it was executed perfectly. The kimchi wasn't the best I've ever tasted (that would be my mom's) but it was still good. I think if my mom were still alive she would have loved this food, too. We didn't experience any issues with our food or the service. In fact, the two guys we saw serving the food were doing a great job hustling, all with smiles on their faces and super friendly, too. I'm not surprised because the owner is a seasoned pro, being the owner of Harbinger and Little Brother, too. The prices are very reasonable and the flavors are unlike anything else in Des Moines. This is our new favorite restaurant now and we will be back again and again. read more

See all

This is the best Korean fried chicken I've ever had. I've been coming here since they were first serving during covid at Harbinger and haven't been able to find Korean fried chicken as good since moving. The portions are more than enough for one person. Employees are also very helpful too. I mentioned I was moving on my last visit and wished I could try the weekly flavor before I left. The manager(?) went to the kitchen and brought out the seasoning they used for the weekly flavor and gave it to me for free. I'll definitely be visiting Des Moines and this will be one of my first stops. read more

See all

We had a late dinner at Basic Bird, and it was excellent. We ordered the 9 piece boneless (double dunk) with cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, and the shishito peppers. We also ordered the honey butter fries. The chicken and fries were piping hot and had excellent crunch and flavor. The chicken had a sweet heat with while the fries had more of a sweet richness that paired so well together. The kimchi was fresh and SOME heat but not as much as we would have preferred. The shishito peppers were excellent and had a subtle heat to them. Overall, we had SO MUCH food and we were so satisfied for the price we paid. Service was great, and we had plenty of seating to choose from. We loved the decor and the use of live plants inside to make it feel hip and homey. Can't wait to come back for more! read more

See all

Good to great chicken wings, amazing fries and potato salad, AVOiD the Brussels! BRING YOUR OWN RANCH. Came here on a weekend around 1130, it was packed with lines out the door. Wait in line was about 25-30 minutes! Make sure you and your party split up and one person reserves a place to sit otherwise you will eat in your car. Food came out in about 15 minutes, so that's a 45 min wait... anticipation is building at this time. I ordered the double dunk and they were great BUT...they need ranch, blue cheese or something creamy to dip into! Without that the flavor of the wings get too much and you won't want to finish them. No lie if I go again I will be bringing my own ranch into the resto. The potato salad for me was amazing but you have to like egg in your potato salad, it's almost equal parts. Brussels sprouts inexplicably tasted like soap YUK! Kimchi is super unspicy. So unspicy that my kids could eat it. Which I guess is the point here, they want to make Korean food more approachable. Wish there were spicier options though. The fries eat almost like a salad in the best possible way. Lots of different textures and flavors. I will be back! But I won't wait 45 minutes. read more

See all

What a fun joint! The staff are amazingly helpful and the service is second to none. The vibe is hip and swanky... it is super clean and the staff are always cleaning the table immediately after a guest leaves. I had the the wings with the dry rub and had a side of cucumber kimchi, Korean potato salad both were so good. I would order again! My friend had the bacon and kimchi fried rice and they liked it too. The other guest were Uber nice and shared their reviews on what they got too. I encourage you to run not walk to this hip new place! read more

See all

Parking: They have a small lot of their own, otherwise this area is kinda tricky for parking in general. Atmosphere: incredibly cute and well done with their branding with their signature yellow on everything from the walls and signage to straws and to-go boxes. Also has fun characters from a local artist (Nic Roth) painted on walls and the side of the building. It's such a fun, full of life vibe but still modern with a warm and cozy feel with the brick wall. Seating: it's a small-ish space but has a really good variety of seating especially for the size. It has lots of bar top seating, low table tops, then low tops half booth/half chairs. Service: it's fast casual where you go up to the counter, order your food, grab a number, then they bring it out to you. Extremely helpful and friendly at the counter and it was PACKED in there with a long line and our food still came out really quick. Food: SO GOOD! Chicken was juicy and the coating was crispy and the sauce was filled with flavor. All the sides were great. I loved the Korean potato salad and was OBSESSED with their honey butter fries. A legit must-try. If you've been thinking about trying this place out, this is your sign to go immediately. DSM needed a place like this and it's perfect for beaverdale. read more

See all

Clean, crisp ambiance with delicious food. The cost is a bit high but the food is worth it. read more

Basic Bird - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great service and excellent food. Love the fusion of korean and savory sides.The Chicken Sando is the bomb. Great spot!

Loved this cute little restaurant! We tried the honey butter fries, corn cheese, and bone-in wings with the half/half sauce (can't remember what it was called). The sides we got were the kimchi, zucchini, and daikon. We loved the honey butter fries, and the chicken had a very crunchy skin that was nice. Corn cheese didn't have as much flavor as I was hoping, but was still very good, and the daikon was our favorite side. In retrospect, we thought it would've been better to order boneless than bone-in wings because the crunchy skin made it hard to eat the bone-in wings. Also, I've tried lots of kimchi and it didn't pack the same punch as others I've tried, not my favorite. Only other complaint is that the acoustics are BAD, it was very loud despite there only being about 10 people inside while we were there. Overall though, I would go again. read more

See all

It's elevated fast food! Americanized Korean food... the food (especially the fried chicken and cauliflower) were good for like three minutes and then it got cold and I started feeling sick. Don't over order and only eat when hot! It's a super cute place though and they were really nice because I had a big group and we were really loud (hence the four stars instead of three). I would only recommend it if you are craving fried chicken and eat really fast. Also the kimchi wasn't that great and a little too dry and the cabbage didn't feel that fresh. read more

Basic Bird - fried chicken and sides - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Went for the first time yesterday while passing thru Des Moines. Absolutely loved it! Judging from the looks of the outside I didn't have very high hopes, but the food is delicious. We shared the chicken sando which is a fried chicken sandwich that comes with three sides. There are alot of sides to choose from and it is difficult to narrow down the choices. We got pickled daikon, miso mac & cheese and potato salad. The miso adds an interesting taste to the mac & cheese, I love miso so it was a hit. The potato salad has Korean influence in the flavor so that was great too. The daikon is lightly pickled and provides a fresh light side dish to the fried chicken sandwich. We also shared an order of honey fries that had garlic aoli, honey, cabbage, corn and cheese on top. An unusual combo for sure but it works. We almost could eat them all, it is a big plate. You order at the counter here and get a number and they bring your food out, so it is a very casual atmoshere, just like we like it. If only we didn't live several hours away in Missouri we would be back often. Maybe they will expand south? :) read more

Food is BOMB and always a fun place to visit while in DSM. My favorite is the boneless wings with the dry rub. You get three sides with the entrees and you can't go wrong with any of them. The design is cute as heck, can't wait for their window to be fixed, someone crashed through it. read more

We tried their sweet honey and sour bone in wings and they were AWESOME, their Bap bowl was so good, their kimchi cucumber and cabbage Kimchi was amazing, our son loved their pickled Diakon Would highly recommend this place!!! read more

Stopped in on Valentines and had a short wait to order. Easily found a table to sit at and food came out quick. The loaded fries were perfectly crisp and loaded. Very tasty! The fried rice was different but tasted good. Wrapped in egg, cooked well, and large in portion size. Also tried some chicken we a couple different sauces/seasonings. The cold sides for the chicken were a little weird. We prefer our Brussels hot. Shishito peppers were tasty. Extra food reheated well in the air fryer the next day! Staff was friendly and working hard. Place was steady busy and there was ample parking. read more

Basic Bird - Loaded fries - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

I had the 5 piece boneless wings with honey butter sauce and they were excellent. Chicken was moist and perfectly breaded. The sides were very good. Mac n cheese, kimchi and fries were so so good! Will definitely be back! read more

Fabulous food in a great quirky setting! The bap bowl and the chicken dumplings were perfect. Loved the choice of veggies in the bowl and the sauce for the dumplings was perfect. First time I have tried soji, crisp and clean. Thanks for the whole set up!! read more

Excellent service and food. I grew up in Beaverdale so the ambience was right at my alley. five star review.

The space is small (and the ambiance overwhelmingly yellow in my opinion), but the parking lot is convenient and staff are pretty nice. The dry rub fried chicken is decent and tastier than the spicy gochujang; it's crispy and well cooked, though not super flavorful. The ranch has extra seasoning in it, but it still isn't very flavorful. However the combination of ranch and the chicken is decent. The fries are good, and the rice is great! As for the sides, the marinated Brussels sprouts are okay, but the cucumber and cabbage kimchi tasted very old and not in a good fermented way. Would probably go back for the chicken and rice. - Pros: easy parking, great sticky rice, decent chicken and ranch - Cons: sides read more

Basic Bird - Fried chicken w/gochujang, rice, fries, and ranch. - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Food was so so good. Loved the Korean fried chicken! My friend had the honey butter and I had the special sauce version. The honey butter French fries were so so delicious, sweet, salty, and crunchy! The sides were a nice cleanser each bite of Korean fried chicken! If I ever am back here I'll try and stop by for these again or try a new one I haven't done. read more

See all

Gluten free options are readily available and from my experience Celiac Safe! I ordered dry rub, mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts and kimchi. A must try if in DSM and you might crave this food later! ;) Inside is unique and v. cute. I will say staff wipes down tables quickly to get tables open and that was very appreciated! It can get very busy inside the location for sitting and chatting, might be more like in/out quick eat location! read more

Basic Bird - Mural, location - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Basic Bird is my new favorite restaurant. Great food, chicken is crispy and flavorful, sides are delicious and accompany the chicken perfectly. Cannot wait to come back over and over again. read more

Basic Bird - 9 Piece Chicken, Cucumber Kimchi, Potato Salad, Pickled Daikon and Rice - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Tried out the new Beaverdale restaurant on opening day! It was packed but my mom and I got two counter seats. The boneless wings are huge, 5 is plenty for a meal. I got the double dunk and Mom got sweet honey butter, both were unique and delicious. You get 3 cold Korean sides with each meal. The decor was cute. We were served out of order, but I would attribute this to opening night clunkiness. This restaurant is a great addition to the Des Moines food scene. read more

Basic Bird - Double dunk wings - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

This little pop up shop that has been located in Harbinger dishing out Korean Fried Chicken on Sundays for several years, is now opening their own stand alone brick and mortar location on 1/3/24 at 2607 Beaver Ave in Des Moines, IA! Cannot wait to be able to get this food any time! Everything is good. Everything. read more

See all

Food was really good, tasty chicken! Sides stole the show. We'll be back, love the location too.

This food was excellent, and the Korean sides were much bigger than I anticipated- I ordered a 9 piece but I shouldn't have- there was way more than I could eat. My husband and I could have split my dish, but he had the bap bowl, which he reported was excellent and my son had the chicken bites a fries (also very good, he says). Staff was nice, too, tables were clean art and decor was pretty cool, too. read more

Being a vegetarian have always wanted "wings" and the cauliflower wangs are great. The kimchi FR I tried w/o bacon was pretty yummers. And soju to down the goodness gets extra brownie points. Overall worth the 20 mins wait in line. read more

First of all, got our food not even three minutes after ordering. Once we got our food, I'm not kidding when I say everything was perfect. I tried the wings with their spicy sauce, three sides and some apps and I loved every one of them. 10/10 I'd recommend this place to everyone read more

Great spot! The double dunk sauce was yum. It was super busy, had to wait a long time in line because it had just opened but service was friendly still. The decor is minimalist but fun! You get a lot of food for not too much $ imo. read more

Decided to try the place out, the corn dish and the fried chicken was great but the sauce we got was too sweet and so was every side. If you like sweet food go for it if not I wouldn't recommend it. Cabbage and cucumber kimchi was not good in my opinion, wasn't fermented enough and just straight sweet. Food was 7/10 but service was great! read more

Delicious food first time at this place I had the wings great great food will definitely eat here again

Went it on a cold day and so they weren't as busy but the line moved pretty quickly, staff was friendly and helpful. Food was delicious! We had the honey butter Chx sandwich and the rice with double dunk Chx. All so good. read more

Finally chicken thighs are getting the recognition they deserve! Delicious, juicy, cooked to perfection, with a tangy, sweet, maple-Dijon sauce! The sides were a great addition, cheesy corn and pickled daikon, YUM! Kim Chi Crab Ragoons could have more Kim chi if you ask me, but they were 5 stars! read more

Define the word "basic" because this place claims to be that but it is the exact opposite. The food was not "basic" it was a dish that had too many things on it to count. It was really cramped and chair covers were ripped. Spills everywhere and no where to sit because all the tables are either dirty or taken. The cashier seemed like they were only in for the money and didn't care about there job either. read more

Food and service couldn't be better. So happy that we have a local Korean fried chicken restaurant :) read more

Food is awesome. The price is great for the amount of food you receive, my favorite item is the Kimchi. The decor/ and mural on the outside of the building are so impressive! read more

Basic bird was great! I highly recommend this to anybody who love wings. The proportions were amazing and surprising. I usually eat a lot of wings but I couldn't even eat 6 wings by how big the portions were! The place is very clean and it'll be worth a stop! read more

Lots of customers excited about this opening. Service was good. The food was the best part. We got fried rice.. egg was cooked to perfection and blended with the fried rice. The most impressive were the wings - juicy and crisp just the way they should be. read more

Korean Fried Chicken is so good. Best eaten fresh or wings will get soggy. The flavors and the sides are delicious. This includes their fries. Recommend you give it a try. Staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Delicious, unique, and great atmosphere! Love that so many options are gluten free Can't wait to go back!