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    Chowrastha

    4.2 (43 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

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    I visited Chowrastha Restaurant on March 27th with a group of seven people. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. As soon as we entered, the waiter asked what type of bread we wanted. We requested plain bread, sat down, washed our hands, and started eating from the buffet. We finished our entire meal, but the bread never arrived. After more than 45-50 minutes, we asked about it, and the waiter simply said it was "coming"--with no apology at all. By that time, we were already done eating. Service overall was extremely poor. No one checked on us, no water was offered, and there was no basic attention to our table. I also asked about chai (tea), but it was never brought. When I asked about dessert, I was told there is no dessert included in the buffet. At checkout, the bill was about $134. They offered a 10% discount if I paid cash, which I agreed to. However, when I politely declined to leave a tip--because the service was clearly not acceptable--the situation changed. The staff told me that if I didn't pay gratuity, they would not honor the cash discount and I would have to pay by card instead. This was very unprofessional and felt dishonest. I calmly explained my reason, but instead of resolving the issue respectfully, they escalated the situation and even called the police. To be clear: I am someone who tips when service is deserved--even at buffets--but in this case, there was no service to justify it. Overall, this experience was disappointing and stressful. Poor service, lack of accountability, and unprofessional handling of customers. I would not recommend this place.

    Amoree S.

    La comida fue increible La Leche de Rosas es una de mis bebidas favorites ahora We ordered the spiciest options for a few of our dishes and it paid off. If you love spicy this is a good place to go. The service was good and there are PLENTY of options.

    Buffet
    Janella L.

    My husband and I love their buffet. They have it Buffet M-F 11-245 $19.25. It is pricey so we don't dine there that often. I will say it has Less options than Amruth's Sunday brunch. The food is spicier than your usual mainstream Indian buffet but it's good! Love their Kodak chai tea to end the buffet with.

    Buffet Selection
    Ronnie T.

    Great buffet , spicy and fresh . Great fresh naan bread too . Buffet spread was good selection and I feel it was made fresh and of high quality

    Chicken Vindaloo
    Veronica K.

    My husband and I tried this place tonight for dinner and we really enjoyed it. The food was good and the place was clean and modern looking. The service was also very good. Our food came out quickly, too, which was a nice surprise. We both got Vindaloo but I got mine with chicken and my husband got lamb. We ordered them both with medium spice and that was perfect. We also ordered garlic naan and roti. We really liked the vindaloo but it was a little different than vindaloo we've gotten from other restaurants as the sauce had more of a tomatoey flavor and was red instead of brown. It was still very tasty, just different than what we're used to. The garlic naan was yummy but it was also very different. It was paper thin, crispy and you could see through it. When we order it from other places it is thicker and more doughy. I was wondering if maybe the style of food they serve here is from a different region of India than other places and that's why it was different. Their menu is pretty big and there are a lot of dishes to choose from. Their prices are very reasonable and the portions are good. They had a page of Indo Chinese dishes that sounded interesting. I think they also have a lunch buffet and a happy hour special. We were wondering if this restaurant is a chain because they had professionally printed slick-looking place mats, a fancy wall mural and TV monitors showing photographs of different menu items. Someone clearly put a lot of thought into the look and style of the place. Our waitress was very friendly and wonderful. She checked on us a couple times to make sure we enjoyed everything and there wasn't anything that we needed. I left my reading glasses on the table and walked out without them so she ran into the parking lot and gave them to me. That's great service. We'll definitely be back to try some of their other dishes.

    Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala - same gravy, tastes identical! Boo!

    We've been loyal patrons of this restaurant since it first opened, and it used to be our go-to spot in the DSM area. We love the ambiance, the customer service and the variety in the menu! Unfortunately, we've noticed a steady decline in food quality lately--whether dining from the lunch buffet or ordering off the menu. Our last visit was disappointing enough that we felt compelled to leave a review, so here goes.... We ordered the Dahi Puri, but it completely missed the mark. The dahi wasn't inside the puri as expected; instead, it was spread across the plate, leaving the puris filled with something that resembled channa or a warm mixture closer to a pani puri. To make matters worse, the dahi itself was slimy and sticky. Our entrees--Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala--didn't fare any better. The kofta seemed to be mostly potatoes, lacked the creamy texture it's known for, and wasn't properly fried. The paneer in the butter masala wasn't well-cooked either. The most frustrating part? Both dishes had the exact same gravy. After eating these dishes for over 40 years, I can confidently say they should taste distinct from each other. Really disappointed with this experience.

    Clean and bright environment
    Michael W.

    Probably one of my new lunch favorites in West Des Moines. I like the buffet not only for the amount of food, but getting to try things that I may not when ordering off a menu. Everything I have had here has been very good, not just for a buffet but for anywhere. Service is excellent and friendly and you can't beat the price.

    Mango Lassi
    Katelyn J.

    I got the garlic naan, butter chicken, and it comes with a side of rice. I also got the mango lassi and it was so great! The restaurant is clean, and the employees are very attentive! I am trying to explore new cuisines, and this one is just down the road from my house!

    Lunch buffet
    Vivian T.

    Hubby, Baby and I tried Chowrastha Indian Grill today for their Lunch Buffet and it was delicious!! This may be my new favorite Indian restaurant now! The Buffet is Mon, Wed, Thurs, and Fri from 11am-3pm. Prices are: Adult- $15.99 & Kids- $8.99 (Address and hours are in one of the pictures I'm posting.) The sodas were complimentary and self-serve with the Buffet. The Naan were on the buffet but also brought to our table with a choice between regular or Butter Naan. The Butter Naan was thin and crispy. The best entrees on the Buffet today (they rotate flavors every buffet) were the Butter Chicken and Chili Paneer. The Pepper Chicken, Dahl Curry, Tandoori Chicken and Biryanis were delicious as well. Their Mango Lassi was so good and refreshing!! They had it pre-made and in the cooler case in the back of the restaurant where you pay. Service was kind and courteous. We will definitely be back!!

    a variety of dishes on a table

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    1 year ago

    The food was really good. We came for the new years buffet and it was good the ambiance was nice. The service was good.

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food! Very kind of service! Some of the best chicken masala I've had on the road ever

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    1 year ago

    Excellent food and some menu items that can't be found elsewhere in Des Moines. One of favorites!

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    3 years ago

    Food and service were both excellent. The location is a little "strip mall" feeling, so the food was a pleasant surprise.

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    3 years ago

    Delicious! We ate there last night and we'll be back. Everything was great; food, service and appearance.

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    3 years ago

    Madras boneless chicken curry med, butter naan, malai chicken kabab, all excellent!! Picked my taste buds right up!

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    3 years ago

    Delicious new restaurant in town! Authentic southern Indian cuisine with quality ingredients and friendly staff. Highly recommend

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    Amruth Indian Grill - Chilli/garlic Naan

    Amruth Indian Grill

    4.7(43 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    I love this place, their food has a lot of aroma and spices. It's like calling out to different…read moreparts of India that we haven't gotten a chance to try in dsm. I am obsessed with their buffet to try other things. Sat-sun 12-4 for buffet. The environment is very clean and service is authentic

    Today was my 55th birthday and I was kind of flying solo. I did take the day off work, but other…read morethan that everyone around me had plans. I decided to treat myself. Amruth took over a space that used to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants (Mazatlan) not far from where I live. I've been wanting to get there, but just hadn't made it yet. My birthday was a perfect excuse. Parking isn't an issue. It's in a small strip of businesses along Swanson and the lot is pretty big. I was greeted as soon as I walked in. I was shown to a table; my host also ended up being my server. The interior isn't fancy. The seating is a combination of booths and low top tables and chairs. The main seating is to the Right of the front counter as you enter. To the Left is a small area with a bar they are using for overflow and as a party room space. The menu is extensive and can be found online (https://online.skytab.com/bd3b12858938ae5724425b6f04ead3bf). I'd browsed it before arriving and pretty much knew what I wanted. My server took my drink order and brought a small carafe of water to my table. I ordered the Alfredo chicken 65 pasta (medium spice level) and that comes with garlic naan. It seemed a little unconventional... Pasta with Indian food...? But it's in their Amruth Specialty section and they wouldn't put something on on the Specialty menu if it wasn't good... Right? I also ordered a Masala chai. The pasta dish was served over a penne style pasta. Kind of a take on a cajun pasta with an Indian twist. Very good! I'd order this again and again...and again. The naan was fresh and tasted great too! Chicken 65 is something I've ordered as a appetizer many times so I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting. Interesting combination with the pasta and creme sauce... I will say I'm very glad I didn't order it at the hot spice level...the medium was lighting me up a little. And I don't shy away from heat... Lol My server checked on me every now and then and we chatted a little. I'd mentioned the spots I normally go to for lunch and their buffets. At Amruth they have an all you can eat dosa special on Thursdays (don't quote me on that, but I think that's what I read...call them and ask about it) and a buffet on Sundays. The Sunday buffet I am sure on... When we were talking he mentioned they offer 25-30 items on their buffet v. the 10 or so that other restaurants seem to offer. This will be something I have to check out! Prices are reasonable. I took care of my bill at the front counter when I finished my meal. They take cash or cards There is a small discount if you pay with cash. The portion of food I received ordering off the menu was huge and this would be a great place to bring a few friends and share dishes family style...! The customer service I had today was exceptional and the food was excellent. Definitely the caliber that makes me want to come back and check out some of the more traditional items on the menu! https://amruthindiangrill.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557627782966

    Photos
    Amruth Indian Grill - Party Hall

    Party Hall

    Amruth Indian Grill - Butter Chicken Alfredo Chicken 65 Pasta Rice Garlic Naan

    Butter Chicken Alfredo Chicken 65 Pasta Rice Garlic Naan

    Amruth Indian Grill

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    Desi Bites - Samosa Chat

    Desi Bites

    4.7(22 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    We stopped by Desi Bites late in the evening around 8pm on a Friday night and surprisingly the…read moreplace was busy. The restaurant is located inside a grocery store and set up as a take out counter where you place your order and pay first, then wait for your name to be called to pick up the food. They have a cashier to take the orders and also a kiosk (where I was directed to place my order). There is a designated seating area to eat the food. I would say there was about 8 tables and it looked bright and clean. There were families there with little kids dining in during my visit. I placed my order on the kiosk and stood aside nearby waiting for my name to be called. The cashier was nice and mentioned that it would be a while before my name would be called so I should have a seat. Instead I decided to walk around the grocery store which I enjoyed. I should have looked at the ticket that the kiosk printed because it said my order would be ready in 50 minutes. It did take 50 minutes because there were so many people whose order was ahead of mine. This place is popular! I ordered the butter chicken and the 65 chicken. The butter chicken was delicious. It came with a side of white rice and was nice and sweet and creamy. I was able to order the dish in mild spicy level which I appreciated. They use cashew paste in the dish so if you have a nut allergy, then this dish is not for you. It came in a sealed yellow container that I thought was spill proof. Unfortunately the oil from the dish leaked out onto the bag and onto my jacket. This is something to consider if I decide to pick up my order again or have it delivered. The 65 chicken was good too but the kiosk would not allow me to order it mild so I was forced to order it at a medium spice level. It was too spicy for me. The chicken was at the bottom of the take out container and covered with fried rice. It seemed like a lot of rice and not enough chicken. The rice was very good. It was mixed with cashew nuts so if you have a nut allergy, this dish is not for you. I had never had 65 chicken but knew it was a popular dish. I am not sure I will order this next time despite the large portion it came in. Overall this is a great alternative to other Indian restaurants in the area. It is competitive because some items are cheaper than what you would find in a restaurant (i.e. an order of naan here is $2.50).

    Food was delicious. Located inside grocery store, so not a good atmosphere for dining in, but fir…read morefast food or carry out its very good!

    Photos
    Desi Bites - Located inside the Konark Grocery.

    Located inside the Konark Grocery.

    Desi Bites - Chai and chicken Hakka noodles - lot of food, a little spicy

    Chai and chicken Hakka noodles - lot of food, a little spicy

    Desi Bites - Top: chicken biryani, bottom: chicken majestic -

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    Top: chicken biryani, bottom: chicken majestic -

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

    4.2(79 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Fantastic food and service! The chicken is very well marinated and soft. The naan is also very…read moretasty and the service is very kind. Quiet ambiance with some music. Can have a good conversation there.

    I'm not sure what is going on here lately, but what used to bring me to Bawarchi Indian Grill and…read moreBar seems to be fading a little... We stopped in again last Tuesday for the lunch buffet at right about noon. We were greeted and told to take a seat as normal, but that's kind of where things ended. We sat in the booth for a few minutes. Normally a server checks in with you and takes a drink order at least and releases you to the buffet. No sign of anyone returning... We finally got up and headed to the buffet on our own. A lot of the warming trays on the buffet were already mostly empty and hadn't been refreshed. We did our best to fill a first plate (tandoori chicken, chicken biryani, goat curry, etc.) and went back to our booth. When we got back to our seat there was a carafe of water and a basket of naan on the table. That was a good thing. My co-worker was able to flag down the server to get him a Diet Coke. The food was good. What there was of it... After finishing the first plate we headed back up and it was kind of the same story. Quite a few empty warming trays... But at least a couple of the previously empty ones (aloo gobi and chicken 65) had been refilled so we got some variety. While we were up our first plates hadn't been cleared from the table... Maybe they were short staffed...? It only appeared to be the one gentleman working the front acting as host, server, and cashier. Given the lack of attention to guests and keeping the buffet replenished... I'm really hoping this extreme was a one-off, but things have been a little hot and cold the last couple of visits. It's a shame. We really enjoyed this buffet for a couple of years after our first visit. I've pretty much given them a pass until now hoping it would return to normal. Crossing my fingers things will get better again. With competition like Chowrastha not far away... They're too close by (Ashworth and 60th in West Des Moines) to be letting your game slip like this...

    Photos
    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar - The sauce table.

    The sauce table.

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar - Tandoori chicken and butter chicken

    Tandoori chicken and butter chicken

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

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    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Gongura Chicken

    Saffron Indian Cuisine

    4.7(11 reviews)
    5.6 mi

    4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $44 04/24/2026 It was honestly a bit of an accident that we even found this place and boy are we glad that we did - it was quite the hidden gem! We were out stopping at local spots to update my HappyHourDesMoines.com website and decided it was time to have some dinner. My wife did a restaurant search on her car's system, this place popped up and since we both enjoy Indian food...we decided to give it a try. We left very impressed - especially with the food and the very attentive and helpful service from Kavya, who was awesome! We started by ordering a Mango Lassi (yogurt based 'malt') that was absolutely delicious - cool, creamy and full of mango flavor. We followed with Chicken Lollipops (see picture) as our appetizer and again, found them very good - especially with the side sauce. For our dinners, my wife ordered Korma (see picture) and substituted the chicken with lamb while I ordered the Gongura Chicken (see picture) at Kavya's suggestion. We also ordered Basil Naan (see picture) and found it to also be very good - thin, tasty and fresh...and the basil flavoring was something we hadn't experienced with naan before. They offer 3 spice levels and my wife ordered medium while I went with hot. We both like spicey food. Personally, I would have liked something in between the two on both dishes as my wife's didn't seem to have much spiciness and mine had a definite burn that overwhelmed some of the flavor. The good news is that we didn't have to ask for extra rice to finish our meals as we do at most other Indian restaurants - both dishes were served with a generous portion. My only disappointment was the men's restroom, as both the cleanliness and maintenance could use some improvement. The aesthetics to get there were also a little awkward, with it located in a hallway next to the kitchen that also had some carts and dirty dishes. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    We had the lunch buffet. Display offered lukewarm, small portions of decently flavored food. Not…read morebad, not great. Really appreciated the flavorful cabbage and fluffy naan, but thought the rest was pretty underwhelming.

    Photos
    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Saffron lunch buffet

    Saffron lunch buffet

    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Chicken Lollipops

    Chicken Lollipops

    Saffron Indian Cuisine

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    Spice Pot - Breads & Biryani

    Spice Pot - Breads & Biryani

    3.5(30 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Awesome food! I go here with the same friend so we keep a running list of what we like. LOL!…read moreYesterday we had our staple of Samosa, always good. It comes with a green dipping sauce that is enhances the flavor. For our entrees we had our usual, Chicken Tikka - also always good! Then, at the recommendation of our waiter, we tried the Chicken Korma. Oh my goodness! Our new favorite. Both dishes are served with white rice and we have to Naan (garlic is best) to sop it all up. It's a little pricy for lunch, but definitely worth the splurge. Oh, we ordered both dishes at medium heat which was perfect. Enjoy!!

    Despite living in Iowa pretty much all of my life I'm still one to stay in on cold nights…read more.. Indian food sounded good. It's been a while. I used mytown2go to place an order last night so I didn't have to leave my couch. I've never visited Spice Pot before and the reviews I'd read online seemed all over the board. I ordered chicken tikka masala (medium heat), chili cheese naan, and chicken dum biryani (medium heat). My total ran just under $27 before fees and my driver's tip. The fundamental taste of the food was really good. The sauce on the chicken tikka masala was rich and flavorful. The elements in the biryani complimented one another from the chicken, to the rice, onion, the lime, spices, and the mint. Overall I was happy with the food... That being said... I'd call both dishes I received mild...rather than medium. I assumed the biryani would be bone-in... However the pieces of chicken appear to have been taken apart with a cleaver and there were shards of bone that made the dish less than desirable for me... It might be authentic...but it's not for me. The naan... Very good, but once again it lacked the heat I'd expect from something with visible chunks of chili peppers embedded in it. I'd order from Spice Pot again...or stop in for dine-in...but I'd adjust my order a little from this experience. Try some other dishes on the menu... And I'd up my spice level to "hot"... I don't consider myself a chili-head; I like a heat level that is noticeable, but isn't overpowering. About mytown2go... This is the second time I've used them. The app is easy to use. Both times the service has probably left me more impressed than the food I received. I placed my order at 614 pm and it was delivered at around 647 pm (estimated time was one hour...714 pm). My driver was a Pleasant Hill school teacher who delivers as a part-time job. He was personable, polite, and provided excellent service. A really nice guy. He said he hasn't been delivering long. I wish him the best.

    Photos
    Spice Pot - Breads & Biryani
    Spice Pot - Breads & Biryani
    Spice Pot - Breads & Biryani - Very spacious

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    Very spacious

    Chowrastha - indpak - Updated May 2026

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