I drove down University on the way to my hotel and seeing an Ethiopian restaurant surprised me. A day or two later I was scanning yelp looking for a place for dinner and it came up. I have been spoiled having Ethiopian friends cook and share. But I decided to give it a go and I am glad I did! I chose 2 meats combo. The ziggini beef was slow cooked and amazingly tender. It had a fantastic profile and was a bit hotter than the chicken tibs. It was awesome. The chicken tibs were also fantastic and I could see myself ordering that as a stand alone easily. It paired well with the ziggini as it was not as spicy hot, but had great flavor. I ordered them with half rice half injera. The rice was totally as expected, I always crave it. The injera was thicker than I am accustomed to, I prefer thinner but it was fine. Really like I could get both in the order. I ordered through the Yelp app and service was fairly quick. read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - 2 Meats the ziggini beef and chicken tibs with half rice half injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The service was really nice and helpful. They were very patient while we figured things out. If you haven't tried it it's definitely worth a try. It is different so be ready to be cultured read more

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Oh my gosh! Iowan Ethiopian food. The world renowned and absolutely famous Ethiopian cuisine of Des Moines, Iowa. We finally got to try it! Bryan Plumb (killer, comedian), and I found this Ethiopian restaurant because he had never tried the unrivaled Ethiopian cuisine of West Des Moines, and so we had to go. As some of you don't care about, I am a vegan for the first five weeks of this year. It basically sucks, isn't that difficult, and annoys people to a degree I had hitherto not seen regarding my behavior. And a lot of people have found me a lot annoying throughout my career as a human being. We went for it, and are all the vegan dishes, which was half the menu... It was delicious. The injera was difficult to pronounce but an excellent utensil in sloppily wolfing down their delicious Ethiopian delectable food type morsels. If you've never had Iowan Ethiopian food in Des Moines... This is literally the only possible place to get it. Its scarcity is a testament to how little people are even aware it exists. I recommend you tell every single person you know, buy something at the smoke shop around the corner, and make a visit to Planned Parenthood if that's in the cards for that day. Long live in injera! Which I have no idea how to pronounce! The oyg, T.J. read more

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Delicious, great variety of dishes! Always super clean! The staff is friendly and welcoming. I have been to Ethiopia several times and this place has excellent traditional dishes for a great price! read more

Ate here while driving through on the way to Chicago. The food was so flavorful, filling and the staff was super nice. Perfect lunch spot.

Such amazing food and the employees were super friendly and helpful. It was one of the first Ethiopian places in Des Moines. I always get their vegetarian platter because it has a little bit of everything vegetarian. My son loved one of the lentil dishes saying it tasted a lot like the stuff I make. He enjoyed trying the injera bread for the first time too but his most fav dish was the one that had potatoes. Never seen a kid eat up anything so fast lol. We tried the lentil sambusa and that was so good too. I tried the coffee drink and enjoyed it. Be prepared it is in the drake neighborhood and parking can be a little tricky but definitely worth the drive! read more

A fast casual Ethiopian joint. Think Chipotle... I think it's great for the location serving college students also, it's wonderful for people who have never tried Ethiopian food because you can see WHAT the food item looks like while you're order at the hot station. I'm very happy that we have an Ethiopian spot in Des Moines, this helps satiate my cravings when I occasionally need injera. Injera is a sourdough spongy flatbread. So unique and tasty. IT'S HEAVENLY wrapped with any of the dishes. Typically, I would prefer injera over rice but at Gursha, I do half and half to get the best of both worlds. Love their rice too! Please give this place a try. If anything, it's different! Live a little. P.S. We order online because their website had a note indicating we would get a free mango smoothie. But, actually it ended up being a plastic bottle of sugary mango juice. Talk about false advertisement. That was disappointing. read more

WARNING!!!!! If you are new to Ethiopian food and this is your first time trying Ethiopian food, please please please DO NOT think that this place represent Ethiopian cuisine! The food tastes nothing like Ethiopian food AT ALL! This is the most tasteless, most bland food I have ever had in almost my entire life and I am really so sad and sorry that this place says it is representing Ethiopian food this way. It's very disappointing because Ethiopian food is known to be extremely delicious and nothing like this at all! It's very very disappointing to see someone take the most delicious food and turn it into something that ruins people's experience of what Ethiopian food actually tastes like. read more

Great food and the gentleman behind the counter was very helpful. Will be making a return trip

This was such a delicious meal!! Everything about the chicken and the rice and veggies was absolutely wonderful. The workers there were so friendly and helpful. You order and make your own dish, similar to chipotle. I highly recommend it and I'll definitely be coming back soon!! read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

110% one of the best places in Des Moines. Just utterly delicious. We go once a week. My go-to is the Missir Wot and Doro Wat with Injera. The mango smoothie is also out of this world. Staff and owner are very sweet and down to earth too which is the perfect cherry on top of the delectable food. Do yourself a favor and try this place, especially if it's your first time trying Ethiopian food! It'll get you hooked. read more

Delightful restaurant near Drake University. A simple interior for sitting and eating, but an expensive menu that was delicious.

What a nice surprise! I was in town for my nephew's wedding, often eat ethiopian food in california and did not expect much. It was outstanding! Healthy delicious food! Both my husband's vegetarian plate and mine with chicken and veggies were outstanding! read more

A++ i have tried ethiopian all over America and this place truly does it right not necessarily as traditional flavor but clean flavors and no overly buttered or oiled clean serving style affordable and fast. Dont forget to get some sambusa as well They make their own injera as well it smells delicious just walking in the door Clean cafe vibe and good juices to choose from. Good for the whole family with polite traditional music lightly playing read more

I recently tried this place (and Ethiopian food) for the first time, and it was AMAZING. I had no idea what to order, and the woman who was working was so helpful with telling me what she recommended. I loved everything I got, and I would totally come here again. Not to mention, it was quick, and the environment was clean and welcoming. read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I loved this! Don't be afraid of trying something new. I thought it would all have curry in it and I wouldn't like it. Wrong on both accounts. I have also tried Ethiopian food in the past and didn't love it. Once again, I loved it! The collard greens are the best I have had in DM. Greens were not too sweet, vinegary, bacon, etc. Perfect! We tried many different things in the menu. When I got back, I am having chicken tibs, the cabbage side, collard greens and sambusa. Beef ribs were excellent too but I prefer chicken. Chicken sambusa was spicy and I will try the beef next time. read more

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The smell alone can fill my belly ! This food never disappoints , I've tried pretty much entire menu & go almost every week. Aromatic & authentic . Everything is so good and you get large portions. read more

This is a wonderful addition to Des Moines and one of my all time favorite lunch spots. The food is absolutely wonderful with unique flavors. The portions are generous and the price is very appropriate. It is also very clean and the staff are very friendly. You should not miss the opportunity for something a little different than the usual Des Moines fare. read more

So happy this place is close to my house because I'll be adding it to my rotation of locally owned places to support with take out. I got the kik alicha wot and dora wot with rice and injera. My bf got gomen with chicken tibs on injera. First of all, their injera is SO good! Tangy and spongy but tears easily for easy eating. I tore into it before trying anything on it just to see how it tasted on its own and I could definitely eat it on its own. Everything was tasty and I was surprised by the spice level of the kik alicha wot. It was spicier than I expected but I ate it because I'm a food lush and it was so good. The dora wot was not spicy and did not stand out as much as the rest of the meal. I tried my bf's meal and will definitely get the gomen because I really liked the taste and texture. The chicken tibs was good, too but I really enjoyed the greens. We also shared the beef sambusa and it was delicious. The restaurant has parking in the back but I easily found parking in front on a Sunday evening. You order like you would at a fast food place and they serve the dishes as you tell them what you want. They are cooking and refilling the dishes throughout so most of the items I ordered were hot and fresh. The staff was friendly but busy so I didn't chat with them. They also have various juices and I tried a mango juice that went really well with the food, especially the spicy ones. All employees wore masks but a few patrons did not and there were a few with theirs down on their chin and no one asked them to raise them to cover their noses and mouths. There are no signs asking that patrons wear masks. The seasonings they use are very pungent so be ready to smell like food when you leave, even though the wait for ordering and getting your food is only about 10-15 minutes. Overall, it was a delicious experience that I can't wait to do again. read more

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Every time we order from here, the food gets here so quickly and is always piping hot and delicious. Simple ingredients like collards, cabbage, and lentils are transformed into super comforting and complex dishes, with plenty of seasonings and spices. I swear, with every bite I feel like I'm sweating out my previous poor food choices and becoming an Uber-human. And the injera is so good! read more

Just an update. Over three meals we have tried all of the dishes. Everything is as good as our first order. This place is amazing. read more

As someone who travels, and as someone who has literally lived in and/or visited major cities, I am still shocked how the best Ethiopian food I have ever eaten, has been from Des Moines. Gursha is by far the best Ethiopian food stop I've ever been to! This place is such a hidden gem, that I guarantee if this was in a bigger city, it would easily be flooded with crowds every night. Gursha Ethiopian Grill is a hidden gem which deserves to be experienced by all at least once in their life! I definitely recommend it read more

A coworker picked up take out for me. I got veggie #4 and beef #7 combo with rice. The veggies and the salad were really good. The beef was good as well. Just not my type of spice flavor, but not their fault. I will order again and get all the cabbage veggies and the salad. I can't attest to the service for this visit. read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - veggie #4 Alicia and meat #7 beef tibs. - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place was closed on a holiday and the owner called me with his personal number to help accommodate my order for another day. He was very kind and helpful. The food is very solid! It's fast to order and the restaurant is clean and tidy. I took my food to go but I would have no trouble eating there for lunch. I will return many times for a happy belly! read more

Great service. Delicious food. Crazy portions. They also have Mexican coke and Fanta. Highly recommended. read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - a plate of food - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We ordered delivery this evening and it was amazing! We got nearly everything on the menu and there wasn't a single dish that we didn't like. Our favorites were the Beef Tibs, Beef Alicha, and the Kik Alicha Wot (but seriously, everything was so good!) If you enjoy cabbage I would definitely try the Alicha. I love Injera bread, a so that was wonderful, but the rice was delicious as well. This is a really good vegetarian option as well- vegetarian dishes were filling and wonderful. If you like Ethiopian food or if you're curious please give this a try! read more

Crew was friendly and welcoming. Food was fabulous! I really enjoyed the coffe after the meal. Highly recommend. read more

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I had been meaning to go here, and it was well worth it. I did half rice half injera with stewed vegetables and stewed beef. It was so satisfying on a cold day! read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - Veggie and meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

First time eating here. I ordered the Shirot Wot and Beef Tibs half rice half injera. It was amazing! It's the perfect blend of spices with a mild kick to it. I'll definitely order again. I can't wait to try the other dishes.. I would show you a photo but I ate it all . Maybe next time. Highly recommend this place! read more

One of the Best Restaurants in Des Moines Gursha Ethiopian Grill is one of the best restaurants in Des Moines area because they always serve fresh, authentic Ethiopian food that are most tasty and delicious. If you have not tried Gursha Ethiopian Grill yet, you must go there today with your loved ones. Gursha Ethiopian Grill 2316 University Avenue Des Moines, IA 50311 Phone: (515) 630-1077 Review by Changyon Pak read more

You guys used to easily be a 5/5 when you first opened up. I don't know what happened, but my most recent visit was very underwhelming. The food was extremely bland, I felt like I was eating nothing. Please, don't become like 99% of Iowa restaurants that don't season their food, Gursha. Please keep your food seasoned and flavorful. read more

The food here is seriously good. You build your own plate or bowl among several different meat and vegetarian dishes (combos are available). All the dishes we had were stewed and seasoned exceptionally well. If you already like Ethiopian food, you'll love this. If you've never tried, I think most people will enjoy how flavorful and tender the meats are. The portions are large. It's a great place to sample a few of the dishes. They're definitely cooking their hearts out and you can taste the time and care put into the food. read more

Great food, and everyone is so nice! The service is fantastic. Very laid back atmosphere as well.

Authentic Ethiopian food. Everything was incredible! The staff were so helpful and kind in helping me order. It was fresh and the environment brought me back to Addis! Love this place read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I got the veggie appetizer sampler to-go and it was delicious! Restaurant was bright and open with tables socially distanced, fast counter service, and super convenient for takeout. Service was fast & friendly. Will definitely be back! read more

Gursha Ethiopian Grill - All 5 vegetarian entrees, on injera, with salad -- Vegetarian sampler (also Vegan). - Ethiopian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

While the food was delicious, I was surprised by how bad the customer service was in-person. Right away I was very confused by how different there pricing was in person versus what they advertise online. I had checked the menu ahead of time, and had planned on getting the Veggie Combo (5 veggie dishes, and injera and/or rice) for $18.99 which is what you can literally order online right now, but the only equivalent I saw on the menu was a platter for two that was 5 dishes, 2 injera and rice for $34.95. That's a $16 difference! In the moment I doubted what I had read online, and I was with a group for my birthday so I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but then the customer service was so bizarre... I don't know if the servers were having a bad day, but immediately upon ordering I felt very negative vibes from them. Which didn't make sense because all I had done was order at that point. She questioned whether we really wanted extra injera twice, which was weird. I had ordered the veggie platter for two and to go since there was no more seating for our large group. She filled our to-go cups of the veggie dishes very stingy and only filled them halfway full. We got a very small cup of rice as well. I compared it to the other server and she was filling it maybe 2/3rds full. I'm thinking, why am I paying so much for a vegetarian platter when I'm getting very little food with it? Then I watch them serve the next person in line who just gets a 2 entree meal and they were extremely generous with the rice and scoops of entrees. So I'm feeling slighted at this point and I double check the menu and notice that I could've just got two of what the next person in line had ordered plus an extra side entree and it would have added up to $29.35, saving at least a little money. So I ask them if they can adjust this and the two ladies immediately get irritated with me. They roll their eyes, sigh heavily, and exchange looks. The manager comes over and he's more friendly about it, is confused about my request at first but eventually changes it. And then the ladies finish checking us out and literally complain about me to each other in front of me. The negativity and irritability was just disrespectful. And then when I saw how much cheaper it would've been had I ordered online, it felt like I was just getting scammed. Don't waste your money ordering the platters in-person. Just order online and don't talk to anyone. read more

I recently moved here in Oct from Georgia. I love my native food and often eat at an Ethiopian restaurant in GA. When I moved to Iowa the first thing I had my husband do is look up an Ethiopian restaurant and we decided Gursha. The food is delicious and filled with flavor, the energy of the music is amazing, and the customer service is outstanding. While I was enjoying my meal the owner or manager offered me tea Which I thought was so sweet. I will and always be back with family and friends when they come to visit. read more

Tried today for the first time. Absolutely delicious! Highly recommended! If you've never tried Ethiopian food, you're missing out! I was hungry and tried five different entrees, and they were all yummy! I like my food a little (but not too) spicy, so I really liked the Alicha and the chicken tibs! Also, the manager was very friendly and helped me with my order. Definitely going back! Gotta try the doro wot and the ziggini next time! read more

This place is great! They worked hard with us to cater a meal for about 50 people for an event we were hosting. Food was delicious, on time, and very good price. We really appreciated their willingness and help in making this happen. Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for good food, especially good Ethiopian food! read more

Bland overall. Really lousy decor. Not cozy. Not interesting. Not aesthetic. Not charming. Just bland- both visually and tasting. Obnoxious fluorescent lighting with a television turned on. Skip this place- not worth it. read more