Garbanzo is fantastic! I was in Iowa for work and was looking for a quick but healthy lunch option…read morewhen I stumbled upon Garbanzo. Their food is fantastic, service is quick, and it tastes great! It's fast casual "build your own bowl" style place, very similar to Chipotle, just with Mediterranean options. Portion sizes here are great and all of the ingredients seemed very fresh. This is going to be my "go to" stop for the next couple of days for lunch!

I have been wanting to try this place forever and I'm so glad I finally did. I love a little bit of…read morea healthier option, but that is still quick and easy. There are many options for food and their ingredients are fresh! The staff has always been helpful and prompt. I have been here about once a week since I first tried this place and I still can't wait to go back every-time! The gyro meat is delicious and the tzatziki and garlic sauces are a must. I always make my own bowl and I love that it also comes with warm pita bread. This is a great option for food on the go that's not fried and good for you.

A wonderful taste of Greece right here in downtown Des Moines. Pictures of mom back in Greece on…read morethe wall, and her recipes used, lend a real feel of authenticity. We were welcomed warmly and seated immediately. Started with a few appetizers, which were over the top. Enjoyed the Gyro platter and some moussaka all very good flavor. A nice selection of beer and some wines to accompany just about any dish. Complementary salad and soup with almost every entrée mix for a very filling meal. Open most days from 11 AM to 9 PM. Check it out when you're in the area.

Always good! Love the flaming cheese and overall just good food, amazing salad , was seated quickly…read moreand great ready location

There have been restaurants with several styles of food that have come up lately that have made us…read morevery happy, and I have talked about them in their reviews. We went to one such today. Lizzie and I have bemoaned the lack of a good shawarma place. You're get no more moaning from us, except moans of pleasure. We went very simple today, I got shawarma, Lizzie got a lamb kebob, we shared some hummus. First the hummus. It's the best hummus in town. Simple, rich with flavor, with an amazing flat bread that comes with it. I had a taste of Lizzie's lamb kebob, and it was great. A bit of her salad as well, also really tasty. My shawarma was incredible. The meat was spiced nicely, the pickles included were so tasty. The garlic sauce that came with it was subtle, but added so much. We will be going back again and again. This leaped into my top 5 favorite places in town easily today. Go give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

New family owned local restaurant. We had a chicken and a falafel shawarma to go. Both were really…read morefresh and flavorful. My kid devoured it didn't even complain that it had salad :) Also had a Kunafa for desert, delicious!

4.8* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $50 05/15/2026 My wife is fond of her Lebanese heritage, so when we saw Open Sesame on the Des Moines Register's Must Go List in East Village last month, we knew we needed to check it out. Last night was our opportunity and boy was it ever a memorable experience! Their website speaks of it being a colorful decor - and that is true both inside and out (see pictures)! We were warmly greeted and promptly seated - and asked if he could take our picture under the billowing, colorful ceiling (see picture). We started with a a round of drinks - my wife ordered the Ishtar's Revenge (see picture) and I went with the Yazmina (see picture). All of the cocktails are quite unique and we enjoyed both of these. As we started talking with our server, MJ - he looked familiar and his story sounded familiar. We asked and he confirmed that he used to own Gazali's in Clive, IA - a restaurant closer to our home that we enjoyed several times. MJ recommended the the Vegetarian Sampler Plate (see picture) for an appetizer and we loved it - offering the opportunity to sample several different Lebanese menu items on one plate. For our main courses, my wife ordered the Shawarma Chicken Pita Wrap (see picture) and I opted for the Combo Rice Plate (see picture), done spicy per MJ's suggestion. As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our dishes and loved them both! Lastly, the Jalab (rose and date infused water - see picture) caught my eye - so I ordered one of those to enjoy with my meal. Again, it is highly recommended! What visit to a Lebanese restaurant would be complete without Baklava (see picture), which MJ recommended that we enjoy with Turkish Coffees (see picture and video of pouring). We even got an education on how best to each the Baklava - pick it up with your fingers, take a bite, then keep that bite in your mouth while you take a sip of the Turkish Coffee - then enjoy! While it is hard not to enjoy Bakalava, it was even better when paired with the Turkish Coffee. If you found this review helpful, please Share, Follow & Like.

MJ and his family are so awesome and kind! I stopped in to try a refreshing drink on my walk in my…read morefirst time ever in Iowa on my walk to the beautiful golden capital and what a warm welcome it was. I met his whole family and he introduced me to all the customers. It was so fun and familial and inviting. Not to mention the decor inside is gorgeous! I love supporting local and trying new things. Definitely give this place a visit if you want good vibes, good energy, and delicious food made with love for real.

Came here on a business trip with my colleague and or first meal after touched down. The restaurant…read moreis big with ample parking. We were the only two customers on a Monday 5:30 and we needed help with the menu as everything looks foreign to us. Server was nice to explain and we got what we wanted. Tasty noodle soup!

I really love their fermentedtea leaf salad. It's so unique and refreshing. Tonight I got the…read moreeggplant curry. At first bite I was disappointed thinking it was a little greasy not that special but... when mixed with steamed rice some kind of magic happens! The rice cuts through the grease and the curry tastes so rich... eggplant is fibrous and filling so it ended up being enough for 2 meals. My mother ordered the tomato salad which was bland. But the vegetable soup was clean and healthy and light. My son had some chicken coconut noodle soup and liked it. It was a big portion enough for 2 bowls at least maybe 3. My husband got pork belly and potato curry. He seemed very filled and satisfied. It was rich and hearty.

Stopped in during their lunch service and it was a good time! Our server was super friendly and the…read morefood came out super fast. We came in around the end of their lunch special so it was a little busy. Goes to show they're pretty popular and get a lot of regulars! The ambiance is pretty open and had a lot more room than I expected! I ordered the pad Thai with beef, which is one of their lunch specials. I asked for level 2 spice but I didn't notice anything when I ate it. I did hear it kinda varies depending on the staff so maybe I need to order a higher level. Otherwise the food was pretty good and a great spot for lunch!

Des Moines has just expanded it's offerings of food so much in the last 30 years…read more I think Liam Anivat is still the major owner of.this restaurant and I remember his food at Thai flavors on East 14th Street long ago... I used to go to that restaurant once a week. That restaurant is the mother ship.. I would rotate between Cafe Fusion and Thai Flavors. Liam has become quite a entrepreneur of Thai restaurants he is the major owner of Cool Basil Banana leaf, and Thai Flavors on Ingersoll. He is really worked hard to have very large restaurants that serve delicious Thai food. It's conveniently located along East 14th in a strip mall with limited parking It can be a busy place so depending on the time of day lunch or dinner you may have to walk a little from your parking spot to the restaurant. The restaurant is clean and.older but the food is still great It is similar menu items to his other restaurants. On this particular day I had red curry chicken, I.have had it at all his restaurants and it's consistently good. I always like to support a locally owned business. Liam has developed quite a system and serving large amount of people at all his restaurants although the East 14th restaurants still has that old mom and pop kind of feel. When he first opened this first restaurant there were not that many Thai restaurants around town. Now he's open many himself and there are other many quality Thai food restaurants around town I think all of his restaurants have some healthier menu including fresh vegetable dishes. I believe they all have vegan dishes as well. Of course the restaurant has pot stickers basil stir fry, pad thai, and other traditional Thai restaurant dishes. There is lots of variety in the menu. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Having said that the service was fast and efficient . It's also about being realistic about the food. The food was served quick and hot. I would definitely check this place out. If you're in the area it's well worth a visit It was fun to visit an old neighborhood friend

Cubano sandwich and half Mac and cheese. My sandwich was very very disappointing. Good flavor for…read morewhat I could taste but hardly anything besides bread in each and every bite. Mac and cheese was good as normal just a smaller portion than normal too.

Absolutely Amazing customer service, Fresh Bread and so quick I made it back to my car as I forgot…read moreabout the meter! No worries, They got me out with fresh food for lunch and I was absolutely blown away.

Perfectly seasoned hot and sour soup. Friendly service. Enjoyed the Fried Rice Noodle Dish.read more

Great food! We found this place during COVID when we visited in Des Moines and now that we're back…read morewe love going here for lunch! They don't do dine in. I think it's all take out though. She's so nice