YAY!! I finally found a place to get gluten free Chinese/Thai food. We ordered out last night and this place was fantastic. The portion size was terrific. I have lunch for today and probably another dinner. I ordered the pad Thai and my hubby got the sweet and sour chicken. Both were very good. I can't wait to order again!! read more

Excellent Chinese food for take out! There are dine in options available, but it strikes me as a great go to take out place. The interior is fine, but I'm sure most people pick up their food. The crab Rangoon was so hot and fresh. Definitely recommend it! I enjoyed the chicken with mixed vegetables, too. We don't live in the area, but I'm certain if we did this place would become our Chinese food staple and quickly be incorporated into our dinner rotation. read more

Iron Wok - Crab Rangoon - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Always love our food from here! We order every month or so, and on this visit we had one of our daughters at the house, so we had a 3-entree order. For us, that means 6-7 meals in total as each item is good for at least 2 meals (for us). I always get the Mongolian Beef - it's generally pretty mild, but I ask them to spice it up a bit. The beef is tender, the veggies plentiful and tasty, and the suace is good. My wife got the Shrimp with vegetables, which was a good-sized mound of veggies and shrimp and also very good. Our daughter got the Chicken Pad Thai - a huge mound of the various ingredients ready to be stirred together and eaten. She was pretty sure she had 3 helpings. They get very busy, but we can usually pick up or order in 10-20 minutes. It is fun to watch them cook while you're waiting. We've always had good service - on the phone, picking up, or dining in. Plenty of options to satisfy everyone. Casual, cafe-style inside. It's our go-go, so highly recommended! read more

Tried 3 different protein dishes and all 3 were tasty and had their own distinct flavor. Meat was decent quality and portions were hefty. The hot and sour soup was very good some of the best I've had. Prices were reasonable. Love the coconut sesame rolls they give in place of a fortune cookie!!! read more

I would like to give this place 2 stars, however, that's just solely because of their food not service or interior. I wouldn't come back, but I'm not sure if I came on an off day considering the other reviews. I got a dinner for 2 takeout for dinner and was surprised by how bland everything tasted. The beef was too thick for beef and broccoli and the Szechuan chicken was sweet and had no spiciness whatsoever. The egg rolls barely had any veggie filling. The hot and sour soup only had the sour taste and the egg drop soup tasted like watered down chicken broth. The staff seemed very friendly when I went to pick it up and it was super clean inside. I just didn't like how expensive the meal was for the amount of food we received ($36) and its taste. read more

Iron Wok - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I've been searching for a Chinese restaurant that serves great Szechuan chicken since our old favorite place closed during Covid and I think I've found it. This has been on my list of places to try for a while so today my husband and I went there for dinner and we're so glad we did. We went with low expectations because so many other places have let us down in the past. So, we were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. It's kind of confusing because when we first walked in there, it looks like your typical strip mall fast/casual restaurant where you order at the counter and then they bring you your food when it's ready. There's even a fountain pop machine next to the counter. It totally gives off kind of fast food vibes. But you're actually supposed to sit at a table and wait for them to take your order. The decor is simple but nothing fancy. I got the Szechuan chicken and my husband got the Hunan chicken. They both had wonderful flavor. The sauces were excellent and they came with a lot of vegetables, which I loved. He also got a cup of hot and sour soup, which was a tiny teacup size but very delicious. The prices were pretty high for a carryout Chinese place. It was $15.25 for each of our dishes and $3.50 for the tiny cup of soup. We thought that was pretty high for the type of place that it is and the fact that they served our food in plastic to go containers and our drinks in plastic cups. They did give us glass plates and silverware, but for the prices they're charging, I feel like they could have served the food on nicer looking glass dishes. The kid who served us was excellent. He was super friendly, nice and attentive. I wish more servers were like him. He checked on us several times and asked us if there was anything else we needed. He seemed to genuinely care about us as patrons and wanted to make sure we were happy. He even asked us if we needed more rice since we ate all ours and had leftovers of our entrées. We told him no because we didn't know if they would charge us extra for that. But we were delighted when he brought us extra rice in a to go box and it was on the house. We absolutely loved our dishes and we'll definitely be back again. It's so nice to finally find a good Chinese restaurant that serves tasty food with excellent service. read more

Iron Wok - a great fortune - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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The menu was creatively arranged allowing me to select a Cold Canned Original Thai Tea, a Small Cup of Egg Drop Soup with Small Mushrooms and Fresh Leaf Seasonings which made the broth very favorable-- topped with a had to try -- Pad Thai Chicken -- which was made to order taking a little longer than most entrees. Each dish was delivered with a smile and willing to please attitude. Even though it was in a crowded strip mall with limited parking -- when the customers entered - the peaceful environment-- each had a neighborhood smile as if to know the manager personally. Why not try this local family friendly small restaurant before they relocate to Arizona to help the son follow his dream college endeavors. I wish them well! read more

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Angry Combo lunch special with fried rice and an egg roll. The combo is chicken, beef, and shrimp). And an order of the jalapeño crab rangoon (6 pcs). It was a couple long days at work and my boss invited me out to lunch. After a nearly 15 hr day yesterday he said it was a thank you for showing up today. He's a great guy. Iron Wok is nestled into a strip along with Monterrey and Bawarchi Indian Grill & Bar. Seating is tables and chairs. Order and pay at the counter. They bring your food to you and bus the table when you're done. Not sure if this is how it normally was or if it was adjusted due to Covid. Let's talk heat. I decided to go with medium. Yeah well... I'm used to places that have an Iowa hot scale that really isn't hot. Not here! Let's just say the food isn't the only "angry" thing now. Guess I'm going mild next time if the dish is Angry to begin with. I'm assuming the older couple in the kitchen and working the counter were the owners. Very attentive and solicited feedback on the food. And laughed at my MANY refills at the Coke fountain soda station... Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted great! At least that's what I thought before I lost feeling in my face and my vision clouded when the sweat ran into my eyes. I will be a returning customer. Good stuff! read more

I absolutely love this place! So as someone who has a gluten and dairy allergy it is really hard to eat out sometimes especially when it comes to asian restaurants. Because soy sauce contains gluten. Iron Wok goes above and beyond. This is now a go to when we are in town. They can make almost anything gluten free! I had orange chicken and fried rice. The taste is wonderful and the staff were so kind and knowledgable. Now anything that is supposed to be fried isn't. They do not have a seperate fryer. Now the reason for it being 4 stars is that the last few times I have been in town they have been closed. It does not say it online or their on their website. I just drove to their place of business and sign was put on the door saying they would be closed that weekend read more

Dropped in for a late dinner. Food was great. Friendly service. First time here but I'm sure I'll be back.

I couldn't post this yesterday, as my mouth was on fire and I was seeing . VERY ANGRY COMBO lunch (beef, chicken, shrimp) lives up to its name, and it was so good. I'm totally going back for that again, came with an egg roll or crabmeat rangoon option. Happy Family. with zero spice (lame!), was delicious - says my friend that ordered it. I would've tried it but my taste buds were shot by then. Crabmeat rangoons were so so, but I'm a savory fan and these are sweet. I would've gotten the jalapeño crabmeat rangoons, but my friend, who shall remain nameless for her own safety from us spicy lovers, doesn't like jalapenos...I KNOW, RIGHT??? Maybe next time I'll still try them. And there will be a next time because I'm already thinking about what else I can order VERY ANGRY! Just writing this is making my mouth water. Great lunch spot close to JC Mall. Super sweet lady up front. read more

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I forgot to write this review after our visit in October, so I can't really remember what we ordered at this point. We just kind of drove around until we found a restaurant that wasn't a chain restaurant and this is where we landed. There were not a lot of customers at the tables; however, it was a busy time for them for pick up orders. We had a very friendly server. The food wasn't exactly fast, but I know they were very busy with take out orders. We were just tired from a long day on the road and ready to get to our hotel, so I'm sure that made the wait seem longer. The food was good and they definitely seem to have some very loyal customers. Prices are a little higher than some similar restaurants, but the food was good. read more

We had dinner at this restaurant last night. It was the worst Chinese food we ever had in years! The fried pot sticks were pre-cooked because the skins tasted chewy not crunchy. Then the tofu dish my son ordered tasted nothing close to Mapo tofu. The worst was the happy family dish I had. The beef tasted rotten! After one bite, I spit out. In the menu it says there are crab meat in the happy family. But they are actually imitation crab meats. Beware of this place!!! read more

I went to Iron Wok for the first time with a couple of friends. It's a fast food restaurant with delicious Asian food and good service. I ordered the Mongolian Beef. It was very good. The veggies were cooked just right with a little crunch, not raw. The sauce was sweet with a little spice (it could have been spicier, but now I know the baseline) and the beef was tender. Sorry I forgot to snap any pictures. One friend had veggie curry. It was great. The color was rich and the flavor was delightful. My other friend had combo fried rice. Really good. We had the jalapeño crab Rangoon. OMGoodness! Amazing! The regular Rangoon was excellent also. So if you want a quick and delicious meal, check out Iron Wok. You won't be disappointed. read more

We ordered $70.00 worth of food to pick up & it was NOT good! We actually couldn't eat the egg rolls as they were so salty. Empress chicken was also salty, soggy & chicken was actually hard. Sweet & sour shrimp was small shrimp with the tails on which I do not like & the carrots were completely undercooked & hard....could not eat it. Hot & sour soup plus crab rangoon was ok, nothing special. Very disappointing & we haven't had that bad of food for a very long time! read more

Definitely not a buffet place. A hole in the wall style Chinese restaurant. Large portions for lunch. No frills but friendly service. They definitely do not skimp on the spiciness. Ordered a semi-angry (lowest spice) Angry Combo and an angry (medium spice) Angry Combo. You could tell there was a difference in spice levels but wow! Both were very spicy even for my spice loving taste buds. Beyond the spiciness, you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. Crab rangoons were delicious. Lots of cream cheese filling. read more

Our favorite restaurant by far. Food is fresh, veggies are great and the flavors are on point. Highly recommend eating in but takeout is always an option. We do both regularly and service is great. Crab Rangoon is made fresh daily, no weird colored sauces in the chicken dishes like you see elsewhere. Recommend the beef pad Thai, sesame chicken, empress chicken... ok, everything. read more

I never knew that a good Asian restaurant like this existed in West Des Moines until I had Iron Wok. I was always aware that this place was here but never thought to give it a try. But I am glad I did. It's located in a plaza just right off of Mills Civic Pkwy, not too far down from the mall. I heard they had great pad thai. Skeptical, I had to try for myself. I was not disappointed. The pad thai is amazing, the portion will leave you with enough for tomorrow's lunch as well. The angry catfish is really good too. The portion is hefty for catfish. I have yet to order a dish here I have not liked. Service is great too. Some of the nicest people that will service you. Very personable and friendly. Overall, this is a great West Des Moines Asian restaurant. Highly recommended. read more

Iron Wok - Curry fish (curry on the side) - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I have been searching for a great Chinese Buffet Restaurant in Des Moines. Unfortunately this place only has a buffet during the week and does not appear to offer a lot of choices. Since it was Saturday, Chinese food still sounded really good and this place wasn't that busy when we arrived. I could see how service could be a problem with only three employees working, a waitress, a cook, and a delivery driver. I decided to try a couple appetizers: The egg rolls were excellent. Hot, fresh, crispy, and very tasty. The Crab Rangoons were fantastic. Crispy, hot, and fresh. Nice filling inside. Very good. I would definitely get both again. I also ordered the Basil Beef. Holy fire extinguisher! I didn't see a symbol on the menu that indicated that this dish was very hot, but I can assure you that it brings the heat. Tender beef pieces, fresh vegetables like mushrooms, green peppers, basil, and holy pepper flakes. Order a large glass of water. The beef fried rice was average, kinda mushy and lots of salt. Beef was tender and good. I also tried the sesame chicken. This was a home run. I like the very light breading on the chicken, crisp and fresh with plenty of sauce. Very good. read more

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Great food and a huge amount of it during lunch. Tastes as good as it looks. Pad Thai read more

Iron Wok - 6. Pad Thai Beef and Chicken Dinner - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

My parents have gone here for YEARS and have taken us since we were born! We LOVE to go here. Me personally, I think it's the best place you can go to in West Des Moines. Their food is SUPER GOOD we ALWAYS get extra to take home. I love their service they are SO SWEET. The place is always SUPER calm and not too loud at all. read more

Highly recommend! Best Mongolian beef I've had. Tender and juicy, really yummy! Service is fast too.

Had 45 min before my nail appointment so decided to check this place out! Very small and clean interior with a "seat yourself" policy. There was one other table with 1 more family that came in while we were eating. Service was very fast and attentive. We got the orange chicken and the shrimp with snow peas. The chicken dish was a little soft/soggy on the breading. Was wondering if their oil wasn't super hot yet while velveting the chicken with the sauce? The shrimp dish was great! Good flavor and the veggies were a nice crisp-tender. Overall, nice establishment! Would go back! read more

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The food is amazing and the fried rice is made fresh to order. Definitely my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Central Iowa area.

So delish! Everything was hot and crispy. The steamed rice was plentiful and sticky. Great takeout style Chinese but with a fresh, high quality twist! Will be back. read more

Iron Wok - 1. Sesame Chicken Dinner - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Large portions, excellent service. Lunch specials are well worth the price. Had curry beef house special. Would recommend.

Excellent Chinese food. Friendly service. Highly recommended. My favorite Chinese restaurant.

Food was on point. The sweet and sour chicken was in a flavorful breading and had many veggies with sauce on the side. Juicy chicken and tasty sauce. Egg rolls were crisp and lots of filling. Noodles were delicious and hot. Delivery to the hotel was within 20 minutes. Highly recommend read more

Great food and great service. I will be going back everything was fresh and the soups were made homemade and great flavor.

Is a great place to dine and the food is awesome I would recommend anyone to try it again and again I did read more

This place is our go to place for Chinese! Their crab Rangoon's alone i could have for a meal!!! Good food, amazing owners and the price is always right! read more

As some others have said, The food here is amazing. It taste and looks like everything has been made from scratch. Very impressed.

Food is excellent! Service is quick and efficient. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

We came for their lunch buffet on a Saturday. This is a different buffet because you go up to the counter and they serve you. They will also fry up egg rolls, crab Rangoon, and jalapeño cream cheese wontons (HOT) fresh for you! Their sesame chicken is lightly breaded and extremely yummy. It is a sweet sauce but not as sweet as most sesame chicken dishes. This dish alone will make us come back! My boyfriend loved the jalapeño wontons and I loved the crab Rangoon. Neither of us personally cared for the egg rolls. read more

Iron Wok - Jalapeño cream cheese wonton, crab Rangoon, egg roll. All freshly fried - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Excellent find, i love spice, I read another review about angry chicken and whoa right on the money for authentic asian spice the kind lady recommended medium angry spice and I'm glad she did. The serving is huge and food was excellent. while we dined a few regular customers came and went, you could tell they'll be back. If your just not sure, I say give it a try it's hard to find good Chinese restaurants sometimes this one is really good! read more

My first time here. I've been looking all over for sesame chicken, it's either mushy and gooey or dry as a bone. I decided to give this place a shot from the reviews. I picked up my order, the lady inside was very welcoming and friendly. She made nice conversation while my food finished cooking. I ordered Sesame chicken, which was so good. It was crispy, not soggy or drenched in unnecessary juice. The chicken itself was tender, not dry or tuff. The juice wasn't so thick that it was gooey or sticky and had really nice flavor. I got fried rice which is separate from your order but you get plain rice with it. Both Rice's were tender and not dry. Sometimes I find fried rice to be over cooked and it dries the rice out. I ordered egg rolls, which were good. There was a crispy crust, tasted good! The cabbage inside of them tastes fresh. The crab Rangoon was good. Nice and crispy and the Rangoon wasn't overly sweet as most people put it "Americanized". I also tried the jalapeño crab Rangoon and it was good as well! Nice and crispy and I was surprised at how much of a kick it had and I love Spicy food. I loved everything. All of it was cooked amazingly well! Even the fortune cookies were good, they weren't break your teeth hard like most! It was very nice and clean! Everything was awesome! I can't wait to go back! Update: just reheated up my leftovers for lunch, while obviously it's not as good when fresh, somehow it still remained it's crispiness. The first time ever, I have actually finished my Chinese. Usually I taste it, it's mushy and gross, I toss it. Not this place! It was still good reheated. read more

Iron Wok - Chinese Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

This is the best Chinese in town. No question. Everything is fresh and all the meats are not your average Chinese food cheap chicken/tiny shrimp. Real food and cooked just right. Delicious! read more

Ordered a sweet & sour chicken & a combination fried rice. The rice had absolutely no flavor at all. The sweet & sour chicken was bland. The sweet & sour sauce was not enough for the whole order. This was the most unflavored Chinese food I have ever ordered in my whole entire life (48 years old). I would NEVER recommend this restaurant. read more

We like coming to this place because it's clean, the service is good. Food is fresh, tasty and reasonable. It is an open kitchen so, you can see the food getting cooked. The restaurant is in a strip mall and there is enough parking place. We came for dinner and opted for dinner for three for $37. We paid a dollar extra and got chicken Tom yum soup instead of the egg drop/hot n sour soup that it comes with. Also included in the dinner was egg roll. I got schezwan chicken, hubby got hot braised fish and my kid got hunan chicken, the dishes were nice and the spice level was just right. read more

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I am continuously impressed with this restaurant. I always order my food as a variant of "extra spicy" and nowhere tends to take me seriously. When I order take-out from Iron Wok.... they took me seriously. My "angry vegetables" dish, ordered extra angry, kicked my ass. In the best way possible. When I ordered vegetable lo-mein the same way? Kicked my ass. I love it. The crab rangoons are a perfect pair for my spice intake. The food is always fresh, quick, and delicious. A staple for my take-out needs. read more