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    Mandarin Noodle House

    3.8 (73 reviews)

    Mandarin Noodle House Photos

    MANDARIN NOODLE HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Andrew H.

    We stopped here for our first meal of our Des Moines weekend trip and were really blown away by Mandarin Noodle House. We did not assume we would be eating any Asian Fusion while in Des Moines, let alone actual Japanese dishes you cannot find at most Asian restaurants. We arrived on a Friday evening about an hour before close and there were just a couple other people dining in at this time. Our waitress was very friendly and sat us right away. The menu was not huge but had a wide variety of options, not just Americanized Chinese food dishes. They had authentic Korean and Japanese dishes!! They also have daily specials which are up on a whiteboard near the middle of the restaurant. So we ordered: Crab Rangoon, takoyaki, beef bulgogi, and a vegetable tempura bento box. Crab Rangoon: fried perfectly and had a nice crab/cheese mixture Takoyaki: Not as good as the real thing from Japan, but considering we are in the middle of the United States, these definitely were good enough! Sadly no Benito flakes but everything else was there and it tasted like it should. Bulgogi: The marinade was ok, could have been marinated longer or at least given more of the marinade. The fresh vegetables and steamed rice were perfect. Bento Box: The eel was actually really well done and better than a lot I've had (very mild). And the vegetable tempura was also fried perfectly in a very delicious batter. Overall, we absolutely loved our dinner and left uncomfortably stuffed. The food was really well done considering they do a variety of different Asian countries cuisines. Nothing was perfect or the best I've had, but everything was very good and we had no complaints. We definitely will come back here if we are in the area again. Lastly, the décor inside the restaurant is wonderful to with a lot of different art pieces scattered throughout the restaurant. I still would have never guessed I would have ate takoyaki in Iowa - and really enjoyed it!

    Kalbi Bento
    Vivian T.

    I'm thoroughly impressed with this place! It has authentic Korean dishes that I've been looking for around here! They also serve Chinese and Japanese dishes. The atmosphere is quiet and quaint. The service was great! Got there around 6:50pm and left by 7:30pm. Food came out promptly. Everything we tried was good or delicious! Make sure to ask for the authentic foods menu. The Food: -Crab Rangoon is not sweet. More on the savory side. Kids liked it -Kalbi Bento was pretty good. Not as flavorful as I'm used to but it was still good. Would definitely get again. Tempura in box was delicious! -Bibimbap I would skip and just get the Bulgogi meal. It was definitely lacking meat but it wasn't bad! It tasted good, just not worth the price. Get the Bulgogi meal or bento instead -Yushang Eggplant with pork was a little more on the vinegary side than I'm used to but it was still cooked thoroughly and good -Hot and Spicy Chicken had more of a Korean influence in the dish and to me it wasnt spicy but it was good -Kung Pao Beef was good! No complaints -Sesame Chicken was good according to my oldest son All-in-all, we are looking forward to our next meal here! Can't wait to try the other items they have!

    Seafood Delight - mussels, calamari, shrimp, sea scallops

    Good, service, cleanliness, and ambiance exceeded our expectations! We started with Combo Tempura Veg and Shrimp, which came with a slightly sweet mustard and ponzu sauce. We were expecting panko, but it was thicker.... Very tasty fresh (not limp) squash, mushrooms, peppers, shrimp -good size. I had the Seafood Delight: shrimp, scallops, calamari with vegetables and rice. All was super fresh and delicious; large scallops, long calamari pieces, and plenty shrimp. He had Szechuan Chicken with vegetables. Service was very fast... we will stop again

    Exterior restaurant
    Jerri L.

    We ordered take out one night in support of local family run small businesses during the pandemic. I saw they had good reviews, were nearby and had a decent selection of Chinese. We ordered egg rolls, hot and sour soup, orange chicken, and seafood delight. Our ordered was to be ready in only 15 minutes but with the lower volume of customers this was not surprising. We arrived and went in to pay and received our ready to go order. The bill came to just around $30 which is very reasonable for the order of two entrees (one being seafood) and two sides/appetizers. The egg rolls were absolutely the way I prefer them - not soggy but very crispy with deliciously crisp vegetables inside! They came with 2 in the order, are vegetarian and served with sweet and sour on the side. The hot and sour soup was also delicious. It was a slightly sour broth with just a little spice and had grated bamboo and pork. I could have made a meal of this and the egg rolls! The orange chicken was marked as spicy and my husband is not a fan of heat, but lives orange chicken typically. The dish came with breaded chicken, vegetables and sliced oranges in a slightly spicy red chili pepper sauce. A side of rice also came with the entrees and brown rice could be ordered for a little extra. The dish itself was very good and he enjoyed it as long as he did not bite into the red chili peppers... they packed a punch and the heat did not go away. The seafood delight was a dish of shrimp, scallops, mussels and vegetables in a mild sauce. I was surprised by the mussels as the menu said calamari and the two are very different, and I prefer calamari but am not opposed to the mussels. Also with a side of rice, the portion was perfect and I always enjoy seafood. This small Chinese restaurant is in a strip mall on Northpark and is owned and operated by a family who have been in the business for a number of years in Beaverdale, Clive and most recently moved to this Johnston location.

    The menu
    Jason M.

    My wife and I ate here for a dinner date in October. I admit I had my misgivings from the outside, it's in a strip mall and there isn't much to go by outside. Don't let the looks fool you, this is a great spot. The food is very fresh and there is a wide menu selection - a little bit of every kind of asian food you can imagine. Ramen, Korean, and Chinese. No sushi, but there are plenty of great choices. They have adult beverages and a nice selection of appetizers. The ambiance is nice and open, but doesn't feel like a cafeteria, it was really comfortable. Our waitress was really prompt and friendly as well. After talking to some other people who have eaten here, I hear the lunch is really good and fast (same with carryout). I liked the whole experience here, and we took leftovers home and they were great the next day. If I had any ideas for improvement I would say the dishes were a little bland, but maybe that's just because they weren't smothered in soy or msg:) We would definitely eat here again.

    schezuan chicken

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    1 year ago

    We did carry out and it was just okay. The sweet and sour chicken and calamari were soggy.

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    1 year ago

    We got take out for the first time here. The food was very good. Will definitely come here again.

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    2 years ago

    My favorite place to get Szechuan chicken, a nice balance of vegetables, chicken, and spice!

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    2 years ago

    Excellent food and service! Nice local owned restaurant. Nice place to hang out with families and friends.

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    2 years ago

    I went there 20 minutes until 2 pm and got rushed out. The miso soup was cold. How was I supposed to know they were closing at 2 PM?

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Always good. Owners and staff are nice and attentive. We do carry out a lot and lunch in store. Good either way

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    4 years ago

    I'll go back simply for the fried tofu. Most of the dishes I've tried are exactly as you'd expect but that appetizer sparks a craving in me.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Mandarin Noodle House

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    Asian Cuisine - Black pepper chicken

    Asian Cuisine

    4.2(65 reviews)
    3.1 mi
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    Asian Cuisine has great food, period. My go-to spot for Chinese takeout in the metro!read more

    The option to dine in has returned here at Asian Cuisine! It's actually been back a while now…read more.. I was just very happy to see it when it happened! The plexiglass wall that closed off the open kitchen during Covid has been removed. I've been here a couple of times since dine in reopened, but had still done take out anyway as my girlfriend lived not far away there in Grimes. She recently moved... We missed the food...and seeing Lily and Ken! So we decided to drive over and grab a table. When we walked in we were greeted right away. It had been a minute since we'd last been in. I was happy to see Lily working at the counter and Ken busy in the kitchen along with the rest of their staff! Seating is all low top tables and chairs. Mostly tables for four and two. Now instead of table service (like it was pre-Covid) it's more order and pay at the counter. Take a seat. The food is brought to you on disposable plates with plastic silverware. Drinks are cans or bottles. There are no napkins or condiments at the tables. Condiments like soy sauce and spicy mustard are served in packets. Sweet and sour still comes in a cup. Bus your own table into the trash receptacle when you are done. The food was as good as it ever was! We ordered an order of the crab rangoon. These seemed a little lighter on the filling than I remember them being in the past... They were served hot and fresh out of the fryer! I got the Yu Shang shrimp. Probably my favorite entree here and my go to. It was fantastic as always! I struggled eating it a little with my plastic fork... The tines kept bending on the firmer components of the dish. Heather ordered chicken fried rice and added shrimp (extra spicy). Another awesome dish! And I benefited from some leftovers she brought home... Lol I'll say that overall the food here is still top notch... Lily and Ken are two of my favorite owners in the metro! Couldn't ask for two better hosts... Take out business is still booming! While we dined in the stream of people picking up their orders, or coming in to place take out orders, was constant. But... The overall dine in experience has changed... We adapt to survive and we lost a lot of businesses during Covid... Some businesses that had been open for decades... Asian Cuisine adapted to a take out only model and made it through. Can I blame them for continuing to evolve while bringing the dine in option back? No I can't. In fact I want them to do WHATEVER it takes to keep their doors open...! I can even bring my own silverware... Lol I'm really not that picky and can grab something to eat anywhere. I see closure notices come through my feed almost weekly. Some are kind of a bummer, but they really don't impact me much even when it's a place I go to often. No real personal connection... It's different for me here. I'd probably cry like a little kid who just had one of their childhood beliefs shattered... I'm also not going to lie and say I don't miss things the way they were... I think as a rule a lot of us could say the same about many things today.

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    De Rice - Healthy Fried Rice

    De Rice

    4.2(88 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    4.4/5! Got food…read moreto-go - so I can't comment on the restaurant vibe itself - and ordered at 8:30. We were grateful the staff took our order considering they close at 9! We went inside to get our food but you can do a curbside pick up option, which is nice. The food travels well and tasted great! You can also choose your spice level for each dish. I enjoy spice and got a spice level four. I didn't think it was too spicy. If you don't like spice, still consider spice level 2. The only complaint was the amount of noodles in the curry noodle. I felt it was more vegetables, less chicken and noodles. Otherwise, it's a great place to order takeout!

    Hello First things…read morefirst! They have ine YUGE menu! Sushi, Rolls, Vietnamese food. I had the Drunken Noodles-recommended in the menu. It was very good. Chicken and noodles with peppers, onions in their drunken flavors. Chicken was tender and noodles done right. I do like things with a little spice. Not over flavoring the food though. I ordered a medium and it had no spice! I had to remember I am in IA and yiu have to make things midwest non spicy probably so you dont have many people complaining. So my point is. If it is not spicy enough ask for some chili oil! Yum yum. The dumplings were very good. They aervice was very friendly! Go give them a try. I am sure locally owned. Just hop in that large menu and start swimming!! I forgot one thing. They seem to have Gluten Free options.

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    De Rice - Forgot the name but it had shrimp tempura, asparagus, cream cheese, avocado all inside and on top was a slices of sirloin. All good things!

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    Forgot the name but it had shrimp tempura, asparagus, cream cheese, avocado all inside and on top was a slices of sirloin. All good things!

    Mandarin Grill & Sushi Bar - Firecracker roll (Right). Unicorn roll (Left).  Shrimp tempura roll (Middle).

    Mandarin Grill & Sushi Bar

    4.0(142 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    We went on a Thursday at lunch time. great service. S and I ordered the Mongolian beef spicy with a…read morehouse salad. mom got pot stickers and tempura shrimp. the meals came with an eggroll, miso soup or a house salad. I wasn't sold on either one, but a salad sounded good. the dressing was so good!! it's a sweet dressing. the salad had a cherry tomato and some cucumber slices. the potstickers and shrimp were very good as well. the Mongolian beef was even better the next day for lunch. we'll be back for sure.

    Our daddy daughter afternoon started at Mandarin! Like her dad she has picked up a taste for…read moresushi... Well...at least sushi rolls. We haven't gotten her further down the rabbit hole just yet. Lol Mandarin Grill & Sushi Bar is located in a small strip pretty much across 128th from the Walgreens there on University. Parking is mainly in a small lot in front of the restaurant with additional parking nearby. Seating is a combination of tables and chairs and booths. As always we were greeted right away when we walked in and seated immediately. Our drink orders were taken a minute or two later and we were given time to look over the menu. I've never had a bad experience here! The food and service is ALWAYS on point! We ordered the following: 1x Firecracker roll (Right) - Cream cheese, kani, jalapeno, cilantro on the inside. Tempura battered and fried. Spicy mayo, crunchies, unagi sauce and spicy tuna on the outside. 1x Unicorn roll (Left) - Tempura shrimp and avocado on the inside. Spicy tuna, soy paper, raspberry and a house sauce on the outside 1x Shrimp tempura roll (middle) The sushi rolls hit the table after a short wait. We both loved the Firecracker roll! The Unicorn roll was very good too. I don't think I've ever had a raspberry sauce on a sushi roll before... Nice! I was strangely impressed by the shrimp tempura roll... While this is a basic standard roll at most places the shrimp was more heavily breaded... The crunch factor on this one was fantastic! It's that contrasting texture thing I guess... If you're not into sushi the other menu items here are great too! The menu is extensive and covers a lot of items we normally associate with Chinese food along with Korean dishes as well. If you haven't been here it's worth the stop! If you just haven't been here in a minute... It's time to go back! Pro-tip. I have two soups I consider kryptonite to a cold. One is Brenda's Spicy Noodle soup at the Vietnam Cafe in Merle Hay Mall... The other is here! Their Hot & Sour soup with shrimp. Add rice, a side of kimchi and extra chiles. You can thank me later! https://www.orderonlinehub.com/mandaringrillsushibar_q8fzy3 https://www.facebook.com/MandarinGrillandSushiBar

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    Mandarin Grill & Sushi Bar - Interior.  Decor, seating, and sushi bar.

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    Mandarin Grill & Sushi Bar - Bi Bim Bap

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    China Garden - Sure, these spring rolls are a little small, but they were fresh out of the oil and delightful.

    China Garden

    2.8(50 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $

    First time take out. Food tasted good. The portion size was small for a dinner meal so I found it…read morecostly. Tiny spring rolls! I prefer Hy-Vee Chi. Larger portion size and very tasty. About the same prices. Plus they are friendlier.

    [Quick, pre-review heads-up: their paper menu (as of 8/08/24) says that they are closed on…read moreTuesdays.] Tried out China Garden today and got the cashew chicken lunch special, which included two scoops of what I think was their fried rice alongside the actual entree. It was a little light on the cashews, but considering how expensive it is to go out to eat these days, a smattering of those pricey nuts is acceptable when the meal is kept under 8 bucks. Additionally, l also ordered the egg rolls for an appetizer, of which it says there are two per order, but I got three. Maybe because they weren't actually egg rolls, but spring rolls. And maybe it was because they weren't full-sized spring rolls, but rather mini versions of spring rolls. That was okay, because they were still light, crispy, and flaky and came with two generous cups of that sweet, orange dipping sauce (duck sauce? sweet and sour? I don't know precisely). Now, what follows next...I don't want it to come off as bashing, because that's not my intent. This place is great for what it does: cranks out cheap, delicious Chinese food, and I'll be back in the future, no doubt. However, if you're looking for ambiance, exotic or otherwise, keep shopping. Other than the almost-bare walls, it's got 6 small tables in the dining space, with room for double that, although there doesn't seem to be a need since there were only two diners when I came in at 12:45. However, they DO have the big aquarium that seems to come standard with a lot of Chinese food places, stocked with plenty of lively fish. And it doesn't even need it, really; I came for cheap, good, and fast, and they delivered on all points. One final thing is that they sell drinks by the individual can. Not really a point against; a lot of places do that. But lemme tell you about what sets them ABOVE other places. It's a couple small things, but it shows they're thinking ahead; thinking about their customers' experience. I got my food to go, and when my order came out (barely 5 minutes later) everything was neatly packed up in a plastic bag. When I finally got to my eating location, opened up that bag and discovered a cutlery set, napkin, soy sauce packet, and fortune cookie all contained within it's own bag. I wanted to go back and kiss that nice lady on the mouth for her efficiency. It's beautiful; I don't have to hunt under anything or go back to get something they forgot--everything you need (unless you're a sodium-aholic and need that second packet of soy sauce) is right there. McDonald's sure as *&%$ isn't doing that for you, as I can attest to from earlier this week. You'd be lucky if they fold your bag closed so your fries stay hot! But China Garden's guest satisfaction isn't done there, my friend. Placed thoughtfully under my styrofoam container was a piece of corrugate--lightweight, yet STURDY--that made sure my entree's container wasn't bent or crushed as I carried it in that plastic bag! It's a small thing, yes, but the considerate FORETHOUGHT in this small addition is greatly appreciated, and I'm sure there are others out there who have had leaks and spills from similar take-out experiences.

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    China Garden
    China Garden - Cashew chicken lunch special

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    China Garden - As of 8/08/24

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    As of 8/08/24

    Mandarin Noodle House - chinese - Updated May 2026

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