4.8* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* 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. read more

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MJ and his family are so awesome and kind! I stopped in to try a refreshing drink on my walk in my first 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. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - MJ and his Jalab drink are the best! - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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It's just wonderful to find a taste of the Middle East in the heart of Des Moines! The Lebanese café specializes in many handheld's delicacies that include falafel, Shawarma, and gyros. Sides accompany most sandwiches that includes salads or soup. At the base of the state capital, you'll find metered street parking available and easy access. The restaurant is open for lunch hours and then closes for a few hours mid afternoon reopening in the evening. We were there for lunchtime and there was a nice bit of dining and takeout traffic going on while we were at the restaurant. Soft drinks, wines, and a nicely stocked bar is available with specialty cocktails. The food was freshly prepared and nicely seasoned. It's been years since I had falafel and I found theirs to be absolutely delicious! Pricing was very reasonable and service was pleasant and attentive. I would definitely come back to this restaurant to try some of the other specialties offered as the menu is extensive. read more

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God was definitely very good and the rice was cooked perfectly. The gentleman who attended me was very kind and friendly, even made conversation with the other patrons at the bar top. Very cozy spot to go for dinner. I'd go again when I'm back in town. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Gyro Rice Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The service was great and the chicken was good (according to my partner) but the falafel broke my heart. I ordered the falafel pita plate and was severely let down. The falafel was broken up, bland and mushy and the hummus was grainy and lacking lemon and paprika. The house cocktails are tasty but overpriced. The restaurant itself is very cozy and inviting but unfortunately I do not think I will be returning. It's disappointing to visit yet another restaurant that ignores vegetarian customers. read more

I picked up a falafel rice bowl on a brief transit through Des Moines. I loved how fresh everything tasted, though I wish the quantity was a bit more generous, especially the amount of actual falafels given in the $17++ bowl. The ambiance is really cute and the lady helping me was nice. read more

Amazing food, superb service, lovely ambiance, and fair prices. Would return in a heartbeat!

Great food and fast service. Very intimate restaurant! The chicken was moist and the sauce had a slight spicy taste that was just right. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - SHAWARMA RICE PLATE $16 - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Beautiful decor, friendly host and great food! Tried the falafel salad, gyro salad, and baba ghanouj, enjoyed it all. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is THE cutest place I never knew existed until my cousin suggested we come here for dinner, as it's one of her favorite places- and for very good reason! The decor is beautiful, warm, romantic, and cozy, and you can really feel the culture and roots of the owners, everywhere you look! This cafe is definitely fit for anything from a romantic date night to a comfy family dinner! Based on the name, I was not expecting Mediterranean fare, at first, but the food was top notch and literally the best Greek/Lebanese food I have ever had in my life! I ordered the combo rice plate and let's just say- I'm already excited for my next visit! Service was great: very friendly and quick! I will definitely be thinking about this place until I get the chance to go back! YUM! If I could give this place 10 stars, I would! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Combo Rice Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I loved the vibe of this place. Authentic small and great service. But the star was the food. I had an absolutely delicious gyro while we also had the falafel wrap. My side was a wonderful lentil soup. Yumm! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Inside - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

As you walk in you are engulfed in the most delicious aroma! This is a family run business and the owners niece was our server and she was one of the most enjoyable servers I have had since COVID. We started with the idea to just have a snack and had the gonash. Delicious is too soft of a word to describe this appetizer!!!!so we had to have a wrap. Homemade pita soooo light and a bit of grilled over a flame. The thinly sliced meat was so tender, we told everyone we talked in the hotel to not walk by. My Bops asked if they would open a restaurant in our town Panama City Beach and he is one of the pickiest. Hers I know. 10 stars!! read more

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Nice ambience and lighting. Great location. Extremely friendly and warm hearted staff. Cozy and atmospheric. A rare thing around here. Vegan options- very accommodating. It's a must try. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Circular mirror behind bar with reflection of enchanting lights. - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great smells, music and ambiance Quaint and very nice owner Both the Gyro Rice and Shawarma Rice were excellent Loved the cocktail read more

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On a layover again here in DSM and the crew looking for something non commercial and different. This was everything and more. Delicious cuisine and atmosphere. Loved the jazz playing in the background and we all agreed we would suggest this restaurant for future crews to enjoy read more

Great atmosphere & food! Good service. Menu is somewhat small, but has an excellent selection of options for vegetarians! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - FALAFEL PITA and Lentil Soup - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I got a falafel sandwich, takeout. These are hard to find in the state of Iowa. It's definitely "Americanized" because this is the only one I've found with pickles on it... yuck. But hey, pick 'em off and you've got one delicious falafel sandwich. Comes with all the other toppings you'd expect and a pretty decent side salad too. I would definitely go here again. It is a little pricey though, but worth it for great food that's hard to come by read more

10/10 across the board. Small intimate environment. Great food! And fantastic service. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Spicy something - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Jallab is life! It's rare to be able to find specialty Middle Eastern drinks like jallab. Open Sesame Cafe is authentic and refreshing! I love the location, building, and decor. Perfect for any occasion. Casual dining or date night with excellent service. The menu suggests beer pairings for each meal. We ordered tzatziki with pita and grape leaves for appetizers. Both so delicious! Then the gyro plate and combination plate which had gyro meat and chicken with all of the spices and basmati rice. We cleaned our plates! Gold coin beer (blonde lager) was a good pairing with everything! Baklava for dessert. This was the only part of the meal that didn't hit the mark. Wasn't very sweet and was too dry. Other than that, this place rocks! I will be back for sure! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Stopped in for a quick bite on Saturday at this lovely little gem. As expected the food was packed with the flavor and passion that can always be expected from a Lebanese restaurant. The service was excellent and we will be back to try out the dinner menu. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Spicy Shwarma Pita Wrap Lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The open Sesame salad is my favorite. Order it with Chicken and ask for a little spicy. Just amazing!!! Can't wait to go back agai

This place is so cool! It feels like you step into another world. Menu selection is small, but absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the gyros! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - the interior of the restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I have been to this Mediterranean restaurant several times and enjoyed it each time. The hummus is excellent and is a must try. Love all the options that have hummus included. Small restaurant and service is perfect. Can't wait to go back. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Excellent hummus on falafel and rice plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Open Sesame is one of my new favorite places to eat in town. Their rose water lemonade is really unique, and they have a huge list of cocktails! It is really dim, intimate (and clean!): perfect for a date night. I highly recommend the tzatziki, and pitas for an app. If you follow that up with the vegetarian plate, you will not leave hungry. The grape leaves are very tangy and delicious. The only item I wasn't a huge fan of was the baba ganoush, but it definitely wasn't bad, I just would try the delicious hummus or other dips first! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Vegetarian plate: hummus, falafel, grape leaves, baba ganoush, pitas. - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The food was great! Service was quick and professional. Ambiance was amazing! We will be return customers!

And now for something completely different! I love trying things I've never had before, so I had to try Open Sesame. Stepping inside feels like you are entering a whole new world. The owners really took care with using the interior to make you feel as if you are not in Des Moines at all! The atmosphere was a welcome respite from the typical Des Moines scenery. Since I was dining alone I sat at the bar, which allowed me more face time with the service staff that were so friendly. They had a lot of great options for lunch, and the food came out pretty quickly! Food had incredible flavor and was fast and fresh. Great spot to grab a quick lunch - would love to come back and try the dinner experience! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I work in the east village and get Open Sesame all the time, figured it was time to leave a review! This place is so good. Easily one of my favorite places to eat in Des Moines. I usually get the spicy chicken or gyro, but everything is good. The ingredients are very fresh. The person who I assume is the owner is so nice and the other staff is equally as wonderful. I had an issue with an order through grub hub (long story, not the restaurant's fault at all) and they handled it very well. I cannot stress enough how good the food here is. read more

Everything thing I ate was fantastic. Cool original artwork. Staff was helpful and friendly. Eat here as often as you can!! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Hummus shawarma wrap side salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Had hummus, Mediterranean chicken wrap, gyro and chicken shawarma plate. Everyone loved there dish. Potato salad was sweet. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Chicken shawarma plate, gyro, Mediterranean wrap. - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I am not a very adventurous eater. However, this was the number one place that my hotel recommended. Everything was wonderful and it certainly opened my non-adventurous diet to seeking out more Lebanese restaurants. read more

The price is a little bit on the expensive side but the food is great! The chicken shawarma is super flavorful and refreshing! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Chicken Shawarma Rice Plate Lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Okay- what is this place doing here?! It is a GEM! The staff will get you seated and eating fast if you are in a rush as I was- just let them know! They kept my diet soda full and really were glad me and my guest were there - We mentioned it was our first time in the neighborhood and they even suggested a few other places for us to check out! The menu offers some real delights- Am mean - Am I really in Iowa right now?! Great for lunch. (I will have to go back for dinner and write another review!) read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Inside - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I haven't been here in forever and decided to grab something to-go while I'm working in the East Village for the day. WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS PLACE MORE?! Best kept secret in the neighborhood. I called in, Food was ready right on time and service was pleasant. The interior is cozy and is on my list of date night spots. But totally empty at noon on a Saturday... wtf?! Chicken Shawarma plate was perfectly hot and salad still crisp when I got to my destination. And suuuuuper flavorful with a bit of a kick with the Sriracha sauce. Perfect portion size for lunch too. (Can't be rice comatose in the afternoon!) Consider checking them out for lunch or dinner!! It's a gem. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Shawarma Plate Lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Second time coming here food is solid and COVID protection is excellent. Wish menu was a bit more extended but overall good. Had the gyro and it did not disappoint. read more

This place is such a gem. It's just one of those places you see all the time and are always like "Hey! I want to check that place out sometime." and never go. Well one day, I finally went and oh my goodness, I'm so glad I did! The food is so good!! I ordered the falafel plate and it was HUGE but I managed to eat the whole thing some how! It had hummus and pita bread and veggies and everything you could ever want! They're closed on Sundays and Mondays and are open from 11am-9pm all other days with a few hours in the middle of the day for them to switch from lunch to dinner (I think it's 2pm-5:30pm). The place is very small so I recommend keeping the party small also. Please make your way there if you haven't been there already! Highly, highly recommend! read more

A few co-workers and I try to have Diversity Lunches once a month and this month we happened upon Open Sesame. This place is on the smaller size, but the decor is beautiful. Our waitress was nice and knowledgeable about the menu. I ordered an ice-tea, Gyro rice plate, and baklava. The tea had an herbal taste to it, something I didn't recognize, but very tasty without being sweet. The Gyro rice plate has Gyro meat with jalapenos and hot sauce over rice, with a side of salad and pita bread. The meat was tender and flavorful, but I didn't think it was very spicy. The baklava was very nutty with a wonderful buttery base. This place is definitely worth the visit and then some!! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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This place is amazing. According to waiter has been around for some time. Wish we had discovered it earlier. I tried the combo rice plate and the spectrum of flavors was amazing. The combo platter has four or so things going and they all compliment each other so well. This restaurant has a simple menu which is nice. Find a few things you do really well and people will return. We will be back soon. read more

My shawarma plate wasn't the best I've had but it was just what I needed! Hot plate of yummy food. Didn't want anything from the bakery across the street and do glad I came here. The only downside was too much mayo and Siracha. read more

I really enjoyed my meal. It may not be the true Mediterranean Food that I am used to, but it was still really good.

Open Sesame is one of those cozy, out of the way places that feels like it should be mainstream and always filled with people. Open Sesame's ambiance is uniquely beautiful. It's fun to see all of the hanging lanterns, cloth, and other art forms they use to fill the small space but still leave it feeling open. You can eat at tables or the bar, but in the winter I recommend one a bit further from the door as the ones right nearby may be cool. They do have a drapery covered entry to keep the cold out. The service on both times I've been here has been great. They're very attentive and the food came very fast! On my most recent visit I had the shawarma. It is heaven on a plate. The chicken in the dish was perfectly tender and melted like butter in your mouth. The sauce was wonderful. I like mine a little spicy and my wife had hers with less jalapeños. She loved it too. The pita is warm and inviting. It's hard to stop once you've started enjoying this amazing meal. My wife had the Turkish coffee, which to me looks like oil but to her was terrific. I tried the shabat, which was lemonade with rose water. It was interesting. As I'm not fond of flower flavored foods and drinks I didn't love it, but for someone who is it would be great. Given the size, I don't think you could have a big group gathering here. But if you're getting together for date night or meeting some friends...this is the perfect spot for quiet conversation, great service and incredible food. read more

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