Open Sesame is a mouth watering experience. One of the few places in Des Moines you can get authentic Mediterranean food with a white table cloth experience. Perfect for a first date, you don't mind having garlic breathe for it! It's a quaint, quite, romantic spot with fantastically presented food. I love the Vegetarian platter which features a little bit of everything from Hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, tabouleh, grape leaves, with a small salad as well. It's a 14 dollar meal but totally worth the price. I like getting the spicy hummus as an appetizer as well. This would probably be a 5 star on the food side of things but our waiter did not come back and ask if we wanted another glass of wine or beer even though half way through the meal I was empty. And in this most recent trip it was not busy in there at all. But the servers have always been super nice and the food has always been 2nd to none. It keeps me going back and I will continue to be open to Open Sesame. read more

Great Lebanese in downtown Des Moines. Out of the other falafel places in town, this is hands down the best. Very authentic, not greasy, great flavor, friendly service. The food took a little while to get to us, but be enjoyed some spices lemonade and a hummus appetizer in the mean time. We were just passing through town, but I'd definitely make this a regular stop if I was in the area. Reasonable prices too. There are a few parking spots in back just for the restaurant (drive down the alley just to the west of the building), if you are lucky enough to get one and avoid the paid street parking. read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Falafel wrap and lentil soup - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I love this little Lebanese cafe. I'm a vegetarian and I usually alternate between the vegetarian sampler and the falafel salad. The homemade lentil soup is perfect on a cold day. The service is warm and friendly. I love taking people here for the first time, they always fall in love with the food too. My only pointer is that homemade pickles come on many dishes. If you love pickles, this is a good thing. If you are in the "pickles are icky" camp like me, ask for no pickle. ;) read more

Open Sesame helps to fill the underserved Mediterranean food market in Des Moines. The cozy, intimate atmosphere is perfect for a date, and the menu offers plenty for people with different dietary preferences (vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, probably even Paleo). I enjoyed the Falafel Salad, which came with several pieces of falafel, hummus, cheese, lettuce and other veggies, plus a few pieces of soft pita. The service was solid, but my glass of wine was a bit on the warm side--my only real complaint. I'll look forward to more return visits to sample the tabbouleh, baba ganoush and other staples! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Colorful and flavorful Falafel Salad. - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Eight of us came here for my birthday dinner a few weeks back, and we were all impressed with this great new spot in the East Village. TONS of vegetarian options (which was much appreciated, as two vegetarians were joining us for dinner). Even so, my favorite out of anything I sampled was Charlie's gyro - I would definitely order that again, it was wonderful. I ordered the vegetarian plate which had all sorts of things to try - hummous, grape leaves, great falafel, etc - loved almost everything, but there are so many good things on the menu that I probably would try something different next time. They have a full bar, but the beer and wine selections are a little limited. Even so, there are some interesting things to try. We were hoping there would be belly dancers since we'd heard that was a Saturday night thing, but alas, no luck. Maybe next time! Make a reservation, because this place is busy but it only seats 40 people! read more

I really really liked this place - the food was great.. service was nice---the atmosphere was fun. Only issue I could see having would be the size of the place.. its small, so if I go for lunch, I usually try to make it a late lunch - so its not a really busy time.. or a late dinner.. Usually I dont have a problem, but if you show up at noon.. you will prob have a little wait! I have a vegan friend from that came from Colorado, and he said the falafel was the best he's had!! I tried the chicken Swami.. DELISH!!!!! hard for me to try something new since i love it so much! Very good, cool new place!! read more

I love love love Open Sesame. It's even better since I had to switch to a vegetarian diet for health reasons. I love everything about this place. The service I admit has been spotty sometimes, but I'm pretty laid back so I usually let that slide unless it's blatant disrespect. All in all, an awesome stand-by to have as a vegetarian. read more

Hands down the best falafel I've ever had in my life. That's pretty much all you need to know. It's that delicious! It has the perfect combination of pickles and tomatoes and hummus and chickpeas. I'm drooling as a write. The ambiance of the restaurant is really cool. It's very fitting for the menu with velvet drapes and Aladdin-styled lamps hanging from the ceiling. The lentil soup is also another one of my favorites. read more

I guess I went on an off night, but the gyro salad was surprisingly bland, and the falafel crumbled on my fork. Clearly nothing was fresh that day. Really disappointing when I know their food has been so good in the past! read more

You had me at the grape leaves! The atmosphere, the people, the food and the drinks are all fabulous. Not your run of the mill food. All unique with wonderful and hand made flavor, each menu item will deliver a delicious and light fare that will fill your tummy without making you feel like you need a nap. I love to go here whenever I get a chance. Highly recommend! read more

I was pleasantly surprised to find a Lebanese restaurant during my business travels to Des Moines as I had a craving for it missing my favorite restaurant back home in Southern California. Open Sesame is an inviting, cozy, clean restaurant with excellent food and a great staff. It had a 'Cheers' kind of feel as I received a warm welcome walking in and made new friends. I tried the Baba Ganouj, Hummus and Caulfilower Chicken - all were made very well, large portions and delicious. I will definately make it a point to come back when in town again. read more

I'm a fan of Mediterranean food so this was a welcome find in Des Moines. The restaurant is small and the staff is attentive. There's a great atmosphere and great decorations. The menu is small and that's ok, too. I got the shawarma rice platter. It came with a small salad. The salad was nothing to write home about, but the shawarma was delicious. It could have been a little hotter in temperature, but overall everything was all right. I will go back from the Baba Ganouj and the falafel. I'm picky about falafel so I'm always reluctant to order it. Next time I'll try it! read more

Amazing! Authentic food that was fresh and packed with flavor. I have been looking for great Lebanese food in the Des Moines area and finally found it. I highly recommend this place! read more

Open Sesame Cafe - Falafel Pita with house salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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One of my favorite lunch spots in the East Village. Service is always fast and friendly. Their hummus is heavenly.

Omg best gyros I've ever had. So juicy with a little bit of crunch, refreshing tzatiziki sauce and good ratio of veggies. Such good potato salad too!!! I could eat this stuff everyday. Also, the Lebanese ice tea is bomb!!! tastes so good with the cardamom. Great middle eastern atmosphere, cute decor and cool bar area for a drink. Definitely worth coming back for. read more

Clean eating done well. Everything tastes extremely fresh, and the ingredients taste of high quality. The atmosphere is fun and the service very friendly. The building is small, but the experience is big! read more

Open Sesame was a pleasant surprise. The service was very quick and attentive and pleasant. The food was quite good as well. I had hot tea and a Mediterranean salad and an eggplant dish( vegetarian). Baklava for dessert too. The decor was exotic. Apparently there is a belly dancer there occasionally but not the night I was there. My wife probably wouldn't want me to see that anyway! read more

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Everything we ordered for dinner was DELICIOUS. I highly recommend the grape leaves, spicy hummus and falafel plate. The lemonade with rose water was also delicious. Our server was excellent as well. I can't wait to go back! read more

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

Amazing falafel! Great options for vegan and vegetarian diets and very yummy food :) And the decor feels like you've on vacation! We had wonderful service and the restaurant was small and felt exclusive. It could possibly get busier and more crowded during peak dinner times. Plan accordingly, but totally worth it regardless! read more

Sadly disappointed at this "Mediterranean" meal. I had a chicken shawarma plate while my fiancé had a gyro plate. Servings sizes were extremely small for the price. Also, the addition of sriracha and mayo based sauces were completely off-putting. Also had the baba ganoush that had an oddly bland flavor profile that also tasted burnt. Would not recommend. read more

I've had 4 dining experiences at Open Sesame. All have been solid and I've had great experiences each time. I enjoy supporting a local business as well! My favorite dish is a dinner meal that had eggplant served with ground beef and tomato sauce on top. It came with Jazmine rice cooked perfectly. Service is attentive. It's a really small place, be careful if taking more than 4 people! Might want to call and check on reservations. I'm not sure if they take reservations or not. We had to have tables arranged properly to fit more than 4 and fortunately it wasn't full. read more

I went here for the first time a couple of months ago... Was pleasantly surprised...a nice place, but really small... Were seated at a table too near to the bar... Could've hit my head on it... Really needed to be farther from the bar... The food was good... Am allergic to onions,n beans, so had to forego a couple of things I used to enjoy like the hummis, but was directed by the waiter to the babaganouche, which was really good, as was the chicken and lamb dishes... Take your wallet...dinner for just me with a tea and a glass of wine was $40, not including the tip ... My friend enjoyed her dinner... Everything was very fresh and good... The guy waiter was very accommodating and helpful...I will go back...a great experience trying something new... Check it out!! read more

I love this intimate spot when I am in the mood for Mediterranean food. The chicken shawarma is delicious and so is the gyro. I also enjoy the hummus and the gyro salad. The food and service is consistently wonderful. Did I say I love this family owned restaurant. read more

Wonderful atmosphere. Cozy bar. Simple, delicious food. Attentive service. The appetizers shine: The spicy hummus and grape leaves are my favorites. It's is place to bring a date, order a bottle of wine, and carve out space for conversation. read more

very delicious restaurant in the east village! got the vegetarian sampler plate; good to taste a bit of everything. quiet, pleasant atmosphere. def come here if you're in des moines!! read more

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

Middle eastern spices have found their way to my heart, soul and belly! I love this place and would like to dine here more often so that I may try other items on their menu. For me, their chicken schwarma is a must, along with their lentil soup. Even their house salad has inviting flavors. It's a cozy and friendly establishment. I have only dined here for lunch and there are some parking spots in the back. I did come here some time ago on a whim for a drink. We sat at the bar and oooed over the ambiance. The bar tender was friendly, helpful and chatty. It's fun for us to learn about other cultures and they didn't mind us asking them questions. read more

Thank you yelp, my first time in Des Moines and I was looking for something on the lighter side. I planned a walk which would take me around the area and end up at Open Sesame. The place was small and cute, quite dark inside. I knew I wanted some type of salad with meat on it. I opted for the greek salad with gyro on it, the gyro was well cooked, and the salad was large and had a lot of variety. Staff was very nice, attentive, and overall a worthy visit. read more

I've only ever had the Kafta wrap at lunch time. I've had their hummus and their babaganoush, and I certainly like them. But the Kafta wrap has some amazingly seasoned meat and the right amount of sauce and vegetables to pack a full-flavored lunch. I like the lighting. I like the decor. There are little figurines hidden on random spots around the room and behind the bar that are a joy to find. The Ceylon tea is delicious and the cost of my lunch is on the inexpensive side, so it's a somewhat frequent place for me. read more

Been here several times for both lunch and dinner. Every time the food was wonderful, service attentive and atmosphere delightful. Lunch atmostphere is great and cozy on a dreary rainy day. Not my pick on a beautiful sunny day as it is dark and intimate. The gyro meat may just be among the best, including the Hallal Guys in NYC. Love the spicy gyro, but will be too spicy for you spice wimps.They will also put the spicy meat on the salad. All of their meats are flavorful and tender. Apps are terrific, as are the salads and lentil soup. They have a full bar with tasty inventive cocktails and a good wine list. Owner is very gracious.Prices seem on par to me, but then again I eat regularly in NYC. Fun on weekends when there is a belly dancer, but anytime is a good time! I am a fan. PS - If you go for lunch and you're the only party there, stay. You'll be glad you did. read more

My boyfriend and I went to Open Sesame for dinner recently, and it was wonderful. We both love mediterranean, and he leans more towards vegetarian, but we both were able to be more than satisfied with what we ordered. I also just ordered the Shawarma Rice Plate for takeout, and it was hot and delicious! The food has always been very consistent, and the decor is so cozy. It is the perfect date night place with great drinks. I definitely recommend. read more

Very Fast takeout, Very Tasty! Had a delicious chicken shawarma pita wrap with potato salad. Friendly service too! Must stop by

This is a nice and comfortable restaurant with authentic looking decorations and calming music. The location is very easy to find. It wasn't very busy, but there was only one server so the service was a little slow. The server was extremely nice though. I had the Shawarma rice plate. I had never tried this type of food before and was surprised that I liked it, although a little too much spice for what I'm used to. There wasn't a large menu to choose from and it was a bit pricey. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to those that like this type of food and are willing to pay $15+ for your meal. read more

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I thought the food was tasty - all of us enjoyed our meal. I don't know that it was especially authentic, but it was good and something different from the usual fare. Our service was very friendly. The restaurant is a little cramped, we were at a table in the corner, and with four people it felt like we were bumping elbows. I would go back - we worked off our food with a nice walk up to the capitol, checking out all the East Village shops before heading home. read more

The food is great and the service is friendly but sometimes it's pretty hard to get enough space or a big enough table! This place is cozy but worth going early for lunch!! Schwarma chicken, gyro salad, lentil soup, it's all good! read more

My wife and I were excited to try this place as there aren't many locations in the metro for Mediterranean. This is a really cozy place, very intimate. The staff and the people who own the place are super friendly. The food is fantastic, and we personally really liked the hummus. We also had a few signature cocktails which we liked so much, we learned how to make them at home and enjoy them regularly. One of them involved bourbon and a sweet rose syrup; I'm only sorry I can't remember the name. Our friends from Turkey also enjoyed this place, and claimed it was at least authentic and delicious compared to "fast" versions of Lebanese restaurants. We loved the place, and the food was fantastic. read more

Not bad: 3.5. Pita, hummus, tabouli, and grape leaves are great. Falafel is so-so. Chicken schawarma is good too, but my daughter thought there was too much tatzhiki. Service was a little slow, but staff was friendly and helpful. While the food is good, I agree with some reviewers that it is overpriced. I can get better Mediterranean food in Iowa City or Chicago for about a third less. read more

Well the family says this was a 5! The service was excellent. Shwarma was great, chicken cooked perfect. Baba Ghanouj and spicy Humus were served with warm Pita. Everyone left full and smiling. It's very good Des Moines. Get Some! read more

This place is ok.... I was expecting a lot better due to the other reviews. The ambiance of the place is nice, but the food itself lacks flavor and the price is more expensive than the other Greek place down the street. I usually eat very little, but I finished the whole plate by myself. Each plate was around $15. I ordered the gyro rice plate and my boyfriend ordered the shawarma. The dish was "good" but lacked the strong spice flavor I enjoyed in Mediterranean dishes. Next time, I think I'll opt out and go get gyro sandwich 2 blocks over at Olympic Flame that is much more flavorful and half the price. read more

I went here for dinner on a weekend night. We went early and didn't have any trouble getting a seat, but the place is fairly small so I would recommend making a reservation. We got to sampler plates, and thought it might feed the three of us. We left a little hungry, but the food was very good. It was quiet enough for a good conversation, small enough to feel homey, and professional enough to tip the service well! read more

Love the chicken schwarma! Great flavor. Right amount of food. Small intimate space. Great lebanese spot!