Honestly the best Indian food I ever had!!Highly suggest the lunch platter! It had 7 little dishes…read moreof AMAZING food! It had everything I usually order plus an amazing dessert I never knew existed! Highly recommend.

Unfortunately, this place went downhill. My parents went to Bawarchi and ordered some Pani Puri…read more The server asked if they wanted the sweet water or spicy water (pani). My parents said both because that's a very popular and traditional way of eating Pani Puri. To their surprise, the server said they cannot offer that. They must pick either the hot water or the sweet water. Translation: take it or leave it. So my parents took the obvious hint and took their business elsewhere. I was one of their biggest advocates when Bawarchi initially opened. We even ordered catering from them in the past, but the way they mistreated my parents has negated all of that. These people have clearly lost the plot.

We stopped by Desi Bites late in the evening around 8pm on a Friday night and surprisingly the…read moreplace was busy. The restaurant is located inside a grocery store and set up as a take out counter where you place your order and pay first, then wait for your name to be called to pick up the food. They have a cashier to take the orders and also a kiosk (where I was directed to place my order). There is a designated seating area to eat the food. I would say there was about 8 tables and it looked bright and clean. There were families there with little kids dining in during my visit. I placed my order on the kiosk and stood aside nearby waiting for my name to be called. The cashier was nice and mentioned that it would be a while before my name would be called so I should have a seat. Instead I decided to walk around the grocery store which I enjoyed. I should have looked at the ticket that the kiosk printed because it said my order would be ready in 50 minutes. It did take 50 minutes because there were so many people whose order was ahead of mine. This place is popular! I ordered the butter chicken and the 65 chicken. The butter chicken was delicious. It came with a side of white rice and was nice and sweet and creamy. I was able to order the dish in mild spicy level which I appreciated. They use cashew paste in the dish so if you have a nut allergy, then this dish is not for you. It came in a sealed yellow container that I thought was spill proof. Unfortunately the oil from the dish leaked out onto the bag and onto my jacket. This is something to consider if I decide to pick up my order again or have it delivered. The 65 chicken was good too but the kiosk would not allow me to order it mild so I was forced to order it at a medium spice level. It was too spicy for me. The chicken was at the bottom of the take out container and covered with fried rice. It seemed like a lot of rice and not enough chicken. The rice was very good. It was mixed with cashew nuts so if you have a nut allergy, this dish is not for you. I had never had 65 chicken but knew it was a popular dish. I am not sure I will order this next time despite the large portion it came in. Overall this is a great alternative to other Indian restaurants in the area. It is competitive because some items are cheaper than what you would find in a restaurant (i.e. an order of naan here is $2.50).

Food was delicious. Located inside grocery store, so not a good atmosphere for dining in, but fir…read morefast food or carry out its very good!

India Star has the best Indian food in Des Moines, and they have for years. They are friendly,…read morekind, and very pleasant to talk with. Sometimes it takes awhile for the food to arrive, but it takes time to make anything as delicious as this! Love them.

It was a bad weather day, but India Star was still open. We were seated immediately. We ordered…read morethe garlic naan bread. I liked it but my husband thought it was a little dry and not as fluffy. I didn't mind it. :) We split the spicy chicken curry. And it was spicy. Even my husband struggled with the spice. But here's the thing, even though it's spicy, it had flavor. It's my biggest complaint when he orders food spicy because to me, when it's too spicy, there's no flavor with what is left to eat. This is the opposite. We couldn't stop eating it because the flavor was so good. Now, with that said I probably won't get it as hot next time because it took a while to eat. My mouth was still on fire. But it was delicious and there's many things I want to try as well so I can't wait to go back. There's plenty of seating from sitting at the bar to booths and tables for the warm atmosphere. Give it a try.

Excellent customer service!! Tea and Pakora were great too…read more It was fresh with perfect spices.

Only been here once, but the food was just okay overall. The samosa was flavorful and pretty good,…read morethough it didn't taste the freshest. The chicken biryani was the biggest disappointment--the spices tasted a bit muddled, and the chicken was dry. The palak gosht actually had nice flavor, but the lamb was quite chewy. I've had much better Pakistani food in other states, and honestly I can make better desi food at home. That said, I'm giving this place a slightly higher rating than I otherwise would because it's one of the only Pakistani restaurants in the state, and I appreciate having the option.

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $44 04/24/2026 It was honestly a bit of an accident that we even found this place and boy are we glad that we did - it was quite the hidden gem! We were out stopping at local spots to update my HappyHourDesMoines.com website and decided it was time to have some dinner. My wife did a restaurant search on her car's system, this place popped up and since we both enjoy Indian food...we decided to give it a try. We left very impressed - especially with the food and the very attentive and helpful service from Kavya, who was awesome! We started by ordering a Mango Lassi (yogurt based 'malt') that was absolutely delicious - cool, creamy and full of mango flavor. We followed with Chicken Lollipops (see picture) as our appetizer and again, found them very good - especially with the side sauce. For our dinners, my wife ordered Korma (see picture) and substituted the chicken with lamb while I ordered the Gongura Chicken (see picture) at Kavya's suggestion. We also ordered Basil Naan (see picture) and found it to also be very good - thin, tasty and fresh...and the basil flavoring was something we hadn't experienced with naan before. They offer 3 spice levels and my wife ordered medium while I went with hot. We both like spicey food. Personally, I would have liked something in between the two on both dishes as my wife's didn't seem to have much spiciness and mine had a definite burn that overwhelmed some of the flavor. The good news is that we didn't have to ask for extra rice to finish our meals as we do at most other Indian restaurants - both dishes were served with a generous portion. My only disappointment was the men's restroom, as both the cleanliness and maintenance could use some improvement. The aesthetics to get there were also a little awkward, with it located in a hallway next to the kitchen that also had some carts and dirty dishes. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

We stopped in for the lunch buffet with a group of four and were pleasantly greeted when we…read morearrived. I really appreciated that all of the dishes on the buffet were clearly labeled--it made it easy to know what everything was. It would be even better if the spice level were noted as well, especially for those who may be sensitive to heat. The food was delicious, and the fresh naan brought to our table was definitely a highlight. Water was provided, but no other drink options were offered or asked about. Other than bringing us the fresh naan, there was very little interaction with the wait staff, and no one checked in to see if we needed anything else. Overall, we enjoyed the food, but spending around $100 for a lunch buffet for four felt somewhat overpriced given the limited table service and lack of drink options. With a little more attentiveness from the wait staff, the overall experience would have been much better.

Awesome food! I go here with the same friend so we keep a running list of what we like. LOL!…read moreYesterday we had our staple of Samosa, always good. It comes with a green dipping sauce that is enhances the flavor. For our entrees we had our usual, Chicken Tikka - also always good! Then, at the recommendation of our waiter, we tried the Chicken Korma. Oh my goodness! Our new favorite. Both dishes are served with white rice and we have to Naan (garlic is best) to sop it all up. It's a little pricy for lunch, but definitely worth the splurge. Oh, we ordered both dishes at medium heat which was perfect. Enjoy!!

Despite living in Iowa pretty much all of my life I'm still one to stay in on cold nights…read more.. Indian food sounded good. It's been a while. I used mytown2go to place an order last night so I didn't have to leave my couch. I've never visited Spice Pot before and the reviews I'd read online seemed all over the board. I ordered chicken tikka masala (medium heat), chili cheese naan, and chicken dum biryani (medium heat). My total ran just under $27 before fees and my driver's tip. The fundamental taste of the food was really good. The sauce on the chicken tikka masala was rich and flavorful. The elements in the biryani complimented one another from the chicken, to the rice, onion, the lime, spices, and the mint. Overall I was happy with the food... That being said... I'd call both dishes I received mild...rather than medium. I assumed the biryani would be bone-in... However the pieces of chicken appear to have been taken apart with a cleaver and there were shards of bone that made the dish less than desirable for me... It might be authentic...but it's not for me. The naan... Very good, but once again it lacked the heat I'd expect from something with visible chunks of chili peppers embedded in it. I'd order from Spice Pot again...or stop in for dine-in...but I'd adjust my order a little from this experience. Try some other dishes on the menu... And I'd up my spice level to "hot"... I don't consider myself a chili-head; I like a heat level that is noticeable, but isn't overpowering. About mytown2go... This is the second time I've used them. The app is easy to use. Both times the service has probably left me more impressed than the food I received. I placed my order at 614 pm and it was delivered at around 647 pm (estimated time was one hour...714 pm). My driver was a Pleasant Hill school teacher who delivers as a part-time job. He was personable, polite, and provided excellent service. A really nice guy. He said he hasn't been delivering long. I wish him the best.

This is our literal favorite place to eat. To be honest, I think it's a bit of a sleeper spot for a…read morelot of folks who may default to more "familiar" restaurants. But if you haven't gone, you're cheating yourself. Prices are good; portions are huge, and the food is down-right excellent.

Food and service have been wonderful both times we've gone. We've gotten good recommendations and…read moretried something new each time. This has been the best Indian food I've ever had! There are also huge portions. I recommend getting a few things for the table and splitting. The cilantro naan was amazing! I also loved the Chicken Tikka Masala, the Biryani, and the 65 appetizer. Highly recommend! Plus they have a few good cocktails and the happy hour special is buy a cocktail, get a glass of wine free! It's an odd special but also... I got it both times I've been, so I clearly am on board. Highly recommend!

I'm from Zimbabwe so when looking for a place to eat this restaurant popped up. Reviews looked good…read moreso we stopped in. They had 4 dishes which the waiter verbally told us about, no menus. The restaurant serves Ethiopian food. It's kind of in a not so good area. My friend and I ordered the goat dish with rice and salad. The food came out pretty quickly and we hot it with a fork and spoon. I asked for a knife, I heard the waiter washing one and handing it to me still dripping wet. The food was good, but ambiance can be better. The waited said they were remodel so I will give them the benefit of the doubt. I believe there are many Ethiopian truck drivers in the area and this is their go to place. When we walked in the group of Ethiopians sitting down(all guys) just stared at us, it was kind of unwelcoming Besides the food being flavourful and not bad, the place could use a little more organisation and professionalism.

Small, quiet restaurant. We ordered a platter with goat, beef and chicken over seasoned rice. It…read morewas delicious. Our server was a nice young man who took the time to explain their menu, he checked in on us as we ate and, and was up front about prices, the spiciness of the sauces, etc. It was a very good experience and our first time eating Somali food.