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    Sakari Sushi Lounge

    3.8 (245 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Sakari Sushi Lounge Photos

    Business Info

    SAKARI SUSHI LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Trendy
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Sakari Sushi Lounge

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    Marianne H.

    Dinner before a concert. I could have stayed all night here instead of the concert. Food was amazing. Service was outstanding and ambiance was warm and fun. This was our first time and won't be our last. This will be a must go to. Server assisted us with our questions and substitutions. My daughter and I fought over the final pieces of each dish.

    Todd B.

    4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 03/31/2023 Several friends recommended this place within a few days, so we took the opportunity to stop by with friends from Brazil who also enjoy sushi. We were advised to get reservations as they are very busy and even at noon on a Friday, the earliest we could get a table for 4 was 8:15 - so I highly recommend getting reservations. We arrived a few minutes early and were immediately seated near the sushi counter (see pictures). A very modern and lively atmosphere along with friendly service. Our server was Deja L. and she was fantastic - excellent recommendations and a friendly demeanor...the kind of person you would want representing your business. We started with drinks and a shared appetizer - I ordered the Cherry Vanilla Cola (see picture) and we shared the Combo Dynamite App (see picture). The drink was good as expected and the Combo Dynamite App was dyn-o-mite (as the name implies). For our meals, I ordered the Volcano (see picture) and my wife ordered the Fire Cracker (see picture) - both Chef's Special Maki and both on the recommendation of Deja. We really liked both of them and would definitely order them again as well as recommend them for you to try. Our friend ordered the Salmon Roll w/cucumber (see picture) and also really enjoyed it. We were definitely tempted to order dessert, but ended up deciding to pass and stop for another cocktail on the way home instead. We can definitely understand the strong recommendations for this place as we offer the same - fantastic food and service...just make sure to make reservations! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    a variety of sushi dishes
    Jennifer C.

    This place is my ultimate fave for sushi, the vibe, and just great meeting spot for time with SO's or friends! I literally send every out of towner there because the food is that amazing! Freshest I've ever found in this state! Now as for service!! I have 3 faves!! Nani is by far top dawg! She kills it every time we are there! She knows our order and can tell by our pace when to offer the next drink! Love, love, love her to pieces!!! Hiram is awesome on Nani's days off and fun! He will take great care of you if you get him! And last but definitely not least Macy! I've only had her once but really enjoyed talking with her about things I'd never tried and trying her recommendations! She knows her menu! If you have not been, GO! The food alone is so worth it!

    Amazing sushi
    Destiny H.

    This place is a vibe and I'm here for it! Staff was amazing and the food was even better!

    4 rolls half eaten: salmon add cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon, yellowtail and white tuna

    Not recommended for take out: -Up charge-about double the prices on this YELP Menu -No place to park due to area construction Otherwise, the pick up order was decent and customer service was nice. However, if you're in the area, I recommend Sakura Sushi instead by Hy-Vee.

    Crab Rangoon and Garlic Chili Edamame
    Natalie K.

    This is probably one of the best sushi places in DSM metro. It definitely helps that they don't skimp on the yum yum sauce! My absolute favorite roll is the Bruce Lee. The crab Rangoon dip and garlic chili edamame are also great if you like spicy. They have an awesome cocktail menu but more are pretty sweet so I only had one before switching to wine. Our waitress was kind enough to bring out a free dessert and sing for our friend which was special! I don't recommend actually ordering the Rice Krispie roll (I'm not a huge fan of Rice Krispies) but it was a fun treat. They also bring around "saki bombs" throughout the meal which is a super fun touch but it's definitely angry orchard lol. They don't have an apple flavored saki on the menu. Final notes: parking is really terrible with the construction going on and the restaurant definitely smells like a sushi place. I definitely recommend for parties and fun date nights.

    Spicy Salmon and Volcano
    Austin S.

    Great service - beautiful plate presentation! I got the spicy salmon + cream cheese and volcano + cream cheese... amazing!!

    Henry O.

    Vistised some family in Iowa and they took me to one of their favorite spots. Place was vibrant and popping. Food was outstanding and the service was exceptional. We ordered a variety of dishes from a 3lb cowboy cut to carpaccio. Owner was very welcoming and frequented our table often to provide free spirits on the house. Didn't realize southern hospitality existed elsewhere in the country especially a landlocked corn field state

    Fish from the yellowtail roll
    Alyssa K.

    The restaurant smells disgusting. I would equate it to the smell of a poorly ventilated public restroom. The kind you want to get in and out of as fast as possible. The bar must be on the floor in Des Moines because this restaurant was somehow packed while I was contemplating cancelling my food after sitting there for 60 seconds because of the smell. They gave me no wasabi with my sushi order and they don't require people to wear masks and are packed during a pandemic but ok. The yellowtail was a dark pink color when it supposed to be white/light pink. Got home, opened it and threw it out. You can see the yellowtail in my photo. I'm sorry Des Moines but I'm not impressed by you and and the fact that this place has good reviews or is busy is actually horrifying.

    Sumita B.

    Fried chicken wings naked - sauce on the side. Ghost pepper sauce my fave Dynamite shrimp - hot and crispy NY strip steak with rice and octopus salad Beef short ribs with rice and squid salad - my go to meal when I'm not craving sushi

    Karin draw
    Heidi H.

    Sakurai has a great happy hour. Monday -Thursday 5-7. Domestic bottles and draws of Karin for 2.50. House rolls for 5 and Dynamite shrimp or crab appetizer for 5. The food was delicious. The staff were all wearing masks, unfortunately the table were not socially distanced. Love that the soy sauce came in individual containers vs a bottle on the table. Great service and great food. Most likely would carryout next time since the tables were very close together, but thats a personal choice.

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    3 months ago

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    28 days ago

    45 minutes late on a pick up order and we are still waiting. Poor form by this group.

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    1 year ago

    Service is on the ball, great sushi, great vibe, great food! Gets better every time I visit.

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    2 years ago

    Great place! Food is amazing nice place and great people if you are looking for a spot for good sushi go here!

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    3 years ago

    food is great, staff is awesome. Macie the bartender is always happy and positive. will always go back to see her.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Sakari Sushi Lounge

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    Thai Flavors - Garlic & Pepper steak

    Thai Flavors

    4.1(205 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Stopped in during their lunch service and it was a good time! Our server was super friendly and the…read morefood came out super fast. We came in around the end of their lunch special so it was a little busy. Goes to show they're pretty popular and get a lot of regulars! The ambiance is pretty open and had a lot more room than I expected! I ordered the pad Thai with beef, which is one of their lunch specials. I asked for level 2 spice but I didn't notice anything when I ate it. I did hear it kinda varies depending on the staff so maybe I need to order a higher level. Otherwise the food was pretty good and a great spot for lunch!

    Des Moines has just expanded it's offerings of food so much in the last 30 years…read more I think Liam Anivat is still the major owner of.this restaurant and I remember his food at Thai flavors on East 14th Street long ago... I used to go to that restaurant once a week. That restaurant is the mother ship.. I would rotate between Cafe Fusion and Thai Flavors. Liam has become quite a entrepreneur of Thai restaurants he is the major owner of Cool Basil Banana leaf, and Thai Flavors on Ingersoll. He is really worked hard to have very large restaurants that serve delicious Thai food. It's conveniently located along East 14th in a strip mall with limited parking It can be a busy place so depending on the time of day lunch or dinner you may have to walk a little from your parking spot to the restaurant. The restaurant is clean and.older but the food is still great It is similar menu items to his other restaurants. On this particular day I had red curry chicken, I.have had it at all his restaurants and it's consistently good. I always like to support a locally owned business. Liam has developed quite a system and serving large amount of people at all his restaurants although the East 14th restaurants still has that old mom and pop kind of feel. When he first opened this first restaurant there were not that many Thai restaurants around town. Now he's open many himself and there are other many quality Thai food restaurants around town I think all of his restaurants have some healthier menu including fresh vegetable dishes. I believe they all have vegan dishes as well. Of course the restaurant has pot stickers basil stir fry, pad thai, and other traditional Thai restaurant dishes. There is lots of variety in the menu. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Having said that the service was fast and efficient . It's also about being realistic about the food. The food was served quick and hot. I would definitely check this place out. If you're in the area it's well worth a visit It was fun to visit an old neighborhood friend

    Photos
    Thai Flavors
    Thai Flavors - 4 of the 6 wings.

    4 of the 6 wings.

    Thai Flavors - 1/2 of the spring rolls

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    1/2 of the spring rolls

    Haiku

    Haiku

    3.9(108 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Since this place changed management in 2024 and revamped its menu and prices, the food is…read moreincredible. Takeout is slow but the food is very fresh and flavorful. The old clubby atmosphere remains, but there are generally more customers so it doesn't feel empty anymore. I recommend their sushi and curries.

    This place is still a little secret hideaway, although it's been around since 2011. It's busy, but…read morejust slow enough to not have to always wait. The neon blue decor and black inside is such a fun ambiance to eat in. We sat in a booth and ordered some crab Rangoon and hot and sour soup. Although the broth was delicious, I'd only give it a 3/5 as it's loaded up with SO MUCH STUFF that there's hardly any broth which is what I wanted in the first place. But the flavor is still really good. The crab Rangoon was 5/5. Always delicious and piping hot and full of flavor. I got the mango lovers sushi roll and let the server pick it out of two options which is good because I was leaning towards that one. It was very refreshing and so much flavor. 4/5. Hubs had the chicken red curry level 4. He toned the spice down for me so I could have some. It still had a good kick to it spice-wise. Chicken was tender and the red curry was delicious!! 5/5. Haiku is always a fun place to go to. It's a place we fell upon years ago. I like that it's still around and never too busy, but never empty either. Give it a try!

    Photos
    Haiku - Party Platter

    Party Platter

    Haiku
    Haiku - The crab rangoons are excellent!

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    The crab rangoons are excellent!

    Lucca

    Lucca

    4.3(157 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Lucca is one of THE best dining experiences in Des Moines. The menu design is a four course meal…read morewhere you can choose your own adventure each visit. The meal begins with a salad course followed by a pasta course. The cod cake salad was incredibly delicious! Both the gnocchi and the amatriciana were standout pastas. I had the pork ribeye which was succulent and cooked to perfection and served with a tomatillo sauce that was so tasty! Dessert is family style with an assortment of desserts for the table including a lemon cake and a tres leches cake. The service was great from start to finish including making the reservation (which I highly recommend). We were greeted the moment we walked through the door and quickly shown to our table. Since we were dining early, the venue was quiet for the first half hour or so, but diners kept coming in and by the time we left the place was hopping. It is very cozy and intimate but not so much so that you feel like other diners are on top of you or that you are listening in on their conversations. We brought our own wine, but there is a vast assortment of wines available. We enjoyed Lucca so much that we have made two future reservations already and are very much looking forward to dining with the wonderful crew there soon!

    I love this place…read more Not only is the food excellent, the team that works here makes the experience great too. I come here for lunch regularly because the menu is fairly priced & the food is quality. I typically order the cajun tuna sandwich because i don't order tuna regularly so it is a real treat. As a side, soup on cold days or the lucca salad on warm days You really can't go wrong with a majority of the menu as everything is good. Side note, it comes very quickly after you order (another plus). I've only had dinner here a few times. The menu is prix fixe with 4 courses (if i remember correctly). All of them delicious. Well worth it. Bonus -- drinks are made strong.

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    Lucca
    Lucca
    Lucca

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    Sakari Sushi Lounge - sushi - Updated May 2026

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