Silk Elephant

Terrific Thai food, served quickly, efficiently, and kindly in a cozy environment…read more Table seating, they also do take out. Server Akaya is nice and knows her products. Loving their Pad Thai and Garlic Noodle chicken dishes. They season so uniquely and solidly, so careful of your spice level request!

Was traveling, didn't want more fast food, and found Siam Table on Yelp. Access not the simplest…read morewith road construction in the area. Staff was friendly and gracious. Ordered basil with beef. Solid, generous portion. Took some home and finished later that night. Would definitely try Siam Table again when in the area, but a different dish.

Inside

Edamame

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Thai Iced Tea

Pho 85 - Ankeny

4.2(111 reviews)

2.5 mi

Definitely worth a visit! Their pho is incredible, affordable, and it comes out very quickly! For…read moreanyone who isn't absolutely starving, I'd say a small or medium size would be perfect. Their large bowl is absolutely giant! I highly recommend the #2, which is the raw steak and brisket. It comes with a heaping plate of bean sprouts, jalapeños, limes, and cilantro you can put into the pho, as well as some chili garlic oil and another teriyaki-ish type sauce. Every bit of the meal was absolutely fantastic!

So lucky to have a great local pho spot in Ankeny. Always fresh and delish. Staff is always…read morefriendly.

7K. Chicken Pad Thai Topped with Peanut

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Spring rolls and mussels

Lucky Bamboo

3.9(131 reviews)

2.5 mi

Are top go to restaurant. The pho is delicious (I even order it in the summer, but it's the perfect…read morewinter meal) and their "Chinese" dishes are always good too! For example, I'll order the orange chicken and the chicken pieces still have a crunch from the breading and not soggy. My only real issue with this place is their crab ragoons as an appetizer are so good, but they give you a different one for the lunch meals and it's not as tasty/creamy. Otherwise, never disappointed.

We had high hopes for this restaurant. It was pretty busy, which is usually a good sign…read more Unfortunately, our experience was not positive. We ordered two appetizers--egg rolls and pot stickers, which were good. The egg drop soup was decent as well, so we were excited to get our entrees--broccoli beef and vegetable lo mein. The dishes LOOKED amazing and fresh, but they smelled like a dirty ashtray. I dont know if the wok was dirty or if something had been burnt, but it tasted terrible. We left both meals on the table after one bite. I'd like to think this was a one-off, but given how bad the food was, we won't be giving Lucky Bamboo another chance.

Entry

Cashew Chicken

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Exterior signage.

Wasabi-Ankeny

4.1(122 reviews)

0.7 mi

The food was great across the board. The ramen was rich and comforting, the noodles were cooked…read morejust right, and the soft-boiled egg was perfect. Everything tasted fresh and well put together, not rushed or sloppy. Service was friendly and quick, and the atmosphere was relaxed, easy place to sit back and enjoy your meal without feeling crowded or hurried. Whether you're in the mood for sushi or a warm bowl of ramen, this spot delivers. Definitely coming back the next time I'm craving Japanese food in Ankeny.

We went in on a late Saturday afternoon and were glad we were still in time to order off the lunch…read moremenu. We tried the 3 roll sushi combo and chicken teriyaki bento box. We got spicy egg drop soups with our lunch and it had an interesting flavor. It wasnt really spicy. I can't really describe it but it was what you would expect if you ordered egg drop soup at a BBQ joint. Not terrible, but not sure I enjoyed it. The salmon avocado and shrimp tempura we ordered were good. The chicken was edible but tasted like they grabbed some precooked chicken from Costco fridge and put it on top of some grilled onions. Overall it was an ok experience. The service was great and we enjoyed the sushi.

Gyudon dish with thinly sliced beef, rice and veggies, topped with an over-easy egg.

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Chicken teriyaki

Cool Basil

3.5(117 reviews)

7.4 mi

We actually stop here every couple months for dependably good pad Thai and friendly service…read more Tonight we are headed home from vacation and decided to grab an order to take home. My mouth is watering already. We like spice level three and always appreciate the crunch of the cabbage, carrots and peanuts. The place is clean (notice their really high health department rating) so even if it isn't beautiful we think it is just fine.

Food was delicious, staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was quiet and nice. Highly recommend…read moreif you are looking for authentic Thai food nearby

Walls need wiped down

Mango delight stir fry.

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Libations!

Mizu Sushi Bar & Japanese Grill

4.1(50 reviews)

3.1 mi

I have visited here quite a few times now to the point where the server recognizes us when we come…read morein. The server is very sweet and attentive. Service has been quick each time we have visited. I think it's safe to say this is our favorite sushi place in the Des Moines area. Apps we recommend: Tuna Tartar, Crab Puff, Beef Negimaki Sushi rolls we like and get often are Fantastic, Ankeny roll, Cowboy, and Volcano. George says chomp chomp chomp out of 3 chomps!

This is a nice place on the north end of Ankeny Boulevard. It's on the end of a strip mall next to…read moreother businesses like Little Cesar's and Tropical Smoothie. I came here for a lunch with my daughter. Walking in the place is modern, nicely decorated and very clean. We were greeted and seated very politely and fast. The menu is large, no pics sorry. But the back page is the lunch specials. We ordered sushi rolls! So good and very high value and quality! The sushi rolls are on the smaller side which I prefer more filler and less rice. All of the fish was very fresh. The service was adequate but not overly friendly. They had a steady lunch crowd come and go while we were there. We will return to try more options!

Restaurant front

Spicy Yellowtail, Spicy Tuna Roll and Tuna Avocado Hand Roll

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Manhattan

The Eggroll Ladies

4.5(39 reviews)

7.7 mi

I saw that the brick and mortar location hours lessened but that doesn't stop the dedicated fans…read more I finally got a chance to try them. It was almost closing time on a Friday evening We were cutting it close to closing so we rushed over. Just a cute little place on the strip mall under the giant flag on 6th. There was not waiting in this cute little place. Its bright with a very kind and friendly young man at the counter. He was super sweet It smells great in here as we strolled up to the counter. I was craving a Spring Roll. I also ordered a small sampler which included 2 egg rolls and 2 Rangoon. My girlfriend and I ordered the last of the fried rice for the day. We got our order to go and took it back home. The spring roll was divine! The crab Rangoon and rolls were also good! The rice, was "end of day rice" . I would 100% go back and get more earlier in the evening. I highly recommend and will be back for more delicious spring rolls and try other thing. I hope to catch the truck out one of these days and dine that way as well.

My first trip to the Ankeny Farmer's Market involved stopping at The Eggroll Ladies' truck, and I'm…read moreglad I did! It was a delicious pork egg roll served hot after being cooked. They give you a pager to indicate when the food is done. I liked the pricing, and the staffer was a nice person who explained the process to this first-timer. You cannot beat the setting at the Farmer's Market, as there were many tables and areas to sit and enjoy the eggroll!

Vegan crab rangoon, eggroll fresh from the air fryer

Vegan crab rangoons

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HuHot Mongolian Grill

3.6(79 reviews)

2.3 mi

came here back in august, the lay out is a bit different, i usually go to the one near downtown…read more came here for my birthday with my boyfriend's family, 5 adults & 2 kids. there was a bit of a wait on a Wednesday night but it didn't take too long, maybe 10 minutes or so for 2 parties to leave so they can push 2 tables together. the servers were super friend, they were on top of our every request especially drinks refills and chopstick helpers for kids because they dropped a pair every 10 minutes haha! I love mongolian grill and a buffet version, man i can't be more happier!

Grill food was okay Service I asked for a bowl of sweet and…read moresour sauce. Waitress looked confused as to what it was. 15 minutes later showed back up without it. Drink had been empty for awhile. When I asked for bill she finally asked if I needed a refill. Told not now If service doesn't improve I will not go back. It had been a year since last visit. Same problem service was poor then and still is now

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Rice with order of the buffet

Hawker's Kitchen

4.7(37 reviews)

3.2 mi

The staff is always so friendly and smiling when we come in! We have been here so many times and…read moretried something new every time because there are so many good options on the menu! And plenty of good drinks options to go with it!

We recently decided to visit this restaurant after receiving a recommendation from a fellow foodie,…read moreand we're glad we did. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted and provided with menus. We ordered the Pork Egg Rolls, Mee Siam, and Nasi Lemak. Each dish was exceptionally flavorful, and we would gladly recommend all three. While the food quality was excellent, the pacing of service was somewhat inconsistent. I had requested the Pork Egg Rolls as an appetizer and was told this would be accommodated. However, the Nasi Lemak arrived first, followed several minutes later by the Pork Egg Rolls, and then my companion's Mee Siam shortly after. The staggered delivery felt unusual and may have been the result of miscommunication in the kitchen. Despite this minor issue, we enjoyed our experience and look forward to returning to explore more of the menu in the future.

Interior and seating.

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Silk Elephant - thai - Updated October 2026

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JJ Jasmine

3.8

(29 reviews)

I was downtown for jury duty today so I decided to have lunch at JJ Jasmine…read more This fast food stop in the skywalk was an easy choice. I was a regular customer when I used to work downtown, and before the location changed due to the Kaleidoscope at the Hub closure. I preferred beef pad Thai, paid, and got my number. I was advised there was water available in the seating area. I found a table and went to get water. The water cooler was empty. I advised the person who brought my food about the water being empty. I had to tell her about 3 times before she understood what I was talking about. That's when I realized how dirty the water class I had actually was. I saw someone going to fill the water cooler immediately. The food was great. The cleanliness of the water glass was not. Sorry, I didn't get a photo of the glass.

Food: food was good (not the best the next day) egg rolls were great!…read more Ambiance: HOT ** Warning** Service: good, asked for take out but ate some there (big portions)

Cool Basil

4.0

(432 reviews)

Des Moines has have blessed with so many Southeast Asian immigrants and because of that we have a…read morehuge Asian food seen. Liam Anivat is one of the entrepreneurs and drivers of the Thai cuisine part of the Asian food boom. I remember his Thai food empire at "Thai flavors: on East 14th Street long ago. He is the major owner of "Cool Basil""Banana leaf", and "Thai Flavours" on Ingersoll. The "Cool Basil" location has killed many restaurants but somehow.they are not only surviving but thriving. Cool Basil is a very large restaurant that seems always busy, and it has to do with it's it serves delicious Thai food. It has great parking, great food and excellent staff. It can be a busy place so depending on the time of day lunch or dinner you may have to wait but they move poeple through quickly. The restaurant is clean and modern the food is still great. It has similar menu items to his other restaurants. On this particular day I had Red Curry chicken. Liam has figured out consistently of his food products at all his restaurants. I've had Red Curry at all his restaurants and it's steady, regular and uniformly good. I always like to support a locally owned business. Liam has developed quite a system and serves a large number of people at all his restaurants. I had my niece and husband from out of town and they both enjoyed it. 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 on 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 any of his places out. If you have out of town food guests who are Thai foodies they will definitely enjoy it.

A picture perfect salad full of zesty flavors that presented a bright symphony of green apples,…read moregrilled chicken with fresh herbs from Cool Basil on 86 in Clive hits the spot with their bold house vinaigrette. The wait staff-- Ma S. -- made sure each dish was to my liking. All the customers seemed to enjoy their meal that had exotic fresh well balanced flavors that enhanced the peaceful environment surrounded by a plethora of exotic aromas from the kitchen.

Lucky Lotus

4.2

(165 reviews)

Lucky Lotus I got…read moreto know Seng and Dala Chen who previously ran Café Fuzion on the east side of Des Moines for 14 years before establishing Lucky Lotus on Ingersoll Avenue. I have many fine memories of cafe fusion. I went there once a week since they were open. The Chens were very innovative in blending different types of Asian cuisine. Seng and Dala helped open up the new restaurant. The siblings took over the major operation of the restaurant , including the theme and the menu and the concept. (Brothers Souriyno Chen (who serves as General Manager and owner) and (Kevin Chen manage the day-to-day operations), offering Southeast Asian dishes inspired by their family heritage. Both restaurants also had numerous family members helping The broader family foundation listed by the restaurant also includes (Donny Chen, and Philip Chen.) Plus numerous other relatives serving and cooking. The young siblings tried to create a clever, modern, and progressive aesthetic with counter service, an upbeat hipster ambiance, and both indoor and outdoor seating. Why maintaining the historical concept of fusion of various asian cuisines Their menu is inspired by the cuisines of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. My favorites are,various currys, pad Thai, drunken noodles, and spring rolls. I absolutely love Crispy Rice Rolls / Nam Khao The crispy rice wraps stand out for their crispy fried coconut rice, fresh lettuce, carrots, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs, all wrapped in rice paper. It's generous portions and so fresh! They are served with a flavorful brightside sauce and are large enough to share or enjoy as a light meal. Other things I want to try are the zen noodle salad, and khao poon (coconut curry noodle soup). The restaurant worked hard to create many dietary options: Widely praised on platforms like HappyCow for offering fantastic vegan and vegetarian options, with knowledgeable staff ready to help navigate ingredients.They offer fun unique specialty beverages including Keule lemonade and traditional Thai tea. Other drinks include the mango dragon lemonade with mango boba or the lotus lagoon butterfly pea flower tea with passionfruit lemonade and lychee boba. Seasonal drinks like pumpkin spice Thai tea also appear on the menu. They offer unique desserts like mango sticky rice with butterfly pea flower infused sticky rice and mango guava cheesecake with mango mousse and toasted almonds. It's well worth a visit and "to go" is a good option if you wanna take dinner home. There's lots of different parking options.

We were greeted promptly by a friendly employee who answered our questions and was very…read moreaccommodating of our food sensitivities and allergies. The atmosphere was fun and modern without feeling overdone. I was happy to see that the Thai tea could be made with oat milk. We ordered the Pad Thai with chicken, Lao sausage, Dala dumplings, and Nam Khao with sour pork. The Nam Khao at spice level 3 was milder than expected but still enjoyable. The dumplings had a great texture, and while the filling was bland, the dipping sauce made up for it and was delicious and complemented the dish perfectly. The Lao sausage was sweet and garlicky, but the sticky rice was a little dry. The Pad Thai was just how I like it with fresh vegetables and not overly saucy. Parking is hard to find, and it is on a busy street. So plan accordingly. It took us about 15 minutes to find decent parking that was half a block away. We didn't mind the walking, but we thought there would be a designated parking lot. But there is not unfortunately. Overall, we had a good experience and would recommend this spot if you are looking for Lao and Thai flavors.

Rolling Wok Asian Cuisine & Pho

4.5

(53 reviews)

I stopped by Rolling Wok this past Saturday night after coming back into town after a trip to…read moreBoone. It's right off of 141 just North of the QT. It wasn't my intent to review this visit to Rolling Wok. But things change... I just know I really like their food, I was hungry, and it was on the way. A perfect storm some would say! I first tried Rolling Wok during the pandemic and their ability to offer pick up via a drive up window on the North side of the building was a great fit for that season. The food and service has always been on point! I sure wish I made it over there more often than I do... Everything comes out of the kitchen hot, fresh, and the depth of flavor is always impressive. The business is in a strip so parking is easy. It's seat yourself. Seating is a small bar and low top tables and chairs. Standard table service for ordering and payment. Love the decor and vibe here. Modern but with a hint of traditional. The menu is front and back and varies from Thai and other regional dishes, including curries, to a few standard Chinese items. We ordered the following: 2x egg rolls 1x Drunken noodles lo mein style with chicken (4-vey hot) 1x Shrimp and beef fried rice (1-mild) 1x soda (Coke products) 1x unsweetened ice tea Abby was serving us last night and she did an amazing job. I'm assuming Abby as that was what the receipt said. Even though she's helped me before I'm not sure we've ever formally introduced ourselves. I need to be better about that... I do know she's the owner's sister. As far as I could tell they were probably a staff of two last night. She was working the front by herself and I'm sure there was at least one person in the kitchen cooking. The food was great as always! The drunken noodles lo mein style is a favorite of mine! A level 4 or 5 really brings the heat... But Abby is the star of the show! So patient and personable...! Couldn't ask for a more amazing host! If you haven't been... Rolling Wok is well worth you making the short trip out to Grimes. https://rollingwokgrimes.com/

FLAVOR! Wow! I was I. The mood for something with noodles in it. But, when I looked over the menu…read morethere were so many things I wanted to try. I asked the server about the papaya salad combo and once she told me it's her family's recipe and the Lao sausage was her fav, I had to have it! My food came out perfectly! Sticky rice was perfectly made, the papaya salad had the exact amount of spice and the sausage was sooo tasty! I'm in town for business, but if I'm back again I would definitely try more of their dishes.

Ariyan

4.9

(11 reviews)

The Thai food was fresh, lots of chicken in my noodle dish. My son ordered Lo Mein with steak.read more

Ariyan is on the former Oh Sushi location in the Beaverdale area…read more Oh Sushi had an all you can eat (ayce) sushi option that I used to get about once every couple of months. After they bought the business and before rebranding to Ariyan they did away with the all you can eat sushi option. Understandable, but it's one of the things that made Oh Sushi as popular as it was. Though the variety of options was less that Izumi or other buffets who offer ayce sushi in the metro... The quality of the sushi at Oh Sushi was above and beyond. This elimination really disappointed me at the time as well as others. That being said I knew that eventually I would get to Ariyan. My daughter and I stopped in this past Saturday for lunch. Parking is available in two nearby lots and on the street. Seating is all low top tables and chairs with a bench along the South wall. The decor is the same for the most part. Tasteful and modern yet traditional. The host station is now in the Southwest corner v. the Southeast corner (closest to the door). I'm not sure why they made that change... It seems a little awkward for the host station to be that far away from the door. It also eliminated one of my favorite tables to sit at... The menu is extensive with a wide selection of sushi and rolls. They also have some typical Chinese and Thai options available. I was happy to see two of my favorite rolls still on the menu. We ordered: 1x Anger Management roll 1x Black Panther roll 1x Orange chicken (spice level 3 with white rice) 1x Miso soup (came free with our order...one of the specials) 2x Waters Service was good. The young lady serving us was attentive and seemed nice. The specials were a little hard to follow... At the time we were there they were running 15% off of select items and a free side. I'm still not sure what we ordered to get the free side... Lol I tried a piece of my daughter's orange chicken. I liked it. The sauce had good flavor. The breading was starting to fall off and I think she would have preferred it a little more crispy. The heat level for a 3 was appropriate. The base flavors of my two rolls were the same as they used to be. Same components and sauces, but there was a weird grit to both rolls. It was hard for me to pin down what exactly it was. I'm still not sure if it was just a different rice or something else... Despite the difference in texture they were both good. But not the same... I shouldn't have expected them to be. While I was overall happy with my experience at Ariyan I'm not sure it's enough to make me drive over to Beaverdale anymore. I can get similar menu options at any of the Wasabis, Cool Basil, or Mandarin closer to where I live in the metro. I realize this review is somewhat jaded since I'm comparing it to the former business model... A place I held close to my heart. I almost wish Ariyan had changed it up 100% and not tried to carry over pieces of the Oh Sushi menu and experience, but not all of it. I would still encourage you to try Ariyan out! Especially if you are close to the Beaverdale area...! It might end up being your favorite new spot for sushi and Asian cuisine! https://www.facebook.com/ariyandsm/

Mr Eggroll

3.2

(42 reviews)

I think this is a Great hidden gem on the south side of Des Moines. They have good food and vegi…read moreoptions which is limited in Des Moines fast food Chinese places. The bad: no restroom, can drinks only (check dates on them) The good: food, Chinese, fast, alright pricing, nice family restaurant, order and eat

they don't even deserve one star absolutely disgusting and the owner was rude as hell. i will not…read morebe going back I didn't even ask for my money back until the end of all of it, just asked for the food to be replaced and she said no I can not serve this to anyone and can't give u new food. gross. and I will be warning people about this place. Meat wasn't cooked all the way egg rolls were not egg rolls they were spring rolls. Lomien noodles wa not even lo mien. any good restaurant owner would definitely go above and beyond to fix the meal at least but she didn't and argued with me about it absolutely unprofessional at its finest DO NOT COME HERE!!!! Trash!!

Wok N Grill

4.8

(11 reviews)

Best Chinese food in DSM by a mile. Always hot and fresh, fried items are always crispy and…read moreeverything is seasoned very well, even the appetizer fillings. Also 100% accommodating to requests for allergies or adjustments. Service both dine in and takeout is also on time, fast, and food is fresh either way. The restaurant is very clean, relaxed atmosphere and the wait staff is incredibly friendly. Great spot for a casual night out with or without kids.

A new Asian Fusion Restaurant has opened on 128th and University in Clive called Wok N Grill with…read morephenomenal Udon. Of course there are other offerings that are just as tasty, but the noodles are soft, fluffy and seasoned to that umami flavor that you may enjoy. The friendly staffer seats you promptly to an area with new mod furnishings suitable for any casual gathering. The food, super clean restrooms and front parking is a plus for a small casual busy strip mall corner restaurant. The menu has many options with moderate pricing. The chicken dishes were cheaper than the beef options if you are budget conscious. Yet, whatever you order, in my opinion, is made fresh with pleasing your taste buds as their order of the day.

Teriyaki Boys

4.4

(18 reviews)