Despite being one of the few halal restaurants in the area, we won't be returning. We'd honestly…read morerather settle for a vegetarian meal elsewhere. The hummus was grainy and overly sour--I've had better from the grocery store. The kebabs were extremely dry, lacked flavor, and were only edible after drowning them in sauce. The side salad was soggy, and even the olives tasted like the inexpensive canned variety. Overall, the meal was disappointing, especially considering how hard it is to find good halal options nearby.

"Do I order here or sit down..." roughly what I asked as well as the next guy who came in while we…read morewere eating. Whoever is at the front desk should proactively greet each person and ask "dining in or to go?" Instead the lady waited for me and the next person to takk with her first. Then she asked if we knew what we wanted. If they fix this, your answer should be "to go". While the ambiance is lovely, the fact they make you buy bottles of drinks instead of having cups of water or other drinks available really decreases the value of sitting in and cheapens the experience. The restaurant ambiance is also marred by all the items for sale like a local market. Perhaps it makes it feel more genuine, but definitely makes it feel less fine dining. That and the music gets interrupted by what is likely alarms or timers on the phone playing music. Perhaps it shouldn't be thought of as fine dining, and more of a foreign family diner. The service was nearly non-existent. As mentioned before you had to proactively ask how things worked, there were no refills as it's just bottles ... and the bottles just sit in a fridge. Outside of that she sat at the front desk on her phone, though she did ask how everything was... once... after we got it. She also thanked us for coming when we left. It took about 10 minutes to get food... not bad since the food seemed fresh. That said the food was good enough. I've had better chicken shawarmas, but nothing tasted bad. It's slightly above average experience hence the rating. I wouldn't go so far as to say you must try this place, but I wouldn't say don't come here either. I hope they improve the experience over time. This review is meant as constructive criticism.

Every time my family and I go to any of the locations we ALWAYS enjoy ourselves. The staff is…read moreattentive to their guest, constantly checking on their tables and making sure that we are doing okay during the entire visit. Like I said we have been to all the locations and the consistency of the entrees are all the SAME.

I've been meaning to try this place ever since I learned there was a WDM location. Located in a…read morestrip mall at the corner of Grand and EP True (by the HyVee), the decor is nothing special but it was light and bright inside. We were greeted and asked if we were dining in (it appears they do a brisk takeout business) and were told to sit where we wanted. It was surprisingly crowded for a Sunday afternoon at 4 pm. The menu is extensive and hubby and I both like Mediterranean food. I chose the Falafel plate, served with five falafel balls, hummus, a pita, and Greek salad. The portion was generous (ended up taking two falafel home). Served with tahini and their house green sauce (olive oil, cilantro, and jalapeño) It wasn't spicy but it was so delicious - I could get addicted to this thinking of all the other ways so could enjoy it!! The Greek salad was served with house dressing - garlic and yogurt, also very good. The falafel was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, and flavorful. The hummus was not at all grainy - smooth but just a tad bland. Hubby had the lamb skewers and liked them very much. Served with rice, salad, and hummus. He also took one of the skewers home. We both had the mango Fresca juice. A bit too sweet for me but I generally drink unsweetened beverages. Hubby liked it a lot. Service was friendly and we were checked on twice to ask how we liked our food. Generous portions, friendly service, good food, but not inexpensive (with tip, $55 for two) but what is inexpensive these days?? We enjoyed reading the story of the couple who started this restaurant, and I'm glad we finally had a chance to try it?

There have been restaurants with several styles of food that have come up lately that have made us…read morevery happy, and I have talked about them in their reviews. We went to one such today. Lizzie and I have bemoaned the lack of a good shawarma place. You're get no more moaning from us, except moans of pleasure. We went very simple today, I got shawarma, Lizzie got a lamb kebob, we shared some hummus. First the hummus. It's the best hummus in town. Simple, rich with flavor, with an amazing flat bread that comes with it. I had a taste of Lizzie's lamb kebob, and it was great. A bit of her salad as well, also really tasty. My shawarma was incredible. The meat was spiced nicely, the pickles included were so tasty. The garlic sauce that came with it was subtle, but added so much. We will be going back again and again. This leaped into my top 5 favorite places in town easily today. Go give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

New family owned local restaurant. We had a chicken and a falafel shawarma to go. Both were really…read morefresh and flavorful. My kid devoured it didn't even complain that it had salad :) Also had a Kunafa for desert, delicious!

We are from out of town and have been looking for a good Greek restaurant for quite some time. We…read morefound this place from a google search and we were not disappointed. Excellent food, excellent service really well priced. Wonderful time

A wonderful taste of Greece right here in downtown Des Moines. Pictures of mom back in Greece on…read morethe wall, and her recipes used, lend a real feel of authenticity. We were welcomed warmly and seated immediately. Started with a few appetizers, which were over the top. Enjoyed the Gyro platter and some moussaka all very good flavor. A nice selection of beer and some wines to accompany just about any dish. Complementary salad and soup with almost every entrée mix for a very filling meal. Open most days from 11 AM to 9 PM. Check it out when you're in the area.

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

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

That was darn good food! We got our first take out with them and it did not disappoint. Very tasty…read moreand authentic flavors, prepared with fresh ingredients. We had the Darna platter and the fattoush salad with delicious baklava for dessert, that way we could taste a bit of everything they offer. They create a very welcoming atmosphere and ambiance from the moment you step in until you leave. It felt like true middle eastern hospitality We will be back and spread the word with others! Go and have try you will not be disappointed!

We are so glad we tried this place. We had been driving all day and didn't want to eat heavy or…read moregreasy food so we came here. Everything was fresh and so delicious! The garlic sauce is so good! Woman who took care of us was so kind, made sure to come and wipe our table, gave us a free taste of cheesecake and was very helpful. The Baklava was some of the best we have ever had! Cute inside! Would go back!!

Love the loose meat. Right off the highway headed to Minnesota. Kind staff other food was good too…read more Cheese balls and pork tenderloin! Way better than most fast food chains in the area. Loose meat brings you right back to the Iowa feeling. Crave it after driving past all those corn fields.

This Maid-Rite recently made the news on KCCI and has been all over social media. This is the last…read moreMaid-Rite in Des Moines. The business has seen a substantial decrease in sales since the pandemic and have been struggling with the construction in the area affecting customer traffic. I'm not really sure I can say anymore than what has already been said by so many others recently... So I'm going to keep this relatively short. I went with a cheese rite with everything in a basket with fries and a drink (Pepsi products) and a plain chili cheese rite... Support local! It's an easy thing to do when a place serves good food and has a great staff... Brian and his team are personable and do a wonderful job at the counter and in their kitchen. Maid-Rite sandwiches are nostalgic for me and evergreen in that the first one I had was probably close to 50 years ago... And I still enjoy them today. And a fun fact. As much as I enjoy a breaded pork tenderloin (which Maid-Rite also serves)... Loose meat sandwiches are the official state sandwich Iowa is known for. Google it. Grab a Maid-Rite sandwich! Whatever combination floats your boat... And then come back to MHM to support Brenda at Vietnam Cafe and Tamales Industry too! https://www.facebook.com/maidritemhm?mibextid=LQQJ4d

It was alright. We…read morewere traveling through the area and I found they had a Maid-Rite near our hotel. As an Iowan, I've enjoyed Maid-Rites from a young age. I seek them out when I'm back in the Midwest. We found the Ankeny store easily. It's next to Walmart. The front of the store looks modern. Inside was white and red and was decorated nicely. We got here around 7pm. They close at 8pm. Cleanup hadn't started. Most of the table and booths had not been wiped off. We ended up finding a clean booth to use. We ordered: - Cheese-Rite sandwiches x 2 - French fries - Mac n Cheese - Soft drink The Cheese-Rites were "okay". Not as good as those I've had many times at other locations. Things I noticed about it as different were: 1. The loose meet was darker than I've seen before 2. The loose meat wasn't juicy at all. By that, I mean it was squeezed pretty dry They weren't horrible - they just weren't as good as I've come to enjoy elsewhere. I'd certainly eat them here again though. The fries were hot and crispy. Nice job. The Mac and Cheese looked great but was not served very warm at all. We elected to not send it back. Taste was okay. In summary - the food was okay, the restaurant was a bit dirty, the teens working there did an okay job of taking, making and serving our food. We eat here again.

We were on a road trip and heard we had to stop for a Maid-Rite in Iowa. We both ordered meals with…read moretheir homemade onion rings. The Maid-Rite reminded me of a sloppy Joe without the red sauce. we added ketchup, mustard, and cheese. The sandwich was simple and tasty. The onion rings were fresh and delicious. The staff was friendly and helpful, and there's a large dining area if you want to eat inside, plus the option to take your food to go.