Haiku is not only located in the middle of the United States it's located in the middle of Iowa in the middle of Des Moines. It's ranking for Des Moines sushi offerings is near the top. Wasabi Chi & Tao are what I measure all such restaurants against. IMPRESSIONS: Located on the Drake University campus, easy parking, on the street level of a housing complex next to a Subway. When you walk it your ears are hit with a wall of sound as the hard surfaces amplify the din of a busy restaurant. We were greeted and seated quickly. I like the Drake blue lighting for atmosphere. ORDERED: Sweet Potato Roll $4, Spicy Tuna, specialty rolls: Tiger $12 (Salmon, tuna, yellowtail & eel on the top with tempura crunch, roes, scallions & spicy tuna inside), New England $12 (Spicy salmon & yellowtail with pepper tuna & avocado on top), Peach Roll $12 (Salmon & avocado with sweet peaches on top), water to drink TASTED: I order sweet potato roll at every sushi place I visit. This one is stellar - crunchy and warm potato. The regular rolls are larger than most. The spicy tuna roll was also fantastic, albeit spicier than most needing no wasabi. The Tiger and New England rolls rival the taste and appearance of Wasabi Chi & Tao. Lots of varying textures and flavors. Haiku uses less flashy sauces than most. The Peach roll was unique using peach instead of the standard mango. I really liked the umami and sweet fruit contrast. If ever there was a dessert sushi roll this would be it. POST: Our service was inattentive. She checked on us once and that was after we were half finished with our dinner. Water kept full by at least someone on the Haiku staff. A solid place to drop $50 on a meal. Something struck me as funny that paper wrapped disposable chop sticks were wrapped in black cloth napkins. TVs tuned to the NCAA basketball tournament. CHANCE OF RETURN: 7/10
(3)
Sarah N.
Probably the worst sushi I have ever had. Hy-Vee and cafeteria sushi is better than this. We ordered two rolls to go and they were crammed into one very small container. For $12 the rolls were extremely small. The rolls were like mush and just really bad. With several other sushi options in Des Moines. Drive the extra 5 minutes and go to Sakari. So bad.
(1)
Kristyn M.
Oh my goodness. Had been awhile since I visited and glad that fate brought me back. My normal first choice was not open we swung out here instead. I got adventurous and tried the Haiku salad. So glad that i did. Yum all the way around. Such a great in one salad. To quote another yelper "it was like the chefs got drunk one night and mixed all the salads". My choice for roll was the American dream. Yum! And just because I was craving it I had them add cream cheese. *wipes corners of my mouth* You can always add cream cheese. I enjoyed it very much. Very smooth texture all around. My fiance was head over heels for the Crunchy roll. And enjoyed the Dragon. Though He thought the was bland. He thought maybe for the price there would be more of the roll. I was stuffed from the salad and had to share my roll. He didn't mind as he enjoyed it. We stuffed abd the waitress was kind and I will go back.
(4)
Bill L.
Located on Drake University campus, this is a great sushi restaurant for anyone looking for good food and atmosphere. To describe the atmosphere, if you took away the tables and seats it would look like a classy bar/club. The lighting and decor is very nice, definitely a good place for a date. The staff members are all very friendly from entry to exit. The customers in this establishment range from families, to young couples, to groups of friends. For our visit we ordered the Soft Shell Crab for an appetizer, the Drake Roll and Rock N Roll for the sushi rolls, and Coconut Shrimp for an entree to share. The Soft-Shell Crab was okay, the taste was fine, but the amount was a bit disappointing. The specialty rolls were very good, I wouldn't say the best in town, but very good. The Coconut Shrimp was excellent as well, the flavor and texture was spot on. I would recommend checking this place out if you are in the area! You will not be disappointed with the atmosphere, staff, and food!
(5)
Thao P.
Haiku is conveniently located next to the Drake University campus. It shares ownership with Appare I believe.. So some of the food is a little similar. I love the atmosphere here. The neon blue theme is really cool and there's an awesome vibe here. I got their most popular salad which is the Haiku salad and it was amazing! It's basically like the chefs were drunk one night and just put all the Japanese salads together. It's a mixture of seaweed salad, squid salad, crab, and avocado. The dressing is light and really compliments it. Got a Las Vegas, American dream, and philly roll. The Las Vegas roll is amazing! Yummy fried goodness. Thought the philly roll had too much cream cheese in relation to the fish though. Too be honest, I felt there should have been more sushi pieces for the money when comparing other places in iowa. Also..My partner got the beef udon and really liked it. Overall, I would recommend this place. I would have given it three stars but the salad made it worth a 4.
(4)
Ashley M.
Update: tried this place again after boycotting it for so long. The service has improved and the only thing is that the sushi was very very loose and falling apart. We told our waitress and she brought us a dessert. So sweet!
(4)
Yana W.
I was pleasantly surprised with haiku. The location, although extremely convenient for me as a drake student, made me apprehensive. I wouldn't imagine that somewhere in a little strip not in the city would have amazing sushi but it does!! It's delicious, I will definitely come here again!!
(5)
Avonni H.
Not happy with my service tonight. When I arrived to pick up my order I pulled it out of the bag to check for the peanuts. I ordered the vegetable pad thai (last time they forgot them). The cashier asked what I was looking for. I told her I was checking for the peanuts. She began telling me how good the chef was and I replied no one is perfect he forgot them last time. I then asked for extra peanuts and some chili flakes because after I looked at it. I didn't see any chili flakes and I asked for it be medium spicy. She tried to charge me a dollar and I declined. Guess what? When I got it home....NO MEDIUM SPICY AT ALL!! I was so disappointed. I like a little heat in my food. Not to mention the fact that there was an ungodly amount of onion and I'm an onion freak. I love it and put it in everything. But, its not a chocolate chip cookie and I don't want to taste onion in every bite. (photos to follow). Haiku this was your last chance. The last time I went there I ordered the pork chop. They were chewy and completely inedible. Tasted like they had been in the fridge for 3-4 days. I was supposed to take them back for a full refund and I opted not to because it was a huge inconvenience to me and my time. I told them how disgusting the pork chop dish was and doubt they do this to people who dine in. This was a to go order. So BEWARE of the pork chop if your getting it to go. The sushi here is pretty good. Steer clear of the other items on the menu. It's a crap shoot as to what it will taste like when you get anything to go. Very disappointed. Shame on you Haiku I have been a loyal customer but, your customer service sucks!! and your pork chop recipe needs a complete revision. Buyer beware. If you like chewy pork chops. Haiku is the place for you. I won't be going back.
(1)
Joni R.
We shared six rolls between all four of us and they were delicious!! However, when we got here today, there was a sign on the door that said they weren't serving alcohol at this time! We asked the waiter why and we were told they let the liquor license expire. What a bummer!! The service also was not awesome. Took forever before we ordered and then also took forever when we were trying to leave. We came here because we had been in the past and it was awesome. Not sure what the deal is now.
(3)
Jeni B.
I was here once before and had an awesome dinner with family. Tonight I tried to take my husband after a long day. We arrived at 9:30 and the sign said open until 10. We walked in and the hostess was on her smart phone and caught off guard. She checked the time and said we could only get carry out. ?? As soon as we left (with no carry out) she turned off the open sign. What are your hours?
(3)
Mark H.
This is probably one of the best sushi restaurants in Iowa. The staff is very knowledgable and friendly. If you are just looking for a Californian roll, you can find that somewhere else. These chefs are professional and have imagination.
(5)
Cindy B.
This is over due. We have frequented many sushi restaurants and Haiku is hands down or favorite. I am perplexed as to why Myabi 9 receives high accolades when it cannot light a candle to Haiku's food, ambience and service. Sammi, a server, is such a sweetheart. You feel more like her friend than a patron.
(5)
Aeon G.
Visited Haiku based off some good word of mouth, wish I hadn't, but at least now I know. I was disappointed even looking at the menu. The sushi menu seemed unimaginative with a multitude of rolls containing different variations of the same 6 or so ingredients. I'd say Jalapeños and mango was probably over used. I'd prefer to see one specialty roll where an ingredient like mango is used very well, not multiple rolls where it's the center piece. We started with edamame, which was good. The beans were thick and it was seasoned well. Not to salty, I ordered the mango lovers and a simple spicy tuna as a gauge for the quality. The spicy tuna roll was more avocado than fish, had almost no spice or flavor really at all. The mango lovers roll was a mess of its own as well. The roll taste okay as a whole, but none of the ingredients were distinguishable. It was just a sweet mess of moist fish and fruit. I have no intention of visiting this place a second time as I have much closer to home sushi places that I regular.
(1)
K P.
Best sushi ive had in town and ive had almost all of them. Ive been there 4 times now and scrumptious everytime. The mussel tizer is one of the best things ive eaten anywhere period and the seafood fantasy roll is awesome. The spicy tuna hand roll is one thing i always get at sushi joints and theirs is the best. I see alot of people give sushi places bad marks for service and to those id say get yer candy asses back to subway and eat "fresh" if u want yer food fast and your diarrhea faster. I will always take freshness and taste over speedy service. Heck u dont even have to be nice if your food is tits
(5)
Veronica K.
I didn't know what to expect because most of the recent reviews were less than stellar. It's weird because most of the great reviews are before 2013. Then after 2013 the ratings go downhill. I don't know what happened. Maybe there was a turnover in waitstaff or a change in owners? I wanted to give Haiku a try anyway because my husband and I are on a quest to try all of the sushi places in town. I thought the atmosphere in Haiku was great. It definitely had a big-city look and feel to it. It looked like it could have been a restaurant in Chicago or Minneapolis. I really liked the look. Kudos to the interior decorator. They definitely put some thought into the style and look. The parking situation isn't that great, though. I wish they had dedicated parking for the restaurant. We shared a plate of the gyoza because we love it and always try it at every sushi restaurant. Theirs was excellent; perfectly steamed and pan fried. It had great flavor, as well. So our evening started off on a good note. Our waitress was nice and attentive, too. So I don't know what's up about those bad reviews complaining about terrible service. Maybe it was just an off night or they were just unlucky and got a bad waitress. Ours was good. Although, she didn't offer to refill my water until the end of my meal. I ordered a California roll with spicy mayo (my favorite) and a Philadelphia roll. My husband ordered a spider roll and and an Alaskan roll. He thought both were pretty good, although, he wasn't expecting the crab to be fried tempura-style. He was hoping it would be fresh and uncooked. I liked my California roll, but it was kind of loosely-wrapped. A couple of pieces fell apart when I tried to eat them. My Philadelphia roll was just ok. The smoked salmon in it didn't taste that smoky. I've had better Philadelphia rolls at other places. I have to say they were generous with the amount of ginger they gave us. Usually most sushi joints are pretty skimpy with their ginger and I always have to ask for more. The wasabi was very fresh, too. I always like that. One thing I was very surprised about was that they charged me $1.00 extra for the spicy mayo on my California roll. Every time I've asked for it at other restaurants, I've never been charged extra. I can't believe they charged me for it. I wish the waitress would have told me that it was going to be an extra charge so I knew about it ahead of time. The rolls were good but not the best sushi we've ever had. Appare is still our favorite place. They're pricier, but worth it. We didn't think Haiku's prices were that high, contrary what some other reviewers have said. We'll try this place again. Next time we'll try some of the special rolls to see if they're any good. We wouldn't come here all the time, but just when we wanted a change of pace. Our favorite neighborhood sushi place is Sakura. Whenever we feel like having some good, inexpensive sushi, we go there.
(3)
Brian D.
Very, very good. Second only to my favorite, Umi Grill in Terre Haute, Indiana. My only complaint is that the nori was just a little tough, making it difficult to bite my American Dream roll without destroying it. Staff is friendly and atmosphere is surprisingly sophisticated for being basically on campus. Be forewarned: both Google Maps and Apple Maps incorrectly plot the location of this restaurant! It's NOT on 31st Street, but Carpenter.
(4)
Yi F.
The place is clean and tidy. There are two servers when we came for Lunch. They are both very nice. One of them can speak good Chinese. The noodles are a little salty. Others are good. The fish is fresh.
(4)
Hil H.
My husband and I wanted to try a new sushi restaurant in Des Moines and decided on Haiku. The atmosphere is pretty neat. The service staff and cooks arrived exactly at opening time, which seemed a little odd to me. So we were sat and then had to wait several minutes to order drinks or food. We ordered the California and Volcano rolls. Normally between my husband and myself, we can share two rolls and be full. The rolls here were higher priced than other places in Des Moines and they were absolutely tiny. They fell apart easily; very difficult to eat. The Volcano roll was four small pieces - I would have liked a spoon to eat it because it was impossible to pick up with chopsticks. After eating here, my husband asked me if I would like to go out for "second lunch" because he was still so hungry despite having spent around $30 for lunch already.
(1)
Anastaysa B.
Can you rate something below one star? The fish was not fresh, my order was not true to the menu description and the manager, Rachel, was combative and completely uneducated insofar as the menu. I sent both my food and my drink back and will absolutely not be attending again. Order mistakes are one thing; atrocious (not just poor, AWFUL) service is another. Bad fish, bad drinks, incredibly bad service. This restaurant is for masochists only. EDIT: Did I mention the manager lied about being the manager until another server called her out, presumably to avoid dealing with me, a paying customer and rather polite overall? And when we refused to pay for things we sent back, she threatened to call the police? I know of at least three other people that have had an awful experience at this "restaurant". Don't do it, kids.
(1)
Amy S.
A friend and I decided to try a new sushi place. The shrimp shumai was great, the service was fine, but the rolls were warm and mushy. I ended up feeling poorly the remainder of the evening. I highly suggest you pick any other sushi restaurant in Des Moines.
(1)
Kevin T.
Best Sushi I have found in DM so far. Rolls and Sashmi was very fresh and tasty. I have seen better presentations else where but what they lacked there they made up for it in great fish. We also had enamame (sp) as an appetizer. They were steamed well and lightly salted. Great start to a good meal. We had a large group so we ordered the Party Platter and some rolls (sorry I don't know which ones they were I did not order them) Like I said before it was all great. Very impressed. I will go here over Maybi 9 any day of the week.
(5)
Carrie M.
3 Words...Mango Lover's Roll We go here quite often and have only find one minor flaw. The rolls aren't rolled tight enough, which is insignificant because we eat them so often it doesn't bother us. The Crab Rangoon are really good as are the rolls NYC, Las Vegas and Rock N Roll. We have eaten at every sushi restaurant in Des Moines and by far Haiku is our favorite. Fresh, Delicious and cool ambiance.
(5)
Kim B.
Bad, just bad. Ordered calamari to start and received a plate of chewy tasteless rings. Sushi was equally unpleasant. The rolls were soggy (fell apart very easily) and not fresh at all. The waitstaff was aloof and the hostesses looked downright bored out of their minds. Like others, I noticed only one cook in the back and one sushi chef. Poor guys looked rushed to put together food for the Friday night crowd. After a $50+ check, we left hungry and annoyed. This may be one of the only times my husband and I have left uneaten sushi on our plates. This place is definitely overpriced for the quality. You're better off going to Miyabi 9 (and maybe paying 5-10 more bucks for your meal).
(1)
Thuy N.
My first sushi experience in Des Moines...it has a great variety of dishes, whether you are vegetarian, sushi naive or adventurous. The sashimi combo plate had a good portion and considering its the midwest, its pretty fresh. The seaweed salad had a good flavor to it. I also tried the spicy tuna crunch and that was quite tasty with a nice hold in the roll. It stayed together and the tempura with fish roe complimented each other well. Definitely will go back! The servers are attentive and gave great advice!
(4)
Kurt F.
I went to Haiku for lunch today with a friend. I am always eager to try different sushi restaurants in Des Moines. Service was courteous and prompt. The food was another matter. The rolls were a little pricier than I am used to, and were very loosely rolled. I am not accustomed to sushi rolls falling apart when I pick them up with my chopsticks. There was a rather excessive amount of mayo in the spicy tuna roll. The yellow tail sashimi wasn't especially fresh. The $15 special roll I purchased was quite disappointing. I cannot recall the name of the roll but it was spicy tuna, avocado, and asparagus with roe on top. It was loosely rolled as was the spicy tuna, which made eating it somewhat annoying. The edamame was good. My friend enjoyed her meal but I was honestly expecting a lot better from Haiku.
(2)
Shing Yiing O.
"Let's go to Haiku".. My roommate and I always said that since it's located not even 500 feet from where I live right now.. This is so far the best Japanese Restaurant around Drake and the price is reasonable.. I don't want to be too harsh on rating it.. Definitely will not beat the restaurant that I had been to in NYC. Well.. since is Asian Fusion.. I think they deserve a 3 stars.. YES!! 3 STARS!!! Service: Their service is always good as they will ask us how's our food every time after our meal to make sure everything is fine.. As for the sushi.. I always ordered different types of their specialty whenever I am there.. (Because I dislike eating the same thing over and over again.. and I am adventurous in trying out different kinds of FOOD!!!) their seaweed salad and squid salad are good but it's normal.. I always order the seaweed salad instead of the squid salad because it tasted more "original" compare to the squid salad. My friend ordered the Salmon Skin Salad.. I tried it and I think is a little "Americanize".. The sauce in the salad is a little too much and too salty.. I will not recommend it.. I love the soft shell crab.. If you want something that gives you a feeling of Japan when you are eating.. order the soft shell crab sushi!!! :) I had the volcano sushi as well and it's really interesting and well presented. (food always taste good when they looks good.. isn't it???) If you are still hungry after that... PLS DO NOT ORDER THE MOCHI!!!! My roommate and I ordered the green tea mochi and green tea ice-cream once.. The mochi tasted extremely bad!!! The texture of the mochi is supposed to be "GUI"(I am sorry I do not know what other words to use).. The mochi that they served tasted like plastic.. where they actually cut into half and served us!!! When we both eat it.. our facial expression totally change.. (I guess they might get it from asian market or something).. As for the green tea ice-cream.. Nothing much to comment about it since it's just a normal green tea ice-cream!
(3)
Ralph P.
Oddly enough the prices at Haiku have been very fair for sushi despite its upscale decoration and location. Some rolls come in at the 4$ mark and taste great. I've seen other sushi places sell a haiku 4$ roll at double the price. I've never had any issues with freshness and things are very consistent. The spicy tuna was amazing, and the spider roll was strong too. The fully cooked food is also tasty. I liked their veggies with a clearly house made teriaki sauce. Haiku should be your go-to for carry out sushi in DSM. The only gripe is things get backed up during sit down service, especially for cooked meals.
(4)
Alexis R.
Darn good stuff! We tried to do sushi happy hour at the other place but it was packed and Haiku is close to home. The spicy rolls were actually spicy! Yay! I'm forever getting not-spicy "spicy" rolls around here. So I was pleasantly surprised by the level of heat in my spicy maki combo. Not too much, just enough. The boy got a Las Vegas roll and couldn't stop raving about it. Furthermore, Haiku has a great drink special every night. Tonight (and last night, I believe) domestics are $2 and there's a special on sake bombs. There's a drink special most, if not all, nights. The atmosphere is awfully nice, too. All the blue. It's very calming. It's too bad that this place is so good and within walking distance of the house. Now that we've tried it I'm going to be annoying the boy about going back too often for our budget, I'm sure.
(4)
Jessica D.
I know, I know I already reviewed this place on 4/4/11, but I can't help myself. I have to give an update and bump up the stars to 5, given that this is now one of our favorite places to go and it has never failed to please. Haiku only gets better! The staff is nothing short of amazing with us, and this just adds to the experience of the food, which continues to impress. For appetizers, the Gyoza (steamed pork dumplings) and Crab Rangoon are a good choice for those who want to know what to expect, though Haiku's are a cut above what most might expect. For those who want something unexpected, try Leo's Treat, but be warned, share it or you won't be able to eat a heck of a lot more. It can be a meal unto itself and it's a tasty one at that! Props to Haiku for getting me to not only eat raw fish, but like it and, at time, crave it. The white tuna sashimi is a must try. It literally melts like butter in your mouth and the flavor is surprising. The Peppered Tuna Salad is OMG-BRILLIANT with pepper encrusted flash-seared raw tuna over a bed of lightly dressed greens. When you pop it in your mouth, the tuna tastes slightly smoky with a zing of pepper, and like the white tuna sashimi, it eventually melts into an amalgam of wonder on your tongue. TRY IT, after you've tried the Haiku salad, of course. Rolls are what Haiku does best and bravo to them for it. If you like the Haiku salad (and let's be frank, how can you not love it), then try the Seacoast Roll. It's like a warm haiku salad in roll form and is pure heaven. It's my favorite of the rolls, for sure, but I cannot encourage you enough to try a variety of rolls on the menu. Do not overlook the Mango Lover Roll, the Volcano roll, the Las Vegas Roll, the Mango Lobster roll. . . aw heck try 'em all. I haven't had one yet that I didn't like in one way or another, and I'm STILL trying to work my way through the menu. And if rolls aren't your thing, then there's always the fusion dishes, noodle dishes and entrees. I still love love love the Thai Curry Sauce and the Coconut Shrimp and fall back on these when I have cravings for them. New faves include the Pad Thai, the Basil & Brown Sauce, and the quite simply named "Pork Chop". Lastly I'll add that the atmosphere is great here. It's mellow and not too loud, but fun, enjoyment, and an adventurous palate are encouraged. There is no waiting at most times of the day for seating, especially during Drake's summer season. Come on over to the campus and give them a try. You will not be disappointed. And remember. . . . try the Haiku salad.
(5)
C.R. Y.
Best sushi in Des Moines. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. We've asked the chef more than once to create a roll based on preferences and they never disappoint. At miyabi, they serve tempura for a chef's special which is unacceptable. This place is consistently fresh and good.
(5)
Douglas R.
This is some of the best sushi I've had in Des Moines. I originally wanted to take my wife to another sushi place in town, which turned out to be closed for their annual summer vacation. Turned out that was a good move. Haiku is the best sushi value for your dollar in Des Moines. We started out our meal with the Haiku salad, a lovely green salad with a creamy ginger dressing, crab, and salmon roe. A single salad is more than large enough for two. I'd go back just for the salad; along with a roll, it would make an awesome meal in itself. We ordered one of the big sushi boat platters, along with the spider web roll. The sushi, salmon, and nigiri - all were outstanding. The spider web roll was a tempura soft-shell crab with mango - this was my absolute favorite. Haiku is our new go-to sushi place in Des Moines.
(4)
Justin B.
I visited Haiku with my wife and immediate family. We started off the meal with the Edamame. Had the hot & sour soup, and for dinner the Maki Spicy. SERVICE: Upon arrival, a sign greeted us instructing us to wait to be seated, however the hostess, seemed unsure if she should ask us if we wanted to sit. The service was very friendly and fast throughout, but the staff continued to appear confused and disorganized. This was apparent when they forgot 2 of our parties 6 dishes! The only excuse was the Chef was too busy, and got behind. FOOD: The Edamame, was simple and plain, nothing exciting, but the Hot & Sour soup was pleasant, certainly not the best I have ever had, but a surprise considering the bland start with the Edamame. My dinner, the Maki Spicy which was described as sushi, came out as a type of ground or blended meat mush, wrapped in traditional seaweed and rice. It was peculiar, and the menu description wasn't helpful in preparing me for this dish. The food was ok and something I would expect from an average restaurant everyday restaurant but for the price, I certainly expected a LOT more.
(2)
Mary D.
Haicu was OK. I tried the salmon roll, and the special Rock n Roll and Tiger ones. The special rolls were actually quite similar even tho the descriptions were very different. Not sure if I'm going back given that this place is quite expensive, but the rolls aren't that imaginative.
(3)
Tokunbo P.
Great place! They have a very good wait staff and are reasonably priced. It is right near Drake University so college kids tend to be the crowd. Although that may seem like a turn-off it is quite the place to be when looking for some inexpensive "good-tasting" sushi! I will be going there again! Give them some support and try it out at least once! They just opened and I hope they stay open! Good place...price...and staff! Go ahead and try it! Wont be disappointed!
(4)
KVIET,TOM C.
Best sushi in Des Moines! I tried the Mango Roll and sushi Chef was awesome! Great atmosphere and menu price!
(5)
lttlod i.
Ok this place is seriously good!I had no idea it even existed until a few weeks ago. If you like Appare in Urbandale, which is some of the best sushi in this area (in my experience along with other friend sushi goers who have been around the sushi block once or twice lol), you will love Haiku. They have a very similar menu, minus the hibachi. Tonight was my first time here and it was a great experience. The only downside was that they ran out of tuna or their shipment didn't come in today : ( I just ordered the salmon instead though, not a big deal. I had the miso soup, phili roll, spicy salmon, and sweet potato roll. I'm not a very adventurous sushi/fish eater but these were great. I've had them before at Appare and they were equally good if not better here. My friends ordered some fancier rolls but can't recall the names. They looked beautiful. One was the new england roll but can't remember the others. Another one had a tempura shrimp tail coming out of the side of a piece of sushi. The service was great! The female waitresses were super nice and attentive. The even remembered my friends who were with me from previous times they came. That's a sign of a really good place. 1: because they like their customers. 2: because they don't have a lot of staff turnover. The atmosphere is really hip and modern. Darker lighting with bright blue lit glass panels everywhere. Striking but not overpowering. I felt like I was in some hip sushi bar in California and not in Des Moines, Iowa. That's what I want in a restaurant : P The other tables seemed to be having a ball getting sloshed and ordering sake bombs. The waitress made up a shot for our table called a wet kiss, tasted of watermelon. Sooooo good! Just great food with equally good service and atmosphere. I'll be going back for sure! Hopefully the tuna will have arrived by then : )
(4)
Richard G.
Get the NYC roll.
(5)
Formal P.
The sweet potato roll was real good.
(4)
Doug M.
I didn't know this place existed until I ran across it here. Two days later I am at a table enjoying some really good sushi with my family. It is smack dab in the middle of the Drake area so I expected the crowd to me mostly college students and I was right, at least for the early Friday supper crowd. It is a nice looking place with a modern feel and has quite the bar area. Now to the good stuff... We had 3 rolls the Spicy Maki Combo (basically 3 regular rolls on 1 plate), Tri-Color and Mango Lover. All the rolls were 'spot on' (a little Guy Fieri extract) with my favorite being the Mango Lover. I was hesitant to order this one, but after talking with the waitress decided to get it and was very glad I did. The only complaint I had was the Mango roll was very loosely rolled and seemed to be done in a rush. Overall it was quite the supper with good food, service and atmosphere. The menu offers some other interesting rolls that I am definitely going to go back and try out.
(5)
Deanna T.
It's very loud and a bit on the chilly side. Sit close to those you are with and bring a sweater.
(4)
Sarah M.
The best sushi in Des Moines Iowa!! I've tried appare, taki, samurai, sakari, hoshi, tokyo steakhouse and they all offer mediocre sushi for a ridiculous price. Haiku has the best sushi for the best price. They have really good customer service as well, if anything's wrong (which there rarely is) the server and manger try to make you as happy as possible. The atmosphere of the restaurant is really cool too, it kind of reminds me of a lounge area, with pretty blue walls, and they play really good music. The sushi is so fresh, and they only make it when you put in the order, so nothing is pre-made before hand. They also have entree dishes, which are really tasty and seasoned really well. I will never go anywhere else for sushi! Haiku is really the best place to get good sushi for a reasonable price.
(5)
Hawk O.
Awesome, Sammi , our waitress was awesome!
(5)
Kirstie M.
I like this place. The place is pretty authentic compared to other japanese restaurants in Des Moines and food selection is good. I like the blue lights inside the restaurant and their choice of music in the background. Overall, I prefer Appare but wouldn't mind going here once in a while.
(4)
Lim K.
Best sushi and sashimi in town! Thanks for the great food.
(5)
Paul C.
Great place. Totally nice area of the Drake campus area. Atmosphere and food great.
(5)
Mark G.
Perhaps most clueless waiter I've ever seen. Forgot to bring an appetizer. Poured two full glasses of wine without allowing a tasting, and then put the cap on the bottle. Knocked soy sauce off the table when removing dishes. Sushi wasn't bad, but for the wait and price, and the cluelessness, better off going elsewhere.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Mike P.
Haiku is not only located in the middle of the United States it's located in the middle of Iowa in the middle of Des Moines. It's ranking for Des Moines sushi offerings is near the top. Wasabi Chi & Tao are what I measure all such restaurants against. IMPRESSIONS: Located on the Drake University campus, easy parking, on the street level of a housing complex next to a Subway. When you walk it your ears are hit with a wall of sound as the hard surfaces amplify the din of a busy restaurant. We were greeted and seated quickly. I like the Drake blue lighting for atmosphere. ORDERED: Sweet Potato Roll $4, Spicy Tuna, specialty rolls: Tiger $12 (Salmon, tuna, yellowtail & eel on the top with tempura crunch, roes, scallions & spicy tuna inside), New England $12 (Spicy salmon & yellowtail with pepper tuna & avocado on top), Peach Roll $12 (Salmon & avocado with sweet peaches on top), water to drink TASTED: I order sweet potato roll at every sushi place I visit. This one is stellar - crunchy and warm potato. The regular rolls are larger than most. The spicy tuna roll was also fantastic, albeit spicier than most needing no wasabi. The Tiger and New England rolls rival the taste and appearance of Wasabi Chi & Tao. Lots of varying textures and flavors. Haiku uses less flashy sauces than most. The Peach roll was unique using peach instead of the standard mango. I really liked the umami and sweet fruit contrast. If ever there was a dessert sushi roll this would be it. POST: Our service was inattentive. She checked on us once and that was after we were half finished with our dinner. Water kept full by at least someone on the Haiku staff. A solid place to drop $50 on a meal. Something struck me as funny that paper wrapped disposable chop sticks were wrapped in black cloth napkins. TVs tuned to the NCAA basketball tournament. CHANCE OF RETURN: 7/10
(3)Sarah N.
Probably the worst sushi I have ever had. Hy-Vee and cafeteria sushi is better than this. We ordered two rolls to go and they were crammed into one very small container. For $12 the rolls were extremely small. The rolls were like mush and just really bad. With several other sushi options in Des Moines. Drive the extra 5 minutes and go to Sakari. So bad.
(1)Kristyn M.
Oh my goodness. Had been awhile since I visited and glad that fate brought me back. My normal first choice was not open we swung out here instead. I got adventurous and tried the Haiku salad. So glad that i did. Yum all the way around. Such a great in one salad. To quote another yelper "it was like the chefs got drunk one night and mixed all the salads". My choice for roll was the American dream. Yum! And just because I was craving it I had them add cream cheese. *wipes corners of my mouth* You can always add cream cheese. I enjoyed it very much. Very smooth texture all around. My fiance was head over heels for the Crunchy roll. And enjoyed the Dragon. Though He thought the was bland. He thought maybe for the price there would be more of the roll. I was stuffed from the salad and had to share my roll. He didn't mind as he enjoyed it. We stuffed abd the waitress was kind and I will go back.
(4)Bill L.
Located on Drake University campus, this is a great sushi restaurant for anyone looking for good food and atmosphere. To describe the atmosphere, if you took away the tables and seats it would look like a classy bar/club. The lighting and decor is very nice, definitely a good place for a date. The staff members are all very friendly from entry to exit. The customers in this establishment range from families, to young couples, to groups of friends. For our visit we ordered the Soft Shell Crab for an appetizer, the Drake Roll and Rock N Roll for the sushi rolls, and Coconut Shrimp for an entree to share. The Soft-Shell Crab was okay, the taste was fine, but the amount was a bit disappointing. The specialty rolls were very good, I wouldn't say the best in town, but very good. The Coconut Shrimp was excellent as well, the flavor and texture was spot on. I would recommend checking this place out if you are in the area! You will not be disappointed with the atmosphere, staff, and food!
(5)Thao P.
Haiku is conveniently located next to the Drake University campus. It shares ownership with Appare I believe.. So some of the food is a little similar. I love the atmosphere here. The neon blue theme is really cool and there's an awesome vibe here. I got their most popular salad which is the Haiku salad and it was amazing! It's basically like the chefs were drunk one night and just put all the Japanese salads together. It's a mixture of seaweed salad, squid salad, crab, and avocado. The dressing is light and really compliments it. Got a Las Vegas, American dream, and philly roll. The Las Vegas roll is amazing! Yummy fried goodness. Thought the philly roll had too much cream cheese in relation to the fish though. Too be honest, I felt there should have been more sushi pieces for the money when comparing other places in iowa. Also..My partner got the beef udon and really liked it. Overall, I would recommend this place. I would have given it three stars but the salad made it worth a 4.
(4)Ashley M.
Update: tried this place again after boycotting it for so long. The service has improved and the only thing is that the sushi was very very loose and falling apart. We told our waitress and she brought us a dessert. So sweet!
(4)Yana W.
I was pleasantly surprised with haiku. The location, although extremely convenient for me as a drake student, made me apprehensive. I wouldn't imagine that somewhere in a little strip not in the city would have amazing sushi but it does!! It's delicious, I will definitely come here again!!
(5)Avonni H.
Not happy with my service tonight. When I arrived to pick up my order I pulled it out of the bag to check for the peanuts. I ordered the vegetable pad thai (last time they forgot them). The cashier asked what I was looking for. I told her I was checking for the peanuts. She began telling me how good the chef was and I replied no one is perfect he forgot them last time. I then asked for extra peanuts and some chili flakes because after I looked at it. I didn't see any chili flakes and I asked for it be medium spicy. She tried to charge me a dollar and I declined. Guess what? When I got it home....NO MEDIUM SPICY AT ALL!! I was so disappointed. I like a little heat in my food. Not to mention the fact that there was an ungodly amount of onion and I'm an onion freak. I love it and put it in everything. But, its not a chocolate chip cookie and I don't want to taste onion in every bite. (photos to follow). Haiku this was your last chance. The last time I went there I ordered the pork chop. They were chewy and completely inedible. Tasted like they had been in the fridge for 3-4 days. I was supposed to take them back for a full refund and I opted not to because it was a huge inconvenience to me and my time. I told them how disgusting the pork chop dish was and doubt they do this to people who dine in. This was a to go order. So BEWARE of the pork chop if your getting it to go. The sushi here is pretty good. Steer clear of the other items on the menu. It's a crap shoot as to what it will taste like when you get anything to go. Very disappointed. Shame on you Haiku I have been a loyal customer but, your customer service sucks!! and your pork chop recipe needs a complete revision. Buyer beware. If you like chewy pork chops. Haiku is the place for you. I won't be going back.
(1)Joni R.
We shared six rolls between all four of us and they were delicious!! However, when we got here today, there was a sign on the door that said they weren't serving alcohol at this time! We asked the waiter why and we were told they let the liquor license expire. What a bummer!! The service also was not awesome. Took forever before we ordered and then also took forever when we were trying to leave. We came here because we had been in the past and it was awesome. Not sure what the deal is now.
(3)Jeni B.
I was here once before and had an awesome dinner with family. Tonight I tried to take my husband after a long day. We arrived at 9:30 and the sign said open until 10. We walked in and the hostess was on her smart phone and caught off guard. She checked the time and said we could only get carry out. ?? As soon as we left (with no carry out) she turned off the open sign. What are your hours?
(3)Mark H.
This is probably one of the best sushi restaurants in Iowa. The staff is very knowledgable and friendly. If you are just looking for a Californian roll, you can find that somewhere else. These chefs are professional and have imagination.
(5)Cindy B.
This is over due. We have frequented many sushi restaurants and Haiku is hands down or favorite. I am perplexed as to why Myabi 9 receives high accolades when it cannot light a candle to Haiku's food, ambience and service. Sammi, a server, is such a sweetheart. You feel more like her friend than a patron.
(5)Aeon G.
Visited Haiku based off some good word of mouth, wish I hadn't, but at least now I know. I was disappointed even looking at the menu. The sushi menu seemed unimaginative with a multitude of rolls containing different variations of the same 6 or so ingredients. I'd say Jalapeños and mango was probably over used. I'd prefer to see one specialty roll where an ingredient like mango is used very well, not multiple rolls where it's the center piece. We started with edamame, which was good. The beans were thick and it was seasoned well. Not to salty, I ordered the mango lovers and a simple spicy tuna as a gauge for the quality. The spicy tuna roll was more avocado than fish, had almost no spice or flavor really at all. The mango lovers roll was a mess of its own as well. The roll taste okay as a whole, but none of the ingredients were distinguishable. It was just a sweet mess of moist fish and fruit. I have no intention of visiting this place a second time as I have much closer to home sushi places that I regular.
(1)K P.
Best sushi ive had in town and ive had almost all of them. Ive been there 4 times now and scrumptious everytime. The mussel tizer is one of the best things ive eaten anywhere period and the seafood fantasy roll is awesome. The spicy tuna hand roll is one thing i always get at sushi joints and theirs is the best. I see alot of people give sushi places bad marks for service and to those id say get yer candy asses back to subway and eat "fresh" if u want yer food fast and your diarrhea faster. I will always take freshness and taste over speedy service. Heck u dont even have to be nice if your food is tits
(5)Veronica K.
I didn't know what to expect because most of the recent reviews were less than stellar. It's weird because most of the great reviews are before 2013. Then after 2013 the ratings go downhill. I don't know what happened. Maybe there was a turnover in waitstaff or a change in owners? I wanted to give Haiku a try anyway because my husband and I are on a quest to try all of the sushi places in town. I thought the atmosphere in Haiku was great. It definitely had a big-city look and feel to it. It looked like it could have been a restaurant in Chicago or Minneapolis. I really liked the look. Kudos to the interior decorator. They definitely put some thought into the style and look. The parking situation isn't that great, though. I wish they had dedicated parking for the restaurant. We shared a plate of the gyoza because we love it and always try it at every sushi restaurant. Theirs was excellent; perfectly steamed and pan fried. It had great flavor, as well. So our evening started off on a good note. Our waitress was nice and attentive, too. So I don't know what's up about those bad reviews complaining about terrible service. Maybe it was just an off night or they were just unlucky and got a bad waitress. Ours was good. Although, she didn't offer to refill my water until the end of my meal. I ordered a California roll with spicy mayo (my favorite) and a Philadelphia roll. My husband ordered a spider roll and and an Alaskan roll. He thought both were pretty good, although, he wasn't expecting the crab to be fried tempura-style. He was hoping it would be fresh and uncooked. I liked my California roll, but it was kind of loosely-wrapped. A couple of pieces fell apart when I tried to eat them. My Philadelphia roll was just ok. The smoked salmon in it didn't taste that smoky. I've had better Philadelphia rolls at other places. I have to say they were generous with the amount of ginger they gave us. Usually most sushi joints are pretty skimpy with their ginger and I always have to ask for more. The wasabi was very fresh, too. I always like that. One thing I was very surprised about was that they charged me $1.00 extra for the spicy mayo on my California roll. Every time I've asked for it at other restaurants, I've never been charged extra. I can't believe they charged me for it. I wish the waitress would have told me that it was going to be an extra charge so I knew about it ahead of time. The rolls were good but not the best sushi we've ever had. Appare is still our favorite place. They're pricier, but worth it. We didn't think Haiku's prices were that high, contrary what some other reviewers have said. We'll try this place again. Next time we'll try some of the special rolls to see if they're any good. We wouldn't come here all the time, but just when we wanted a change of pace. Our favorite neighborhood sushi place is Sakura. Whenever we feel like having some good, inexpensive sushi, we go there.
(3)Brian D.
Very, very good. Second only to my favorite, Umi Grill in Terre Haute, Indiana. My only complaint is that the nori was just a little tough, making it difficult to bite my American Dream roll without destroying it. Staff is friendly and atmosphere is surprisingly sophisticated for being basically on campus. Be forewarned: both Google Maps and Apple Maps incorrectly plot the location of this restaurant! It's NOT on 31st Street, but Carpenter.
(4)Yi F.
The place is clean and tidy. There are two servers when we came for Lunch. They are both very nice. One of them can speak good Chinese. The noodles are a little salty. Others are good. The fish is fresh.
(4)Hil H.
My husband and I wanted to try a new sushi restaurant in Des Moines and decided on Haiku. The atmosphere is pretty neat. The service staff and cooks arrived exactly at opening time, which seemed a little odd to me. So we were sat and then had to wait several minutes to order drinks or food. We ordered the California and Volcano rolls. Normally between my husband and myself, we can share two rolls and be full. The rolls here were higher priced than other places in Des Moines and they were absolutely tiny. They fell apart easily; very difficult to eat. The Volcano roll was four small pieces - I would have liked a spoon to eat it because it was impossible to pick up with chopsticks. After eating here, my husband asked me if I would like to go out for "second lunch" because he was still so hungry despite having spent around $30 for lunch already.
(1)Anastaysa B.
Can you rate something below one star? The fish was not fresh, my order was not true to the menu description and the manager, Rachel, was combative and completely uneducated insofar as the menu. I sent both my food and my drink back and will absolutely not be attending again. Order mistakes are one thing; atrocious (not just poor, AWFUL) service is another. Bad fish, bad drinks, incredibly bad service. This restaurant is for masochists only. EDIT: Did I mention the manager lied about being the manager until another server called her out, presumably to avoid dealing with me, a paying customer and rather polite overall? And when we refused to pay for things we sent back, she threatened to call the police? I know of at least three other people that have had an awful experience at this "restaurant". Don't do it, kids.
(1)Amy S.
A friend and I decided to try a new sushi place. The shrimp shumai was great, the service was fine, but the rolls were warm and mushy. I ended up feeling poorly the remainder of the evening. I highly suggest you pick any other sushi restaurant in Des Moines.
(1)Kevin T.
Best Sushi I have found in DM so far. Rolls and Sashmi was very fresh and tasty. I have seen better presentations else where but what they lacked there they made up for it in great fish. We also had enamame (sp) as an appetizer. They were steamed well and lightly salted. Great start to a good meal. We had a large group so we ordered the Party Platter and some rolls (sorry I don't know which ones they were I did not order them) Like I said before it was all great. Very impressed. I will go here over Maybi 9 any day of the week.
(5)Carrie M.
3 Words...Mango Lover's Roll We go here quite often and have only find one minor flaw. The rolls aren't rolled tight enough, which is insignificant because we eat them so often it doesn't bother us. The Crab Rangoon are really good as are the rolls NYC, Las Vegas and Rock N Roll. We have eaten at every sushi restaurant in Des Moines and by far Haiku is our favorite. Fresh, Delicious and cool ambiance.
(5)Kim B.
Bad, just bad. Ordered calamari to start and received a plate of chewy tasteless rings. Sushi was equally unpleasant. The rolls were soggy (fell apart very easily) and not fresh at all. The waitstaff was aloof and the hostesses looked downright bored out of their minds. Like others, I noticed only one cook in the back and one sushi chef. Poor guys looked rushed to put together food for the Friday night crowd. After a $50+ check, we left hungry and annoyed. This may be one of the only times my husband and I have left uneaten sushi on our plates. This place is definitely overpriced for the quality. You're better off going to Miyabi 9 (and maybe paying 5-10 more bucks for your meal).
(1)Thuy N.
My first sushi experience in Des Moines...it has a great variety of dishes, whether you are vegetarian, sushi naive or adventurous. The sashimi combo plate had a good portion and considering its the midwest, its pretty fresh. The seaweed salad had a good flavor to it. I also tried the spicy tuna crunch and that was quite tasty with a nice hold in the roll. It stayed together and the tempura with fish roe complimented each other well. Definitely will go back! The servers are attentive and gave great advice!
(4)Kurt F.
I went to Haiku for lunch today with a friend. I am always eager to try different sushi restaurants in Des Moines. Service was courteous and prompt. The food was another matter. The rolls were a little pricier than I am used to, and were very loosely rolled. I am not accustomed to sushi rolls falling apart when I pick them up with my chopsticks. There was a rather excessive amount of mayo in the spicy tuna roll. The yellow tail sashimi wasn't especially fresh. The $15 special roll I purchased was quite disappointing. I cannot recall the name of the roll but it was spicy tuna, avocado, and asparagus with roe on top. It was loosely rolled as was the spicy tuna, which made eating it somewhat annoying. The edamame was good. My friend enjoyed her meal but I was honestly expecting a lot better from Haiku.
(2)Shing Yiing O.
"Let's go to Haiku".. My roommate and I always said that since it's located not even 500 feet from where I live right now.. This is so far the best Japanese Restaurant around Drake and the price is reasonable.. I don't want to be too harsh on rating it.. Definitely will not beat the restaurant that I had been to in NYC. Well.. since is Asian Fusion.. I think they deserve a 3 stars.. YES!! 3 STARS!!! Service: Their service is always good as they will ask us how's our food every time after our meal to make sure everything is fine.. As for the sushi.. I always ordered different types of their specialty whenever I am there.. (Because I dislike eating the same thing over and over again.. and I am adventurous in trying out different kinds of FOOD!!!) their seaweed salad and squid salad are good but it's normal.. I always order the seaweed salad instead of the squid salad because it tasted more "original" compare to the squid salad. My friend ordered the Salmon Skin Salad.. I tried it and I think is a little "Americanize".. The sauce in the salad is a little too much and too salty.. I will not recommend it.. I love the soft shell crab.. If you want something that gives you a feeling of Japan when you are eating.. order the soft shell crab sushi!!! :) I had the volcano sushi as well and it's really interesting and well presented. (food always taste good when they looks good.. isn't it???) If you are still hungry after that... PLS DO NOT ORDER THE MOCHI!!!! My roommate and I ordered the green tea mochi and green tea ice-cream once.. The mochi tasted extremely bad!!! The texture of the mochi is supposed to be "GUI"(I am sorry I do not know what other words to use).. The mochi that they served tasted like plastic.. where they actually cut into half and served us!!! When we both eat it.. our facial expression totally change.. (I guess they might get it from asian market or something).. As for the green tea ice-cream.. Nothing much to comment about it since it's just a normal green tea ice-cream!
(3)Ralph P.
Oddly enough the prices at Haiku have been very fair for sushi despite its upscale decoration and location. Some rolls come in at the 4$ mark and taste great. I've seen other sushi places sell a haiku 4$ roll at double the price. I've never had any issues with freshness and things are very consistent. The spicy tuna was amazing, and the spider roll was strong too. The fully cooked food is also tasty. I liked their veggies with a clearly house made teriaki sauce. Haiku should be your go-to for carry out sushi in DSM. The only gripe is things get backed up during sit down service, especially for cooked meals.
(4)Alexis R.
Darn good stuff! We tried to do sushi happy hour at the other place but it was packed and Haiku is close to home. The spicy rolls were actually spicy! Yay! I'm forever getting not-spicy "spicy" rolls around here. So I was pleasantly surprised by the level of heat in my spicy maki combo. Not too much, just enough. The boy got a Las Vegas roll and couldn't stop raving about it. Furthermore, Haiku has a great drink special every night. Tonight (and last night, I believe) domestics are $2 and there's a special on sake bombs. There's a drink special most, if not all, nights. The atmosphere is awfully nice, too. All the blue. It's very calming. It's too bad that this place is so good and within walking distance of the house. Now that we've tried it I'm going to be annoying the boy about going back too often for our budget, I'm sure.
(4)Jessica D.
I know, I know I already reviewed this place on 4/4/11, but I can't help myself. I have to give an update and bump up the stars to 5, given that this is now one of our favorite places to go and it has never failed to please. Haiku only gets better! The staff is nothing short of amazing with us, and this just adds to the experience of the food, which continues to impress. For appetizers, the Gyoza (steamed pork dumplings) and Crab Rangoon are a good choice for those who want to know what to expect, though Haiku's are a cut above what most might expect. For those who want something unexpected, try Leo's Treat, but be warned, share it or you won't be able to eat a heck of a lot more. It can be a meal unto itself and it's a tasty one at that! Props to Haiku for getting me to not only eat raw fish, but like it and, at time, crave it. The white tuna sashimi is a must try. It literally melts like butter in your mouth and the flavor is surprising. The Peppered Tuna Salad is OMG-BRILLIANT with pepper encrusted flash-seared raw tuna over a bed of lightly dressed greens. When you pop it in your mouth, the tuna tastes slightly smoky with a zing of pepper, and like the white tuna sashimi, it eventually melts into an amalgam of wonder on your tongue. TRY IT, after you've tried the Haiku salad, of course. Rolls are what Haiku does best and bravo to them for it. If you like the Haiku salad (and let's be frank, how can you not love it), then try the Seacoast Roll. It's like a warm haiku salad in roll form and is pure heaven. It's my favorite of the rolls, for sure, but I cannot encourage you enough to try a variety of rolls on the menu. Do not overlook the Mango Lover Roll, the Volcano roll, the Las Vegas Roll, the Mango Lobster roll. . . aw heck try 'em all. I haven't had one yet that I didn't like in one way or another, and I'm STILL trying to work my way through the menu. And if rolls aren't your thing, then there's always the fusion dishes, noodle dishes and entrees. I still love love love the Thai Curry Sauce and the Coconut Shrimp and fall back on these when I have cravings for them. New faves include the Pad Thai, the Basil & Brown Sauce, and the quite simply named "Pork Chop". Lastly I'll add that the atmosphere is great here. It's mellow and not too loud, but fun, enjoyment, and an adventurous palate are encouraged. There is no waiting at most times of the day for seating, especially during Drake's summer season. Come on over to the campus and give them a try. You will not be disappointed. And remember. . . . try the Haiku salad.
(5)C.R. Y.
Best sushi in Des Moines. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. We've asked the chef more than once to create a roll based on preferences and they never disappoint. At miyabi, they serve tempura for a chef's special which is unacceptable. This place is consistently fresh and good.
(5)Douglas R.
This is some of the best sushi I've had in Des Moines. I originally wanted to take my wife to another sushi place in town, which turned out to be closed for their annual summer vacation. Turned out that was a good move. Haiku is the best sushi value for your dollar in Des Moines. We started out our meal with the Haiku salad, a lovely green salad with a creamy ginger dressing, crab, and salmon roe. A single salad is more than large enough for two. I'd go back just for the salad; along with a roll, it would make an awesome meal in itself. We ordered one of the big sushi boat platters, along with the spider web roll. The sushi, salmon, and nigiri - all were outstanding. The spider web roll was a tempura soft-shell crab with mango - this was my absolute favorite. Haiku is our new go-to sushi place in Des Moines.
(4)Justin B.
I visited Haiku with my wife and immediate family. We started off the meal with the Edamame. Had the hot & sour soup, and for dinner the Maki Spicy. SERVICE: Upon arrival, a sign greeted us instructing us to wait to be seated, however the hostess, seemed unsure if she should ask us if we wanted to sit. The service was very friendly and fast throughout, but the staff continued to appear confused and disorganized. This was apparent when they forgot 2 of our parties 6 dishes! The only excuse was the Chef was too busy, and got behind. FOOD: The Edamame, was simple and plain, nothing exciting, but the Hot & Sour soup was pleasant, certainly not the best I have ever had, but a surprise considering the bland start with the Edamame. My dinner, the Maki Spicy which was described as sushi, came out as a type of ground or blended meat mush, wrapped in traditional seaweed and rice. It was peculiar, and the menu description wasn't helpful in preparing me for this dish. The food was ok and something I would expect from an average restaurant everyday restaurant but for the price, I certainly expected a LOT more.
(2)Mary D.
Haicu was OK. I tried the salmon roll, and the special Rock n Roll and Tiger ones. The special rolls were actually quite similar even tho the descriptions were very different. Not sure if I'm going back given that this place is quite expensive, but the rolls aren't that imaginative.
(3)Tokunbo P.
Great place! They have a very good wait staff and are reasonably priced. It is right near Drake University so college kids tend to be the crowd. Although that may seem like a turn-off it is quite the place to be when looking for some inexpensive "good-tasting" sushi! I will be going there again! Give them some support and try it out at least once! They just opened and I hope they stay open! Good place...price...and staff! Go ahead and try it! Wont be disappointed!
(4)KVIET,TOM C.
Best sushi in Des Moines! I tried the Mango Roll and sushi Chef was awesome! Great atmosphere and menu price!
(5)lttlod i.
Ok this place is seriously good!I had no idea it even existed until a few weeks ago. If you like Appare in Urbandale, which is some of the best sushi in this area (in my experience along with other friend sushi goers who have been around the sushi block once or twice lol), you will love Haiku. They have a very similar menu, minus the hibachi. Tonight was my first time here and it was a great experience. The only downside was that they ran out of tuna or their shipment didn't come in today : ( I just ordered the salmon instead though, not a big deal. I had the miso soup, phili roll, spicy salmon, and sweet potato roll. I'm not a very adventurous sushi/fish eater but these were great. I've had them before at Appare and they were equally good if not better here. My friends ordered some fancier rolls but can't recall the names. They looked beautiful. One was the new england roll but can't remember the others. Another one had a tempura shrimp tail coming out of the side of a piece of sushi. The service was great! The female waitresses were super nice and attentive. The even remembered my friends who were with me from previous times they came. That's a sign of a really good place. 1: because they like their customers. 2: because they don't have a lot of staff turnover. The atmosphere is really hip and modern. Darker lighting with bright blue lit glass panels everywhere. Striking but not overpowering. I felt like I was in some hip sushi bar in California and not in Des Moines, Iowa. That's what I want in a restaurant : P The other tables seemed to be having a ball getting sloshed and ordering sake bombs. The waitress made up a shot for our table called a wet kiss, tasted of watermelon. Sooooo good! Just great food with equally good service and atmosphere. I'll be going back for sure! Hopefully the tuna will have arrived by then : )
(4)Richard G.
Get the NYC roll.
(5)Formal P.
The sweet potato roll was real good.
(4)Doug M.
I didn't know this place existed until I ran across it here. Two days later I am at a table enjoying some really good sushi with my family. It is smack dab in the middle of the Drake area so I expected the crowd to me mostly college students and I was right, at least for the early Friday supper crowd. It is a nice looking place with a modern feel and has quite the bar area. Now to the good stuff... We had 3 rolls the Spicy Maki Combo (basically 3 regular rolls on 1 plate), Tri-Color and Mango Lover. All the rolls were 'spot on' (a little Guy Fieri extract) with my favorite being the Mango Lover. I was hesitant to order this one, but after talking with the waitress decided to get it and was very glad I did. The only complaint I had was the Mango roll was very loosely rolled and seemed to be done in a rush. Overall it was quite the supper with good food, service and atmosphere. The menu offers some other interesting rolls that I am definitely going to go back and try out.
(5)Deanna T.
It's very loud and a bit on the chilly side. Sit close to those you are with and bring a sweater.
(4)Sarah M.
The best sushi in Des Moines Iowa!! I've tried appare, taki, samurai, sakari, hoshi, tokyo steakhouse and they all offer mediocre sushi for a ridiculous price. Haiku has the best sushi for the best price. They have really good customer service as well, if anything's wrong (which there rarely is) the server and manger try to make you as happy as possible. The atmosphere of the restaurant is really cool too, it kind of reminds me of a lounge area, with pretty blue walls, and they play really good music. The sushi is so fresh, and they only make it when you put in the order, so nothing is pre-made before hand. They also have entree dishes, which are really tasty and seasoned really well. I will never go anywhere else for sushi! Haiku is really the best place to get good sushi for a reasonable price.
(5)Hawk O.
Awesome, Sammi , our waitress was awesome!
(5)Kirstie M.
I like this place. The place is pretty authentic compared to other japanese restaurants in Des Moines and food selection is good. I like the blue lights inside the restaurant and their choice of music in the background. Overall, I prefer Appare but wouldn't mind going here once in a while.
(4)Lim K.
Best sushi and sashimi in town! Thanks for the great food.
(5)Paul C.
Great place. Totally nice area of the Drake campus area. Atmosphere and food great.
(5)Mark G.
Perhaps most clueless waiter I've ever seen. Forgot to bring an appetizer. Poured two full glasses of wine without allowing a tasting, and then put the cap on the bottle. Knocked soy sauce off the table when removing dishes. Sushi wasn't bad, but for the wait and price, and the cluelessness, better off going elsewhere.
(2)