Wasabi Tao
400 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA, 50309
Wasabi Tao Menu
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Address :
400 Walnut St
Des Moines, IA, 50309 - Phone (515) 777-3636
- Website https://wasabitao.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Erynn D.
Sushi quality was ok but they nickel and dime you for absolutely everything. Who has ever heard of charging for ponzu sauce? Its literally soy sauce mixed with a little bit of vinegar and lemon juice. Such a turn off. Better off going to Akebono down the street.
(2)Aaron G.
Visiting in town for business and thrilled to find a good sushi spot in Des Moines. I ordered the spicy edamame (free with yelp check-in), hot sake, spicy yellowtail roll, Philly roll, and the VIP roll. Everything was very good, VIP roll was great! The price is also very reasonable. My only knock that takes this down to a four is that a coupe items had too much going on: spicy edamame was great except a messy amount of spice. The Philly roll was also good, but a little too much cream cheese. Both are things I love on their own, but there is something to be said for moderation. It was just enough to take away from the sushi, which I don't think is the intent. Again, totally recommend the VIP. That said, I usually make a point of trying new sushi spots when I travel, and would come back here in a heart beat!
(4)Naura G.
My favorite sushi place in town. Great food, great presentation and I earn American Airline miles when eating here. This time around we sat at the bar, watched the sushi chef work and ordered everything he was making that looked yummy. Highly recommend the paradise roll. We ordered it on a whim, it was amazing!
(5)Patricia S.
This review might sound funny because it's the sushi review from someone who doesn't like fish but here it goes...this place is amazing! I really like the ambiance. The giant Buddha is so pretty! I got the green peace roll( vegetarian) with Mai tai drink and everything was to die for! Very fresh and tasty. My boyfriend got the 16 piece sushi and he was very happy with it. I think I found my " go to" sushi place in Des Moines! And to make things even better, the restaurant is very close to the civic center, which makes it a great dinner place for before a concert.
(5)Rachel C.
Sooooo good! This was my regular fancy-night-out spot with my gal pal in Des Moines. It's hard to elaborate on "good sushi," which I think is a review in and of itself. This place is great for small groups, lunch, or dinner. They have really good happy hour pricing for early afternoon on weekends, and it's right in the heart of Downtown Des Moines. It's a really lovely spot, and I would recommend it over any other location offering sushi in Des Moines.
(5)Travis S.
Wasabi Tao has great sushi. They can satisfy your needs whether you like the fancy rolls with a large list of ingredients or just a great piece of fish with or without rice. As someone that thought they didn't like Miso soup, the Miso here was really tasty. Sitting up by the sushi bar is really fun, their chefs and bar tenders are very charismatic and knowledgeable. Take out was amazing as well.
(5)Marvic R.
One of the best Japanese place downtown Des Moines. We go crazy their sushi and rolls. This is our stop every time we watch a show close to Civic center. Make sure to actually make a reservation.We make sure to make a reservation 2 hour before the show starts and let the host know to be a little considerate and not rush them, since this is a small place and they don't have many hosts as well. It also gives you a time as well to enjoy their food. Our favorites: Crispy seafood Rangoon, Eel avocado roll, volcano roll, Sashimi Dinner rolls, Angry Tuna Roll, Godzilla Roll and my favorite sushi, white tuna and cooked shrimp. One time we came here during lunch time and got a Shrimp Bento and I hope I can have those every day for lunch. I did that, though, make sure to call it in before coming in of course so that you won't waste your time waiting. I order a roll of course. My husband would pick me up and 10 mins I'm back to the office. I like the place as it. Next time we might try sitting by the sushi bar since it will just be awesome watching them do the sushi for us.
(5)Sumita B.
I came here for a birthday party on a Tuesday night with a group of 20 people. The servers were very good! Spicy tuna handrolls - generous portion of spicy tuna and decent crunch included. Would recommend! Spicy edamame - you get a free one when you check in Yelp. I'll say this was unique and spicy. Would try again :) Oysters with some type of tomato sauce - fresh and cleaned well, but was not feeling the tomato based sauce placed on top. Did not enjoy this one. Octopus salad - decent size and tasted good. Standard taste at each sushi. Smaller sushi restaurant compared to the ones in DSM area, but cool modern decoration. There is a large Buddha in the middle. The ventalitaion could be a tad better! Ended up smelling like some of the food when we left.
(4)Elliot I.
Our server informed our table, which included a vegetarian and a vegan, that a certain sauce contained eel. This was the first time at any sushi restaurant we've been told that, so we definitely appreciated the information. That's helpful stuff, and more servers should be addressing such possible concerns. The sushi was great that night, but it took 40 minutes to get our food. This was on a Monday night, and they were not busy at all. That's a bit concerning, but hopefully it was just an off-night for them, as the other times I've been here it did not take nearly that long.
(4)Kelsey K.
I've never had dinner here, but I have never been disappointed for lunch! If you sit at the bar and order sushi you can be in and out pretty quickly, otherwise, expect it to take a while to prepare your food. Best sushi option for lunch downtown.
(4)Genevieve W.
Amazing sushi and an great atmosphere!!! Staff was super friendly and attentive. We came in just as they were opening for the evening and got to enjoy their happy hour specials!!! California rolls were great so were the tempura rolls. They were some of the best I have had!! The salmon avocado rolls were super smooth and amazing!!! Miso soup was tasty so was the Gyoza and the edamame. This is a definite place to go for awesome sushi and I loved the vibe of the place. I can't wait to go back with my friends and hubby.
(5)Rm F.
Walked in on Monday just before 2pm. quiet after the main lunch rush. expectations for the sushi were high me being from Hawaii. got the spicy edamame appetizer (complimentary with yelp checkin; great). ordered the "out of control'" sushi lunch special (comes with miso soup or salad; i opted for salad) per Kevin's recommendation. good choice. sushi was crunchy yet flavorful. nice sweet sauce, but kicked spicy taste. just right for one person. Ene (he's one of the regular waiters there Monday and Fridays) smiles plenty and will make your day/evening. Thanks, Ene for the history lesson on the tie down people. like you said, you cant hide quality fish and it was great. i will definitely be back when in DSM. absolutely worthy!! see pics and recent menus
(5)Zee P.
Everything here tasted was so good and the place is so beautiful it made my little sushi restaurant in New York look and taste like crap. The staff were super friendly and accommodating. I want to keep this place as my "special celebration" spot.
(5)Bill L.
I DID IT! I finally came here to eat so now when people are talking to me about sushi places downtown and ask me "Have you been to Wasabi Tao?" I can say "YES I HAVE!" The only negative I can think of right off the bat is the parking, if you're lucky enough to get street parking near here, good for you! If not, then you have to park in the ramp like I did, there's ample parking in the ramp and the walk is pretty short so it's not terrible. I love the interior decor, the lighting is dim and the atmosphere is calm. The restaurant is actually a lot smaller than I'd imagined, it's not small, but it's not very big either. Let's talk about the food, I went with my folks again, so we can go around the table and review the food one dish at a time. First, if you check-in on Yelp, you get a free order of Edamame! (Your choice or regular or spicy) This is honestly the first time I got something for checking-in on Yelp (I know of some other places, but this was just a surprise!) The Edamame was good I got the regular kind, pretty standard, nothing special. For sushi to share around the table we got the Foxy Lady Roll and the Paradise Roll, they were both super good! I would recommend the Paradise Roll for sure because of the spicy tuna ball they have on top of each roll, it's a very unique and awesome tasting roll! For entrees, I had the beef ramen! Yes, they give you a paper "Special menu" to go with your menu (I don't know if this is for dinner only or if they give this to everyone with their menu now) On the special menu they had ramen so I forgot about everything else and just thought, I gotta try this! The ramen was good, but nowhere near authenic Japanese Ramen. The beef was okay, it was strips of beef. (Honestly Akebono's Ramen is better) I had the Spicy Eggdrop soup as my side that came with the dish, that was very good! For my folks, they both ordered the grilled salmon. This salmon was amazing! I had a few bites of their dish and the salmon is cooked amazing and the sauce it comes with was amazing as well. One of the best salmon dishes I have had. They both had the salad that came with their meal, I did not try that, but they seemed to like it. Overall, fantastic experience! Our server was very friendly and helpful throughout our eating experience! We also ordered hot tea for our table and it was good (Standard hot tea). Another great sushi restaurant for downtown Des Moines!
(5)Teresa ..
Happy to say that my experience here continues to get better and better. Came here to celebrate mine and my boyfriend's anniversary. We had an attentive server named Enny (sp?) without hovering, and he was informative of the menu. We ordered the Snow Beauty appetizer (spicy tuna, jalapeno, cucumber in white tuna with spicy lychee yuzu sauce), and three rolls - the godzilla, king crab crunch roll, and angry tuna roll. Our favorite was the angry tuna roll! Highly recommend! If you like deep fried rolls, the king crab crunch roll is for you! They seem to have come up with new menu items (on the menu in the restaurant) and the menu online appears to not be updated with these newer items.
(5)Geraldine C.
Visiting Des Moines for the Ms Wheelchair America Pageant and I walked into this sushi place. The Sushi was great and the spice egg drop was delicious.
(5)Celeste B.
Wasabi Tao isn't bad, by any means. I just feel it isn't as good as some other places in town. The decor and environment is awesome, and service is always friendly and accommodating. Where I feel they don't quite hit the mark is the food. Their squid salad is covered in a sticky sauce which hides the flavor of the squid. I feel like the best bites of that dish were the few little nibbles of vinegary greens in the bottom of the bowl. The sushi is good, but not spectacular. I feel like they fall victim to throwing far too many flavors into their specialty rolls. The acai margarita I tried tasted more like the salt on the glass than anything else. It's a nice place to go downtown. I just wish they were up to the level some other places are.
(3)Nicole S.
The food was excellent, and the service was friendly and attentive! The free spicy edamame you receive when you check in through Yelp was VERY good also! Very pleased with our experience, and we will definitely return.
(5)Caroline M.
HAPPY HOUR! Do it. Select maki rolls and drinks at a very reduced price until 6pm. Omg, I wanna go here every day now!!! This means their seasonal Confluence on tap is only $2.50! The only downside is parking in this neck of the woods is kinda lame...
(5)MissNikki C.
You may get Ene-thang you want. Damn good spicy edemame !!!! Yeahhhh buddddy. Good location. Love the decor
(5)Debbie F.
The sushi lover in me was so happy to find Wasabi Tao. We had a nice variety of rolls and loved the unique flavours and presentation of all of them. My tried and true favorite was the Tempura Shrimp Roll. The decor is very cool and I loved sitting near the feet of Buddha. The only down side was a server who didn't seem to enjoy his job, but hey...we all have tough days. I will certainly go back again for the food and atmosphere. Hopefully I will also find the welcome a little warmer from staff.
(4)Mike P.
If Sakari Sushi Lounge is t-shirts and baseball caps then Wasabi Tao is button down shirts and hair gels. My date has been raving about Wasabi Tao and we dined on a Saturday evening. IMPRESSIONS: For lack of better words it's Zen, black and sleek. Dim lighting. We dined at the bar. Dining at a bar is taking a chance and here's why: your face-to-face with the bartender(s) and you could be seated by anyone. ORDERED: I defer to my date at sushi restaurants to make the choices. I'm admittedly a sushi novice. WARM SAKE. Cold night and warm sake. Oh yes. We ordered the Salmon Avocado Roll, Sweet Potato Tempura Roll and Paradise Roll. TASTED: Of the two "regular" rolls the sweet potato was the best. Sweet crunch of sweet potato that's so savory you're surprised there's no protein. Side note: I stupidly try the wasabi at sushi places by itself first. If a place has "wasabi" in the name its bound to be good and super hot. The two regular rolls really contrasted the "Special Roll". The presentation of it was like a sculpture. The flavors and textures were so complex my tongue was confused. I couldn't pick out a single flavor but in a great way. We both loved our dinner. POST: Nice atmosphere. Fantastic sushi. A great date spot. CHANCE OF RETURN: 10/10
(5)Saiteja Y.
The best sushi in town! I really love this place, love the food, the ambiance and the service. Perfect for a date night. They've an amazing array of drinks to complement their food!
(4)Jp P.
We travel to Des Moines for work often from Omaha and have been here four times. It has become one of our favorite places in DSM. Don't be fooled by the modest exterior.
(5)Ali F.
Great place and atmosphere. The food was delicious and the staff were really nice. I'll definitely try this place again soon.
(5)Eric J.
6 of us tried every signature roll. Our favorites were the paradise, VIP, and out of control rolls. Foxy lady and French connection were also good. French connection is not on the menu. Least best rolls were the king crab and crazy friday rolls. We also had a sashimi platter. It was very fresh and flavorful. One of the best sushi restaurants I've eaten at.
(5)Amy O.
My favorite sushi spot in Des Moines and I've been to almost all of them. I love the rolls - always good. The service is spot on and you always see the same people working there too - always a sign of good management. What I like too - and you will see is important to me in most of my reviews is the ambiance. It's kind of dark and club like with really great music (like Exotica Lounge station on Pandora). They have great seating including high back round booths. The bar is hip and drinks are great. I also like that I can usually get Uni there as well.
(5)Lejla V.
Wow my favorite sushi place in Iowa. Exceptional service and high quality sushi and food. We ordered oysters, shumai, chicken hot pot and sushi and sashimi for 1. Fish was perfectly fresh and oysters are outstanding. Chicken hot pot was full of flavor. Thank you chef for this amazing specialty we are lucky to have you in Des Moines!!
(5)Jason M.
GREAT SUSHI. I eat sushi all over the U.S. and who knew Des Moines would have one of the more memorable spots.
(5)Andrea B.
My favorite sushi restaurant and I've been to almost all in the Des Moines area. Everything is so fresh and they have pretty decent portion sizes. Conveniently located downstairs from my friend's apartment too ;)
(4)Natalie S.
Love Wasabi Tao (shout out to Kevin and Kira!) The food is amazing, their drinks awesome, and the staff is super nice. We come here all the time. And they have really good vegetarian sushi (which sounds like an oxymoron, but I swear delicious) My only complaint is their booths on the left aren't super comfortable but it's worth it for the food!
(5)Tacylin S.
Honestly we were just looking for a sushi place that was open late in the Des Moines area, and read some great reviews so we decided to try it out. Wasabi Tao was open until 11pm and definitely turned out to be a good choice. The restaurant has a great ambiance, and while small enough to feel intimate we still had plenty of room to ourselves and had no trouble hearing each other over the several other people in the room. Our waitress was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable about the food. We tried a few of their specialty sushi rolls which were made quickly and tasted delicious (my favorite was the "Crazy Friday Roll"). Their fish selection isn't quite as large as some other places in town, but if you're looking for a well made roll this is the place to go. They had Kirin on tap (my friend's favorite drink to accompany sushi) and I tried the Pear Sake which was pretty good taste wise, but the coolest thing about it was the neat way they served it. The price was similar to most sushi places. I would recommend Wasabi Tao for anyone who is a fan of good sushi, great atmosphere and excellent service.
(5)Patrick T.
5 minus 1 = 4! I really wanted to give this place a big old 5 star rating because the layout and decor is so cool, and the food is absolutely amazing! The best sushi I have ever had! Mind you I'm not a cona-shushi-soer but it was my favorite ever! Flat out! Only bummer was it seemed like our waitress was having "a case of the Mondays!" She was slightly mean and was very hurried it seamed liked.. Then when we were finished we had to ask a different server for our check cause our server had gotten so busy she forgot about us... Maybe it was just understaffed a bit! Now onto the food! It was great. I had an avocado-peanut rolls which were out of this world good! I also had the Veggies and Red Curry which totally was fresh and very tasty! I would highly recommended this place to anyone for lunch you can get a lot of bang for your buck! You get a choice of salad or soup with any meal and I tried both and they were great additions to any lunch!
(4)Aaron C.
Tony runs an amazing restaurant with incredibly fresh fish and beautifully crafted sushi rolls. Highly recommended and well worth your time and money.
(5)DerickandMegan D.
Came here with the wife on a little date night! Good decision. I cant remember the rolls we ate but they were definitely delicious. I always select a few pieces of fresh fish, like the yellow tail and salmon. Very fresh and tastey. The different sauces that came on top of the sushi were very enjoyable. Price and quantity are in line. I will come here again for sushi. It was a good experience.
(5)Lisa H.
I've never been here for dinner, but have had lunch several times. Their bento boxes are the best! You can get a fresh grilled meat (chicken terriyaki, sirloin, etc), california roll, soup, salad, rice and dumplins for under $10 with tax. All the food I've had is very fresh and flavorful. The prices are typical for this genre of restaurant. The ambience in the restaurant is really great - check it out.
(5)Maddie C.
I had heard awesome things about this place so I had high expectations and Wasabi Tao did not disappoint! We started with spicy garlic edamame which was so flavorful! I had the VIP roll and the special Volcano roll- both delicious. The sauce combinations were on point. I also love that most of their rolls are wrapped in soy paper. My boyfriend had the Thai Basil entree with beef. The veggies were crisp and fresh. Great place! Best sushi in Des Moines
(4)Ryan H.
Fantastic, angry tuna roll, shrimp tempura,... AMAZING By far my favorite sushi destination in the Midwest so far.
(5)Arianne N.
Solid sushi choice for Iowa! Only gripe is the one piece of nigiri per order shenanigan. I guess that's what happens when you want raw, fresh fish in a landlocked state. It makes for an expensive lunch though. I thought they had great deals on rolls during lunch. We did a three roll combo for $13 and then a more fancy roll off of the lunch deal menu. Both orders came with an option for soup or salad. I found their miso soup to be especially yummy. Full of flavor and perfect for a gloomy day. For maki, we got the peppered tuna, yellowtail and scallion, salmon and avocado, an V.I.P. roll without the asparagus. There's a great ratio of fish to rice in their rolls. We were definitely impressed with that. My boyfriend thought they cut the fish too thinly for the nigiri, but it didn't bother me. They're not shy about using sauces and garnishes on the nigiri. My boyfriend didn't particularly care for it. He prefers to just enjoy the flavor of the fish by itself. I was feeling a little more adventures so I didn't mind. Only one I didn't enjoy was how they put what tastes like toasted onion bits on the ono. I also wish you had the option of having the amaebi head deep fried or in soup. It just came out deep fried.
(4)Terri M.
Absolutely fabulous! Sister restaurant of the very awesome Wasabi Chi, Wasabi Tao offers a great variety, freshness and beautiful presentation, A very nice place to go on a weekend night for good food, nice atmosphere, drinking and great service! Owner Jay is very hands on and has a great eye for some awesome food! Check it out! Tell me what you think! =)
(5)Matt O.
Best Sushi I've had in the last 10 years. Great staff as well! Was very surprised to find this in Des Moines. Would recommend for a business dinner or a romantic night out.
(5)Brittany R.
Really good price for really good food! Bento boxes are delicious and quick for lunch!
(4)Emily H.
every time i come here, i was surprised by the presentation of the food, it was very creative! would definitely recommend people going! best sushi in Des Moines in my opinion, both in terms of freshness and thoughtfulness only drawback: the dining area is still very greasy in air due to the poor ventilation inside, my shirt still smells after the visit
(4)Kelly D.
I was here for a business trip and being from Seattle, I was highly skeptical about eating fish in the Midwest. To start- Wasabi Tao is incredibly zen-like inside, very dark and calming, so that set the tone from the start. The waitstaff there was SO friendly- they made great recommendations on what to order, were really knowledgeable about the menu and what I liked most is they were just so friendly and likeable. NOW for the sushi- we ordered at least three rolls- the Hotel Kirkwood Roll, the Out of Control Roll, and the VIP roll. Each one was a roll-your-eyes-in-the-back-of-your-head good, my personal favorite was the Hotel Kirkwood roll. It was the perfect blend of rich and decadent tempura salmon, spicy tuna and mayo, and fresh and sweet from the mango- it was literally a party in your mouth. I am so thankful work is sending me back to Des Moines so I can go back fro seconds!
(5)Johnny C.
Great prices and love the free spicy edamame when you check in on yelp. Asahi beer, spicy yellowtail roll and a spider roll made it a great dinner.
(4)Michael C.
We get to Des Moines only a couple times a year so we can't make a fair comparison to other sushi joints in the DSM area, but Wasabi Tao is still one of the best we have ever enjoyed, and we're big sushi fans (probably have racked up 200+ different sushi places). We always order a representative sample of Nigiri, Sashimi and Maki, and Wasabi Tao excelled on all counts... ...except one: part of our "standard" order includes a Spider Roll (soft shell crab in a tempura batter at the center), and Unagi sushi (fresh water eel). In both cases the fish is supposed to be cooked, then immediately prepared and served. The best sushi chefs deliver these treats with the fish still slightly warm; lesser chefs (and slower servers) deliver them at room temp. Our Spider Roll and Unagi were very tasty, but entirely cold, as if they had been assembled sometime before we ordered and were then refrigerated until needed. I don't know if that was the case, I just know it was the coldest Spider Roll and Unagi I have ever eaten. Hence 4 stars instead of 5. But, that's small potatoes (or fish, whatever). All the positive reviews here are right. We will be back
(4)Marika B.
What a great sushi bar! Staff was attentive and friendly and the food was amazing. Great portion size for the seaweed salad. I also ordered the Chirashi and the fish was very fresh. Also, when it was served to me, he told me what eat type of fish was which was very nice and super helpful! Definitely recommend.
(5)Yufei C.
The restaurant is kind of dark inside so I feel uncomfortable at first. But the waiters are really friendly and nice, the food is really fresh, creatively designed and delicious. The "Paradise Roll" is their famous one. You'll feel in paradise when biting the fish roll of it! I'm so glad I can visit there by accident ! we had a really good time !
(5)C L.
Meh, seared peppered tuna was not fresh. If it was, it would have been a five star!! Chicken teriyaki was ok. It wasn't as sweet as I normally have it so that is a good thing. They used chicken breast but it wasn't dry at all, it was actually quite tender.
(2)Kandy F.
I have been there twice and both time the food and service was very good. My friends loved the sushi and I think the sesame chicken was awesome. The menu is very large and I think anything on the menu would be good.
(4)Aeon G.
Another great addition to the downtown sushi restaurants. Different from my favorite, but equally as good. Great atmosphere, staff, and overall delivery of customer service. They might be the top of the chain for me in Des Moines. I have a regular of salmon and tuna sashimi with a Philly roll and miso soup. The food is incredibly consistent from the quality of the fish to the consistency of the soup. They also have great bento options for lunch whose simple presentation and construction offset the large menu of well executed specialty rolls. There's also a full bar with a number of creative Martinique. A solid recommendation for anyone downtown DSM looking for for sushi.
(5)Cheryl A.
Stopped on Saturday 4-4-15 for takeout. First time visit. Staff very friendly and helpful. Sushi was fresh and good . Rice balls on the nigiri were moist and tight. Small beer selection but they did have a couple of decent ones. Would go back again.
(4)Melissa M.
Wasabi Tao is a pretty cool place. We sat at the bar on a Friday night and had a couple of cocktails, all of which were pretty fantastic. I would highly recommend the VIP roll. This is a great place for date night, but it is on the pricey side.
(4)Mark G.
My wife and I ate here recently for the first time. We liked the atmosphere and decor. It was busy, but not too loud. Our server was great. He suggested a few of the rolls and patiently answered our questions. The rolls tasted great and were presented very well on the dish. They have some fun cocktail concoctions, too. We would definitely recommend this restaurant.
(5)Jason J.
While I was relocating to Des Moines, I stayed at a hotel just a couple blocks from Wasabi Tao and visited there a couple nights a week. The sushi is really great. I've had sushi all over the country and this is right up there in terms of quality and craftsmanship. Beyond the food, the staff is fantastic: very attentive, fun, friendly and knowledgeable.
(4)Sharon P.
Went here for my birthday and the food was fantastic! The inside decor and overall atmosphere of the restaurant is hard to beat. I especially enjoyed the beautiful presentation of my meal. If you're looking for good Japanese food here in Des Moines, I would definitely check this place out.
(5)Todd H.
My all time favorite sushi restaurant in Des Moines! Tony does an amazing job with all dishes and the staff is always attentive and friendly. My go-to order is the Italian Stallion but I've never had a meal here I didn't like.
(5)Grace L.
came with my family. got some rolls, fried rice, yaki soba, shumai, salad, (free edamame with yelp check-in). atmosphere was nice, so was staff. food was good, but spicy rolls aren't so spicy. I think b/c they're catering to the mid-western palate. good portions for the price (especially compared to Twin Cities sushi places).
(5)Chad M.
Visited for the first time last night. The sushi was incredible. You can tell they pay attention to the details. Officially a regular customer now.
(5)Mary D.
First time here, really impressed. Our server was super, very attentive, helpful and kind. The chef sent out a great appetizer for us to try on the house, very impressive! Love the Italian Stallion roll and had many pieces of nigiri. And loved the spicy garlic edamame! Delicious! Can't wait to come back the next time I'm in town!!
(5)Chad V.
Some very high quality sushi here. The lunch specials are a very good deal and the selections are quite diverse. The service is quite attentive and the eating area appears very clean. You can get to the restaurant from the skywalk level if you go down the stairs near the barber shop and Something Italian eatery.
(5)Lindsey S.
First time visiting tonight. I'm a sushi novice but thoroughly enjoyed the spicy edamame, spicy egg drop soup, the Temptation Roll and the Italian Stallion Roll. But the best of all was our server Ene! Loved him! Will definitely be going back.
(5)Lim K.
I found two favorite things at Wasabi Tao, authentic green tea and spicy squid salad. The presentation of sushi and sashimi plate for two was great however, the fish lacked freshness. Our server was excellent.
(4)Y L.
I love this place!! They have really really good sushi and their prices are reasonable. I always get the spider roll. They make a good one. Not too much rice. And they're generous on their ingredients. The out of control roll is the famous roll. It's really good. The cream cheese is a little melted and there's a little kick to it. Nothing unbearable. The best one I've had so far would have to be the tao chef roll. It has done crutch to it. And the raw fish in it was just the right texture. Highly recommend this place for a date night or if you're just out for good sushi
(4)Mark S.
Started off slow. Salad was nothing to write about. Sushi redeemed them somewhat but it was just so-so.
(2)Angie M.
The food was not memorable and the service was terribly slow. It took over almost an hour for us to get our sushi. Nothing like wasabi chi.
(2)Megan H.
I was a big fan of Cuatro, so I've been watching this space eagerly to find out what would be the next (hopefully better-fated) restaurant to occupy the corner of the Kirkwood. Luckily I'm also a big Wasabi Chi fan, so when I found out they were launching a sister restaurant, I knew I had to go immediately. First of all - hats off to Wasabi Tao for completing such a beautiful renovation of the space. The restaurant is essentially laid out the same as Cuatro, but they've added lots of details - an elevated seating area, curved booths, fancy lighting, stone wall sections, and of course the enormous Buddha statue in the center of the seating area. It looks like an entirely new, extremely chic restaurant. The Wasabi Tao menu has a lot of new and different options as well as some of my favorites from the Merle Hay location (the seared ahi appetizer, for instance). The prices are still pretty reasonable despite the move downtown - I think the most expensive roll was $16. Not bad! On this visit, we tried the VIP roll, the forementioned appetizer, and an eel-cucumber roll. I thought the eel tasted a bit "off," but everything else was great. Service was quick and efficient. When we visited, it was about 10pm on Saturday night and close to empty. I'd read that they planned to stay open until 2am on the weekends, but we were told the kitchen would probably close around 10:45 - which seemed like a (totally understandable) last-minute call on the manager's part in response to a fairly empty restaurant. Going forward, I'd love to see Wasabi Tao develop some kind of late-night menu rather than closing the kitchen entirely - I'm always in search of food late at night, and while the Gramercy Tap next door has a decent selection, it's nice to have options. I have to say, the empty restaurant did worry me a little given Cuatro's fate. The last time we had a sushi bar downtown (Zen, in the exact same location) was several years ago - hopefully this time around, Wasabi Chi's customer base can help keep a downtown sushi restaurant going!
(4)Brooke P.
I went here last weekend with some friends and had a really great time. We order up a round of Kirin and some saki to get the night started. The staff was very nice and the atmosphere is pretty cool - I like the giant Buddha. The best was the unagi, I highly recommend that. We went kind of last minute and didn't need a reservation which is always nice. It did start to fill up as the evening progressed. Not my favorite sushi in DSM but pretty good!
(4)Julia P.
Three months ago we moved from living 4 yr. in Des Moines to now living in downtown Chicago. Have not found a replacement for Wasabi Tao and expect it's just not going to happen. I want everyone in Iowa to know what a special place you have in this fabulous sushi restaurant. Mostly sashimi lovers, my husband and I often sat at the bar on our visits (more than once a week :-) and let Tony just create beautiful, fresh, incredible menus of whatever he recommended. On other days, we would opt for a table, and occasionally even shake things up entirely with a satisfying noodle dish meal (Seafood Udon - yum). We also arranged a couple of work gatherings at Wasabi Tao, and our guests were always impressed. We have traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto, and have also eaten sushi in NY, the Bay Area, and Chicago. Wasabi Tao is presenting delicious Japanese food with great skill, freshness, hospitality, and creativity. Lucky you, Des Moines!
(5)Hallie A.
Some friends and I frequent this sushi restaurant because they have a great menu and conveniently located downtown. The sushi is fantastic, battling for my favorite in Des Moines. Wasabi Tao has great execution and presentation of their plates, not to mention delicious. However, every time we go, the service is subpar. I don't know if we just have the worst luck or what. I try not to be overly critical of servers because I know they have a lot to do. Somehow, though, we frequently get our orders screwed up, and rarely see our server. My biggest issue, however, was when I was pregnant. I ordered a glass of wine with dinner (mind you, I didn't even drink the whole glass). My server asked me if I was sure I should have that. I almost jumped out of my chair. There are women who drink throughout their pregnancy. Though I don't agree with it, that is their prerogative. I just wanted to have a very little amount of wine with dinner, and I was shocked at how I was treated.
(3)Ri T.
Favorite sushi in town, hands down! Try the hibiscus drink too, it sure is tasty!
(5)Maya O.
This really was a great place to go and eat. I went with two of my friends and ordered the sushi & Sashimi for 3 (chef's choice). And the chef's didn't disappoint. Everything was put in great presentation. The fish was very good and fresh (considering that this is the midwest, this is super awesome) and the UNI. Oh the UNI, just was delight to eat. I had to order more. The experience was just so pleasant and it started with great service from the hosts and chefs which came by all the tables. They love making sushi and it shows. I highly recommend this place to anyone. It's worth the price. It's a bit small, but I like that. And forgot to say you guys must try the " Des Moines Love" the cocktail was so good.
(5)Mindy M.
Went back because the sushi is so good. Still smells strongly of cooking grease. This place has a real ventilation problem which you'll just have to overlook if you like great sushi. Seems like more rice than fish in the roils but flavor is excellent. I'd give 2.5 stars for interior (the Buddah is cool but many other things could use refreshing) and 3.5 for the sushi.
(3)Sandra F.
Hands down the best sushi place in Iowa. The detail the chefs use in making the sushi is second to none - no sloppy rolls or bad fish here! Only the highest quality. Be sure to ask about items not on the menu including the oysters and sea scallops. They only have them occasionally since they will only sell them fresh and in season, but they are absolutely amazing!
(5)Kate B.
Om nom. Great peanut avocado rolls. Easy to get a table usually and the service is decent.
(4)Jordan C.
I visited Wasabi Tao again during the lunch hour yesterday and I'll be going back again today. I sat at the Sushi Bar, and the Sushi Chef, Tony, was incredibly helpful and friendly. The service was fantastic, and even though it was a bit busier than my last visit, I still got all of my food much faster than expected. I ordered the White Tuna Jalapeno and Philadelphia rolls on a lunch special, which included a salad with homemade ginger dressing for $9.50. Because of my last visit and the excellent lunch value, I'm upgrading my four star review to five.
(5)Amanda T.
Quite delicious. Quiet, good service, reasonably priced. You can even get there by skywalk when it's bitter cold out! Order the soft-shelled crab and avocado sald - they're terrific.
(4)Chandra P.
Went here with a friend and was very impressed! At first, it took awhile for us to get waited on but as soon as someone realized we hadn't been helped we were taken care of and we even got some free appetizers to make up for the wait! The food and presentation was great. After living in California for 8 months I am a little shy of sushi in the Midwest but I was thoroughly impressed with the food here! It helped that the decor of the restaurant was very nice as well!
(5)Liz W.
Love this restaurant for all the reasons you should choose a place to enjoy eating a great meal...variety (ask about the live scallops and freshly grated wasabi), great drink specials, super staff, clean, etc! The chef/owner is so personable and willing to create his favorites...I never even look at the menu. Great find and one of my favorites when I travel to Des Moines.
(5)Mark F.
This is easily the best sushi joint I've been to in all of Iowa. The staff is super friendly and the sushi is incredible. Their fish is flown in from Hawaii and the rolls are very complex. They also have very good simple rolls that are pretty cheap. I go almost every week.
(5)Anastaysa B.
The food and service here are impeccable. The freshest fish in Des Moines, hands down. They are extremely willing to accommodate adjustments to menu items and for the quality and presentation received, their pricing is extremely reasonable. I usually go for lunch, and almost always order the squid salad and the sashimi special. The squid is expertly prepared, tender and lightly dressed in a sauce that is obviously made from scratch. For a minimal upcharge, the very talented chefs are willing to prepare your sashimi dish to preference instead of the standard chef's choice. I am always greeted warmly and remembered, and the service staff does a fantastic job of being attentive without being invasive. Their signature cocktails are delicious and well balanced, and their specials never disappoint. I've taken a number of people from sushi haters to sushi aficionados and no one I've introduced to this restaurant has left disappointed. Wasabi Tao is a must when experiencing the variety of cuisine Des Moines has to offer.
(5)Lindsay E.
Amazing. Awesome service, awesome rolls, awesome soup. We had miso soup, sashimi, tuna and salmon rolls, and king crab roll which was fried. All awesome. Going back ASAP.
(5)Tami J.
This is the sister restaurant to Wasabi Chi. The menu offers fantastic sushi, as well as delicious appetizers and entrees from the kitchen. Their drink list includes well-balanced cocktails made with lychee, ginger, acai and the like, and the wine list is excellent. The space has an intimate lounge feel featuring large curved booths and a giant, strategically lit Buddha. It's great to have an option like this downtown for lunch, dinner, or meeting up with friends for some drinks and small plates.
(5)Danielle K.
Stopped here on Saturday night. Decent atmosphere and sushi. Unfortunately they gave us a bill for a table of 8 people vs 4. We almost didn't catch it and paid a hefty bill. All of us got food poisoning the following day. Doubt I'll go back.
(1)Nelson S.
Wow what a nice surprise. A wonderful Sushi bar in Des Moines. Service was very attentive, welcoming and respectful. The sashimi was fresh and presented well. The Tao chefs choice role was amazing as well. Who would have knew that Des Moines would harbor this delight. I travel weekly all over the us for work and eat sushi one to two time a week every where. I highly recommend.
(5)lttlod i.
So my last experience at this restaurant was not too great, however I went with a couple of friends to check out Wasabi Tao this week and my experience was a complete 180 from the last. The owner read my last review and offered to send me a $50 giftcard to come back and try it again. I thought, man that's super nice and really shows that they care about their customer's experience. So here's the run down: Drinks were great. I just ordered a kirin but my friend ordered the des moines (can't remember the full name)cocktail. Those are addictive and so good! Very refreshing with pineapple flavors. Not too strong and not too light on the alcohol. We ordered the gyoza and spicy edamame which were awesome. Love the garlic and chili spice and the gyoza was crisp on the outside and hot on the inside. Several kinds of sushi made up our dinner. We started out with the bonzai tree roll which had a cucumber wrap with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, kani, and avacado with sauce. We thought it was really refreshing and light. I'm not a fan of cucumber really but this was really good. Then we ordered some sashimi and a couple of special rolls. The sashimi is what I had an issue with last time (last time it tasted like it was in the freezer for a long time). This time, the salmon sashimi was probably my favorite. It was super fresh and delicious! I had wished I ordered more. I also ordered the angry tuna roll along with the hotel kirkwood roll. Both were really good. I really like peppered tuna so the angry tuna roll was my favorite. My friends ordered the avacado peanut roll, which is really good and simple. They also tried the eel sashimi and the fuji yama roll. They liked the eel sashimi. They were too full to finish the fuji yama roll and said it was pretty good but too sweet for their liking. That's a personal preference however. For desert we ordered a mix of mochi ice cream which was soooo good! I absolutely love the red bean flavor and mango. Service was a thousand times better as well. Our guy was super polite and on top of our drink orders, refills and let us chill out at the end of the meal. I can see what everyone is talking about now. I love the atmosphere and probably just experienced an off night before. My complementary giftcard really made no difference on my review at all. I think we left the place with a $150 bill or more before tip so we ended up spending way more than the giftcard. I think it's a nice way to get someone back in the door, which paid off since I had a great experience this time around. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Jason B.
Fabulous place. Visiting Des Moines and never thought I would find sushi much less good sushi. Friendly staff and good presentation.
(5)Sara S.
Yum! Am just in Des Moines for a conference, and found this place on Yelp. It turned out to be right near my hotel. I got take-out sushi, and it was delicious. And in the 5 minutes I was in there, everyone seemed very friendly and the atmosphere really nice. I live in New York City, and can get good sushi all the time, and I thought this place was really fresh, well presented, and tasty.
(5)Sarah S.
This was my first time dining at Wasabi Tao and I was beyond impressed with my experience. The decor and vibe are very stylish and modern, which definitely adds an aire of sophistication but isn't "trying too hard." My friend and I went during happy hour from 4-6pm and got some amazing deals! Their cocktails were $5 (normally $8) and they had many different unique ones, not just run-of-the-mill standards (e.g. drinks with lychee puree, elderflower liqueur, etc.). They also had $5 sushi rolls, which were smaller standard rolls but still good. I ordered the "V.I.P. Roll," a specialty roll, as well. It was GREAT! It was a large salmon/avocado/asparagus roll with torched yellowtail on top - perfectly seasoned and the texture was spot on. Came with a spicy lychee sauce on drizzled over top and honey wasabi (which I didn't try but my friend enjoyed it). There were so many appetizing drinks, sushi rolls, etc. that we had a hard time deciding what to try! I also ordered the baked miso-soy eggplant...delicious. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, particularly sushi lovers. Wait staff was very friendly, kept our waters filled, and were quick to help when we asked. Definitely one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in Des Moines.
(5)Chineda S.
Always a great vibe and fast service. Prices are about the same as everyone else. If your downtown and looking for a place to start your evening. This is a must.
(5)Jessica L.
A fun evening in the East Village ended with dinner at Wasabi Tao, the new sister restaurant to Wasabi Chi. My friend and I each had Japanese beer- she had her usual Kirin and I tried my first Asahi. I really enjoyed the crisp and clean flavor. She is eager to try the Des Moines Love cocktail but we decided to stick to beer for the night. We had a sample of the tempura white tune and the peppered tuna sashimi - the peppered tuna is always a pleasant gift to our palates. The menu at Tao is much more condensed than at Chi but it still has a nice variety of offerings. April and I decided to stick to sushi rolls - we chose the Fuji Yama and the Angry Tuna. They were both expertly made and delightful! The guys sitting next to us ordered a bevy of rolls and oysters. My friend loves oysters and commented on how small they looked. The owner provided her with a lot of information and encouraged her to try them so she did and she was amazed at the flavor. She continued to talk about them pretty much the entire evening. After an hour of listening to her sign the oysters' praises, I was sweetly coerced into trying one. I have to admit that it was fine, a bit spicy but really not overly exciting to me. This was only the second oyster I have ever tried so if you like oysters, please follow April's suggestion to treat yourself to these gems. The owner happened to be at this location last night and he is always so friendly and funny! If you are downtown and want a pleasant experience with delicious food, I strongly recommend that you visit Wasabi Tao.
(5)Patrick M.
I have been to Wasabi Tao every week since they opened and I simply love it! I was excited to learn of a new sushi restaurant opening in downtown and was even more excited after my first visit. I sat at the sushi bar and was served by head chef Tony-san. He was extremely friendly but still very focused on his food preparation (which is beautiful). The wait staff if also very kind and made sure my sake glass never became empty! They even remember my name and my favorite orders to make sure I am pleased with each visit. I have enjoyed everything I have tasted at Wasabi Tao since I started dining there, but my favorite is just ordering off the Nigiri menu (their Hamachi is excellent and the best I have ever had). I'm sure their dinner entrees are delicious too, but I enjoy the sushi so much I have never ordered from it. I was not expecting to dine on such fresh sushi so far from the ocean, but their quality is top notch. This restaurant is a great addition to Des Moines and will be a great success.
(5)F E.
Service wasn't great but sushi was good. If you haven a party of more than 4, they will have a hard time accommodating.
(3)Monica J.
The last time I had sushi in Downtown Des Moines at this location it was horrible (Zao I think it was called?). But was excited to learn about Wasabi Tao the sister to Wasabi Chi at this location now! Our lunch experience was great! Service was prompt and and waiter even boxed our leftovers for us. Loved the Peppered Tuna with avocado roll and second favorite was the white tuna with jalapeno, which you don't see often in Midwest sushi spots. Might be my new favorite sushi spot in the Des Moines metro.
(4)Ellen H.
Tony's salad is amazing. Highly recommend. Eel roll was very good, soft not chewy, well rolled. The French Connection Roll, superb.
(5)Stacey S.
The service can be a bit slow but the sushi is worth it. Highly recommend the King Crab Roll.
(4)Tyler R.
Stopped by for lunch and found the good reviews to be absolutely correct. The miso was full of flavor and delicious. The fujiyama and crazy friday rolls were some of the best rolls i have ever had. We also had the king crab crunch roll. It was good, however i had not ever had a roll where the entire thing was cooked and i did not like it as much as the other two. We also tried the spicy garlic edemame, as i had seen good reviews for it and wanted to try edemame. I found out that I am not a fan at all, however that is not the staff's fault, just a tip for someone thinking of trying edemame. Kind of reminded me of eating soybeans. I would give 5 stars just for the fujiyama and crazy friday rolls, however, my fiance used the restroom and said they were quite dirty.
(4)Mike S.
Excellent sushi and Great service!! Prices were extremely reasonable and presentation was great! It's nice to have a great sushi place right next to some great bars.
(5)Lee B.
This is as good as sushi gets in Des Moines.
(5)Lindsey R.
I had heard such great things about this place, so even though my husband and I had dinner reservations with friends at another restaurant, we made it a point to stop at Wasabi Tao for a pre dinner drink and appetizer. The restaurant has such a great atmosphere. Walking in you don't feel like you are in Des Moines, as it gives off a big city vibe. Lots of dark woods and interesting lighting and the big Buddha that is their centerpiece is great. My husband and I sat at the bar and I tried two different speciality drinks - both were fantastic and reasonably priced! Both bartenders were very attentive and friendly. We also tried the Fuji Yama sushi roll and it was very tasty. We will definitely be back for the full dinner experience!
(5)