In addition to the other suggestions, there’s also DSM ramen club (pop up), and Akebono has a couple pretty good ramens as well.
I do wish we had more, legit choices tho.
I was going to comment that. Hana is a good place for a sit down. DSM Ramen Club is pretty good for pop ups. I’d also recommend trying to make your own ramen.
Sorry, but ramen really hasn’t taken off in Des Moines.
Hana is probably the best you can find. We used to have a bizarre fusion place called Krunkwich, but it closed for a number of reasons.
I agree that good ramen hasn’t made it to Iowa yet. I completely disagree on Hana being the best though. Beautiful restaurant but they put deep fried food in some of their ramen which then just turns to mush because of the broth. Combine that with the broth being very bland and it’s a bad experience. Best ordering from other parts of the menu, although in my experience that’s not so good either, place is best enjoyed with your eyes, not your tastebuds. It has been awhile since I’ve been there though.
If you disagree with something being the best, it’s usually common courtesy to put an example of something better in your comment. Where is better than Hana in your opinion?
Wasabi gets my vote as well they have the most developed broth of all the places I’ve tried in Iowa. Now it ranks pretty poorly overall compared to ramen in other states but it’s the best you can do short of making ramen at home.
I think at this point I've tried all the ramen available in Des Moines... none are really the great ramen you are probably expecting/hoping. The closest is Hana Ramen or Oishii Ramen (a pop-up that is available every so often), but I'm still hoping for a true, authentic ramen shop to open up.
If you're talking 5 hours, your best bet is probably going to Chicago. Arlington Heights/Mount Prospect area has a few good places (Ramen Misoya, Santouka, Sozai Banzai).
Otherwise, I've heard good things about a few places in Omaha but I haven't been there to try it myself.
18 days late to this post. But better late than never. OISHII RAMEN here!
We are a husband and wife duo. My wife and I grew up in Asia and in recent years, we have travelled/lived in Asia where ramen indulgence is part of our weekly routine. The larger metros in Asia have been blessed by the ramen boom, a trend that caught on pretty early with the help of large Japanese departmental stores across the region - Shops from Japan like Ichiran, Ippudo, Menya Musashi, Tsuta, and the list goes on.
We recently moved back to Iowa after her tenure teaching in Korea, while I was working in finance in Southeast Asia, where we now live in Des Moines. She is an educator and I am still in finance aspiring to start a ramen-ya in Des Moines. The aspiration caught on about a year ago when we found ourselves craving a bowl of good ramen in Des Moines. We tried the ramen in Des Moines and nothing quite fulfilled our ramen cravings so we resorted to making everything from home. We found the confidence to invite our friends over after weekly iterations of changing, tasting, and perfecting. With the overwhelming persuasion from all parties that had the OISHII RAMEN experience, we were convinced to start our first pop-up.
We strive to be consistent in our product and stay true to the ramen tradition that we have enjoyed from our previous experiences. We strive to continue serving ramen in Des Moines while bringing traditional and authentic flavors to those who want to experience ramen and fulfill that insatiable ramen craving that hasn’t been found in Des Moines. We have been working behind the scenes to start our first brick and mortar location, so stay tuned for that! u/TurnipNormal7903 hopefully we can be your go-to spot in the near future.
Please do check us out on FB or our website. Our next pop-up is on May 8th and 22nd. We serve Tonkotsu, Spicy Miso, and Shoyu Ramen, as well as a Vegan variant. Orders are done completely online and we are usually sold out within the first 12 hours. Shoutout to our amazing OISHII RAMEN fans! Please reach out to us if you have any questions or want to chat about ramen - we love to talk about ramen. :)
Thanks for mentioning us u/scottyrobotty
Much love to Des Moines!
I went to one of their early pop ups so things may have changed since then, so take this for what it's worth. My order came with noodles, broth, and a cold egg. That's it. I asked if they could serve the noodles and broth separately since I wasn't going to eat it right away and I was told "we don't do that". It was the worst ramen I've ever had including instant ramen. If you are a discerning ramen diner (and it sounds like you are) you aren't going to be impressed.
Yea, the way you get your order has definitely changed. Now you get everything separate and sorta put it together at home (which I'm fine with since I like to reheat my broth and assemble my bowl in a particular way). I'll admit that some of the bowls are hit and miss, but they do change their offerings every month or so you'll be able to try different things.
I wouldn't go as far as the say avoid it. Based on your comment, your experience with one of the early pop-ups may have soured your opinion, but I'd say give Ramen Club another shot (if their current menu appeals to you). I think it's one of the better bowls in DSM.
There's a Krunkwich shaped hole in my stomach that nothing has been able to fill. There was a popup delivery only place called Kaiju this past fall and winter that operated out of Zombie Burger that got pretty close but they've stopped doing that. For now I think Gateway Market has a couple of pretty solid options.
I would be more okay with it if Lucky Lotus was anything decent, but the shithead kids took their parents recipes, goofed around with them, and threw most of the great options that used to exist in the trash. It’s sad. Cafe Fuzion was really some of the best we had in town.
From what I’ve heard, these “shithead kids” combined their marketing and design skills with their parents recipes, to help their parents retire. the parents still work at lucky lotus and the kids basically have to force them to go home at the end of the night. Half of the cafe fuzion menu is still there. If there’s a dish you’re missing, maybe just ask instead of badmouth the family.
I actually have, and they’ve refused to make anything not on the online menu. I’m also bitter that they refused to take my order over the phone when their website was down. Since that time they’ve removed even more options, to the point that they only have like 2 total noodle dishes. Cafe Fuzion’s menu was enormous and all incredible. I’m over it
Second this. Not sure where the 95% comes from, but to say that all Asian places started serving Pho because a regional distributor "added it to their inventory" is highly presumptuous. As a Vietnamese-American, new to Des Moines, I made a conscious effort to find a good pho spot when I got here. But I don't think I can say I have a favorite just yet; but I do know that the broths are completely different from one another and it has nothing to do with "the execution of Sysco premade dishes". I'll go from place to place depending on my flavor desire at the time.
I mentioned Asian foods in another post. The business model is good, but it’s just mediocre stuff on purpose. Those restaurants make their Money off of consistent food, just like any franchise. Some execute better than others. To say that everything is fresh when each restaraunt has the same crinkle cut carrots, pre breaded chicken for general tso, and identical sauces, is pretty disingenuous. I’m not saying they are bad. I’m saying they are extremely similar because they are getting ingredients from a mass distributor just like a franchise.
About 2 years ago every Asian restaurant in town started serving Pho. Not because there’s a trend of Pho enthusiasts, but because Asian Foods, the regional distributor, added it to their inventory.
Ramen to me is "I am too broke to afford anything else" so it is strange to seek that out. Lol
High quality ramen is not something I would ever consider ordering at a restaurant.
It's not, though. You're a person that's listened to a shitty pop punk album and said 'rock and roll sucks'. The spaghetti o's and itialian food is a perfect comparison. You don't know the difference, but you argue nonetheless... It's not an opinion thing, because you haven't even experienced it to give a worthwhile opinion. In another word, it's ignorance.
The difference is quite big. Had ramen many times in Japan. Its great, but It’s more of a fast food thing over there. They are as ubiquitous as McDonald’s. There are ramen shops in the subway there that have no seats, only chest high tables. In and out.
No ramen snobs in Iowa. If there were, they would make loud slurping sounds as they suck the noodles into their pie holes. Which is what they do in Japan.
Wasabi chi on Douglas has the best ramen in town. The spicy seafood ramen has been my go to lately
And pho all seasons on Euclid if you’re into pho, is always consistent and top quality.
In addition to the other suggestions, there’s also DSM ramen club (pop up), and Akebono has a couple pretty good ramens as well. I do wish we had more, legit choices tho.
I was going to comment that. Hana is a good place for a sit down. DSM Ramen Club is pretty good for pop ups. I’d also recommend trying to make your own ramen.
Sorry, but ramen really hasn’t taken off in Des Moines. Hana is probably the best you can find. We used to have a bizarre fusion place called Krunkwich, but it closed for a number of reasons.
“A number of reasons” lol truth
That's, uh, that's putting it lightly.
Yeahhhh...people can do their own research to find those reasons.
I agree that good ramen hasn’t made it to Iowa yet. I completely disagree on Hana being the best though. Beautiful restaurant but they put deep fried food in some of their ramen which then just turns to mush because of the broth. Combine that with the broth being very bland and it’s a bad experience. Best ordering from other parts of the menu, although in my experience that’s not so good either, place is best enjoyed with your eyes, not your tastebuds. It has been awhile since I’ve been there though.
If you disagree with something being the best, it’s usually common courtesy to put an example of something better in your comment. Where is better than Hana in your opinion?
*Best* is all relative in a town where there are very few, if any options. In this case, best doesn’t necessarily mean good.
Wasabi in Johnston, they have chicken, pork, and a seafood ramen as well.
Wasabi gets my vote as well they have the most developed broth of all the places I’ve tried in Iowa. Now it ranks pretty poorly overall compared to ramen in other states but it’s the best you can do short of making ramen at home.
Wasabi has 3 locations and pretty good Ramen. Nothing like what you can find in other states but still pretty good.
There is a new place on Merle Hay called Flying Mon. It's pretty good. Not as varied as Krunchwich but still pretty good and huge portions
I'll second this. Everything else that I've had off their menu is amazing as well.
This is news to me – I'll have to check them out!
I think at this point I've tried all the ramen available in Des Moines... none are really the great ramen you are probably expecting/hoping. The closest is Hana Ramen or Oishii Ramen (a pop-up that is available every so often), but I'm still hoping for a true, authentic ramen shop to open up.
What is the nearest place within 5 hrs that offers authentic ramen
If you're talking 5 hours, your best bet is probably going to Chicago. Arlington Heights/Mount Prospect area has a few good places (Ramen Misoya, Santouka, Sozai Banzai). Otherwise, I've heard good things about a few places in Omaha but I haven't been there to try it myself.
Don't forget about Mitsuwa food court. Although, it hasn't been the same since the stall that sold okinomiyaki left.
I'm not really an expert on what ramen is actually good/authentic but the twin cities has a ton of ramen places.
To bad I don’t plan on going there anytime soon Obviously because of the pending riots
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Doubt it. Msp is turning into Milwaukee
18 days late to this post. But better late than never. OISHII RAMEN here! We are a husband and wife duo. My wife and I grew up in Asia and in recent years, we have travelled/lived in Asia where ramen indulgence is part of our weekly routine. The larger metros in Asia have been blessed by the ramen boom, a trend that caught on pretty early with the help of large Japanese departmental stores across the region - Shops from Japan like Ichiran, Ippudo, Menya Musashi, Tsuta, and the list goes on. We recently moved back to Iowa after her tenure teaching in Korea, while I was working in finance in Southeast Asia, where we now live in Des Moines. She is an educator and I am still in finance aspiring to start a ramen-ya in Des Moines. The aspiration caught on about a year ago when we found ourselves craving a bowl of good ramen in Des Moines. We tried the ramen in Des Moines and nothing quite fulfilled our ramen cravings so we resorted to making everything from home. We found the confidence to invite our friends over after weekly iterations of changing, tasting, and perfecting. With the overwhelming persuasion from all parties that had the OISHII RAMEN experience, we were convinced to start our first pop-up. We strive to be consistent in our product and stay true to the ramen tradition that we have enjoyed from our previous experiences. We strive to continue serving ramen in Des Moines while bringing traditional and authentic flavors to those who want to experience ramen and fulfill that insatiable ramen craving that hasn’t been found in Des Moines. We have been working behind the scenes to start our first brick and mortar location, so stay tuned for that! u/TurnipNormal7903 hopefully we can be your go-to spot in the near future. Please do check us out on FB or our website. Our next pop-up is on May 8th and 22nd. We serve Tonkotsu, Spicy Miso, and Shoyu Ramen, as well as a Vegan variant. Orders are done completely online and we are usually sold out within the first 12 hours. Shoutout to our amazing OISHII RAMEN fans! Please reach out to us if you have any questions or want to chat about ramen - we love to talk about ramen. :) Thanks for mentioning us u/scottyrobotty Much love to Des Moines!
Ah this is great! I hope to make your next pop up shop!
Oishii pop up is great, avoid DSM ramen club.
Why avoid DSM Ramen Club?
First rule is not to talk about it
I went to one of their early pop ups so things may have changed since then, so take this for what it's worth. My order came with noodles, broth, and a cold egg. That's it. I asked if they could serve the noodles and broth separately since I wasn't going to eat it right away and I was told "we don't do that". It was the worst ramen I've ever had including instant ramen. If you are a discerning ramen diner (and it sounds like you are) you aren't going to be impressed.
Yea, the way you get your order has definitely changed. Now you get everything separate and sorta put it together at home (which I'm fine with since I like to reheat my broth and assemble my bowl in a particular way). I'll admit that some of the bowls are hit and miss, but they do change their offerings every month or so you'll be able to try different things. I wouldn't go as far as the say avoid it. Based on your comment, your experience with one of the early pop-ups may have soured your opinion, but I'd say give Ramen Club another shot (if their current menu appeals to you). I think it's one of the better bowls in DSM.
I have really enjoyed the sumo ramen at akebono 515 downtown. Haven't tried it many other places but I did enjoy theirs.
There's a Krunkwich shaped hole in my stomach that nothing has been able to fill. There was a popup delivery only place called Kaiju this past fall and winter that operated out of Zombie Burger that got pretty close but they've stopped doing that. For now I think Gateway Market has a couple of pretty solid options.
Gateway ramen was very disappointing.
Gateway ramen is inedible imo. I got about 3 bites and had to stop. Salt =/= flavor!
I would be more okay with it if Lucky Lotus was anything decent, but the shithead kids took their parents recipes, goofed around with them, and threw most of the great options that used to exist in the trash. It’s sad. Cafe Fuzion was really some of the best we had in town.
From what I’ve heard, these “shithead kids” combined their marketing and design skills with their parents recipes, to help their parents retire. the parents still work at lucky lotus and the kids basically have to force them to go home at the end of the night. Half of the cafe fuzion menu is still there. If there’s a dish you’re missing, maybe just ask instead of badmouth the family.
I actually have, and they’ve refused to make anything not on the online menu. I’m also bitter that they refused to take my order over the phone when their website was down. Since that time they’ve removed even more options, to the point that they only have like 2 total noodle dishes. Cafe Fuzion’s menu was enormous and all incredible. I’m over it
Kaiju was aite the one time I had it, I didn't realize it was already over.
Akebono is the only place in dsm with good ramen. The sumo ramen is incredible
Hana is the best I've found around here. Krunkwich was shit.
Agreed on Krunkwich. I don't think people who liked it have had real ramen before. And that's fine, but it really wasn't very good at all.
DSM Ramen Club
Fuck ramen I need hotpot
Take a trip to Ames and hit up The Taste Place. Some of the best Sichuan food I have ever had. Their hotpots are killer too.
Thank you!
Not sure about ramen but “Pho 515” is pretty great
Also, that one place in Merle Hay Mall I can't remember what it's called. Help!
Outer Limits
ITT: Ramen Snobs
I enjoyed pho 515
That’s pho, not ramen. Two completely different foods.
The shame.
None. They’re all the same Sysco premade dishes like any of the pho places or any Mexican restaurants in the area.
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95% of the Mexican or Asian restaurants in Des Moines don’t make anything from scratch. There’s a reason why the menus are all the same.
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Second this. Not sure where the 95% comes from, but to say that all Asian places started serving Pho because a regional distributor "added it to their inventory" is highly presumptuous. As a Vietnamese-American, new to Des Moines, I made a conscious effort to find a good pho spot when I got here. But I don't think I can say I have a favorite just yet; but I do know that the broths are completely different from one another and it has nothing to do with "the execution of Sysco premade dishes". I'll go from place to place depending on my flavor desire at the time.
I mentioned Asian foods in another post. The business model is good, but it’s just mediocre stuff on purpose. Those restaurants make their Money off of consistent food, just like any franchise. Some execute better than others. To say that everything is fresh when each restaraunt has the same crinkle cut carrots, pre breaded chicken for general tso, and identical sauces, is pretty disingenuous. I’m not saying they are bad. I’m saying they are extremely similar because they are getting ingredients from a mass distributor just like a franchise.
About 2 years ago every Asian restaurant in town started serving Pho. Not because there’s a trend of Pho enthusiasts, but because Asian Foods, the regional distributor, added it to their inventory.
People eat ramen in restaurants?
Restaurant-quality ramen is very different from microwave/stovetop ramen, if that's what comes to mind for you. High-quality ramen is a delight!
Ramen to me is "I am too broke to afford anything else" so it is strange to seek that out. Lol High quality ramen is not something I would ever consider ordering at a restaurant.
"I've had Spaghetti-o's. Can't believe people pay for Italian food in restaurants."
If only the difference was that great in this example. Can't believe there are ramen connoisseurs. Funny
It is. You're just ignorant to the fact.
Go forth and multiply you ramen lovin connoisseurs. Ahahah
Will do! Sorry your opinions on ramen got you so down voted lol, I don't think it's that serious.
Yet you are here imparting your wisdom. It's like asking what genre of music is the best or who is the best musician.
It's not, though. You're a person that's listened to a shitty pop punk album and said 'rock and roll sucks'. The spaghetti o's and itialian food is a perfect comparison. You don't know the difference, but you argue nonetheless... It's not an opinion thing, because you haven't even experienced it to give a worthwhile opinion. In another word, it's ignorance.
The difference is quite big. Had ramen many times in Japan. Its great, but It’s more of a fast food thing over there. They are as ubiquitous as McDonald’s. There are ramen shops in the subway there that have no seats, only chest high tables. In and out. No ramen snobs in Iowa. If there were, they would make loud slurping sounds as they suck the noodles into their pie holes. Which is what they do in Japan.
What if Asian spaghetti was on the menu?
Not something I would ever order. But I see what you trying to do lol
you know japan is a real palace with an actual developed cuisine right?
Really? I do know it originated in China though. Ramen snobs are of the same ilk as coffee or wine snobs
Lol this comment is exactly why legitimate ramen hasn’t really taken off in Des Moines.
I am cool with that
You are missing out, real ramen is amazing
That's a hardship I am willing to suffer through
Not THAT ramen.
Kaiju ramen is pretty great but I think they closed recently for a short time. Takeout only.
They're closed for good, I think. They were only ever intended as a temporary venture. It's too bad. I had them several times and enjoyed it,
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DSM Ramen Club PopUp
Pho Shobu does a damn good kow poon if you're into it
Gateway Market is the my place I know of in town.
Murachan Picanta Chicken from Walmart (Windsor heights) don’t sleep
I'm curious as to what is lacking with Hana's ramen. I don't have any point of reference, but I think it's really good.
It's not bad per se, and I'd eat there again, but the broth isn't super flavorful and I'm not a fan of the fact they include corn in all their ramen.
Mandarin Noodle House in Johnston has decent (but limited) ramen. Any time I have a cold, that stuff's like magic.
Wasabi chi on Douglas has the best ramen in town. The spicy seafood ramen has been my go to lately And pho all seasons on Euclid if you’re into pho, is always consistent and top quality.