The best sushi and Asian food in Des Moines

Des Moines' Asian food scene has quietly gotten deep, one of the best sushi rooms the city's ever had, a growing wave of Korean fried chicken, and long-running pho and Thai spots locals are loyal to. Here's the map, by cuisine.

Sushi and Japanese

The headline is Masao in the East Village, chef Phil Shires' sushi-meets-modern-French room (in the old Miyabi 9 space) that reviewers have called the most ambitious opening in years, book it via Tock for a special night. For a classic upscale sushi bar, W-Tao downtown holds it down with omakase and specialty rolls, and the Wasabi group covers the suburbs (Ankeny, West Des Moines, Waukee) for a reliable roll fix.

Thai

Thai Flavors on Ingersoll is the bold, authentic pick, pad Thai, drunken noodles, panang curry. Out in Clive, Cool Basil has been a local Thai favorite for years (it also does sushi); find it on social for hours.

Vietnamese and pho

A Dong in Sherman Hill is the family-owned institution (since 1989) with a menu you order by number, and a great bowl of pho. On the east side, Pho All Seasons does customizable bowls and bun bo hue, and Pho 515, tucked inside an Asian grocery near downtown, is a broth-lover's favorite (no website, find it on Yelp).

Chinese

Tsing Tsao on Fleur Drive (with an east-side sibling) is the made-fresh-daily American-Chinese favorite, sesame chicken, hand-rolled egg rolls, hot and sour soup.

Korean and Korean fried chicken

Korean fried chicken has taken off here. Basic Bird in Beaverdale, from chef Joe Tripp, is the standout, double-dunked honey-butter-and-gochujang chicken and bap bowls (find them on social). What Dak in West Des Moines and Chikin Lickin' in Waukee both do great crispy KFC and Korean corn dogs. For the tabletop-grill experience, DZÔ Korean BBQ on Ingersoll is one of the metro's few true KBBQ rooms.

Hibachi

For the knife-juggling, onion-volcano dinner-and-a-show, Ohana Steakhouse in West Des Moines is the classic teppanyaki pick.

The quick cheat sheet

• Sushi: Masao (splurge), W-Tao (downtown), Wasabi (suburbs)
• Thai: Thai Flavors, Cool Basil
• Pho / Vietnamese: A Dong, Pho All Seasons, Pho 515
• Chinese: Tsing Tsao
• Korean / KFC / KBBQ: Basic Bird, What Dak, Chikin Lickin', DZÔ
• Hibachi: Ohana

Hungry for the rest of the city? This is part of our guide to the best restaurants in Des Moines. Masao also makes a stellar date night.

We track new spots as they open and email the best ones every week. Get the list, one email, no noise.