The staff are so friendly and its so clean and nice here. Food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mack Cyran
I ordered beef pho, a Kirin ichiban & a coffee. Best dining experience I've had in a while. Highly recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Coach T
Some of the worst Vietnamese food Ive ever eaten! The reviews are so far off. Egg rolls were mentioned the most and they were a huge let down. Every part of the noodle dish had to been cooked separately and tossed together at the last second. The veggies were not cooked fully and the meat was definitely overcooked. The only plus giving it a 2 star was the food was so bland that my baby had no problem eating the edible parts.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Brian Boston
This is one of our favorite restaurants. Love the food, the rare beef is our favorite. The staff is very knowledgeable and very friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wade Barcus
Alcohol license expired 1st failure. Bland atmosphere used to have music, now very quiet.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
Barney Moore
The pho was good, really good egg rolls. No basil provided but I prefer cilantro anyway. There's a huge menu with 140+ items and lots of combination plates. Iced coffee with condensed milk is a bit overpriced.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lori Livingston-Hubbell
We drive from Omaha just to eat here. The rare beef salad is phenomenal. Great food all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Todd Braun (The Food and Drink Guy)
3.8* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 5* Service: 3* Would I go back / Recommend?: 4* (Probably) Total check/person: $22
08/02/2025 While this place has an admittedly non-descript brick exterior and clean but average interior, I appreciated it most for what it was: solid Vietnamese food at a great value, served with a family-owned feel. Biggest disappointment was that while alcohol options showed on the menu, they were unable to serve any alcohol - claiming that their liquor license had not yet been renewed.
I was craving a spring roll with peanut sauce, so to start things off, we ordered #90 Bo Bia steamed spring rolls with shredded shrimp, carrots and sausage served with plum sauce (see picture). While the wrap was thicker than the 'paper' wraps that I'm used to, they were very good - and I really liked the plum sauce.
My wife was undecided and our very helpful waiter Archie, suggested #69 Com Ga Chien Xa Ot (chicken breast fried with spicy lemon grass - see picture). It was good, but both of us would have preferred a bit more spice, as we ended up adding Siracha at the table.
I was considering #99 Banh Xeo Vietnamese style crispy pancake stuffed with shrimp, pork & veggies based on the menu picture, but Archie talked me into #97 Banh Tam Bi Xiu Mai udon noodles with shredded pork, steamed pork meatballs and veggies instead (see picture). I was impressed with the coconut milk and lemon sauce that he poured over it when served with the instructions to stir it all together - very tasty combination of savory, sweet and tart, with a very slight spiciness.
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Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Gisel Ramirez
The food at this establishment is excellent; however, the service leaves much to be desired. I have been a customer for some time and have observed the disparity with me and my family while others are being treated different. I am unsure what issue the older gentleman has, but we consistently show respect when placing our orders and he acts in a manner we’re he doesn’t care. It is simply NOT OK for him to treat long-time customers in such a manner.
I've been travelling the country for the past five years and I have yet to find a Vietnamese restaurant as solid as A Dong. They knock it out of the park every. single. time. They have a really wide variety of dishes and drinks and every one I've tried has been tasty, healthy, filling, and plentiful. The broths are perfect, the vegetables are always fresh, the marinades are flavorful, everything. I used to always take out of town visitors to A Dong when I lived here and it never failed to impress.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zacarias Michilinsky
I recently visited A Dong Restaurant in Des Moines and was seriously impressed. This place has been serving authentic Vietnamese food for decades, and it shows in both the quality and the care behind every dish.
The pho was incredible, rich broth, tender beef, and fresh herbs that brought everything together. I also tried the crispy spring rolls and a vermicelli noodle bowl with grilled pork, and everything was flavorful, well-portioned, and beautifully presented.
What really stood out was how vegetarian and vegan friendly the menu is. There are tons of plant-based options, and the staff is happy to help with substitutions. It’s also very affordable, which makes it even easier to come back again and again.
The space is casual and clean, with fast and friendly service that makes you feel welcome right away. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or sitting down for a relaxed dinner, it’s the kind of spot that delivers every time.
Highly recommend A Dong for anyone craving fresh, comforting Vietnamese food in Des Moines. It’s a must visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jane podiatrist
#97 #16 were great options for entrees, 97 having a delicious creamy coconut sauce, meatballs, cucumber and noodles and #16 having delicious egg noodles, pork and other meats that tasted divine together. #140 was the best soda i have ever tasted at a restaurant, the egg yolk frothed up so perfectly and made the drink a dream. Finally, I am not sure what number the coffee was, but it was delicious, strong and sweetened to perfection with the sweetened condensed milk. This was my favorite restaurant I tried while in des moines for the debate tournament. The two gentlemen who were working there were very friendly and remade my coffee when I observed it wasn’t as strong as my friend’s (the second one was perfect). Best intersection of best food, best service and best prices in des moines that is not fast food. Definitely would come again if i ever end up in iowa again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ryan Hasty
Great healthy food, great service, and an incredibly clean restaurant. I've been a customer for over twenty years, and it's one of my favorites.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
WJ Welch
The food is very fresh and the establishment is fine. Service... cold.
So good, one of my favorite restaurants!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The staff are so friendly and its so clean and nice here. Food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I ordered beef pho, a Kirin ichiban & a coffee. Best dining experience I've had in a while. Highly recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Some of the worst Vietnamese food Ive ever eaten! The reviews are so far off. Egg rolls were mentioned the most and they were a huge let down. Every part of the noodle dish had to been cooked separately and tossed together at the last second. The veggies were not cooked fully and the meat was definitely overcooked. The only plus giving it a 2 star was the food was so bland that my baby had no problem eating the edible parts.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
This is one of our favorite restaurants. Love the food, the rare beef is our favorite. The staff is very knowledgeable and very friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alcohol license expired 1st failure. Bland atmosphere used to have music, now very quiet.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
The pho was good, really good egg rolls. No basil provided but I prefer cilantro anyway. There's a huge menu with 140+ items and lots of combination plates. Iced coffee with condensed milk is a bit overpriced.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We drive from Omaha just to eat here. The rare beef salad is phenomenal. Great food all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
3.8* (out of 5)
Food: 4* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 5* Service: 3*
Would I go back / Recommend?: 4* (Probably)
Total check/person: $22
08/02/2025
While this place has an admittedly non-descript brick exterior and clean but average interior, I appreciated it most for what it was: solid Vietnamese food at a great value, served with a family-owned feel. Biggest disappointment was that while alcohol options showed on the menu, they were unable to serve any alcohol - claiming that their liquor license had not yet been renewed.
I was craving a spring roll with peanut sauce, so to start things off, we ordered #90 Bo Bia steamed spring rolls with shredded shrimp, carrots and sausage served with plum sauce (see picture). While the wrap was thicker than the 'paper' wraps that I'm used to, they were very good - and I really liked the plum sauce.
My wife was undecided and our very helpful waiter Archie, suggested #69 Com Ga Chien Xa Ot (chicken breast fried with spicy lemon grass - see picture). It was good, but both of us would have preferred a bit more spice, as we ended up adding Siracha at the table.
I was considering #99 Banh Xeo Vietnamese style crispy pancake stuffed with shrimp, pork & veggies based on the menu picture, but Archie talked me into #97 Banh Tam Bi Xiu Mai udon noodles with shredded pork, steamed pork meatballs and veggies instead (see picture). I was impressed with the coconut milk and lemon sauce that he poured over it when served with the instructions to stir it all together - very tasty combination of savory, sweet and tart, with a very slight spiciness.
If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
The food at this establishment is excellent; however, the service leaves much to be desired. I have been a customer for some time and have observed the disparity with me and my family while others are being treated different. I am unsure what issue the older gentleman has, but we consistently show respect when placing our orders and he acts in a manner we’re he doesn’t care. It is simply NOT OK for him to treat long-time customers in such a manner.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
I've been travelling the country for the past five years and I have yet to find a Vietnamese restaurant as solid as A Dong. They knock it out of the park every. single. time. They have a really wide variety of dishes and drinks and every one I've tried has been tasty, healthy, filling, and plentiful. The broths are perfect, the vegetables are always fresh, the marinades are flavorful, everything. I used to always take out of town visitors to A Dong when I lived here and it never failed to impress.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently visited A Dong Restaurant in Des Moines and was seriously impressed. This place has been serving authentic Vietnamese food for decades, and it shows in both the quality and the care behind every dish.
The pho was incredible, rich broth, tender beef, and fresh herbs that brought everything together. I also tried the crispy spring rolls and a vermicelli noodle bowl with grilled pork, and everything was flavorful, well-portioned, and beautifully presented.
What really stood out was how vegetarian and vegan friendly the menu is. There are tons of plant-based options, and the staff is happy to help with substitutions. It’s also very affordable, which makes it even easier to come back again and again.
The space is casual and clean, with fast and friendly service that makes you feel welcome right away. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or sitting down for a relaxed dinner, it’s the kind of spot that delivers every time.
Highly recommend A Dong for anyone craving fresh, comforting Vietnamese food in Des Moines. It’s a must visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
#97 #16 were great options for entrees, 97 having a delicious creamy coconut sauce, meatballs, cucumber and noodles and #16 having delicious egg noodles, pork and other meats that tasted divine together. #140 was the best soda i have ever tasted at a restaurant, the egg yolk frothed up so perfectly and made the drink a dream. Finally, I am not sure what number the coffee was, but it was delicious, strong and sweetened to perfection with the sweetened condensed milk. This was my favorite restaurant I tried while in des moines for the debate tournament. The two gentlemen who were working there were very friendly and remade my coffee when I observed it wasn’t as strong as my friend’s (the second one was perfect). Best intersection of best food, best service and best prices in des moines that is not fast food. Definitely would come again if i ever end up in iowa again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great healthy food, great service, and an incredibly clean restaurant. I've been a customer for over twenty years, and it's one of my favorites.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is very fresh and the establishment is fine. Service... cold.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
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