Mandarin Noodle House

8769 Northpark Dr, Johnston
(515) 251-3975

Recent Reviews

B Johnson

The service was pretty good and quick. The restaurant itself is pretty normal for a Chinese restaurant but for the prices I would expect better. The food though was incredibly underwhelming , it didn’t taste bad but was just boring. The vegetables were all undercooked and not stir fried or seasoned. The fried items we ordered were overpowered by the flavor of the oil they were cooked in. Very over priced for the food we received.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 4

Shawn McAninch

The owners have been restauranters in Des Moines for years. The food is fantastic! Best pot stickers in Des moines!

Won H.

We love finding a good local Chinese restaurant. Panda Express and P.F. Chang's have are fine, but nothing beats the authentic taste and nostalgia of local Chinese restaurants. We have been going to this place for several years and they always satisfy us. The interior is cozy and small, and the business is owner-operated. They have a separate traditional menu that is worth trying, but also worth gate keeping. It features Korean-Chinese fusion dishes that are delicious and unique. Everything is fresh and cooked to order. Our orders are usually so hot from the wok that we have to wait a few minutes before digging in. The owners and staff are very friendly, and the service is extremely fast. The number of local Chinese restaurants in the city has dwindled over the past decade, so finding a little gem like this is a treat for us whenever we crave some freshly cooked Chinese food.

Chú C.

Excellent food and service! Nice local owned restaurant. Nice place to hang out with families and friends.

J Pat

Amazing Ramen and Jambong! Pot stickers are very good. Will have to go back and try the Bibimbap.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Teriyaki Chicken Ramen, Potstickers, Egg Rolls, Miso Soup, Beef Ramen, Pork Ramen

Andrew Hill

We stopped here for our first meal of our Des Moines weekend trip and were really blown away by Mandarin Noodle House. We did not assume we would be eating any Asian Fusion while in Des Moines, let alone actual Japanese dishes you cannot find at most Asian restaurants. We arrived on a Friday evening about an hour before close and there were just a couple other people dining in at this time. Our waitress was very friendly and sat us right away.The menu was not huge but had a wide variety of options, not just Americanized Chinese food dishes. They had authentic Korean and Japanese dishes!! They also have daily specials which are up on a whiteboard near the middle of the restaurant. So we ordered: Crab Rangoon, takoyaki, beef bulgogi, and a vegetable tempura bento box.Crab Rangoon: fried perfectly and had a nice crab/cheese mixtureTakoyaki: Not as good as the real thing from Japan, but considering we are in the middle of the United States, these definitely were good enough! Sadly no Benito flakes but everything else was there and it tasted like it should.Bulgogi: The marinade was ok, could have been marinated longer or at least given more of the marinade. The fresh vegetables and steamed rice were perfect.Bento Box: The eel was actually really well done and better than a lot I've had (very mild). And the vegetable tempura was also fried perfectly in a very delicious batter.Overall, we absolutely loved our dinner and left uncomfortably stuffed. The food was really well done considering they do a variety of different Asian countries cuisines. Nothing was perfect or the best I've had, but everything was very good and we had no complaints. We definitely will come back here if we are in the area again. Lastly, the décor inside the restaurant is wonderful to with a lot of different art pieces scattered throughout the restaurant. I still would have never guessed I would have ate takoyaki in Iowa - and really enjoyed it!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Takoyaki

Jeremiah Burhite

Best egg rolls that I've had in a long time, fresh, hot, and crispy. Also, I'm a fan of miso soup and this is a good spot to get some. I had the lunch special General Tsos Chicken and that was excellent as well. Chicken was fresh and crispy and the sauce wasn't too sweet and had a good heat.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Egg Rolls

Jeff N

The pork ramen was exactly what I needed tonight! After looking at the menu I will be back to try more options! Great family owned place!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Andrew H.

We stopped here for our first meal of our Des Moines weekend trip and were really blown away by Mandarin Noodle House. We did not assume we would be eating any Asian Fusion while in Des Moines, let alone actual Japanese dishes you cannot find at most Asian restaurants. We arrived on a Friday evening about an hour before close and there were just a couple other people dining in at this time. Our waitress was very friendly and sat us right away. The menu was not huge but had a wide variety of options, not just Americanized Chinese food dishes. They had authentic Korean and Japanese dishes!! They also have daily specials which are up on a whiteboard near the middle of the restaurant. So we ordered: Crab Rangoon, takoyaki, beef bulgogi, and a vegetable tempura bento box. Crab Rangoon: fried perfectly and had a nice crab/cheese mixture Takoyaki: Not as good as the real thing from Japan, but considering we are in the middle of the United States, these definitely were good enough! Sadly no Benito flakes but everything else was there and it tasted like it should. Bulgogi: The marinade was ok, could have been marinated longer or at least given more of the marinade. The fresh vegetables and steamed rice were perfect. Bento Box: The eel was actually really well done and better than a lot I've had (very mild). And the vegetable tempura was also fried perfectly in a very delicious batter. Overall, we absolutely loved our dinner and left uncomfortably stuffed. The food was really well done considering they do a variety of different Asian countries cuisines. Nothing was perfect or the best I've had, but everything was very good and we had no complaints. We definitely will come back here if we are in the area again. Lastly, the décor inside the restaurant is wonderful to with a lot of different art pieces scattered throughout the restaurant. I still would have never guessed I would have ate takoyaki in Iowa - and really enjoyed it!

Zoe M.

Good, service, cleanliness, and ambiance exceeded our expectations! We started with Combo Tempura Veg and Shrimp, which came with a slightly sweet mustard and ponzu sauce. We were expecting panko, but it was thicker.... Very tasty fresh (not limp) squash, mushrooms, peppers, shrimp -good size. I had the Seafood Delight: shrimp, scallops, calamari with vegetables and rice. All was super fresh and delicious; large scallops, long calamari pieces, and plenty shrimp. He had Szechuan Chicken with vegetables. Service was very fast... we will stop again

Jennifer B.

We came here to try a new place in town. Really noted the variety on the menu. The crispy rice and crab Rangoon were great starters. General Tso was the right mix of sweet and spicy. Really enjoyed that the vegetables and rice weren't also drowning in sauce and overcooked like many places do. Warm tea was great for a cold day and service was excellent. Will come back again.

Chun Jen Hou

Best Chinese/asian food you will find in Des Moines, especially for Asian community.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Pug Traveller

I ordered the Teriyaki chicken ramen soup bowl. It was delicious. Service was fast. Will definitely stop here again and try some other dishes next time I'm in town.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Teriyaki Chicken Ramen

Linda O.

Always good. Owners and staff are nice and attentive. We do carry out a lot and lunch in store. Good either way

Gavin S.

Everything about this place is great, some of the best food in Des Moines and the service is impeccable would recommend to anyone looking for some good food

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