On the surface it looks like it would alright at the bare minimum, but it's actually just a tacky…read morerestaurant trying to come off as modern and preppy. Kiosks asked for my phone number and/or email 3+ times, the bathrooms were not well put together at all, it took 15 minutes for them to put together a couple small ice creams that cost me TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS. They were painfully MIIIIIIIIID. Service members didn't even acknowledge me either. Do not recommend at all, stay away.

would not recommend...high priced and cost extra to have your drink without ice??? and then after…read more15 minutes of waiting, my drink comes with ice...what is the fxcking point of paying extra for no ice just to have mine done in more ice???? the workers barely look like they want to be there. Had to ask them to remove my ice which i paid for and...they redo the drink for another 20 minutes. Thanks I love wasting my time 35 minutes for a mediocre drink don't think i'll come back any time soon, would rather go to ocha for the service!

My Windsor Heights Ocha location has been seeing a little less traffic lately... My guess is it's…read morebecause the choices for boba are increasing on the West side and in the metro in general. This will always by my go to spot! My daughter and I both prefer it to any of the others... New or old. Absolutely love Aom and Nick (the owners) and the staff is always great here! The Hokkaido with less ice, 50% sugar, and with coffee jelly is my standard order. It's so good I can't see that ever changing...and I sure hope I never have to change it up. Aom and Nick also own Eat Thai up on 22nd and an Ocha location in Ankeny! Check out their expanded dessert menu too!

It tasted like waffles with toppings, which are good, but it was mid and super over-priced…read more Wouldn't recommend

Small, kinda hard to find (for this out of towner) boba shop that is run by a really helpful nice…read morelady. The green-room feel is kinda cool and relaxing and the decor is neat. We tried 3 different drinks and were quite happy with them all - good amount of flavs, ice, and sweetness - though all can be customized.

I've been coming here for a year now and I usually have a really good experience, everyone is…read morereally nice and the service is quick, plus the drinks are really good and I like the way they make their tapioca, but this last time I was very disappointed, my drink was wayyy too milky and I don't think there was even a drop of tea in it, it tasted like slightly brown sugar flavored milk and was not good at all.

Shaking Boba takes the GOLD for boba! Been to so many local…read moreboba cafes in Des Moines but Shaking Boba does it the best. I appreciate the different milk options for the milk teas. Very accommodating and food allergy safe cafe. We love all their milk and fruit teas with boba. And they have NEVER run out of boba when we've visited. Even at the end of the night right before closing. That speaks VOLUMES of their management. They have even served us 10 minutes before closing with my phone order to cure my boba addiction. Service is always friendly. The owner, Paray, is there sometimes and she makes our visits so pleasant. Cafe is easy to find on University, plenty of parking, and shop is always clean. Super cute decor with egg seats and booths. Seasonal decorations make this cafe super fun to visit all year long. I love how Shaking Boba loves their community. Sometimes they host special events. Highly recommend!! Don't go anywhere but Shaking Boba!!

I've ordered here multiple times before I moved out of Iowa but it's so good. I usually order the…read moremango bubble tea. It has a yogurt mango taste but it's not too sour the way yogurt is. It's tart and flavorful. It may be too sweet for some but you can adjust the sweetness percentage! The atmosphere is like a candy shop when you walk in. You can't really see the workers because there's a massive wall blocking you from them but they have a self ordering station at that wall. So if you're an introvert or would prefer not to talk to anyone this is a good place to get boba!

This place is such a vibe. Friendly customer service. Great menu options. Reasonably priced. I…read moredon't have a pic of the pho but it's sooo good. Perfect for a cold winter day. The thin sliced beef & & juicy shrimp & delicious broth have us coming back for more! The egg rolls... some of my favorite in Des Moines. Super authentic! Tried the sizzling beef plate & everything was SO tasty. Steak, potatoes, pork meatball, sausage, & Swiss cheese with a fried egg, the flavors of everything were on point & the steak was cooked perfectly. Oh & the drinks... can't forget the drinks! The taro smoothie & milk tea are BOMB! The sticky rice match was also great. Definitely check this place out if you're looking for something new & absolutely delicious.

Had a reservation but was not busy on a weekday evening. Made it in during happy hour and got crab…read morerangoon. Forgot to take a photo but it was chewy and had very little filling. The bun bowl had a good portion size, but pork had a lot of gristle and was pretty overcooked. Flavors were good though. Nice space and service was good. I'd try again but not rushing back.

Service was quick and friendly. The location is your typical vietnamese joint, don't expect…read moreanything fancy because all of the attention goes into the delicious food. The Pho Dac Biet (includes 3 types of beef!) was incredible, very tasty broth without being too salty. Also went with a basic mongolian beef & broccoli, no regrets on the flavor profile there. Come on by they will be happy to have you!

My family and I go here every week. It gets packed and sometimes the service is slow but these…read moreworkers are handling a ton and the food is always 10/10. Will always recommend

It's been about two years since i've updated my review and it says a lot about the restaurant that…read moreit's been there as long as it has. It's conveniently located in the strip mall with plenty of parking..it's the same mall off of University with Campbell's health foods, Hy-Vee pharmacy, Frederich's coffee. This restaurant still has that old time mom and pop Asian family feel it's a definite classic type vibe with Auntie snd the neices up front taking orders and the rest of the family in the back cooking and putting to go orders together. I always like to support a locally owned business. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Having said that the service was fast and efficient . It's also about being realistic about the food. This is not a mall based chain restaurant or a high end bistro somewhere. The food was well prepared hot and delicious. This is a Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant. So there's lots of variety in the menu. I have had the build your own Pho, Korean style Kalbi ribs. They also have Hunan Chinese style dishes, i have tried Mongolian beef, combination fried rice and potstickers. I also have tried the pork fried egg rolls. I usually go for a late lunch early dinner. I talked to the owner and asked her how they made their soup and she said they boiled bones and added their own spices which is the traditional way to do things, I think they have a good soup base, all soup comes with sprouts and fresh Thai basil, I usually add bok choy, brisket and steak. They have plenty of other Vietnamese dishes too. I have enjoyed their pork vermicelli which is a cool salad type dish which is nice on a hot day. Some of my friends really enjoy their chicken wings. So there's still a good option with lots of choices, good staff and reasonable prices.

Food came out quickly! They have a wide variety of different dishes on their menu. Service was…read moregood, and the food came out fresh and hot. I ordered the Pho Special (comes with brisket, beef tendon, eye of round, and meatballs). My dad got the Vietnamese ramen (egg noodles with meat & shrimp), my mom got the sizzling clay rice pot, and my brother got the stir fry beef egg noodles. Not the best pho I've had, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Broth had great flavor, however I wish I could have had raw steak as I prefer that in my pho but that wasn't an option- I usually like getting raw steak to put into the hot soup and let it cook a bit through as you put it in. I would eat here again though. The restaurant was clean and service was prompt. Nicely decorated, and prices were fair!

Pho is an individual taste that checks all your palate boxes of freshness, well seasoned broth, a…read morevariety of herbs and veggies that sends the dish into obit. My chicken pho was good with the knowledgeable wait staff knowing which number would meet my needs. The calmness of the environment allowed me to enjoy all the enticing ingredients to the max.

3.8* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 5*…read more 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.