We shared Vegan Chana Masala - one the best I've had anywhere and Vegan Cucumber Salad - very basic, but good The menu has Vegan items clearly matked. Service was slow (possibly understaffed), but the food was worth the wait. It seems like they cook orders invidually. The place was busy and they had a brisk takeout business on this Sunday late lunch time afternoon. There was a peculiarity when leaving a tip. The server said "if you leave a tip on the credit card charge we don't get it." Whatever the reason is for this, it's not a good look for this restaurant. The manager or owner needs to resolve this so tips paid by credit card gets to employees. I can forgive slow service. I can't forgive depriving wait staff of their tips if paid by credit card. read more

Chowrastha - Cucumber Salad - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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In town for work, and since we have some folks on the team who are vegetarian, we opted to come here. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and my dish was very tasty. I asked for medium heat, which was perfect, not overly spicy. I tried a bit of my coworkers dishes and they were delicious as well, though I can't recall the names of those dishes. We left saying that we might need to come here again before the week was over! read more

Our 8 yr old son wanted momos and asked to try out a different Indian restaurant than our "usual." I searched the area, checked out menus, and reviews. Chowrastha looked like it would work. It was a Friday evening and when we entered, about half the tables were full. We were guided to a table and given menus and water (glasses and a pitcher) arrived shortly after. My son definitely wanted the chicken momos. We asked for them as mild as they could make them. My husband chose the chicken vindaloo (medium) and I asked for the Korma Masala with chicken. I asked for it mild, especially so our son would be able to have some of mine, but was told it could only come medium or spicy. So I chose medium. We also placed an order of butter naan. My husband and son ordered fountain drinks. The waiter pointed out the fountain machine and told them to help themselves to start and for refills. My son and husband's food came out along with the naan. There was no mention about mine. We started to wonder if mine had been forgotten but then it came. Our son dove into his momos and almost immediately said they were too spicy. The other Indian restaurants we've been to put the sauces on the side. These had the sauce on them. He powered through and ate four. We were proud of him for doing so. My husband and I ate the rest. I enjoyed the flavor but agreed it would be spicy for a kid. The dumpling wrap seemed to be dry in places. Otherwise, I liked them. My husband enjoyed his chicken vindaloo for the most part. He did mention he's had chicken vindaloo at other Indian restaurants and said he didn't recall it being so tangy. My Korma Masala was fine. It was definitely spicier than I'd desired and there was no way my 8 year old would have enjoyed trying it. My nose would not stop running from the spice level. The butter naan was tasty. Service was non-existent once our food arrived. While other tables did get filled and orders taken, we felt completely ignored. We didn't know if the check came to us or if we needed to pay at the counter. No idea where to get to-go containers. We saw people from a large party coming up and ordering at the counter. Since this was our first time here, we had no clue if this was due to being understaffed or just the norm. Definitely not a good service experience. Our son was disappointed and asked to return to our "usual" Indian restaurant in the metro. I can't disagree. read more

Chowrastha - Chicken Korma - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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There are several Indian restaurants in Des Moines, but this particular restaurant is in an area that is mostly residential, and this particular restaurant is in a strip mall. The interior design has a comic book feel, with colloquial phrases in Indian languages meant to make the visitor feel like they're in a street of India. The food is good, although I thought it was a tad bit more oily than the restaurants in Los Angeles have it. The service was quite good, although I was a bit surprised the wait staff asked to be tipped directly, and not through the credit card machine. read more

Chowrastha - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Amazing Food Ordered Chicken Tikka, hariyali chicken tikka, chicken dum Biryani, chole bhatura (Epic) Food - 10/10 Ambience - Friendly Parking - Dedicated parking lot Great food. Ordered Takeout on way from Omaha to Des Moines Recommend. Will surely try again read more

La comida fue increible La Leche de Rosas es una de mis bebidas favorites ahora We ordered the spiciest options for a few of our dishes and it paid off. If you love spicy this is a good place to go. The service was good and there are PLENTY of options. read more

Chowrastha - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I visited Chowrastha Restaurant on March 27th with a group of seven people. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. As soon as we entered, the waiter asked what type of bread we wanted. We requested plain bread, sat down, washed our hands, and started eating from the buffet. We finished our entire meal, but the bread never arrived. After more than 45-50 minutes, we asked about it, and the waiter simply said it was "coming"--with no apology at all. By that time, we were already done eating. Service overall was extremely poor. No one checked on us, no water was offered, and there was no basic attention to our table. I also asked about chai (tea), but it was never brought. When I asked about dessert, I was told there is no dessert included in the buffet. At checkout, the bill was about $134. They offered a 10% discount if I paid cash, which I agreed to. However, when I politely declined to leave a tip--because the service was clearly not acceptable--the situation changed. The staff told me that if I didn't pay gratuity, they would not honor the cash discount and I would have to pay by card instead. This was very unprofessional and felt dishonest. I calmly explained my reason, but instead of resolving the issue respectfully, they escalated the situation and even called the police. To be clear: I am someone who tips when service is deserved--even at buffets--but in this case, there was no service to justify it. Overall, this experience was disappointing and stressful. Poor service, lack of accountability, and unprofessional handling of customers. I would not recommend this place. read more

Chowrastha - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

This will probably be a short review for me...comparatively speaking. Lol My boss and I hit Chowrastha up at about noon yesterday for lunch. We both did the lunch buffet. He'd been there a couple of times but it was a first for me. We were greeted right away when we walked in. Seating is all low top tables and chairs. The dining area is well lit, open, spacious, and clean. They have a second room behind adjacent doors that appears to be to accommodate larger parties. The lunch buffet is 1130-230 Monday through Thursday and 1130-300 on Fridays. $17.99 for adults. Cash or cards. Payment was taken at the table. The standard selection of plates and bowls along with napkins and silverware was placed at the starting point of the buffet. A pitcher of water was brought to our table along with glasses. The lunch buffet sits on the West wall and has a good selection of both vegetarian and meat dishes. There were old standards like chicken vindaloo etc. and other dishes I wasn't familiar with. The majority of the meat selections were boneless which surprised me. I'm used to dealing with the bones at other spots I've visited in the past. The chicken 65 was FIRE (almost literally)...! So spicy! Lol Everything was fresh and they refilled the serving trays often. Unfortunately they were out of naan for the buffet but brought out another type of flatbread to us at the table. Roti maybe? Service was friendly and our plates were cleared from the table quickly. If you're not into buffets make sure you check out their full menu on their web site. It's quite extensive! I'm definitely not an expert on Indian food... Most of the places I cut my teeth on have since closed. But I do enjoy the food. Looking forward to also getting to Amruth (Clive), Red Chillez (Ankeny), and Zaika (Bondurant) in the near future. https://thechowrastha.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thechowrasthadsm read more

My husband and I love their buffet. They have it Buffet M-F 11-245 $19.25. It is pricey so we don't dine there that often. I will say it has Less options than Amruth's Sunday brunch. The food is spicier than your usual mainstream Indian buffet but it's good! Love their Kodak chai tea to end the buffet with. read more

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My husband and I tried this place tonight for dinner and we really enjoyed it. The food was good and the place was clean and modern looking. The service was also very good. Our food came out quickly, too, which was a nice surprise. We both got Vindaloo but I got mine with chicken and my husband got lamb. We ordered them both with medium spice and that was perfect. We also ordered garlic naan and roti. We really liked the vindaloo but it was a little different than vindaloo we've gotten from other restaurants as the sauce had more of a tomatoey flavor and was red instead of brown. It was still very tasty, just different than what we're used to. The garlic naan was yummy but it was also very different. It was paper thin, crispy and you could see through it. When we order it from other places it is thicker and more doughy. I was wondering if maybe the style of food they serve here is from a different region of India than other places and that's why it was different. Their menu is pretty big and there are a lot of dishes to choose from. Their prices are very reasonable and the portions are good. They had a page of Indo Chinese dishes that sounded interesting. I think they also have a lunch buffet and a happy hour special. We were wondering if this restaurant is a chain because they had professionally printed slick-looking place mats, a fancy wall mural and TV monitors showing photographs of different menu items. Someone clearly put a lot of thought into the look and style of the place. Our waitress was very friendly and wonderful. She checked on us a couple times to make sure we enjoyed everything and there wasn't anything that we needed. I left my reading glasses on the table and walked out without them so she ran into the parking lot and gave them to me. That's great service. We'll definitely be back to try some of their other dishes. read more

Chowrastha - Chicken Vindaloo - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Great buffet , spicy and fresh . Great fresh naan bread too . Buffet spread was good selection and I feel it was made fresh and of high quality read more

Chowrastha - Buffet Selection - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Excellant Chola Bhatira!! Very consistent in taste over the period of more than a year we had been savoring it!! Paneer Kabas are excellent too So why 1star? Extremely rude server we had today. Did not give us knife along with silverware even after asking. We were done eating and waited for him to come and check us out. Probably was good for them to see open table for next customer, but person even after making eye contact multiple times did not stop by and we walked over to desk to pay and left(without a tip), which typically we as a family have improved and go in range of 15-20% these days We love it but expect to be treated with respect read more

We've been loyal patrons of this restaurant since it first opened, and it used to be our go-to spot in the DSM area. We love the ambiance, the customer service and the variety in the menu! Unfortunately, we've noticed a steady decline in food quality lately--whether dining from the lunch buffet or ordering off the menu. Our last visit was disappointing enough that we felt compelled to leave a review, so here goes.... We ordered the Dahi Puri, but it completely missed the mark. The dahi wasn't inside the puri as expected; instead, it was spread across the plate, leaving the puris filled with something that resembled channa or a warm mixture closer to a pani puri. To make matters worse, the dahi itself was slimy and sticky. Our entrees--Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala--didn't fare any better. The kofta seemed to be mostly potatoes, lacked the creamy texture it's known for, and wasn't properly fried. The paneer in the butter masala wasn't well-cooked either. The most frustrating part? Both dishes had the exact same gravy. After eating these dishes for over 40 years, I can confidently say they should taste distinct from each other. Really disappointed with this experience. read more

Chowrastha - Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala - same gravy, tastes identical! Boo! - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I got the garlic naan, butter chicken, and it comes with a side of rice. I also got the mango lassi and it was so great! The restaurant is clean, and the employees are very attentive! I am trying to explore new cuisines, and this one is just down the road from my house! read more

Chowrastha - Mango Lassi - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Probably one of my new lunch favorites in West Des Moines. I like the buffet not only for the amount of food, but getting to try things that I may not when ordering off a menu. Everything I have had here has been very good, not just for a buffet but for anywhere. Service is excellent and friendly and you can't beat the price. read more

Chowrastha - Clean and bright environment - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Hubby, Baby and I tried Chowrastha Indian Grill today for their Lunch Buffet and it was delicious!! This may be my new favorite Indian restaurant now! The Buffet is Mon, Wed, Thurs, and Fri from 11am-3pm. Prices are: Adult- $15.99 & Kids- $8.99 (Address and hours are in one of the pictures I'm posting.) The sodas were complimentary and self-serve with the Buffet. The Naan were on the buffet but also brought to our table with a choice between regular or Butter Naan. The Butter Naan was thin and crispy. The best entrees on the Buffet today (they rotate flavors every buffet) were the Butter Chicken and Chili Paneer. The Pepper Chicken, Dahl Curry, Tandoori Chicken and Biryanis were delicious as well. Their Mango Lassi was so good and refreshing!! They had it pre-made and in the cooler case in the back of the restaurant where you pay. Service was kind and courteous. We will definitely be back!! read more

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This is my new favorite restaurant. We just ate here and everything we ordered was INSANE. The lamb saag, the pani puri, the cut chili stuffed with onions, the garlic naan, the mango lassi--nothing missed. Hands down one of the best meals I've had in Des Moines in the last 7 years. We couldn't stop talking about the lamb saag. Complex, rich, spicy and tender like you wouldn't believe. Super friendly service, great music, fun wall art. This place wins. read more

Great food and great service. Nice little gem! We had Samosas, Tandoori Roti, Kadai Lamb, Madras Chicken Curry, mango lassi, and rose milk. The lamb was nicely tender. We both ordered mild and it was still spicy for those not used to heat. The flavor still came through. read more

The food was tasty and full of flavor, the garlic naan was one of the best I've had, service was very good, attentive staff, no ambiance, certainly not a place to go on a date-night. When in Des Moines again, will for sure return. read more

WOW! I ordered delivery and it arrived under 30 minutes under Grubhub's estimated time. Still hot! The food also is so yum. I don't quite understand how Iowa, Des Moines in particular has such a plethora of good South Asian (Indian and Nepali) food, but I am here for it. I ordered some staples like garlic naan and mango lassi, but the chili paneer was delicious and love the pani puri - most restaurants don't bother with it as it's 'street food.' The menu is extensive so looking forward to ordering again before our trip is over or for our next visit. Excited! Seems like you can also order from their website pick-up and delivery so might be a good way to save. read more

The food is absolutely amazing! It is authentic and the service is great! I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, naan and saffron basmati rice. Definitely worth the price and I can't wait to return again! This is my new favorite restaurant! read more

We have been craving Indian food for a few days and the menu at Chowrastha looked intriguing. We placed a to-go order for butter chicken, garlic naan, onion kulcha, dahi puri, and the idly and vadi combo. We chose mild for all the dishes as this is our first time at this restaurant (although it went be our last-spoiler!) There was plenty of parking, the restaurant was clean with plenty of seating and the service was quick and pleasant. The food was so fragrant that it was a distracting 30 min ride home! Everything was packed well. The condiments were fresh, in separate containers and plentiful. The naan was fabulous and the butter chicken! Omgoodness. This is easily the best butter chicken I've ever had-creamy and flavorful with the fluffiest rice. The appetizers (which we had never had before) were crispy, tasty and really fun to experience. We can't wait to try more of the menu. read more

Chowrastha - a variety of dishes on a table - Indian Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Ordered the Lamb Masala medium spicy online. Very disappointed. I didn't expect a huge container of food for $16, but I also didn't expect a pint size container with 5 very small pieces of meat and two small pieces of pepper. Spice was non existent. The only reason I gave two stars was the rice was ok. When are restaurants going to understand that being just slightly generous with portion size is directly correlated to perceived value and repeat business. The opposite is also true. If a customer does not perceive at least fair value they will not only never return but make their experience known through reviews like this. Also, every review I give for a carryout will lose at least one star for asking for a tip online. read more

We stopped by this Friday to try their lunch buffet and were very impressed with the flavor of the food and the variety of food. We've tried other Indian buffets in the area and this one definitely had a larger selection of food. They offered vegetarian dishes as well as chicken and goat dishes. The staff here was fantastic in making sure they got our naan order correct (the buffet comes with either plain or butter naan), and was always clearing plates off our table. Sometimes Indian dishes include nut powders/paste (used as thickeners) and I had asked the staff to help me check if any of the buffet offerings had any nut powders in them. He immediately went to ask the chef to inquire and let me know which dish contained the nut powder/paste. Thankfully it was just one dish so we could eat the rest of the buffet dishes without worrying about an allergy reaction. The restaurant was very clean and had lots of seating. We'd definitely come back again. read more

Delicious food! Very kind of service! Some of the best chicken masala I've had on the road ever

The food was really good. We came for the new years buffet and it was good the ambiance was nice. The service was good.

Been there a few times now and I have truly enjoyed the food every time. I have only been for the lunch buffet but it has always been worth it! I especially can't get enough of their chai. It is perfectly sweet but not too sweet. Have yet to go for dinner but I enjoy the lunch buffet a lot. I really like how they bring you fresh naans to your table so it is always hot and fresh! Definitely gotta take my family there one day for lunch. I know my dad would really love the fresh naans at the table. It is always been very packed every time I go so that means it has to be good then right ha ha. Definitely worth the little extra drive to get there as it isn't super easy to get too from the interstate. read more

We've been here 3 different days over the past month for the lunch buffet. All of the food is great and fresh! (Options for vegetarian or non!) Naan that is to die for. The staff is so friendly and quick to serve and the restaurant is super clean. Not only one of the best Indian restaurants but one of the best restaurants in all of the Des Moines area. read more

The food was delicious which made having to wait a while longer for our order totally worth it. The place was packed. The only recommendation I would have for ownership is to add something like extra cloth or sound absorbers to dampen the noise. read more

Food and service were both excellent. The location is a little "strip mall" feeling, so the food was a pleasant surprise.

Visited Chowrastha for their New Years Grand Buffet. The selection was fantastic, food was delicious, and staff very helpful. Tried a variety of dishes and enjoyed them all. Lots of vegetarian options. Dessert and tea included with buffet offerings. Will definitely be back for the lunch buffet in the future! read more

Excellent food and some menu items that can't be found elsewhere in Des Moines. One of favorites!

Lunch at Chowrastha was great. We had their buffet which was varied and fresh tasting. It was nice having a good selection of both meat and vegetarian dishes as well as chai. Service was excellent and friendly. I also like that they post on Facebook whats on the buffet each morning. read more

Had an opportunity to visit Chowrastha this past week and so glad I did. The flavor was exceptional, staff very friendly, and spice level just right. While there I was able to meet the owners and they were great. I shared with them how impressed I was with the menu. My favorite items were the Naan bread, Tikka masala, and rice. So good! Looking forward to my next visit. Nothing like great foods and great friends!! read more

Our favorite Indian food in Des Moines! Delicious food, a huge variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes on the buffet. I love that they introduce me to dishes I've never had before. They bring naan to the table whenever you need it, so it doesn't sit out getting soggy. Just the right amount of heat for my tastes. Informal ambience with attentive service. read more

Slow service, apps came out after entrees, entrees came out 15 minutes apart, they switched the spice levels between orders. Chicken korma was good, plenty of lamb in the tikka masala, samosas were not flavorful and the chutney was all tang. read more

The best Indian food I have had in Des Moines! The food is phenomenal, the restaurant is very clean, service is great and quick. 100% will be coming back again. read more

Delicious! We ate there last night and we'll be back. Everything was great; food, service and appearance.

Madras boneless chicken curry med, butter naan, malai chicken kabab, all excellent!! Picked my taste buds right up!

Just discovered this place after searching online for an Indian buffet in the WDM area. The food was great! I'm not very knowledgeable about the different styles of Indian cuisine, but I really enjoyed everything I tried. The buffet was hot and fresh, and the wait staff was very helpful and friendly. The buffet comes with soft drinks and a fresh basket of naan included. Decor was a bit industrial, but there was a colorful wall mural with a modern vibe. Looks like they have an extensive menu if the buffet is not your thing. I'll be going back soon! read more