I met my son for lunch at open Sesame and loved it! The service was wonderful and the food was exceptional! I tried a Turkish coffee and was impressed by its flavor so I'll definitely be ordering another when i go back. My lunch exceeded my expectations! Definitely worth the trip! read more

Very good food can be had at this location. Des Moines needs more places like this. Owners are friendly and really care about the product they produce A+++ read more

Solid food. Definitely not Lebanese though. A bit overpriced.

I recently visited this establishment for the first time with several friends from both in and out of town. As others have noted, the restaurant is small, but the atmosphere and decor are wonderful. The food was wonderful and authentic, which really impressed my guests from Chicago. I liked it so much I was compelled to order extra to take home to my husband so that he would believe me! The young waitresses were very attentive and accommodating, even though we were a rather large party for the restaurant's size (6) and had no reservation. It also helped that our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and she could make suggestions for those unfamiliar with the cuisine. I recommend Open Sesame to everyone who loves authentic Middle Eastern food and I can't wait to go back! read more

The best gyros in town. Also fond of the chicken shwarma...good seasoning, very tasty. My favorite is the gyro salad...Fresh greens, just the right amount of gyro meat and a good dollop of yogurt cream dressing. The Turkish coffee is okay but needs a bit richer taste. Very good baklava! read more

The food here is good middle eastern food. However its not great value - especially the falafel plate and salad for 14 dollars. For that much money one should expect to walk away full. But instead it was an ungenerous portion. The salad was a mere cup of vegetables - i gulped it down in four forkfuls. The falafel sandwich itself was ok. Still, the portions leaned more toward tapas portion size rather than being the entree they are advertised to be. read more

Very good food, I recommend the spicy gyro. Prices could be a little cheaper. However, their yelp site has an offer for a free drink when checking in three times and they said they had no idea what it was and refused to honor it. read more

Charming, quiet, adult crowd. And the food was fantastic. Cocktails were weak, but tasty

I've been here for both lunch and dinner. Everything both times was so delicious! The restaurant is cozy. I like that there are only a few tables inside. Staff is really nice, ambiance is perfect, food is amazing. read more

I ordered the chicken swarama. I saw that their were 2 versions on the menu. I did ask for jalapeños but got them. It's still good just would have rather not had to pick out the jalapeños read more

I really enjoy the taste of the food here,they are always changing the menu around and it never seems to have the same ingredients in it the next time you go there,the service is also a little fast paced and it seems they just want you in and out.Would suggest going just to try it but don't get your hopes up the next time around when you want the same thing! read more

Open Sesame never disappoints. The chicken shawarma and the gyro are the best you'll find in DSM. The same owner as Gazali's, they do Mediterranean food right. read more

I had the gyro for lunch and it was really good! I want to come here for dinner sometime to experience something else. The menu isn't very big though and I would have to take a guess when I order because a lot of it is food I have not tried before. The gyro was good though so Im sure everything else is wonderful. read more

Visited for lunch. Good solid gyro. I do love to have fries as my side but that was not an option. I was happy with the lentil soup I selected, and it's probably healthier for me. Don't arrive near the end of the lunch period though. They close at 2 in the summer, not 2:30 as indicated here. They said they know this and haven't corrected it but were still not happy when we showed up at 1:55 and turned a couple more people away at 2:02. Unheard of for a small restaurant like that. Once we ordered quickly the waitress got happier. read more

We loved our experience- excellent food and a great atmosphere. They only had bar seating available but served us within a timely manner. We asked for a side of extra pita, and they gave it to us free of charge; definitely planning to return! read more

This restaurant is very nice. The decorations were very pretty and the music was authentic. I've never had this type of food but it was very good. There was a variety to the menu so you could try many different foods. The hummus and pita were my favorite. The servers were very nice. This restaurant was small but I loved how small it was. It was easy to find the location. This is a good restaurant for a date or to just go with some friends. I would recommend this restaurant if you like to try new foods. I definitely will be going back again. read more

Awesome Mediterranean food. Love the falafel, dolmas, hummus and lentle soup. I could eat it every week

Where to even begin. We were shocked at the sight of our food being served to us in halves of ripped styrofoam takeout boxes instead of plates. Also, the food itself had many problems. The rice was poorly prepared and clumpy, the vegetarian platters were supposed to be made vegan (and we were assured that they were) but were served with feta cheese, and when this was pointed out, the waitress returned with the "new" food almost immediately and there was that tangy taste of feta present, as if they merely scooped it off. Their grape leaves were stuffed with soggy lemon rice, the hummus and baba ganoush were watery and overpowered with lemon, and none of my party finished the food because it more average Greek fast food than Lebanese cuisine. We have been to the Middle East so perhaps our standards were higher, but for all the hype about this place, we were absolutely disappointed. The one star rating is because we were offended and completely blown away by being served in half of a styrofoam box without shame. Also, the vegetarian platters had very few options for the price (14.95 for one soggy stuffed grape leaf, 2 falafel, a small corner of watery baba ganoush, a small corner of hummus, pita bread, and the other 50% of the plate was just salad) and you could not really differentiate any of it because it all very overdressed with lemon. It was especially disappointing to look at the reviews here on Yelp afterwards to find that other diners were served ON PLATES like any normal restaurant or cafe, yet we were served on less than what we would've been given if we had taken it to go. I suggest looking elsewhere for a lunch spot in Des Moines and we will certainly never be returning here. read more

Awesome authentic food with a nice atmosphere. Had a very friendly bartender and waiter who suggested the vegetarian plate, and with good reason; the baba ghanoush, tabouli, and hummus, and dolma were all delicious. My dining companions had gyros and reported the meat was likewise very tasty. Will definitely return on future trips to the area. read more

had better falafel and had to sit at the bar which kept sesame from a 5/5. pita&hmmus, gyro platter, solid.

I am Lebanese and came her because I am out of state. Food was semi- authentic, but the people that ran the place were so RUDE. It made me and my fiance feel extremely un-comfortable and we came there to spend money on drinks and food and had to leave because of it. They need to really work on there hospitality, and also the portions are for babies. You pay an arm and leg and get barely anything. read more

Good Gyros, better than Olympic Flame anyway.

Staff members selected Open Sesame for a staff birthday lunch. Hadn't been there before. Great food, fun, quaint atmosphere, friendly staff. We all enjoyed trying new things with the sampler appetizer and then chose our entrees. I enjoyed the kafta. Try it for something new! read more

GREAT PLACE. Highly recommend to locals and tourists. Better than any other restaurant in Des Moines. Thanks Marwan for the excellent meal.

Outstanding place to eat. A true gem in both the food and the atmosphere. I would recommend this as one of the best places to eat in Des Moines. It's a small, cozy and friendly place to enjoy unique food. Everything I've had on the menu has been excellent. The staff treats you like you are a guest in their home. Don't miss this one! read more

Open Sesame is housed in a small but not hard to find building, just off of Locust Street. It is located in the East village, downtown district, so there is metered parking on the street, as well as free parking (only for customers!) at the back of the restaurant. The restaurant serves Middle Eastern - Lebanese cuisine such as classic dishes like Gyro, Kafta, Falafel, Shwarma Chicken. The entrees are mostly meat over rice with sides like salad, hummus and pita bread, although they do also offer vegetarian options like the Vegetarian Plate and Eggplant Ali Baba. There is also a selection of appetizers, salads and soups and dessert in the menu. Quite an impressive menu for a small restaurant! There were many appetizers to try like Hummus, Baba Ganouj, Tatziki Dip and Grape Leaves. We ordered the stuffed grape leaves, which had rice, beans and golden raisins in them. The parcels had a little tartness to them that we did not like, perhaps we should have ordered the Baba Ganouj or Hummus instead. Open Sesame also has a full bar that occupies one-fifth of the restaurant, and the drink menu is quite extensive. It offers a selection of martinis, wine, beer, as well as interesting non-alcoholic drinks like Jalab rose syrup on ice and Sharbat (lemonade infused with rose syrup), which were pretty expensive at $3 a glass. They also offer Turkish coffee if you are in the mood for something hot. The decor of the restaurant reminded me of Arabian nights, with its rich dark colors. The ceiling was painted black with lanterns - reminiscent of a starry night sky, and the ambience is quite romantic. It is smallish on the inside, only about 15 tables for seating. Overall, it is cozy and comfortable and even has Lebanese piped music . Smells of cumin, coriander and cloves flowed from the kitchen -these spices typical to the cuisine also added to the atmosphere. Many of the spices used in Lebanese cooking originated from Asia and were traded in the Spice Routes established during the 7th and 8th century between Arabia/Persia and Asia. The food was overall delicious - it was well presented and not fussy. For 3 people, we ordered 4 main courses and an appetizer. Portions were not big, so filling up with appetizers before the main course is a good idea. Prices are on the high side, entrees starting at $14-$18, appetizers at about $8. The restaurant does not offer desserts, which is just fine since we did not have room in our stomachs left for it! We thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant! The service was fantastic - the server was very polite and efficient. Even taking time to explain the different types of food to us, as well as suggesting entrees and beverages. I love the idea of meat over rice, especially since rice is my staple of choice. Lebanese cooking uses basmati instead of jasmine rice, and I like the slightly nutty flavor of it. Olive oil is also used in everything - evident in the hummus, salads, stuffed grape leaf appetizers, and in flavoring the meats as well. It is important to note that the characteristic tree crop in the Mediterranean Basin is the olive. I will be coming back to eat again! This restaurant is not overly stuffy, has friendly service and good food... what is there not to like? The next time, I will definitely invite a date as it is unpretentious, and has a cozy and romantic atmosphere. 5/5 stars!!! read more

Open Sesame Cafe is located in East Village. East village is usually always crowded - so parking is very scarce. We parked near the graffiti of the monsters. Inside, the staff was welcoming - also the interior decor was very eye opening. The lighting was purple flurescent lights and was very trippy and reminded me of like a gypsy type of vibe. We were waited very quickly, because it wasn't packed. I ordered the gyro and I enjoyed it very much. This place has one of the best gyros I've ever tasted (the other being the stand at the state fair). My mom on the other hand, ordered the falafel. The prices are a little expensive, but for the gyros its worth it. The menu also offered a variety of drinks that I have never heard of, but I decieded to just go with water. Open Sesame is a very cozy little place and I will definetly go there if I'm ever in East Village again. I would definetly reccomend this place if you love gyros. read more