I've been curious about this place for a long time so I finally tried it for dinner tonight with my husband. Like probably most Americans, I haven't tried a lot of South American cuisine so I didn't know what to expect. I guess I was expecting something like Mexican food. Well, it's definitely a lot different than Mexican food. Peruvian food isn't very spicy and the seasonings are different, yet still tasty. There a big Chinese influence on Peruvian food, too. I got the Lomo Saltado, a popular Peruvian dish with stir-fried beef, onions and tomatoes served with rice and French fries. My husband got the Chaufa al Wok, an oriental Peruvian fried rice with chicken. The fries kind of threw me at first. I wasn't expecting that. The dish was very good and had a nice flavor. My husband loved his dish and thought it was delicious. With both of our dishes it was interesting to see how much of a Chinese influence there is. What my husband absolutely loved the most is their homemade horchata. It tasted different than Mexican horchata so he asked what was in it. Our server said it was made was cacao beans instead of just rice and cinnamon. It had a pale brown color to it, too. I also liked the seasoned corn nuts that came with two different sauces--a sweet one and savory one. We both thought the prices were a little high but not so much that we wouldn't come back. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and helped us decide what to order. She was very knowledgeable about the menu items. At the end of our meal both she and the owner (I think) asked us how we liked everything and if there was anything they could have done to make things more enjoyable. I mentioned that my food came out much earlier than my husband's so I was almost done by the time his came out. The owner apologized for the wait and we really appreciated that. They also serve empanadas, pupusas and tamales. We're going to try these the next time we come back. Someone at the table next to us ordered the pupusas and they looked yummy. We were pleasantly pleased with how tasty the food was despite being a lot different than what we were expecting. read more

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Every time we pass through Des Moines we have to stop here. A small family run restaurant that is excellent. Great food and great service. Don't miss it! The Arroz Con Mariscos is excellent and has a lot of seafood in it. Awesome flavor. My husband loves the Chaufa Al Wok too. The Strawberry pop is a don't miss. read more

I don't know much about Peruvian food, but if this place is any example, I might be booking a flight tomorrow. I've been here a couple of times now, and both times the food wasn't just excellent -- the service was equally gracious and charming. If you're not familiar with Peruvian dishes, the staff can guide you like culinary Sherpas, and so far they haven't steered me wrong. I've tried a few different plates, but the arroz con mariscos (that's "rice with seafood" for my Midwestern friends) was a standout -- full of fresh flavors and textures that made me wonder: is Iowa secretly hiding an ocean somewhere? Everything tasted incredibly fresh, as if it had just walked, swam, or grown into the kitchen. So live a little. You can only eat so many pork tenderloin sandwiches before it's time to step out of your comfort zone. Go try this fantastic restaurant. And as the Peruvians say... well, actually, I have no idea what they say, but I imagine it's something enthusiastic about food. read more

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We were skeptical when we saw this little place right on the side of the road, but we were absolutely blown away! The ceviche was so fresh and flavorful, and although the shellfish was good, we thought the fish was the star of the show. The arroz con mariscos (HUGE portion) was perfectly cooked. This was my first time having the carapulcra, and I loved it! The dry potato had such a unique flavor, and the pork was so juicy and tender. Our server was also incredibly nice and very helpful :) read more

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Food and service were both amazing! For an appetizer, I had the llapingachos, I had never heard of them before, but I'm ecstatic I gave them a shot. For my main, I had the pollo saltado, the flavors were excellent. I the only complaint I had was that it was so hot temperature wise that I kept burning my mouth from being too impatient to let it cool a little bit. I ordered a sangria with the meal and that was very good as well, not too sweet. They also sell pupusas, so I will have to go back to try those as well. read more

Excellent food and service! First time will be back again! Loved the atmosphere, good selection of non and alcoholic beverages. read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Chaufa Mariscos - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Outstanding! I was really shocked for Des Moines! Very solid all around! I got the empanadas, cerveche traditional, and bisteck apanado and all were outstanding! Presentation on the cerveche traditional was great! Very friendly and helpful staff! Lively atmosphere which created a very enjoyable all around deal! read more

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Good Peruvian food place, excellent service. The food is very exquisite and tastes good read more

Wonderful international restaurant in the Merle Hay neighborhood. Food was delicious and very rich, large portions and we had quite a bit left over. We had the arroz con pollo and lomo saltado, both delicious. Slightly salty for my tastes. Our server was helpful in suggesting menu items. read more

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Hey have you found yourself in the Urbandale Meryl Hay area thinking to yourself "Man, I wish I could get outstanding Peruvian food" ... yeh Tullpa's got you. Very good Peruvian good out of a strip mall better than I thought it could be, sizable portions, great service. Everything we tried I would order again. Appetizer Highlights: Really liked the House Ceviche (right amount of kick, nice flavor, good fish) Empanadas (chicken) were the table fav of the three flavors Dinner Highlights: Chicken soup was huge and great both there and warmed up later Chicken and fried was good, I preferred the spicy green sauce served on the table over the green sauce with the chick, both were good but the spicy was better Lomo Saltado was solid! Great flavor I am really looking forward to going back for more. read more

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We had a terrific lunch today! We wanted to try something new, and Tullpa was the perfect fit! Our server (Sophie) was so helpful and friendly! Empanadas were delicious, and we tried a combo of rice with seafood and ceviche. Delicious! We also couldn't help but try a Maracuya Pisco Sour - amazing!! We will be back! read more

We went to Tullpa for the first time quite by happen-chance. So glad we did. The food is unique and delicious. Presentation is like something in a higher level restaurant. Our appetizer was great. Not heavy or over filling. Main course was superb and left room for rice pudding that was warm, sweet and the perfect ending. Service was excellent. Each question was completely answered and our glasses were never empty. Easy to find on Merle Hay just south of Douglas. Can't wait to go back! read more

Tullpa Restaurant - This is the pork dish that is similar to pork belly only with less fat. It was delicious!! - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Tried this restaurant for the first time, never had Peruvian food so I wanted excited to try this place out. I tried the Chaufa Al wok with beef which came highly recommended by our server and other Yelpers. It was delish, the fried rice was not heavy at all but fresh and the beef was tender- and not tough like some Asian restaurants lean. Really good and would get again. Our server was nice, but not attentive. There was no water refills and no checking on us after giving us our food. That's why I am only giving 4 stars. There was also a mix up with our bill, which they were able to promptly fix. Thing to note; an automatic tip is added for parties of 5 or more. read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Chaufa Al wok with beef - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

When we arrived we were seated right away and our waitress was so friendly and let us know to ask any questions we had and she can provide recommendations. The service was amazing and so was the food. We ordered Tortilla de Yuca for an appetizer and it was so decadent and tasty. For our main, we split some Ceviche with Leche de Tigre and the LA Ruleta Tullpa. Everything was delicious and we can't wait to go back! Ambiance was pleasant, it was a nice place to dine in and have our dishes served hot and fresh (or chilled in the case of Ceviche :P) read more

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I would never have picked this restaurant if solely by driving by, as the location is in a strip mall and it doesn't look like much, sitting right next to a vape shop. However, having found it here and being intrigued by the idea of Peruvian and seafood, I really wanted to try it. The menu was intimidating to me, but the waiter was really helpful and friendly. The flavors were amazing. I wish I could remember all of the specific names of the dishes... Between the three of us, we had the fried calamari/yucca, stir fried beef, and the Bendeja Paisa. All very very flavorful. I wish we lived closer by. There were so many other flavors I wish I could try soon! read more

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All I can say is DELICIOUS. First time trying Peruvian food and I'm convinced to try it again. We got the platter because the waitress said it was the best thing on the menu. The empanadas hit just right as well. They even give you free appetizer of corn and salsa. We ate the green salsa with everything. The middle "yellow" part was unfortunately not our taste so we couldn't eat it but the waitress was super sweet about it. The cooks even asked us why we didn't like the middle part and asked if they could refine it to our taste buds! I'm super impressed and will come back! Even got chicken soup to go! read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Empanadas - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Clean and bright. Service was fast, friendly and helpful. She explained the menu to us. Food was delicious. Started with the papa rellana and finished with the Los Tacu Tacu. Presentation was exquisite and inviting. Serving size was huge. Very tasty. The only knock is the volume of the music was a little loud. read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Papa Rellena.....presented beautifully - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Such amazing food and service! Everything we ordered was amazing, and trivia was so fun!! Would highly recommend the passion fruit juice, sweet plantains, empanadas, and the arroz con pollo. Staff is kind and makes you feel so comfortable! read more

Met some friends here Sunday for lunch after yoga. The server was very accommodating. I have a very simple palette, and the menu seemed a bit agressive for my childlike preferences, but I really enjoyed my food. The 4 of us shared 3 very large dishes, and they were wonderful! It's not very "cozy" if that's what you're going for. It's bright and simple, but I was glad they had beer! I looked ahead for that, and I didn't see it as an option, but you can't go wrong with an ice cold Corona. read more

The food here is simply AMAZING! You will not be disappointed in anything! We stopped by during #iowalatinorestaurantweek and they had a special selection of food that was discounted. We had a wonderful waitress that was very patient and friendly explaining all of the different types of dishes. It was a great experience and we enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend this restaurant! We will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Jalea Tullpa (left front) Ceviche Tradiconal (right rear) - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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This is the third restaurant at this location in recent years, but this one is the nicest so far. They remodeled and it has a much nicer look. There is counter/bar seating and you can see in to the kitchen. The menu has a large offering of interesting items. I am unfamiliar with the food of Peru, but I find enough recognizable items (stir fry, empanadas, various steak and seafood dishes) that each visit I have tried something new and enjoyed it. Try the empanadas for an appetizer, and check out their special drinks they make fresh. You can also try a Peruvian beer or soda (Inca Cola, which tastes similar to Big Red, even though it is yellow). Definitely worth checking out. read more

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Best new restaurant in the Des Moines area. We desperately need these flavors. The horchata rules. La Ruleta Tullpa is a party of flavors and plenty to split between two people. I'm including a photo. read more

Tullpa Restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The food is just amazing. We had the empanadas (beef and cheese), sweet plantains with cheese, arroz con pollo, and tacu tacu with lomo saltado. The passion fruit juice is also delicious. We will be back when we are in DM next. read more

Very nice overall. Tasty food and server was attentive , first time trying and the food was tasty . Keep up the good work.

Excellent service. We were greeted as soon as we entered and waitress was attentive and friendly. I had the steak and fries that was thin and crunchy but still tender and flavorful. Husband had the fried whole Tilapia. This was AMAZING. Loved the Aji sauce served with the complementary corn nuts. All very yummy. Small location but bright and clean. We will return and recommend as a nice place to try for something different. read more

Fantastic food. Amazing service. They need a better location to help folks appreciate this restaurant. I was introduced to Peruvian and Ecuadorian food by a Miami native while on some work trips around the country, and this place is in my top two (tied with a much bigger restaurant in California). It's just really good food and super nice folks. (And as a perk, they had solid options for my gluten and dairy intolerant, "not too spicy", meat loving daughter. I unfortunately had my leftovers consumed by said daughter before I made it to work the next day...) read more

Thank you Yelp for another winner! What a food adventure,,,Peruvian food. It was fun reading the extensive menu! The food was delicious and the friendly server made our visit so enjoyable. I wish we had a Tullpa in our area of South Dakota. We will definitely stop again if we are in the area. Easy access off the interstate is another plus for travelers. read more

I was over charged at the Latino heritage festival i got 3 pupusas for $10 and after I bought it i was charged 11.60 and today i look at the charge and I was charged $13.00 I'm very upset they weren't honest about the price. read more

We had lunch one day the chicken was good greens pretty good too! They brought us a small desert of each they had and the banana pudding was amazing read more

Outstanding food and service. I ordered the traditional ceviche and it is one of the best dishes, I have ever tasted. Don't skip on the dessert either. The arroz con leche is a perfect finisher. read more

omg! authentic deliciousness. great service by maira; wonderful classic pisco sours...again by maira; superb chicken empanadas (the green sauce topped off their goodness); yummy entrees; and amazing desserts. highly, highly recommend. will be back when in des moines again! read more

Tullpa Restaurant - deliciousness! - Peruvian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Wow, all I can say. The food was amazing. Definitely will be coming back. Service was great. And it was one of the cleanest restaurants in the area. read more

We're from Arizona, and this is the best Peruvian food we've had in a long time. It came recommended to us, and we couldn't be more satisfied. We loved the food, the atmosphere and of course, the Pisco Sours. Highly recommend. read more

Food was amazing!! Staff were attentive and very helpful. We had a large group and they were still attentive and kept on top of drink refills and food came out quickly. read more

A new place that's a nice addition to the area. Excellent flavors and very friendly people. Give it a try!

I have been to this restaurant three times. I can't wait for the next opportunity to introduce another friend or family member to it. Gloria, the owner is so kind. She will happily tell you all about the name of the restaurant, explain the fusion from three South American countries, and tell you about any of the dishes. We have ordered lomo, ají de gallina, bandeja paisa, jalea mixta, arroz chaufa, arroz con mariscos, and more. Each one was delicious! I also recommend you try the appetizers. I love the causa, the maduros con queso, and the papas a la huancaina. Portions are large so plan on having leftovers for lunch the next day. Yum! read more