Akebono 515 In Des Mo

Went to Akebono for dinner while in Des Moines for a volleyball tournament. Our group had traveled from Atlanta and Southern California so we have had our fair share of decent Japanese food. We called ahead as we were walking over from our hotel and they were kind enough to hold a table for us which we greatly appreciated on a busy Friday night. When we arrived we were seated quickly and greeted by both our server (Samantha and Nick (maybe manager/owner? . As with previous reviews, Nick was amazing. He was personable, funny, and extremely engaging as he frequently visited our table to check in or just make us laugh. Samantha was extremely attentive as well. The food was great. We ordered a couple of rolls (Oh Snap roll was delish and some bento boxes which were filling and tasty. The vibe of the restaurant was casual and upbeat. Nick even gave us recommendations of things to do while we were here and other restaurants to try. If I were to visit Des Moines again, I would definitely head back to this restaurant!

We have always loved this spot! Back in town after 3+ years and finally got to visit again last Friday night. The food and drinks are still amazing. The bartender is outstanding! Her name is Laura and her style of service is so professional, yet super cool and very friendly. She gave us great recommendations and it was so fun to watch her in action. She has great flow and is a huge asset to this restaurant. We’ll be back! Thank you Akebono for your non stop consistency and quality of product and staff. Special shout out to the Nicks!

Really fun place with great service and excellent sushi and sashimi!

5 stars all around. GREAT food, the bartender was awesome, the Nam#5 (cocktail) was too good. No complaints at all and I’m glad i found this place. If ever in the area again, i will be back!

Needed some sushi and this came across my radar. The best part was how great the server Nick was. He saw my Greenfield shirt, realized I had just been through a tornado, and was uber kind. Brought me a complimentary soup and salad. They were good. I chose the Mulberry and the ZeeZee. They were both okay. I was soooo hungry and ate almost all of both. The flavor was fine, there wasn 't much fish in either roll. I was craving that punch of actual fish. Service was wonderful. Space was inviting. Lots of choices for seating. I was there during happy hour and the most annoying guy was at the bar right next to me. I wish I would have sat in the other section. Not the restaurant 's fault. In a future visit I will try something without tempura and see if there is more fish in the roll. The entrance is inside the parking ramp. Outdoor seating available. My bill was $26 for 2 rolls and a pop. I tipped well.