Pho Shobu

8950 University Ave Suite 103, West Des Moines
(515) 300-2260

Recent Reviews

Patrick T

Highly recommended! Very cleanly restaurant.Owners and staff are friendly and menu is Authentic & Delicious.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Audrey Klunenberg

We are going to start going here more often. What I love about this place is how wide the menu is! While I love pho and Vietnamese food, my partner is not the biggest fan. But this place has sushi and a wide enough selection of other items that we can both be happy!! We ordered quite a bit off the menu and everything was delicious. The tofu in my bun was perfect; it was well pressed and crispier than most fried tofu I’ve had. I also like the spicy crunchy crab roll, though it wasn’t very spicy. Clean and cozy interior, great service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Godzilla Roll, Chicken Pho

Demra Olson

The last two times I have come here the service has been absolutely TERRIBLE. I contribute that to the fact that there are CHILDREN running the place. on 2/4/24 I came in for a late lunch with a friend and her son. We ordered spring rolls for an appetizer, I asked them to bring peanut sauce with them. I then had to ask the kid 3 more times after our rolls came out for the said peanut sauce. I had also overheard table next to us ask him for their side plates of bean sprouts, etc for their Pho. Instead of getting the customers their requested items, this kid SITS DOWN AT A TABLE AND STARTS EATING HIS OWN BOWL OF PHO!! Slurping noodles and not a care in the world that he had several upset customers. I took pictures as proof. I had ordered the steak and meatball pho and requested the steak rare on the side. He looked at me like I was requesting the craziest thing he had ever heard. When it came out there were no meatballs and the steak was in the broth, not on the side like I had requested. I was charged extra on my receipt to take it back and brought out the way I had requested (I order it that way every single time I have been here and never charged extra for it)2/15/24 - Came in with a date. He ordered a dirty martini (it is on the menu) The bartender was another CHILD (no more than 18 years old) The drink that was brought out to my date was 1000000% not a dirty martini. In fact it had a lemon slice on the rim of the glass and not olives. I asked that the bartender come over and told him this was not a dirty martini, and it had absolutely no olive juice in it. He told me they don't even have olives - and that he absolutely made the drink correctly. I bartended for all of my 20's - I know how to make a damn dirty martini. Instead of making it right, he rolled his eyes at me and walked away and STILL charged us for the drink. We had already ordered spring rolls as appetizer and again I had requested peanut sauce - guess what I had to ask for two more times to get...yup, that peanut sauce! That is when we decided we were certainly not going to order main course and left to go to a better run Pho establishment across town where there was only 1 server, the place was much busier, but was 10/10 better service with a smile and quite honestly the food was better than this place. I used to love Shobu, it was my go to place for Pho, but sadly I will not be returning unless they turn this around. Hire competent employees who actual know what they are doing and how to treat customers

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 1

Recommended dishes: Gyoza

Jason Lee

I convinced my wife to give them a try again. For our two prior visits, the food was good, but the dinner wait staff was terrible. She relented and our 3rd attempt was the same… ownership needs to clean house on the dining room staff. They don’t know what they’re doing. The wait staff is usually comprised of a couple of teenagers who are not particularly focused on providing attentive service, but rather spending time chatting in corners, ignoring tables, and slow to respond for everything. This has been our experience for three straight times. There are way too many other options in the area where the service is good.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

kayden hutton

I eat here all the time. Food is delicious, servers are HOT, place is nice and clean.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Elise Stageman

Always fresh and delicious on every visit. Wonderful and helpful servers.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Bill Gates

Got our order wrong - did not correct the order. Basically picked off the cucumbers, instead of remaking the dish. The meat was dry and disgusting. I will not be back and would not recommend this restaurant… terrible food - and horrible customer service. The waitress was new and nice I guess that’s the only positive. Too bad because we ate there a year ago and it was good.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 1

J B

Great service and good menu selection of Thai, sushi, and Vietnamese food.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Scott McVay

Overall amazing restaurant. Staff is well trained and attentive. Food is always fantastic. Great atmosphere and environment for all occasions.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sushi, p1 Combination Pho, Hot Pot, Pepper Tuna Tataki, Pho Bowl, Chicken Wings, Sashimi, Bahn MI, Ultimate Pho, Sunshine Roll, Tom Yum, Green Papaya Salad, Roll, Salad, Tuna, Drunken Noodles, Pad Thai, Gyoza, Squid Salad

Adiyasuren I

Oredered to go everything was great and price is

Food: 5

Service: 5

コビ

As an Asian... my fair assessment is that the food in this restaurant is a deception!!!?You can't fool people who maybe haven't had much experience with authentic Asian food with poor quality Asian food just cuz the area is mostly white. ❗️If you feel like you want to be deceived, you can come and eat !Idk if the boss is Asian or white, but can you please respect your job seriously? ? Please take cooking seriously!!My first time eating pho gave me very little basil leaves and bean sprouts, not even cilantro, it was funny... made me feel embarrassed, the soup had a weird taste... Mild, with no hint of meat broth flavor. ?The meat in the soup isn't fresh either. I ate the whole process in the dark. If you respect your respect, please adjust the lighting a little. I couldn't even see the noodles in the bowl clearly.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Kyla Rogers

Small place with great food! I was a bit disappointed in the Bank9k steak- it was cooked correctly but the cut was mostly gristle, not very flavorful. However, everything else I've had there was really great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Janine Marzett

If Google would let me give negative stars, I would.This is absolutely the worst restaurant and food I’ve had since moving to the area two years ago! Awful food, awful service. I gave it a shot in 2021, food was bad, service was awful. Decided to give it another shot today as my daughter really wanted pho so ordered tonight in case it was better. NOPE! Called in order, was told it would be ready in ten mins - soup, rangoon, satay & bah Mi sandwich. 40 mins later it was ready. Got home and sandwich which was wrong and covered in white sauce and jalapeños which I didn’t want as it didn’t come with the sandwich I ordered - which also means the miso soup that would have come with the right order - and was listed on my receipt - I didn’t get either. Satay was a skewer of dried chicken with the nastiest peanut sauce (maybe it was or something that resembled peanut). That got thrown away along with cilantro/white sauce/jalapeño and dry chicken on a roll sandwich and crab rangoon that was just hard by the time I got home. Daughter ate the soup but only because she was hungry. A complete waste of $46 and I’m pissed.

Food: 1

Service: 1

A PQ

I normally do not write reviews too often, but when ordering pho two basil leaves is what you get here. When ask for more I did get 5 more leaves then I ask for more it is extra charges. I did let the waitress know that it is embarrassing to serve pho and give two basil leaves.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: p1 Combination Pho

Brandon Floyd

Our family's favorite restaurant. The food is amazing, and the serving sizes are immense, so you'll have plenty of leftovers.Dietary restrictions: Vegan options as well

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Sushi, Pad Thai

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