A Dong

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by riceabove

I have been going here for years, and will continue to do so.

Great place for Vegetarians, they even make their tofu in-house.

Service is so-so sometimes, but worth the wait every time

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by kdog

This place is the real deal. I grew up eating a lot of asian food, and this is some of the best that I have had, in NYC, California, anywhere. Its light - the kind of food that real asian and vietnamese people eat. The place is always busy and bustling. Their menu is literally huge. Never been disappointed, always leave full. I appreciate that the food is not deep fried.

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by dmilove

wonderful food, fresh veggies, servers are nice but can be a little slow. I go there every week. Very reasonably priced too!

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by Kelly

I very nice place to eat.

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by dsmwmn

I have been to A Dong a couple of times and while the food is fine, the service is horrible. Last night I went there and after an hour my friend and I got up and left. We were seated right away but nobody brought us any water or took our order or even acknowledge us. I counted about 3 or 4 other tables that were in the same situation. The wait staff keep cleaning tables that were left empty instead of taking orders. I was so annoyed that I won't have enjoyed my dinner even if they would have eventually helped us.

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by Bulldog

The best place in DSM for pho, pending my visit to New Saigon. Superlatively clean (unlike a lot of Asian places here), and good service, although some of the servers have limited skills in English. But the food is great and fresh, and I don't mind the "sterile" surroundings.

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by quietriot

Some of the best Asian cuisine in Des Moines! Try their Spring Rolls - they are to die for. The service can be a tad unfriendly, but I think it's because sometimes they don't understand English very well. No big whoop, though.

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by boeck7991

Tried A Dong for the first time the other evening. Others have commented on the atmosphere and the lack of a check being brought to the table so no need to rehash that.

A Dong (pronounced A (as in ABC) - dom (as in down-M) is Vietnamese for Asia although as the main reviewer commented it is funny in an immature way.

I had the chicken with lemon grass and crushed peppers. Don't tell my mother-in-law but A Dong makes it better than she does.

The cha gio (egg rolls) weren't as good as my wife's but I understand that A Dong is mixing it up a little to better please an American taste bud.

My wife had a shrimp and noodle dish and said that for Americanized Vietnamese food, it was better than what she's had in Chicago and Minneapolis.

In short, great Vietnamese food at good prices with its own atmosphere and personality.

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by aeon grey

A Dong is one of my favorite places to eat, the large vegetarian menu actually allows for me to make a selection. The atmopshere may lack a little bit, but it is a takeout favorite. I recommend 17C or 19C with a vegetarian spring roll 2C...

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by mh

A Dong is one of my favorite places to eat. I'm a pho addict but the vermicelli dishes are my next pick, especially the lemongrass chicken.

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by wk

It has a great selection of dishes with very reasonable price. The serving size is a bit small when compared to other restaurants. The soup base for the pho noodle also not quite up to par.

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by Snaps

Absolutley the BEST. Fresh Vegetarian Spring Roll, a bowl of PHO', and a Traditional Vietnamese Iced Coffee you are set FOR LIFE.

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by Cedric

I always feel like a dumb jerk because I obviously can't pronounce anything Vietnamese, so I end up ordering by number. Somehow, by the time I'm done saying a number for an appetizer and another number for my entree, I end up ordering coffee by number, too. Then I feel even dumber. I mean, it's coffee. I can say that.

But other than that, I love the food. They have fresh-wrapped spring rolls, one of the best appetizers ever in the whole world. They have over one hundred menu items even if you don't count the separate vegetarian menu, so go back again if you don't like what you got the first time. I tend to order pho (I think we are talking items 1-10 or so) or something from the Vietnamese specials section toward the back of the menu. Also, make sure you try some of the Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk. You won't be disappointed.

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by SloppyDog

This was my very 1st experience with a Vietnamese joint. I was pretty disappointed. The service was good and the waiter coached me through the menu. But the stuff he said was tasty, wasn't really. I would hate to try the menu items he dislikes. It would probably make me hurl.

i bumped my score up to a 2.5 only cause of these delicious, fried pastry things. They are deep fried and filled with cream cheese. They'd only be better if they were wrapped in bacon!

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by Mark

Guys, guys, did you notice the name? "A Dong"... huh huh huh. "A Dong", get it?

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Tips for A Dong from foursquare users

Abbie T.

More vegetarian options than any place in town. All delicious and affordable.

8 people have done this

phoever

Order the fried shrimp rolls. Cheese& shrimp wrapped in rice paper & deep fried. Yum! They're not on the menu but can't me missed.

5 people have done this and 4 others want to

Becky M.

Be sure to ask for mint in your spring rolls. Takes them to a new level -- and they are the best rolls in town!

5 people have done this and 4 others want to

Jesse V.

If you are wanting a great soup with delicate flavor give the #15 a shot. It has become my regular order.

5 people have done this and 1 other wants to

Zachary B.

Number 89. Nough said...

3 people have done this

Kate P.

Try #8C - if you're a vegetarian!!!

2 people have done this and 1 other wants to

Otis K.

If the pho is too little for you, all you have to do is ask for a bigger bowl. It doesn't tell you in the menu.

2 people have done this

Jessica D.

119 is my comfort food. If the day is less than satisfactory, 119 makes it all better. & it's even better as leftovers!

2 people have done this

Sheri K.

They have the best peanut sauce! Also the "limeade" is beyond wonderful.

2 people have done this

Greg L.

23c. Can't go wrong with anything on the vegetarian menu. 23c is my favorite though.

2 people have done this

q2mobile

14c + 129 to drink. mmmm

1 person has done this and 1 other wants to

Michael C.

Anything with yu choy (greens) is a yes. My favorite Des Moines haunt.

1 person has done this and 1 other wants to

Morgan M.

I believe the #18 is the best... but i can't remember...

1 person has done this

Ally B.

We love to sneek away for a snack with out the kids. Try the fired shrimp roll! :)

1 person has done this

David C.

have the noodle dish.

1 person has done this

Del B.

#15 soup: pho and wonton soup hybrid. yum

1 person has done this

Traci S.

Any veggie dish is awesome. And, the shrimp and chicken crab ragoons are the best in town. Ask for your dish spicy. The iced coffee is out of this world!

1 person has done this

A Dong - first of all, the name is funny to most immature Americans, such as us. Second of all, where else are you going to find good Vietnamese in the area?

To be brief, the food at A Dong is excellent and the atmosphere is lacking.

Let's start off with the appearance. When you first walk in you'll probably get the cafeteria feeling. The place is wide open, has cheap tile floors, and a drop ceiling.

Next let's talk about the service. I found my glass empty for a good portion of the meal, and you never really have a set waiter. Different people bring you your food, drinks, take your order, etc. Plus, once you're done with your meal, don't wait for your ticket. You just go up to the cashier and tell them your table number.

As for food, start off with some appetizers. The fresh spring rolls are excellent - and cheap. Then you can order from over 100 items on the menu (plus there's a separate vegetarian menu). I've only had the Pho there, but it's definitely good. I hear some of the coffees are great also.

Summed up, A Dong is cheap and has great food, but it also has a strange atmosphere. To me, the first 2 things are the most important.

The front of A Dong The inside of A Dong