Restaurants in Waukee

Tucked inside Hoshi Sushi Lounge, Sushi Master La Tran and staff surround themselves with yellowtail, salmon, octopus, crabmeat, and sliced veggies, all waiting to be plucked from their chilled containers and placed on tiny piles of rice or wrapped inside sheets of seaweed. The sushi rolls—with creative names such as Bulldog, Miami Heat, and Love You Long Time—arrive at tables laid out on an ivory plate like abstract artwork. The kitchen team also prepares entrees free of a seaweed sheath, including tempura, teriyaki, curry, and stir-fried meats and veggies. The sushi haven's minimalist interior features bold-red color, framed artwork, and an exposed brick-front wall that dares passersby to huff and puff and then courteously enter through the front door.

When the owners first laid eyes on the 116-year-old house that would later become Capital Pub and Hot Dog Co., they viewed it as an opportunity to accomplish a long-lived goal rather than as an archaic, dilapidated building. Today, the once-condemned structure stands completely renovated and now serves as a dining hotspot where neighborhood regulars furnish their bellies with 100%-all-beef Klement's hot dogs and signature cocktails. The laid-back eatery's 13 Capital Dogs bear such unique toppings as homemade chili, crispy Fritos, and buffalo hot sauce, and its hearty sandwiches punch hunger in the gut with Angus beef, marinated chicken, and american cheese. Headlining a hefty appetizer menu, sweet-potato fries drizzled in honey and accompanied by marshmallow-cream sauce charm taste buds with bites sweeter than love notes written by Oompa Loompas. Capital's sleek, intimate space treats stompers to warm wooden floors that glimmer beneath burnished dining islands and beer-inspired signage.

As its name implies, The Corn Patch Restaurant celebrates the Heartland roots of American cuisine with a menu of pork chops, freshly breaded chicken, and hand-cut steaks prepared according to recipes known only to the chefs and family owners. The most famous of these is undoubtedly the creamy, house-made potato soup, which accompanies every meal only after diners sign an oath to never speculate on its secret recipe. To further honor their down-home roots, the owners have named some of their most popular dishes after friends and family, including such favorites as Lucy’s chicken breast and Dennie’s Famous Reuben.

Since 1964, Blimpie has filled patrons' bellies with submarines packed with freshly sliced meats and quality toppings. Each of the coast-to-coast franchise's locations offers an assortment of bread-based eats ranging from classic deli subs to paninis served between warm ciabatta buns festooned with grill stripes or uneven tan lines. Subsmiths roll up fresh wraps and keep waistlines in check with Lighter Stuff, a health-conscious selection of menu items with less than 400 calories and 6 grams of fat. Kids' meals satiate the appetites of youngsters 12 years old and younger or adults with fake IDs.

Since Mustard's Restaurant opened in 1971, the eatery has won acclaim in barbecue contests and sauce-athons across the country. Chicken, beef, and pork cook slowly over smoldering apple and cherry woods that infuse the meats with delicate smoky flavor. House condiments bearing titles such as Mean Mustard or The Sauce enhance baby back ribs and char-broiled burgers. Diners can also divvy up slices of New York–style thin crust pizzas topped with barbecue sauce and chicken or covered with customizable fixings and trained to lie flat instead of folding in half. Mustard's also caters events with platters of bite-size snacks or buffet-style barbecue fare.

The agave plant, which is traditionally grown in Mexico, produces a nectar that can become sweeter than honey with proper aging and cultivation. It's appropriate that Agave Grill takes its name from this established Mexican crop, since the restaurant's primary focus is on the cultural authenticity of its dishes.

Modern hanging lights cast shadows on vibrant burgundy, yellow, and robin's egg blue walls, and large front windows fill the dining room with natural light that illuminates plates mounded with chimichangas, sauce-slathered enchiladas, and burritos stuffed with al pastor or tender carnitas. In addition to the tried-and-true cuisine, Agave Grill also pays homage to its spiritual homeland by displaying photographs of Latin American landscapes and demanding that each guest conjugate the Spanish verb for "swallow" after each bite.:m]]