Toyo Ramen & Japanese Street Food fills a long, narrow room at 1615 SW Main St., Suite 106. It has light-wood booths, soft lighting, maneki-neko and lanterns on the walls, and a counter where you order with the kitchen in full view. The Des Moines Register even spotted the decor cats "fishing" at the prep area.
The shop opened Jan. 1, so this is its first full soup season in The District at Prairie Trail. In September, the Register put together a list of four Japanese restaurants that opened in the metro in 2026, and Toyo was the only Ankeny spot on it. The other three were Osaka in West Des Moines, Kentzio Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge on Des Moines' south side, and Red Anchor Sushi & Seafood Buffet in Altoona. If you live in Prairie Trail, the newest ramen in the metro is a walk or a short drive away.
Every ramen on the board is $14.95
Toyo prices its menu by section, not by ingredient. All six ramens cost $14.95 on the restaurant's own menu. Every donburi and Japanese curry bowl costs $13.95. Most street snacks are $5.95 or $6.95. A bowl with braised beef costs the same as one with tofu and vegetables, so you can order the broth you want without checking the price.
| Ramen | Broth | What comes on it |
|---|---|---|
| Hakata Tonkotsu | Slow-simmered pork bone | Pork chashu, ajitama egg, sesame, wood ear mushroom, bamboo shoot, green onion, seaweed, black garlic oil |
| Spicy Miso | Miso with a pork and soy milk blend | Ajitama egg, bok choy, bean sprouts, green onion, chili oil |
| Classic Chicken | Chicken | Chicken chashu or fried chicken, ajitama egg, bok choy, bean sprouts, green onion, seafood oil |
| Toyo Spicy Beef | Toyo spicy beef | Braised beef, bok choy, cilantro, green onion, sesame seeds |
| Yasai | Vegetable miso | Tofu and assorted vegetables, spicy or non-spicy |
| Tsukemen | Rich dipping broth | Cold noodles, pork chashu, ajitama egg, bamboo shoot, corn |
You only pay more when you add something. The Hakata Tonkotsu can be made spicy for $1. The toppings list covers extra noodles, extra broth, pork or chicken chashu, ground pork, fried tofu, an ajitama egg, bamboo shoot, wood ear mushroom, corn and cabbage, and white rice.
Since the price doesn't change, pick by broth
The first bowl on the menu tells you what Toyo is built around. Hakata ramen comes from Fukuoka, Japan, and is known for rich tonkotsu pork bone broth and thin noodles. The restaurant says its tonkotsu simmers for more than 12 hours.
That style is the reason the shop exists. Axios Des Moines reported that owner Tashi Chompel worked his way up from busboy to line cook to chef. A Japanese chef he worked with inspired him to open a ramen restaurant, so he traveled to Japan to study Hakata-style cooking. Toyo is his family name, and this is his first restaurant. He moved to Ankeny from Bloomington, Minnesota, and told Axios the growing suburb had more room to establish and grow a restaurant. Axios also described the shop as Japanese flavors mixed with the owner's Tibetan roots.
If you've never had it, the Tsukemen is the one that will surprise you. The noodles arrive cold, and you dip them into a separate bowl of rich broth. It costs the same $14.95 as everything else, so trying it carries no extra risk.
If no one at your table wants ramen, the donburi menu covers them at $13.95. Options include Pork Chashu Don, Karaage Don, Gyudon, Chicken Chashu Don, Katsudon, and three Japanese curries topped with fried chicken, fried tofu, or shrimp tempura. Fried rice runs $10.95 for the Yasai and $11.95 for the chicken, chicken chashu, and pork chashu versions.
The same bowl costs more on the apps
The flat pricing only applies at the counter. Toyo is on DoorDash for delivery and pickup, and the app shows higher prices than the restaurant's own menu.
| Item | Toyo's menu | Delivery app price |
|---|---|---|
| Ramen bowl | $14.95 | $17.99 on DoorDash |
| Tsukemen | $14.95 | $20.49 on Uber Eats |
| Pork gyoza | $5.95 | $6.99 on DoorDash |
| Chicken fried rice | $11.95 | $14.49 on DoorDash |
These are menu prices, before delivery fees or tips. A ramen bowl costs $3.04 more through DoorDash. The Tsukemen costs $5.54 more on Uber Eats. If you live close enough to drive, picking up in person is the cheapest way to eat there.
The money is only part of it. Tsukemen's cold noodles and hot dipping broth come as two separate parts, and ramen is a dish people usually like eaten right away. The room was built for dining in, with counter ordering, booths, and a view of the kitchen.
Weeknight closing time moved up an hour
If the counter is the best way to eat at Toyo, the posted hours matter. They've changed since January.
When Toyo opened, per Axios: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Now, per the restaurant's website: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Two changes matter in November. Monday through Thursday, the kitchen now closes at 8 p.m., so if your evening runs late, a weeknight bowl is too late. Sunday now opens at 11 a.m. instead of noon, which makes it an easy lunch after a cold morning outside. Friday and Saturday are still open until 9:30 p.m., the latest of the week. Hours change, so call 515-988-9669 before you go.
How to order on your first visit
Put the flat pricing and the hours together and a first visit is easy to plan.
- Come before 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or any time until 9:30 p.m. on Friday or Saturday.
- Order at the counter. That's how Toyo works, and you'll see the kitchen while you wait.
- Choose your ramen by broth. Get the Hakata Tonkotsu for the house style, the Tsukemen to try the dipping format, or the Yasai if you want a vegetarian bowl, which you can order spicy or not.
- Add one snack to share. The Register singled out the takoyaki with bonito flakes, chicken karaage with umami mayo, pork gyoza with house ponzu, agedashi tofu topped with daikon, and harumaki spring rolls. The Toyo Bun, a steamed bun with pork or chicken chashu, pickled daikon, and scallions, is $5.95.
- On a cold night, order hot sake for $6. The drink list also includes Asahi Dry and Sapporo at $5, Kirin Ichiban at $7, Ginjo and Nigori sake at $8, Takara White Peach at $6, and MIO Sparkling Sake at $14.
A tonkotsu bowl and a hot sake at the counter come to $20.95 before tax and tip. One ramen bowl on DoorDash is $17.99 before fees.
Some bowls leave on purpose
Some of Toyo's food is sent out of the building on purpose. When it opened, Chompel told Axios he planned to cook food and bring it to people in need on the first Wednesday of every month, as part of his focus on compassion that comes from his Tibetan background. He told Axios:
"That's always part of my dream. That is something I want to do quietly and constantly."
The restaurant now calls this the Community Bowl Project. It says it regularly prepares meals for people in need, including meals for local shelters and work with community organizations. Anyone who wants to learn more or help can stop by the restaurant or contact the staff.
At Suite 106, the menu price is the same whichever bowl you order, and the hours tell you when you can get it. On weeknights this November, get to the counter before 8.
At Jill Budden, we keep track of the small shops along SW Main Street because they're part of daily life in Prairie Trail. If you want to talk about life in The District or anywhere else in Ankeny, we're happy to help. Live somewhere you love — Let's get started.
