ShortE's BBQ was a really pleasant surprise. I had the ribs and smoked wings, and both were…read moreexcellent. The ribs were cooked perfectly -- tender, flavorful, and honestly didn't even need BBQ sauce because the seasoning and smoke flavor were that good. The smoked wings were also spot on with great flavor. The mac and cheese was pretty good, and the seasoned fries were solid as well, but the real star of the show was definitely the meat. I'm pretty picky when it comes to BBQ and often leave disappointed at most places, but ShortE's absolutely delivered. I'll definitely be back.

There are a few BBQ options in the area, but this one is one of the better ones. Nice atmosphere,…read morefeels like a traditional hole in the wall BBQ joint. At one point you ordered at the counter, but recent visits have had table service. My go to order is the Texas Mike sandwich. This masterpiece has thick sliced brisket and chopped brisket along with cheesy corn and bbq beans on 2 slices of Texas toast. I like to remove the top slice and eat it like an open faced sandwich. The brisket is super tender and the beans and corn add a nice amount of flavor and texture. I add their sweet sauce, but the spicy is good too. It comes with an additional side, so add the seasoned fries. They are crispy with a nice seasoning. And again, pair with the sweet sauce. Give them a try.

I live closeby and have stopped by a few times for carryout orders. The staff is here top notch and…read morei even briefly spoke to big Al himself. Turns out hes a super nice guy. The food is pricey but well worth it. The burnt ends and bisket are excellent. They also have absolutely bangin sauces.

We stopped here for dinner as we really enjoyed the Adel location (one of my 5* ratings) and wanted…read moreto try out the new location. In comparison, we were disappointed with the food at this location, but did enjoy the live entertainment as well as the friendly, attentive staff. I ordered the wings (see picture), as we really enjoyed them at Adel, while my wife ordered the medium Pork Tenderloin. The wings weren't as smoky as what we remembered from Adel and I believe they were fried too long (crispy, dry and the meat shrinking / pulling away from the bone). Given the Top 5 rating for his Tenderloins, our expectations were high and we were left disappointed. The portion was small (see picture) and there didn't seem to be a distinct smoky flavor. If you order the Tenderloin, I would recommend trying the large size in hopes that it is a bit more juicy and smoky. The highlight of this visit was the Blueberry Cobbler for dessert (see picture - delicious) and Jesse and the Medicine Men's live entertainment in the bar area (see pictures). Jesse mingled in the crowd during break and was a good enough singer / entertainer that we moved to the bar for another drink and listened through their last song. He did some great classic country music and really seemed to enjoy entertaining us. Todd's FAS: Food: 3 Atmosphere: 4 Service: 4 If you found this review helpful, please click on 'Useful'.

I was really happy with everything I ordered. The service was responsive and accommodating. It's…read moredefinitely a family place but not to small to also do your own thing. Portion sizes 10/10 I ordered 3 entrees and 1 coffee for $42.42 Not to bad if you ask me

Jethro's was a good lunch pitstop on our way through Des Moines. I got the sandwich with onion…read morestraws on it and added hot sauce. With the baked beans. The beans were very tasty and had a great smokey flavor. My sandwich was also good but didn't knock my socks off. Service was friendly and the place was clean. I appreciated the moist toilettes at the table as well to clean off when you're finished eating.

My friend didn't like his drink and they made him a new one without charge! Great service by A-Town…read moreand the manager Haley!

A full order of boneless wings (and fries) back in 2024. Vs a FULL order of boneless wings in 2026…read more They have totally fallen off in regards to portions

Always a hit! The…read morebattered and fried tenderloin and mushrooms put this place on the epic scale. Not much to look at, decor is pretty old school, but it's the food that counts! Hit CB's today with a group of seven old co-workers... That's old as in former, but most of us would probably qualify as literally old now too. Lol If you haven't checked out Cactus Bob's... Get there! If you've been, but it hasn't been recently... You deserve to go back soon! Enjoy!

Came on a whim... wanted bbq on a Sunday. I was worried cuz it wasn't busy at all, but pleasantly…read moresurprised. Good food, friendly service, and great sauces to choose from ! Will be back !

Food is always amazing. The staff is top notch! Their smoked meat is the best in Des Moines.read more

4.2* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 4* (Probably) Total check/person: $61 10/23/2026 My brother-in-law was staying with us, is a meat lover and the new owner had reached out to me about being listed on my other web site (www.happyhourdesmoines), so seemed like a great opportunity to get back to the Flying Mango. Followers will know that my wife and I like to enjoy a cocktail while we unwind and wait for our orders and tonight was no different. We ordered the Mango Margarita (see picture) and Pumpkin Patch Margarita (see picture)...followed later in the meal by a Spicy Margarita (see picture) and a Backyard Bonfire Old Fashioned. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from the Pumpkin Patch Margarita. While the first taste didn't put it high on my likes list - by the end, I was actually enjoying it, as it wasn't super sweet and the pumpkin flavoring wasn't overpowering. Since there were 3 of us and we all enjoy trying things, we decided to sample three different appetizers - Muscle Beach Mussels, Tacos of the Day and Quesadilla of the Day (see pictures of each). We really liked all 3, with my personal favorite being the Tacos of the Day (I love street tacos with corn shells). I also really liked the buttery, tangy lime flavor of the broth that came on the mussels, so saved the extra to add to my Lime & Garlic Chicken (more on that later...). For our main courses, my brother-in-law ordered the Redneck Surf-n-Turf (see picture), my wife ordered the Shrimp & Grits (see picture) as this has been a favorite of hers on previous visits and I opted for the Lime & Garlic Chicken (see picture). While my wife and I love this place and want to see it succeed, I have to admit that all of our main courses were a bit of a disappointment relative to previous visits and how we had built it up for our guest. While the chicken itself was tender and moist in the Lime & Garlic Chicken, the dish was quite bland to my tastes and I wasn't a fan of the chicken noodle soup-like broth served with it. This was my own fault though. I ordered it thinking it would be lighter than some of the other options following several appetizers, then when writing this review saw that I stated that I would not order that dish again in my 2023 review. Lesson Learned - read my own reviews when I go back to a restaurant - and for the record, I would not recommend the Lime & Garlic Chicken (and will try to remember not to order it again myself...)! As to the other main dishes, my wife is a huge butter fan and while her comment from our 2024 visit was that it was quite rich (which she likes) - this time she commented that it was not very rich and seemingly had a lot of the butter removed. My brother-in-law shared some of the catfish from his plate and we all thought it tasted great. The ribs were a bit overdone and dry to his taste and upon reading my 2023 review, see that we had made the same comment then.

Buckle up for Barbecue competition from Famous Dave's on 22nd in WDM, and the new Bubbies on Mills…read moreCivic in WDM. The Friday Feast that consisted of 12 bones (Ribs), Brisket, 1/2 grilled Chicken, Baked Beans, Cold Slaw, Corn and Cornbread Muffins was comparable except the Brisket needed a little more marination in comparison to Bubbies, and not as much browning. Both need a little work on their Cornbread Muffins as to the middle top finger touch to exact cooking time. Yet, the St Louis Style Ribs were spot on delicious. Famous is getting better with the consistency of the juices of the Baked Beans-- add some meat. The corn when in season -- needs that Grimes taste-- so the taste is not flat. The Cold Slaw excellent. In comparison -- Famous is holding steady on the Ribs, Cold Slaw and Chicken with superb taste ( Fries need work). The service is always great with a clean well ran environment. Of course everyone has their own opinion, what do you think? Give them a try!

If you're craving bbq it's going to do the job! The onion strings (which aren't on the menu) as a…read moreside are always my favorite!

We arrived right at noon and the drive thru line and parking were a little crazy, but we hung in…read morethere and found a spot to park! So glad we did! This will be a regular stop on our drive to Chicago. Happy to report that the drive thru lane moved pretty quickly and by the time we left 30 min later, that had cleared. As far as food goes, we tried the original with fries and the Nashville hot (as a wrap) with brussels sprouts. We both thought our meals were fantastic. I would put their brussels sprouts up against anyone's! The fries were also battered lightly and resulted in a crunchy fry with a nice light flavor. I like that they have a variety of seating inside and it never felt like you needed to vacate your space quickly. In fact, I noticed some shelving with board games, so they definitely welcome groups who want to enjoy good food and hang out. There is a large picnic table for groups or communal seating and some individual stools near the ordering counter for singles or anyone who just wants to sit and watch the world outside those windows. This was a great find for us!!

It's all about the customers! I mean- weekly specials that…read moreare as tasty as they are creative. We have waited for the return of the street corn sandwich. My son downed it in 4 bites! The monthly flavored shakes are also a nice treat. And where can one get some of the best Brussels sprouts at a chicken place? They are delish! You can get your sandwiches grilled, fried, in a wrap or in a salad. For me, all great options but the original fried is my go to- large, always perfectly cooked and juicy chicken. The service is as fantastic as the food- always friendly. And- dogs allowed! Outdoor patio seating in addition to indoor and (let me repeat what exceptional service) they find you even when you change your mind and start one place and end in the other. Drive through is a nice option and the only (good) problem for this business that started out as a food truck is that at peak times parking and pulling out can be tricky with the drive through. I've saved one of the best customer- friendly mentions for last- when you pay by card, the highest display for tip is 10%(starting at 3%). I mean- the service is always worth 20+ but I appreciate this range as opposed to so many that start at 15% or higher. Come for the always fresh, awesome food and tip for the excellent and friendly service! Locations growing around the metro- yeah!

Thao and Kara welcomed us to our first visit to the Smoking Goat Pub like we were family. We…read morestumbled upon this place through a different channel, and decided to give it a try. We are so glad we did. The atmosphere is a dicey but very clean and the vibe looks like a great time. It was a quiet afternoon but the ladies went out of their way to make us feel like we belonged. This visit was only for a couple of cocktails but we saw some food come from the kitchen and it looked on point! Kara made a tasty treat and shared it with some of at the bar and that sealed the deal! We will be back in to give it a shot. I will update my review on the food after that! See you soon!

Stopped in for lunch, had the (really good) house specialty burger. The service was excellent and…read morethe staff was friendly. Didn't get to sample any of their beers but the selection was definitely appealing.

Mimi was fantastic and very attentive , keep up the good work…read more Orders were timely and communications was spot on- good was delicious

Laughing Crab of WDM has a lively fun crew of young wait staffers ready to take your tasty seafood…read moreorder. The large dining area is very good for any social gathering. I ordered the fried shrimp and fried oysters which were mildly seasoned. Chin-- My Energetic and New to the process -- Wait Staffer -- eagerly took my order. He actually knew the menu and recommended the Fried Oyster and Fried Shrimp Platter which was served within a reasonable time. The floors, tables, paper coverings for each table were clean. All the wait staffers were scampering around getting ready for the evening crowd. The Pop and R & B music that was softly playing in the background was full of melody that made you want to slow your eating, relax and reflect on your delicious dish.