Although I am NOT a fan of Iowa, since there is nothing to do there other than eat. I do have to admit, I did eat very well. Iowa really does re-enforce the midwest stereotype; the folks there are genuinely really nice. Cactus Bob's was a little BBQ unassuming little restaurant located in an unassuming strip mall. Inside was a sparsely decorated for convenience than anything else. The menu is pretty basic...BBQ and BBQ. My associate and I ordered a rack of Ribs and 1/2 Chicken, sides were Texas Chilly, Baked Beans, Apple Cobbler, and Corn Bread. Yes we ordered way too much! The Ribs were just perfectly done, fell right off the bone when you bite into it, I don't like it when ribs just fall completely apart. There was a really nice smoke ring for that incredible smoky taste. They have a large selection of BBQ sauce and varying in heat level; I recommend the original of course. The BBQ Chicken in my opinion was better, still very juicy and really good flavoring. The baked beans was the best of all the sides, perfectly cooked and sticks to your ribs. The Texas chilly need to cook longer, it was a little on the runny side. Corn bread was not very good. Apple cobbler was just way too sweet and you couldn't taste anything. read more

I am a regular Food Network watcher and happened to catch this place on one of the shows I was watching. I live close by so I decided to try it out. Since then I stop in 1 or 2 times a month for a nice lunch. I have only ordered off the part of the menu where you get a sandwich and 2 sides. I have tried almost all of the sandwiches and found them all to be good. The first time I tried "The Smokey Chicken" it was a bit dry, but luckily there are about a dozen different sauces to spice your sandwich up with. I am a spice nut, so this place suites me well. My favorite sauce is "Sweetwater Death" it gives me that kick I love and has an initial sweet flavor when you first bite into the sandwich (the name says it all). For sides I always get the corn bread and rotate between the baked apples and the baked beans. The baked beans are some of the best I have had and have some chunks of brisket in them. read more

People in the line to order made it sound like we were in for a diner's delight. I must admit this is not my kind of BBQ. The coleslaw was weird at best, and baked beans had way too much bell pepper in it to my taste. Others that ate with me were not impressed either. You could tell there were regulars there, just not our BBQ preference. read more

The food is excellent! Some of the best Barbecue in town! Friday nights are usually not very busy for some strange reason so that's nice and really cheap beer!! $5.00 pitcher of Bud light and $7.00 pitchers of Exile's Ruthie!! read more

Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

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The portions were huge but all the meat was dry, even the ribs which is hard to do. We had a family of five so we tried almost everything and the chicken is the only thing I'd go back for. Even that was a little dry but the crispy skin and seasoning was very good. read more

First time here. Went with friends for our monthly dinner get together. Their choice. I was not crazy about the place. BBQ was meh and the atmosphere was meh. That's all. It's not bad, but there is definitely better BBQ out there. Not a very good selection of beers either. read more

This was the 2nd time I have visited Cactus Bob's. My first experience was very good. The second experience, not so good. Called in to place a pick up order. The order taker wasn't ready, needed a piece of paper to write down the order. It made me wonder why the order taker was not ready and still using paper to write it down! I think the order taking may have been smoother if they had an updated, automated system. The person answering the phone lacked experience in taking my order, and it was not a smooth process. It was evident when picking up the order because I checked a couple of the boxes and had to remind them to give us to-go drinks and a side of barbecue sauce. I didn't check all the boxes and should have because one of the sides was missing when we got home. They also failed to give us our receipt. I ordered the Big Pig. The bun was overly buttered and soggy with nothing else on the sandwich besides the meat. It was boring and very meh! My fries were black/brown. I suspect the frying oil was very old. The other people in our party ordered a pork tenderloin. It was not breaded, and again, the tenderloin was an unusual black/brown because of the frying oil and so were their fries. I do not like to write negative reviews, but I am writing to help the owners of Cactus Bob's make some improvements. The restaurant needs a pick-me-up inside and needs to be cleaned up, brightened up. There are not a lot of restaurants in Johnston. We need to support the businesses and hope the businesses can provide the best food and experience for our community. I look forward to an updated look and more attention to the food and its preparation. read more

This was a super cute place! Honestly the pork sliders were the best thing we tried on the menu! I would highly recommend them. The chicken bacon ranch sandwich was a little weird with sliced chicken.. reminded us of turkey! House made chips also super tasty! Really glad we stopped in today. Super nice staff read more

Great food for the price, love this place, lunch time at noon does get really busy so if you are sitting down plan on that as well

I've been to Cactus Bob's at least four times. Each time, the barbecue has been incredibly delicious. However, the customer service is sometimes sorely lacking. When you walk into the store, you are presented with a chalkboard menu, featuring all the dishes you can order from. In addition to barbecue, the restaurant has western-styled potato salad, apple cobbler, and quite tasty cornbread, in addition to other quality sides. As you are looking at the menu, to your left you will see the "Wall of Heat," a handful of barbecue sauces that feature heavier-than-usual peppers and spice. The granddaddy of all the barbecue sauces is the one featuring the ghost pepper. Patrons who wish to use this sauce must sign a waiver before consuming it because the pepper's spicy qualities are so unusually strong. Where the food quality is incredibly high, the customer service is at times nonexistent. For instance, during my most recent visit a few days ago, the cash register was manned by a local high schooler. It took everything the kid had to utter a "hello," and his "sales pitch" was his icy cold stare he glared toward myself and the people in line behind me. It certainly wasn't the most welcoming of gestures. Sporadic customer service events aside, this restaurant is worth at least a visit or two just to get your hands on some of the best barbecue grub in the metro. read more

The sides are pretty yummy. Meat just average. Owner is nice and staff friendly. Place is large for a crowd. The apple dessert thingy is real good. read more

Friendly staff , clean place. Ordered 2 sandwiches. Brisket was tender and moist, pork was dry and grey on edges and big chunk of fat in the middle. No noticeable smoke ring on either. Sauce was tasty, original was very sweet. Revenge sauce tasted fairly sweet too. Would try again to see if pork was fresher . read more

Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral - Brisket sandwich and sliced pork shoulder sandwich. - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

This is a solid BBQ joint. It won't blow you away, but it will satisfy your BBQ craving. The sauces are nice, with a large variety. I have tried a few different things and always go back to the brisket sandwich with their homemade chips. You have to get some beef jerky to go, it's incredible! Staff is always pleasant. read more

This place never seems to get enough recognition that it deserves. You really can't go wrong with trying everything out on the menu. The Rice Kispy bars at the register are a nice touch to the bloated stomach you'll have after eating the gigantic plate of food they give you. They are indeed very generous with the helpings, so there's no way you'll walk out of there hungry or unsatisfied. read more

I've been here a few times and have been happy for the most part. I'll break down a couple trips in one review. Ribs are good. Smoked chicken is horribly dry. Pulled pork has zero flavor. Brisket is really good. The buffalo chicken sandwich is really good. Fries are really really good. All sides I have tried have all been really good. The staff every time is super friendly and cool. This is now an occasional stop for me. read more

Cactus Bob's is one of our favorite local BBQ's joints. Amazing food for a great price. I'm especially in love with their Chuckwagon sandwich, the baked beans, and the pickles. Oh the pickles-sweet with a little heat-so good! Cactus Bob's isn't anything fancy-your food comes on a tray covered in paper and your sides are in Styrofoam containers, but the food is out of this world. I agree with the previous reviewer that customer service can be hit or miss. When it's good-it's very good, the rest of the time it's indifferent. I don't have the tefelon tastebuds to try out their spicy sauces but the ones that are served table side are very good. read more

Had lunch at Catcus Bobs today and it didn't disappoint! I had the gobbler, beans and baked apples! The service was fast and restaurant was clean! I'd highly suggest checking this BBQ it's so good! read more

Been there twice and will make it a trifecta at some point. Food is really good and the prices are great. I like the special BBQ sauces they have on the side but be careful. If you don't like HOT sauces then just stick to the sauce that is already on the table. I do like hot sauces so it's great for me. Food is really good and you don't have to wait very long at all. Overall, it's a really good place. This site says they don't have alcohol but they do. There is a cooler with bottled beer behind the counter. A cold beer does make the rattlesnake venon sauce go down a little easier. read more

Recommended. Probably one of the best BBQ places in the vicinity. Good food, good price, friendly staff. My job takes me on the road fairly frequently, and I like to sample local restaurants. I was on the north side of Des Moines and I saw this place in a tiny little strip mall. I rolled the dice and went on it. Good decision. The owner (I'll call him Bob, given the name of the restaurant) was behind the counter putting together food orders. There is obviously a dedicated set of regulars who go to Cactus Bob's since he seemed to know a fair number of them by name. I let a few people pass me on the way to the cashier so I could study the menu. Lots of options, all but one dry-rubbed. I asked the cashier what she would order if she were only going to be in the restaurant once, and she recommended a type of sample sandwich. Why, I asked. "You'll get to try a bit of everything." Sounded logical, so I ordered it. There are a variety of sauces available to add (or not) to the sandwich. I gave them all a shot, and they ranged from good to very good, mild to spicy, something for everyone. On to beverages. I noticed they had a couple of local brews on tap, including some from Exile Brewery. I asked the cashier about them. Bob, having finished filling someone else's order, came over and we talked beers. He described them nicely and I chose one that appealed. While the BBQ was being prepared, he served up my beer and a sampler of the beer I hadn't ordered, just so I could give it a try. Nice touch. Bob commented that he would have recommended the sole BBQ choice that wasn't dried-rubbed, a more traditional shredded meat in sauce sandwich. I had such a good meal (try the corn muffins for a side dish) that I went back the next day just to give it a shot. Excellent. I'll be visiting Cactus Bob's next time I'm passing through Des Moines. read more

The three standard sauces tasted very similar, the ribs were very tough (one piece that appeared to be an end rib was actually more like jerky in both taste and texture), the brisket was mush along with the mac & cheese. The sausage and baked beans had great flavor but everything else was flavorless. Doubt I'll be back! read more

Ordered 1/2 a smoked chicken, received a chicken sandwich. That being said, the food was still solid but no cornbread muffin :/. Service was good, guys were chill. read more

Tried the brisket sandwich ("the Longhorn": "tender and juicy" and "the speciality of the house" according to the menu. ). It was anything but. I suppose it was tender because it was so dry that most slices crumbled. One slice actually had a smoke ring; the rest were grey or had black edges. So, so dry. It was a shame since I liked everything else: the bbq sauce, the sides, the spicy bbq sauces, and the bread with the sandwich. I may return to try wings with the various sauces, but the brisket was a disappointment read more

I absolutely loved it! The chicken there tasted soo good, and the cheese curds were fantastic. It's also super close to me so I'll definitely be going back soon. read more

Was there last night for the first time. I got the Burnt Ends with BBQ Baked Beans and french fries. Used the hot sauces they have off to the side. The whole meal was a mixed bag. The Burnt Ends, which are the end pieces of the brisket, were too fatty. I know that cut of meat has a higher fat content, so I would expect there to be some fat, but a few of the pieces were nothing but fat, just a gelatinous cube of bbq fat. The BBQ baked beans on the other hand, were really excellent. The french fries were okay. I'm not saying I wouldn't eat here again, but there are better BBQ restaurants in the metro. read more

I really want to like this place because I love the place on the inside. We stopped in about half an hour before they closed and we were greeted with 'you have to be done by 9.' I wanted to walk out right then and there but the company I was with chose to stay. Food was hot and prepared well. They have different sauces to choose from. The portions are large. You bus your own table when finished with your meal. There is better bbq in the area. There is also friendlier staff in other restaurants. read more

Awesome BBQ for a great price. I get the saucy pig sandwich with pulled pork. You can either get one side and a drink or two sides. I've tried the sweet potato fries, mac and cheese, cornbread, apples, and jalapeño creamed corn. The pickles are made in house and are delicious. The staff is helpful when you're ordering in giving recommendations. They can have a long lunch line but it goes quickly. Great prices on pitchers of beer, too! read more

We have been going here since they opened years ago, great food. Because we are older, we eat less so we have the sliders and they are the best we have ever had. Patrick is extremely helpful and goes out of his way to make our visit a great experience. Got to try the "Sliders" yum! read more

My favorite BBQ in the area for family friendly eating (the food is so much better than Jethro's, which seems to have a lot of ratings because it has 3 locations compared to Cactus Bob's one, kinda out of the way location). Cactus Bob's is located in an older strip mall which you may be inclined to drive past. Don't. And when you walk in and don't see high end seating, don't let that put you off either. The money is in the food---and isn't that what you really want? The restaurant, including the bathroom, is very clean. Great sandwiches. The sides are so good, I often order many to go for meals later in the week. Yet another restaurant that makes real, home-made food, yet neglects the beverages, which is my only complaint about this establishment. An instant ice tea machine? Can't you brew some Lipton? The pop dispenser spits out beverages I can't even identify. They certainly don't taste anything like they are suppose to. read more

The challenge of eating a hot bbq sandwich in under 10 minutes is ridiculously hot which is good since it's a challenge after all. The bbq is reasonably priced and pretty good. read more

I had chuck wagon and my husband had longhorn. Both good. Brisket and pork were great on chuck wagon. Chicken didn't fall apart as much as I would have liked. Slaw is a sweet different kind of slaw. My husband said the French fries were great. Cornbread was moist. Going to be a return customer read more

Best BBQ in DSM. Hands down. Stand out items are the ribs, beef brisket, turkey, BBQ sauce, French fries, pickles, potato salad, onion rings, apples... it's all great! Easy ordering for pick up and to go, even got a turkey for thanksgiving and it was a crowd pleaser! Everything is fresh, smoked in house, I continue to recommend. Keep up the good work! read more

Came back from living in Washington and decided to come for an uncle mikes. The food is not the same. Potato salad was running and no flavor. The tenders and fries tasted like the grease hasn't been changed in months. It was very disappointing. read more

Craig has the best pork tenderloin and fries ever! I always get the best service. I just wish that they offered a salad as well. My boyfriend and I have tried almost everything on the menu and we are always happy. Conclusion: AMAZING BBQ for the price. read more

I would give 7/10 for bbq.... compared to the US Compared to Iowa it is one of the best.. 9/10 I'd go here any day over jethros. More of a fast food place, but come on, its iowa bbq! good for a quick meal read more

I am not from the area so my friend dragged me here... And I am glad he did! The BBQ was really good! They have lots different homemade sauces to try and offer baskets that let you try a variety of meats. Its a little pricey but it tastes so good I didn't even care! read more

I love eating at Cactus Bob's. I have eaten there on a regular basis since they opened. They are very consistent and I think they have the best smoked meats in town. There are a lot of BBQ options in DSM, but Cactus Bob's is my #1 choice. I usually get the Chuckwagon sandwich. I love their fries, chips, apples, beans....... and I love their sauce selection. read more

Never had a bad meal here! The wait time on Friday's is a little long.... but that just means there is a reason they are busy!

Ate lunch there. Got St. Louis 6 ribs with bake beans and chips. Ribs where somewhat wet which is way I prefer it. I still added some sauce. They were good. Not great. Baked beans were very oniony . Chips out of bag. read more

My father-in-law took the family here once on a wild hair and at first sight, we were not very pleased. Located in an average strip mall in Johnston, IA we weren't expecting much but after having the food, I totally stand corrected! My wife and I have quickly come loyalists and have made it a staple of our "pickup after work routine". I always get the rib tips and wings appetizer because I've never found a better value for the quality. My wife loves their chicken strips (at a bbq place??? I know...) and their BBQ sauce selection is second to none. As a hot sauce lover, I love how many spicy varieties they offer... Did I mention $5 pitchers? Yep... Sold. Thanks, Dad read more

Have been loving the food since they opened, owner and staff always very friendly great service and consistently fantastic food! Always can tell the quality of the meats! Best BBQ I'm town hands down. Have grown up in the area and have tried everywhere in town and bobs takes the cake read more