One of the best spots in Ames - I almost always recommend Cornbred as a place for people to go. Great food that is reasonably priced and the service is always quick. read more

I heard a lot about how good this new barbeque place was, so I thought I should check it out. The atmosphere is very nice, large and clean space that feels pretty upscale for a bbq place, they did a nice job on the decor. We had some brisket, some pork shoulder, and some burnt ends which were all very good, nothing that I would rave about but just undeniably solid barbecue. One of the main problems I had though is that me and the people I was with were very confused about how the menu worked, we weren't exactly sure what were sandwiches and what weren't, and it turned out that it is all served "family style" which was kind of strange. It is also pretty expensive for what you get. Some good barbecue but a pretty average experience overall. read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

The pit master is a past winner of the American Royal BBQ Championship and it shows. The barbecue is fantastic, especially the brisket. It was melt in your mouth tender. We also had the burnt ends and they do not disappoint. All of the food is great but the brisket is definitely the star of the show. The venue itself is also top notch. An open kitchen style concept with high ceilings and a great (but a little small) bar area. The meal is excellent and it is a place that I'll have on my list to visit every time I'm in town. read more

Cornbred - Beef Brisket, burnt ends, fries and slaw. It is all great and the brisket is the star - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

My friends and I tried the burnt ends, brisket, ribs, jalapeño cornbred, mash potatoes and macaroni! All was delicious! The meat was tender and juicy! The bone from the ribs fell right off! The environment is quant and the decor is a rustic vibe. 10/10 recommend! They follow all the COVID precautions and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. read more

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Ate some stuff from their food truck a few years ago and it was good, so we decided to try their brick-and-mortar store on Friday night. The building is gorgeous, and the bathrooms are the nicest I've seen in a while (lotion, air freshener, and very clean). They have a huge list of beers and beverages as well. But the food is clearly the star. The pork shoulder was my personal favorite, as well as the brisket (you can get either moist or lean). Their cornbread was bomb as well. Their meats are served with a slice of potato bread and they have three different sauces at each table. I'm not usually a fan of barbeque sauce, but I liked the Sweet & Sassy. Hands down the best barbeque I've had in my life so far. (I've had Flying Mango, Jethro's, Smokey D's, Big Al's, and several others in the metro area). Make the trip to Ames to check them out! read more

Cornbred - A ton of meat! - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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See pics. The decor in here is fabulous! I love how they blended the old parts of the station and new with their business. It's gorgeous inside. The staff that I met was great. Friendly, smiling faces. Family friendly. Lot parking. Clean. The burnt ends has really good smoke taste without being overly salty. They were also very tender. We also got the pineapple cole slaw. While it had a similar taste to how my mom made it, it didn't quite taste the same. It was good, though. They have other sides, a couple of which had jalapeños in them. This is definitely a great place to hang out. They have MANY varieties of beer. CyHawkApproved. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- read more

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Located in the renovated historic train depot, where the city of Ames, Iowa began, is Cornbred Barbecue. Champion barbecue winner opened the new restaurant to feature his award-winning meats, sauces, and sides. Open at 11 am, lunch is served until 2 pm. Snacks like popcorn and flyers (wings) are served until 4 pm when dinner is available until the kitchen closes at 8 pm. If you want the popular "burnt ends" get their early. Other choices are Brisket, Pork, or Chicken. All meats are ordered by the pound or half-pound and can be ordered dry or juicy, sliced or chopped. It comes with bread and a pickle. The owners have a sense of fun, especially when serving kids desserts, like the ice cream covered with sour candies! The large covered patio to the side of the building has its own bar and is close to the restrooms inside. Plenty of craft beers are available or the bartenders can mix you a drink. A meal costs about $12 for a generous portion of meat. Sides are extra. If you add dessert and/or a drink, the meal could run about $50 for enough food to share with another person. You will not leave hungry. UPDATE: It's not on the menu but you can order a 1/4 portion of any meat which makes a nice sandwich and keeps the price affordable if you're dining alone. It's fall and they now serve skillet-sized portions of macaroni and cheese (I like the crispy parts)! read more

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Been here twice and loved it both times. They make great bbq here, I've tried 3 types of meat and really liked them all. The sauces are on point too. You can tell that they put a lot of effort into their food here. For bbq fans, you can tell when places are cooking like they are in a competition or just trying to mass produce. They definitely cook like they are competing, the flavor and everything that you want in bbq is there. If you're in the area stop on in and try the delicious bbq. read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Ok here's the deal. I've had barbecue in Austin. I've had it in Nashville. I've eaten it in Kansas City. Cornbred BEATS. THEM. ALL! Hands down. Cocktails: lovely. Had the ginger gin cocktail. Perfectly balanced. Nice tart cherries to compliment the strong ginger. Hubby and I ordered a smorgasbord to share. Smoked turkey, a spicy sausage link and a half rack of spare ribs. Also got the hallelujah potatoes, cucumber salad and cornbread pudding on the side. Turkey: omg! Sliced not shredded. I took the advice of another review and used the complimentary bread that came with the meal and made a little sandwich. Probably the best smoked turkey I've ever had! Sausage: good heat but not overpowering. The casing still had some nice snap to it. Link was a good bargain for $4 and the size. Spare ribs: fall off the bone tender. Lightly sauced. They were flawless. Hallelujah potatoes: topped with corn flakes. So cheesy and smooth. Yum yum yum. Cucumber salad: i could leave it. Not a fan of sweet pickles/cucumbers Cornbread pudding: it was good. Not much to write home about but solid. Service: our waitress was a delight and funny. Perfectly attentive. Check this place out. You won't be disappointed! read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

I didn't know what to expect in visiting Iowa and eating bbq. I was far from disappointed! The turkey and pulled pork were delicious. Just the right amount of smoke/seasoning and the meat was tender. The corn and cucumber salad were a perfect side combination. My server engaged in friendly conversation and made the experience feel that I was welcome. I live in a extremely saturated state full of good barbecue, but this is right up there with the best! read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

They were lovely! Went for my birthday. The food was so good and so fast! Took some home with me! Loved the food and my waitress was the best. She brought me free cake for my birthday with a candle! We sat outside which was nice in the covered patio. I enjoyed this greatly and will be back for more!!!! read more

We went to Cornbread for lunch one Sunday afternoon. First off, the building it's in is very unique and the dining space was bright and had a farmhouse vibe which was cool. I give the ambiance 4.5 stars! Our waiter was attentive, made great suggestions, and very friendly. From the hostess to the server and food expos, I give their service 5 stars! Now for the food...I was a little disappointed with the lack of menu options. It appeared to be a brunch menu which was fine but both my daughter and I had a hard time deciding on what to get because it wasn't your "normal" brunch menu. Before heading there for brunch, review the menu first to make sure there's something you want! Our family enjoyed the gigantoroll (cinnamon roll) and it was delicious! The caramel and frosting combo was perfect and for a family of four (with two adults and two teenagers) it was more than enough! For my entre, I got the pork shoulder with a side of pineapple coleslaw. The pork was so tender, juicy, and had wonderful flavor without BBQ sauce. The pineapple coleslaw didn't have much flavor and I assumed the bread served with all meals was going to be "cornbread" but it was not. It was honey potato bread. I honestly didn't even try it because it didn't look appetizing and we did not have any butter served with it. My son got the ribs, my husband got the burnt ends and both had the hallelujah potatoes as their side. My daughter got "ya basic" which was probably the most basic breakfast meal on the menu. We all really enjoyed their food and would give it 5 stars but due to the limited menu, I'm giving them 4 stars. All in all, definitely go here if you want BBQ! read more

Cornbred - Pork Shoulder with a side of pineapple coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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This place is so cool and vibey and the Brown Sugar Lemonade is to DIE FOR. I haven't had a bad thing here, I always eat there when I go to Ames. Staple stop! read more

Delicious! Chicken leg and sausage gumbo on rice! The food and the service was outstanding! read more

Cornbred - Chicken, sausage gumbo on rice. Delicious! - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Been here a few times and weeded out what we don't care for. Yesterday we had the Brussel sprouts (add the tangy mustard!), Brisket burger, Mac & Cheese with Pulled pork and Three little pigs. Side step the hushpuppies (meh), street corn salad, and hallelujah potatoes (definitely not funeral potatoes). Beans were amazing as was the cornbread pudding. All the meats were astounding as was service. Every entree has been spot on and the sauces are incredible. read more

Always a fan of this place. Pig candy on bar snacks is to die for. Bloody Mary's are splendid. Food always phenomenal. I had the brisket & chill. Africkinamazing. Daughter had brisket & mac n cheese. Killer too. You can't go wrong with this place. read more

Cornbred - Daughter, Mac n cheese, brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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This place was great. My husband and I split the half pound of burnt ends with baked beans, corn bread, and mexican corn salad. Everything was great. The burnt ends and beans were my favorite. Yum! I hope to someday be back. read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

I happened to stop in on the grand opening without knowing. They were sold out of a few meats so don't go too late at night but the food was good. I got the a half pound of the brisket. I kind of wish I got the dry instead of wet because it was basically all fat and the end of the meat. One of my complaints is the restaurant is called Cornbread but does not serve cornbread with the meal instead serves slices of white bread. The patio is beautiful read more

Cornbred - Patio - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Delicious! The short ribs were fall off the bone. My boyfriend has dubbed them best ribs in Iowa. After having some of our favorite BBQ In Texas we were shocked at how yummy this was. Also consumed was the BBQ-bano sandwich which was delicious as well! We came at lunch time and I think they had a different lunch menu. I will add that we tried to come once at lunch and the ribs were sold out. We came at supper time and they said they had ribs. By the time we ordered they were out completely. The staff and manager were great and recommend other yummy dishes, and were helpful when the food we ordered wasn't available. read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Gonna knock this one down to a 4.3/5 because I found a hair in my corn (I'm 2-2 with reviews and finding a hair lol) One thing to understand about this place is that everything is prepared beforehand. We got there at about 6:05 and ran out of burnt ends an hour into service. All the meats are in high demand and short supply so get there at 5pm on the DOT to make sure you get to try their different meats. During the day, not during the dinner service, they're running a limited menu. The BIGGEST issue with this method is purely logistical. They will measure out meat in order to maintain enough for other customers which means prices also reflect that of a bbq place who operate based on the same methodology. You're looking at about $12 for a half pound of meat. It was slightly offputting because I've definitely gotten a lot more short ribs for the same price point; I mainly just wish I didnt have to plan to be here right at a certain time in order to get to eat something specific on the menu. I can confidently say I've been to well over 100 different barbeque restaurants and it never pans out well for places with this structure in smaller populated areas that cant keep up with a growing demand. As this restaurant grows in notoriety, how quickly will meat go then? Only time will tell. All of that being said, the food here is pretty slaptastical. I had the short ribs and definitely wasnt disappointed. Meat just slid off the bone and was super juicy and flavorful. I would definitely keep coming back just to try every type of meat they offer. Just have to get here the same time as the cooks :') 9.5/10 on the flavor scale. read more

Cornbred - Short ribs, pulled pork, and corn. - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

I ordered the brisket chili and it was incredible. They start with a slice of cornbread. They cover that in a very robust tomatoey Chili then they add a slick of brisket on top. The combination will blow your tastebud's mind. This is worth the treat. read more

We're not acknowledging Alexander who complained about a barbecue restaurant not having ranch dressing or soup. Upon entering Cornbred, I was floored at how stunning the decor was. There's new age yuppie rustic vibes to it. Drinks are served in small, blue, mason jars, the servers wear black and white plaid shirts, and family style orders are served on a metal tray with parchment paper. I think Cornbred is going for a vibe better done in Des Moines than in Ames, though they are located in downtown Ames which is where most of the more "upscale and upcharged" restaurants are. So....supposedly Cornbred serves cornbread and not just the cornbread pudding I saw on the menu....but if it isn't on the menu....I'm neurotic and can see why others might make a big deal out of it. The draft root beer and cream soda as well as Potter's Delite were scrumptious, and I prefer the root beer and I don't even drink soda. We ordered a sausage link, beef brisket, and burnt ends. The sausage link was fair, but not remotely spicy as ordered. The burnt ends didn't seem smoked, didn't have char, and seemed baked or cooked in a pan with sauce. The server asked if I wanted the brisket moist......what in the hell kind of question is that? Why is that even an option? That's like asking if I want it cooked properly or completely ruined. They got the texture of the brisket right, but not the taste. Barbecue should stand alone, no sauce needed. There was sauce on the table and all three were delicious. The food needed sauce. I think this restaurant will do well in Ames for a long time, especially among the professionals and meat eating hipsters. However, I've been told that they serve items that aren't on the menu and they're still working on the menu - they really gotta get that together. I didn't try any of the desserts, but the carrot cake sounded appealing. Many Iowans will find their prices too high for the amount of food - even though most of them hardly eat half of the food on their plates and never take the leftover home for another day, and Southerners shouldn't get their hopes up. read more

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Cool atmosphere! Great great great barbecue and service. We got the wings (flappers) and ribs, that literally fall off the bone! The sauces at the table are amazing. The gal who served us last night had a short name, was really friendly, and explained the history of the business! We loved to hear about it. She was also training someone new, lucky them. The alcoholic drinks were very good with dinner. read more

Great service and food. Sauces are great and the burnt ends are great! I will definitely return.

This place is getting two stars solely on the merits of the brisket, otherwise I would give one star. The brisket was pretty tasty, a bit salty, but a good consistency of fat and lean meat. The ribs were not edible. They were a shriveled up excuse for ribs and tasted off. I ordered cowboy caviar as an appetizer. It did not have cheese listed as an ingredient, but came out with cheese on it. As someone who does not eat dairy, this is very annoying. There is also appears to be someone with a bit of an ego behind this place. My dining companion requested bacon on his cheeseburger. We were told that they could not put bacon on the burger, but that he could order a piece of bacon, and put it on himself. This denial of a simple request is pretty ridiculous. Likewise, I asked for slaw in a sandwich to be put on the side. I was told that they could not out slaw on the side. Someone clearly has and ego and an inflated perception of their food that they would not accommodate some pretty basic requests. We're not talking gourmet dishes, but instead sandwiches. I would not come back to this place. read more

Cornbred - Ribs and brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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The pork shoulder was tender and seasoned lovely. Baked beans were delicious our chips needed salt. Really nice staff! read more

The food and drinks were tasty. Good service. Only complaint was there were flies at our table (indoors).

I had lunch solo while waiting for family to get to town. They were friendly and hospitable. The food was delicious! read more

Cornbred - Hallelujah Potatoes, local craft beer, pork sandwich, sauces. - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Absolutely loved the atmosphere and the food was fantastic! Love supporting local especially when it's as charming as Cornbread. I cant wait to go back! Only flaw, the store hours are a bit janky and they don't take reservations so it makes it very hard for larger groups to get seated at a decent time. Please start taking reservations! I want to bring friends and family but we haven't been able to get in at a decent time. :) read more

We went there on a Saturday night after the big football game and they were out of many food items that were very upfront about that from the beginning. We still chose to go and boy I'm glad we did. The burgers are outstanding and I guess the burgers change every week. I had a salad which was very good and my husband and I enjoyed the different beers. I recommend this place on any of your visits to Ames read more

Wow! Just....freaking WOW! Great service...awesome atmosphere...kicking drinks...phenomenal food!!! A must if you are in Ames, IA! Highly recommended!!! Wes...our server was on point! read more

Cornbred - Margarita!! Yummy!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Wonderful creative food with good service if you like BBQ. Can be very busy during school year. We went there for the first time on a Thursday noon after passing by due to being busy for the last 8 mos. I had the mushroom burger special which was prepared perfectly but too much thyme. Kids had brisket Mac which was excellent fyi lots of garlic. My wife's brisket was a little dry. Server was a delight. Vibe is multi level warehouse. Looks like it could get loud due to how open it is. Pork belly Brussel sprouts were perfectly crispy and not bitter. read more

Super fun and fabulous food! The building appears to be an old train depot...we enjoyed counting the cars as they passed the outdoor patio. Great live blues band made Saturday night extra fun, as did having cornhole (or "bags") available to play. Great cocktail menu with something for everyone, plus many draft beer options. But what you go for is the MEAT and it is amazing. Burnt ends were huge chunks of moist, succulent beef, and the Saturday night beef rib special was super...at first I was disappointed that it was only one rib. But it had so much meat on the bone that I needed a box. Of all the sides we tried, the potatoes were the best (I forget the name, but know them as Mormon funeral potatoes). Bourbon slushie from the machine was really fun (think frozen spiked Arnold Palmer). Our server Logan was efficient and helpful. Great night out!!! read more

A must visit while we are in Ames! We love everything we've tried. They have a great patio and beer selection which makes it convenient when we are traveling with our pup. This trip we had brisket and ribs (which never disappoint) and also tried the chicken barbacoa and give it a thumbs up. We can't leave without ordering at least one cornbread pudding, tonight we had to get seconds and also their candied bacon. read more

Cornbred - Barbeque Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Amazing food, amazing staff, will 100% be back...I have determined I want to try everything on the menu at least once

Brisket was delicious. Portions are somewhat small for the price. I guess one should spend more and order sides.

I had breakfast here. We had great service but the food wasn't all that great, three stars!

Great food Great wait staff They Know How to BBQ . . . Their reviews on yelp are so silly, they don't need to be so long it's plain and simple this place knows how to barbecue and they have great staff what more do you need to know go check it out read more

Our waitress Annie was amazing. I have allergy issues and she went above and beyond to make sure my food was safe for me to eat. She was kind, attentive and exceptional in every way. read more

We moved our daughter in yesterday at Iowa State. Having been in town a few times before for other things, we always liked Hickory Park. We really didn't want to go back. The parent group I belong to on Facebook cannot say enough how wonderful this place was. Well now I'm going to agree with them!!! Everything from the service to the food was outstanding. My hubby is a meat smoker and he couldn't say enough about the brisket! We sat out on the Patio and loved it out there. The inside was so charming and clean. It's an old train station so there's lots of history in there. With that being said, we will be back every time we're back in Ames! read more

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