I'm giving Home Team Cookout in Council Bluffs a full five stars. We called at 7:30 to ask if they could accommodate a group of 30-40 people, including our very energetic teenage soccer team, and they told us to come on in. They absolutely delivered. The service felt like something from a different era -- genuinely outstanding. Two gentlemen handled our entire group with patience, kindness, and efficiency. Our players are wonderful kids, but they are not quiet, and the staff treated them with nothing but respect and good humor. The food was fresh, flavorful, and came out far faster than we expected for a group our size. Everything tasted great. They even stayed open late to make sure our team was taken care of. We were blown away by the hospitality. Highly recommend Home Team Cookout for any large group or team event. read more

We were told our takeout order would be ready in 15 minutes, but it ended up taking 35 minutes. It would have been more understandable if the restaurant had been busy, but it wasn't even half full. The woman working behind the bar who helped me was incredibly courteous and friendly, which I really appreciated. While I was waiting, I saw several tenderloin sandwiches being served to dine-in customers, and they looked absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, our food was only average. We ordered the chicken fried chicken and the nachos. The homemade tortilla chips had good flavor, but they were extremely greasy. The biggest disappointment was that part of our takeout order was missing. That's partly on me for not checking before I left, but it was still frustrating. Overall, the combination of the long wait, average food, and incomplete order left us with a disappointing experience. I just didn't get a good feeling from the place, and based on this visit, I wouldn't recommend it to a friend. read more

Items shown on these menus are not all being served anymore. Staff not willing at accommodate dietary restrictions very well either. Had an open face sandwich and my buddy had some sort of ground hamburger in a bun. I liked my open face and neither of us liked his whatever you call it. Service was marginal at best. Slow, with attitude. Probably will find other places to go the next time I am in town. read more

Home Team Cookout - Side salad. - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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A great,off the beaten path, place to stop in for great service, great prices for comfort food. Dedicated parking makes for easy access. Large bar area with plenty of screens for the sports fans dining area, and takeout available Daily specials for incredible prices. I tend to hit this place late afternoon early evening and it's pretty quiet. A nice spot for a friendly table service and good food. I highly recommend if you're in the area that you stop in and check out this underrated family owned restaurant - yum! read more

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I wanted so much to like Home Team Cookout because we are over at the AMC in Council Bluffs pretty often and always looking for a nice place to eat. Unfortunately, Home Team Cookout will not be a place we'll be adding to the list. We first visited Home Team Cookout when they had just newly opened, and things were very odd (they had a salad bar from taking over from the Ruby Tuesday days). They didn't have buns for the hotdog my husband ordered and my Mac and Cheese was runny and gross. We decided to try them again recently to see if the opening day jitters had passed and they had things a little more in order after being open a while. It definitely was more "lived in" and had a homey atmosphere, like a corner bar type vibe. Our server was great and checked on us multiple times throughout the meal, so no complaints there. I ordered the meatloaf with a side of Mac and Cheese. The Mac and Cheese was still a little runny, but better than our first visit. The issue with it though was that it arrived with a hair right on top. I didn't even notice, but luckily my husband did before I took a bite. (There was also a hair inside the laminated menu, so I just am a little skeeved out entirely now about going back). My husband got the Oversize Tenderloin Sandwich, and that was actually pretty tasty. Crispy tenderloin, lots of mayo, and plenty of pickles. He shared with me after I was sort of picking at my meal after the hair debacle. Even with the great service and lived in/warm feel, I think Home Team Cookout will be a pass from me in the future, unfortunately. read more

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Be sure you go to Home Team Cookout a family owned, and run local restaurant. The food and portions were amazing ! Just what we were looking for after a full day of travel. Scotty, our waiter could not have been more personable and attentive! Highly recommend!!! read more

Absolutely amazing burgers and wings that I've had. I hear the rest of the menu is superb. And I will get to the rest of it! The food here is the best in the major metro of Council Bluffs and Omaha. Best burger and wings 2026? 100%. . Excellent tap beer with Coors, Yuengling and Blue moon. Plentiful parking and handicap accessible. Numerous TVs at the bar with many seats. Quiet background music. This place is soo under the radar foodies. Great for families. read more

Seems like they were short handed and that's why the service was average. Elizabeth T. was our server at the bar. We sat there as they had a wait for regular table service. He was happy with Lagunitas IPA being available. I chose the fish dinner - a hand breaded walleye fried with sides. I selected a baked potato and watermelon. He chose the deluxe chicken sandwich - a crispy chicken with Swiss cheese and BLT. The place is cute with sports decor and games up front. The chicken was pretty good. I ate some because my fish wasn't cooked all the way through. The baked potato was sad. Hard and cold. Left me craving a real baked potato. It was an average meal. The watermelon was amazing. But we could walk to it from the hotel so that was nice. read more

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Hidden secret. Great value and tasty food and big portions for the price. Service was top notch

We found ourselves at Home Team Cookout once again--because when you know, you know. This wasn't our first visit, but it's my first time giving it the spotlight it deserves. We've dined in, taken it to-go, and every time, it delivers. Stepping inside (don't be shy--pull that door hard; it's got some resistance), we were greeted with a warm welcome and guided to our seats near the front door. It is a prime spot for people-watching but also a prime spot for catching every gust of cold air from incoming guests. It's fine, really--I've accepted my fate as a human draft blocker. Determined to switch things up, I studied the menu with great intent... and promptly ordered my usual. Some things aren't worth overthinking. Drinks arrived quickly: Diet Coke with lemon for me (no Coke Zero, but I persevered) and iced tea for my husband--though the ice had already melted, requiring reinforcements. No harm, no foul. Food-wise, we stuck with our favorites: mango habanero bone-in wings and the oversized tenderloin with fries. Pro tip: Ask for your wings extra to keep that crisp skin intact under the sauce. I, regrettably, forgot this crucial step and was met with slightly soggy consequences. Lesson learned. The food arrived hot, flavorful, and just as good as always. The atmosphere? Even better. Tables filled with regulars laughing with the staff, the kind of place where everybody knows your name--or at least your usual order. That hometown, family-style charm is what keeps people coming back. And honestly, I'm here for it. Home Team Cookout, you've got my heart (and my taste buds). See you soon. read more

Home Team Cookout - Mango Habanero wings. Pro tip: Order extra crispy so the skin doesn't get rubbery under the delicious sauce. - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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The service was more than amazing! We called from their parking lot 15 minutes before close to see if they would still serve us as we didn't want to be "those" people. The treated us as if we were important guests that they had been waiting for Our party of 4 tried a variety of things from the menu. I had the regular sized pork cutlet sandwich and it was very good. My husband had the meatloaf which he loved but the gravy was a little heavy for him. The food was good overall. Nothing was outstanding but all was satisfying. By far, the very best part was the service. I can't say enough how amazing it was. We forgot to take pictures of the food this time but next trip for sure! read more

Quiet location recommended by the nearby Casino. What a great find! Trish was very attentive and very gracious. My grilled chicken breast sandwich was beyond amazing. Sporting events on every tv so everyone was happy. Stop by this gem. read more

We loved everything about this restaurant! The service was friendly. Lots of younger employees; the ones we interacted with were kind and paid attention to detail. We found the restaurant to be very child-friendly. They gave our daughter a stuffed animal when they saw us wandering while waiting for our food and brought us a high chair before we even asked. We were seated right away and the food took about 20 minutes to arrive. The Mac n cheese was saucy, cheesy and delicious- definitely passed the kid test (and adult!). My fried chicken was monstrous and the chicken was cooked perfectly. We also enjoyed the hot honey wings. They were nice and crispy with plenty of sauce. read more

Home Team Cookout - Hot honey wings - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Nice sports bar with a good menu. Really like the cheese curds The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is huge and will feed two people easy. Plenty of TV's to catch all the sports. Nice bar. Pleasant staff, reasonable prices, good sized portions and tasty food. read more

Home Team Cookout - The largest fried tenderloin sandwich I have seen. - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

A Total Home Run--We May Never Leave We're out-of-towners on a mission: find the best local-owned restaurants wherever we go. And when we found this place on Google, the reviews and photos didn't just say "good food"--they whispered "welcome home." So we skipped past a dozen other high-rated spots and drove straight here and guess what? It felt like we walked into a family reunion we didn't know we were invited to. Shoutout to our bartender with the yellow glasses--pure hospitality gold. She recommended the meatloaf and pork chops like it was sacred knowledge passed down through generations. She wasn't wrong. By the end, we almost asked her to roll us out the door and tape a napkin to our chest that read: "We move when our full bellies say it's safe." The meatloaf? Massive. Delicious. I went with the ketchup gravy over brown--because as an American kid raised on ketchup (we used it like a fifth food group), it hit straight in the childhood. Mom would be proud. The mashed potatoes? Smooth and comforting. (The onion rings are... onion rings. Let's not get carried away.) My buddy's pork chops? Big, juicy, perfectly cooked--major kudos to the kitchen crew. The friendly couple next to us raved about the wings. The woman said her meatloaf is "outstanding." I said, "It was the other night." Her partner reached for his holster. (Kidding. Mostly. The conversation was that good.) Had a local IPA that started with "F"--juicy, smooth, not a face-punch of grapefruit. Highly recommend if you like your hops with a wink, not a wallop. All in all, this place is everything we love about small-town spots in steak-famous places like Omaha: big portions, friendly faces, great prices, and food that makes you lean back and sigh. So we got the pork chops. Lots of parking. Big bar. Family-friendly and adult-approved. We'll be back. Possibly in stretch pants. read more

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Been there several times, a different meal each time. Every meal very good, and if you order a meal that offers a baked potato, you will get a potato the size of Texas. Service is quick, and polite. You will love the service. The vibe is local sports teams. It's OK read more

Reading these other reviews I'm lost. Almost like we didn't go to the same place. The food was really good & our waitress was so sweet and great. Their homemade ranch was amazing with the fresh greens from their salad. The Mac n cheese was so creamy and flavorful. Their chicken fried chicken/ chicken strips had well seasoned flavor and the gravy was perfect. Others in my group were very satisfied with their meatloaf plates. One ticket with one persons food was lost which delayed the delivery of one plate however they quickly corrected the mistake. Take your chances and try this place for yourself. Prices were reasonable and affordable. It's a family friendly establishment with great food. read more

We have been here several times lately and there is a good reason. A great big well lit parking lot, a welcoming front of the house, comfy seating, Great service and even better food. The tables are clean and the bathrooms are too. The tenderloin, the tenderloin is gigantic. It is so big that it comes with an extra bun. It is well seasoned and comes with all the fixin's. The onion, pickles, lettuce and tomato tasted fresh to me. Every dish here is a huge portion. They don't slack on portions. The fries are some of the best around. There are several TV's for your viewing pleasure and there is plenty of room to spread out. The menu seems to be evolving daily and the additions are spot on. The new Footlong loose meet sandwich is a really good idea. I highly suggest it. The beer situation is my only hang up, I wish there were more options for the bottled and on tap choices. The standard Bud, Bud light, Coors, Coors light etc are well represented. The delicious food options are plenty, Beers, Not so much. I won't keep me from going back, but a boy can wish. read more

Home Team Cookout - Tenderloin - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

The oversized pork tenderloin was a let down wasn't even the size it was advertised and the fries were cold everything was cold when i picked it up Service was awful i wont be back i cook better at home not sure why i wasted my Time here i only cane because of fooligan eats and that review was a lie read more

Home Team Cookout - Smaller then advertised it was good fries were cold everything - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

I really had a higher expectation than what we received. There is a notice on the menu that they use a local meat store, which only sells local meat not frozen. It was 'ok' as a chopped steak, but was definitely not a high end meat. We both found the amount of gravy was excessive. When I first saw it first impression was ...."what are they trying to hide?' It was good both meals. I would certainly return, but only for a cheap meal for food, not a great experience of ambiance and food. Service was VERY good when we want, So I consider that big plus. It is a bit off the 'beaten path', which I would consider both a positive and negative. I would recommend they find some way of advertising in any brochure being used at the convention center. I say this as I met a family of 3 that had been at a 3 day event. The one thing they talked about the most was NO place to eat within walking range. Yet, this place could be based on the weather. read more

Service overall was super slow. We ordered an appetizer that we never received and our dinner was lukewarm when we finally got it and overpriced for what it was. Won't be back read more

I always enjoy getting takeout from this place; burgers are always thick & juicy, and the macaroni & cheese is my go-to side. There's more things that I need to try from here, but I've had these a couple times already - enough to know that this place seems to be fairly decent in food quality as well as overall service. read more

I've been wanting to visit this place since they opened last year and I finally went a couple days ago, on a Saturday, with my daughter and my niece. It's a sports bar restaurant so there are a lot of TV's everywhere to ensure that you can watch your game pretty much wherever you sit; if you fancy that. We walked in, were greeted and were sat pretty much right away. Our waitress was super nice, (I don't remember her name, sorry!). We ordered and in little time, received our food. I ordered the chicken fried chicken, (i don't remember their name for it) with mashed potatoes as my side and one trip to the salad bar as my other side. The salad bar is pretty large with a lot of options for fixins and other salad-y stuff. The chicken was crispy, moist and pretty great. The mashed potatoes were good as well. But the gravy....it seemed to have the right texture but was so bland; it just didn't taste like anything. No pepper or barely any salt. That was a tad disappointing. My daughter and niece both ordered the kids meal - Mac n' Cheese and applesauce. (My daughter actually wanted coleslaw but I told the waitress wrong. But the waitress was super nice and accommodating and brought out some coleslaw after the fact, which I strongly appreciated.) The Mac n' cheese was really good and for $5, they received a great portion; not too much but just enough. The kids meals included their main, a side, and a kids drink. It was a great value. With looking over the menu, their prices aren't bad at all. I'm really looking forward to going back and trying one of their burgers or a different dinner meal. Also, at some point, I want to go in without kids, and see how their bar is. read more

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This place was very nice on my way home from California they have shuffle board game you can play and my food was great and I lady was very fast getting my order and thing else I need. read more

Home Team Cookout - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

It's typical bar food. Ordered the special, tenderloin and fries. A bit crispy and tastes like it was cooked in the same fryer as the fish. Husbands sandwich was good. read more

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Large portion sizes, great food, very affordable prices, very kind staff. Clean bathrooms, and overall good experience.

This was by our hotel and they also had the pamphlet in our room as well so we decided to try it after a 7 hour drive to Omaha. Our server was on the ball and immediately got our order. He did a good job of making sure we were taken care of and let us know if anything was 86'd. The place definitely is a sports bar. If they put as much work into the interior they should do so to the exterior. Food was good! Burgers were juicy and absolutely melt in your mouth worthy and the alcoholic malt my husband got was divine! My main issue was pricing. Was a bit too much for what we got. Not sure why we had to pay as much as I did but unfortunately it influenced the amount that I could tip the poor server. Lower. Your. Prices. read more

We went here for a birthday dinner, we enjoyed our experience! The food was great! I tried the hot beef sandwich and my wife got the steak. My hot beef sandwich was covered in a delicious brown gravy. Had mashed potatoes and corn for my sides. I was very satisfied with my meal. My wife enjoyed her steak, she had green beans and mashed potatoes. The service was good. They have a bunch of TVs. But only had the ones in the bar area on. So that was kind of a bummer. But overall the food was good and I'd go back to try other items from the menu. read more

Home Team Cookout - Hot Beef sandwich. The full order. - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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We were waiting for a movie, was tired of the food at Quaker Steak, and so we came here due to the above-average reviews. The first thing noticed was how quiet the hostess was. This is a sports-themed restaurant so it's going to be louder given the TVs and people trying to be heard over the TVs; that didn't stop her from talking in a normal conversational voice. The waiter arrived promptly (and, unfortunately, also didn't speak above the room volume) and was very attentive, serving drinks and the food swiftly. Nothing seemed unreasonably priced on the menu. My wife ordered the sirloin steak and I got the half-rack of ribs. One bite and my wife saw the steak was too underdone - it got sent back and cooked to satisfaction. My ribs were done, but there was nothing impressive about them - kind of similar to what you'd pick up to go from the supermarket. My side dishes were waffle fries and baked beans, the latter of which were just reheated from a can. All in all, neither of us found the food that interesting. There was nothing "wow" about the food, ambiance, or service (other than promptness). Balanced against the final bill, it was all just OK - they didn't offend us, but I can't see any reason to come back. read more

Food- Chicken fried Steak. Excellent, good portion, tender, crunchy breading. Sides were warm but not hot, just ok. Service- up and down. Took drink order right away, but then it took a bit to deliver. Then got stuck at the bar as someone asked a million questions, finally came back to take my order. Not necessarily her fault and she did apologize. She did check on me a couple of times, but as she was walking away I asked if I could get a refill on my drink. Once again not a deal breaker, just the difference between ok service and great service. So all in all- Would I go back ? Absolutely for a Home cooked meal. It's not 5 star but that's okay read more

Good food and friendly service. Excellent house made biscuit. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and a bacon cheeseburger with fries. Both meals were great and traveled well. I ordered carryout online through their website and the process was easy. My order was ready at the selected time and I was promptly greeted when I walked in. read more

Home Team Cookout - Biscuits and gravy - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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We came before the dinner rush! Fast and great service! Mac-n-cheese burger was amazing too! And the couple of cocktails we had were great! Great portions too ! read more

Home Team Cookout - Nachos !!! - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Came here with the family for dinner. They were out of a lot of their menu items including cheese of all things. I ended up ordering a buffalo chicken sandwich and my wife got a burger. Kids got burgers as well. The food was just ok. Fries were cold like they'd Ehren sitting out a while. The service was good. This location is a great spot and it's awesome they have a shuffleboard table but the table is in rough shape and unplayable. This place has so much potential but I would never go out of my way to go back. read more

WOW! Great place! The food was excellent! I tried the double cheeseburger and it was huge! Fresh not frozen patties over a charbroiler! One of the owners said they get their meat fresh from a local butcher.The fries are perfect. My wife had a taco salad and said it was terrific! Everything is fresh sourced locally. Service was great too and they were busy! Just a short 10 minute wait and we were seated right away. A quick drive from Omaha and worth the trip! Will be back to try some of their home style dishes too! read more

Tried this for the first time. Servers very friendly, greeted us quickly. Tried the hot toast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. The full order was huge! So delicious took 1/2 home. Seems like older place but still very nice. read more

Home Team Cookout - Hot roast beef sandwich! - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Made reservations but didn't need em. Arrived for Christmas lunch. Greeted and sat by Tiffany. Friendly and explanatory. Said she was scheduled for double shift but was still upbeat. Limited menu for Christmas. Liked most everything on there anyway. Sue ordered Ham dinner. Came with dressing, mashed tators, gravy, corn, salad and dessert. Came with massive Ham and tasty (yes, I had to sample, just for health department regulations. HA). Choice of two desserts. She ordered Bread Pudding. OMG!!! Two huge pieces of cinnamon-roll flavored stuff, covered with ice cream and chocolate syrup. We shared and STILL had to take half home. Delicious. I had NY Strip Steak dinner. Came cooked just like I love it---MW. Tender, juicy, tasty and big. Fries and salad with. Had to take home half and half of Sue's, also. In all truthfulness, we didn't expect much. Open on Christmas day? Naw, they're gonna be pissed they're here and want to go home. Quite the contrary. We were pleasantly surprised. Hope this keeps up. AND, something I've never done before....had to go back and compliment the chef (also the OWNER) on a job well done. Very good. read more

My first experience at this place was not great - it was right when they opened. I got food to go and ended up paying for something I didn't get - called and was told the manager would call me the following day - never did and when I followed up on it, they had no idea of what I was talking about and didn't appear to want to fix it. HOWEVER, I recently went back there to give it another shot before seeing a movie - I am so glad I did. Different menu - easy to follow. The food came out fast and was really good. I will definitely go back and try some other items on their menu. Also looks like they have some good specials which will be fun to check out. read more

Food was amazing this was awhile ago plan on going back me and my fiancé on a dinner date. The service was amazing. Employees was always asking how everything was and always made sure our drinks was full I would give more stars but it won't let me read more

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Mo was a great server and took care of all of our needs. I didn't like the drink I ordered and he happily changed it out for something I liked. This is the third time I've eaten here and it's really good food. The menu is growing and it's getting better every time we eat here! Thanks for a good date night experience! read more

Home Team Cookout - I got the heat seeker pizza and it did not disappoint! - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

A really nice, clean & friendly sports bar & grill. My wife & I tried the tenderloin, she had fries & I had Mac & cheese. It was well seasoned and tasted great but I prefer having it pounded out thinner when they bread them. The fries were good & they have good ranch. My Mac & cheese was some of the best I've had. The prices are low & the staff is really nice & attentive. We will definitely be back! read more

Home Team Cookout - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa