I had the shrimp and Boudin Balls. Food was amazing. Owner was also very friendly. I'd highly…read morerecommend this place for authentic Cajun food.

Hear ye, hear ye -- Fridays are fish days during this Lenten Season - several weeks before Easter--…read moredrive to Cajun Belle in Johnston for Louisiana Style Catfish with a spicy kick. There is no dine in seating, but a friendly staff of two will take your order and deliver it to where you park and wait. The wait is somewhat long due to the staffing of this small business, but once you get your entree you either drive to your quiet space or sit where you are, and smile as you taste the delicious crunchiness of your catfish or hush puppies. This is a small family locally owned business we should support as we wait for "Good Friday," or those other opportunities to say we wish you much success into the future.

Excellent food. The bbq is delicious. I'm gonna try the catfish next visit…read more The personal is very nice and friendly. Made me feel very much at home

Traveled through Iowa and decided to stop here. The food was absolutely amazing. The portions &…read morepricing are unmatched. Highly recommended.

Just had a great experience at Buzzard Billy's. The food was genuinely impressive. Everything came…read moreout hot, fresh, and full of flavor. I had the Crescent City Chicken, and it was enough food for two. The kitchen was clearly putting in the effort. But the standout was our server, Allianna. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel genuinely welcome. She checked in at the right times without hovering and had a way of making everyone at the table feel taken care of. I highly recommend Buzzard Billy's for its great food and excellent staff.

May 4, 2026. Monday. Dinner…read more I hadn't eaten all day. Had an almost seven hour delay in DFW due to a broken monorail and false gate information on the American Airlines phone application. I'd missed my connection and got bumped by a last minute female runner even though I was first on the standby list. I stepped off the hotel shuttle, checked into my room, dropped off my baggage and walked here for dinner. Needless to say, I walked in the door quite hungry. I sat at the bar for the quickest service. I ordered a local lager, Des Moines Exile's Maria lager ($6.75/5% ABV). To eat, I seldom go wrong with fried catfish. This time I got the fried catfish strips, with tartar sauce, 2 large hush puppies, and a bunch of fries ($16.99). The smooth lager hit the spot and the fried dinner really filled me up. Catfish average, hush puppies had great texture and taste, and fries were hot. The bartender/waitress really wasn't too attentive. Spent most of the time talking to other customers and staff. I ordered another lager from Exile. This one was an award winning Ruthie Gold lager ($7/4.9% ABV). I preferred this lager to the first one. It had a more rounded taste and mouthfeel. The huge meal didn't wow me, but it did feel me up. Thumbs up to the two local lagers I tried. They were good. Come here if you need a large meal and mediocre service.

Came in on a Friday night. Atmosphere was chill and fun. Good vibe. Ordered the spin artichoke dip…read more Amazing. Had the risotto and juicy lucy--delish. Finished dinner with a chef made ice cream custard. Wish we could get it in a pint container. Highly recommend. Good food. Great climate. Kind staff.

Brunch is a must here! I've heard the rumors that everything on their brunch menu is amazing and…read morenow I believe them. They have the fluffiest pancakes. You could get away with splitting a single pancake with someone because they're large. I tried the cinnamon roll pancake and it was delicious! Their scrambled eggs for the MST breakfast were perfect btw. And I'm low key obsessed with their breakfast potatoes. It does get pretty loud in the space but I think it's a great brunch spot with a classy and comfortable atmosphere.

A comedy of errors led me to lunch on the South side today. It's a long story…read more.. I've wanted to try Chicken Heat for some time. I love fried chicken and I'm a glutton for punishment... Although I errored on the side of caution and steered clear of the ghost and Carolina reaper levels. I walked in at about 1130 AM today and was greeted straight away! The gentleman at the counter asked if I needed a menu. But like any decent foodie I'd already done my due diligence online. I ordered a hot chicken sandwich with pickles and slaw, an order of the Nashville shrimp, and a grape Sunkist soda. I want to say the total was $18 and change before tip. He let me know it would be about a 10 min wait. Mannnn... Talk about hot and fresh. I unpacked it in my car. And hot in more ways than one... I loved that the styrofoam container for the shrimp was vented so the breading didn't get soggy. The spice level on the shrimp was excellent. A little burn, but not enough to completely overpower the delicate taste of the shrimp itself. I'd read a couple of reviews that said the spice levels on the chicken sandwiches were to the milder side so I was confident ordering hot. Those reviews were wrong. Lol My tolerance might be down a little but this was way way past the "Iowa hot" we usually get in the metro. Thank God for the slaw and the soda. There were no tears but I could sure feel it. It was so very good! Portion-wise the sandwich was massive. There were enough shrimp it was worth the money. I can usually put down two Popeye's and here...one was sure enough. I finished my lunch as one happy camper. Good show guys! I didn't feel like the extra carbs today but next time I'll definitely sample the collard greens, the mac n cheese, the onion rings, and anything else that catches my eye. I hear they do catfish on Fridays... And I love me some catfish! While my order was take out there is an indoor dining area available. To order enter through the front and head to the Right. The dining area is kind of a seperate area with it's own set of doors. After ordering head back towards the front and it's kind of to the Left. Make sure you check their sites (below) for their hours... https://chickenheat.com/ https://www.facebook.com/flameonheat?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Finally stopped by Chicken Heat for the first time at their new location. I'd tried their sandwich…read morea while back when they were still selling out of the truck. Honestly kinda mad I waited so long! It's even better than I remember. I had their "hot" sandwich the first time, and I wished it hurt a little more, so I tried the "xl" spicy this time. It was pleasantly spicy, but still not as punishing as I wanted, so I'm definitely going to try the next level up next time. The sandwich itself was HUGE, the chicken was juicy, the breading was crisp, bun was fresh, and the pickle+slaw was a nice accompaniment. All in all, a solid and satisfying sandwich (even if it didn't leave me in tears). Partner and I also got a side of fried okra, and that was a good treat! Only slight disappointment was that they didn't seem to be set up for dine-in, so had to wait a car ride home before inhaling this delicious dinner.

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.

3.5 This piece of history has a lot of potential but is in a…read moreneed of a rehab, and just a bit more polish to survive. Love the vibe, but delivery is just average.

My wife and I decided to try Maxie's as it is a long time restaurant in the Des Moines area. This…read morewas a Thursday evening and it was not especially busy. The wait staff was attentive and personable. We had a bottle of wine and split a steak. I would say if you live in the neighborhood it would be fine to go to. The food was passing, but not exceptional and it felt a little run down.

4.8* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $40 04/17/2026 It is becoming a bit of a broken record...as this place is in the top-tier favorites in the area. Tonight, we met with friends before a concert and enjoyed the food and drinks. I started with a Blind Tiger tequila drink (see picture) along with Fried Babybel (see picture) - both very good. For our dinner, my wife ordered Steak Fajita Tacos (see picture) and I went with the PB&J Wings (see picture). Not only were all of the food and drinks fantastic, but we also caught the end of Happy Hour, so we also saved some cash on several of our plates!

Gastro Grub & Pub is a must try! Went here with some family and everything about the place was…read morefantastic. The atmosphere in the restaurant on Saturday was buzzing, and it's in a strip mall-ish type complex with tons of other great things, like breweries nearby. On top of that, their wait staff was extremely friendly, lively, and quick to check in. For my meal, I ordered the chicken pita with fries and it was incredible! The portion sizes were great, the fries were crispy, and the chipotle aioli that came with the fries was the cherry on top. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been!