Absolutely love Kue'd! This is one of our regular stops in the Des Moines area. The BBQ is great, I personally love the pulled pork. But the sides really put it over the top. The corn bread and honey butter are amazing and my family regularly fights for the extra cornbread! The Mac n cheese is as creamy as can be and the Cole slaw is a great topper with the pulled pork or other bbq meats. The variety of sauces are also delish. For us, this is a grab and go place. There is some seating but it is minimal and simple. We'd rather grab and take home! read more

Great bbq to be had at Kue'd Smokehouse! I am a big Smokey D's fan but my cousins said this place was just as good and I have to say I'm a convert. Some things were better, others not as good, but good overall. Great brisket and burnt ends were ok but a little light on the smoke to be honest. The pulled pork was dry in some places and nice and juicy in others. The smoked Mac and cheese is mighty tasty and not too bitter from the smoke. Glad we tried the redneck nachos. They are made on house made potato chips and are a very unique treat. Also great bbq sauce! The original and spicy have excellent flavor. Glad to have another bbq spot in the DSM area to go to! read more

See all

There's a particular smell that good barbecue joints carry -- the low, sweet perfume of wood smoke that clings to your clothes long after you leave. It's the smell of patience, of time, of a pitmaster standing watch over a stubborn hunk of meat for half a day or more. Walking into Kue'd, I was hoping for that smell. What I found instead was something a little more complicated. I ordered a half pound of brisket and a half pound of burnt ends, with a side of poblano creamed corn -- thirty-two bucks all in. Not bad. In the modern barbecue economy, where smoked meat is starting to cost what a decent steak once did, that's a respectable number. The brisket arrived looking the part. Sliced, tender enough, with a decent beefy flavor. But the first bite told a different story. Where you expect the deep campfire soul of smoked meat -- that unmistakable bark, that blackened, peppery crust that whispers of hours in the pit -- there was... nothing. No bark to speak of. No smoke that lingered. If someone had told me it was roast beef pulled from an oven instead of a smoker, I wouldn't have had much evidence to argue otherwise. It wasn't offensive. It just wasn't barbecue. Then came the burnt ends. Now these were the reason to be here. Juicy, tender little cubes of beef with the kind of bark the brisket should have had in the first place -- dark, caramelized, and deeply smoky. The fat rendered just right, the meat pulling apart with that perfect balance of resistance and surrender. Each bite carried the flavor of the pit that the brisket seemed to miss entirely. The regular barbecue sauce was solid -- sweet, balanced, and clearly designed to complement the meat rather than smother it. The vinegar-based sauce, on the other hand, promised Carolina but delivered something closer to pancake syrup. Sweet, thick, and missing the sharp, nose-tickling tang that vinegar sauce is supposed to bring to the party. The poblano creamed corn was good -- comforting, creamy, with a mild pepper warmth -- but it played things a little too safe. One note, pleasant but forgettable. Like a song that never quite reaches a chorus. Still, when you step back and look at the whole tray -- a pound of meat, a side, and change left in your wallet -- the value is hard to argue with. Not every barbecue meal has to be transcendent. Sometimes it just has to be honest. And here's the thing: those burnt ends? They were honest. Next time I walk into Kue'd, I'll know what to do. Burnt ends again, no question. Maybe some pulled pork. And I'll give the baked beans and potato casserole a shot -- because every barbecue place deserves a second look, especially when they've already proven they know how to get at least one thing very, very right. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

See all

There is a lot of decent BBQ in this town, but very few really exceptional places. This is one of those places. I want to start with the Tater Casserole. I think this is my favorite local dish now. It has a bit of spice to it and I could have sworn pimento cheese in there somewhere (The young man working the front said no), whatever cheese it was (he said cheddar) it was magnificent. This took me back to West Virginia, it's like my grandma's cheesey potatoes with a little bit of kick to it. The baked beans are the best in town. Rich and flavorful, with big chunks of meat in there. The Mac & Cheese is thick and tasty. It would be easy for it to be overwhelmed by the rest of the flavors, but it more than holds it's own. We each got the brisket and the burnt ends. What can I say about this. You can cut the brisket with a plastic fork, but it still has substance to it. It's tender without losing substance. It tastes amazing, and then you add one of the four different sauces they have and it lights up. Our favorite was the Sow Money/Little Kick. Just enough heat to make your forehead sweat a little, but no strong lasting burn to it. The burnt ends had the best flavor of the two, but that in no way puts down the brisket. They were also tender and could be cut with a plastic fork (neither of us picked up our knives). They had that deep, hearty flavor that you expect from exceptional burnt ends. A brief mention of the pickles ... wow. Also a bit of heat to them, but tons of flavor. Next time we're bringing a jar home. And the staff ... the two young women working the front were friendly and helpful, and the young man facilitating orders was amazing. Charming, chatty and helpful without being intrusive. He made everyone who came in there feel special. This is an exceptional BBQ joint. Get yourself out to Waukee and give it a try! read more

See all

Love this place, it's some of the best BBQ in the DSM area. Staff is always friendly and the service is always excellent read more

By far, I do believe that this is the best BBQ in Des Moines, the burnt ends and the brisket are the star of the show, heck, everything on the menu is amazing. I love coming here for some excellent food. I highly recommend it. read more

See all

This is the best BBQ spot I've had in Iowa yet. (Aside from my man Thyron! shoutout bbq showdown) I went with the standard meats for me to judge a bbq spot. The ribs and beef brisket. Both tender and flavorful! A+. The Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, although it felt heavy after eating both, they were also HITS! Mac and cheese often is a side I see MISSED at a lot of the best bbq spots in the world, I think they focus on the meat and think we don't care about the sides, but that's another story for another day. Halfway through writing this review I just released I'm upping this from 4 to 5 stars . Coming from a guy from St. Louis and now living in Texas. I'm pretty passionate about BBQ, and this stuff I really appreciate. Also service was fast and easy. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Brisket, Ribs, Mac 'N Cheese, and Cheddar Au Gratin Potatoes - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Delicious food. Food came out reasonably quick. Odd hours but worth the visit. Food was reasonably priced too. Would go back. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Brisket, Pulled Pork, Kue'd BBQ Beans, Creamy Slaw, Mac 'N Cheese, Beef Shortrib - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Got the beef rib and a two-meat plate. Both were delicious. Service was fast and efficient. Food to come home was easy for takeout and it traveled well. Cute inside, smelled great. read more

Had the Burnt Ends and Brisket with Scalloped potatoes and Macaroni and Cheese. All entries and sides were excellent. It should be noted that the Burnt Ends were not just brisket flats cubed and overcooked, these are real burnt ends. Great place and I'll be back for sure, easily the best Beef BBQ in the Des Moines Area. read more

Yum, great barbecue, at great prices, great service, and quick food prep time! Our brisket, burnt ends, corn muffins, and street corn were all really good. All 3 BBQ sauces at the table were very good as well. The staff was all friendly, and prices were very reasonable. Definitely check this out if you are looking for great BBQ! read more

See all

Good BBQ. Would have tried it much sooner but they are not open Sunday--Tuesday. The chips and smashed loaded potato were excellent. The chicken wings were very tasty! The brisket and burnt ends were ok. A little dry and a little lean. Seems like they thrive on to go orders as the dining area was small and crowded with supplies etc. I'm sure I'll be back or at least order for pickup. read more

Good sides, tasty sauce, really good service from start to finish. Turkey a bit drier than I like.

We have had the brisket, ribs, chicken, mac and cheese, and all of it was fantastic!! Our kids loved it too. We loved it so much that we ordered it for a company lunch. Everyone raved about the food and Angie was great to work with. We will be ordering again! read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Corn muffins, honey butter, mac and cheese, brisket, pulled pork, buns and pickles! - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

See all

My son and I were in town for a wrestling conference and looked to Yelp to find some great local food. We went to Kue'd Smokehouse after looking at the reviews and the food was delicious. We shared "A Boys BBQ" and got the brisket and Wings with Mac and Cheese and Flatliner Potatoes as our sides. The food and service were fantastic and I Loved their Mild BBQ sauce and my son enjoyed their Sow Money BBQ sauce. read more

Yummy food! The staff was very nice and welcoming once we walked in. The service was great

Here we are in November 2020 and Lucky Me had an Errand in Waukee soo what do you do With an extra half hour? Go onto Yelp and check the status of Kued, Open, Pickup Only, Browse the Menu (this step optional) It's better To go in blind and choose off the Chalkboard! Now I see the parking lot is not soo Full, soo Know its a good time to shoot in, Don't forget your mask, get in the Kue and start scanning The menu board. NOW do a little easedropping on the people ahead as alot of locals frequent this place and they know a thing or two.... Get the Big Guy behind the register and start laying down the known items; 9 BBQ smoked wings, pound of chopped chicken, 1/2 pound of burnt ends...then work the sides, easy for me BBQ baked beans. The Stewart clears your mind with spicy pickles & sliced bread? YES!! NOW here's the part, Add More of anything?? Ribs are a usual for me but not this time as Covid budget is in swing...but always get a Mason jar of your favorite sauce, they give you little take out cups but you know you need More today and definitely for tomorrow!!! Love it, No pictures this time soo just drool over the older ones...RIBS and can't wait for this little dinning room to be back as those NACHOS are hard to pull off in take-out. read more

I was at a wedding in Urbandale and the food was catered in by Kue'd. The food was phenomenal. The bbq was delicious but the Mac and cheese stole the show. Best Mac I have ever eaten. I can't wait to dine in the restaurant and have it again. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

See all

I know one thing about this place, their food makes you dance. Do yourself a favor and Get some' This place is the best thing about Des Moines read more

Come for the burnt ends and pulled pork. The Hog sauce is amazing and was tempted at taking a bottle of the stuff, its a sweet vinegar mop style sauce that hits all the spots. Baked beans is a sweet and smokey side to delight in. Mac and cheese is a creamy delight that is sweet, rich and coats the mouth in cheesy goodness. The burnt ends were so juicy it should be illegal. Grab and go would be my suggestion as the food is the focus here and that is a good thing! Overall experience: Food: 4/5 (Fix that street corn!) Service: 2/5 (Dont be afraid to check on customers) Ambiance: 1/5 (Dont sit people between storage shelves and refrigerators) Pros: The price is reasonable for the quality. Mac and cheese are a must get side. Pork is good, toss on the hog sauce and its great. Cons: Street corn side had some grit in it, and the corn tasted uncooked. Seating area is small so you might not get a seat. Table service was non existent once I got my food. read more

See all

Great BBQ but the broccoli salad was UNBELIEVABLE!! For a small restaurant the staff was delightful. read more

This place just really knows how to do barbecue and get it right. My friend and I went after work but wanted to go before the rush. We both ordered the trailer park nacho half order. She got hers without the corn. I wish I had done it too. The corn is more of a corn salsa and is liquidy so it makes the chips soggy fairly quickly. Next time no corn! I also got the mac and cheese and baked beans. Their baked beans aren't my favorite so I took them home for my husband. The mac and cheese is delicious because of the sauce. It definitely tastes homemade. My biggest complaint is the tiny cups for water. I had to refill it multiple times. The service is always great here and the food as well. Even though the place is crammed with tables it's always clean even when it is crazy busy. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Pretty good bbq in DSM. I had some amazing places in Texas and LA so I know they had to really wow me. Here are my thoughts on everything we ordered: Ribs- best meat item on their menu. Flavorful, tender, and juicy Brisket- dry dry dry. You need to drench it in sauce for it to taste decent Pulled pork- nothing amazing, but edible Sausage- nothing amazing, honestly I've had better sausage from Costco Cole slaw- flavorful and crisp! Baked beans- get these! Sweet with chunks of meat Mac and cheese- to die for. I could honestly eat a whole bowl full. Super flavorful and cheesy Service was great, lady on the phone was super nice! read more

I had the redneck nachos and my husband had the two meat meal. We received our food quickly and it was excellent!! I will definitely be returning. The customer service was excellent! read more

Wow. Just wow. Not sure what to say about this place. It was recommended by a friend and I'm happy it was. I ordered the meat plate that came with two meats and two sides for about $15. Pretty reasonable for what you get. The service was great and the food came very quickly. As for the food, my least favorite was the sliced pork. However, that's not saying much as everything was very good. The mac and cheese was delicious and very creamy, the beans had some of the smoked meats and was slightly sweet, the burnt ends were tender and juicy. The sliced pork was good, but not as amazing as everything else. I'd definitely recommend and will keep this place in mind when I come back through. read more

See all

Best barbecue in town!! Great service and quality food. give it a try. It won't disappoint.

The bbq was amazing so tender and juicy and the sauce it was delightful it had this delicious kick to it overall this is a 5 star restaurant

Amazing food and our local haunt for bbq. Angie is fantastic and was so accommodating when I asked her about the sausages. They so remind us of the English sausages in England read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - The Kued feast - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Super good, recommend the redneck nachos and the Barbacoa tacos 5/5 stars if ur in waukee I recommend here read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Redneck nachos - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Last week, I placed a "holiday" order for a smoked Turkey from Kue'd in Waukee. This year I wanted to relieve my mom of the stress of having to cook. When I told her of my plan's - I wasnt sure how this would all unfold as I had to bring the smoked Turkey from central Iowa to Illinois. But travel, the turkey did well. What I wasn't in store for was my family's reaction to the Turkey. I was hoping this Thanksgiving would be one my family could reflect on for years. It was a very seemless process to schedule a pick up time with Kue'd to get the turkey. They provided cooking instructions and were very accommodating. As Thanksgiving dinner began, everyone kept marveling over the savory scent of the Turkey. The meat itself was the most tender turkey meat I had ever encountered. I personally am not a Turkey fan. I kept eyeballing the Ham my mom had prepared. As each member of my family began to taste the Turkey from Kue'd the room became more, and more silent. Everyone had a crazy, satisfied sweet looking smile going on. That was my invitation to drop what I had been eating and load up on that turkey. It was tender, overflowing in the flavor department of a smoked sweetness that turned an average turkey into the one thing that everyone in time, would demand seconds and thirds of. We jokingly talked about having Turkey again for breakfast this morning. By lunch time, Turkey from Kue'd was still on everyone's mind. And now it's dinner time, and Turkey Talk is still going on. Kue'd -- you did ONE AMAZING JOB! The one downfall of ordering this smoked Turkey from Kue'd is that, I now have half my family wanting to move to Waukee, Iowa to live beside such greatness. Thank you for OVER delivering on service and quality this Thanksgiving! We all appreciated it. read more

We visited Kue'd while in town for a band competition. We didn't realize that they were 3 minutes from closing. They quickly welcomed us and offered to still serve us. The barbecue was amazing, and they were so friendly. Thank you for your hospitality and great BBQ. Even the sides were top-notch. read more

Came here and got their two meat and two side meal that was $14 I believe. The portions were good and everything tasted great. It comes with two slices of bread that is good but needs to be toasted or something. The burnt ends were awesome and so was the sausage. Co-workers got ribs that were fall off the bone tender. Mac and cheese and some type of potato sides I got were amazing and especially the Mac and cheese. So great BBQ and as I mentioned, the only thing I was not a fan of was the fact that they don't prepare their bread in any way but give it to you plain. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Yum! Amazing Mac and cheese. - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Wow! We finally found our BBQ place in Des Moines! This is a small BBQ joint in a strip mall kind of setting and totally worth the drive. The food: I had the turkey, potatoes and BBQ beans (and totally forgot to take a picture - will get that next time). The partner had the brisket and cornbread muffins.The turkey was moist, succulent and just the right amount of smoky, with a little heat from a nice peppery rub. The potato side dish is a nice change from the more common potato salad. It's a warm, cheesy, grated potato dish with a bit of red pepper. You can get it with a cornbread crumble topping but I went plain and it was very good. The beans were very tasty - sweetish and a bit spicy. Partner's brisket was excellent. I initially passed on trying a muffin because they're usually too sweet but these were perfect. The meals come with two slices of bread and a heap of pickle slices (not sweet). Drinks are in cans or you can get a cup of water. Service was super quick - like less than 5 minute wait. All the staff were really friendly and helpful. The place: The restaurant is small - pretty much just the counter to order and maybe about 6 tables and a counter with some seating. If you want to eat in, you'll need to get there early or late. They also have very limited hours (I don't know if this is a COVID thing) - only open Wednesdays to Saturdays. I look forward to trying more things on the menu - lots left to explore. We will be back for the forseeable future - Kued is now THE place we'll be going for BBQ. read more

Delicious fast casual but they produce the most tastiest smoked ribs and brisket ever!

Amazing food. I love their turkey, and tried their brisket last night for the first time. Both were amazing. I also absolutely love their butterscotch oatmeal cream pie dessert, it is a 12/10. Everything is so good here, you won't be disappointed. Huge portion sizes as an added bonus, and the people working here have always been super kind. read more

So, my family and cousins came today so my cousins could try it out. Wow! We finally got to try the Brisket, Burnt Ends, and Sausage and EVERY thing was delicious!! Even the coleslaw was good. They were just as fast and friendly as last time! Definitely our go-to for bbq now! The Food: Brisket - 5/5 Burnt Ends - 5/5 Sausage - 4/5 Get the sampler platter! Definitely worth it to share! read more

I love Kue'd for many reasons. I usually get the 1/4 pound of pulled pork and it is really good. The service is very fast, and usually under 5-6 minutes. I get the main BBQ sauce and it is quite saucy! I love it! The corn muffins are unbelievable. Please get the corn muffins when you go to Kue'd next. It also comes with a butter that I like ok, but my friends absolutely love it. Stop by Kue'd when you need a fast and good BBQ Lunch/Dinner! read more

OUTSTANDING!! I called ahead to make sure that they had burnt ends, they did. I ordered a half pound of ends with smashed potatoes and corn bread. The burnt ends were phenomenal, the potatoes were phenomenal and the corn bread was probably the best I've ever had. My only disappointment is that I'm leaving town tomorrow morning! I will be back. read more

Kue'd Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Delicious, we had burnt ends, sliced pork and Mac n cheese. You order up front then go around the side and wait for your order. It's very well packaged for a trip. I thought it was reasonable for the amount of food we got. read more

I keep forgetting to write some reviews for my local restaurants instead of just on my travels! This is one of my favorite places to go if I'm out in the area. The meat is delicious and tender and juicy and the sides that I've tried (mac and cheese and beans, your standard side dishes for BBQ) were delicious and would keep me coming back. The service is also great and they've got lots of merchandise if you would want any of that, too. As for parking, they have a shared parking lot but it usually has enough space. read more