We stopped in here today after visiting the nearby Czech museum. We shared the 2 meat/2 side…read moreplate with baked beans and Cole slaw. Cole slaw is just one of those foods that you never know if it's going to be good, lol. I did ask when I ordered it if it was mayonnaise-based or vinegar based, and he told me they use both! I had the pulled pork, and I thought it was very good and a generous portion, hubs had the brisket, which he said it was very good but a different consistency than what he is used to at a barbecue joint. I was definitely not a fan of the coleslaw as I found it a too salty for my taste so hubs had that one to himself. The baked beans were very good and I liked the addition of orange and yellow peppers. There are four different kinds of sauces to choose from, and they were tasty. $26 for the two meat to side plate, along with two iced teas. Friendly service.

Great food and lunch specials. Im still full and the blue berry habanero BBQ sauce was outstanding…read more I will be back very soon.

So I joined a bike ride across Iowa (RAGBRAI) again this year when I found out one of the overnight…read morestops was in Oelwein! I could meet Thyron Matthew of BBQ fame and BBQ Brawl competition!! They were set up in their outside setting and food truck TnT in the center of all the excitement host towns bring to the RAGBRAI experience! He was so sweet to meet and I had the best ribs I've ever tasted!!! The service was quick and they were so kind. I hope to come back and visit soon!

Best burger ever ,baked beans awesome ,burnt ends WOW…read more Thanks for stopping in mason city

Ok I tend to be a bbq critic but I love driving around the country and in my random lunch stops…read morereview a place. Unbiased but tough. Atmosphere- very busy in design, but actually not overdone for a quick stop in or small group of 5-10 people. I stopped in on a random Saturday about 6pm by myself. There were many occupying the outdoor space so it was easy to get in and go. Prolly seats 60-80 at FULL capacity but 20 occupied was nice. There's so much to take you in to look at design wise. They did a good job setting it up. Food- what you came for. I'd say for a random stop, this place was 5 star. I ordered the big sexy burger and didn't do a combo so I could check out the plain sides of meats. It's awesome that they offer a simple ala carte for all their meats but was a little pricey. (Worth it- good portion). The burger had a good smoky flavor and the brisket added to it. It's a great option. In regards to the meats I ordered the burnt ends and the pork. Usually I find places like this don't even offer Burnt ends at the end of the day because they do limited amounts. They said no problem and always have some ready which was good. However I was surprised to find them already sauced (why?). I thought it seemed a bit tough and very broken down with bits of hard in it. Not hard bits of bark, but like "we always have it available and stir it up to keep it fresh" hard with stringy meat mixed in. It was a bit chewy in places and there was huge unrendered fat pieces as well. But I will say there was good flavor there and it wasnt dry (2-3 stars) Now the pork......this was the best thing there. It was seasoned right, has good texture and was moist with great flavor. Unsauced and you can see the smoke ring and has bits of bark too. Seasoning is flavorful (more savory and not pepper or spicy). The pork gets 5 stars. Also of note was the corn bread which was pretty good too . I hate super dry cornbread and this was not. Overall the food was above average to great. Can't say it will consistently be that way and the burnt ends need work but everything else was borderline exceptional enough to win me over. Service- probably the most lacking issue. The high school kid that brought up my order didn't care to even look at me and called my number and looked at his phone. Not that simple "order up" is hard but that's just the overall vibe from everyone. The spunky order taker was clearly the bubbly personality and was nice but she glanced me over when asking questions. It was clear that I told them I was just passing thru, loved to experience new Q and asked for a recommendation. She was helpful and said her favorite was the turkey but didn't really want to engage more. And the restroom had not been cleaning for a bit. See the pic for the reference . I'd honestly say it's a great place despite all my negativity. Owners clearly put in the right efforts to set it up and the food is mostly great. I'd recommend maybe they need a little help with the brisket and maybe a jolt of motivation to find good workers to keep the service up but if they could do that, this place has potential to be top 5 of all the places I've been with BBQ. Happy travels!

We used Starbucks to cater an event and everyone left fat and happy. I will say the brisket was on…read morethe drier side and I've heard it's not usually like that. All the other dishes: pulled pork, pulled chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, Mac n cheese, and corn bread were a hit. The interior is also neat and definitely pays tribute to a classic southern BBQ joint with all the lights and signs you could imagine. It's not quite at the top of BBQ places that I've tried but falls somewhere right in the middle. Juicer brisket, fattier burnt ends Will brine it to the next level!

A no-frills food truck in a weird, but easy to find location. They have a handful of tables and…read morechairs on the lawn in front. Service was friendly and very quick. Prices are reasonable. The sandwich portions are generous and come with a small side portion and sliced pickles. The pulled pork comes without sauce and when we went, they only had spicy and blackberry sauce. As far as flavor, we agreed the pork was kinda dry but okay. I had the blackberry sauce, which I found runny and not so flavorful. My boyfriend had the spicy and said it was good, but the kick lingered in his mouth. My coleslaw was weak too. Overall, the location is perfect for this kind of meal. It's a reasonable price for what you get - sandwich, side, and drink. Probably great for local lunches, but we wouldn't go out of our way.

Chubbs BBQ is a fairly new food truck in the Marion area and overall I must say I'm impressed…read more They are quick, well priced and consistent. The meat has a great smokey flavor and is very tender. The baked beans have quickly become a favorite and the coleslaw is a close second. They offer huge sandwiches which include 6 oz. meat, one side and a drink for $7.50 or larger platters for around $11. They never keep me waiting long and they have many BBQ sauces to choose from including some interesting ones such as cherry habanero and blackberry. They are usually located around the corner of 7th Ave. and 44th St. in Marion behind Arnold's motor supply. So if you find yourself in the area around lunchtime it's definitely worth the stop!

My family was traveling from Texas for a college graduation in Iowa from U of I and needed a meal…read moreto be catered for our family celebration. Garrett was amazing working with me for months to make it a special day. The food arrived on time by Adam who was super nice. The food was amazing and we couldn't have been happier with picking them for our catering experience for our celebration. We would highly recommend them and would use them again. Thanks so much. Renee Siegel

Terrible food!!!! Ribs were not tender and upcharge for sides. Corn bread and beans were good. 50…read moredollars for learning experience.

Full disclosure: I came here because I wanted a pork tenderloin and the place I was going to try…read morewas closed. The service was weird. The kid at the front acted so off. I thought I was giving him grace because they got a new POS system, yet he didn't know some simple menu questions I asked him. And he was just super odd, not rude, not friendly, just odd. Both tables I tried to sit at were dirty. The Mac & cheese is creamy and bland. The creamy coleslaw was better than decent. I'd take a quart of that! Their BBQ sauces are tasty, there's just not a huge difference between the three. It's subtle. The tenderloin IS very good. It could stand for some finishing salt, but excellent without. I bet their other meats are excellent, there were just some things that were really off putting with the service.

Stopped before a UNI Football game. Food was very good! Cool spot! They were out of the hot link so…read morei was disappointed, but went with the 2 meat plate (Ribs and Burnt Ends). Ribs were tender and delicious. Burnt ends were tender, but a bit over-sauced. Slaw and Mac was above average. Very good experience and will be back!

HIDDEN GEM Wow! the…read moresmell from the moment you walk in the door speaks for itself. We visited this town today and we're driving around looking for somewhere to eat for 20 minutes and we stumbled upon this place. What a hidden gem! Cool decor and lots of conversation pieces. The service was great, friendly and the options of different meats/dishes was great! They had a lot of cool beers to try and some cute desserts too. Will definitely be coming back, and pointing bbq lovers to this cool spot!

The brisket was soggy yet tough. The staff was not friendly and…read moreI sat a while before served and the order took too long...considering brisket is already cookedt, which means just slice up some brisket.

-0 Stars: Blue Barn BBQ (Cedar Falls) Blue Barn BBQ…read more623 E 18th St, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 I wanted this meal to be a win. I went in expecting the kind of comfort and bold flavor that good barbecue is known for. The smell, the name, the idea of brisket and wings, it all sounds like it should be hard to mess up. But this was one of the most disappointing barbecue orders I have had in a long time, and I have eaten barbecue all over the country. Let me start with the only reason I can say anything positive at all. Two sides were genuinely good. The jalapeño cream corn was the standout. It had real flavor, a smooth creamy texture, and just enough jalapeño to give it a pleasant kick without overwhelming the dish. It tasted like someone actually cared about seasoning it. The potato salad was also outstanding. It was balanced, not bland, not overly sweet, not drowning in heavy dressing. It had that classic comfort taste you want on a barbecue plate. If I had only ordered those two sides, I would have walked away thinking, okay, maybe there is hope here. But the main items, the reason people order barbecue, were a complete letdown. The brisket was dry. Not slightly dry. Not needs a little sauce dry. I mean dry in a way that makes you stop chewing and think, is this really brisket. Brisket should have a rich beef flavor, a smoky edge, and at least some tenderness that makes each bite feel worth it. This had none of that. It tasted flat, like it had been cooked too long, held too long, or both. The texture was tired and lifeless, and instead of melting or pulling apart the way brisket should, it just sat in your mouth like flavorless shredded disappointment. Then there were the wings, and somehow they were also dry. Wings should be the easy part. Even average wings can still be enjoyable because the skin, the seasoning, and the fat usually help carry the flavor. Not here. Both wings were dry, and worse, they had no flavor. No punch. No smoke. No seasoning that made you pause and say, okay, at least they tried. They tasted like they were cooked without confidence and served without care. And let's talk about the sauces, because sauce is often the "save" when the meat is struggling. I tried them hoping they would bring the plate back to life. They did not. The sauces did not enhance anything. They did not add depth. They did not add sweetness, tang, spice, or a smoky finish. They were just there, and even with sauce, the food still tasted dry and empty. That is the worst part. Sauce should help. Here, it was like pouring effort onto something that was already beyond saving. The biggest issue is simple. Barbecue is supposed to have flavor. Barbecue is supposed to feel like time, smoke, seasoning, and patience all came together for a reason. This felt like the opposite. The meat came across as overcooked, under-seasoned, and handled like an afterthought. When you spend money on brisket and wings, you should not be working this hard to find something enjoyable. I hate leaving reviews like this, but honesty matters. I would definitely not order from Blue Barn BBQ again. If you go, the jalapeño cream corn and potato salad might make you think you made a good choice. But if you are there for brisket and wings, which should be the main event, this place was a major disappointment.

BBQ that is worth a try!…read more I think the standout feature of this restaurant, however, is its array of side dishes. I especially loved the baked beans and creamed corn. As for the portions, the shared platters are surprisingly small for what you pay for.

I noticed today that I have not reviewed Willie Ray's. That's pretty crazy, because I eat there A…read moreLOT. Like, I own multiple Willie Ray's t-shirts. How have I never reviewed them? Well, I guess my 500th Yelp review is as good a time as any. I don't eat potato salad, but I have to start with the potato salad because my wife loves Willie Ray's potato salad so much that I actually order it as my side just to give to her. So, I guess it's pretty good. I'm pretty sure I've had every entree at Willie Ray's. I think their best entree might actually be their barbecue chicken, but I also love their ribs. A lot of places make ribs that I think are too fatty. My guess is the ribs are the same before they go in the smoker, and the ones I consider too fatty just haven't fully rendered. Regardless, the ribs at Willie Ray's never seem too fatty, or too greasy. They're always cooked just right, and have a great flavor. The entree I get the most is probably the pulled pork. It's also very good. It's not as good as the ribs, but I usually go to Willie Ray's for lunch, and something about ribs just makes me sleepy. Their brisket is awesome, too. They seem to run out of that pretty quickly, though. If you ever go there and they have a side called chicken ro-mac, definitely try it. They don't seem to have it often. So, you don't want to pass up an opportunity to try it. Based on the name, and the flavor, I'm assuming it has Rotel tomatoes in it. Other than that, it's mac and cheese with pulled chicken. I highly recommend it. Anyway, I've never had a bad meal there, and I've had a lot of meals there.

I question ourselves: why did we wait so long? Today was our first meal from here! And it only…read moretakes one word to describe it: DELICIOUS!!!!!! Everyone was friendly and helpful.