The food is always hot, the chicken fried or the bourbon st are the best! Mac and Cheese is always…read morea hit. Dessert you have to go for the banana pudding. The service is fast and always nice. My only note is since they have an ice cream area that needs served by staff to also have the whole deserve cack area that was as well, will prevent cakes from drying out from being pre portioned.

Once again, very disappointed in the two piece chicken dinners I had them prepare for take out…read morewhile I waited. First of all, I was charged for two extra sides of coleslaw and got home and only one. Lesson learned, always check the entire order before leaving. It's expensive enough as it is (Along with everything else, I get it.) But even more so to take care of the people who are spending the money at your restaurant. The chicken was mid. Sort of dry & looked like it had been sitting there for a while, I looked and actually hoped they didn't take from there but they did. My daughter thought the mashed potatoes tasted "off". I told her and she agreed definitely not enough gravy. Would've been nice to have that separate. Do better, plz. Money is tight for everyone, maybe try to go the extra mile for the ones who are willing to spend. Won't happen again here.

Friendly folks and tasty good food. Second time stopping here when I have been in town and it did…read morenot disappoint. Got the Friday night special, rib dinner for a very affordable $12, 1/4 rack ribs with two sides. Sides were baked beans which were sweet and soft and creamy coleslaw. Perfect combination. If you find yourself in Central Iowa, add this local BBQ joint to your list!

Bett & Bev's BBQ in Jefferson is a fam fav. Occasionally, on Friday nights they do their smoked…read moreprime rib special, and when we found out today was a prime rib day, we changed our dinner plans and headed that way. The crust on this prime rib is similar to a caramelized rack of ribs, and makes you want more of that sweet flavor. Their brown gravy is a favorite of ours as well, and we had to get a side of it just to have some. THEN decided it was so good we got an order of mashed potatoes and gravy, even though we were stuffed. Coleslaw and baked beans were great sides. Limited hours, so check online before going, but definitely give them a go! Also, they sell their racks of ribs double wrapped, which freeze well (we have 4 sitting at home in our freezer right now)!! -- at Bett & Bev's BBQ.

We love The Centennial for lunch. Revolving menus always make it interesting but her signature…read morechicken salad is awesome and her famous Bell Tower Cake is out of this world! If you are on Facebook, follow The Centennial so you see her changing menus. This restaurant was named Outstanding Dining Business in Iowa in 2024 by the Iowa Tourism department. And she continues to create new and interesting entries! Located in an historic building in downtown Jefferson, IA that has been totally renovated. Great place for special celebrations or a quick bite to eat on a regular day -- because it makes a regular day very special! You won't go away hungry - the portions and the desserts are huge!

Amazing story on how this restaurant got started. 73 women pooled money to bring back to life The…read moreTea Garden. Great rotating menu with excellent service. Charming small town feel. Definitely recommend checking out and be sure to save room for desert!

Cute small bbq joint with decent food and attentive friendly service. There are a nice selection…read moreof three sauces to choose from and three different portion sizes when ordering your food items. The smallest, Boone size is a perfect lunch-size portion. I had the pork sandwich and a side of potato salad, which was creamy and had a hint of sweetness. Both very good, light on the smokey flavor on the pork. Great place to get good food and support a small local business in Boone.

The restaurant is in an old Main Street building. The decor is rustic cowboy . The service was…read morequick and attentive. The food was authentic Texas style barbecue. We had a mix plate. The brisket was phenomenal. We ordered the sweet potato pie made in house. It was the best I ever had. I would come again.

What a special spot. Breakfast was amazing . Service by Sherri was outstanding. She clearly loves…read morewhat she is doing. I was at home here. Now the food. I had the breakfast sandwich which did not disappoint.. melted cheese, eggs and bacon on sourdough bun. Yummmmm. Husband had egg breakfast with toast and sausage and all was hot and delicious.

Sometimes the best breakfast spots aren't in the middle of downtown--they're tucked away waiting to…read morebe discovered. The Whistle Stop Café on the north side of Boone is one of those places. There's plenty of parking, and from the moment I walked in, I felt genuinely welcome. My waitress, who I suspect may have been the owner, greeted me with a smile, took my coffee order right away, and made sure I never needed to ask for a refill. Bonus points for serving it in a pretty cool coffee mug that added a little personality to the experience. The service was fast without feeling rushed, and the food was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what I was hoping for. More than anything, though, it was the hospitality that stood out. It's the kind of place where you're treated like a regular, even if it's your first visit. If you're looking for a welcoming local café with great food, friendly people, and a memorable small-town dining experience, the Whistle Stop Café is well worth making a stop.

About a 40 min drive from West Des Moines, but definitely doable if you want to step outside of the…read moremetro a little. Tojo's is a cash or check place (no cards). There is an ATM available on site. It's obviously a mostly local spot, but I've heard their tenderloin is legendary. It's literally labeled "famous" on the menu. Jamaica is a small town (193 people as of 2021) with a Main street composed of less than ten or so buildings. Tojo's sits right across from their post office. It's easy to find. When you enter the restaurant you step through the outside door into a mud room, and then through another solid door to the dining area. It's seat yourself. Our server and the cook were at a table visiting as we walked in and greeted us right away. It's seat yourself. We picked a booth and sat down. Seating here is a mix of booths along the wall, tables and chairs, and stools at the bar. It's an old school rural Iowa bar and grill and it's got typical laid back old school rural Iowa ambience. We both had to do the Famous Tenderloin. We also ordered Nashville hot cheeseballs and mushrooms along with our drinks. Our drink orders were taken right away and our food orders shortly after. Everything hit the table fresh out of the fryer hot after a short wait. If you're a tenderloin fan this is a must try and you need to make the drive. Plate sized, a little thicker, and the breading brings Nick's or The Lucky Pig to mind if I had to compare it to others. You're asked if you want onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. Mustard and ketchup are provided on the table. Mayo is available if you're a sick person (like my gf). Lol Unless I can get a little chili and cheese I stick to the holy trinity. Onions, pickles, and mustard. A surprise was the Nashville hot cheeseballs. For cheeseballs these bring the heat. Unlike pepperjack, jalapeño, and other variations of cheeseballs the spice is in the breading. It builds. One...you can taste it. Two...it's really obvious. Three or four in a row...FIRE! It's not going to torch you but you're definitely going to feel the burn. I mentioned it's cash or check only right? We paid and continued on our trip up to our destination in Carroll. We reached our first stop and we were missing a wallet... A quick phone call revealed it had been left in Jamaica. They'd even already made a Facebook post trying to locate us! A couple of quick questions to identify it and they let us know it was secured and we could pick it up on our way home. Most of us carry our lives in our walllets and our phones anymore... We changed plans and headed right back to grab that wallet and ended our trip in Jefferson rather than Carroll before heading back to the metro. Side note: If you're into antiques and thrifting check out Gilroy's Antiques in Jefferson. The owner is 95, sweet as apple pie, and will unfortunately be closing her business next summer. Art deco glass, vintage dinnerware, vintage tools, smalls of every kind, furniture, etc. A real hidden gem of a shop. I'm thankful to the staff at Tojo's who took care of us today...above and beyond. Definitely a five star tenderloin and service! https://www.facebook.com/Tojos-Bar-Grille-308512123061732/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

I have wanted to stop here for a while but I don't always have a reason to go to Jamaica, IA…read more Actually, I had no reason to go here...until now. On a bike ride recently, off the beaten path, we found ourselves in Jamaica, IA and decided to give it a try. This is another AWESOME Iowa hidden-gem. There is something so seductive about being able to drive to a tiny town, not far from DSM, and eat some of the best food that not many others know about. Yes, I used the terms "seductive" and "food" together We walked in with every intention of ordering 2 of the prize winning tenderloin sandwich. Upon entry to a small, dimly lit bar with mismatched tables, chairs, booths and a long bar, we popped a squat at the bar seeing as how most of the tables were taken. After sitting down at the bar, I immediately noticed (through the open kitchen) a gigantic prime rib under a heating lamp. The massive mound of meat was literally calling out my name and saying "EAT ME, J!" Figuring that the prime rib knew best, as my love for this cut of steak gets me every time, so we opted for a small prime rib dinner and a tenderloin sandwich. The prime rib dinner on Friday nights comes with a choice of potato side, Texas toast and a salad. The options are only large prime rib or small prime rib. I ordered the "small" prime rib. Here is where the excitement, amazingness and mouthwatering enticement comes into play. Their "small" prime rib was easily 2 pounds of meat. Rare just how I like it, and an amazing dry rub on the outside, au jus serve directly over the meat (instead of as a side, which is fine by me), this was quite possibly one of the best prime ribs I have ever had. And to find it at this little hidden gem, off a beaten path, in a small town with not much else, this find was even more exciting. The pictures I took do it no justice; it is about 2in thick and a foot across. As big as it is, the flavor is just as massive. I opted for curly fries, which were phenomenal. Not soggy or overlooked, they were perfectly golden brown and not greasy. House salad was basic but great. Tenderloin sandwich was also spectacular. I understand why it's award winning! Not pounded flat, the size of a dinner plate, and loaded with L.T.P.O. as an option, this sammich is worth the drive (or bike ride) from Des Moines! In fact, I'm already planning my next visit. Service from bartender was very fitting and enjoyable. She was server, bartender, part-time cook, bus girl...everything, and all with a great attitude, big smile and welcoming personality. If you haven't tried this place, you are actually missing out on an experience. Looking for something to do one day, hop in your car, motorcycle or on a bike and get out to Tojos. $43.00 for all that food and 2 cold beers (which we didn't even drink because we wanted to savor the belly room for more food!)!!! Worth every penny.

This was a great find when we were traveling through Perry. Fantastic steak fajita quesadilla…read more World's largest shrimp and steak burrito. Would definitely come back! Free queso too!

There are days you just don't want to go anyplace, and it'd be really super. Nice, if they would…read moreget hooked up with doordash. We need more places to be hooked up with that service, and they'd have more business.

When in Ames, I can not miss an opportunity to visit the Dutch Oven Bakery near the railroad…read morecrossing on Duff. Wandering Boone this week, we found another Dutch oven bakery and found it equally awesome. Great selection of bakery items and pastries, outstanding customer service, and some tables to enjoy your choices. Kindness in abundance.

They have very a delicious coffee & lunch. You can order almost any latte, espresso, or coffee…read moredrink made fresh to order! In my opinion, the bakery sweets are so overly sweet they almost take your breath away. They run some great deals on soup & sandwich lunch specials so that's worth checking out!