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.

Tucked into an unremarkable strip off Merle Hay Road, in that no-man's-land between a gas station…read morecar wash and a triumvirate of sandwich chains slinging the same elongated, meat-stuffed mediocrity -- sits Cajun Belle. You could blink and miss it. Most probably do. But for those paying attention, there's a faint promise here -- a whiff of something soulful and Southern cutting through the beige hum of suburbia. This is a drive-thru only operation, the sort of setup that usually spells disaster for fried food. We all know the routine: your hot, crispy prize entombed in a plastic clamshell, slowly suffocating under its own steam until it becomes a sad, soggy relic. But Cajun Belle has been on my radar for a while -- ever since I stumbled upon it months ago by accident. I remember pulling up, eyes bright with hope, only to find it closed for catering. That kind of heartbreak sticks with you. Fast-forward a few months and fate (or maybe hunger) brought me back. I was surrounded by the usual suspects -- Subway, Jimmy John's, Cheba Hut -- each hawking their own version of the same tubular monotony. I didn't want that. I wanted something with character. Something cooked by someone who actually gave a damn. Cajun food in Iowa is always a gamble -- fried shrimp filtered through the lens of the Midwest. But I was in the mood to roll the dice. I debated the gumbo but landed on the shrimp po' boy, mostly because I wanted to see if anyone up here could pull off a fried shrimp sandwich that didn't taste like regret. I added hush puppies to the order, because you can't not. Everything's cooked to order here -- no heat lamps, no reheated sadness. I sat in the drive-thru line for eight minutes, watching exhaust curl into the autumn air, waiting for something worth the time. When the bag finally hit my hands, it was hot, fragrant, and alive with promise. I parked across the street, in the quiet anonymity of a half-empty lot. This was not a meal to eat in front of anyone else. Some food demands privacy -- the kind of honest, slightly shameful pleasure best enjoyed alone. The shrimp po' boy was a beast. Overstuffed, the kind of sandwich that dares you to get through it without a mess. The shrimp were perfect -- golden, crisp, tender, actual flavor -- which is more than you can say for most fried seafood this far north of the Gulf. The breading had bite, even after the short steam bath of transport. The drizzle of sauce -- something like honey mustard -- didn't quite land. It was sweet where it should've been sharp, indecisive where Cajun should be bold. Still, the shrimp carried the day. The hush puppies, though -- those were the moment. Hot, perfectly fried, full of cornmeal bite and savory depth. You could make a meal out of them alone. The dipping sauce they came with was a miss -- thin, sour, lifeless -- but it didn't matter. A squeeze of lemon or a dash of malt vinegar and a cold beer would've made them transcendent. Cajun Belle has a perfect 5/5 on Yelp, and while I can't quite stretch that far, I get it. There's something about finding a little piece of Louisiana soul food hidden in the land of pork tenderloins and ranch dressing that feels like a secret worth keeping. For me, it's a solid 3, maybe a 4 if you hit it on a good day. Give me a shrimp basket, fries, and that vinegar I keep dreaming about, and we're easily talking 4.5 -- maybe perfection in a Styrofoam box. In a stretch of road dominated by fast-food sameness, Cajun Belle is a rare thing -- a place with identity, with pride, with the audacity to serve real food through a drive-thru window. It's not fancy. It's not polished. But it's good. And sometimes, that's all you need.

Flu is great! Upbeat very knowledgeable of their products. Ask for Flu next time you're at Buzzard…read moreBilly's. He won't disappoint! ​

flu was very fast and had such good humor! all the food had very good flavor and so much seasoning!…read morewhen you come to buzzard billy's ask for fl! ur gonna love ur experience!

First time trying out Bubba's. We ordered:…read more Southern bread basket comes with butter and jam Coffee with cream and sugar Smoke chicken salad Crab cake Benedict with hash browns. Server and host were friendly and wonderful. Atmosphere was beautiful with natural lighting allowed in. Food came out fast and was hot. I liked the intense flavor for the crab cake Benedict. It was super filling and the egg was just cooked perfectly. We would come again!

A Southern-style restaurant with Southern-inspired food…read more We started with the fried green tomatoes and my only recommendation would be to use cornmeal to make it a true Southern taste. All I could taste was the breading which seemed like a very bland option to showcase the tomatoes. I had the red beans and rice and my Husband had mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, and an open-faced sandwich. He wished the sauce they used on the sandwich had been a little less so he could've enjoyed what was underneath all of it. For dessert, we had a Coca-Cola cake. It was moist and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I was pretty disappointed with the food here. The jambalaya had almost no meat in it. The steak po…read moreboy my gf ordered was about 95 percent bread. The staff is super friendly, but the food is way overpriced for the quality and portion size.

Very disappointed. Over priced for undercook and unflavored food. Got catfish and fries, save your…read moremoney and cook at home. Staff was kind but not attentive. Feels more like a dive bar.

Food was amazing. Not a fan of cheese dip but they had one with brisket in it WOW it was greatread more

Awesome service, and very friendly people. It appears to be a staple in this part of Des Moine and…read morevery popular with locals. I'm reviewing a little tougher it for being very average food. My daughter had the like chicken and it was very over limed. My wife had brisket and it was virtually unseasoned, tasting more like a very decent roast beef. I had smoked chicken and it was great! The desert was very respectable, a white chocolate bread pudding.

Actually had a chance to visit the mothership this year. Bud is long gone, and his son who runs it…read moreis getting up there, but all the butchers currently plying their craft know their stuff. Totally inspiring that some of them were really pretty young, and learning the trade as well. Cool that it's in the birth town of Capt James T. Kirk, too. Look that up, Gunga Din... ;)

Always has my special orders ready. Great meats at good prices…read more Highly recommend

Snack day at the star Yea hungry for finger food lol…read moreSo star was the choice 2 trips day First batch Eggs casserole on plate 1 Plate 2 Chicken Fingers Egg rolls Pot stickers And sweet and sour sauce in cup Yea that was good! Second trip Egg rolls Pot stickers Fried dough as desert New to us gal Had to redo ticket for sr discount I guess the fresh shaved made me look 20 years younger? Not too busy for an early Thursday lunchtime But the mom and pops started rolling in at 12:30 with the kids Too loud for us

the food was great to be completely honest. good chicken no grissly pieces in it. i would've given…read moreit a 5 star but considering the time we went (8pm). it was completely our fault. but still a good amount of food choice and it still tasted pretty fresh. server kept glasses full. clean restaurant other than that. plus 3 fortunes 1 cookie

Great restaurant for a meal. I had the Hawkeye burger, an 8 ounce burger with all the fixings…read more Cooked to order, because it was a cold night, I chose mashed potatoes with brown gravy which hit the spot. The burger was great.

Really great food and the staff was really pleasant. Thanks for the pleasant dinning experience…read more Totally worth every penny.

Dropped by on a trip through Iowa. Definitely a highlight after driving through Des Moines ‍…read more We both enjoyed our meals. Fry's in the Fish and Chips were awesome. Drinks and Brews were legit. Cool old corner diner updated to a Manhattan street vibe. Service was solid for a College town. Check it out.

This is the second time i've bee. here in a week. I'm on a business trip and we were too late the…read morefirst time for the happy hour price on the seafood towers. The "seafood tower" is 1/2 off before 6:00. The larger one is $50 off before 6:00. We each got the seafood tower and that more the. enough for a meal for one. It has six oysters, which are delicious. Also six pickled sardines, which are wonderful on the provided crackers. There's also a crab claw that is lovely. The tuna poke thing is very good. There a lump crab dish in a creamy sauce I don't think it needs. The crab is good. I could lose the sauce. The only bad part was the six shrimp. They're cooked in a way that they have a flavor I didn't love. That part I did not finish. But the server was wonderful. She could not have been nicer and more professional. She made our experience great. The server on the first night we came here was also great. They have great servers. The place has a high end bar and grill atmosphere. Everything looks really clean and well put together. This is a great place to eat.

Fried chicken is my weakness, I can eat good fried chicken everyday but its really hard to find…read moregood fried chicken these days. This place is a gem in hidden, it check marks all the boxes, it's halal, fried fresh daily, the employees are the best, thr cashier is awesome And the food is out of this world. One if the best fried chicken I have eaten in a while. It was fresh, no smell, crispy, good portion and reasonably priced. What else you need. 100 percent recommended

I'm always looking for amazing food options! A fellow Yelper told me about Krispy Krunchy Chicken…read more And I knew I had to try it! Although a little skeptical at first, I mean, really, extra crispy chicken? But my friend was spot-on! This place has quickly become my go-to for amazing chicken. As you step inside, one side is a liquid store, and the other is where the magic happens, Krispy Krunchy Chicken. It's all about grab-and go here as the setup doesn't allow for a sit-down meal. However, it's very clean on both sides! Keeping the chicken and the cash separate, you pay for your order at the liquor store counter after ordering. The food is amazing! I've had the Whole Wings (my go to), Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, and Mashed Potatoes(least favorite). I'm obsessed with the wings as they have crispiness for days, lol they even stayed fresh until I got them home. I'm not a big fan of Red Beans and Rice, but Krispy Krunchy's version is very flavorful. The Jambalaya is my favorite side, it's like a Cajun party in your mouth- it's meaty, flavorful, and addictive! The Honey Butter Biscuit and the Blueberry Biscuits are the prefect pairing with the chicken! They are moist, and full of flavor. Seriously, even if chicken isn't your thing, these biscuits might change your life! If you're ever in the neighborhood or simpler craving good chicken and sides, do yourself a favor and go to Krispy Krunchy Chicken today! Let me know if you enjoy it or not!