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.

Always a hit! The…read morebattered and fried tenderloin and mushrooms put this place on the epic scale. Not much to look at, decor is pretty old school, but it's the food that counts! Hit CB's today with a group of seven old co-workers... That's old as in former, but most of us would probably qualify as literally old now too. Lol If you haven't checked out Cactus Bob's... Get there! If you've been, but it hasn't been recently... You deserve to go back soon! Enjoy!

Came on a whim... wanted bbq on a Sunday. I was worried cuz it wasn't busy at all, but pleasantly…read moresurprised. Good food, friendly service, and great sauces to choose from ! Will be back !

Had to stop on my way through Des Moines. If you love BBQ don't miss the chance to eat at Smokey…read moreD's. Jalapeño Cheddar Hot links were so amazing. Smokey, cheesey and a little kick. So tasty and juicy. I should have bought two orders because my friend wanted to eat all of it. Brisket burnt ends were amazing! The bark was so yummy. Brisket was moist and Smokey. Perfect size, too. Pulled pork was also juicy and Smokey. Pork at other places can dry out quickly, but not at Smokey D's. It was filled with flavor and I couldn't stop eating it (until I had eaten all of it). Baked beans were very tasty and good. Coleslaw was just the right creamy sweetness to keep the palette clean. Not pictured was the two orders of garlic toast I ordered after eating the piece that came with the plate. Overall a sweet 10/10 from me, or as a BBQ judge, I give it all straight 9's.

Was in town and wanted to check out this place. Lots of seating inside the restaurant. First you…read morepay and then they will bring your order to you. The look and feel of the restaurant reminded me of Phil's bbq from San Diego. We tried the baked potato with brisket as well as the brisket platter with baked beans and jalapeño corn. The jalapeño corn was like creamed corn texture. It was good and spicy. The brisket was a bit dry for my liking but I think this is more of a sauce your meat place. I usually prefer dry rub tx style brisket but none the less I thought the brisket was still good. Portions were good and service was great.

We arrived right at noon and the drive thru line and parking were a little crazy, but we hung in…read morethere and found a spot to park! So glad we did! This will be a regular stop on our drive to Chicago. Happy to report that the drive thru lane moved pretty quickly and by the time we left 30 min later, that had cleared. As far as food goes, we tried the original with fries and the Nashville hot (as a wrap) with brussels sprouts. We both thought our meals were fantastic. I would put their brussels sprouts up against anyone's! The fries were also battered lightly and resulted in a crunchy fry with a nice light flavor. I like that they have a variety of seating inside and it never felt like you needed to vacate your space quickly. In fact, I noticed some shelving with board games, so they definitely welcome groups who want to enjoy good food and hang out. There is a large picnic table for groups or communal seating and some individual stools near the ordering counter for singles or anyone who just wants to sit and watch the world outside those windows. This was a great find for us!!

It's all about the customers! I mean- weekly specials that…read moreare as tasty as they are creative. We have waited for the return of the street corn sandwich. My son downed it in 4 bites! The monthly flavored shakes are also a nice treat. And where can one get some of the best Brussels sprouts at a chicken place? They are delish! You can get your sandwiches grilled, fried, in a wrap or in a salad. For me, all great options but the original fried is my go to- large, always perfectly cooked and juicy chicken. The service is as fantastic as the food- always friendly. And- dogs allowed! Outdoor patio seating in addition to indoor and (let me repeat what exceptional service) they find you even when you change your mind and start one place and end in the other. Drive through is a nice option and the only (good) problem for this business that started out as a food truck is that at peak times parking and pulling out can be tricky with the drive through. I've saved one of the best customer- friendly mentions for last- when you pay by card, the highest display for tip is 10%(starting at 3%). I mean- the service is always worth 20+ but I appreciate this range as opposed to so many that start at 15% or higher. Come for the always fresh, awesome food and tip for the excellent and friendly service! Locations growing around the metro- yeah!

Absolutely love Kue'd! This is one of our regular stops in the Des Moines area. The BBQ is great, I…read morepersonally 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!

Special of the day says includes a side and a drink for an additional $4.79. Then told it doesn't…read moreinclude drink, and charged more than $3 for a side. Staff states that's how the manager put it in. Okay bad customer service And the meat was dry.

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.

Thao and Kara welcomed us to our first visit to the Smoking Goat Pub like we were family. We…read morestumbled upon this place through a different channel, and decided to give it a try. We are so glad we did. The atmosphere is a dicey but very clean and the vibe looks like a great time. It was a quiet afternoon but the ladies went out of their way to make us feel like we belonged. This visit was only for a couple of cocktails but we saw some food come from the kitchen and it looked on point! Kara made a tasty treat and shared it with some of at the bar and that sealed the deal! We will be back in to give it a shot. I will update my review on the food after that! See you soon!

Stopped in for lunch, had the (really good) house specialty burger. The service was excellent and…read morethe staff was friendly. Didn't get to sample any of their beers but the selection was definitely appealing.

This is 5 star food in our great city. The owner is humble and has so much to be proud of! They…read morewere out of many things in the day we tried, but that won't stop us. They have a board of items listing what they're out of. I had the brisket sandwich with fries and mac and cheese. The sandwich was everything you want brisket to be. Tender, succulent, perfect crust and loaded on a grilled bun. The fries were great and had some delicious rub/seasoning on them. The mac and cheese was different than expected, but in a good way. Rotini noodles, cheesey, perfectly seasoned. You need to go. They're not open all days of the week so check yourself so you don't end up brokenhearted. Go. Eat. Indulge. Tip well. Thank me later.

I stopped by and checked out Leachmon's today. I live in Clive and for some reason I never made it…read moreover when the location was in Valley West Mall before they moved over to NE 14th. Dumb me. Lol Fair warning the pin on Apple and Google maps is a little off. The restaurant is in the corner of the building nearest to NE 14th. I want to say there was a Family Cafe or something like that there before... I was greeted right away by a young lady who was updating a sign board. Seating is a horseshoe shaped bar as you enter. In a dining area off to the Left there are both low and high top tables with chairs and a few booths. I went a little unconventional for BBQ... A cheesesteak combo with fries and mac n cheese and a golden fried catfish combo with fries, fried okra, and a cornbread muffin. My order was placed to go and the wait wasn't long. I'd seen someone post a picture of their cheesesteak a while back... This is something I am unnaturally passionate about. I was stationed in Philadelphia PA for about two years. The metro has a lot of steak and cheese sandwiches, but not many true cheesesteaks. The picture I saw looked legit so this was a must try for me. As they would say in Philly these are served "wit" so if you don't want onions make sure you let them know. It did not disappoint! The chop on the flat top was traditional and not just strips of more or less stir fried beef. The roll...while not entirely traditional...does its job. Soft enough to the bite, but firm enough to hold everything together and it didn't get soggy. It fits the mold of a true cheesesteak. The catfish is fried in seasoned corn meal. Mine was a thick nice fillet. If you don't like catfish because it tastes "fishy" this is not for you. It's not tilapia or a different mild white fish. You're going to get exactly what you ordered. I loved it! But I love catfish. The only thing that would have made it better was if it was whole and bone-in. The mac n cheese was made with a fusilli style pasta. A little funny to the eye but the taste is beyond reproach. Some of the best mac n cheese I've had in a long time! The fries and fried okra were cooked perfectly. I have plenty of those left over. Hopefully they reheat up well in the air fryer! Don't make the same mistake I did by waiting so long to stop by Leachmon's! The gentlemen working in the kitchen know what they are doing and are serving up some good food! https://www.facebook.com/pitstopbbqia.leachmon.7?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://www.lpitstopbbq.com/

Ordered off door dash, kinda have mixed feelings about dinner. Ordered burnt ends and pulled pork,…read moreboth had great flavor just super dry (crunchy almost). Not sure if I would order it again. Side of jalapeño corn was delicious, little runny, cornbread was good and the gumbo had good flavor (add the corn to it, it's even better!). Hopefully next time it will be a bit better.

For those who know me and follow my reviews, you already know: I love, love, love to eat--and I…read moretake pride in giving fair, honest feedback. I also believe in being the best at your job, and that includes our wait staff. I'm someone who tips generously, but I expect the service to match the tip. Unfortunately, this visit had a few missed opportunities. We ordered a 1-meat dinner with pulled chicken and sweet potato fries, a pound of shrimp with Carolina sauce, and an order of fried cheese squares to start. The appetizers came out quickly, hot and fresh--the cheese squares were golden and crisp, and they had great flavor. That was a great start. But from there, the experience started to slide. Our server was polite, but not engaged. There was no real greeting, no check-in after the food arrived, and zero personality or warmth that could have elevated the experience. We had to flag someone down for drink refills, and while we weren't in a rush, the entrees took longer than expected to come out. The food itself was solid--pulled chicken had good flavor, the shrimp was a highlight with its tangy Carolina sauce--but the lack of connection from the staff made it feel transactional, not welcoming. With just a little more attentiveness or a smile, this could have been a five-star experience. Missed opportunities like these matter. People come back for the food, but they stay loyal for the service. I wanted to leave a bigger tip, but I left feeling like I was tipping for speed, not hospitality. I'll try again--maybe it was just an off night--but I hope the next visit delivers the warmth that matches .

We had the bacon jam/ Gouda burger/fries and a cheese burger with GF bun and sweet potato fries…read more Both were legit. Great beer list. Staff is awesome. Like the location and the vibe. Will come back!

4.2* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 5*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $21 06/24/2026 Finally had a chance to stop again after several years while on our way home from downtown and looking for something to eat. It was a beautiful evening, so we decided to sit outside on their patio. Shouldn't admit it...but we had to ask our waitress what the lettering was on the side of the building (see picture) - but hay, we are near Drake. Following a Lucky Casa Margarita (see picture), we ordered our meals. My wife ordered the Dogtown Burger w/ Onion Rings (see picture) and I went with the Boneless Wings w/ Blueberry BBQ sauce (see picture). As is our modus operandi, we shared tastes of each and both thoroughly enjoyed both plates. While me wife isn't usually a big berry sauce person, she agreed that the wings were very good. Unfortunately, I was too full to sample one of the awesome looking desserts on the menu...so that will be the reason for another stop! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.