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    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

    4.3 (236 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew Photos

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    WHATCHA SMOKIN' BBQ & BREW ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

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    Two meat.  Up charge for ribs.  Salad with blue cheese.  Cottage cheese.  Texas toast.
    Dan T.

    Whatcha Smokin' continues to be our go to BBQ within reach of the Des Moines IA metro! We tend to slide in early on Saturdays for lunch right after open (1100 AM) to avoid a line or a crowd. The main entrance is along Hwy 17; that's where you'll find the host/hostess station. They built a HUGE parking lot just to the North a couple years back to accommodate capacity. The restaurant now has three sections. The main building. The clubhouse (an extension of the main restaurant). And the grain bin (offers walk up ordering for outdoor seating)... You're greeted at the host/hostess station and someone takes you to your table. Both low and high top tables and chairs inside. Picnic tables outside. We prefer the main building... The clubhouse is okay, but the acoustics kind of suck in there. It's got very high ceilings (think machine shed)... One loud party in there can ruin your dining experience if you're not in the mood for a ruckus. They can be across the room and it still sounds like they are sitting at your table. Standard table service. Your server takes care of your drink and food order. They bus your table, present you with your bill, and take your payment at the end of the meal. Cash or card. The food all comes out of the main building. They have runners to take the covered trays wherever the party is sitting. There are fountain drink stations (Coke products) and bars in both the buildings. My girlfried absolutely loves the sliced smoked turkey and the cheesy potatoes. I go for the two meat plate (up charge both meats to the quarter rack of ribs) with a salad and cottage cheese. Choice of cornbread or Texas toast. Some of the best pork ribs you will ever have! The meat doesn't really need sauced, but they have it if you want it. Mix a little of the Sticky & Sweet and the Wildfire together... You can thank me later! There's something on their menu for everyone (standard BBQ items, wings, nachos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, family platters, etc.). Make sure you check out their daily specials! And they cater too! Service is always attentive and personable! There's a reason we are still going back on a regular basis (at least monthly) years after our first visit here...! If you're browsing Yelp for a place to eat and haven't been to Whatcha Smokin'... Stop right here! Stop scrolling! You really don't have to look any further... Plan your visit out if needed. BUT if you're in the area, they're open, and you are hungry... Just hit Go on your GPS and head over to Luther...! You won't be disappointed! https://www.whatchasmokinbbq.com/

    Todd B.

    4.4* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $55 05/11/2025 Imagine my delight when my wife chose Whatcha Smokin as her venue of choice on Mother's Day! While smoked meat is not a cheap meal, Whatcha Smokin is one of my favorites - so I couldn't wait to get in the car. While you leave with your wallet a little lighter, it is hard to beat their quality smoked meat. We started off our meal with an Iowa Twinkie (see picture) and boy is that ever something that you HAVE to try! They aren't always on the menu, so get one when you can. How can you go wrong with bacon, jalapeno, pulled pork, cream cheese & ranch...and then smoked on top of that? For our meal, we decided to go with a Family Platter with both fatty & lean brisket (see picture), but wanted some extra meat to bring home so we added a 1/4 rack of Baby Back Ribs. For our sides we went with Jalapeno Cream Corn and Cheesy Potatoes (see picture) - and believe me, they were delicious. Even though we were full and had some meat to bring home, we couldn't pass up the Nutter Butter Nanna Puddin (see picture) and Coconut Cream Pie (see picture). We said we were going to bring them home for later...but couldn't leave without trying a few bites of each. As stated in my original review...you will definitely want to take your dessert of choice at the table or bring it home - they are SO good! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Baby Back Ribs with delicious fries, Texas Toast.
    Daniel E.

    Struggling with our recent brutal string of wickedly cold weather, we decided to try Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew to add something positive. It turned out to be a spectacular visit, and this place is well worth the ride to Luther; it is a GREAT place featuring Texas-style BBQ! Our party of four could get parking quickly with a pair of lots, one in front of the venue and the other across the street to the north. They don't take reservations, and we were seated immediately when our party was present. There's a terrific vibe inside, excellent energy, and customer service. No frills, this place focuses on its food--casual attire, warm on this frigid night. The fun common area features a push-pin customer spot and a community board. Coca-Cola products. The BBQ aroma had me salivating for their food upon entering! They have daily specials, and they look great. On this initial visit, I wanted to sample what they did best, not a daily special. I was greatly rewarded! First, our server, Jenny, was tremendous! She was fun, helpful, knowledgeable, and kind, and she nailed every recommendation. Terrific throughout. We started with Golden Corn Nuggets as an appetizer, tasty sweet corn kernels fried golden brown and served with honey (didn't try) and ranch dressing (loved it). I chose a Quarter Rack of Baby Back Ribs as my entree; they were terrific. Perfectly cooked, delicious, and spectacular. I tried all their five BBQ sauces and liked Liquid Lava, Carolina Gold, and Wildfire the best. I'm usually not a big ribs person, but I decided to get what they are known for after Jenny's recommendation. Honestly, it's genuinely excellent. I added Texas Toast, excellent fries, and Turkey Dumpling soup as sides; each was outstanding. Doing high-end Quality Control, I sampled many items my other dinner party members enjoyed! The cheesy potatoes were excellent. Jalapeno Creamed Corn was amazing. I enjoyed their Twix Cheesecake for dessert, which was so darn good. In all, it was a sensational visit and food experience. This is one of the best places to eat in the Des Moines, Ankeny, and Ames regions.

    Lean brisket, pulled pork.
    Steve P.

    Nothing to complain about here. A fantastic duplicate of our favorite Texas barbecue. We had pulled pork and lean brisket with cornbread, creamed corn, and cheesy potatoes sides. Went for an early lunch on a Saturday (around 11:15). By noon the place was packed and a 30 minute wait. Would love to try the other meats and sandwiches as they all looked great. Recommend the fatty brisket - it's juicier, we got take out. Will be back for sure. Good looking drink menu too.

    Fun truck out front.
    Kristyn M.

    I cant believe it has been since 2018 since I was here. Bigger parking lot on the north end. We arrived early in the evening before dinner and got in right before the main crowds started to get in line. It was a warmer day at the beginning of July. We were a group of 4. They wont seat you without your entire party present. Right on the HWY its a great stop for travelers and for motorcycle trips. They added an additional building on the west side with a cement dining patio in between the buildings. The big doors are open, the TVs are on, the netting is down to keep the bugs down while you enjoy your meal. The menu is vast. They also have nightly specials. Outdoor seating, the giant garage doors open. Great place for parties and a few drinks. Or there is the inside side (very small) that has some AC. We ordered the weekend special to share between ourselves. The special was a pulled pork sandwich with jalapeno cream cheese sauce of some sort. We got the house fries and ranch. S . smoked & saucy M - Meats O - Overjoyed on the tender brisket I stole from my friends plate. K - Keep the meats coming E - Eager to come back sooner for my own brisket D - Down to earth place in the middle of Iowa. Staff was great. She did a good job giving us a hard time but helping when we needed it. We left with some leftovers but it was only cause of how much food we ended up with. Id love to try the Tenderloin at some point, but the smoked meats keep pulling me back in.

    Patti M.

    I love to stop here when I come to Boone County, which I do often for the fantastic outdoor attractions - High Trestle Trail, Ledges State Park, Iowa Arboretum, Boone Railroad, etc. That's important to my review because I have not been here except in pleasant weather. If you love great BBQ, as it seems many people do, this is the place to be. There always seems to be a wait and then they ask where you would like to sit, with a choice of three options and usually three different wait times. The PATIO area has garage type doors that they open in nice weather and have large screens to keep the bugs out. There are TV's and a small bar. It has a sports bar feel. This is my preference and tends to have the longest wait time. The PICNIC area is just that - picnic tables outside. The wait time is usually the shortest but I believe there is a limited menu. Can be very pleasant, but can also be windy or overly sunny. The CLUBHOUSE is enclosed and has a building converted from some other use feel. There are some TV's and one small bathroom. The wait staff carry your food across the outdoor picnic area to you. It has A/C for when the weather is warm and may possibly be the best place to be in cold weather. It just has an afterthought feel about it, like they grew popular so fast they scrambled to add space. Overall, wonderful food and super spot convenient to many fun Iowa locations.

    Michael C.

    If you ever go to Ames Iowa, this is a must if you love BBQ. The smoked brisket can be ordered lean or fatty but to get the most flavor, fatty is the choice. So tender, juicy and flavor did not disappoint and even outdid any brisket. Also shared the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich which was amazing as we had options of Sweet BBQ, medium, sweet and sticky, spicy and lava sweet heat bbq sauce to put on the sandwich. Cornbread was fabulous and firm. It was also busy in the full service main dining room with a 45 minute wait so we stood in line outside to order and was given a number to pick up the food when our number was called to bring back to the table. The wait was not bad at all to get the food. Advise to get here early as they run out of certain meals and call it out as they do. This was one of ghetto finest BBQ I've had, and I've been to a lot. So many choices on the menu. Meat can be ordered by the pound or nice sandwiches. Great sides to order with the meal. So if you are ever even NEAR Ames, Iowa, save the time to experience BBQ perfection and great service. A well organized operation and friendly staff.

    Merch for purchase
    Maggie F.

    First time here and I was blown away by the size of this venue as well as how busy it was post-lunch. We were told it would be a wait to get food even though we could be seated quickly (40ish minutes) and they did not lie. We were bummed to be seated in the club house, which felt like the family zone. Service was ok and food was good but salty. Worked out well that our meals were served in to go containers since we did have leftovers but it does make me wonder about the amount of waste they produce given so much was disposable, including the silverware.

    Outdoor dining and corn  hole

    Outstanding BBQ ! A must stop. Pulled pork and brisket were my favs. Ribs and sausage very good too. Try the potato side - yum . Service was excellent and they upgraded our beers for free! - bought take out for the next day.

    The unveiling!

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    28 days ago

    It is well worth the usual wait! We love the smoked turkey but have had other delicious things when they were out of turkey!

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    What kind I say. As a transplant from Texas this is the only place around that I can get good BBQ that compares to back home.

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    11 months ago

    Had the family meal with ribs and fatty brisket and it was great! Will definitely be back! Cheesy potato's and baked beans are must haves!

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    Ask the Community - Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

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    The Tin Pig Tavern - Half order of Texas fries.

    The Tin Pig Tavern

    4.6(30 reviews)
    17.3 mi

    Had the mini beer shot, just like the the ones in Cancun. Crab Rangoon with chicken is a great…read morepizza to try.

    Went here on the recommendation of three locals after working a basketball game. I misheard them…read moreat first; I thought they said "Tempe" and we were looking for a Mexican restaurant. Anyhow, we arrived and elected to sit at the bar versus a booth. Took a couple minutes to get noticed and we were asked to sit at the other end of the bar due to some clutter... Prices are very reasonable at this establishment. A flight was $7.50...if you were in WDM or Waukee, you would probably be looking at double that. They also brew their own beer and cider here; I'm not sure why that's not advertised heavier. Its called the "Gamble Block Brewery". I had Fear the Beard, the Baja Lager, the Maple Pumpkin Ale, and a cinnamon apple cider. The Maple pumpkin ale was delicious--the maple definitely hit on the back end. I was not a fan of the cider--they used a rather tart apple. The Fear the Beard (comparable to Blue Moon) and the Baja lager were OK. For food, I had the chicken tender basket with a 1/2 order of Texas Fries. I actually thought the ranch seasoning detracted from this dish--the queso was quite good and the bacon was plentiful. The downside to getting "sampler" versions of items was none of the accompaniments were included. My friend who got a full order of the Texas Fries was given sour cream with his food--mine did not. Also, on the beer sampler fruit wedges are served with the full size versions but not on the flight. The chicken tenders were very good and had the right breading/chicken ratio. The buffalo sauce packed a punch but was not obnoxiously spicy. The ranch that came with it was very good and was clearly made in-house. More of a 3.5 star review.

    Photos
    The Tin Pig Tavern - Interior.  Low and high tables and chairs. Booths.  And a bar.

    Interior. Low and high tables and chairs. Booths. And a bar.

    The Tin Pig Tavern - Crab Rangoon flatbread

    Crab Rangoon flatbread

    The Tin Pig Tavern - Front entrance signage.

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    Front entrance signage.

    Cornbred - Burnt ends.

    Cornbred

    4.4(324 reviews)
    10.9 mi
    $$

    Went here for lunch with the family, this place has a lovely charm - and was at one point a train…read moredepot. Our server was attentive, and it was quiet enough to have a pleasant conversation over lunch. Three of our table had the daily special - a ribeye sandwich with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, their version of sweet and saucy steak sauce. Everyone enjoyed it - and I stole a few fries which were golden crisp and perfectly seasoned. I was assured their fries are consistently delicious. I had pork shoulder with two sides, i went with hallelujah potatoes (cheesy potato casserole) and cornbread pudding. The pork was melt in your mouth tender, perfect with the sweet and sassy bbq sauce. Each plate comes with some pickle slices and pickled onions, the onions were nice - i gave my pickles away as i am not a savory pickle girl. The hallelujah potatoes were cheesy, creamy and crunchy (topping) and the cornbread pudding tasty. The lemonade was recommended to me and it was well done - tart and sweet. Overall if I had more time in town I would definitely come back.

    Just some suggestions for future guests. Please ask first if guests want to be seated on patio. We…read morewere taken outside on patio, granted the plastic sheets were down, but it was a cool, rainy day. We were told the heaters would be turned on. They weren't. We asked to be moved inside and a they moved us to the loudest part, next to bathrooms and opening to patio, so still cool. Waitress had no time for us, maybe because we were asked to be moved. Idk. Food was good. If the name of your restaurant is "cornbred" you would think your meat dish would come with a piece of cornbread. Instead you have to order it as an appetizer which are muffins. How about one little muffin person placed on the table. I would also maybe include a side with your meal (maybe less meat) to accommodate for the side. Just suggestions. It is a cute place though.

    Photos
    Cornbred - Make Ames Weird

    Make Ames Weird

    Cornbred - Pork ribs and baked beans

    Pork ribs and baked beans

    Cornbred

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    El Bait Shop

    El Bait Shop

    4.3(588 reviews)
    28.4 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    The Ultimate Stop for Bikes, Beer & Bites…read more After a day of biking, we made it back to El Bait Shop with some friends. This place is a solid choice, whether you're in the mood for the world's biggest selection of tap beers or some fantastic gastropub and comfort food from the lounge next door. We love it here because we can park our bikes in the provided area off the patio and still keep an eye on them. The outdoor service area is semi-shaded and the service is just as good as you'd get inside. As a beer lover, I can tell you the selection is ridiculous and expansive. If you want it, they probably have it, and from four or five different breweries at that! The menu is also loaded, with choices from both El Bait Shop and the High Life Lounge. Today, our food order was as impressive as the beer list. While I can't recall all the beers we had, the food included a Prime Rib Sandwich with tots ($14.99), the Pizza Burger also with tots ($11.99), the Philly Style Pot Roast Sandwich with a side of potato salad, and a massive bowl of Macaroni and Cheese ($11.99). We were starving after our ride, but that didn't change the fact that the food was all delicious, well-prepared, and served by our very attentive waiter, Kyle???, May. No one had any complaints, and the beer was cold and on time! Overall, we love the eclectic vibe of this place. Its downtown location gives you some great views, and more importantly, you're within walking distance of almost everything downtown Des Moines has to offer. This is a go-to spot for me, and I love taking first-time visitors here because it's so unique and the quality of both the service and the food is always on point. Oh, and did I mention the beer selection is completely insane? If you haven't been here yet, you are missing out, and you don't even know it. PRO TIP: Come here, and before you leave, slip over to the High Life Lounge for a throwback moment. Next time, start there and slip over here for a beer!

    Wow this is not a dive bar, no matter who calls it that…read more We came in for a bite to eat and a beer while passing through Des Moines based on Yelp reviews. Had a sour with three fruit flavors that was lovely, and lunch of broasted chicken and beef stroganoff. The beef was surprisingly tender. Friendly service. Highly recommend this place!

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    El Bait Shop
    El Bait Shop
    El Bait Shop

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    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew - bbq - Updated May 2026

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