About an hour and a half drive but well worth the trip!…read moreSaturday early afternoon and it was packed...about a half hour wait for seating was the only downside. Service was outstanding and the staff seemed to be handling multiple aspects of the jobs and helping each other out...no one just did one thing and I think that really sped up the service. Katie was our primary server and was outstanding! We ordered up a two and a three meat deal and had Campground Beans, Creamy Coleslaw, Cheesy Potatoes,, and Mac & Cheese as sides as well as a slice of Texas Toast and Cornbread as sides....oh, and Golden Corn Nuggets as an appetizer. The Corn Nuggets were good and sweet and served up with honey and a ranch sauce for dipping. The meat choices were 3) Ribs, Pork Loin, and Turkey Breast....and 2) Pork Loin and Turkey Breast. The smoke on everything was amazing and just the right amount for excellent flavors..the ribs were very meaty. Some places ribs leave you wanting but not at Watcha Smoking! The Pork Loin and the Turkey Breast were both very good as well...still tender and not dried out. I liked the Neck of the Woods sauce the best (mild tomato based) as well as the Carolina Gold sauce...it had nice kick to it. The sides were all good but the only issue was the Cheesy Potatoes were a bit dry.....I'm thinking that it must've been towards the end of the batch and had been sitting around for a bit. Cornbread was excellent, Texas Toast tops, Coleslaw was a good shredded, wet slaw, the Mac and Cheese very good, and the Campground Beans were the preferred side as they had some good chunks of smoked meats mixed in. Fantastic place, great for small groups and large groups as well...great food and great service...Definitely worth the trip!

Really enjoyed the premier BBQ joint in the greater Des Moines area in my visit to Whatcha Smokin'…read morein the midst of a rural backdrop, this place was definitely worth the 45 minute trek from the state capital for delicious brisket, corn, slaw and sweet tea at a very affordable price. I appreciated the dual restaurant ambiance for a service side with waiters or a order at the register style. All BBQ restaurants have one or the other but not both. The meet was tender and juicy and as their name would suggest - smoked to perfection. I don't know if I'll find myself in Iowa ever again but if I do I will definitely make another pilgrimage to Whatcha smokin for the states best BBQ

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.

Great bbq to be had at Kue'd Smokehouse!…read more I am a big Smokey D's fan but my cousins said this place was just as good and I have to say I'm a convert. Some things were better, others not as good, but good overall. Great brisket and burnt ends were ok but a little light on the smoke to be honest. The pulled pork was dry in some places and nice and juicy in others. The smoked Mac and cheese is mighty tasty and not too bitter from the smoke. Glad we tried the redneck nachos. They are made on house made potato chips and are a very unique treat. Also great bbq sauce! The original and spicy have excellent flavor. Glad to have another bbq spot in the DSM area to go to!

There's a particular smell that good barbecue joints carry -- the low, sweet perfume of wood smoke…read morethat clings to your clothes long after you leave. It's the smell of patience, of time, of a pitmaster standing watch over a stubborn hunk of meat for half a day or more. Walking into Kue'd, I was hoping for that smell. What I found instead was something a little more complicated. I ordered a half pound of brisket and a half pound of burnt ends, with a side of poblano creamed corn -- thirty-two bucks all in. Not bad. In the modern barbecue economy, where smoked meat is starting to cost what a decent steak once did, that's a respectable number. The brisket arrived looking the part. Sliced, tender enough, with a decent beefy flavor. But the first bite told a different story. Where you expect the deep campfire soul of smoked meat -- that unmistakable bark, that blackened, peppery crust that whispers of hours in the pit -- there was... nothing. No bark to speak of. No smoke that lingered. If someone had told me it was roast beef pulled from an oven instead of a smoker, I wouldn't have had much evidence to argue otherwise. It wasn't offensive. It just wasn't barbecue. Then came the burnt ends. Now these were the reason to be here. Juicy, tender little cubes of beef with the kind of bark the brisket should have had in the first place -- dark, caramelized, and deeply smoky. The fat rendered just right, the meat pulling apart with that perfect balance of resistance and surrender. Each bite carried the flavor of the pit that the brisket seemed to miss entirely. The regular barbecue sauce was solid -- sweet, balanced, and clearly designed to complement the meat rather than smother it. The vinegar-based sauce, on the other hand, promised Carolina but delivered something closer to pancake syrup. Sweet, thick, and missing the sharp, nose-tickling tang that vinegar sauce is supposed to bring to the party. The poblano creamed corn was good -- comforting, creamy, with a mild pepper warmth -- but it played things a little too safe. One note, pleasant but forgettable. Like a song that never quite reaches a chorus. Still, when you step back and look at the whole tray -- a pound of meat, a side, and change left in your wallet -- the value is hard to argue with. Not every barbecue meal has to be transcendent. Sometimes it just has to be honest. And here's the thing: those burnt ends? They were honest. Next time I walk into Kue'd, I'll know what to do. Burnt ends again, no question. Maybe some pulled pork. And I'll give the baked beans and potato casserole a shot -- because every barbecue place deserves a second look, especially when they've already proven they know how to get at least one thing very, very right.

Great atmosphere! Lots of great options!…read moreFully loaded nachos was a meal in itself. Plenty of TV's to watch sports Huge portions

Excellent service, food and atmosphere! Ate here 3 times in a week while in town on business…read more Consistently good all week!

Never fails to disappoint! They were extremely busy because of a concert and our food still came…read moreout hot and fresh. They forgot to put a burger in and the manager came over and apologized and said that the burger was on them! Very good customer service

Came here once with coworkers at their behest early on a weeknight. Place is huge, obviously caters…read moreto large parties, bus loads of ppl, etc. As such the atmosphere is quite sterile feeling, as much as they try to fill it up with old timey tchotchkes and relics from their history and other locations. Menu is huge, lots of options. Only thing that dwarfs their food offerings is the ice cream / shake/malt menu. I'll be honest I didn't care for the food. Got the turkey dinner with chili and sauerkraut. Turkey was drenched with gravy, on a pc of dull toast. Chili was good, sauerkraut was disappoint as it was a weird grilled and chopped way too fine. Got the pb nation ice cream which was the best thing I had there that night. One coworker got a mushroom Swiss burger and honestly that looked better than anything else.

Service was great! Shout out to the girl who just turned 18. You were so sweet & very attentive!…read moreThe place is decorated on theme & they have cute shirts with their logo on them The food was a bit underwhelming unfortunately. The hot bbq sauce was good, the beans were actually the best part! The potato salad was disappointing unfortunately

The bbq here is good but as my previous review for BBQ resturant surpasses this place by far, no…read morecomparison to whatcha smokin. There is no wait staff and all our food was served in to go containers or Styrofoam. Just not as comfortable of a place again food was OK to good. Given the choice between the two I've been to given proximity I'll go to my first reviewed BBQ joint over this one any day of week.

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.

We were early, right at opening, party of 2. The smell alone lets you know you've been invited for…read moresome good BBQ. The lady at the counter, she's got your back and is very friendly helping you through the menu. Staff all around is super nice and helpful! The food just can't be beat when it comes to BBQ in DSM. Don't get me wrong, there are a couple spots, but Smokey D's knocks it out of the park with their consistency and quality, every single time. Thanks for the grub! See you for our next birthday lunch!

The Filling Station is a gas station, an extra stocked convenience store, a breakfast/lunch food…read morecounter, and a tables inside and out to enjoy your refreshments and the view. Gayle and I stopped in today after reading about it within some "48 hours in Ames" article. I ordered a brisket grilled cheese sandwich, while Gayle chose a similar one with blackberry flavoring. We split a can of Guinness off the convenience store fridge, and then sat outside for our street and car wash view. We had nice shade on a not too hot day and took the opportunity to hang out bit after we finished our meal. This was a tasty and pleasant experience of good value overall.

Was nearby for an early meeting and had a gap before my next one. Decided to grab breakfast and…read morerolled the dice and just went here for a quick bite. Wow, it is a lot more than a quick breakfast at a gas station! The kitchen was complete and had a full menu offered up. It was also a commercial bakery... multiple bakers working on cinnamon rolls that looked divine! I had a breakfast quesadilla. It had real flavor in it with candied jalapeños. It was a lot but judging from all the plates I saw come out of the kitchen everything there was solid in serving size. The chai latte was good too. And the folks were nice. They definitely have loyal fans locally, folks were ordering for tailgates!

Food is always consistently great. Have had few bad meals here. Service is good depending on who's…read moreworking but I've never been treated poorly. The place is well kept and always decorated for whatever holiday they have coming up. All in all a decent place to get a good meal.

Christmas set up is magic! Great service and fun for kids. The food was awesome. I recommend trying…read morethis place out especially over Christmas

Amazing wings. Their hidden gem is the avocado turkey & chicken wrap. Overall, great BBQ.read more

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.