We stopped here for dinner as we really enjoyed the Adel location (one of my 5* ratings) and wanted to try out the new location. In comparison, we were disappointed with the food at this location, but did enjoy the live entertainment as well as the friendly, attentive staff. I ordered the wings (see picture), as we really enjoyed them at Adel, while my wife ordered the medium Pork Tenderloin. The wings weren't as smoky as what we remembered from Adel and I believe they were fried too long (crispy, dry and the meat shrinking / pulling away from the bone). Given the Top 5 rating for his Tenderloins, our expectations were high and we were left disappointed. The portion was small (see picture) and there didn't seem to be a distinct smoky flavor. If you order the Tenderloin, I would recommend trying the large size in hopes that it is a bit more juicy and smoky. The highlight of this visit was the Blueberry Cobbler for dessert (see picture - delicious) and Jesse and the Medicine Men's live entertainment in the bar area (see pictures). Jesse mingled in the crowd during break and was a good enough singer / entertainer that we moved to the bar for another drink and listened through their last song. He did some great classic country music and really seemed to enjoy entertaining us. Todd's FAS: Food: 3 Atmosphere: 4 Service: 4 If you found this review helpful, please click on 'Useful'. read more

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We had seen reviews for this bbq place for awhile and decided to try it. The first thing we noticed was a sweet note on the door from the restaurant owner (you'll have to eat there to find out what the note says but it made us feel even better about giving it a try). Inside of the restaurant has a very laid back country feel and has live music on some evenings. We were there early so was sat on the bar side of the restaurant. Our waitress was so sweet and when we told her that was our first time there, she was kind enough to share what her favorites were with us. We ordered onion rings, the southwest burger, potato salad, Mac n cheese, burnt ends, andouille sausage, and brisket. Burnt ends were best we had in Iowa so far! The other dishes were pretty good...not the best we ever had but still delicious. The downfall to the night was the price of the Moscow mule we ordered. Cost was $15 for a copper cup that was mostly ice. Had I known it was going to cost that much, I wouldn't have ordered it. We'll be back to try some of their other dishes and maybe plan it while we're able to listen to some live music! read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Get a pulled pork sandwich and you are set. The fries are lame so don't count them. The coleslaw is pretty good. This is better then Jethros so go herw. read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich. - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

We were headed to go get Mexican and I saw Big Al's and said I want to try Big Al's instead. It was lunch time. I ordered a hot beef sandwich. The bread was somewhat stale I think because it wasn't that nice soft squish you usually get with a hot beef sandwich. The gravy had a smoked flavor to it, which it is a bbq restaurant, but I don't think it enhanced the meal. I would go back, but I would try something else next time. My husband had brisket and baked beans, those beans were awesome! I'll get something that I can get beans with. The service was good and the food came out with nice timing. read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

This was my first time at big Al's barbecue and I felt very comfortable when I enter the bar It was very warm and inviting. Typical wood on the walls. The bar area at the back dining area out front and it look like they even had a patio area. I decided to order the smoked pork tenderloin sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy including a soft drink in the cost was right around $18 before tip. I was extremely happy with the entire meal. It was very fresh and had a lot of taste and just the right amount of smoke. The staff seemed to be friendly and helpful. My only issue with the restaurant were small gnats that kept flying around our dinner table in the bar area. I felt like I was on a patio swatting flies. I would've given the restaurant a five star if it wasn't for the gnats. read more

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I live closeby and have stopped by a few times for carryout orders. The staff is here top notch and i even briefly spoke to big Al himself. Turns out hes a super nice guy. The food is pricey but well worth it. The burnt ends and bisket are excellent. They also have absolutely bangin sauces. read more

The pork tenderloin loin sandwich was delicious and so was the fried mushrooms. I can't wait to go back and try the brisket that was cooking in their smoker. Great service. And it was great meeting Al too. Such a positive experience. Well done! read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Pork tenderloin sandwich that comes with one side. - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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New location in West DesMoines allowed for convenient pickup. Prepared bbq to serve 20. Plenty of food, great flavors in all side dishes and meats. Big Al was responsive to communication in preparing for the surprise party. Will definitely return and highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Ate GF safely here. No up charge for GF bun was generous. Food was sufficient, not special. Service friendly. read more

AMAZING BBQ! I am from TX and I know BBQ. This place is legit! There were 5 of us and we had Soko as our bartender and waiter. He MADE the event awesome! Great recommendations - we did the full meat platter so we could try everything, the brisket rangoons, and the beef eggrolls. For sides, we had the baked bean, the deviled egg potato salad, and the jalapeno creamed corn. Everything was magically good. I love that Big Al puts some spice into the food, and I love the HUGE smoker out front. We were all full but we kept eating because it was so good. We left nothing. Their homemade BBQ sauce is exactly right - flavorful and tangy without being vinegar-y. It was perfection. read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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My first time here and I thought it was great. Bbq joint but I was looking for a pork tenderloin sandwich and they didn't disappoint ! Great job big Al and crew read more

We just moved to the area and we have found the best BBQ we've ever had! I had the brisket sandwich and my husband had the three meat sampler. The brisket was perfectly smoked and moist. The ribs were fall off the bone delicious. Everything was top notch. Our waitress was attentive even though she was super busy. We even met Big Al, who is possibly the nicest human I've had the pleasure of meeting. He told us about the smoker outside (which you can't miss on the way in due to its size and the heavenly aroma). read more

The sliced beef brisket was mostly blubber. I wasn't expecting to pay 16$ for a small sandwich and to tip as well, for below average food. Over priced and not delicious. read more

Stopped bu after golfing with a buddy and we're greeted by the owner. Great guy. Super nice. Told him I was from Nashville and there's a BBQ restaurant on every block. What should I order. He suggested the smoked breaded pork tenderloin. It was AMAZING! I highly recommend the sandwich. read more

Big Al’s BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Theres a reason the south location closed.........terrible food, brisket mostly jelly like fat. Dont bother with other locations. Terrible service too. read more

Non existent...phone # in service..left message...no call back..please change status of business...wasted 2 hours traveling and searching for business...very disappointed...really zero stars read more

Our quest for good BBQ in Des Moines continues. Many members of our family like this place, but this is a "no thank you" from us. Maybe we're just too picky. Although the wood smoke smelled terrific on the way in the door, that was about the best part of our experience. The first issue was with what I assume is a pandemic response - no hard copy menu. Instead, you scan a QR code, then have to peer at tiny print on your phone. I don't have a problem with the idea, but a paper copy would be a nice option for people without a smartphone or with vision issues (who knows, maybe it is, but it certainly wasn't offered). It took a while to get our food - another couple came in after us and were served at least five minutes before we got ours. My partner ordered a brisket sandwich (seemed to be about the only way to get brisket), with chips and fries. I had chicken, baked beans and potato salad. The brisket was a chopped, unappealing mix of fatty bits, burned bits and dry bits. The fries were not good (the ketchup tasted weird) but the chips were ok. The chicken was also ok, but messy, and the roll of paper product ("towel" is too nice a word to describe it) was not up to the task if keeping my fingers clean. The potato salad was fine, but the beans were too sweet and had a weird aftertaste - had about two bites before giving up. The soda and tea we had were *huge*, maybe to reduce the need for refills? I prefer fresh refills and it turns out the two drinks alone were $7.50. We can handle disappointment, but the total for this debacle headed toward $50 for two people with fairly modest meals. The staff were pleasant and attentive, but we won't be going back. read more

Wish I could put more stars on this review. Saying the food here is awesome is an understatement. This is the best BBQ I HAVE EVER HAD... simply amazing and mouthwatering. The staff was great and I also was lucky enough to meet BIG AL himself. What an amazing guy and what an awesome restaurant. THANK YOU for this amazing experience read more

If you think this is good BBQ, you've never had good BBQ. Brisket that was 75% fat, sausage was store bought trash, Mac n cheese was microwaved and watery, baked beans were still very firm and tasted unpleasant. Terrible service, and terrible food. Don't waste your time. read more

We were the only diners for an early dinner on a weeknight. The waitress was courteous and patient with us while we decided what to order since this was our first visit to Big Al's. The food arrived promptly. The pulled pork sandwich I had was the most tender and moist pork I have ever had. The homemade kettle chips were too brown and they were hard instead of crisp. The baked beans with burnt ends were delicious. My husband liked his smoked, breaded pork tenderloin. Considering the menu prices, large, white paper napkins would have been appropriate since bbq is always messy. Instead we got 4 half-sized brown paper napkins. Finger wipes would have been appreciated. read more

Called in an order, was told it would be 30 minutes because they just seated 2 tables. Like what? Then it took about 45 minutes before I finally got my food. Mind you, they only had like 4 tables of people on a Saturday night. It was not even busy. My order was over $70 and it was so gross! The ribs all tasted like they were boiled. No seasoning except some bbq on top. Super fatty. The baked beans tasted like they were dumped from a can with some bbq sauce on top. I was super disappointed! read more

Bug Al's is the best damn BBQ west of the Mississippi. His style of BBQ is unsurpassed in taste and quality. A definite must stop! read more

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Oh, my gosh! The burnt ends were perfection! The pulled pork was also very good, but the piece of bread was dry and wasteful. Maybe think about serving the meal with corn bread, or skip the white bread altogether. Great BBQ sauce, too. I could order a meal of burnt ends every day. read more

Great food! Big Al's burger was absolutely the best. Loved having the fried egg on it! Could not eat it all. Took half home. The burnt end baked beans were by far the best beans ever. My boyfriend ordered the pork tenderloin and thoroughly enjoyed it. He ate everything. He also had a local sour beer, Confluence raspberry lemon radler, which he enjoyed. Definitely will go back again when in the area. read more

Awesome barbeque right next to Valley Junction. I tried out Big Al's Big D ... sandwich. It's downright huge and meaty. Seriously enough for two people and everything is fork tender and flavorful. I think its arguably the best pulled pork in Des Moines. You can't go wrong here. Great bar vibe and music on Fridays. The owner is always in house and making rounds. The service is impeccable and friendly. I'll be around pretty regularly that's for sure. read more

Great little spot! First off the owner Al was around all evening, checking in on every table and introducing himself. He really went out of his way to make sure we had everything we wanted and that everything was exactly how it was supposed to be. 10/10 guy, who made our experience so much better. The jalapeño coleslaw is to die for, nice and spicy. The pulled brisket was perfectly tender but crispy at the same time. The ribs were delicious and pulled apart perfectly. The only recommendation I have is that they could get a couple more different bbq sauce options, maybe like a spicy one. Other than that I have great things to say about his bbq spot. We will return back here for good food! read more

I went into your location on Grand avenue this afternoon to get a sandwich to go, I went to the bar to order I asked for a menu Miguel behind the bar gave me a QR reader code I asked is there a menu she said no sorry. Because it was so dark in there my phone could not read the QR code, got frustrated and just left, there should be actual menus for people to read. I have a friend of mine who does not use a smartphone what would she do in such a situation? read more

Delicious food. Love their ham and I'm not a ham fan The service is friendly. A wonderful place to eat. Always a food destination for me.

The BBQ is excellent! I carried out Ribs, Wings, and pulled pork for the Super Bowl. The hot BBQ sauce is awesome. I highly recommend this place. Bring your appetite! read more

Didn't know what to expect but the food was fantastic and kids meals are super reasonable. Will definitely be visiting again!

Killer BBQ! Best onion rings I've had in years!! Great service! Eat here, you'll be happy you did!

Went for dinner before heading downtown for a concert - gave ourselves 1 1/2 hours before concert started. Arrived and were seated right away. There were only 3 other tables with customers. Took 10 minutes before someone took our order. We both ordered the Big Al brisket (I ordered small size with potato salad - he ordered medium size with fries). It took 40 minutes for it to come and it wasn't even right! My husband's "medium" was a tiny sandwich and the fries had so much salt he couldn't eat them. Mine wasn't ever right (a totally wrong item). I sent it back and we didn't have time to wait for another plate. We won't be going back there again!! read more

Was there on Sunday evening at 6:30. They were out of bbq brisket, sliced brisket, burnt ends and ribs. Sadly, the items we were able to choose were mediocre. Service was fair. Do not recommend. Plenty of better bbq in Des Moines. read more

First off I'd like to start by saying, what great customer service! All the staff made us feel welcome like we were regulars, but it was literally our first time there. There were also tons of options on the menu! Our meals were a little on the pricey side and thought portions would be a little bit more for what I paid, but the food was absolutely delicious! Will be going back. What a hidden gem! read more

Food was slow, time to get check even slower. Seated at dirty table. Food was mediocre, some of it cold. My smoked pork sandwich had no smoke flavor on the pork. Served on Texas Toast, untoasted so thick white bread that is. Gravy tasted like it was out of a jar. Others in party were disappointed too. Twangy country music was a bit overpowering as well. read more

Excellent food and service! You don't want to miss out on this place. Hands down one of the best BBQ places in Des Moines!!

Amazing food and amazing service. First time here and I felt like part of the family. The brisket is delicious along with the baked beans and jalapeño creamed corn. I will come back again and again. read more

I would like to start by saying we have always been fans of big als' bbq. When they were located on east side and when they were still open off of Armypost rd. When we saw they were in wdsm we were excited bc we were celebrating my fiance getting a part in a commercial. I ordered the brisket sandwich and my fiance ordered the burnt ends sandwich. Service was good but the food im sorry to say was deplorable. My brisket looked like chunks of little gobs of fat. It was like ground up? It was by no means what brisket would even resemble. Just the look of the meat made me lose my appetite. My fiances burnt ends were like 5x the size of what a burnt end would be and they were soooooo old. The edges werent seared, they were dried out. We have 2 dogs. One is an alaskan malamute, 105 lbs. And the other is a siberian husky, 80 lbs. I REFUSED TO TAKE HOME ANY LEFT OVERS. And believe me when i say we had a lot left over....I was afraid of my animals getting sick from his food. And to top it off. My fiance puked as soon as we got home AND I woke up in the middle of the night puking as well! WE WILL NEVER GO BACK. I understand it co-vid, but im still human! Smh.... read more

I have been here twice in the last couple of months and both times the food and service were AMAZING! Coming from Texas we're hyper-critical of BBQ places to eat, so giving this 5 stars really means a 10 lol! The array of flavor choices you have on the menu are so different, yet the owner has combined them superbly. The brisket crab rangoon...the BEST. Loaded nachos to noodles and mashed potatoes, this place really has it all as well as live music on certain nights. The staff was excellent and the owner was in house this last time we dined in. He was caring, fun, and just worked his entire restaurant of customers in the most genuine manner. Speaking to each of us, giving all the kids toys, and making sure everyone was happy. You do not find these types of great business owners (or even good humans) often, or ever. But you can tell this owner is different. Give it a try and you'll love it!! Sorry no pictures- we stuffed our faces to quickly! read more

This place is great! I had a baseball tournament nearby. They knew I was in a hurry to get to my games and they got my food out extra fast for us. BBQ was delicious read more