We came here on my birthday. We were disappointed that they were sold out of the smoked bone-in chicken, since that was what we had come for. But I'm not going to downgrade a restaurant because they are sold out of a signature food item. It takes time to make smoked meats and you can't just pull it out of a freezer like they would do at some places. They did have the smoked chicken breast. So we got that along with the fried catfish. It was all good so I can't complain more than a little. Their sides are really good, I love the spicy pickle mix. I also got the elote and it was delicious. Next time I come here, if they are out of the chicken, I will probably just order a bunch of side dishes. They have so many that's it's hard to decide on just 2. Service was great. Ambiance is nice. There is a big sports screen and they were showing the Little League College World Series. Last time I went they were showing something unusual too but I can't remember what it was. Just that it was more interesting than the usual. Which fits, because their food is much more delicious and interesting than you can get at "the usual" barbecue places. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Sauces - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Sorry no pics. I have been too busy munching....next time Gadget...Next time.... Anyhow, onto the food. I went to Pinkerton's in San Antonio Texas, and the BBQ was unbelievable there. Just amazing. I have also had the BBQ in the KC MCI Airport where they serve really good drafts alongside their really good BBQ. These guys are not like Pinkerton's where you are in a line up picking out your meats and sides cafeteria style. This place was the sit down with a menu and make your selections type of place. This is not a downside by any means...just different than what I experienced in Texas, more like the place at the MCI Airport. Anyways, hubby, son, and I selected the burnt ends, pulled pork, chicken, kielbasa sausage, double order of brisket, and ribs. Sides we chose included slaw, Mac n cheese, cornbread, and fried onions. All of the sides were really tasty, I can't choose a favorite, because I really liked all of them. The meats were all tender, the chicken was slightly on the drier side, but the rib meat fell off the bone, the sausage was juicy, the pulled pork was just right in flavor and tenderness, the burnt ends were amazing, and the brisket was tender and quite flavorful. And on the side of all of this loveliness were the sauces. You got 3 kinds to choose from: Spicy, sweet, and the traditional bbq. I liked all three. Hubby liked to mix all 3 together. And son of mine preferred the sweet one. We were dead silent aside from the sounds of yum coming from us. It reminded us of the MCI airport bbq place. Servers were pleasant, the place was clean as well. This was a very pleasant surprise to find here in Omaha. I will most definitely come back again! read more

Always amazing! Special deals, Wednesday night, burnt ends, Friday night smoked prime rib dinner. Today we enjoyed their appetizer of a bacon wrapped meatball covered in barbecue sauce, sounds weird, but it was absolutely delicious! Got the inside scoop that the menu is about to undergo some changes so keep your eyes and ears open! Parking in the area can be tight. There is metered parking on the street and dedicate parking next to the building, but it fills up fast during peak hours. Full bar, Local beers on tap. Great service as we are always pleasantly greeted and pampered. Great music for classic rock, lovers and super cool wood community table down the center of the restaurant. Open daily for most of the day, including mid afternoon, closed Mondays. This is a must stop when you're craving some great barbecue! read more

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Wow I was pleasantly surprised I e tried a lot of bbq here. But this place takes the cake. I ordered the brisket which was tasty and fatty the short ribs that had a lot of flavor and the sausage that was juicy a melt in your mouth delicious. The service was great Emma the server was nice and helpful. It's of seating and tvs to watch on. Don't sleep in this place. So worth it and the vibes are just as good. read more

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Definitely not fresh BBQ. I eat alot of BBQ and we decided to try this place on the way through town. Nothing tasted fresh. Brisket, Definitely not fresh sliced, more like precut chuck roast, dry tasteless and not a lick of smoke flavor or smoke ring. Jalapeño sausage was just heated up and cut up and thrown on the plate. No frills. Sauces are mediocre. Mac and cheese is made with pre-made cheese sauce. Most the food was just barely warm. Ambiance was decent and service was ok but everyone working looked like they didn't want to be there. We eventually didn't want to be there either. read more

Best dang bbq I've had ever! The chicken and catfish was perfect! Clean inside and staff was attentive. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Had the Happy Heifer(brisket) the meat was tender and tasty. My husband had the prime rib sandwich. He loves prime rib and said this was some of the best he has had. Service was great. read more

Celebrated my birthday with a late lunch at Boxer Barbeque. This place was recommended to us by several friends and it did not disappoint! It was my good fortune to visit on Wednesday which is the only day that Burnt Ends are offered. The meat was tender and flavorful--loved it. My wife had the Moo'ing Pig sandwich and enjoyed it. Our sides were Cornbread, Baked Beans, Onion Rings, and Elote Corn. Each was good, although the Elote was a bit spicy for my wife. Perhaps best of all was the dessert: Fried Caramel Apple Bread Pudding with ice cream on the side. So amazing! Service was good and the decor was rustic and interesting. All in all, a top notch place to celebrate! read more

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Boxers Barbecue completely blew us away! My partner ordered the Mooing Pig sandwich--an epic combo of beef brisket and pulled pork--and topped it off with their spicy sauce. Each table comes stocked with sweet, smoky, and spicy options, and the spicy one was so interesting. Tons of flavor without overwhelming heat--perfectly balanced and surprisingly manageable. Might not be hot enough for some, but it was my favorite by far. I did the pick-two plate with brisket and catfish, and wow. The catfish stole the show! A massive, perfectly cooked piece with the most incredible tartar sauce--chunky with real herbs, not what you'd expect at a BBQ joint but seriously next-level. And the cornbread--oh my gosh. It's dense like cake, not too sweet, and could easily pass for dessert. Total showstopper. Service was friendly and quick, and the whole place has that laid-back, welcoming feel. We'll definitely be back to this Council Bluffs classic. Don't miss it! read more

Boxer Barbeque - 2 meat platter, catfish and brisket with fries and corn bread. - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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The food was amazing! Hot, fresh, delivered to the table promptly, and the presentation was great too! The servers were polite, kind, helpful, and gave great suggestions for the menu. The servers were attentive and yet not so much that I couldn't enjoy my meal. The vibe is friendly and welcoming to all! Such a comfortable place to have an awesome meal after a long week, or even after a long day at work! I started with the calamari with bang bang sauce!! Delish! Then, I had the smoked prime rib, which came out perfectly. Melted like hot butter with each and every bite. The creamy horseradish sauce was great and I am not a huge horseradish fan at all! I had the elote corn on the cob and the potato salad. Both were delicious sides. The fried caramel apple pie bread pudding with ice cream was a fantastic way to finish the meal!! Would absolutely recommend!! read more

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I'm finally getting back here after a few years, and it does not disappoint! We rolled in around noon, and just a few other tables were seated, and some take out orders were ready to go, but we were seated very quickly. I love the selection of beers they have. Some odd stuff and then your usual ones. The interior is still the same, but it's a very good look that matches the type of building and very clean place. The waitress we had, i am pretty sure we had the first time. Awesome person to chat with and very attentive but not hovering, haha! I can't wait to come back again. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Seasonal menu item - Parm Fries with the Horsey sauce on side cuz my ole lady dsnt like horseradish as much - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Best BBQ in town! Highly recommend the Mac n cheese, elote, honey corn bread, happy heifer sandwich, pulled pork sandwich. Starting to get more drink options too, had a really good mule. Food is sooo fast. Never had a wait. Great location too! read more

Wednesday Burnt Rib Ends! Ooo! Yummy! Friendly service. Beautiful handmade wooden slab communal center bar. If you like BBQ, this is the place. Sides are delicious. Teeny bit pricey. Charming old downtown Council Bluffs building. Thank you, CB, for preserving old structures- not like neighbor across the river. read more

The food was mediocre at best. The meat was served lukewarm. The waitress barely came to check on us, we had empty drinks half dinner. Not one time did she ask how the food was. I did like the baked beans. We didn't get our appetizer we ordered either read more

Late review but worth it. I stopped by this establishment in Council Bluffs a couple of weeks ago. I was home for the Omaha Native day festival. I was bummed out to find out that there are not any legitimate barbecue joints left on the north side, so it sent me searching for new barbecue spots around town. After perusing a couple of reviews and yelp, I decided to try out Boxer. While it was the furthest location of the three establishments I considered, it was well worth the drive. I ended up ordering a variety of items including their ribs, brisket and sausage. All three were really good, but the Star Of The Show was definitely the brisket. Really tender and you could tell it was smoked, not baked. I definitely recommend this spot to anybody visiting the area looking for legitimate barbecue. You will not be disappointed. read more

passing through council bluffs picked up a menu at the Fairfield Inn and decided that would be perfect. we split an order of Pulled Pork Barbecue Nachos and it was amazing. most tender pork I ever had. service was friendly and engaging. We plan on returning on our way back in a couple weeks for the St Louis Ribs. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

What a great find! Stumbled across this restaurant while at a farmers market last night. We had a hard time choosing because everything on the menu sounded so good! Sandwiches, Salads, Entrees, 2 & 3 meat plates. Rack Ribs, Brisket, Catfish and they have Prime Rib on the weekends! Prices were very reasonable too. Sandwiches included two sides, which was a huge bonus. We loved the Elote corn, which was served as about half a cob on a stick. The corn bread had a glossy buttery topping. The inside is clean and remodeled. The service was excellent. Kudos to the owners! I'll be back! read more

Arrived a few minutes before 6:00 p.m.. at 7:10 p.m. still no food. We were told multiple times your food is coming your food is coming. We were also told that they are putting it on the plates as we speak. Then she come out and said your food is coming your food is coming. Oh don't let me forget this part when our food was supposed to be arriving she then come out and told us we are now waiting on the food that has to be fried. So I'm confused as to why we were told that our food is coming. Could not believe that happened. The owners were present and you would have thought they would at least come over and apologize for the inconvenience or said something. I did mention to our server hey I noticed that there's a lot of food going out the door so I was kind of wondering what was going on. And she said that all orders going out the door come before in house orders. If that's not backwards I don't know what is. So we Paid for our drinks and left. read more

This is the second time I've been here. I regret not writing a review the first, but am glad I was able to try their Burnt Ends on a Wednesday to talk about because they were the best I've ever had! 1/2 pound of Thick cut chunks of meat, dry rubbed with 3 types of sauce to choose from on the table: Sweet, Smokey, and Spicy. The sweet was my personal favorite. In addition to the burnt end, you get to choose from two side. I went with their corn bread and house made chips. The corn bread has a little glaze on top that makes it extra moist. My only wish is that I had gotten more slices lol. Their house made chips are those traditional kettle chips some other BBQ restaurants have as well. But what sets these apart is their unique dipping sauce. I couldn't put my finger on the exact flavor, but it was delicious! read more

Boxer Barbeque - Burnt ends, house made chips, corn bread, and kids chicken fingers - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

I don't know what happened, but the food wasn't good. I got sick after eating BBQ. Hopefully, this was a one-off.

My wife and I have been here about four times in total. The prices aren't unreasonable, but the food quality and service are hit-and-miss. Sometimes it's good and sometimes bad (e.g., fatty, grisly, and/or cold ribs). We don't feel like taking chances anymore, so we won't be going back. read more

We came here on a Friday night and had one of the best bbq meals ever! Everyone that works here is so friendly and kind. We ordered almost every appetizer and all were incredible. Then the main entries arrived. Everyone loved all the choices. And the sides could be ordered as a meal. Delicious! The best part was out server Brandon! Then the owners Renae & Jeff came and visited with us and it was delightful! read more

Delicious! But needs more Vegan options for the rest of Us! The service is friendly and prompt.

Well first off all the presentation of the food looked horrible! Me and my fiancé have never eaten there so we got the 3 meat platter each to get the full experience since it was our first time trying it. FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPENT the food looked CHEAP!! Like I said it's our first time there and we're really disappointed. First thing wrong was our loaded fries . It's not even loaded fries it ended up being fries CANNED cheese and jalapeños. Wtf . We had it remade. The description of the food and pictures on the website didn't even look like it was from the same place. They forgot one of our BBQ sauces. The sauce they sent with our catfish wasn't even tartar sauce, they sent blue cheese. The blue cheese tasted like a bag of cheese Cheetos. IM NOT EVEN EXAGGERATING !! . The Mac and cheese was trash, very bland and we both took one bite of it each and I swear I threw that shit away, that shit was nasty on god. When we called to talk to the manager she didn't give her name we told her what was wrong with our order and She laughed off our complaint and said the same incident happened earlier with another customer with the tartar sauce getting mixed up with blue cheese... She told us the Mac and cheese isn't made in house we threw that away because it was that bland . We called Boxer BBQ back Her solution was to give us a 10 dollar credit on an 80 dollar order... GO SOMEWHERE ELSE ITS NOT EVEN WORTH IT!! . Idk what's the point of trying to rush me out the door when that place was literally empty. But don't worry people not only did she looked stupid but I made her feel stupid after talking to me tryna rush me out the door . The servers looked like sorry servers. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Everything except the Mac & Cheese cuz it's in the trash . - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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I had an opportunity to try Brisket 2 types of ribs Pulled pork Smoked Chicken Catfish the most notable items for me would be the cornbread (I regret not getting more) and the brisket. To note, most of the bbq imo was more dry rub/less sauce based, so their is sauce on the table to add read more

Delicious food! Loved the brisket!!! Lovely customer service as well. The potato salad was yummy as well, it's not the kind of potato salad I am used to since my family is from the south but I still liked it a lot. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Two Meat Combo: Catfish, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, and Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Looking at Yelp and this place caught my eye, and bbq sounded amazing, so I stopped in for dinner. The inside smelled amazing and I got a seat right away. The waitress stopped by and gave me the menu, and told me about the daily special, which was burnt ends. That sounded really good to me so I ordered a pound of them because I was super hungry. The food came out fast and I was super impressed with the presentation of it all. The burnt ends looked amazing, you could see how juicy they were and the smell was making my mouth water. I also got mac and cheese and cornbread. It was love at first bite! The burnt ends were cooked perfectly and basically melted in your mouth and the 2 sides were perfect as well. I struggled to finish it all because I was so full at the end, but I wasn't going to let once ounce of that delicious food go to waste. I would highly recommend this place and I would for sure come back to eat here! read more

Boxer Barbeque - Burnt ends - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Delicious BBQ! Liked the brisket, ribs, elote, and cornbread the most! A great option is to get two three meat combo plates that each come with two sides. This was a good amount of food for two couples and we each got to try a lot! read more

Boxer Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

The food was great. I loved the brisket and catfish. My son liked their mac and cheese. Be sure to try the cornbread.

I went to the new location, (ran by owners who purchased Boxer last year), a few weeks ago to experience the delicious BBQ that I had years ago when they had a sit-down restaurant; but sadly it isn't the same at all. I ordered a sandwich that had brisket and pulled pork on it. Before I took a bite, I tasted both meats separately. The brisket had the same consistency as roast beef: dry and tasteless. (Look at the pic I posted and you can agree.) The pulled pork was okay but lacked flavor. It's liked they took meat that was smoked days ago and simply microwaved them. The sides I got were the cheesy hash-browns, which were meh, and the baked beans, which were good. My daughter got the chicken strips and fries and both were good. I got a half order of their deep fried bread pudding and ice cream for dessert. That was definitely a unique dessert, but a pretty good one. All in all, the thing that they need to do well, isn't good. I don't think I'll be going back any time soon. read more

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I'm from Texas so you know we think we are the best at BBQ (and are usually right!) but this place holds it's own on some delish BBQ! We came as a large party and sat at the massive table in the middle of the restaurant. Staff was spot on taking care of our group. We ordered a chilled wine which came on ice in a beer bucket which was hilarious and so BBQ style. Food was excellent all around. I had a combo pork and brisket sandwich to have a chance to try both meats. The side options are unique like hash brown casserole and a house made corn bread. Beautiful building in downtown CB. read more

Boxer Barbeque - Inside - Barbeque Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Very cute atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff. Asked for suggestions on what to eat, they offered three different suggestions. We both ordered the Happy Heifer. I had cornbread and Mac n cheese. My husband had the beans and Mac n cheese. They both tasted alright, typical for bbq. I don't think the Mac n cheese was made from real cheese. The brisket was nice and juicy, just needed a kick with flavor. We have been spoiled eating bbq in North Carolina. But for the Midwest it was pretty good. I want to try the nachos next time read more

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I've loved boxer BBQ since it's was over by the Broadway and Kanesville intersection. Back then I would go there and get brisket by the pound, the meat was so tender and juicy, melted in your mouth, with a great smoky flavor. Some things never change.... Went to their new location on main street and got the sampler plate, with brisket, pork and ribs, and the brisket was still melt in your mouth, tender and juicy. The ribs were falling off the bone, the pork was flavorful even without sauce, and then the sauces... 3 to choose from, I couldn't make up my mind which one I liked best. I would have given the new location a 5 start rating except the portions were much smaller than they used to be and the prices were kinda high, so the value isn't as good as it used to be. Still, the food was great, the ambiance was nice, and the service was good, so all in all its still one of my favorite BBQ places. read more

Amazing food. Stopped passing through. Love the ribs and fried catfish. Also loved their bbq sauces.

Got burned on the two meat combo. Says $18 on the menu but I didn't notice it's an extra $3 per meat if you order brisket and ribs. $18 went $24. Not enough food there for $24. Wasn't planning on spending $30 on lunch after soda and tip. I can't justify spending that, can't eat there again. Food came out fast and was fine. read more

Food was fantastic! Ambiance was good. Wait staff was great, except for some guy (I think the GM) that was super weird, asking about a "two bite review" and Generally Making things uncomfortable in the restaurant. Maybe that's what a GM does, but Why? read more

Always great! They have the best brisket around. Service is always fantastic. Would recommend anyone who likes BBQ to give it a try

The only thing getting slow cooked at Boxer BBQ is going to be your patience. Waited an 1 hour and 13 minutes for our meals. It's always great to see practically every party arriving 30 minutes after you get their food, eat, and leave before you're served. Food arrived cold, so we just had them microwave it. The brisket was average, but the Brussels sprouts salad and Mac & Cheese were great. Server was nice; speed, communication, and food QA has quite the journey ahead of it. read more

I have ordered take out twice for group gatherings of 15 people and was unhappy with both experiences at Boxer BBQ for a few different reasons to include timeliness, lack of communication on unavailable items, and substitution without notification. In both instances, the orders were placed online 3 to 4 hours ahead of time to ensure the food would be ready at the requested time to correlate with the timeline for the scheduled events. Visit#1 - Arrived to pick up the order due at 4:40pm and was informed they were out of pulled chicken. This order was placed online several hours earlier in the day and there was no contact by Boxer BBQ when the order was placed to revise order. They opted for customer notification at time of arrival to pick up order. Therefore, a new item had to be selected with a 20 minute wait for the order to be prepared. Visit#2 - This order was also placed online several hours prior to pick up. There was a note added to the order "arrival time will be 4:40 pm please ensure food in prepared and ready". In addition, a call was placed to the restaurant prior to submitting the online order to confirm pulled chicken was available for the order. The staff verified this item was available and the order was submitted. Arrived on time and food was ready. Arrived home and there was no pulled chicken but sliced smoked chicken instead. It is very disappointing when catering an event with an expenditure of $150-$200 (with tips included for staff) each time and not receive the service and food expected. read more

Boxer is really good. I've tried much of the menu and I've never had any bad food here, but the portion sizes for the sides can be a bit on the smallish side, considering how expensive it is. I mean it is BBQ after all, and all BBQ is expensive, plus it's a locally owned place. The service is always very good, and they have a large drink selection. They have 3 sauces at the tables, one is regular, one is spicy, and one is smoky, and all are good. Their new location downtown is in a beautiful old building, and it also has off street parking so you don't have to pay a meter. This is a good place to go if you have a craving for food that is smoky and tasty. Also, try the cornbread, you won't be sorry that you did! read more