Just had a great experience at Buzzard Billy's. The food was genuinely impressive. Everything came…read moreout hot, fresh, and full of flavor. I had the Crescent City Chicken, and it was enough food for two. The kitchen was clearly putting in the effort. But the standout was our server, Allianna. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel genuinely welcome. She checked in at the right times without hovering and had a way of making everyone at the table feel taken care of. I highly recommend Buzzard Billy's for its great food and excellent staff.

May 4, 2026. Monday. Dinner…read more I hadn't eaten all day. Had an almost seven hour delay in DFW due to a broken monorail and false gate information on the American Airlines phone application. I'd missed my connection and got bumped by a last minute female runner even though I was first on the standby list. I stepped off the hotel shuttle, checked into my room, dropped off my baggage and walked here for dinner. Needless to say, I walked in the door quite hungry. I sat at the bar for the quickest service. I ordered a local lager, Des Moines Exile's Maria lager ($6.75/5% ABV). To eat, I seldom go wrong with fried catfish. This time I got the fried catfish strips, with tartar sauce, 2 large hush puppies, and a bunch of fries ($16.99). The smooth lager hit the spot and the fried dinner really filled me up. Catfish average, hush puppies had great texture and taste, and fries were hot. The bartender/waitress really wasn't too attentive. Spent most of the time talking to other customers and staff. I ordered another lager from Exile. This one was an award winning Ruthie Gold lager ($7/4.9% ABV). I preferred this lager to the first one. It had a more rounded taste and mouthfeel. The huge meal didn't wow me, but it did feel me up. Thumbs up to the two local lagers I tried. They were good. Come here if you need a large meal and mediocre service.

Great little place in downtown area, fast service, breakfast was well portioned for what you pay,…read morehot and good. Definitely heading back again soon.

Love this place. Double Ds! Everything was good and service was great. Got the bacon cheeseburger…read moreand daughter got the pancakes. Has the small town diner feel. We will be back regularly

Food was decent- especially the sweet potato waffle fries…read moreLots of TVs A bit on the pricey side

Beer and an appetizer was $31 before tax and tip. The service was great. The food was too salty,…read moreonly finished half. It was hot and muggy inside, lots of flies. Yes, that's August in the Midwest, but seemed over the top for that price point. Nice, but won't be back.

Smash & Grab Burger Co. Knoxville…read more Passing through Knoxville and the truck pulls hard into Smash & Grab. Got it to go. We both got the Jesse's Function Burger: two smash patties; only ketchup, mustard, pickle onion, and cheese on a brioche bun. The presentation was fabulous. The patties had crispy lace edges with great beef flavor, fresh red onion and crisp pickles that just takes you to hamburger heaven. Perfect beef to bun ratio. Juicy and full of flavor. The bun was soft and held up well. The flavor is fantastic. Fries. I am not a huge fry person and can take it or leave it. These fries are phenomenal. I love the fries. They are like battered seasoned fries or something, possibly dusted with food crack because I actually ate half an order. Very tasty. The service was excellent. They also have the 3% CC Fee, so it's not just Des Moines area. Paid cash and no CC fee, plus no issues just great customer service and fresh fantastic food. The fries are included and not extra. I came through a couple weeks before and got a couple of the other burgers on the menu, but made some modifications. I wanted to try just a plain burger and it's definitely a solid burger. The smash sauce and other toppings can hide the flavor, so wanted to strip it down. However they have a lot of different options and everything I have had has been fresh and delicious. I have tried the "Get in my Belly, Jack & Jelly" on a Brioche Bun and it was excellent. Definitely will keep returning. #IABestBurger Iowa Beef Council

Nailed it on the smash patty. Very creative burger options. Cream cheese on a Philly burger is a…read morenice touch. There was a special today called The Dutchess: Dutch letter cream cheese, homemade raspberry jam, white cheddar. Very creative and the flavors were incredible. Fries are also perfect. Ambiance is simple. Good job!!! Clean plates!

Very lively BBQ spot!! They have a decent sized parking lot, which is good because this place is…read morealways busy. It can get pretty full and loud, probably because they're great for large groups and families. The atmosphere is very fun. I like that they have meat challenges and their news articles all over the walls. They also have a big bar and plenty of TVs to watch games. The BBQ was pretty good! I got the Two BBQ Dinner 2 Meat: Pulled pork, pulled chicken, Campfire baked beans, and jalapeño cream corn. The BBQs sauces on the table really helped it. The classic is rich and sweet, and the hot had a bit of kick to it. The meat was tender. The baked beans were pretty good- I liked that it was a variety of beans. The jalapeño creamed corn wasn't spicy in the least but it was still my favorite. It was creamy and warm!! Service was nice and it didn't take too long, even with how crowded it was.

We stumbled upon this BBQ spot right across from the Adventureland campgrounds, and honestly it was…read morethe perfect find after a long day. The vibe is exactly what you want from a casual BBQ joint laid back, a little loud, TVs on, and that classic neighborhood bar feel. Super easy, no pressure, just good food and a place to hang out. We ordered a mix of things to try and everything came out hot and packed with flavor. The wings were crispy and saucy (definitely a highlight), and the waffle fries were seasoned perfectly and so good dipped in their ranch. The BBQ plate was super solid too tender, smoky meat with classic sides like green beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread that felt comforting and homemade. Also have to mention the chips and queso moment, simple but hit the spot. Service was friendly and quick, which made it even better after a long day of traveling and being outside. Overall, if you're staying at Adventureland or passing through, this is such an easy, satisfying stop. Nothing fancy, just good, hearty BBQ and a fun atmosphere. Would definitely come back.

Great food and service setting is nice great atmosphere and people the ambiance is greatread more

Made an impulse stop here at Jethros on my way to the airport. I had the western burger with a side…read moreof coleslaw. It was OK but better than airport food. It has a very large bar that was full with locals and kind of rowdy but I enjoyed the people watching. Typical barbecue joint dining area.

We stopped into Kelly's Little Nipper after our trip to the Botanical Gardens and somehow ended up…read morehanging out with a room full of friends we didn't even know we had. The bartenders, Skye and Hailey, were awesome -- super fun, welcoming, and made us feel like special guests right away. They were even coming up with new holiday drinks just for us. Bree also deserves a shoutout -- she wasn't even working but clearly loves the place and was hanging out with us. And yes, the chocolate cake shots were amazing. Thanks, Bree. We were snacky but not starving, so we ordered the nachos. I won't overhype them -- solid bar nachos with plenty of cheese and toppings. We tried the brisket nachos. I'm not personally a fan of smoked meat on nachos, but Kim loved them, which is really what counts. They were also great about keeping the spicy stuff on the side. We were hoping for live music, but it ended up being canceled that night -- no big deal, we were still having too much fun. We ended up chatting with the owner, who sold us a bottle of their house vodka, "Why Not," and told us the story behind how it came to be. That kind of personal touch says a lot. The vodka itself was surprisingly smooth -- honestly good enough to sip. Great vibe, great people, and one of those places where you walk in as strangers and leave feeling like regulars. We'll definitely be back!!

I'm dissapointed in me for not getting here sooner. It's a bit out of my normal travel routes, but…read morenonetheless it is worth a short diversion for excellent food, personable and friendly service, a cool vibe, and great drinks. It's a small place which makes for semi-forced socialization (that's a good thing folks!). The menu has lots of options, and the prices are VERY reasonable. There are a few specialty drinks..try the 'Why Not Lemonade' for a little extra kick of vodka in your drink. Jeff, the owner, was our server, and he's a very friendly guy who knows the long history of his establishment, and who provides phenominal service. I got the Chicken Philly Sandwich with onion rings. The Philly was one of the best I've had--lots of gooey cheese and wonderfully flavored chicken. My wife got the Steak Sandwich. A MOUND of steak bites, with a great flavoring on them. The fries and onion rings were both great! We even got a delicious sweet treat to top off our meal. This is a decidedly casual place, and it's mostly street parking in the area, but we didn't have any problem finding a spot. The outdoor seating is a handful of large tables, so you can bring a group or make new friends. The inside is pretty compact, with a nice bar and a few tables. Highly recommended!!

We were in town for a basketball tournament at the IYAF complex and were looking for a place to do…read morea team dinner. Central Standard was so easy to work with to make a reservation for a group of 25. I called a week in advance and placed the reservation. Then the day of the reservation I had to add a couple more people, then our game got done early, so asked if we could come earlier. Each accommodation was met with such friendliness. Our server was great! Must be used to dealing with big groups. We enjoyed our food as well. My family got the garlic teriyaki dry rub wings as an appetizer, they were good! I ordered the mushroom Swiss burger - delicious! And got the tater tots - probably the best tater tots I've ever had. Perfectly salty!

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $29 05/09/2026 Yet another return trip to Central Standard, this time with our son and daughter-in-law as an early Mother's Day celebration. Tonight we started by sharing a Pretzel & Beer Cheese appetizer (see picture). While I don't often order pretzels, this was a great combination of texture (soft / tearable) and flavor (buttery with tasty seasonings) that I really enjoyed! For dinner, my wife ordered Traditional Wings (see picture) while I opted for the Oh No! burger (see picture). While we both enjoyed the wings, sweet potato fries and a side order of tots, we both found the burger to be well done and a bit on the dry side to our tastes.