ShortE's BBQ was a really pleasant surprise. I had the ribs and smoked wings, and both were excellent. 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. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Ribs Racks Smoked Wings Mac and Cheese Seasoned Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

There are a few BBQ options in the area, but this one is one of the better ones. Nice atmosphere, feels like a traditional hole in the wall BBQ joint. At one point you ordered at the counter, but recent visits have had table service. My go to order is the Texas Mike sandwich. This masterpiece has thick sliced brisket and chopped brisket along with cheesy corn and bbq beans on 2 slices of Texas toast. I like to remove the top slice and eat it like an open faced sandwich. The brisket is super tender and the beans and corn add a nice amount of flavor and texture. I add their sweet sauce, but the spicy is good too. It comes with an additional side, so add the seasoned fries. They are crispy with a nice seasoning. And again, pair with the sweet sauce. Give them a try. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Texas Mike - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

Great service and great brisket, I like the spicy sauce. Great atmosphere...This place does it right! read more

ShortE's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

I had the pleasure of stopping in this restaurant for lunch. They have a decent sized private parking lot. The dining area is also a pretty good size, with televisions to watch. You will also find a patio at the front of the restaurant to dine as well. There are an assortment of barbecue sauces on all of the tables, so I am sure that you will find one that suits your taste. They offer all the BBQ regulars including ribs, brisket, smoked wings, pulled pork and sausage. Be sure to check out their daily specials too. It could save you some money. They also have a bar for those looking to get some adult beverages. The staff there was very friendly and helpful. You place your order at the counter and then if you are dining in they will bring it out to you at your table. I ordered the burnt ends meal with fries and baked beans. It took about 8 minutes for my food to brought to me at my table. The burnt ends were very flavorful and tasty. The fries were good and the baked beans were decent, but were not up there with the best that I have had. All-in-all, I really liked my meal. If you are in the mood for some good "Q" I highly recommend checking this place out. They have top notch service, a great atmosphere and delicious food. read more

See all

I see you, Shortes. Deliciously smoked wings, melt in your mouth burnt ends and THE Best coleslaw. It had crunch! The sauce was classic. Not too sweet or vinegary. Just right! Goldilocks herself would approve. My only suggestions is to have napkins and wipes at the table or for staff to offer up front. Also, the blue cheese dressing could use an improvement as it tasted like basic bottled and instead of complimenting the food and flavors, it dragged it down a bit. Shout out for all the wonderful craft beer offerings, I think most, possibly all were from Iowa. We tested the water and tried out some basic staples for BBQ joints. We will definitely be back to try out their other menu items as they all look delicious. read more

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

Great little place, waitress was friendly and informative. Recommended the Shorte's fries, they are delicious, we got them with the brisket which was tender and full of flavor. I got the Mac attack, to be honest it's way too much, but so good. It will be lunch tomorrow. Mac and cheese is creamy and rich. Husband got the ribs and brisket. Tender, sweet rub before smoking, great flavor throughout. Our waitress was great, im sorry I didn't catch her name. We will definitely be back read more

OMG!! SOOOOOOO GOOOOD! First time here. I got a full rack of ribs with 2 sides . It was only 25 dollars. It was worth twice that much just for the ribs they were so good. Server was very nice. Checked on us several times. Very nice place . They have outdoor seating. Definitely will be back. read more

See all

The sauces are insanely good, the fries??!!! Amazing and they're super quick, great stop for a quick lunch!! 10/10

Nestled not far off of 86th St in a strip between a martial arts studio and a UPS Store... We walked in at about 1120 am or so on this past Saturday and were greeted almost immediately. We had our pick of tables and chose one along the South wall. Dining room seating was all low top tables and chairs as far as I could see. Lots of TVs airing college basketball today. Our drink orders were taken almost as fast as we were seated. They offer a full bar and Pepsi products. Service throughout the meal was fast and friendly! The menu is pretty big with lots of choices crossing all budgets and dietary preferences. We started out with a ShortE's Bacon Bomb and I ordered a burnt ends entree with loaded potatoes and mac n cheese. My gf ordered a sliced turkey plate with loaded potatoes and tater tots. She wasn't a huge fan of the bacon bomb. I really liked it. Kind of a manly pork loaded sushi roll! The meats were perfect. Couldn't have been done any better! The mac n cheese and tater tots were great. The meals come with two halves of Texas toast. There are four different BBQ sauces on the tables; sweet, spicy, Texas, and carolina. I'm always mixed on sauces. I like to try them for fun, but good BBQ rarely needs a sauce. Their meats didn't. I'm a fan of potato casseroles. The cheesy potatoes at Whatcha Smokin', the hallelujah potatoes at Cornbred. Neither of us cared for the loaded potatoes. I liked that I could taste bacon and some of the seasoning. The shredded potatoes in the dish seemed bony and dry. Neither of us were a fan. HOWEVER... This is a personal preference and one bump does not make for a bad meal. Next time I'll just pick a different side. I'd put the meat at ShortEs up against the best of anywhere and I want to check out their colossal sandwiches. I saw a couple being carried to other tables and... Wow! Definitely worth a visit if you haven't been already! https://shortesbbq.com/ read more

The service here is pretty fast, the food is mid. The macaroni was runny and didn't have much flavor. The burnt ends were ok but nothing to brag about. They had no crispness to them either. I wouldn't go back but if you like bbq that's just ok but kind of pricey, this is your place. The tots were good and the sweet sauce were really nice. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Burnt Ends - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

I loved the food. The staff was amazing and always making jokes, in particular I really loved the ribs the meat was so tender and juicy. Overall this was one of the best barbecue spots I have ever tasted. I really loved the ambiance of the place too. read more

Took advantage of ShortE's wing special! Can't beat ShortE's wings at regular price, but when they run this special, especially on college football Saturday, these are a MUST! We're ready in 15 min from when ordered over the phone. read more

ShortE's BBQ - 12 wings: sweet bbq and kickin' garlic parm - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

Cute little place. Open Thursday thru Saturday nights. Love the spicy corn Yum!! great meats tried the pork, brisket, wings and my friend had the ribs. Waitress was friendly. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Pulled Pork, Cheesy Corn, Chopped Brisket, baked BBQ Beans, Texas toast and Smoked Wings. - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

Tried this place out on a Saturday night and the food didn't disappoint. They were out of sliced brisket which is typical for good BBQ later on a Saturday night, we will be back for that. We had turkey, pulled chicken, pulled pork, cornbread, spicy corn, beans, and coleslaw. The meat was smoky, tender, and juicy. Definitely a great BBQ establishment and a must try. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Turkey Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

Fast service and outstanding food. Staff is always friendly and helpful. Patio is great when the weather is nice.

FINALLY.....a BBQ joint that's worth a crap! Awesome food. Friendly staff. Reasonable prices.

This place was the bomb. I had to give them two stars for having Carolina BBQ sauce alone. That seems to be a rare commodity in the DSM metro area. Crinkle-cut fries are on offer, but they come seasoned with a BBQ rub. The beans are smoked and have excellent flavor. I want to say pulled pork was combined with the beans as well. The sliced brisket was tender and not overly cooked. I also had the ham. The portions were very generous and our waitress made sure to check in with us to see if we were satisfied with our meal. The fountain drink situation is a little confusing--the waitress brings you your glass with the drink filled, but there's a fountain in the middle of the restaurant. Perhaps its to control product theft. Would love a little clarification on it! read more

Burnt ends are killer. Sauce was on point. Kid approved. Good service. I'm glad this place has stuck around as long as it has.

We met another couple who regularly frequent ShortE's to give it a try. The food was very good! We went during the evening and seated ourselves at a table and the server came over to take our drink orders. There are a couple of wines, an assortment of beers, and some spirits. I asked about a martini and was told they couldn't do that because they don't have the correct glasses, so I opted for one of the beers. A couple of others in our group got a beer as well. Drinks are reasonably priced, but selection is a bit limited. The food is reasonably priced and we all enjoyed our choices very much. I got the 2 meat platter, which comes with a choice of 2 sides. I anticipated having enough to take some home for lunch the next day and was not dissapointed! I got brisket, which was exceptionally tender and flavorful, and the chopped chicken, which was good as well. My wife got the BBQ salad, with the BBQ ranch dressing and enjoyed it as well. The other two in our group got sandwiches and they come here quite a bit, so they are fans of the food as well. The server checked on us regularly and was pleasant. Atmosphere is very casual and there are a number of sauces on the table to choose from depending on your taste. It's definitely worth a try with a variety of BBQ choices on the menu that should satisfy everyone. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Brisket, chopped chicken, and sides of tasty beans, and delicious cheesy corn. - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

Awesome bbq, excellent service. In town for work for 5 days, ate here twice and told the guys that are coming to finish job they need to come here. read more

Excellent food with a great variety on the menu. I came for a late lunch on a Friday. For lunch, you order at the counter. The employees greeted us right away, explained the process and handed us menus. Our food came out very quickly. The Mac and cheese side was perfect! The tacos that I got were full of good smoked chicken, along with plenty of avocado. A very delicious meal! read more

ShortE's BBQ - Chicken avocado tacos with Mac and cheese side - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

Definitely some high spots and low spots that make this a 3 for now. We landed here at around 7:30 on a Saturday night (after failing on our BBQ quest at 5 other places - I kid you not). which partly explains why they were out of sliced brisket (the SO's go-to order) and a bunch of sides, so I didn't get to try their baked beans or loaded potatoes. The good: our server was terrific, very kind, understanding and accommodating. The food came out very quickly and was generously portioned (I hate places that skimp on the sides!). I had the turkey and it was juicy and flavorful - nice smokiness. SO had the chopped brisket after the server was able to confirm that it was lean (we have preferences we take very seriously!). He was impressed even though he prefers it sliced. He liked the fries - they're seasoned but not overly so. The server went out of her way to make sweet tea, which turned out well. The not as good (they were not actively bad, these just reflect our preferences): We didn't care for any of the sauces. They have sweet (too tomatoey, smoky (too much fake smoke taste), spicy and Carolina style (not our flavors anywhere). The mac and cheese was nothing special (hard to get enough cheese to satisfy my WI tastebuds!). The tater tots were fine but maybe a little too seasoned. I'll have to try the cornbread next time, because the Texas toast did not impress. All in all, I'll suggest we try them again when they have the missing items back in the menu. read more

Pretty solid BBQ joint. Friendly service. Order at the counter, and they bring it to your table. The brisket comes chopped or sliced. The meat platter comes with 6 oz, and the sandwich comes with 5 oz. I got the meat platter with sliced brisket, with BBQ baked beans and mac and cheese on the side. The baked beans weren't bad, but were probably the weak point of the meal. The mac and cheese had very thick cheese, but the noodles weren't too soft, and overall was pretty good. The brisket was extremely tender, and tasted great. Not a new best-ever brisket I've ever had, but still quite good. I ate most of it without any sauce at all, so the meat is good enough to stand on its own. The sauces were fine - they have Carolina, Texas, and spicy. Nothing to write home about there. The cornbread was excellent. Not too dry or crumbly, but still fully cooked, and a really nice flavor. Overall, this place is a great option. I'd definitely come back. read more

My favorite fast casual barbecue place in town. They have smoked meat and bar food laced with smoked meat.

Phenomenal food last week here. Some of the best ribs/sauces, great value and awesome seasoning on the fries. Great value for the 4 bone meal, fries and salad for $18. Will return here next time I am in town. read more

Best BBQ in the Johnston/Urbandale area without a doubt! My only wish is they were open more hours but I understand their focus on quality over quantity. read more

Food... FIRE. Service FIRE. Atmosphere super cool. Quality was and is always good there and you can never go wrong going here. One of the best spots in the area, don't hesitate! read more

Hell yes! Yes to the wings! Yes to the pulled pork sandwich which is the Friday special. My friends also love the tots. Busy whenever I go but always running right on time!! Hidden gem in Johnston. Love it! read more

Came here tonight and it was excellent. I am a huge fan of "tacos" so I was happy to see some bbq "taco~style". They were delicious...1st one **FAVORITE** was pulled pork, fresh pico, cheese, coleslaw, pickled onions w/ some amazing cilantro lime Baja sauce. Such a winner! I also tried a chicken taco which was good as well. Tots were a nice addition and they had many great local beers to try. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

We heard a commercial on the radio for ShortE's and decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed! Our waitress was Kelly and she was amazing! Very attentive, friendly and even kept us informed of when our food would arrive. I am not a BBQ fan but it's my husbands favorite. I wish there were a few more non BBQ items to choose from. I went with the 2 meat combo, turkey and chicken sandwich and wow it was fantastic! I was sure I would take a few bites and be done. But it was by far the best turkey chicken sandwich I've had. The cornbread and Mac n cheese were very good. My husband had the pulled pork, cheesy corn and Mac n cheese. He said his sandwich was by far in the top 5 for the metro and very well priced for such high quality meat! The cheesy corn was a huge hit! I am not a fan of corn but I will definitely be getting a side of corn next time! read more

ShortE's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

Omg so gooooood and service was awesome. Our waiter was great. The pit boss sandwich is where it is AT!!!

Delightful! I stopped in with my husband on a nice night to enjoy dinner on the patio. ShortE's is a popular lunch spot for him and his coworkers, and he wanted me to try the burnt ends. I was not disappointed! For being in Iowa (and not further south), that was some pretty darn good barbecue! We had phenomenal service to boot! read more

Terrible experience. Ate here tonight with a group of 14. We had four groups. Our group of 4 got our food 20 minutes after everyone else at our table. Another table next to us that was seated at least 10 minutes after us received their food before our group of 4. I had burnt ends and brisket. My mac n cheese was cold like it came out of the fridge..when they btought me a new one it waa runny like milk. My brisket was super fatty. We try a lot of different places just for brisket and burnt ends. I've never had fatty brisket. Redeeming qualities: corn bread, broccoli salad and spicy creamed corn. read more

ShortE's BBQ - Runny mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

See all

It seems I have a hot and cold relationship with this place. I was here not a month ago, and the prices have increased dramatically, in some cases. (2 meat platter increased from $16 to $19... ouch!) The meat portions shrunk on this visit, to boot. I ordered my usual pulled pork with g-free bun (the sammy itself increased $1 but I'll take it if I'm not being up-charged for having an aversion to wheat). My disappointment increased when I noticed that my fave green bean recipe may have changed. What used to taste like butter now tastes like something with veggie oil. Ick. Overall, disappointed but if you've never been before, you probably wouldn't know it has slipped. read more

We ordered four meals for take out. The order was ready on time. All were still warm when we got them home. Portions were large and the brisket was tender and fantastic. Everything was done well and very tasty. This is my new favorite restaurant. read more

There's certainly a lot of barbecue places that are out and a number are quite good. In general barbecue is pretty simple I think what would make short e's to a four-star rather than a three star is not just their food but there are extensive selection of good craft beers , and live music's availability and a fun atmosphere. Brisket was very good, pulled pork was standard, and stuffed sausage good. Sides are standard bbq fare read more

Good quality BBQ. Not the best I've had but very good for the money.

Hard to find, wish they had some better signage! It's the best kept secret in the area! Great BBQ, and great drinks! Morgan is a phenomenal bartender and even better manager. Always out talking to guests and helping out her wait staff. read more

I was very dissatisfied with the quality of the Smoked meats, had the chicken, pulled pork, brisket and burn ends platter. The meat except for the burnt ends (the only thing resembling good barbecue) was chopped up so finely and served in a big Lukewarm clump on the plate, and then the server explained that's the way it comes out of the smoker? There is much better BBQ in the Des Moines area that I have experienced. The Cole slaw and beans were decent, I hope that the owners Change the way they prepare and present the Food. It's a nice looking restaurant, clean and inviting. read more