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    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

    4.3 (248 reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew Photos

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    WHATCHA SMOKIN' BBQ & BREW ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

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    Two meat.  Up charge for ribs.  Salad with blue cheese.  Cottage cheese.  Texas toast.
    Dan T.

    Whatcha Smokin' continues to be our go to BBQ within reach of the Des Moines IA metro! We tend to slide in early on Saturdays for lunch right after open (1100 AM) to avoid a line or a crowd. The main entrance is along Hwy 17; that's where you'll find the host/hostess station. They built a HUGE parking lot just to the North a couple years back to accommodate capacity. The restaurant now has three sections. The main building. The clubhouse (an extension of the main restaurant). And the grain bin (offers walk up ordering for outdoor seating)... You're greeted at the host/hostess station and someone takes you to your table. Both low and high top tables and chairs inside. Picnic tables outside. We prefer the main building... The clubhouse is okay, but the acoustics kind of suck in there. It's got very high ceilings (think machine shed)... One loud party in there can ruin your dining experience if you're not in the mood for a ruckus. They can be across the room and it still sounds like they are sitting at your table. Standard table service. Your server takes care of your drink and food order. They bus your table, present you with your bill, and take your payment at the end of the meal. Cash or card. The food all comes out of the main building. They have runners to take the covered trays wherever the party is sitting. There are fountain drink stations (Coke products) and bars in both the buildings. My girlfried absolutely loves the sliced smoked turkey and the cheesy potatoes. I go for the two meat plate (up charge both meats to the quarter rack of ribs) with a salad and cottage cheese. Choice of cornbread or Texas toast. Some of the best pork ribs you will ever have! The meat doesn't really need sauced, but they have it if you want it. Mix a little of the Sticky & Sweet and the Wildfire together... You can thank me later! There's something on their menu for everyone (standard BBQ items, wings, nachos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, family platters, etc.). Make sure you check out their daily specials! And they cater too! Service is always attentive and personable! There's a reason we are still going back on a regular basis (at least monthly) years after our first visit here...! If you're browsing Yelp for a place to eat and haven't been to Whatcha Smokin'... Stop right here! Stop scrolling! You really don't have to look any further... Plan your visit out if needed. BUT if you're in the area, they're open, and you are hungry... Just hit Go on your GPS and head over to Luther...! You won't be disappointed! https://www.whatchasmokinbbq.com/

    Gene H.

    About an hour and a half drive but well worth the trip! Saturday 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!

    Todd B.

    4.4* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $55 05/11/2025 Imagine my delight when my wife chose Whatcha Smokin as her venue of choice on Mother's Day! While smoked meat is not a cheap meal, Whatcha Smokin is one of my favorites - so I couldn't wait to get in the car. While you leave with your wallet a little lighter, it is hard to beat their quality smoked meat. We started off our meal with an Iowa Twinkie (see picture) and boy is that ever something that you HAVE to try! They aren't always on the menu, so get one when you can. How can you go wrong with bacon, jalapeno, pulled pork, cream cheese & ranch...and then smoked on top of that? For our meal, we decided to go with a Family Platter with both fatty & lean brisket (see picture), but wanted some extra meat to bring home so we added a 1/4 rack of Baby Back Ribs. For our sides we went with Jalapeno Cream Corn and Cheesy Potatoes (see picture) - and believe me, they were delicious. Even though we were full and had some meat to bring home, we couldn't pass up the Nutter Butter Nanna Puddin (see picture) and Coconut Cream Pie (see picture). We said we were going to bring them home for later...but couldn't leave without trying a few bites of each. As stated in my original review...you will definitely want to take your dessert of choice at the table or bring it home - they are SO good! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    3 neat dinner platter with Ribs, Fatty Brisket, pulled pork, corn bread, Texas toast, Mac and cheese, clubhouse beans.
    James M.

    Amazing little barbecue joint in the small town of Luther Iowa. Definitely worth the drive south out of Ames or north out of Des Moines. Do not let the store front facing the highway fool you as they have a giant clubhouse and outdoor seating right behind the building that you do not see from the road. Sat in the air conditioning with plenty of room and a lot of comfort. Definitely will come back.

    Great Texas bbq - we tried brisket , ribs , pulled pork, cheddar links , lunch special - birria dip . Highlights were birria dip and cheddar links

    Baby Back Ribs with delicious fries, Texas Toast.
    Daniel E.

    Struggling with our recent brutal string of wickedly cold weather, we decided to try Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew to add something positive. It turned out to be a spectacular visit, and this place is well worth the ride to Luther; it is a GREAT place featuring Texas-style BBQ! Our party of four could get parking quickly with a pair of lots, one in front of the venue and the other across the street to the north. They don't take reservations, and we were seated immediately when our party was present. There's a terrific vibe inside, excellent energy, and customer service. No frills, this place focuses on its food--casual attire, warm on this frigid night. The fun common area features a push-pin customer spot and a community board. Coca-Cola products. The BBQ aroma had me salivating for their food upon entering! They have daily specials, and they look great. On this initial visit, I wanted to sample what they did best, not a daily special. I was greatly rewarded! First, our server, Jenny, was tremendous! She was fun, helpful, knowledgeable, and kind, and she nailed every recommendation. Terrific throughout. We started with Golden Corn Nuggets as an appetizer, tasty sweet corn kernels fried golden brown and served with honey (didn't try) and ranch dressing (loved it). I chose a Quarter Rack of Baby Back Ribs as my entree; they were terrific. Perfectly cooked, delicious, and spectacular. I tried all their five BBQ sauces and liked Liquid Lava, Carolina Gold, and Wildfire the best. I'm usually not a big ribs person, but I decided to get what they are known for after Jenny's recommendation. Honestly, it's genuinely excellent. I added Texas Toast, excellent fries, and Turkey Dumpling soup as sides; each was outstanding. Doing high-end Quality Control, I sampled many items my other dinner party members enjoyed! The cheesy potatoes were excellent. Jalapeno Creamed Corn was amazing. I enjoyed their Twix Cheesecake for dessert, which was so darn good. In all, it was a sensational visit and food experience. This is one of the best places to eat in the Des Moines, Ankeny, and Ames regions.

    Fun truck out front.
    Kristyn M.

    I cant believe it has been since 2018 since I was here. Bigger parking lot on the north end. We arrived early in the evening before dinner and got in right before the main crowds started to get in line. It was a warmer day at the beginning of July. We were a group of 4. They wont seat you without your entire party present. Right on the HWY its a great stop for travelers and for motorcycle trips. They added an additional building on the west side with a cement dining patio in between the buildings. The big doors are open, the TVs are on, the netting is down to keep the bugs down while you enjoy your meal. The menu is vast. They also have nightly specials. Outdoor seating, the giant garage doors open. Great place for parties and a few drinks. Or there is the inside side (very small) that has some AC. We ordered the weekend special to share between ourselves. The special was a pulled pork sandwich with jalapeno cream cheese sauce of some sort. We got the house fries and ranch. S . smoked & saucy M - Meats O - Overjoyed on the tender brisket I stole from my friends plate. K - Keep the meats coming E - Eager to come back sooner for my own brisket D - Down to earth place in the middle of Iowa. Staff was great. She did a good job giving us a hard time but helping when we needed it. We left with some leftovers but it was only cause of how much food we ended up with. Id love to try the Tenderloin at some point, but the smoked meats keep pulling me back in.

    Lean brisket, pulled pork.
    Steve P.

    Nothing to complain about here. A fantastic duplicate of our favorite Texas barbecue. We had pulled pork and lean brisket with cornbread, creamed corn, and cheesy potatoes sides. Went for an early lunch on a Saturday (around 11:15). By noon the place was packed and a 30 minute wait. Would love to try the other meats and sandwiches as they all looked great. Recommend the fatty brisket - it's juicier, we got take out. Will be back for sure. Good looking drink menu too.

    Michael C.

    If you ever go to Ames Iowa, this is a must if you love BBQ. The smoked brisket can be ordered lean or fatty but to get the most flavor, fatty is the choice. So tender, juicy and flavor did not disappoint and even outdid any brisket. Also shared the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich which was amazing as we had options of Sweet BBQ, medium, sweet and sticky, spicy and lava sweet heat bbq sauce to put on the sandwich. Cornbread was fabulous and firm. It was also busy in the full service main dining room with a 45 minute wait so we stood in line outside to order and was given a number to pick up the food when our number was called to bring back to the table. The wait was not bad at all to get the food. Advise to get here early as they run out of certain meals and call it out as they do. This was one of ghetto finest BBQ I've had, and I've been to a lot. So many choices on the menu. Meat can be ordered by the pound or nice sandwiches. Great sides to order with the meal. So if you are ever even NEAR Ames, Iowa, save the time to experience BBQ perfection and great service. A well organized operation and friendly staff.

    Patti M.

    I love to stop here when I come to Boone County, which I do often for the fantastic outdoor attractions - High Trestle Trail, Ledges State Park, Iowa Arboretum, Boone Railroad, etc. That's important to my review because I have not been here except in pleasant weather. If you love great BBQ, as it seems many people do, this is the place to be. There always seems to be a wait and then they ask where you would like to sit, with a choice of three options and usually three different wait times. The PATIO area has garage type doors that they open in nice weather and have large screens to keep the bugs out. There are TV's and a small bar. It has a sports bar feel. This is my preference and tends to have the longest wait time. The PICNIC area is just that - picnic tables outside. The wait time is usually the shortest but I believe there is a limited menu. Can be very pleasant, but can also be windy or overly sunny. The CLUBHOUSE is enclosed and has a building converted from some other use feel. There are some TV's and one small bathroom. The wait staff carry your food across the outdoor picnic area to you. It has A/C for when the weather is warm and may possibly be the best place to be in cold weather. It just has an afterthought feel about it, like they grew popular so fast they scrambled to add space. Overall, wonderful food and super spot convenient to many fun Iowa locations.

    Merch for purchase

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    3 months ago

    The bbq is always great, but the sides are just as good as the meats! Its always busy, but still feels like an upbeat friendly place.

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    3 months ago

    We use their catering services for our wedding. They were super professional, responsive, and the food was delicious! Highly recommend!

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    What kind I say. As a transplant from Texas this is the only place around that I can get good BBQ that compares to back home.

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    5 months ago

    It is well worth the usual wait! We love the smoked turkey but have had other delicious things when they were out of turkey!

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    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew - bbq - Updated September 2026

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