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Jethro’s BBQ is a well-known restaurant in Des Moines, Iowa, celebrated for its hearty portions of classic American barbecue. The restaurant offers a wide range of smoked meats, including ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, all prepared with signature sauces and rubs. With a laid-back atmosphere and multiple locations across the Des Moines area, Jethro’s has become a local favorite for both casual dining and sports viewing, often featuring big-screen TVs and a welcoming vibe. It’s a go-to spot for BBQ enthusiasts in Iowa.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 721 3rd St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 279-3300
Website: https://www.jethrosdesmoines.com/locations/jethros-bbq-downtown
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
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Reviews
jonmarkheaner
Superb wings and sandwich!!
My whole family loved this place – their wings were excellent (hot buffalo), my kids got a sandwich and sweet potato fries- both of which were very good!
Our server was perfectly attentive and helpful!
Definitely plan to return to this place!
… moreMy whole family loved this place – their wings were excellent (hot buffalo), my kids got a sandwich and sweet potato fries- both of which were very good!
Our server was perfectly attentive and helpful!
Definitely plan to return to this place!
Brenda Reidy
Driving through and saw the billboard and thought let’s go for it. Sadly disappointed- Turkey tasted like lunch meat, chicken was dry and flavorless , potato salad too sweet and the baked beans had fat in it.
Waitress flipped off another customer ans was not sweet or inviting. No one asked
About our food or gave us refills and the only way to easy the meat was with tons of bbq sauce We ate what we could and left. Stars get 0. Too bad because didn’t look like a bad place just shouldn’t falsely advertise the best bbq like that.
… moreWaitress flipped off another customer ans was not sweet or inviting. No one asked
About our food or gave us refills and the only way to easy the meat was with tons of bbq sauce We ate what we could and left. Stars get 0. Too bad because didn’t look like a bad place just shouldn’t falsely advertise the best bbq like that.
grizzly mike
So when you got Jethro’s last night I ordered a $24.99 meal in regular tap Bud Light beer total came to $38.73 super confused on how that worked already I wasn’t happy I am not 100% sure but I think I was supposed to get brisket but instead I got ham the Hammers burnt to a crisp it was so hard and chewy it was like chewing on a piece of tire the jalapeno smoked sausage look like a Dollar Tree Hot Dog did somebody threw on the grill and it fell down in the charcoal got burnt to a crisp and then they said somebody somebody will eat it the pulled pork and pulled chicken was so dry that I don’t think that a container of barbecue sauce could have made that moist speaking of barbecue sauce their barbecue sauce was so Bland it was either so spicy that you didn’t want to eat it cuz the spice was too much but there was no other flavor other than spice or it tasted like ketchup with some vinegar so either you got hot sauce ketchup and vinegar or your option was vinegar with ketchup is what it tasted like the only saving factor in the entire thing was the corn muffin that was the best part of the entire meal we also got four sides the macaroni and cheese was decent at best the baked beans I swear they just dumped a can of bushes in it and called it good and I’m pretty sure the potato salad they buy right from Walmart I spent $40 on barbecue and I would never ever ever do it again there and I know I’m sure somebody’s like oh you’re just being petty you don’t actually know what barbecue should taste like blah blah blah and that’s fine I can understand your opinion but here’s the reality I have won three grand championships in barbecue people’s championship and barbecue in every meet Division I have entered I have placed in that meat division I make all my own sauces I make all my own seasonings and I make all my own sides I cannot say the same for Jethro’s I don’t know how this is still a business Buddy’s Iowa in y’all probably just don’t know what barbecue is supposed to taste like I don’t know for sure but you wouldn’t feed this to a dog back home in Texas Oklahoma Montana Wyoming Arizona New Mexico or Louisiana I know that because I’ve lived in all these states and have competed in all these states this was trash and nothing more and it pisses me off I would never recommend this place the only thing that was decent was the TVs were on and playing sports my beer even tasted extremely flat
… moreNancy
3/7/26 I ordered the Stockyard Sandwuch with fries. The sandwich is brisket, burnt ends, bacon and grilled onions on a nice soft bun. The burnt ends were a but tough to chew. The regular fries were good. It would be nice if they put ketcup in the to go box.
… moreFlippy 1980
We tried to order online and you can only order 2 items. Tried calling and they put us on hold, we waited 10 minutes and nobody picked it back up. Since we were at the Iowa Event Center we walked across the street and the phone was laying on thr bar – nobody was even paying attention. We told them what all happened and they said what do you want to order. No apology no offer to make it right……absolutely horrible. When the waitress put the order in the system she put the phone back on the hook. Won’t return here ever.
… moreIndia Shipley
Great food and excellent server. Thankyou logan for making the experience memorable!
… moreBuck Hunters
Stopped at Jethro’s for the first time yesterday while on a road trip and decided to check out the basement bar before the hockey game. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. It wasn’t busy at all — only two other tables — yet our waitress/bartender was rude and openly complaining to customers at the bar about someone calling in and how she now “has all these tables.” The place was practically empty, so the attitude felt unnecessary and unprofessional. My husband noticed the only time she was pleasant was it was tip time.
She seemed rushed and annoyed the entire time, which really set the tone. The food didn’t make up for it either. The quesadilla was extremely plain (just chicken and cheese) and the chicken was dry.
We’re coming back in a couple of weeks for another game, but we’ll be trying a different restaurant next time .
… moreShe seemed rushed and annoyed the entire time, which really set the tone. The food didn’t make up for it either. The quesadilla was extremely plain (just chicken and cheese) and the chicken was dry.
We’re coming back in a couple of weeks for another game, but we’ll be trying a different restaurant next time .
prized treasure
Wonderful food establishment. It filled our appetites. The food is yummy. Highly recommended! Thanks Clarice for the exceptional service!
… moreMissy Daigle
Went for dinner tonight. We sat downstairs for 15 mi s without being acknowledged. We didn’t necessarily mind because we couldn’t decide what we wanted so it gave us time to look. It was extremely loud so we asked to be moved upstairs. Once upstairs the waitress was extremely nice. Three food was ok. My son’s sandwich was good. Mine had to be sent back unfortunately.
… moreKirk Magill
Jethro’s All Stars: Friendly Service & Clean Atmosphere, But Early Close & Pricey Pints
Stopped by Jethro’s All Stars for a quick beer downtown. The service was friendly and the staff seemed efficient, working well together. The downstairs and bar area were sparkling clean, with a pleasant atmosphere.
However, a few things surprised me:
Early closing time: 9 pm seems quite early for a downtown spot near the Wells Fargo Arena.
High beer prices: An 8-dollar 16oz pour of local beer is a bit steep.
Overall, a decent experience for a quick drink, but the early closing time and beer prices might deter me from returning frequently.
… moreStopped by Jethro’s All Stars for a quick beer downtown. The service was friendly and the staff seemed efficient, working well together. The downstairs and bar area were sparkling clean, with a pleasant atmosphere.
However, a few things surprised me:
Early closing time: 9 pm seems quite early for a downtown spot near the Wells Fargo Arena.
High beer prices: An 8-dollar 16oz pour of local beer is a bit steep.
Overall, a decent experience for a quick drink, but the early closing time and beer prices might deter me from returning frequently.