Whatcha Smokin BBQ & Brew

Ribs-tender, good amount of meat on them. Had some dry areas, but overall delicious.
Turkey - One word, AMAZING!
Sausage-flavorful, and we would get again.
Brisket-the fatty brisket was delicious and tender. We would recommend this, hands down!

Fried pickles were thin and tasty!

Sides-coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, and jalapeño corn were delicious! And the corn bread. Cheese potatoes were okay.

Overall, this is a GREAT place to eat. We all were very impressed! We'll be back!

Amazing food. I had the baby back ribs and briskets. The seasonal chilli right now is superb!

Stopped on the way home yesterday. Good food and will need to stop again to experience more of their menu.

Best baby back ribs I've had in years!!! The meat was tender and fell off the bones. The mild and spicy barbecue sauces complimented the meat beautifully! Even the cornbread was good. I took it to go but I loved the atmosphere inside. The lady who took my order was also very friendly. I would be very excited if I had the opportunity to go here again! Btw, it was getting crowded on a Tuesday before noon.

If you like Texas BBQ then this is a must! Done just like you’d get in Central Texas. Also the poutine is so big it’s two meals or to share. The sides are all good and the desserts wow!

Such a cool place to visit. Worth the drive out! We got there early before the main dinner rush so the wait was not terrible. Atmosphere is awesome and has a lot of inside and outside seating. I wish I could have got a little bit of everything. Great portions, great meat, sides and tasty fries! We will have to be back to try others.

Oh-my-gosh! So glad we got up to Luther to try this. It was overwhelmingly amazing. The food was top notch and friendly, attentive service to match. The cheese curds were made fresh with loving care, no frozen stuff here. We tried the brisket, pork, turkey, ribs, all were as advertised, some of the best BBQ. Looking forward to our return.

Great staff!. We tried a variety of different foods and enjoyed them.
The burnt ends , ribs and double wide tenderloin as well as corn nuggets were fantastic. Reasonable prices. Worth the stop.

This place was such a unicorn in the middle of nowhere. Two structures, open space in between and a parking lot across the street all with their signs on. Half of the front building was the waiting area, literally. Luckily, I was there at around 4 so there was few line.
Food and service explained the popularity. From being seated to food being brought to the table, it was a well-oiled machine.
Ribs, fatty brisket, beans, Cole slaw, Texas roasts and even the water were all on point. $24 wasn't cheap, but it is on par with other BBQ places I checked out recently.
This place sets the bar for what a BBQ place should look like.

By far the best BBQ I've had in Iowa. It's worth the drive down HWY 17. Burnt ends are amazing! The sliders are my favorite so far but it's all really good food! The layout of the dining area is really nice and very open. We will be back again and again!

Definitely worth the drive if you're craving good BBQ. Loved the variety on the menu and all the Iowa tap beers! Knowledgeable staff and plenty of seating with the other building open for indoor dining. Brisket was amazing, corn nuggets were eh but overall great experience

This was me and my wife's first visit. The food was amazing. Best pulled pork I have had in my life. Our server Caleb was the most friendly and helpful servers I have had in a long time. He was very busy but made time to make our meal a great experience. You can tell he genuinely wants to make people happy. My wife and I can not express our gratitude toward Caleb for the service he provides. Thank you for the amazing meal. We will be back 100%

Prepare to wait on a Saturday. 30 minutes to get thru the take out line and another 30 to get your food. But it was good. Depending on where you live it might sense to just call ahead. Would go again. Wait times were on a sat, non football game, at 130pm

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Iowa! I have never had better brisket. I will drive from Des Moines just because I’m craving it!!

I was traveling from Kansas City to Minneapolis and discovered this place! I tell ya what, the country is sleepin on Iowa BBQ! I had a wonderful experience here! The staff was friendly and efficient, the place is very clean, and the food was absolutely amazing! I had the burnt ends, Turkey and brisket for meat, all were top notch! The corn bread, cheesy hash browns, and coleslaw were all perfect too! I’ll definitely be back even if I gotta drive 3 and a half hours to do it!

I had a large and delicious tenderloin with fries. Both were exceptional.
I was with a large group of people.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their food.

Stopped here for lunch on a Thursday and the place was packed. Ten minute wait and now i understand why. Low key and easy going setting. Thursday lunch special was pork belly burnt ends with a side of Texas style chili, creamy slaw, and cornbread. BEST BBQ i have had in Iowa. The leftovers i was going to bring my wife did not make it home.

Sorry, no photos. We had a family gathering today at this establishment. Again, no disappointments. I’m from Iowa City…they still haven’t beat Jimmy Jacks in Iowa City but are coming close!
The food took a long time to reach us today, however, they were understaffed. I totally understand.
My family still loves their BBQ. Tasty, however, a bit dry on my pulled pork sandwich. But im not complaining.
I wanted really wanted a brisket salad but wasn’t going to pay the price.
Guys, take a page from Jimmy Jack’s Iowa City!

During Ragbrai I was told to seek out Whatcha Smokin when we road through Luther.
Bummer that the restaurant itself wasn’t open (I wanted to pick from full menu), but the restaurant had outdoor trays set up, and I was able to sample a sliced brisket sandwich and slaw.
Melt-in-your-mouth tender and amazing flavor.
I was happy to have been able to visit.

Drove 40 mins from West Des Moines to try this place. And it didn’t disappoint. Some of the best BBQ in Iowa. Lean brisket was amazing