Blue Barn BBQ

My wife and I traveled from out of town to try this restaurant. We were not disappointed! The staff and owners were very helpful with the menu offerings explaining the various features. We tried the brisket, pulled pork, baked beans, chicken, potato salad and creamed corn. Offerings were sufficient in quantity, flavors were genuinely good with that hand made tastes. I really liked the brisket, baked beans and creamed corn. The atmosphere is quaint with limited seating, mostly catering to take out or take home service. We ate in the restaurant and enjoyed our conversation with the owners. They made us feel appreciated and were concerned about providing quality service and food. I encourage you to give them a visit! Enjoy their food....we certainly did!

This is primarily carry out, easy to stop in and grab dinner. The food is tasty. My go to is pulled pork. I've had the platter before, and the nachos were SO good. Excited to try some of the bowls and the salad as well. The employees were very friendly and helpful.

We are from out of town and don’t have any good BBQ places. So when we came across this place I turned around and decided to give it a try. Which I am so glad I did. Asher was very kind, very professional and very patient. My 3 kids and I had no idea where to start or what to get and he explained everything. The food was amazing! Hot fresh and filling. They are pretty popular for their different kinds of sauces. We tried the California Honey-mustard a hot BBQ that my daughter loved and we are not big on BBQ sauces. If we come back we know where we will want to eat. Thank you Asher for the photo and amazing service. You went above and beyond for a complete stranger.

Cute little barbecue joint. Great, fast service! We did the triple which includes chicken, brisket, pork, and Crack bites!! The Crack bites are delicious my husband said, I see why they call them crack, they're addictive 🤣 It also came with four sides , we chose - Potato salad, jalapeno creamed corn, coleslaw and pickled Slaw as well as the mashed sweet potatoes, they seemed to be missing something. Our favorite was the jalapeño creamed corn. Corn bread muffins were on point!! We will definitely be back and would recommend if your looking for BBQ in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.

This very small and cozy BBQ shack is my fiancé's and I'd favorite BBQ place we've ever been. We have only been twice but the food is a good price for BBQ and our favorite items are the mac/mash potato bowls. I reccomend to anyone wanting BBQ in the area to try it. There is only a small counter space with stools to sit in and eat so it is intended to be takeout but if there is room it is a nice place to hang out and eat.

I've gone here several times and I am always pleased with the food. I'm gluten free and nearly everything on the menu is safe for me to eat, but they still take care to make sure that my food is safe from cross contamination.

Extraordinary fork tender, juicy yet flaky brisket & perfectly marbled burnt ends smoked where you can can taste the variety of woods used in the smoker. Huge variety of sauces. The house bbq sauce stands above the competition but Kyle’ honey sauce was amazing fav with a perfect thick pour. Delicious mashed sweet potatoes, jicama slaw, & smoked gouda shells&cheese were all Micheline quality. 🏎👌🏼💎 served w fresh corn bread muffin & honey. You got to try out the Spring Grove soda pop! I got the lemon sour 🍋 🔥Follow Tobes Brisket Challenge for more national barbecue reviews…🗺

This used to be my favorite BBQ place. My latest experience, however, made me question if I’ll be going back. Their food is excellent, but their customer service is poor. They forgot to put the bread and sauce I had ordered in my take-out. I discovered it when I got home. When I called, they said I could drive back and get them or I could get them next time I came in. That’s a good way to kill an anticipated dining experience. I was not going to make a 30-40 minute round trip drive to complete my meal. They were unable to credit me or offer me a more meaningful form of compensation for this error (by the way, they were very slow at the time, just not paying attention). The food is great. I love their smoked chicken, Alabama white sauce, and the jalapeño cream corn. Too bad they are not more professional in filling in orders and making customers feel valued.

Wow, the food is so more than sloppy red sugar sauce BBQ found elsewhere! Their smoked brisket sandwich was bursting with flavors! And the potato salad side had just the right blend of creamy mustard.

The owners are incredibly kind. THE FOOD, oh it was scrumptious!! The Mac and Cheese was the best. The barn is such a cute location!!

I got the Original Blue Bowl with macaroni, it had chicken, corn, jalapenos, pico, and plenty of cheese. I grabbed a Spring grove soda to complement the food (Rhu-Berry) was in and out within 15 minutes. Will have to stop here again.

A good place for a reasonable cost. Not at all fancy. The BBQ is put on the meat, not cooked into the meat.

Great take out BBQ...We got the 2 people combo with some brisket, pulled pork, and chicken....sides of mac&cheese and baked beans. Toss in a couple of biscuits and it was ALL GOOD!!! The guys running the place were very personable and we were in and out in short order as we had just left the basketball game and were headed home to do chores. Awesome overall...we'll be back.

Just amazing BBQ! Don't sleep on the baked beans. They can be a meal by themselves. Full of flavor and very hearty.

Fast, friendly and delicious!! I really wanted something quick to take back to my Airbnb and this was perfect. I went with the recommended pulled pork and added pickled corn relish with Blue Barn bbq sauce- the pork was so tender it melted in my mouth. Mashed sweet potatoes and jicama slaw had me torn...so I had both! Planning my next stop as soon as I can- the loaded Mac and cheese bowl has my tastebuds curious!

Disappointing. I hoped for really good food based on reviews & the menu, but this place didn't deliver. Beans weren't good at all.

Place is rock solid. Real deal local bbq full of flavor. Sauces are amazing and the sides are sweet. Love this place!

I've been smelling those smokey meats every time I drive by, and I finally made it over there yesterday for lunch! I got the plate. It's all takeout. Everything comes in a bunch of different packages that you put together when you get home. The main food packaging is compostable, which is great. But I'd rather see more use of those than the little plastic cups and paper cups. Let's keep going on that initiative! I had the chopped pork, which was amazing! (It was similar to pulled pork.) I had the white bread (it was just a normal piece of plain bread--disappointing). The bbq sauce was great! The mashed potatoes and beans were pretty good. But others in my group had the Mac and cheese, which was really freaking good. Others also said the cornbread was super dry. My husband also said the brisket was good. Overall, pretty pleased with this place! They had good tunes blasting (Bob Dylan, Janice Joplin). Good vibes. Good eats.

Visiting from Texas, I had high expectations for this new bbq restaurant. It did not disappoint! I have had some amazing bbq in Texas, however, the Blue Barn BBQ does not trail far behind. I came later in the evening and unfortunately, they were out of the beef and Mac n cheese. Instead, I chose chicken and potato salad. Both great-tasting items. I was also a fan of the corn bread! I do wish they had banana pudding or something for dessert. They have some very interesting sauces that I enjoyed and their customer service was great. They took time with each customer and were very friendly/ family- oriented. All in all, a positive experience. I will definitely be back to try their brisket & Mac and cheese! The Blue Barn BBQ is a wonderful addition to CF!

Full Disclosure #1 - I am a barbecue snob. Full Disclosure #2 - I have given dozens of one star reviews to so called barbecue restaurants across the USA ...including several in Iowa. The first words out of my mouth when I bit into the ribs at Blue Barn: "Finally." Finally a barbecue place in NE Iowa that knows how to smoke barbecue the correct way. Finally after three years of sampling Iowa barbecue when I visit from my home in Texas each summer, I have found a place that exceeds every high barbecue standard that I have established in my mind - and in my tastebuds. There is a world famous BBQ Master in Austin, Texas named Aaron. There is now a soon to be famous BBQ Master in Cedar Falls named Aaron. The secret to both of their successes when smoking meat is simple - an attention to detail that borders on obsession. Ribs need to have "bark" - that's not burned exterior but actually the mark of a meat smoked slow and steady until the meat is so tender that it releases from the bone with a light tug. Blue Barn BBQ ribs have a perfect bark. Ribs need to be tender - so tender that you don't need teeth to bite through the meat. Blue Barn BBQ ribs could be eaten easily by a toothless toddler. Yes - that's no exaggeration - the ribs are really that tender here. Ribs need to have BBQ flavor - the flavor of meat that is both savory and Smokey without being overpowering. Blue Barn BBQ ribs have that exact combination in perfect balance. Mark my words - once the word is out that Aaron of Blue Barn BBQ in Cedar Falls is a barbecue genius, you'll end up having to wait in an around the block line to sample his ribs. Yes - they are truly that good ... really world class BBQ ribs. I have eaten barbecue across North America for 50 years, and have sampled ribs hundreds of times - and have been disappointed more often than not. Not here, thank goodness. Aaron's Blue Barn BBQ smoked ribs are the absolute BEST ribs I have ever eaten north of the Mason Dixon line, and one of the top ten ribs I have ever tasted worldwide. If you are still reading, you should stop right now and get in your vehicle and drive to his restaurant before he sells out of his ribs. Don't hesitate. Trust me - they are worth the effort. While you're there - try the mashed sweet potatoes ... absolutely divine. Or the jalapeño cream corn .... flavor layer upon flavor layer without too much heat. When you're done with your meal, stop and offer a moment of thanks to the BBQ gods for blessing Aaron and turning him into an All Star BBQ chef...who happens to live in Iowa. (I have absolutely no affiliation with this restaurant other than to say after one visit that I am a HUGE fan)

Wow, Crack bites amazing! This place was the perfect place to take a break from the road and enjoy delicious BBQ! Ribs were delicious and mashed potatoes were great too! Brisket was a little drier than I like but had good flavor, Mac and cheese had great flavor but I do t like the noodles as soft as they were. Cornbread seemed a little dry as well but they had honey and butter that made them better. Also enjoyed a cookie and Spring Grove soda! Thanks for the good eating Blue Barn! We will be back!

I don't see how this place is rated so high! I got the meat sweats. The ribs were nothing but bones, the brisket was so dry that it crumbled, and the crack bites were like rocks! I couldn't even chew them. The only thing that had flavor in the Mac and cheese was the melted cheese on top. It was as bland as the color of it. The beans....well, I didn't know I ordered chili. The best thing out of there was the honey and my root beer. At this point, I'm positive that Iowans have no taste buds and no cooking skills. Someone said it reminded them of Texas..... What an insult. I paid $25 for an inedible kids meal. Iowa can have this crap. My God!

The ribs are meaty but it's lacking flavor. They do have different sauces but I never found one that knocked my socks off. Very expensive for what you get.

Wow just wow. Just go. Good portions. Great pricing. A real BBQ joint like it's supposed to be. As good as any BBQ I've had in Alabama and Georgia. I wish I lived closer.

This place is hit or miss. Some days it is really good, some days, you can tell the ribs have been sitting under the heat lamp for days. They get 5 stars for community support. They offered free kid lunches when schools first closed. That is awesome!! No questions asked, no order needed. These kid lunches were big enough to feed adults! I do not know if they are still offering those, but it really helped a lot of parents out.

I was a little skeptical about this place because there were no cars in the parking lot, but boy am I glad I gave it a chance. The food was very tasty and the portions were surprisingly generous given the price. Highly recommend the brisket and jalapeño creamed corn.

You won't find better BBQ in the ENTIRE state of IA. Chef Aaron is a master of his craft and everything on the menu is straight legit! The smoked meats are amazing! The chicken might be a little too Smokey, but is still rock star. The selection of sauces is plentiful and unique, if in doubt go with the hot bbbbbq. And the sides, oh the wonderful sides! I can't walk out the door of this place without some of "My Uncles Ex-Wife's Potato Salad". Aaron keeps it interesting by adding features regularly too. We even bought our Thanksgiving turkey from Blue Barn, A++ Don't over look the desert offering either, had a piece of their carrot cake last week and had it gone before I arrived at home! If you haven't been, get here, for real. Like, right now....

Found this spot on Yelp. Reviews sounded good so we gave it a try and glad we did. The brisket and pulled pork were moist and tasty. Between the 2 of us we had 4 different sides. All were good, but the jalapeño cream corn was amazing, a great blend of flavors. We had the cornbread muffins too, moist and a hint of sweet. There is no indoor dining, but there are 5 large tables outside if you don't want to do take-out. You will not be disappointed.

We stopped on the road traveling to Indianapolis. This place is a hidden gem. I had the Mac & Cheese with smoked chicken and my husband had the brisket sandwich with baled beans!!!! Aaron is the best BBQ chef ever!!!!

Ordered take out last night and got the family platter that is supposed to feed 6-8 people, only having 5 of us eating i figured there would be plenty of food but when arriving home and opened the container it came in it seemed like we were cut pretty short on the meats. Not to mention everything was very dry and had little to no seasoning. I guess I was more disappointed that I had been so excited to try blue barn but was let down because I didn't get the BBQ I was hoping for and had heard so many good things about. Paid around 65 bucks for something I could have made at home.

So delicious. Tender meat, unique and delicious sides, and FINALLY a bbq place that doesn't serve on foam. My hubby went with coworkers then took me. He had the brisket basket the first time and was stuffed. When we went together we got a basket to share plus and extra side and it was perfect.

Really had my hopes up for this! I got the meat sweats, my brisket was slimy and was like jello, the ribs tasted like they were scorched with no flavor, and the crack bites were straight up disgusting. The Mac and cheese was dreadful and had no flavor and was just all out bland. Only thing going for them is there house made sauces!

I would say the most solid place to get barbeque in Cedar Falls but I have not been to many barbeque places in cedar falls so I would have to say one of the best barbeque places in Iowa. The place is really hard to find (it's in a giant blue barn). So keep on the lookout....kidding. In all honesty it is a really great place close to the highway that is family owned and run and has fantastic food. I do wish they had more seating but their food definatley makes up for it!

We went to the Blue Barn BBQ for lunch today. WOW!!! What a great place. We had the Brisket sandwich with jalapeño corn and potato salad. Everything was really good. The Brisket was tender and juicy. Many sauces to chose from. The jalapeño corn was superb along with the potato salad. Finally the Cedar Valley has a great BBQ take out location. I would give them a 6 star if I c My son from North Liberty wanted to go to the Blue Barn for lunch after golf today again. He said there is nothing in the Iowa City are that compares to the Blue Barn. We all really like this place. Brisket is outstanding.

Killer smoky meats. Got the meat sweats and all parts are tasty AF. Quick pickup possible. Love it.

Good food - brisket was super tender and I love the sweet potato side. Reasonable portions. One of my regular choices when I need a quick and tasty to-go meal.

Just stopped to fulfill my craving for BBQ. I too am a die hard BBQ enthusiast and lived in Texas where BBQ is not only a staple - it's a religion. After reading a few reviews while on my trip to MN, I had to give it a try. And I'm glad I did. It was just excellent. We are not talking Texas here where there is a BBQ joint on every corner. We are talking the Midwest and I find the BBQ ridiculously bad and tasteless. However Waterloo has a hidden gem!!! I had 3 meats. Ribs. Hot Sausage. Brisket. Then added a few smoked wings. Pickled slaw. And got a sample of the Crack Bites. All for under $20. Ridiculous!!! Ribs and wings were phenomenal. Smoked perfectly. The sausage was fantastic. Slaw was delicious I now want to go back and just my hands on more of those crack bites. This is BBQ some right.

Stopped by Blue Barn BBQ on a work trip. The brisket was really good, as was the mac & cheese and jicama slaw. The guy working the counter was nice & explained everything to us, also. Be warned, it's carry out only at the moment (Oct. '18). Regardless, it's delicious.

Yummmm. My husband brought home forty wings a few weeks ago with the intention of having leftovers the next day. That did not happen after we all tried them. Both my stepson and I said we would have a couple but ate a hunch more because they were that good. Even my toddler, who doesn't like meat, ate four wings (I picked off the meat obv) to herself! They're smoky, moist, and didn't require any sauce because they were so tasty. Yummmm.

this is the best bbq in the cedar valley! Prices are reasonable even as a college student. Chicken sandwiches, chicken wings, ribs you name it, it's to die for! Pretty cool atmosphere as well, love the feeling of going into a barn

This is a passable bbq take out place. On the plus side the chicken was very good The brisket was done just right but didnt have much taste and the pork was so so. It's not that the sides were bad but just didnt have a lot of flavor. All in all not bad in a pinch but not worth going out of your way.

The meat is excellent and the jalapeno creamed corn is awesome but skip the tasteless Mac and cheese and awful cornbread.

Visiting family from California and we decided to do take out from here. DELICIOUS! We had an assortment of food and it was all good. I had the nacho taco and the sides with the pulled pork were so good. My daughter killed the mac and cheese and potato salad. If you go here you HAVE to get the Crack Bites! I have never had anything like them and I wanted more. We will definitely be going here again before we leave to go back to California.

Absolutely GREAT BBQ! I travel a lot for work, and I prefer the food here over the places I've been to in both St. Louis and Kansas City. All the traditional favorites on the menu, but a bunch of less common sides to try that were amazing. Loved the "crack bites" (smoked and bbq pork belly)! BBQ sauce variety was really good. The brisket for the main course is a no brained. My dad's favorite sauce was the salsa verde. Tie between the Hot BBQ sauce and they Horseradish for me. I'd suggest just asking the staff for their recommendations and go from there. Great weather today, so we actually sat on the outdoor benches for dinner.

Excellent food, surprisingly fast service. I make it to the Twin Cities, Portland and the SF Bay Area food scene on a regular basis. Blue Barn's BBQ would be highly rated take out in any of those demanding foodie markets. Delicious, creative cuisine. I agree with one of the previous reviewers- ask the staff for recommendations. They will also give you samples of the sides if you are curious about the wide variety. Another earlier reviewer was disappointed that the white bread was just plain "Wonder style" bread- sounds like classic KC BBQ to me. Our order came out quickly- we both had the Token BBQ Plate with Chopped Pork, Potato Salad, Pickled Jicama Slaw, Corn Bread -all very tasty. Will be back!

Outstanding BBQ! Best in the Cedar Valley! We tried wings, ribs, brisket, Mac n cheese, coleslaw, cornbread, chicken sandwich, and jalapeño corn and it all was amazing. Kids wanted to go back the next day. Staff was very helpful and nice, we will definitely be back!

Stopped when passing through town. Crack bites, Mac n cheese, chicken wings, corn bread, pulled pork, smoked chicken, different homemade sauces all amazing. Owner right behind counter making up plates. Will make it a point to stop anytime I come to town.

I really wanted to love this place. My husband and I both LOVE BBQ. The experience was great. Workers are all very friendly and informative. We ordered the chicken wings and mac and cheese and were very disappointed. Chicken wings did have a good smoked flavor but there was nothing to them. They need a dry rub or seasoning or something! Pretty flavorless. The mac and cheese tastes like watered down alfredo sauce from a jar. Cant say I even ate half of the food. Overall the service was great but unfortunately just did not care for the food.

Trash. That's all I have for this place honestly. The Mac and cheese was what I was most excited about and it ended up being absolutely disgusting didn't realize it was hard to mess up Mac and cheese that bad. The meat was another story we ordered 70$ worth of food for it to be shit. The meat was dry and not seasoned at all!!!!! This place is so gross for what I had to pay for it. Was very excited to try it out for the first time but I'll for sure NEVER be returning. Waste your money if you want but your stupid if you do just sayin. Everyone is on some shit if they think this place is good. Taking white people seasoning to another meaning.

Best sides! The sides here are so yummy I just keep going back for them. Jalapeño corn is rich and delish, but not spicy, baked beans are phenomenal, sweet potatoes are luxuriously creamy, potato salad is different, interesting, and perfection, and my picky kids love the mac & cheese. Don't get me started on the sauces...I could drink them all, especially the white one. Everything is so good. A great food addition to the Cedar Valley!

First time visiting but had high hopes. Brisket was really good and the regular BBQ sauce was a good mix of flavors. Not sure what style they are going for with the baked beans but I did not like them at all and certainly will not get them as a side again. Mac and Cheese was good but nothing overly special. Service was great and prices were reasonable. I am sure its coming but would like to see some sort of eating on site.

Did not disappoint! The chicken was tender and juicy and the bun was very fresh. Had lots of sauces to go with but stuck with the OG BBQ and WOW! Had a lot of dry cornbread in my day but this was nothing like that- moist with a lot of flavor! You'll definitely need to check it out for yourself.

Great BBQ! The meats are all fantastic. You must try the crack bits! The let you sample sides before you order if you ask, which is nice. Our go to spot for bbq.

Go live in and spend sometime learning how to cook barbecue. Learn how to grind sausage, not so fine. Texture is as a bigger flavor. Spend less time on making so many barbecue sauces and more time making good brisket. Corn bread does not need honey in it. We can add our own. You might want to consider selling cars instead of barbecue.

Altered my order because they were out of an item without informing me... I entered my number in your system for a reason. Would not have ordered what I did if I would've known. No receipt given at delivery...

I give 4 stars, but my leaning is toward 3 stars. The service was friendly and fast. The place is clean. Only seating is a few stools by the window, but that is fine. Prices are average, or perhaps a bit better. Food was good in some ways and average in others. I had the brisket sandwich and corn. My wife had shredded pork sandwich and beans. Portions were ample. My brisket was at least average, but not better than that. Wife's sandwich was a bit above average. Sides were quite good. She had corn bread, which was very good. We go to a BBQ place in southern Alabama and use that as our measuring stick, and while Blue Barn, wasn't bad, it doesn't measure up to Alabama BBQ. That said, I would return to the Blue Barn sometime down the road, but wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

House made delicious sides, good variety and daily specials. The meats are slow smoked over wood fires and really bring the taste of the meat out. I also love the different sauces and try a new one each time. I love the smoked wings and the brisket is always tender and juicy. A favorite lunch and dinner spot.