Cornbred Barbecue

Went for NYE with my wife for their set tasting menu and had a fantastic experience. The chef is clearly creative and isn’t afraid to try new things. The sweet potatoes and pork were incredible, and the deserts were fantastic. Can’t state enough how fun it is to have such a creative menu that offers more than just barbecue in a cool setting. Underrated place.

Street corn was not great IMO.. Wings (flappers) were absolutely AMAZING!! Wife had the salad and street corn. Loved the salad! Same reaction on the corn. She also got the brown sugar lemonade and LOVED that! Kid got the Mac and cheese skillet and said it was good but wasn't a fan of the extra extra cheese. As apps we had the cornbread pudding, candy bacon strips, and mini cornbread muffins. All of those were super good! Candy bacon is a 10/10!! Service and atmosphere felt top notch for a BBQ place or restaurant in general! Casual dinning, date night, or family event.. all recommend!! Overall first time we have been there but not the last!

Absolutely fantastic BBQ and all the sides. We did a family style platter of brisket, pork shoulder, burnt ends, and a half rack. The brisket and pork were superior BBQ. The ribs were great. The burnt ends were all meat, no fat, needed the pickled onion, and that made it great. The Gigantoroll is a cinnamon roll lovers heaven. If you like cinnamon rolls, than this is a must. The cornbread pudding is simply the most moint cornbread in existence. Big yes on this.

We went for Sunday brunch. There was a bit of a wait (40 minutes), but we had a group of six. They do not do reservations. I will say the wait was definitely worth it! Pictured is the cinnamon roll appetizer with candied bacon and a Loaded Bloody Mary

Stopped in here for brunch while visiting family in Ames and it was great! Service was very quick for Sunday brunch, and the food was solid. Lots of good options to choose from, I went with the Huevos Rancheros and really enjoyed it. Generous portion sizes so come with an appetite for sure, would absolutely come back if we’re ever in town again!

Holy buckets this place has great food!! We had the hushpuppies, the three little pigs, the hamburger, and the bread pudding - my belly is so full and my heart is so happy!! Great atmosphere, and our server was so nice! The food was worth the short wait to order. 10/10 would eat here again!!

Fantastic place, extremely service and hospitality focused. Every person we interacted with was so friendly, genuinely happy we were there. Stopped on a Saturday around 530 for dinner and ordered a variety of options to share. Our server was attentive and quick, loved the water refills without asking and overall excellent service. We had the smoked beef rib which is a Saturday special and I don't possess the language to describe how amazing it was! Pig candy (candied bacon) was probably the best we've ever had. Burnt ends, skillet mac, ribs, pickled red onions(!), absolutely delicious. The BBQ sauces were great, I liked the pepper vinegar and mustard especially! Clean restaurant, nice restrooms and awesome atmosphere to boot. Absolute must stop here!

I had one of the best steaks of my whole life ok July 4th, when they have their Friday-steak special. Abundantly tender-every bite was consistently juicy and tender. Reverse seared with some smoke on it-just perfect. If you're thinking about getting it stop and just go Friday night and treat yourself. The bread pudding was to die for as well-also some of the beat bread pudding I've ever eaten.

Food was really good! I had gyro which I strongly recommend! Wait staff was very prompt and food came super fast. Will definitely return when I am in Ames again!

We had great food here. I tried their brisket chili. It's one of the best, most unique dishes I've ever had. Brisket on top was just what you would expect: Smokey, tender, flavorful. But then you got the chili components too. Putting what I consider "cornbread paste" as the base is perfect. That sweet, corn flavor mixes beautifully on the palate with the chili and barbecue flavors. We finished the meal with bread pudding. They change flavors all the time so I had raspberry bread pudding. Our biggest mistake was ordering two. One was more than enough for three people. That said, I did not share my leftover dessert. Wait to get in Friday homecoming weekend at 5:45 pm was about 30 minutes. Had we come at 6:30 pm, I think there would have been no wait time. On the patio, they played music bingo to we stayed a bit longer to enjoy two rounds. Only poor experience was the waitress. She was pretty slow. We also think she forgot to put in our appetizer order. I will come here again next time in Ames, probably will not try a different dish.

This review is on the precipice of a 4.5 star review. Upsides: Welcomed immediately upon entering. All staff members that I interacted with were very friendly and seemed to be enjoying their jobs. I started with a single order of the pig candy (I got two slices?), as well as an order of the cornbread mini muffins. These were both fantastic! Not overly sweet; but subtle. I do think the mini muffins would be slightly better if some honey was drizzled over the top. I might be able to subside off the pig candy alone next time... The rib was truly off the bone. I wish I had ordered more of them. Good flavor; no chewy parts to them at all. The hallelujah potatoes themselves were very good. I could have done without the cornflake topping. Beans were awesome; good smoke flavor throughout. I saved the sausage and half the sides for my lunch tomorrow; I'll update when I eat that. The turkey was very tender...nice thick pieces. On the advice of another bar patron; I used the sweet & sassy sauce. Good flavor balance. The vinegar sauce is also very flavorful; but is intended to go with the pork shoulder. Downside: The menu needs to provide a little more guidance; descriptions of the menu items would be nice. It's a "me thing", but I don't like having to pepper the staff with a bunch of questions. Also a "me thing"; the slice of bread was put on top of the beans, meaning that parts of the bread were ruined. Some kind of butter would have been good with this too.

Tasty sauces! The Korean ribs were dried out and not spicy at all.... Iowa spicy?! Good ambience

Father's Day! We are a group of 5 today. Our other plans got derailed. We were in search of a tenderloin for Dad. We saw the photos online and headed here. It's about noon, and we had a little bit of a wait. Greeted warmly by the hostest. There was seating outside but it was too hot. There is also seating on the main level plus stairs up both directions to a loft area. We asked for seating on the main level. The wait was going to be about 20 minutes. While we were waiting, I snagged a menu to take a look. I noticed that Tenderloin was not on the menu. I asked and was informed that tenderloins were not served on Sunday brunch. Luckily dad was low key and went with the flow. The vibe of the restaurant is farm town, farm house, and rustic. There is merchandise you can buy right inside the door. When seated, the waiter was super friendly. He complimented us over and over on different things. We pretty much knew what we wanted. The menu is limited, but the food is on point. The flavors are wow! I really enjoyed the brisket burrito. We all enjoyed our meals. No one had any complaints. 2 people had the poutine. I got to snag a couple of bites from the hubby, and it was so full of flavors. I don't like gravy, but I would 100% get it. If we lived in Ames we would be back sooner, but I still want to make the trip back to try more. Need to come try the Tenderloin.

Might be my first six-star restaurant ever. BBQ is out of this world. Appetizer Korean ribs were fall off the bone tender and ridiculously flavorful. Speaking of flavor, the three sauces at the table were three of the best BBQ sauces I've ever had and we've had Memphis BBQ and Texas BBQ. The vinegar one was especially interesting and tangy. Server found us a single appetizers hushpuppy for my son to try for the first time. Best one of those I've ever had. Brisket was excellent. Hamburger was amazing. Pineapple coleslaw was bananas. Never making boring coleslaw again. Hallelujah potatoes (au gratin) were ridiculous. Like a potato had a love child with some mac n cheese. We are absolutely having dinner there again tomorrow night. Will probably five star them again because they deserve it. Going to remember to skip lunch tomorrow so we have room for dessert...

Greatest restaurant I ever stumbled upon! The atmosphere feels so inviting, they even have a popcorn machine. The Mac n cheese felt very homemade and the brisket was melt in my mouth goodness. I literally kept saying "mmm" after every bite. I will now be going back any time I'm craving BBQ in Ames....

My new favorite meal and restaurant is the brisket chili at Cornbred! It's amazing in its taste and heartiness. You can order it in a cup, bowl or meal and the cost is amazingly low given how filling it is. Always love the service and given the autumn weather outside, order the brisket chili and prepare to be amazed!

Great place! Appetizers were hit or miss. Candy bacon a must. Rest of entrées all good. Great service and great bar. A sure bet for your lunch or dinner for sure.

Fun trendy BBQ joint. Stopped by here on the way to the DSM. Plenty of parking and it appears to be a renovated train station or something. The interior was millennial brick revival and a mature hipster vibe. Staff were friendly and the beer selection was broad. Food: I ordered a plate of ribs with brisket and the tomato and cucumber salad. Generally speaking Midwest BBQ is sweeter than my preference and subtle on the spices. The ribs were fall off the bone and had good flavor. The brisket was little dry, but tasted good as well. The cucumber and tomato salad was a great fresh side to balance the heaviness of the meats. House sauces were pretty decent and the variety was nice. Overall it's a great local spot, but a lone star traveler may not take a detour to check it out.

Took my father here for a tenderloin on Father's Day. Unfortunately they had a special menu for that occasion and tenderloin not available. That's disappointing, but understandable. The food we did have was good and the waiter was friendly. Hope to return again someday.

Cornbred did not disappoint. I was in town for a conference and was fortunate enough to eat there twice (first and last night. Between the two nights and some group sharing I was able to try many of the menu items, including the pig candy, burnt ends, smoked sausage, pork tenderloin sandwich, cornbread, and bread pudding. They were all delicious. I also enjoyed three of their signature cocktails. Prices were very reasonable and service both nights was excellent.

The building and decor is stunning with a pleasant vibe and the smoked turkey is easily one of the best I've had. My boyfriend got the burnt ends and they were so good as well! As for the cons, I thought the paper menus were odd/tacky, as well as the slice of bread on the side of our meals. I was honestly hoping that cornbread would be on the side or be an option for a side seeing as the establishment is called cornbread

In town for my oldest daughter's basketball tournament so we stopped in for breakfast. We arrived about 10 minutes before opening and a line was quickly forming. We had the fried chicken with cheese grits. It came with hot sauce and a watermelon salsa! The salsa was divine. Also, an order of Hallelujah potatoes! This place is fun and I highly recommend! Staff and service was excellent.

Nothing less than a 5 star! Look no further. I dare say better than Texas BBQ! The service was amazing, the quality of the food...OMG it melts in your mouth!

I'm not sure one heads to Ames expecting world-class BBQ, but you may want to consider it now. Cornbred is just, well, great. My wife had the Brisket and Chill, which consists of a slice of brisket on top of a bed of brisket chile and jalapeño ornbread pudding with pickled vegetables. Honestly, the brisket was fork tender, the chile was amazing. She loved the cornbread pudding, which was sweet and tender. I thought the pickled vegetables were simply amazing. I ordered the burnt ends with a pork rib. I love the option to add a rib! My side was the Hallelujah Potatoes. Folks, this was my first time with this type of potatoes. I'm not from the Midwest. OMG, these are amazing. Cheesy potatoes, topped with cornflakes and green onions. Special. I loved the burnt ends. They were very tender, well-spiced. I have to be honest though. The rib was special. The bone just slipped out of the meat. So juicy, so tender, so delicious. Next time, it's a rack of ribs. You cannot go wrong here! Make the drive and prepare to be surprised. (Especially by the trains running next to the restaurant. It's an old depot. I loved it!)

First, let me say our server Zach was awesome. He was attentive and down-to-earth, making our dining experience top-notch. When we arrived, it was packed, but we were seated right away. I really liked that you could choose the portion size of their craft meats--1 lb, a half pound, or even a quarter pound. Score! Their meats were so flavorful. I was sad they were out of spareribs, but the pulled pork and burnt ends were absolutely yummy. I also had the hushpuppies, which were a little spicy with the aioli. Next time, I'd get the aioli on the side. All in all, a fantastic meal with great service. Can't wait to go back!

I loved my first trip to Cornbred last year, but it was on a chilly day. I had a different experience this week, which was, unexpectedly, even better. As much as the magic of sitting in a refurbished rail depot is cool and nostalgic, enjoying Cornbred's delicious menu in their expansive outdoor dining area was another level. They maintained their terrific customer service, but their outdoor area is spaced out well, it's undercover to eliminate a hot sunny day, and occasional freight trains passing through just a few feet away made for a fun evening. Their Tex-Mex menu option rotates, and I selected the exceptional chicken dish with tasty in-season vegetables and a superb street corn addition. I added a side of Pig Candy, their amazing crispy bacon. We had seven in our party, and it was flawlessly executed by the staff!

Was back in Ames for another work week, and by popular demand of the team, back at Cornbred. Just like our first visit, just outstanding all around. The food was delicious, and the service was Iowa-Nice if you know what I mean.

They are always out of the cinnamon roll by 11:30 AM, you figure they would have this issue figured out by now. They ran out of the brisket burrito? Don't know how when there is brisket all over the menu and they only serve like 10 things. The service was absolutely terrible. We waited 15 min for the waitress to get to the table, we ordered drinks and then the waitress didn't come back with drinks for another 10 min, we ordered and our food don't come for 35 min, she never checked in with us during any of that time. She also didn't let us know they were out of anything before we ordered. The place was not busy either.. just looked like everyone working was hung over from the night before. This place used to be great, it went way way down hill. Terrible staff all around !

It can get busy here so be prepared to wait if you arrive during busy hours. We had a respectable 15 min wait for a table. Food came out hot and tasted great! Sometimes they have a limited menu so be prepared to adjust if needed. I had a special of the day that was crispy pork belly poutine. What a great combination. I was hoping the pork belly was a little more crispy then as it was served but I can tell you I finished off my meal regardless. Great stop.

So much well prepared food for the choosing! It's a great setting in the old train depot. The layout and seating are a bit oddly spaced and the upstairs can be a bit warm. Wait staff and bartenders are helpful and knowledgeable.

The ribs are to die for! Fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Cinnamon rolls are huge!

Service was great, waitress was very talkative and made great recommendations for 1st timers. Brisket, and pulled pork were amazing!!

Wow, never expected such legit bbq in small college town Iowa. Great beer and drinks selection, friendly bartender/staff. Turkey was great, burnt ends were nicely sauced and properly tender, ribs were exceptional. I was also impressed by the Brussels with some pork belly and the glaze used on it. Only knock might be the lack of a sampler option and needing to order essentially all a la carte. IE quarter lb turkey was $7 and burnt ends $8, ribs at $3 was reasonable though. Overall would gladly come back and try the other meats and appetizer offerings.

Great service, amazing food. The ribs melt in your mouth. Try their cornbread! Kind of cool that it's in a train depot.

One of our favorite places to visit when in Ames! We love the family style ordering, allowing us all to try a little bit of everything. Some of the best comfort food around!

This place is THE PLACE for brunch in Ames. Be sure to get there early, there was a line before they opened! The serves are attentive and we never went with empty glasses. Coffee was great, we were able to score a giant cinnamon roll (they do sell out fast!) the food portions were big but cooked to perfection. Thank you cornbread!

4.4 I was truly surprised at how well we liked this place. Everything was well made and interesting including the drinks by Katie, the bbq, and the sides. An interesting old building that could have used a better HVAC system is the only flaw. Great Job!

Ok so the food is great. Brisket was super tender and delicious - same with the ribs. The potatoes are great......I'm confused why they would give you a piece of bread with no butter....but maybe that's a waiter issue. Also wasn't offered any bbq sauce and didn't see any in sight - and when a person orders messy ribs maybe offer more napkins.....again, maybe a waiter issue. My husband got a beer and hated it. It clearly wasn't being consumed and not once did our waiter address it. Maybe that's the new normal to just suck it up and waste the $10. - our waiter seemed to be in a hurry so we just paid without complaining and left.

Absolute gem in Iowa!! Excellent food, vibes and price points. Younger staff, as expected in a college town, but very well trained and friendly. Place to was PACKED! Get there early

Been here a couple times and forgot to review. Cute, country chic vibe, nestled in the busy college town of Ames, IA. Bbq is legit and worth the price, specials and drinks invite the conservative to be brave to try something new, and their staff is so friendly. There was a family next to us grumbling and complaining to the waitress that their food was taking a long time to cook - these people ordered bbq! Dude, good bbq takes a bit and it's NOT the waitress' fault! Okay now that that's out of the way, I hope the staff at Cornbread know that there's gonna be dumb people out there and it's not a reflection of you as individuals or of the restaurant. One of the best things we had was the cinnamon roll...oh my goodness! A must try! Go early because they only make so many each day and once they're sold out, they gone! Lit rally hug enough for four people to share! Keep up the great food and friendly service! We'll be back soon!

Well, the food was delish. Burnt ends were so tender. Pig candy is a must. Everything came hot and quick. The bbq sauces on the table were real good... especially the pepper vinegar. Wow. Bottles were sticky which is not my favorite. Moonlit Path cocktail was amazing to look at but didn't taste great. Proceed with caution.

We were on our way back home after a day of visiting some of our favorite thrift stores in Northcentral Iowa and decided to try Cornbred BBQ in Ames. Every time I mention Whatcha Smokin' someone asks if I've eaten at Cornbred yet. My brother who lives up in Alden loves the place too... So it was about time. We got there about 300 PM. It's easy to find and the parking lot is pretty good sized. You can tell they're struggling with staffing a little. Plenty of open tables but a 20 min wait. They take your phone number when you check in. You get a text when they put you on the wait list and a text when your table is ready. It's a large open space with two floors. A bar on the Left side of the first floor. A large patio area to the Right. Restrooms on both the first and second floors. I didn't see an elevator so if you have issues with stairs you might want to let them know so they can plan to seat you on the first floor. Our 20 min wait turned into 45+ min. I'm guessing because of increased traffic due to the ISU v. OU game and staffing. We took the time to look at the online menu. We were finally seated on the second floor. The hostess was nice enough and apologized for the wait. Our server arrived shortly after. He took our drink orders and handed us the menus. So... The online menu is out of date and doesn't match the in house menus. No fried okra (which my gf loves) and pretty much half of the appetizers and most of the sandwiches had been changed. The core meats listed were accurate. We showed our server the online menu and he said he let the manager know. He wasn't aware they ever had fried okra so it seems it's been out of date for a while. I wasn't tickled. But I usually adapt fairly easily. If I hadn't waited that long it probably wouldn't have even phased me. And honestly a 45 min wait is okay...just don't tell me 20 and then not update me that it's going to be longer than expected. Lol Our server was a great guy made things all good. We ordered the turkey, burnt ends, and pork ribs along with the Hallelujah potatoes. They accidentally prepped an order of fries for our table which they gave to us on the house. With an ice tea and water the total came to $50 and change before tip. The meats were cooked perfect. The fries were lightly salted and obviously right out of the fryer. The Hallelujah potatoes are kind of a unique cheesy potato. Kind of a mix of shredded and mashed...topped with cornflakes and scallions. These were a winner! Everything was good, but I highly recommend the Hallelujah potatoes. There are three house sauces on the table. Sweet and sassy...kind of what it says. Tangy mustard...perfect for pork and because it had the base DNA of honey mustard maybe chicken. The pepper vinegar would be perfect on the catfish po' boy (no longer on the menu ). Because of the quality of the food I can definitely recommend Cornbred. I do wish our first visit here had been a little less bumpy. Oh... And despite the name, an obvious play on words with the spelling more meaning Iowa born...they don't serve any cornbread. Plates are served with a large slice of honey potato bread, dill pickles, and pickled onion.

Best local BBQ, in a restored train depot. Always take the grandsons, they love the trains. Great selection of craft beers as well.

Great BBQ restaurant in Ames IA. Great food and outstanding service. A must visit!!!

The best barbecue in Iowa Keep up the good work We will be back real soon Great

Awesome place to eat!!! Original menu and well executed. The manager actually knows how to manage a restaurant, the staff seem happy the food is great and the atmosphere is fantastic. So good we came back twice on vacation.

Food was so delicious. The brunch menu is what I ordered from. I loved the loaded Blooded Mary. I will definitely have that again. I can't remember the breakfast dish I ordered. But it did not disappoint. We hear a party of six. Everyone loved their food. We will all be back again. I love that you can have the option of sitting outside. We had such a good time . The atmosphere is amazing

The hickory smoke from the flame pit engulfs your nostrils inviting you to come and try any of their flavored options. The rack of ribs were so tender-- one touch with your tongue and they would fall a part. The environment was relaxing and the service quick--considering people came in --in bunches -- my hostess gave service with a smile, and seemed to enjoy meeting people. Only one beef--- where is the slice of bread with my BBQ?

Service and Ambience was good. Unfortunately the food did not hit the spot. Brisket was extremely dry, the burnt ends were not cut correctly and were chewy. The tomato and cucumber salad was so sour I couldn't eat it. And I normally love sour food. I would not visit Cornbred again.

Great Food and a wonderful server! We were 1st timers at Cornbread and we sat outside as we brought our Border Collie too. It is a pet friendly place and we had a beautiful evening last night. Our server, Gracie was perfect! She was prompt, funny and knowledgeable about the menu and answered every question we asked. You couldn't ask for a better server and we just loved her. Management should give her a raise because she is the type of front line employee you would be lucky to get! She brought water to our thirsty pup. The food was really good. I had the brisket burger and it was juicy and flavorful. My husband had a pulled pork sandwich along with the other 2 in our party. They all enjoyed them. We had the hushpuppies which were nice and spicy and the sauce so yummy. We cooled our palates with refreshing teas and lemonade! The prices were good and the variety of meats excellent. We will go back again the next time in town and we hope we get our favorite server because she helped make this dining experience special! Hands down we recommend this place.

So cute in this restaurant. Service was very quick and friendly. My food was awesome! Highly recommend turkey. Also, they have a different flavor of bread pudding every day. I had lemon curd with blueberry sauce. Yum!

Food was really good and I was on my way to a 5 star review. But, first they were out of ribs and then as we were finishing our meal at 9:15 wand we had wanted to order dessert and another drink. We were told they close and stop serving at 9. Everywhere we looked said 10. Had we known that, we could have ordered the dessert and 2nd drink before 9, but it took our server quite a while to check back with us. So tired of all these restaurants in Ames closing at 9 pm on a Friday night.

The food was tasty. They give you a nice serving for the price. The prices are on the little higher side, though. The restaurant was clean. We were seated by the owner. Service was quick.

Wow! Cornbred BBQ was recommended by the admissions counselor at Iowa State and it did not disappoint. They serve an appetizer that is Brussels sprouts with pork belly and it is a a must have. It's the best blend of savory and sweet. I could have eaten it as my meal it was so delicious. The portions are large. We took home leftovers. I ordered a Moscow mule and it was tasty also. The beef brisket was just right and the cornbread was delicious. Our server, Katie was kind, professional, and on top of her service. I met Emily one of the owners and she was so engaging it was as if we were old friends. I wish we had room for dessert as I wanted to try the chocolate bread pudding. We will be back again.

We stopped by on a college visit to Iowa State and were in the mood for BBQ and spent a number of years in KC with some excellent BBQ. We had a great meal and really enjoyed our dinner. The candied bacon was a great start to the meal and the 5 of us shared a bunch of smoked meats, with cornbread, beans, and pineapple slaw (this was surprisingly good). The cocktails were tasty and they had a nice local beer selection. The ambiance was fun in an old train depot. You also must get the carrot cake. One of the best pieces of carrot cake we have ever had.

Located downtown in the old train station. Very cool inside and out. Looking forward to the summer months for dining outdoors. Some of the better smoked meat and BBQ around this area. Cornbread also has some nice beers available. Pictured are the burnt ends, candied bacon, and hallelujah potatoes. Not pictured (sorry) is the brisket chili, ribs, and homemade chips.

Been here a few times and weeded out what we don't care for. Yesterday we had the Brussel sprouts (add the tangy mustard!), Brisket burger, Mac & Cheese with Pulled pork and Three little pigs. Side step the hushpuppies (meh), street corn salad, and hallelujah potatoes (definitely not funeral potatoes). Beans were amazing as was the cornbread pudding. All the meats were astounding as was service. Every entree has been spot on and the sauces are incredible.