Smokey twist on Pork tenderloin sandwich. Good flavor, good meat to breading ratio. The jalapeño coleslaw, this baby packs some good heat and great flavor. The service was great. Would recommend and come back.
Justin P.
I got the big Al burger and it came with brisket, pulled pork, a burger pattie, their in house cheese sauce, with a fried egg; my wife got the brisket Mac and cheese; we also got a plate of fried pickles as an appetizer.The appetizer was okay, extremely greasy, but not bad, the main courses however, they were terrible. All of the meat was overcooked, way too chewy, and fully unseasoned. The egg was cooked well enough, but again, fully unseasoned. The Mac and cheese somehow didn't taste like cheese but the texture and creaminess was fine.All-in-all it was a terrible experience and I understand why it was completely empty when I walked in.
Keegan Johnson
Servers were very friendly but that was the only positive of the experience. I went in on a Friday night and was able to be seated right away at the bar as it wasn’t busy. After placing an order for a two meat combo I waited an hour for my food while a few other tables who ordered behind me were served as I still waited for my meal. The food was not good…at all. I was thoroughly disappointed. Smoked ham was the best, pulled chicken had a lot of hard chunks in it, mac and cheese was bland and flavorless. All 3 of those items weren’t hot or fresh seeming, coleslaw wasn’t bad. One of the servers did check with me and I did let her know the food wasn’t warm or very good. I would not recommend eating here due to the food and service. Great spot to grab a drink at the bar though as the servers/bartenders are very friendly.
Jacob Dawson
They knocked it out of the park with the pork tenderloin sandwich, was delicious after a day of riding bikes in ragbrai. If you're in the area and are hungry stop in and see Al and Brie, they are both wonderful people and made sure we were well fed when we left. Big portions and great flavor!
Christopher
Ordered the beef brisket sandwich and asked for it to be lean. Had to cut 2/3rds of it away because it was all fatty. Will try the pulled pork next time. Bbq sauce is yummy. Fries & drinks were good.
John (Big John)
Delicious smoked pork sandwich with beans and Mac & Cheese. Good IPAs on tap too. Would definitely go back.
Turner J.
Wish I could put more stars on this review. Saying the food here is awesome is an understatement. This is the best BBQ I HAVE EVER HAD... simply amazing and mouthwatering. The staff was great and I also was lucky enough to meet BIG AL himself. What an amazing guy and what an awesome restaurant. THANK YOU for this amazing experience
Austin H.
I live closeby and have stopped by a few times for carryout orders. The staff is here top notch and i even briefly spoke to big Al himself. Turns out hes a super nice guy. The food is pricey but well worth it. The burnt ends and bisket are excellent. They also have absolutely bangin sauces.
Kennedy Cross
I go to Big Al's for one thing, their Pork Tenderloin Sandwich! I have eaten other items there, all good, but their Tenderloin Sandwich is the best I have ever eaten. Here is why: it's made to order, smoked first, then fried, FANTASTIC. A pork tenderloin sandwich, in my opinion, should NOT be perfectly round, even thickness and FROZEN! When was that made, what box did it come out of and how long has it been in the freezer! Not once at Big Al's has my sandwich been the same size/shape, as they make it fresh each time. AND it's actually thick enough that you can taste the pork, not just breading! I have eaten at all the "must be restaurants" in IA for pork tenderloin sandwiches, haven't found one yet that is better than Big Al's. In my pictures you will see about 2/3 of my sandwich (sorry, was hunger when it arrived), bake beans, devil egg potato salad and fresh chips (I added the bbq sauce). Beans are great, pieces of burnt ends included I believe, devil egg potato salad was good (personally, would like more pickle taste) and any homemade chips is perfect. I do not live in des Moines, or even IA, I travel there for work each month, and each month I make sure I stop by Big Al's at least once.Kid-friendliness: kids menu and plenty of room for family'sParking: There is parking in the front and rear of the building, with entrances on both sides
Betty L.
We were the only diners for an early dinner on a weeknight. The waitress was courteous and patient with us while we decided what to order since this was our first visit to Big Al's. The food arrived promptly. The pulled pork sandwich I had was the most tender and moist pork I have ever had. The homemade kettle chips were too brown and they were hard instead of crisp. The baked beans with burnt ends were delicious. My husband liked his smoked, breaded pork tenderloin. Considering the menu prices, large, white paper napkins would have been appropriate since bbq is always messy. Instead we got 4 half-sized brown paper napkins. Finger wipes would have been appreciated.
I had lunch at Big Al’s on the recommendation of a local I met while in town.The food was decent. However, with that said, the brisket, sausage, and cornbread were on the dry side. Had to use more sauce than I would’ve liked to. I really like to enjoy the meats for their natural flavor.One suggestion for the management is to upgrade the quality of aluminum foil used on the tray. It was the thinnest aluminum foil I’ve ever seen and tore with every cut of the meat or scrape of the fork.If you’re looking for a local place to hang out with some friends and enjoy conversation and drinks as the primary reason, this would be a good choice as it has a comfortable atmosphere with very pleasant people.
Paul Edward La Vigne
I had lunch at Big Al’s on the recommendation of a local I met while in town.The food was decent. However, with that said, the brisket, sausage, and cornbread were on the dry side. Had to use more sauce than I would’ve liked to. I really like to enjoy the meats for their natural flavor.One suggestion for the management is to upgrade the quality of aluminum foil used on the tray. It was the thinnest aluminum foil I’ve ever seen and tore with every cut of the meat or scrape of the fork.If you’re looking for a local place to hang out with some friends and enjoy conversation and drinks as the primary reason, this would be a good choice as it has a comfortable atmosphere with very pleasant people.
Renee P.
The pork tenderloin loin sandwich was delicious and so was the fried mushrooms. I can't wait to go back and try the brisket that was cooking in their smoker. Great service. And it was great meeting Al too. Such a positive experience. Well done!
Kim Vaughan
I really wanted to like it. I had the hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes. The meat was very salty and the potatoes were instant.
Chad Carber
The BBQ was great! It was so tender and not overdone at all. My wife thought the pulled pork sandwich was the best she's had. I thought the burnt ends were very good (not the best I've had). The ribs were unlike any I've ever had. They were so soft they were almost mushy. But they tasted great! Our server was attentive and very chatty. She also knew a lot about the restaurant and the menu.
Smokey twist on Pork tenderloin sandwich. Good flavor, good meat to breading ratio. The jalapeño coleslaw, this baby packs some good heat and great flavor. The service was great. Would recommend and come back.
I got the big Al burger and it came with brisket, pulled pork, a burger pattie, their in house cheese sauce, with a fried egg; my wife got the brisket Mac and cheese; we also got a plate of fried pickles as an appetizer.The appetizer was okay, extremely greasy, but not bad, the main courses however, they were terrible. All of the meat was overcooked, way too chewy, and fully unseasoned. The egg was cooked well enough, but again, fully unseasoned. The Mac and cheese somehow didn't taste like cheese but the texture and creaminess was fine.All-in-all it was a terrible experience and I understand why it was completely empty when I walked in.
Servers were very friendly but that was the only positive of the experience. I went in on a Friday night and was able to be seated right away at the bar as it wasn’t busy. After placing an order for a two meat combo I waited an hour for my food while a few other tables who ordered behind me were served as I still waited for my meal. The food was not good…at all. I was thoroughly disappointed. Smoked ham was the best, pulled chicken had a lot of hard chunks in it, mac and cheese was bland and flavorless. All 3 of those items weren’t hot or fresh seeming, coleslaw wasn’t bad. One of the servers did check with me and I did let her know the food wasn’t warm or very good. I would not recommend eating here due to the food and service. Great spot to grab a drink at the bar though as the servers/bartenders are very friendly.
They knocked it out of the park with the pork tenderloin sandwich, was delicious after a day of riding bikes in ragbrai. If you're in the area and are hungry stop in and see Al and Brie, they are both wonderful people and made sure we were well fed when we left. Big portions and great flavor!
Ordered the beef brisket sandwich and asked for it to be lean. Had to cut 2/3rds of it away because it was all fatty. Will try the pulled pork next time. Bbq sauce is yummy. Fries & drinks were good.
Delicious smoked pork sandwich with beans and Mac & Cheese. Good IPAs on tap too. Would definitely go back.
Wish I could put more stars on this review. Saying the food here is awesome is an understatement. This is the best BBQ I HAVE EVER HAD... simply amazing and mouthwatering. The staff was great and I also was lucky enough to meet BIG AL himself. What an amazing guy and what an awesome restaurant. THANK YOU for this amazing experience
I live closeby and have stopped by a few times for carryout orders. The staff is here top notch and i even briefly spoke to big Al himself. Turns out hes a super nice guy. The food is pricey but well worth it. The burnt ends and bisket are excellent. They also have absolutely bangin sauces.
I go to Big Al's for one thing, their Pork Tenderloin Sandwich! I have eaten other items there, all good, but their Tenderloin Sandwich is the best I have ever eaten. Here is why: it's made to order, smoked first, then fried, FANTASTIC. A pork tenderloin sandwich, in my opinion, should NOT be perfectly round, even thickness and FROZEN! When was that made, what box did it come out of and how long has it been in the freezer! Not once at Big Al's has my sandwich been the same size/shape, as they make it fresh each time. AND it's actually thick enough that you can taste the pork, not just breading! I have eaten at all the "must be restaurants" in IA for pork tenderloin sandwiches, haven't found one yet that is better than Big Al's. In my pictures you will see about 2/3 of my sandwich (sorry, was hunger when it arrived), bake beans, devil egg potato salad and fresh chips (I added the bbq sauce). Beans are great, pieces of burnt ends included I believe, devil egg potato salad was good (personally, would like more pickle taste) and any homemade chips is perfect. I do not live in des Moines, or even IA, I travel there for work each month, and each month I make sure I stop by Big Al's at least once.Kid-friendliness: kids menu and plenty of room for family'sParking: There is parking in the front and rear of the building, with entrances on both sides
We were the only diners for an early dinner on a weeknight. The waitress was courteous and patient with us while we decided what to order since this was our first visit to Big Al's. The food arrived promptly. The pulled pork sandwich I had was the most tender and moist pork I have ever had. The homemade kettle chips were too brown and they were hard instead of crisp. The baked beans with burnt ends were delicious. My husband liked his smoked, breaded pork tenderloin. Considering the menu prices, large, white paper napkins would have been appropriate since bbq is always messy. Instead we got 4 half-sized brown paper napkins. Finger wipes would have been appreciated.
Restaurantji Recommends
I had lunch at Big Al’s on the recommendation of a local I met while in town.The food was decent. However, with that said, the brisket, sausage, and cornbread were on the dry side. Had to use more sauce than I would’ve liked to. I really like to enjoy the meats for their natural flavor.One suggestion for the management is to upgrade the quality of aluminum foil used on the tray. It was the thinnest aluminum foil I’ve ever seen and tore with every cut of the meat or scrape of the fork.If you’re looking for a local place to hang out with some friends and enjoy conversation and drinks as the primary reason, this would be a good choice as it has a comfortable atmosphere with very pleasant people.
I had lunch at Big Al’s on the recommendation of a local I met while in town.The food was decent. However, with that said, the brisket, sausage, and cornbread were on the dry side. Had to use more sauce than I would’ve liked to. I really like to enjoy the meats for their natural flavor.One suggestion for the management is to upgrade the quality of aluminum foil used on the tray. It was the thinnest aluminum foil I’ve ever seen and tore with every cut of the meat or scrape of the fork.If you’re looking for a local place to hang out with some friends and enjoy conversation and drinks as the primary reason, this would be a good choice as it has a comfortable atmosphere with very pleasant people.
The pork tenderloin loin sandwich was delicious and so was the fried mushrooms. I can't wait to go back and try the brisket that was cooking in their smoker. Great service. And it was great meeting Al too. Such a positive experience. Well done!
I really wanted to like it. I had the hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes. The meat was very salty and the potatoes were instant.
The BBQ was great! It was so tender and not overdone at all. My wife thought the pulled pork sandwich was the best she's had. I thought the burnt ends were very good (not the best I've had). The ribs were unlike any I've ever had. They were so soft they were almost mushy. But they tasted great! Our server was attentive and very chatty. She also knew a lot about the restaurant and the menu.