Had an amazing experience trying Joppa Experience at Mainframes Studios on First Friday! We couldn't resist the delicious food and ended up eating way too much. The chicken was incredibly moist, and the smoke flavor was spot-on, perfection! Can't wait to visit their stand-alone restaurant soon to indulge in their mouthwatering dishes again. Highly recommended! ?
Recommended dishes: Mac
J Holder
Chicago style menu in Iowa. From a simple polish to oxtails, cabbage and Mac and cheese the food is nothing short of AMAZING.
Simona Lewis
I actually djed for a game day there, and it was a good vibe! The customers were happy, and they had a great special on their menu items. They brought life into the food court which is usually dead!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Style Italian Beef
Shae L.
Great food. Felt nice to have something comforting since moving to Clive from Florida. The food was great and flavorful. I'll return for more Chicago style food.
David B.
I recently tried this local, black-owned business in Merle Hay Mall for the first time. I ordered the Chicago style roast beef, and I was surprised at how tasty it was. The many chopped peppers and little bit of melted cheese were excellent. I was wary about the fries because small places like this often make them soggy with too much salt, but they were crispy and only a little salt, which is the way I like them. She added something like a very light powdered parmesan cheese to them, which made them even better. I will definitely go back to try downright else.
Ethan Raysby
We had the wings, Mac and Cheese, fries and sweet potatoes. The food was fantastic! We’ll be back.
Chris Conmy
We really enjoyed Joppa!Being from the Chicago area I had a craving for an Italian Beef and it did not disappoint.If you've had Beefs from the Chicago area I think it's better than any beef I've ever had at Johnny's, Portillo's, or Beef Shack.What made the beef so good was how flavorful the beef was!In addition the fries were cooked perfectly and their mild sauce is a perfect companion.My wife had the fried wings, Mac and Cheese, and Green Beans.Everything was excellent!With the easy parking at the back of the mall for the food court we will soon return.Parking: Super easy parking from mall court with close handicap parking as well.
Clarice S.
We had a great meal at Joppa. The food was made fresh to order. Huge double patty burger and supper crispy wings with fries. Everything and delicious and the staff was very friendly and professional. Merle Hay food court is the best, keep them in business people!
Cliff K.
It's an interesting restaurant with Chicago style and a Soul Food vibe. Christine Johnson is the owner. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. The parking is easy and plentiful because it's at the mall. The mall has done a good job on the concept of hiring locally-owned businesses businesses like Jopa into its food court in the food court there are some other choices there like Italian, Vietnamese, barbecue, Mexican, and a Maid Rite. All are local owners and so if you in a group there's lots of good choices. On the jopa menu they have a hamburger and a shoe a Chicago style beef, and a Chicago Polish style dog sandwich and Hand breaded catfish sandwich they offer Jamaican style j*** on Thursdays and Fridays with soul food sides. I had the Chicago style beef and they just lightly wetted for me with some peppers it was a good sandwich with a righteous amount of beef. Their fries are handmade and they offer Pepsi products which I enjoy. All my friends have enjoyed all the dishes they've gotten there it's definitely worth a visit.
Brianna Holst
I had the j*** wings and fries with lemon pepper and mild sauce, absolutely fantastic! Closest place to me that taste JUST like Chicago.
This is my first experience here, and it won’t be the last! I had the catfish sandwich, which came with fries, and it was most definitely the best I’ve ever had. I love that this is a small business and not a chain. Easy to find in Merle Hay Mall right outside of Kohl’s.
Carolyn C.
I love this place me and my two daughters we eat there maybe two sometimes three times a week we love their soul food their customer service is a 1It's Family oriented their oxtails are fabulous my daughters love their Italian beefs dipped for sure and we also love their j*** rib tips
Stephany M.
Hidden gem! Ever see your catfish breaded right in front of you? Every eaten a fresh fried catfish sandwich that was so good you kept eating smaller and smaller bites to make it last? Well, get yourself into Joppa Experience and have one. There's plenty of free parking right outside the door to the food court (back side by Younkers), and no waiting at the counter. They were out of half their menu (my fault for Friday night? Theirs for planning?) but boy was that a good sandwich
Deshara Bohanna
I've had this restaurant's food many times at city events and catering parties. Not a single time has one ingredient been off. We hired them to cater our food and all of our guest wanted their contact info. Christine and her team are amazing. Oh! I requested they cater 1 day prior for 40 people. Chicken, macaroni, green beans , and fried chicken. She accommodated, was on time and the food was perfection!Ty Joppa!
Kristen Sims
Absolutely DELICIOUS!! Very friendly staff that explained everything. Had the j*** chicken wrap, WOW that sauce and we got their wings as well. Those were THE biggest wings I've ever gotten from a restaurant and the sauce mix she made was AMAZING!!! Comes with fries that were so flavorful too. Love this place, DEFINITELY will be back to try more!! ????
Had an amazing experience trying Joppa Experience at Mainframes Studios on First Friday! We couldn't resist the delicious food and ended up eating way too much. The chicken was incredibly moist, and the smoke flavor was spot-on, perfection! Can't wait to visit their stand-alone restaurant soon to indulge in their mouthwatering dishes again. Highly recommended! ?
Recommended dishes: Mac
Chicago style menu in Iowa. From a simple polish to oxtails, cabbage and Mac and cheese the food is nothing short of AMAZING.
I actually djed for a game day there, and it was a good vibe! The customers were happy, and they had a great special on their menu items. They brought life into the food court which is usually dead!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Style Italian Beef
Great food. Felt nice to have something comforting since moving to Clive from Florida. The food was great and flavorful. I'll return for more Chicago style food.
I recently tried this local, black-owned business in Merle Hay Mall for the first time. I ordered the Chicago style roast beef, and I was surprised at how tasty it was. The many chopped peppers and little bit of melted cheese were excellent. I was wary about the fries because small places like this often make them soggy with too much salt, but they were crispy and only a little salt, which is the way I like them. She added something like a very light powdered parmesan cheese to them, which made them even better. I will definitely go back to try downright else.
We had the wings, Mac and Cheese, fries and sweet potatoes. The food was fantastic! We’ll be back.
We really enjoyed Joppa!Being from the Chicago area I had a craving for an Italian Beef and it did not disappoint.If you've had Beefs from the Chicago area I think it's better than any beef I've ever had at Johnny's, Portillo's, or Beef Shack.What made the beef so good was how flavorful the beef was!In addition the fries were cooked perfectly and their mild sauce is a perfect companion.My wife had the fried wings, Mac and Cheese, and Green Beans.Everything was excellent!With the easy parking at the back of the mall for the food court we will soon return.Parking: Super easy parking from mall court with close handicap parking as well.
We had a great meal at Joppa. The food was made fresh to order. Huge double patty burger and supper crispy wings with fries. Everything and delicious and the staff was very friendly and professional. Merle Hay food court is the best, keep them in business people!
It's an interesting restaurant with Chicago style and a Soul Food vibe. Christine Johnson is the owner. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. The parking is easy and plentiful because it's at the mall. The mall has done a good job on the concept of hiring locally-owned businesses businesses like Jopa into its food court in the food court there are some other choices there like Italian, Vietnamese, barbecue, Mexican, and a Maid Rite. All are local owners and so if you in a group there's lots of good choices. On the jopa menu they have a hamburger and a shoe a Chicago style beef, and a Chicago Polish style dog sandwich and Hand breaded catfish sandwich they offer Jamaican style j*** on Thursdays and Fridays with soul food sides. I had the Chicago style beef and they just lightly wetted for me with some peppers it was a good sandwich with a righteous amount of beef. Their fries are handmade and they offer Pepsi products which I enjoy. All my friends have enjoyed all the dishes they've gotten there it's definitely worth a visit.
I had the j*** wings and fries with lemon pepper and mild sauce, absolutely fantastic! Closest place to me that taste JUST like Chicago.
Restaurantji Recommends
This is my first experience here, and it won’t be the last! I had the catfish sandwich, which came with fries, and it was most definitely the best I’ve ever had. I love that this is a small business and not a chain. Easy to find in Merle Hay Mall right outside of Kohl’s.
I love this place me and my two daughters we eat there maybe two sometimes three times a week we love their soul food their customer service is a 1It's Family oriented their oxtails are fabulous my daughters love their Italian beefs dipped for sure and we also love their j*** rib tips
Hidden gem! Ever see your catfish breaded right in front of you? Every eaten a fresh fried catfish sandwich that was so good you kept eating smaller and smaller bites to make it last? Well, get yourself into Joppa Experience and have one. There's plenty of free parking right outside the door to the food court (back side by Younkers), and no waiting at the counter. They were out of half their menu (my fault for Friday night? Theirs for planning?) but boy was that a good sandwich
I've had this restaurant's food many times at city events and catering parties. Not a single time has one ingredient been off. We hired them to cater our food and all of our guest wanted their contact info. Christine and her team are amazing. Oh! I requested they cater 1 day prior for 40 people. Chicken, macaroni, green beans , and fried chicken. She accommodated, was on time and the food was perfection!Ty Joppa!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!! Very friendly staff that explained everything. Had the j*** chicken wrap, WOW that sauce and we got their wings as well. Those were THE biggest wings I've ever gotten from a restaurant and the sauce mix she made was AMAZING!!! Comes with fries that were so flavorful too. Love this place, DEFINITELY will be back to try more!! ????