Dinner & Cocktails: Daytime or night, Jethro's piles on yummy vittles

Sun August 22 2010
Posted Aug 23, 2010
7,044

Des Moines, IA by Jennifer Miller A biking destination... Scene: Jethro's BBQ styles itself as "your Drake neighborhood sports bar," but it has multiple personalities. Take the kiddos to an early evening dinner or weekend brunch and it's more family restaurant than bar. A late weekend or Drake home-game nights belong more to the younger, pitcher-drinking crowd. Whatever face it's wearing, Jethro's corrugated-metal-TVs-a-goin'-six-pack-condiment-holder style is 100-percent "joint" decor. A large patio accommodates big groups and balmy weather beautifully. Neighborhood: Drake 3102 Forest Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311 515-279-3300 JethrosDesMoines Price range: $$ ($9-$15) Food: Big. Very, very big. And very, very meaty. And boy howdy, it's good, too. There are a few salads thrown in the mix for the dainty folks, but this is more of a gnawing, slurping, finger-licking kinda place. Big ol' burgers, catfish dinners, and smoked meats galore. A friend and I, dainty not at all, tucked into some serious meat. She tried the Better Homes and Gardens Melt, piled with smoked chicken and gooey American cheese with a side of crisp and creamy sweet potato fries. For me, ribs. Of course. I mean, golll-eee. All the meat is smoked in Jethro's 750-pound-capacity smoker until it begs for mercy and falls into a juicy, tender heap. The meat is heavenly stark nekkid, but there are five sauce choices. Side dishes (lots of 'em) here also get plenty of attention. I had the jalapeÃ±o creamed corn and macaroni and cheese as my sides (I said I wasn't dainty...) and yes, they are as decadent as they sound. We washed everything down with a pitcher of Stella Artois (they have an excellent on-tap menu), but you can play redneck with a bottle of High Life. There is a full bar, but it's barbecue, and somehow a glass of white Zin just ain't right. Service: Whether it's family time or bar time, I've always had brisk, friendly service from young, exhaustingly energetic servers. No exception this time. Dessert: You're kidding, right? (They do offer them, though.) Leftovers: Duh. I didn't eat the actual bones. ...