We stopped here for lunch with my son and parents after a tour of his current jobsite in Lakeland. The atmosphere was amazing – clean and modern, yet rustic and welcoming. It is located in an old bank building (see pictures) and thus the ‘Federal’ in the name, with some tongue-in-cheek advertising on the signs outside (see pictures).
We weren’t super hungry, so ordered a little on the light side and shared our dishes (as is our custom anyway). As an appetizer, we ordered the Onion Rings (see picture) and they were awesome – huge, crispy and bit off cleanly. For lunch we ordered (see pictures for each): Kansas City Burnt Ends, Three-Meat Combo, BBQ Reuben & Smoked Turkey Breast. All of the dishes were smokey, juicy and full of flavor – but that didn’t stop us from trying the various bbq sauces on the table (see picture).
The next time you find yourself in Lakeland and looking for some good BBQ, stop by Mojo Federal Swine & Spirits.
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My wife found this place while searching for places where “Guy had been” to meet her sister’s family – and boy was it ever a gem! We had 10 in our group, so it was very difficult for them to arrange tables to accept our group inside – so we agreed to sit outside on the picnic tables. It was a bit chilly, but we made due given the circumstances.
Beyond the historic brick building and great smokey smell as you walk up, their in-house craft beer and mocktail lists were impressive. We started with a round of their craft beers and since I always like to try multiple different beers, I went with a Flight (see picture). I was impressed with their craft beers as usually there are multiple that you wouldn’t order again – but I found all except 1 to rate on the high end of my Untappd rating scale.
My only disappointment was that the picnic table tops were extremely uneven – which caused all of the beers in the flight to tip over onto my son when I slid them across the table in their rack. A server came out to clean up and said that he usually warns people about that when they order…but no offer of even a discount on the refills.
On to the best part of our visit – the food! We started with Smoked Wings (see picture) and were delighted with the flavor, tenderness and moistness of the chicken. For our main courses, we ordered the Reuben, 18 Hour Porketta and Smokestack sandwich – all with a side of fries (see pictures of each). My wife and I shared the Smokestack and as the cut-away picture shows, it is one large stack of different delicious smoked meats!
As we usually do, we all shared samples from each dish and all of us really enjoyed all of them. Beyond the obvious and delicious smoked meats, I really enjoyed the home cut fries. As the pictures show, they had a good brown color on the outside, the seasoning was perfect and the ranch sauce was a great consistency for dipping!
Exceptional smoked meats, scrumptious fries, and an extensive variety of quality in-house brewed beers make this a must-visit destination.
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Before traveling to Atlanta for a wedding, my wife saw an article about Heirloom Market BBQ recently receiving Michelin’s bib gourmands recognition. We haven’t been to a Michelin Star restaurant, so decided that we wanted to at least experience this place during our trip.
Let me start by pointing out that I absolutely love these types of places – unique, local and what might be described as a ‘hole in the wall’. With that said, I find BBQ places to be the hardest to rate given their propensity to use plastic and styrofoam for their containers and eating utensils, relatively high cost of their core products and oftentimes very low budget facilities. Even though I don’t mind it as my primary focus is on the food, how do you compare that to a place with a nice sit-down table, real plates, silverware and cloth napkins?
Heirloom Market BBQ is no different. As the pictures indicate, it is situated at the end of a very average strip mall with a small parking lot. While the building was clean and well kept on the exterior and I felt safe there before dark, there was very little seating space inside and most orders were either eaten while standing around a table in their exterior eating area or picked up to take home. Given the location, food delivery in a paper bag and only canned beverages, I struggle to give atmosphere anything more than 3*, even though I loved the artwork surrounding the exterior area where we ate (see pictures).
And now on to the good parts – starting with the server who greeted us at the door, helped us through the ordering process with great recommendations and then on to the actual food. We decided to order the Tri Tip ‘N Cheddar sandwich (see picture) along with the 2 Meat Platter w/ Brisket & Spicy Korean Pork (see picture) along with Korean Sweet Potato Chips (see picture) and Radish Salad (see picture). My wife and I shared everything and both of us really enjoyed all items. While the 2 meats were excellent, we also liked the Sweet Potato Chips (topped with sesame seeds and bathed in a soy sauce) and the Radish Salad (I really like radishes and this had just the right amount of zing to complement them).
Great smoked meats with tasty Korean sauces and sides. It ain’t fancy…but you’ll love the food and friendly service.
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Tri Tip ‘N CheddarTri Tip ‘N Cheddar2 Meat Platter (Brisket & Spicy Korean Pork) w/ Korean Sweet Potato Chips & Radish Salad2 Meat Platter (Brisket & Spicy Korean Pork) w/ Korean Sweet Potato Chips
A downtown tour guide commented on how good their BBQ is and that he especially liked the Peach BBQ sauce, so we just had to give it a try on our way out of the downtown area. The curb appeal and decor are definitely attractive – a mix of modern with a rustic cabin vibe.
While urged to order more, we opted to share the 3 Meat Combination Plate with Pork, Brisket & Ribs – with Mac & Cheese & Brisket Chili for sides (see picture). I found all of the meats as well as the BBQ sauces above average. I’m a bit of a brisket ‘snob’ as I make it at home and prefer it wrapped tight and very juicy. This had a great smoke rink and flavor…but the juiciness wasn’t quite at the top. The Macaroni & Cheese was excellent – not only creamy and flavorful, but also a great smoke taste.
While it was a little on the pricey side for just one person ($30), there was enough food to serve both of us – so I rated the Value above average. If you find yourself in the downtown area with a hunger for BBQ, this is definitely a solid stop.
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Almost a year since our last visit and yet another delightful experience. Tonight we started with a Mango Margarita drink while waiting up front (see picture). For our main course, my wife ordered Shrimp & Grits (see picture) with Chicken Creole (see picture) and loved them, while I opted for the Chicken Dinner (see picture). The Shrimp & Grits were quite rich and the Chicken Dinner was just plain a LOT of food, so we both enjoyed leftovers the following day. We have come to expect great food at The Flying Mango and tonight was no different!
04/06/2023
We returned with our neighbors last night, as we have both enjoyed our experiences here, so thought it would be a great place for a return visit. The atmosphere was definitely lively…to the point it was a little too loud, but we were able to visit at the table. The service was fantastic – Sara took great care of us, took the time to explain some menu options and kept our drinks full.
The food on this trip was a little disappointing compared to our last trip. I ordered the Lime & Garlic Chicken (see picture) and found the chicken and pasta to both be quite dry and lacking in flavor. My wife ordered the Half Rib Dinner (see picture) and while the corn bread was very good, the ribs were a bit too well done (although the flavor was good and they were still fairly tender) and the rice was good – with a nice spicy ‘kick’ to it.
When I go back, I will definitely stick to what they are known for (smoked meat) and order brisket, pulled pork or ribs. We still enjoy this place and did last night, I just won’t order the Lime & Garlic Chicken again.
06/2022
We heard about Guy’s visit and have been wanting to go here for a while. We finally did it last weekend with our son and daughter-in-law and really enjoyed the experience. Of course we watched the relevant Diners Drive-ins and Dives (DDD) episodes that weekend and loved the context.
Our whole party wasn’t all there initially, so we were asked to take a table in the entry area and ordered a drink. Given how busy they were, I understand this rule and she took good care of us, getting our order quickly and accurately.
We started in the dining area by ordering the chicken dip appetizer served with blue corn chips. All 4 of us really enjoyed it and I’d recommend it – a great balance of protein and flavor without too much grease, fat or salt.
For the main course, my daughter-in-law ordered the Shrimp Pontchartrain (see picture), my wife ordered the Duck Breast and I ordered What Guy Had. All of us really enjoyed all of the dishes. While I thought my ribs were a little over-done (and dryer than I’d like as a result), the catfish cake and collard greens were both absolutely amazing!
In my opinion, these are some of these best plates of southern food in Des Moines. The atmosphere was above average for a barbeque joint, but not a 5* restaurant. The prices were on the high side but you could argue that they are worth it. Lastly, as my profile states, I like a server with opinions and a bit of an attitude and she had neither…but the service was still great.
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This place was recommended by a work colleague for my visit in Davenport. This place has hospitality down right. Employees were constantly greeting me, making me feel quite welcome and showing true appreciation that I was there to try some of their BBQ.
For my meal, I ate quite light – opting for only the 8oz of Smoked Turkey with a side of cornbread (see picture). While the turkey was a little on the dry side, it was late in the evening, still tasted great and gave me the opportunity to try all of the hot sauces at the table (see pictures).
Definitely a solid BBQ stop in Davenport…and I loved the support and appreciation that was shown to our military throughout the restaurant!
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Stopped back again when our son and his girlfriend were visiting and had another great experience. The main additions from this visit were the Boom Boom Bao appetizer (see picture) and the Kimchi Fried Rice (see picture). The Boom Boom Bao was SO good – I just loved the soft, warm bread-like bao with the juicy and flavorful inserts. It is a little pricey, but the food is quite good.
09/09/2023
We have been to Korean BBQs before and have enjoyed them – and our son and daughter-in-law recommended this place. We finally got a chance to try it ourselves last night and enjoyed our experience.
We arrived a little early for our reservation, so joined Katie at the bar for a drink. She is a fantastic bartender with excellent recommendations – so when you go, say ‘Hi’ to her from The Food and Drink Guy. She recommended the Grapefruit Soju Margarita (see picture) for my wife and it was delicious (she gave me a taste).
When I saw the Shanky’s Whip on the shelf I asked her what she could make with it, since I just had it the night before and liked how smooth, sweet and creamy it was. She recommended a Shanky’s Whip Old Fashioned (see picture) and she nailed it with the recommendation – it was so good that even my wife (who isnt a big whiskey fan) found it to be quite tasty!
For our dinner, my wife ordered the Beef Bulgogi (far side in picture) and I ordered the Picanha Cut (near side in picture). While both were very good, the Beef Bulgogi was definitely more tender and more flavorful – so it would get my stronger recommendation. The Kim Chi Fried Rice was a good complement to the rest of the provided sides. My wife and I both like our food on the spicier side and it was recommended that we ask for extra spice, but unfortunately we forgot to do so and did find the food overall to be a bit bland to our liking.
If you enjoy the grill-it-yourself Korean BBQ experience, you will enjoy a stop at DZÔ Korean BBQ – and if you’d rather not grill it, they will grill it for you.
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This place has been on my Want to Go since sampling their catering in a factory near their north Des Moines location. The BBQ is top-notch and in my opinion in the top tier in the Des Moines area. The atmosphere, value and service are all above average and worthy of a stop to try for yourself.
We had a beer at the bar before dinner and ended up staying there to eat our dinner. I really like their snowy/ice rail to set your tap beer on – as it does do a great job of helping to keep your beer colder! A friend and myself shared the BBQ Sampler Platter (see picture) with brisket, burnt ends and chicken – and really enjoyed all 3 of them along with the ribs.
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We have eaten at several Jack Stack Barbecue venues in Kansas City and have really enjoyed them, so when this place was within walking distance on a recent stay, it rose to the top of our list for dinner. We had another couple that met us for the weekend and while the husband had been here once before for a work event, this was the wife’s first visit (and boy did she leave satisfied!).
We had a group of 4 and wanted to try a little of everything, so went with The Pitmaster (see picture) for our entree. It was so hard to pick from the side offerings (see pictures), as all of them sounded so good. As we have become accustomed to, the barbecue was absolutely fantastic! All of the meats were SO tender and full of flavor – easy to cut with a fork and they just melt in your mouth!
If you haven’t experienced barbecue at a Jack Stack – you don’t know what you are missing. You will absolutely fall in love with the great food and atmosphere, so I highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner during your next trip to downtown Kansas City!
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I’ve been waiting quite a while to try this place as I had heard and read multiple stories about how good their smoked meats are – and finally got the opportunity to go with some co-workers tonight. Boy what a treat it was, with the BBQ meat being some of the best I’ve had and the service from Abby nothing short of exceptional – friendly, energetic, knowledgeable & not afraid to share her opinions! While I couldn’t go 5* across the board given the plastic eating utensils, Styrofoam containers for sides and $8+ tap beers, this is truly a gem with some great character just a short drive north of Des Moines that is also set up very well for take-out.
We started with a round of drinks – the tap selection was more than expected for a smaller community outside of the Des Moines metro (see pictures). For dinner, Abby was kind enough to recommend the Brisket (fatty) and Ribs (see picture) paired with Jalapeno Cream Corn (see picture) and Potato Salad (see picture). The fun little ‘treat’ at the bottom of the Jalapeno Cream Corn container was a few Fritos corn chips – which made a nice crunchy complement to the corn. My co-workers ordered Brisket (lean – see picture) and Brisket (lean) with Pulled Pork (see picture). Even though the meat didn’t need any sauce, I enjoyed the Wildfire BBQ Sauce to not only add it to my meat and cornbread, but also bought a bottle to bring home (see picture).
All of the smoked meat was delicious, with the fatty Brisket being extremely moist and flavorful (as might be expected from its name). I sampled some of the Fries and also thought they were very good – excellent flavor without the extremely high saltiness. I really enjoyed the roadhouse feel and decor throughout the building (see pictures) along with the pin board showing where their customers lived (see picture).
Lastly, don’t leave without sampling at least one of their Sweet Treats. Abby recommended the Oatmeal Cream Pie (see picture) as one of their originals and favorites as well as the Nutter Butter Nanna Puddin (see picture). While both are pre-packaged as per the pictures, both of them tasted fantastic and I highly recommend them both.
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We stopped here for lunch while driving through on a business trip and really enjoyed the food.
I ordered Brisket, Pork Burnt Ends and Broccoli (see picture) and thought all were delicious! The brisket had good smoke flavor and was moist (although ideally I like it sliced thicker), the pork burnt ends were lean, juicy and flavorful – and the broccoli with butter was also delicious!
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Stopped here for lunch while driving through on a business trip. Would best describe it as an average bbq restaurant. The brisket was a little dry to my liking, requiring more than average amounts of sauce and the bun was a low end grocery variety. A single small, round pickle slice complemented what I thought was the highlight of the meal – the Horseradish Cole Slaw.
I thought the pricing was higher than justified for the food quantity and quality. It was $11.50 for the relatively small sandwich and small portion of cole slaw – with styrofoam drink glasses and cole slaw container, and plastic eating utensils.
The pie and ice cream desserts looked great, but I ended up deciding against the extra calories so can’t comment on any of them.
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Highly recommended, so stopped here for dinner on a recent trip to KC. Three of us decided to share the Pitmaster Family Share Dinner and not was it a treat! We really enjoyed sampling all of the great smoked meat – and although pork and beans aren’t usually high on my list, they were very good also, as was the cheesy corn!
If you are ever on the Plaza area in Kansas City – I highly recommend that you try this place. You won’t be disappointed.
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Have been to multiple Jethro’s locations, but this was our first visit to this location. Although we like to explore and try new places, our son and daughter-in-law like Jethro’s, so we stopped here with a visiting family member.
I ordered the single meat platter with brisket. It was average – good flavor but a little dry to my taste, as I’ve become a bit of a ‘brisket snob’ after making sure a few myself and knowing what I like. The sweet potato fries were good.
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We stopped here for dinner as we really enjoyed the Adel location (one of my 5* ratings) and wanted to try out the new location. In comparison, we were disappointed with the food at this location, but did enjoy the live entertainment as well as the friendly, attentive staff.
I ordered the wings, as we really enjoyed them at Adel, while my wife ordered the medium Pork Tenderloin. The wings weren’t as smoky as what we remembered from Adel and I believe they were fried too long (crispy, dry and the meat shrinking / pulling away from the bone). Given the Top 5 rating for his Tenderloins, our expectations were high and we were left disappointed. The portion was small and there didn’t seem to be a distinct smoky flavor. If you order the Tenderloin, I would recommend trying the large size in hopes that it is a bit more juicy and smoky.
The highlight of this visit was the Blueberry Cobbler for dessert (see picture – delicious) and Jesse and the Medicine Men’s live entertainment in the bar area. Jesse mingled in the crowd during break and was a good enough singer / entertainer that we moved to the bar for another drink and listened through their last song. He did some great classic country music and really seemed to enjoy entertaining us.
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Came in at opening time on Saturday and ordered the Piglet to try pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket. Assumed it would come separate to try them each separately, but they were all small pieces and scrambled together on the bun. That said, it tasted great, was on a high quality bun, the fries had a crispy coating and tasted great and the Hogs Breath sauce was a perfect compliment. We love Parrots Kay, but it was closed, so we tried this place and are glad we stopped.
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Grilled Reuben was great as were the tater tots and dip.
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