What Happened to Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral After Man v. Food? (Johnston, IA)
Current status
As of September 2026, Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral has closed — confirmed via who13.com, August 14, 2025.
Last verified
What the source shows: WHO13 reported that owners Robert Prince and Craig DeDecker posted on Facebook August 13, 2025, that Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral was closing after more than 20 years in business; Yelp's listing for the Merle Hay Road address is independently marked closed as of a June 2026 update.
- Season / episode Season 5, Episode 9
- Original air date
- Address 5955 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131
Address
5955 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131
We have not geocoded this record yet, so it is not on the map.
What happened after Man v. Food?
Man v. Food's Des Moines episode visited Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral, a Johnston barbecue restaurant built around a smoked-meat menu and its fiery food challenges. Owners Robert Prince and Craig DeDecker opened Cactus Bob's in 2005 after winning a Grand Championship title in their first barbecue competition, according to WHO13, and the restaurant went on to serve the Des Moines metro for more than two decades from its Merle Hay Road storefront in Johnston. WHO13 and other Des Moines-area outlets reported that the owners posted on Facebook on August 13, 2025, that after more than 20 years in business, Cactus Bob's was closing; the post read in part that "it is with both sadness and great pride" that the restaurant was ending its run, and it thanked customers for their patronage. Yelp's listing for the Merle Hay Road location shows it marked closed as of a June 2026 update.
Featured on Man v. Food
- Show
- Man v. Food
- Original air date
- Episode title
- —
- What was featured
- smoked barbecue and fiery food eating challenges
- Role
- Featured restaurant
- Name on the broadcast
- Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral
Frequently asked questions
Is Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral still open in 2026?
As of September 2026, Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral has closed — confirmed via who13.com, August 14, 2025.
What happened to Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral after Man v. Food?
Man v. As of September 2026, Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral has closed — confirmed via who13.com, August 14, 2025.
Is Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral permanently closed?
As of September 2026, Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral has closed — confirmed via who13.com, August 14, 2025. We publish a closure only with a dated source behind it, and we say plainly when it has not been independently confirmed.
Where is Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral located?
5955 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.
What season and episode of Man v. Food featured Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral?
Season 5, Episode 9 of Man v. Food, first aired September 4, 2017.
Is Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral still using the Man v. Food menu or branding?
Food's Des Moines episode visited Cactus Bob's BBQ Corral, a Johnston barbecue restaurant built around a smoked-meat menu and its fiery food challenges. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.
Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.
More from Man v. Food
-
Ames, IA
Closed verified Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Relocated verified Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Open reported Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Open verified Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Open reported Checked -
[http://www.plainandfancyfarm.com/ Plain and Fancy Farm]
Bird-in-Hand, PA
Open reported Checked
Other TV restaurants in Iowa
-
Ames, IA
Man v. Food
Closed verified Checked -
Dubuque, IA
Food Paradise
Open verified Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Open reported Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Open reported Checked -
Des Moines, IA
Best Thing I Ever Ate · Food Paradise · Man v. Food
Relocated verified Checked -
George The Chili King Drive-In
Des Moines, IA
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Closed verified Checked
Visit info
- Address
- 5955 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131
- Venue type
- restaurant
- Official website
- None found
- State hub
- TV restaurants in Iowa
Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.
Sources
See something wrong?
We work hard to keep every status accurate and dated, but restaurants change fast and our sources aren't perfect. If something here is wrong — a status, a name, an address, anything — tell us what you're seeing and where you saw it, and we'll check it.
Record mvf-309 · last verified .