Is Jethro's BBQ Still Open? Food Paradise Update (Des Moines, IA)
Current status
As of September 2026, Jethro's BBQ is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed August 2026.
Last verified
What the source shows: A Yelp listing updated August 2026 and the restaurant's own current locations page both show the Southside restaurant operating.
- Season / episode Season 3, Episode 1
- Address 4337 Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50321
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What happened after Food Paradise?
Food Paradise: Manliest Restaurants featured Jethro's BBQ, a Des Moines, Iowa barbecue restaurant. Google Places data for the business points to an active website (jethrosdesmoines.com/locations/jethros-bbq-southside) for its Southside location, though a 2026-09-08 site check returned an HTTP 403 error and no page content could be independently verified for this appearance.
Man v. Food visited Jethro's BBQ during its Season 3 stop in Des Moines, Iowa (S3E18, aired 2010-10-06), sampling smoked barbecue plates from the local chain. Jethro's BBQ describes itself on its website as a locally owned barbecue restaurant serving slow-smoked meats, wings, and ribs with house-made sides and sauces. The Southside location sits at 4337 Park Ave, Des Moines, with a patio and fire pit along the Great Western Trail. According to a Yelp listing updated 2026-08, Jethro's BBQ Southside remains open, and Google Places listed the location as operational when checked 2026-09-08. The restaurant's own site, jethrosdesmoines.com, continues to list the Southside address among its current locations as of the same check. Yelp reviewers cited in the August 2026 update also highlighted the smoked wing specials that anchor its weekday menu.
Featured on Food Paradise
- Show
- Food Paradise
- Original air date
- Not confirmed
- Episode title
- Food Paradise: Manliest Restaurants
- What was featured
- Iowa-style barbecue plates at a Des Moines restaurant
- Role
- Featured restaurant
- Name on the broadcast
- Jethro's BBQ
- Show
- Man v. Food
- Season / episode
- Season 3, Episode 18
- Original air date
- Episode title
- —
- What was featured
- Smoked barbecue plates at a Des Moines barbecue restaurant
- Role
- Featured restaurant
- Name on the broadcast
- Jethro's BBQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Jethro's BBQ still open in 2026?
As of September 2026, Jethro's BBQ is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed August 2026.
What happened to Jethro's BBQ after Food Paradise?
Food Paradise: Manliest Restaurants featured Jethro's BBQ, a Des Moines, Iowa barbecue restaurant. As of September 2026, Jethro's BBQ is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed August 2026.
Where is Jethro's BBQ located?
4337 Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50321. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.
What season and episode of Food Paradise featured Jethro's BBQ?
Season 3, Episode 1 of Food Paradise. The episode is titled “Food Paradise: Manliest Restaurants”.
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.
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Visit info
- Address
- 4337 Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50321
- Venue type
- restaurant
- Official website
- jethrosdesmoines.com
- 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
- jethrosdesmoines.com — https://www.jethrosdesmoines.com/locations/jethros-bbq-southside
- Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/jethros-bbq-southside-des-moines-2
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Record mvf-194 · last verified .