Jethro's BBQ

Des Moines, Polk County

Access

Included with Business Intelligence

Access

Capabilities

Offering
BBQ[2]
Offering
Smoked Meats[2]
Offering
Ribs[2]
Offering
Brisket[2]
Offering
Pulled Pork[2]
Offering
Catering[2]
Offering
Full Bar[2]
Offering
Breakfast[2]
Service
Dine-In[2]
Service
Takeout[2]
Service
Barbecue[2]
Service
Catering[2]
Service
Banquets[2]
Service
Full Bar[2]
Service
Breakfast (select locations)[2]

Claim this page

Own this business? Claim it to keep the details accurate.

Claim this page

Business details

Price range
$$[2]

Community

Community
Featured on Man vs Food[1]
Community
Manliest Restaurant in the Midwest — Men's Health Magazine[1]
Community
Gerleman Management, Inc.[1]

About

Jethro's BBQ was founded in 2008 by Bruce Gerleman, a lifelong Iowa native and president of Gerleman Management since 1980. Drawing inspiration from a tour of famous BBQ spots around Austin, Texas, Gerleman opened the first Jethro's near Drake University where all recipes were made from scratch. Jethro's soon gained national attention when it was featured on "Man vs Food" and was named the "Manliest Restaurant in the Midwest" by Men's Health Magazine and the Discovery Channel. The restaurant became known for its massive portions and authentic pit-smoked barbecue. Today, Jethro's BBQ operates eight restaurants across Iowa, employing over 800 people and serving a combined 30,000 customers every week. Bruce Gerleman also distinguished himself as a historic preservationist, restoring some of Des Moines' most historic buildings.[2]

Machine-readable record

Machine-readable record

Sources

  1. Every Iowan record as of 2026-07-10
  2. Every Iowan record as of 2026-07-10