All I can say is, the best bbq in town. Great service and food. Worth the wait on a busy nite. A real treat, can't wait until I go back to Iowa in October. A real DDD joint.
Pleasantly surprised. I had no idea what to expect when I first came here. I knew that flying mango was more of some sort of fancy bbq joint but I had never had a chance to try it. I was blown away by the food. It wasn't even the tender briskets, or hickory smoked burnt to perfection crisped ribs that had me. It was the SIDES that made the entire meal. I loved the various unique flavorful and beautiful sides. I ordered the Pancake with Mango sour cream (phenomenal), Corn Bread with Honey Butter (equally amazing), and the Braised Collard Greens with Bacon (yummm). The only thing I might not like about this restaurant is that you must pay to split/share your dishes. Instead of getting one meal though and paying the $10 extra to split the meal what my friend and I did was buy a meal and then get a sandwich which costs the same amount and you get an extra side with it. You get more for the $10.
Love it!. Went here with my wife and some friends a few months ago and absolutely loved it! One of our favorites places in Des Moines. Their food is top notch, atmosphere is incredible, the open kitchen when you first walk in is really fun, service was great, etc etc. I enjoyed it so much that I'm bringing a group here for my birthday next week. Best brisket ever and the wings are a must. What's interesting about this place is that it's got a very modern decor yet they serve food that I usually wouldn't associate with it. It's a fusion of modern with BBQ/Caribbean. It's difficult to explain but once you're there it all makes sense. Their food is top notch, do yourself a favor and give it a try if you haven't already!
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Flying Fruit. The Flying Mango sits in a neighborhood setting in the MECCA of FINE DINING (Beaverdale Iowa).
Immediately the color and the music and setting .......soothes your soul.
With walls that are adorned with colorful Works by until now unknown artist HC PORTER........and the friendly and cheerful waitress that came softly to the table.........Talk of food came into the mix
The owner came and introduced himself and spoke with warmth and thanks for our coming to his restaurant ......later a surprise cut of BEEF BRISKET that melted in my mouth.......was presented along with a delightful meal
My son had the Lamb Chops and a unique blend of Korean Cajun and Imagination salad that had a unique Peanut Sauce .......arrived in seemless fashion ......as I sipped on my Peach Tea (great on its own)
Sharing a Rack of Ribs (smoked in Cherry Wood) .......with an array of sauces the likes I have never seen (some eclectic brands and the Owners own sauces) .........it was as if I was transported back to the Big Easy ........it was served with some RED BEANS and Rice .......with little pieces of onion and other ........that was BIG EASY master level ......a meal in itself and done with FRENCH QUARTER Magic ....amazingly good.
This is a not a good fine dining experience........It is a GREAT dining experience.
GREAT SERVICE
GREAT AMBIANCE
GREAT FOOD
EXCELLENCE in motion...........BUCKET LIST kinda place
Wow! Food, drinks and service were amazing. The owner is so involved with everything. We love love love this incredible delicious place. This place is a must!
Michele Haynes Battani
+4.5
My favorite restaurant in Des Moines can't say anything bad about it. 5 stars.
Dinner. Completely amazed with the taste, service and all the personality they put into the "Flying Mango". We ordered the brisket and ribs and were not disappointed at all. Both were mouth-watering dishes!! Our waiter was funny, knowledgeable of the dishes, wine etc. He helped our first impressions completely.
Definately will be back time and time again.
Best restaurant in the Metro. Reasonable prices, great atmosphere, even better food. Puts Jethros BBQ to shame!
Great find!. I've driven past Flying Mango a million times, and finally decided to stop in for dinner. It is a small, quaint place that is dimly lit, but very intimate. I'll admit that looking at the menu, I wasn't quite sure what to get as there were a lot of choices but nothing truly jumped out. I decided on a lime and garlic pasta dish and never looked back. It was absolutely amazing. I haven't stopped thinking about it. I will definitely be back.
Always good. You can't best the brisket!
I had the three meat and my friend had the chicken and I was amazed at the tenderness of t brisket and ow the meat came off the rib bones put that with jambalaya and perfect cornbread and I was in heaven the smoked chicken was slightly dry. Yummy!
Sumptuous. You have GOT to try this place!! The best barbeque in Des Moines hands down!! My fav is the pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw. Make sure and get the cornbread, too; It's unlike any cornbread I've ever eaten. It's dense, sweet and cake-y and served with a side of sweet, cinnamon butter. Yum! Yum! This is a small, little restaurant with an intimate and cozy atmosphere right in the middle of a residential area, so you might miss it, but definitely DON'T miss it.
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A Neighborhood Gem. Carol and I are Foodies and newcomers to Iowa from the Chicago area, and we have been actively researching area restaurants to identify our replacement favorites ever since we moved here in April. The Flying Mango is now certainly among our favorites.
Our nephew, Ross, joined us and it was our first time here and we could smell that this was a Smokehouse type of restaurant. We were greeted with a very friendly face and led to the Big Room with about 20 tables with very colorful and tasteful pictures hung all along the walls. There was also some nice "toe-tappin" background music which wasn't too loud to affect our conversation.
The menu was certainly a unique blend of grilled and spicy Caribbean delicacies with a wonderful collection of specialty beers, and an adequate selection of wines.
For appetizers, we were enticed into ordering the "Bag of Bones" selection. What we received was a small brown paper bag with enough rib sections, prepared Memphis style, to satisfy both Ross and I.
I ordered something I had never tried before, Smoked Brisket with mixed vegetables and a glass of their Pinot Noir. For presentation, I spied on my plate a colorful medley of the vegetables along side a thickly sliced cut of the barbequed brisket with a small bowl of Spiced Apples. The brisket I found to be flavorful but a little too dry for my taste. There was a lot of fat in the brisket (not unusual) which didn't do much to moisten the meat. The Pinot was perfect with the brisket and very drinkable. Ross tried the Shrimp Creole which he said had a nice spicy flavor and he would certainly order it again.
We finished out our meal by splitting the Southwestern Chocolate Cake with a distinctive Red frosting design (pepper shape) on the top. I thought the flavor was wonderful with a light, not too sweet, chocolate flavor with a touch of a bite to it. It was Wonderful !!
The prices are very fair for the value received and the service was a little slow at the beginning but then very attentive the rest of the evening. Carol and I will certainly be back to try other items on very interesting menu.
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I was trying not to over use "Really" in the title to say how good the food is.. Awesome food, but I wish the place was bigger. This place gets packed quick so get there early because the regulars will fill this place up, and with darn good reason. If you're from this part of hemisphere where the weather is hot (i.e. Southern US, Caribbean, South America, etc.), find yourself in Iowa, like your local/regional spicy cuisine you will find beautiful nostalgia in their food. If you're that guy that does not really like food that is too spicy because there is no flavor when it is over done, you will find an awesome flavorful experience that you will enjoy and not soon forget. The spiciness of the food is really something that I appreciate for the same reason I like a full body wheat beer over light beer, for example. The experience and flavor of the food pushes the limit of your taste buds without feeling like you need college drinking buddies in your head telling you to "man up and take it" just to finish the plate. Spices is meant to enhance flavor not to be over powering, it is truly refreshing to dine at a restaurant where the Chefs haven't forgot that. Flying Mango gets the A+++
I don't eat meat but I've heard it is really good. My mom knows the manerger or the owner and he is super nice.
Awesome service!. We had a little trouble with our reservation (party of 7 for a Fri night), but they made it right and got us in very quickly. The food was amazing and the service was fantastic! Great atmosphere for a dinner with friends and/or family.
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Excellent!. Friends brought us to the Flying Mango recently and the flavors in the air had my mouth watering before we even got inside. The creative menu offers a tour of Memphis by way of Louisiana and even though I was stuffed by the end of the meal, I was still glancing enviously at dishes being brought out to the other guests (something to come back for, I guess!). I opted for the brisket, which was so tender and had a smoky, flavorful char that was to die for. My wife ordered the big chop--a slab of pork so thick that I wasn't sure how it would taste. My fears were quickly put to rest, however, as it was juicy and nicely complimented by the housemade sauce found on every table that offered a subtle kick. Quibbles were slight--the potato of the day, a mash with bacon and cheddar that sounded delicious, was surprisingly bland and dry and the fire-roasted spiced apples lacked the zing I had hoped for.
Atmosphere was fun--a lively energy in the crowd, interesting artwork, and an open kitchen near the entry area that will help you decide what you what to eat while you wait. Service was fine, if perhaps a touch slow given the packed house. Portions were plentiful (enough for leftovers) and prices were fair (most entrees were between $10-20, less for sandwiches).
Grade: A
Best Restaurant, Period. Best service, best food, best atmosphere, awesome drink selection and affordable wine. The owner is so friendly and there are people that actually know how to cook in the kitchen. Awesome, no wonder we go there bi-weekly
Memphis ain't got nothin' on the Mango. Let me say upfront that I LOVE Memphis-style ribs. I've eaten them multiple times at the Rendezvous and Corky's in Memphis (go to Corky's if you if ask me) and Flying Mango's stack up well. The half-rack was 6 meaty ribs with excellent smokiness and just this side of fall-off-the-bone tender. The sauce (in a squeeze bottle at each table) was delicious. Not particularly spicy, but flavorful nonetheless. Had the red beans and rice as a side. The red beans were made nicely spicy with the addition of andouille sausage. Lip-smacking good. And, of course, I had to have the corn bread with cinnamon butter. De-lish. Short, but well-chosen selections of wine and beer. The Ommegang Hennepin paired very nicely with the ribs. Excellent meal and attentive, friendly service. I'm anxious to go back to try out the rest of the menu.
Too Yummy!. Yum!!! My cousin brought me here because it's her favorite restaurant. I loved it!! I had a hard time choosing what to get because everything sounded delicious. I ended up ordering the cajun catfish and it was delish! My cousin had the brisket which also amazing. I will definitely come back before I leave and whenever I come into town.
Outstanding. Food and service were excellent - by far the best brisket and ribs we have ever had. The atmosphere and staff are both outstanding as well - it doesn't have that chain feel I have come to abhor. It took some doing to talk my wife into giving the Flying Mango a shot and now it's definitely her favorite place to go. We will be monthly regulars from this point on.
You Won't Want to Miss This. The Flying Mango is by far my FAVORITE restaurant in the Des Moines area. It's kind of like a mixture of caribbean, cajun and BBQ. Everything I've had here has been delicious. The smoked chicken dip is a great way to start your experience. The ribs are cooked to perfection, the shrimp creole is super yummy and the lime and garlic shrimp over fettucine is delicious. The corn bread here is delicious. Not only is the food amazing but the service is friendly. You don't want to miss this place.
Good stuff. Food quality was very good across all entrees at our table. Ribs and brisket were certainly better than most restaurants offer.
Prices were fine, in line with competitors.
We received excellent service.
Environment is lacking. It's a former catering-only company, and the dining room is cramped and not very visually pleasing. This is the only real knock on the place. It's certainly worth a visit.
Tasty cajun and southern fare. Amazing red beans and rice. My chicken creole lacked any chicken, as did my fellow diner's dish, however, we both left happy.
Love It!!. I love this place. The food is delish and always cooked perfect. Atmosphere there is really neat and I recommend it to all my friends.
Mmmm! I keep going back for the ribs - best in Des Moines - he always gets the brisket! Both worth the 45 weekend wait - or pick it up to take home. Glad this caterer opened a place to sit and eat. Jeans or suits, comfortable location.
I went there with my dad, stepmom, and wife. My wife said she would give it 4 1/2 stars. The service was a bit slow that night, we ordered an appetizer that came with the main course. My wife said her apple pie was cold. But the main course is excellent.
Absolutely Incredible!. I was in Des Moines in June and found the Flying Mango on urbanspoon before my trip. What a fortunate discovery!
Though my family and I required some help from Mike over the phone in order to get to the restaurant, we got there just as they were opening, around 5:30.
The service was warm and friendly, including a personal visit to our table by Mike. The real story, however, is the food!
Someone had the ribs, and two of us had the chopped brisket sandwich, which was absolutely incredible. I understand why it's Mike's favorite.
I've had great barbeque, including some amazing brisket in Houston and Dallas, but I have never tasted brisket like Mike's. There is no equal.
By the way, the wine list was great and the desserts were just as good as the entrees.
If you're in Des Moines, you've got to stop and have dinner at the Flying Mango. I suggest the brisket sandwich, and tell Mike the Wilson family from Atlanta said thanks for an incredible meal.
Warm, friendly neighborhood place with the best BBQ beef brisket anywhere. Great beer choices too.
My wife and I have been dining here for the last 5 years and this one of our favorite restaurants in the Des Moines area. We like to reserve visits for special occasions and the Flying Mango is the place we go. They serve dishes that feature Barbecue, Caribbean, and Cajun. The service is excellent and the steaks, seafood, and BBQ will invigorate your taste buds. Some of our favorite dinners include the Memphis Ribs, any of the Pork Chops, the Louisiana Platter, Red Neck Surf and Turf, and the 24 hour Beef Brisket. Louisiana Platter I recommend that you call in advance and make a dinner reservation. You can call them at 515-255-411. If you receive their voice mail leave a message with a few times that will work for you. They have always called me back to confirm. In the summer they have a wonderful patio that is smoke free. Sometimes they even have live music. Check out the schedule and purchase your tickets here. These dinner events sell out and are very popular. S
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Finally got in to eat at this place and the wait was worth it. As you can see by my rating I loved my overall experience but not everything was pleasant. A group of friends and I made reservations, you have to make reservations for groups with 6 or more. Upon arriving at the restaurant it was clear that parking was going to be an issue. Once inside the arouma of smoked meats and BBQ hit your nose. They instantly make your mouth water. A very pleasant hostess greets you and makes sure your whole party has arrived. Once seated your waitress shows up to take drinks and then disappears only to come back a few mi utes later with all your correct drinks. Our group ordered some appetizers with our meals. The jerk chicken tacos were by the the favorite followed by as chicken dip, and coming in last was the car fish cake. Our main dishes were a variety of different options including a couple specials. One thing to know about the specials that you have to get there early because when they're out they are out. All of our food came out hot and delicious there was just a couple items that we were not a fan of. Most notably was the "What Guy Had", this is what Guy fieri ordered when he did Diners Drive-Ins and dives. No one at our table really enjoyed that. Overall we had an amazing time with good food I would just be very cautious on what you order as some of the prices are expensive because they are based off of current market value.
I'm so glad they have opened their doors again. Definitely one of our favorite places to go and eat without the kids (although they do have a good kids menu). We had the half chicken, brisket, grits of the day (green chili), apples, potatoes of the day (mashed with beer cheese soup), veggie of the day (smoked corn), cornbread, and peppermint chocolate cake. I always have the Mango margarita!
A little confused at first by the market prices and of-the-day items, but our waitress was quite helpful. Great sauces and flavors! Overall it was pretty delicious!
Local friends have long recommended the Mango. Finally got there last night, and it definitely lived up to the billing. We got the smoked chicken dinner, the brisket sandwich and the jerk chicken quesadillas. The portions were large, and the food was outstanding. Their smoke is pure magic, and their house made barbeque sauce is very good. The sides were also very good. The staff was very friendly, and the service was great.
Some of the best smoked food I've ever had. Unique sides are outstanding. A lot of great Cajun flavors. Staff has a cool vibe and are very professional. Nice small building.
Excellent! Very happy that I stopped here on my way through town. Some of the best cornbread I’ve ever had — and the ribs and lamb tacos were also fantastic.
Flying Mango is full of surprises! Don't let the drab exterior and location keep you away. Inside you'll find a clean modern eatery crammed with hungry diners. My half rack of BBQ ribs was delicious along with blackened catfish. Every dish at our table was great. Try the Mango Ice Tea! Parking is a challenge but worth it.
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