Flying Mango

"TL;DR: you will have a good time here. Overall the service and atmosphere are fantastic. The owner, Mike, happened to be in the restaurant and came over to our table to check on us a few times. Personable guy, funny. The food was in a weird spot for me. The sides were dynamite (creole mashed potatoes & and corn bread), the mains that I had (ribs, brisket) were just ok. The rub from the ribs was very smoke forward (my hands and clothes actually smelled of smoke for a while after we left) but I didn't get much in the way of flavor past the smoke. The rib meat was fine, if not a little bland. The brisket was less smoke forward but still that was the primary flavor I got. Additionally the brisket was served in one big hunk and it had the taste and feel of a pot roast moreso than what I expect brisket to taste like. The homemade sauces did a lot to impart flavor though. I would go back and try some of the other offerings though."

"I love my food spicy so this was a great treat for me. I had the shrimp and grits. Had a great uniquely flavored sauce with grits, large BBQ shrimp and toasted garlic bread. I may reccommend that a side vegetable should be added for a little more balance. Wife had the garlic lime chicken on pasta. The chicken was well seasoned which helped assist the pasta which she felt was needing a little more flavor. Also ordered their personalized coffee that we both found very good. We shared a slice of the chocolate cake. It was nice and thick, creamy and topped with a cinnamon flavored cayenne pepper looking candy. A comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Staff made us feel welcome and were attentive. Good selection of wine, beer and other refreshments. Was also fun to see the open kitchen where you could view food preparation. I would advise calling ahead for a reservation. I would like to go back and try another dish to explore one of their BBQ dishes."

"I tried Flying Mango a few months ago and enjoyed the food but never returned until tonight. Food was fantastic and I regret wasting the last few months trying other restaurants in Des Moines that were awful. Tonight ordered: Side salad - mixed greens apples red onions - delicious 10/10 Cornbread - density was different however- topped with cinnamon butter which is awesome Side Greens- definitely the Surprise of the night as I was skeptical about ordering but they came with pork pieces and a nice vinegar that has nice flavor! 10/10 Shrimp Pontchartrain - previous time was better. Tonight gravy was lighter in color and sparse however nice big fresh shrimp BBQ Chopped Brisket Sandwich - with Cowboy Beans - Absolutely amazing! Brisket can be tricky at most restaurants but Flying Mango got it right and the BBQ sauce was the icing. 10/10 Last time a nice guy at the grill with a beard & man bun gave me a big kind smile - not tonight. Parking sucks and the hostess podium was far from the door which was confusing. Packaging was labeled nicely!"

"The best place ever! The vibes, the food, the cleanliness, the service, the prices were all way about 5 stars!! I will definitely be coming back!!"

"We arrived around 6:15 with a group of four. We were seated right away. Our server Justin was fantastic. Very friendly and knew his stuff. We watched a brisket go by and another waiter saw us eyeing it and said “this is what everyone comes for.” My husband and I split that and the two sides it came with and added a cornbread. Delicious. The sides were tasty. I could have done without the cornbread, just a little dry for my taste. We had enough to take home for a small lunch for one of us the next day. I also had the house salad which I enjoyed. My in-laws got the pork tenderloin (it’s not breaded, nothing is, so just be aware of that if that’s your jam) and the brisket salad. Very generous portions of meat. The inside can feel a little loud as it’s a big room, but overall this was a great experience and I’m glad we finally got to stop by. I would come back to try other stuff, but that brisket was some of the best I’ve had in town."