D.C. 'q

Has anyone in D.C. yet found *real* BBQ. I've been on the hunt for years and have been very disappointed. How is it that we can have so many people in our city from so many different parts of the South, yet not have a real BBQ joint or two!?

Best place IN D.C. I've come across is Levi's Port Cafe down on 8th St. just south of the Marine Barracks. Good folks from North Carolina who can make some decent E. Carolina 'q, w/ the vin-based sauce. REAL good slaw and mac/cheese.

As an Arlington, VA, transplant from the mountains of East Tennessee, I tend to agree. I grew up going to Ridgewood back in the golden age of the 1980s. Now that was fine Q. Despite early resistance, working summers on the E.Carolina coast created a taste for the tangy stuff, too.

Have you tried Rocklands? Arlington, Alexandria and D.C. on Wisc. (upper Georgetown)? They can go a bit heavy on the marketing, but caught on a good day, they do a decent Q. www.rocklands.com

DCT

quote:

Originally posted by jlmva

Has anyone in D.C. yet found *real* BBQ. I've been on the hunt for years and have been very disappointed. How is it that we can have so many people in our city from so many different parts of the South, yet not have a real BBQ joint or two!?

Best place IN D.C. I've come across is Levi's Port Cafe down on 8th St. just south of the Marine Barracks. Good folks from North Carolina who can make some decent E. Carolina 'q, w/ the vin-based sauce. REAL good slaw and mac/cheese.

I posted this previously on another DC thread. If you haven't already you might want to check our R, H & B. If you're really starved for some good que their's is passable (even though it has become a "chain"). Check it out for yourself and post your findings for us other RF que hounds:

Used to enjoy eating (frequently) at the original R, H & B on Wilson Bvd in the Rosslyn area of Arlington, VA. The owners who started it were two lawyers (K Street types) originally from Tennessee who claimed it was modeled after Corky's in Memphis. They even hinted that they had pried some of the receipes from the Corky's management. Can't confirm that, but the que was REAL GOOD. The place was also wildly popular--at a time when the DC area had a definite shortage of authentic que. Well, you know the rest--15 years later they are all over the Washington area, the Mid=Atlantic states and even down in Florida. Except for the first couple they are all franchised. I have visited ones in Williamsburg, Chapel Hill and Delray Beach and I would have to say that they were just "okay." The que was respectable enough, but the atmosphere was like visiting any chain restaurant. No feeling of being in a real pit joint. Don't think I would go out of my way to visit again unless there were no other que choices anywhere around.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

Try Urban Barbeque on Chapman Ave. in Rockville. The owners learned their craft in Austin.

Sorry--if you really are jonesing for the good stuff, you'll have to make the trip 30 minutes to Leesburg. The famous Mighty Midget Kitchen has the best 'Q in the DC area. You also might try Ben's in Manassas (the recent ownership change and merger with a Korean BBQ menu doesn't seem to have hurt the quality).

30 minutes to Leesburg from DC? maybe at 3am on Christmas Eve!
On a good day it'll take you over an hour.
During rush hour, it takes an hour to get to Fairfax, and you're only half way.

Besides, don't bother with leaving the city. Go to Old Glory on M Street in Georgetown. I generally do not promote going to Georgetown for good ol' hometown food. But Old Glory is a throw back to when Georgetown wasn't so snooty.

Good BBQ, with every style done as it should be.

yeah, I have a slow car too. But in any case, its worth the trip to visit the Midget.

I second urban bbq.

If you want good Q, you might want to fire up the car and head to Johnny Boy's on Rte. 301 in La Plata.

I had heard that Johnny Boys was great, that some of the old time Redskin players go out to JBs. So I treked out there a couple of times. I didn't think it was all that great. To be honest, the last time I was there was last Sept. so it has been a while. I found the Ribs a bit dry and not much flavor. The sandwich was a bit better. You could get equally good in DC and the burbs wihtout the drive.

BTW, have any of you sampled Ben's Whole Hog since the ownership change? How is it now? Would appreciate any insights.

Has Ben retired completely or is has he opened another place?

Ah yes, great Lexington, NC style of BBQ right out in Manassas.

That was pleasant surprise. I went there when in grad school at GMU on a tip from a girl from Tenessee.

Didn't realize Ben Morris sold the place, but according to the Washingtonian, the Kim's, after some trial and error, have gotten a hang of it. Here's the August 2003 review: http://www.washingtonian.com/dining/Profiles/benswholehog.html

If it takes an hour to get to Fairfax, go another 15 minutes to Chantilly and try Willard's BBQ. They are KC BBQ but still do an awesome job!

We head out to Woodbridge to eat at Famous Dave's. Honestly, we haven't found anything local that's really great. I'm not a fan of RH&B, and Rocklands is good, but not kick-ass BBQ. Old Glory is okay... None are really hole-in-the-wall joints where they're mixing up the award-winning sauce in the kitchen. I'll have to try some of the others posted above for sure!

Dave's is a chain and not the best you'll ever have, but we'll go that far if we have a craving for BBQ pork, brisket, cornbread, fries, etc...

IbisGirl:
Don't forget to try Kenny's BBQ and Capitol Q, both in DC.
I disagree with your Old Glory report, it may not be a "hole in the wall", but it slow cooks its meat. I think there's a difference between good bbq and good bbq sauce. But, to each his own. But try these other DC places before heading to the 'burbs.

If you feel the need to leave the city, you should also try: Lefty's in Waldorf and O'Brien's in Rockville.

Thanks! I will definitely check those out!

quote:

Originally posted by ibisgirldc

We head out to Woodbridge to eat at Famous Dave's. Honestly, we haven't found anything local that's really great.

If you are going to Woodbridge, try Dixie Bones off route 1 on Occoquan road. They are pretty good. In my opinion, much better than Dave's.

In Burke is my favorite place - BBQ World. They cook with real wood (a rarity in urban settings-just look at the pit they use to see why). The owner is African, but the BBQ is American.

I second Dixie Bones--I've eaten there a couple of times on the way up to DC, very good.