Josh's Barbecue Santa Fe, NM Review

A new BBQ joint opened up next to the Lowe's in Santa Fe, NM called Josh's Barbecue. Actually it should be called Josh's Braised Brisket. Now being from Texas, the first thing I look for at a new BBQ joint is the brisket. If they can't cook brisket right, I probably won't go back. Josh's looks like a Starbucks on the inside and the food reflects this. I ordered the brisket plate with cottage fries and cowboy beans. The cottage fries were hard as a rock, they could have been used as ninja stars. The cowboy beans were just unedible, I don't know how they cook them, bet they were awful. It is really hard to screw up beans, but they succeeded. The brisket was cut over 2 inches thick and had a big glob of fat on top. You could tell not even a whiff of smoke ever touched this meat. The brisket was more of a pot roast, very wet inside, could have squeezed it and extracted water. They didn't even know what sweat tea was for cying out loud! If you are in Santa Fe, I would stick with some good New Mexican green chile, you won't find good BBQ here. Oh well, thats 10 bucks I will never get back!

Otherwise, you really liked the place ??

Please, tell us what you really thought of the place

Thanks for the info and Welcome to Roadfood.

MikeS.

For once, a first post that isn't blatant spam ...

Huhhmm ...

I should have read your review before trying Josh's out Friday night.
You are right on. Here's something I just sent a chef friend -

"Don't bother giving it a try - everything was bland. How can baby back ribs be boring? Well, they were. The pulled pork was a pile of mush, the brisket was tasteless, not even a hint of smoke, the baked beans - less flavor than Campbell's. The only things we did like were the green chile (allegedly) cole slaw, and even that had no bite, and the 'hot' links.

Oh, the corn bread was a dud as well."

Whole Hog is about a mile closer in to town, next to Denny's. Far and away the best BBQ in Santa Fe, which means it's simply OK. Rudy's in Albuquerque is quite good, as is Sugar's in Embudo.

Somehow Santa Fe & BBQ don't get along. Try the green chile. Also the Santa Fe Rodeo this month!

P.S. NMBullRdr: Where I you in NM? We have a 2nd home in SF and hang out there alot....

I live in Edgewood but work in Santa Fe. My father-in-law got out his trusty Chargriller smoker and qued some brisket last weekend that was 100% better than Josh's. Had that nice crust on the ends and outside, just love those! I tried the Whole Hog when it first opened but didn't like the brisket (OK, I'm originally from Texas). You should not have to use a knife to cut your BBQ brisket sandwich. A co-worker says the pulled pork is OK. I read in the Santa Fe newspaper that Whole Hog is not the people you see on TV, they are a franchise. I have passed Sugar's but never been inside, the green chile BBQ burrito intrigues me! Rudy's is more like Texas BBQ, meat can be a little on the dry side every now and then. There is a Dickey's BBQ in Albuquerue which I cannot recommend either. Powdrell's in town used to be the best, but they have slid down hill after they went bankrupt and moved into their current location. Though their sauce is pretty close to perfection in my wife's eyes. I was highly depressed when the wife's side of the family had to cancel the family reunion in Llano, Tx this summer, was highly looking forward to Cooper's.