USAToday: 10 BBQ Joints

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/10great/2006-05-04-barbecue_x.htm

Well why don't you list them Geo? Oh, never mind, here they are:

Dreamland Drive-In Bar-B-Cue
Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Decatur, Ala.

Hickory Hollow BBQ
Ellenton, Fla.

R.U.B.
New York
[Neeeewwww York City!?!]

Wilber's Barbecue
Goldsboro, N.C.

Goode Co. Bar.B.Q.
Houston

Kreuz Market
Lockhart, Texas

The Bar-B-Q Shop
Memphis

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue
Kansas City, Mo.

BB's Lawnside Bar-B-Q
Kansas City, Mo.

Ugh. I've been to R.U.B. Very unimpressive.

quote:

Originally posted by cbolado

Ugh. I've been to R.U.B. Very unimpressive.

That is what I have heard from several people. The concept seemed to hold such promise. I had read about the owner and eagerly awaited the opening...but based on friends comments, I haven't bother to go.

I do need to try for myself...just not in much of a hurry right now.

They left off "Bakers Ribs" in Dallas...

I think I replied to this in another thread but I have been to four of the six. I am not sure that the Dreamland in Tuscaloosa will qualify but I have been to the Dreamland in Huntsville, Mobile and Birmingham. They are totally different than the unit in Tuscaloosa.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad

quote:

Originally posted by cbolado

Ugh. I've been to R.U.B. Very unimpressive.

That is what I have heard from several people. The concept seemed to hold such promise. I had read about the owner and eagerly awaited the opening...but based on friends comments, I haven't bother to go.

I do need to try for myself...just not in much of a hurry right now.

I like to think that maybe I just went there on a bad night. But it was a pretty bad night. I went a while back, a few weeks after it first opened. My friend and I waited outside until it opened for dinner (I think it was at 5). I ordered a brisket with collard greens and was told that they were out of greens, despite the fact that they’d opened just 20 minutes before. Half the sides on the menu were not available, so I think I ended up with French fries. Service was slow, although that wouldn’t have mattered much if my brisket hadn’t been so dry and just…unsatisfying. My friend wasn’t thrilled with his meal either.

I’ve heard mixed things since then, about how the food and service are much improved, but I’m not really willing to go back. If it were cheaper, I’d be more inclined to give it another shot, but I’m not spending the little money I’ve got on another expensive meal that may or may not be good.

Rubbish...pure rubbish. Lex #1, Skyland and Stamey's not on the list? Not to memtion Arthur Bryant's or Goode's...oh yea Goode's was on the list...well they got one right anyway.

Of all the fine barbecue establishments in West TN. I would not select the Bar-B-Q Shop in Memphis as the best.Average ut not in the same league as the Cozy Corner or theInterstate in Memphis. Once you get out of Memphis you have Hay's Smokehouse in Lexington, the Commisary in Germantown and Latham's in Jackson.

As we all know listing the "best" BBQ joints is kinda' silly. And, the list referenced above is heavy on pork BBQ; only Kreuz in Texas? Please...

anyone ever been to that hickory hollow place in Fla???? never heard of Q down there

quote:

Originally posted by BigboyDan

As we all know listing the "best" BBQ joints is kinda' silly. And, the list referenced above is heavy on pork BBQ; only Kreuz in Texas? Please...

Actually, these USA Today articles usually don't say "10 Best," they usually say "10 GREAT," thereby eliminating the debate over whether or not the list could be a credible "10 Best" without including XXXX Brand or whatever.

Personally, while I don't necessarily agree with their list to be "10 Best," I am pretty sure that the 10 places they offered up for good 'Q would likely be pretty good -- with the reservation that I am not sure that I would like a mayonnaise-based BBQ sauce.

Also, you run into quite an obvious brick wall when you limit yourself to 10 of anything. For that matter, check any of the threads here that say something to the effect of "tell me your ONE place to eat for XXXX" or "what TWO places best represent your hometown," and you will find that with little exception, folks cannot stick to naming just ONE or TWO places. One could consider the obvious -- NO ONE here can stay on topic for more than two or three posts (myself included) ; people are afraid to name the SINGLE BEST anything for fear that someone might disagree (I like Katz's Deli, but you should also try Second Avenue..., for example -- instead of definitively answering the question that Katz's is their favorite or, in their mind, superior place for great Deli food in NYC); people (especially writers of these types of articles) think that they should also add one place that is not commonly mentioned, rather than spitting out the same suggestions that everyone has heard before (in this article, it might be including 'BB's Lawnside BBQ,' which may well be good, but is it as good as Arthur Bryant's?).

Still...I likely could have covered "10 Great" places to eat BBQ just in Central Texas, but I am glad that they included my favorite of all-time, Kreuz Market.

orzobino,
if you get near jacksonville fl try cottons bbq on north main street. really good q there.
the best q is kind of kept quite around here.
for really great brisket try the farmers market in st augustine on a saturday and the pork ain't bad either. only guy we know of doing brisket in the area.

I have eaten at Hickory Hollow many times. Their que is pretty good for restaurant que, but not the best I have ever had. But their side dish offerings make everything there so much better. It almost reminds me of a "meat and three" type place. Always enjoy going there.

Steve, the white sauce at BBG's is excellent on chicken. I was not real enthused about it when I first heard of it but once tried, I was hooked. BTW, their turkey is fantastic also.

John

BB's Lawnside BBQ is on 85th Street, on the other side of the viaduct from the recently lost and lamented Stroud's. There was talk that BB's might be somehow affected by the same road widening project that pushed out Stroud's. What about it all you KC Roadfooders, any word on this? Supposedly they would only lose some parking lot property, but who knows.

Buddy

quote:

Originally posted by orzobino

anyone ever been to that hickory hollow place in Fla???? never heard of Q down there

I've never been to Hickory Hollow but I don't know why you are surprised it might be there. During the years I lived in Gainesville, FL it became clear to me that northern FL was misplaced and should really be part of Georgia. Culturally--and that includes the food--it has a lot more to do with Georgia and Alabama than with the central and southern parts of Florida. In fact, we used to say that in FL, the farther south you go, the farther north you are. In those days, anyway, by the time you got to Miami you might as well be in Brooklyn. Nowadays maybe it's closer to Manhattan.

Jack's Old South BBQ in Georgia!

In addition to their outpost in GA, they have a competition team and are ranked something like #2 in the world among the elite competitive BBQers.

uh oh, I just read that Mixon closed his restaurant and is now only catering and competing.
Bummer.

bt,
man you really did live in north florida!!!!! hit that old nail right on the head. that may explain why round here the good places are kept kinda tight lipped. up here we saw how the mouse got over on orlando and to be honest it is nice to have a place to go to that is not crawling with people saying how much better it is in new york (asked one one time if he was so unhappy why was he here. answer was his company shut down up there so he had to come here to work)

I am so upset that Stroud's is gone! Remember reading that it might be a possibility but couldn't believe anyone needs a road that bad! Undoubtedly, the best chicken I've ever had along with their homemade chicken noodle soup....and BB's....I enjoyed that everytime I went to Kansas City for training. What an great place. Hope someone responds that it is still going to be there!

Did the Stroud's owners decide to toss in the skillets? I must have missed the talk about these two institutions of Kansas City.

Hmmm, i'm surprised that they picked Kreuz over Smitty's.

quote:

Originally posted by Barney

I am so upset that Stroud's is gone! Remember reading that it might be a possibility but couldn't believe anyone needs a road that bad! Undoubtedly, the best chicken I've ever had along with their homemade chicken noodle soup....and BB's....I enjoyed that everytime I went to Kansas City for training. What an great place. Hope someone responds that it is still going to be there!

Did the Stroud's owners decide to toss in the skillets? I must have missed the talk about these two institutions of Kansas City.

The North Location of Stroud's is still rockin' and Rollin'.

All I know is the best Burt Ends I have ever had or probably will ever have that I didn't make were at Fiorello's Jacks Stack in KC Mo.

They were unbelievable, smokey,juicy, and slightly burnt. Also the beans are hands down the best.

Another gem was a place called Smokey's out in Wellsville KS. great ribs.

Two things I miss about Kansas The People and the BBQ.

What is it with people rating Goode's as the best? I've never understood it. It's fun to go to and the BBQ isn't bad but it is not the best. Great Chopped Beef (blocked chopped brisket) with Jalapeno Cheese Bread sandwich. Luling City Market on Richmond Avenue in Houston is the way to go.

Add- Louis Muellers in Taylor, TX

I think many of these polls are rated on volume and reported gross cash sales. Just because a restaraunt is doing 1800 covers a day dosen't necessaraly make it the best. We all know smaller places that beat these list ones hands down but the list is helpfull to tourists and other travelers not familiar to the area. Basicly the uneducated that hasn't yet to learn about Roadfood.com. Chow Jim

The two that are local to me (BB's & Jack Stack) are both good and might make the top 10 in KC, but I wouldn't call them even the best in town. And I found several place in Memphis that I liked better than Bar-B-Q Shop.

quote:

The North Location of Stroud's is still rockin' and Rollin'.

The one in Wichita is also going strong.


Keith

HEY BOBS....where is the Commissary in Germantown? Is that the little place over in the old part of town next to the railroad tracks??? I ate at a little place over by the railroad tracks but I can't remember the name of it....it was pretty darn good...excellent sweet tea as well..


Josh.

quote:

Originally posted by Iconic

HEY BOBS....where is the Commissary in Germantown? Is that the little place over in the old part of town next to the railroad tracks??? I ate at a little place over by the railroad tracks but I can't remember the name of it....it was pretty darn good...excellent sweet tea as well..


Josh.

That would be the one, Josh. I always make a point to stop by the GC everytime I am in Memphis!

I thought RUB was pretty good, but not even the best in NYC. Dinosaur and Blue Smoke are better. Daisy May's might even be considered to be. That it's on 23rd St. in the middle of town makes it quite a find. With NY bbq, I think you must view it as "urban bbq," meaning a place for beer and bbq. A night out. Decent BBQ as a welcome alternative in the urban jungle. I think very few nyc residents who have had real bbq around the country would consider the New York bbqs in the same league. It's just nice to have somewhat real bbq. With that in mind, I really think they just wanted a throw in a New York place and threw in the one that's less known than Dino and BS.