Posted by Tim Tabor on January 06, 2009
I just don't understand the comments in the review by Carolina Bill. All I can figure is that he's another one of those NC BBQ snobs that get defensive when they discover some barbecue better than their own. I've eaten BBQ all over NC as well as the Firehouse BBQ in Johnson City, TN and absolutely NONE even come close to that of Ridgewood's.
They are one of the few restaurants that slice their smoked pork instead of chopping or pulling it. I like it much better that way. Ridgewood's BBQ is the standard by which all others are judged, in my opinion. To call it reminiscent of Arby's is so absurd that it doesn't even deserve a comment. I think their sauce is the best tomato-based sauce I've ever had. To eat there and not have a crock of beans is a real mistake. They're as fantastic as the barbecue.
The reason you don't see that many TN tags in the parking lot is because most of the people in this area have learned to call in their orders and take them home to avoid having to wait in line for a seat. If you're in the VA/TN area for the Nascar race or the Rhythm and Roots Festival in Bristol in September you owe it to yourself to give this fantastic Southern BBQ a try.
The atmosphere isn't much and the seats in the booths are horrible. The waitresses are most always friendly and professional. They have their act together when it comes to serving an awful lot of people in a very small space. The wait and the "diner"-type atmosphere are a small price to pay for some of the best BBQ you'll ever eat.
Overall: Worth driving from anyplace
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Reviewers "Must Eats" List
"Just north of the restaurant is this smoky building where hams are slow-smoked over hickory wood for hours."
Michael Stern
"This is the view from a booth near the kitchen: a beef sandwich and a pork plate, just assembled by the cook and ready to be carried to a table -- OUR table, we pray!"
Michael Stern
"Mostly what you see are French fries -- delicious, hot-from-the-kettle fries -- but beneath them is a heap of smoky pork slices bathed in tongue-tingling sauce. "
Michael Stern
"Although it is far off the beaten path, the Ridgwood is almost always crowded. Expect to wait at peak mealtimes."
Michael Stern
"Smoky, sweet, and laced with meat, Ridgewood's beans are a must-eat side dish."
Michael Stern
