Thought I'd help open up the California portion of this site. Since I started backyard Q'ng, I don't go out for BBQ much anymore. I do make an exception for E & J. They have two locations in Oakland, one near Jack London and another smaller site near San Pablo & University Ave. The meat is good, the sides are often great & the spiciness is legit. It's a great example of an old school BBQ joint.
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I have only eaten at one restaurant that sells BBQ I wont call it a BBQ joint it was unimpressive (is that even a word) Dickie's chain. Since I have been doing my own I get real critical about stuff and if I can do it better at home my wife and I would rather do it there would give Everett and Jones a try with a little idle time in Oakland was there three weeks ago judging at Oaktown Throwdown And blues event.-
I agree. I prefer doing my own, but it would be nice to find a few legit joints out here in the Bay Area. Berkeley's Smoke has promise. We went there once under a time crunch and couldn't wait for an hour to order. I'd like to go back when I have a more open-ended day.
I was spoiled by Old South in San Leandro (now closed).
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We like Sauced in Livermore. Found it after one of my kids swim meets. The half chicken was very tasty and we all like the burnt ends. Fries are decent and the coleslaw is good but I don't care for the apples in them. I only had the ribs once and have not had the regular brisket yet. I do agree with Papa Bob about Dickies. It was heavily salted and not to my liking. I had the 3 meat plate and there was plenty left when I was done.Comment
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I have been to E and J half a dozen times. It is in the Jack London Square (or a block or two from it) area of West Oakland. This area is undergoing gentrification and E &J is no exception. The menu is good, very traditional ribs, chicken, brisket and the usual sides. The meats come out of the kitchen with a smoke profile on the light side. Most things I have had have, judging from the texture of meats, they might have been smoked a day or two ago and then reheated. They have a full bar and a power lunch scene with a lot of suited folks (sometimes me) from the local offices that have moved west in Oakland. I can't ever say anything too negative about a real BBQ joint as E&J has a loyal following but they could turn up the smoke a little bit and the suits would still come.Comment
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I went there for lunch a few weeks ago and the ribs were (sadly) unremarkable. I'm chalking it up to a bad day, but now that I can get E & J sauce at the local Lucky's, we've been making our own at home even more than before.
Still, it would be nice to have a good BBQ lunch area near the office to entertain guests...
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A year late to this discussion, but what the heck. There used to be much better Q joints in the Oakland/Berkeley area than there seem to be today. Flints was my old favorite. Good meats, good smoke, great sauce. Doug's, in Emeryville, used to have great quality meat and did a great job of smoking but their sauce (IMO) wasn't quite as good a Flints. E&J was always the fallback rather than first call. But E&J got themselves well connected politically in Oakland and got an operation inside the Coloseum Arena for Warriors games and then into the main stadium for A's and Raiders games, started doing a volume business and then opened their big restaurant in Jack London Square. I don't think they've ever been as good as when they were a neighborhood joint ever since they went big and corporate and my experiences at the restaurant suggest that quality varies greatly day to day. They're still a decent option if you're jonesing (see what I did there?) for some Q but not really top notch. I'd rather cook myself.Comment
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I am another 4 years late to this discussion, but I went to E & J a few months ago, and sad to say, it was terrible. They proudly put something they called "goop" on their (weirdly thin and small) slices of brisket, and it was basically a sweeter, spicier, and thicker version of generic bbq sauce. Yuck.Comment
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Another very late entry. I have heard good things about Sauced there in Livermore but have not tried it. When I worked down in San Jose we use to lunch often at the Burnt Pig on 4th street. Great then and I hear still great.
Going to lunch at the Burnt Pig next Friday. Will see if it's as good as I remember.Comment
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Everett & Jones at Jack London makes fairly decent BBQ in a pinch. I won't call it award winning but I'm ok with having their food every now & then. It's still probably the best well-known BBQ spot in the East Bay & their yams are outstanding!
I recently tried Sauced in Walnut Creek & I was less than impressed. My friend who took me there loved it but I chalk that up to him being someone who never cooks his own meals, let alone BBQ
. My waiter recommended the ribs & burnt ends. Neither was tender & the taste was unremarkable.
I read that Flint's BBQ is going to return to Oakland as a pop up.Comment
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I've tried Sauced in Livermore and wasn't that impressed. I feel like the staff is engaged and trying hard, but...it just isn't as good as Old South was, and it's not as good as what comes out of my back yard. I wonder if part of the issue is that a business model really has to look at pleasing all palates from paying customers. They seem to be doing good business though...entirely justified in looking at my comment and simply pointing at the Scoreboard... -
I wish I would've tried Burnt Pig when I lived in SJ. I've been planning to go back for burgers from St. Johns and Clarke...maybe I need to put Pig on the list...
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