Nothing to speak of up here in the boonies.
Many chains like Montana's and Lonestar Cafe advertise authentic Texas, St Louis, Memphis, Carolina BBQ but you know darn well its cooked off site and reheated.
There's three maybe four BBQ's in the GTA worth a darn IMHO.
Of course there may be more but I haven't found them yet.
If not cooking outdoors, I am cooking on the stovetop with my 14" carbon steel wok, 12" CI skillet, or in the oven with my two Lodge CI pizza pans, or two dutch ovens. I've also got a nifty Lodge carbon steel grill pan that rocks for veggies outdoors.
Hmmm. These may be regional chains, but in my area I have been to these chain BBQ restaurants:
1. Moe's Original BBQ
There used to be a location near my house, but 2020 caused it to close. Those guys use a gas smoker like an Old Hickory, but did a good job of keeping it loaded with wood. They had passable pulled pork, but I mostly went in for their smoked wings. They smoked the wings and then flash fried them to crisp them up. Super good. Sides were passable. Their website shows locations in a number of states. I've only eating at 2 locations in Huntsville Alabama.
2. Jim & Nick's
I've been to locations in the greater Birmingham area that were pretty good. I can do better, but they did ok. They have some good banana pudding. We have a location here in Huntsville, and I even have a $25 gift card someone gave us back in 2020, but have yet to get there. My son wanted this BBQ for his wedding rehearsal dinner, and I paid like $1400 to cater pulled pork and pulled chicken and all the fixings and dessert for 80 folks. It was good, and pretty reasonable for the number of folks I was feeding I think. That food came from the location in Cullman Alabama, where his wedding was.
3. Dreamland
This is just in Alabama (I think) and is hit or miss comparing franchise locations to the original in Tuscaloosa. The one here in Huntsville has good pulled pork, good chicken, but I feel their ribs are hit or miss. Probably depends on who is manning their huge wood fired brick BBQ pit. I love watching the guys wrangling ribs and butts with a 6 foot long set of tongs!
4. Lawler's BBQ
This is regional to north Alabama, and has 13 locations in N. Alabama and south-central Tennessee. I think they do most of the smoking at a central location, and take it out to the satellites, which tend to have drive through windows. I can only speak to their pulled pork, sides and turkey, but those are all good to very good. I guess this is less a chain than a local place with multiple locations.
Anyway, I really cannot think of any other chains I've been too for BBQ. And I avoid BBQ at chain restaurants for the most part.
jfmorris, there is a Whitts in Athens near the interstate, I stop in there quite often on my way to/from Bham. I’m from Decatur, so Whitts is like home for me.
I haven't been to a Rudy's, need to try it sometime.
Spring Creek BBQ is pretty good. They started in Richardson, Tx in 1980 near where I was raised and they now have 30 locations around Texas. Not bad BBQ if you don't want to cook it yourself.
Locally here in SE Texas there is Tony's BBQ. Its not bad, me and my friends sometimes go there after work. They now have 10 locations in SE Texas. They were the go-to place around here until 1701 BBQ, Charlie's, and Train Wreck opened in the last few years.
Rudy’s https://rudysbbq.com/locations/all is my definition of "good" in that if I eat somewhere that is not as good or better I never go back and in a pinch I go there it is good not great but good
Another vote for Mission. We hit it a couple times a year, usually in winter. It’s not going to amaze anyone who’s had good Texas barbecue, but it’s darn good and also consistent.
I of course love smoked meats of all kinds, but also like quick cooks like chicken portions, pork tenderloins, steak and fish. Really into cooking of all kinds.
My outdoor kitchen has a Lone Star Grillz Adjustable and it is wonderful. There also is a Pit Boss 5 Burner Ultimate Griddle and a Pit Boss Copperhead pellet grill.
There is an outdoor fire pit that has grilling capability and limited Santa Maria-style grill raising and lowering.
I can tolerate Sonny's here in Florida, especially since it has a local connection. I sometimes play it safe and have the turkey sandwich there, though, as it's the hardest thing to mess up. I have eaten at the Rudys in Waco several years ago. No complaints on that.
We had a Sonny's and it was actually very good. The original franchiser sold it to a group that runs a bunch of restaurants in the area and within 6 months they lost the guy that cooked the meats and soon afterwards, went out of business.
I think that chains can offer decent 'que, but it takes the right mindset of the corporate overlords.
I forgot all about Sonny's. I used to go there in college as they had all you can eat something or other several times a week. Sometimes it was BBQ chicken, sometimes pork loin. I've not been to a Sonny's since I lived in Georgia.
I have to say Swiss Chalet, which is a Canadian chain. It was my first introduction to good baby back ribs as a little kid (10-14 I guess) and everyone used to be amazed when I ate a full rack of ribs and fries. Well, I'd skip lunch if I knew we were going! I have not been there in nearly 30 years. I am sure the ribs might be disappointing by now but the sauce is probably still legit.
Swiss Chalet got gobbled up by the Cara Food Group in the early 2000’s and became fast food.
Haven’t been in one in years now but pretty sure they rotisserie chicken in store. Ribs and beef may go on a grill for show but cooked off site. Still for fast food one of the better choices.
smokin fool That is rough. When I was there, you would sit down and order off a menu with a server and the food would be brought over in maybe 20-30 minutes. You would walk by the chickens spinning in the rotisserie. What is it like now?
We call in our orders so just go in to pick up area or get it ordered on Uber.
Pretty sure they still have chickens in the rotisserie, whether they're eye candy for the masses I don't know.
Lang 48 inch Deluxe Patio Model (burns hickory splits)
PK 360 (burns premium lump charcoal with wood chunks)
28 inch Blackstone Griddle (propane)
Rubs I love:
Yardbird by Plow Boys
Killer Hogs by Malcom Reed
AP Rub by Malcom Reed
Meat Church (any)
Three Little Pigs Memphis Style for ribs
Would love to try Meathead's commercial rub
Sauces I love:
Gates'
Joe's
Pa & Ma's
Killer Hogs Vinegar Sauce
Disposable Equipment I use:
Disposable cutting boards
Tumbleweed chimney starters
Aluminum foil
Aluminum pans (half and full)
Latex gloves
Diamond Kosher Salt
Vice-President of BBQ Security, Roy
He's a pure-bred North American Brown Dog
He loves rawhide chewies
My wife calls me "Teddy" and I call her "Princess" and that's where "mrteddyprincess" comes from.
I haven't found a national chain I like, but there are some good regional chains like Centrall BBQ In Memphis and Gate's and Joe's in KC. I guess these places only have two to five locations, and maybe that's how they manage quality control?
We enjoy going to the Hard Eight BBQ in Stephenville, Tx. They have 6 locations in Texas so it’s just a regional thing. If you find your self in one don’t leave without trying the onion rings. I’ve had the brisket, ribs, and sausage all were good.
I too enjoyed Hard Eight the one time I went there. I got more than I could finish though, which was a shame - no way to take BBQ back to a hotel room when you are flying out the next day.
Our standards on The Pit are pretty high (and we are also a smart and exceptionally good looking bunch of people) thus "Fast Food BBQ" chains don't impress most of us. But, this thread does remind me of a Meathead quote "BBQ is like sex, when it's good its great. When it's bad it's still pretty good." The exception to that is one place in Temple, Texas - me and my friends just couldn't finish the three meat sampler plate that we were sharing.
Last edited by 58limited; October 8, 2022, 03:53 PM.
Not a fan of chains....However, I have had pretty good luck just asking around (in a new town or on the road)
and local joints can put out some pretty good Q
FWIW I just learned that HEB supermarkets “True Texas BBQ” venues was tagged in Texas Monthly as Best Bbq Chain” in Texas. Who’d a thunk it? Somehow missed that before.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
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John Rivers opened the first 4Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Park, Florida back in 2009. Very popular. I've only gone to the original location in Winter Park and to the one in Longwood, but it's pretty good. They now have over a dozen locations open across Florida
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