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I love Barbecue. Not the kind of barbecue that hides behind sauce. I’m talking about smoky, we don’t need no stinkin’ sauce kind of barbecue. Bellingham is pretty short on that kind of barbecue. So I was excited to try Crossroads. I stopped in and ordered the Combo Plate. You can choose between ribs, brisket or pulled pork for meat and you also get two sides. I think the only way to really tell if a place saying they have BBQ is real is to eat the brisket. I needs to be tender, fatty and smokey. If it comes slathered in sauce it isn’t brisket and they don’t know BBQ. So, of course, I ordered the brisket and for the other I went with ribs. For my two sides I got fries and coleslaw. The brisket was better than and I have had in Bellingham. It was tender with just the right amount of fat. It wasn’t fancied up with sauce. It was just salt, pepper and a long smoke. Perfection. The ribs were a bit tough, maybe another hour on the smoker could have done them some good. The flavor though. It was again better than any in Bellingham. I could discern a nice spice rub and there was just a touch of sauce. I didn’t think I liked sauce but this enhanced the ribs so much. It wasn’t overpowering, it was just right. The portions are good. There was enough food for at least two people. I didn’t share. I will be eating this again tomorrow for lunch. The service was nice. I did have a bit of problem with the order but everyone was more than ready to make it right. I would have given the place all the stars but the sides were a real blah. Frozen fries and standard coleslaw. It wasn’t bad it just wasn’t great. I would suggest you try out the barbecue at Crossroads. It’s good.

• City Barbeque and Catering – Menu with Prices – 2111 W Henderson Rd, Columbus
• Wyandot Barbeque – Menu with Prices – 8441 State Ave, Kansas City
• Soul Cal Smokehouse – Menu with Prices – 38 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara
• Austin’s Live Fire Barbecue – Menu with Prices – 421 W Main Ave Suite 104, Spokane
• Sawâ??s on the Side Menu with Prices 1008 Oxmoor Rd, Birmingham
• Adam’s Rib Co – Menu with Prices – 3428, 2109 NW 13th St, Gainesville
• County Road Provisions – Menu with Prices – 755 State Rd 207, St. Augustine
• Hot Spot Barbecue – BBQ – Menu with Prices – 901 E La Rua St, Pensacola
• Big T’s Mill St BBQ Company – Menu with Prices – 242 Mill St, Worcester
• Joe-Bear & Sons Texas BBQ – Menu with Prices – 3096 Napier Ave #3854, Macon
• Blacksmoke BBQ & Grill – Menu with Prices – 2121 Northwest Hwy Suite 100, Garland
• Uncle DT’s Smokehouse – Menu with Prices – 3134 Rufina St, Santa Fe

City Barbeque and Catering – Menu with Prices – 2111 W Henderson Rd, Columbus

Service was excellent! I primarily don’t review an establishment by service (alone) as we’re all human and everyone has a bad day. That said, service was on point, which I don’t know how the service could be bad as you walk up to the counter, you read the menu, you order your food, pay for said food, AND get your own drink….pretty simple! All right, the review: Ribs (as someone had described earlier) fall off the bone! Great smokey flavor (order them dry so you can appreciate the smokey flavor) of which I did. They have some new barbecue sauces that they do every month whereas I just stayed true to a spicy barbecue sauce which was good. Green beans excellent! Coleslaw excellent x 2! I’m a vinegar based slaw kind of guy and this was excellent x 2! Now (for me, may not be for you) the downer: Since I am a brisket snob. That also being said, this brisket was a little dry. If you like barbecue sauce you can slather barbecue sauce all over it and it’s fine. I don’t wish to do that as I spend a lot of time in Texas and I like my brisket sliced, fatty, and the M word yes… moist! Other than that this place reps well and I would definitely come back.

Wyandot Barbeque – Menu with Prices – 8441 State Ave, Kansas City

This is truly a dive. In all sense of the word. It has all of the means to be a great barbecue joint but falls short in a few places. You can tell this place has been smoking meat for a long time by the old-fashioned look on the outside of the building. It’s very plain and looks like a dive, which in my opinion, is how good barbecue joints should look. Put all of your effort into the meat! As I entered the building, I noticed a bunch of homemade typed signs covering the doors. This honestly just made me more excited for the barbecue. It reminded me of Mad Jack’s on Troost with all of their obnoxious signs. It’s a bit cramped inside. I couldn’t quite walk between the tables and booths without some maneuvering of my body. I’m an average size person. Note: Be careful when walking because the floor is super slick with grease. My Show Me Your KC group was meeting to try out the barbecue so we sat in the back room which had ample space for us. It was a bit warm in the building and there were more than a few flies buzzing around. Everyone eventually arrived so we mosied our way to the front counter to order our food. The young cashier pointed to my group of 10 and asked me if this was all on my ticket. I may have laughed a little too hard when I said I was only paying for myself. The mixed meat platter was recommended to me so I ordered that and a can of Miller Lite, all for $15. You can’t beat that. This is where it got a bit funny. After telling her my order, she asked me if I was on someone else’s ticket. I told her again that it was just me and started to walk away (you pay after you get your food). She then asked me again if I was on my own ticket. I laughed and said, “I’m paying for myself!” THEN SHE ASKED ME A FOURTH TIME. So I obnoxiously said, “I’m an independent woman! I pay for my own food!” The cashier paused. Then I said, “WILL SOMEBODY PAY FOR ME SO I CAN GET MY DAMN FOOD?” I walked away to get my water. A minute later my order was called out so I grabbed my cash and stood in front of the cashier. She asked me a 5th time if I was still on my own ticket…”It’s still just you?” Y’all, I’m in my 30’s and I most definitely look like I’m in my 30’s. I don’t know why she was so opposed to me paying for myself, but it got weird real quick. I looked at the woman standing behind her staring at me and asked if I could pay for my food and she nudged the cashier to take my cash that I was desperately trying to hand her. Weird. Onto the food – it was alright. The ham was moist and smokey. The crinkle cut fries were OK (crinkle cut fries will never be good in my book). The ribs were tender and messy as they should be. The meat comes with the sauce on it already. I usually like my barbecue dry, but I was so boggled by the cashier that I forgot to ask her to hold the sauce. The barbecue sauce was a delight! It was sweet-tasting but then had this nice burn in the end. Some people said they thought the sauce was too spicy, but I disagree. Perfect. The brisket was underneath the ribs and was just terrible. Very dry and greasy. It wouldn’t hold its form and fell apart into tiny pieces. No smoke flavor at all. I really wanted the brisket to be good. The mixed meat platter had a lot of food and was a good value for the money (minus the brisket). Show Me Your KC members really liked the burnt ends and coleslaw. Someone said the coleslaw was similar to KFC – the right amount of mayo and vinegar. Between the sad brisket, crinkle cut fries, weird cashier, slick floors and abundant flies, I have to give Wyandot Barbecue only 3 stars. It has all of the makings to be a good barbecue dive but falls short on smoke execution. Bottom line: It’s not a good representation of Kansas City barbecue and I don’t see the need to go back for a second time.

Soul Cal Smokehouse – Menu with Prices – 38 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara

Met some friends at the SB public market for dinner Wednesday night, and decided to eat here. I’m a sucker for smoked bbq, and been wanting to try this place out. I ordered a half pound of smoked baby back ribs, and 20 wings (Wing Wednesday special, $1 per wing) spoke with one of the workers there, and he said they use oak to smoke their meats. He also said that they brine the wings first then smoke them. As an amateur bbq smoker myself, I was excited to try the goods! First up, the baby back ribs. The meat was very tender, one bite and fall off the bone kind of ribs. They dont sauce the ribs up, and have them offered on the side. I chose the spicy bbq and coffee bbq sauces, both were good, but I preferred au natural for the ribs, can get a better taste and smoke flavor, and the ribs didnt disappoint. The smoke wasnt overwhelming, but present. The meat had a good meat/fat ratio which made it tender and succulent. Overall, They were tasty! The only knock I’d have to point out, was that they weren’t hot(temp) enough and was just warm. The wings. Wow. Very delicious and on wednesdays, just $1 per wing! As usual, I opted to have the sauce on the side and glad I went that route! These wings had a slight crisp to it, not too fried crispy, but still a very slight crunch to it. The meat was tender, juicy and HOT(temp) I waited a few mins before I could touch them. The wing sauce on the side was ok, tasted more on the spicier side, and a good compliment to the wings. I ate more than half the wings dry, with no sauce. Overall, I’m Pretty stoked to have this place near my house, and will be back next wednesday for these delicious wings!

Austin’s Live Fire Barbecue – Menu with Prices – 421 W Main Ave Suite 104, Spokane

Went to Austin for the first time along with friends who were returning. The restaurant has a simple setting and casual atmosphere. The service was very good. I was happily surprised to see a full bar and I had a good Margarita. Our group ordered ribs and brisket. The brisket was my favorite, but the ribs were good too. The brisket was as tender as could be. Not too much fat and not overly smoked which was really nice. Perfect! Ribs had a great flavor, but they were full size ribs and I prefer baby backs. Some had sweet potato fries and others the regular fries and the Mac n cheese. All were good, but I swear I would come back for the regular fries alone!! They were that good. I donâ??t know what you would call the cut because I have never seen it before , maybe a spiral ?, but it made them tender and crisp at the same time. Incredibly good. The only reason I did not give this a 5* rating is because they offered no bread. Not even a specialty one to buy. Come on guys gotta have Corn bread, biscuits, rolls or something with BBQ. In any case we look forward to our next trip.

Sawâ??s on the Side Menu with Prices 1008 Oxmoor Rd, Birmingham

Saw’s is a charming hole-in-the-wall that makes for a great stop popular with locals. The employees are incredibly nice and the experience is definitely fun! I delved into a hearty sampler plate featuring a highlight of the various meats served up by Saw’s. The chicken leg was really good, nice and tender falling off the bone. The grilled chicken skin smothered in spices was truly perfection, but I couldn’t properly enjoy it through the Alabama White sauce. Even though that’s my favorite sauce on the planet, I recommend getting it on the side so you can really savor that chicken skin! The real highlight was the mac ‘n’ cheese, with crispy browned cheesy pieces, and a creamy texture resembling the finest mashed potatoes. It’s a unique texture and some of the best mac I’ve ever tried! The ribs were thankfully much larger than competitor Dreamland, whose ribs have now shrunk to a minuscule size, and dry as can be. These ribs were tender, but unfortunately not as good as I’ve had elsewhere. The third meat was either brisket or pulled pork? That wasn’t great, but admittedly I’ve been spoiled by some of the world’s greatest barbecue at legendary spots throughout Texas and North Carolina. So I have lofty standards. The barbecue sauce was also too watery and not nearly thick enough. But our overall experience was good and we love the people here.

Adam’s Rib Co – Menu with Prices – 3428, 2109 NW 13th St, Gainesville

I happened upon this joint while in Gainesville, it’s a reasonably sized establishment with an old gator truck out front. Parking is a little bit of a premium in the front. The staff was super friendly. It was confusing as to who our server was, as everyone is running around bringing you food, drinks, and checking up on you. I had the brisket and ribs plate with a side of fries and Mac and cheese. It was all good, the brisket and ribs were tender. The ribs were dry rubbed and had a good smokey flavor, nothing was too over the top, they had a sauce on the top of them that seemed to have been added later and cooked on a little; it was nice and thick. The brisket seemed to be dry rubbed as well and had a good smokey flavor, no sauce on it.

County Road Provisions – Menu with Prices – 755 State Rd 207, St. Augustine

Just experienced the best barbecue since leaving Texas! I had ribs, pulled pork, sausage and brisket and this man knows how to barbecue. The ribs were my favorite, very meaty and seasoned with salt and pepper. Very little fat in the pulled pork and the brisket as amazing. If you havenâ??t tried this place you need to and donâ??t be thrown off by his trailer, this is very good!

Hot Spot Barbecue – BBQ – Menu with Prices – 901 E La Rua St, Pensacola

Hot Spot barbecue is the real deal. My friend brought me here insisting that I could get Texas quality barbecue in Pensacola Florida. Naturally, I was skeptical… But that was about to change. I ordered the brisket and ribs… no dice. All out. So I order the pulled pork and ribs… Strike two. “What is going on here?” And then it occurred to me… if they were sold out of everything, they must be doing something right. I ended up with two giant pieces of sausage and a plate full of rib scraps, ends, and other pieces. It was amazing! Dry rubbed with the right amount of crust. For pork ribs, they take a backseat to no one. The sausage is a beef and pork mix, with a slight hint of maple flavor. The amount they give you is ridiculous and well worth the money. I had three sides with my meal. Mac & cheese-it was great. Potato salad-also a tad on the Sweetside, but again I was not offended. It’s delicious. The true surprise though was the Brunswick stew. Tomato-based, almost chili consistency soup with various pieces of barbecue meats, peas, and corn. Finished off the meal with a piece of their famous icebox lemon pie which is phenomenal. The only thing wrong with this place is it closed on Sundays which means I can’t go back tomorrow. This is a family business, where you truly feel like they care about you being there.

Big T’s Mill St BBQ Company – Menu with Prices – 242 Mill St, Worcester

We went to Big T’s Mill Street Barbecue for dinner. Bottom line, it was OK. My wife got a pulled chicken slider with roasted veg, and she enjoyed it quite a bit. I wanted to try a little of everything so I ordered their “BBQ Sundae” with brisket, pulled pork and a couple of St. Louis ribs added in. It came with Mac n cheese under the pulled pork and beans and cornbread under the brisket and a side of rice. My lasting impression was that other than the ribs the food was cooked well but no distinct flavor. No hint of smoke. No spice or bark. The mac was cheesy, tasty, and not over cooked. The sauce which was mixed in with the pulled pork made it moist but didn’t add much dimension. The sauce over the brisket was thick and sweet but one-dimensional. The ribs though disappointed, they were cooked well with a good bite, not fall off the bone, but the thing that disappointed was that they clearly reheated them over the grill and while doing so burned them, not charted – burnt – giving them an aftertaste of ashtray. The restaurant itself is gorgeous – really nicely done and a pretty solid bar selection. All in all, out of 5. Good, not to die for, and let down on the ribs but I’d give them another shot hoping the ribs are usually better.

Joe-Bear & Sons Texas BBQ – Menu with Prices – 3096 Napier Ave #3854, Macon

I ordered brisket and rib platter with sides of cole slaw and collards with a piece of corn bread. Ribs were big, meaty, and really good, nice flavor and perfectly cooked. The collards were also very good. The cole slaw was just what I expected, very nice. I was very dissapointed by the brisket, it was inedible. So dry and chewy, I would have been too embarrassed to serve it. More like jerky than brisket. It looked like pan scrapings. The corn bread was equally as bad, burned and dry. I got the spicy sauce on the side for my ribs, it was good, but not very spicy.

Blacksmoke BBQ & Grill – Menu with Prices – 2121 Northwest Hwy Suite 100, Garland

This bbq is delicious! I went here GOT THE FOOD TO GO and the wait wasn’t bad ay all. The first thing you smell when you walk in is delicious Smokey BBQ. I ordered the 3 meat plate, I got brisket, chicken and sausage! Let me start with the chicken. Man that chicken was the most tender and juicy piece of BBQ’d meat I have ever tasted. It’s fall off the bone tender! And idk if they smoke their meats or whatever hit it was perfectly seasoned and everything. Next let’s discuss the brisket. First and foremost, the two slices I got were huge! I swear it was like eating a rib without the bone ! I will get into the ribs later. But that. Eisner has the smokehouse flavor too. Whatever they do to that is amazing. Next the sausage was peppered I believe. Smokey and savory with every ju us and tender bite. My girl got the ribs and brisket, them ribs were amazing! Smokey, fall of the bone tender, sweet sand savory. For sides she had macaroni and green beans both of which I cannot recreate or describe how delicious it is. We got dessert too. I got the peach cobbler with a side of ice cream and she got the banana pudding. That review will come later as I must to go celebrate my birthday!! This was the best BBQ I have ever had. STAY TOONED FOR MY OTHER REVIEW OF THE DESSERTS COMING SOON.. sorry there are no octubres, it was too delicious. Will post pics next time as I am 100% positive I will be going back!!

Uncle DT’s Smokehouse – Menu with Prices – 3134 Rufina St, Santa Fe

We had just left Meow Wolf and were headed back home, when we passed this BBQ joint at 8pm on the dot. It smelled so good as we drove by that we turned around to go back! They were just closing, but were nice enough and willing to fix us 4 bbq brisket sandwiches, coleslaw, and potato chips to take with us as takeout. The brisket was tender, juicy and smoky – perfect. The coleslaw has cumin in it, I believe, which had a different flavor profile than this Dallasite is used to, but it was good. The cornbread was thick and a little crumbly with lots of whole kernel corn and green chiles, and was probably better hot out of the oven, but still had a nice flavor. The brisket was the real star of this meal. Only seating for about 8-10 folks and that includes the 4 bar stools outside against railing. It’s basically just a small counter space with a table or two and a piano. It’s in an old industrial area, and looks like it might have previously been an automotive shop as it has a roll down garage door.