The worst "bbq" I've ever tasted.

epcotisbest

So my wife stopped by a local joint on the way home and got supper. She got me a chopped pork plate. The stew was good, as was the coleslaw, but the meat was awful. It was just a big pile of flavorless white meat, chopped up and served dry, with a tiny cup of sauce on the side. This stuff had no flavor at all, none. It had no sign of color, bark or even a hint of smoke and I am guessing it was never anywhere near a smoker. 
Their chicken was moist, tender and flavorful. Nothing wrong with it.
Do you supposed I have gotten so used to my own, moist, juicy, flavorful and tender pulled pork that I am just overly judgemental? I really think this stuff might have just been boiled and chopped then they call it BBQ because it was served with sauce. An entire bottle would not have helped. 

DoubleEgger

Yup. You're a BBQ snob. Welcome to the Club! 

Jeremiah

I've got you beat. This predates my cooking/bbqing hobby, but years back my wife and I went up to PA to visit my folks for a long weekend. We went to Hagerstown (MD) speedway on Saturday, and I got a BBQ sandwich. Sign on the concession stand said "best BBQ around"






it was a sloppy joe. 

Jstroke

Well, my worst Q was in Indiana, just north of Indianapolis and off 69. I ordered brisket, sausage, greens and beans. Brisket was underdone and stiff as a board, and sausage was overdone and dry. Greens were mush and beans were straight from the can. Now I will always try Q one more time just because I try to be fair. Everyone has a bad night. But they better bring their A-game for the second trip.

GregW

Jeremiah said:

I've got you beat. This predates my cooking/bbqing hobby, but years back my wife and I went up to PA to visit my folks for a long weekend. We went to Hagerstown (MD) speedway on Saturday, and I got a BBQ sandwich. Sign on the concession stand said "best BBQ around"






it was a sloppy joe. 

In Alabama anytime I see a sign proclaiming Alabama's best BBQ it is like an omen for some really poor BBQ.
Some of the worst of the worst are places proclaimed to be the best in newspaper ran voting poles.
A good sloppy joe would be better than what these places serve.

lousubcap

As above, most likely but I try not to end up in those situations.  I have operated using the house rule "Never order in a restaurant that which you cook at home." Definitely opens the menu options.
I will make an exception for a renowned chef/restaurant and cannot recall when I was disappointed with that move.
And yes, Franklin's and Q crawling in Austin is one of the few destinations I have to fulfill.  FWIW- 

Boileregger

Dicky's?? 

Ozzie_Isaac

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

Skiddymarker

You can't always believe what you read on a restaurant's sign.....
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dvaja9AE2rs

WeberWho

Jeremiah said:

I've got you beat. This predates my cooking/bbqing hobby, but years back my wife and I went up to PA to visit my folks for a long weekend. We went to Hagerstown (MD) speedway on Saturday, and I got a BBQ sandwich. Sign on the concession stand said "best BBQ around"






it was a sloppy joe. 

Haha!!! I did the same thing a few months ago. I was in small town of a couple hundred people and lunch was served in a basement of a church. The hand written sign said: BBQ Sandwich - $2.75. I assumed it was a pulled pork sandwich of sorts. I was excited to see a pulled pork sandwich for being in a basement of a church of a town of 200 people. Than my wife goes, "you realize that's a sloppy joe right?" Sure enough there comes my sloppy joe being slid on the counter. Dang I thought. I soon found out bbq sandwich is another word for sloppy joe.

epcotisbest

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

No, a well established one location mom and pop place. Had good ribs there in the past, and again, the chicken tonight was good. Never tried their chopped pork before, and won't make that mistake again.

RRP

Yes - a chain called Famous Dave! Tried to eat their sh*t once and walked out! Never been back. What the h*ll Dave was famous for didn't carry through to his franchise operations IMO.

WeberWho

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

It's not the best or the most real bbq I've had but far from the worst. I've ate at a few authentic bbq restaurant's and would have taken Dickys over it. I eat just about anything and usually never complain so I'm not the best candidate to answer this question. I'd eat Dickys before an Applebee's or some other basic restaurant. I'd eat just okay bbq before a fake steak at a restaurant. Just my opinion though.

Doc_Eggerton

Down here the big deal is Sonny's BBQ.  What dried out flavorless crap.  The Spouse honored me a month or two ago when she said she did not want to go out, no one makes a steak better than me.

WeberWho

RRP said:

Yes - a chain called Famous Dave! Tried to eat their sh*t once and walked out! Never been back. What the h*ll Dave was famous for didn't carry through to his franchise operations IMO.

Too be honest most people here in the Midwest don't know what good bbq is. Typically Famous Dave's is some type of rustic building that makes you feel like you're in some type of bbq mecca. They sell it well and the customers buy it. They believe that's what bbq should taste like. Dave is actually a winner of all kinds of bbq championships. Hard to sell good Q when it gets franchised out to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world

Actually a good read @RRP about Dave Anderson:

http://m.startribune.com/famous-dave-s-founder-is-opening-a-new-barbecue-restaurant/298392971/

Hub

McRib sandwich ...

Lit

It's sad I am pretty sure there are more bad BBQ places out there than good.

northGAcock

WeberWho said:

RRP said:

Yes - a chain called Famous Dave! Tried to eat their sh*t once and walked out! Never been back. What the h*ll Dave was famous for didn't carry through to his franchise operations IMO.

Too be honest most people here in the Midwest don't know what good bbq is. Typically Famous Dave's is some type of rustic building that makes you feel like you're in some type of bbq mecca. They sell it well and the customers buy it. They believe that's what bbq should taste like. Dave is actually a winner of all kinds of bbq championships. Hard to sell good Q when it gets franchised out to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world

Actually a good read @RRP about Dave Anderson:

http://m.startribune.com/famous-dave-s-founder-is-opening-a-new-barbecue-restaurant/298392971/

I actually like their BBQ chicken

Boileregger

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

To each his own, buy I'd recommend you run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.  I feel sorry for those who think that is BBQ.

Ozzie_Isaac

WeberWho said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

It's not the best or the most real bbq I've had but far from the worst. I've ate at a few authentic bbq restaurant's and would have taken Dickys over it. I eat just about anything and usually never complain so I'm not the best candidate to answer this question. I'd eat Dickys before an Applebee's or some other basic restaurant. I'd eat just okay bbq before a fake steak at a restaurant. Just my opinion though.

Sounds good 'nough for me.  I like most foods.

WeberWho

Ozzie_Isaac said:

WeberWho said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

It's not the best or the most real bbq I've had but far from the worst. I've ate at a few authentic bbq restaurant's and would have taken Dickys over it. I eat just about anything and usually never complain so I'm not the best candidate to answer this question. I'd eat Dickys before an Applebee's or some other basic restaurant. I'd eat just okay bbq before a fake steak at a restaurant. Just my opinion though.

Sounds good 'nough for me.  I like most foods.

The few times I've stop in I've had the pulled pork sandwich. So I cant comment about ribs or brisket but the pulled pork been okay. As long as you remember it's fast food and not Franklins it will fill your belly. Plus a free soft serve ice cream machine! Can't hate that!

Botch

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

I'm surprised Dickey's is still in business around here.  One of the employees mistook the alkaline cleaning crystals for sugar, and filled up the iced tea container.  A middle-aged woman took a swig, and badly burned her mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and nearly died.  The local news found some surveillance camera footage of her drinking it, and it wasn't fit to be shown.
 
She's okay now, thank goodness.  And I can't feel that Dickey's as a company should go out of business for a single mistake by a teenager, but I'm still surprised they survived that episode.  
 
I've had their barbeque (with tea!) once, I'll pass in the future.   

minniemoh

Famous Dave's and Dicky's can definitely be hit and miss but they are FAR from the worst BBQ that I've had the opportunity to eat as well. Overall, I've been happy with the quality in the few times I've been to either one. 

One of the worst Q experiences I've had was at Rudy's in TX. I've had great Q at Rudy's in Austin but the El Paso location was absolutely some of the worst FOOD I've had, let alone BBQ. 

DoubleEgger

Botch said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

I'm surprised Dickey's is still in business around here.  One of the employees mistook the alkaline cleaning crystals for sugar, and filled up the iced tea container.  A middle-aged woman took a swig, and badly burned her mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and nearly died.  The local news found some surveillance camera footage of her drinking it, and it wasn't fit to be shown.
 
She's okay now, thank goodness.  And I can't feel that Dickey's as a company should go out of business for a single mistake by a teenager, but I'm still surprised they survived that episode.  
 
I've had their barbeque (with tea!) once, I'll pass in the future.   

Same thing happened to a guy I used to work with except they used it in lieu of salt on the fries. This was at Ted's Montana Grill

NorthPilot06

On the divest to subject of Frankin's, I'll be down in Austin in a couple of weekends. What's the best (2-3) things they have on their menu? 

Botch

NorthPilot06 said:

On the divest to subject of Frankin's, I'll be down in Austin in a couple of weekends. What's the best (2-3) things they have on their menu? 

I've not yet been to Franklin's, but if I'm gonna stand in line 4+ hours, I'm ordering the Party Sampler Plate for Thirty, and make damn sure I taste everything!  
 
The best barbeque I've had was in Austin, but I can't remember the names of the two places (TDYs to Lockheed Martin); just look for a full parking lot, and sunlight coming through the siding.  

Foghorn

NorthPilot06 said:

On the divest to subject of Frankin's, I'll be down in Austin in a couple of weekends. What's the best (2-3) things they have on their menu? 

@NorthPilot06, it is all really good. You have to get the brisket. And the chopped beef sandwich may be the best bite of food I've ever eaten. The sausage and ribs are great. I can't honestly say the pulled pork is any better than anybody else's. 

I guess I'm not much help. 

Battleborn

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Boileregger said:

Dicky's?? 

We have a bunch of Dicky's BBQ fast food joints around.  Are you recommending I pass?

Dicky's is alright in a pinch. 

Ozzie_Isaac

The worst "bbq" I have ever tasted was my first time.  No books, no internet, no clue.  A cheap offset and I tried some asparagus as a side for some steaks.

I bet the mesquite charcoal left over would have tasted better.

bhedges1987

oh gosh... dicky's is AWFUL.... I have no idea how it's still in business.  That may be the worst bbq I've ever tasted.

Elijah

This may be what Dave is famous for:

https://www.amazon.com/Famous-Daves-Signature-Pickles-Pickle/dp/B0086HPHM0

I'm not recommending you buy them from there. That price is ridiculous. It is a good pickle though