Any good BBQ Joints in South Bend, Indiana?

The best ribs I've had in years are from a place called "Pitt's BBQ." Mr. Pitt has been in the business for decades, but only opened his own place fairly recently. He also runs a catering business. Everything is his own recipe.

The chicken is good, the PP likewise. I've only had the brisket once, and that was something of a let down. Sides are respectable. My wife really enjoyed the greens. The mac 'n cheese might be a little cheesier, but the sauce is exceptionally smooth.

They a right across from a high school, and if kids are there, the service can be problematic.

Another place, Frankie's on west Washington, has been in business since '68. They've had their ups and downs, but generally are quite good. I've been there when there was a line 50 people long. I never was able to make ribs as good as theirs until I had an Egg for 6 months. Now, I only visit once in a great while when I'm feeking too lazy to cook.

A little farther away is "The Prized Pig." It is a few miles north, just outside Niles, MI. All of the meat is good. Only place around that I know of that makes their own links. Only down side is that their sauces are very unremarkable.

One other place worth the visit is a new brewery called the Cooked Ewe. Not a BBQ, but the chef makes the best brisket around. He had a bit of coaching from A. Franklin. They've got a brisket pork belly cheese sandwich that is one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Otherwise, most of what is offered is sort of "New American." Very well done, but a little unusual.

2 other places, not strictly BBQ but w. good stuff. Javier's Bistro, American/PuertoRican. He cooks on Eggs. The Chicken Voodoo dinner, which includes andouille and shrimp is great. Fiddler's Hearth, a "celtic" style place makes good food, and also cooks some of their stuff on Eggs.

Hope these work for you.

The food scene around here has improved noticeably over the last few years. There's a new somewhat swanky place downtown called Cafe Navarre which is competition for the city's best, the LaSalle Grill.

Pitt's and Prized Pig are both real down home. Pitt's has maybe 8 seats indoor, Prized pig, maybe 20. Frankie's has a sit down space, but most people just do carry-out.

Both the Crooked Ewe and Javier's are mid-range $, and the decor pretty standard. But the food quality is well beyond the cost.

Happy Eating

FWIW, Famous Dave's was shut down a few months ago due to repeated health code violations. Know a guy who was working there, and said they couldn't keep the flies out of the kitchen, etc.

I've had brisket once at Wheatberry. Oddly, it wasn't sliced across the grain. Tasted good, but not easy to chew.

SB used to have lots of 'Q, tho' mostly hole in the wall joints, but mostly quite good. For some reason, lots of those are gone. Seems like Double T's is out of business. Franklin's is unfortunately ho-hum.

Trying to not hi-jack the thread too much, but:

Mosca said:

It's unusual for a franchise location to be shut down for health code violations, no matter what the brand. We ate there once (on an invite from relatives in Mishawaka), it was a Famous Dave's. Neither here nor there.

And not cutting brisket across the grain; how could you! That's part of making brisket!

Thanks for the recommendations, gdenby. We're going to take advantage of them next time we're out that way. Our daughter graduated ND a couple years ago, but we have relatives in Chicago and Mishawaka, and we travel to the Midwest once or twice a year. I lived in South Bend for a couple years in the '70s, and regularly got rib tips as takeout from Frankies, at the Eddy St location.

I know a couple of people who liked Famous Dave's, but evidently the franchise owner just couldn't keep the building up to code.

Frankie's has had several branches around the area. The family really seems to try hard at improving the business. Unfortunately, all the places other than their "mothership" have gone under after a few years.  As I said, the place has had ups and down. Usually good, sometimes extraordinary, so my expectations tend to be high.

Before it was Frankie's, the place you went to was (I think) called Gene's. 1st tips I ever had, really a revelation. After Gene passed, his son took over, expanded the place, but ran it into the ground supporting some bad habits.

FWIW, I went to Frankie's the year after it opened. About 1 a.m., and it was a little scary. Lots of ladies of the night, and their managers there. But Frankie's mom, a little tiny old lady, looked at my friend and me and said "White boys! I like white boys." The tension broke. We took the tips outside to my car, and ate almost all of them before we got back to our friends house. Went back any time I could for the next 30 years.

The place I mentioned, Pitt's, is run by a guy who cooked for a place called "Archie's." Was considered the best place in the Bend during the late 80s. I thought the sauce there was a little too sweet. Pitt's sauce isn't quite as sweet, sweet and tangy, not hot, but pretty good.

If you're around the town, and don't mind some traveling, Greenbush Brewery, in Sawyer, MI, about 35 miles away, has good brisket and PP sandwiches. Better beer. Lots of folks come in from Chi, and sometimes there's no parking.

It's not BBQ but Roccos is one of my favorite italian/pizza restaurant

jakebge said:

It's not BBQ but Roccos is one of my favorite italian/pizza restaurant

Rocco's is a tradition. When I lived a few blocks away from it, 2 of my house mates spent so much time there, they called Mrs. Rocco "mom." That used to be the Italian side of town. There's still "Sunny Italy" and "Macri's Deli/Carmela's" near Rocco's. There's another place in the old Town and Country shopping center, "Cosimo and Suzi's." Its really nice, but packed on game days. Good food, all.