Post trip: what we found

We visited 12 bbq places over a period of 4 days in 6 different states. In hindsight, we rank them as follows:

1. a. LC's
b. Oklahoma Joe's
2. Central
3. Payne's
4. a. Germantown Commissary
4. b. Al's
4. c. Saw's
5. Cozy Corner
6. Danny Edwards Blvd
7. Bob Sykes
8. Arthur Bryants
9. Riverfront

Arthur Bryant's Barbeque, Kansas City, MO

Arthur Bryant's Barbeque, located in Kansas City, MO.

After LC's was the last stop of our BBQ trip: the famous Arthur Bryant's. Bryants is probably Kansas City's most famous bbq joint, and has developed a reputation over many decades. This was the original location from the 1920s.

We were met by a pretty long line, not quite as long as OK Joe's but it took almost as long to navigate it. We passed the time gazing at the classic interior, packed with people with walls adorned with numerous framed articles boasting of the 'best BBQ in Kansas City', and photographs of various celebrities and even presidential candidates dining at the place.

We ordered a beef sandwich with a side of fries. We split the sandwich in half.

Beef sandwich at Arthur Bryant's, with side of french fries.

The sandwich sucked. The brisket was dry, chewy, and lacked flavor. The fries are cooked with lard and were OK but nothing like their reputation would lead you to believe. They had 2 sauces, their original and a hot and spicy. Bryant's famous original sauce sucks. Its bitter and quite grainy (too much garlic powder is the likely culprit), despite being a tomato based sauce.  I tried it on the bread and the meat and it just wasn't good. The 'hot and spicy' was a good tomato based sauce, but it was not hot or spicy at all.

Its been said Bryant's can be off and on. Maybe we caught them on an 'off' day, but it was impossible to not get the sense that Bryant's is living off a reputation it probably no longer deserves. 2 star worthy, very disappointing and not worth the wait.

LC's Bar-B-Q, Kansas City, MO

LC's Bar-B-Q, located in Kansas City, MO.

After Danny Edwards we took a break for a couple hours before driving to LC's for the first half of our dinner.

LC's is a true 'hole-in-the-wall' type of place. Inconspicuous and a little weathered looking from the outside, we could smell the smoke from the pit inviting us inside as we walked past the piles of wood.

Exterior of LC's.

LC's is known for their burnt ends, so we ordered a plate of burnt ends, with a side of baked beans.

The burnt ends came in a heaping pile with their sauce layered on top. The brisket had great appearance and texture, with a solid crust and visible smoke ring. The flavor exceeded the appearance; an unbelievable flavor that almost overwhelms the palate and taste buds. Smoked to perfection, the ends were tender, melting and full of flavor. Just awesome. The sauce actually complemented the meat quite well and was excellent with the bread. The sweet tasting beans were excellent, probably the best we'd had on the trip. Good enough that you could justify making a trip to the place just for the beans,

Burnt ends with side of baked beans.

LC's exceeded expectations to a degree unlike any other place we tried. Incredible Q. 5 stars, and a MUST try if you are in Kansas City.

Danny Edwards Blvd Barbecue, Kansas City, MO

Danny Edwards Blvd Barbecue, Kansas City, MO.

After leaving Oklahoma Joe's we drove back across the border into Missouri to try Danny Edwards. The building is fairly large and has a small pig statue in the front.

The line was non-existent and we ordered quickly. We went with a combo plate of ribs, brisket, chicken, and ham.

Ribs, brisket, chicken, and ham, with side of baked beans.

Maybe it wasn't completely fair to be reviewing Danny Edwards after trying OK Joe's.....but nothing really stood out. The brisket was probably the best of the meal, was well cooked and smoky with decent crust. The ribs were average and unspectacular, while the chicken was dry and below average. The ham was decent and so were the beans, so it wasn't a total loss. They had one kind of sauce; it was pretty weak and insipid tasting.

While not awful, Danny Edwards was a little disappointing. We give it 3 stars.

Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue and Catering, Kansas City, KS

Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue, located in Kansas City, KS.

After leaving Cozy Corner we drove to St. Louis for the night, then drove to Kansas City, Missouri.

The first place we stopped for lunch was Oklahoma Joe's, which is actually across the state line in Kansas. Oklahoma Joe's started as a competition BBQ team on the KCBS circuit, before moving into their original location in a gas station in Kansas City. Though truthfully, its become more like a gas station located in a restaurant.

We arrived at around 11:20 (they opened at 11) and already there was a line snaking through the interior, out the door, and around the side of the building. A sign that we could expect some pretty decent Q.

From the time we got in line to the time we got our food, it took about 45 minutes.  The interior was packed, but had a clean, new look to it. They are clearly proud of their Q, with plenty of reminders on the wall in plaques and awards won. We decided to order a rib and pork dinner, with a side of baked beans.

Rib and pork dinner, with side of baked beans.

The food was ready quickly and the wait was brief. The meal also came with some Texas toast and some pickles.

We tried the ribs first. Amazing was the first word that came to mind. These were superb, competition level ribs cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful despite a light rub, with light smoke. They were, simply put, the best ribs either of us had ever had.

The pork wasn't on the level of the ribs but was still quite good. It was pulled, tender, and moist. The beans were delicious, very meaty and had a unique flavor that reminded one of chili, not excessively sweet but great flavor. The meal also came with 2 pieces of Texas toast, a piece of bread, and pickles. The Texas toast was actually tasty also.

They had 2 types of sauce available at the table. A mild, which was pretty good, and a hot, which was excellent on everything. Truthfully though, neither of the meats require any sauce.

Oklahoma Joe's without question lived up to the expectations. Some of the best Q we'd ever had the pleasure of trying, and a good deal at that. We give it 5 stars.

Cozy Corner Restaurant, Memphis, TN

Cozy Corner, located in Memphis, TN

After eating at Payne's, our last stop in Memphis was Cozy Corner Restaurant. The place is located in a small plaza but has a pretty good size dining room. While not as bare as Payne's, the interior isn't as festively decorated as the other places we'd been either.

Cozy Corner is perhaps best known for its cornish hen, so we ordered a plate, with sides of baked beans and another Memphis staple, bbq spaghetti.

Cornish hen, with sides of baked beans and bbq spaghetti.

The hen came sauced. It was flavorful but not smoky. Their sauce is actually good but the chicken would have been better off without it. The beans were great, sweet with some spice and cinnamon. The bbq spaghetti was a disappointment however. It was pasta with bbq sauce....actually tasted kind of lame. Meal also came with 2 slices of bread.

Overall the food wasn't 'great' but was decent and worth sampling. We rated Cozy Corner 3 stars.

Payne's BBQ, Memphis, TN

Pork sandwich at Payne's BBQ, located in Memphis, TN.

After taking a break, we drove to Payne's, in a run down area of Memphis. The place is in an old building with a very rustic and simple interior that is dimly lit.

Payne's is reputed by many for having the best pork sandwich in Memphis, so we both ordered one. It would not disappoint.

The pork sandwich at Payne's is a heap of succulent smoked chopped pork. They give you a choice between 3 sauces: mild, medium, and hot, and you can get it with or without the slaw. We ordered ours with slaw and medium sauce.

The slaw is not like typical coleslaw; its mustard based and has a pickly flavor. It really compliments both the sauce (which is quite good) and the pork, which is outstanding. The sandwich is truly a meal on its own.

The pork sandwich at Payne's was truly the best I've ever had. And at under $4 its a fantastic deal.

On the strength of the sandwich alone (we didn't order anything else), we rate Payne's 4.5 stars. Another must-try in Memphis.

Central BBQ, Memphis, TN

Central BBQ, located in Memphis, TN.

The rain had already started to come down hard by the time we arrived at our second lunch stop of the day: Central BBQ, another place reputed by many to be the best in Memphis. By the look of the lengthy line out the door (despite the rain), the locals seemed to be in agreement. We wait in line and finally placed our order of a combo plate with ribs, pork, and chicken, with sides of baked beans and macaroni and cheese.

Our meal of ribs, pork, and chicken, with sides of mac and cheese and baked beans.

The ribs were excellent. We were asked if we wanted them sauced, half sauced, or none, and we went with half. They were smoky and tender, cooked just right. They really didn't require any sauce at all; the dry rub was so flavorful and delicious. The pork and chicken were both smoky and moist, very flavorful. Both were served pulled. The beans were sweet and pretty tasty. The mac and cheese appeared powdered and bland, the only disappointing part of the meal. They had 4 ttypes of sauces; mild, hot, mustard and vinegar. The mild was quite good while the other 3 were unremarkable. Really though the meal didn't need any sauce. It also came with 2 rolls.

Central, to this point, was the best Q we had on the trip so far, and worth every penny and minute in line. A must try if you are in Memphis. We rated it 4 stars.

Germantown Commissary, Germantown, TN

Germantown Commissary, located in Germantown, TN just outside Memphis.

Friday morning we left Birmingham and drove to Memphis. Our first stop was Germantown Commissary, famed for being one of the best Q joints in the Memphis area.

The Commissary (a name which used to refer to a general store) is a small place with very limited parking. We were greeted by the manager or perhaps the owner, who was friendly and directed us to sit in the dining room, where we waited a while before getting service. The people were frienly and the place had a very eclectic interior similar to Saw's, only bigger.

We decided to order a rib and pork shoulder plate, with sides of baked beans, slaw, and a deviled egg. We also decided to try something 'unique' to Memphis: bbq nachos.

A rib and pork shoulder plate, with sides of baked beans, cole slaw, and deviled egg.

The pork was pulled and pretty flavorful and smoky, but was definitely on the dry side, and the same applied to the ribs, which were even drier.  The beans were decent, as was the slaw and deviled egg. The meal also came with a bread roll.

The bbq nachos were what stood out. These were excellent, and came in a huge portion. Despite the plate being pricey, you definitely got what you paid for in terms of quantity.

They had 2 kinds of sauce, and both were decent if unremarkable.

BBQ nachos

Overall, Germantown Commissary may have been a little disappointing given the sky-high expectations we had coming in, but it is still good bbq and worth trying if you are in Memphis. We give it 3.5 stars.

Phil ready to eat.

Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, Bessemer, Alabama

Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, located in Bessemer, AL, just outside Birmingham.

After eating at Saw's, we headed over Bob Sykes in Bessemer, a town outside Birmingham to the west.


The place was clearly a popular local joint, and similar to Riverfront, had a sort of 'family' feel to it. It also had a drive thru and the sign outside advertised hamburger steak. These were warning signals to us that the Q here might be lacking.

We walked in and immediately saw the open pit and a fairly large menu.

We ordered half a chicken plate, with sides of baked beans and fried okra. The meal also came with a piece of toast.

The chicken came totally drowned in their dark sauce, which was bland and not very good. The chicken itself tasted briny, with a flavor reminiscent of hot dog and no smoke flavor whatsoever. The beans were even worse, tasting almost straight out of a can. The fried okra was ok, but fairly soggy. Overall the portions were generous.


As the warning signs indicated it would be, this was pretty disappointing Q, and certainly not worth the drive out to Bessemer if you are looking for awesome Q and not just a place to dump the kids after soccer practice.

2 stars.

Saw's BBQ, Birmingham, Alabama

Saw's BBQ, located in Birmingham, AL.

After checking into our hotel in Birmingham, we drove to Saw's.

Saw's is a low key place with a colorful interior and decorated walls. It has a small dining room, accompanied by a small menu. We ordered a pork plate with sides of mac and cheese and baked beans.

We were hungry and forgot to take a picture of the food before we started eating it. Pulled pork, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese.

The pork was pulled and fairly good; quite tender, though no bark was present. A big improvement over what we had had for lunch. The beans were a little bland, and not sweet. They had some vinegar tang to them. The mac and cheese looked very inviting but the flavor disappointed, being bland, dry, and not cheesy enough.

Saw's sauce is a vinegar based-concoction but was reasonably flavorful.

Overall the pork made Saw's worth the visit, but the menu and the sides could use more variety.

A happy customer

Riverfront Bar-B-Q, Albany, GA

Riverfront Bar-B-Q, located in Albany, GA.

On Thursday we drove from Tampa to southwest Georgia, stopping in Albany for lunch at Riverfront Bar-B-Q.

Interior of Riverfront, popular with the locals.

Our expectations going in were not particularly high. We had search for roadside stands to try but failing to find any, we stuck with Riverfront.


Both of us ordered pork sandwiches; I got fries as a side and Phil got cole slaw. They apparently charge for water, so I got sweet tea. Line was minimal and wait was brief for our food to be brought out.

Pork sandwich with fries.

Unsurprisingly the whole meal was a disappointment. The pork was chopped, bland with little smoke flavor and not particularly tender either, with no bark present. The fries were standard store bought frozen fair, and sucked. Slaw was average.

They had 4 different kinds of sauce: vinegar, sweet, mustard, and hot mustard. Somehow they managed to make all 4 of them bland, except that the sweet one actually tasted nasty.

A disappointment, but could it be called one when we weren't expecting much anyways? Unfortunately, it was Georgia's sole representation. We rate it 2 stars.

Al's Finger Lickin' Good, Tampa, FL

Front of Al's Finger Lickin' Good BBQ, Ybor City, Tampa, FL

Al's got its start as a stand run out of a gas station in Brandon. He later moved over to his current building in old Ybor City.

Ribs, pork, baked beans, and collard greens.

Al doesn't label himself any particular regional style other than 'southern', but Al's could probably be classified as Memphis-style Q.

We ordered  pork and rib combo meals. Pictured the meal with sides of beans and collars. The ribs were pretty good. Tender, smoky, well cooked. Pork wasn't as good as the ribs, a little blander. Like most Tampa Q places, Al's beans are 'cina-beans'. They were tasty if sweet with a strong cinamon flavor. The collards are very unique....quite spicy for collards and very flavorful.

Al's is not as well known as it should be in Tampa; it is arguably one of the best BBQ places in the city and it has developed a nice local customer base. Worth trying if you are in Tampa.

Rated 3.5 out of 5.

Old trailer

Chickens