Backwoods Smoke & Grill

Back Woods Smoke and Grill"Where the Hog Meets the Log"Review by Kate Johnson Burroughs12/2/2012If you're looking for an affordable but quaint little spot for a delightful Sunday dinner , look no further than the newly opened Back Woods Smoke and Grill in Shepherdsville, KY. Owned by Chuck Ray, the Back Woods Smoke and Grill is located at 300 Buffalo Run, Shepherdsville, KY. The doors open at 10 AM to 9 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 7 AM to 9 PM on Saturday and Sunday (closed Wednesdays). Take Kentucky Turnpike I65 on Cedar Grove Road, heading East toward Love's Travel Stop. Turn South on Buffalo Run Road, and travel approximately 1/2 mile. Parking is limited so arrive early for the best parking.We had a wonderful time at the Back Woods Smoke and Grill. The owner and his staff were delightful, pleasant, and friendly. They welcomed us to their table, and did their best to make sure that we were enjoying our meal. Drinks were refilled throughout our visit quickly and we were frequently checked on to make sure that everything was just to our liking. The Back Woods Smoke and Grill is a welcome addition to the Shepherdsville area with a welcoming and pleasant home-style atmosphere. They offer a varied selection of, savory, moist, and delicious meats that melt in your mouth with complex flavors that are quite enjoyable. Portions are generous and combined with home-style sides we definitely enjoyed our meal and plan on visiting again in the future. THE MENUMEATSBack Woods Smoke and Grill offers sandwiches and entrees that feature smoked chicken, sausage, bologna, pulled-pork, and fall-off-the-bone-tender dry-rubbed barbeque ribs. They also have a large selection of sides to compliment the meats and home-made cakes for dessert.If you're not sure what meat you would like, try starting with an appetizer sampler that features smoked sausage, chicken wings, and smoked bologna ($6). Back Woods Smoke and Grill also offers guests a choice of chicken. You can try smoked or regular wings ($4), or a chicken leg quarter ($6). The chicken was succulent and juicy, with a crispy skin. The ribs are dry-rubbed with a secret blend of spices and then slow-cooked for up to 8 hours to produce a moist but firm texture. Guests can choose from three rack sizes, 1/4 ($6) , 1/2 ($12), and full ($20). SIDESBack Woods Smoke and Grill offers a wide selection of home-style sides. Traditional favorites include: smoked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, green beans, mac & cheese, salad, and fries ($1.50) as well as chili and bowl soup beans ($2.50). BBQ beans feature a smoky, barbeque flavor with pieces of pork meat cooked into the sauce. Potato salad and green beans are served slightly under-seasoned to allow guests to salt to taste. We were disappointed to find that they did not serve sides made with fresh or seasonal vegetables from local markets. DRINKS & DESSERTS Soda, tea, and coffee ($1.50) are available, and refills are at no extra charge. When we visited, the desserts of the day were home-made German Chocolate and Butter Cake ($1.50/slice). Both were moist and delicious. --------------------DRAWBACKS: Cash only. Not Eco-Friendly. Back Woods Smoke and Grill served our dessert in plastic containers and they use Styrofoam plates and cups, as well as using plastic disposable utensils. The plastic forks and knives were a bit of a hassle, and more than once I found myself cutting through my plate. Although the meat was tender and juicy, using plastic cutlery made cutting and eating our meats a bit of a chore. The owners would be able to improve the dining experience for their guests by using proper silver, glasses and plate wear, and it will reduce the environmental impact.

Don't order the lunch special. I should not have taken the waitress' suggestion.I regret using google to search for a bbq restaurant after I ate here. The brisket was more fat than meat and had the flavor of boiled cardboard. I threw away most of it. The side of green beans was tiny, about 2 tablespoons.If you are the owner and reading this. Do not serve something you would not eat yourself. Unless you make some serious changes to the quality of the food you will be out of business.

Pulled pork, hamburgers and smoked bologna (personal favorite) are good and could rescue this restaurant. Not good is CASH ONLY, poor ventilation, lack of a decor and poor service. Not a top 10.