Charlie's Backyard BBQ

We missed the opening of Charlie's last July and discovered it today right where a previous "hit & miss" BBQ joint had been for years. Met the owner tonight and he promised a focus on great quality over quantity. Well, he underpromised and overdelivered on both. Every item in our order, from pulled pork sandwiches to brisket to hot links was absolutely delicious, as were the sides, plus "out of this world desserts."Tack on the friendly smiles of the team and we have finally found our go to/can't miss BBQ place in Mesa. We cannot recommend Charlie's highly enough and encourage any BBQ lover to visit them soon and often!

Charlie's Backyard BBQ is a new restaurant in Mesa. We enjoyed the pulled pork, brisket, and especially the ribs. Ribs were huge and had great flavor. Their BBQ sauce hits just right. Good greens and beans, too.I want to come back and try the catfish, mac cheese, and a dessert next time. Thinking i may also get some carry out "by the pound" for tailgating. Met Charlie the owner and pit master. Great guy and great service! He said they're going to have some special events coming up and special dishes like beef ribs, so keep up with them on social media.Will be back!

Great new spot in a reviving area of Mesa. Found this new place while running errands and knew we had to give this local place a try after reading the reviews. Super friendly people, the owner was running the front and was so welcoming. If you've been on the fence about going, DO IT!!We tried several meats when we went tonight and sides so we could sample a variety of things. We've had a lot of BBQ in different states and this was a great place in Mesa that we'll definitely be back for. Brisket - delish and so tenderPulled pork - flavorful and not super fatty which I appreciated (they actually give you tons of meat not just a bunch of BBQ drenched meat)Chicken - this was actually one of my favorites. Soft and tender not dry from being smoked with a nice crisp. We also tried their coleslaw, baked beans, and Mac n cheese. Liked that the coleslaw wasn't swimming in Mayo and had a nice flavor and texture. Beans were great too. We also tried the banana pudding and chocolate cake. Banana pudding was the winner of the two!Thanks for the delicious dinner Charlie and crew, we'll be back to try the rest of your menu soon!

We had an incredible time trying this new bbq place. As a midwest native, it's hard to find a similar experience here to a real neighborhood backyard bbq... but this was IT! I had the brisket lunch plate (which is a bangin' deal for $10) with potato salad - both awesome. My husband had the pulled pork plate ($18) with mac and cheese! Definitely try the Citrus Ginger sauce, super unique and delicious. After this wonderful meal, we will be returning to sample the dessert menu The owner was taking orders at the counter and his happy energy is so infectious! The seating area felt like a nice casual midwestern backyard with a warm ambiance. Can't wait to come back!

Is any restaurant worth a 45 minute drive?? We're in the Northwest valley and in the south east valley is Charlie's YES is worth the time. We had their amazing macaroni and cheese with brisket & pulled pork. Moist, tender, flavorful and DELICIOUS. Charlie's is an amazing family owned place to call "our let's go for BBQ" and worth the drive. Go Go Go

Super friendly staff, but unfrotunately, I think I may have gotten a banana pudding that sat in the fridge too long, or one that succumbed to food odor cross contamination. Texture of the pudding was on point, but I couldn't get over whatever odor it absorbed - both smelled and tasted of this distinct, odd odor.

Just hit up this new BBQ joint, and wow, I'm so glad I did! First off, the lunch special is an absolute steal--$10 for a drink, sandwich, and a side? Yes, please! I went with the brisket sandwich and mac and cheese, and both were fantastic.The brisket was perfectly cooked--juicy, tender, and packed with flavor. The sandwich was loaded, and I mean loaded, with brisket. It's rare to find such a generous portion at this price point. The mac and cheese was thick and cheesy, exactly how it should be.Now, let's talk about the sauces. Their citrus ginger BBQ sauce is a game-changer--subtle yet flavorful, and not overpowering at all. I also tried their hot BBQ sauce, which had just the right amount of kick, balanced beautifully with that classic BBQ tanginess.I've had BBQ everywhere from local favorites here to BBQ central in Texas, and this is that good! The food was so good that I stopped halfway through to snap a pic and write this review--that's how impressed I was.On top of all that, the gal who helped us was so extremely kind and generous. Seriously, if you love BBQ, you need to check this place out. I'm really hoping they get lines out the door because a place this good deserves to stick around.Highly recommended and I'll definitely be back!

I read a brief article regarding this establishment and decided to go there instead of Little Miss BBQ.It was a lazy Sunday 2/23/25 so I took the ez drive of 28 miles to try it out. I looked up directions and was taken directly there with no missteps. It was located in a strip mall on the NW Corner of Country Club Rd n Southern. The building is located on the corner of the strip mall with BBQ written across the top of the building. A small comfortable area for seating that was very clean. Some of the tables that I saw had no condiments on them, while the other two had 3 sauces on it and the other had just 2 sauces on it. There is also a sideboard with a napkin dispenser but I believe other things were supposed to be to be there but did not get set-up before opening. Dotting the "I" n crossing the "T" are everything in the "DETAILS" when in a restaurant no matter who operates it! The Staff is very friendly and quite helpful with every1.I had my hopes up for 1 menu item in particular..."The Collard Greens". However, they were not available as they had run out Saturday due to business. I can understand not having them late Saturday but on a Sunday one would expect to have a full menu. The other items they did not have was Mac & Cheese. However, they said a pan was in the oven baking away. They also were "86" a restaurant term for not available was the Banana Pudding and I took 1 of 2 remaining Peach Cobblers. In getting back to the Collards I did see fresh bags of them on a prep table just sitting there vs being in a pot cooking away with a Smoked Turkey Leg, Ham Hock or some other flavorful bone appendage. It is hard for me to fathom if I closed the night before without menu items why would one not schedule someone to come in early and make these items? They always say you have only one chance to make a first impression! Fortunately it was simple to overlook because of the sincerity of the staff but more importantly the flavor of the Smoked Brisket, Smoked Chicken and Pulled Pork made the day. I would have enjoyed a tad smokier meats but I can tell you they all melted in your mouth. They were very moist and not dried out. The 3 sauces on the table labeled House, CG and Hot were on point. The CG BBQ had a taste of vinegar but was a great accompaniment to the meats. The Hot BBQ Sauce did not pour out of the bottle as well perhaps to the pepper flakes in the sauce. The House Sauce was very good as well. We also had a Brisket Sandwich which was huge! The bun was soft and fresh. The sides were had were the Baked Beans. I'd give them 8 out of 10. The Red Beans and Rice were good but lacked the smokiness I'm use to from N'Awlins with Sausage slices mixed in with a hint more of heat. I would give them 7 out of 10. The worst side of all was the Potato Salad. It was way too sweet which I assume was from sugar. I was hopeful of a real Southern Style preparation with Egg, Mustard, Mayo, Celery, Relish or Chow-Chow, chopped Green Onions, a touch of Garlic and Salt n Pepper. This would have excited those cooked Potatoes with a punch of flavor vs a sweetened taste. I'd rate this side a dismal 2 out of 10. I must say though that one could live on a block with 10 neighbors and you would get 10 different recipes as no two are the same! This side in my mind missed the "BULLEYE" as it fell off the table.The meats were definitely the HIGHLIGHT with 9.5 out of 10. The Pitmaster knows his skills without a doubt! I really missed pickles on the side, some sliced white onions and the slices of bread that one usually sees. A wedge of cornbread would have been great too as a side to sop up the BBQ Sauces n Drippings.....OH MY, ONE COULD ONLY HOPE FOR! Perhaps there is a reason but I certainly wouldn't know why as the pricing we spent was well over $65 plus tip which would add I bet maybe a couple of quarters to the cost price for the restaurant's food cost.The Macaroni & Cheese was okay. The Macaroni was overcooked and I did not see Cracker or Bread Crumbs on top. I'd rate this side a 6 out of 10, The Peach Cobbler was tasty and scored 8 out of 10.In closing the question is would I return? I'd say yes but with the caveat to call ahead to see what they don't have as those "Collard Greens" certainly were on my mind as I left my house to try them. Also, a sign on the door stated they would be closed Sunday March 2 so they could have family dinner with Granny. Let's hope that Charlie who is The Pitmaster n Owner of this neighborhood BBQ place I believe talks to Granny and gets a "A New Inspirational Potato Salad Recipe" to match the "EXCELLENT PITMASTER SKILLS" he has when it comes to the Smoking of The Meats!Charlie's Backyard BBQ with a few tweaks could definitely be "SMOK'N" n "ZINGING" in the near future which would take them to higher ratings without a doubt. I'd definitely would be in The Backyard sipp'n on Sweet Teas if they offered it as well! Chow or Ciao!!!!!!

Best BBQ I have had in Arizona! The ribs literally fall off the bone, but themselves aren't so overcooked that they fall apart....perfection. The sides are awesome....especially the potato salad, and the beans! The prices are great too.Charlie is a great guy in addition to being what I would call true and absolute pit master! Come and give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

Wow I must say this is the very best bbq I've had here in Arizona. I'm from Kansas City so I've had a lot of bbq! This is the best hands down! I will absolutely be going back for more!!! I had the brisket, fries, bbq beans and potato salad! Delish! Next time will be the ribs!