Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub

★★★★☆ 4 (492) • $$

"Beer is more a fourThe food makes it a five starJust a cozy placeNorthbound is pretty unique, at least in Minnesota. They are a full fledged brewery, but they also have an in-house kitchen and a full bar. Forager in Rochester is the only other one that comes to mind with this trifecta. The beers at Northbound are solid, but I don't put them in the very upper echelon. The Anniversary Ale 2024 that I am sipping on now is fantastic.Love the food here. The Porketta, the Wild Rice Burger, the wings, etc. All awesome. Northbound really knows how to smoke some meat. I'm here pretty regularly. If I lived within walking distance, it would probably be weekly."

ZZQ Smokehouse

★★★★☆ 4.3 (330) • $$

"ZZQ is on point!!!! We shared a two-meat plate with brisket and chicken, mac and coleslaw, and an extra side of beans. Everything was FANTASTIC! The woman up front was absolutely the sweetest, super friendly and helpful.Their brisket is one of the better briskets I've had, the chicken was great. Their coleslaw is a vinegar-based coleslaw not a creamy one and it was delicious. I am not celiac, but asked if the reviews were correct that their mac is gluten free and was SO impressed by their concern for celiac. And everything is gluten free (even the mac and cheese!) except for the buns (but they even have a gluten free bun option!). So for those with gluten sensitivity or celiac, this place is a blessing! Their sauces are all homemade and they're all great! My faves were the Smoky and the Sweet. Buffalo was good too. We'll be back! Looking forward to trying more off the menu. Thanks ZZQ!"

Maverick's Real Roast Beef

★★★★☆ 4 (336) • $

"Randomly found out this place wasn't far from our new house. It's like a sit-down Arby's but better, and they even have cheese sauce!After reading sooo many good reviews online I was surprised it was so quiet on a Tuesday night, but wasn't mad about it. The lady who rang us up was so patient and helpful to first-timers and that feels hard to find these days! It was a very casual place, no need to dress up. I didn't care much for the onion rings but my sandwich and cheese sauce was great- I'll try the fries next time I'm in! Overall, a little spendier than I'd like ($30 for 2 sandwiches, cheese sauce, and 1 onion rings) but we liked the experience and said we would come back / bring people back!"

Smoke In The Pit

★★★★☆ 4.3 (253) • $

"Smoke in the Pit is my #1 spot to go to for some serious BBQ. I personally think they have the best meats around. No question. It's a hole in the wall spot located on Chicago Ave that serves up an incredible menu. My favorite meal to order from here is the 3 ribs with fries lunch combo for $7.79. I don't even like barbecue sauce, but their barbecue sauce is an exception for me. It's tangy, smoky, and tastes perfect with the ribs. I don't know what seasoning they put on their battered fries, but these fries have my heart. They're so addicting and come hot and fresh every time I've been. I also really love their brisket, pulled pork, and collard greens here.This place does not have dine-in, and has always been a pick-up only spot even prior to the pandemic. When you enter their doors, it feels like a lobby area where they keep it simple: an order window and a pick up window. You place an order to the right and slide to the left to grab your food once it's prepared. There's free street parking right outside. Smoke in the Pit is a staple in the Twin Cities. Their meat is not only flavorful and juicy, you're not breaking the bank to get some real BBQ. In the summer, I love coming here to order several different menu items and bringing it all to a nearby lake or park to have a picnic. Their food is glorious y'all and I promise you'll fall in love with it too. They have some fried spaghetti that I have my eye on for my next trip."

Smokey's Pub n' Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (241) • $$

"Always delicious! Friendly and attentive staff. Wonderful assortment of house made BBQ sauces and the tots are the bomb dot com!"

Hoban Korean BBQ

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (382) • $$

"Went with my cousin Sid and a couple of nephews. The Good. It's kind of fun and the staff were very sweet. The so-so. The food cuts are a bit not my style. The pork was almost all fat and to render on the grill takes forever. I ended up grilling mostly veggies. They were good. Asparagus. Mushrooms. Peppers. All. But proteins were not great."

Baker's Ribs

★★★★☆ 4 (256) • $$

"We've been coming to Baker's Ribs for years now, and it's always something we look forward to enjoying! We also love the catering offerings for your bigger gatherings. The space itself is situated in a small strip mall, so there is plenty of lot parking in the vicinity. The interior is wacky, cozy, and a place to simply take in and enjoy. The smells of the smoker, the kitschy amount of pigs everywhere, and the rumble of fellow patrons enjoying their BBQ. The owner can usually be found behind the bar, chopping up the best BBQ in the Cities! The food is phenomenal! I usually go for the chopped brisket (pre-mixed with BBQ sauce) or the sliced brisket, but the ribs are "fall off the bone" tender. Plenty of sides to choose from, but my go to is the coleslaw and potato salad!"

Buddy Boy Fine Barbeque

★★★★☆ 4 (208) • $$$

"Sunday brunch was totally worth the visit - they've been doing it for 5 weeks! Our group of 7 made a 10am reservation and was super happy with the food, service, and ambiance. The bbq was delicious (we especially liked the beef, goat, turkey, burnt ends, and brisket), all the brunch items were fresh (french toast, muffins, biscuits and gravy), there were made to order omelets, all the sides/fixings were tasty (coleslaw, burnt end potato salad, strawberry salad, grits), fresh fruit, pastries, and cheese were all lovely extras to add on! The adults all had cocktails and enjoyed them - there were a variety including bloody Marys, old fashioneds, mimosas, and coffee cocktails. We'll definitely be back!"

Whiskey Inferno

★★★★☆ 3.6 (255) • $$

"Whiskey Inferno is a nice option for non-chain restaurant dining in Savage. My husband and I usually go for a few cocktails and an app as the entrees are a bit overpriced. That said, their cocktails are SO good and they mix up their cocktail menu. It's got a fun ambiance/atmosphere and the decor makes it feel a little edgy. It gets pretty crowded on weekend evenings so prepare to wait a bit. Plenty of parking though. Whiskey Inferno is a great spot for a date night or to meet up with friends!"

Ted Cook's 19th Hole BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.9 (193) • $$

"Wonderful BBQ Ribs and favorite sauce anywhere. We've enjoyed Ted Cooks ribs many times for many when visiting friends who frequent Ted's."

Tequila Butcher

★★★★☆ 3.5 (222) • $$

"Let me start by saying that our service was excellent! Ryan was kind, thoughtful and attentive while also providing great recommendations. We both started with drinks that were refreshing and great. The Brisket Mole is a MUST - it is one of the pricier options but so worth it and you get plenty of food for the next day. The meat is smoky and the mole has an incredible depth of flavor. It blew our socks off. The Carnitas tacos could have used a little more flavor, but I loved the corn and rice on the side. We also started with the crispy brussel sprouts which had a beautiful sweet and tangy sauce on top. It was loud inside when we arrived at 6:00 but quieted down by the time we left. Would definitely recommend for a happy hour or a delicious meal!"

Rooster's BBQ Deli

★★★★☆ 3.9 (150) • $$

"You pick up the ribs with a side of the hot bbq sauce to keep it interesting. You don't expect much from the fries but that's ok because you have that sauce side for dipping. You go home (it's mainly carry out) and make a mess with a friend. Look back on it and say, 'I'd do that again.'"

Texas Roadhouse

★★★★☆ 3.5 (172) • $$

"First time I've ever been here, but I've heard many positive things about their rolls. We went on a Saturday at 4:30pm for dinner and I'm glad we went early. It was packed! We were sat pretty quick though. I'd suggest having an early dinner so you don't have to have a long wait. My partner and I shared the filet medallions and it was the perfect amount for two (9oz total). You have a choice to pair your meal with two sides so we chose two house salads. Moderate pricing too. Some of the best steak I have had in my life. Perfectly cooked. Kudos to the kitchen staff. Will be back for sure."

Clive's Roadhouse

★★★★☆ 3.7 (150) • $$

"Honestly 3.5 stars is what this place deserves. 4 stars for the staff. The staff weren't overbearing, they were knowledgeable, respectful, and completed our orders as asked for. Only real knock on the staff was where we were sat, which was directly by another table, in a corner. I'm sure that they were dishing up the tables as people came in so the servers all had tables so that's not really a knock at all. The corner just felt cramped. The parking lot had plenty of open spaces when we were there but I've seen the place absolutely swamped before so I don't really think there's enough room to accommodate on a busy day. It's also very small between the isles and can be crowded with more than one person leaving. The table and chairs were good. Bathroom was clean. Bar area was large and prices were reasonable. Pretty much everything on the menu, apps included (outside of happy hour) is 15-17 dollars. The tough part about going to a bar and grill that offers so many things is that the variety sometimes takes away from the taste. My burger was average. Spicy, kind of, but just heat without a lot of flavor. Highly recommend the apps at happy hour pricing though because those seem to have more flavor for the price. The waffle fries were anemic in every sense of the word, but the seasoned sour cream was good. One last thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the lack of menu for the tap beers. The waiter, knew them by heart, she was fantastic, but it's just odd to me to not have a tap list or QR code to see what's on tap. Overall liked the rustic feel, didn't like the corner, and enjoyed the server. Food was so/so, but, wasn't completely disappointed."

The Lookout Bar and Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (172) • $$

"Love the lookout. The appetizers are great especially the totchos and ghost pepper cheese curds when they have them. Definitely has a dive bar feel but worth it. The food is reasonably priced and it's great for happy hours or if you like playing volleyball. Parking is pretty limited in the evenings during the summer but there is street parking."

Beast Barbecue

★★★★☆ 3.6 (132) • $$

"Variety with some spice to life is the fairly new Beast. As the former Legends dive bar closed we had to wait for new ownership, a long remodeling and then came Covid. Eventually Beast opened for take out and finally in house dining. The interior has been gutted and the bar expanded, a back wall has opened to the take out area. High rise window tables and yes new bigger windows.There is a large selection of tap and bottle beers and the menu covers varied tastes with pork, beef or chicken.Check out the generous happy hour which runs from noon to 5:00 p.m featuring a dollar off beers and two dollars off snacks. There are some tater tot dishes, baked beans, mac and cheese.Not quite as divey as Legends but still a tinge of dive. We hope to make this a regular hang out..on our night there we see they could use some customers."

Baldy's BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.5 (139) • $$

"Baldy's has a simple decor and menu. This will not underestimate the fantastic ribs and portions here. I had the Special 3$ off rib tips. I had side of fries, too. Wow. Fantastic. Big portions. Big tastes. Topped off with a great smile and service from Rachel. I heard it was good. Go out of your way. Five Stars."

Scott Ja-Mamas

★★★★☆ 4.2 (94) • $

"Scott Ja-Mamas is, without reservation, THE best BBQ I have ever tasted! It is a literal hole in the wall and, for the most part, take away. There are very few tables and those are typically occupied by local police stopping in for lunch. The owner and staff are so friendly. We have been going there for years. When we lived out of town, we always made time to stop by for some of Scott's fabulous ribs with his special sauce.The flavor is stupendous. The meat is smoked and tender, the beans are delicious and obviously a family recipe. I can't say enough about this place. We moved back to Minnesota a few years ago and continue to enjoy Scott Ja-Mamas. You should, too!"

Firebox Deli

★★★★☆ 4.3 (82)

"It's been a long time since I visited Firebox. In fact it was when they had a North Mpls location. We had a guys night out and ordered way too much. Steve didn't get my message that we ordered a feast and it's at the table... So he got even more. What did we get? The feast. Comes w wings, ribs and choice of pulled pork or brisket. We also got some tips. You get four sides so we did two collard greens and two Mac n cheese. They added some fries... Which is great. Noah got some hot sauce and super hot sauce. Which if you.ix w the barbecue sauce is excellent. It was all great and you have a big challenge finding a place to park. Otherwise it's great. The staff is super nice and family owned."

Big Louie's Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (87) • $$

"Enjoyed today's special, the California Burger! Fresh, yummy, ingredients with avocado and cheese, as well as tomato, onions, lettuce. Sooo good. Big Louie's is now my favorite restaurant!"

Texas Roadhouse

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (100) • $$

"We got on the waitlist thru the app and it said it was going to be 1 hour 15 mins to 1 hour 25 mins wait. Right when got near, I checked in and by the time we sat it was around that time. This location is super busy with a small parking lot. I saw some people parking at Sam's club and the urgent care next door. The food was absolutely delicious but a little salty, fries were super salty. Our server was Nick and he was super friendly and made we were doing ok our entire meal even though the restaurant was packed! Surprisingly with how busy they are, it's not super loud in the restaurant. Waiting area gets packed so best to stay in your vehicle until you get a text saying your table is ready."

Market Bar-B-Que

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (116) • $$

"We decided to ditch our usual stay-at-home wine night for a girlfriend date night at Market Bar-B-Que, and let me tell you -- best. decision. ever. We basically ordered half the menu: rib tips, pulled pork, greens, mac-n-cheese, coleslaw, fries, candied yams, BBQ chicken and some other things that I can't remember. Did we hurt ourselves with the amount of food? Absolutely. Was it worth every bite? 1000%.Honestly, I barely had time to take pics because we just dove in as soon as the food hit the table -- no regrets! The flavors were so good that pausing for a photo felt like a crime.Our server was a total rockstar -- kept our drinks full and had us laughing like old friends. The cherry on top? We met the head cook and got to personally thank him for creating what can only be described as barbecue magic.The place isn't brand new or a modern Instagram photoshoot ready type of place, but it's got that good down-home, relaxing, feel-good vibe that makes you want to stay awhile. If you're looking for good food and good service this is the spot. We came for the barbecue and left with full hearts, fuller stomachs, and zero regrets. Highly recommend -- just wear stretchy pants."

StormKing Brewpub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (66)

"StormKings got a limited menu, but great food for what they do have. Beware of them potentially running out of food though, which is what happened for some the night I went.They host trivia, which is what I went for. The ambiance for trivia is great and they've got a good selection of drinks, Their staff is friendly and welcoming!Be mindful that parking can be difficult, so plan a few extra minutes for your trip."

Rack Shack BBQ

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (67) • $

"Rack Shack Revitalized!!!Having eaten at Rack Shack under previous owners, and after reading some negative reviews about the new ones, we were skeptical. We. We're. Wrong. My husband ordered the half rack of ribs, and they were the juiciest they've ever been. I had the Philly melt with brisket and it had much more meat than I expected and was so flavorful. We shared the cheese curds and onion rings, and they were crispy and seasoned well - unlike the previous ones which were way too salty. The ranch was flawless. It wasn't runny and bland - it was thick, perfect for dipping. And the sauces are so good. We prefer the KC and the St. Paulie."

Croft Kitchen and Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (48) • $

"Holy cow was this a surprise! Don't judge a book by its cover, folks! It's clean but pretty basic and looks like most bars/pubs in this part of Minnesota. But the menu was incredible and so was the food! I had the steak and Gorgonzola pasta...so so good! My husband had the Big Cheese and it was also really good. The service was excellent too and the server made excellent recommendations. My only complaint is that no one warned us to save room for dessert! We will be back for sure!"

Hip Sing BBQ & Seafood

★★★☆☆ 3 (79) • $

"Food is veryyyy delicious! But the customer service can be better. Order out some food one time and they forgot the extra sauce I purchased when i asked if it was in the bag. I also call to see if their wings were available and they said yes, its ready and available but when i got there 15 minutes later, it wasnt even ready. They gave me a option of a refund or to swap it. Food 5/5 Customer Service 2/5"

Forkless

★★★★☆ 3.9 (39)

"Cute, delicious bbq place with a family-owner atmosphere. Good place to take out or dine in with a few friends. My husband and I split the Smokehouse wrap with brisket and it filled us both up."

Amos & Amos BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.7 (43) • $

"I have been here several times and will be back again. I really like how this place is open year round, and always seems to be busy. The burger I had really tasted like it came off the grill, with that charbroiled taste to it. Also, their fries really do have that fresh taste to it. My order took about 15 minutes, but well worth the taste and price. It is definitely worth another visit, since the cashier and cook are really nice"

Dosirak

★★★★☆ 3.7 (39)

"The only reason I'm giving Dosirak 4 stars is the most important part of this restaurant the food is GOOD! Everyone in my group had something different on the menu because we all have different Korean faves and we all loved what we ordered.You walk up to the counter and order, the host at the counter was short with us when we had questions, so you kind of have to know what you want, she was very disinterested in helping us figure out what was good, so I say google ahead or ask questions of people that know more and just go up with your order. You pick your own seating and they give you a number and bring your order out to you. The food came out pretty quickly, but we were not there at a popular dining time. I've seen the restaurant be VERY full at popular dining times so we purposely went after 7pm on a weekeday. Don't go too late though because the Asian Mall closes!"

The Fabled Rooster

★★★★☆ 3.6 (37)

"These brisket rolls are out of this world. I wasn't expecting something quite as good. Instead, I figured it would be a plain egg roll shell with a bit of brisket - I was dead wrong. These were every bit of incredible and worth the money and wait. (although they aren't that expensive, nor did they take that long). Even if you're not planning on eating a full meal from the Fabled Rooster, I would highly recommend these as an appetizer."

County Line

★★★★☆ 4.2 (23) • $

"It's Labor Day weekend at the cabin, instead of making dinner we decided to head-out for dinner. We arrived at the tavern around 5:10 and the parking lot was packed! Ughh, with two little ones who are starving we ventured in anyway. Put our name in for a table of four and we were told we would be seated in approx 20 minutes....no problem...40 minutes later we were seated...yikes. The hostess seemed a bit frazzled, but the general layout of the restaurant/bar made for confusion for patrons. We ordered as soon as we were seated (we had plenty of time to checkout the menu) at 5:50 as time ticked by still no food....as 6:45 approached we asked our server how our food was coming along? Her reply "ohhh it's going to be awhile-did ya order da fish?". Umm "no chicken" she came back literally two minutes later with our food....really!?The broasted chicken was very good along with the mashed potatoes and cole slaw. I would definitely come back. For thos of you thinking "broasted"...what is that (I wasn't familiar either)? Broasting is a trademark applied to a method of cooking chicken and other foods using a pressure fryer and condiments. The technique was invented by L.A.M. Phelan in the early 1950s and is marketed by the Broaster Company of Beloit, Wisconsin, which Phelan founded.The method essentially combines pressure cooking with deep frying chicken that has been marinated and breaded. The result is the chicken is said to be crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, i.e., like traditional fried chicken but less greasy. Another advantage of broasting over deep-frying is that large quantities of chicken can be prepared more quickly, 12-13 minutes instead of 20. I think hanging out on the weekend, especially Labor Day weekend plan ahead it's busy up hear! Get broasted and toasted!"

Up in Smoke BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.9 (23)

"We finally got here after watching a food challenge on YouTube (Randy Santel), we loved it and we will be back! We had Long Horn sandwich, 2 meat player and Mac and cheese bowl with brisket and the smokin up Joe. Nothing was disappointed it was all great! The Mac and cheese side was smoked and it was amazing! We can't wait to go again and try something different."

Asian Fusion Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (17)

"Oh my gosh the Lo Mein and chicken wings were what I got and they were INCREDIBLE!!! The service was super fast and the food was delicious. I loved the atmosphere and the staff were incredible"

CG Hooks Eatery

★★☆☆☆ 2.4 (41) • $$

"In a nutshell: Great food, super small portions, kinda pricey.I've been here a handful of times now. It's a cute little family owned place. The indoor seating is larger than it looks, and the outdoor seating is nice too. The service has always been pretty good.The bad: The sandwiches don't come with any sides. None at all. When they bring out your $9 brisket sandwich, it's only the size of a McDonald's Happy Meal hamburger - I'm not kidding, it's really that small. And there are no sides with it. None at all. Those cost an extra $2.50 each. The food is super good though, and all hand made, rubbed, and smoked on-site. Just know what you're getting in to and be prepared to spend a little more than you normally would. It's worth it! The ice cream is also great on a hot day."

Smok’ N Outdoors BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.1 (14)

"Craving BBQ and BBQ is what I received. Family owned spot, great customer service!!! Big portions with good seasoning no need for sauces. Definitely had to grab their sticky rice and Hmong pepper sauce an a side of their Mac a Cheese. Mac and cheese didn't have much flavor but if you add some salt to it, you good. Definitely will be back to try other items."