Lets Start A New Hickory Park Debate
- Thread starter cmjh10
- Start date
This may be unpopular, but I wasn’t all that impressed with Smokey D’s. I think Kue’d does a better job smoking, but their sauces don't do much for me. I have found Wobbly Boots to be good. Good smoke, great rubs and tasty sauces. Just found their BBQ to have more flavor
Kue'd is very good. I thought I heard the owners were former partners of Smokey D's.
That is my understanding too. I stopped making turkey for Thanksgiving years ago and started ordering smoked turkey from smokehouses for the meal. Kue’d does an outstanding smoked turkey. Wobbly Boots does too, their rub has more BBQ spices in it, whereas Kue’d uses a salt and pepper brine. Both were outstanding
Try finding good BBQ in LA. There's one large overpriced chain that does a nice job but every attempt at a little mom and pops place is a horrific train wreck compared to many I've tried in Iowa and Illinois over the years living there.
Long gone now but the brisket I ate several times a week at Battle's in the 90s as an ISU student was identical to brisket I've had in Texas, he was from Texas. So it can happen.
Some people want to believe food can't travel...the Chicago deep dish places and NYC pizza places make up BS about the local water being necessary and pizza places in other cities will claim they have water from NYC/Chicago or get dough flown in from there. That's genius marketing, but bs. There is something to having food where it was invented though and it's a big part of what makes world travel fun.
I notice people in Southern California will assume their Mexican restaurants are better and more authentic than Chicago which I find to clearly be the reverse. We have the Austin Tex-Mex style influence here where most of the Mexican joints in Chicago are a lot more like pure Mexican food by recent immigrants. To each his own in terms of what you like but so far I've seen more authentic Mexican restaurants in frozen Chicago than I have a stone's throw from Mexico...that's without even getting into San Diego's fish taco thing.
In my humble opinion, Battles was up there as far as BBQ. Probably one of my top three favorite briskets. It was that good.
Wasn't overly impressed by Kue'd (meat was meh, over smoked / cooked - may have been the cherry wood, too overpowering, sauces were ok, sides were very good). I will give them another shot though as we visited them post lunch rush later in the afternoon.
I would give Smokey D's the same kind of rating as Kue'd, although their brisket is pretty tasty (not top, but good nonetheless). I have a hard time getting excited for St. Louis ribs. To me, it's loin backs or bust.
My top few (in no particular order and not counting for places that no longer exist.....R.I.P. Battles):
Joe's - (I go for the brisket, and not much else).
Jack Stacks - (haven't had a bad BBQ meat there yet, sides are amazing)
Smoking Guns - (burnt ends and brisket are up there)
Central (Memphis) - Everything we had here was good.
AB's - Ribs and brisket were pretty good. Gotta pay homage to the Grandfather of BBQ
Jethro's (hard to top their wings....brisket / ribs are pretty good as well)
No coincidence that most of the faves are in KC. I should count my blessings that I don't live there, or I could easily add a lot more weight to my frame.
I would love a Texas BBQ trip so I could compare my thoughts on brisket with what they are known for.
I would be interested in hearing where people have found the best pulled pork. I have tried it at almost all of the places I have been and they all fall short. The wife says that all pale in comparison to what I make at home (which means it's true because, you know, wives, women in general, aren't wrong, amirite)?
Some of the best Mexican / Hispanic food that I have had has been in packing house towns (specifically Perry / Dodge City, KS). I don't believe that this is a coincidence.
Wasn't overly impressed by Kue'd (meat was meh, over smoked / cooked - may have been the cherry wood, too overpowering, sauces were ok, sides were very good). I will give them another shot though as we visited them post lunch rush later in the afternoon.
I would give Smokey D's the same kind of rating as Kue'd, although their brisket is pretty tasty (not top, but good nonetheless). I have a hard time getting excited for St. Louis ribs. To me, it's loin backs or bust.
My top few (in no particular order and not counting for places that no longer exist.....R.I.P. Battles):
Joe's - (I go for the brisket, and not much else).
Jack Stacks - (haven't had a bad BBQ meat there yet, sides are amazing)
Smoking Guns - (burnt ends and brisket are up there)
Central (Memphis) - Everything we had here was good.
AB's - Ribs and brisket were pretty good. Gotta pay homage to the Grandfather of BBQ
Jethro's (hard to top their wings....brisket / ribs are pretty good as well)
No coincidence that most of the faves are in KC. I should count my blessings that I don't live there, or I could easily add a lot more weight to my frame.
I would love a Texas BBQ trip so I could compare my thoughts on brisket with what they are known for.
I would be interested in hearing where people have found the best pulled pork. I have tried it at almost all of the places I have been and they all fall short. The wife says that all pale in comparison to what I make at home (which means it's true because, you know, wives, women in general, aren't wrong, amirite)?
Some of the best Mexican / Hispanic food that I have had has been in packing house towns (specifically Perry / Dodge City, KS). I don't believe that this is a coincidence.
Of all the culinary groups, I find BBq is the most uppity. The only thing that makes it bbq is smoked and slow cooked. Other than that you can do whatever the hell you want.
I think people are talking about sliced smoked beef, pork, turkey, chicken vs traditional bbq like ribs and brisket. If you are going to HP for traditional bbq, you are going to be disappointed, because that is Applebee’s level stuff. But, their smoked meats are top notch. I usually get the garbage deli and that’s a pretty good sandwich. Sides aren’t bbq restaurant quality or that unique, but they are still solid.
Kids actually all have something they like there, which isn’t the case for most restaurants. Plus they can be loud there without bothering people. Good portions, good service, good prices. It’s not my favorite place in Ames by any means, but I don’t have any problem going there.
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The answer to best BBQ in DSM is Cactus Bobs. But every time I go, I end up getting the buffalo chicken sandwich because it is the best sandwich in DSM.
The owner of Kue'd was a co-founder of Smokey D's. I think both are great places that have their own unique flavors now. Both guys have done well on the competition BBQ circuit too
Anyone tried Big Al's BBQ yet? I have a coworker from KC that tells me that is the best BBQ in the metro so I need to check it out some day
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Jimmy’s in Boone yet. It actually makes going to Boone worth it. Guy supposedly learned from George at Battles back in the day, and it is of the quality of 90’s and early 00’s battles before it went into decline with new ownership.
HP is bad barbecue. Their smoked beef is tough and not very flavorful. Their service has gotten pretty ****** lately too. I was back in Ames a month ago and we had a large to go order which was missing like 3-4 major items and had screwed up a couple of other items.
HP is bad barbecue. Their smoked beef is tough and not very flavorful. Their service has gotten pretty ****** lately too. I was back in Ames a month ago and we had a large to go order which was missing like 3-4 major items and had screwed up a couple of other items.
We got to HP early on Father's day after checking out Reiman Gardens, so we were able to get right in. It's been almost 15 years since I've been. I was shocked at how mediocre it was. I got a grilled chicken sandwich with swiss and mushrooms. The swiss was like a sauce/glue combo that stuck to everything and the mushrooms came out of a can. My wife's pulled pork sandwich looked like frozen pulled pork that had been reheated. Even my daughters mac n cheese was bland and meh.
Being said, we got in and out, the service was great, and the bill was pretty reasonable. I don't need to go back, but I'm not going to judge people for eating there.
Being said, we got in and out, the service was great, and the bill was pretty reasonable. I don't need to go back, but I'm not going to judge people for eating there.
I started eating there on Sunday nights when it was in small building on Lincoln Way, east of Duff Avenue. I do like their ribs, the service is good, great onion rings. I'm ok with HP.
They did the meat for a grad party I was at a couple weeks ago. It was so good that I risked ridicule by going through the line twice. I thought the pulled pork was as good as any I have had. The brisket was really good too. Haven’t been to the place itself so I can’t really give you anymore than that. Definitely planning on making a trip there.
I ate at Big Al's once last winter. Loved it. Outstanding brisket and his tenderloin was amazing. He even stopped by our table to chat for a minute. Nice guy. The interior of the restaurant feels more like a stripper bar with the lights turned up, but otherwise was a good experience.
