Pretty much A-OK. I've had some pretty good BBQ in the good ol' US of A, and Bodean's is like an imitation of those places that just isn't quite as good. It's certainly not bad, and when I go in there I get my American fix for the month (always good to see some American football on tv to feel nostalgic). The burnt ends are my favorite, but the other stuff is pretty decent as well. The portions aren't the largest, but are probably civilized compared to "this will definitely make you fat" portions that BBQ places give you back home. So in short, Bodean's is a good place to go if you want BBQ and a little taste of America. I haven't had anything better, so I keep going back... read more

After 7 years of vegetarianism, I was ready to take the leap into meat-eating at this Bodeans. I went straight in and ordered the pulled pork, a dish so delicious that Jesus the Jewish carpenter would sell his virgin mother on the street to fork over for that shit. And it was disappointing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oabcM9SOF-E ...so disappointing. read more

Bodean's reminds me of the Dallas BBQ chain in New York. Maybe a tad better. The BBQ is fine. The burgers are way, way, way overcooked. The fries (they are actually called fries here instead of chips) and pink sauce are nice. The sports bar atmosphere with non-stop American football/baseball/basketball is perfect for the American looking for a fix after too much rugby, cricket, and darts. Darts on TV?? I'm not sure you should do this place for lunch. Not unless you have a place to go and relax while you digest the 5000 calories you just ate. read more

**This review is based on a catered lunch from Bodean's, but I am not sure where this catered service came from so I am selecting the closest one to my office.** In all honesty, they can do a lot better with their BBQ. Although this is Kansas City-style and my palate comes from Texas (not to mention being around a BBQ pit all my life), they miss on the following 3 things which made for a disappointing experience: 1. Their ribs were lightly smoked as it didn't have the bark (color) that is indicative of proper smoking. Plus, ribs should leave a bite mark, but were a bit tough to bite through. 2. Proper salsa should be thick and full of veg, peppers, spice, etc., not liquid and full of water. And don't get me started on the guacamole - it was rubbish and probably came from a bag or can. FYI go to Texas or Mexico for proper salsa. 3. Their "burnt ends" did not look or taste like real burnt ends - they are just large cuts of fatty brisket (not appetizing). KC BBQ is mostly pork-based so if you're going to try a brisket and offer burnt ends, learn from a Texan. The only positives were the chicken breast, coleslaw and pulled pork. By the looks of the London BBQ scene, your best bet is to do it yourselves and enjoy the self-satisfaction I experience every time I BBQ. read more

Once my staple for American food in London I am afraid this chain has steadily declined over the years with the prices going the other way. Where once I would visit almost weekly for a number of years I have decided to visit no more. Service slow and unfriendly, and the food (on my last visit) inedible. A real shame. read more

BBQ is my jam. Anything with meat really, so I was super excited when my friends suggested Bodean's for dinner as I had never gone. We ordered the cornbread muffins and onion rings, Bodean's sharing platter which comes with spare ribs and baby back ribs, burnt ends, pulled pork and chicken thighs, and fries. Service was quick and the casual vibe was great, but the food was a letdown. The pulled pork was dry and cold, the cornbread was too heavy, the fries were a bit soggy, and the ribs lacked in flavor. The chicken and burnt ends were probably the best selection of the platter. Maybe other Bodean's are better but I'm not entirely convinced by this one. read more

I'm just going to say it... I'm kinda surprised about some of the glowing reviews of this place! That said, upon first finding it a few years ago I probably would have glowed just as much. I'm from the south of the US originally, so I like my BBQ, and having been in the UK for a while was shocked to hear that there was a BBQ place in London. (I know, I know, London has everything... it still took me by surprise for some reason!) Upon first inspection the place seemed fine... exciting even, mirroring that BBQ joint vibe, but on a larger scale than what I would normally see. I've been several times now, and tried many of the dishes (sharing platters, chicken, ribs, burnt ends, etc.), and while never that bad they aren't normally that great either to be honest... they just seem to be lacking that certain something that sets a great BBQ joint apart. The food prices aren't terrible for London, although £7 for a Blue Moon does sting a bit! The place is clean, the staff normally friendly, and it is certainly jumping (extra points for showing some NHL games!)... it helps to have a reservation if you're going at peak times, but I normally prefer to make the trek to Dukes Brew & Queue (near the Haggerston Overground stop) over this place these days... the ribs between the two are simply night and day! So I think this place is about expectations... if you need a BBQ fix or something a bit novel then by all means give it a go, but now that I'm over the novelty of it I personally find myself going elsewhere when it comes to the food alone. read more

Bodeans each and every time I've visited has been incredibly disappointing. It gets nearly everything right, then fails on the food each time. I will say now Bodean's totally delivered on this visit to the one close to the Tower of London. Staff were great. Constantly stopped by to ask how we were. Very friendly and relaxed. We ordered a sharing selection of meats and it was amazing. Meats were falling off the bone. Pulled pork was tender as silk, chicken just wow. Good helpings of coleslaw and chips completed an epic meal which we just about finished, but it was a good struggle particularly as I was wondering if we had enough when it first arrived. Bodean's sauces were epic. Some people don't like a lot of sauce on their meats. I'm of the opposite variety. I love bbq sauce and the hickory and chipotle sauce is much appreciated, especially when some other places actually charge for sauces by the thimble. Insulting to say the least. Keep it up guys. read more

Bodean's is a place that I have heard a lot about but had never eaten there until last week. The location was a good tourist spot, more or less opposite the Tower of London and in sight of Tower Bridge however I ate in the basement. with no windows. Having observed the fixtures and fittings and the logo of the company I decided to go for the babyback pork ribs and chips priced at £9.95. I rarely have ribs and I'm always disappointed but the amount of meat you get for the effort you have to go through in pulling it free from the bones. Overall I enjoyed Bodean's and will probably venture back someday. read more

We weren't sure what to order so we went with a 2 person platter and a few sides. The waiters were very considerate and did warn us that the platters are pretty big. They were not kidding. The meat platter was absolutely overflowing and could barely fit on the table. Placing the sides was a game of Tetris due to their just as big size. While all of the food is amazing, their pulled beef was to die for. Drinks were pretty nice and the waiters were always attentive and quick to react. This lovely establishment is a must try if you're ever in area! read more

As a Bodean's virgin and the fact that I was invited to lunch without paying attention to where I was going I really didn't know what to expect. On arrival the restaurant appears to be a small converted bar similar to the one in the programme Cheers is the way I would describe it lol. You are also met by a friendly greeter. We were escorted downstairs to a much larger area decorated with red walls and gold pigs/cow heads. Funnily enough it works :). The menu is easy to read and the service very quick indeed. We ordered the Bodean's platter for 3 and the food arrived within 10 mins which is an added bonus when you are in a tight schedule. I have to say the taste of the BBQ was lovely and I throughly enjoyed the array of pulled pork, 2 different sets of ribs, chicken thighs , slaw and seasoned fries. The BBQ Mayo is a lovely touch too. I saw lots of plates flying around as the place was packed , my advice would be don't order the burger if you are hungry, it appeared quite small. All in all a definite recommendation if you have a meat craving. Top tip on game days there are special offers on food and beer!! read more

Bodean's - Bodean's platter - American Near Me - London, XGL

Wasn't sure what to expect with the mixed reviews. I enjoyed it though. Went here on a Saturday night, made a reservation so managed to skip the short line and walk straight to our table, which was nice for a Sat night. Service was a little iffy at times, especially at the beginning but as the restaurant began to empty out, the service somewhat did improve. Food-wise we ordered the mixed platter, out of which I enjoyed the baby back ribs the most and from the starters, the chicken wings in bbq sauce! yummy Apart from those the chicken and pulled pork was a bit bland, compared to what it should taste like. Also - they serve Pepsi and not Coke, I dont know why? The cocktails are good though :) I will try the Soho branch when I'm next in need of a meat fix! I actually wanted to give this place 3.5 starts, but am new to yelp and havent figured that out yet! read more

The BBQ, pulled pork, and the rest of the "American" food was pretty good. Service was a disaster. They brought us items we didn't order, then tried to ignore us and stick us with them. Otherwise, if you're hankering for some BBQ, ti's not bad. I was disappointed I couldn't get any English beer, but I guess only American beers is part of their image. read more

The location has lost its customer focus. Not as friendly as it once was. Lack of attention by wait staff.

Comfortable and friendly. This particular locale, located around the corner from the Tower Hill tube stop, has a proper American Bar feel in the front, with booth-like table areas in the back and in a surprisingly vast area downstairs. I went here twice: once when a little piece of New York hit me and that impulse had me looking at the takeaway menu after a late work night. It wasn't the impulse for American food (which I never ate in NY, either). It was the desire for a real takeaway meal that wasn't crap. This place delivered (no pun intended), with, as it turns out, tasty and spicy Jerk Chicken. When you're tired and want to eat without cooking, is the choice always between eating cheap and greasy takeaway, cooking, or starving? No, it's not. Anymore. A second time I came back to eat in, sitting at the bar to try the Burnt Ends and an ale called Stone Levitation. This turned out to be pleasing enough to remind me to write this review. That and the very friendly service. It's not very London at all for staff to regularly ask you if you need anything else and notice when your glass is empty. I was shocked when the bartender was actually chatting up patrons and being friendly without being overwhelming. This is the sort of thing that makes clients go back. And I plan to do that. If there's any -1, it's the radio / noisiness. I guess I wasn't looking for anything THAT authentic. ;-) But you can't have it all, can you. For a moment, I felt like I was in New York. I'm hoping to relive that without having to book a flight, and now that I found this place, the airline companies are about to lose crazy air fare on me. read more

Total Five Stars in my books. I just love this kind of food. Having said that I'm very fussy about where I sit in this particular Bodean's. I will only sit at the bar at the entrance to the place. For some reason the rest of the place doesn't do it for me and I'd rather leave than be unhappily seated. Enough of that though, this place is all about meat and that's good because that's what I like. Go in hungry and don't waste valuable space on fillers' TOP TIP: Their Burnt Ends are the mutts nuts... read more

I'm not really a meat orientated person - I came here on the behest of my siblings and in-laws - who LOVE their meat. And if you also LOVE your meat, I would heartily recommend a meal at Bodeans. Many of our party ended their pig-fest by wiping a dewy brow and declaring their meat-sweats had begun. Our evening started off not-so-well with spiky interaction from the front of house. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why someone thought that would be an appropriate position for this woman - she was rude, blunt and had all the charm of a wooden spoon. We were shooed away from an empty chair at the bar at one point, as 'the manager is sitting there'. Right. Obviously, the manager would prefer to keep his seat, rather than giving it up to a party of 6 paying customers. The bartender wasn't much friendlier, however, the service was redeemed by our sweet and helpful waitress. Food was pig-tastic - about 2/3 of the plate was meat! However, my sister's burrito was sent back as it was cold, and my creamed corn was tepid at best. This was made up for (slightly) by the beans which were uber-tasty (I recommend). Generally it was a thumbs up all round, but sadly it didn't knock any of our socks off - maybe they were having an off day. I have it on good authority (this good authority being my little sister, who is a mega pork fan and counts Bodeans amongst her favourite places in the world) that the Tower Hill branch is not a patch on her favourite Bodeans in Clapham - in terms of tastiness and service. Maybe try there first? read more

We were seated downstairs and had a problem with the waitress. The manager quickly reseated us and our new waiter was great! Food was plenty and very yummy! Will go back the next time we are here! Pork ribs were wonderful! read more

I hadn't been to Bodeans in a couple of years having found that the quality of the fare had gone down over subsequent visits. So with trepidation I joked to the missus that we should visit at lunch on a Saturday while nearby. She didn't realise I was kinda kidding and we ended there. To be fair, it's improved. It still has that silly hour and a half seating thing and the tables are still too small to take the horde of bottles on them when you arrive, but it was a solid meal. I had the pulled pork bun, while she had the trip tip sandwich. My pork was dry, but that was fixed using a bottle of BBQ sauce. The fries were good, as was the creamed corn. Even her tri tip was ok. It's redeemed itself in my eyes - I'm not at the stage where this is once again a destination restaurant, but if I'm in the area again I won't be cracking jokes about it. read more

I've loved Bodeans every since I first visited a few years ago and I love it no less after this visit. 6 of us including 2 out of town-ers who love Bodeans too went out for dinner and Bodeans was an obvious choice for a Bank Holiday weekend. Great drinks and fantastic food as always. The service is friendly but never overly so and that's appreciated by my party. The only thing I was a bit disappointed with were the Diablo wings. I've had them once before and I swear they were much more spicy the last time. You think Diablo and you want something that will melt your face. There was definitely no face melting occurring. Other than that, it was a fantastic evening. Game Dag special for £15 is a great deal. And I highly recommend it if you're there Sunday to Thursday. read more

Had several great traditional barbecue meals here during my trip from the US. I want to say that the Service was awesome but the ribs and burnt ends are just as good as you'll find in a small town in Texas. Also, you can catch American football on at given times. Call and they can tell you what game will be playing. Shout out to all the bar staff and my new friend Bill who is a regular there. He'll be around the bar area with a happy smile. read more

Bodean's - Football schedule. - American Near Me - London, XGL

Stumbled into Bodeans while visiting Tower of London. It was a cold, rainy, all-around miserable day and the smell of the barbecue called to us like it was the Pied Piper. We weren't disappointed. We were seated in the downstairs dining room, which was cheerful and full of chatty people on their lunch break. From the sound of it, we were the only Americans in the group (we diligently tried to avoid American food while here, but hey - BBQ). We both got the pulled pork and it was AMAZING. The magical pork forces aligned to make all the damp clothes and rain-speckled glasses forgotten. The sauce options were all great, though I wish there had been more ON the pork. But I can handle self-serve. Good chips, great service! read more

Desperately searching for somewhere to have a meal even mildly reminiscent of a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal, a few my friends and I booked Bodeans in Tower Hill. Full disclosure: we looked everywhere else in the hope that there were spaces, but in the end we had to take the last remaining table and rely on hope alone that they might have an inkling of how to replicate a decent meal for us poor, lonely, family-less saps on arguably the most pleasant holiday of the year. Holy shit did we get that wrong.... Firstly, my cheery "Happy Thanksgiving" directed at the hurried waiter was returned with total puzzlement at what I was saying. It took 3 repeats to get him to fumble some sort of response that was more of a gurgle than anything else. We then realized (because he said it) that it was because he was Greek and they don't have Thanksgiving in Greece.... fair enough, it's not your thing, I understand.... And then there was the food... a massive (granted) undercooked turkey leg with soggy skin and less flavor than clean air, freshly boiled and rubbery ham slices that I can only presume had been candied, slices of turkey breast that crumbled at the merest vibration, stuffing which can only have been a corn muffin broken up in chunks, and topped off (literally) with a fishbowl of brown sugar water with a few slivers of onion and other species happily swimming about. The pumpkin pie looked to be the only thing that was home made, and that's only because the crust had that gnarled and crumbled look that can only come out of an amateur kitchen. That and the filling came out of a can, which I grant you is how most people make their pumpkin pie but we chose to poo poo it regardless. I've been to the Bodeans in Fulham and had a hugely disappointing pulled pork sandwich, so I will be avoiding this chain like a Turkey with big plans to make it past the last Thursday in November.... Alternatives: Pitt Cue, Blues Kitchen, Big Easy, ANYWHERE ELSE!!!! read more

This is some of the best barbecue I have had in my life. I'm from Texas and we have some really great barbecue in Texas, but the Barbecue at Bodean's was amazing...lots of flavor, fall off the bone tender, generous portions sizes...not a place you should miss when visiting London. Service is lacking but that appears to be the norm in London. You can't get service like in the states. read more

Hit Bodean's up for barbecue prior to heading to the Tower of London. While we ordered straight up barbecue, it was just alright. We ordered the burnt ends and the ribs. The ribs were passable, but the burnt ends were alright. Their Chipotle barbecue sauce was good, and made everything else tasty. The macaroni and cheese didn't taste like it was from scratch -- rather, it tasted gritty, like boxed macaroni and cheese. Further, the cheese sauce was soupy. The highlight for me about Bodean's? An amazing Bourbon selection. First time I've had good Bourbon whilst in London. I had the Hudson Baby Bourbon, and Buffalo Trace -- two quality Bourbons that go with barbecue. So will I be back? Not for the food -- just the Bourbon! read more

Quite close to Tower Hill and the Tower of London, this Bodean's is slightly different from the Clapham branch in that this one is split-level with a more restaurant feel downstairs and a diner upstairs: it also has an excellent value take away menu. To give you an idea on prices a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and fries is £5.75, and an 8oz burger and fries to take away is £7.50, the take away prices are typically about 50p-£1 cheaper. I had the chicken, pulled pork & grilled smoke sausage combo with fries and coleslaw for £14.95. Realistically it would probably have fed two people! It was all very tasty, good value and I washed it down with a bottomless £2.50 fountain diet coke. Recommended for meat-eaters, but veggies better beware! The Bodean's Classic Macaroni Cheese contains smoked chicken! There are a couple of fish dishes: tuna steak and shrimp dinner both are served with coconut rice, but not a big choice. read more

Despite hearing mixed reviews about this place, I braved the wind and rain out of hope for some delicious bbq. The visit didn't get off to a great start as, despite there being plenty of free tables, we couldn't be seated as the staff member front of house was tied up with a difficult customer on the phone. We were soon at the front of a long queue leading out of the restaurant. We were eventually seated by a different staff member who just came in to start her shift. If she hadn't come in who knows how long we'd have been waiting for! They either need to move the phone somewhere else or have another member of staff who can step in in this scenario Anyway, enough of the whinging. Onto the good stuff. Lots of American beers that you don't really see were present (lookin' at you, Lone Star) with wine, cocktails and milkshakes all making appearances. Some of these beers are pretty expensive for the size of the bottle but I can only assume that's due to the difficulty of sourcing them. We started with buffalo wings and elected to go all out with the dreaded Diablo sauce. The wings were pretty big, with a good amount of meat on them. The exterior was crispy and the inside juicy. Perfectly cooked chicken. And the sauce. Oh my god the sauce. The sauce was amazing. The interplay with the spice and the tomato and the blue cheese was beautiful. BEAUTIFUL I TELLS YA! I've had some pretty amazing pork ribs in my time and I have to say these were pretty good. They weren't quite up to the standard of the St Louis dry rub you can get in The Big Easy in Covent Garden but they weren't too far off. The baby back ribs here were even closer to that rib nirvana. Now let's talk about sides. Any menu that has creamed corn on is a winner in my book. Plus you gotta try the burnt ends. They're so tender and the sauce they come in just brings out so much flavour. Probably not great enough to have on its own for a main course but as a side it works wonders but at £9.95 you kinda expect it to. That is the one real downside of the place: the price. While not everything is massively overpriced, there are a few items that are and I don't remember seeing anything particularly cheap. But hey, at least you're getting decent food tl;dr bbq food is pretty good but not the best, apart from the chicken wings cos they're perfect. Minus point: tad on the expensive side read more

Meat, meat and more meat seems to be the mantra held at Bodean's at Tower Hill. Like its Soho brethren, Bodean's Tower Hill also has a less formal, take away eating area upstairs with the more comfy lounge and cushioned backed chairs downstairs. Small, silver coated pigs heads coat the wall, probably a testament to all of the meat soon to be consumed in the next meal. Either way, I have to give a thumbs up to their food once again, with the ribs I think improving since my last visit as the meat was soft and full of flavour even though I wanted to have more of their spicy (it wasn't that spicy) chipotle BBQ covering the meat. Their pulled pork was a little bit more disappointing this time as it just wasn't as moist as I remembered it though tasty nevertheless. Completed stuffed after this meal, Bodean's Tower Hill still satisfies and even has a number of great deals during the week including a £10 all you can eat rib-fest sure to please even the hungriest of meat-eaters. read more

American style sports bar/BBQ smoke house! There was a great atmosphere when I went on a Thursday evening, fun and lively!! The food was nice, I had the baby back ribs (which have had great reviews) served with chips and slaw, overall the food was good but I was a little disappointed with the ribs, not as nice as ribs that I have had elsewhere, next time would have a burger or hot dog! The BBQ sauce they provide is very good! read more

Good BBQ, nice atmosphere with blues music. Staff was very friendly and prices reasonable. Nice to find a decent BBQ establishment in London close to my hotel. Will definitely return before I leave town. read more

This was really disappointing. Having discovered bbq in the States I was craving some pulled pork. Went here before Christmas and the food was pretty awful - meat had no real flavour and only one of the sauses was any good. I'm sure it's great if you haven't eaten the real thing, but if you have, I'd give it a miss. read more

This needs to be reclassified as a BBQ restaurant not simply American! we skipped over this place for dinner thinking it was traditional burgers and beers but stopped in after seeing the BBQ neon sign. amazing beer and liquor selection and the food is amazing! read more

First if all, we're from Kansas City, Bodean's gets its inspiration. In KC, there are easily 100 BBQ restaurants for a population of 2 million; in London, there are six. Bodean's is pretty good, all things considered. We had the pulled pork, pork ribs, brisket, and burnt ends. The ribs were fall off the bone, pulled pork was decent, brisket was tasty (thicker sliced, as it should be), but the burnt ends weren't the best KC burnt ends we've ever had (but better than anyone in Texas could do, mind you). I also had the chicken wings. The hottest flavor, which I was assured people have actually cried eating. They weren't so hot, but compared to mushy peas, they were excellent. read more

Let's start with the positive; nice clean dining room in the basement and it does what it says on the tin. BBQ. The service well I have never been that impressed with. After trying this BBQ for the second time I have noticed a pattern..if the wait staff is busy then they will say they are out of it. Out of cornbread then you see they see clearly dishing it out to other patrons and out of dessert if they want you to give up your table. Foodwise I they cook pulled pork well, sort of bland but there is a selection of sauces. Ribs are nothing to rave home about but if you are craving cheap meat and rootbeer after a night on the town...well you might have a more exciting (less sober) review read more

My friends rave about Bodean's so I eventually acquiesced and went along. It was a Monday evening and we still had to wait for about 30 minutes for a seat, a good sign you would think. The waiting staff were somewhat surly I must admit, although the food and drinks arrived quickly and was plentiful. I'm not completely sure what all the fuss is about, it was OK, but certainly not outstanding. I have definitely had better in many places in the US. That said if you want a BBQ experience for a decent price then Bodean's will work. read more

A lot of very easily pleased people on here.... Wasn't mad keen on going here anyway and should have stuck to my guns. Ordered the large sharing platter for two and honestly could have had it to myself, which is saying something considering I'm like 120lbs. Pretty damn bland, and the hot sauce? please it was like HP. Also they were out of 3 of their main beers, pretty bad considering there isnt that much of an extensive list. Its only saving grace is the atmosphere and friendly staff. If you want good ribs I'd suggest the big easy in South Kensington. Way better in every way read more

This was the worst BBQ I have had in my life. If you just want a piece of fat that is peppered to all hell then this is you. My girlfriend and I split a platter with 2 kinds of ribs, sausage, burnt ends, chicken, cole slaw, and fires. The sausage was pretty good but that was the only thing that was edible. The drinks were horrible and if you are a tourist they seat you down stairs. I would recommend MacDonalds before wasting your time and money here. Our meal was £80 roughly where as we have had great meals at Pubs around the area for half that price. Please do not waste your money on this place and instead go somewhere else!!! read more

This place is just ok. The Caesar salad was swimming in dressing. The burger with burnt ends was edible but nothing great. The alcoholic beverages were too sweet and no trace of vodka read more

Bodean's has become a regular treat at our office and it's not hard to see why. Generous portions of smoked meats (their pulled pork is particularly good), plenty of American beer on offer, great staff and a combination of classic rock radio and ESPN sport to complete the ambience. The only things that could be done better are that beers are quite often not available, and portion size is quite variable you don't know until you get there whether your meal will be merely generous or truly gutbusting. read more

Service is alfwul American diner with unhappy unfriendly unhelpful staff. Food is very overpriced for what it is, would rather go gaucho for a steak for the same price! Only thing worth eating on the menu is the beef ribs (£20 for two!) Will not be going back read more