As a southern born American I certainly have a bias. On first entering this BBQ joint they received instant street cred for the bottle of "Sticky Fingers" BBQ sauce behind the counter, a place I used to frequent on commutes between Nashville and Atlanta. I am only reviewing the upstairs "take away" bit of the restaurant as I have never eaten in the posh downstairs area. That said, Bodeans is great. The closest thing to American BBQ I have found. Not only is it good, but cheap. They also have a very American style "free refills" policy on soft drinks which makes me happy. The Soho Special is one of the best BBQ sandwiches I have had, including back in the USA. I am not even a sports fan, but seeing some American sports does give that bit of comfort to an expat like myself. Well worth dropping in for an artery clogging mass of meat that will leave you feeling like you should immediately become a vegetarian as you have reached your lifetime quota for meat. read more

If you like bbq then you will like this place. Definately try the beef ribs - they are excellent. There is a downstairs if you want more of a restaurant than diner feel. You may have to book in advance as this place gets busy. read more

I'll start by rating the whole place: Great food, good service, nice selection on menu. Now the important bit, my ode to their BBQ sauce: I have to admit, when it comes to a dip, I am known as the condiment slut. Mayo, pink sauce, blue cheese with stinky force, When it comes to this BBQ dream there is a but... But why are you so smokey, so sweet and delicious. When you cover my chips, every one is so precious. I can squirt you, and dip in you and smother my food, "can you pass the BBQ sauce?", "Get your own dude!" read more

Meat-Joy!! My lovely American friend told me that she was feeling sad yesterday...so I figured the best way to make her world better was to invite her out, then fill her with pulled pork and other Midwestern American food... It worked!! Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw the menu!! I had ribs & burnt ends...she had burnt ends & pulled pork. Both came with a giant pile of chips, coleslaw and we paid an extra £1.50 for corn bread. I have to admit, I had no idea what any of these things were before Bodeans, so I am very appreciative of my pork-education. Translation for other English folks that have not yet tried this kind of artery-blocking yumness: * Burnt ends: Crispy crusty bits of brisket (mine was dark, juicy chunks of beef in a really good bbq marinade) * Pulled Pork: Slow cooked, melt in the mouth, shredded pork-joy. My friend told me to add the vinegar/spicy sauce before munching it... * Ribs: You all know this one! It's just bbq ribs in a really yummy sauce. * Corn bread: I'd never had this before...it was a bit like a savoury cake that was only improved by dunking it in meat juices. * The coleslaw isn't as mayonnaise-y as I am used to...so I really liked it. The portion sizes were immense! But they provided boxes, cups of extra sauce and lids for the coleslaw...so I have enough for lunch today as well. Woot! read more

Soho special with coleslaw and tons of sauce! Nom nom nom. The meat was moist and tender and the BBQ sauces complimented the meat perfectly. I like how the bun stayed together, but wasn't so thick that it overwhelmed the meat. The pickles and coleslaw gave the sandwich an extra crunch for texture. The service was awesome. The lady behind the counter was super friendly and there was no hassle when our friend wanted her burger cooked a little more. If I'm ever in need of a BBQ fix, this will be my first stop. read more

I've seen my fair share of Americana-inspired places in London so I honestly wasn't expecting a lot from this place other than some kind of British-ised version of a BBQ restaurant, but it was actually really really good. There was some sort of seating area downstairs but the upstairs where I was, was a no-frills order & eat area with lots of napkins on the table. PERFECT! Some tv was playing ESPN, which I don't really follow but if that's your thing, it's there. It tasted like the BBQ place I had at home and I was stuffed. This review doesn't need to be long, just know that this place is basically what you're looking for if you're looking for American food that won't disappoint! read more

As an American living in London, life can be tough if not impossible when you can't get quality BBQ food. Bodean's certainly helps rectify the situation. Bodean's is always packed and you should always expect a queue. My favorite is the Soho special, which combines burnt ends (the house specialty) and pulled pork. Match made in heaven if you ask me. Their cornbread is also pretty decent and they have pretty good wings. I've never tried their ribs *gasp* but I have friends that swear by them. I also appreciate the North American bottled beer selection which includes Blue Moon, Coors, and Brooklyn Brewery. Of course I appreciate local British and European beers, but sometimes you just need a taste of home. read more

You open the doors using pig head shaped door knobs. Please take time to realise what I just typed: Pig. Head. Door. Knobs. Oink. There's root beer, there's BBQ, there's large TVs playing American sport, there's pulled pork, there are more people wearing baseball hats than not... If you need a slice of middle-America in central London, this is your coral. Sooey-t! I ordered a veggie burger. With a drunk Irish. It was tasty enough. read more

We arrived on a Friday evening expecting a hefty wait, but were seated straight away in the 'deli' area at the top. The seating up there is long shared tables, but there is enough space to sit and eat comfortably (unlike in many other similar establishments). The atmosphere is very laid back and there are American sports channels on the TVs, which adds nicely to the diner feel. I ordered what I always get from any American BBQ place - pulled pork. I'd had this before at the Bodean's in Tooting and it blew my mind, thankfully it was just as good at this branch! I also ordered a side of creamed corn and corn bread, both were great. I knocked a star off because they weren't very attentive with the service. My friend & I both had a Scarlett O'Hara cocktail which dangerously just tasted like cranberry juice - we sat for a while after finishing our food and they could have got at least another 2 cocktails out of us if they'd asked if we wanted anything else! read more

The double stack of fried vegetable-mash patty I got in a burger bun along with two little corn bread muffins presented an amazing value at £5.95, but the only thing that made me eat it with relish was the BBQ sauce (both sweet and spicy) I smothered it in before eating the patties alone with a fork and knife. Sans the BBQ sauce, it would have just been a bog-standard vegetarian burger from a completely forgettable London eatery. To prove that my rating isn't just a vegetarian bias, Robert D got a combo plate with a quarter of a chicken, a rack of ribs, and pulled pork. He said the only thing really notable about the plate full of food was the pork, as the chicken was just, well, chicken, and the ribs were overcooked. The cornbread only tasted like the real deal when a slab of butter was placed in the middle of it and allowed to melt. Mmmm... cornbread. The people at the table next to us got rib platters, and theirs looked different to the overcooked ones on our table. They also got them with heart-attack-inducing chilli cheese fries. Those looked intense. The downstairs restaurant was cozy, albeit confusing. The antelope antler wall lights, the tartan carpets, the wood-panelled walls... the decor screamed more North American mountain lodge than it did deep south BBQ joint. The service was a bit slow, but the friendliness made up for it. Overall, Bodean's was, well, probably the best BBQ you'll find in London because it has absolutely 0 competition, but by true American standards, it was wholly disappointing. So I'm meeting in the middle at 3 stars. I would only return if I had a hankering to obliterate my main course completely to the point of rendering it unidentifiable by smothering it in some sweet, hot, delicious BBQ sauce. Which I'm sometimes wont to do. read more

I've been wanting to go to Bodeans for some time now. I finally made a trip this past weekend with a group of friends. So, so, so dissapointed... I will go back again to see whether it was a one off bad thing, I'm hoping it was. I ordered a half-slab of spare ribs, which came with chips and cole slaw. The ribs were extremely dry and chewy, not much flavour was to be had from the dry rub. Chips were dry and cold and altogether quite unpleasant. Cole slaw? meh... The only reason that I'm giving two stars instead of one is for the Texas style BBQ sauce (which the waitress referred to as 'hot sauce'). This is not the sweet smoky one that many others have referred to in their reviews, but a nice peppery, spicy, vinegary sauce. mmm... Yeah, it was good enough to pull this review back up by one star. Bodean's, I really, really wanted to like your food. I'll be back to give you a second chance. Let's hope you live up to the hype next time around. read more

Love meat? You'll love Bodean's! It's pretty much a meat eater's dream: spare ribs, pulled pork, bbq chicken, burnt ends. They also do things like steaks, burgers, salads and hot dogs, but seeing as BBQ food is their speciality you'd be crazy not to go with one of the former. The BBQ burnt ends are lush and one of my favourite things on the menu - slow cooked flavoursome chunks of beef brisket. If you're going with a friend I'd recommend the Bodean's sharing platter - pretty affordable at £26 - which comes with fries and coleslaw and gives you a little bit of everything. If you sign up for their loyalty Q Card you get various freebies and discounts throughout the week. Last time I went I got a free portion of chicken wings. It's free to join so there's really no reason why you shouldn't! This joint of Bodean's is in the heart of Soho and very popular so you will have to wait a while, especially if you want to sit downstairs in the proper restaurant area. Waiters have always been friendly when I've been and service generally quite efficient. read more

Oh Bodean. You make me wait. And wait and wait and wait. Outside, on your benches, provided for me, and all the other waiting companions, at which we drink your bar drinks, one by one, until, finally, my name is exclaimed, and gloriously struck off the 'list' whence I may then dash inside to sooth my carnivore cravings, having been tormented by the teasing wafts of BBQ meats. A frenzied consumption of slow cooked pork and deep fried carbohydrates smothered in spicy mayo follows. But you must know the protocol to optimise your experience here: You will have to wait, and it normally doesn't matter if you opt to sit up (diner style) or downstairs (more restaurant like), expect at least an hour for dinner on a week night, longer on weekends. Also don't fall for the pulled pork, if that's all you crave, and crave-you-it-only, go to Pitt Cue around the corner. Bodean's is about the 'burnt bits'. The Soho Sandwich is a damn good sandwich, and trust me the medium sized one is enough, no matter how ravenous your wait has made you, the large will defeat you in almost any case, or leave you uncomfortably over-fed if your ethics object to you leaving anything but a clean plate (ahem...). The cocktail list is great, the 'old fashioned's come real-boozy too, y'all. The prices are jolly decent. If you want ribs go for the baby-back rack, every time. read more

A carnivore's paradise. There are not so many places that do the US BBQ experience any justice but this one does it fairly well proud. Split level dining with the cheap seats at the entrance and the ordering/serving bar right as you go in. An almost bewildering array of options available which give the impression that you should order more than one dish ... which could be a mistake. While not generous in the traditional US manner, the portions here are substantial. On more than one occasion I would have preferred being wheeled out having dined in a surfeit of flesh. The magic ingredient here is pulled pork, the delicious soft aromatic pig dish that not many people do well. It's an agonisingly slow cooking process that makes the meat so delicious and a must with any combo. The rib selections are amazing and delicious and even the burgers are just mouthwatering. An array of drink options can include such US standards such as root beer and cream soda along with classic 'sodas' and beers. Dining up top can mean squeezing into a chair against the wall on the busy SoHo street and people watching or bunching up with other diners on the long tables and high stools in the main restaurant. This can be a real social experience but you can always plump for the table service restaurant if you are feeling grumpy or claustrophobic. Sports usually plays on the screens around the place but the sound is turned down. You can have conversations there as it's not particularly noisy. While the food is not expensive, neither is it particularly cheap but makes up for it with the portions and the quality. Staff are really pleasant and very helpful so makes you feel inclined to return ... and I do so fairly regularly. read more

Biologically I'm half-Jewish but my dad got thrown out of his synagogue-led Boy Scout troop as a youngster for bringing pork sausages to a picnic, so I've not exactly been brought up on a kosher diet. Which is a good thing because there are pigs-a-plenty on offer at Bodeans . . . along with chickens and cows . . . and not a whole lot else. They know what they're doing and they stick to it: lots and lots of meat, in all its many guises, mostly covered with a thick layer of barbecue sauce. Ribs, wings, legs, thighs, pulled pork, burnt ends (nicer than they sound). There are sides but they're largely ignored in diners' quests to get as much protein down their faces as humanly possible, and this was perhaps the problem for me. I love meat. But I like it with other stuff too. The meat at Bodeans is doubtless amazing, but - and there is a but - if that's the kind of meat that you like. All-American, chargrilled, dripping with barbeque sauce, full-on protein-fest. It all looks the same and frequently tastes it too. Not that the same is bad - it's a good same! - but nonetheless, it was difficult to differentiate the chicken from the hunk of pork until (and sometimes after) I'd bitten into it. I was with ten people and we ordered four meat platters between us. Half of the group consisted of big South African men and the rest of us were hungry and enthusiastic yet we still barely dented the offerings. You certainly can't fault the generosity, nor the staff members (all cheery and helpful), and value for money is extremely good. We even had doggy bags to take home the (considerable) leftovers - truly, we were living the American dream. Unfortunately, much as I would love to describe myself as a full-on carnivore, I'm a fan of the old veggies too. I mainlined the small portion of coleslaw, hidden under a wedge of beef, before anyone else could get their sauce-drenched hands on it. There are salads on the menu, of course, but since even the side portion of BBQ Beans come with the proviso "contains meat", I wasn't overly excited by their presence. Everything was heavy and hard work to chew. They're not promising gourmet cuisine but even so, would a few corns on the cob or tomatoes be so amiss?! Having said all of that, I still managed to stuff an unholy amount of meat into my mouth, and gleefully helped myself to a doggy bag. For £20 a head, I had a cocktail, a beer, more meat than I could shake a stick at and dinner for the next two days. Now that's good value. Unfortunately I was also so full that I could barely sleep some five hours later, and woke up suffering from meat sweats the following morning . . . so good as those burnt ends were (and they really were), I'm just not sure it's worth the pain. I'll return, but not until my internal organs have recovered. read more

Bodean's - Not even the vegetables are vegetarian. - American Near Me - London, XGL

Me and the gals had a truly lad-dy night of carnivorous platters and beers at Bodeans over the weekend, and I think i'm still high on the vast levels of meat I managed to stuff my face with. Bodeans offers everything from delicious sticky ribs to tender pulled pork and burnt brisket ends. All portions are served with a generous helping of chips, coleslaw and lashings of barbecue sauce. When it comes to sauces, I can't get enough. Ketchup, salad cream, mint sauce, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, redcurrant jelly - you name it, I want it; but the combination of the ginormous meat platter with sticky barbecue sauce was just the business. The meat platter was £22.95 between 2, but cheaper items on the menu include pulled pork and burnt ends baps from £6.95. With branches in Soho, Clapham, Fulham and Tower Hill, you're bound to be near one, so there's no excuse not to check it out. If the neon pink pig sign with 'BBQ' emblazoned across its podgy little tum doesn't do it, the 2 lonesome fish dishes will soon give vegetarians the message - MEAT RULES! read more

So after trying The Joint in Brixton on Saturday I have continued the search for the ultimate BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich in London, guided by Esquire's "Where To Get The Best Pulled Pork In London" list. This time I have ventured to Soho to eat at #2 on the list: http://www.esquire.co.uk/food-drink/man-food/4101/pulled-pork/2/ They have plenty of sitting choices. Don't get scared by some what "original" look of the deli shop which is on the ground floor. The sitting space downstairs offers much cozier traditional restaurant apparel. There are also sits outs, for those not scared of London's autumnal weather conditions. Pulled pork sandwich: I have tried the Soho Special. It comes with homemade fries as a side. The pulled pork is reasonably tasty but the bun is of mediocre quality. Or maybe I am just spoiled after trying The Joint. read more

The first time a came here I went nuts at the food and portions. But since that first time I have decided it isn't as good as it would have been. The location is great, atmosphere tacky, queues terrible. What's this business about not being able to reserve a table for four? It's a joke. We waited nearly 2 hours for a table once. Good points are the nachos starter is one of the best I've had, the beef ribs are good and the double burger great. Only problem is the amount of salt they put in everything. I'm sure my dessert had salt in it too! Pulled pork is nice as are the burnt ends but I still feel they can do better. The upstairs is not worth a visit. The portions are smaller, prices the same and you can lose your seat if you go for a wiz. read more

It's not the cheapest and the BBQ is not the greatest, though it's pretty good and I often wonder about the people who say it's gone downhill. Maybe it's luck, because I've come here several times and have never had a bad meal. The best thing about this is that it's an American-theme restaurant that Americans will actually step into. I come here and I don't feel embarrassed or like an object of amusement that I'm American. Nobody walking around in ten-gallon hats like the Texas Embassy. Just pretty good BBQ, good American beers (NOT Budweiser), and the ballgame's on. Simple. read more

Delectable ribs + unbeatable BBQ sauce = mmmmmm Some of the best ribs I've had! The BBQ sauce was so delicious my friends and I practically used the entire bottle -- very flavorful and spicy. I coated everything in sight with it, it was so good! It can get a bit crowded for sporting events, so plan ahead. read more

Great place for a pre-show meal (if you get the early enough because it can fill up!) One of the only problems is that there seems to be one menu for all Bodean's restaurants, which means some items that are not available at this location is still on the menu (draught sodas and beer being the thing that I wanted and couldn't have). Food was delivered quickly and is always amazing and service is pretty good too. A definite place to visit to satisfy your BBQ cravings! read more

Yum, pulled pork and burnt ends. I ate a whole pile of meat and walked away so happy. I'll definitely be back. Some of my friends were inspired by their selection of Texas beers. Gluten-free notes: Their BBQ sauce is gluten free, according to an email I exchanged with the company. Cool! Most BBQ sauces are full of soy sauce which is full of wheat. read more

The Soho staple, sometimes difficult to get into, but always a good meal. Most recently got a tri-tip sandwich, not thinking that I was hungry enough for ribs. I was expecting a sandwich, albeit a slightly expensive one. What I got was a full meal that left me struggling to stay awake for the rest of the afternoon. Having used my lunchbreak to run errands for the office I stopped by and ordered takeout. Here's the thing though, it can take a while to get your food. Your order will go into the same queue as everybody else, and they only make 2-3 orders at a time as there are only two guys back there prepping everything (thankfully, being BBQ, there's only so much that needs to be fired off and cooked from scratch. The sandwich was big, bigger than the pulled pork ones, and was piping hot when I got it. By the time I got back to the office, it was a bit more manageable. All I can say, dang that's some good tri tip. Unfortunately the ketchup provided was some no name brand in little sachets that really didn't do much justice. read more

The moment we sat down and I noticed a refrigerator full of bottles of Sierra Nevada mustard and Pale Ale, I knew I was in for good eats. Bodeane's doesn't mess around. It ain't fancy.. sit upstairs and you're ordering from the counter, family style tables with bolted down stools in a freewheeling room that feels just fine thanks, considering the menu sports lunch options that are a downright steal for the amount of pig you're about to pack away. About that pig, you can get meat treats piled high. I got the ol' standard pulled pork sandwich, and it does not disappoint. The meat is tender and torn fine, barely a fatty bit in there, and although I was slightly taken aback by the lack of sauce, I noticed the six pack of squeeze bottles loaded with bbq and chipotle sauce that I subsequently slathered my meat pile with. The companion fries were nondescript but still just right. Something to consider.. the counter guy taking my order gave a cocky side look when I asked about getting the regular or large sized sammich.. feeling my masculinity challenged I pounded the counter and trumpeted my acceptance, by gawd, for just 50p more! But although you're supposed to get double the meat I didn't notice that much a difference from my friend's regular, and no matter what you choose you're going to be rolling out of there. So maybe you want the Fat Tax, or not, it won't matter. I did notice that our third compatriot's full-rack of ribs looked a little tough to my eyes, as in, they didn't drip off the bones like I would prefer, but he seemed happy enough gnawing away. The nice ladies checked by once or twice and let us know there's more of a sit down deal downstairs. But that day we did lunch fast and cheap and it was a perfect tribute to BBQ back Stateside. Yum. read more

Still the best place for a pulled pork sandwich and fries! However the portions are much smaller than they were before. Sign of the times I guess..... Staff are always cheerful and food is great read more

This is as good as BBQ gets in the UK, and it's annoyingly only in London - like it would be so much trouble to have a branch in Glasgow! In saying that, at least it gives me a sure fire destination for dinner whenever I'm in town. Nice relaxed place with communal tables and counter service. The babybacks are pretty darn good, and they do very decent burnt ends. Ribs come with fries and a side of slaw, and a full rack sets you up for the day without making you feeel the need to lie in the corner and sleep the pork off. If your an American then I guess you might feel a little short changed, this isn't in the same league as Redbones or Smoque, but for the UK, it's certainly the best your ever going to get this side of the pond! read more

We were wandering around Soho (and in our 7th hour of walking around London). Kids were hitting a wall and none of my usual ethnic faves were going to cut it. Was hoping they didn't see the Chipotle (love me some Chipotle, but wanted table service)...so we plied them with meat...good ole American BBQ at that! What a pleasant surprise...it was tasty and plentiful, our server left our teen daughter swooning and the drink list was extensive. The downstairs dining room was dark in a good way, and the background music was a great mix of rock n roll. We left with full bellies and enough energy to make our way back to the apartment. read more

Rules for BBQ Ribs: 1. They should be seasoned and slow-cooked. 2. You should never ever have to use a knife to separate ribs. 3. Burned and smokey are not synonyms. Rules for pulled pork: 1. Like the ribs, it should be seasoned and slow-cooked. 2. It should always be juicy. 3. Should be served with a side of sliced bread (this is offered with all BBQ, really). Bodean's broke the rules. *Sigh* This ex-Texan can't seem to find a sweet spot for good BBQ and decent Tex-Mex (and do not say Chipolte!). I will try another Bodean's and see if I have better luck there. At the very least I left satisfied and the food was a bargain (before 3pm: £10 for ribs, pulled pork, cole slaw and fries/chips). read more

A good Taste of Texas in London! The BBQ was as a good as your corner spot down the street in my hometown in Texas. The sides were yummy and the cornbread was moist and went well with the meal. I had the chicken and ribs and they were wonderful, chicken was moist and the ribs fell off the bone, what more could you ask for. read more

Just tried the vac packed take away meat. EPIC! My whole flat smells like Bodeans :) Burnt ends just warm up in the oven for 15 mins. Pulled pork boil in the bag for 10 mins. Buy some bbq sauce BANG! read more

As a vegetarian, I'm sure you can only imagine my joy when our work night out was being held at Bodean's. On World Meat Free Day. But I have to say, all my fears were quickly dashed once we were inside. Eight of us crammed into a snug booth downstairs, knees touching under the table, elbows touching either side. But it made for a great atmosphere, with fab service and plenty of happy punters. My veggie option was a vegetable burger but, hey, I really don't have grounds for complaint! You know what you're expecting when you go here. Great for mates and dates. read more

I came here absolutely famished and totally unplanned one evening and ordered a beef burger with cheese and a side of chips. I was very satisfied, I only just wish that I didn't have to feel so rushed as my friends and I only got there about 20 minutes to closing time. The food is American BBQ, with a menu filled with meaty dishes of burgers, ribs, lamb, pork and chicken. I want to go back and try their baby back ribs, which comes with fries and coleslaw, and this time I hopefully won't be so rushed! read more

This is the perfect Meat-Lovers place. There is something rather barbaric about this place as everyone chews on the delicious ribs, devours a burger, and stuffs themselves with fries. The best thing about Bodeans is definitely the pork. My personal favourites are the pulled pork sandwiches cooked to perfection and covered in bbq sauce. Always served with a cocktail sauce for the fries and spicy sauces galore, you can spice your meals up to your personal taste. There are two rooms in Bodeans. The upstairs provides the casual, fast food section where you sit on stools, the meals are served in baskets and there are roles of kicthen towlels to wipe your face and hands. The downstairs section on the other hand, is a lot of more civilised, since it offers the proper restaurant experience with tables and waiters. To be honest, when eating racks of ribs and messy pork, I would rather be in the upstairs section. The food is just as good upstairs as below though, so take you pick. read more

On a recent shopping trip and after working up quite a sweat in the thralls of Oxford Street my boyfriend declared he was hungry and needed meat. When my boyfriend says this one must act fast before the feet stamping and general sulking take place. So of course I pandered to his needs as we stormed through Soho, I kept asking where we were going but he appeared to have lost all conversation skills and could only muster grunts and an occasional 'to get meat'. Eventually we arrived at this mysterious house of meat, sat ourselves on a stool, and looked at the menu. My dear boy had done well, as this truly was the meatiest place in town. With choices of ribs, sandwiches, burgers, steaks or a combination of everything my carnivorous side was unleashed. The boy, quell surprise, had a combination of just about everything and I had a rack of ribs, well one has too in such an establishment. Now, dear readers, I have been reared on ribs since I could eat solids and I was not about to dash all previous experience because I was lost in the romance of the boy having cocktail sauce in his beard. We were in the upstairs 'fast food' area as the restaurant didn't open for ten minutes, and I was informed we would certainly not be waiting ten minutes. In the fast food part of the restaurant you are to go and make your order at the counter and then the food comes in a basket which you grab when your number is called. I am sure the food is much the same, I personally don't lie the 'do everything yourself' approach but then my good friends may describe me as lazy. However, that aside, the food was pretty damn good. Excellent value for money. There was more meat than I knew what to do with and it was all tasty, although the ribs weren't as meaty as I've had before. Randomly, the sauces were the selling point for me, the cocktail sauce and various chili sauces made me a very happy bean as I do like to load my food with as many condiments as humanly possible. The whole meal for 2, with him having a beer was about £25 which I think is A OK! Saying that we did go on a Tuesday where they have combo dinners for £10. There seems to always be some kind of offer so I suggest checking out the website. read more

Bodean's - American Near Me - London, XGL

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I've always had a good experience everytime I go to Bodean's. I always stick with the baby back rips with fries & coleslaw. Delicious. If you're unlucky, you might experience over-cooked ribs. Their wings are really good too. I'm not too fond of their pull back pork. I find it extremely dry and tasteless but a lot of people I know enjoys it. The services is not bad... friendly staff and it's a cosey environment. One thing to note is that if you're planning to go somewhere else after having a meal at Bodean's, you're guaranteed you'll smell of Bodean's! read more

Not a bad BBQ joint, by any means, but not a great one either. Thanks to the erupting volcano underneath the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland, my flight home was canceled earlier today and I'm stuck in London for an indefinite period of time. So, I was feeling a little nostalgic for American food. When I heard about Bodeans, it was a no brainer. Not too far from where I'm staying, I headed into SoHo and found Bodeans in no time. I was at first surprised that when they bill the joint as a BBQ deli, DO take that literally. There is no server that takes your order. You get a seat, look over the menu, and head up to the deli counter (often times, waiting in line longer than you'd like to), order, pay, and then get a number. When your food is up, they shout the number out. Kinda old school, which is cool, I guess. But kind of a pain in the ass, too. Especially when you want a second (or 3rd or 4th) beer. Get your ass up and go to the counter. Anyway, the food: I got the combo platter, which is really a good amount of food. Granted, it cost £15, which is kinda pricey after the conversion, but it was 1/4lb of pulled pork, a fat chicken leg, and a 1/2 slab of ribs. Plus a ton of chips (or fries if you want to be 'merican about it), a dollop of mayonaisse (blech) and a heaping cup of cole slaw. But, I hate mayo and cole slaw, so I didn't eat it. First of all, let me be clear, the barbecue sauce was great. Just the right amount of tangy and sweet, and just the right amount of spicy and, well, barbecue-y. The meat, however.... well, let's just say, the cooks need to spend a LOT more time in Memphis or Chicago or even NYC to get it right. The pulled pork was good, a little dry, but good. If the sauce wasn't so good, I would have been pissed off. But I tossed some extra sauce on that pile o' pork and got that ish wet! Yummers. The ribs were not my style at all. Oh, I ate the crap outta them, but they were too tough. I think they were cooked at too high a temperature too quickly. Slow and low... that is the tempo! The chicken was straight up underdone. Truth be told, I like my BBQ chicken somewhat blackened and slightly crunchy on the outside. If I take a big ol bite and the skin is rubbery and stretches off the meat... well, that don't exactly work for this pole cat. The chicken meat was entirely too underdone for me. Nuff said. The chips were spot on. But... their fries. Tough to fuck those up. Again, I didn't try the gross mayo or the yucky cole slaw. And I drank two Sam Adams. I woulda had more if I could get 'em quicker. They were good. Conclusion: If I were with some folks who wanted to go, I'd totally go again. But I'd probably get a pulled pork sammich and pass on the ribs or the chicken. If I could have given it 3.5 stars, I would do that. 4 stars is a little much. I give it a 4-star mostly because, well, shit, it's a valient effort in a city that would never make me think of American barbecue. But I take one star away because, well, it misses the mark. If you're in town and you got a hankering, don't hesitate. Go. But tell me you don't agree that the ribs are too dry. I dare you. :) read more

Alright, I've forgotten to write this review since November and it is now March. Fail on my part, but here we go... One night, myself and my other American friends, went to Bodean's to celebrate Thanksgiving. Instead of making our own dinner, we were super excited to find a place that has a "traditional" T-day menu AND bbq! So, off we went. Now keep in mind, us Americans know how to do BBQ right and this place was alright. Probably the best in London. To the Americans, don't go here for Thanksgiving, it's just a heartbreak. It's not going to be the same as your own home cooked meal. The redeeming qualities: the BBQ sauce and RANCH!!! I really don't know why the British don't have ranch like we do in the states but oh well. I would def recommend this place, great vibe and pretty good BBQ. read more

We came here for a friend's leaving dinner Sunday night and I heard the food here was supposed to be superb. For a BBQ joint, I was quite disappointed by the quality of the meat and they way it was cooked. My friend who's been a few times only gets the pulled pork because she said the ribs were too dry. My boyfriend and I got the BBQ sharing platter so we could try all the meats. My friend was completely right, the ribs were way too dry and burned in a bad way, and the chicken was okay. The only good option was the pulled pork. If it wasn't for my friend's 10% off card, I would have found Bodean's to be overpriced, when the only decent thing on the menu is pulled pork. They really need to improve their ribs! read more

It's hard for me to give this restaurant anything more than 3 stars, since I have to compare it with great bbq places I had the pleasure to visit over the years. Baby back ribs - dryer than I wanted them to be, especially on each end of the slab. Pulled pork - I like my pulled pork North Carolina style and this one wasn't exactly that. The meat wasn't as tender and didn't melt in my mouth. Mac and cheese - good and a good sized portion. Very mild and with a lot of sauce. Baked beans - with a higher acidity note. Not my favorite. Fries - very good. Small attention to detail would definitely improve their food quality. read more

The food was okay but... Hosts had a stinking attitude. We were told to wait two hours on Friday night. When we came back there still wasn't a table. So I said, "it's nine, how much longer will we have to wait?" They just couldn't tell me. They didn't originally give us an approximation, they told us two hours. Luckily, a table opened up after about ten minutes but the food wasn't worth the wait. It was okay but not great. If you've had real American BBQ, don't go expecting it to be that good. If you lower your expectations - you'll be okay. To add insult they automatically add an optional service charge of 12.5%. Would have been more inclined to give had it not been there. The service was basic not spectacular. read more