Not sure who it was that rated this the best BBQ in the area (according to the posting on the walls) but I beg to differ. It was quite mediocre at best. I will give them a pass on the 20 minute wait for 2 sandwiches since we were there at opening. My brisket sandwich was probably the worst I've ever had. It had a silvery sheen to the meat like it had been sitting around a while....clearly not just cut off the brisket. It was drowning in this unremarkable sauce and it was served on smashed white bun from some commercial bakery. My wifes pulled pork was only a little better. Less sauce. The meat looked a little fresher (although its hard to tell with pulled pork). One of the attractions is supposed to be the unlimited sides but the ones I tried were also average at best. The beans tasted like somebody had splashed some of the BBQ sauce into a can of beans. The cole slaw had crispy veggies but the dressing was not very interesting. Tasted like I was munching on a mouth full of cabbage/carrots. The place filled quickly with UMass shirts so the beer by the pitcher must be the attraction. Clearly its not the quality of the food. read more

Mediocre food. All you could eat sides were dry and lacked flavor. Ribs were OK but that is supposed to be their specialty. They were so dry and tough. I've had better ribs at Texas Roadhouse. Service was slow and overall experience not one I would care to repeat. Way overpriced for the quality. I do no recommend this place. read more

nice simple food, exactly what you need, only knocked off a star bc one of our sides got mixed up but it was a big order so for there to be only one mistake isn't too bad. read more

We ordered from here after seeing they deliver on grub hub! The menu has all the classic BBQ dishes and sides. We were disappointed to find they charged $1.50 extra for the Mac n Cheese side, which isn't bad, but then that side was half the size of all the other sides we ordered. The food was in general alright, but we probably won't order from them again. read more

Bub's BBQ - Proof they rip you off for the Mac n Cheese side, which is a $1.50 extra and half the size of other sides - Barbeque Near Me - Sunderland, Massachusetts

Wear elastic-waist pants and enjoy. Pulled pork for life! read more

This place is basically a shack in the middle of nowhere western MA (we legit saw a tractor drive by), but it was a pleasant surprise. For under $10, I got a pulled pork sandwich which comes with their hot and cold buffet bars. As my husband said, "Unlimited sides? Are you effing kidding me?". I must admit, I was pretty shocked to see it too. And although this wasn't the best BBQ I've ever had, it was pretty damn good,especially for the price. And the ambiance was very likeable, albeit ridiculously casual and, well, shack-like. read more

I was in a bad mood this weekend so I decided a trip to Bub's Bar-B-Q would help my situation. After a couple beers and an ungodly amount of food, I left with a big smile. Food therapy if you will. I love this place and would highly recommend a trip out to Bub's to anyone who likes BBQ or just good, hearty food. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, the staff is friendly and efficient, and the food is excellent. Unlimited sides come with most meals and they have a great selection. Basically you walk in the door and are stuffing your face within 2 minutes. The trick is not to fill up on the sides while waiting for your order. I always do however... can't help myself. read more

This is the best place in the world. It's a roadside dive (the clean kind) in Sunderland, a few miles off Route 9 in Hadley. Order yourself a pulled pork sandwich, load up your plate with free french fries, baked beans, potato salad, bread, grab a free cup of soup, sit down at a picnic table outside, and try not to fill up before they call your name to let you know that your food is ready. It's all delicious. You can't go wrong with anything, except maybe the fried chicken sandwich (which I got once, and it was still frozen inside) - but why are you ordering fried chicken here anyway? They have great hush puppies, too, but why pay for anything other than your meat when all kinds of all-you-can-eat goodies come for free with everything? Oh, right, because hush puppies are awesome, and where else will you find them in western mass?? read more

Went to Bub's recently. Long time patron once or twice a year over twenty years. Sides still solid, but no soup the day we were there, the meats were not up to the standard I remember. Staff a bit Nazi like regarding masks. What used to be.... read more

Love this place! Delivery is fast and effective! Sad they aren't open all year round but pretty good (:

The Hangar gets 4.5 stars and this place is lingering at under 4... NO NO NO! Dont get it twisted folks, if you go to Umass or any of the surrounding schools, you owe it to yourself to get bubs. Bubs & Wings are the only worthwhile food joints in that area (No subshops or pizza spots are any good). I absolutely love this place and can NOT wait to go back :) PS. Unlimited Sides =BOMB read more

If you've only got $10 left in your pocket and you're afraid you may not eat again for days, then go to Bub's. Watch your check sail along the zipline from the cashier to the cook (about 5 feet). Here's what's good: the baked beans, the cooked greens, the dirty rice, the mashed yams, the roasted potatoes, the fries (if they're hot). But I'm getting ahead of myself. First you may want to try a cup of the veggie soup with some bread and butter, for a little immediate comfort food in your belly. Then move on to the salad bar. Use the salad plate, so you will have room on your dinner plate for the previously mentioned fixins. At the salad bar you will find cottage cheese, cole slaw, potato salad, beets, various bean mixtures . . . Help yourself to a little of everything-leave no spoon unturned. Pick some tunes on the jukebox. Eat your food. Wonder what other people think of the music you're playing for them. Go back for more. Tell the cook you love it when he asks how you like your dinner. Did I mention barbeque? Bus your own dishes. Wave goodbye to the smiling girl behind the counter (if you eat there as often as I do, she'll probably know your name). Leave feeling fat and happy. read more

I had made my way out to civilization (you know you live in the middle of nowhere when this part of Western Mass passes as "civilization"!) and was planning to get some African food with a friend, since it had been a while since I'd eaten any ethnic cuisine that was not pizza. As we were driving down the road I spotted a smoker. Do you know how rare that is this far north !? I pulled an immediate U-turn and pulled into the parking lot. Good call, self. That was an excellent decision. I have no idea how it ended up here, but this is a solid BBQ spot in the frozen north! I had delicious pulled pork and brisket. The brisket was particularly good, if I go back I'll probably stick to that. They have unlimited serve-yourself side dishes, so serve myself I did! I can't remember exactly what I ate, but I know it involved multiple servings of french fries and potato salad. And good BBQ sauce. And some kind of vegetable because I always make myself eat at least one vegetable. Unless I said that the french fries counted this time? Anyway, I am so happy to have found this place. It was super-crowded inside because it was way too cold to eat outside. Service was friendly and relatively fast. I'm looking forward to my next drive out to enjoy some more! read more

More than I enjoy the food from Bub's, I enjoy the idea of Bub's. I love the free sides and always leave full. I love most of the decorations and general atmosphere inside. I've always had great service. The food is reasonably priced, and good (but not amazing). It is also one of the only restaurants in the immediate area, which helps. read more

I was pretty shocked when I first heard of a BBQ joint in Western Mass. I didn't have high hopes, but boy was I wrong. The walls are covered in awards and recognitions it was been bestowed and I totally see why. The food is delicious and the atmosphere seems to match a southern BBQ joint perfectly. I eat here maybe 5 times a year and it's always pretty good. They offer a pretty good deal with the endless sides option, which are very good. I sometimes enjoy the sides over the meal itself. They have the typical BBQ options, and even have crocodile thrown in there as well (which is pretty good). Definitely a good place to go with a group of 4-6. read more

Very good baby back rips. Combos are a good deal for sampling. Try there homemade BBQ sauce. open side buffet for the hungry person. read more

I went back for the first time in 32 years after graduating from UMASS Amherst in '83 and found the food and ambiance comparable to my memory - fantastic and rustic respectively. This place has GREAT food and they let you know their gluten free options (sadly their bbq sauce contains gluten). Baby back ribs are tender and their sides delicious. Rustic booths inside and picnic tables in an enclosed porch as well as outside in warm weather. Plenty of paper towel rolls too. Great memories of great food at Bub's BBQ that continue to this day! read more

Shrimp and gator platters were good. Hush puppies on it was very flavorful. Ribs and beef brisket combo were nice but beef brisket portion despite an up charge was VERY small. Hit and cold food bars were a nice bonus and made the overall meal very filling... Sweet tea was excellent. Unique and would return. read more

We went here a couple weeks ago while in town for a wedding. My husband couldn't stop talking about it. I got chicken and he got brisket. My son got the chicken fingers and enjoyed them. All were generous portions that come with unlimited sides from the hot and cold bar. The sweet potato casserole was very good and my husband said all the sides he tried were great. My only disappointment was that I didn't know I could order a separate side of Mac and cheese. I think one night a week its featured in the hot bar. Oh well, we will just have to go back to try it. Also they have a free juke box which is a nice touch :) read more

If you've got an immediate, insatiable need for BBQ, then get to Bub's. If you want the real thing, this ain't it, but it will get you through the worst part of your hunger. Lower quality meat. Sauce OK. Sides sit out way too long. read more

My family and I loved this place. Very, very casual spot. All of the food was absolutely delicious, they're very generous with the unlimited sides, staff was friendly, and the price was more than reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food. If any of us were local, we'd be back often. read more

This is a gem of a find! Pork was nice and moist with wonderful flavor. Even without the added sauces it was perfect.

Sad to me that someone thinks the "cooker" out front is "fake." it's actually real. Please come back and refer to delicious clouds of barbecue aroma billowing from the smokestack when it's in use. I don't usually see it in use during meal hours, but having lived down the street from this place for many years, I have often seen it happily chugging away. can we say AMAZING pulled pork, ribs, GATOR, burgers with UNLIMITED hot and cold sides? UNLIMITED? My faves are: fries! cold corn salad with peppers to die for potato salad orange sweetened mashed sweet potatoes beets (sorry, lovem or hatem, i lovem) yummy veggie soup with bread to cleanse the palate before going back for more unlimited sides AND: Free jukebox fun games at the table: trivial pursuit cards. and the like massive array of hot sauces of all flavors and heats (check the windowsill between the hot and cold stations) wine served in a mason jar OR beer. BBC on tap. Outdoor seating OR indoor seating! I can see how kids might be running around but.. um.. it is a serve yourself barbecue joint with a giant pig on the sign. If you wanted something kid-free, go to a fancy pants place where they aren't welcome? I dono. Never had a problem there. Love you Bubs!!!! read more

Bub's is definitely NOT closed. Went there last night and it was packed. I was very disappointed in the baby back ribs. I've been hearing about this place for years, and always wanted to try it. My husband, who loves beef brisket, has gone several times and loved it. While the sauce on my ribs was good, the ribs themselves had hardly any meat, and the meat was dry. So bummed. Maybe I just got a bad rack??? Mashed sweet potatoes were lackluster and bland. Anyway, very, very casual place. Small and crowded, but has outdoor picnic table dining under a tent as well. read more

I would classify this as "northern barbecue". Northern barbecue in my view is meat that is cooked over flame (gas or non flavored charcoal) till done. It is certainly not southern barbecue....cooked slowly over hardwoods or flavored charcoal for long periods to infuse flavor for maximum tenderness. It's ok for value. It's maximum for the money with the side bar that's included. The sides are pretty basic and I'm quite sure from my many years in the food service business purchased either as is or with very little preparation. If your looking for great smokey ribs, chicken or pork with mouth watering flavor than Bubs is not your stop. If your looking to as Bubs say "pig out" for a reasonable price than this is a good stop for you. read more

Bub's is a must-visit if you are in the area. It's not gourmet but it's one of the few authentic BBQ places us yankees have. I'm going to start with an anecdote about Bub's: When Bub's only area competition, Holy Smokes, tragically burned down the owners of Bub's ran a fundraiser to help the owners get back on their feet. Now, that's a class act. Onto the review: The meat itself never blew me away, although it more than holds its own against some of the better BBQ pits in the South. The missing factor seems to be the slow-cooked method that Holy Smokes and so many of the more famous BBQ places have perfected. However, their secret sauce recipe is among one of the best I've tasted and a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. But what makes this place really shine is the sides bar. Every meal comes with unlimited visits to the sides bar and this is what makes Bub's so great: Because every single one of the sides is AMAZING. In particular, the baked beans and citrus sweet potatoes are PERFECTION. So grab your choice of meat, load up on some of the best BBQ sides you'll have in your life and enjoy the cozy charm and casual vibe. And with the free sides, free refills, and free jukebox you really ought to stay awhile. read more

BRUTALLY HONEST and LONG REVIEW; what really attracted us to stop were the positive reviews, ones mentioning the unlimited sides and quirky ambiance, but we were sadly disappointed and will not come back. We initially had super high hopes for this place cause it smelled awesome when we walked in, but the smell does not transfer through to the food. My boyfriend and I ordered/shared the combo of 1/2 rack of baby back ribs & 1/4 chicken for $15.50, unlimited sides for 2 was an additional $7.99, and 2 sweet teas. My favorite thing was the sweet tea, which was great. Total was about $30, which was alright especially since I've had much better for equivalent/less. The 1/2 rack of baby back ribs were tiny and my bf plowed through them within minutes, also dry and the smoke flavor/bbq sauce were disappointing as well. The 1/4 chicken wasn't very good, had a strange, overly burnt taste to them, surely NOT smokey. The sides were subpar and nothing to be overly excited about, considering the raging reviews about them. It was disappointing that mac n cheese was an additional $1.50 lol. The options were cole slaw, potato salad, which was strangely on the sweeter side, pasta salad, which was what we liked best, corn slaw, bread/butter, and veggie soup in chicken broth. Overall, we WISHED we liked this place better because we're always on the look out for great bbq around Mass. Many of the reviews are misleading, but the ambiance was definitely cute and the staff was nice. read more

I LOVE Bubs. The atmosphere is amazing, with the free juke box, paper towels on the table, Trivial Pursuits cards for entertainment, what's not to love? The BBQ is ok to pretty good, especially for a Yankee place, but the cold bar makes it for me - corn salad, cottage cheese, potato salad, beets, pasta salad, it's all too good. I could probably just make a meal out of the hot and cold bar, easily. I'd say pay the extra $ and get some ribs or something similar over the pulled pork, the pulled pork and other sammies just aren't super remarkable but the ribs are very good. Get the deep fried Twinkie for desert. It's worth every calorie. read more

I love Bub's BBQ - their baby back ribs are wonderful, and the pulled pork isn't bad either. Come hungry and with time to spare, with all you can eat sides, free drink refills, free songs on the jukebox, and trivia cards on all the tables, you'll be eating for a while. (www.bubsbbq.com) read more

You always remember your first. This is the first great BBQ place I went to back in the UMass Amherst day. I love this place....you have got to try it. Nothing like the delicious sausages, pulled pork, brisket, pitcher of cold beer and unlimited ridiculous sides. Only Bubs can cut up a potpourri of assorted vegetables and put them in tub of hot water to create a simple rememberable soup, it's the small details you remember here, whether it be the soup, roll of paper towel on the table or the loaves of french bread resting on the cutting board with a tub of butter. Did I mention that the tub of butter has a rubber spatula planted inside to spread your butter. Seriously , give this place a try when your in the area and hit up the jukebox, you won't be disappointed. read more

Looks like a little hole in the wall joint and it really is. Space and seating is limited and could find yourself with nowhere to sit. BBQ is decent, but the sides are the best part. You order your food at the counter and get it when your name is called. The serving of the sides and clearing your table is up to you. Sides include dirty rice, collard greens, roasted potatoes, and beans if I recall. Go early while the sides are real fresh. They also have a cold salad section, soup, and bread too. I've had some tough brisket there to my surprise. The alligator is cool to try also. Give it a try if you've never been. read more

Absolutely AMAZING food! The new sweet potato casserole is particularly amazing! The fries, potato salad, and all the trimmings are terrific, too. The angus burger was cooked perfectly. I feel very well fed. read more

This place reminds me of a summer bbq that you'd have on a summer weekend, out in your front lawn with your neighbors and friends around your suburban block. Benches with classic red and white plaid table cloth outside. And a barn/kitchen-like atmosphere inside with all the tables/seats mismatched. They have unlimited sides set up buffet style and everything tastes homemade. Coldslaw, yams, bbq beans, veggies, potatoes, pasta, rice. Best described as a BBQ potluck. We ordered the BBQ ribs and sausage. Smoked to its finest. I dont know how more legit of a bbq experience you're going to get.. read more

Great casual hole in the wall spot to grab a bite to eat! Indoor and outdoor seating options available with a low key, laid back atmosphere. Our food came out very fast within five minutes and the sides are family style at a separate self serve station. We ordered pulled pork as well as baby back ribs which hit the spot :) but our favorite part of the meal was the gator bites appetizer! read more

I'm not sure if this was just and off day for them based on the volume of great reviews this place has, or no one has just written an honest review of the place recently. We rode in on our bikes (group of 10) this was the destination chosen by a co-worker who found it on google. ***Please note I am a Serv Safe trainer so my standards are a bit higher when it comes to food service standards*** First off all it is a hole in the wall type restaurant (what you'd expect from a place of this name in Western Mass... But I saw very poor food handling practices, no gloves while handling food, fruit flies hovering the "hot/cold" bar, their idea of a buffet. Food was okay tasting, I took a big gamble on eating there. Went with a Burger and fries, didn't trust much more from the place. My wife had some of the bbq ribs and some of their "dirty rice" and ended up pulling over an hour later to throw it up on the side of RT 9. Bathrooms were very unsanitized. They have an outside seating area that they leave the condiments on each picnick table that is covered in insects. And the girl at the register taking orders had a very bad odor and a 5-O-Clock shadow darker than me. A few others in our group didn't come into work the next day and had called out sick with stomach bugs. I think a call into the Health Department will be in order here. read more

Wow. Great barbeque with no pretense. Walk up, order, help yourself to a ton of sides while they prepare your meat. Great ribs. ..with a dry rub. But there are hot and mild sauces also if you prefer. A+. The pulled pork was very good...though not quite the A+ that the ribs were. The sides are all delicious too. Lots of seating. .both indoor and outdoor. You should try this place of you find yourself in the area. (Like if you are visiting the Yankee Candle Outlet, for instance) read more

Let me say that the food is wonderful! I had a combo of pulled pork and baby back ribs and my friend had the fried catfish - excellent! How can you go wrong with endless hot & cold sides? A constant line of customers in and out the doors while we were there. What? No cornbread? What did shock me, though, was possibly my mis-reading the menu boards, thinking the Combo of 'one from each column' under the price header of $6.95 meant each column was $6.95, expecting to pay $14-15 for my entrée and was shocked a bit when my Combo and a soft drink came to $21.34! $18 for an entrée - no matter how excellent it tasted - was more than I was expecting; I feel that I was DEFINATELY OVERCHARGED $3 OR MORE according to the prices shown in the pix on their site. I will be more discerning about food prices on my next visit. read more

I, too, was excited to see a bbq place around here as Famous Dave's is all Springfield has to offer, and it's not great bbq. However, I wasn't all that impressed with Bub's. As someone else mentioned, there was no smoking going on when we arrived. I liked the pulled pork, but the ribs were only so-so as certainly not fall-off-the-bone ribs one gets in the South. The buffet of sides is a nice idea, but what is bbq without mashed potatoes and mac and cheese? The dirty rice is good as are the other sides, particularly the collard greens. They are REALLY strick given the buffet style, and the only thing they will wrap up for take away is the meat portion of the meal, which is understandable given how people would load up on the sides for the road. It can't compete with real Southern bbq, but it is the best I've found around these parts. read more

Not bad. Everything we had was ok but only ok. Macaroni and cheese was soggy and not good Collard greens were ok, nothing special need to get some kick . . . Baked Been's very watery, too sweet, not bad . . . Sweet potato - good Hickory potato - very good Brisket - does not look or taste like a typical one. it came in a liquid sauce- good taste but far from top 50. Baby back ribs - dry, not good . Other sides were ok but nothing outstanding . Looking at the walls and all the articles and rewards looks like it was all presented somewhere else . . . read more

I consumed what felt like five solid pounds of brisket at this place. Five POUNDS. By the time I left, my beard was festooned with pulled pork, my clothes drizzled with delicious barbecue sauce. They put an entire roll of paper towels on each table, and I went through several. I don't even know what collard greens are but I ate an a** ton of them. The endless sides are truly endless -- I checked -- and my blood type had become pure cottage cheese within hours. You want alligator? You got it. Half a go***amn chicken? BOOM on the plate. Feeling the need to marinate yourself in baked beans and French fries until the sweet release of death? This is your place. The best part: EVERY PART. This is Bub's; what kind of monster could give this place less than five stars? read more