I grew up in Texas, love barbecue, love Texas-style barbecue in particular. I drove by and saw Busters several times and had to go in and try it, after all, how bad could it be? This was my first mistake. First of all, this is not a restaurant, it is a CAFETERIA. This is not made clear on their website, on Yelp, or on the outside of the building, but it is a cafeteria. A really, really bad cafeteria. The food is abysmal. The ribs are not only cooked naked (meaning without sauce, which is not Texas style, which is wet) they are UNSEASONED. The brisket was dry, which I didn't even know was possible. The bread was like a rubber potholder. The "salad" is a small wedge of iceberg. The sides are clearly microwaved, and they are served with ice cream scoops. The atmosphere is like a dying truck stop. The music is God-awful. Again, I grew up in Texas, so I can appreciate good or even below average country music. What they play in here is what can only be described as trailer-park country. I felt like I should spray mustard all over my wife beater and use a hubcap as a dining plate. Lastly, we get to the absurd, outrageous, ridiculous, wildly unreasonable and inappropriate prices at Busters. The prices are a little over double what they should be for the quality of the food. A rack of ribs here is the same price as it is at Famous Dave's (a pretty good BBQ chain), where they actually wait on you and actually season and barbecue their food. Honestly, if you like the food here, you don't actually like barbecue. I would rather eat a BBQ TV dinner than eat here again. Places like this are why Yelp needs a zero star option. read more

Why... I know this is Gresham, but this place is not good. Seriously overpriced for what it is. I'm fine with paying good money for good barbecue, but that is not what this is. Maybe if they put in a drive-thru and lowered the prices. There is a place on 223rd and Stark, Outlaw, that is much better. Besides that, while placing our order cafeteria style, the person taking our order kept asking my husband "What else" over and over despite our protests; until we figured that another choice came with his meal. Apparently the guy thought my average sized hubby needed 2 full meals and they tried to charge us for 3 meals for 2 people. Language barrier aside, the food was pretty unflavorful, small portions for the price, and I'd rather buy ribs from safeway's deli department. The cart on 50th and Division is my place for BBQ. I'll drive the distance, or at least to Outlaw, on 223rd and stark, like 4 minutes from here. read more

Just not that great of an experience. You need to go through a sort of cafeteria line, which is weird. It is like eating at your junior high lunch counter. The BBQ was OK, I guess, but not so good that I don't wonder how they stay afloat. read more

Very expensive for how mediocre it is... I got a small amount of mac and cheese a small amount of potato salad a quarter rack of ribs and a few slices of beef brisket for seventeen dollars. Not a good deal. There are 20 better bbq joints in Portland. read more

I've been going to Buster's for about twenty years and, in that time, I've tried every one of their meats. My longtime favorite items there have been baby back ribs and beef brisket. Lately, with lots of other BBQ places sprouting up around town, I have "strayed" a bit. Now that I have tried several other places for comparison, I find that the meats at Buster's seem kind of dry. The brisket doesn't separate easily with your fork, and the meat on the baby back ribs aren't really "fall off the bone". Well, Buster's was my go-to place for BBQ for a long, long time. . .but the reality now is that there are some other places that I like better, because their meats are more tender and also because of their richer, smokier flavors. read more

Buster's Texas Style Barbecue - Three meat combo: pork loin, beef brisket, pork spareribs. Comes with two sides and Texas toast. - Barbeque Near Me - Gresham, Oregon

I don't know why this place only has 2 1/2 stars. Lots of good BBQ at a very decent price.

I eat here often with my lunch work crew. Great environment friendly staff lots of choices for food. Not the best barbecue in Portland. But.. Definitely above average brisket turkey and chicken. The ribs I would give three or four stars because sometimes a little dry ,but overall great value and price for all the food you get. The Best french fries and best mac & cheese and Portland.!! read more

Buster's Texas Style Barbecue - Brisket. Ribs. And Mac and cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Gresham, Oregon

Won't be back. Could not get a decent beef rib to save my life. Kept insisting thats all they have is ends. Left food at table. What a bummer read more

Every time I come to Buster's I remember why it's been a year or so since my previous visit.. I so want to like this place, but it's just really hard. Perhaps it's because I've had real Texas barbecue, in Texas, in some of the Hill Country's finest places. (Salt Lick, Stubb's, Rudy's, Coopers, etc.) Perhaps that makes me spoiled on good BBQ I'm pretty sure I've tried just about every thing on Buster's menu throughout the years, so you can't say that I haven't given the place a fair shake. If you're looking for good brisket go somewhere else. Every time I've tried the brisket, it's tastes like dry pot roast with a hint of smoke flavoring. They cut it paper thin, and there is absolutely no bark (crust) on it at all. PS Where did all the fat go? You need fat on your brisket to keep it moist.. Pass on the brisket, trust me. However their smoked turkey is great, tender, moist and juicy just like it should be. The rest of their meats are eh.... Ok. Busters sides leave a little something to be desired as well. Don't get me wrong they're all edible... I will say this, Buster's Pecan pie is Legit. It's probably some of the best pecan pie around. All in all this place isn't horrible, but I feel like over the years they are putting a lot less effort in the product they deliver. The staff is always friendly, the place is always clean. However when it comes to good barbecue, I'm all about the brisket, Which I've mastered at home on my smoker. Overall... this place isn't horrible, it isn't great either. Just a mediocre bbq joint. I'm sure I'll come back again if I'm really craving bbq and too lazy to fire up my smoker at home. read more

I've lived in Portland for about six years now over this time I've seen 100's of tv commercials for this place but never tried it. Today my friend and I decided it was time so we headed out. I've never been more disappointed in my life. The meat they call BBQ is a sad "cafeteria" style quality you would expect to find at an all you can eat buffet. I ordered the beef brisket dinner that comes with 2 sides. I choose Mac & cheese and mashed potatoes included is Texas toast. The toast was really just bread with butter on it laid on the grill for a few moments (one side only) it was cold and not toast like at all. Mashed potatoes and Mac we decent but again the quality I would expect at an all you can eat buffet. The beef brisket was so tasteless and fatty I did not even finish it. Portland has some amazing BBQ places around town that blow this one out of the water. Sadly my friend a do won't be back. I gave it 2 stars for the friendly staff and clean dinning room. read more

Buster's Texas Style Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Gresham, Oregon

Went here for dinner and really decided I needed to take a star away. The inconsistency with the meat, their main deal, just requires a downgrade. Again, pulled pork is delicious, the turkey breast is perfect. This time the brisquet was a little juicier, but the pork tenderloin was like shoe leather. Potatoes were ok, but the Texas rice is pretty bland. The happy hour prices are fantastic, but Buster's probably wouldn't be my first choice for BBQ otherwise. Having a dry brisquet and pork tenderloin is no bueno. read more

Got a to go order of brisket, mashed potatoes and beans. Beans were over saturated with BBQ flavor, potatoes were simply ok and the brisket was dry. Their sauces were OK but nothing special. Would not recommend. read more

I usually go for lunch..... Their selection is good,and their prices are ok. I like their link po boy.....I think their sauces are pretty good. The place is usually very clean and the staff friendly read more

Normal tasting BBQ. Nothing extraordinary tasting, but also, nothing I'd consider subpar. If you have a BBQ craving and don't care about something incredible, then go here. The older man with the southern accent should be retrained on customer service, too. read more

We moved to Gresham (the East-Eastside of Portland) a few months ago and, little carnivores that we are, immediately set out in search of GREAT MEAT, specifically GREAT BBQ! Our quest was rewarded with our first stop-off at Buster's Texas Style Barbeque (we have been back 3 times already). The baby-back ribs are meaty and expertly crafted to that "fall-off-the-bone" perfection. Someone knows their shit back in the smokehouse for sure! I can't speak for all of the side-dishes, but the mashed potatoes are righteous and the smokehouse beans are just ok. The two sauces available, hot and mild, are quite tasty as well...tangy-sweety-smokey. If you are looking for table-service and fancy decor, this ain't it. This is a belly-up to the cafeteria-line with your tray and fill your own drink thing. If you can survive with a rustic, rough-hewn, down-home atmosphere, this is your place. Two suggestions: First, offer an "amped-up" version of the hotter sauce. Some of us like to sweat bullets and see smoke coming out of our ears when we dig-in to a pile of lip-smackin' ribs! Second, lose the blaring country music please. Yikes. Those who like it can bring their iPods, but for those who don't...there is NO ESCAPE. A little silence never hurt anyone. Overall though, Buster's rocks...see you there SOON! read more

I had my staff holiday party catered by Buster's last month and they were awesome. I work for a nonprofit organization and they were kind enough to offer us a 10% discount which really helped considering I had a very small budget to work with. I am so appreciative of their help and the food was perfect for our department gathering! Thank you Buster's!!! read more

I'm not a BBQ expert, but this stuff was pretty good! Mild sausage sandwich was delicious with the sweet sauce. Also had the Mac and Cheese and potato salad. Mac and Cheese did not live up to the hype, but the potato salad was delicious! Was surprised at the casualness. Thought this was a sit down and get waited on kind of place. Instead it's more cafeteria style. I was not disappointed though! read more

Had to leave a comment. Today I got the pork pole boy. By far the best ever, however, the Pinto beans a raw. I have been going to Busters for over 20 years and the Pinto beans are no longer a focus. SAD read more

Let me start by saying I love good Texas style BBQ. I have always been satisfied with the quality, cleanliness, and service of Busters. The overall impression is good maybe not over the top great or the best but a good experience. I have had a few of the different locations as well as the catering. The Gresham location has been better than all of the other experiences and the catering is also best from Gresham. If your looking for a good overall experience and are close by you definitely won't be disappointed. Price is also a bit higher than you would expect. read more

Yuck. This place earned two stars for being clean and friendly. Also the meat was at least tender. The good ends there. The brisket was 100% flavourless. It wasn't seasoned, and there wasn't even a smoke flavour or scent. The baby back ribs were moderately better with at least a little smoke flavour and a bit of a honey crust, but it didn't permeate the meat. The macaroni and cheese is not homemade and tastes of cheap processed American. Not good. Pretty sure the mashed potatoes are the dehydrated kind, or at least premade and frozen out of a bag. I'm the last one to recommend a chain, but Famous Dave's has this place beat and lapped. read more

I got the BBQ plate. The BBQ pulled pork was plentiful and pretty decent. The baked beans were awful, had a funny aftertaste. The Texas toast slice was without flavor so I ate a bite and left it. Gonna conclude this place is a cash cow. Big portions but little flavor means it's not a price issue, it's a lack of care. Someone simply isn't steer-ing the ship and now they are milking it for all it's worth. Put this place out to pasture. read more

I have been going here for years for lunch. I always get the same thing, 2 meat po boy with brisket and links with the sweet sauce from the salad bar. I don't remember if its on the menu but, you can ask for "Texas Size" and get extra meat, for additional cost of course. read more

Closest thing to home cooked meals from NC!!! BBQ or any meat here is fantastic! The sides were really good too!!! The only thing my friends didn't like were the green beans (but I thought they were good of you added salt and pepper) and they weren't used to mashed potatoes that were lumpy (I like them though.) They have so many options of meat/bread/sides/etc! You can smell the goodness from outside! And when you step inside it gets even better and you drool! Great prices for what you paid for as well! We are military so we were only visiting Portland but will be coming back through soon and this will be our FIRST stop!!!!! Great place and HIGHLY recommend!!!!! read more

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We love the trivia night in the bar and the brisket is amazing! Amanda, the bartender, is the best! She is always smiling and so friendly. Our new go to place on Wednesday nights. read more

We each ordered the Combination Dinner with two meats and two sides. I had the baby back ribs and the spare ribs with Cole slaw and baked beans. My husband went for the beef ribs and pork spareribs with the same sides. Neither meal was horrible and neither meal was outstanding. The meats were cooked with a nice dry rub and sauces are available on the condiment bar. The sides were disappointing. Each was fairly tasteless. Additionally we chose desserts. The Pecan pie was overcooked and weeping. The Truffle Cake overly sweet. All in all a very lackluster meal. I won't be visiting again. read more

Never again. Dry brisket. Who serves dry brisket? The whole reason for brisket is lovely tasty rippled with fat delicious ness. Sauces are "meh". Sides tastes like made in another state and shipped to Oregon blandness. Holy smokes. Nothing like I expected from "Texas style BBQ" so disappointed. read more

I've been visiting this BBQ joint for many, many years... so long in fact, that I can remember when they had an " all you can eat Ribs Special " on their menu ! At the end of the day, you either love their Sauces, Meats & Buffet style of serving, or not. I happen to LOVE all three of these things. I highly recommend at least giving the Gresham, Tigard. or Milwaukie restaurants a try. The food is very tasty & the prices are more than reasonable. Additionally, since you are not being " served " at your table, you can save a bit on the " Gratuity " part ; ( I still leave a tip for the bus-folks if I eat my meal there, versus to-go ) : Ask yourself , Do I like BBQ Pork Ribs ? If so, I can guarantee you they are way better @ Buster's , than @ some other place, where the guy calls himself " Famous " & Buster's are a smaller, locally owned restaurant chain; gotta support local businesses. read more

The only thing this place had going for it was trivia night, they canceled that so I won't be back...ever. The food is disgusting, even the chicken strips are dry and unedible. Don't go here, it's a waste of good money. read more

Meat is bland and dry. Brisket tastes like cardboard, ribs are dry, pulled pork is dry, chicken is dry. It's edible but there are much better bbq joints out there. Also not a fan of the bbq sauce, but that's a preference thing. I don't mind their sides however. It comes out hot and ready. read more

Favorite BBQ in gresham by far. Our family loves it. We usually get ribs or a sandwhich with 2 kinds of meat. Pulled pork, spicy sausage, ham, turkey, brisket, chicken... yum. Be at French fries and potato salad. read more

Excellent for delivery service!Food is packed to stay hot and they are great with note requests!!!

Wow. Just.. wow. I lived in Texas for over thirty years. I trained to become a chef in Texas. I obtained my culinary degree in Texas. This is NOT Texas-style barbecue... this is not even barbecue. These people are shoemakers. Animals DIED to make this stuff and they make a mockery of their sacrifice by taking perfectly good meats and turning them into, that... "barbecue" as they call it. They should just become a vegan restaurant and get it over with, they have no idea what they're doing with their meats. To top it off, it is so goddamn expensive!!! AVOID read more

I like Busters. I usually get the Turkey Po Boy...then dip it in one of the sauces. It's true that, on occasion, the meat is a little dry, but usually, it's good. Like I said, for some reason, I usually ge the turkey (as opposed to pork at most other bbq places), so I can't really comment of the other meat. read more

Mediocre BBQ. Filled my stomach but far from the best I have ever had. Had the brisket pulled pork and pork spare ribs. Brisket was ok. The other two meats tasted like propane. Servers were quick and friendly, but weren't big on providing suggestions for a first timer in the restaurant. Overall I would not recommend this BBQ joint to any of my friends. read more

Went there last night,first time in a long time. The most lousy barbecue. Expensive and crappy food. Pulled pork had sat around too long, no pork taste, not fresh, overcooked. Brisket tough, not good. Don't waste your money. read more

Food is decent and priced reasonable for BBQ. Drinks are good, but the bar service has gone down. Manager listened to the bartender disrespect me and didn't flinch. That just isn't acceptable to me. I never say never, but after 20+ years, I likely won't ever be back. Too many other places close by that respect patrons. read more

Meh - usually pretty dry. Sauces are mediocre. Sides are dull. Prices are ok.

Busters has the best BBQ hands down! The beef brisket has an amazing smokey flavor! The turkey is also delicious and moist! They have a good mixture of sides and BBQ sauce that you can add to your sandwich so it's not drowning in sauce like most places. Staff is always very friendly and have smiles on their faces :) read more

Very friendly and helpful staff. Great atmosphere. Looks like I stepped into Texas. Food was great, really tasty. Looking forward to bringing the entire family and coming back. read more

Not really sure why the ratings are so low for this place. The staff were SO nice and very helpful. I appreciated how affordable the food was. I had a shredded chicken sandwich with a tasty side of mac n cheese. I liked the side station they had, so I could top my sandwich with the condiments I wanted. Buster's was simply laid out, affordable, and quick. I'd recommend trying it out! read more