We wound up at City Barbeque after finding out Dave's didn't have mozzarella sticks yet, cause it was conveniently located right next door :D. It looked pretty popular with a decent number of people dining in and a bunch of others picking up orders. The girl at the counter was super friendly and helpful because I had no idea how to order lol. She made a few recommendations and even helped adjust my random items into a combo for us. Prices are fair, ordered 3 meats and 2 sides for like ~$50. We got ribs, brisket, and pulled pork along with cornbread and mac and cheese, and it came with a fountain drink. Food came out pretty quickly, we didn't have to wait long. One thing I thought was fun was the bell by the door that you can ring if you had a good experience. We rang it on the way out and got a bunch of cheers from inside haha. The ribs were big, meaty, and cooked well. The brisket wasn't really my favorite, and the pulled pork was a little hit or miss since some bites were way saltier than others. We tried both the mild and spicy bbq sauces, and the spicy wasn't too spicy. Overall, a perfectly solid casual bbq spot. read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Honestly, a solid BBQ option on the west side of Madison. I can tell I don't get out much anymore with how shocked I am by lunch prices. Not just here, but everywhere, really. I think my pulled pork sandwich, two sides (cole slaw and fries) and a drink pushed $17. That's more than I prefer to spend on lunch, but I was going out with some work friends and felt like treating myself. And it was, indeed, a treat! The pulled pork was very good - not overly fatty or anything. Good flavor. I tried the "original" and "sweet city" sauces - both were very good and not overpowering. The fries were good - a little greasy (but "good greasy" if there is such a thing). The creamy cole slaw confused me. It was a bit dry. I know, right? How is creamy cole slaw dry? I'm not sure if it's always like this, or maybe it was off the top of the batch and the "creamy" and dripped to lower parts. Don't get me wrong - it tasted good. We'll see how it is next time I'm there! Overall, a good BBQ stop. The pulled pork sandwich will be a standard order there, but I'm sure I'll venture out to some other dishes to see what they have to offer! read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

First time trying bbq in Madison! I was surprised by the amount of people on a weekday night. I saw many families and groups of people sitting together. We ordered the city sampler along with a half slab of ribs, since their ribs are $1.99 on Tuesdays. The two sides that I chose were the cornbread and potato salad. As for the quality of the bbq, the brisket was not as tender as I would have expected it to be. The ribs could have also been more tender, but the flavor was good! I have only tried bbq one other time, which was in Houston, TX, so I think I had some high expectations. Everything else was pretty good though, with the pulled pork being my favorite meat. I enjoyed the potato salad as well. The staff was also friendly and helpful. They have various bbq sauces, plates, utensils, and other condiments available on the side, which is nice. For a bbq spot in Madison, it's decent. The price is also pretty affordable, which was a huge plus! I would come back if I'm ever craving bbq again. read more

City Barbeque - City Sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I visited City BBQ before and enjoyed their barbecue and friendly staff. However, this time I was dissatisfied with how frustrating and time consuming trying to place an order online became. My goal was to order delivery and not come into the store. I first tried ordering with the City BBQ app. I followed the steps to select the items to order, add to my bag, check out, add my credit card, and then place the order. After selecting the place order button, the app would just close completely. I repeated all of these steps 2 more times with the same result. I checked my account and there was no record of an order. I then called the store but didn't get ahold of anyone. So I opened my laptop and tried ordering using the City BBQ website. I followed the same steps as with the app and after placing order it wouldn't process on the website either. I logged in and saw no record of an order placed. I tried this 2 more times with the same result so called the store again to place an order, but didn't reach anyone. I understand businesses may not always answer the phone because they could be on a call with another customer, but this is why you have the convenience of online ordering when it works. I had a reward and needed to use it before leaving town. I ended up having to drive to the restaurant to order in person. I mentioned the online issues to a staff member and he said other customers also mentioned the same issues yesterday and he will email IT. The staff were friendly. They have free pickles and sauces upon request. The staff recommended I try all 3 sauces (original, fire, and sweet) and gave me a to-go packet of each. The pork sandwich was good with a generous portion and the green beans and mac & cheese were great sides for the dish. Overall, the food is good, but was frustrating when the online ordering option didn't work and I couldn't reach anyone by phone so had to drive to the restaurant which I wasn't anticipating with my schedule! read more

City Barbeque - Pickles - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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First time here so was curious to see what the food was like. This is an order at the counter first and then it's delivered to you at your table kind of place. Large confusing menu so it's better to be prepared before going here. No alcohol here so forget a brueski before you eat. We got a three meat combo with Mac and cheese and coleslaw for sides. All were ok but not great. The brisket was cooked perfectly but too salty for us. Pulled pork average and pulled chicken had a mix of onions in it and we were not a fan of it. There is a selection of sauces that was good and we had a corn muffin that was excellent. The music was nice and the dining room was warm and comfortable. Counter guy was great and helpful. It's a little difficult to get into the parking area if heading East but easy if heading west on Mineral point so try to go that way. It's an ok place but not a favorite of ours. read more

City Barbeque - Kitchen area. - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Turkey is surprisingly moist. Chicken was pulled, not dry but not super juicy. The brisket was the big disappointment, tough and dry. Not juicy and falling apart how brisket should be. Nice array of sauces and sides. Mac & cheese was good, corn pudding is excellent. Not cheap but it is a bunch of protein. Kind and helpful staff. Overall I would come back but be a bit more selective with what I order because not everything is fantastic. Some things are solid, though. read more

Lord knows I enjoy the franchise as I was introduced in Charlotte, NC almost a decade ago. This location has a guy that went from the front register dealing with a customer to the grill and pulled ribs WITHOUT EVER changing gloves. Y'all gloves cost nothing. Gloves are to protect people you serve not the human wearing them in the food industry. Now, the gloves are definitely for the protection of workers in the medical field. My point change the gloves or just opt out. read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Stopped in today for some lunch. This was my first time here and the staff was very friendly and helpful. They were patient with our ordering as we do have some allergies. They were very accommodating. It's a large space with lots of tables. Right where you get your soda there are the different barbecue sauces to choose from including a vinegar one called swine wine. Just for the name alone they get points. Great place for barbecued items. I will definitely be back. read more

City Barbeque - Beef brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

What can I say? Another trip to gastronomic heaven. The aroma once you walk into this joint is just a mere tease compared to the smokehouse-Barbeque nirvana that awaits you. The meat falls off the bones. The chicken sandwich was crunchy, tasty, and just a joy to consume. The pulled pork sandwich is tender and moist. The fries alone are so so good. Just the right amount of saltiness. The skin-on adds to the texture and flavor. Heck, even the slice of buttery toasted bread makes you go 'Mmmmm!' Just writing this review is making my mouth water. I can't wait to go back for more. I should also mention that the entire staff is super helpful and they all seem to really enjoy their work. read more

City Barbeque - Ribs, chicken sandwich, fries, pulled pork sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I was there for dinner on a weekday. The place had plenty of seats available. Nashville chicken sandwich was my favorite. It had good flavors. My other item was brisket sandwich. Definitely add some barbeque sauce to it. I added original sauce. It was good too. For dessert peach cobbler was my favorite item. It came hot. One order of peach cobbler was enough for 2 people. Banana pudding was just ok. I should have skipped it. Kids chicken tenders was good. read more

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I came to City Barbecue for my brother in law's birthday. I was pleasantly surprised how awesome this place is! City Barbecue is a delicious casual counter serve BBQ smokehouse with a variety of bbq meats, sandwiches, salads, side dishes, and scrumptious dessert options with nice size portions at affordable prices! There were lots of amazing smoked meat options such as pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, turkey, sausage, etc! The real star of the show was their brisket which was very flavorful, smokey, and super tender! If you would like to try more than one meat you could try the sampler platter served with a side of buttery Texas toast! I love that there were many sides to choose from such as their collard greens, fresh hot hush puppies, green beans, potato salad, and more! Complete your meal with a satisfying drink like lemonade or iced sweet tea! They offer a huge unique variety of bbq sauces to choose from everything from tangy, sweet, spicy, and smokey bbq sauces which you pick out yourself which is super fun because you can serve yourself and try all the different bbq sauces! The service was super fast, efficient, and friendly! The ambiance was very comfortable with lots of family and kids there! Make sure to try their comforting heavenly desserts like the triple chocolate cake, banana pudding, and peach cobbler to satisfy your sweet tooth! My husband devoured the chocolate cake! He loved their cake! City Barbecue is a delicious, casual bbq smokehouse to enjoy with friends and family that is great value! read more

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I had Mia wait on me. She was patient with allowing me the time to make my decision. She answered my questions, got my food. Bagged up promptly asked me which sauces I wanted, smiled and made sure that I had great service. Thank you! read more

My experience with this business is my food was slapped on the container like baby food. The meat looked like the return of undigested food. I ordered a bowl of chili and I got a sloppy cup of chili that was cold, sweet and overly cooked. Lastly, the portions were small enough for a toddler. I will not purchase any more from this business. I have purchased many times from this business I have not experienced any problems in the past. read more

Amazing pulled pork sandwich and banana pudding is awesome. The atmosphere is really cool and the people are really nice.

I Stan for city bbq and dare I say it. It may be my favorite bbq spot in all of Madison. It's easy to get to, fast to order from and the employees are always so friendly. Their loyalty program is also great and the more you go the more you save. Here's the highlights from my past couple of visits- 1. Pastrami - it's a limited time special right now and boy is it delicious. They have it on fries and a sandwich and goodness the sandwich was to die for. Incredibly flavorful, Smokey and had the perfect combination of meat, sauce and veggies 2. Sausage- JUICY. Nuff said 3. Beef brisket sandwich - solid solid brisket that is juicy and flavorful. You can't go wrong with it 4. Fries- crispy, potatoes that aren't too thin and feel fresh cut with meat still on the inside. Love them 5. Corn pudding- try it!! It's like an easier and more moist way to eat corn bread! I love coming here and will definitely be back with friends as the seating area is spacious and there is absolutely something for everyone. read more

Gave it one more shot, and am regretting it. $75 for the driest brisket I've ever had the displeasure of eating. Done and done. read more

Ordered delivery - ribs, half a smoked chicken, and the triple Q (pulled pork mixed with some chopped brisket and rib meat). Also went in with Mac and cheese, collards and hush puppies. Everything was solid. The meats were tasty and cooked well, sides were good, and the hush puppies even retained some crunch despite being delivered. We will definitely order from here again. read more

We ordered takeout to split between 2 people - the Judge's Sampler with 2 pint sides - brisket, pulled pork, chicken breast & wing, half slab ribs, and sides of 3-cheese baked mac and baked beans with brisket. We were supposed to get Texas toast but they forgot it. Pros: had enough food leftover for us both to eat another meal (which for being $50 was nice). Would come back for the brisket (savory), mac (cheesy), and baked beans (saucy). Cons: our takeout order only included 1 sauce for all of the meat, which was nowhere near enough. Would not come back for the pulled pork (dry), ribs (dry), or the cornbread (bland, tbh boxed Jiffy's or Zatarain's is better). Overall it was alright, but we were not impressed. read more

City Barbeque - Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Fine fine wine. Like wine, a good bbq sauce makes the dish that's good, much more than just a delightful thing to eat. It's pushed in the delicacy realm. Two days ago I sampled a chicken hind quarter from this place. It's memory was everything I'd been craving in the ensuing 48 or so. Tonight, as I watched something on my television as I was tinkering with the prep of items for the soup I'm cooking for someone who frequently make's requests, something was said that suddenly made driving to City BBQ an urgent matter. First off the staff is exceptional at making the customers feel welcome. That was my first experience last summer when I entered one evening. A couple days ago it was the same same. Tonight it's again a pleasure to enter anywhere and get a greeting g that's not even close to sounding like BS. The welcoming feeling is followed by offerings of food that may be something you've never experienced previously or a favorite item you're seeking to revisit. My first visit was brisket and I was pleased. But because I've made a few briskets in my smoker, tonight I felt the call of the chicken clucking my name in a longing sensual siren song inside my own head. I was enticed by a very nice sample of the ribs. But since I made some at home (3x last in the span of 2 days) for my son and I, as well as a third batch trying a different technique, I can fairly say I'm ribbed out. The mayo based slaw was good, per the sample, but not enough so that I brought some home. Though I'm wishing as I am thinking about it, I really wish I had. The baked beans I recalled from before were all the rage and I wasn't about to go away without them. The tenderest chicken. Of the three sauces I brought home the brushfire was in he one I most enjoyed. The black pepper themed style that I believe is the default sauce is certainly all it is proclaimed. The mustard was good, though I was not as inspired by it as I'd been anticipating. The food was so good I am glad I still have a few bites of everything left for another taste later. Fin. read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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A couple of weeks ago I visited City Barbeque for the first time because they sent a $5 coupon in the mail. To place an order is similar to a fast food restaurant-you order at the counter and you make your payment. When your order is complete they will call your name. There are no combo options; everything is a la carte however with the sides if you buy one you get another for a reduced price. I ordered the Nashville Hot Sandwich, side salad and french fries. Usually the coleslaw is on the sandwich but I wanted to try it on the side. The sandwich was ok but it did bring the spice . The fries were perfect and the side salad was fresh and I loved that spinach was included. The restaurant was beautiful and clean. There is an outside patio and plenty of seating. My only wish was that they served alcohol. Nashville Hot Sandwich 3/5 Fries 5/5 Side Salad 5/5 Restaurant atmosphere 5/5 read more

Great food, quality, big portions. Only wish they had banana pudding available. Always a good choice. read more

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I love BBQ and decided to try City Barbeque (which is a chain of around 55 restaurants). I have gone there at least 10 times since. I love the brisket, ribs, French fries, and pickles. The music is excellent. The service is excellent. The people who work there are very kind. I recommend. read more

We had first tried City Barbecue a few years ago in Florence, KY when we lived in Northern Kentucky. It was a frequent spot we ate ate. We were pleased to see the franchise had made its way up to Wisconsin. This location was just as satisfying as our previous experiences at the other location. Lot's of options to choose from as far as meats and sides go. They offer all of the major BBQ styles and meats. They also offer many southern sides to choose from and desserts. My usual used to be the "More Cowbell" sandwich but this time I tried the limited time sandwich, the "Carolina Goldmine". It consisted of smoked sausage and pulled pork on a sandwich. It was tasty but a bit more complicated to eat with the sausage as part of the sandwich. They also offer a variety of BBQ sauces/styles from areas around the U.S. Nice, clean restaurant with outdoor seating area as well. Service was friendly and quick. Would recommend this place for any BBQ lover. read more

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Everything was absolutely perfect. We came in this restaurant when it first opened, and it was terribad just bad service they had to drive to Illinois and get food but yesterday when we walked in it was absolutely delicious and the best service that one could ever ask for. I called everyone I could call to tell them about how great the service and food was yesterday you guys are absolutely a 10 out of 5 for great service and great Food. read more

So the first thing is that the staff here were so friendly and helpful - they made us feel welcome as soon as we walked in. This is the kind of place where you place your order at the counter and pick it up when it's ready for dine-in or to go. The menu is good - all the classic BBQ meats (beef brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey, sausage - maybe pork?), mostly as sandwiches. The have larger servings but those were way more than we needed! There's a long list of sides and Pepsi products (also sweet/unsweetened tea and lemonade) for drinks. Partner got the brisket sandwich and fries. I had turkey (no bun), hush puppies and baked beans. The good: the portions are *generous*. The brisket is sliced, not chopped and same for the turkey. The hush puppies were terrific - steaming hot, crisp and super tasty - I think there were 7 or 8 in the paper boat, couldn't eat them all! We tried their original, city and texas fire sauces - liked all well enough, although the Texas fire is a sneaky burn! The meh: the meats were tender and juicy, but partner doesn't like crispy or fatty bits, so had to do a lot of trimming. The meats were surprisingly kind of bland - not a lot of smokiness, although they were done nicely. The beans leaned a little too much on the vinegar side, but were tasty enough. The "won't order again:" the fries. This is nearly a deal breaker for us. Again, good portion, but limp. We like 'em with body and these had none. Parking is a bit weird - have to go through a small strip mall lot to reach this corner location. There's currently some construction next door, so this may improve in a while. We'll likely be back - it's a nice change from our usual day trip line-up - and we'll give a few of the other sides a try (hush puppies will beat potato salad any day!). All in all a good meal. Update: This business is serious about customer satisfaction! They contacted us to find out how they could improve our experience and provided a gift card that we enjoyed using in a second visit. This time I had the chicken (dark meat on the bone) and I liked it even better than the turkey. For sides, I tried the green beans, which were awesome (great flavor) and the potato salad, which was...different? The flavor also was great, but it was oddly more like cold, potato-salad flavored mashed potatoes. Don't get me wrong - I liked it, but basically there's little you can do to a potato that I won't like (fries are an exception -I'm picky about those). SO had the turkey this time, which he liked better than the brisket (again, he's super picky about his brisket!) and the cornbread, which was ok. Service is friendly and fast, portions are generous. We enjoyed coming back in. read more

I visited city bbq on a hot and muggy Sunday afternoon after listening to glorious hymns from my pastor at Christ the King church. Several weeks ago I was unaware of this restaurant, but a friendly women at Popeyes informed me of the supposed delicious meats that can be found at City BBQ. Ever since that day, I knew City BBQ was a destination in my future. My party stepped inside the establishment and were overwhelmed by the vast menu and decorations all over the dining hall. The greeting by the cashier was warm and inviting which was a perfect start to the visit. Music was blasting at me as I ordered a pulled meat sandwich on Texas Toast, with collard greens and beans on the side. The food was super moist. Each bean was surrounded by tangy bbq juices, and the collard greens were swimming in a salty concoction. The Texas toast on my sandwich had fabulous flavor, but under the pile of pulled meat it did not hold up how I would of hoped. The meat itself was fatty and tender, each chunk enhanced by a slathering side of sauce. Overall, I was extremely pleased by what was offered here, and there is something for everyone to enjoy. read more

1st impressions first thoughts , got a small lunch with a couple of staple sides. Just a brisket sandwich, slaw & corn bread , I was satisfied brisket was tender and delicious, sauces were excellent, slaw decent had better , corn bread ( who remembers N.A rotisserie? Well it wasn't that good). But it was worthy of a return visit , it's perfect for when in the mood and when your craving a trip to KC or Memphis but can't afford it read more

City BBQ serves all the elements of a great lunch that includes a drink, corn pudding for dessert , outside seating, freshly made food, quick & friendly service, clean restroom, & most importantly, all for less than $9! I had 3 side dishes w/o any sandwiches: 1. tasty and not too salty collard greens (other places typically make them too salty) 2. the best hush puppies anywhere- satisfying mouth feel - crunchy, freshly fried but not greasy 3. Corn pudding- nice with corn kernels, not too sweet but creamy similar to eating macaroni & cheese. I can't wait to have the leftover corn pudding and still some hush puppies for later! I had plenty for lunch. read more

Love this place. My family often gets takeout from here. The ribs, pulled pork, chicken and brisket are all great, they seem less greasy than some competing bbq places in the area. The Mac & cheese side and fries are also great. Prices are very reasonable. We often get the Judges sampler w/ pint sized sides for 2 adults & 2 small kids (4 &6) & we always have leftovers. Pickup orders have always been correct and ready at the specified time. read more

Food was amazing. Great flavor and smell. Desserts are to die for and service is excellent. Will be back

Here is a quick and casual BBQ spot to go grab a fast dinner. I enjoyed their brisket sandwich with two sides (ate it too fast to take a picture). In my sandwich, I had a mix of lean and fatty brisket but I did have to add the sweet BBQ sauce onto the meat to have more flavor. For sides, I got the green beans with bacon and baked beans with brisket. I really liked the green beans but note that they are super soft. The baked beans tasted fine and had a few large bites of brisket which was nice. Pro tip: come on Tuesdays for ribs Tuesdays in which you can get ribs for $1.50 per rib. If you are around the area and want BBQ, this is a decent spot to try. Shout out to the staff - they were very nice, flexible and awesome when I went to pick up my order. read more

Don't waste your time or money with this place. Ordered for pickup inside because our previous experience with curbside was so bad. Had to wait 30 minutes past the pickup time for our food. One item they were out of but didn't tell me about it. I discovered it was missing, asked why they were just going to let me leave without saying something. Manager lied and said they tried to call me but I was standing there with my phone out and never missed a call. He then proceeded to be extremely rude to me. Got home to discover that they hadn't given us any of our other sides!! Including two that I had paid extra. Just meat and bread. Normally I'd go back or call but that's pointless with this place. This is our second experience with this horrible manager. If he's this rude with customers, he must be awful to work with. Will travel down the road to North South. Better bbq and much better service. read more

Very flavorful turkey and chicken. Everything has a wonderful smoky taste. The desserts are special and so are the ribs. This is a place I think about often. read more

Tried City Barbeque for the first time last weekend. Really just ended up there because my daughter wanted to get something from a nearby restaurant - and my wife wanted something different. I mentioned to her that there are 4 restaurants including City Barbeque at this location and we could all pick what we wanted. My wife ordered for me while I got food for my daughter. I tried the Beef Brisket sandwich with cornbread. I was a bit surprised it was just Brisket on a bun - no slaw or toppings of any kind. Lots of choices at the location for what type of sauce you choose to add. My wife got me "Original", some thing hot (maybe brush fire sauce?) and Swine Wine sauce. Let me say - the sandwich was DELICIOUS - and the sauces were great too. Meat was piled up pretty good and the bun was fresh, good and toasted. ALL the sauces were amazing - I actually mixed them too. The corn bread was a little loaf that was perfectly made. Not to crumbly and not too bready. Very tasty. Overall we liked this place way more than we thought we would. Atmosphere was nice, place was clean - I can't comment on the service cause I didn't order - but we are definitely going back again! read more

Food was great and amazing experience. Very friendly staff. The manager went above and beyond to make you feel welcome.

City Barbeque has earned a regional reputation as great barbeque so I had to try it! My neighbors rave about it when they used to live in Ohio. The brisket is smokey, tender and perfect with pieces of char infused. The pulled pork was sweet and tender as well! I got a 4 sides to try. The vinegar slaw was crisp and clean. I couldn't get enough of it. The collard greens with pork were excellent since they reminded me of greens down south. I just wish they weren't so salty. The baked beans with pieces of brisket was, well, fantastic! Sweet, savory and a bit decadent. The green beans with bacon were my least favorite since it's hard to keep them from getting a bit soggy. City Barbeque will be giving other bbq restaurants in the area a run for their money. Good outdoor seating, friendly staff and check out the mammoth smokers out back that create all that smokey goodness! As Arnold says, "I'll be back!" read more

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Ordered curbside pickup twice now. The first time I got the sampler. We loved the brisket, liked the pulled pork, but the chicken was meh. A little dry and lacking flavor. I ordered extra sides so I could taste them all. Loved the baked beans, the collard greens were pretty good, but the green beans tasted like they were overcooked after being dredged from a can. The creamy coleslaw was way too creamy- too much dressing. The staffer who delivered my order was very nice and very polite. Ordered ribs the second time. The baked beans and collard greens were still good, but the vinegar coleslaw tasted like it hadn't been fresh for a long time. The ribs were dry, lacking smoky flavor and very tough. Again, the staff was friendly and polite. Unfortunately, the food is not enough to make me want to try it again. I would give the staff five stars, but the food is only a one. read more

Very disappointed. I ordered the brisket and sausage both were very oily, not greasy but oily. Brisket had too much fat on it making it impossible to pull it apart with your fork had to use a knife. The cornbread had a distinctive metallic taste and no sweetness. While so had the Mac and cheese and potato salad. Both were decent enough but not enough to bring me back. I was looking forward to having a great BBQ dinner, unfortunately, City BBQ missed the mark completely. read more

Whenever I go to Madison I will stop at City bar bq. Clean, everyone is nice, the food is great, prices are good. Food pictured at website exactly what you get, plentiful. Backround blues music nice touch read more

Liked the food, good flavor, not fatty, enough of each food item. Friendly service and the food was packed well. No Styrafoam,