Dean's BBQ, located in Granger, Indiana, is only about a year old and is already a local favorite! My boyfriend and I were in the area in June 2026 and we were enticed by the menu and good reviews on Yelp so we had dinner here. Tl;dr - we loved it and are looking forward to coming back here many more times! So it isn't a large space. But we didn't have to wait for a table. There is also a somewhat open kitchen for the curious diners who enjoy watching chefs at work. There's a printed menu but there are also many chalkboards on the walls around the small space that list the specials. Our service was fast and the place was well-staffed. We stuck to ordering off the regular menu except for our drinks. I was impressed by the prices of the drinks, especially the for mocktails. We also agreed that the prices for the merch were decent, especially the sweatshirt, which was only $35. My boyfriend, who is not a beer drinker, got the Vandermill apple cider ($5), made in Grand Rapids, MI. I got the 3 Floyd's Zombie Dust APA ($7.50), a famous Munster, Indiana brewery that has won a plethora of awards over the years. I got a little tipsy from it, ngl. We were craving different items to eat so my boyfriend got the Dean's Burger with wagyu beef and pork with a side of mac and cheese ($19). It was so juicy and the cheese pull was insane! I love brisket so I had to try theirs so I got the brisket sandwich with fries ($18). The brisket was delicious and the bun was of good quality. I had to add a little more sauce to it though. Also, the homemade ketchup tasted a bit apple butter-y! Crazy delicious! They said it had cloves in it. I tried to eat as slow as I could to make it last and was so sad when I finished my food. It was all soooo good! Overall, our meal cost a bit over $60 after tax and tip. We joined the rewards program and we WILL be back! read more

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The best ribs and other barbecue special items it's a brisket and chicken are excellent

I had lunch at Dean's. I ordered the Dean's Burger with fries. I have to say that the burger wasn't very good. It was very..very dry. The pulled pork on the top was extremely tough. One piece of pork about the size of a finger was burnt and hard. The bottom of the bun was burnt black. The worst burger I've had in the county. Half of the fries were tiny end pieces. Hardly any salt on them and no salt available on the table. There were only 6 people in the restaurant yet it seemed to take forever to get food. The server was very nice though. The place has a nice bar vibe. Honestly for a burger that costs nearly 20 dollars I expect it to be a lot better. read more

The food was terrible I felt like I got robbed literally. We got Caribbean style salmon, its a disgrace to Caribbean food and the culture. The rice was overcooked, The smoked chicken was tasteless but good portion. It wasn't cooked all the way through so we had to bring it home and put it in the air fryer. The side portions were pathetic and its not worth the money at all. Totally disappointed. I didn't want to give one star because thats pushing it. Customer service was good, she was cool. Other than that Its a hell to the no!!! As of right now I don't feel well after eating the food. For $40 and we were still hungry, what a waste of time and money. Definitely won't be returning. read more

I've been here a few times now, and every visit has been fantastic. The food is incredible, and the staff is always great. The burgers and brisket are top-notch, it's rare to find a BBQ spot that serves burgers, but they do it so well! The bold flavors are a real treat. Highly recommended! read more

It was freezing with a vent blowing cold air right at me. It continued with iced tea that was beyond its prime. It seemed like the waitress even knew what I was going to say about it. I asked for a Diet Coke instead. The menu doesn't say it would be a can of soda. $3.25 for a can of soda is ridiculous as it is not like they need to make up their costs someplace as the food is not inexpensive. I ordered the burnt brisket tips and fries. More than half of my serving of brisket was pure fat. I am not afraid of a little fat, but this was literally full pieces of wobbly fat, without even a hint of meat. The sauce was good and the brisket I did have was also good. The fries could have been good if they were not so loaded with salt. I love salt and I routinely salt things. The amount of salt on these fries was beyond anything I have experienced before. The place was packed...I hope they were all first timers. I really typically try to support local, non-chain restaurants, but I will not be back! Mission BBQ here we come. Over $50 for two and I left hungry and disappointed. read more

Just finished another delicious meal at Deans. I tried the sweet potato appetizer for the first time and it was beyond expectations! Roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese and an apple bourbon reduction! I'll absolutely be getting this dish again! read more

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I had the Burnt ends and the Wife had the? Wage burger. The burger was over cooked and dried out the only thing on the burnt ends that wasn't tough was the fat. Service was terrible I had to sit and watch my food get cold under a heat lamp. I finally had to go to the cash register and tell them that my dinner had been sitting on the counter and it should be cold enough to eat. No one ever asked if we needed anything or refilled our soft drinks. I can only say that I will not be returning. read more

The food was absolutely delicious and spectacular nice portions and the atmosphere of the place is great it's worth the trip and I live in cassopolis Michigan read more

The atmosphere and staff are warm and welcoming. We tried the Elote dip which was a chalkboard special and it didn't disappoint with pulled pork on top and house made chips. I ordered the cornbread toast as my entree and it was spectacular! My husband ordered the burnt end and the sauce was delicious, the meat was tender and the shoestring fries were crispy and well seasoned. We asked about their brunch because there isn't a posted menu and the waitress shared it with us. We will without a doubt be back! read more

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Friendly efficient servers. Food is always good. I love their menu items. Even though classified as barbecue, they take great care with their sides, salads and apps read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Spinach salad was amazing! - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

We ordered the cornbread toast with pulled pork, the burnt ends with fries and the rib tips with macaroni to go. This is definitely a place where you need to actually dine in. The cornbread was fair, but the pulled pork was so tough that I couldn't eat it at all. The burnt ends were too burnt and the fries were nasty and soggy. The rib tips were also tough and out of the 55 dollars total we spent, the only thing that was edible was the macaroni, which was very good. The server that helped us was very nice and it's really cute inside. Small, but cute. I doubt we will be back. There is just no good barbecue spot in our area, but hopefully someday. read more

Been here a few times now. Food is fabulous and staff have been great! I have not been disappointed. Fabulous burgers and brisket. I love bbq but hardly ever see a bbq place that serves burgers. Bold flavors that dance on your tongue. Highly recommended! read more

Great little BBQ place in downtown Granger! Great food! Top notch chef! Super duper! How do I make this a review?? It was good. Ran into friends there. What else can I say???? read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Checking out this cool BBQ place in Granger! - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

First time here and service is absolutely amazing and THE FOOD!!! OH MY GOODNESS it's so amazing and everyone is so friendly I'm definitely going to be back:) read more

First time here but it won't be the last! Cool vibe. Lots of drink options- hard and soft, beer and wine. The draft options are from local breweries (nice touch). Food- brisket sandwich on special and it was so delicious! The fries were fantastic- hot and crispy. A great little spot to visit in Granger read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Specials from 4/7/22 - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

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Ordered a full-pound of Brisket, at least 25% of it was straight fat and cold. I have ordered this before and has always been good, however this time it was horrible. Horrible enough for me to get on here and say something... The server Michelle was very polite and professional. read more

Recommended by a friend for good bbq. Got the pulled pork sandwich with fries. Open the box, and bun looks small. Pick up the sandwich and it's loaded with pulled perk and great taste! Size turns out it be just enough with the fries. The fries do need work. Mine were hot but soggy. I ordered online and had no issues. Food was ready exactly as promised. I'll certainly try more of their menu as it looks fantastic! Give them a try! read more

This place was so good! The goat cheese and pulled pork with cornbread appetizer was original and delicious. We had two of the daily specials as entrees with brisket and a smoked half chicken-the meat was juicy and very well seasoned. We tried two of their barbecue sauces which were both delicious. The cocktails were also excellent and they had a great whiskey selection. Highly recommend. read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Half chicken special with mushrooms and asparagus - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

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I have tried this place twice with an online order for take out. (Pulled Pork). The first time I arrived I entered and there were two customers at Bar, a bartender and two people cooking. All turned and stared at me then continued on with what they were doing. No one said a word. Not very inviting. Felt like I was intruding. The pulled pork was okay. Not much smoke flavor or any flavor. Their BBQ sauce was decent. I did try one more time but had the same experience. Not sure this is the place for me. It was nice to have a BBQ place near our home but will be will to drive a little further in the future. The restaurant is small with a small bar. The decor is cool has a nice bbq look. Unfortunately I found the hospitality wanting. read more

The smoked, then braised, beef short rib was probably one of the best beef entrées I've ever had. It is served with delicious sweet potato mash, phenomenal gravy, and perfectly prepared broccolini. The Westwind Primus NEIPA was a perfect accompaniment. Service was stellar, and I loved the ambience. read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Westwind Primus NEIPA - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

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We were disappointed to find that they only had a brunch menu on Sunday. We went right when they opened on Sunday because we had previously gone on Friday night and found the place to be packed with no where to wait for a table comfortably. Our food was tasty, but there were few combinations that would appeal to a simple palate. Maybe this restaurant should expand or try to find a place for people to wait without feeling like they're staring at the people who are eating. read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

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People who are saying this is one of the best BBQ in the area, obviously need to have their taste buds checked by a doctor. Using seasoning on a brisket is a good thing except this restaurant must not have gotten the memo. My family and I ate here and even the chicken tasted off. Service is not up to standard either as it was a long wait until the bartender come out behind the bar just to get us menus and a drink order. when asked about a children's menu, we were told they were all out only to find the family who were seated after us were provided two children's menus. Don't waste your time or your money at this place as you will be very disappointed. We had high hopes for a BBQ restaurant near to us here in Granger, but unfortunately will not be returning. read more

Once again, the food is excellent, the staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is fun! I highly recommend the sweet potatoes and the pork rinds! read more

Rarely do I give 5 stars, but everything about this place was amazing. The service, food, atmosphere, even the water was excellent. Our table ordered 3 appetizers pimento, sweet potato, and the cornbread. All of which were great. The pulled pork was the main entree and did not disappoint. Even enjoyed a Paloma and bread pudding. I can't wait to go back and try more! read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Paloma - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

I went with three stars but it wasn't amazing. The sauces were actually really good. The burnt ends were not special at all and the brisket wasn't either. The apple crisp didn't have any crisp and want very good at all. The bread pudding was pretty good. The server was nice but the service was very slow. I mean super slow, there were two other tables when we were there and it was just brutal how long it took. The food was more expensive then it was worth too. Hopefully they address some of these issues. I doubt I return. read more

Highly recommend! Pulled pork was super flavorful and Smokey, brisket had great burnt bits and fat (yum!), cornbread was awesome, pickled onions and grapes were fantastic! Also tried the Mac N Cheese which had great smoke flavor and was super cheesy! Check it out. Do it. read more

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Pretty inconsistent with food, service and bartending. I have gone three times, ordered the same drink every time and each time it's served in a different glass, different size with different garnish. read more

Great food. Unique/some special ( & delicious dishes, like their Mac & Cheese). Smaller restaurant, clean, friendly. read more

Joined my wife, daughter, and son-in-law for dinner, as we had made a decision to try this new place a couple of weeks ago. Simple menu with just the right amount of options. I had the brisket sandwich and fries, my wife had the regular burger, my daughter had the pulled pork sandwich, and son-in-law had Dean's Burger. All of us enjoyed our selections and cleaned our plates. French fries, I have to say...were delicious! I ordered (but don't get to drink my fair share due to taste testers at our table ) a draft of Upland Brewing Champagne Velvet (yes, that Champagne Velvet, born in Terre Haute, Indiana). It was such a treat, we enjoyed a 2nd one! Here's to hoping this place has wonderful success. Lots of great things going on here and our server Jentry was a sweetheart to put up with all of my antics! read more

This place has great food and a hard working staff. Their dining room is fairly small (8 tables of varying size and a dozen bar seats) so if you are eating in you need to get there early or be ok with the wait. We order to go and our family of 5 hasn't found anything that they don't like. read more

Dean's Barbecue was so delicious I couldn't quit saying that while I ate there. The service was very good as well.

Found this by accident while going to the new Chief in Granger. Popped our heads in to check out the ambiance and menu. Nice clean atmosphere, menu was one page plus specials on the chalkboard. We put it on our barbeque bucket list. Now, being in Northern Indiana, no one expects real barbeque. (At least not those who have been down south). So I wasn't expecting much but always hopeful and optimistic. My wife chose off the specials chalkboard menu the Smoked Portabella with fried eggplant on a bed of spinach with goat cheese. I selected pulled pork on the printed menu that came with pickled onion with grapes, and pickled cucumbers. For a side, I ordered the home made coleslaw with walnuts and white raisins. I had their homemade Habanero sauce on the side. Boy Howdy! Both dishes were wonderful! At first my wife and I speculated that the only good fried eggplant was my grandmothers so again, we weren't expecting much. Boy were we wrong. Every bite had a nice crunch. the breading was incredible and even the spinach was spectacularly different. I asked my wife, "We're in Michiana right? I mean, we're not supposed to have this kind of cuisine here. This is stuff only found on Food Network. Seen but never tasted. The pulled pork was wonderful "plain". I say plain but it was seasoned very well and it really didn't need sauce to help it. I made the mistake of tasting the Habanero sauce. It was very good and great heat, but, I didn't need it to enjoy the pulled pork. It actually took away from the taste of the pork. Sometimes pulled pork is merely a means of eating the sauce in most BBQ places, but not this one. Most of the time, BBQ restaurants place all the emphasis on the meat and nothing on the sides. Not at Dean's! Most places have 1 or 2 sides that are good, but not worth writing home to mom about, but I'm telling you, I saved a last bite of each side. I couldn't decide what my last memory bite was going to be. My unexpected surprise was the pickled onion with grapes. The right amount of sweet and tart. I never would have ordered it from the menu, and I would have missed a tasty memory. I understand that not everyone likes pickled items, but for me, I couldn't get enough. It will be your new favorite. I read the negative reviews and laughed. Dean's level of flavors is above that of chain store BBQ. The food is all fresh and home made. You can taste the difference. A well cooked steak doesn't need sauce, so does good BBQ. This is good BBQ. Jentry was our wonderful server. She knew the menu and was so nice and helpful. We wanted her to sit down and visit with us. (We're weird, I know) For those who need to know, the restrooms were clean and well cared for which tells you how clean the kitchen is. The whole place was clean. You can taste the love that goes into their food. This is one of those places I would expect to see on a Food channel of hidden places you don't want to miss. I can't wait to go back and taste a little more lovin'. read more

I dined there tonight for the first time with my brother. Off the bat the staff is very friendly and we got seated very quickly. I had the pulled pork and it was very moist but did not taste like barbecue. The best way I can describe it is it taste like it was cooked in a crock pot with a lot of spices that are not associated with a barbecue flavor, and zero smoke taste. The barbecue sauces are very different , they have more spaghetti sauce vibe then barbecue. I would really love to see this restaurant thrive, because there isn't a lot of options in Granger. My suggestion would to stick to basic barbecue flavors. read more

Excellent! This was our second visit. We are working our way through the menu and everything has been delicious! Service is great. Food gets to the table quick and HOT. Drinks options are good (mixed and good beers on tap). Always specials on the board. Prices are very reasonable. You have got to give this place a try. We only eat a locally owned restaurants. This one has met our very high standards and will be on frequent rotation. Great job Dean's! read more

Their wings are sooo good, best wings around. I was there twice, and both waitresses were very pleasant and appropriately attentive. The briskets were okay but not bad, I loved the ribs. read more

Everything was excellent. Friendly staff, affordable menu, huge portions, and delicious food. Wife and I split the chicken wings as an appetizer and they were fresh and hot and had a great dry rub. Loved the habanero sauce. Then for the main course we had the best brisket I've had from any restaurant. Left full and happy! We will be back read more

Dean's Barbecue & Restaurant - Brisket, marinated vegetables, jalapeno grits - Barbeque Near Me - Granger, Indiana

Stopped here for takeout at the end of a long road trip. The place was hopping on a Thursday evening, and the food was great. Pulled pork sandwiches, salad, kids' Mac and cheese. read more

Called to place a carry out order. Answered the phone "hello". Wasnt sure I had the right place. The meat was good but sides were small. Apple coleslaw did not have an apple in it. Was just cabbage soaked too much in vinegar with walnuts thrown on top. Was so sour, not even edible. Very disappointed. We could have had a much better meal for $50. read more

EXCELLENT food! Great service! Ribs and whit chocolate bread pudding is out of this world!