Honey Bear's BBQ is hands down the best BBQ spot in Phoenix! I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and it was absolutely delicious--tender, flavorful, and piled high. The BBQ sauce is incredible and easily some of the best I've ever had. The fries were perfectly cooked, and the serving was huge, which was a great bonus. The food, portions, and flavor were all outstanding. If you're looking for authentic BBQ in Phoenix, Honey Bear's is a must-visit. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

It's been 20 years since I was a regular; I'm glad they're still in bidness. Barbara would never give me the BBQ sauce recipe, but enough hints to get me close. Hint-hint: there's no honey! Hint-hint-hint: go easy on the mustard. My go to was ribs and "Cowbro" beans and a beer. Don't worry about the decor - you're there for the ribs. Only place I've ever been where the City Attorney, a hobo, and Sir Charles were dining at the same time. read more

My daughter had moved up to the Phoenix area and we were looking for a place where I can take her out for a birthday lunch and she picked this place. It was a good choice because we really enjoyed it. Nice homie atmosphere, good food, friendly people. She got the pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed it very much. She gave me a bite of the pulled pork and I actually liked it better than what I had gotten. I ordered the 4 rib special and while they were delicious, they were a bit more chewy than what I've gotten in most other places. I had leftovers and they were good the next day for lunch. If you like greens, definitely order the collard greens because they were fantastic! I would definitely go here again to try other items on the menu. read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - I got the four rib special with collard greens on the side. She got the pulled pork sandwich with fries. We enjoyed everything! - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I ran into this business because they also own a food truck that will show up at various cultural, arts, and music events in the greater Phoenix area. I decided to try their mac & cheese with brisket. So for $14, this was pretty small and the food was lukewarm. Although it was unique to have brisket that was sweet, I've had better quality brisket at other places. Overall, the food taste was pretty forgettable. read more

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Arrived at Honey Bear's BBQ at about 6:00. Nobody was dining other than myself. The service was fast and friendly. The ambiance was exactly the same, with zero done in improvements. I recall eating there religiously about 20 years ago. I also recall having them cater several parties. I remember it was one of my favorite restaurants. Anyway, I ordered the 2 item combo. It included two meats and two sides. I ordered the brisket and chicken as the meats and ordered beans and fries as sides. The beans had too much celery salt and sugar. The meats were just okay. It seems like this place needs a makeover. The food quality isn't as good as it was. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. The ribs were our favorite. They fell right off the bone and still juicy and full of flavor. The owner was so friendly and polite, actually took the time to have a conversation with us. Overall great experience! read more

The food is so good. Service and you're treated like family place was clean like eating at a country barbecue spot. Bathroom were clean. We love the food, but mostly the people are the best. read more

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We had been wanting to try this place for a while and finally ordered takeout. We ended up ordering; pulled pork, loaded fries with chicken, Mac and cheese, a hot link sandwich, potato salad and a slice of sweet potato pie. Pulled pork: Nice smoky flavor, leaner than I was expecting, which I didn't mind. Loaded fries with chicken: The fries were still decently crisp, chicken was very tender (I was expecting it to be a little dry since it was mostly white meat). We added some cheese and popped it in the oven, then topped with barbecue sauce. Really good! Mac and cheese: This was a little disappointing, the sauce was really nice and cheesy but unfortunately the macaroni was very mushy. I put it down to us ordering at the end of the day and the noodles probably sitting in sauce all day. Hot link sandwich: This was actually decently spicy! The sausage is a much finer grind than I was expecting similar to a hot dog. Potato salad: I believe these were red skinned potatoes in a nice slightly sweet, peppery dressing. There were bits of green pepper that added a nice crunch. Sweet potato pie: My boyfriend really loves sweet potato pie and enjoyed it. The filling was nicely spiced and quite clove-y. The texture was nice and creamy and crust was good. The sauce was unlike any other barbecue sauce I've had. Sweet, spicy and runnier than I expected but full of flavor. We will definitely be back! read more

Nothing says Van Buren St like honey bears bbq. Withered by the sands of time this place is a Phoenix original. Their sauce is the boss and the meat is smoked under the valley of the sun. The bun is no fun, but the sky's out for the sides. read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - The glorious entrance positioned nicely between a used tire shop and a gay bar. - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Wonderful food. The owner is part of the community and treats his customers as such. The food. Oh the food is good. I will go out of my way and drive 30 minutes just to have their bar-be-cue! read more

Food was amazing! Thank you Mark for the hospitality and conversation. That catfish ain't nothing to play with!!

Have Loved the food for many years. They have a Loyalty Program that does not work. Never receive credit for my purchases. Repeatedly speak to staff about the issue without success. My name and phone are in the system. Little concern in the store is almost understandable. They are there to serve food. Have repeatedly tried to speak with corporate representatives and they will not respond to calls or emails. Still enjoy the food so I keep trying. Just very annoying. read more

I had high hopes walking in because some of the best bbq I've had was in a run down gas station type of location, but sadly this wasn't really the case here. That being said, I want to preface the review by saying I did not actually have bbq and that was my biggest mistake! The food I had was a buffalo chicken Mac and cheese, and I was pretty disappointed. The buffalo chicken completely overwhelmed the Mac and cheese, and the small bit of Mac and cheese I could get without the buffalo was soggy and underwhelming. I had fries as well, and they were also pretty soggy and the ranch was definitely not homemade. The space was empty and the entire sofa machine was broken, with only ice and tea working. The service was pretty subpar, just a couple of teenagers in literal pajamas. Overall I'd say if I did give this place another chance, I'd stay away from both items I tried this time read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - Buffalo Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Met the owner, Mark, tonight as he was leaving for the night and we were walking in. Great guy and even greater food. Talk about "Iowa Nice"! read more

I went to the location 50th street and Van Buren. The Mac and cheese and coleslaw was excellent, but I really went for their ribs. I ordered 1/2 a rack, they were really disappointing. I usually get two good meals out of this but they were virtually bare! Little to no meat on any of the ribs I received. Two of the ribs were burnt and so tough they were uneatable, three of the others were okay but they had zero meat on them. I had always heard such good things about their BBQ, disappointed isn't the word, I won't go back! read more

Had dinner there to sample the various foods we might want to serve at my son's wedding. Everything was awesome, Mark guided us through how to order for a wedding, and we are using honey bear to cater the whole thing! Great food, great barbecue, great people! read more

Great little BBQ joint that has flavor betrayed by its humble front. So good, we are going to use this place to cater a celebration. One knock is they went from RC cola products to Pepsi. Pepsi sucks and everyone knows this fact. Quick service and a utility dining room makes this a great place grab a bite to eat. read more

I have been coming here for over 35 years now. It used to be my favorite BBQ... it is the place I would take friends after the game or out-of-town company when they were visiting. WHAT HAPPENED...? The last few times I have been here it just keeps getting worse and worse. The BBQ sauce still has amazing flavor but it is diluted now! I just paid $22 for a super small sandwich with dry meat and an ever drier bun, a tiny cup of beans and a drink! The drink machine needed the Diet Pepsi recharged and they refused to fix it and so I paid for a drink that I never got. After hundreds of trips to Honey Bears over the years... I am sad to say... I will never go there again. End of an era for me :( I won't even mention the poor attitudes of the staff. read more

The food is good but the food portion is way too small. Not worth the price. Their sandwiches are glorified sliders.

First, I had this delivered, as I had no desire to deal with Phoenix traffic woes. The order came with no serving ware - weird, as any other place that I've had deliveries from come with the handy package of a fork, knife, spoon, and napkin. Next. The catfish. Rated as the number one dish. I'm from the south; I love catfish! This one was too salty, and it came with Tabasco sauce. What? Where is the tartar sauce? The coleslaw was really good. The macaroni and cheese was a mushy disappointment. It looked really good, but it was seriously gummy and way too soft without texture. Nice flavor profile, though. Good seasoning. Not worth the calories. Peach cobbler. It was pretty good. Warning - super sweet, which can be ok. Have a drink of something nearby to help. Again, no texture, but that's really ok - it's a cobbler. read more

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Best pulled pork sandwich in town. Smokey sweet bbq sauce. Very good corn bread amd cajun fries. A must try bbq joint! read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - Best pulled pork sandwhich in town! - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Not a huge fan of BBQ Went to Honey Bears for lunch with a small group of work friends. The restaurant was clean and the staff waa helpful. On this visit I had the pulled pork sandwich, beans, and French fries. The pulled pork was good, the meat was lean, tender, and my sandwich was pulled high with pork. I also enjoyed the French fries, they crispy and served pipping hot. What I did not care for was the beans and BBQ sauce. For me it just had a didfrent kind of flavor but all in all not a bad spot for lunch. read more

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This is my second time coming and it has not disappointed either time. I love they have country time lemonade and big red on the fountain. Service fast. And it was a cool, quiet, clean environment Came back to add that the owner was there and he was very kind and interested in all his customers. read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - Loaded fries - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Honey Bear's BBQ was on our way to the Phoenix Airport, and it was a nice bonus to support a Black-owned business. We ordered the Nash's Hot Chicken Sandwich, brisket sandwich, coleslaw and collard greens, total came under $25. There's also a 20% check in deal through Yelp. I can't say I recommend this for on-the-go airport food as I was surprised that the brisket sandwich was not built when I opened my takeout. Is that how they do it in America? The BBQ sauce, brisket meat and bread were all in separate packaging. I guess the pro is that you can sauce it as much you like and kept the bun less soggy. The collard greens were sitting in a pool of broth and leaked right through the paper takeout bag. Sorry folks, my hands were tied, so I couldn't take a pic of the whole messy feast. Just know it was delicious, and we demolished it quickly. read more

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Love this place, the people and the food are amazing. I highly recommend their meat combo plate with Mac and Cheese.

FYI, just in case you haven't been there yet... Love the ribs, eating them with gusto since the eighties. Just placed a 'C note order online for tomorrow, Mother's Day... The sauce is incredible, the meat is tender, anticipation salivation is in progress. read more

This place is basic For the food, I had a shredded chicken sandwich some time ago, the meat is dry and a miss, but I gotta say... THE BARBECUE SAUCE THERE IS BUSSIN Also, I recommend the Mac there! It's cheesy, delicate and makes your mouth wet for more!! DONT get the catfish meal there, not for you! It's dry and not all of that, what you need is the barbecue and Mac, that's the only thing that is juicy and delicious!!! The service was eh, the guy there was just takin an order and wasn't that nice... The ambiance is not that cool, just basic, the tables there are usually scratched and dirty. Wouldn't recommend because they're better bbq than this, don't get hyped up here read more

Great southern bbq. Have tried the pulled pork sandwich, the pulled chicken sandwich, the rib tips and fries and the meaty mac, all were delicious. The seasoned fries were awesome too and came hot of the fryer and the mac and cheese was very flavorful as well. Order at the counter service to go was friendly and fast. Give them a try if you like bbq! read more

I was happy to learn this place was black owned so I came here to support while I was visiting Phoenix. Inside the place is a no frills restaurant with seating if you'd like to sit down. It was very clean and the food came out fresh. I ordered pulled pork (with no bun) and fries as my side. The fries were hot - and they were your average crinkle fries, but good. The pulled pork was tender but lacked flavor in my opinion - I had high expectations. It wasn't bad but I would have appreciated more flavor. The barbecue sauce is tasty but it has more of a watery consistency which I don't personally prefer. As someone who likes thicker barbecue sauce, that's my two cents on the sauce. Overall this place gets a 4/5 because the food was ok, service was good, the place was clean, and the food came quick. read more

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First time trying this place. I had an online pickup and paid $14 for a Ballpark bun and dry shredded chicken, no side, no drink. Not gonna lie, I'm more disappointed in myself for having high expectations for this place. read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - Shredded Chicken Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

It was a rainy, gray day and I was in the mood for something home-y, I looked online and this place popped up. It was only 10 mins away from me, so I figured I'd give it a try. I opted for pickup. I ordered the hot link sandwich, baked beans, potato salad, and peach cobbler! Hot link sandwich - 3 I didn't like the type of meat/brand of the sausage link. I can't remember the brand name but it's a popular one, my family oftentimes gets that brand for cookouts, but I prefer Farmer John's. But I did love the roll it came with! Baked beans - 4 very spicy Potato salad - 4 too much relish, if it had less relish, definitely a 5 Peach cobbler - 2 it wasn't sweet enough. It was very bland. I was a little disappointed because I hadn't had peach cobbler since I went home for Thanksgiving 2 years ago... *sad face* Overall, the meal was enjoyable and I'll go again to try something else on the menu. The catfish looks promising! read more

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I used to frequent this wonderful place in the late 80s And early 90s, great memories! The food is great! Pork beef or chicken and the bbq sauce one of my faves! Collard greens are sooo good, choice of sides is awesome! Love the service, super friendly and pleasant! Clean clean clean inside! I used to come down before they opened to watch them making their own wood coals! Did I say how great the collard greens are?!!! read more

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A bit overpriced for the quality and quantity of food. I get that everything is pricey everywhere but at least make the food good if youre gonna serve small portions. Bbq sandwich was so small I thought we ordered a slider instead. Corn on cob had no flavor. Side of mac n cheese was more like a cup. Loaded fries had decent amount of meat but too bad it was flavorless and needed more bbq sauce. read more

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two people in our party has bbq pork last night and two had beef brisket. Both that had pork had food poisoning within two hours the Beef was wonderful read more

I do not recommend this place. The price for the quality of the food, .? Don't waste your money. I hate writing negative reviews but I was very disappointed. The BBQ brisket sandwich was bland, It seem like it was just dunk in beef broth. My buddy had the pull pork also bland. Very little smoke flavor you could barely taste it. The potato salad it's OK and french fries were good. read more

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First and foremost I ordered almost $100 worth of food. I got a portion about $30 worth of food and yes I know the price in the economy has gone up but there was so much fat on the ribs. The food was cold the collard greens, it's terrible. had absolutely no seasoning or any meat in there, all I know is I don't ever want to try Tennessee barbecue again‼‼‍ However, I did try the one on Central before it closed down and it was pretty good read more

We ordered family pack pickup #1 and it was not disappointed. Pulled pork is extremely juicy and delicious. Topping the meat with the bbq sauce has sent me to another level of deliciousness. Huge portions of meat and side dishes! The beans are always good and the collard greens help make this meal better. I could not stop enjoying them for the next few days. read more

Honey Bear's BBQ - Family Pack Pickup #1 - grill chicken, pulled pork, Cowbro Beans, Collard Greens, buns, and dinner rolls - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Great service Everything needs attention ,service Food meat bright pink doesn't look done Over charged didn't have the same great taste Mac n cheese wack Drove over 50 miles to eat here to be disappointed read more

Over PRICED!!! Over PRICED!!! The food was ok ribs, chicken, collard greens and baked beans for damn near 30.00 it was worth maybe 20.00...... read more

Trying out a new joint to me. Had the beef brisket sandwich with French fries and cowbro beans. Very tasty. Then add their homemade sauce. WHOA, now we are talking. Very tasty and bold flavor with lovely smoke taste coming thru the meat but not over powering the taste of the brisket. Low level of fat content in my shredded sandwich which was awesome. The baked (Cowbro) beans hid a great flavor of their sauce as well. Very crispy and hot French fries to dip in that lovely tasting sauce. Washed it all down with their flavor of the day - Fruit punch Kool-Aid. This was a great surprise to find this today. Go get some of this tasty food. Super nice folks running it as well read more