Love this place! We are always greeted with kindness and told about options. Today they had brisket so our friends got a brisket sandwich, and I love their baked potatoes with sides. They have a screened porch which is fun for sitting in good weather with lots of big tables for gatherings. The other thing we love is the local root beer. Delicious! The BBQ is one of our favorites for the quality of meat, flavor of sides and overall atmosphere...and what puts it over the top is the amazing root beer. If you haven't been this is a must go stop. You won't be disappointed! read more

I'm really surprised at the negative ratings for this place. We ate there for the first time today and my wife and I had pulled pork sandwiches topped with Cole slaw just like the make it in the South. We thought it was great and will definitely be back. Hidden gem in small town Indiana !!! read more

Unfortunately a month ago we got two racks of ribs that were undercooked. Couldn't cut the meat off the bone with a steak knife. They offered to replace them and now we have black burnt ribs. Lesson learned read more

Good food. Plenty of seating indoors and out. I cam off hours and the service was super fast. Less than a minute. Ribs were good (I'm supper picky with my ribs, so good not great). Plenty of sauces to try. Man and cheese and corn casserole were delicious. I would come again. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Half rack ribs, Mac n cheese, and Sweet Corn Casserole - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

I'm pretty sure the B-52s wrote a song about Johnson's BBQ shack in 1989 and just called it the Love Shack because there is much to love about this BBQ shack. You can smell the love of BBQ when you turn on the road to Johnson's. When you enter Johnson's, there is a line at the counter to order. Inside dining is about 10 booths and a few tables, but there is plenty of room on the patio. There is a shelf will all of the sauces (more on that soon). There is also a few BBQ decor like authentic Indiana BBQ. My girlfriend and I got the 3 meat sampler that comes with 2 sides. I, myself, have eaten many 3 meat samplers from BBQ joints over the years. I wouldn't have been able to do that at Johnson's. And it was still around $20. The 3 meats we went with were ribs, brisket, and pork. All were phenomenal but I believe the ribs could have had a little more seasoning. They were also fall off the bone. There are 6 sauces at Johnson's: Pappa's sweet, Fritz medium, hot, southern White, Granny's vinegar, and Carolina mustard. Pappa's sweet, Fritz medium, and the hot are all tomato base. The medium and hot were less sweet and more peppery. The hot was also not an intense hot but a heat that built consistently until you realize that your mouth is on fire. These went well with brisket and ribs. The southern white is horseradish and went really well with the pork. Granny's vinegar was a sweet type of vinegar sauce and was one of the best vinegar sauces I've ever had. It goes well with the pork. The Carolina Mustard had some heat to it and went with the pork. Out of the sauces, I thought Granny's vinegar and Pappa's sweet were elite BBQ sauces then I liked the Carolina Mustard the next best. For our sides, we ordered potato salad, sweet corn casserole, and Mac and cheese. The potato salad and sweet corn casserole were very enjoyable. I felt like the mac and cheese needed a little something extra. They do have fresh-brewed sweet tea but if you are a Southerner like me, it isn't sweet enough. It will get you by but I thought it needed a little more sugar. Since moving up to Indiana for last year, I have eaten at 20 or so BBQ joints in the state. J would rank Johnson's BBQ shack at the top or almost wt the top. Don't pass this BBQ by if you love BBQ. read more

See all

BBQ is pretty good.. but honestly, almost prefer their takeout over eating in the restaurant. We ended up coming for a late fathers day dinner and I was really hoping for an ice cold beer. Unfortunately, their liquor license didn't get renew, so no beer for dad and I. I ended up with a brisket sandwich and mac n cheese. Both were good, with great flavor. Wife had the pork nachos, full size. Good amount of food overall, we enjoyed them for lunch the next day too. Kids had a hot dog, drink and chips. They were fine, $8 for the kids meal possibly? Overall, a fine experience.. but this food travels well enough, take it home and enjoy your back patio, additional sides and own booze. read more

Great no-frills, no nonsense barbecue. When we visited, there were half a dozen police getting their grub on. I took that as a good sign, because I feel like police know where the good food joints are, because they're always all around town. We got the half rack of ribs, which came with two sides (we chose the mustard potato salad and sweet corn casserole), as well as a pulled chicken sandwich. The meat entrees come without sauce, but there's a sauce bar with several different sauces to choose from. The ribs were great and the meat just fell off the bone. The chicken pulled pork was tender and tasty, especially with the tangy sauce. The corn casserole was sweet and not my thing, but the potato salad was great. They also have some great iced tea! And they dispense handcrafted sodas from the self-serve soda fountain. I've never seen the type of soda they have here -- The Soda Guy's Handcrafted Beverages. I'm kicking myself now for not getting any soda, because they have unusual flavors like chocolate soda, red cream soda and cherry vanilla cream soda. Outdoor seating is plentiful, with picnic tables out on their deck. read more

I stopped in for some take out bbq. I was disappointed in the quality of the meats. The briskets was 80% fat. And yes I know brisket is fatty! But it was almost as if they meat had been removed and I was left with just fatty chunks. It was also quite tasteless - not the usual Smokey taste you'd expect from a bbq restaurant. The chicken was dry with hard crunchy bits and once again not very smokey. Just bland. I will say the Cole slaw and potato salad was tasty, but I expected more from the meat. All that paired with the fact they are pretending that there is no Covid 19 virus - no sanitizer - no masks - no social distancing.... I think I'll go elsewhere next time I want some bbq read more

See all

This restaurant is in the middle of nowhere. It is by the Taxman Brewery and is a neat little place. They have your standard barbecue food on the menu including brisket, pull pork, and chicken. They have a dinning room, out door patio and enclosed patio area. They have TVs that you can watch in the dining area. Food is prepared very quickly. I placed my order and they brought it to my table right after I sat down. I had the Pit Master Special with potato salad. They also have their own homemade fountain sodas. I have been fortunate to try many barbecues from around the country and to me the barbecue here was ok. It was not my favorite or did not stand out. The staff here is friendly and the restaurant was very clean. They have more than ample parking available. If I am back in the area again, I would stop in, but probably would not make a special trip. read more

I've long wanted to visit this popular bbq joint and alas, a half day adventure in southern central Indiana finally made it happen. For starters, there is not a more COVID-friendly patio than this one...so many outdoor dining spots all with the fun backdrop of the grain silos across the railroad. It reminded me a lot of my small hometown of Union City, Indiana. Johnson's is also known for their food truck and being located across the street from Taxman Brewing. The menu features local soda (give the root beer a try), ribs, pulled pork, classic sides like Mac and cheese and corn pudding. You'll also find sugar cream pie on the menu. Essentially, all your comfort food dreams under one roof. We had the ribs, Mac and cheese and corn pudding. Next time, I'd go for the pulled pork. The woman working the front counter was friendly and hospitable. Overall, a great experience and I look forward to returning. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

See all

Staff was friendly-ish and service was fast. The food was very subpar though. My girlfriend might even say that it tasted pungent or rancid. We both ordered pulled pork sandwiches with mac and cheese. I didn't mind the pulled pork, but she thought it was way too stringy and dry. For me it's nothing some BBQ sauce can't handle. BBQ sauce choices were not great. What I thought was going to be spicy was not at all spicy. And the mac and cheese. I've never had mac and cheese served to me like this. Very strange and uncommon, but I made the best of it. Mostly melted yellow cheese and nearly no macaroni. Like 95% cheese, 5% mac. Doesn't cheese cost way more than pasta? WTF is going on here? All in all, I will never go back unless they get me drunk first and then offer the menu for free. I thought the reason that there was only one other family in there on a Friday night at 6PM was because of the location in Bargersville (very small town that no one has a reason to visit unless you live there). However, it was most likely due to the quality of the food. The street and parking lots around were packed with cars but everyone else was at Taxman or the pizza joint. I can't say that I have been to either, but I believe that the people have spoken. I look forward to the day when they finally close Johnson's BBQ Shack in Bargersville. You would have thought they would get their SH*T together after they had to close the location on 135 in Greenwood, which I never visited. Do yourself a favor, try Huckaby's Smokehouse on 135. read more

Ordered take out today. 2 half racks with potato salad and mac and cheese. Wife picked it up. We were disappointed. First no sauce included. Maybe she was supposed to ask for it? Ribs were tender enough to fall off the bones but had a weird aftertaste. Kinda like a gas grill fumes taste. Mac n cheese -bland Potato Salad- bland and the potato chunks felt like they had been frozen. Maybe we'll try again with a dine in, not sure. read more

I enjoyed sitting outside in a quiet setting while enjoying the bbq and sauces home made. I think the price point is good for what you receive and it was a good overall experience. read more

To be very concise - we walked in at 12:30 on a Saturday....not a soul in the place. No greeting. Worker seemed annoyed to have to take out his earbuds to ring us up. Lots of flies. Food was very expensive for what you get. My wife and I have eaten at a lot of places but never have we walked out and both agreed that we just hope we don't get sick from eating there. The food was not good and that's as polite as I can say. I'd avoid eating here. read more

Friends raves about this place, so I felt like I had to try it out. To be honest? It was pretty standard fare. The food was fine, I had brisket and Mac and cheese. I've had better. My husband had pulled pork and he thought the same. The sauces were good, as were the unique pop flavors. I don't know if we'll be back but it was worth trying once. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Service was good. sides was good. The meat.... we got ribs and brisket. They were very burnt, and dry. I wouldn't return again. Price was good and I had high hopes for a decent bbq place in the area But this wasn't it Sadly. The area has great potential for a good bbq spot but not this one. read more

Excellent barbecue pork and ribs. Cooked just right. Sauces were several and sampled all. Can't go wrong with any of them. Service was very good and food prepared quickly. It's a neat and simple restaurant for good food. No alcohol. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Get it here! - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

We were heading back from Martinsville and decided to take a look on Yelp at what was on our way home. Johnson's BBQ popped up and had 4.5 star reviews. We decided to give it a try. SO GLAD we did! Holy cow, that was yum! I got the pulled pork nachos with everything on them. Only $11. Really, really good. My husband chose the half slab ribs, mustard potato salad and baked beans. While he was eating this ribs he said if he dropped one on the ground, he'd pick it up and eat it! They have a huge back patio with lots of seating, a fire pit and live music the night we were there. We will return for sure. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Half slab ribs, mustard potato salad and baked beans. $16 - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

See all

Outstanding bbq food and service. A must place to eat or take it home. The staff are so friendly and the location is excellent.

Tender, smokey BBQ with a nice bark on the pulled pork. Large serving of delicious meat on a sturdy bun that is hard to get your chompers around the bun. Brisket was a smidge fatty, easy enough to fix and it ensured a moist slice of brisket and 1.00 upcharge added tasty creamy coleslaw. Interesting assortment of pop, the rootbeer was delicious. Fun outside dining area, looking forward to returning to enjoy the whole onsite experience. Then hope to return to try out brewery across the street in this town. Hidden gems indeed!! read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Great food for the price good atmosphere with music and booth seating the service was fast and friendly read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

See all

This is an actual restaurant. No -- not the location in Bargersville. Nestled in a busy little intersection (the old Johnathan Byrd's cafeteria), my mom heard about this place through Facebook. I was surprised we were the only family to be dining in. They were easily able to seat our party of six. There is plenty of room inside, but the outside makes it look small. Several members in my party made note of the menu being difficult to read; that was not the case for me. It wasn't noisy and reminded me a lot of other barbecue places I've had the pleasure of dining in. They used mason jars for the drinks. Speaking of drinks -- all of their soda is handcrafted! It was delicious. Probably better than bigger brands. (I had the root beer.) Now on to the important stuff: the food. It's what you came for, I hope. I am pleased to say it did not disappoint. The portions are generous. I ordered the loaded sweet potato fries (shredded cheese, queso, protein (chicken or pork), and your choice of one of their delicious sauces). I ate half of a half order and was full. The flavors acting together -- both tangy/sweet and spicy -- made for a delicious combination. Other members in my party sampled the three-meat platter. Per their feedback, "good texture to meat, juicy, and packed with flavor." I can't finish the review without making note of the service, which was top-tier. We were helped right away. Our server was attentive, friendly, and answered our questions with ease. I can't wait to dine again! read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Loaded sweet potato fries (half-order) - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

My husband and I tried this place tonight and really enjoyed it! I've recently moved from SC, so I know a thing or two when it comes to BBQ. The Carolina sauce was a bit disappointing, but the 2 house sweet sauces were excellent. I'm glad we found a local place that we will add into the rotation! read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Bbq pork, beans, mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Stopped in here Easter Sunday after sticking out at several other establishments. Big plus there alone! The food was amazing though, I'm glad everyone else was closed. I had pulled pork with slaw and corn casserole. My only regret was getting the bun for the sandwich. I was too full to finish! It's a small place but seats several inside and out. Don't pass this place by! read more

Holy BBQ! Never thought that Bargertucky would be home to more than 1 good restaurant. This one though is much less hipster and much more comfort food, more bang for your buck. My brother and Dad made weekend plans (happenstance) the weekend I was visiting and were able to accommodate my schedule so we could all check out this amazing BBQ shop he wouldn't stop talking about. For anyone in Indy not from the south side... "Bargertucky proper" takes awhile to get to especially since the only way is pretty much thru 135. And it's in the old town that people assume is BFE.... right next to the Umbarger Silos & train tracks in a small unassuming building with a beautiful patio/party area. As you walk in you're smacked with the smell of smoked meats. So mouth-watering that we all had a hard time determining what we were going to order. My brother advised that the sides were really large. Challenge accepted since I was uber hungry. Between the 3 of us, we ordered pulled pork, brisket, mac n cheese, potato salad, slaw, and baked beans and a few Handcrafted Beverages [grape soda is bomb dot com]. I was really impressed with the pulled pork & regular BBQ sauce & mac n cheese... not so much with the slaw [but it was still good!] Had I not been flying back home, I would've taken some mac n chesse back to AZ with me, it was out of this world tasty. The three of us ate like royalty for $30. You cannot beat that kind of bargain! read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Literally next to the Umbarger silos - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Wow! So worth the drive from ANYWHERE. Fantastic rural setting, friendly service and great food. The restaurant borders railroad tracks and grain silos in the quiet town of Bargersville. They have a large inviting outdoor patio. It was chilly out so we dined inside. The dining room is clean. You order at the counter, then sit to wait for your food. Succulent pork barbecue is served with many delicious sauces. We ordered the Pit Master sandwich. On Friday, they also offered $2 16 oz drafts. We selected Sunking Weemac. Unbelievable deal! The food came quickly to our table. The sandwiches were piled high with pork - there had to be well over 1/2 pound of pork on each sandwich. The pork was covered with a generous portion of creamy cole slaw. The sandwich was the best pork barbecue I've had - very juicy. I tried six of their signature sauces. My favorite was the Fritz of Fire which was nice and tangy-a must try. The sides were so good that it was hard to select. We shared the baked beans. Best baked beans I've ever had -with a thick sweet sauce. They also offer a kid's menu with sliders and other options. I hear they have a Bloody Mary bar on Sundays. OMG! The sauces are available for purchase. I can't wait to go back. read more

Wanted to leave a review for this place based on the food I've gotten from them. They had a food truck up in Indy for GenCon, and they had some awesome BBQ! I got their pulled pork sandwich and brisket sandwich, and absolutely enjoyed it! Really glad I was able to get good BBQ while on my trip. read more

I have no idea why this place gets so many good reviews. I am from Texas and I went here based off of Yelp reviews, but this place was a huge disappointment. It is like the KFC of BBQ. Now coming from Texas I have high standards, but this is ridiculous. The brisket was dry and tough. As a Texan the brisket needs to be so soft and tender that there should be no need for BBQ sauce. The brisket itself needs to hold its own, but over here I had to put a lot of sauce and I still did not finish it. I ended up throwing the rest of my food away. I thought it might be an off day, so I went back again a week later. Unfortunately, the same result. More dry tough as leather food. We have a saying in Texas on how to cook BBQ - slow and low. In Indiana, it must be fast and high. read more

Honestly disappointing. The food really isn't that great for the price. The sodas aren't very tasty. But the outdoor area is nice in the warm months. read more

Had this for a family party. The brisket was inconsistently cut. It was also poorly smoked. Tasted more like pot roast sitting in beef broth than brisket. Paid for delivery on a $750 order and was delivery less buns than the number ordered and no plates or plastic ware included. Website stated these items as included. We scrambled to gather up plates for 30 for the party. Have used Johnson's for family party's in the past but the quality and service of the past no longer exists read more

We are moving to Bargersville and stopped in for carryout while waiting for our moving van to arrive. We order a combo of pulled pork and brisket along with corn casserole and cole slaw. Everything was extremely good. The servings were enough for both of us with some left over. What was very interesting about the place is the number of different sauces they have available. Johnson's has both eastern and western North Carolina sauces as well as South Carolina Mustard and Alabama White. They also have what would be considered more traditional mild and spicy sauces. We are definitely looking forward to going back!! read more

Today, on the recommendation of my daughter, my family and I decided to try Johnson's BBQ Shack for lunch. I have three amazing kids, but she is now my favorite! We ordered the #3 Pack with pulled chicken and pork along with macaroni and cheese, sweet corn casserole, and potato salad. I'm not MAD at all of the other BBQ I've tried up to this point, I'm just disappointed. Both meats were smoked perfectly and surprisingly tender. By themselves they melt in your mouth, but when paired with that delicious sweet and smokey sauce you'll think you can actually see your soul leaving your body for a second. The potato salad is creamy and has just the right balance of sweet and tangy. I would say it's as good as what granny used to make, but let's be honest, granny never made potato salad this good! I'm still trying to figure out how they got so much flavor into their macaroni and cheese. On the outside it looks like just pasta and cheese, but when you spoon it into your mouth you'll swear out loud. My sons thought I suddenly developed tourrets syndrome. I didn't initially have room on my plate for the sweet corn casserole so I figured I would circle back for some in a few minutes. When I headed back into the kitchen my wife was scooping the last bit out of the container. She let me have a little bite of hers. We're now scheduling marriage counseling sessions. I'm not sure I want to be married to someone whose that greedy. At the end of the day this place delivers great BBQ at a fair price. The food was absolutely delicious, the service lightning fast, and all for less than the price of many fast food places. read more

Very good food ! Just need more consistency within the place ! If you haven't tried it .. I would ! Good bbq sauce too

This is one of the best BBQ places outside of Texas. When you arrive you can smell the smoked meat from the parking lot. Entering, you find that your in a place with TONS of atmosphere. Located next to some grain silos, you really feel as though you are out in the country and at a friend's place for BBQ. The meats are smoked to perfection. My personal favorite is the pulled pork, but the chicken and ribs are equally delicious. Hubby loves the brisket so he always made sure to get a full pound of it. The side....The Mac & Cheese is to die for. A slight smoky flavor really adds to the whole experience. The slaw is slightly sweet without being too sweet. The potato salad and baked beans are good as well. The only complaint that I have is the Corn Casserole. It's really sweet and almost a dessert. Lastly, you may want to know that their soda selection is not your typical Cole or Pepsi products. The Mexi-Cola is delicious though. read more

Good food, but consistently out of sauce. How do you have a bbq place without sauce I ask?

I come here once a week, it's the neighborhood feel to a good brisket or smoked rib that makes a bad day turn into a good one. And if you're feeling a little adventurous when it comes to snacks, check out their nachos. It's amazing. read more

Best pork chop ever! 3 meat platter. Awesome sauces. Loved the vinegar on the pulled pork. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - 3 meat platter. Sweet Corn Casserole & Mustard Potato Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Amazing BBQ & sides that make you feel at home. I also enjoyed their variety of sauces. Would absolutely recommend!!

We went downtown Thursday for the food trucks on Capitol. I choose to go to Johnson's BBQ Shack. I got a pulled pork sandwich and had to throw most of it away because it was mostly fat. I should have taken it back up to them but the lines were too long to mess with. Now their sauces were pretty good. I had the tangy and the sweet. If I see their food truck/trailer again I will walk by. read more

Johnsons BBQ Shack - Pulled pork sandwich with the sweet and the tangy sauce on the side. - Barbeque Near Me - Bargersville, Indiana

Great place for a quick lunch! We were in the area on a Saturday afternoon drive/antique finding kind of day. Johnson's hit the spot! I had the Pulled Pork combo that comes with a side and a drink. The sandwich had plenty of meat piled high on a super soft and yummy bun. You'll have multiple options of sauces to try - and they are all good! They are also all for sale to take home. I really liked the vinegar Carolina style - which surprised me with a real kick of flavor! For a side I chose the green beans. Oh my goodness - they were delicious! Pieces of meat add to the very well seasoned beans. Yum! They have unusual soda flavors available - loved the Cream Soda and the Cherry Vanilla Cola. But also really good tea - sweet or unsweet. On the way out we had to try an ice-cream cone. You get to pick the flavor and can choose more than one to create your own special soft serve. I had a strawberry cheesecake. Good stuff1 read more