Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Lil' Barbecue

    4.1 (51 reviews)
    Closed • 3:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Lil' Barbecue Photos

    LIL' BARBECUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Lil' Barbecue

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Joy S.

    Excellent BBQ place. We ordered the Holy Matrimony deal for $75 which easily fed our group of four. Order at the bar inside, they give you a number and will come find you to deliver the food when it's ready. You can sit inside or on the extensive patio outside. They have glasses and a water station set up. They bring out plates, silverware, and a condiments basket. The meats included brisket (so good!), chicken (very tasty), pulled pork, sausage, and three meaty ribs. The sides included Caesar salad, Mac and cheese, baked beans (a little too zippy for me), tator tots (looked very different from any I've ever seen before, but delicious) and coleslaw (had a unique flavor profile, but I liked it). We also had several pieces of bread, tangy pickles, and some jalapeños. Would love to eat there when we're in town again sometime.

    Lena C.

    Such a great barbecue spot! The ribs are a must! I also am obsessed with all of the sides. Definitely try the beats and the tater tots! Great for a summer night, they have a ton of options on the menu.

    Sara N.

    Coming from Dallas, this is the closest Texas bbq in PDX! The brisket and ribs were my notable favorites! The charred brisket and tender ribs were solid. Even for left overs the next day, it was still delicious. The tater tots were different but good twist to it. Service was great, unique in a bar, lots of outdoor seatings. Really put me back in Texas with the patio.

    The Bob w/extra pulled pork instead of chicken
    Cynthia L.

    We were very excited given all the hype and left disappointed though perhaps just not our style of bbq. We got the all meat platter (comes with 2 sides) and opted to sub the chicken for more pulled pork. Pulled pork 2/5 - thick shredded and fatty. Our group did not enjoy this as it was mostly just meat flavor by itself without heavy saucing. Mac and Cheese 1/5 - soupy velveeta style mac and cheese with some bbq spice flavoring. Perhaps just not our preferred style of mac and cheese. Ribs/Brisket 3.5/5 - tender/juicy for both but note that the brisket is a very thick cut style. Smokey flavor with good spice rub but felt like the flavors were missing something to take it to the next level.

    Amanda F.

    I moved to Portland from Austin, Texas over a year ago. I was super excited when this place opened and finally got a chance to go. I used to eat at la barbecue when I lived in Austin, so I had high expectations. My boyfriend and I ordered ribs, brisket, and tater tots. Overall, the meat was good, but definitely not as great as real Texas BBQ. The brisket was moist however it lacked something, but I can't put my finger on it. The pork rib ribs were tasty, but they didn't fall off the bone like I'm used to. The tater tots were definitely not what I expect. They're homemade and they're almost like a potato pancake. To be honest, I'm not sure if I would get them again I would've got the beet ends but my boyfriend's isn't as much of a fan of beets. I will say they made pretty good drinks. I got a house margarita that was tasty.

    Darren Y.

    Solid bbq in ne. Located in a bar it can be pretty noisy but they have seats outside. Pork ribs were excellent. Tender and peppery. Sides - Cesar and Cole slaw were ok. Tots were interesting - got it w queso wish I got it on the side

    Steve A.

    When you think of the Portland food scene, BBQ isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind, especially good BBQ. So when I heard about Lil' Barbecue, I had to check it out. I moved here from Texas and spent years living in Austin (where their sister restaurant, La Barbecue, calls home). That alone set the bar high. I went on a weekday, early, because it was my first visit and I wanted a little bit of everything. I ordered it to go. The space is roomy with plenty of seating, plus easy street parking. It's located in the Woodlawn neighborhood in NE Portland, which makes it a convenient stop. Let's get this out of the way: barbecue like this isn't cheap. But you're paying for the time, the craft, and the slow-smoked love that goes into it. Service was just okay, nothing over the top, nothing terrible. You're here for the food anyway. The Must-Trys Brisket. Tender with a beautiful peppery bark and flavorful crust. This is the real deal. Sausage. Great snap when you bite into it, nice spice, total winner. Ribs. Fall-off-the-bone tender with that same deep, smoky crust as the brisket. Cheesy Mac. Creamy with a little kick thanks to green chiles mixed in. I loved that touch. They offer two sauces: - Yellow sauce (mustard-based). A fan favorite for a reason. Tangy and bold. - Original BBQ sauce. The perfect balance of vinegar and sweet. I also tried the Caesar salad, it is what it is, but the thin slices of parmesan are a nice touch. As far as taste goes? This is the best BBQ in Portland. It genuinely took me back to my Austin days, just without the two-hour lines. That's where my 5 stars come from. If you want a glimpse of real Texas flavor in Portland, this is your spot. Bring your friends. Come hungry. Enjoy

    Breanna A.

    Stopped in while visiting Portland with family. Lil barbecue was new but had a good buzz. Quick and easy ordering at the counter and opted for some drinks - margarita and strawberry lemon drop , both great. For food we shared the brisket, ribs and two sides. The rest of the family went all out with the holy matrimony that comes with everything meat, sides, and Texas toast. Everything was good, the Mac and cheese was a little heavy but this is a great spot for meat lovers. Parking lot is a little on the smaller side with some other stores in the same small shopping center. Overall a great meal with great people.

    Queso, Pork Ribs, Mac and Cheese, Sausage Links, and Brisket
    Alex W.

    Excellent BBQ here. Every dish was good. Only thing a little mediocre was the mozzarella, artichoke, and fennel sausage special. Standard sausage was outstanding. Pork Ribs especially had a great flavor.

    Chicken thighs, sausage, double brisket (they ran out of pulled pork), ribs
    Jon P.

    Excited to try this place as the big sister restaurant was a Michelin star spot. We left underwhelmed to say the least. The spot was great with cool vibes inside, tvs playing the football games on Sunday. We decided to get The Bob to try the meats but they didnt have anymore pulled pork which was disappointing. We were impressed with the chicken and the brisket, which were both deliciously seasoned and so tender. However, we felt that we've tasted better ribs and sausage elsewhere. The sides were pedestrian. Didn't expect much with the Caesar salad but the tater tots was disappointing. They tasted more like mochi tots than the crunchy tots we were expecting. Their "Texas toast" wasn't thick at all and seemed like plain white toast. The drinks at Tough Luck looked good and the margarita I had was yums but we'd go again probably for the chicken thighs... highlight of our experience here.

    Brisket, pork ribs, chicken wings, sausage, Mac and cheese, Caesar salad, tator tots
    Bryan T.

    Heard the hype around this new bbq spot in so I knew I had to give it a try. Sides were ala cart all $5 each, we got Caesar salad, tator tots and Mac and cheese. Really enjoyed the pork ribs, fell off the bone, had a great flavor and was cooked perfectly. Brisket was tender and had really good charred flavor. Closest thing I had to real Texas barbecue here in Portland.

    From outside
    Cindy I.

    Still working out the process it seems. So giving a four star for now. We ordered brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw, tots and the Midori slushy . We were sitting waiting for our food and they came around to say they were out of pulled pork and offered chicken or more brisket as they had also ran out of ribs. We picked brisket. They had told us they were already out of sausages. I really need to try the pulled pork which is my normal go to for testing out BBQ. The tots were unique as they were homemade, bigger and creamier but confirmed no mayo or sour cream. The brisket amount was generous maybe since they ran out of pulled pork. Some pieces were more tender than others. The flavor was very good but I still tip my hat to Podnahs for better flavor. I enjoyed the Midori slushy and it did have decent alcohol in it. Very busy on a Saturday night and inside was full but have more outside seating. Not very relaxing atmosphere not really knowing where to order as they say at the bar but no one spot to go to. They need to make that more clear like Fire On The Mountain is a good model. We sat down when some ladies left and saw a server wiping another table so asked her to clean ours. She quickly questioned if the number on the table was ours and if we ordered, yes.... Said nothing and cleaned the table. Lady next to us said something about that was odd, almost scolding us for sitting at the table too soon. They have some TVs around with the sound off. Hopefully they will work out the kinks quickly. There is no fried chicken so not sure why the first reviewer said there was.

    Menu (Jan 2026)
    Charlie T.

    I am glad that I finally got a chance to try this place out. They do open earlier in weekends, which makes easier to get to for me. I would recommend ordering the "Holy Matrimony" as it is pretty much a little of everything including the sides. It makes ordering easier. We also added some chips and queso to the order. The brisket was super tender and easily falls apart. The sausage was full of flavor. The tater tots were probably my favorite side followed by the Mac and cheese. Those tots were amazing! It's not like your typical tots. I can't wait to go back and try some other combination of food or just get it all again.

    All the sides

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex W.
    653
    1392
    3374

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Joe C.
    3
    31
    16

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Tim A.
    0
    63
    18

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    29 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Benny C.
    174
    72
    69

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    No better barbecue in Portland or beyond. Such a fun place either way awesome food. Brisket and ribs are so tender. Love the smoked beets

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andrew H.
    54
    17
    16

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Lil' Barbecue

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Barbeque 6,158 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Lottie and Zulas - The 22!

    Lottie and Zulas

    4.6(160 reviews)
    2.3 mi•Eliot, Northeast Portland
    •$$

    I'm not much one for sandwiches, but a friend recommended this shop to me. One a day my stomach…read morewent on crazy growling mode, I paid Lottie a visit. Entering the shop, you will be greeted by loud music. Be ready for that. You will have the option to dine outside, if the weather provides it and the seats are empty. The hosts are wonderful and very accepting with a positive attitude. Smiles and all. I ordered the Jim because it was the only sandwich I could eat. The majority of the sandwiches contain meat, so I would not recommend this for vegans or pescatarians. Jim was delicious and I consumed both halves of Jim flawlessly. Either hunger overruled me, or the sandwich was that satisfying. I do recommend the shop, but with limited options for non-meat eaters, I truthfully would rate Lottie and Zulas, 4.5. Yet, I don't believe the spot was "good."

    My tastes are likely just different as the reviews for this place speak for themselves. We had the…read moreJimmy (as a salad). It was too smokier than I imagined but tasty. We also had the Vinny which was fine, a bit spicier than I thought it would be, but I'm a wimp. The service was fine, not overly friendly but adequate. The food is 4 stars, the service 3 starts, but the real bummer was all the plastic. Plastic container, plastic cups and we were eating in. They asked if it was to go and we said no, but everything came in plastic anyway. The ambiance is quintessential Portland, right up until they bring all your food in plastic with plastic silverware to boot.

    Photos
    Lottie and Zulas - Fun artsy tables

    Fun artsy tables

    Lottie and Zulas - The Travis Rueben! On marble rye goodness!

    The Travis Rueben! On marble rye goodness!

    Lottie and Zulas - Sandwich paradise.

    See all

    Sandwich paradise.

    P's & Q's Market - Pesto-Apple Sandwich

    P's & Q's Market

    4.3(229 reviews)
    0.2 mi•Woodlawn, Northeast Portland
    •$$

    I was doing an event in the area, and many restaurants do not open for business until Noon. We…read moreleave at 1:00pm. We open at 9:00am. Many visiting the events, like out of towners, and would like to stop by to have a snack or a meal, they're losing a handful of customers. P's & Q's are the only ones open. Sure, there are vendors selling snacks and/or meals, but who really want to eat from a food vendor all the time? This is new to us, even though I've done many events HERE in the past. I thought, we'd try them out. Hubby said, the order will take 20-25 mins. There are many people here! I picked: Turkey Sandwich. It had smoked turkey, smoked provolone cheese (I asked to be put on the side), heirloom tomatoes, red onions, lettuce, pickles, tomato jam & remoulade on grilled Ciabatta. I like that a lot, I also shared hubby's French Fries, which was tasty! I kept the other half, for my lunch Sunday. He ordered: Market Burger, which is cheese burger, he said, no tomato, no bacon added, on grilled potato bun. He said: It was very tasty, he really enjoyed it! His order was processed very quickly, (more like 15 mins. wait), it was pleasant environment, but since it was a to-go order, he didn't have a chance to explore the rest of the seating area or restroom. There are many more days, weeks, months we'll be in the same area. It was about a mins. walk! I also like the fact, they're using to-go boxes, not black but white!

    What a fun evening meeting friends and listening to music! Food was delicious- I had a beer Rueben…read moreand it was fantastic! If you love beets and love ruebens, you will love this! Service was friendly and th patio was great!

    Photos
    P's & Q's Market - Ambiance

    Ambiance

    P's & Q's Market - Braised Beef Sandwich

    Braised Beef Sandwich

    P's & Q's Market - Brunch Special: RIZO

    See all

    Brunch Special: RIZO

    Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop - No. 4 Red wine-braised beef, grilled onions and peppers, Cheddar, horseradish aioli.

    Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop

    4.0(15 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Vernon, Alberta Arts District, Northeast Portland

    We stopped in for a late lunch and I am SO glad that we did! Since it was late, I was excited to…read moresee they offer a 1/2 sandwich and side of potato salad special because I really wanted to try the potato salad (I have yet to meet a potato I don't like), but didn't think I had it in me to have a whole sandwich plus potato salad without ruining dinner. The service was friendly and our order came out quickly considering we hit a mini-rush. The inside of the restaurant is cozy, clean, and comfortable. There are a few booths and a couple of tables inside as well as a few picnic tables outside. My daughter and I both got the No. 1 1/2 sandwich with potato salad special. The house smoked five-spice pulled pork was AHHHmazing. The pork was deeply flavorful, the sesame slaw was crunchy and added balance, and the chili-garlic BBQ sauce was the perfect way to bring it all together, flavorful without being overpowering. The thing about sandwiches is, you can have the best filling in the world, but it all hangs on the bread. I'm happy to say that their bread was incredible, delicately chewy, nice loft, but not too much bread. The German potato salad was piquant and flavorful, just what I hoped. For a side, they gave a generous portion. I was fairly stuffed, but managed a couple more bites in honor of Dolly. Now is the time when I tell you I'm not even a sandwich fan. Yes, I eat them, but I don't crave them. I can't wait to return and bring my lobster because he LOVES a sandwich. So many of the sandwiches look delicious, but now the test will be, do I keep ordering my beloved No. 1 (which I find myself craving now), or branch out?

    I could kiss everyone who works here. I had an awful day & just wanted a late night sandwich & some…read morepickles. These guys always come through. I ordered delivery from them for the first time tonight & it was just as good as going in. Everything is beautiful, fresh, & my additions were honored even through DD. They make the tastiest sandwiches in town and I always have leftovers which makes it doubly good. I will continue to patronize them for as long as they're standing. Thank you to the folks at Devil's Dill :)

    Photos
    Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop - Inside

    Inside

    Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop - Waffle Fries

    Waffle Fries

    Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop - No. 3 Italian

    See all

    No. 3 Italian

    Walter French's - PCT sans cheese and onion. Added cherry pepper relish. Lemonade.

    Walter French's

    4.6(27 reviews)
    1.0 mi•King, Northeast Portland

    I had been on the road and did not have a proper breakfast or lunch (7/8/26). I'm glad I did not…read moresuccumb to a Costco hot dog or a Jersey Mike's sub during a brief stop in Ridgefield, WA. Thanks to the helpful Yelp app, I was able to select Walter French's for gps directions and continued onward to Portland. Good parking karma, as I was able to snag a parking spot right by the Alberta Arts food truck pod entrance. Very nice and welcoming person greeted me at the window. I ordered the #2 Big Dom with Olympic Provisions salami cotto & capicola, ham, provolone, shrettuce, tomato, onions, red wine vinaigrette, mayo, oregano all encased in a hoagie roll. I requested for no cherry pepper relish and banana peppers. I was glad that the generous sandwich was nicely wrapped, sliced in half, and placed in a compostable container. I ate half onsite since there was outdoor seating availability. The other half I ended up placing in my hotel room's fridge. I ended up gutting that latter half two days later and ate the meat/cheese/tomato - charcuterie style. Perfect protein snack at a rest stop detour before continuing homeward bound. Revisiting Portland after two years and this was my first stop! The Big Dom hit the spot!

    Majorly sad they switched out the bread. They used to be the best sandwich worth traveling for when…read morethey used the sesame hoagie roll. They switched to something else that just isn't as good. It's not as soft and fluffy, it doesn't have that yummy sesame-ness, and the sandwich is seemingly smaller. BRING BACK THE OG BREAD!!! You said yourself it can't be the best without using the best.

    Photos
    Walter French's - Found parking out front (7/8/26)

    Found parking out front (7/8/26)

    Walter French's - Dance club

    Dance club

    Walter French's - Glad they were open & shaded seating available (7/8/26)

    See all

    Glad they were open & shaded seating available (7/8/26)

    Lil' Barbecue - bbq - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...