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Lil' Barbecue

3.9 (38 reviews)
Closed 3:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pork ribs, Texas toast, tots, slaw
Joe C.

This is some top-notch BBQ. Do not worry about that. Actually, there's nothing to worry about. I had the pork ribs which were large and tender and pretty juicy and a little bit fatty in a good way. The coleslaw is really good and fresh and crunchy and pretty deep flavor in the dressing. The tater tots are unique squares of mashed potato and are pretty good. One tip that I thought was super interesting is the dish they kind of aim at vegans called Beet Ends (a play on the barbecue term burnt ends, but these are not burnt). They are beets, cooked until tender and then flash fried and then coated in a sweet barbecue salad dressing sort of thing. Could be an entree or could be yet another side to share. They're pretty good. Both the service and ambiance are pretty nice given that it's a fast casual and buss it yourself sort of place. Lighting and music and noise level are pretty reasonable somehow even though it's kind of cavernous and super busy.

All the sides
Hannah W.

I haven't had much barbecue in the Portland area, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say this might be the best. Went all in and got the Holy Matrimony because I wanted to try everything. The brisket, sausage, and pulled pork were my favorite - juicy, tender, delicious! Sides were decent as well, but the tater tots are gold!! I will absolutely go back just for those!

Ribs, sausage, brisket, pickles and Mac
Meagan N.

Hmm some bias since I just got back from Texas. Charging for pickles and toast is criminal imo. Overall, I thought it was decent but I wish I hadn't gotten the Mac. It was a watery mess and so unpleasant. The meats were alright. Somewhat tender and flavorful. I'm not well versed in Portland bbq but I hope there is better out there.

Yotes A.

The Portland outpost of Austin's La Barbecue, Lil Barbecue delivers and brings another big hitter to the city. My first bite was a piece of sausage. That one bite took me to Texas. A nice link hitting you with spices and a peppery bite. One of the things I loved about all the meats here is how black pepper heavy it was. The brisket was probably my favorite brisket this week. Such a smoky and peppery bite seasoned throughout. The flat was so moist and again the peppery bite from the bark just made it amazing. The chicken was probably my favorite meat today. The nice crispy skin on the thigh that just cracks with every bite. I'm full from yesterday still but that devoured that meat. Eating my veggies here was a delight. The Cesar salads had me feeling I was underdressed and like I paid for valet parking. Way better than what I've gotten at a lot of fancy restaurants. Oh the tater tots! First of all, I didn't know tater tots were allowed to be not cylindrical. And I didn't know tater tots were allow to be this good. I think if you get any side. You need to get these. Lastly the "nothing fancy, just like you remember it" banana pudding. It's a lie. It's not normal. I ordered it expecting something like Buc-ee's pudding and nope. The only think resembling "normal" was the Nilla wafers. A really creamy and stretchy(?) pudding. Think marshmallow fluff. It had a floral and citrusy flavor to it too. I'm so confused. But so delighted. But also so confused. "Just like you remember it" lol. One of the best parts, they are open 7 days a week (hrs change from weekends to weekdays). So if you want bbq on a Monday a wonderful stop. Maybe I'll get that banana pudding again. Lol "Nothing Fancy"

Wen Q.

It's good bbq but not the best that you can get in Portland IMO. What stood out was the tots and chicken thigh. What was disappointing was the ribs and brisket (not quite tender). Also would like to see more bbq sauce options.

Brisket, sausage, Mac n cheese, Cesar salad
Shayla H.

Probably one of the best bbq restaurants I've tried in Portland!! We went late Friday night and were disappointed to hear they were out of some of the meats. For us two, we got the brisket, their special sausage, Caesar salad and Mac n cheese. I thought it was delicious!! The brisket was soft. The hot sauce was so good with the meats but you'll have to ask for them to give it to you. I thought the Mac n cheese was rich and really good. I'm also not a big fan of Caesar salad and thought it was great. The price for everything was surprisingly good! Overall I really enjoyed it and thought the restaurant was really cute.

Jonathan M.

Lil' Barbeque at Tough Luck -- Portland, OR Portland has plenty of places claiming Texas-style barbecue, but Lil' Barbeque inside Tough Luck is the first spot in the Northwest that actually made me pause and think, "Alright, they're close." It's not at Austin's Le Barbecue level yet, but it's easily the best Texas-style barbecue I've had anywhere in the NW. 1. The Meats Ribs The ribs were the standout. Fantastic smoke, perfect texture, and that ideal pull that tells you someone back there knows exactly what they're doing with rubs. The technicals: St. Louis cut with Dry Rub. Chicken The chicken was perfect. Moist, flavorful, cooked with intention. Not an afterthought like at half the BBQ joints out there. The technicals: Chicken Thigh Dry Rub. Brisket The brisket had solid flavor but was noticeably dry. Not bone-dry, not ruined, but definitely missing the juicy, almost melting slices that define true Texas brisket. If they lock this in, the whole place jumps a full point. The technicals: Full slice (whole packer trimmed) of point and flat with the fat in the middle. Texas Salt and Pepper dry rub. Pulled Pork Also dry. The flavor was there, but it needed more moisture and richness to keep up with the ribs and chicken. The technicals: Pretty sure this was Boston Butt again dry rubbed. The shreds were large but unebelievably dry. Almost came off as day old. Sausage Classic Texas stye sausage...big flavor, lots of smoke, spicy. 2. The Sides Mac and Cheese Surprisingly delicious. Creamy, rich, exactly what mac and cheese should be alongside smoked meat. Beans Smoky and meaty, thanks to all the leftover trimmings they throw in. Deep flavor and absolutely satisfying. Pickles and Pickled Onions Nice texture and crunch, but missing the brightness and acidity that make pickles really pop. Coleslaw Fresh and crisp but needed more bite and more acid to actually cut through the heaviness of the barbecue. Beet Bites A sleeper hit. The flavor was great, and the crispy exterior was spot on. The interior was a little soft and spongy, but the seasoning and overall experience made up for it. They even look like hush puppies, which only adds to the fun. Salad Didn't touch it. No way I'm wasting stomach space on lettuce at a barbecue spot. 3. Drinks The drinks were excellent across the board. The brandy apple cider slushy was the star. Sweet, boozy, seasonal, and unexpectedly perfect with barbecue. 4. Ambience Tough Luck has that classic Portland bar energy, which means the room was filled with hipsters/homeless (hard to tell who's who) drinking Tecate, which honestly matched the vibe. It's casual, no-frills, and absolutely not trying to impress you with anything other than the food and the drinks. It works. 5. Final Score I'm picky about barbecue, so I'm calling it an 8 out of 10. (For Portland) But it wouldn't take much to push it to a 9 or even a 9.5. If they nail the brisket, it's a 10 out of 10. If they don't fix the brisket but fix the pulled pork, it jumps to a 9. With ribs and sides this good, they're extremely close. Lil' Barbeque isn't "good for Portland." It's good barbecue, period. With just a little more refinement on the star meats, they could hang with the big boys. ps. for this to really be the be all of Texas bbq...they have to nail the brisket. I'll give it another few tries. Sometimes weather and cut can be hard to get right. The best can seemingly get the same out of each day and each cut. For me this is the greatest opportunity. Would also love to see them do a dinosaur beef rib.

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2 months ago

I moved to Portland 6 yrs ago from Dallas. This is the closest I have found to Texas bbq.

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3 months ago

I'm stoked on this place! The Brisket is delicious, the Tater Tots are revolutionary! I'll be back

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Lil' Barbecue - bbq - Updated May 2026

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