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. read more