BLUF: A restaurant Chesty Puller would be proud to sit down for some BBQ. When I travel I alway try to plan a meal at Mission BBQ. Why? It's not like a boot camp chow hall but more of a casual BBQ spot where you can spin on a sweet tea and enjoy some ribs. The restaurant is decorated with items from all branches of the military as well as the local police and fire department. It's nice to see there's pride for the Armed Forces as well as the people who serve and protect. I stopped in for lunch. I know I'm going to BBQ the next day so I pass on the brisket and I ordered the grilled shrimp. The counter person tells the the cook one order of Grilled Shrimp and in about a minute I had my plate. I grabbed a sweet tea, sat in a booth and enjoyed my lunch. Mission BBQ? That was a fantastic lunch! The shrimp was cooked perfectly and was very tasty. Mike Charlie read more

Mission BBQ - Grilled Shrimp - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Mission BBQ seems to be a fast growing chain. I have enjoyed their food in Cincinnati, Connecticut and New York. The prices seem a little too high for the portions received. Last time I ordered the three meat sampler for $22. There were two small pieces of brisket (each about 2 inches long) two small slices of sausage and a cup size of pulled pork. This price did not include sides. The service is great and the atmosphere is typical of all other Mission BBQ I have been in but this location seems to be more strict on portion control. I see everything being measured on the scale which is not a bad thing, every business needs to make money but in my opinion the price did not justify the meal. Pulled pork was great, brisket was moist and tender and the extra sides I ordered were good so no problem with the food. read more

I'm not the biggest fan of food chains but Mission BBQ is one that I found worth revisiting. I'm fond of their specials. Until recently, they had a jumbo stuffed baked potato. I went back to get another one before this amazing spud got phased out. Until I visited Mission, I'd never laid eyes on a one pound tater. They look like mutants but they taste great. The staffers were as friendly and as helpful as ever. The eatery is clean and well organized.The walls are covered with tributes to not only men and women in the armed forces but also first responders. The military cargo truck in the parking lot is an indicator of what Mission's mission is about. To honor those in service as well as serve up some very robust meals. This time, I had my monster potato stuffed with bbq pork. I can't finish their meals. I took half of it home along the corn bread. I did, however, finish eating my blueberry cobbler which was yummy. I look forward to returning to try out their new specials. read more

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The service is fast and efficient. If you have never been tell them and ask questions. Some of the staff here were not very friendly. The overall, bbq is pretty good. I haven't been to mission bbq in years and never to this location. I get a big red when I go for nostalgia. If you want pretty good bbq and consistency then try them out. read more

Mission BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Awesome service! Thanks Jacob! Warm, friendly place on a cold night! It's 16 degrees outside. Their warm cornbread makes it all better! The best! read more

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Coming from the south, it's hard to find decent bbq up here. Mission bbq is a large chain, and we go there for a quick lunch in the South. Today, I needed a fix of Q, and ordered the pulled pork sandwich, NC style. As usual, I love their sauce selection, I added a couple of extra bones. The sandwich was quite tasty and I gobbled it up, The bones tasted good, but lacked body. Service was fast and friendly. Ambiance was the typical Mission chain decor, honoring our military and first responders. I can always support that mission! I'll be back. It's a bit of flavor from home for me. read more

Mission BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich NC style with 2 extra bones. - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Overall a solid 3.5 for the food but boosting it to 4 for their mission! Read their bio and the cause they support (veterans, retirees, community focus! Love.) We came for lunch and the staff are so welcoming. They showed us how it works, by lb or platter, specials, sides, all the meats are dry rub so sauces on table, etc. The aesthetic is very homely BBQ, lots of seatings, and filled with decor of veteran support for Navy and Army. We chose the 3 meats sampler: Brisket (fatty & delish), Pull Pork (too dry, we've had better), Sausage (this was BOMB!); chopped brisket sando (too much sauce, don't love it), and baby back ribs (it was ok, we've had better). I love cornbread at BBQ spots... but these were very mid. The collard greens were ok. Mac & cheese was good tho. Got 3 drinks. And our total bill was about $56. I would come back for their brisket & sausage. Happy feasting! #yelpinAlbany read more

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I stopped by with my friend around 6 PM on a Wednesday. There was only a few tables filled so we were able to sit wherever we liked. You order at the cashier up front and bring your food to any table you want. We ordered ribs and moist brisket with sides of potato salad and Mac and cheese. Our orders also came with two cornbreads. The ribs were fine, but I really liked the moist brisket. They had a bunch of sauces on the side to try and I found the Memphis and hot honey ones to be my favorite. The potato salad was great as was the Mac and cheese. The cornbread was nice and soft but just a bit too sweet for my taste (would have liked them to come with a small side of whipped butter as well). All in all, a good option to go to if you're craving bbq but nothing too special. read more

Mission BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Best chain bbq I've ever had. Place was super clean, staff were very nice and helpful. Portion sizes are good. The chopped brisket sandwich was the best on the menu. Surprised how good it was for a "chain". Definitely would be back. read more

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Great, friendly service. Food is always good and part of the proceeds go to a good cause

Smells great, service looks friendly, and as for the looks, eh! What made it a no eat place for me was, I hate not being waited on, DO NOT like the cafeteria style ordering method. I want to sit, and order from a menu with a waitstaff! Bye bye, never made it past the front door interior. No pics due to not eating here! read more

This place is meh for me. I ordered their pulled chicken and it was so dry. I did put bbq sauce on it but that didn't really help. Didn't like the flavor either. Got beans with brisket for my side and that wasn't too great either. Just meh. The cornbread was good but not the best. I would think it was store bought. Not going back if I'm ever in the area. Would rather go to Target and buy a microwave meal or something. read more

Mission BBQ - Pulled chicken with beans and cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

The food is the best BBQ in our area! The staff extremely helpful and friendly. We love that at noon every day. Everyone stands up, puts their hand on their heart and sings a national anthem and they are very good to the military. I want to give a shout out to Chade' who is always bringing samples, asking if she can take our trays or dirty plates, offering us other things. She is so humble and so friendly I mentioned if I owned a business, I would snatch her up in a second! We mentioned to the manager, Angel Ramirez, what a delight she was and we will be back soon! Oh, also, I have celiac, and there were a lot of gluten-free options. Five stars. read more

Mission BBQ - Honors the military! - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

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Mission always knocks the competition. This spot is totally rad, large and full of cool vibes! The staff are charming. Food is A+ legit tasty. The tables large. New location, with a real function: churning out Southern 'que and doing it all with a love of country! Super good food that holds up as hot as it's served as take-out to eat at home! Awesome backyard barbecue. Review: 5++ read more

So far so good. I want to come back with my family before I write a longer review. I got a takeout lunch of brisket (Lean not moist or aka fatty) , collard greens and corn bread. The meat was very tender and flavorful. The greens, moist and delicious and the corn bread tasted of actual corn! I tried all six bbq sauces. My favorite being the Memphis Belle but all were tasty. Service is overwhelming friendly. Don't come if you are an introvert, lol! I had a mix of iced tea and lemonade for myself serve drink. The total was over $20 so not cheap but I definitely want to come back and try more things. read more

Mission BBQ - First time trying this place, yum! Lean Brisket, Collard Greens and corn bread. - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Mission BBQ is a fairly new BBQ franchise located in close to 20 states. This was opened a month ago in Albany area and with me loving BBQ, thought I give it a try. It's more like a fast food place where you order at counter similar to a few other BBQ joints. The wait time was fairly quick. The employees were funny and full of energy greeting everyone that entered. Overall the restaurant honors soldiers, firefighters, police officers, first responders and all other people in service. The theme is centered around people in service. Overall, the choices for a Pollo-pescetarian were limited and nothing that excited me much. I believe the food lacked flavors (I prefer my flavors coming from the blend of ingredients rather than just adding a sauce after it's cooked). Everything prepared there is smoked and you have various different sauces that you can add to the smoked meats. You may enjoy it if you eat steak or pork as there were more options. It's a 2 for food but added an extra star for who they honor and the employees. read more

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Had great brisket and a salad before getting on a flight out of Albany. The food was great, the staff super helpful,a nd the ambience gave me alot to look at and think about! read more

Brought my mom for lunch. It was our first time here, the food was delicious I got the black plate special with shrimp, potato salad and cornbread with corn on the cob. My mom got a cheeseburger with fries. Service was friendly and exceptional. The vibe in the restaurant is very relaxed and has lots of bbq sauces to choose from. Will come back for sure. read more

Mission BBQ - Shrimp on the Barbie, cornbread, potato salad and corn on the cob - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

The order counter set up is a little odd, and the menu is a bit confusing. But the food is delicious and the service is excellent. My personal favorite is the jalapeño cheddar sausage and pulled pork. They have 6 different BBQ sauces to choose from on the table, which I enjoyed trying each one to pick my favorite. I'm not sure if the lemonade is fresh squeezed but if it's not it's pretty darn good. I did not try the fresh cut fries but I definitely will on my next visit. read more

Mission BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

We (friend and me) were first-timers at The Mission and arrived at 11:45 a.m. to beat the Election Day rush. We each ordered the "5-rib with two sides and a soft drink special." The counter attendant was very nice, informative and suggested we'd enjoy her favorite sides (baked beans, mac and cheese, slaw and cheesy potatoes). Meanwhile, the cook produced two bundles wrapped in what seemed to be used, crinkled, greasy-looking aluminum foil. Out came the five-rib racks and placed on butcher's paper (on an aluminum tray). To each tray, the attendant added a square of corn bread and our sides and we went off to the dining area. The tables were clean and grease free. Each had a six-pack of Mission's signature BBQ sauces. At this point, there were six other tables occupied mostly by couples in their 50's and 60's. Ok, the food. My ribs had a thick charred coating and in cutting a rib from the rest (medium-grade plasticware), the crust separated from the bone and left four or five slivers of dry meat. Really over-cooked. Here, because they had just opened for the day, I'm assuming the ribs were perhaps unsold from the day/night before thus had been on serving-temperature heat all day/night, wrapped at the close, reheated that morning (in last night's foil?) and served to me. I tried to moisten up the next three ribs with the BBQ sauce, one flavor at a time. Each squeezer consisted of a thick, dark, sweet, molasses-based sauce with minor flavor variations between them. Neither softened the charred shards of crust. Up close, the last rib had a faint whiff of age so it stayed behind. The sides were okay but the corn bread was dry. I've been wrestling with how to describe a Mission signature event without besmirching anyone's sense of patriotism. Note: In 1970 and 71, I volunteered for and served a tour in Vietnam and received a service-connected disability rating from the VA. Here goes: as soon as we sat down, the speakers loudly announced that everyday at noon, it is customary for everyone at the Mission BBQ to rise and observe the playing of the National Anthem. Music blared as the TV screens showed the flag waving in the wind with other scenes of the Twin Towers in NYC, soldiers in battle dress and other patriotic scenes. Several customers grudgingly rose to their feet - others were already up with hands on their hearts. My knees are shot but I joined them. I vote, I volunteer, I serve my community and I consider myself a patriot but I don't like being beaten over the head with someone else's version of patriotism, especially when my just-served warm food is getting cold. It turned out that the delay didn't really affect the ribs as the damage had been done long before we entered the restaurant. Very disappointing! read more

Derrick, the cashier, was very kind, courteous and friendly. After he asked the name for my order, he said nice to meet you. It was so nice. Our food was delicious too. Highly recommended Mission BBQ. read more

Much better than I expected from a chain. I got a 2 meat sampler with moist brisket and ribs. The brisket was very good a the ribs were decent. Portions were a little small but the price was reasonable. The ribs were only 2 bones with the meat of about 1. Mac & cheese was nothing special but the cheesy baked potatoes were delicious. Worth a stop if you are close by. read more

Good BBQ in Albany. Had the combo plate after a round of golf. Brisket and pulled port were great.

This was my first time there. Everyone was very welcoming from the cashier to the manager. I let it be known that "it was my first time there and I ordered the brisket sandwich along with fries." The manager then "told me about the many sauces they offer. He then proceeded to tell me about their smoking technique and the drinks." The place was busy on a Saturday evening. There were families, a group of guys and also a group of girls "getting their GRUBB ON." The brisket was lean, just like I "like it." My fries were "nice & hot and my cold Lemonade washed everything down perfectly!" I will be back again :-) read more

I was a little afraid to try Mission after reading some different statements online. I am happy to say that I did not encounter any undesirable political traits on display. I chose a pastrami Black Plate Special which came with 1 side. Got Mac and Cheese as my side; corn bread accompanied the pastrami. Partner ordered brisket and was given a choice of fatty or lean. It's nice they give you options. I'd prefer lean, but that's just me. SO enjoyed his BBQ, I did enjoy my thicker cut pastrami. Inside has military, fire, and police decor. Tables have a 6-pack of sauces for your enjoyment. Tables are kept clear and clean for the next round of customers. Personally, I do like BBQ when I don't have to cook it, but... Is this a 5 star? Or even 4 star, when there are multiple venues available these days when once they were few and far between. It's hard to say. I felt more of a 3.5, but it's not an option. Would I go back? Sure, if they keep the pastrami on the menu, but that was a special. Parking is OK. Staff were OK. Food was good. read more

I saw that the new Mission BBQ had finally opened so I decided to give it a try. With that being said, I ordered the brisket and ribs with macaroni and cheese. Knowing that, I tried the ribs and they were mediocre at best. To explain, they were hard and definitely overcooked. The flavor of the meat was decent, but the ribs were cooked for way too long. Next, I tried the brisket which was good, but not great. To enumerate, the flavor of the brisket was tasty and it had just the right amount of fat. However, parts of the brisket were dry due to being cooked too long. The brisket was solid, but could have been better. Finally, I tried the macaroni and cheese which was easily the best part of the meal. To put into words, the macaroni and cheese was creamy and cheesy. In addition, it was topped with a delicious bread crumb topping which added a nice crunch. This was simply a really good macaroni and cheese. In short, Mission BBQ is a mediocre barbecue restaurant, but I highly recommend the macaroni and cheese. read more

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Brisket sandwich from Mission BBQ was fantastic. Loved the variety of different sauces on the table. Potato salad had a tang to it, potentially more mustard based than mayonnaise. I'm excited to go back and try more items. read more

Mission BBQ - Brisket Sandwich with potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

Wherever I go this restaurant never disappointed me. From the ambiance to the food and the service! I love their brisket. I always order it moist. So tender and tasty! I alao order extra corn bread which is perfectly baked. Not dry and perfect with the brisket. The portions are ok. Good for one person. The employees are always nice. The service is a bit slow because it's their first month and they have line but manageable. Surely will be back for more! read more

Mission BBQ - Inside the resto. Long lines. - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

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wow, is my first description of this place, staff are super friendly, every single menu item is absolutely incredibly delicious, leaving you craving to come back again soon. Their house barbecue sauces are top level as well. read more

Service was great, ambiance was great, bathroom was spotless. Food, very small portions, You are not be full! I ordered brisket, my gosh, the salt taste was OVER THE TOP! Baked potato was good, I tried it once, not going back! read more

This is one of my favorite BBQ spots, the food is good and at a reasonable price. The service is the best I've ever seen, they are the nicest people ever, I wanted to try one of their brownies and they gave it to me for free! They give you free drinks if you bring back the cups too! read more

Mission BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

EVERYTHING! Polite staff, great food! Good prices. And the atmosphere is patriotic yet respectful. I love this place.

A clutch little BBQ joint nearish the Albany airport and very near a grocery store to stock up your cabin for the weekend. The food is very good: my ribs were tender but not mushy, pulling but not falling off the bone; the array of sauces is large, the collard greens and cole slaw are both good, the kids enjoyed their macaroni and cheese. The service is friendly in a "welcome stranger" kind of way. The evening crowd is odd and diverse but in a way that just reinforces the welcome. Highly recommended. read more

Delicious food! Staff was very friendly and helpful. Wish they had these in Buffalo, would definitely go frequently. Loved how they had the different flavored sauces in squeeze bottles to try on the pork. The collard greens were very tasty too. read more

Wow, this place has me speechless. No line, friendly staff call you by your name. Food was ready in 1 minute. Foods amazing, prices reasonable. Sweet tea is insane. Safe to say I will be back read more

Amazing. Delicious. Cafeteria style nice decoration and friendly. Singles to large group.

BBQ for the masses. Nothing wowed when I put the food in my mouth. I tried about 8 different items from the menu. Yes, it doesn't have to be Michelin Star level but at least something interesting. I don't feel any compulsion to return. The food truck near my office has better food, and so does the self-serve buffet at Whole Foods across the street from Mission BBQ. Is it bad? No. My young daughter likes it if that's any consolation. Another dull Albany chain restaurant so sad. Cheesecake Factory is an OK chain restaurant. read more

The food was tasty, the Staff service was outstanding. The cleanliness was perfect. The staff attitudes were superior. read more

Mission BBQ - Front sales counter - Barbeque Near Me - Albany, New York

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It's a chain bbq place. The sides were better than the brisket which is disappointing. Nothing special here, but it's not terrible.

Friendly staff! Delicious food! Respectful and pleasant atmosphere. Nice to see somewhere honoring our military, law enforcement and first responders. Moist brisket was flavorful and tender. Add a little Memphis Belle and it is yummy! Sweet potato was tasty. We will be back! read more