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    Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn

    3.8 (341 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque, Buffets
    Open 9:00 am - 8:30 pm

    Order Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn Takeout or Delivery

    Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn Photos

    Business Info

    MOONLITE BAR-B-Q INN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn

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    Lemon icebox pie and banana pudding
    Don B.

    WOW I have seen them on TV heard from friends how I should make the trip to eat here. It's worth the 2 hour drive. I would like to tell you what the menu had on it but we walked past the buffet on the way to be seated. No need to see a menu I was sold on the ability to try all the choices of the massive buffet. The cost was amazingly reasonable. Starting with a healthy salad then multiple vegetables including many meats followed by great desserts. Now that I've had the experience I'll be back multiple times.

    Menu
    Katie E.

    This place is huge! I didn't have the buffet because there was no way I could eat all that food. It looking very delicious. I had the BBQ pork sandwich and it was great. The banana pudding was great. Don't miss this place if you are traveling as I was. There are a lot of places to choose from, and this is not to be missed!

    NOT WORTH IT!! I think its just a hype!

    My husband went to pick up an order. And when he got home, they either made a mistake or maybe they dont have anything we ordered. But the funny part if it all, they charged us $23 for this. We ordered 2 different meals, pork ribs & beef brisket. They charged us $45+.. look at this food! Its dry & its just pulled pork! Not worth $10 a portion of meat!

    Out front
    Steve W.

    I had the opportunity to swing an hour or so out of my way and visit the Moonlight recently. This is hands down the biggest BBQ restaurant I've ever visited. They have a huge buffet but I decided to order off the menu. I ordered the mutton plate half chopped and half sliced with green beans and coleslaw and a cup of burgoo that came with corn muffins. I had an unsweetened tea as my beverage. The coleslaw was excellent creamy and a little sweet tart. The cabbage still had plenty of crunch. The green beans weren't anything special but they were seasoned appropriately. Corn muffins were good. I really enjoyed the Burgoo. It was meaty and rich. Now before this I had never had bbq mutton. I really enjoyed it. It was moist and tender. Had a reasonable mild smoke flavor. And was well seasoned. I don't think you could have asked for more. They placed one sauce on the table. It was a middle of the road tomato based sauce. Neither sweet nor tart. But it complemented the mutton quite well. If I have time available again I'll detour and do it again or road trip just to go there. It's a good spot.

    Buffet selections
    Missi R.

    I've been here several times for the lunch buffet, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I've never had to wait to be seated. This restaurant is much larger inside than it looks from the outside. Even though the parking lot seems almost completely full there are still tables available. If you order the buffet there is no wait. Just head for the buffet and grab a plate. This is perfect for those of us who have a relatively short amount of time for lunch. The food is really good, and so is the selection. The employees are always friendly and helpful, even when the restaurant was super busy.

    Salad bar with amazingly pungent blue cheese chunks
    Michelle V.

    There are lots of hustles and bustle going on here. There wasn't waiting to be seated. This place has a handful of rooms they can plop you down in. Great for large groups(we even had his service dog). Service was efficient and pleasant. Food was hot, stocked, and ready for the choosing at the buffet. The cost doesn't break the bank either. Where do I start? The blue cheese dressing g was pungent and filled with creamy chunks of blue cheese....yummy! Make sure you try oompah potato salad( homemade stuff always gets me) Left this place thick as a tick. Please just roll me into my car. Thank you

    The Entrance
    Peter M.

    Barbecue and Some History!! The Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is an iconic Barbecue Buffet in Owensboro Kentucky. The Moonlite has been around for over 30 years serving up local favourites and barbecue classics. I was in the Owensboro area, had heard about the Moonlite, and decided to try it. If anything you find history, nostalgia and a massive offering of Meat, poultry, veggies, salads and sides. You can order from the buffet or you can order order a-la-carte items and combos. I chose the Buffet. The buffet has so many items to choose from and I could only eat so much so I decided on Barbecue Chicken, Country Ham, Pulled Pork, Ribs and a whole lot more. I even tried a local beef stew called Burgoo. The food was hot and fresh and replenished often throughout the evening. Is it the best barbecue I've ever had? Well no, but it was very good and the food was plentiful. If you are a fan of barbecue, you will things that you like and the meal was reasonably priced. Overall the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is a must-try if you are in the Owensboro area, looking for history and you have a big appetite.

    I swear there are a lot of veggies hiding under the meat. I just loaded my plate so much!
    Kimberly F.

    This place has everything that I'm looking for in barbecue: great meats, great sides, and a truly original sauce. The buffet has all varieties of meat. The mutton is not to be missed. I love lamb but had never had it barbecued! So good, and it's very specific to this region. The sides are amazing. If you grew up in this area of Kentucky, these sides are traditional as they come: green beans, navy beans with ham hock, stewed apples, soft sweet carrots, okra and tomatoes, etc. The distinctive sauce has a bourbony tang, and the very hot sauce has a spike of vodka. Not too sweet, not too acidic. The dining rooms are large, homey, and clean. Sweet servers. I've been meaning to come here for years because this place is often ranked #1 in Kentucky for barbecue, and my grandparents were from Owensboro. The online reviews always seem surprisingly low for such a renowned barbecue place, but I think that's just it! People like to say that it's overhyped because it's gotten some attention. But truly, this place is worthy of the traffic it gets. And if you don't like the sides, I guess you'd hate my grandma's cooking too because this is very authentic. (And honestly, I don't know what to do with you if you'd hate my grandma's cooking!)

    Hot sauce and Bar-b-q Mutton (off Pit)

    Mutton! I'd never had it and I dug it. Reminded me of pulled pork but there's a bit of difference. Can't tell you what. Anyway, the buffet was HUGE. Price was good. Highly recommended!

    Pete M.

    I make poor food choices and this is one. I've been here 3x in 6 months and I regret going here today. Why? I'm trying to watch my diet and eat less calories and more fruit and vegetables. I told myself; you're not in the area often so go ahead (I live near Joliet, Illinois) and enjoy a nice lunch. I tell myself I'll mainly eat veggies and salads; only grab a little bit of BBQ, wait, is that chunky ham? Regrats? Three plates of food and way too much ham. Apple crisp for that fruit I mentioned. Lots of beans, corn, green beans........you know what they serve here. As they say I was in Hog Heaven. Then I rolled myself to my 1/2 ton truck and belched BBQ as I made my afternoon sales calls......NO Honda Civic for me (wife calls me Hoss, then laughs)

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    4 months ago

    Food is great and the service is wonderful! We had the buffet and it was delicious as always!

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    We had the buffet and everything was absolutely delicious!! Home cooking best I've ate at any restaurant!!

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    2 years ago

    Maybe the cleanest buffet I've had. A nice spread both with the salad section and meats/potatoes. I would stop here again if in town

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn

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    Old Hickory Bar-B-Que - Brisket plate with mac and cheese and onion rings.

    Old Hickory Bar-B-Que

    3.7(267 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$
    Established in 1918
    Free parking

    Old Hickory BBQ in Owensboro, Kentucky, delivers exactly what its reputation promises--and then…read moresome. I'd heard more than once, from both my girlfriend and coworkers, that Owensboro is a barbecue town through and through, so when she pointed me toward Old Hickory, expectations were high. Walking in, I was immediately charmed. The space feels like a cozy old cottage infused with unmistakable local pride. Awards and accolades from magazines and even the Food Network line the walls, setting the stage for something special before you ever open the menu. One of the most endearing details, though, is how deeply rooted this place is in the community. The tabletops themselves double as a kind of hometown directory, showcasing local Owensboro businesses. It's a thoughtful, almost nostalgic touch that reinforces the sense that Old Hickory isn't just in Owensboro--it belongs to it. To fully experience what they do best, I ordered the combination platter, a barbecue lover's dream designed for indecision. My lineup included brisket, baby back ribs, and a quarter of white-meat BBQ chicken, with baked beans and mashed potatoes with gravy on the side. The platter arrived surprisingly fast, and the portion size was nothing short of impressive--this is serious, no-nonsense barbecue. The brisket was a standout: fork-tender with generous pieces of that deeply flavorful, smoky bark that true BBQ fans crave. The baby back ribs struck the perfect balance--tender but still offering a satisfying bite off the bone, never mushy or overdone. The chicken was juicy and well-seasoned, cooked just right overall, with only a couple slightly drier bites near the edge of the breast--hardly enough to detract from an otherwise excellent showing. The mashed potatoes and gravy were rich, comforting, and clearly made with care. The baked beans leaned more vinegary than I personally prefer, but they were still good enough that I cleaned the plate without hesitation--a testament to their overall quality. I couldn't help overhearing a nearby table raving about the mac and cheese, and honestly, that might be my biggest regret of the visit. An elderly woman at the table--easily in her 80s--declared, "This mac and cheese kicks ass!" I laughed, briefly considered ordering my own, then accepted defeat--I was already completely full. One small surprise was the classic slices of white and wheat bread served alongside the platter. When I asked about it, the waitress explained that many customers use it to build their own BBQ sandwiches. While I would've loved a square of cornbread instead, the tradition makes sense--and fits the no-frills authenticity of the place. I tried their original vinegar-based sauce, which was tangy, bright, and perfectly suited to the meats. I do wish I'd had the chance to sample their other sauces, but that just gives me an excuse to return. Could I nitpick and mention the limited napkins? Sure--but at a place this good, I ended up licking my fingers clean anyway. Old Hickory BBQ isn't just a meal; it's an Owensboro experience--hearty, genuine, and absolutely delicious.

    Owensboro has been vaguely on my radar for years due to the local specialty of mutton BBQ, and I…read morelove unusual meats. Unfortunately, I found the food, especially given reputation, to be disappointing. I'll start with the positives: one of the mutton ribs was absolutely sublime, with the fat suffused through the meat and a great flavor. The other mutton rib was somehow much drier. The sliced mutton was also okay, particularly with the black vinegar sauce. I was not a fan of the chopped mutton or burgoo, both of which has no discernable clear flavor and were closer to slop. Chopped mutton is kind of liked chopped liver but grainier and less tasty. Pickles, fries, bread, etc were all just commerical. I'd consider going back for a sliced mutton sandwich if in the area, but even as a mutton enthusiast I wouldn't make a special journey.

    Photos
    Old Hickory Bar-B-Que - This is where you buy the Sweet Heat Sauce. It's so good!

    This is where you buy the Sweet Heat Sauce. It's so good!

    Old Hickory Bar-B-Que - My three meat combo: mutton, brisket, and pork ribs. I liked the mutton and ribs the best.

    My three meat combo: mutton, brisket, and pork ribs. I liked the mutton and ribs the best.

    Old Hickory Bar-B-Que

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    The Brew Bridge

    The Brew Bridge

    3.8(41 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    First time here. It was a short walk from the hotel I was staying at…read more I tried 4 of their beers, 2nd & Elm, Smash, Prancing Pony and Thank a Veteran. 2nd & Elm and Prancing Pony were my favorites. I wanted to try the Smoked Burger but they are not carrying it anymore, so I had the Classic Cheeseburger. It's a thin patty, well seasoned and delicious. The Cole Slaw I ordered had a weird taste so I didn't eat it. Overall, this is a cool place with some nice artwork by local artists.

    In town for a few days and wanted to grab a burger. Nice site down affair not fast food. Swung by…read moreColby's as I've been there before but they were booked and I wasn't interested in a 40 minute wait. Staff there suggested The Brew Bridge. I called ahead to be sure there was no wait. Beautiful building and vibe but not very crowded for a Saturday night. Was waited on my a wonderful young server by the name of Shelly. Pleasant , great attitude and welcoming when I asked questions about the menu. Now the food was the big issue here. Selected the Black and Brew burger which was describe as having two patties. Yes there were two but doubtful they were the 6 oz each as listed. The brew cheese sauce was very runny and caused the buns to fall apart when I picked it up. Burger was very well done as well. Side of sweet potato waffle fries were placed in a small dish barely allowing for a small handful. Pickles on the burger were an up charge. Definitely did not curb the burger craving. I pushed my reservations aside and ordered the dessert. Went with a slice of strawberry cheese cake. Server said they did not have any last time it was ordered but she would check. Viola! Came back with a slice.. though it was missing the strawberries. Away she went and returned with only a strawberry sauce. At this point I'm all in so I drizzled the sauce over the slice. Went to cut into it only to find the gorgeous looking slice was frozen solid. Ugggg . Walked it to the bar and asked for my check and explained the slice issue. This place has so much potential but is utterly failing on the food side.

    Photos
    The Brew Bridge
    The Brew Bridge
    The Brew Bridge - 2nd & Elm

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    2nd & Elm

    Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - bbq - Updated May 2026

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