I've ordered here a bunch of times I live right by and I've just had the best meal from there that…read moreI've ever had. The pulled pork sandwich was perfection along with the creamy potato salad. With the perfect amount of dill and sour cream and the cream corn, which taste like it's fresh out of the Farm. Well done everyone over there making this happen. I know it's a ton of hard work and a lot of it seems repetitive but you're making people very happy and the neighborhood and around.

Ordered the party pack through Uber Eats. The ribs were a bit tough and had no seasoning. The…read morechicken and pulled pork, as well as the mac and cheese, were somewhat dried out like they'd been sitting on a buffet table for too long. Will definitely not be ordering from here again

Don't know what magic the pulled on the fry's but they were some of the crispiest I've had in my…read morelife. The half rack of ribs was fantastic, juicy and tender. Also had the collard greens which were great. Good stuff.

What I support for this establishment is less about its food but more about its message and the way…read moreit serves communities. Ever since 2020, the climate surrounding the George Floyd Square has changed dramatically, and this establishment has become an even stronger integral part of the community as the square itself had represented how the community thrives with its people. A lot of respect for the establishment from that perspective. In terms of food, I would say the soul food, which contained mostly sides, were the main highlight for me. The mac & cheese was salty enough. The fries were solid in a "you can't really go wrong with it" type of way. The candied yams had enough sweetness. The collard greens could taste better but standards must be lower when they're not homemade. I also enjoyed the catfish fillets as they were fried to preserve enough hotness and softness. A lot of what they served, they made on the spot, which was what may be causing longer wait for some. Meat-wise, a lot of items could use further improvement because they were too dry, such as the smoked wings and the beef brisket. The wings were dry to the point that they condensed and got extremely salty. The brisket relied a lot on the sauce and the existing fat on the meat for juiciness while the meat itself didn't have a lot of flavor or juice. As for the ribs, they had some seasoning, and tasted just fine, and weren't as dry. But I have had ribs in Texan barbeque places before and knew what "seasoned" ribs were like and therefore concluded that the ribs here were not spectacular. With all that said, however, I still will return here as often as I can because I love supporting this business. The person serving me was very hospitable and patient. I still got some pretty solid barbeque even if it's not Texas. Besides, outside just the barbeque food, the soul food was solid, like I had mentioned above.

My dad is a rib connoisseur and this is his FAVORITE BBQ place!! Absolutely delicious!!! Don't…read morewalk, run!!

I haven't eaten here since??? I can't even remember it's been so long and now I know why…read more I didn't catch a whiff of some smoking BBQ when I walked in. There were zero customers, red flag.The lady behind the counter wasn't welcoming. I had to order a pound of rib tips for just one person, no half orders. My order was ready in 10 seconds flat which let me know the ho jo's weren't fried fresh to order. I took one bite off a tip and put it back. The sauce is bland and watered down and the meat tasted like day old meat. However the restaurant was clean, so I give one star.

Heard nothing but amazing things from friends and social media about this place, so we had to check…read moreit out! Street parking available, but it fills up quickly on busy nights! Very large indoor and outdoor dining space, complete with a kids play area and a live music stage! We had a short wait for a table of four during the Saturday dinner rush! Service is QR code with runners to deliver your order, which keeps things moving! The BBQ was phenomenal...as both the Pork Plate and the Beef Ribs were absolutely delicious! The tangy white vinegar sauce served alongside was delectable! I will say the Green Spaghetti was a miss for me...not enough salt and kinda bland. The Coleslaw was by far my favorite side dish...so tasty! Make sure you come for dinner, as the star BBQ is not served during lunch! Don't forget to finish with the Banana Pudding, which was wonderful as well!

Wow. I really thought I was going to love this place. They have consistently received rave…read morereviews from magazine and newspaper food critics. I know that they had a food truck, but had never tried them before. So I went in with a very positive mindset. I was actually shocked by how many things I didn't like. The place is very large, but their parking lot is tiny. Which means parking on the street. I can see that to be a challenge considering we were there early at about 4:45, but it still looked like the parking at the State Fair. We were lucky and snagged a spot right when someone pulled out. Bullet dodged. We were seated right away (bullet #2 dodged, because I've heard of multi-hour waits), and were sat at a large communal table. The person who sat us explained that we could use the QR code to order, or a waitress would be by. After a few minutes, a waitress appeared and we were ready to order. She advised us to use the QR code, or "she would come back in a few minutes." I'm not a fan of QR codes, but used it anyway. I dislike that the screen is not in menu order, so there is a lot of searching. The text gets cut off when you view it on a phone, so there is a lot of clicking and guessing. Strike One. While waiting, you can't help but notice all the signs (including one on the table) hyping that "Animales does not accept tips on our food & beverage" except that they automatically charge 20 percent on every item. And, oh, we really want you to order using QR codes, so that we don' have to do it. (Strike 2). By the way, in order to get refills of pop, I had to go up to the bar and have them do it, so again, serve yourself, but give us 20 percent as a service charge (Strike 2.5). OK, but I bet the food, is GREAT! Not so much. In fact, I might have cut them some slack if the food was good. To me, the stars of any barbeque place should be the beef brisket and the pork ribs. I can't comment on the beef brisket because they don't even make beef brisket (they weren't out of it, they don't carry it). That's a solid Strike 3. OK, well, certainly the ribs are going to be fantastic, right? They LOOK great. Wonderful dark bark. They were on the skimpy for a $18 half rack with no sides, except for some shavings on onion and jalapenos. The good news: they were very tender. The bad news is that they were HIGHLY over salted and there was hardly any meat on the bones. I asked the person next to me (at the communal table) how he liked his ribs and he said, "Eh. Very salty and skimpy." We live in an Instragramable world, looks great, so the taste doesn't matter very much. They offer two sauces (which taste very similar) (and ketchup) and they helped cover the salty taste, but that's not the point of good barbeque. This strike was an automatic game lost move. (Did I mention that I had to ask the bar to refill my $3 pop each time?). If you are a BBQ place and don't have fantastic ribs, you ain't a good BBQ place. Period. Full stop. My wife had the cheese steak sandwich she said was "OK" but I tasted it and it just seemed (again) salty and mushy. (No strikes this time, but no more than a single.) Lastly we ordered "Memphis Fries" which are not explained on the menu and google didn't seem to think "Memphis" Fries ($10.46 with tax) are a thing, so a little menu help would be nice, since you can't ask the non-existent wait staff. They are battered, seasoned fries that come with a white dipping sauce and are cooked in tallow fat. My wife rated the fries as 5 out of 5, so I won't take off any points for the fries (I would have rated them lower, but they were OK to good and I'm trying to be fair). For a happy hour sandwich, the "half rack" of ribs, the fries, a beer, and a glass of pop, our bill came to $64.24, which I think is pretty expensive for mediocre food, and difficult parking and a mandatory service charge for no service. My recommendation: Go to Famous Dave's. Pay less, get more, and have a much better food experience (and you can get brisket too). Sigh.....

Had the smoked jumbo wings here today for lunch. This is one of the things they they are known for…read moreand I can see why. They were extremely tasted. I opted for the standard buffalo toss and did not regret it. It's not cheap, but for the quality and quantity I think it's worth it. For me it was plenty for a lunch without any sort of side. I got a house ipa to wash it down and it was decent but not my fav. My friend had the smoked Rueben sandwhich and enjoyed it. Service was good, ambiance on the outdoor patio was nice, and overall had a very positive experience here.

We decided to eat at Northbound for dinner on a bustling Independence Day Eve at 7PM. Walking up to…read morethe restaurant, it seemed like there would be a small wait, but luckily for us, a table just opened up as we walked through the doors. Even with how busy the place was, I didn't find the service to be too slow. The food took about 10 minutes to come out. Cheese Curds ($12.50) - Interesting curds. They're covered and fried in a leavened waffle batter, which gives a more airy type of crisp on the outside. It's more robust than normal cheese curd batter, but has that lighter and softer waffle crunch. The texture inside is right in between being soft and gooey but has enough firmness for a slight squeaky behavior. I actually don't prefer this texture - I massively prefer one extreme or the other, either completely squeaky, or completely softened and melted. The curds are all separated with some mini batter nubs spread around for extra crunch. The curds comes with a ranch dip that has fresh herbs in buttermilk and for some reason reminds me of thousand island in taste. (4/5) 18-hr Porketta ($17.50) + Fries Upgrade (+$2.50) - This is a very simple sandwich with Northbound's famous 18 hour porketta, some Swiss cheese melted on top, and finally some softened sliced onion in a brioche bun. The porketta is essentially pulled pork and is lean with basically no fat. It's seasoned well with a good fennel and spiced aroma The flavors are quite pronounced and while the pork is relatively tender for the cut, some fat would do some major justice. The fries are mediocre. They are clearly hand cut and fried in house, but they are a little underfried since the interiors are firm rather than fluffy and they are floppy in texture. Meh. The porketta comes with a sauce that's fruity, tangy, and acidic. It's surprisingly great for the cheese curds since the curds are so heavy and fatty. (4/5) Overall I found the food at Northbound to be good enough but nothing particularly outstanding. I certainly don't think it was worth the 45 minute round trip drive. but I wouldn't mind eating there again if I happened to be in the area in the future. Food: [4/5] Service: [ ] Other: [ ] Final Rating: 4/5 Bathrooms - Two unisex rooms

Myself and two friends enjoyed us some Smokestack Express today, and I have to say we were…read moreimpressed. I stopped in and picked up lunch for all of us, and everything was perfect. The brisket sandwich, ribs, chicken sandwich, mac and cheese, and baked beans were all perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. What really stood out, though, was the customer service. Justine helped me over the phone while I was trying to figure out lunch plans. I was actually headed to another restaurant when I found out halfway there that they were closed on Mondays. I had to switch gears quickly, and that's when I found Smokestack Express. Justine was extremely helpful, friendly, and patient. She made the ordering process easy and was genuinely pleasant to talk to. The food would have been enough to bring me back, but her attitude and professionalism made the experience even better. I can see why this business is successful. Great food combined with great people is a winning combination. Thanks, Smokestack Express, for saving my butt today. You've definitely gained a new customer.

Overall, good flavors but felt it was more on the dry side. Price point and quantity is a good…read moreprice point. Will back back again.

The barbeque food is amazing and you can order different strengths of sauces. I love the grilled…read morechicken sandwich and the rack of ribs. They are a 2 person family business, so call ahead or wait in their charming shop with amazing Minnesota memorabilia. This place is a gem!

I absolutely love Scott Ja-Mamas. I've been going here for over 10 years and every time I go I get…read moretheir pulled sandwiches with their twice baked potato. The amount of pulled pork they give you is enough for 2 sandwiches. Don't even get me started on their twice baked potato. I dream of them sometimes. Given that I live over 30 minutes away they go out of the way to separate everything so once I'm home I don't have a soggy mess. The staff is incredibly nice. Every time I go they accommodate my request for buns on the side. I'm always offered a soda while I wait for my food. Their spicy bbq sauce is delicious and has a bit of heat to it.

Yum-o! I've been wanting to go here for years and saddened I've missed out on this deliciousness…read morethe whole time - the whole time! I tried the Firebox Fries with extra meat. Somehow the fries weren't mushy. This isn't something I'd normally get, but I was surprised at how good it was. I went with a group and was also able to try the coleslaw, sticky rice, and pulled pork. The meat was juicy and amazing. I love the coleslaw and even compared it to other coveted coleslaw - this is my favorite. I'm picky with bbq sauce, but their bbq sauce hit hard. They have a small parking lot - maybe 3 or 4 spots, but there is plenty of street parking. Also worth mentioning you order up front and get a number. They will bring out your food, but you will need to grab your beverage, plates/napkins, and utensils. Hands down better than any other famous and/or Dave you may know.

TLDR: This establishment has backyard bbq potluck vibes and would eat again. Huge portions. Quick…read moreand efficient customer service. Overall experience would be 4/5. Parking: The place has an onsite parking lot. However, it is very smalls prepare to park on nearby streets for free.99. Customer service: Immediately greeted. You seat yourself and then order when you're ready at the front/bar area. I had a beer and there was an issue with the tap or maybe they were out but they were swift to get it handled within minutes. It's more of a lax environment but they're quite fast to provide good customer service. To-go boxes, cutlery, water, etc is all self served at designated stations. They even offered bags as we were leaving. Very polite. Dining area: Spacious. There were not a lot of people there. Went on a Wednesday night. (Lots of people did pick up orders though) They have high top seating areas, bar seating, and regular seating. Tables were set with ketchup, salt, and their signature bbq sauce. Food: Pulled pork: Tender but dry possible due to leaness. I'm a fat lover myself but it seemed healthy compared to other pulled porks I've had or made. May have benefit from a sauce for moisture. However, I do like that it leaves you with the option of dressing it however you wish. Wonderful smoke ring. Decent amount of smoke flavor. Fries: Nothing to write home about. They're just fries. Rib tips: Fatty, tender, and possibly best meat there. Tasted like hmong pulled pork (iykyk) but smoky. Would get again. Brisket: I'm not a fan of brisket in general because it's too lean and dry. Not a lot of marbling. I tried it anyway. This brisket was on the dryer side most likely due to lack of marbling of fat. The smoke was very subtle. The bark and fat cap were great though. Very crusty, peppery bark. Fat was rendered to perfection. I don't have much reference to smoked briskets so I don't know what to compare it to unfortunately. Ribs: Had decent smoke flavor. Excellent smoke ring. A little tough texture wise for some people's preference. I prefer fall off the bone but also okay with something to chew on as well due to personal preference/ food I grew up with. It has same issue with other meats. Tender but dry. I was able to reheat it two days later and rip off the meat from the bone effortlessly. Potato salad: Standard. Backyard bbq vibes. I'm used to more acidic ones with relish or something but I wasn't mad at it. Potato cookery was on point. Even two days later, potatoes were still tender and not hard as hell like store bought ones. Mac and cheese: I do not like mac and cheese in generally but gave it a try. Specifically because I've only ever had one life changing one and maybe I'm just chasing that flavor. This one honestly tasted like Kraft Mac and cheese. However, the noodle cookery was on point. Perfectly al dente noodles. Not mushy or dry. Collard greens: This is your no frills collards. Gets the job done. Still had a bite and not complete mush. Toast: Buttery and huge. Would get again. Condiments: Pepper/chili: This surprised me the most. I make all kinds of pepper and have eaten many different store/restaurant kinds as well. This was the first one where I didn't feel duped. Usually, places will dull things down with water and skimp out on ingredients and use weird alternatives. However, this pepper actually was mostly actual chilis. I also loved that this is the only place I've tried that puts prickly ash berries into the pepper. Not too spicy. A lot of honest work went into this. I actually brought my own homemade pepper but if I didn't, I would be perfectly fine with what was served. Bbq sauce: No frills. I didn't eat it with my food. I tried it on its own and could taste and name ingredients which were listed on the back. Might taste like regular sweet baby rays but I hardly eat that flavor. Just reminded me of it. Overall, combining the food/customer service/ambiance, I'd give it a solid 4. Everyone has their own preferences on what good bbq "should" be whether it's the type of wood or texture etc etc. I prefer hickory wood and didn't taste that but at the end of the day, I still enjoyed my meal. Try it out for yourself and see.

What started off as a pop-up concept at sister restaurant Centro is now a takeout focused joint…read morespreading quickly throughout the Cities. Fans of the Crunchwrap made famous by a certain fast food restaurant should have Hippo Pockets on their radar. Obviously, they have their version of the famous one available, but there's a number of popular sandwiches and other on-trend foods that have been wrapped in a tortilla and pressed to choose from. I'm a sucker for a good Cubano, and the Hippo's version ain't bad. The Korean BBQ one was also enjoyable, but the leader in the clubhouse for me thus far is the birria, which is very generous with the beef and comes with a surprisingly flavorful consomme. Some sides and a few salads are also available if you're not in the mood for some nostalgic stoner food. Portions are generous, a pocket and a side of fries is enough for two. This location has a couple of tables inside to dine in, but it is decidedly takeout focused.

Kind of an odd but cute food court that houses a couple fast casual restaurants and a bar…read more The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful! The vibes of the place made it a great place to relax. We enjoyed our crunchwraps. They were filling and tasty. The food is a tad expensive, but it's not a bad option if you're looking for a slightly elevated version of a fast-food crunchwrap.

Best flavors!!! My favorite potato salad ever. Not your…read morestandard mustard, but delightful dill instead! The coleslaw is tangy and crisp! The pulled pork is delicious! Everything they make is amazing.... Follow this food truck!!!

First of all, the brisket was outstanding! Value was also very good. My only complaint was that the…read morebrisket grilled cheese used low quality cheese (Ex Kraft singles). Up the cheese and this is easily five stars!