Stopped in just after 11am this morning. Wanted to order a 1/2 rack of Spare Ribs & a 1/2# of Brisket, but the Spare Ribs were not available at that time. So I did get the Brisket, and I also decided on a 1/2# of the Pulled Pork instead of the Ribs. I was underwhelmed with the Brisket, it was dry. Went back inside for some vinegar based sauce, the gentleman provided me some in a small cup. Although the sauce certainly did help flavor the Brisket, it was extremely spicy. BBQ, IMO, should not be spicy. The Pulled Pork was very good though, fresh & flavorful. I suspect that the Brisket was old, from yesterday, based on the lack of flavor compared to the fresh Pulled Pork (and that I had walked in just after Royster's had opened for business this morning). The Pitmaster knows what he is doing, he was just trying to cut corners. I've had plenty of BBQ when I lived in the South, the Pulled Pork was a good as any I had when I lived down there. There shouldn't be that much disparity between the quality of the meats. Disappointing, because it's hard to find real Q North of Mason-Dixon line. Inconsistent makes me ponder on whether I want to come back again a 2nd time. Maybe, maybe not. Now I'm indecisive, not good. So for now, I have to give Royster's BBQ Company in Cheshire a weak 3 Star rating. If I'm in the area and get a chance to drop in again, I'll post an update. read more

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I really want to give this a 2 because Brian the owner is super friendly but it just was a very strange experience. Tried to order online and it was super confusing. $10 extra for spare ribs FYI on the meat combo. We ended up calling because it didn't specify that on the website and we weren't sure. When calling he didn't give us a total so it was in fact $10 extra for that so that was a surprise picking up. $70 for 3 combo meals. Pretty pricey. They give you a nice "tray" to take your food so that was nice. Atmosphere a bit odd. I'm in food service...so it was a bit gross that the owner was pouring bbq sauce from a large vat into small bottles right by the front where your customers are walking in (should be done in the back) and I believe there was a dog bed on the floor. Ok onto the food. My mom's spare ribs were red. Definitely not cooked enough. She was worried she could get sick. She called and he said that's how they are supposed to be cooked but she ended up throwing them out. The sides were unfortunately not good either. Mushrooms and mashed potatoes overpowering smoke flavor and very salty. Pulled pork ok. Bbq sauce not very good either. Mac and cheese lacked flavor. read more

The bbq is wonderful, had the half chicken and it was juicy and just the right amount of smoke! Perfect! Sides are homemade and very flavorful. The sauces are full of flavor and give a real pop to the meal. Don't pass this bbq up, it's masterful. read more

Great BBQ. No my review does not need to be 85 characters to tell you it's great. And I am not a fan of honey mustard, but this kid has an awesome one read more

DO NOT get a holiday turkey from here. $100 for a turkey supposedly between 12-14 lbs. He said they are usually 14-15 lbs. Picked it up it was 7 lbs.!!! Followed is reheating instructions which did not work well. We had a $100 SMALL, DRY bird. Live and learn. read more

Ordered delivery and received this sausage. Most of our order was missing but I'm guessing that's because those items were not available. We received one order and this piece of sausage. We're so disappointed. Not because of the missing items or the fact that only one of us will have dinner tonight but because of that sad sad sausage. It's so so old and dry. I don't understand. It's nothing at all like the ones on the pictures. Edit: We tried to make the best of it and eat the one other thing that arrived. Was the brisket. It was not ok. Very rubbery. Like when you cook brisket but too quickly and the connective tissue never breaks down before it gets dry. The two sides it came with were left uneaten as well but that's really a matter of preference. The potatoes were so, so peppery and the mushrooms had a really weird old sock taste. I love mushrooms. This was out of the ordinary. Not pleased with any of it. read more

Royster's BBQ Company - $9.20 sausage. It's burned and dry. I Just don't understand why this would be served. - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

First time visiting and was underwhelmed, based upon previous brisket reviews was expecting more. Brisket was good with decent smoke flavor, but I have had better locally. The sides (coleslaw & mac n cheese) were a mix. Slaw was good but slightly bland and Mac n cheese was dry and needed help. read more

Getting lost and finding a gem is always a plus! The food was sooooo fresh, perfectly seasoned and tasty. The staff there were super friendly, patient and showed great service. Very welcoming. I didn't get a chance to sit and eat because I had a long drive home, but this food was amazing. The best and most tender brisket and ribs, smoked to perfection. The apple honey butter cornbread is also a must! The cheddar jalapeno sausage didn't make it to the photo... sorry. read more

Everything on the menu is excellent!!! Brian is a really cool guy. He is family. Good parking, and a great space on the inside. The atmosphere is awesome. They have a customer for life. Everyone that I recommended Royster's to said the same thing! read more

I wasn't even aware that cheshire had a bbq place and tried a quick grab and go for lunch. Got a little sample of brisket, ribs, smoked mushrooms, cheese&jalapeños sausage. And the Mac and cheese. Even tried the stuffed cream cheese jalapeños wrapped in bacon. The owner is a good laugh to chat to and very friendly. He even gave us a couple of samples to try. Came home and served it up on a wood board to enjoy. The Mrs and I work remotely but off course nothing else got done with that food coma. Left overs were great for the kids when they got back from school. All delish and juicy meats but I did go early before noon. I told the neighbors about the bbq goodness but he wasn't as impressed but maybe that's because he went late in the afternoon and it was dry. Not sure what he got, but my Experience was two thumbs up!! read more

Royster's BBQ Company - Lunch time BBQ spread - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

Tried to order last night for their anniversary celebration but they sold out of the buffalo dip. I noticed they posted on social media they had more today. I just happen to be driving by. The dip is insanely delicious! The flavors are simple but somehow outstanding because they are smoked. My son loved the brisket definitely not dried out which is always a risk when trying new to us brisket. The smoked wings sealed in the juices and when topped with the bbq sauce has a delicious flavor with just enough kick. The service was just as good as the food! Owner was helping with my order and he was very helpful and friendly! Can't wait to order more! read more

Royster's BBQ Company - Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip and smoked Chicken Wings - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

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Sorry for my confusion! I will be into try your BBQ Looking forward to to it hopefully in next few weeks.

Wow!! I just can't say anything more than that. I've traveled a lot for business in my career, and I've been to most of the big BBQ places in the country (Texas, NC, SC, Kansas City, etc) and Roysters just brings it! First and foremost the meats have to stand on their own, (without extra sauces) and they absolutely do. You can tell the owners love what they do because it comes through in the food. I had Brisket and Pulled Pork both of which were seasoned and cooked perfectly. Then there were the sauces which bring big time flavor and heat. The mustard based BBQ inspired (I assume) from SC is just over the top. Easily some of the best I've had. The baked beans were incredible bringing both heat and smoke flavor which were delicious. Smoked mushrooms, Maple Bacon Cornbread and Mac/Cheese all great. This is some of the best BBQ around. Will definitely be back. Wow! read more

Royster's BBQ Company - Maple Bacon Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

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Excellent! You can smell the cherry wood smoke before entering, This place is authentic and everything we ate was prepared by Brian, the owner. He explained how he cooks the food as he got our order ready. Very friendly guy and helpful. He got us trays because even though we ordered takeout, we were chowing down at the counter in front of t The cash register. The pulled pork was melt in your mouth delicious. The brisket was perfect, lean yet juicy, the burnt ends are marshmallow cube style mixed with sauce. Only real cheese is used for the Mac n cheese, which was the best I've ever tasted. Coleslaw was on target as well, not too sweet or tangy, just right. This is food the way you want it, prepared by someone who has pride in what he delivers. Down home BBQ midwestern style. A lost art in our chain restaurant culture. I should mention that for dessert, we ordered banana pudding, also delicious. I don't know what Brian's secret recipe is but we'll be back! He told us he's serving corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. Can't wait to try some. My son is a huge BBQ fan and said this is the best he's tasted, even when comparing it to Texas fare. Royster's is located behind a DQ off Route 10. There's not a lot of sitting room apart from wall counter space, so it's best to do takeout. Eat the BBQ while it's hot and fresh and you too will be promising to return for more, read more

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9/1/23 My first time having Barbeque from Royster's, and I'm going to award it four stars, although my impression was more like 3-1/2 stars. I'll explain why. First of all, there's plenty of parking for this out of the way little place. There's VERY limited seating (only 4 chairs with countertop seating), but that doesn't affect my rating. Most any decent Barbecue joint only has a few seats, and there are two picnic tables right outside, which we chose to sit at on this perfect first day of September. Now to the meat of my review (pardon the pun). I ordered a full rack of St.Louis style ribs, a small order each of mac & cheese, and baked beans, and a side of maple bacon cornbread. First the ribs: they were very meaty, not fatty, smoked to perfection, falling off the bone and nice and moist, but unfortunately this rack of ribs was tough and chewy. Not really forgivable considering the price I paid and that they were otherwise perfect. The baked beans were just that; baked beans in a somewhat flavorless sauce that was watery, and had no pork fat, bits of onion, or molasses to give them flavor. That's easily rectified, but for five bucks for a small container, I'd expect better. The mac & cheese was a high point, with great cheesy flavor, and the maple bacon cornbread was sweet, moist and delicious. (They need to put some that bacon in their baked beans). They also offer a traditional cornbread for those who prefer it. Sounds like I was very dissatisfied with my meal, but all these nits are easily rectified if the owner pays attention to legitimate criticism. I'll give Royster's BBQ another swing at the ball in the future and hope it's better. Not bad as it was, can just be better IMO. read more

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I am here staying from Long Island and next to our hotel was this food place we got off early enough to be able to get food everything was so good like beyond good and the service is 10 stars you have to try this place if you haven't !! read more

We have had just about everything that Roysters has to offer....chicken, brisket, ribs. All seasoned and cook wonderfully. Great selection of sides. Cornbread is our favorite. read more

We live in town and have been meaning to try this place for some time and are glad we did. We did a half rack of the St Louis Spare Ribs and an order of Burnt Ends. Both were really, really good and we will be back to try the Brisket. It was a Tuesday so the brisket wasn't available which is totally understandable as it was being smoked today after a sellout over the weekend (which we understand isn't unusual). It's refreshing to go to a place that is not going to compromise on its process of smoking low and slow so the next time we will just make sure we go when it's most likely going to be available. The owner Bryan is friendly and passionate about BBQ. He has different equipment than most BBQ places here in CT which he explained and I will leave to the reader of this review to get from him firsthand if interested and he only smokes with cherry wood which is also interesting (not the easiest to always find). The dine-in options are limited (small counter inside and a couple of picnic tables outside) but if not crowded or a nice day works fine. Getting an order as takeout works well with BBQ so we will definitely do that in the future. Regarding the prices, they seem reasonable for what you get. This is the opposite of fast food and quality meat is just expensive these days. It's great to see a unique restaurant option in Cheshire and we hope this small business continues to do well and thrive in our community for the benefit of Bryan's business and the town. We will definitely be back. read more

We always feel welcome here. Everyone is super nice and the food is amazing, especially the brisket, chicken and sausage. Recently, our family from France came to visit us and they loved this place too. read more

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Owner very friendly and explained everything. Brisket was delicious. Cornbread had its own unique taste, but every restaurant has their own recipe. As another reviewer noted, the chicken is more roasted style than BBQ style -- that was the only thing lacking for me. Onion rings were very good and not dripping in grease. The prices were a bit high, but so is every BBQ place. Food is so expensive everywhere you go these days. Next time I'm in the area I'll probably get the brisket and try the smoked mushrooms. read more

Decided to try Roysters in Cheshire. We hesitated because we thought they were only open certain days but found out they are open 6 days a week. We ordered the 3 meat combo with 2 sides and although we thought it was pricey. We had meat for days. The meat was great but the sauces were amazing!!! We loved the mustard sauce and the Texas one. If you don't go for the food, the owner is hilarious..go for the show... ha ha (putting you on the spot!). At least try this small business and I'm sure you will go back! Unfortunately I deleted the pictures and can't get them back. If you go to my instagram the pictures are there. @lizandrussexplore read more

Had the brisket, ribs , pulled pork, mushrooms and baked beans . Who knew CT had such good BBQ. The bark on the brisket was amazing . Loved every bite of everything I had . This place stacks up to BBQ places I eat at down south ! Owner was very friendly read more

Loved the food. Friendly staff. Tried the brisket, pulled pork, cornbread- all of it was what I hoped for.

Driving by to an appointment and I saw a little green sign that said BBQ on it. I'm generally not in the area so it was a surprise to me. While waiting for my visit I checked yelp and was glad I did as we stopped in for lunch on the way home. I love small mom&pop hole in the walls. This place did not disappoint. Got a rack of ribs, 1/2 lb of brisket, Mac and cheese, twinkies and Oreos. The bbq sauce was on point, ribs were fantastic, brisket was juicy and tender, Mac and cheese were cheesy and the twinkies (stuffed jalapeños) were fantastic. The smoked Oreos were hit and miss, 2 of my kids loved them, 2 weren't sure about them. Spoke to Brian the owner and he even gave me tips about my own backyard smoking disasters. He said they've been there 15 months now and I wish them the best. Nice meeting you and see you again soon! read more

Finally got to go to this place as it seems like they've finally settled on some fairly regular hours (closed Sunday and Monday). It's pretty much only take out. The owner seems like a nice guy and is working hard to make a go of it. The menu is fairly limited at this point but I guess stay tuned on that and they didn't have the roast turkey breast. I got the half chicken chicken and I must say it was very meaty and pretty good but lacked a real bbq taste. Tasted more like roasted chicken to me but I put some bbq sauce on it I had at home and it was fine. In my opinion it was kind of expensive. I think with a tip it was like $55 with a tip for the half chicken and half ribs and 2 sides. Overall it was decent and it's nice to have something different in town but if you're feeding a whole family it's going to be pretty expensive. read more

I stop here at least once a week and am known as the guy who brings his own bag to carry out an assortment of their delicious bbq meats and sides. I love everything on the menu but most enjoy their Brisket, Sausages, Rib Tips (on Tuesday when available), Mac 'n' Cheese, Armadillo Eggs, Waffle Fries and their bbq sauce. The owner is a hardworking family man who takes great pride in his business. As always, thank you for your great food and service! read more

We are so happy that this family have decided to open up in the town of Cheshire, finally giving us something other than Italian and Chinese restaurants and it is really good. They serve some really awesome brisket, mac and cheese, and the usual sides including delicious corn bread and baked beans. read more

We were a group of 8 and the had lunch after the Sleeping giant hiking. Excellent food and we all really enjoyed it. Will be back for sure even though it's a bit far me. read more

Royster's BBQ Company - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

Super tasty off-the-beaten trail BBQ. Big thumbs up on the brisket, sausage and pulled pork. Beans are sweet and the Texas twinkies are worth trying. Glad we saw the sign driving down Rt. 10 read more

Royster's BBQ Company - BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

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Best BBQ you're going to find in New Haven county. Had the brisket and ribs, great smoky flavor, seasoned well and the BBQ sauce was very good. This was right up there or better than what I've had in the Carolinas and Texas. read more

I was so happy to see the sign for Royster's when I want grocery shopping in Cheshire. I stopped in last night, and bought 1/2 rack of St. Louis Style Ribs, a 1/2 lb. of Pulled Pork, coleslaw, and cornbread. It's been quite awhile since I've had BBQ this good. Tender ribs, but not overcooked, very nice smoked flavor on the ribs and the pulled pork. Good coleslaw, and I really liked the cornbread. The proprietors are friendly and the place is sparkling clean! The food is fairly priced, good BBQ is a labor of love, just as much as a fine French meal and you get what you pay for. Please patronize these good folks. read more

I have been there and enjoyed their smoked turkey legs. The looked do good I bought two. Ate for a week lol. Nice folks

First time @ Royster's, Cheshire, ordered pastrami and brisket and some sides; pastrami was perfection; brisket was also delicious, tender and flavorful; friendly service, great experience! read more

Really disappointed. I wanted to like this place as I always support local businesses but I can honestly say I got the worst burnt ends ever. And I get it that EVERYTHING is expensive these days but I dropped $50 on a two meat two side meal with small portions read more

Just want to send a shout out to these guys! Had my daughter's Graduation party today and got some trays. The food was amazing and everyone enjoyed!! Lots of Togo's!! The staff that helped us were amazing and the guy that delivered was wonderful! Thanks for making a great day even better!!! Cheers read more

I'm from Texas, visiting Connecticut, so my barbecue standards are high. This was by far the worst meat I have ever had. I should've turned around and walked away when the pit master said he only used salt and pepper to season with. The whole process of ordering was a shit show. The pit master was gossiping and holding me back from ordering numerous times. Do NOT recommend. If you ever find yourself in Dripping Springs, Texas, visit Gummies BBQ. NOT THIS. Be ashamed. read more

Got some bbq take out from here this evening. The brisket was done to perfection, charred on the outside but juicy and delicious. Jalapeño sausage has a kick, and the pulled pork was tender. Cornbread, crunchy slaw and a killer Mac and cheese. The kid (Noah?) with the chefs hat who made the made the Mac and cheese should be on the billboards. Dude sells the bbq! We'll be back!!! read more

Just tried Roysters for the first time. Absolutely fantastic! We got smokes, bacon wrapped oreos!! Also had brisket, pulled pork, smoked mashed potatoes, and mac n cheese. Every ounce was awesome and the owner Bryan is even more awesome. If you like supporting amazing, local food and love BBQ make sure to do yourself a favor and stop in to this place.​ read more

Loved they food. Great customer service. Definitely try pull pork, bbq sauce, mac and cheese all amazing

Really nice folks and delicious BBQ! The pulled pork and baked beans especially were pretty close to perfect, and the pickles were a nice touch. As to the debate (amongst owners) about spiciness of the sauce, for me it was exactly right. So glad to have found this place and hope to be back again if I am stopping in Cheshire in the future. read more