The ribs were the best I've ever had in my life. The spice was perfect and packed great flavor. The meat was not too tough and had the right consistency. The pork was very good too. The mac and cheese was creamy and delicious. Can't wait to come back and try wings! Awesome service, sweet atmosphere, food dynamite read more

Saddleback BBQ - Baby back ribs, and pulled pork with Mac n cheese, pickled veggies and jalapeño corn cake. Best ribs I've had in my life. - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

Visiting from out of state. We had just finished touring the Capitol building (go check that out too!) and grabbed some lunch. It's obviously a local favorite as it was fairly busy in a rainy Thursday. We tried the pulled pork and chicken, both were great! The corn cakes are fabulous, moist and flavorful. The mac and cheese was good, though not anything spectacular. The sweet potato mash was very good. We ordered 2 more sides of it after tasting it! It had crystallized orange zest in it, which was a fun flavor profile for the sweet potatoes. read more

They have the best ribs ever! I enjoy the cornbread ball things a lot. I don't really like the new fries though. I don't know if they are supposed to be super sweet but they taste like they had sugar on them instead of salt. I definitely preferred the old ones but do like battered fries just not sweet ones. read more

Updating my previous review from 3 stars to 4. The BBQ is always great, and I really like their sandwiches. After trying a few more of their sides options, I would recommend the Vernors sweet potatoes. OR my new favorite is double corn cake. You already get a scoop or two of corn cake with your meals but doubling it as your side choice.... They have the best corn cake of any bbq joint. The only reason I didn't rate 5 stars is because of their hours. I wish they were open a little later at the the REO town location so I had the opportunity to order from them more often. read more

Just ordered $50 worth of BBQ to go and came home to discover no sauce had been included. You really think BBQ sauce would come with the meal, or someone would at least ask if I wanted some. What kind of service is that? read more

Decent food ... portions small enough to satisfy your 12 year old ... example my friends 110 pound wife was still hungry when she left and went home and ate a sandwich .. read more

Good lord this fatty tender brisket is the things dreams are made of. Brisket is a finicky meat that is hard to nail and they've nailed it. The collard greens are pleasantly spicy and just wonderful. The smoked wings are fantastic, tossed in a tangy mustard sauce. I could go on. This is probably the best BBQ joint in Michigan. I seriously couldn't imagine any better. So good. A must stop when you're in Lansing. read more

Great service, above average BBQ, and good atmosphere. I got the ribs and I'll be back.

Great brisket and perfect ribs, i also tried and greens which were good. All 3 bbq sauces were outstanding, the carolina was my favorite. Service was fst and friendly. Of the half dozen BBQ's in lansing this one is the best read more

Brisket sandwich was 40% fat which led to a fun scavenger hunt for the edible pieces of brisket. The meat, while elusive, was actually was pretty good but the sandwich was lousy. Corn scoop was ok and mac n cheese was pretty good but think fancy shells and cheese rather than noodles baked with cheese. read more

This place is fantastic! Service is quick and food is delicious. The food has a very southern feel and taste and you'll never leave disappointed. And if you're a lover of sweet tea, this is the place for you. My only issue is that I sometimes wish the food could be a bit hotter. read more

Bottom line: I'll wait a few months to come back in hopes of Saddleback working out the kinks. Visited on Wednesday (their 2nd day of regular service) at 1:00pm hoping to avoid the lunch rush. The line was out the door and took about 15 minutes to make it to the front. Once our order was in it only took about 5 minutes to get our food. Waiting isn't a problem but call ahead if you're in a rush. Atmosphere - 5 stars Simple, clean and charming inside. Love the old brick wall with the pig mural. We chose to sit on the patio on the great big picnic tables. Great place to be for the rest of the summer. Service - not so hot The waiter came out with our trays and without a word dropped them in front of us and walked away. When I asked for some BBQ sauce (shouldn't they bring sauce without having to be asked?) I got a curt "Behind you" as he turned to go back inside. Sweeten up a little, dude. We would all have a better time. Here's what we ordered: Brisket - 2 stars This was the main event for me. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I read in the Lansing State Journal about the two owners going down to Georgia to buy their smoker. One of them comments "Instead of spending three or four months learning these things by trial and error, were were able to get a little bit ahead of the game on that one." He's bragging but there are no shortcuts in learning to smoke great brisket. Trial and error is what gives you your own unique perspective. Ask a southern pit master if even 3 or 4 months would be enough time to learn the craft. Hand cut fries - 5 stars This is hands down the best item on the menu. Perfectly crispy and salty. Don't miss these. Mac and cheese - no stars Imagine you're making Velveeta Shells & Cheese. Before you add the cheese packet you have to taste one noodle out of the boiling water to make sure it's cooked properly. That watery flavorless noodle is what their mac and cheese tastes like. Chicken tacos - 2 stars The only flavor came from the cilantro. Chicken and tomatillo salsa added nothing to the experience. The corn tortillas tasted like they came straight out of a package from Meijer without being steamed or fried. The food was served with a garnish of pickled veggies and a jalapeño corncake. It was a nice touch but didn't make or break the meal. Personally I prefer traditional moist and crumbly cornbread. Corncake is too wet for me, like it wasn't cooked long enough. Price - We spent $21 and change. Seems fair to me. read more

I ordered the pulled pork ( they were out of ribs and brisket by the time I got there) and southern slaw. The slaw was a bit spicy - but the woman I ordered from described it that way. The pork was cooked well and I liked all three sauce options. Note: sauce is on the side. Everyone in the place was really friendly. Fun fact: you can order your food and go to the bar next door, they'll bring it to you. read more

Holy meat coma, Batman! Ah-maze-ing! If you know and love good barbecue and can't make it to the south, this is your new jam! I am very picky about BBQ. I love the stuff! That meaty, fatty, juicy combination of flavor, smoke, spice, and tenderness is a formula not many can attain. This guy nails it! Ok, so we shared the three meat combo, which included 1/3 pound of (our choice) ribs, pulled pork, and brisket with a side of homemade pork rinds. The brisket was perfectly marbled and tender to a point that I questioned the legality of it. I was drooling before I even got a bite...and it did not disappoint! The thick slices of brisket were piled on top of the pulled pork. Pulled pork has a reputation of being dry and needing to be drenched in sauce...not this stuff! Perfectly juicy and flavorful. Ok, let's talk RIBS. Um, I have no words, so let's not. Go here! Get some meat and bask in the flavors and freedom to stuff your face full of this goodness! My eyelids were sweating in the best way. Oh! Homemade pork rinds were delicious with the (genius) spray bottle of malt vinegar on the table. I didn't try the famous corn jalapeño cake that came with our meat mountain, but my guy said it was great. 24 bucks gets you all of this and a drink. The place is small and in an up and coming artsy district of downtown Lansing. The staff was suuuuper friendly and looked like they could start a badass rock band at any minute. They ask your name when you order and pay at the counter and bring it all out to your table on a metal cookie-sheet type tray. Even after we paid there was a guy that would come around and ask how we were doing, if we needed anything, and how the food was. I'm all about service, so this was the icing on the carnivorous cake for me! Turns out he is the chefs bro. We definitely told him how much we loved everything through sweating eyelids and meats in our teeth. I can't wait to go back! They also have some kind of chicken wings that I can't wait to try AND hand cut fries. Dooooood! THIS is why I could never be a vegetarian. Barbecue...this place GETS IT!! read more

Saddleback BBQ - The 2 meat (brisket & ribs) combo with rinds. Add a little spray of malt vinegar to the rinds for a bit of (Wu) TANG! ! - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

First time - limited seating although during warmer weather - a little bit is available outside. Limited quantities as they take great care in preparing their food and requires several hours of work. Food was delicious. I tried their Baby back ribs with very well seasoned fries and jalapeno corncakes. They had run out of the brisket - so I shall return one day to check that out. They did mention one could go next door to the bar and they will send the food order over. read more

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Had the pulled pork and mac-n-cheese. It was good, What surprised me, was when I went in there at 1:30 on 10/16/15 they were playing loud rap where you could clearly hear "Motherfuckin" and "Nigga" OK, maybe your trying to be edgy or hip, I don't know. Just seems to me that would deter more people than it would impress. *Edited to add a star and say they perfected their craft a bit better and toned down the rap read more

This is an update to my earlier review. I wanted to share with the community the follow up I received from the owner of the restaurant after posting my initial review. Again, these guys were top-notch in customer service when I worked with them for a catered event. The problem was with the food. I was pleasantly surprised this morning with the immediate feedback they provided me (via a personal email). This was great and goes a long way. I wont go into the details, but needless to say, they want to make things right with me. They offered a number of opportunities for me to share my experience with them and to get an explanation. Based on this, I am more convinced that my experience may have been a one-off and more a result of extenuating circumstances. I wish these guys nothing but the best and plan to be back. read more

OK... outskirts of Lansing, in an area they're obviously taking pride in bringing back and up. Tiny mom and pop comfort shop... met by the NICEST lady in the world who took my son and I through the menu. We both got the brisket, which was AMAZING. I cried, because when my collard greens were done, I knew I'd never have any that good again (until we come back). My son swears by the homemade Mac-n-cheese. Go here. Often. read more

This place is nipping at Meat's heels! My family and I were seated immediately, right next to two of Lansing's Finest. I wrangled the kids while my wife went up and ordered a little bit of everything. The ribs were crispy, but not dry. The brisket was juicy and flavorful. The pulled chicken and pulled pork were the perfect home for both the red and yellow bbq sauces. The real stars of the show? The jalapeño cornbread cake and the fries. I was OBSESSED with these sides. By the end of the meal, my kids were handing me their fries just to see if Dad would explode! Definitely go, and say hi to the pig on the wall for me. read more

Best meat of all the Lansing BBQ places I've tried so far. Also -best sweet tea and- they have TRUE eastern Carolina sauce. The other place people like claim go have it but if you can't see thru it, it doesn't meet my standard LOL read more

Fortunately it was warm enough to sit outside because the restaraunt is tiny. The DH had the brisket which was uimpressive. It was dry and flavorless except for the BBQ sauce that he applied himself at the table. I had the wings which were drenched in sauce and fairly tasty, but I've had better. Customers go up to the counter to place their orders, and the restaraunt staff brings them out to you. The service was very fast. The same person who took our orders not only brought them out to us but went outside several times to make sure all of us customers had everything we needed. If it weren't for the excellent service, I would have given them three stars. read more

Yummy. Had the pulled chicken tacos and the Mac and cheese. The food was super good. I tried the pulled pork and coleslaw. The coleslaw was a little spicy. The pork was yummy too. I suggest the lemonade, worth the up charge. Go early, by 11:30 there was a line to the door. read more

Saddleback BBQ - Chicken Taco and Mac & Cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

Standard, decent American food. Not much spice/ seasoning. Overpriced. No barbecue or grilled flavor or texture, more like a slow cooker. I would go again if someone else were paying, otherwise no. read more

I don't write a lot of reviews but her goes: Saddleback BBQ was amazing. We ordered brisket, pulled pork, chicken and ribs for a client event. All four of the meat dishes were perfectly cooked and incredibly moist. If you like baked beans, theirs are some of the best I have had. Service was perfect. Highly recommend. read more

I took my husband who's from out of state here and all the food was dry and overcooked. Especially the burnt ins. So disappointed

We have gone to Saddleback a few times . Not a bad word from any of us . Their sides are good sized and tasty .

Honestly this is the best BBQ I've ever had! The dry rubbed ribs are absolutely fantastic. Staff are friendly and really know their menu. Price point is good and the quality is great. I am definitely a regular here and every time I go.....it's always AMAZING! read more

Saddleback BBQ - Seriously....the best ribs in the city! Full rack here! - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

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The southern BBQ is tremendous. It's just the basics: brisket, pulled pork, sausage and sides. All are prepared perfectly. The brisket is smoked on-site and was fork-tender. The pulled pork was lean and exquisite with a variety of barbecue sauces to try. The sausage was also lean and cooked to perfection. It is a very small restaurant, so check on reservations. Prices are very reasonable. A three-meat platter (plenty for 2 or 3 people) is only $21 plus soft drinks. They don't have a liquor license, but there's a great neighborhood pub next door. And both Saddleback and the REO Town Pub feature outdoor seating when the weather allows. read more

Tried a new place today, and am happy that I did. Delicious pulled pork, not fatty or greasy. Yummy potato salad with lots of creamy, mustardy dressing and celery seed, just the way I like it. I am happy that I didn't have to salt it. The little scoop of cornbread-jalapeno stuff is a nice touch - and it's awesome! I wanted more of that. The dining room is small, but there are tables outside so you can enjoy the nice weather. Please put sauce bottles on the tables outside! Each interior table had 3 bottles of sauce, all homemade. One's mustard-style, one's vinegar (Carolina) style, and one is "red," I'd call this more of a traditional style. It had a touch of chili and cayenne to it. My personal favorite is the Carolina vinegar style sauce. Finally, I recommend the lemonade. They offer both sweet and unsweetened ice tea. Friendly service. If you can't find a place to park, go behind the building that is located across the street. There's a big, paved lot back there. Arrive around 11:30-11:45 if you don't want to wait in a long line that stretches out the door. For the price, I wish they would give just a little bit more meat and a little bit less salad or side. I paid $11.66 for 1/3 lb. pulled pork, potato salad, a scoop of corn bread "stuffing" (for lack of a better word) and drink. If the price goes down after their first few weeks, I'll be back for sure. read more

You need to try this place. Food is amazing and cooked to perfection. Staff, including the chefs are super friendly and accommodating. If you love great BBQ, stop by and enjoy. The interior of the restaurant is sparse, but the great food and friendly staff make it a nice dining experience. read more

Saddleback BBQ - Half rack of ribs with Mac & Cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

Really good food. I had the pulled pork and pulled chicken and a side of sweet potatoes. Simple, but very tasty!

Great food and great people! I saw another person's review about Saddleback's "tasteless" advertising during the pandemic and I wanted everybody to know how absurd she is. She did zero research and made false claims for all to see. Saddleback is not only continuing to serve their amazing food, they are being leaders in our community and helping other locally owned restaurants, and have provided free meals to children and medical workers. SHE needs to do better! read more

I love bbq! I travel frequently and seek out local bbq joints. I will be back at Saddleback frequently. I got there 10 minutes before they closed, and was greeted by friendly staff. This is important. Many places when you walk in the door just before closing, you get the stink eye from the employees. They could not have been more gracious in welcoming me. I ordered the 2 meat plate and chose pulled pork and brisket with fries as a side. To go! I also ordered a second side fresh pork rinds. Wait what? Did you say fresh pork rinds? Yes delicious crispy, seasoned perfectly delicious crispy fresh pork rinds. Did I mention they are delicious and crispy? They offer 3 sauces red, yellow and vinegar. Red is kind of traditional with a little heat. Just the way I like it. Yellow is mustard based and Vinegar is, yep you guessed it vinegar based. Not a fan of the mustard or vinegar, nothing to do with Saddleback's sauce just not my preference. Very nice portions, good bark and smoke ring. I like to try the bark without sauce, and the pulled pork was outstanding. The brisket is above average as well. Friendly staff, great food and kitchy decor. Whats not to like? Get yourself in here and eat some Q. By the way they have delicious crispy fresh pork rinds......... read more

Excellent BBQ! We had the pulled pork sandwich and the ribs along with collard greens, mac-n-cheese and french fries. No one in our family was disappointed. Service was also top notch and friendly. read more

I had never been here before so my boyfriend and I thought we'd give it a shot. It smelled delicious when we walked in and the front of the store appeared to be very clean. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries and my boyfriend had beef brisket and smoked chicken. He ordered sides of Vermont's sweet potatoes and fries as well. Everything was a la carte and we felt it was slightly overpriced for the portion size. Especially my boyfriend's brisket and 1/4 Chicken (see picture). The food was good but I am giving three stars for a few technical things. Before I get into the technicalities, I must say that the corn cakes were small, but really good. The pickles were so good I would buy them by the jar if I could. And the Vernor's sweet potato mash was tasty, too. As for the meat though, the intramuscular fat on the brisket wasn't melted throughout which wasn't very appealing to look at, let alone eat. I know there is usually a little fat on brisket but this was a bit slimy/chewy. There was also large pieces of fat in the pulled pork. Next, the sandwich automatically came with cole slaw on it which is really common in the south, and is something I really enjoy having been raised in rural Virginia. (Normally in Michigan, it comes on the side!) The slaw, however, had no crunch to it. It almost felt like I was eating wilted lettuce. Part of the reason pulled pork and slaw go well together is because of the contrast in texture, so I was a little disappointed with that. Next, my French fries were nicely cut and cooked just right, but my boyfriend's order had mostly smaller crispy pieces which seemed to be slightly over cooked. They did have three bbq sauces on the table for us and I felt that the house bbq sauce was excellent, the mustard was good, and the vinegar was a little runny and didn't have much flavor. I may give their new Okemos location a try if I'm ever in the area to see if this visit was just a fluke because some of the other reviews I'm seeing are really positive! read more

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Great, amazing, phenomenal customer service!!! Very clean and follow all safety guidelines. Do yourself a huge favor and support this great place! They do take out orders. You will never be sorry with the consistency and quality of the bbq. Cant recommend highly enough! read more

Cute little place. Everything that we tried was delicious. The meat was all moist and very flavorful. The staff was completely exceptional. You would think they all had owning interest the way they treat people. Yummy BBQ and sides with 5star service. You really can't go wrong here. read more

My wife and I decided to try Saddleback for lunch. The staff was amazingly friendly. We were welcomed the moment we walked in, the came to our table and asked what sauces we'd like, and left us with a smile. A+ We ordered baby back ribs and brisket with a side of mac and cheese. The verdict: The ribs were somewhere between okay and good. Just seemed to need more smoker time. The mac and cheese was good. Common side at BBQ places. The brisket was the best we'd ever had. Without exaggeration. Amazing. It's worth the trip here just for their brisket. The cornbread was great. The pickles are flavor explosions. Loved them. We will definitely be back to try more of their food. It was a great experience all-around. read more

I've been there about 5 times so far. Really impressed with the food. Only thing that's bothered me is twice I've went there and they had no ribs. How can you be a bbq spot and run out of one of the most popular things people think of when they think of bbq? Even still, great food. I wish it was bigger so you could eat there but it's pretty small. Try this place out at least once! The food really is good. read more

Saddleback BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

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Everything I had here (briskets and slaw) was very good. The only down side is the portion size, which could be bigger.