We came for happy hour and patio seating and didn't utilize either. If there was a happy hour, it wasn't advertised. Husband had a beer I had cider, it seemed there were no specials. The wind was too high to use the patio, so husband's son and I sat in the bright bar area. It is a lovely restaurant, and our server was very friendly and efficient. We started with the brisket chili because we just had to try this no bean super flavorful meaty cup. It was actually an oval ramekin of chili with melted cheddar on top. I took several bites before husband returned from his trip to the restroom, and then he ate the rest. We loved the chili! Maybe a little salty but otherwise perfect. Husband ordered the brisket and chicken combo with beans and coleslaw. The beans also had brisket in them, but a different flavor profile than the chili. The coleslaw was fresh if not unique. It came with a cornbread loaf and a pile of pickled onions and cucumbers that were really brightly flavored and super enjoyable. Son ordered half a pound of brisket and ate that (and helped his dad finish his too). He had a mac and cheese and waffle french fries as his sides, it's only complaint was he didn't like the cheese on top of the Mac which is totally personal preference. He did not order the combo plate because he ate my corn bread. I ordered the smoked barbecued salmon with green beans and cheddar grits. The grits required salt and pepper, but were tasty and devoured. The green beans had a unique mustard sauce, based on one of their barbecue sauces. Although we ate about half of them, this is probably my least favorite way to have green beans. The salmon was a very generous boneless skinless piece of fish, perfectly cooked tender not dry with a little barbecue sauce on top. I tried a bunch of the sauces and actually preferred the apple, and the spicy. It is fun that there are five different sauces on the table. The North Carolina is very thin and vinegary, which is probably good for drenching brisket. The bark on the brisket was delectable, even though son leaves this behind I ate some! This restaurant doesn't have very many reviews, they have not been open super long. Visit and give them some love! I would happily come back, but would love to see them add some happy hour discounted appetizers and drinks for my next visit. read more

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For such an iconic brand like Slow's their new Ann Arbor outpost is not doing the legendary Detroit BBQ spot justice. I've been patronizing Slow's restaurants for over a decade and my latest experience at the Ann Arbor location was really disappointing. The service wasn't great and I had to flag down a waiter to order a second drink. Also, bartenders were just sticking their entire hands into drinks to drop large ice cubes . Pulled pork was fine, but my brisket and chicken were pretty awful. Brisket was dry as heck and a gross grey color. My serving of chicken was basically all gristle and was sitting in a puddle of grease. I'll still trust the Detroit area locations, but Slows A2 isn't worth the $$$ in 2026 read more

Slows Bar Bq Ann Arbor - Smoked Apple BBQ Pulled Chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Comedy on Tap: The event space was really nice, and I thought the concept was a great idea! I would definitely love to see more events like this. One suggestion would be to communicate the ordering process more clearly. We sat at our table for about 20 minutes before realizing that we were supposed to order in the back. A simple sign or announcement explaining how ordering works would make the experience much smoother. I also think more marketing and promotion could really help bring in a larger crowd. It seemed like the smaller audience made some of the comedians uncomfortable, and a bigger turnout could create a much better atmosphere for both the comedians and the audience. As far as the comedy itself, Jade Locke's set was disappointing. Everyone else did a good job with the small crowd lol Rather than focusing on jokes and comedy, much of Jades time was spent discussing her political views. I found some of the comments to be ignorant and disrespectful, and it took away from the overall experience. I came to enjoy a comedy show and would have preferred the focus to remain on comedy rather than political commentary/complaining/degrading. Overall, I really liked the venue and the idea behind the event, and I think with clearer communication, more promotion, and the right lineup, this could be a really fun experience! read more

I'm thrilled we have Slows in Ann Arbor now!! For my first time into this new location, I had to go with The Reason (pulled pork sandwich). A tried and true. It absolutely hit. LARGE sandwich and portion for $15, and love being able to mix and match BBQ sauces. My favorite was a mix of the NC, apple, and spicy. The waffle fries are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, very fab. We shared a side of mac and cheese, but probably should have gone without. It's very rich and we already had too much food! My husband got a BBQ platter and everything was great. Our service was friendly and attentive. Free refills on the soda? I didn't ask but got a refill of Diet Coke when our server noticed I was low, and wasn't charged. Next time we go, I'm trying The Yardbird smoked chicken sandwich! read more

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Great experience and good was amazing! Service was stellar and will definitely be back! Have tried Detroit location, and food truck! read more

Slows Bar Bq Ann Arbor - Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Slows Bar BQ was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed a full slab of ribs, brisket, waffle fries, cheese grits, and grilled kale. Everything was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. The ribs were tender, the brisket was amazing, and every side dish was just as delicious as the main course. Our waiter, Joe, was outstanding! He was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. The combination of excellent food and exceptional service made for a wonderful dining experience. We can't wait to come back! I am so happy they are in Ann Arbor! read more

This review has the caveat that my wife and I had just eaten appetizers at Spiedos so we were just stopping in for a light bite and a drink. As such, we didn't try the BBQ staples like brisket and pulled pork. I did have the wings but they weren't to my taste - firstly, I think they should be portioned before being cooked and, secondly, that a few minutes under a broiler would char the skin rather than it being served soft. But that's just my preference. Service was pleasant and the cocktails enjoyable. And the space itself is very smart. I'll update my review once I go back for the main courses. read more

Slows Bar Bq Ann Arbor - Slows Original Hickory Smoked Wings - Barbeque Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

First time trying this place and will be back for sure. Our server Danielle was amazing! She had some great suggestions on what to order. We ended up ordering The Reason. It was so delicious! Portion size was perfect! There are many different sauces on the tables to try. My fave was the apple and the sweet. The fries were so tasty. Be sure to order those. My husband and i shared an order and it was plenty. The place is nice and comfortable. Perfect place for some great bbq and a beer. Go try it. Ask for Danielle. She will take great care of you! read more

We are so glad they put in an A2 location so we could try the infamous Slows BBQ!! It's downtown and has a parking garage a block away, which is convenient. We got the pulled chicken breast, pulled pork, baked beans, waffle fries, and chicken sandwich. It was all very good. We liked that bottles of all the sauces are right on the table. Our server was phenomenal- friendly and prompt. read more

We ordered take out and were underwhelmed. The portions are small for the price, but that would be okay if the food was delicious - it was just meh. The ribs were okay, but not great and the pulled BBQ chicken was the equivalent of chicken I make in a crock pot at home. The smoked salmon salad was the best item, by far. Unfortunately we were really looking forward to amazing BBQ based on Slow's reputation. Maybe we just hit them on a bad night... read more

It's good to see slows in Ann Arbor. I used to occasionally drive to the original Detroit location to get my brisket fix. I was raised in Texas. It's way better than the previous restaurant there, Blue Tractor. We ate there on Friday night and I enjoyed the ribs, brisket and chicken wings. Nice smoky flavor. I was surprised that the brisket sandwich had a small amount of meat given the cost. They should probably change that. The server was very attentive. I hope it lasts because it wasn't very crowded for a weekend night read more

The food was great but the service was awful. I picked the least busy time on Sunday for my family to have a quick dinner at 4pm. They sat us in the bar area and the bartender was our waitress. She was distracted the whole time and was busy making drinks and chatting with friends/co-workers. If they try to sit you in the bar area, say no to get better service. I may just order take-out next time. read more

I thought the food was average at best. I did not like the beer selection, maybe it was ok/good if you like IPA which unfortunately I don't. The restaurant felt unclean and dingy. It seemed like a typical college bar where a lot of drinks have been put down, and who knows what made it to the floor. The men's bathroom made me feel like I shouldn't touch anything and that I should've held it and gone somewhere else read more

screwed up my order. charged me for food that was not in the bag when I picked it up. no one answered when I called slows to tell them what happened. I'm out $20 bucks. no answer from manager. read more

I ordered Slows Bar BQ catering for a 100 person event and everything went off without a hitch! The quantities were plentiful and the food was delicious. Additionally, their team was an absolute delight to work with. They were responsive, informative, and went the extra mile. read more

I want to preface that the food and its quality was really great. The one star review is due to the horrible service we had. It is restaurant week and our server Gabbi C. didn't tell us or give us the menus for it. She didn't bring our drinks, and when we asked about it, she was rude and dismissive. She never checked on us and took ages to bring back the bill, to the point that we went to the hostess stand twice during dinner to request things. This isn't a bad review on the food, but service quality matters. read more

My experience ruined by a rude server and lack of communication. The food descriptions or lack thereof resulting cold and misleading issues ( if a dish comes with jalapeños and spicy BBQ please communicate that on the menu descriptions and or name). The lack of listening, patience and maybe training resulting in unhappy menu choices and price total. The server ignoring us to cash out her tickets for the day because we are her last and only table. When I asked her about it as we pleaded for refills and the food coming out cold. She yells at me and confirms that she was cashing out her old tickets instead of taking care of us. She assumed that we were fine. I was quite embarrassed and I apologized ( because I felt like it was my fault) and proceeded to blame the kitchen for the cold food and try to let her know I'm not upset about the food, it is the fact that you didn't check on us and you were 5 feet away doing side work. I asked to speak to a manager and she said they don't have one. Until 5pm that is. At that point I wanted to go but we finished. The ribs and brisket were dry, the pulled pork was good. The stewed okra was bad, coleslaw was bland and the corn bread was dry. I am really disappointed. I was excited for slows to come to ann arbor and at this pace I don't see them lasting longer thru the year. I hope someone can use the post as a teachable moment, and learn from this and give good service. I know from my experience I will work harder to do better. Thank you for letting me share read more