I went in thanks to the vegan chef challenge in March 2025. This is a small, local non-chain…read morebusiness located in West Town Mall near the food court area that opened last fall.
First, you should know, this is definitely NOT a vegan place, but there are some yummy vegan options for plant-based / vegan eaters who happen to be at the mall or are with a crowd who love BBQ. Keep reading (or skim down) for info on the meat products.
The two vegan protein options are both soy-based. Then they are seasoned as either "chicken" or "beef." The beef flavored option was tasty, but the texture was a bit "meh." Only 3-4 stars for that. However I chatted with the owner and suggested he consider smoking the soy product, which would help considerably.
As for sides, I chose the green beans, which are also vegan, as well as the vegan version of their baked beans. The green beans were fine ... basic green beans. Nothing special - cooked like a typical southern style cut green beans, just without any meat. The baked beans though ...!!! They are the reason for the 5 stars along with the house-made sauces here- more on those in a bit.
These vegan baked beans y'all - SO GOOD! They are **SPICY** sweet with just the right amount of tang. The sauce is thick and the beans are perfectly cooked and seasoned. If you don't mind a little burn with your beans these are a MUST! (My mouth is still tingling an hour later!).
I was the only customer in the place, so I sat at the counter and chatted with the owner a bit. He told me his "regular" baked beans are made with pork and a healthy dose of brown sugar. The potato salad is a mustard-style potato salad. And apparently there is an "all meat" dish that comes with heaping portions of ALL the meats, and no sides. They have brisket every day in addition to chicken, pork, and sausage. The menu is small, and if you like greens, ask for them. They aren't on the menu.
Even though it's in the mall, this place has a modified smoker in the kitchen and so all their meats are smoked daily with hickory.
Next, can we talk about the house-made BBQ sauces? There are just two. They are both tomato based sauces: their house sauce, which is mild, and the hot sauce. The hot sauce is probably more of a medium heat so you definitely won't burn your face off. In fact, the vegan baked beans are spicier. But these sauces have a nice blend of tang and sweetness, with just the right viscosity- thick but easily pourable. Really nice.
It's a small place but there are a few tables and some seating at the bar (see the photos). On the counter you'll see the traditionally baked cookies. They have lemon, strawberry, chocolate, red velvet, and the owner's favorite, orange.
If you're looking for an alternative to the chain BBQ places around, this is a good option. When you go in, tell the owner you saw this review on Yelp. He doesn't think he'll get much business from here. As a long-time Yelper, that makes me laugh. I would never have gone in there if it wasn't for the vegan challenge promoting them. I don't go to the mall much and this place is worth the visit.
