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    Sparks BBQ

    3.8 (297 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque
    Closed Closed

    Sparks BBQ Photos

    SPARKS BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Sparks BBQ

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    Pitmaster Mac 'N' Cheese
    Lilly K.

    I love this pulled pork! I have been going here for years and get the pulled pork sandwich every time. Usually I get double meat and I wish I did again this time. I think the Mac and Cheese is extremely overpriced for the size but very tasty! Great service and neat ambiance. Great location and friendly staff!

    The Tank -seemed to be a lot of items on the bun but it left the meat as the delicious star!
    Anjanette T.

    The Tank-named after a great guy --it seemed like it had a lot of components but it left the amazing smoked meats as the star We look forward to dining here when we make it to town! Always enjoy our service and the food.

    Chips and homemade queso
    Becca W.

    Wow! Came here for the first time visiting my friend in traverse city! We went downtown because she wanted to go into the cherry republic store upon doing so we were hungry around lunchtime on a Friday and saw this place and decided to sit in, they had super cool art all of the place and the place was super clean. They only had two people on staff serving 8 tables but they got us seated right away got our orders and food quick as well, they worked their butts off. The food was absolutely amazing I got the Mac daddy smashed potatoes and woooowwww that was amazing. Next time we are in town we will definitely be back.

    Costillas, pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw
    Ivan S.

    Excelente comida que sirven y bien servicio, aun que una queja es que no tenían el aire acondicionado prendido y creo que disfrutaría de comer lo que pedí si no tuviera tanto calor ( quizás esa es su estrategia para que los clientes no duren mucho comiendo . La comida estuvo muy rica, es difícil encontrar un buen lugar para comer bbq pero este lugar está en uno de mis favoritos. Pedimos el plato que viene con dos carnes, escogimos costillas ( tienen un excelente sabor y te las puedes comer aun sin salsa bbq) y carne desertada de puerco ( también tiene buen sabor aunque ya trae salsa bbq, para los acompañamientos pedimos baked beans y coleslaw los dos tenían un buen sabor, pedí una Oberon de beber y mi esposa una Bowers Harbor Cider. Volveremos cuando regresemos a TC

    The two meat choice. Ribs and brisket.
    Michelle R.

    This is nice little stop for lunch in the town area. The food was pretty good. I would go again.

    Mac Daddy Smashed Potatoes
    Cody R.

    Service is 5/5 star hands down! The food is great! Having lived in Nashville, it's tough to compare BBQ but this is pretty good! The Mac Daddy to start is always a good choice but make sure you have a fried or 2 to share with cause this will fill you up. I love this place. They also have trivia every Thursday which is always fun too!

    Worst wings ever!  Should have sent them back
    Dee S.

    Stopped in for dinner and started with the apps and decided we needed to skip dinner. Never seen wings the size of a quarter before tonight. The wing we small and had no flavor and next to no meat. Not sure if they were even bbq. The other app we ordered was the Mac Daddy Smash and I was so disappointed. The pulled pork had no flavor or any sauce it was very dry and lack luster. The Mac and Cheese had not season and was about as flavorful as a box of Kraft. Lastly the smashed potatoes were just boiled potatoes with no salt or seasoning. Overall it was a highly dissatisfying meal.

    Sampler
    Michelle P.

    This place was great! stopped in when walking by due to live music. The band was great - playing blues music. wow have I missed live music. menu had many delicious options. we chose a sampler plate for the two of us and it was more than we could finish! food was so good. we sat at the bar, bartender was attentive without being too attentive. the original location is in TC, but, there is apparently one in Grand Rapids as well.

    Pulled Pork Plate
    Jill S.

    It's not my absolute favorite bbq place but it's decent. Nice food selection and friendly staff.

    So disappointed. When a BBQ joint puts the sauce on for you they're hiding something. I can sauce my own food. It was drown in sauce. Way over priced and horrible portions. For $15 you get: 1- Maybe 5oz of pork soaked in sauce on a massive & dense sweet bun. I can sauce my own, thanks 2- is that an appropriate amount of coleslaw on a sandwich? Yes, when there is that little meat. Otherwise, no 3- Is that really a side of coleslaw? Maybe for a 3yr old. It's in a side cup for condiments! 4- I got 10 small chips. Seriously, it looked funny on the serving basket. So much empty space 5- THE CORNBREAD HAD THE TEXTURE OF CAKE!! IT ISN'T CORNBREAD ITS YELLOW CAKE!! 6- Nacho chips are from Costco/Sam's Club. Round and out of a bag. Awful To top it all off the owner pulled up as we're leaving in his White w Blue racing stripes 775hp Shelby f150 hot rod truck. Gunning it as he pulled away down the crowded street. I've had BBQ all over the country. Texas, NC, KC, Atl. I seek it out when I get to a city. Come on, man. New low.

    Ultimate Nachos

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    1 year ago

    This place changed to the Enclave. The service was slow, the drinks were bad and the food was not good. We do not recommend eating here.

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    2 years ago

    Ate here while on vacation brisket was very dry and overcooked. My wife got pulled pork and it was good.

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    The Workshop Brewing Company - Pinball

    The Workshop Brewing Company

    4.3(214 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    So I want to be cautious here as I know there is new ownership from what I heard. My wife and I…read morecame here spontaneously as we were in town for the weekend. When we ordered, the bartender didn't drink which made it hard to know what certain beers taste like, but honestly, no judgement because he did the right thing and offered tastes of beer which was awesome and helpful! So service wise I would say great! The beer tasted really good as well and was decently priced. They had a bourbon barrel stout which was pretty good and newly released. The biggest issue we had was with the food. I ordered the spam sandwich with chips and my wife ordered the chicken quesadilla. While the food was cheap, the quality of the food also seems that way too based off what we ordered. The spam sandwich was supposed to be teriyaki flavored, and didn't get any of that. There wasn't a lot of thousand island dressing on it too, which made the sandwich dry. The chips that were served were clearly out of a bag as they were cold, which made it seem like I could have just gotten a bag myself. I would have paid a few dollars extra to get something fresh like fries. While spam comes from a can and I know this, my wife's chicken quesadilla had chicken that was clearly from a can - it was sopping wet, and the meat was very chunky, and very salty. This made us worry the rest of the food may not be very fresh. While we did have that experience, I will say the pretzel bites were really good and did seem fresh, and they were sourdough! So that was nice. I think this place has very good beer, and a really cool bar setup with a nice stage, arcade machines, and much more. However, I wouldn't come back here for lunch. Instead, I would make food at home. I would highly recommend more fresher options, and I would pay a little more for better quality food.

    Had tacos and chips during our independent bike and brew tour…read more The Stevedore cider was amazing. Nice place, quiet due to 9/1. Will return.

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    The Workshop Brewing Company - Inside Workshop Brewing - fun décor - February 2023

    Inside Workshop Brewing - fun décor - February 2023

    The Workshop Brewing Company - Inside Workshop Brewing - cans to go and Kombucha - February 2023

    Inside Workshop Brewing - cans to go and Kombucha - February 2023

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    Bubba's Burgers And Bar - Iced coffee kicker and a side of bacon

    Bubba's Burgers And Bar

    4.0(719 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This place is Bad Ass! The food is amazing. They have a Burger and Beer special for $10. If your…read morelooking for breakfast then I highly recommend the Poutine. They also make the best bloody mary's with all the appetizers in it. Its pretty cool. On the hotter days they have adult milk shakes also. This is the best place for eating if you are in the area. Brad and the crew do an awesome job running an establishment.

    The atmosphere here very much feels like a tavern. However a tavern with a welcoming feel to it…read more I ordered the Shrek Burger ($22). The 1/2 pound burger is topped with Fried Cheese, Fresh Jalapeño, Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Haystack Onions, Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The burger was very good with a few caveats. The pulled pork is very average and doesn't add anything to the burger. The fried cheese was very good and did add to thd burger. The bourbon bbq sauce was meh and didn't add much. However the meat itself is excellent and I think a plainer burger would have been better. The fries that came with the burger were very good. I also ordered a Chocolate Shake and it was fantastic. the service was very good and everyone was very friendly. Overall a solid 4 star review. Would I return? Absolutely. Definitely for the shakes and I very much believe a simpler burger would have been better.

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    Bubba's Burgers And Bar
    Bubba's Burgers And Bar - Thai boneless chicken tenders, pretzel bites, loaded tater tots.... YUMMMMMMM!

    Thai boneless chicken tenders, pretzel bites, loaded tater tots.... YUMMMMMMM!

    Bubba's Burgers And Bar - Peanut Butter Shake

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    Slabtown Burgers - JD's Half Baked Burger

    Slabtown Burgers

    4.6(589 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $

    I can't believe I've never reviewed this spot after all our years of going here! Slabtown is an…read moreabsolute 'must' for any burger lovers visiting TC; especially in the summertime when you can sit outside on their porch or surrounding patio. It's an old house that has been transformed into a burger destination. The inside is cramped, especially in the order area when they're busy, and indoor seating is tough to come by at peak times. The service has never been anything short of excellent on our visits. The staff is welcoming, helpful, patient, and friendly. Service is quick, even when they're slammed. Phenomenal burgers, O-rings, tots, and sweet potato fries. The Northwood's DRAFT (not fountain) root beer is a perfect pairing with their burgers. Slabtown's menu of specialty burgers is enormous and the BYO options include different protein choices and excellent GF buns. I've tried many of their burgers, but have to say that the Slabby Patty on a pretzel bun and the Pungi's Pepper Patty really stood out as a couple of my favorites. For a really sinful (and unhealthy) treat, ask for the gravy tots. Oh brother...insanely good but definitely a guilty pleasure. We've sent tons of our friends and family here, and I can tell you that every one of them has thanked us for the recommendation and raved about their burgers. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself to Slabtown!

    Fabulous food, service and great prices! Small dining room,…read morebut they offer take out and they have outdoor seating in warmer weather!

    Photos
    Slabtown Burgers - Inside

    Inside

    Slabtown Burgers - Slab Town Special

    Slab Town Special

    Slabtown Burgers

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    Cherry Republic - Traverse City

    Cherry Republic - Traverse City

    4.4(194 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    What a fun spot! This place was recommended to me as a first time visitor to Traverse City. Located…read moreon the main street it has great curb appeal and an inviting look. As you enter you will encounter all things cherry as there are many different foods, drinks, and other items for purchase. It may feel a little overwhelming with the amount of things in the store! My family and I got to enjoy various samples of all things cherry, my favorite being the cherry gummy bears. We headed over to the wine counter in which we did two wine tastings for $1 each. The staff member who served us was knowledgeable and informative. Both of the wines I got were delicious! Overall we had a great experience and would encourage anyone to make this a stop while visiting the downtown Traverse City shops!

    Everyone says you have to go to the Cherry Republic when you're in Traverse City. And you kind of…read moredo. Especially if you need to pick up gifts for in-laws and the neighbor who gets your mail when your out of town. Not super nice gifts. But cute gifts or interesting food stuffs. Spoiler alert: The food stuffs you eventually buy will be made with cherries. Cherry wine, cherry jam, cherry salsa, cherry barbecue sauce, cherry candy... Some of it's great, some not so much. It's large. It's packed. It's touristy. It has oven mitts with cherry designs and aprons with clever sayings. You've been somewhere like this before. If it's your thing, they do it pretty well. If not, this store will not change your mind.

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    Cherry Republic - Traverse City
    Cherry Republic - Traverse City - Leelanau Local Cherry Mongers Cherry Lemonade

    Leelanau Local Cherry Mongers Cherry Lemonade

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    Golden Bear, Beer Ale with Cherry

    Sparks BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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