If you're looking for real, authentic BBQ made with love and skill, this is the spot. I'll definitely be back. Service was quick. They did run out of basically everything hours before they closed but it's not necessarily their fault. read more

The Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take your entire BBQ plate and wrap it up in a 47 lb** tortilla? Wonder no more kind friend. I got the face slapper with spicy BBQ sauce and cheese tots as the side. Cheese tots is basically crushed up tater tots with cheese, and I wasn't mad about it. Their corn muffin is like a dessert and I wish I had started with it. Service was friendly and made recommendations. Napkins and forks are behind the counter to grab in your way out as seating is a few benches out front. ** Tortilla size is exaggerated and lbs may vary. read more

The Pit Stop - Faceslapper Face Slapper Wrap with cheese tots side and Sweet Corncake Muffin - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I'm here for work and I was surprised to find such good bbq up north. I've tried bbq all throughout the US and this is actually in my top 3. Great Service , the staff was friendly and line is quick. Pretty small place with no indoor seating or restrooms. They have a couple of bench tables outside. I'm going to miss this place, but if I'm ever in the area I'm sure to be back. Also fyi they are only open 2 days a week so don't miss your window! read more

The Pit Stop - Turkey Ribs spicy Macaroni & Cheese Tangy Coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Huge partimos best bbq inGRhighly geta wrap or Mac n cheesebrisket is amazing very delicious

One of the best bbq I've had! Their service is quick and friendly! Their pulled pork is by far one of the best I've had! It just fall apart in the best way possible! It's perfectly smoked and well seasoned! Their brisket was very tasty as well! I'm personally not a huge corn bread person, however, their corn bread was perfectly sweet! Mac and cheese was pretty good as well! I definitely cannot wait to come back! read more

The Pit Stop - Pulled Pork Beef Brisket Macaroni & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

25 $ for the driest meat in my life absolutely garbage idk how they still in business fr

We ordered The Pit Stop for our Thanksgiving meal this year. We were able to pick up the day before and they had instructions on how to reheat. Overall great experience! The food was AMAZING! All our guests raved about the choice of BBQ on thanksgiving and I'm sure that's because the food was so good! I would recommend using them for any holiday or event! read more

We stopped in to grab dinner for a group of 6 of us. It was our first visit and they greeted us after ringing the gong by yelling. They were very helpful with portions and making recommendations for our group. Luckily, they had enough left of each meat item we wanted because it sounds like a lot of stuff doesn't last long. They were out of coleslaw but that was the only thing. The ribs and chicken were probably the favorite for everyone. The brisket was enjoyed but it lacked some flavor but still tasty. The green beans had an interesting seasoning but we enjoyed them. The cornbread was literally like cake, and delicious. The pricing was reasonable for how much food we brought home. The storefront is tiny you can't see inside because of the fogged windows of BBQ! The young staff was basically all wearing pajamas but they were helpful. We will definitely be back. read more

Amazing food and exceptional service for catering! Do not go anywhere else if you want phenomenal BBQ! People couldn't stop asking where I catered the food from. Matt and Isaac were top notch! read more

Grand Rapids isn't quite known to be a BBQ destination. It excels in Beer and other cuisines but not in BBQ. Therefore, I was a little surprised and cautiously happy when I found out about The Pit Stop and decided to check it out. Note: This place is only open on Thursday and Friday! Here are my ratings based on different criteria: Quality of food: Excellent. The menu changes weekly depending on what they're cooking. When I went, they had option of ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. The option I chose was ribs with 2 sides. My 2 sides were angry taters and beans. Their portion size is massive! They do their best to completely pack the Styrofoam containers. This is how it should be. One should not ever go hungry at a BBQ joint. My ribs were big and juicy and went really well with the spicy BBQ sauce. The angry taters were...angry (spicy) and the beans were cooked to perfection. All the meat is high quality and cooked just right. My colleague got the brisket and pulled pork and couldn't stop licking his fingers. All the food also comes with cornbread which is probably the best one I have ever had. Decor: okay. This place isn't meant for a sit-down type of meal. In fact, the only seating they have are benches outside which nobody uses in winter. There's literally nothing that I can remember about the decor of this place. Cleanliness: good. The floors and counters were kept clean. It didn't look like they have public restrooms so I can't comment on that. Service: good. The owner is always behind the counter and he's always smiling and happy to help answer any questions. This place is really well staffed and the whole thing runs like a well oiled machine. The line always moves really quickly. Price: pricey. Two meats with two sides and a drink come out to about $17 which is a little expensive. However, for the quantity of food you get, you can easily have two meals out of it. The Pit Stop is an excellent place to get your BBQ cravings answered. Grand Rapids should feel really lucky to have this great of a place. Makes waiting for Thursday and Friday even more worth it now! read more

The Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Tried 3 meats the other day - brisket, pulled pork and chicken. It was ok. Everything on the bland side. Since i smoke meat occasionally i prefer mine much better. The chicken tasted a bit stale or dry especially the drumsticks. Silly me, I should have read my own review in 2019. Looks like nothing has really changed. I think I'm just gonna get my own smoker again. read more

Just what I needed to end the week!! The Pit Stop is a hidden gem of powerful flavors. The pulled pork was PERFECT. The sides complimented the meat well and the corn bread was top notch. I'm not a huge fish person but the salmon was amazing! I don't regularly get barbecue, but I'll be sure to stop by again. Lots of parking available and only open on Thursday and Friday! read more

The Pit Stop - Brisket, Smoked Salmon, Pulled Pork, Corn Bread, Coleslaw, Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

It's an overrated dump. I had a sausage combo plate "featuring" two sides. The sausage was served in a puddle of grease and in chunks. The BBQ places I know serve a complete link sliced halfway through. The tidbits of sausage, floating in the coagulating fat, resembled mud and pebbles - I'm still brushing the film off my tongue. The mac and cheese side was a ball of starch, phlegm yellow, with a brown streak across it - like someone had an accident with more than a skid mark. The coleslaw was the best part. No doubt, purchased from a supplier. The interior was dank and felt dirty. Go to Arby's. read more

So I wanted bbq and there were two places near the hotel, and this one looked the best. They have picnic tables outside and when you walk in it's a good bar and they make your plate. I stood there for 5 minutes while an older guy text on his phone. A young guy came from the back and asked if he could help me then the other guy jumped up and said he would help me. I was the only customer in there at the time. I ordered my plate and it was over 20$ for one plate. All the tables were full so I took it back to my hotel room. I was upset to find there were no napkins or eating utensils in the bag. Being in a hotel I had to eat Mac and cheese and tator tot casserole with my hands, not fun. The brisket was ok, but the corned beef nuggets were so salty I could t eat them. The chicken was very good and both sides were just ok. Between the high price, and poor customer service I will not be eating here again. You're better off going to one of the chain places unfortunately. read more

The Pit Stop - Three Meat Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

The brisket here has a sweet hint in the pink ring. They burn cherry pits as they smoke the best brisket east of St Louis, Memphis, and Austin. Yes their three day operation thru the winter has me scheduling my drives through GR. Love the friendly banter with the counter help. The catering order we placed was handled with professionalism. Love how your place is clean, tidy, and organized to keep the flow! read more

The BEST ribs and pulled pork in Michigan! Their potato salad is the bomb! I'd eat there daily if they were open.

I went back today and had the Meatloaf with Baked Beans and Polish Mashed Potatoes. Wow. The Meatloaf was excellent. The Polish Mashed Potatoes are outrageous. Easily in Top 5 best Mashed Potatoes I've ever had. Awesome! The beans were much improved and very good. Corn Muffin is still excellent. I even bought a bottle of their bbq sauce. This is now my new #1 bbq place in Grand Rapids. Sorry Slows I still love you, but Pit Stop is better. Upgrading rating to 5 stars. See ya soon Pit Stop. read more

Make sure you stop at this little bbq spot. I must say this is the best BBQ I have ever had! Watch out for their hours of operation. We ordered a plate with multiple different meats: brisket,pork and ribs. All I can say is amazing! A definite go to! read more

I have frequented their business a few times. Their food is good and it's best to go earlier in the day as sometimes they run out of certain menu items. They're only open two days a week because of their catering schedules. read more

Food is absolutely amazing. 10 out of 10 will highly recommend. The service is fast and friendly. BBQ to go cause you'll never want to leave. Not much on decor for it's a small hole in the wall that will transcend your taste buds. read more

Note - they're only open on THURSDAY and FRIDAY. Don't make the drive all the way to Cascade on a Wednesday only to find out they're closed. That being said, it's probably one of the few places in Grand Rapids where you can get quality BBQ at a good price. Slow's probably beats them out, but Pit Stop definitely does a good job with their meats and sides. Their brisket is probably the best, then their pulled pork, and then I think they have a BBQ chicken or something like that. You can get any meat you'd like with sides, or you can try a 3-meat platter to try as well (and they divide the three meats equally in a to-go box). They've got a variety of sides with a loaded bacon mac n' cheese, a loaded mashed potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, and a couple other "specialty" sides or items that they have that tends to change on a weekly basis. Brisket legitimately melts in your mouth, so I'd try that if you can't decide between the three. Other than that, they've got awesome service, the people there are super helpful, and ring the gong if it's your first time there. Definitely a huge recommendation for anyone who enjoys a southern-style BBQ. read more

I'm gonna have to convince myself of a rating by the time I finish writing this. For sure, I have had better BBQ (two star rating), but I have I could see me stopping in again if I were in the area (three star). Do we wind up a solid 2.5? You make the call. The high point for me was definitely the beans. Mostly the credit goes to the sauce and and ground beef included in the mix. Not to heavy with brown sugar and a little pepper kick to make it interesting. This was the biggest surprise and best element of my dish. The Cole slaw was also decent. Not a standout, but decent. My biggest disappointments were the meats. I had two of them, the brisket and sausage. If you look at my photo you can my disappointment started with the visual elements. This is smoked meat, where are the smoke rings? My meat was rather "brown", not sure if this has to do with the temperature that meat is held at after cooking or what. I do see in some other pictures some semblance of smoke rings on the brisket, but the sausage never seems to have any red hue. The thin rope sausage was more reminiscent of boiled or braised than smoked. The only redeemer for this main dish was volume, they give you a lot. I also agree with another reviewer who couldn't taste any smokiness in the food. Maybe I have a blind spot for their wood choice, but I really got no flavor hints from the meal. I've no doubt that the brisket was cooked low and slow as it's texture is consistent with low temp cooking. Once slathered with sauce it's decent eating, but somehow the meal was off the mark in total. In an ode to traditional BBQ you do get a lot of food for a reasonable price. They get that part right for sure. Out in my neck of the woods, this platter would have likely cost 50-80% more. So reasonably priced eats, where the side dishes are more prominent than the mains. Sailors know, any port is a safe place to ride out the storm, and this would not be a favorite port of call for me. But I could see myself giving this another try if I'm in the area again. read more

The Pit Stop - Two meat platter, brisket and sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Pit Stop is now the only BBQ place we'll go to! Despite limited opening days and take-out only, they are the best. Must-haves are the Brisket and smoked Corn Beef, but chicken and pulled pork are great, too. Sides are all good, but a favorite is the spicy tots, smashed up like a mash. Haven't had the ribs yet, as they haven't been available on the Fridays I've been there. First timers be aware, the whole menu is not available on any given day. They do a lot of catering so things may be hectic. I usually go a few minutes before the 11:00 opening to beat the rush. If I was having an event I'd certainly think of them to cater it. Check out their web site for all the prizes and awards they've won. Highly recommended! read more

The food here was amazing. The flavor was great and the portion size was huge. The staff were very friendly and patient. They also were very quick. We were in and out very fast. Their sides are also a great addition to the amazing smoked meat. Definitely would recommend if you are in the mood for BBQ. read more

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If you're in the Grand Rapids area, you'll certainly want to make sure your taste buds make a pit stop at The Pit Stop for some scrumptious comfort food. They have lots of options to choose from with an endless assortment of sides ranging from potatoes to greens. I enjoyed the brisket meal and chose Mac n Cheese and Cole slaw for my sides- it came with corn bread too! The slaw was a tad on the drier side but the mac n cheese and corn bread were awesome! I was really hungry and even after eating past the point of feeling full, I can honestly say there was plenty left over! The meal is enough to feed two since the serving sizes are quite generous! There's plenty of parking but be sure to take cash as a back up (they weren't accepting credit cards/ the machine was down when I was there). read more

The Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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My experience here made me so sad! I had SUCH high hopes!! Pros: - Amazing, cheesy mac n cheese - Yummy sausage - I got to ring the gong! (they all overwhelmingly cheer for you when you ring the gong if its your 1st time visiting) Cons: - Flavorless brisket & shredded pork (I struggled to even find the smoky flavor and the meat isn't seasoned.. BUT you do have a choice of bbq sauce to have on the side) - "tatter tot casserole" (this was more just like tots and cheese mixed together and that's it.. no other ingredients or flavors seemed to be present) - PROJECTILE VOM ALL NIGHT My night was ruined after eating here, I'm just being honest.. Me and my friend were nauseous and felt extremely sick, jussst after eating here. This included physical reactions NOT just in the way I already mentioned I might add! (I know, tmi. But I had so suffer so, so do you! lol) The food looks amazing but I just don't feel the looks matched the taste or my experience in any way. I don't personally recommend, but maybe it was just a bad day.. decide for yourself.. read more

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Really good food and the people were very nice. Just stopped in for take out for lunch on Thursday.

My favorites are the pulled pork and beef brisket! The texture of the meat is so good that it melts in your mouth. I wanted to shoutout on the quantity as well, it's more that worth the price you pay.. I did not get a chance to take any pics...guess why? Because I didn't have the patience because the food smelled so good!! read more

You can pick up meals on Thursday and Friday I believe.. primarily a caterer but is open a couple of days a week for take out. You will not be disappointed. read more

Delicious food and meats options and friendly service. I plan on going back for more.

Things that disappointed us with this evening's takeout: 1) spicy baked beans were out 2) getting up charged for choosing mac n cheese (kids) for both our sides 3) the smoked chicken (from 2 meat plater) only included a tiny leg and small thigh. Very small serving. 4) brisket and pork had too much fat included. I've never seen so much fat included with a smoked meat meal. Way too much (see photo) 5) fella working register (tablet) yawned 4 times as I was being served and as I paid. Nasty big yawns. Bro, don't want to see your mouth, especially not around the food. So disinterested. Things we liked: 1)Smoked turkey was excellent. Really impressed. Top notch. 2) chicken was good, although there was hardly any there. 3) coleslaw was tasty Mac n cheese was average based on all feedback from family. 3.5 * for this visit read more

If there is one thing you need to know it is that I am a slow and low smoked meat junkie. I am at peace with it, I can accept this about myself. If you need to know something else it is that travel the country for work and actively and methodically seek out BBQ everywhere I go. So, to find this jewel right close to the home office is like a come to Jesus moment!! Beautifully barked brisket, solid pulled pork and excellent sausage is what I found. Is it Memphis in May?? Not quite, but it is pretty damn good for Grand Rapids area. And I feel they are definitely competition worthy contender. Oh, by the way, this IS THE BEST CORNBREAD I HAVE EVER HAD. Go here and enjoy! read more

The Pit Stop - Going in, cover me! - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Ever since my coworkers and I discovered this place, we make it a point to go ever Thursday. The resturant is only open Thursday's and Fridays and they don't provide indoor seating but you absolutely must try. A platter comes with your choice of meat, 2 sides, and a cornbread muffin as well as bbq sauce. When you're done eating (if you can even finish it all) you'll be full for days. I recommend the pulled pork and the mac & cheese and the brownie if they have it that day. Be sure to check their facebook before you go as sometimes they have specialty menus. read more

On my way to the airport I pulled over and Opened up Yelp to find someplace to eat... great choice... the food was great... But brisket was awesome!!! read more

The Pit Stop - a tray of food on a table - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Guys. Seriously. This is incredible BBQ. I spent a month in GR for work training and sadly only discovered this place on the last half of my trip. I went twice and wish I lived closer. The place is a small carry-out only place, currently only open Thurs & Fri. The service is super friendly and funny, and pricing is reasonable for legit BBQ. I had the smoked corned beef which was AMAZING; perfect smoke flavor, a little salty (as most self-corned beef can be), and doesn't need any sauce. Also tried the pulled pork which was delicious, flavorful and moist. Their BBQ sauce is tasty. For sides I had mac & cheese (best I've had in a long time) and green beans (nice garlic). Cornbread muffin is really sweet, more like a cupcake, which isn't really my style. Portions are HUGE, too, by the way. Totally recommend. read more

The Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Eh. It's not bad, it's not great. I had brisket, chicken, beans, slaw and corn muffin. The flavor of the brisket was ok but it had a lot of fat on it. I think they should trim the fat more so you can combine bites of meat with a thin layer of fat. I'm not opposed to eating fat or skin---but this was too much. The sauce and the beans were the best part, flavorful with a bit of complexity. The slaw was just there. The dressing was too thin to adhere at all and sank to the bottom. The chicken flavor was smoky but the texture suffered from being on a hot food bar for too long. It was stewed rather than roasted. The muffin was good for vanilla cake lovers, but I would prefer more of a corn taste. The portion was generous. Service was good, I Think I'll try the other meats before rendering a final judgement. If the ribs or pulled pork are better I could see making this a regular stop, read more

The Pit Stop - Two meat platter - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Everything is Good People, Food, Drinks. The sides are all tasty and the best baked beans I have ever had read more

So I usually don't give bad grades but this place was completely unorganized. The food was subpar for barbecue. Coming from Texas and it being compared to Texas quality is laughable. The meat was burnt to the point it should been redone. Very little flavor. We had them cater and they ended up giving roughly $200 of our food to others events that day while I stood there ready to pick it up for 30 minutes as they scrounged what was left to give to us. Unorganized and laughable. read more

First time there. I got the lunch special - a buffalo chicken wrap, a side of slaw, and a corn "cake". The wrap was pretty good - I guess I should have asked for the buffalo chicken to be spicy. (Hmm - I would think the "buffalo" label would take care of that.) The slaw was nice but not great. Why was the cornbread thingie sweet like a cupcake? I'll be back for some more meats - if I love them I'll think about adding a star. Also: No greens? read more

I finally got the chance to stop at the pit stop on Friday and had great beef brisket and smoked turkey combo. The corn muffin was great and so was the mac & cheese. Their beef brisket is one of the greatest in Grand Rapids. They always have a long line but I was able to get through pretty quickly. For Halloween, they even decorated the iron pig outside as a Mummy and made a piggy pumpkin. read more

The Pit Stop - Beef brisket & smoked turkey & Mac& cheese + cole slaw. - Barbeque Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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