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    Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack

    4.0 (68 reviews)
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    Services - Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack

    Vegan catering

    Vegetarian catering

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    UNCLE FRED'S BBQ SMOKE SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack

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    Reviews With Photos - Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack

    Two 2 Meat & 2 Sides (ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, roll)
    Clarence B.

    Great people. Happened upon a man and his family selling barbecue and sides on a beautiful summer day. I really like the flavor of the smoked meat and the flavor of the barbecue sauce. I didn't like the pulled pork as much as I liked the ribs. Both were better with the barbecue sauce. Mac and cheese was both delicious and cheesy. The collards were flavorful but my serving was not tender. I would definitely visit again.

    Pulled pork sandwich/ribs/chicken wing.

    This IS one of the best BBQ spots in the DMV. Extremely impressed. Weather was cold and I think that's one sign that food is great when a pitmaster can cook good bbq in the cold. Themeat flavors were on point without any sauce, but all the sauces (ESPECIALLY the Mustard bbq sauce) were great. Fits my type of food pallet perfectly and I will definitely be going back whenever I can. Usually bbq doesn't sit right in my stomach throughout the day but this meal made it feel on the cleaner side, the cole slaw was also on the lighter side, but I liked that it just highlights the bbq overall. Worth stopping by, he was a one man shop when we went but service was great and he hooked it up as you can tell by the picture. Outdoor atmosphere is what you would expect but wouldn't ever deter me. WILL BE BACK! Thank you Uncle Fred!

    brisket w/cole slaw & potato salad
    Susan H.

    I had heard many good things about Uncle Fred's. When we heard they were coming to our building, we made sure that we were first in line to order food. Of course, we got there a little early and they were still setting up. Uncle Fred chatted with us. He's very friendly and it's clear he enjoys what he does for a living. We also learned that he is a big fan of the "burgundy and gold" :) The young woman who also was there working was also very nice. When it was time to order, we both ordered a brisket dinner plate which comes with 2 sides of your choice. For my sides, I chose collard greens and potato salad. My husband chose cole slaw and potato salad. We watched as the young woman expertly sliced the brisket and we were pleased with the generous portions. The 2 dinner plates cost, in total, $34. As we headed up to our apartment, we could smell that brisket right through our masks and knew that we were in for a treat. The first bite of that brisket had us oohing and aahing---it was that amazing. It had great flavor and was tender and moist. Each dinner plate of brisket comes with a hamburger roll but we didn't make a sandwich out of it. Ever since we came across a BBQ place in TX that my husband said had awesome brisket, he developed very high standards when it came brisket. All the place we've tried since TX never did measure up---that is, until today. As for the side dishes --- I was impressed with the collard greens. They lacked the bitterness that is sometimes found. In fact, they had a little heat which was just enough to amp up the flavor. We both also enjoyed the potato salad as it was lightly dressed with mayo and had that homemade taste to it. That said, my husband said his cole slaw seemed to lack dressing but he still ate it. This to us, was an insignificant error as the brisket was the star of the show. You can tell that the food is made with passion and love. We hope that Uncle Fred wasn't deterred by the rain that started after we were upstairs and that he will come to our building again. We will do our best to be first in line yet again! We would like to add that Uncle Fred takes both cash and credit cards.

    Smoked Ribs, Chicken Wings, Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens
    Rufina I.

    OMG! AMAZING! My friend and I came across Uncle Fred's BBQ while driving. We smelled his smoky bbq and had to stop by. He was extremely kind and very passionate about what he does. We ordered a plate with Ribs and choice of 2 sides : Mac and cheese and collard greens. We were talking about the smoked chicken wings and he was kind enough to give us 2 to try!!! We also ordered the side of baked beans. Everything was so Smokey and delicious and was great quality!! He offers a variety of home made bbq sauces on the side. He doesn't have 1 location and has pop ups all around. I will definitely be on the look out for Uncle Fred. You should be too!

    Brisket, ribs and 3 sides. Not pictured, the delicious cornbread! Regret just ordering one...until next time!
    Lhynette C. L.

    UNCLE FRED's bbq is going to take all my money and I'm not even mad about it! My husband and I just moved down the street from the kiss and ride off of Lawyer's road, and we have driven by Uncle Fred's BBQ spot a few times. We finally decided to stop by at 10:30am on a Sunday, greeted Uncle Fred at his smoke station, and placed our order ahead (to avoid the lines when they actually open). We live about 5 minutes away so we did not mind coming back at 1230 to pick up our order and BOY WAS IT WORTH IT! Throw that peace sign at the very nice woman who takes your order and she would be happy to hand you your call ahead order to skip the line My husband and I ordered the 2 meat platter that came with two sides. Brisket and ribs, with Mac and cheese and greens, and we ordered an extra side of their baked beans. The food was so good, freshly made and the brisket even came with a bun! We also got a piece of cornbread too! In addition to the amazing food, they have a sauce station and you can fill out little cups to go to take with your order. My husband gets home and we just dig in. Our favorite was the ribs, so juicy, fall off the bone, and smokey! Pair it with the gooey mac and cheese with the greens...perfect sides to our meal! Don't forget to dip it in Uncle Fred's hot mustard sauce, and it's perfection!!! The only thing I am mad about the meal was we did not order more ribs! We are so happy to have a good bbq place close to us, family owned too! They are at the kiss and ride off Lawyer's road on weekends, so make sure you give them a try, you won't be disappointed. Thank you Uncle Fred! We will be back to try your other menu items!

    Price increases to beef dishes probably due to pandemic.
    M B.

    Their food truck came to our neighborhood on Friday night. If this was just about the barbecue, they'd get 5 stars. But some of the sides were disappointing. I got the 2 meat, with 2 sides. Ribs and pulled pork with cole slaw and potato salad. Also came with top half of hamburger bun. The cole slaw is vinegar based. I prefer mayo based so I didn't like it. I was expecting to not like the potato salad because it had relish in it (another thing I don't like). But surprisingly, I really liked it. It's yellow probably from egg yolks. And the relish was well balanced. Will definitely get the potato salad again. I also got an extra large Mac and cheese to share with my family. It's a baked, not creamy, Mac and cheese which I like better. But this Mac and cheese was too smokey. It's all I could taste, the smoke. Husband got Italian Sausage and pepper. Only one sausage, hot dog bun and just enough peppers to go on the bun. He said it was really good. So the Star of the show--the ribs were meaty and there was a lot of pulled pork. None of it had any sauce or flavors other than smoked flavor. The sauce was amazing!! I had the mild which was a perfect balance of sweet, sour and smokey. I don't like hot spicy and this wasn't hot at all. I also tried the vinegar sauce. Not impressed--it was just like vinegar with a touch of something red and some spices. But the mild sauce with the meat is so good it's enough to bring me back for more!!

    Baked beans, allegedly
    D J.

    This is the second time I've tried Uncle Fred's... and likely the last. Positives first, the pulled pork was ok. That's it. The rice was bland. Potato salad without paprika?!? IYKYK. But those baked beans, wth?!? No where in barbecue or black cuisine is this considered "baked beans". She should have said "now ma'am, our beans are a little different". Maybe call them stewed beans or NoVA baked beans. Because I for damn sure would have taken a chance on another side over this amalgamation of beans. For real, chunky veggies, kidney beans?!?! There wasn't even bbq sauce. Where they do that at? This is unforgivable. Best of luck.

    Pulled pork, collard greens, cornbread
    Jane P.

    Located in the Reston SOUTH park and ride along 602, Uncle Fred's BBQ has a monstrous grill set up and serves huge portions of food. Unfortunately we were too late and they were sold out of ribs and brisket so we ended up trying the pulled pork and it did not disappoint. The pulled pork was smoky and wasn't dry at all. The collard greens weren't mushy although the Mac and cheese seemed a tad bit dry (it could have been because it was near closing time), although the flavor was still great. We decided to grab a cornbread at the last minute and I'm so glad we did because it was soo delicious! Make sure to check this place out and don't go late like we did because it seems like they sell out quickly!

    Mac n cheese. Not so hot.
    Rachel A.

    For the second time Uncle Fred's came to my apartment building. I ate there last time as well and my opinion is the same. This time I got the pulled pork sandwich with Mac n cheese and 2 single ribs. The Mac and cheese is homemade. However it is room temp, the rue used wasn't blended quite right and it's bland. Usually that would be the first thing I would eat. The pulled pork is piled high. Problem is, on a sandwich you can't pick the sandwich up so you're left eating it with a fork and knife. The pork itself is smoked perfectly but a bit stringy and tough. As for the ribs, they're why I gave the place 3 stars. They're smoke perfectly on the giant mobile smoker. The meat is extremely tender and fatty. It's so tender, the bone literally fall off the meat clean and with ease. They're perfect in every way. There are an assortment of bbq sauces. I got their sweet sauce which I found a bit thin. It didn't stick to the meat like I would have like. In conclusion, Uncle Fred is a fantastic business with authentic bbq. Some of the items, in my opinion, need to be reseasoned and cooked till more tender. However, the ribs made the meal worthwhile. So tender you hardly need to chew. GET THE RIBS.

    It's lit (literally)
    Ayan S.

    5/5 Seriously, try this for lunch, dinner, snacks (not here to judge) Do you want fantastic fresh food? Y Do you want amazing service? Y BBQ? Y Sauce? ALWAYS Pretty sure I drooled even before I ate this bbq! Second time having this food truck & one of the best in the area hands down.

    Neal E.

    Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack is a BBQ catering business that is also now going to be at the Smart Markets - Weekly Farmers' Market - located in the Virginia Gateway Shopping Center - every Sunday in Gainesville, VA! I stopped in to check out the Farmer's Market today - and was drawn in to the smell of BBQ like a moth to a flame! They have this massive BBQ trailer that has the name "Bubba Grills" atop the smoker. The name sounds good! I Googled Bubba Grills - you can learn more about them here: http://www.bubbagrills.net/ Back to the BBQ. I wanted a slab of ribs for later this evening for the Super Bowl, but I came to late in the day. The lady in front of me snagged the last of the Babybacks. So I opted for a pulled pork sandwich for lunch and some pulled chicken for later to use in making dinner. They also offer half and whole chickens, hot dogs, burgers, fried catfish, Italian sausage, brisket, baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and more! The menu can be seen here: http://www.smartmarkets.org/unclefredmenu.jpg The pulled pork sandwich was pretty big and filling. Had them add a bit of cole slaw to the sandwich. I applied a couple of their sauces. I wanted something really hot and spicy sauce-wise. They really don't have anything to offer that is real spicy. In any case, a tasty, filling pulled pork sandwich! Chicken also tasted very good! Guys running the joint were friendly and efficient! They accept at the very least - cash, MasterCard, and Visa. You can e-mail them at: unclefredsbbq@aol.com I will be back for some ribs and catfish next!

    Spicy Mustard BBQ sauce
    Shameeka B.

    Featured tonight for food truck night in my apartment community. I was walking from Starbucks across the street, you could smell the BBQ at the front of the complex, so had to grab my wallet and support this business. So glad I did! Friendly gentleman working the pit/serving - unsure if he was the owner (guess he was). I had 1 meat platter with two sides. I had pulled chicken, baked beans and collard greens. OMG - the baked beans were AMAZING!!! The collards were okay, I believe it's minced garlic in it, they're definitely flavorful but I just don't like garlic lol. I was AMAZED at the fact the gentleman pulled the entire chicken out the smoker and pulled it apart in-front of me. Spicy BBQ sauce and spicy mustard BBQ sauce were good. Patrons were able to grab sauces at their discretion and fill the cup or poor over food. I plan to support this business again!! He said he would be back again in June and stated if anyone had a special request for any particular meats such as beef ribs, for an example, to call ahead. Great customer service!!

    Ribs, mac & cheese, beans

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    2 years ago

    The sides were delicious. The brisket I received unfortunately was very very fatty to the point it was not edible.

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    Tried their brisket sandwhich today at the Ashburn Farm festival. The slaw was better than the bbq. Bbq was dry and bland.

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    3 years ago

    Awesome food! Brisket especially!! People are fun and who cares if there's a line! Waited in the rain to eat Uncle Fred's BBQ

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    I happened to walk by this place on my way to Toi Moi and saw all the smokers outside; it smelled…read moreso good, I knew I had to check it out. I think it's a Hawaiian/Korean BBQ fusion spot..? I ordered the Pork Spare Rib Plate and the Ono Chopped Pork Plate. The plates come with your choice of seasoned rice or Hawaiian rolls, plus two sides. --Ono Chopped Pork Plate - 4/5: I got the furikake-seasoned rice, mac n cheese, and baked beans. I loved the rice and the baked beans. The mac and cheese was pretty good but could've used a little more salt. The chopped pork was tender, but it was a little dry for me. --Pork Spare Rib Plate - 4/5: I got the furikake-seasoned rice, honey mustard potato salad, and coleslaw. The potato salad and coleslaw were just okay, but the spare ribs were so good--super tender and falling right off the bone!! --Just Chili (bowl): Topped with cheese and onions. I thought it was a little salty on its own, but I bet it'd be really good with the Hawaiian rolls. I'd definitely recommend the pork spare ribs, especially with the seasoned rice and baked beans. I'll definitely be back to grab a pound of the spare ribs! The restaurant is inside a brewery, which is a pretty cool setup. It's a self-pour tap house with lots of tables and open space, so it's a great place to hang out with friends or family. The staff was really friendly too!

    Incredible. Only way…read moreto describe the flavor and quality of Odd BBQ. There isn't a single thing I've ordered that wasn't made with care and absolutely packed with flavor. Hands down the best BBQ in Northern Virginia. Located inside the Ono Brewery, it really is a great place to grab a beer and delicious meal.

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    I'll give them one extra star because the staff was actually friendly and professional. Service was…read moreprobably the only good part of the experience. But the food itself was honestly disappointing. The BBQ tasted bland, dry, and nowhere near worth the prices they charge. For a place that talks so much about authentic American BBQ, military pride, veterans, patriotism, and all the "support our heroes" branding, I expected way better food. Instead it felt like the atmosphere and marketing mattered more than what was actually on the plate. The military and first responder theme is everywhere, but after a while it starts feeling more like a marketing gimmick than a restaurant focused on quality BBQ. Even online, a lot of people seem to say the same thing -- overpriced food, average BBQ, and too much forced patriotic branding. If the food matched the hype, maybe it would make sense. Right now it just feels expensive for very average BBQ.

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    Uncle Fred's BBQ Smoke Shack - bbq - Updated August 2026

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