Ok, so we have been searching high and low for a great BBQ place in the east valley... and we have found hog heaven! Waldo's BBQ is a beautiful blend of amazing food, roadside authentic ambiance, and servers like Scott... who make the place a definite 5 Star, must try in the Valley! We're leaving high on the hog, full to the brim and happier than a pig in slop! read more

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My fiancé and I were craving BBQ and found this nice little gem of a restaurant. On the way there, we could smell the bbq about 50 yards away... So, if you happen to miss the big signs just close your eyes and follow your nose. When we walked in we were greeted with a welcome and seated right away. Our server Dave gave us a little run down about the menu and his recommendations. We ended up getting the super sampler and shared it. The pulled pork, beef, and ribs were amazing!!! Our third item, brisket, wasn't all too good. There was a lot of FAT on the cut and didn't enjoy is as much. The original and spicy sauce were good as well. I wasn't a big fan of the Louisiana sauce but gave it a try. You probably would like it if your into spicy sauces. Servings were big and we were given an unlimited amount of (two) sides along with our meal. Price was good and left the place wanting more. We will definitely come back and bring more people next time. read more

Were from out of town and came across Waldos on yelp. So glad we found it as the service and food were amazing. When you walk in the door you know it's going to be some great food and we were not disappointed. Our server Scott went above and beyond to take care of us, great advice on menu items. We will be back!! read more

Waldo's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Place is clean, and the server was nice, but it just isn't anything special for the price. Had the sampler platter. The pulled beef was good, the chicken was okay, but the brisket was so dry, that no amount of iced tea was going to was it down. read more

By far the best bbq I've had in Phoenix so far. Yes, I've been to Honey BBQ, Famous Daves, Stacy's (unfortunately not in the running.. sniff!), Dickie's BBQ Pit, etc. So the pulled pork by itself is eh, and the bbq sauce is like eh, but then you put them together and its AWESOME! It makes you scratch your head.. The bun is very tasty and goes with the pork well too. The corn bread is on the dry side with bits of corn in it. Not bad. The BBQ nachos I would not recommend although you do get a heaping pile of tasty bits. Also would not recommend the spicy fries, but I hear their mac and cheese and various other sides are better. But I'm definitely going back to find that perfect endless side to go with my pulled pork sandwich. Maybe get a rack on the side too! ;) read more

Took 45 mins to get our food (and it wasn't even busy at all). The only thing the waitress had to say was that the cook probably just lost my order (like no big deal). The waitress suggested the wet ribs, but forgot and she brought me dry ones instead. She also totally messed up my wife's order as well. Not sure if this is their usual way of treating customers, but it was our first time...and definitely our last. I can deal with the mistakes, but not the bad service or poor attitude displayed by staff. read more

Food was great service was amazing. My only reason for 4 stars is the buns were stale. But I'd definitely go back again.

Gross. If you like your food sitting in pool of grease then you'll love this place. It just was not good. Potatoes were cold, the meats were just okay, but once I saw the puddle of grease, that was it for me. Never again. read more

Full disclaimer: I am from Vancouver, and as such am not a barbecue authority. You want to talk sushi or seafood or salads, we can do that, but barbecue is a rare treat for me. What I do know is good food and service, and Waldo's has good food and service. Right when you walk in, the smell gets you. It's like being embraced by a warm smoky hug. Next, thr friendly staff show you to your table, ask what you'd like to drink, and they never stop being nice throughout your entire visit. Anything you need, they will do their best to make it happen. Husband and I each ordered a sample platter to try a little of everything. Did not disappoint, would order again. The meat was so flavourful. The texture was excellent - not too fatty, not too dry. That bbq sauce had a nice vinegar-y tang. The sample platter comes with unlimited sides but we were way too full to order more. If I lived here full time, I'd be in big trouble. Absolutely 100% recommemded. read more

We got takeout the other night. It was ready in 15 minutes. That's awesome in itself. Got 2 samplers, one with the ¼ rack of ribs. The ribs literally fall off the bone. The sauce is great. Brisket was tender and fell apart too. Chicken and pork was delicious and moist. Sides were the "horsey spuds" mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, sweet potato chips and mac and cheese. The mac n cheese even had bacon in it and was definitely not Kraft! Everything was delicious. The only suggestion I'd make is put some sugar or salt on the sweet potato chips, and more horseradish in the potatoes. I also was delighted that they thought of EVERYTHING; BBQ and corn were in tinfoil so they were still hot when we got home, plenty of BBQ sauce, silverware, napkins, and they even remembered to put in butter for the corn. We usually do Lucille's but we got 3x as much food here for the same price. Score. The restaurant inside looked really laid-back, 'country, and like a quiet place to eat. read more

Typical BBQ hut. Clean & friendly. DO NOT GET THE BEEF RIBS!! Absolutely horrible. I have no idea why they would even serve them. Gristle, fatty, bland and you spend more time finding edible meat, than eating it. My friend had the pulled pork and loved it! The side portions are large and very tasty. Sorry, but won't be going back any time soon as there are plenty of BBQ choices in town. read more

Warning: BBQ Snob Rating - 4 out of 5. Nothing fancy but the food is solid all the way around. Been there 3 times and it never fails to satisfy. Brisket - Way better than any of the chains in town. Good smokey flavor and tender. Pulled Pork - Not dry, good flavor. Ribs - Good to very good! Moist and flavorful. Hot Link - Outstanding! Though it's nothing like a typical Wilshire Farms type of generic stuff, it's much closer to a hearty Italian sausage that's been smoked. Different but great. 1/2 Chicken - Excellent bird! Moist, good smoky flavor and fall off the bone, perhaps the best that I've EVER had. Sides - Get the horseradish mashed potatoes and you'll be back for more. Prices - Reasonable and a good value. Verdict - Highly Recommended! read more

I absolutely love this BBQ. I'm a BBQ snob considering I was raised in Texas where the BBQ is real BBQ! Waldo's is definitely Texas BBQ style! Delicious! Not to mention the excellent customer service the restaurant offers. They have great specials during the week Monday - Thursday for kiddos. Kiddos get a free meal with a purchase of an adult meal. They have great specials on beer too. They offer draft to bottled beer as well as a full bar. The BBQ sauce .......IS THE BEST! the french fries are to die for and the pork sand which is out of this world! I've never had anything that I disliked at Waldo's or have ever had a poor experience with the wait staff. Excellent customer service and Excellent food! read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch and enjoyed fast prompt service along with the best pulled pork sandwich I've had since leaving KC!!! My fiancé tried their ribs and said he'd definitely would recommend. They have their own sauce which is a great blend of Smokey and spice. read more

Meh. Not very good. Meat and BBQ sauce were lukewarm at best. Pulled pork had a grainy texture to it, and the corn bread had very little flavor. Our waitress was fantastic though so two stars for her. Oh the sweet tea is really good too. I can't believe this place has 4 stars read more

Found this place on Yelp and absolutely loved the food. Amazing service, personable, and fun atmosphere. Will be coming here a couple more times before heading back to Wisconsin. read more

Waldo's BBQ - Super sampler with brisket beef and pork. Side of Mac n cheese and fried okra. All was absolutely amazing! - Barbeque Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Kind of disappointed last night. Called to make sure they were open New Year's Eve got there around 6:30. Had invited another couple to go with us as they had no plans for New Year's Eve and had never been to Waldo's. Was kind of embarrassed that you were out of items at that time of night right at the supper hour. You had no baby back ribs you had no mashed potatoes the keg was empty that my husband wanted a beer from. Was kind of embarrassed As I wanted our friends to have a good experience. I felt like each one of us had to rework our original order in order to have something that was on the menu still. I could see if it was close to closing time but to me 630 is suppertime. What we had of course was good but just a little disappointing read more

Solid four stars... food is great, and portions are good. I tried their fried okra and their sweet potato chips as sides and they were both very tasty. My boyfriend's mac anc cheese was not so good though, was a little lukewarm and the cheese was not cheesy nor did it have any flavor. Service is good, although I do wish they could just bring out tons of their bbq sauce all at once instead of serving it to us in a tiny little pan over and over again. Overall I'm a fan and will be back. read more

Waldo's BBQ - Tennessee sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Came in over the weekend. I ordered the Barbecuban sandwich (pulled pork, pit ham, swiss, pickles, & dijon). The sandwich came with a side and I ordered a salad. My father ordered a meat platter. They gave us our iced teas in large mason jars which was really cute. They also had an alcohol menu. The server was very nice. She was attentive to us the who time and offered to give us to go cups for our teas. I felt the sandwich was a little small for the price but I will definitely return in the future. Laid back environment Friendly Staff Great food read more

What a wonderful surprise to find fantastic barbeque at Waldo's. We ordered takeout - a full rack of ribs and sides. The meat fell off the bone, the coleslaw was perfect as was the baked potato. What was really impressive too was how they actually too great care to package up our meal, providing plenty of extra sauce and potato condiments and containers that kept our food hot and didn't leak. Friendly staff too. We'll be back for sure. read more

I was craving bbq and this place is right down the street from where I live so I decided to come on a whim. I got the brisket sandwich with potato salad. They give you a piece of jalapeño cornbread too. It is Sunday so the bloody Mary's are $5 not bad and they were pretty tasty. The brisket was a lil over cooked for my taste but add a lil bbq and you're good, the bun for the sandwich wasn't toasted and I think that would've made the sandwich better. The cornbread is good with some butter and I added some of the jalapeño pepper sauce they have on the table cus I like it spicy. The potato salad tasted homemade so that's a win for me. The service is great!! I'll definitely be back for sure!! read more

Waldo's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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It was my turn to pick a place we'd never been and we were waaaay out east so my wife's aunt suggested Waldo's. I'm a dick about BBQ, please do not give me crap boiled meat & some pancake syrup with liquid smoke & hope I just shut up & eat. I prefer mom & pop places and love places that have been in business forever, so I had high hopes. go to waldo's. just shut up, I know it's hot and for almost everyone in Phoenix, it's waaaay over there but, it's worth it. If the city hasn't burned down in this drought and you happen to be reading this in cooler weather ... really go now. There's a little gift shop next door and blah blah blah, who cares, let's talk about the meat. I got the brisket sandwich, like a cheese pizza, if you can't do that, you can't do this. The brisket was tender, the smoke ring was beautiful and the meat is delicious. I never needed the sauce, but for giggles, I had some of the sauce. The regular sauce in the little lodge cast iron is fantastic, smoky, not too sweet and NOT that crap "Texas" BBQ sauce that bottles at sold at stores for idiots. Pauline suggested I try the jerk sauce and add a touch to the mac & cheese and Pauline is right. if you go & Pauline is your server, listen to Pauline. the wife got the pulled pork sandwich and that was moist & tender. kids each got the fried mac & cheese and loved it. I can't speak for any desserts, because we were too full to even try. The table next to us all had different desserts and no one was complaining or making a bunch of noise or even making ANY noise except the silverware hitting ice cream dishes and mason jars. I'm guessing by their silence they were happy. (and they were cheerleaders so silence was NOT their strong point) anyway, yeah. go. AND ...eat there so it's nice and fresh. By the time you get home it'll be cold so quit being such a mamby pamby and actually go risk sitting next to someone you don't know, I swear your phone will forgive you for putting it down for 10 seconds. By the time the task rabbit delivery driver finds your house, he'll have eaten half your fries and stolen other stuff from you also, so skip the stupid delivery service. read more

Had a craving for BBQ this afternoon and was passing by Waldo's as I do almost every day... decided to stop and was excited to hear about their Monday special "riblets""... I shouldn't have been so excited, they were awful! Dry, tasted old and just bad. The service was great and all that but the fact that they were nearly empty should have given me a clue that something has gone awry at Waldo's... read more

First time visiting and we will definitely be back. Looking through some of the Yelp reviews, I find it hard to believe some of these low score Yelpers are talking about this restaurant. The food was exceptionally good, there was plenty of it, the service was excellent and they were taking COVID precautions very seriously with every other booth closed for social distancing. Staff wear masks and everything was clean including the bathrooms. I had fried shrimp with French fries. I got six jumbo shrimp and a big plate of hand cut fries for $10.99. I couldn't finish all the fries. My husband got the full rack of baby backs. He had vegetables and Cole slaw as his sides. He said everything was delicious. There was so much food that he ended up taking about a quarter of the ribs home. He let me taste one of the ribs and it was cooked to perfection with a nice dry rub. They gave him a pan full of barbecue sauce and he said that was great too. So, we will be going back for sure. Thanks for preparing wonderful food. read more

If you've never had good, authentic BBQ, you might think this place is good.. For me? Completely underwhelming. Very bland, thoughtless food. Good enough service, decent pricing, but man... Waldo's... SALT!! Don't be scared of it, your run/bark tasted like nothing!! read more

We were greeted by a warm smiling pig. After navigating through the novelty pig signs and Route 66 decor and having a ton of saw dust in my flip flops we were seated at a picnic like table. Waitress came and took our drink orders and answered my questions about the menu. Ended up with the baby back ribs with mac and cheese and "horsey spuds" mashed potatoes whipped with Horseradish. Food came very quickly and let me tell you about these ribs. My god. I'm not a huge rib aficionado but i know good ribs when the bones literally fall out of the meat. BBQ sauce is served on the side in a cast iron skillet. It was perfect. Good portions of food and good prices. The horsey spuds had the perfect bite and the mac and cheese was homemade. brought some ribs home for later and more sauce. Sides are never ending. This Main St drag is home to many retirement communities and snow birds this time of the year, so once you've mowed over the walker and parked next to the electric scooter the food is amazing. Steer clear of the gift shop next door. Lots of gas station-esq novelty items that have been marked up ten times to appease the Canadian crowd. If you can get past the surrounding neighborhood the food is so so worth it. BF had pulled pork sand which and it was perfect too. I like that the drinks come in mason jars too. Checked in via Yelp and received a free drink read more

I've been here 2 times in the past couple years. The decor is awesome and really gets you ready to have some BBQ with all the pigs and funny signage posted on the wall. The prices are a super bargain when it comes to BBQ. The drinks come in mason jars which adds to the whole theme. The cornbread they bring out is warm and soft and is a nice snack. Now onto the real part the BBQ. I ordered a sampler plate which included 4 meats. Baby Back Ribs - full of flavor and meaty, just not as tender as I like them. I believe the meat should pull apart from the rib with a little pull. Hot link - from the first bite it had that snap I love and juices started to pour out. Also, it had a great amount of spiciness to give it that kick. Pulled pork - they gave a generous portion, but was average in taste. I added some vinegar and hot sauce to liven it up. Brisket - Upon first appearance it had a nice smoke ring around the meat that I love, but after that pure disappointment. It had no flavor and appeared to be low quality beef. I definetly had to add BBQ sauce to this to make it somewhat edible. The sides here are great. The horse radish mash potatoes were Awesome, beans, macaroni and corn were really good too. And they keep refilling your sides until you can't take it anymore. Also, it's a great spot to bring kids. My kids devoured their meals and had some of mine. I highly recommend this place. I am just hoping it was a bad day for the brisket. read more

Wow, this place smells Amazing! Great staff! Fresh salad and awesome ribs! The time we waited for our food was reasonable. The place was clean...did I say it smells Amazing?! Next door is also a neat little gift shop if you are into that. I actually asked the gals in my swimming class for a place and they mentioned big chains including Tony Romas--but they weren't sure if that was still around. I can hardly wait to go back and tell them the great experience we had here today! 1/2rack of ribs were to die for! read more

I want to rate this place 5 stars because when I first started eating here - six or so years ago, it truly was. I still crave this place sometimes and go (less than before). The service, except one waitress whose name escapes me, woman with dark hair, is lousy. My biggest peeve, though, is the inconsistency. I used to be able to know exactly what my tea would taste like, how the Bbq would be (taste and quality) and it's completely different every time, now. Don't get me started on the cornbread. It was always a little hit or miss, but now, it's either perfect it tastes like it's days old. I still give this place props, but I don't know how you can make one of my favorite foods taste so horribly. read more

Best ribs I have ever had. Pulled pork and fried corn was excellent as well. Very reasonably priced, and it has a fun atmosphere as well. I will be back! read more

This was my sixth visit. The place is so fun, I try to bring friends and family to try their food and enjoy the whole experience. The ribs fall from the bone. I don;t think I ever used a knife in this place... Service was very good and my cousin went away delighted by the food and the service. Love it read more

Went there again today. (01 July 2021) Hands down best brisket anywhere! Friendly service and discounts for veterans on Thursdays.

This place is awesome. Everything that a BBQ joint should be. I order some type of meat sampler. I got brisket, pulled pork, and some ribs. The pulled pork was awesome and everything else was really good. The sides were all you can eat but I was given so much meat I didn't get any extra. The drinks are served from a mason jar....nice touch. The only knock is it's the fanciest most modern place but BBQ wasn't meant to be fancy. read more

Well, I have only been here once. My wife suggested it, she's come here with her grandfather for years, when she's out visiting him. The last time she came here was a little over a year ago. She said it was awesome. It's ok. She ordered her favorite, baby back ribs. I ordered a sliced brisket sandwich. Small, not large. Small appetite tonight. First off, the staff was super friendly. Our waitress knew the menu well, and was able to offer good suggestions, and info on the side dishes. The sandwich looked great. I didn't know what to pick as a side, I asked the waitress how the potato salad was. She said "it's mustard based." I asked if it was good though. She said it was "ok." I asked it it was home made, she said no. So, store bought. Nice. The sandwich looked great, and was ok. There was a big slab of fat in it. The potato wedges were good. The ribs my wife got were pretty gross. Really fatty. I couldn't eat one, it was that gross. What wasn't fatty was mushy. She also had the Mac and cheese. Same thing, gross. The barbecue sauce was really good. My wife was really disappointed that it wasn't good. She said her grandpa would be upset it wasn't as good as usual. Personally I'm hoping it was just a bad night, but I can say store bought sides are lame. I know it's unlimited sides, but I'd rather have one good side then a ton of gross sides. I prolly won't be back, only because I live in California. If I lived here I'd give them another shot, they are super nice, and the sauce was good. read more

Yahoo! My Aunt and I stopped in for a drink to escape the heat. We ended up ordering a lot of things to sample and had leftovers to bring home. Cornbread. Beans. Coleslaw. My Aunt just loves to nibble her sides and was very impressed. I had the smoked brisket sandwich. So much meat! So delicious. I actually don't like BBQ sauce but I make it a point to try it out in different places. This one. This BBQ sauce is scrumptious! The fried Mac and cheese. I did regular mac and cheese too. These had chiles in them for a bit of kick. Loved every bite. Small businesses have a way of stealing my heart, this one did too. They even had local brews!! The service was awesome through and through. I was delighted to see a young man jump up to open the doors for us as we exited. You're doing it right, folks!! read more

Waldo's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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This is the easiest review I have ever had to make. Hands down best BBQ I have ever had. I ordered the sampler with baby back ribs, pulled pork and brisket. The ribs melted off the bone, the pulled pork was my favorite, the brisket was great but the pulled pork and ribs were so over the top the brisket was left in the shadows. Sides I had the cowboy beans and Mac and Cheese, beans were ok and the Mac and cheese was really good, but again the meat just overshadowed it all I just took a taste and brought it home All the sauces come on the side, all 4 were unique and tasty. The original was at the top of my list but I suggest asking for all of them to taste. I have had BBQ all over Austin, tried it in St. Louis and few places in CA. I will put Waldo's up against any of them. read more

I'm from Memphis and a bbq snob. This was awesome bbq. The service was great along with great food. I recommend this place highly if bbq is what you want you'll find it here Colby was an awesome server. read more

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Being a southerner the bar b que was not that good, but the sauces and sides were awesome. Our server was fantastic.

Best bbq by far in phoenix area!great atmosphere and even better food!..........the outside appearance is iffy, but give it a try. Rhe inside is pleasent and def a bbq spot! read more

My husband and I came here on Friday night with our 2 small kids. We got there about 630 and were seated right away before the dinner rush. Our server was nice and made some great suggestions that would work for our little family. We ended up getting the Super Sampler which is a tray of 3 meats of your choice, a big bowl of bbq sauce and 2 sides. All the sides here are ENDLESS! So if you get macaroni and mashed potatoes, you can have as many bowls as you want throughout your dinner! I though that was awesome and great for families!! I also got a pina colada, they were on special for 3 dollars. I wasn't expecting it to be so tasty! When we were leaving our waitress let us know that kids eat free monday-thursday!! It's a really great place for families, because the atmosphere is loud and fun, so no need to keep hushing your kids. Also good for couples looking for a fun night out. There is also a great little gift shop next door, but they close at 6. We will, no doubt, be coming back here! read more