Growing up in Texas, barbecue isn't just something you eat, it's part of who you are. I've spent a lifetime standing in line at legendary smokehouses, watching pitmasters tend post oak fires through the night, and judging brisket by its bark before I ever take the first bite. So, I'll admit, I approached a barbecue restaurant north of the Mason-Dixon Line with equal parts curiosity and skepticism. What first caught my eye at Wildwood Barbeque was the stack of firewood out back. That always gets a Texan's attention. I never spotted a traditional offset smoker, though. Walking through the front door, I picked up the unmistakable aroma of hickory, and maybe a touch of apple smoke, which immediately put my senses on high alert. A glance toward the kitchen revealed one of those modern hybrid smoker ovens. Purists may debate them, but at the end of the day the food is what matters. One look at the menu made it clear Wildwood isn't trying to be a bare-bones barbecue joint. It's a full-fledged Southern restaurant serving burgers, po'boys, salads, sandwiches, Cajun favorites, comfort food, and smoked meats. Before I even ordered, though, my eyes wandered to the dessert case where the cake slices looked big enough to have their own ZIP code. Around Texas, we'd simply say they're as big as a county. I kicked things off with an order of burnt ends before settling on the sweet tea-brined smoked chicken. The burnt ends arrived carrying a wonderful kiss of hardwood smoke and what tasted like a light coating of barbecue sauce. They were cut into small cubes, and while several pieces were tender and flavorful, others received too much time in the pit. The smoked chicken, however, was the star of the meal. Every bite carried the subtle sweetness of the tea brine, balanced by a well-seasoned rub that finished with just enough spice to keep things interesting. It was juicy, smoky, and thoughtfully prepared. The lone disappointment was the potato salad. As someone who's eaten just about every version served from Texas smokehouses, from mustard-based Hill Country recipes to creamy East Texas family traditions, I honestly couldn't figure out what this one was trying to be. It lacked the character and comforting simplicity that make potato salad the perfect barbecue side. Wildwood may not transport you to Lockhart, Lexington, or Taylor, but it doesn't have to. It carves out its own identity by blending Southern cooking with smoked meats, and the chicken alone is worth coming back for. Just save room for one of those Texas-sized slices of cake. read more

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So the first thing I'm going to say is the food was good, not exceptional barbecue but decent. I would recommend to the owner to have a cleaning company come in and do a deep clean. The windows were dirty, the floor was dirty and several tables hadn't been cleaned. This is the first impression people have and it doesn't matter if the food is good or not. They won't come back. If I had to go by the front of the house my thoughts are that the kitchen is dirty too. That being said. So much potential that is being lost because of these little things . Good luck in the future. read more

Great location, right next to our hotel. Lots of menu options ... hard to choose. I went with the pastrami sandwich. The apple aioli was surprisingly good. I dipped instead of having it on the sandwich. The carolina mustard was my favorite Bbq sauce. They had amazing looking desserts as well. read more

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I didn't really enjoy it. When I went, everything was dry especially the ribs. The other thing that was disappointing is that there are no beef ribs. I've only been there once, and I never went back. I gave two stars because at least they try. read more

I've been coming here now for about 10 years and I'm amazed at how the quality and their creativeness of the food has never flagged. While I often stick to my favorite burnt ends, I occasionally venture out into other dishes and I'm always pleasantly surprised. Creative delicious food.. read more

Third time's the charm? Nope. Try sixth time's the disappointment. I've given Wildwood BBQ about a half-dozen chances now, and I really wanted to like them. It's a small local spot, and I hate bashing those. But at a certain point, you have to call it what it is. Let's be clear: this is a BBQ joint. BBQ is their featured food. Ribs are a signature dish when u call yourself BBQ. So, my expectations weren't sky-high, but they weren't low either. You expect smoke, moisture, some love. I mean you're supposed to make it taste good right? What I got on my last visit? Ribs as dry as sawdust. Not "a little overcooked." I mean crumbly, chewy, sad sawdust. And then there was that flavor - you know the one. That lovely classic refrigerator note. That faint, musty, "I've been sitting in a walk-in cooler for three days too long" taste. Unmistakable. Dropping $40 feeling like you're eating leftovers from someone else's bad cookout is a special kind of frustration. Here's the thing about running a small business: you have to pay attention. To the little things. To the refrigerator flavor. To dry ribs. To the fact that a customer who has come back six times is now writing this review because nobody in charge seems to care. It'll be hard to go back. Not because I'm angry - just tired of spending good money on food the kitchen clearly isn't tasting. Verdict: Great location, nice people at the counter? Maybe. But the food needs a serious wake-up call. And until then, I'm out. I wonder if they will take notice or the owner will just wonder why the business thins out. read more

I got good mash potatoes and pickles...but the ribs I had were burnt, and the brisket was very dry. You should not burn ribs...and NOT have dry brisket. The Service was great but sadly the BBQ meat needs a lot of work.. Brisket is an art form...NOT easily mastered and attention to detail is crucial. The restaurant itself has great ambiance and I hope they work on their BBQ.... read more

Pretty decent. Flavors are good, but everything is pretty dry. You can tell the food has been broiling under a heat lamp for a couple hours because all the moisture is gone. Decent BBQ spot but knowing that pretty much nothing I ate was freshly cooked wasn't a great feeling read more

When they first opened everything was fabulous! Juicy ribs and brisket. Great desserts. For the last three years we've been repeatedly disappointed by dried out ribs and dried out brisket and increasingly less desserts. Please go back to whatever you did way back then. Order at the counter. Good ambience - roomy, friendly. read more

Food was amazing highly recommend. We were visiting from New York for a lacrosse tournament at UMass and the kids loved it!!! Also pleasantly surprised by the IPA selection!!!!! read more

Always a good meal. Nice atmosphere and the brisket and garlic mashed potatoes are to die for.

Set up take out for 35 people for a 25th anniversary party at our house. Chose items online, very easy to do and called it in to them 2 weeks in advance. It all worked very well, just couldn't understand why they asked for my email address, but when I asked for a confirmation of my order to be emailed, was told they don't do that. Food was hot and ready when picked up with all the serving utensils, sauce and salad dressing needed. More than enough food. Most people had never had their food before and loved it! A lot of new customers coming your way Wildwood. The biggest hit was the cornbread. My only minor complaint is the beans were a little too al dente. Price was reasonable, food was hot and really good. read more

Good barbecue fast casual restaurant. The have 3 different types of bbq sauces available. The desserts looked great so I got the pecan pie and it was delicious. read more

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Solid barbecue for middle of Massachusetts. The meat options were great and the portions were generous. The various sauces, cornbread, and the decor helped the experience read more

Wildwood Barbeque - a tray of food on a table - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

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Delicious food, generous portions, friendly service, big beer selection (not just IPAs), and great music! read more

Wildwood Barbeque - a tray of food on a table - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

We were in town for a hockey event at UMass. I wasn't really familiar with the area. We stumbled on Wildwood and Barbeque sounded good to us. I don't associate central Mass with bbq so wasn't sure what to expect. You order at the counter and then they call you up when your food is ready. I got the burnt ends with 2 sides and my son got the two meat plate (fried chicken and pulled pork). I tried all of it and it was all really good but the burnt ends were the star. They offered four bbq sauces that you retrieve for yourself. I liked the standard, spicy and mustard sauces. Not a big fan of the pineapple. Desserts looked really tempting, particularly the pecan pie, but I was too stuffed to even consider it. I'd recommend if you are in the area. read more

Great food and great service. Worth getting off the highway. Our favorite is the brisket.

9.6/10 Best BBQ food in Amherst. Great beer selection, and even better food. The huge variety of different BBQ sauces like peanut butter BBQ, spicy BBQ, extra hot BBQ, etc. make every bite a different experience. Pair the smokey beef brisket sandwiches/burgers with the chips they offer - along with a cold IPA to wash it down - and you won't miss out on this smoky, savory BBQ heaven. The macaroni and cheese is delicious, and the staff's kindness make this a BBQ foodie's dream come true. Cannot recommend Wildwood enough to anyone brave enough to ask. - J read more

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Do yourself a favor and get the Ruben. Official became my #1 Ruben of all time. Burnt ends and fried chicken and housemade pickles also a highlight. read more

Gluten free BBQ dream! All of their rubs and sauces are gluten free, along with many side dishes. I'm extremely gluten and dairy sensitive, and really appreciated the gentleman's time answering my questions regarding various items. I ended up with a half smoked chicken (absolutely delicious!), sesame spinach, and baked bbq beans (good but served at about room-temp, would have preferred piping hot). They offer various drinks on tap, one cider (Downeast), and even a gluten free chocolate torte for dessert (although it has dairy). My husband ordered the half smoked chicken, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, and pickles, and he said all were very good. One of the kids had a southern fried chicken sandwich and it was overflowing with delicious chicken. We all look forward to going back again if we are in the area. They weren't too busy on a Saturday night, only a few families in the place. Thanks y'all! read more

Wildwood Barbeque - Allergy menu - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

Very Good BBQ joint. Tried this out last night for the first time. It was a very good overall experience. Good menu selection, pretty typical for BBQ. Nice beer selection along with some wines and sangria. The ordering process is as you'd expect - lining up which can create some confusion. Table service would have been preferred. I went with their Chili Brat and Mac and Cheese. The brat was very good, but not entirely hot all the way through. I'd still order it again, though. I really liked their Mac and Cheese. Sauce selection was limited, they had 4 choices but only 3 were actually out. The 4th must have run out. Their tortillas were nice, thin and crunchy. My beer was done about halfway through my meal. I would've gone for another but didn't want to stand in line for 10 minutes so I passed. All in all, a very good experience. Not the best but very good. I'd certainly return. read more

Wildwood Barbeque - Chili Brat, Mac & Cheese and some sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

Hard to miss the sign on the street but the place is kinda behind anothing little building. Not an issue at all, but just saying don't be looking at that little building closest to the street and thinking "That's not a BBQ Place, they must have closed" that's all. First off gotta say the place is cozy and fun. We went on a Sunday and didn't realize they had a nice little Breakfast buffet, Fresh Biscuits and Gravy, and ofcoarse the fresh cut ham and brisket. But I was there to try the usual, so I got my Brisket, Ribs, Pulled Chicken, Mashed, and Cajun Rice. Brisket had a great flavor to it, nothing I think anyone could really complain about. I like my brisket juicy and hot with a nice thick dark rub on it, but Wildwood did it a little different. Not that juicy, no rub, almost like a thin layer of jerky for a topping instead but completely easy to chew, and the fat was Almost perfect with the smokey flavor and the way it just almost melts right in your mouth. Ribs weren't much to look at, the rub and the flavor or the meat reminded me of Asian spare ribs. Still good, nothing bad about them, just not the type of BBQ rib I'm looking for The pulled chicken tasted like it was pulled off a Rotisseri chicken. I gues there's nothing wrong with that, Rotisseri is delicious. And most of the time a pulled chicken is flavorless, so I'm glad this at least had some flavor. But I'm still trying to decide what a good pulled chicken actually is. Sides were pretty good. Garlic Mash reminded me of the mash you might get at a real nice steakhouse. Cajun rice was alright, reminded me more of a jumbalya flavor though, very tomatoe pasted base. I might have been expecting more like dirty rice. Cornbread was fine, not great, but fine. Sauces were a little weird for me. They were all on the grainier side for some reason, and I don't know if it's a bad or good thing. I could see myself going into a place run by 1 guy and he brings out his from scratch sauces and if they have some grain to them I would be like "Wow! Homecooking!". But when I taste them at this place I feel like it's just careless. Nothing wrong with the sauces though. The regular house sauce was very sweet, the spicy was the same thing but with hot pepper spice, mustard was like a honey mustard but with all that grainy spices in it, and their pineapple was unique but I wouldn't want to put it on my BBQ. Maybe Though! if the chicken was just plain old no flavor chicken, I might like that sauce on it. Hat's off to them for a good selection of desserts though. Great counter with pies and puddings and cakes, I was pretty impressed. All in All, It's a BBQ place that deffinetly good enough but it's not for anyone who really want's to find some top quality. But they offer a lot of other stuff too, so if anything it's a great little restraunt with a lot of fun comfort food options. read more

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My group recently visited for Sunday brunch. You pay at the counter, seat yourself and bus your own table. The buffet doesn't look that big at first but when you really examine it the offerings are very wide. Scrambled eggs, steak and cheese frittata, waffles, Canadian bacon and all the usual breakfast items. Then there are all sorts of meats, super juicy chicken wings, pulled pork, brisket, bacon, smoky joe (I don't know what it was but it was good) , and all sort of others. Bagels, cornbread, croissants, macaroni and cheese. I've never really had good desserts at a buffet but this was a first. Delicious chocolate dipped strawberries, walnut brownies, etc. It seems like they choose quality over quantity on their dessert items. Places always promise fresh squeezed orange juice and it's doubtful but this was full of pulp and delicious. Drinks are sold separately. A very polite manager walked around checking on tables and asking about our experience. I'd definitely return. read more

If you are going put Southern Fried Catfish on your menu then may I suggest your catfish is fresh not frozen! First off it was over fried burnt looking and greasy, not to take away from the fact that, Fried frozen (defrosted) fish turns to MUSH. Yours was MUSH and terribly GREASY. Your Mac-n-cheese was rubbery and cold. Being that I am from the Midwest, and my parents owned a restaurant where fried chicken and fried fish were a staple, and my Spouse is from North Little Rock, Arkansas I know a bit about Southern Food! Yes, even in Illinois fresh fish was a must in any restaurant!! When visiting Little Rock, my Father-in-law made sure that Southern Fried Catfish, Mac-n-cheese, Ribs, Collard Greens and so much more graced the dinner table upon our arrival, as well as, as much Fried Catfish that I wanted during our visit! My wife loved the ribs and chicken, they were right on point for her however, not even a side a BBQ sauce to mop it in?!?! If your going to advertise as a BBQ Joint that serves Southern Food than, by all means be that place! Will I try it again, I will watch and see if this review changes anything so, time will tell. As for now two stars is all I can give however, I am hopeful that you will take this criticism and make the changes necessary! Good Luck!! read more

I AM A FAN. This is one of the absolute best BBQ places I have ever been to. Great sauces. Great favors. Everything I've had here just kills. Lots of gluten free and vegetarian options. Great taps with amazing beers. They had a Ommegang tasting a few months ago, which was amazing. The prices are great. The desserts are as good as they look. Go. Go go go. Now. Get in the car. read more

Wildwood Barbeque - Half a chicken, pulled pork BBQ sammich, and roasted root veggie burrito: - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

Wildwood Barbeque has tasty food. The smoked wings, chili and burnt ends are amazing. The pulled pork, ribs and brisket are mouth watering too. Great place to dine in or takeout. Can order in advance online. read more

Wildwood was one of my most favorite restaurants but the last few times I've been it's gone down hill. My last order was ribs, Mac & cheese plus a brownie and a piece of carrot cake. The ribs were very dry and didn't seem fresh. The Mac & cheese is usually very creamy but it wasn't the same. The desserts are usually amazing but the carrot cake was stale and they forgot my brownie. When I paid they charged me double. I had to explain that they charged me for 2 of everything. They couldn't figure out how to change the receipt tape so I left without one. When I went back to get my brownie which was the only good thing about the whole meal, they asked to see the receipt which I obviously didn't have and questioned whether I ordered it. They were so high quality for years and now every time I go it gets worse and worse. read more

I was staying next door at the Comfort Inn and checked out the online menu. I was excited to see Wildwood offered burnt ends as a standard item. This is the exterior tip of the brisket with maximum smoke flavor and most places save their burnt ends for a weekly special. I walked over, inhaling the smoke in the air, hoping for a treat. I'd planned to eat in but the atmosphere is pretty minimal and the beer selection didn't appeal to me. They're mostly gadget beers which have some novelty but aren't really special. So, I ordered to go and found out they're out of burnt ends. I changed my order to regular brisket and specified I wanted the pieces as close to burnt ends as I could get. Most places getting this request will take care to find the pieces with the most bark on them. However, my order was what you see in my photo. Not only is there no bark but the uniform color suggests the meat was pre sliced and sitting on a steam table. It was tender enough but without much flavor. For my side I got potato salad which was okay and a generous portion. The order came with a mini loaf of cornbread which was very light on the corn. I tried three of their four sauces--regular, "apple pie" with a bit of sweetness and hot. The hot is acrid. The regular is well balanced and with a bit of external heat from a squirt of Tabasco or Crystal it would be my preference. Of course, really good barbecue doesn't need sauce but this isn't in that category. I was here just a few days before Wildwood closes for its annual vacation, so it's possible they were cleaning out the freezer. However, I paid full price for my meal so have to evaluate it in that context. read more

Wildwood Barbeque - My brisket, ordered "as close to burnt ends as you can get it". Not close. - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

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My family is new to the area, and we've been craving BBQ. It's probably important to mention that we're from the south. I've never in my life had BBQ this bad. The mac n cheese was macaroni with sprinkled cheese on top. The baked beans were flavorless. Not even sure if the beans are your typical baked beans. We ordered ribs and pulled pork...dry and no seasoning. The only good thing was the complimentary cornbread. Also, the sweet iced tea is not sweet tea. Save your time if you want real BBQ. read more

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I gave this 4 stars because my chicken was a bit dry and chewy on the edges. But I am not giving up on this place yet, because I've had the buffet before and it is very tasty! The service is great! I must say the staff is an all around 100% awesome and nice to deal with! read more

Wildwood Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

I am in search of great BBQ in New England, having had such great food elsewhere in the US. Wildwood gets a mixed response - my wife & I visited yesterday, eating inside. The not so good: 1/2 rack of ribs: so disappointing. If this was all we had, this review would be 2 stars. Dry & chewy. Could not finish eating them, which is a rarity. My local Chili's makes better ribs. BBQ beans as the side for the ribs: spicy and dry. I did admire the pork bits in the beans, but we could not finish these either. The pulled pork was good, but not great. Poured some regular & mustard sauces, which added the extra flavor. Potato salad that came with the pulled pork was quite good: mild flavor, so you could taste the potatoes (some places overly spice up such a side; not here); nice chunks of celery, hard boiled eggs & onions. My wife also agreed that the potato salad was above par. Corn bread was quite good, too; moist and flavorful. Excellent, 5 stars for the Poor Boy Catfish sandwich: lightly battered, cooked perfectly, so the fish was moist & flavorful. As my wife said, a dish worth returning for. And I have to mention the pickles, yes, those usually minor additions to any plate: wow - what a unique flavor. We both loved them so much that my wife bought a quart of them as we finished our meal. Service: friendly & efficient. We will return, but only for certain items. The search continues. read more

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Ate here with my wife this Saturday for the first time. I had the pulled pork with a side of potatoe salad and it comes with a corn bread. Total $15. My wife had a bacon burger. The soda included refills. The food was very good, and so were the prices. The service was very nice and quick. We will eat here again. read more

The barbecue was amazing, and the portions were enormous! My husband and I shared a two-meat platter with ribs and pulled pork. Both were excellent. It is self service, but the order takers were very patient and friendly. For a casual night out, this is a real gem. read more

I needed help with catering an event and Glenn at Wildwood BBQ came to my rescue. We talked over how much food I would need for the amount of people I was feeding and he offered great suggestions. The event was a huge hit and the food was excellent. I would definitely use them again for future events read more

I have never been more disappointed than my trip to Wildwood Barbeque. I do not expect much from Hadley MA but was I was genuinely surprised by the low quality and high prices. In all honestly the best way I could describe a meat plate would be a flavorless pile of mush. I know this may sound harsh but I want to save any one who maybe considering eating at Wildwood. read more

This place is BY FAR the best BBQ joint in Western Mass. We came here on a weekend evening after we had seen it pop up on Yelp. There is a nice outdoor area, where I'm sure would be great to enjoy a beer and BBQ, however sadly for us it was dark and dreary and cold on the evening we visited so we stayed inside. The inside was clean and a nice blend of rustic and modern in its design. They have a decent selection of around 10-12 craft beers that appear to rotate, and the beer I ordered was served in a chilled glass. They also serve wine and soft drinks. They also have a few vegan/vegetarian options, which is nice and rare for BBQ joints. We walked up to the counter, were warmly greeted, and ordered our meals. While the portions here are large, the prices are a little on the high side in my opinion (about 1-2 dollars overpriced for the area), but the quality makes it hard not to justify. The burnt ends were PHENOMENAL. The variety of BBQ sauces to try over by the soda machine were great, and the hottest one was the perfect amount of heat for this spice lover. They apparently serve a Sunday brunch that I am very curious to try, and look forward to returning soon. read more

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We were out on a lunch date and were going to go to Texas Roadhouse however found they weren't open til 3 so looking towards what we were craving and what was around us, we went with Wildwood. We had slight hesitation on our choice because this would be our second time eating there and our first experience was sub par. I'm all about second chances so I said let's try it again.. our first time we went the meat was a lil bland, and a lil dry.. I got the Mac and cheese and it looked fabulous but was bland also... This time around I went with the 2 meat 2 sides dish.. I was starving so I thought I could put it all down no problem.... holy moly what a portion! I left with a giant pan of leftovers for the next day! I got the brisket and the friend chicken and double Mac.. cause I'm all about Mac! The brisket was Devine. Melt in your mouth, moans coming out kinda good! The chicken had good flavor.. was a lil dry but they got a great selection of bbq sauce it dip it in. The Mac and cheese was fantastic too! A lil cold but I didn't even mind it was so good! Overall I'm thrilled I gave it another shot.. it was a fantastic meal and the service was fantastic too! read more

It's descent bbq. Nice and clean place to eat with a great staff. I've only tried the pulled pork and it's good. Way better than any chain but not up to par with BT's Smokehouse in Sturbridge. I'll continue to stop in for a sandwich when I'm in the area. read more

I was in the area and I figured I'd stop in for a quick bite. I got a bowl of chili which comes with cornbread. The cornbread was super dry. The chili seemed very greasy and looked old, and was very acidic. The spice was a bit zingy, but not too bad... Not the worst restaurant chili Ive ever had, but I definitely wont be back. There are a ton of restaurants near this place, I'd suggest one of those. Sorry, Wildwood... read more

We stopped here for something new. Never been here before. We were very delighted with the choices on the menu and variety of meals. I had the single beef rib with mashed potatoes and homemade gravy. It was tender and full of flavor. My husband had the southern fried chicken sandwich. It came on a toasted roll with in house BBQ sauce, potato salad as a side with cornbread. Large portions and decent prices. Tastes like grandma's house. We will definitely be back. read more

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