We lived in North Texas for several years and enjoyed some of the BBQ on the planet by the names of Rudy's, Hutchins, and many more. BBQ life did not get any better than this. We moved to the Northwest Corner of Connecticut about two years ago and one off the things we missed most about Texas was the BBQ. We have tried most of the big names and local BBQs in CT, MA, and NY and were continually disappointed. For some, we simply could not finish eating, complete garbage. My wife and I love waterfalls and state parks and were visiting Burr Falls. On the way back we saw Zach and Lou's BBQ and decided to take a chance. Well, it was one of the best decisions I made and was well worth the stop. Brisket was tender, juicy, not a lot of fat, and not over powering, just the right blend and smoked to perfection. I was new to Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends and I now have a new favorite meet. These things are like crack for your taste buds. I will back again, again, again, and again! Thank you to Zach and Lou for bringing true southern BBQ to the Northeast. read more

The restaurant is in the bottom portion of essentially a house. But the food is sooo Good‼ My husband and I shared a two meat combo which came with two sides Our meat choices were pork belly and ribs. Both meats were mostly tender. The pork belly the parts that were not the yummy juicy fat were sort of hard. The sides were excellent. The size was on the smaller size but was surprisingly perfect. We opted for the mac and cheese. It was made with large shells and was nice and creamy. The potato salad was small diced potatoes which differs from how Im used of potato salad but I really liked it. The potato salad has diced onion and celery it was just perfect! read more

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This is my top barbecue spot in CT...please show me one better just on taste alone.. good customer service & they are off a trail so you can shed some pounds before or after read more

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I haven't visited in over a year but they are just as good as I remember. This spot is on my top 3 bbq in the state. There is plenty of seating indoor and outside. It's a nice down home vibe inside and the guys at the counter were friendly and greeted us right away. We got the pulled chicken, brisket, Mac & cheese, collard greens and potato salad. Everything was scrumptious! I walked off my meal on the trail behind the restaurant. Can't wait to bring my bike next time I stop in for a meal. Get there early because they sell out of the best meats fast. But I must say everything I've tried, I've enjoyed. read more

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Zac and Lous is located between Torrington and Winsted, on old Route 8. It was apparently the old Burrville General Store, back when the area could support a general store. The building looks like a house, with a large sign out front. There is indoor seating, with picnic tables out back for seasonal weather. There is also a restroom inside. Apparently they make enough food for the day and when it's gone, it's gone. The food is delicious, although I'd prefer fried chicken instead of steamed (personal). It was good chicken, but needed ketchup (is that sacrilegious for a bar be que restaurant?) The Mac and cheese was AMAZING with lots of cheese and mixed so the toasted top was spread throughout. If you like bar-be-que sauce, they offer sweet or spicy, and let you apply your own. Great service too, even though people kept coming in, asking detailed questions, they moved quickly. read more

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Took a nice ride from Simsbury out to no man's land, Winsted Road between Torrington and Winsted. And there she was; this little barbecue restaurant situated against the road. Parking the car I happen to notice very nice outside seating in the backyard, and walking up to the restaurant, the wonderful smell of the different meats and smoker happening! I was hoping this visit was gonna be something special! I entered into this little restaurant and was greeted warmly by possibly one of the owners. My order was placed for a beef brisket sandwich, that includes a side order of coleslaw, for $14.95. The fountain drink was $3.50. So for $20, I felt this was not a mistake driving all the way out here Let me tell you, the beef brisket had a lovely char ring, with pink juicy color inside . This generous portion was served on a lovely soft sandwich roll, along with the requested spicy barbecue sauce on the side. The juiciness and taste of this wonderful beef brisket exploding in my mouth told me I made a wonderful choice. Also accompanying the sandwich was a small order of coleslaw, that was both sweet and vinegary, with nice crunchy cabbage. This was delicious also. The service was extremely quick, almost like it was fast food, I think the sandwich was served me within two minutes. This was unexpected and appreciated. If you're looking for a quick lunch, Zach and Lou's would be a great choice. The inside of the restaurant was clean and simple. A few tables inside, but the outside seating area looked very inviting to just sit and enjoy a lunch. It was just too hot for me on this day. The restroom was neutral, and extremely clean My thoughts are, if you are in the northwest Hills craving some really good barbecue, this would be a good destination. The menu was short and sweet, with lightning quick service. I look forward to returning again soon. read more

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This is definitely a cool spot off the beaten path! I always love supporting local and this bbq spot does not disappoint! They have picnic tables outside as well a good amount of seats inside. It's definitely casual but that's cool. The food portions are good for the price and you don't have to wait long for them to serve you. Everything is fresh so if they run out, they are out for the day! I enjoyed the pulled pork and had almost half to take home (again- good portions!). The mac and cheese didn't disappoint neither did the coleslaw. For sure I'll be back with the hubby to enjoy this food soon! read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - Pulled pork with Mac and Cheese & Coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

My husband and I stopped for lunch today- we had the brisket, Mac and cheese, collard greens, coleslaw and corn bread. Everything was excellent !!! Nice picnic tables out side with umbrellas. Highly recommend. read more

Just had ribs Flavorful and meat fell of the bonenand tenderm sauce was good alao Pleasan5ly surprised read more

Can we call the vibe spaghetti western? I really enjoyed the BBQ here. The brisket was delicious! Completely fell apart outside the fork. And I enjoyed the whole peppercorns in the rub. The ribs were different from the brisket. A sweeter sauce maybe, and I found no peppercorns. Still delicious just different. The Mac and cheese was of the large shell variety, making it shine in the cheese holding category. The corn bread was Outstanding. You get one of those mini loaves, which I prefer over the slices because you get more caramelization from the edges. All in all an excellent lunch. Hope to stop back soon to try the sandwiches. read more

Very deceptive practice with their pricing. The sign said 2 meats and sides $24.95. The bill for two plates and no drinks or extras was $49.90 plus a 4 rib/brisket/belly upcharge of $16.00!!! With tax $70.74!!! On top of everything, the food is not as pictured on their website. The macaroni and cheese was dry and the brisket was gray. read more

They should of stayed closed! A couple before us had a wonderful take out meal. We were told to leave because they ran out of food. Poor attitude and rude! Never again. Watching someone else get a good meal , while they had absolutely nothing for us?! Their restaurant should remain in a dumpster or closed. Someone responsible should take it over, apparently not these owners read more

Their brisket was all fat. Bbq sauce is too sugary, not enough vinegar and spice . The chicken is meh. The kielbasa was low quality. Sides are small and they run out of them quick. It's rather pricey for what you get. Also they annoyingly close whenever they feel like it, and they run out of food often. read more

Pretty average for the price and about on par with Subway or other fast food/processed food joints. I thought it might be a legit BBQ place but it fell far short of my expectations. Even the person serving us was a little bit confused when I asked "what's good or the house specialty?" to be fair the coleslaw was pretty good, but the brisket not-so-much. It was way overcooked and gristly -- i ended throwing half of the sandwich away. I would hard pass on this place as there are much better options just down the road and would not suggest it. read more

Anything I repeat anything you get here is delicious. My favorite meat are the ribs and brisket. I could make a meal of their Mac and cheese , beans, Cole slaw and potato salad. Forget the meat if I gad to but I never do. Guys are realize and very accommodating. You can eat there if you want. We always take it home. You might th I nk it pricey but when everything g is so good it is worth it. You will be full super full if you order the two meat with two sides! read more

Well right off the bat I liked the setup of this place the most. Kinda reminiscent of a BBQ joint in the south. Big sign on a pole out front, bunch of picnic tables on the lawn. Right on the bike path too, awesome place to stop on the ride. Did a 2 meat combo with Brisket and Ribs, partner tried the smoked turkey which I guess is a newer thing for them. Owner tried it awhile ago and figured it was a nice thing to add to the menu. They were out of Beans that day so my 2 sides were Mac and Cheese and Slaw. 10 different meats to choose from! I don't think I've seen that before. No cornbread, No homemade beverages. Brisket looked excellent, very juicy with a lot of bark to it. In the mouth though I didn't get as much flavor as I was expecting. Another bite had much more flavor than the first. And it wasn't like I only had the muscle on the first bite and the second bite had the bark and fat. In general I'd have to say the taste was just Beef, like a roast beef or a pot roast. Smoke was there but it was a different type of smoke I don't think I've had before. Still the texture was pretty good. Ribs looked great on the plate but had a lot of glaze sauce on top which is usually a concerning sign to me. They were definitely on the sweet side with their house sauce but it almost tasted like some of the sweetness was in the meat, maybe from some injected marinade or something. Mac and Cheese came prepackaged in a cup which is a big No No in my book. Shell pasta. Interestingly to me the sauce was like a weird cross between a cheese goop grocery store hot bar style and a nice gritty homemade style. Part of me wants to believe it was baked but either way it was actually pretty good. Coleslaw was surprisingly good too. It looked like it was going to be one of the typical store bought soupy slaws but the cabbage was still crunchy and the vinegar was nice and sweet. House sauce was very sweet. Spicy Sauce I could barely tell was spicy, if I didn't know any better I would have said this is the house sauce with a tiny bit of zing to it. All in All the place is pretty good. Friendly owner, good location, food is good. Just lacking those little things that make a place a 5 star in my eyes. But I'd go back and try it again. read more

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The worst part about this place is that it's not open year round! The few months they are closed are so sad! Anything you possibly get here is mouth watering.. I'm not a big fan of anything other than chicken but I take the brisket down! It's so tender and delicious and the sauce is unbelievable. Please also do yourself a favor and have the Mac and cheese and corn bread... you will NOT be disappointed. read more

This is some of the best bbq I've had, definitely the best in the area! The mac and cheese is one of my favorites. I love the outdoor space they've added and how they've been handling things this past year. The pulled pork and pulled chicken were both delicious! Try the spicy bbq sauce, too. read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - a tray of food - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

Fantastic! So happy we decided to stop here after dropping our son off at camp. The pork belly burnt ends and the super-flavorful collards were the highlights (though it was all good). read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - ribs, beans, and greens - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

Best BBQ hands down. I have been to other popular spot in CT and feel this is the best by far. Worth the trip from anywhere in CT.

Had a late lunch at Zach & Lou's Barbeque today, it was my 2nd visit to this establishment. 1st time was about 3 or 4 months ago, I had ordered the 2 meat combo of pulled pork and brisket that time. I thought the pulled pork was decent, but I was underwhelmed with the brisket -- it was bland, flavorless & lifeless. I had been wanting to give Zach and Lou's another try, so today I ordered the 2 meat combo again, this time I went with the 4 St. Louis ribs and the smoked sausage. Ribs had been over-cooked, they were bland and extremely chewy, and a bit tough. Smoked sausage was obviously not made in house, it didn't have much more flavor than a hot dog. Mayo-based coleslaw was average, but I did like the mac & cheese ( I prefer the style they serve, it's not creamy). Overall though, another disappointing experience. My standards are high because I lived in the South and have eaten some great Q down there (see my list, The Northern AL Bar-B-Q Trail), but the barbeque served at Zack & Lou's is even low on the scale for Connecticut standards. I can guarantee the fellow Yelpers who have given this business a 5 Star rating have never travelled to the South extensively. Needless to say, can't find a reason for another return visit for subpar Q. I'm moving on down the road. read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - 2 meat combo -- pulled pork & brisket, at Zach and Lou's Barbeque in Torrington, CT. - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

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Lori is so off target it isn't even funny. If you are having a bad day don't post up here it's is someone lucky good. I have been looking for good brisket for years and Zach and Lou's just get it. So good. I have traveled and had BBQ in so many places around this great country of ours and the only place I had brisket that even rivaled this is down south and I don't mean southern CT. The sides are big and very good. The pulled pork just wow. The homemade sauces well look at that my mouth is watering already for there food and I didn't even mention the collard greens. The service is friendly and they are always up for a good laugh even if the live is out the door. Now I am going to have to make a trip over. Do yourself a favor and go get some of there creations. If you like Bears you will love Zach snd Lou's. read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - Small portions.... come on Lori. Get the double brisket with 2 sides it feeds 2-3 easily. - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

So good! Come early so you can get the ribs and mac, but my brisket sandwich was phenomenal. Usually stray from BBQ outside of Texas and the south, but this place shows promise for maybe the only solid CT bbq place I've been to. read more

The sausages are really good~Although I am a Chinese and I am not a big fan of sausages,but the sausages in the restaurant are pretty good

I've been here for work for a week and a half. After eating there once it became my goal to eat everything on the menu before I leave. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. The brisket was so tender I could have cut it with a plastic fork. Which I did. Soft and juicy and a great platform for a great slaw and amazing bbq beans. FYI - the slaw and beans are amazing. I'm not a fan of overly sweet slaws or beans. These are the perfect blend of savory and a little sweet. I had the ribs. Fall off the bone tender and packed with meaty flavor. They don't need sauces but Z&L has amazing sauces. Sweet, Spivey and mustard sauces that you can match to the meat choice. Yes I had the slaw and beans again. What can I say. I love the freakin beans and slaw. Next I had the pulled pork sandwich. It's exactly what you want from a pulled pork sandwich and a little more. Some things I don't want to be radically unique. If I order pulled pork I don't want it to have cranberries or apple sauce on it. I want it to taste like smokey, saucy and porky meaty goodness. That's what this is. It's perfect. Okay...I topped it with slaw. I may have a problem. I figured if I was going to have the pulled pork I should probably try the pulled chicken. Was it juicy? Was it smokey? Was it meaty and flavor packed? Yes in all counts. Yes I had the slaw. Don't judge me. I put the sweet sauce on the side so I could use it occasionally. It didn't need sauce. I just wanted to vary it up and see how the sauces tasted. The sauce was great but I ate most of the sandwich without it. It was that good. Today I had the smoked sausage sandwich. Overloaded with sausage. Just packed to the walls. Again checking off all the boxes. Meaty, porky, smokey with a nice snap. Truth be told there was so much sausage I saved two pieces for breakfast tomorrow morning. What I have failed to mention is that all of my meals were purchased with cornbread. Delicious! If you ask 10 people how to make cornbread you'll get 12 answers. In the world of cornbread this was more of the moist and sweet cake side than the drier and more granular cornmeal style breads. I love both. It's just that Z&L serves the sweeter kind. Tomorrow I'll be having the chicken thigh and leg combo and then either the meatloaf, Turkey or maybe the brisket or pulled pork again. OMG!!! Too many choices. Also, get there early. Once they sell out that's it. It comes off the menu for the day. When they sell out they close up for the day. That's guaranteed freshness. Enjoy! read more

Once again they knocked it out of the park! We try to get here as often as possible and we went today. Baked beans, Mac n cheese, beef brisket and turkey were all excellent. The service is very friendly and their service system is very efficient. Will be back again. And again. And again read more

This place is phenomenal! We tried the pulled pork, brisket and chicken and for sides we had coleslaw, beans and mac and cheese all were absolutely delicious! I ordered the food for our company budget meetings and people from in state and out of state just kept raving about the food. Zach was very accommodating. We will have other events catered by them. Thank you Zach for making me shine. Pam Root Administrative Assistant read more

Super cute space! The food and service are unmatched. The brisket is some of the best I've ever had and I'm a BBQ snob and have had the best BBQ from all over the country!!! We were hooked after our first visit. *MUST TRY* You WILL NOT be disappointed. read more

First off I have been here a few times! Every time they seem like they are getting tighter and tighter And truly fine tuning their craft! The food is really good, I have had the plate specials , but my past visits have been to concur the Porkzilla ! I have been to a lot of BBQ around the country, and Zach and Lou's is a great place! Winsted is not Lockhart, TX , but everything at Z&L's is on par ! read more

Great BBQ! Their pulled chicken sandwiches always hit the spot. I have yet to try the brisket or pulled pork. Their sides are also really good, their mac & cheese is super cheesy and yummy and the slaw is good too! Highly recommend this place. read more

Brisket was very good, I asked for and got fatty pieces. Wife had ribs, good, sides were good beans, Mac and cheese, coleslaw all good. inside was typical which is fine. 4 stars not 5, imagine a bbq place with no iced tea! read more

Updated Was good the first two times. Its been 2 months something changed. You can sit inside or take out. There is a decent amount of seating and it is very clean. The lady there was rude as heck today. Had a nasty attitude. And made me not want o give them another try. The pulled chicken was not even "pulled" it was just nasty chicken that tasted like it was made in an oven. The brisket was ok but dry. The amount of sides they have is a little low compared to other BBQ places. I wish they had collared greens, salad or some type of vegetables. The sides were mac and cheese, cole slaw, cornbread or beans. The beans are good but I cannot believe they don't have collard greens. This is the first bbq place I have seen without them. Maybe they will get some southern style vegetables on the menu for a side. read more

Well, that was...disappointing. Zach (the large owner) is very rude and a liability to the business, we stopped by here after driving 100s of miles across two state lines on the way to another destination. Our 6 year old was tipping his chair slightly forward (something we tell him not to do but kids forget). Zach like a thundering bull was upon our table before we knew it and instead of politely pointing out the problem was very rude to us scolding the whole table telling us to have our child stop doing that and it was "very strict" and "no." I felt like I was in an episode of Sienfeld our 6 year old was so stunned he wouldn't even eat anything else. Zach should stay out of the dining room as he doesn't know how to communicate (based on other multiple 1 Star reviews I've read on google). When he's not working he can be found browsing Pokémon on his laptop in the dining room taking tables that could be reserved for...customers (seriously). I get the impression he lives upstairs. Prices were high and the brisket we received was very fatty. Nothing special and NOT kid friendly. read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - Owner Zach vaping on the back deck - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

We heard how wonderful Zach and Lou's is so drove from Canton to try it out. There were no disappointments. 1 lb of pulled pork - moist and flavorful, 1 lb brisket - tender and delicious and rack of ribs - fabulous! The greatness doesn't stop at the main course - the sides we ordered were all yummy. BBQ beans, coleslaw and the Most Amazing take out BBQ Mac n cheese I have ever had. We fought a little over it. Go to Zach and Lou's - you will not regret it. read more

So good! We especially loved the pulled pork and mac & cheese. We got there after the lunch rush, so they were out of brisket and corn bread (sob). Friendly service, pleasant atmosphere, fun sodas (sasparilla!). read more

Decided to try this spot for the second time since moving up this way. Disappointed for the second time. Portions are small, tasteless and expensive. The dining area is very nice and clean. The set up they have to serve you is very sufficient and clean. My husband enjoyed the collard greens that the lady scraped from the bottom of the pan. One of the owners rang us out $30 later for lunch, lacking personality to say the least. Won't be visiting this location again. We will stick to our local food truck right down the road. read more

Great food and comes out fast. I recommend the pulled pork and ribs they are juicy and taste great.

Got the brisket sandwich with coleslaw and a piece of cornbread. Excellent all around. I cant wait to return to try everything they serve. If I had 4 thumbs id give them 5 thumbs-up. read more

This place was an awesome find. Excellent food, friendly staff and cozy environment! Will definitely be back!!! read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - Pulled pork, sausage, baked beans and coleslaw! - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

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I had high expectations and thought this place would be better. The brisket was served to me cold and was not flavorful. The outside of the sausage was chewy. The beans were nothing special. The Mac and cheese was the best thing. I don't think I'll be returning. I've definitely had better bbq elsewhere. read more

Zach and Lou's Barbeque - Brisket , smoked sausage , beans , Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Torrington, Connecticut

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