Jethro's BBQ

After reading a "Best of Dining" in Des Moines website, we decided we needed to try Jethro's in the Drake neighborhood. The restaurant has a very hip feel for a barbecue restaurant.

Our waitress recommended for the two of us that we order the BBQ dinner for two - the half slab of ribs and two meats dinner, which is served with four sides and corn bread. We ordered brisket and pulled pork as our two meats and for our sides, we ordered, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, and onion rings.

All of the meats were served dry with four different barbecue sauces on the table. The ribs were incredibly fall off the bone tender. They were amazing in the Jethro's original sauce and the Jethro's Hot sauce. The pork and brisket were also incredibly tender.

The creamed corn was smokey and delicious. The green beans were crisp-tender. However, the highlight of the sides were the onion rings. They are house battered and fried, making them crispy, flaky, crunchy, and perfect onion rings.

Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q

Written by Leann Pettit

One of the barbecue joints in Kansas City that was highly recommended to us was Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q, which has six locations in Kansas City.

We ate at the Main and Linwood location, the restaurant located at 4621 Paseo in Kansas City is the main restaurant.

One thing that makes Gates stand out compared to their neighbors is the order takers asking each diner, "Hi, may I help you?" And, while we found this warm and kitchy, we also had an issue while ordering. The counter worker misunderstood our order, which took slightly longer and wasted the cook's time.

In the end, we ordered the mix plate, which came with beef, ham, ribs, and fries. Gates was the only joint that we ate at that pre-sauced their meats before serving, which didn't give us the option to sauce it ourself or try the other sauces by Gates.

Of the meats, the ham was very juicy, and the beef was tender, and both were cut thin. However, the meats were just all right in comparison to other Kansas City barbecue restaurants.

The ribs served were spare ribs, and the short ends are not included on the mix plate. The ribs we got on our plate had a lot of fat on them and not a lot of meat.

We also ordered onion rings, which were fried fresh, but definitely had a heavy taste of fryer oil.

After Gates and Sons being recommended by a local, we had high hopes for this place. I hope that the issues and disappointment we encountered are site specific and not a true representation of Gates.

Arthur Bryant's Barbeque

Written by Leann Pettit

One of those staples (and giants) of Kansas City barbecue is Arthur Bryant's, on Brooklyn Ave. in Kansas City, MO (there's also locations at the Ameristar Casino and at the Kansas Speedway).

We ordered the pulled pork open faced sandwich and the burnt ends open faced sandwich, both of which came pre-sauced and were huge (three slices of bread for an open faced sandwich, and meat piled on).

The pulled pork was very tender and the sauce was on the sweeter side, a perfect compliment to the savory, smokey pork. The burnt ends were mega moist, but because of the sauce on them, lacked that crunchy exterior. The classic sauce was used on the burnt ends sandwich and, again, a perfect, succulent combination of savory, smokey and sweet.

RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack

Written by Leann Pettit

A laid back joint in Mission, KS, is RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack. 

We ordered a half rack of baby back ribs to share between two people (about 3 ribs per person). The ribs were incredibly meaty and super, fall-off-the-bone tender. The ribs had a lot of meat on them and the meat pulled right off the bone, and there was a fantastic smoke ring on the edges of the meat.

The atmosphere at RJ's is very laid back, especially in comparison to Kansas City's more popular joints. The menu is plentiful and diners get table service (as opposed to counter service). 

Plenty of televisions around the restaurant play whatever game is on, and on Sundays during football games, there are food and drinks specials.

Woodyard BBQ

Written by Leann Pettit

Woodyard BBQ was opened by the man supplying most of the Kansas City area with their woods for smoking. The restaurant, which is comprised of an outdoor patio, a biergarten, and a few tables indoors, serves your traditional barbecue fare.

We ordered the two meat platter and chose baby back ribs and pulled pork. The pulled pork was served dry and diners could add their own sauce. The pork was moist and tender, but I, personally, have had better pulled pork at other barbecue joints.

The baby backs were very, very tender. So much so the meat fell right off the bone while being moist and tender with a wonderful smoky flavor.

We also ordered the burnt end three-bean chili, which is a mildly spicy and fresh tasting chili that is topped with burnt ends. The burnt ends are cooked well and are not terribly fatty and very moist, and kept even more moist by the chili. The chili is served in a single (perfect for one person or as a shared side dish), a cup or a bowl.

Jack Stack Barbecue

Jack Stack BBQ, with four locations around Kansas City, serves a varied barbecue menu with a high class restaurant feel, while also serving other specialities, such as shrimp, burgers, salads and more.

We ordered the sampler platter, which came with chicken, burnt ends, baby back ribs and polish sausage. The platter is served with coleslaw and fries, however, we opted to switch the fries for the cheesy potato casserole.

Our server brought us extra sauce, both the house classic sauce and their spicy sauce. We were also offered a "hot" sauce, which we decided not to try.

The chicken was moist and served on the bone - a half breast and a wing. It was a lot of meat on our chicken. The sausage was pretty typical of sausage, but the meat's flavor definitely got a pop with the spicy sauce.

The ribs, which were just short of a half rack, were meaty and the meat was very tender, with a nice, chewy bark which was a nice texture contrast to the moist meat of the ribs.

The burnt ends had a very nice smoke ring and were very moist, however, a little fatty compared to Jack Stack's neighboring BBQ joints. The burnt ends were very tasty all on their own, a perfect combination of beef and smokiness, but were also delicious in both the classic sauce and the spicy sauce.

For dessert, we tried the carrot cake, as it was highly recommended. The cake, a warm cake with a comforting flavor of cinnamon and nutmeg is topped with a warm cream cheese frosting and walnuts. While the cake doesn't look intimidating, it is very large and should definitely be shared.

Jack Stack serves very large portions, and the combination plate was the perfect amount for two people to share.

The Lucky Well

Written by Leann Pettit

Former Food Network Star, Chad Rosenthal's much anticipated new restaurant, The Lucky Well, opened for dinner in Ambler at the end of September.

I had the pleasure to experience Ambler's newest dining establishment during a preview night held the Saturday before opening.

The menu, definitely has a slant towards barbecue, offering St. Louis style pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken and sausage, also has offerings of salads, seafood, appetizers, soup and more.

The two of us dining together opted to try Rosenthal's barbecue and ordered the pork ribs and the brisket, as well as ordered three sides: mac and cheese, slaw and cornbread.

The meats are served in full and half orders. We ordered half orders of each meat, which was still a lot of meat for two people.

Ribs, which can be dry at other barbecue places, were moist, with a lot of meat on them and the sauce was "finger-lickin" good, smoky and a perfect compliment to the ribs.

The beef brisket, which is served sliced, and topped with the same house sauce as the ribs, was expertly cooked - juicy and tender - and barely needed a knife to cut it up.

The sides were also perfect pairings for the barbecue. The cornbread was dense and sweet. Our server, Skyler, told us the secret ingredients are burnt honey and jalapeños. The slaw had a nice spice and heat, while provide that freshness and crunch to balance out the meatiness of the barbecue.

Overall, our meal was delicious, and very huge. The Lucky Well also offers a full dessert menu and a full bar menu, with a large craft beer list on draft and in bottles.

The ambiance of the restaurant is very light, airy and classy. I have been to many, many barbecue joints around the country, and The Lucky Well has a feels much brighter inside while you're dining. The decorations are very crisp - black and white photos of farms, farm equipment, and animals - and, in the corner behind the bar is the wooden sign that hung outside Rosey's BBQ in Ambler.

The Lucky Well opens for dinner on Monday at 5 p.m., reservations can be made on OpenTable. Learn more about The Lucky Well on their website.

Kreuz Market

About an hour drive outside of Austin, and known for the famous sign (above) that states "No Barbecue Sauce, No Forks, No Kidding" is Kreuz Market, in Lockhart, TX. Locals will debate who has the best barbecue in the area: Kreuz or the Salt Lick, and everyone has their favorite.

We ordered a regular sausage, a cheese filled sausage and the highly recommended brisket. Everything is served with your choice of white bread (straight out of the bag) or crackers. We chose bread.

In a separate room, you can order your sides, including mac and cheese, cole slaw, mashed potatoes and more (oh, and where you can grab some forks!).

Honestly, I found the brisket to be juicy, but very fatty, and the sausage tasty, but the casing very tough. The sides weren't very good, either. It was disappointing.

Also, we were there about a hour before the restaurant was supposed to close and as we were leaving, the employees were turning off the lights behind us.

The Salt Lick

About 30 minutes outside downtown Austin, in Driftwood, TX, (and worth every minute of the drive) is The Salt Lick, some of the best barbecue in Texas. We ordered a platter (The Rancher) to sample a number of the offerings and split it between the two of us (it was A LOT of food!).

Our platter came with turkey, brisket, pulled pork and sausage and ordered a rib on the side.

The ribs are double cut, so there is meat on both sides, and they are huge and full of meat. Of the platter meats, everything was delicious, we couldn't choose our favorite - although the sausage and the brisket was definitely a highlight.

For dessert, we ordered a slice (again, huge slices) of pecan pie. Best pecan pie - ever. Don't argue with me on this, just order it.

The Salt Lick offers wine at the winery next door, however, the restaurant is BYOB, so bring your own wine and beer.

Expect a little bit of a wait here. They do offer popcorn outside while you are waiting for your table, as well as live music on the weekends.  Also, be prepared with cash...they do not take credit cards.

Hog Heaven Sports Bar & Grille

A nice surprise off Overseas Highway in Islamorada, Hog Heaven has a menu that varies from (delicious) BBQ to fresh fish. They even have their own house beer.

For lunch, we ordered the pulled pork BBQ sandwich (absolutely fantastic, definitely order this!) and the fried dolphin (mahi mahi, for those not used to proper fish names). Order the onion straws, they were so very good and unlike anything we've ever had.

When you arrive, walk through the bar and indoor dining room to the outdoor patio and deck that faces the ocean, where there is patio seat (under a porch roof) and deck seating (under umbrellas).

Charlie Mac's

Charlie Mac's, located just beyond the Green Parrot in Key West, is a fabulous barbecue find in Key West. The meat is moist, the sauce delicious and the sides actually worth eating (unlike some other BBQ joints).

We ordered the pulled pork and the brisket, both were very good. I also appreciated the large draft menu with included many craft and local brews.

Babe's BBQ & Brewhouse

Babe's Bar-Be-Que and Brewhouse in Rancho Mirage, about a 20 minute drive from downtown Palm Springs, was a surprisingly delicious find, and a fantastic recommendation from our hotel.

The restaurant, which also brews its own beers, has both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide selection of entrees on its menu.

We ordered the tri-tip po'boy with the remoulade sauce (ordered hot) and the Texas Tornado. Both sandwiches were huge! One was almost big enough for two people (almost!). The po'boy was delicious, with hot pork and a creamy sauce and counter balanced with cold lettuce and tomatoes. The combination was fantastic.

The Texas Tornado was very meat heavy, but just the right about of meat. And the barbecue sauce was heavenly - someone in the kitchen knows what they are doing when it comes to barbecue.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, overlooking the Hudson River, and across the street from the Best Western Plus Albany Franklin Square Inn Troy/Albany hotel, is a great place for travelers and locals. We stopped in for dinner on a Monday night and the restaurant was crowded.

However, even though all the tables were full, our waiter was still very professional, quick, efficient, and helpful.

We ordered wings, with the Wango Tango sauce, which was a great combination of spicy and sweet. The wings are also smoked, then grilled, to give them this beautiful, smokey flavor while keeping a nice crispy crunch on the outside.

We also ordered the Tres Hombres combination plate to split, and believe me, there was plenty of food to go around! The plate included ribs, BBQ pulled pork, and sliced brisket. It also came with two sides and corn bread. Phew!

In addition, we had the Caramel Cheesecake, which was absolutely delectable!

Everything was delicious! The meat on the ribs was fall of the bone good, and the bar-be-que sauce was fantastic, and added flavor without overpowering the taste of the smoked meats.

Top of the Hill Grill

Top of the Hill Grill, a small restaurant just before downtown Brattleboro, has delicious BBQ, friendly staff, as well as indoor and outdoor seating.

We ordered a pulled pork sandwich, which was messy, scrumptious, and huge. We also ordered the beef brisket sandwich, also humongous, but not nearly as messy! As a side, we ordered the "adult" size mac and cheese, which was velvety, smooth, creamy, and like no other mac and cheese I have ever tasted.

While the order windows are outside, if you are going to take your food to go on a cold evening there is indoor seating that is a much warmer place to wait for your meal to be prepared. On nice days, there's also a good amount of outdoor seating around picnic tables.