We’re in town for the week, and I was craving some BBQ. The Pacific Northwest isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when you think of great barbecue, but I figured there had to be at least one decent spot nearby.
My wife found this place on DoorDash with pretty solid ratings, so we decided to give it a shot. (Side note: it had a 4.4 rating on DoorDash but only a 2.5 on Yelp. That should’ve been our first red flag.)
For context, I’m a Certified KCBS BBQ Judge and an amateur pitmaster. I take BBQ seriously. While I understand that seasoning and flavor profiles vary regionally, the basics—like proper meat preparation—are universal.
Now, on to the experience:
First off, either the DoorDash driver forgot my tea, or it was never included in the order. It's not a big deal, but it's still worth noting. We didn't get any silverware or napkins
Second, one of the small BBQ sauce containers wasn’t sealed properly and spilled—everywhere. It took us a good 10 minutes to clean up the mess just to get to the food.
I ordered the Rustler with three meats, a side, and a drink. I chose the smoked sausage, pulled pork, and ribs, with garlic mashed potatoes on the side.
Pulled pork: Dry and bland—definitely a letdown.
Ribs: Only two bones, and slightly undercooked. Probably not something most people would catch, but I did. The flavor didn’t impress either.
Smoked sausage: I’m a big fan of Texas-style smoked sausage, and while these were okay, they weren’t anything memorable. Probably the best of the three, though.
Garlic mashed potatoes: Just alright. Heavy on the garlic and not much else.
My wife ordered a burger with mac and cheese. She didn’t have much to say about it—no complaints, but no compliments either.
Honestly, I don’t know how this place has over 2,000 ratings on DoorDash with a 4.4 average. After our experience, the Yelp rating of 2.5 based on 44 reviews feels a lot more accurate.
