Avoid A BBQ Restaurant If It Has One Red Flag In Particular
Barbecue restaurants sound great as a concept but finding one of high and consistent quality can be tough. There are several ways to test if a barbecue restaurant is actually good, like ordering specific dishes. There are also certain red flags to watch out for that are good indicators that a barbecue restaurant won't be worth your time, like having too many regional styles on the menu.
One major red flag to watch out for at barbecue restaurants is the lack of a smoker. Even if a smoker is not physically visible in the restaurant, the smell of one should still be heavily present. A good barbecue restaurant will have the smell of wood burning from the smoker itself, as well as the smell of the meat on the smoker itself.
The reason why this red flag sticks out more than others is that a good barbecue restaurant should smoke its meat in house. If the meat is not being smoked on site, then it is likely to be of lesser quality. Even worse, it might mean that the restaurant is getting its meat from somewhere else entirely.
Other red flags at barbecue restaurants
The lack of a smoker is one of the biggest red flags at barbecue restaurants. However, other signs that a barbecue restaurant is likely not up to snuff are equally as important. Glancing at the menu can show you several signs that a barbecue restaurant is likely not as good as it claims to be.
A long menu that encompasses a lot of regional styles is another bad sign. Combined with the lack of smoker, either visually or by smell, this could be an indicator that a barbecue restaurant is low quality and not specialized in any one style. On the other hand, a barbecue restaurant is more likely to be good if it adheres to one style in particular.
Last but not least, a barbecue restaurant should have a good amount of simple and classic dishes on the menu. Overly complicated dishes or seasoning mixes are not necessarily a sign of quality. A barbecue restaurant should above all value good cuts of meat and freshly cooked dishes made in house on the daily.