Willards is no joke.  They've won legit BBQ competitions.  Just because you're somewhere not "known for BBQ" doesn't mean that someone didn't move and start a business there.

Lol I just ate some amazing BBQ at the bluffton BBQ joint.  I ordered a beer and she looked at me and said "we don't have Liquor license so the beer is free just grab it from that cooler "  I love this town.

Yeah. I did not pick it and I was not paying, so I did not look at reviews.

LuLu's BBQ in VA BEACH VA SUCKS BALLZ

I love BBQ..period...all my life...KC, NC, Southern, TX...you name it I've eaten it, it is absolutely my favorite food.

2 JAN 2014 my son , his wife take us to LuLu's BBQ in Va Beach

WORST EXCUSE FOR BBQ I have ever had in my life..I had the Combo...Pulled Pork, Brisket and Sausage...I swear the Pulled Pork was the tailings from the bottom of the pan from yesterdays BBQ...chunks of fat, stringy meat sitting in a puddle of grease...my son had made a big deal out of how good this place was I didnt want to make a scene so I ate some of it...first time in my life I have ever left BBQ on the plate...the Brisket was dry and flaking apart, the sausage was the only redeeming factor of the meal...on top of that our waitress was obviously sick...I mean sick...really damned sick...barely making it to the table sick, refilling our glasses, trying to pretend she was ok, I actually remember telling her she shouldn't be working, she said they made her come in to cover her shift...we left there and went to a movie, popcorn...less than 12 hours later I was throwing up more violently than I had ever in my life...at one point I was praying I didn't actually die from a heart attack I was dry heaving so badly...at one point I was barking and shitting on myself explosively so bad I just climbed into the shower and curled up in a fetal position with the hot water running on me till it ran out, we have 2 55 gallon water heaters, it took awhile...puking and shitting went on for 6-8 hours non stop daughter came over, shes an ER nurse and diagnosed me as NORO Virus...she saw it right way, brought me to the ER, gave me an IV and other drugs...

So on top of getting the shittiest BBQ meal I have ever had from them, thier waitress gave me the NORO Virus and damn near killed me...

On top of that I could not bear the smell of BBQ...could not eat anything grilled, or smoked...this went on for a year or more...I tried several times...nearly thru up...

Mission BBQ came to town earlier this year...I tried again...smell nearly choked me, but I ordered some smoked turkey and sausage...took it outside to eat on the patio...everything went ok...still have not eaten pulled pork...the only pork I have eaten since 2 JAN 2014 is bacon...

Reston! You're lucky you didn't end up with ebola. Still, I think I'd rather have monkey aids than barbequed fat.

damn, less than a minute..

Have you tried Carolina Brothers in Ashburn? They do a good job. I am not saying it is the best of the best, but it is good.

I've been all over and CO has the best BBQ.

Nope. But I am more a Memphis or Texas style BBQ lover. Carolina BBQ is something I will eat, but not seek out with much enthusiasm.

We've got a shithole here in my town too that boils his shit. Fuck him...he wouldn't know real BBQ if it bit him on the ass. I have to smoke shit at home if I want anything edible in my zip code BBQ wise. I don't know how he hasn't been laughed out of town other than perhaps people have never had real BBQ here?

 
For an inexpensive chain place, I think it's okay.

 
Best local BBQ here was a tiny little place attached to a car wash of all places.


Unfortunately, the pitmaster seems to have trouble staying on the right side of the law, thanks to the sauce (the other kind of sauce).  When he's not there because prison, his brother runs it and it's shit.

Generally when someone says there's too much fat in some meat, I figure they're full of shit.

When they put it this way, I take his word for it.

California has a whole lot to offer. Good BBQ doesnt seem to be one of those things (In my experience)

I don't really get how 'KC BBQ sauce' is super thick and sweet.  I lived there for 6 years and never came across sauce like that

Good BBQ isn't fast, and fast BBQ isn't good.  Still, Dickey's isn't the worst for fast BBQ.  I save that honor for the Buddy's Chain in Eastern TN & KY.  I ate there once, and the pork came out SLICED!  At that point, you're not seving bar-b-que but roast pork.

I've got an uncle running a B-B-Q restaurant in Crossville, TN that is pretty good.  Another good one is Big Daddy's Bar-B-Q in Warrior, AL.

James

Reston is pretty hoity toity. I wouldn't expect to find good BBQ there.

Wife and went to a new place and the meat came out almost cold and no tast.
We ate a little bit complained and left 2 hours later both of us where sick from it.

Now we stick to the places we know to be great.

There's a place in half moon bay in an old caboose that has fantastic BBQ.

Worst BBQ I have ever had was at the Circus Circus in Reno.
It's very hard to fuck up BBQ, but they did an excellent job of it

True. Good BBQ usually comes from "lower class" areas. But being as uppity froo froo as Reston is, I would not be surprised to find a world class BBQ joint in between the organic market and FroYo place. Because closet meat loving vegetarians would pay out the nose for it.

weeeeeellllllllll......

It is hard for BBQ to not be "ok". Even "ok" bbq is enjoyable. Making "good" bbq is not overly difficult, but most people don;t want to put in the time. Making it world class takes talent. IMO

Sounds like the time I eat at a BBQ joint in Helena MT...can't remember the name of the place, but it was horrible....ordered the brisket, and what I got was a plate of fatty, grisly, bland, thin sliced "meat".  Nonetheless, it got tossed.

This...x87


I learned a lot from a mouthy black lady in line ahead of me at a "order it yourself bbq place" one time...she looked at what they had put on her tray, didn't touch it, and said "I'm not eating that...Take that back and get me some food" when they handed her a plate of chopped brisket that was obviously half fat-half gristle. At first I thought she was just being a bitch until I saw what they had handed her.

I've used that same term a few times now...not to the extent of "Falling Down", but used it nonetheless.

"I'm not eating that, take it back and get me some real food."

note where in the country you are, not that far from the Carolinas

they have excellent BBQ there, just sayin'

Ah, a fellow novaer.  Never heard of it, but there's really no true, good bbq in northern va.  Even Willards is kind of a joke.  Sir, it's time to invest in a smoker and kiss your weekends goodbye.

Dinosaur BBQ is one of my top favorites.

Exactly...it wasn't even wife threw it in the crock pot because she was lazy BBQ.
This stuff wasn't even palatable...couldn't eat it

Yelp photo of the "ribs" from the place the op went too...

OP, in NOVA, try Dixie Bones in Woodbridge.  I can't speak for the brisket, the ribs I've have there were good.

In Virginia Beach, try The Beach Bully.

 
went to one in Spokane somewhere, it was okay.

Looks more like BBBQ  BOILED BBQ

"Jacks" indowntown Nashville is the best I`ve ever had. I believe I`ll start the crawl on my belly now for some brisket.

Come to east Texas sometime. We are the bbq desert of texas. The entire region has two worthwhile bbq restaurants.

There is a chain here called Bodacious BBQ, it is the worst bbq I've had but people here love it for some reason.

Those are... ribs?!

I had lunch at Central BBQ today and it was good.  Sat out on the patio and enjoyed the view of the UofM coeds while munching on some yummy pig.

Are you on drugs? I know you're in northern Virginia and all, but holy shit. Willard's?

If you are near Middletown Brian's Backyard BBQ is pretty good

There is pretty much one good thing about Memphis:  BBQ.

There are BBQ places everywhere, and even the so-so places are better than most I have seen across the country.

The REALLY good places, like Central BBQ, are ran by multiple Memphis In May BBQ Fest winners.

Geez, you went to the original location?  I haven't been there since the Summer store opened.

We go to Central on Wednesdays.  EVERY WEDNESDAY.  Why?  Because Wednesday is BBQ Day!

Dinosaur BBQ. It's really good.

Two worst places I have eaten have been Dickey's and Bill Miller's.

I can vouch for Dixie Bones as well. Been around a long time. And if you're in Richmond, hit Bennie's.

Same here. The best in that entire region.

This.  Willards tried to look like a bbq place but it's sub par compared to a true smoke house.

Dixie bones is the only answer for BBQ in NOVA

I've been to the Dickeys in Midland TX, and the one in Spokane.  The food was good, at both....leagues better than the Longhorn.  RJ's BBQ in San Angelo was about the best I had.  We were warned before we went in, that we better know what we wanted when it was time to order, otherwise the lady would kick you outta line.

Glad I skipped that last night in Pax River.  Pondered it briefly, put pushed on for some pretty good carnitas tacos.

Probably got ahold of the upper lobe. That part of the brisket is "ok" for making chopped beef sandwiches but not served as a center of the plate entree. That or they cut it wrong.  These are details they should really be on top of if they want to run a BBQ business.