Hoggers, Berkley MI
This restaurant just opened in the space that formerly housed the Nippon Grille. No website.
We got takeout the other night and I must say it was pretty good. My son got a cheeseburger which he loved, french fries which were fine but no raves. My husband got a rib snack which was good (he didn't share!). I got BBQ chicken which was well cooked--moist and fresh tasting. The sauce is sweet, tastes of molasses, which I liked. My chicken came with two sides--I got collards which were very vinegary (which I really like, but YMMV) and mac & cheese which was delicious! We split an order of onion rings--handmade, crispy coating, came with a side of chipotle ranch, and darn good.
Apparently the owner was a chef at Charleys Crab if my husband got the story right, and he's showcasing the sauce.
We will definitely be going back! Not overly fond of the name, though...
By coney with everything
on Nov 11, 2009 04:07 AM
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Cross roads?
Sit down service? Or, just take out?
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They have a few tables. No liquor.
It's on 12 Mile between Coolidge and Greenfield (closer to Coolidge) in beautiful downtown Berkley, across from the Rite Aid/theatre marquee.
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This place is awful. Check out my Yelp review. What a disappoinment.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hoggers-bbq-b...
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Wow...that actually *does* sound awful for a place that actually markets itself as a BBQ joint. No *brisket*, for heaven's sake? That is just plain ridiculous.
There are other alternatives to Slows, though, you know that, don't you? I mean, I *love* Slows food (can't say the same about their service), but there's real 'cue available at other places like Lazybones in Roseville or Blue Ox in Lake Orion, both of which smoke their own meat, offer all the traditional BBQ food, and would be recommended by me. Lazybones, what with its extreme proximity to Dragonmead in Warren, couldn't be a better place to grab some to go and have a fantastic brew at Dragonmead, considering DM's very welcome open door policy regarding outside food coming in. They actually *encourage* you to do this!
Anyway, thanks for the warning. I'd advise you to avoid Kirk's BBQ in Birmingham on Woodward Ave., too. I was quite turned off by the place in my experience there.
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Just enjoyed some Lazybones at Dragonmead last Friday night! We especially like Lazybones burnt ends, but their pulled pork is good, too. Slow's brisket is so good it's ruined all other brisket for me. I do wish there was a sauce at Lazybones that I *loved* though.
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There is a new place going up in Westland called Smokey's on Ford Road across from the cop shop. I will give a preliminary report soon as they open (Knowing full well not to completely judge a newly opened restaurant).
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Thank you so much for reminding me of Lazybones. I've been meaning to try it for years now and I keep forgetting. Plus, I work close to Slow's so it's a nice excuse to have a beer and a half-slab after work! I've been wondering about Kirk's too. No good huh?
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Not by my standards, anyway. I walked out hungry and feeling ripped off. Their $8 pulled pork sandwich, while tasting decent, came with nothing (and I mean *nothing*) else, and it was quite small. I could easily have eaten two of them, with room left over to spare. In my book, that's out-and-out ridiculous. To me, it seems like they're trying very, very hard to be a Big Shot because they're in Birmingham, and just barely on its border at that.
I won't have to wipe away any tears when they eventually close their doors. I never see it busy, and don't have any problem ascertaining why that is.
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I ordered the rib tip lunch. It included no sides. The portion size was
fine - more than I wanted. The rib tips were a bit towards the tough, as
if they could've used more time cooking.
The sauce was a major disappointment. I've had a lot of BBQ, TN, GA,
NC, SC, TX, KCMO, etc ... and like/appreciate the regional differences.
But Kirk's sauce simply did not appeal to me on any level. Not bad, just
bleh.
I prefer Montgomery Inn/Ginopolis, Lazy Bones and Beans & Cornbread.
Slows? Good food. Lousy service. Over-crowded. I cannot imagine
returning given the reasonable alternatives.
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You'll never find me trying to defend Slows based on its service. I've had good service there *one* time: the first time I ever went there, with four friends. We all had a fantastic time, and the service was part-and-parcel of why. I'm dead sure that that server hasn't worked there in quite some time.
Still, the food's worth it for the most part. I'll be the first to admit that I tend to go at off hours (late at night, or late afternoon...I always avoid the dinner rush), so the overcrowding thing hasn't really affected me to any real extent. Trust me, though: even when the place is only half-full, service is still the very definition of "lousy".
And yes, that bugs me, but not enough to deny the food. Same thing with the corned beef at Stage Deli. The service may be the worst restaurant service in all of the Detroit area, but the sandwich is just the best. I find a very simple solution: if the service sucks, so does my tip. It's just that simple.
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One time recently I was at Slows and my waitress totally disappeared for about a half hour. When she came out, she said, "Sorry, I had to go and help in the kitchen." This is obviously not ideal, but it also shows that they are putting the food first. When the food came, it was incredible. I agree that going in off-hours makes a big difference--it is definitely not a place to go when you are trying to make a show or sports event.
BTW, they are opening a new takeout place in the Midtown area. Not sure how it'll work out service-wise, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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BTW, for those interested in more info, Slows, along with the Stage, was recently featured in this article about places in metro Detroit that have great food and lousy service.
http://www.metromode.com/features/rud...
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Well, I guess I have to disagree, Scott. The presence or absence of brisket isn't a showstopper to me, and I thought the chicken was quite good. I liked what I got.
But hey, I guess I'm out of the review business now.
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I'm sure the chicken was good, but the fact that they position themselves as a barbeque restaurant and don't smoke their meats and don't have any of your traditional barbeque cuts is sure to disappoint anyone who goes in expecting barbeque, as their name would lead (mislead) you to believe. I guess it's like going to a sushi restaurant that doesn't serve anything with fresh, raw fish. Weird, right?
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Haven't been to this place and can't comment on it, but I would take issue with the idea that a smoker is necessary for good BBQ. There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of ways of making barbecue across the South, and while many of them involve a smoker, there are plenty of others that don't. Lots of people just cook meat for a long time over a pit. The absence of spare ribs is odd, though.
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Jim, I can agree with you. I guess I should back pedal a bit and say that I believe barbeque must be cooked low and slow. Ideally smoked, but pit BBQ is just fine by me too. As long as you get a nice bark on the outside while keeping the inside juicy. I guess my gripe was not so much the lack of smoking but the lack of low, slow cooked meats. I promise you, the pork I ate came out of a plastic tub, into the microwave and onto my bun.
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You may enjoy this:
http://tcomegys.tripod.com/articles/h...
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That's great! I love that the "hawg" won't cook without a personal identity. Clearly the hat and shades are a must... Wonder how it'd turn out with a WMU Bronco hat instead of Miss State. Probably pretty damn good if I had to guess.
Thanks for sharing!
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What is the difference between smoked and pit bbq to you? ALL bbq, by definition, is cooked low and slow.
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Jim, we had the ribs and they were pretty good...sauce too sweet for me. But they're an earnest young couple and I hope we give them some room to tweak. Baked beans were the real deal w/ salt pork. In this economy, I give them props for starting up.
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Hope you'll give them a break..open a week, they're young. I think they''ll be working to make it work.
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I actually ADORED the food. (I know i'm not a fan of smoked BBQ. but still, these people make EVERYTHING from scratch.) The owners are VERY kind, and you can tell they are simply by how the employees act around them. Everyone from the wait staff, to the dishwashers apparently enjoy the job they do. Whenever I walk into that place, the staff (and owners are singing and dancing) AND they provide great service along with it. I own an insurance agency, and this has become our new hang out for lunch.) If not, then we get carry-out.
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I had to laugh at your handle and your comment about not liking smoked BBQ. Isn't that like saying you like sex except for the touching part? :)
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I guess I should have re- phraised it. Lol. I suppose I meant to say I don't like OVERLY smoked Bbq. (My dad used to over -smoke meat, and it tasted like you were eating parts of a burnt down house!) I know most BBQ joints have smoked meats, and it tastes good. (BTW, They DO have brisket now) Give them time folks. They are a young hip couple who did a really brave thing, to open a joint in downtown Berkley. Everytime I go there, I feel right at home. No matter how busy they are, they know me by name, and I like that. They are doing something different, and I don't know if people understand it. They are making home -made BBQ takeout, which certainly no buisiness in Berkley has tried. I have a gut feeling this place wil make it.
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Well, the fact that they have brisket is certainly a step in the correct direction. I cannot fathom that a place could be considered a BBQ joint and *not* serve brisket. It's just part-and-parcel of the equation.
I'll have to try it soon. My folks live in Ferndale, so I'll have to stop on by. Is it strictly carryout, or is there any seating at all?
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Scott - I wouldn't call it awful, nor would I call it barbecue. I had a pulled pork sandwich. When I asked for plenty of bark, I was told that would be the hot sauce. Huh? The sauce had no heat whatsoever, but it did have hickory flavor which had to have come from a bottle. The meat was served already sauced. That's one of the reasons to serve/eat BBQ without sauce; you can tell if the meat has been smoked. The sandwich was tasty, but "commercial" or generic roast pork with sauce. NOT barbecue. The rib tips were not rib tips at all. I would guess that they were small strips of pork shoulder that were braised in the sauce. The cole slaw was too creamy for my taste. give me some vinegar and a little mustard and some pepper; something to kick it up and make it a foil for the barbecue, especially with the bland sauces that are served there. The Cajun rice was my favorite dish; although again too bland. A friend had a Cobb salad that was good. The crisp onion rings on the pulled pork were a nice touch. A plus is the friendly staff. Several people who weighed in on Yelp raved about Hoggers and seem to enjoy "barbecue" that is merely roasted meat with barbecue sauce. Ignorance is bliss. Given the loyal followers, I hope that they succeed and eventually go to the next level.
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> Several people who weighed in on Yelp ...
I've given up on Yelp - too many reports of the company "managing" ratings/rankings
for a fee.
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I have also seen to many reviews that don't quiet match the places being reviewed.....
Akin to saying the Whitney is a ugly sleazy diner with horrible Spanish rice.
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Coney, I agree much with you. Up front, I will admit that I'm thrilled that a younger team is trying to update Berkley's dining scene --never liked Nippon Grille. So I'm biased in terms of wanting to like them and want them to succeed. I found the best item the baked beans -- from scratch, with little pieces of salt pork (yay)! I think they can tweak the menu...sauce is too sweet for me, cole slaw needs little love but is clearly house made. Our ribs were really good. Pulled pork sandwich a little too greasy. But I want them to succeed...we need some good chow in walking distance! Hope they're doing kaizen after the opening, best of luck to the youngsters.
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I'm definitely rooting for them. The sauce is sweet, but there is some good flavor to it.
BTW, do you know what's going on with Passage to India?
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Coney, I heard they are just remodeling but I'm not too sure. I peaked inside the other day and the Indian "stuff" is still there in full swing. I'm hoping they return. If not, there's a new Indian restaurant going in on Washington in RO I'm looking forward to.
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I saw that in RO too, Scott...it's amazing that there hasn't been one before now.
I liked Passage, but it was a bit spendy for Indian. And the exterior was completely tired and disreputable-looking, so I hope they are indeed coming back.
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Just an update, We ate there on Sunday at Hoggers and it was very good.
The fries are good fries and the soup (chicken gumbo) had a nice house made roux and was full of fresh stuff and good flavor.
It was $1 slider day so I got a taste of all the BBQ they had and wasn't upset about a single thing. BBQ is not an art it is a process and not one meat was prepared poorly. It was the sauce that nailed it though. Very nice.
I am not a big fan of Slows because of the price to fullness ratio... if you feel the same way about ordering pulled and jerked meats you will like Hoggers.
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