the bbq directory...

[chrisfernando100]

hey guys and gals, i thought it would be nice to have information/reviews of all the bbq joints we know, love and hate in one spot.

i'll start...

phil's - college & ossington - weaksauce, both figuratively and literally, found everything on my sample platter to by overdone, i haven't been back since my last visit a few years ago

sweet smoke - burlington - awesome, beans were a little to al dente for my liking and they were sold out of crab cakes but other than that everything was great, i had the pulled pork, ribs, beans and the creamiest coleslaw i've ever had

blue sage - awesome as well, had the 3 meat sample platter (brisket,ribs, pulled pork) and everything rocked, especially the pulled pork, beans and coleslaw were good as well, however i like chunks of meat in my beans

lou dawgs - meh, it was okay but nothing special

that's it from me (so far), keep 'em coming....

[cynalan]

Although I have not been there, I've seen a few reviews on this Board for Blue Sage in Mississauga, near Tomken/Eglinton. Seems to have favourable comments. Unfortunately, it's a bit out of my way to try personally.

[chrisfernando100]

i'm ecstatic blue sage is where it is, so close to me...

[Davwud]

I'll add Big Bone BBQ in Newmarket to the mix. It's owned by the people behind The Purple Pig and Memphis on Islington in Woodbridge.

Very good stuff. IMHO the very best this area has to offer.

**I have not been to Sweet Smoke or P & S's yet.

DT

[TexSquared]

Throw in my vote for Camp 31 BBQ in Paris, which surprisingly hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet. I know, it's a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. Don't use your Ribfest experiences to judge the place given the limitations at those events (as far as meat quality and pricing).

My wife is from the southern USA so she's definitely a harsher critic than I am as far as BBQ goes, and she's always liked Camp 31. We tried Memphis BBQ in Woodbridge once; Camp 31 beats them easily.

We still need to try Buster Rhino's so we can compare them head-to-head with Camp 31.

[chrisfernando100]

oh yeah, i forgot about this place...read good things a while back...i head out to london every once in a while, i should stop in on my next trip.

tex, what do you recommend there?

[cynalan]

I've been there after the occasional golf game at my club. They do quite a nice pulled pork sandwich at a very reasonable price. Ribs are good, but not great. The location is about 5 minutes north of Hwy 403.

[Pastryrocks]

I would like to add Lykn Chicken 7460 Airport Road, Mississauga. Good pulled pork and great ribs. http://www.lyknchicken.com/index.html

[shekamoo]

Stockyards and Southern RUB. Already mentioned. Neither of them have as much smoke infused into the layers of meat as I would like but better than anything else I have tried in GTA. I have not been to Buster Rhinos and Sweet Smoke because of location. I am in North York.
The two joints with Memphis in their titles, one in North York and the other in Woodbridge, are hit and miss, generally only ok. I frequent only Stockyards and RUB

[magic]

Also, the fledgling Paul and Sandy's Real Barbecue in Etobicoke. I've not been yet but reviews so far have been favourable despite the running out of product (which many might argue is a good thing for BBQ done right!)...

[ylsf]

For the record, Sweet Smoke is in Oakville even if really close to the Burlington border :)

I will add The Stockyards to the list. They only do the BBQ Ribs and Smoked Chickens a few days a week starting at 5pm and they sell out quick but the ribs were awesome there. I also had the fried chicken on another visit and although not really under BBQ it was really good too.

[SMOG]

Smokin' Bones, Dundas east of Yonge. Great pulled pork sandwich (very, very messy, especially if you add coleslaw to it). Maybe still too new to tell whether it will be a true contender, but so far so good.

[duckdown]

Oops, I forgot Southern RUB in Vaughan. I am a fan of them as well, although I haven't been recently

[petertheeater]

Buster Rhino's is worth the drive, even in Friday evening rush hour traffic! Best ribs I've had in the GTA, hands down. The smokier the better!

[duckdown]

Buster Rhino's is great but the location is just an impossibility for me, living out in Brampton

It's good food but just too bloody far

So my pick I guess is Sweet Smoke, even though its a good 30 minute drive almost as well for me :/

Theres also the other new place in Oakville, The Big Smoke on Lakeshore, I had a good pulled pork sandwich from here as well. Only been once though

[magic]

Buster Rhinos. Generally considered by Chowhounders and BBQ lovers in the GTA to be amongst the best BBQ available.

I think their back ribs are heavenly, their hush puppies delish, and fresh cut fries very nice. And their sauces and rubs….. wow.

Unlike many others I am not a huge lover of their pulled pork and brisket, and find the housing rolls too bready and intrusive for my personal taste. They are nice, but I personally would never order them over the ribs. But that is just me.

The place smells of glorious smoke and Darryl and Scott are awesome fellas who truly care about serving great BBQ and sides to customers they respect. They do a few things and they do them well. In the case of the ribs and sauces, they do them beautifully.

And on Thursdays and Fridays you just can’t beat the value of their full rack, fries, and pop special for $14.99.

It might be a shlep to get to for some people, but I think worth it.