I am one that loves to cook on the grill, but in the cold months, I like to taste OTHER folks BBQ. So in my quest to find a decent BBQ place in Omaha, I decided to try this place. For years I have been driving down Center street and have seen this large "BBQ" sign towering over everything on the south side of 114th and Center. So one Monday night, I decided to stop in and try it. GLAD I DID! The price was very very reasonable! You get more for 18.00 (w/tax) at this place than you do for 20.00 at Famous Dave's! The staff is very friendly and welcoming, they are very helpful in helping you determine what to try if you don't have a taste for anything specific. The food is already prepared, as they smoke the meat on a daily basis, the sides are very good, especially the potato salad. The portions they give you are very good! You WILL get full! The BBQ sauce is the right amount of sweet/tangy and thick as any good BBQ sauce should be! The only thing I don't like is, if you are going to allow for a 2 meat or 3 meat combo, LET ME DECIDE WHAT MEAT I WANT OVERALL, not what you have alotted for those particular dinner selections. But honestly, that's the only thing I didn't like. The atmosphere is that of what you would expect from a small BBQ restaurant. Not too big, not too small, and they have patio seating if you want to eat outdoors. I would change the lighting in there though, and keep longer hours. Especially on Friday and Saturday.
(4)
Maggie W.
I feel like such a Debbie Downer these days with my 2-star reviews, but I am running into so much food that just doesn't cut it! Is chopped meat a thing in this part of the country? Like, when someone says "pulled" do they actually mean chopped? I ordered a BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich (minus bread because gluten) with a side of coleslaw, and a pile of little tiny rectangular chopped-looking meat-products drowning in an overly sweet sauce showed up. There was no real flavor to the sauce... it just tasted almost like straight sugar with some ketchup. Coleslaw was also on the bland side :( not sweet, not tangy, just... existed. I am gonna SET MYSELF ON FIRE if I don't get some decent barbecue in my body pretty soon. Where my southern grandpas at? All I want is smoky, tender, slightly charred, stringy pork in a tangy sauce. If you have thoughts on where I can get that, I am all ears!
(2)
Melissa A.
Average food. Website is wrong, though, in that is has selections listed that arent actually available. So I started off disappointed. Then the bread was stale. And the cornbread was crumbly. And for the price, the size of the sandwiches were small. The meat was not disappointing, in that it has a tasty smoked flavor. Will I go back? Probably not. Will I recommend it to anyone else. Nope, can't do that.
(2)
Chris B.
I love barbecue as much as the next person having said that I do not believe that all barbecue was good barbecue take this place for example the lady working the counter tells me were known for our brisket, you shouldn't be e!!!
(1)
Justin C.
Not good at all. Meat was tough and lacked flavor. Side dishes were awful.
(1)
Annie D.
Bad customer service. It looks like most of the staff there are teenagers, and they don't have any sense of how to run the place. I came in an hour before closing, and they told me they were out of jerky and other items when I could tell they were just lazy and didn't want to serve. I emailed the owner to give feedback on this, and he never replied.
(1)
Michelle G.
I stopped in and picked up a combo meat dinner, Delicious with a capital D, smoked turkey, i also liked the sliced brisket and their sauce ( i'm picky about sauce but i liked theirs a lot) i added it to the baked beans to make them BBQ, and the Ozark seasoned wedges were also delicious. my absolute favorite was their cornbread. DELICOUS in all caps.. easy to find off Center with the BBQ sign, and ample parking front and back. that smoked turkey of Ozarks was something I WILL be craving often. i was glad i checked this place out!
(4)
Angela W.
I too, had seen the large "BBQ" sign and wondered what it was for, but never stopped until today. It is a small, unassuming place; very "small-town" feeling to it. The menu is uncomplicated, as is the food. But, both my companion and I found the food to be worth the stop. "Mr. Its-Not-Spicy-Enough" actually liked the "Hot" Barbeque Sauce. We both tried the "Combo Meal"; he the Brisket Sandwich and Coleslaw, me the Pork Sandwich and Mac & Cheese. He thought the coleslaw was crisp and fresh... but he's so used to my coleslaw recipe that he found the dressing tasted somewhat bland. I thought the Mac & Cheese was tasty, but nothing new. He liked the fact he could dish his own jalapenos on the side. We both thought the sandwiches were tasty and filling. We were the only customers at a table, while we were there; the other customers were either buying jerky, sauce (etc), or food to go. I thought it was just right as far as noise level, etc... but it was a quiet, relaxed Sunday afternoon. During the week, etc, it may be quite different.
(3)
Garrett S.
The state of BBQ being what it is in Omaha (which I still don't understand being a town known for a heritage of booming stockyards and down the road from KC, one of the BBQ capitals) I always go in expecting little but hoping for more. This place did not deliver. I don't wish to be mean spirited, but I honestly felt cheated out of my money after tasting their offerings. I tried a combo in an attempt to try several of their meats. None of it was even marginal. The ribs had been turned into something resembling smoked ham, not ribs. The rest of the meat was dry and flavorless. The sauce is a disgusting mixture of which I hope not to discover the ingredients. And none of it was cheap or even what I'd call a fair price for bbq. I was extremely disappointed with the whole experience, save for a friendly chat with the woman at the counter.
(1)
Jason G.
Had time to kill and was hungry and luckily this fine gem of an institution was close by...Cute girl rang me up and was very friendly...Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with beans and corn bread...Damned if it wasn't some of the best bbq I've had...Soft and tasty meat, soft roll, and the best cornbread I've ever had, especially when using the sweet cream butter they have...Price wise it's about what you'd expect for a bbq joint...So good that I would make the epic journey to come here repeatedly...
(5)
Arun M.
Worst BBQ ever. Rib tips are like pieces of rubber. Avoid this place.
(1)
Ken M.
Great BBQ and has a children menu! They just began home delivery for supper..count me in but I do like the eating in.; a nice family atmosphere. Prices are low, quality of food great.
(5)
Josh C.
Good solid BBQ. The ribs were 8/10, excellent service, and great to be able to enjoy it outside.
(4)
Marq M.
Ever since the closing of my beloved Amarillo BBQ and the change at Harkert's (now Blues or something like that) Ozark Smoked Meats has been my go to place. I won't say this is the best BBQ in town as I don't believe there is a best in town anymore. There are also a couple of joints that I have not been to that are recommended. Ozark is adequate for my needs as the pork ribs are how I like them-not dry but tight on the bone. They have a large smoker out back and when I am eating here I see a lot of people come in and buy meats to take home. Flavor is good, meat is right for me and the sweeter sauce is decent. It satisfies a craving. The sides are average to good and I haven't had a side here that has blown me away. The decor is nice enough-homey. They have a nice sized outdoor patio area. Price here is pretty good for BBQ. The people that work here are great. Friendly, they seem to care about what they are doing. They have a rapport with their regular customers. I think this place changed ownership not that long ago-if so-I would say they have kept the food quality well and the service might be even better now.
(3)
Michael S.
Don't waste your time. This has to be the worst BBQ I have ever had. The pulled pork has manwich sauce mixed in it. It is horrible. The sliced brisket was tough and tasteless. The brisket felt like it was frozen and then microwaved. The fries were precooked and cold when delivered. Overall the WORST BBQ place we have ever been to do. Go to famous Dave's if you have to have BBQ in Omaha.
(1)
Kim M.
Amazing spare ribs! I also have my family addicted to the smoked turkey on Thanksgiving. We not get it every year and a smoked ham for X-mas. They also have the best beef jerky, if you are lucky enough to get it. It seems to sell out fast. I also LOVE the brisket dinner. It is sooo tender and delicious.
(5)
Reed N.
Ribs and burnt ends were nice. Just enough smoke, although slightly more would not hurt. The ends were a little tougher than some, but I like them carmelized and barky... so that is fine. The ribs, I suspect, were brined or marinated somehow. The baby back were very lean and easily pulled from the bone. The only thing I wished for about them was a touch more seasoning. Both the Ozark and Onion potatoes were awesome. This is a nice little mom and pop place.
(4)
Spencer H.
Had a half pulled pork, half beef brisket sandwich with pickle, beans and Ozark taters. All very tasty and filling. Looking forward to trying something with less sauce to taste more of the smoked meat. Very friendly, speedy, and helpful staff!
(5)
Sarah G.
Stopped to use a $25 off when you spend $35 gift certificate and realized we'd need more than 2 people to spend $35 here. Combo dinners for $6.99 each included a sandwich (I got pulled pork) and two sides (chose ozark potatoes and macaroni salad). It was all pretty solid but I prefer my pork sandies with less or no sauce. These were really saucy to the point that i couldn't tell much about the meat. For counter-ordering the service was very friendly and I liked the decor. Decent family run BBQ joint, but nothing really stuck in my mind in terms of food. I probably wouldn't hurry back anytime, but we'll need to go back to use that coupon eventually. So next time well try the brisket, ribs, etc. Hopefully then it will be less saucy and more smoky.
(2)
Arnie P.
Have been coming here for years. My go-to meal are the Spare ribs. Always fall off the bone tender, and smoked just right IMO. I like the fact they are served dry. Can't beat the Cole slaw as a side for these. Consistently good food, and friendly staff.
(5)
Liz W.
I've always wondered about that little yellow building on the side of the highway. So we finally tried it. Like another reviewer said, it looked like the backwoods. We ordered 1/2 rack ribs, a brisket sandwich and ozark potatoes &beans as sides. The ribs were OK. I did like the smoked flavor, but you had to dunk them in the BBQ sauce (which was the one thing I loved!). The brisket tasted like roast beef from the deli counter, and the beans, I"m pretty sure were from a can. The potatoes were decent. Glad I tried it, but doubt that we'll go back again.
(2)
Geoff S.
Went today at 7PM and it was EMPTY. Went based on a recommendation from someone here. I ordered a half rack and a half pound of burnt ends, my salesman got the brisket. Ribs were marginal. Had a decent bark, but were bland. Not much of a smoke line either. Meat was gray. The burnt ends were better, but not much. When compared to the BE's from Jack Stacks they were sorry. Really sorry when compared to brisket from TX. The brisket on my buddy's plate was gray and really thin. Slaw was bad commercial and the beans tasted like they were out of a can. Famous Daves is better. And that's not saying much.
(2)
Savanna F.
Not the worst bbq I've ever had. Vinegar sauce in red bottle wasn't appetizing and I like southern vinegar sauces. The slaw was soupy. My BF got the spare ribs and they mixed old with new. The new batch wasn't bad but the old was tough. No need to go back.
(2)
Matt J.
This place is pretty consistent. I don't think in the 5 years I've been going here (a few times a year) that I have had a bad meal. They serve the ribs without sauce so you can sauce them up with a choice of 2 homemade sauces. They have everything from jerky to homemade preserves. It has a backwoods feel to it and reminds me of something that you would find in the Ozarks (imagine that). Ribs are a bit under $20 for a full slab but you can get a brisket sandwich with a couple of sides for lunch for $6.95.
(3)
J C.
I used to live by this place when i was a kid and it was a taco hut of some sort, so i stopped in to see how it had changed today. It was really good. I tried the brisket sandwich and pulled pork sandwich. sauce was good and tangy. had some some potatoes and onion side that was swimmin in oil but it was really good. I would go back. The gal at the counter was really nice. I think she knew pretty much everyone in the restaurant by name as they appeared to be regulars.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Stephen H.
I am one that loves to cook on the grill, but in the cold months, I like to taste OTHER folks BBQ. So in my quest to find a decent BBQ place in Omaha, I decided to try this place. For years I have been driving down Center street and have seen this large "BBQ" sign towering over everything on the south side of 114th and Center. So one Monday night, I decided to stop in and try it. GLAD I DID! The price was very very reasonable! You get more for 18.00 (w/tax) at this place than you do for 20.00 at Famous Dave's! The staff is very friendly and welcoming, they are very helpful in helping you determine what to try if you don't have a taste for anything specific. The food is already prepared, as they smoke the meat on a daily basis, the sides are very good, especially the potato salad. The portions they give you are very good! You WILL get full! The BBQ sauce is the right amount of sweet/tangy and thick as any good BBQ sauce should be! The only thing I don't like is, if you are going to allow for a 2 meat or 3 meat combo, LET ME DECIDE WHAT MEAT I WANT OVERALL, not what you have alotted for those particular dinner selections. But honestly, that's the only thing I didn't like. The atmosphere is that of what you would expect from a small BBQ restaurant. Not too big, not too small, and they have patio seating if you want to eat outdoors. I would change the lighting in there though, and keep longer hours. Especially on Friday and Saturday.
(4)Maggie W.
I feel like such a Debbie Downer these days with my 2-star reviews, but I am running into so much food that just doesn't cut it! Is chopped meat a thing in this part of the country? Like, when someone says "pulled" do they actually mean chopped? I ordered a BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich (minus bread because gluten) with a side of coleslaw, and a pile of little tiny rectangular chopped-looking meat-products drowning in an overly sweet sauce showed up. There was no real flavor to the sauce... it just tasted almost like straight sugar with some ketchup. Coleslaw was also on the bland side :( not sweet, not tangy, just... existed. I am gonna SET MYSELF ON FIRE if I don't get some decent barbecue in my body pretty soon. Where my southern grandpas at? All I want is smoky, tender, slightly charred, stringy pork in a tangy sauce. If you have thoughts on where I can get that, I am all ears!
(2)Melissa A.
Average food. Website is wrong, though, in that is has selections listed that arent actually available. So I started off disappointed. Then the bread was stale. And the cornbread was crumbly. And for the price, the size of the sandwiches were small. The meat was not disappointing, in that it has a tasty smoked flavor. Will I go back? Probably not. Will I recommend it to anyone else. Nope, can't do that.
(2)Chris B.
I love barbecue as much as the next person having said that I do not believe that all barbecue was good barbecue take this place for example the lady working the counter tells me were known for our brisket, you shouldn't be e!!!
(1)Justin C.
Not good at all. Meat was tough and lacked flavor. Side dishes were awful.
(1)Annie D.
Bad customer service. It looks like most of the staff there are teenagers, and they don't have any sense of how to run the place. I came in an hour before closing, and they told me they were out of jerky and other items when I could tell they were just lazy and didn't want to serve. I emailed the owner to give feedback on this, and he never replied.
(1)Michelle G.
I stopped in and picked up a combo meat dinner, Delicious with a capital D, smoked turkey, i also liked the sliced brisket and their sauce ( i'm picky about sauce but i liked theirs a lot) i added it to the baked beans to make them BBQ, and the Ozark seasoned wedges were also delicious. my absolute favorite was their cornbread. DELICOUS in all caps.. easy to find off Center with the BBQ sign, and ample parking front and back. that smoked turkey of Ozarks was something I WILL be craving often. i was glad i checked this place out!
(4)Angela W.
I too, had seen the large "BBQ" sign and wondered what it was for, but never stopped until today. It is a small, unassuming place; very "small-town" feeling to it. The menu is uncomplicated, as is the food. But, both my companion and I found the food to be worth the stop. "Mr. Its-Not-Spicy-Enough" actually liked the "Hot" Barbeque Sauce. We both tried the "Combo Meal"; he the Brisket Sandwich and Coleslaw, me the Pork Sandwich and Mac & Cheese. He thought the coleslaw was crisp and fresh... but he's so used to my coleslaw recipe that he found the dressing tasted somewhat bland. I thought the Mac & Cheese was tasty, but nothing new. He liked the fact he could dish his own jalapenos on the side. We both thought the sandwiches were tasty and filling. We were the only customers at a table, while we were there; the other customers were either buying jerky, sauce (etc), or food to go. I thought it was just right as far as noise level, etc... but it was a quiet, relaxed Sunday afternoon. During the week, etc, it may be quite different.
(3)Garrett S.
The state of BBQ being what it is in Omaha (which I still don't understand being a town known for a heritage of booming stockyards and down the road from KC, one of the BBQ capitals) I always go in expecting little but hoping for more. This place did not deliver. I don't wish to be mean spirited, but I honestly felt cheated out of my money after tasting their offerings. I tried a combo in an attempt to try several of their meats. None of it was even marginal. The ribs had been turned into something resembling smoked ham, not ribs. The rest of the meat was dry and flavorless. The sauce is a disgusting mixture of which I hope not to discover the ingredients. And none of it was cheap or even what I'd call a fair price for bbq. I was extremely disappointed with the whole experience, save for a friendly chat with the woman at the counter.
(1)Jason G.
Had time to kill and was hungry and luckily this fine gem of an institution was close by...Cute girl rang me up and was very friendly...Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with beans and corn bread...Damned if it wasn't some of the best bbq I've had...Soft and tasty meat, soft roll, and the best cornbread I've ever had, especially when using the sweet cream butter they have...Price wise it's about what you'd expect for a bbq joint...So good that I would make the epic journey to come here repeatedly...
(5)Arun M.
Worst BBQ ever. Rib tips are like pieces of rubber. Avoid this place.
(1)Ken M.
Great BBQ and has a children menu! They just began home delivery for supper..count me in but I do like the eating in.; a nice family atmosphere. Prices are low, quality of food great.
(5)Josh C.
Good solid BBQ. The ribs were 8/10, excellent service, and great to be able to enjoy it outside.
(4)Marq M.
Ever since the closing of my beloved Amarillo BBQ and the change at Harkert's (now Blues or something like that) Ozark Smoked Meats has been my go to place. I won't say this is the best BBQ in town as I don't believe there is a best in town anymore. There are also a couple of joints that I have not been to that are recommended. Ozark is adequate for my needs as the pork ribs are how I like them-not dry but tight on the bone. They have a large smoker out back and when I am eating here I see a lot of people come in and buy meats to take home. Flavor is good, meat is right for me and the sweeter sauce is decent. It satisfies a craving. The sides are average to good and I haven't had a side here that has blown me away. The decor is nice enough-homey. They have a nice sized outdoor patio area. Price here is pretty good for BBQ. The people that work here are great. Friendly, they seem to care about what they are doing. They have a rapport with their regular customers. I think this place changed ownership not that long ago-if so-I would say they have kept the food quality well and the service might be even better now.
(3)Michael S.
Don't waste your time. This has to be the worst BBQ I have ever had. The pulled pork has manwich sauce mixed in it. It is horrible. The sliced brisket was tough and tasteless. The brisket felt like it was frozen and then microwaved. The fries were precooked and cold when delivered. Overall the WORST BBQ place we have ever been to do. Go to famous Dave's if you have to have BBQ in Omaha.
(1)Kim M.
Amazing spare ribs! I also have my family addicted to the smoked turkey on Thanksgiving. We not get it every year and a smoked ham for X-mas. They also have the best beef jerky, if you are lucky enough to get it. It seems to sell out fast. I also LOVE the brisket dinner. It is sooo tender and delicious.
(5)Reed N.
Ribs and burnt ends were nice. Just enough smoke, although slightly more would not hurt. The ends were a little tougher than some, but I like them carmelized and barky... so that is fine. The ribs, I suspect, were brined or marinated somehow. The baby back were very lean and easily pulled from the bone. The only thing I wished for about them was a touch more seasoning. Both the Ozark and Onion potatoes were awesome. This is a nice little mom and pop place.
(4)Spencer H.
Had a half pulled pork, half beef brisket sandwich with pickle, beans and Ozark taters. All very tasty and filling. Looking forward to trying something with less sauce to taste more of the smoked meat. Very friendly, speedy, and helpful staff!
(5)Sarah G.
Stopped to use a $25 off when you spend $35 gift certificate and realized we'd need more than 2 people to spend $35 here. Combo dinners for $6.99 each included a sandwich (I got pulled pork) and two sides (chose ozark potatoes and macaroni salad). It was all pretty solid but I prefer my pork sandies with less or no sauce. These were really saucy to the point that i couldn't tell much about the meat. For counter-ordering the service was very friendly and I liked the decor. Decent family run BBQ joint, but nothing really stuck in my mind in terms of food. I probably wouldn't hurry back anytime, but we'll need to go back to use that coupon eventually. So next time well try the brisket, ribs, etc. Hopefully then it will be less saucy and more smoky.
(2)Arnie P.
Have been coming here for years. My go-to meal are the Spare ribs. Always fall off the bone tender, and smoked just right IMO. I like the fact they are served dry. Can't beat the Cole slaw as a side for these. Consistently good food, and friendly staff.
(5)Liz W.
I've always wondered about that little yellow building on the side of the highway. So we finally tried it. Like another reviewer said, it looked like the backwoods. We ordered 1/2 rack ribs, a brisket sandwich and ozark potatoes &beans as sides. The ribs were OK. I did like the smoked flavor, but you had to dunk them in the BBQ sauce (which was the one thing I loved!). The brisket tasted like roast beef from the deli counter, and the beans, I"m pretty sure were from a can. The potatoes were decent. Glad I tried it, but doubt that we'll go back again.
(2)Geoff S.
Went today at 7PM and it was EMPTY. Went based on a recommendation from someone here. I ordered a half rack and a half pound of burnt ends, my salesman got the brisket. Ribs were marginal. Had a decent bark, but were bland. Not much of a smoke line either. Meat was gray. The burnt ends were better, but not much. When compared to the BE's from Jack Stacks they were sorry. Really sorry when compared to brisket from TX. The brisket on my buddy's plate was gray and really thin. Slaw was bad commercial and the beans tasted like they were out of a can. Famous Daves is better. And that's not saying much.
(2)Savanna F.
Not the worst bbq I've ever had. Vinegar sauce in red bottle wasn't appetizing and I like southern vinegar sauces. The slaw was soupy. My BF got the spare ribs and they mixed old with new. The new batch wasn't bad but the old was tough. No need to go back.
(2)Matt J.
This place is pretty consistent. I don't think in the 5 years I've been going here (a few times a year) that I have had a bad meal. They serve the ribs without sauce so you can sauce them up with a choice of 2 homemade sauces. They have everything from jerky to homemade preserves. It has a backwoods feel to it and reminds me of something that you would find in the Ozarks (imagine that). Ribs are a bit under $20 for a full slab but you can get a brisket sandwich with a couple of sides for lunch for $6.95.
(3)J C.
I used to live by this place when i was a kid and it was a taco hut of some sort, so i stopped in to see how it had changed today. It was really good. I tried the brisket sandwich and pulled pork sandwich. sauce was good and tangy. had some some potatoes and onion side that was swimmin in oil but it was really good. I would go back. The gal at the counter was really nice. I think she knew pretty much everyone in the restaurant by name as they appeared to be regulars.
(3)