I love coming to Slabtown. The brisket is delicious, pork ribs as well, and tonight tasted the beef ribs that have always been sold out on previous visits. The restaurant keeps odd hours; closed on weekends and from 2-4 between lunch and dinner service. I believe much of their business is take-out. Order early, as they do sell out. In short, I rarely eat barbeque, but when I do it is almost always from Slabtown. In my experience, best in Portland, hands down.
(5)
Willard J.
Depending on where you're at in the country you get different feedback on the type of BBQ one prefers. Myself, I like the meat to taste amazing and the sauces used to not drown out the meat. SlabTown does a pretty good job of meeting this requirement. If you've ever driven up Vaughn Street in the morning you will see and smell the smoker outside SlabTown cooking away. It took me a while to actually get in here but I had heard mixed reviews. First off the menu is your typical BBQ spot: Pulled pork, brisket and chicken with sides of Mac, beans, slaw or potato salad. The meat is good and the sauces they give you on the side so you can smother or not smother to your liking. The sandwiches, which I usually opt for come with a fair amount of sauce but not to heavy. The sides, well, I don't know that the slaw or potato salad is home made. I wasn't a big fan. Overall the service is good, the food comes quick and I'd give it one thumb up. As far as BBQ spots go, I think there are better options in Portland. Then again, this place has billions of accolades for winning BBQ contests. So maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about!
(3)
Jerry M.
Slabtown Ribs & BBQ is a great place for lovers of smokey and tender BBQ meats of all kinds. I definitely appreciate a variety of BBQ things, so their BBQ Combo plate was ideal for me. It consists of two St. Louis style pork ribs, beef brisket, sausage, and a pulled pork slider. The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork were perfect! They had good smokey flavor and were super tender. I could see the pink "smoke ring" on the edges of the meats which told me that they had spent some good time in a smoker, which accounts for the tenderness. The only item that wasn't that great was the chunks of sausage. They were too dried out. (OK, that's forgivable though, because the other three things more than made up for the sausage's shortcomings.) There's a choice of three BBQ sauces: Kansas City Classic, Texas Hot, or Carolina Style Mustard. I chose the KC Classic, but I always use BBQ sauce sparingly because I like being able to taste the smokiness of the meat itself. I chose cole slaw and baked beans for my two side dishes, and even they were fresh and tasty. . .not just bland "accessories" like at some other places. The price for all the generous portions of goodness on the BBQ Combo plate is $17.00, which is a very good value. I'll be coming back soon.
(5)
Peter D.
Bought a groupon, $10 for $20, have never been before. Didn't even know it was here. Little hole in the wall. We arrived on a Tuesday night at 6, two people were at a table, the rest were empty. Waitress was very nice, said sit anywhere, got drinks quick, for was out in 15 min. I got the bbq platter, my gf got the bbq chicken. All the meat was delicious. Pulled pork awesome. Ribs awesome. Meat comes right off. Sides of Mac and cheese and verbs were good too. Good sauce as well. Would come back for sure.
(5)
Katherine V.
So...here's the thing...I really hate being subjected to people's cigarette smoke, especially when it's the restaurant employees who are blowing it in your face. Things were going relatively well here until the above occurred. Came in on a Tuesday afternoon and were told we could sit wherever we'd like. We choose one of the few outdoor tables due to it being warm and sunny outside. We were brought water quickly and ordered. The food was served promptly, which is what I expected since their meats are cooked at another location and sit back there waiting for customers to order them. The ribs were really pretty good. I wasn't the biggest fan of their BBQ sauce flavor, but overall delicious. The mac and cheese wasn't anything special...kinda bland. Ben ordered a combo plate and the other meats on it were a bit sub-par. Brisket...meh. Pulled pork...meh. Sausage...had a weird taste. But whatever. I was happily chowing down on my artery-clogging, CYP enzyme-inducing meat when a very unkempt man sauntered out of the restaurant and lit up a cigarette mere feet from our table. Annoying, but the wind was blowing the other way, so it could have been worse. Kept eating... A few minutes later another person comes wondering out, sits on the curb, and lights on up. This time the smoke comes bellowing into our faces and I'm coughing up a storm. This results in a rude look from her and continuation of her habit. A few minutes go by and our waitress brings us the check, processes a Groupon, and before we've even finished writing in the tip joins the other employee in smoking and chatting. Smoke billowing all around us we promptly stood up and left knowing we would never return. Here's an idea...choose somewhere further away than a few feet from your paying customer's table to develop lung cancer.
(2)
Annie T.
Pretty good stuff-- nice smoke ring on my brisket, but can't give it a full 5 star because I would have preferred more options presented... I really wanted a brisket and rib combo, ended up getting a brisket and sausage plate. Another option I wish I could have had was to have more gristle with the brisket, it was really lean-- I'm sure they had it back there but maybe they think people would only want the leaner cuts..? Well, some of us like that fat! Mac and cheese and collards are just OK, nothing amazing. Should have tried the biscuit....
(4)
Billy B.
Good food, REALLY tender meat but lacking in the flavor.
(3)
John R.
Best ribs in Portland. Pork ribs. Their Brisket is pretty good - nothing to brag or complain about. The sides range from Meh to OK, I'm especially not fond of the slaw. The biscuits are great and the pecan pie was very good. But we keep coming back for the pork ribs. They are so good. So if you want pork ribs, come here. The other stuff on the menu isn't too bad either. There is nothing noteworthy about the ambiance or the staff, they have always been good enough. We come for the ribs.
(5)
JG H.
I make bbq and I'm from a bbq region (Missouri) so I know my stuff. I had ribs and brisket here and they were both top notch. I've read some other reviews on here and while taste can be subjective there is some pretty uninformed opinions being thrown around. The sauce may be served with some economy but it is plenty of even big sauce eaters like me. I don't know any decent bbq joint that slathers it on like your mama's boiled crockpot ribs that she egregiously calls bbq but serving these folks is like throwing pearls before swine. I got one of the bigger platters and the sauce on the plate and one extra cup was plenty. Most bbq people think I use too much sauce when I eat so there is that. The prices here are killer too. Two big ribs and a ton of brisket with two sides cost me 14 bucks. My three year old and I ate our fill and then we brought the rest home for mom. End of review for casual bbq eaters. Now for us bbq obsessives, Sauce-wise I liked both the KC and Texas but didn't really get into the Carolina style. One thing that is missing in Oregon is a place that does North Carolina style pork. I was hoping that there was the red vinegar sauce of the Lexington North Carolina style, which is what I do. This sauce was a good interpretation of the So. Carolina style but that's not my thing. My thing is heavy vinegar based sauces and the more vinegar the profile for me the better. People all have their interpretations of the different sauces and that's for them. I don't know much about Texas sauce probably because the things people call Texas sauce vary so much. From what I've seen produced by Texans it is pretty close to KC style but with a bit more cumin and chili powder. Now Slabtown's sauce struck me a bit different than how they named them. I think their Texas sauce seemed a lot like Gates in KC. It was a bit thinner (a good thing in my book) with a spice and vinegar bite. The KC sauce seemed more sweet and almost hit me more like a St. Louis sauce which doesn't get talked about much. I really liked that Texas style sauce and I recommend that unless you have a very low tolerance for spice you get that on your meat and put the KC on the side. The great thing though about them not over saucing is that if you prefer another sauce than the one you chose you're not really stuck with it and that my friends is a good thing.
(4)
Luanda G.
Warning: Slabtown serves a tiny amount of bbq sauce on their meats. They say this on the back of the menu, and they ain't playing. I ordered a half rack of ribs, and it arrived with a small drizzle of sauce down the middle of the rack. NO sauce was on most of the ribs. I'm sorry, but bbq ribs actually need to have bbq sauce on them. I know what you're thinking. Not a big deal, just ask for more sauce. I did. Our waitress brought a tiny plastic cup of sauce that still wasn't enough to cover the ribs. I'd estimate the cup was about an ounce. If you don't know what an ounce looks like, imagine the drinking cups that come with Pepto Bismol and other medicines. That cup was small, amigo. At the end of my meal, I had a few pieces of meat that I couldn't finish, so I asked for a to-go box and another tin of sauce. That's when my mind was truly blown. They charge $0.50 for each extra cup of sauce. You read that right. A BBQ joint charges you to put BBQ sauce on your meats. $0.50 for a tiny cup of sauce just to cover the bare ribs that I had left. Pretty ridiculous. Besides the fact that this is a BBQ place that doesn't want customers to enjoy BBQ sauce, the food was okay. I moved to Portland from Georgia, so I'm used to really bomb Southern bbq. The food here is okay, but falls short. The small amount of sauce I actually tasted was good. The ribs were decent, but could be more tender. The mac & cheese needs a lot of work. The pasta was way too soft and bland.
(2)
Jules H.
Slabtown catered our wedding this past weekend and they were prompt, professional, tidy and nearly invisible - all the qualities you want in a wedding caterer! Chris was quick to respond via email in the many months leading up to the event. The price per person was reasonable. When the big truck pulled up to the venue towing the massive smoker, everyone cheered! Our food was sensational, even better in fact than the tasting we had in their restaurant. Our guests (including many family from Texas) raved about the brisket, chicken, mac n cheese, beans, coleslaw and bread w/ honey butter. We'd use them again and recommend them highly.
(5)
Troy S.
This place was freaking delicious!!! I had the combo platter and everything tasted amazing. Huge props on the brisket, just falls apart and tastes so good. Just wish you guys had bbq sauce at the table, but all we had to do was ask and we got a side of the sauce, easy peezy. The waitress was very nice and helpful, a+!!! Thanks. Looking forward to eating here again soon.
(5)
Patricia J.
We ordered several pounds of pulled pork & coleslaw for an office party and it was AWESOME!! Smokey and very flavorful. Everyone loved it and we will order from them again.
(5)
Terry S.
01/09 Brisket sandwich was my order today. Dang good. In fact I almost went twice!!!! (Note: of course you must understand each cut of meat can vary) Go by 1pm meat gets pulled from smoker.
(5)
Matthew W.
Meh. Dry meat and cold sides. I was not impressed. Our waitress was super nice. I think they charged me for extra sauce? Who does that? I won't be going back.
(1)
Gallie G.
As far as lunch goes this is as good as it gets. Great place. Great food. Good prices. If you are looking for BBQ there are a hand full of places in town but as far as price goes this is a great value.
(5)
Mark J.
Exelent bbq, consistently good in fact. The bbq is prepared fresh daily, the smoker is parked right out front. Great catering options, good sides, etc. The restaurant is nothing fancy, no frills, the focus is food.
(4)
Noland B.
Go to the bar and get the best of both worlds: order from either the BBQ or Mexican menus, or combine elements (pulled pork green burrito is a great choice). Typically great bartenders/staff and very solid margaritas round out its awesomeness.
(4)
J E.
I am from Texas - so BBQ, I take seriously. AMAZING, luscious and just incredible ribs. We got the combo plate - but that was my fav on it. SO worth the look see for this little place off 23rd street. Really was sorry they didn't have more southern food - like fried okra and cornbread, black eyed peas. BUT - kudos for some incredilble pecan pie! Lovely waitress and cook whom I complimented personally. by all means - GO, GO GO!
(5)
Richard B.
Excellent large smoked ribs, soft and tender. Really good sauces. Pulled pork very tender and well smoked. My wife had the chicken. Very good and generous portion. Really liked the Mac n cheese and the red potato salad.
(4)
Scott B.
God. Coming from the South, I have a fair idea of what makes good barbecue, and this place has none of it. Fries? No. Sweet tea? Kind of. Extra sauce? For purchase. I could go on, but I'm nauseous from the food still. The pulled pork was tasteless, as was the mac and cheese. The chicken looked uncooked, and there was barely any sauce. Don't worry though, they are aware of all their inadequacies. In fact, the ENTIRE back of the menu is dedicated to defending themselves and making excuses for sub-par food. There are more words on the menu explaining why they always run out of food, why there's not enough sauce, and why the chicken is undercooked, then there are food options. I wish I was joking. Stay away.
(1)
Ed A.
Excellent ribs and brisket I've ever had. Killer absolutely killer mustard Carolina sauce. Oh and the red potato salad and beans was par with the meal. I've already text several of my friends and will be back with them!! What a great find tonight and it was only four blocks from my hotel. The service is like ost say, slow and you have to ask if you want something. there is a path way to the mexican restaurant next to them and they allow you to order from each sides and mix it up. Unless I want to have a beer with my meal the next time I'll just get it to go and head back to the hotel room.
(5)
Holly K.
I used my Groupon to transport me into downtown Portland. It was totally worth it. I have to say we did hit them at 1:50 and they close at 2pm for lunch and reopen for dinner, I think around 4:30. Call ahead to be sure. However, if you do show up and they are closed you can go into the bar next door and order off their menu. Now, that said, we got there and they were out of a few things, so even if we'd hit the bar, SOL. It was just me and my husband and one guy came in after us, who was a regular based on the conversation taking place. They were out of the biscuits and beans. We got the combo plate with sausage, ribs, pork slider and brisket. It was all good. I could do without the sausage, it was on the greasy side, but my husband liked it, I should have flicked mine over to him. The brisket was perfect, not dried out at all. The ribs, which I am so picky about pork ribs, but these were seriously really good with plenty of meat. I will say the pork slider was not so great, the bread was stale and the pork was barely on this little bun, but I was not there for the sliders so I will let that one go. Try them out if you are down in the zone, the cost isn't bad for what you get. I always buy these Groupon things when I am in the mood to go to town, but later have the , "what do you mean I have to drive to town to eat and use that Groupon before it expires" and then that way they force me to new places and I could see this one paying off for a new BBQ spot.
(4)
Brandon T.
Tuesday around 1:00pm and they're sold out of beef ribs already. i settled for pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw and Texas hot sauce. Very kind staff. Not busy at all and the food is tasty.
(4)
Tila M.
This place was delicious! They don't use a lot of BBQ sauce because they want you to taste the quality of the meat. It was amazing. Going to come back many more times! The customer service was amazing and the owner (also the cook), chatted with us. Was really great.
(5)
Miss C.
Slabtown Ribs & BBQ catered my fiance's employee party last Friday, and it was soooo good. The best bbq I've had so far. The meats were all cooked perfectly, the sauce was fabulous, I had the mild. And the potato salad was so good, I don't like onions, so I usually have to pass on potato salad. But I couldn't even taste the onion in the salad, perfectly done. All-around great bbq!
(5)
Mandana S.
The ribs are pretty awesome. Smokey and fall-off-the-bone tender. I appreciate the fact that they use a smoker to achieve this instead of liquid smoke, like many other places in town. The sauces are good. Not the greatest, but pretty good. I wasn't fond of the S.C. mustard sauce because it was entirely too sweet and nothing like the pungent, mustardy sauces I've had in the south. It was more of a honey mustard. The spicy one was nice, with a slow heat that crept up a few seconds after the sauce went down. The standard one- I forget the name, was my favorite. Slightly sweet. Slightly tangy. Pretty good. We tried the greens and mac-and-cheese as sides and were pleased with both. The greens had vinegar mixed in, which I prefer to add myself if the mood strikes. Overall, excellent meal for a very good price. BBQ is typically on the higher end of the pricing spectrum but this place is absolutely affordable and a great lunch option.
(4)
Kristine Y.
Was in the mood for BBQ and gave this place a try. It was quiet and an owner sat talking to another customer throughout our meal. Service was great, prices quite reasonable for portion size. I had a 1/2 rack with the classic sauce, my better 1/2 had the combo with their mustard sauce. Mac-n-cheese was typical, coleslaw was a nice change from the usual; meats fell off the bone, yet somehow seemed dry. We requested more sauces and it helped. Probably not likely to return. I would go 4 star but it was a bit of an irritant with owner sitting and telling customer they owned the place. No offense, but simply my opinion an owner should leave something to be desired? Maybe a stiff drink would have helped? It was still early at 5pm-ish...
(3)
Amanda K.
This is some of the best BBQ in Portland. The whole "toasted yet softly chewy bun piled high with proper pulled pork NOT smothered in sauce becaues it's BBQ done the correct way" thing really blows my skirt up. Yannow? Their biscuit are fluffy and buttery. The owner competes nearly every weekend in BBQ stints all over the West Coast and greater U.S. There's lots of really, really tasty food coming out of this place. However, I prefer to eat on the bar side of the restaurant, which is technically a Mexican bar seperate from Slabtown but owned by the same guy. (see also: Acapulco's Gold) No kids on this side, and that suits me juuuuuuuuuuuust fine.
(5)
Jeremy J.
In my experience, the BBQ was good but it didn't blow my socks off. The restaurant is plain...basically a trophy room. It was empty both when we arrived and by the time we left, not a great sign but I don't mind too much. They are very open on their menu about running out of items due to taking time and care prepping their meats the right way and not rushing it etc...ok, but why were there no collard greens? Tisk Tisk. I also struggle a little bit with the fact that their meats are smoked elsewhere (at their other location) and trucked in...I want my food made on site! In the end things were pretty good for the most part. We tried each of the trhee sauces and all were good...The better half liked the Kansas City sauce the best since it was the sweetest. I liked the smokier Texas style sauce. The ribs were fall of the bone tender and delicious. The brisket, however, seemed thin and dry. The flavor in the pink areas was delicious but overall definitely could have been better. We also had the pulled pork sandwich. The pork was great but I wanted just a tad juicier. For sides we had the beans, biscuits, and mac n cheese. All were phenomenal. I might kill a man for another biscuit that dense and delicious, especially if it came with their honey butter. Portions were good and very reasonably priced...$25 was enough for two entrees and enough left over for my lunch the next day. Not a place I'll avoid, but I'm not itching for a return trip. It's A-OK
(3)
Big D.
CALL BEFORE YOU GO to make sure they are open. I drove 45 minutes to get there and they were closed on a Monday at 4:30. No mention of the closing on their website. Very unprofessional
You want a BBQ chicken? Slabtown serves you a breast piece that is big enough to have come from the Mother Of All Chickens! Given the sheer size of just this one piece of meat, I was surprised to see how well it was cooked through, leaving nothing raw yet maintaining the full moisture of the breast, which is an easy meat to dry out. There is no special smoky flavor or marinated taste but it is a fine piece to stuff your gut with, especially with the Carolina BBQ sauce I used as a dipping sauce. As for this particular sauce, it is based on mustard so if you like mustard flavor and enjoy having it richened with a combination of vinegar and sugar to make for a full bodied taste, you will love this sauce. Sides are okay, nothing special enough to rave about but not deserving of any slams either. You won't need much for sides anyways since the main course of meat is so huge! Bring your carnivorous instincts to Slabtown and they will be sated...guaranteed! Other things you will be guaranteed are messy hands that need washing and very friendly personable service. If these people served nothing but plain white rice, I would eat it with a smile because they are so pleasant! It was a joy to eat here in all ways.
(5)
Heidi H.
Terrible.... We drove an hour to get there based on reviews and it wasn't worth the gas. After seating us, They asked us to move to a completely different restaurant because a big party was coming in a half hour. Mind you the only people besides us were another couple. The food and service was terrible!.... Our food was Luke warm... Obviously microwaved and we saw a server at the Mexican restaurant we were eating in twice... Though they made it a point to let us know they were making an exception to "let" us eat in there. Seriously terrible food... The Fries were the only thing edible', which obviously came from a freezer bag. We Went to outback afterwards for a real bbq experience that doesn't involve rubbery fatty ribs and jerk owners who obviously don't know how to treat customers.
(1)
Mike S.
The brisket is the best in town. Sorry for the rest of the Portland BBQ joints but Slabtown takes it here. Real smoker running off of wood. They are open weekdays only because they are killing it at BBQ competitions and catering on the weekends. I have only had the brisket because if they can do that right it is assumed the rest is easy. I only wish they were open weekends as the location is not easy for me to get to during the week. Great service and great BBQ.
(5)
Vickei H.
How do you do a half a star, cuz this wasn't 4 full stars. But that's not saying it isn't worth your time. Sauces are good, beans were yummy, brisket good flavor if slightly dry. Service was great!
(4)
Chad H.
Great little hole in the wall BBQ in Nw. Better portions and quality then nearby Whiskey Kitchen. Brisket was lean and flavorful, ribs were fall off the bone tender. Parking isn't the best, but, that's par for the course off nw 23rd area.
(5)
Neil R.
Best Ribs Ever.... What else could you ask for? Oh yeah great service...they got that too. I
(5)
Tim B.
My third review will be short...my God, don't let me ramble. Okay, so I think I found a winner here. Go with the Brisket and Kansas City sauce, it's better than any of the pork sandwiches I've had here. I also got a side of Biscuits which were made fresh and plenty thick. They brought two biscuits as my side which seemed like overkill, when I asked why the waitress said something like "Because we give you so much meat a lot of people use them to make another little sandwich." I didn't find my sandwich overflowing with meat and as barbecue goes the sandwich was pretty reserved. I still want another side. Can I get one biscuit and one side? Is that offered? Good sandwich this time, still not up to par to the best 'cue, but the Brisket/Kansas City is a commendable combo.
(4)
Jeff V.
I have visited this place a few times now and it is a pretty good bbq place for the price and location. When I'm on lunch it's an easy pop in and eat then back to the office type place. The place is pretty small and very basic. Their food is available at the bar next door after 2pm but I haven't visited the bar. Not sure if I really will since I'm usually in the neighborhood 730-5 Staff is friendly and gets you your grub!
(4)
Cindy I.
Was excited to try this place. Ended up a little disappointed. It was really too smokey and we don't mind some smoke. It stays with you all day! Way too much for us, but this is a personal taste thing. Not sure why everyone was raving about the biscuits. The are not light and flakey. They were unremarkable to us. Service was great, very friendly.
(3)
Jesy B.
I shouldn't read reviews of places before I myself try or review them. If *I* had a smudge of my Coach purse because of a slight mistake, I would expect a place to replace my overpriced garbage purse immediately. And also not expect me to pay any portion of my meal as well. /sarcasm I first tried Slabtown at the Rose Festival BBQ event. And I was INLOVE. So when a Groupon came skulking around I was on that like white on rice. Note: They have odd hours. They are clear about this on their website. Their focus is on their competitions, not the restaurant & I appreciate the honesty from this place. We're lucky to get a chance to try it. So check the site before you complain about being open or not. I got my fav - pulled pork sammy. Flavorful, tender and a fork helps with eating too. It is not overwhelmed with BBQ sauce, it's pretty much the fantastic balance. I got the mac & cheese as my side - it's not amazing but it's tasty anyhow. I would 110% recommend the biscuits - just for the honey butter alone. That was...amazing. Service was great, polite & prompt. Truly genuine where you could tell if they cared or not - and they did care for us. I will be back & back again.
(5)
Falon M.
Used a groupon and went on a Thursday night. Fast service, friendly staff and delicious bbq! The brisket was tender and the sauces were tasty. Got slaw and mac and cheese on the side and both were very good. Hubs got the potato salad and enjoyed that. The ribs were fall off the bone yummy! Definitely going back!
(5)
John B.
Overpriced and very poor service. Mac and cheese couldn't have been more bland. Ribs were dry and sauces very unimaginative. Definitely won't ever come back.
(1)
david h.
Wish they were open on weekends. As good as any BBQ in Portland IMO. Put fresh whip on that pie please!
(5)
John F.
Wife and I tried this joint for dinner and really enjoyed ourselves. The hours are a bit odd, but I can live without the weekend service. Apparently it allows them to compete in BBQ competitions, which I can't complain about as I've had their food at Bones and Brew. The food was tasty and we'll definitely return. The brisket was smokey and tender, and the collards were to die for with the bits of bacon and big flavor they brought to the table. I also have to plug the cole slaw, which was a crunchy and vinegar based slaw, not your usual creamy blandness. We finished it off with a slice of what else, pecan pie. MMMMMM Finally, the service was top attentive, prompt, and friendly. Just doesn't get better.
(4)
Misty S.
My favorite was the pulled pork sandwich! I had the combo plate but I will be back for the pulled pork. It's absolutely amazing when you put your coleslaw on the pulled pork sandwich. If you haven't eaten it like that, you haven't eaten. I was honestly impressed with the slaw. It was fresh, crisp, and light. Not weighed down and wilted. Excellent. I also had the biscuits as one of my other sides. The biscuits were ok but the butter is what makes them good. I think they put honey in it so it's like a little dessert... For me anyway. As for the BBQ as a whole, I found it very very smokey. I tasted smoke all day long. It was almost like I took a swig of liquid smoke... ick. My favorite sauces were the Kansas City Classic and Texas Hot. The North Carolina was a sweet mustard type sauce which would be good for the sausage but I wouldn't want it all over my ribs or sandwich. The sausage was tasty. The ribs were tender and I thought they were pretty good. The brisket was probably my least favorite. It was a little dry. I needed more sauce but I didn't care to ask for more. Summary: Get the pulled pork sandwich with slaw! Good ribs. Good sausage. Brisket, meh. Helpful hint: They make a certain amount of meat each day. They run out of meat as the day goes on so go early or call ahead to make sure they have what you want.
(3)
Hans N.
We ordered their Excellent pulled pork Sliders. Great selection of ribs & Bbq meat. Their service is also good.
(4)
Matt L.
I miss the good old days - and by that I mean the Green Room, which was our go-to favorite for bbq a few years ago. Then it closed, rather tragically - and now we have a new favorite: Slabtown. The name threw me a bit, since I'm not a huge fan of the other Slabtown (though I know it has its proponents) but all it took was one trip to get me past my name hangup. Three huge ribs, juicy and delicious, with some sort of mustard sauce which was perfect, and macaroni+cheese that won't win any gourmet awards because it's legit cheese and pasta, salty and guilt-inducing - this food isn't good for you, it's just good. Continued pilgrimage in upcoming weeks is expected, (which I'll justify by telling everyone I need to try the other sauce varieties, not that we need justification to eat good food.)
(4)
Reney O.
Good gosh this IS the best BBQ I have ever had!!! It's tender, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone juicy GOODNESS!!! My bf and I had the combo platter of brisket, ribs, pulled pork sliders, biscuits, and sausage with a side of mac n cheese and collared greens. Every last bite was orgasmic. Think Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi" episode: your knees will buckle and you're gonna have to sit down. THAT GOOD. I highly highly highly recommend it. If you don't try, I'm totally fine with that. More for me :)
(5)
Chezz C.
Stopped in for a pulled-pork sandwich. The server recommended the Carolina mustard sauce but I opted for the Texas hot since I'm a hot-pepper lover. Enjoyed it immensely. Not extremely spicy. Excellent, moist meat. Good sides (coleslaw on the sandwich and greens on the side).
(4)
Leroy P.
Best BBQ, I have had. This bbq place is simply amazing. Since its opened up about a year and a half ago, I have always wanted to try it. And just the other day I was able to. :-). Not only is the food amazing best ribs I have had for like ever. The staff/ owner is great/friendly. Only downside is they don't have coors light on draft. :-(. But a bottle is well enough. Also the owner has won so many awards and post them in the place.
(5)
Brandon A.
Ordered the special and was floored by the smoky BBQ sauce that came with my bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. Nice lunch meal that wasn't too big and this place is certainly not pretentious. If you have a twisted sense of humor, make sure that you sit in the bar (which allows you to order BBQ or mexican food from the attached mexican restaurant) and check out the stickers on the refrigerator. My personal favorite is "Seriously, Don't F*** My Mom". Have fun and don't wear a white shirt.
(4)
adam s.
Best Bbq in Portland. The owner knows his stuff. A true professional. It's not really a "restaurant" so much as it is a Bbq "joint". They do one thing and they do it right. That's part of the appeal. Do what you do well. Ribs were perfect. People throw around the phrase "fall off the bone", but if you pick it up vertically, the meat literally slides clean off. Very tender for spare ribs.
(5)
Kenny P.
The Kansas City sauce is amazing! I love this place. So much food, its hard to eat it all in one sitting at lunch. Only con is that the place is small and tables are crammed together.
(4)
Spencer H.
NOTE: The star rating reflects both the food and the poor service. Had the service been good or average, the food alone is worthy of 3 stars. It's decent, but there's better BBQ out there in Portland. My wife and I went to Slabtown on Monday, 8/1/11 after purchasing a Groupon a short while back. She being from Memphis, and me having had Memphis BBQ during a visit with her extended family, we have pretty high standards for BBQ, but we were excited to see how it panned out. We ordered the pulled pork sandwich, a half rack of the St. Louis style ribs with the Texas Hot sauce, and sides of collard greens, baked beans, and biscuits, and we split everything. Both the pulled pork and the ribs were served with only a light amount of BBQ sauce, but the back of the menu acknowledges this and notes that it's a culinary decision so as to not mask the flavor of the meat. On that note, the flavor of the meat was pretty good. It wasn't mind blowing, I've had better, but it was pretty good. I thought the sauce was very good--it had a good amount of heat and wasn't too sweet. The collard greens were very good, the baked beans were pretty good, but I thought the biscuits came up a bit short. The consistency was kind of gluey, like you would find at KFC. Although, the biscuits came with delicious, super-soft honey-butter that certainly helped. Here's where the problem was: As the server was clearing our plates, the small paper container which held the honey-butter on the small biscuit plate dropped and landed on my wife's black Coach purse. It didn't splatter everywhere, but the butter oozed out a little onto the outside and just on the inside lining of the bag. The waitress used some nearby napkins dabbed in water to try to get it off, but that proved unsuccessful. She then came back with a bar towel, but my wife smelled that it was soaked in bleach and the server had to get another one with water and hand soap. Before getting another bar towel, she served food to other customers, which seemed unnecessary because it was not busy and there was another waitress on this slow night. The second bar towel also proved unsuccessful and I told the waitress that we would see how it dried and if it stained, I would be back tomorrow to "work something out." Shortly thereafter, my wife overheard the server say to the cook "She's mistaken if she comes back tomorrow expecting me to buy her a new $400 purse." Not once did either of us raise our voices, act unreasonably or rude, or even mention the cost of the purse. After not offering to waive the $2.50 balance (the Groupon was for $20 and the total bill was $22.50), I even tipped 15% in cash for good karma. In short, we were very disappointed that an apology was never offered nor did she even seem apologetic. ALSO: The hours are really weird. They're closed on the weekends and they close at 8pm. What kind of dinner place closes at 8pm and is closed on the weekends? REALLY weird.
(1)
Francis C.
I've almost never given anything in Portland more than 3 stars, but these guys earn their 4 stars (I've only given 5 stars to one place - ever). This is a little out of the way place which means it isn't overrun with hipsters or douchebags. Their ribs are the best I've had in Portland and beat all the cr*p ribs places I've tried in NoPo hands down. I'm sorry - as a midwest transplant - most of the rib places in Portland are just terrible. But this place bucks the trend without costing a fortune or being to cool for school. We sat and chatted with the owner who was a real genuine guy that has a number of BBQ trophies to his name that I honestly think he earned. The place is no-nonsense and very comfortable. No stupid hard wooden Pearl-esk benches or hip crap. Just normal tables and good service. I hope he does well - because it's on the top of my list of BBQ places in Portland. Highly recommend
(4)
Jayson F.
Great pulled pork sandwich for $7.50. You can smell the BBQ from blocks away (it is the same guy who BBQs at Crackerjacks), and the store is decorated with ribbons and trophies from all of their cook off competitions. This has to be one of the best places in town to get some BBQ. Don't expect much for atmosphere. Great BBQ but otherwise nothing that notable.
(4)
Tyson V.
Best ribs in town! The owners and staff were extremely helpful, honest and friendly. I tried the BBQ sampler during our last visit and everything was top notch - sauces included! I highly recommend giving this place a shot.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Renee T.
I love coming to Slabtown. The brisket is delicious, pork ribs as well, and tonight tasted the beef ribs that have always been sold out on previous visits. The restaurant keeps odd hours; closed on weekends and from 2-4 between lunch and dinner service. I believe much of their business is take-out. Order early, as they do sell out. In short, I rarely eat barbeque, but when I do it is almost always from Slabtown. In my experience, best in Portland, hands down.
(5)Willard J.
Depending on where you're at in the country you get different feedback on the type of BBQ one prefers. Myself, I like the meat to taste amazing and the sauces used to not drown out the meat. SlabTown does a pretty good job of meeting this requirement. If you've ever driven up Vaughn Street in the morning you will see and smell the smoker outside SlabTown cooking away. It took me a while to actually get in here but I had heard mixed reviews. First off the menu is your typical BBQ spot: Pulled pork, brisket and chicken with sides of Mac, beans, slaw or potato salad. The meat is good and the sauces they give you on the side so you can smother or not smother to your liking. The sandwiches, which I usually opt for come with a fair amount of sauce but not to heavy. The sides, well, I don't know that the slaw or potato salad is home made. I wasn't a big fan. Overall the service is good, the food comes quick and I'd give it one thumb up. As far as BBQ spots go, I think there are better options in Portland. Then again, this place has billions of accolades for winning BBQ contests. So maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about!
(3)Jerry M.
Slabtown Ribs & BBQ is a great place for lovers of smokey and tender BBQ meats of all kinds. I definitely appreciate a variety of BBQ things, so their BBQ Combo plate was ideal for me. It consists of two St. Louis style pork ribs, beef brisket, sausage, and a pulled pork slider. The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork were perfect! They had good smokey flavor and were super tender. I could see the pink "smoke ring" on the edges of the meats which told me that they had spent some good time in a smoker, which accounts for the tenderness. The only item that wasn't that great was the chunks of sausage. They were too dried out. (OK, that's forgivable though, because the other three things more than made up for the sausage's shortcomings.) There's a choice of three BBQ sauces: Kansas City Classic, Texas Hot, or Carolina Style Mustard. I chose the KC Classic, but I always use BBQ sauce sparingly because I like being able to taste the smokiness of the meat itself. I chose cole slaw and baked beans for my two side dishes, and even they were fresh and tasty. . .not just bland "accessories" like at some other places. The price for all the generous portions of goodness on the BBQ Combo plate is $17.00, which is a very good value. I'll be coming back soon.
(5)Peter D.
Bought a groupon, $10 for $20, have never been before. Didn't even know it was here. Little hole in the wall. We arrived on a Tuesday night at 6, two people were at a table, the rest were empty. Waitress was very nice, said sit anywhere, got drinks quick, for was out in 15 min. I got the bbq platter, my gf got the bbq chicken. All the meat was delicious. Pulled pork awesome. Ribs awesome. Meat comes right off. Sides of Mac and cheese and verbs were good too. Good sauce as well. Would come back for sure.
(5)Katherine V.
So...here's the thing...I really hate being subjected to people's cigarette smoke, especially when it's the restaurant employees who are blowing it in your face. Things were going relatively well here until the above occurred. Came in on a Tuesday afternoon and were told we could sit wherever we'd like. We choose one of the few outdoor tables due to it being warm and sunny outside. We were brought water quickly and ordered. The food was served promptly, which is what I expected since their meats are cooked at another location and sit back there waiting for customers to order them. The ribs were really pretty good. I wasn't the biggest fan of their BBQ sauce flavor, but overall delicious. The mac and cheese wasn't anything special...kinda bland. Ben ordered a combo plate and the other meats on it were a bit sub-par. Brisket...meh. Pulled pork...meh. Sausage...had a weird taste. But whatever. I was happily chowing down on my artery-clogging, CYP enzyme-inducing meat when a very unkempt man sauntered out of the restaurant and lit up a cigarette mere feet from our table. Annoying, but the wind was blowing the other way, so it could have been worse. Kept eating... A few minutes later another person comes wondering out, sits on the curb, and lights on up. This time the smoke comes bellowing into our faces and I'm coughing up a storm. This results in a rude look from her and continuation of her habit. A few minutes go by and our waitress brings us the check, processes a Groupon, and before we've even finished writing in the tip joins the other employee in smoking and chatting. Smoke billowing all around us we promptly stood up and left knowing we would never return. Here's an idea...choose somewhere further away than a few feet from your paying customer's table to develop lung cancer.
(2)Annie T.
Pretty good stuff-- nice smoke ring on my brisket, but can't give it a full 5 star because I would have preferred more options presented... I really wanted a brisket and rib combo, ended up getting a brisket and sausage plate. Another option I wish I could have had was to have more gristle with the brisket, it was really lean-- I'm sure they had it back there but maybe they think people would only want the leaner cuts..? Well, some of us like that fat! Mac and cheese and collards are just OK, nothing amazing. Should have tried the biscuit....
(4)Billy B.
Good food, REALLY tender meat but lacking in the flavor.
(3)John R.
Best ribs in Portland. Pork ribs. Their Brisket is pretty good - nothing to brag or complain about. The sides range from Meh to OK, I'm especially not fond of the slaw. The biscuits are great and the pecan pie was very good. But we keep coming back for the pork ribs. They are so good. So if you want pork ribs, come here. The other stuff on the menu isn't too bad either. There is nothing noteworthy about the ambiance or the staff, they have always been good enough. We come for the ribs.
(5)JG H.
I make bbq and I'm from a bbq region (Missouri) so I know my stuff. I had ribs and brisket here and they were both top notch. I've read some other reviews on here and while taste can be subjective there is some pretty uninformed opinions being thrown around. The sauce may be served with some economy but it is plenty of even big sauce eaters like me. I don't know any decent bbq joint that slathers it on like your mama's boiled crockpot ribs that she egregiously calls bbq but serving these folks is like throwing pearls before swine. I got one of the bigger platters and the sauce on the plate and one extra cup was plenty. Most bbq people think I use too much sauce when I eat so there is that. The prices here are killer too. Two big ribs and a ton of brisket with two sides cost me 14 bucks. My three year old and I ate our fill and then we brought the rest home for mom. End of review for casual bbq eaters. Now for us bbq obsessives, Sauce-wise I liked both the KC and Texas but didn't really get into the Carolina style. One thing that is missing in Oregon is a place that does North Carolina style pork. I was hoping that there was the red vinegar sauce of the Lexington North Carolina style, which is what I do. This sauce was a good interpretation of the So. Carolina style but that's not my thing. My thing is heavy vinegar based sauces and the more vinegar the profile for me the better. People all have their interpretations of the different sauces and that's for them. I don't know much about Texas sauce probably because the things people call Texas sauce vary so much. From what I've seen produced by Texans it is pretty close to KC style but with a bit more cumin and chili powder. Now Slabtown's sauce struck me a bit different than how they named them. I think their Texas sauce seemed a lot like Gates in KC. It was a bit thinner (a good thing in my book) with a spice and vinegar bite. The KC sauce seemed more sweet and almost hit me more like a St. Louis sauce which doesn't get talked about much. I really liked that Texas style sauce and I recommend that unless you have a very low tolerance for spice you get that on your meat and put the KC on the side. The great thing though about them not over saucing is that if you prefer another sauce than the one you chose you're not really stuck with it and that my friends is a good thing.
(4)Luanda G.
Warning: Slabtown serves a tiny amount of bbq sauce on their meats. They say this on the back of the menu, and they ain't playing. I ordered a half rack of ribs, and it arrived with a small drizzle of sauce down the middle of the rack. NO sauce was on most of the ribs. I'm sorry, but bbq ribs actually need to have bbq sauce on them. I know what you're thinking. Not a big deal, just ask for more sauce. I did. Our waitress brought a tiny plastic cup of sauce that still wasn't enough to cover the ribs. I'd estimate the cup was about an ounce. If you don't know what an ounce looks like, imagine the drinking cups that come with Pepto Bismol and other medicines. That cup was small, amigo. At the end of my meal, I had a few pieces of meat that I couldn't finish, so I asked for a to-go box and another tin of sauce. That's when my mind was truly blown. They charge $0.50 for each extra cup of sauce. You read that right. A BBQ joint charges you to put BBQ sauce on your meats. $0.50 for a tiny cup of sauce just to cover the bare ribs that I had left. Pretty ridiculous. Besides the fact that this is a BBQ place that doesn't want customers to enjoy BBQ sauce, the food was okay. I moved to Portland from Georgia, so I'm used to really bomb Southern bbq. The food here is okay, but falls short. The small amount of sauce I actually tasted was good. The ribs were decent, but could be more tender. The mac & cheese needs a lot of work. The pasta was way too soft and bland.
(2)Jules H.
Slabtown catered our wedding this past weekend and they were prompt, professional, tidy and nearly invisible - all the qualities you want in a wedding caterer! Chris was quick to respond via email in the many months leading up to the event. The price per person was reasonable. When the big truck pulled up to the venue towing the massive smoker, everyone cheered! Our food was sensational, even better in fact than the tasting we had in their restaurant. Our guests (including many family from Texas) raved about the brisket, chicken, mac n cheese, beans, coleslaw and bread w/ honey butter. We'd use them again and recommend them highly.
(5)Troy S.
This place was freaking delicious!!! I had the combo platter and everything tasted amazing. Huge props on the brisket, just falls apart and tastes so good. Just wish you guys had bbq sauce at the table, but all we had to do was ask and we got a side of the sauce, easy peezy. The waitress was very nice and helpful, a+!!! Thanks. Looking forward to eating here again soon.
(5)Patricia J.
We ordered several pounds of pulled pork & coleslaw for an office party and it was AWESOME!! Smokey and very flavorful. Everyone loved it and we will order from them again.
(5)Terry S.
01/09 Brisket sandwich was my order today. Dang good. In fact I almost went twice!!!! (Note: of course you must understand each cut of meat can vary) Go by 1pm meat gets pulled from smoker.
(5)Matthew W.
Meh. Dry meat and cold sides. I was not impressed. Our waitress was super nice. I think they charged me for extra sauce? Who does that? I won't be going back.
(1)Gallie G.
As far as lunch goes this is as good as it gets. Great place. Great food. Good prices. If you are looking for BBQ there are a hand full of places in town but as far as price goes this is a great value.
(5)Mark J.
Exelent bbq, consistently good in fact. The bbq is prepared fresh daily, the smoker is parked right out front. Great catering options, good sides, etc. The restaurant is nothing fancy, no frills, the focus is food.
(4)Noland B.
Go to the bar and get the best of both worlds: order from either the BBQ or Mexican menus, or combine elements (pulled pork green burrito is a great choice). Typically great bartenders/staff and very solid margaritas round out its awesomeness.
(4)J E.
I am from Texas - so BBQ, I take seriously. AMAZING, luscious and just incredible ribs. We got the combo plate - but that was my fav on it. SO worth the look see for this little place off 23rd street. Really was sorry they didn't have more southern food - like fried okra and cornbread, black eyed peas. BUT - kudos for some incredilble pecan pie! Lovely waitress and cook whom I complimented personally. by all means - GO, GO GO!
(5)Richard B.
Excellent large smoked ribs, soft and tender. Really good sauces. Pulled pork very tender and well smoked. My wife had the chicken. Very good and generous portion. Really liked the Mac n cheese and the red potato salad.
(4)Scott B.
God. Coming from the South, I have a fair idea of what makes good barbecue, and this place has none of it. Fries? No. Sweet tea? Kind of. Extra sauce? For purchase. I could go on, but I'm nauseous from the food still. The pulled pork was tasteless, as was the mac and cheese. The chicken looked uncooked, and there was barely any sauce. Don't worry though, they are aware of all their inadequacies. In fact, the ENTIRE back of the menu is dedicated to defending themselves and making excuses for sub-par food. There are more words on the menu explaining why they always run out of food, why there's not enough sauce, and why the chicken is undercooked, then there are food options. I wish I was joking. Stay away.
(1)Ed A.
Excellent ribs and brisket I've ever had. Killer absolutely killer mustard Carolina sauce. Oh and the red potato salad and beans was par with the meal. I've already text several of my friends and will be back with them!! What a great find tonight and it was only four blocks from my hotel. The service is like ost say, slow and you have to ask if you want something. there is a path way to the mexican restaurant next to them and they allow you to order from each sides and mix it up. Unless I want to have a beer with my meal the next time I'll just get it to go and head back to the hotel room.
(5)Holly K.
I used my Groupon to transport me into downtown Portland. It was totally worth it. I have to say we did hit them at 1:50 and they close at 2pm for lunch and reopen for dinner, I think around 4:30. Call ahead to be sure. However, if you do show up and they are closed you can go into the bar next door and order off their menu. Now, that said, we got there and they were out of a few things, so even if we'd hit the bar, SOL. It was just me and my husband and one guy came in after us, who was a regular based on the conversation taking place. They were out of the biscuits and beans. We got the combo plate with sausage, ribs, pork slider and brisket. It was all good. I could do without the sausage, it was on the greasy side, but my husband liked it, I should have flicked mine over to him. The brisket was perfect, not dried out at all. The ribs, which I am so picky about pork ribs, but these were seriously really good with plenty of meat. I will say the pork slider was not so great, the bread was stale and the pork was barely on this little bun, but I was not there for the sliders so I will let that one go. Try them out if you are down in the zone, the cost isn't bad for what you get. I always buy these Groupon things when I am in the mood to go to town, but later have the , "what do you mean I have to drive to town to eat and use that Groupon before it expires" and then that way they force me to new places and I could see this one paying off for a new BBQ spot.
(4)Brandon T.
Tuesday around 1:00pm and they're sold out of beef ribs already. i settled for pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw and Texas hot sauce. Very kind staff. Not busy at all and the food is tasty.
(4)Tila M.
This place was delicious! They don't use a lot of BBQ sauce because they want you to taste the quality of the meat. It was amazing. Going to come back many more times! The customer service was amazing and the owner (also the cook), chatted with us. Was really great.
(5)Miss C.
Slabtown Ribs & BBQ catered my fiance's employee party last Friday, and it was soooo good. The best bbq I've had so far. The meats were all cooked perfectly, the sauce was fabulous, I had the mild. And the potato salad was so good, I don't like onions, so I usually have to pass on potato salad. But I couldn't even taste the onion in the salad, perfectly done. All-around great bbq!
(5)Mandana S.
The ribs are pretty awesome. Smokey and fall-off-the-bone tender. I appreciate the fact that they use a smoker to achieve this instead of liquid smoke, like many other places in town. The sauces are good. Not the greatest, but pretty good. I wasn't fond of the S.C. mustard sauce because it was entirely too sweet and nothing like the pungent, mustardy sauces I've had in the south. It was more of a honey mustard. The spicy one was nice, with a slow heat that crept up a few seconds after the sauce went down. The standard one- I forget the name, was my favorite. Slightly sweet. Slightly tangy. Pretty good. We tried the greens and mac-and-cheese as sides and were pleased with both. The greens had vinegar mixed in, which I prefer to add myself if the mood strikes. Overall, excellent meal for a very good price. BBQ is typically on the higher end of the pricing spectrum but this place is absolutely affordable and a great lunch option.
(4)Kristine Y.
Was in the mood for BBQ and gave this place a try. It was quiet and an owner sat talking to another customer throughout our meal. Service was great, prices quite reasonable for portion size. I had a 1/2 rack with the classic sauce, my better 1/2 had the combo with their mustard sauce. Mac-n-cheese was typical, coleslaw was a nice change from the usual; meats fell off the bone, yet somehow seemed dry. We requested more sauces and it helped. Probably not likely to return. I would go 4 star but it was a bit of an irritant with owner sitting and telling customer they owned the place. No offense, but simply my opinion an owner should leave something to be desired? Maybe a stiff drink would have helped? It was still early at 5pm-ish...
(3)Amanda K.
This is some of the best BBQ in Portland. The whole "toasted yet softly chewy bun piled high with proper pulled pork NOT smothered in sauce becaues it's BBQ done the correct way" thing really blows my skirt up. Yannow? Their biscuit are fluffy and buttery. The owner competes nearly every weekend in BBQ stints all over the West Coast and greater U.S. There's lots of really, really tasty food coming out of this place. However, I prefer to eat on the bar side of the restaurant, which is technically a Mexican bar seperate from Slabtown but owned by the same guy. (see also: Acapulco's Gold) No kids on this side, and that suits me juuuuuuuuuuuust fine.
(5)Jeremy J.
In my experience, the BBQ was good but it didn't blow my socks off. The restaurant is plain...basically a trophy room. It was empty both when we arrived and by the time we left, not a great sign but I don't mind too much. They are very open on their menu about running out of items due to taking time and care prepping their meats the right way and not rushing it etc...ok, but why were there no collard greens? Tisk Tisk. I also struggle a little bit with the fact that their meats are smoked elsewhere (at their other location) and trucked in...I want my food made on site! In the end things were pretty good for the most part. We tried each of the trhee sauces and all were good...The better half liked the Kansas City sauce the best since it was the sweetest. I liked the smokier Texas style sauce. The ribs were fall of the bone tender and delicious. The brisket, however, seemed thin and dry. The flavor in the pink areas was delicious but overall definitely could have been better. We also had the pulled pork sandwich. The pork was great but I wanted just a tad juicier. For sides we had the beans, biscuits, and mac n cheese. All were phenomenal. I might kill a man for another biscuit that dense and delicious, especially if it came with their honey butter. Portions were good and very reasonably priced...$25 was enough for two entrees and enough left over for my lunch the next day. Not a place I'll avoid, but I'm not itching for a return trip. It's A-OK
(3)Big D.
CALL BEFORE YOU GO to make sure they are open. I drove 45 minutes to get there and they were closed on a Monday at 4:30. No mention of the closing on their website. Very unprofessional
(1)Cally K.
On our weekly date night, my fiancé and I decided to drop in at Slabtown to indulge our BBQ craving. We ordered the brisket, ribs, and a pulled pork sandwich with Mac n cheese, beans, and biscuits as our sides. Unfortunately they were out of the collared greens, which was a little disappointing, especially since we arrived at the restaurant at around 4:30. My favorite dish was the pulled pork sandwich. They've got this one down! The sides were also really yummy. I especially liked the honey butter that comes with the biscuits. However, the brisket was a little dry and the ribs were just alright in my opinion. The service was great, but we were the only customers so I'm not sure what it would have been like if there were more people.
(3)R.A. P.
You want a BBQ chicken? Slabtown serves you a breast piece that is big enough to have come from the Mother Of All Chickens! Given the sheer size of just this one piece of meat, I was surprised to see how well it was cooked through, leaving nothing raw yet maintaining the full moisture of the breast, which is an easy meat to dry out. There is no special smoky flavor or marinated taste but it is a fine piece to stuff your gut with, especially with the Carolina BBQ sauce I used as a dipping sauce. As for this particular sauce, it is based on mustard so if you like mustard flavor and enjoy having it richened with a combination of vinegar and sugar to make for a full bodied taste, you will love this sauce. Sides are okay, nothing special enough to rave about but not deserving of any slams either. You won't need much for sides anyways since the main course of meat is so huge! Bring your carnivorous instincts to Slabtown and they will be sated...guaranteed! Other things you will be guaranteed are messy hands that need washing and very friendly personable service. If these people served nothing but plain white rice, I would eat it with a smile because they are so pleasant! It was a joy to eat here in all ways.
(5)Heidi H.
Terrible.... We drove an hour to get there based on reviews and it wasn't worth the gas. After seating us, They asked us to move to a completely different restaurant because a big party was coming in a half hour. Mind you the only people besides us were another couple. The food and service was terrible!.... Our food was Luke warm... Obviously microwaved and we saw a server at the Mexican restaurant we were eating in twice... Though they made it a point to let us know they were making an exception to "let" us eat in there. Seriously terrible food... The Fries were the only thing edible', which obviously came from a freezer bag. We Went to outback afterwards for a real bbq experience that doesn't involve rubbery fatty ribs and jerk owners who obviously don't know how to treat customers.
(1)Mike S.
The brisket is the best in town. Sorry for the rest of the Portland BBQ joints but Slabtown takes it here. Real smoker running off of wood. They are open weekdays only because they are killing it at BBQ competitions and catering on the weekends. I have only had the brisket because if they can do that right it is assumed the rest is easy. I only wish they were open weekends as the location is not easy for me to get to during the week. Great service and great BBQ.
(5)Vickei H.
How do you do a half a star, cuz this wasn't 4 full stars. But that's not saying it isn't worth your time. Sauces are good, beans were yummy, brisket good flavor if slightly dry. Service was great!
(4)Chad H.
Great little hole in the wall BBQ in Nw. Better portions and quality then nearby Whiskey Kitchen. Brisket was lean and flavorful, ribs were fall off the bone tender. Parking isn't the best, but, that's par for the course off nw 23rd area.
(5)Neil R.
Best Ribs Ever.... What else could you ask for? Oh yeah great service...they got that too. I
(5)Tim B.
My third review will be short...my God, don't let me ramble. Okay, so I think I found a winner here. Go with the Brisket and Kansas City sauce, it's better than any of the pork sandwiches I've had here. I also got a side of Biscuits which were made fresh and plenty thick. They brought two biscuits as my side which seemed like overkill, when I asked why the waitress said something like "Because we give you so much meat a lot of people use them to make another little sandwich." I didn't find my sandwich overflowing with meat and as barbecue goes the sandwich was pretty reserved. I still want another side. Can I get one biscuit and one side? Is that offered? Good sandwich this time, still not up to par to the best 'cue, but the Brisket/Kansas City is a commendable combo.
(4)Jeff V.
I have visited this place a few times now and it is a pretty good bbq place for the price and location. When I'm on lunch it's an easy pop in and eat then back to the office type place. The place is pretty small and very basic. Their food is available at the bar next door after 2pm but I haven't visited the bar. Not sure if I really will since I'm usually in the neighborhood 730-5 Staff is friendly and gets you your grub!
(4)Cindy I.
Was excited to try this place. Ended up a little disappointed. It was really too smokey and we don't mind some smoke. It stays with you all day! Way too much for us, but this is a personal taste thing. Not sure why everyone was raving about the biscuits. The are not light and flakey. They were unremarkable to us. Service was great, very friendly.
(3)Jesy B.
I shouldn't read reviews of places before I myself try or review them. If *I* had a smudge of my Coach purse because of a slight mistake, I would expect a place to replace my overpriced garbage purse immediately. And also not expect me to pay any portion of my meal as well. /sarcasm I first tried Slabtown at the Rose Festival BBQ event. And I was INLOVE. So when a Groupon came skulking around I was on that like white on rice. Note: They have odd hours. They are clear about this on their website. Their focus is on their competitions, not the restaurant & I appreciate the honesty from this place. We're lucky to get a chance to try it. So check the site before you complain about being open or not. I got my fav - pulled pork sammy. Flavorful, tender and a fork helps with eating too. It is not overwhelmed with BBQ sauce, it's pretty much the fantastic balance. I got the mac & cheese as my side - it's not amazing but it's tasty anyhow. I would 110% recommend the biscuits - just for the honey butter alone. That was...amazing. Service was great, polite & prompt. Truly genuine where you could tell if they cared or not - and they did care for us. I will be back & back again.
(5)Falon M.
Used a groupon and went on a Thursday night. Fast service, friendly staff and delicious bbq! The brisket was tender and the sauces were tasty. Got slaw and mac and cheese on the side and both were very good. Hubs got the potato salad and enjoyed that. The ribs were fall off the bone yummy! Definitely going back!
(5)John B.
Overpriced and very poor service. Mac and cheese couldn't have been more bland. Ribs were dry and sauces very unimaginative. Definitely won't ever come back.
(1)david h.
Wish they were open on weekends. As good as any BBQ in Portland IMO. Put fresh whip on that pie please!
(5)John F.
Wife and I tried this joint for dinner and really enjoyed ourselves. The hours are a bit odd, but I can live without the weekend service. Apparently it allows them to compete in BBQ competitions, which I can't complain about as I've had their food at Bones and Brew. The food was tasty and we'll definitely return. The brisket was smokey and tender, and the collards were to die for with the bits of bacon and big flavor they brought to the table. I also have to plug the cole slaw, which was a crunchy and vinegar based slaw, not your usual creamy blandness. We finished it off with a slice of what else, pecan pie. MMMMMM Finally, the service was top attentive, prompt, and friendly. Just doesn't get better.
(4)Misty S.
My favorite was the pulled pork sandwich! I had the combo plate but I will be back for the pulled pork. It's absolutely amazing when you put your coleslaw on the pulled pork sandwich. If you haven't eaten it like that, you haven't eaten. I was honestly impressed with the slaw. It was fresh, crisp, and light. Not weighed down and wilted. Excellent. I also had the biscuits as one of my other sides. The biscuits were ok but the butter is what makes them good. I think they put honey in it so it's like a little dessert... For me anyway. As for the BBQ as a whole, I found it very very smokey. I tasted smoke all day long. It was almost like I took a swig of liquid smoke... ick. My favorite sauces were the Kansas City Classic and Texas Hot. The North Carolina was a sweet mustard type sauce which would be good for the sausage but I wouldn't want it all over my ribs or sandwich. The sausage was tasty. The ribs were tender and I thought they were pretty good. The brisket was probably my least favorite. It was a little dry. I needed more sauce but I didn't care to ask for more. Summary: Get the pulled pork sandwich with slaw! Good ribs. Good sausage. Brisket, meh. Helpful hint: They make a certain amount of meat each day. They run out of meat as the day goes on so go early or call ahead to make sure they have what you want.
(3)Hans N.
We ordered their Excellent pulled pork Sliders. Great selection of ribs & Bbq meat. Their service is also good.
(4)Matt L.
I miss the good old days - and by that I mean the Green Room, which was our go-to favorite for bbq a few years ago. Then it closed, rather tragically - and now we have a new favorite: Slabtown. The name threw me a bit, since I'm not a huge fan of the other Slabtown (though I know it has its proponents) but all it took was one trip to get me past my name hangup. Three huge ribs, juicy and delicious, with some sort of mustard sauce which was perfect, and macaroni+cheese that won't win any gourmet awards because it's legit cheese and pasta, salty and guilt-inducing - this food isn't good for you, it's just good. Continued pilgrimage in upcoming weeks is expected, (which I'll justify by telling everyone I need to try the other sauce varieties, not that we need justification to eat good food.)
(4)Reney O.
Good gosh this IS the best BBQ I have ever had!!! It's tender, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone juicy GOODNESS!!! My bf and I had the combo platter of brisket, ribs, pulled pork sliders, biscuits, and sausage with a side of mac n cheese and collared greens. Every last bite was orgasmic. Think Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi" episode: your knees will buckle and you're gonna have to sit down. THAT GOOD. I highly highly highly recommend it. If you don't try, I'm totally fine with that. More for me :)
(5)Chezz C.
Stopped in for a pulled-pork sandwich. The server recommended the Carolina mustard sauce but I opted for the Texas hot since I'm a hot-pepper lover. Enjoyed it immensely. Not extremely spicy. Excellent, moist meat. Good sides (coleslaw on the sandwich and greens on the side).
(4)Leroy P.
Best BBQ, I have had. This bbq place is simply amazing. Since its opened up about a year and a half ago, I have always wanted to try it. And just the other day I was able to. :-). Not only is the food amazing best ribs I have had for like ever. The staff/ owner is great/friendly. Only downside is they don't have coors light on draft. :-(. But a bottle is well enough. Also the owner has won so many awards and post them in the place.
(5)Brandon A.
Ordered the special and was floored by the smoky BBQ sauce that came with my bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. Nice lunch meal that wasn't too big and this place is certainly not pretentious. If you have a twisted sense of humor, make sure that you sit in the bar (which allows you to order BBQ or mexican food from the attached mexican restaurant) and check out the stickers on the refrigerator. My personal favorite is "Seriously, Don't F*** My Mom". Have fun and don't wear a white shirt.
(4)adam s.
Best Bbq in Portland. The owner knows his stuff. A true professional. It's not really a "restaurant" so much as it is a Bbq "joint". They do one thing and they do it right. That's part of the appeal. Do what you do well. Ribs were perfect. People throw around the phrase "fall off the bone", but if you pick it up vertically, the meat literally slides clean off. Very tender for spare ribs.
(5)Kenny P.
The Kansas City sauce is amazing! I love this place. So much food, its hard to eat it all in one sitting at lunch. Only con is that the place is small and tables are crammed together.
(4)Spencer H.
NOTE: The star rating reflects both the food and the poor service. Had the service been good or average, the food alone is worthy of 3 stars. It's decent, but there's better BBQ out there in Portland. My wife and I went to Slabtown on Monday, 8/1/11 after purchasing a Groupon a short while back. She being from Memphis, and me having had Memphis BBQ during a visit with her extended family, we have pretty high standards for BBQ, but we were excited to see how it panned out. We ordered the pulled pork sandwich, a half rack of the St. Louis style ribs with the Texas Hot sauce, and sides of collard greens, baked beans, and biscuits, and we split everything. Both the pulled pork and the ribs were served with only a light amount of BBQ sauce, but the back of the menu acknowledges this and notes that it's a culinary decision so as to not mask the flavor of the meat. On that note, the flavor of the meat was pretty good. It wasn't mind blowing, I've had better, but it was pretty good. I thought the sauce was very good--it had a good amount of heat and wasn't too sweet. The collard greens were very good, the baked beans were pretty good, but I thought the biscuits came up a bit short. The consistency was kind of gluey, like you would find at KFC. Although, the biscuits came with delicious, super-soft honey-butter that certainly helped. Here's where the problem was: As the server was clearing our plates, the small paper container which held the honey-butter on the small biscuit plate dropped and landed on my wife's black Coach purse. It didn't splatter everywhere, but the butter oozed out a little onto the outside and just on the inside lining of the bag. The waitress used some nearby napkins dabbed in water to try to get it off, but that proved unsuccessful. She then came back with a bar towel, but my wife smelled that it was soaked in bleach and the server had to get another one with water and hand soap. Before getting another bar towel, she served food to other customers, which seemed unnecessary because it was not busy and there was another waitress on this slow night. The second bar towel also proved unsuccessful and I told the waitress that we would see how it dried and if it stained, I would be back tomorrow to "work something out." Shortly thereafter, my wife overheard the server say to the cook "She's mistaken if she comes back tomorrow expecting me to buy her a new $400 purse." Not once did either of us raise our voices, act unreasonably or rude, or even mention the cost of the purse. After not offering to waive the $2.50 balance (the Groupon was for $20 and the total bill was $22.50), I even tipped 15% in cash for good karma. In short, we were very disappointed that an apology was never offered nor did she even seem apologetic. ALSO: The hours are really weird. They're closed on the weekends and they close at 8pm. What kind of dinner place closes at 8pm and is closed on the weekends? REALLY weird.
(1)Francis C.
I've almost never given anything in Portland more than 3 stars, but these guys earn their 4 stars (I've only given 5 stars to one place - ever). This is a little out of the way place which means it isn't overrun with hipsters or douchebags. Their ribs are the best I've had in Portland and beat all the cr*p ribs places I've tried in NoPo hands down. I'm sorry - as a midwest transplant - most of the rib places in Portland are just terrible. But this place bucks the trend without costing a fortune or being to cool for school. We sat and chatted with the owner who was a real genuine guy that has a number of BBQ trophies to his name that I honestly think he earned. The place is no-nonsense and very comfortable. No stupid hard wooden Pearl-esk benches or hip crap. Just normal tables and good service. I hope he does well - because it's on the top of my list of BBQ places in Portland. Highly recommend
(4)Jayson F.
Great pulled pork sandwich for $7.50. You can smell the BBQ from blocks away (it is the same guy who BBQs at Crackerjacks), and the store is decorated with ribbons and trophies from all of their cook off competitions. This has to be one of the best places in town to get some BBQ. Don't expect much for atmosphere. Great BBQ but otherwise nothing that notable.
(4)Tyson V.
Best ribs in town! The owners and staff were extremely helpful, honest and friendly. I tried the BBQ sampler during our last visit and everything was top notch - sauces included! I highly recommend giving this place a shot.
(5)Evan D.
I came here looking for great ribs, I left happy! For two of us we shared a half rack of pork ribs and a combo plate that featured brisket, sausage, a chicken slider and more ribs. As sided we selected macaroni and cheese, collard greens and two biscuits. We were alone when we entered and the food came very quickly. The ribs were outstanding, fall off the bone soft and very smoky in flavor. The slider, brisket and sausage were good but not especially memorable. The collard greens were some of the best I have had, comparable to Screen Door as some of the best in town! The biscuits were warm and flaky, and served with a heavenly sweet(honey?) butter. I wasn't a big fan of the macaroni, but my macaroni loving fiancé enjoyed it. I would mention Slabtown alongside Russell Street BBQ or Podnah's Pit as a great place in Portland to find ribs.
(4)John L.
Some of the best BBQ in Portland. Highly recommend. It doesn't hurt that it's right across the street from my office.
(4)brett c.
We went to this place at 7pm on a Friday night AND THEY WERE OUT OF RIBS!!!! What a joke.
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