Finally had a chance to give this place a try after driving by it forever and saying that we need to stop here. We purchased the family pack which has a rack of babybacks, 1lb of pulled, 1lb of wings, and two sides. Overall, the food was very good. While the ribs could have been smoked a bit longer to tender up just a bit more, they were on point. The sauce was very good. We had the pulled chicken instead of pork which had great flavor. The wings do have kick even though they are called mild but were very meaty and really good. The Mac n cheese was good. One thing, it is not cheap. It is a place we might visit again to try other things on the menu.
(4)
Schuyler L.
This is hands-down the best barbecue in southeast Pennsylvania. They do it right and it shows. The sauces are great. There's different varieties of sauce to choose from. The ribs fall off the bone faster than any I've ever seen. Order slaw, which is perfectly sweetened; sweet tea, free refills and sweetened by yourself via the simple syrup on the table; cornbread, delicious and moist; and a full rack of ribs, I like the biggest ones! Sit and order from a waitress, bathrooms are very very clean, plenty of parking, great for children, accepts visa, no tv, quick service, take out available, and very casual! Can't wait to go back, this place is worth any trek you're debating and is easily worth the price!
(5)
Matt A.
I've been a regular patron for a couple years now. Smoked cajun wings are hands down some of the best, I've had anywhere! I normally go for lunch, the pulled pork, chopped brisket, meatloaf, and crabcake sandwiches are all awesome. Potato casserole side and their chili make great sides. Been for dinner a couple times and the ribs are pretty good too. Everyone who like bbq in the area should check this place out!
(5)
john k.
Went there for Fathers Fay 2015 mid afternoonish. Ordered a bunch of food with family and guests. The baby back ribs were not true baby back ribs but the larger type which I do not prefer or ordered. The ribs were tough, fatty and only luke warm. I sent it back only to be reheated somewhat but still coldish. We would have ordered more, but decided we had enough... We ordered large French fries for the table. But what appears was that we got a small order instead, not many fries at all. Perhaps a mix-up in the kitchen. But they were good. The chicken wings, pork and brisket were ok...not great It appears the food in this joint is precooked/smoked, then refrigerated, warmed over and severed. In a more of a take it or leave it fashion. If that's the way you like your barbq...then this may be the place for you. Overall, I was there before and it was good, but it may have gone down hill from 6 months ago. I was disappointed this last time. So I plan not to return...sorry.
(2)
Melanie T.
We have passed this restaurant many times and my husband loves BBQ so we decided to do take out as the dining area is very small. Being a family of five we decided to get the family package. This consisted of a rack of ribs, 1 lb of pulled chicken, 1lb of wings and two lg sides, (Mac and cheese and seasoned fries). The wings were good and spicy, the fries were seasoned but rather slim to be considered large. The children said the Mac and cheese was good. My husband and children enjoyed the ribs. Our middle child really enjoyed the sauce. They all agreed that the ribs had good flavor and were tender. It would have been nice to see more than one choice of a vegetable on the menu. I understand that a variety of sauces are available. It would have been nice if a sample or two would have been included in our package. While the food was tasty I didn't feel that there was a great deal of value compared to other BBQ places we we've visited.
(3)
Steven W.
They have the great combination of good food and service. All food is prepared when you order it so your patience will be rewarded with a great meal. The owners are out with guests and very open and friendly. They also produce their own brand of Bbq sauces. Must go for any fan of BBQ.
(5)
texas w.
I don't want to get ahead of myself, because I haven't had any of the sides here, but the meat is cooked perfectly. These people clearly know what they're doing. The front of house staff is friendly and engaging. Phils is good, but the bigger context of it's goodness involves the unfortunate tragedy that is WIBS. WIBS is closer to me, but there's no comparison. I like the folks over there, but c'mon man... So if you want the best BBQ in C-ville and the surrounding are, go to Phamous Phils...Phor Phreal. Oh yeah, tell 'em big Texas sent you.have the BEST mac and cheese that UPDATE: Wow! the sides are really heroes of the meal the mac and cheese is out of this world. The sweet potato fries may be the best I've had.
(4)
Robert M.
Stop in on Saturday morning for a fast lunch. It was really good food for the price. I'll have to come back to try there ribs
(4)
Catherine Z.
I wasn't particularly in the mood for BBQ this night, but when we pulled into Phamous Phil's parking lot and saw the massive smoker outside I gave my boyfriend a high-five and was ready to eat. Walking into the establishment... well, it's nothing to write home about. It's a converted house and the front room is tiny and full of outdated faux wood benches. We kept walking, however, back to the "dining room"... which was 4 tables in an even smaller room. Luckily we were the only people in that room and, without a crowd, it was actually pretty cute. I felt like I was eating in someone's country kitchen with the plaid curtains and drinks served in mason jars. Onto the food: I ordered the brisket but made the mistake of ordering it sliced. It had the consistency of lunch meat and zero flavor. I don't often do this but I had to send it back. The waitress (who was SUPER friendly in that down home Southern way) suggested I go for the pulled brisket instead, which was supposed to be moist with a lot more flavor. I agreed... and I'm glad I did. She didn't lie! It was absolutely succulent and flavored with the perfect amount of smokiness. I'm typically the type of person who piles on the BBQ sauce but that wasn't even necessary. For my sides I opted to go with the potato casserole and mac n cheese. Both were under salted and ultimately nothing special. Now... here is where my 3 star review turns into 4 stars: My boyfriend's full rack of ribs. Firstly - it's HUGE. I've never seen a rack of ribs that big before in a restaurant setting. Secondly and most importantly - They were the most delicious ribs my boyfriend and I have EVER eaten. The smokiness was just out of this world - no doubt that smoker outside was being put to good use. The ribs were sooo flavorful; again, no real need for sauce, which is just crazy to me! Good thing the order was so big because I kept stealing ribs off his plate. I could not get enough. As I mentioned before, our waitress was as sweet as can be and was on point the entire meal. Phil himself came out to introduce himself and chatted with us for a bit, which was nice. The price was typical of a BBQ joint - too much to go there once a week but not 4 star prices, either. We will definitely go back to Phil's for those ribs. Since my boyfriend is from the South we are constantly in search for comparable BBQ in this area and I think we've finally found it.
(4)
Brenda H.
They have fantastic baby back ribs but they run out quickly. Their bbq is above average I would say but I'm not an expert. Don't waste your time on the meatloaf - it's a bit strange. Same on the sweet potato fries as the flavor and volume do not justify the high price. Go instead for the fried pickles. We have eaten in a couple of times with great experiences. But our take out wasn't as successful. Our bb ribs looked suspiciously like st.louis ribs - fatty and tough. It wasn't worth calling about it and waiting for the replacement. So was a disappointing experience.
(4)
Nina J.
How could it be possible that I drove by this place hundreds of times and never stopped by? But I'm sure glad that I finally did! When we first walked in I really wasn't sure if I wanted to stay. The cafeteria-style tables were not what the "nice dinner I had pictured in my head. But then we were led and seated at the "restaurant" area, which was very cute little room with 5tables. It felt like a country family dining room, which I did like a lot. Being first time visitors on a holiday and not knowing it was BYOB, they offered complimentary red table wine and Yuengling Lager. They also told us they sell 6-packs from the bar right next door. Now the food we ordered: BBQ Shrimp (Appetizer) - 3 stars. Ok that was not their fault. "You don't order a crab cake at a BBQ place." (Quoted Phil) It was on specials that night and I just wanted to try it for the heck of it. Even though it wasn't the best thing I had, it did not hurt the experience. Wings - 5 stars. We got them with Inphamous BBQ Sauce. The waitress will tell you the entire process of making the wings. You can definitely taste the smokiness and it goes perfectly with the sauce. The balance of juiciness and crunchiness make them different from anyone/anywhere else. I was in Wing heaven! Phamous Phil's Spare Ribs -- 5 stars. Again, juicy, flavorful, tender, everything about these ribs were just right. They were amazing! I wish I could eat more than the 1/2 rack I ordered, but I wanted to try multiple items. Chopped brisket - 4 stars. The meat had good texture, and sauce had good flavor. I'm only giving it a 4-star because to me other items were just amazing. This one is still good. In addition to our friendly waitress, Phil and Robin came out and told stories about being a BBQ judge, the restaurant, the customers, even the online reviews and reviewers. They really made our dinner a better experience! So needless to say I will return for more. I can't wait to try the sweet potato fries next time, and will definitely bring some good craft beer with me!
(5)
Clarisse B.
YUM!! This is not the prettiest place but don't let that fool you. The food is delicious and everyone who works there is so friendly and easygoing. I had a 1/4lb of pit beef, mac n cheese and a homemade corn muffin (with cinnamon sugar butter). The beef was very very tasty! Highly recommend. My husband had a pulled pork sandwich, fries and baked beans. All equally delicious. Luckily we had room for dessert (well, made room) and tried their homemade Bread Pudding. I am now ruined because I will be dreaming about this bread pudding - it was that good!!! Luckily I only live 10 minutes away. I think I may need to become Phil's BFF to get the recipe! Go eat at this restaurant often - you won't be disappointed!
(5)
James S.
Really solid bbq joint right in Collegeville. Drove bye here once or twice before seeing it on Food Network. I'm glad they decided to keep it as a bbq restaurant, because this place is really good. We had an absolute feast for a very small amount of money and enjoyed every bit of it. High points: -homemade ice tea and lemonade -orange butter for the corn bread -baked beans -mac n' cheese -beef brisket -western pit beef Low point: -they were out of the St. Louis style ribs for the evening My absolute favorite part were the wings. Delicious smokey flavor, falling off the bone and juicy. Medium heat was a good choice. I highly recommend them. Great experience. Awesome bbq. Really good service. Phil himself was present, greeting the guests and all. The whole experience had that homey feel. Looking forward to going back!
(4)
Erin Z.
Our first experience with Phamous Phil's was a catering order for my daughters' birthday party. I was really impressed with Phil's dedication to customer service. I have never been to his restaurant and wasn't eve sure what to order. Phil walked me through the whole process and checked in with me 3-4 times the days leading up to the party. I also offered to pick up the order but he insisted he would drop it off because he wanted to make sure he got it as close to when we were about to eat. At my house Phil showed me how to keep it warm and set it up with the catering trays and flame from below. As far as the food review - WOW! It was exceptional, full of flavor. We bought a tray of brisket, a tray of pork, 2 trays of wings - one mild and one medium and a bunch of slider rolls. My guests were all very impressed and described the food as outstanding. Also we're all originally from Buffalo, NY and kind of consider ourselves having pretty high standards with respect to chicken wings... well Phil's wings did not disappoint! They were smoked for two hours and just delicious. We have a graduation party we are going to today and bringing the pork and rolls with us because we have plenty of leftovers since the portions were generous. (my husband isn't parting with the brisket lol) Will certainly do business with Phil again! - Erin
(5)
Vishal D.
Ok food but too expensive for what you get. For a simple sandwich, side, and lemonade, you are looking at a $17 lunch all in which is crazy for bbq. Ribs are ok and brisket is good. They could do more specials and it would be worth it. Sauces are ok.
(2)
Q O.
A great bbq joint. Tried with the family and friends. Ribs were great. Great rub, tender, flavorful, and their own bbq sauce was great. Sweet potato fries were great. Pulled porks and wings were solid. Their cut briskets were a bit dried. They recommended shredded briskets next time. Will be back soon.
(4)
Ken M.
I have driven by this place a million times and finally decided today to give it a shot for dinner. I was in the mood for a pulled pork sandwich and was hoping for the best. I've had many from several other establishments in the area without getting a really good one yet. Without going into a lot of detail, I'll just say that I wasn't very impressed. I was expecting a "great" BBQ sandwich as described in a sign on the wall. However, what I got was mediocre at best. Something I can get anywhere. Again, good.. but certainly nothing great. I expected much better from a place that specializes in BBQ. I'll be back again as it's entirely possible I hit an off night.
(3)
Craig F.
I'm writing this to Phil more than the causal diner since I know you can do better... It must have been an off night.....since it wasn't what I expected. French Fries were awesome and the Baby back ribs were also very good...little on the dry side but great color, good flavor and came off the bone nicely. Baked beans, were also good....Here comes the however...Pulled Pork was "pub-grub" at best. It was a bit greasy and lacked any smoked / bbq flavor. Most disappointing was the cubed Brisket. There wasn't a cube in it and it was basically 2 serving spoons of leftover shredded meat in a serving dish. It was far from cubed brisket. Phil, I know you can do better and the rave reviews support that. I'll come back in a month or so and try it again.
(2)
Mike M.
The food at Phamous Phils is good. I've had better BBQ in my life, but not in Collegeville. Phil's meat stacks up pretty well among BBQ joints in the Philly 'burbs. The meat is nicely smoked, and the sauces are delicious. They give you three different BBQ sauces, and each of them is equally delicious. I'm a big fan of pulled pork, but I highly recommend their brisket. The sides range from decent to awesome. The sweet potato fries fall on the latter end of the spectrum... The glaze on them is fantastic. Oh, and their iced tea is somehow a lot better than other fresh brewed iced tea. It's not flavored or anything, it's just really smooth... and they serve it with simple syrup which is a good call on their part, since it allows you to sweeten as you wish without the frustration of seeing that watched sugar never dissolves. The environment is divey, approaching ramshackle... But, that's part of the place's charm. It's decorated with beat up license plates, bits of antique Americana, and maps where people can mark where they're from. That decor, in a slightly dilapidated roadside house, with creaky, slanted floors, is pretty much exactly what you want from a BBQ joint. The service, on the other hand, doesn't add as much charm as it should. It's not all bad... the waitresses I've had there have been pleasant enough, and one was very good, and the food comes out at an acceptable speed. But, one time, after they told us that they didn't take reservations, we arrived with our party of three and were told that we couldn't have the perfectly set table right in front of us because it was reserved. When we asked for clarification about the reservation policy, they told us that they don't take reservations, but DO take "call aheads." I don't know why they didn't clarify this policy (which I still don't entirely understand) when we called, but OK. Whatever, guys. I could deal with that, but then, when we (naturally) asked them to set up another of their several empty tables to accommodate three people, you would have thought we were demanding someone's kidney. After their gasps and eye rolls, apparently over our audacity to ask for a full three chairs, we had the pleasure of hearing a whole spiel about what a hardship seating three people was. The service after that was fine, but their initial attitude cast a negative vibe over the whole meal. I've been back since, and without that kind of problem. The owners might consider being a little bit more mindful of customers' experience, though. If you can get past the fact that Phil and his wife can be a bit prickly, you'll find that they're good people, with a good staff, serving good food. (Plus, there's something to be said for a restaurant where you can count on talking to the owner). So, I expect to be back... and perhaps they'll earn a follow up review with an extra star.
(3)
Gary M.
I've been to Phamous Phil's twice now and have enjoyed both experiences. The ribs, both baby back and spare, are very good with good smoke flavor and nicely glazed sauce. The sauce, used for all the meats, is more of a KC style, sweet, tomato based sauce. I prefer a Carolina vinegar based sauce, but can appreciate other styles of sauce and Phil's is pretty good. The brisket is sliced a bit on the thin side, which I'm not a huge fan of, but has good taste and tenderness. I think the au jus they serve it in aids with this. I was a bit disappointed with the pulled pork. The serving I received was a bit mushy and did not have much smoke flavor or tasty bark. I was kind of bummed about that. The sides I've had we're all good. Overall I think Phil's is the best BBQ offering in the area. I'll definitely be returning!
(4)
S P.
We've had the ribs and the chopped brisket sandwich. The ribs were amazing the brisket good but not as good as the ribs. Coleslaw is classic and not too sweet and the beans are smokey delicious. The inside is old store kitch but the food is what you come for. I highly recommend Phils. We're back for a second trip and I write this from the parking lot !
(4)
Nmandjz N.
We love BBQ and smoked foods. This place was overall just ok. I came here with higher expectations, but wasn't excited by the end of my meal. We got a full rack of baby backs and a 1/2lb of brisket. The brisket seriously lacked flavor. I could not even taste any smoke in it! I don't think we will order it again. The baby backs had nice bark and came off the bone easily. The flavor was okay as well, but tended to be on the dry side. My biggest complaint would have to be the prices!! I feel you get way too small of a portion for the amount you pay!! We paid about $37 for a full baby back rack and a 1/2lb of mediocre brisket!! Overall, just an ok place for some true BBQ food!!
(3)
Matt M.
Saved this as my 100thh review. What a great find and what Yelp! is all about. This is the type of place that used to be only known by the locals but because of Yelp we can all know. So here goes....Ribs great smoke, fall off the bone good. Brisket....chopped is moist and wonderful. All the sauces are fantastic. Sides are all delectable. You should not miss this place. Well there it is....NUMBER 100
(5)
BostonBestEats X.
OK, I have to eat crow... I drive by Phamous Phil's BBQ regularly, and actually got takeout 5 or 6 times a couple of years ago. But I stopped going because I wasn't very excited about their BBQ. But thanks to their recent appearance on Rocco DiSpirito's show "Restaurant Divided" on FOOD, I decided to give them another chance. I don't know if it was because I previously had only tried takeout, ordered the wrong things, or if in fact Rocco's TV magic really has changed things, but this time I LOVED everything we ate. It certainly does seems like the TV coverage may have given them a good bump in business (slow business was what promoted the TV appearance), since we got the last two parking spaces, and the restaurant was almost full (both the remodeled front room and the back room). I can't say the remodel is particularly inspired one way or another. There is now communal seating in front, but it still looks like what it is: a hole-in-the-wall local BBQ joint with a bunch of Jack Daniel's crap on the walls. How Robin ever thought they could do a steakhouse here, I don't know. But for BBQ, it has a fine vibe, and the picnic table seating fits right in. More importantly, the food just seems kicked up a notch or three. We share a 1/2 rack of baby back ribs, which had a good crust, were juicy and not too fatty, cooked medium well (so not quite falling off the bone), and finished with a not to heavy sweetish glaze. Very good ribs. I don't know why I didn't appreciate them before. This was accompanied by some excellent sweet potato fries, crispy and lightly doused with some "Jack Daniel's Honey Glaze". We also tried a side of coleslaw, which was decent, but I'd probably go for the baked beans next time. However, the dish of the night was their amazing smoked wings. Most places don't do smoke wings, for the obvious reason that they dry out pretty quick. But that isn't a problem at PP's, as these were juicy but crunchy, with a very strong smoke flavor (they are smoked and then deep fried). And covered in a judicious amount of your choice of Phil's proprietary sauces. We tried "hot", which was nicely spicy but not pain-inducing by any means. All I can say is that thanks to that balance of smokey/juicy/spicy, these were KILLER wings, some of the best I've ever had! Finally, the "Phamous" sauces, which he also sells by the bottle. According to the TV show, Phil entered all of his sauces in the KC BBQ championship last year, and they all finished in the top 24 out of 1200 sauces entered. We didn't really feel the need to put any of the provided sauces (3 squirt bottles were on our table) on our food, but we did taste each one. I thought the "Inphamous" and "Jacked Up" sauces were a bit too sweet for my palate, but the "Zesty Carolina Honey Mustard" was outstanding, with a pronounced pickle juice flavor (some may not like that much pickle). Decent lemonade, and unsweetened iced tea with syrup so you can sweeten it however you like. I'm sure you can BYOB some beer if you like. Service was attentive, although a bit slow (it was crowded), and Phil & Robin were active in the dining room (Phil told a funny story about how Robin actually slapped Rocco on the face, but that scene was cut from the show!). The menu is still too big and unfocussed (cheesesteaks???), as Rocco said, but at least for the items we ordered they pulled it off. I don't know why I didn't appreciate Phil's BBQ before (maybe I was distracted by Smoke Daddy's closer to home), but I will definitely be a regular now that I know what to order...WINGS!!! UPDATE: I did get some takeout wings and sweet potato fries on another visit. The fries don't travel very well, but that is to be expected. However, I wasn't quite as impressed with the wings the second time around. They weren't as wet with BBQ sauce and lacked the crispiness I remember from my prior experience, but then again, travel time may account for this. So takeout wings are decent, but you probably need to dine in to get the KILLER WING EXPERIENCE.
(4)
Stephen L.
Out first 3 visits were great. The ribs were tender and full of flavor. Our last 2 visits were much different. We were served some of the toughest ribs I ever had. I'll give this place one more try before I write it off for good. Hopefully they can get it together again.
(2)
Mike L.
I've eaten here 3 times over the past 2 years and the food is ok at best. I really enjoy bbq and was hoping this place would improve since there are so few bbq places in this area. The prices are outrageous and the portions are very small. The service is terrible and the owner seems to not care about customer satisfaction. Phil you should be ashamed of yourself!!
(1)
Sarah G.
My husband and I have eaten at Phil's several times. The food is good but the customer service is lacking. The owner's wife has an attitude. Recently we went back and asked to split the check 2 ways (there were only 3 of us) and were told that we could not do so and that had always been the rule (even though we have gotten 2 checks there on several occasions). Would go back for the ribs, but the customer service is a huge turn off.
(2)
Pete W.
This place is pretty good. I like the brisket and the barbecue sauce is decent. Unlike spicy so I wish it was a little spicier. Friendly service and they give you a lot of food. The past couple times they didn't have chili or wings so I'd sometime like to try those.
(3)
Jenny L.
Jenny's BF here, I dont normally hijack her account, but I had to write a review for this place: One thing that the Philadelphia Area lacks is a really good BBQ joint. I have tried many places in the suburbs and the city itself, and I have to say that between the expensive prices and mediocre food, I was left wanting something better. I was in suburbs of Philly and after seeing Phils featured on the food network show "Restaurant Divided", I decided to give it a shot. I walked in with my Mom at 5 oclock on a Wednesday and this place was empty (which was to be expected because thats a bit early for dinner) and was greeted by one of the owners of the place. She was extremely friendly and proceeded to chat with us about the show on Food network. After some initial recommendations by the owner, we decided on sharing a full rack of baby back ribs, baked beans, mac n cheese, and fried pickle chips, along with fresh unsweetened Iced tea. I am gonna break it down item by item: Ribs: These things were monstrous. Just huge. For 24 dollars for the full rack, it was well worth the price for the amount you got alone. These ribs were caramelized on the top with a sensational sauce/ rub that truly made them to die for. The best part was that these ribs weren't too sweet, which often plagues many BBQ ribs. If you get these, you wont leave hungry. I honestly have no idea how someone could finish an entire rack. FYI: it also comes with a small piece of corn bread which was very tasty. Side (Beans, Mac N Cheese, Fried Pickles): Think of your typical BBQ baked beans and multiple that by 100. The beans were a little sweet with the saltiness of rib tips and bacon to offset the sweet flavors. The Mac N Cheese was a more saucy type of Mac which was a nice change from the normal baked Mac N Cheese that other places serve. It might not be the best I have had, but it was still good. Finally, the fried pickles were probably my least favorite side. It consisted of sliced pickles friend in a thick batter with a spicy sauce on the side. They were good but I definitely had better BBQ Sauces: 3 sauces were on the table to be enjoyed all throughout the meal. A sweet BBQ sauce, a sweet/slightly spicy BBQ sauce, and a Carolina mustard sauce. I was not a fan of the mustard sauce, however the other 2 sauces were wonderful. It really helped to balance any parts of the meat that might not have enough sauce. I especially liked the sweet/spicy sauce (only had a tiny kick) and actually wanted to buy some sauce to take home (but they informed me that they ran out due to the holidays) Service: As I said before, the owner was our waitress and she was very helpful with recommendations and refilling our iced teas. Our food came out in a timely matter and I couldnt have been more pleased with our service Price: The prices do seem expensive initially, with a full rack of ribs coming in at 24 or 26 dollars, however it was easily worth it. With the sides (3 dollars each) and the ribs, my mother and I each took home half our ribs (and I am a pretty big guy, so I can eat alot of food). The prices were fully justified in my opinion and within reason for the amount of food I got. Conclusion: Overall, this was a fantastic BBQ place. The Ribs I got were amazing and perfectly caramelized. The Sides were above average and definitely worth getting. I will be back to try other things, such as the all white meat pull BBQ chicken. This is the BBQ place I have been looking for, especially since Smoke Daddys in Lansdale closed. I just hope business picks up so that they can get out of any financial trouble there were in. PS: If you don't like sitting in community style big picnic tables, request to sit in the back dining room
(5)
Robert B.
Stopped in here after attending a kids party down the street. I'm glad that I did! My buddy and I struck up a conversation with another patron while waiting for our order and he ended up being Phil himself. Down to the nitty gritty. I ordered up a half pound of brisket, a half rack of short ribs and a small potato casserole which totaled around $27. I must say that I really liked the ribs. They come sauced but not overly so. After talking with Phil we found out it's a Jack Daniels based blend and I liked the tanginess of it. You can add additional sauce at the table, varieties include more of their regular, a spicy version and a Carolina mustard based blend. The brisket was OK. It was sliced a little thin and didn't have much if any bark to it but still good enough that I had no problem eating it. Finally the surprise stand out was the potato casserole side. It's basically home made hash browns mixed with cream of mushroom/chicken soup, spices and bread crumbs. It was great and I really enjoyed pouring a little brisket au jus over it for added flavor. Like any BBQ joint, its tough to nail down a review because of wildly varying preferences people have but I give Phil's a solid 4 stars. You can walk in without calling ahead for quick and easy take out or enjoy your meal in their small but inviting dining area.
(4)
Jane S.
used to be a huge fan. they used to have the best brisket, a lot of bark, juicy..., but now not so much. last time I enjoyed it was 2 or 3 years ago. I stopped by since then, but they never had the brisket. This time they did, but were out of the potato casserole. $10 for a half pound, would have been nice if they added a little cup of sauce. It was about 4 pm, they weren't busy. There were 4 waitresses standing around looking at catalogs and it took 15 minutes for them to get me that 1/2 pound of sliced brisket. If only it had been worth the wait. It was just bland, a little dry, even though there was juice in the container. No reason to ever go back. BTW, those other times, they were out, I went to Dickie's in Royersford. The brisket is better, cheaper (about $14 a pound), they're generous with the sauce and there is no drama. You order, they cut and you're out in 5 minutes. Not sure what happened at Phil's, maybe they are rushing the meat out of the smoker, it was definitely wasn't sliced by hand, more like roast beef from a deli with a little liquid smoke.
(2)
Ryan D.
I thought they were great. Portions are average, but delicious with everything we tried. Will definitely be back.
(4)
Melanie K.
I went here for the first time about a month ago. I got their pulled pork sandwich and loved every bite of it. Put some of their homemade BBQ Honey Mustard sauce on, you won't regret it!
(4)
K T.
Love everything here. Theey had a smoked prime rib for valentines day that was awesome. The Wife loves the smoked chicken salad. Kidz like the hot dags and the homemade chicken fingers. I usually get the sliced brisket sandwich which is excellent.
(5)
Joe C.
On Friday it was either a stromboli or ribs and the ribs won out. I ordered the St. Louis style ribs and was aghast at the amount of subcutaneous fat that lied beneath the very tasty cherry-smoked "bark". As is the case with some other local BBQ vendors, I believe Phil skimps on the quality of his meat to focus more on the flavor or, should I say, lack thereof. I found the ribs to be flavorless beyond the bark; a courtesy shake of salt and pepper prior to smoking would enhance the taste, IMO. I really like Phil's sauce but when I asked for extra sauce on the side I was rewarded with a one ounce portion. Thanks for your generosity, Phil. (; As far as sides, if you're interested in sampling arguably the blandest macaroni salad in culinary history, it can be found at Phil's. As it was on my prior visit, the place is an absolute cluster when you walk in. Another guy was picking up to-go also and he was more or less waiting in the bathroom due to the congested quarters. And far be it for Phil to acknowledge you when you amble up to the cash register. Phil me once, shame on them; Phil me twice, shame on me. Cue The Who...won't get Philed again.
(2)
Dane M.
I've been looking for good BBQ in the Philly area for years but have always been disappointed. Nothing has stood up to my favorite restaurants in the South. That was until I walked into Phil's recently. The ribs are just drenched in flavor. They taste like they have been smoked all day long with rich spices and sauce, just like Southern restaurants do it. Every bite is flavorful and you don't need a lot of sauce to taste the BBQ all over the meat, which is how it should be. This kind of BBQ doesn't exist in Yankee territory usually and it was like a diamond in the rough to me. The sides were surprisingly good. The fries were thick and crispy with the right amount of seasoning. The cornbread, while slightly dry, had great flavor. The homemade lemonade was a great drink I wish I could have bottled and taken home with me. Pretty much everything on the plate was to die for and unique for the area. The service was excellent as well, I really can't compliment it enough. One of the great things I miss about Southern restaurants is the overwhelming hospitality and friendliness. Phil's hit the right note here as well with an exceedingly cheerful waitress, owner and other staff. Phil likes to ask everyone how the food is and will replace mistakes or disappointments without hesitation. If you're not a BBQ person, or at least not a Southern BBQ person, you might not "get" Phil's. If you are though I would suggest you head out to his smokehouse without hesitation and dive in. Worth every penny, worth every bite.
(5)
Kevin H.
For the amount of food you get I can't justify giving this place a good rating. From my picture you can see what $15 gets you. It got me about 3 fork-fulls of chopped brisket and two tiny sides. The brisket was only average and since there really aren't any other bbq places around the area I'll have to settle with what they have. The only thing preventing me from giving them 1 star is their mac and cheese. It was pretty decent.
(2)
Nicki P.
The best BBQ! Can't beat their ribs unless you go to OBX. Pork Reuben sandwich is awesome, fries are thick and crunchy. The meat is tender and melts in your mouth. My husband loves the brisket sandwich- had it on 2 separate occasions and was great both times. Baked beans and Mac and cheese are great side dishes to go with your meal. If I had to choose btw Phil's and Zachary's for BBQ, I would definitely choose Phil's even though I live closer to Zachary's.
(5)
Greg L.
Been here once for dinner and most recently for lunch. My wife and I spent a lot of years in Texas, so nothing quite compares to the BBQ we were accustomed to down there. We've tried several local BBQ places in the area, and we still like Phil's the best. I usually get the brisket and topped with Phamous Phils BBQ, it is always quite delicious. I prefer this BBQ sauce over the other ones that are provided. The sides are just OK...nothing special. He uses spiral noodles for the mac-n-cheese versus the traditional elbow macaroni. I found the corn bread to be a bit bland, but I did enjoy the baked beans. When you order sweet tea, it's actually regular tea and then they give you sugar water that you can pour as little or as much as you want to into your tea. I actually like this over the sugar packets! The place is pretty small and it can get quite busy. The inside is by no means fancy, but most BBQ places aren't. Service has always been friendly the few times we have been and on all occasions, Phil himself has come out and asked if everything was OK. One downside is that they require a $25 minimum credit card order, so you may want to bring some cash with you. They do have an ATM and will give you a $2 coupon to offset the ATM charge should you need to use it. While I understand credit card companies can charge quite a bit, it's frustrating nonetheless. Still, when I'm craving some BBQ, this is usually the place I like to go to.
(3)
J. J.
Been here a few times, and I genuinely like the food. But, each item came with minor observations. For example, I always order the wing. Very good and different because they're smoked. They have a slight bark to them, and the sauce is decent with flavor. I typically ask for extra sauce. Now, minor observation: the wings seem to have hair on them. Seeing hair in food is not appetizing. I believe the hair is slight leftover remnants of feather or something. Either way, they were good enough for me to power through despite the semi-disgust. Next, ribs. I like baby backs. Theirs are okay, but somewhat gamey. 3 stars for passion about food. Didn't give 4 or 5 because they need to refine some of the details. I'd recommend this place but would not put my stamp on it.
(3)
Josh L.
This spot is really great. An intimate place where you are most likely to meet Phil himself. I ate the sliced smoked brisket sandwich which was very good. I topped it off with Phil's homemade BBQ sauce which was very good as well and I had to purchase a bottle. As with anything, some will sing its praise and others wont. But every BBQ spot is different and this one is absolutely worth your time and money. I was very satisfied and next time I will try the chicken.
(5)
Chris L.
I'm convinced the people who wrote reviews for 4 or 5 stars are either friends of the owner or have no idea what comprises good BBQ. This place is absolutely terrible. If you choose to eat in, you're stuck dealing with a small parking lot on a very busy street. Inside, the cafeteria decor is aged and uncomfortable. Food: A group of six ordered approximately $80 in food, between meat (beef, chicken, and pork), sides, and appetizers. Consensus: -Pulled pork sandwich: not the best, not the worst, but an extremely small portion wedged between a typical hamburger roll from any grocery store. -Pulled chicken: dry, with very little flavor. Again, if you got a sandwich, it's a tiny portion. -Sliced BBQ brisket: absolutely terrible. Less than 1 millimeter of smoke penetration, while real BBQ-ers wouldn't settle for anything less than approximately 5 millimeters. Devoid of flavor. -Smoked chicken wings: Dry and flavorless. No smoke flavor whatsoever. -Fried pickles: the worst i've ever had, and i've had them all over the country. Cold and soggy, while the batter was soaked with oil. Clearly, their oil had not been changed in probably several days, and they clearly don't understand the importance of maintaining a proper temperature when deep frying. -Baked Beans: Not that bad. Not the best, but worth ordering. Though, given the utter failure of the rest of the menu, i have to imagine these are purchased and not homemade. -Mac and Cheese: Also fairly decent, but i have similar suspicions as to their authenticity. All portion sizes fit inside styrofoam containers that hold approximately a cup of food (assuming they fill the container to the brim, which they don't. Not even close.). Given their variety platter (3 meats, 2 sides) costs $20, you would expect at least double this amount considering most BBQ joints in the south offer twice as much for $15 (+/- a dollar). Even BBQ joints in New York state offer way more food for less money. Pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches are around $8, which is still a poor deal considering you can get a much more flavorful and larger pulled pork sandwich from Champps right down the road for that price. Lastly, if you use a credit card, they tack on a 4% surcharge. First of all, credit cards generally charge the business 1.5%-3% per transaction, so they are making profit off of this surcharge. Second, the idea of charging people money so they can pay their bill is not only archaic, but also considered terrible business practice. So in short: Terrible food, terrible prices, terrible waste of time. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
(1)
Martin M M.
Stopped in with my girlfriend on a Friday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was great and I'm a huge BBQ fan. There's a couple of others in the area that are also good, each one is unique so there's room for all of them... I had the Smoked Prime Rib and my GF had the ribs. Both were great. I wasn't a fan of the Chili but just my taste... I'll be back
(4)
S T.
Good solid BBQ! Half chicken was excellent. Nice and smokey, fall off the bone. Server was excellent. A friendly young girl who knew the menu, could make suggestions, and was very accommodating. Back room is a little claustrophobic but ended up chatting it up with super nice couple so it made the whole evening very down home and comfortable. Bread pudding was excellent!
(4)
Bill S.
Lived here for over 4 years and been meaning to stop here forever! Today I was craving BBQ pork sandwich, so I pulled the trigger. Let me tell you, the experience itself was just OK. The BBQ pork sandwich was good; pork was tender and had a smoky flavor. Beyond that, the experience was just OK. First, the service was not inviting or friendly. My server took my order and brought it out. That's it. Didn't ask if the food was OK, nor did she even bother to ask if I needed a drink refill (I did). Also, the portions, for the price, were very meager. Sandwich was small. The fries? Geez, they gave me about 13 or 14 fries! For 3 bucks extra? Gimme a break. So, if you ask me if the food was good, I'd say yes. But the experience AND the bang-for-the-buck left a lot to be desired. My total check with the "tip" (?) was $15.72. For just me. One person. Mind you, I could have probably stopped at another restaurant on the way home to get some more food and satisfy my appetite. .....and I'm not really a big eater. This will probably be my first and last time going there. I can get a similar quality BBQ and a much bigger portion at several local restaurants. My 3-star rating was merely for the sandwich.
(3)
Percy N.
They are serving breakfast now. Will have to check it out, especially the housemade hash and the omelette with rib ends.
(4)
Brian H.
My search for great BBQ may have come to an end even though I had to travel to collegeville to get it. What I tried: Fried pickle appetizer- perfectly fried and it went well with any of their choice of sauces Roast Beef sandwich- the meat was melt in your mouth good, and perfectly smoked. The roll was average but the meat does the talking. Pulled Pork- it came with no sauce but fear not, they offer many different sauces at the table for you to choose. The meat itself was nicely smoked. I could have eaten a whole plate of just the pork. Fries- thick cut and fried to a point where the outsides were slightly crispy. They do give you BBQ seasoning which is perfect for sprinkling on top of the fries. They are very accomidating for large groups and they also do off site catering. overall: If you're in search for great BBQ which is hard to find in the Lansdale area, do yourself a favor and make the short drive to collegeville, sit back, and enjoy.
(5)
Brenda J.
I had to re-visit this review today (7/16/13) to speak only about the sampler platter. Because I and most people eat with "our eyes" first it was deceiving to initially see the food in individual containers and get excited. Presentation is EVERYTHING! With that being said, it was unfair of me to prejudge the platter before taking all the items out of their containers. 5 ounces is a nice portion and that multiplied by 5 items--3 being meats is a pretty decent amount piled on your plate!!! :). Unfortunately, I still believe that the flavor and texture was still subpar but you can't please everyone. Try this place out and make your own judgement. **************************************************Â******************** I ordered the house special sampler and also a half rack of ribs with 2 sides. the house special sampler is $20 and I received 3 containers of 5 ounces of food and a pint of brisket. Here's the rundown: House special sampler-over priced Beans-ok Smoked Chicken-slightly flavored & very dry Coleslaw-slightly bland but ok Pulled Pork-little flavor&very dry Brisket-dry Potato Casserole-i enjoyed the most Mac&cheese-very bland Ribs-had to PULL from bone. Needed to be cooked longer.
(3)
Laura S.
I swore that I wouldn't go back. But now with all of the hype over the Food Network, I thought I would give it a try. Should have stuck with my gut. 1. The interior is definitely more appealing post-Food Network. 2. The staff is still unwelcoming and unenthusiastic both on the phone and in person. 3. Over priced. Sandwich and fries for $10. No beverage. 4. Blah food. I had the smoked meatloaf sandwich and sweet potato fries. Seriously--just blah. 5. I've had their pork BBQ before. It was dry and flavorless and served on a kaiser roll. If the thought was to pattern the sandwich after NC BBQ, you missed the mark entirely. Not even close. I'd like to see them succeed, but changes need to be made.
(2)
Patti S.
This is real barbecue. Just delicious with a good deep smoke that doesn't overwhelm the taste of the meat. Prices are way inexpensive. Eat local folks. This is the place to stop for a quick takeout meal or for a charming sit down meal. The beer and wine (complimentary) on Valentines day was a great touch. Otherwise, BYOB.
(5)
Matthew Y.
Phamous Phil's is as strong of a BBQ joint as you will find anywhere, let alone in the Philadelphia area. Having been for my first time earlier this evening with my dad and brother, I was blown away; my only regret was not going sooner when I went to college in Collegeville. Everything my group and I had was incredible - the wings with jacked up BBQ, baby back ribs, baked beans, boardwalk fries, fried pickles, and the cornbread were all amazing. Our server was great, too, and Phil and Robin were super-accommodating. We will definitely be back many, many times. Make sure to get there early, too. We were in the area, stopped by at around 4:15, and had the restaurant to ourselves. By the time we left at 5:00, every table was filled and the line was out the door.
(5)
Russelle W.
Some of the best food around the area. This is now one of my new favorite places to eat. Every single thing ordered was delicious. I'm pretty critical, so it takes a lot for me to write a review. My brisket sandwich was one of the best things I ever ate. My entire meal made me feel like I was on vacation in the Deep South. Phil-you rock!
(5)
Wayne J.
Phamous Phil's is our local go-to BBQ place. There are now several BBQ places in the area but Phil's is pretty consistent and I like his sauces. I have been a backyard BBQ smoker for over 20 years. That doesn't make me an expert or a champion, it does make me someone who has to enjoy the BBQ before I buy. Otherwise I will just fire off my smokers and do it myself. Phil's has a wide variety of good food so long as you get there early. Like many BBQ places, they can sell out of favorites quickly so you have to be flexible and not be disappointed. For me, well cooked and rendered meats are a given. If you can't put out good meat, go home. Phil's is consistently good in my experience. I have never asked but I believe his sauces are his own recipe. I have tried all and enjoy them especially the hotter sauces. The real reason I go to a place like Phil's is because the sides also make up the meal. Good fresh and well represented southern sides are great. They also do something extra with the tea. I love sweet tea but most places make it too sweet or unsweetened. Basic science class says you can't effectively dissolve sugar in a cold solution. Phil's provides liquid sugar. That makes the deal.
(4)
Danan R.
The bbq ribs are meaty and tender with a nice, smokey flavor although the meat itself isn't as fall-off-the-bone as Redbone's. Sure beats the other options in suburbia though, and the sweet sauce is good. The standout item here is the pulled pork, though, which has a great authentic, smokehouse flavor. They didn't take any shortcuts and the taste definitely reflects that. Service was fast and friendly although the restaurant itself is a bit small for a sit-down meal. The mac and cheese and fries were ok, and the cornbread was good, but not really outstanding. It was about $28 for 2 huge platters (1 pork and 1 ribs). Will be back to try the smoked chicken salad and wings.
(4)
Kevin M.
Great Ribs, very good brisket, and the Jack Daniels glazed sweet potatoes were a must get. Phil & his wife are very nice; a must stop if in the area.
(4)
Danielle S.
No stars.... Never got a chance to eat the ribs. Soon we walked in....It was like the whole room stopped and looked at us. That should of been a sign. We asked for a slab of ribs... We were then told they ran out of them..... It was the middle of the day.... How are you out of ribs? Oh....I see.... Could they of run out of ribs...perhaps... But...um... I highly doubt it.
(1)
Bina P.
Kudos! my husband and i drive by this place all the time and never tried it out until tonight. My husband got carry out and ordered pulled pork sandwich, ribs and brisket. The sauce is just a touch sweet and there's a slight bite that is amazing. The smokey flavor of the ribs were right on point and the brisket very, very flavorful. This place is truly a hidden gem that makes great BBQ. Can't wait to try more of the offerings. Happy Holidays!
(5)
Rachel L.
Love this jim-joint. Good ole home cooking. Real people with great product. Service is sweet. and the owners get to know you. They buy local which is exactly what you want from a bbq joint. Love love love
(5)
Derek C.
Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable about bbq! I was recommended to try the brisket sandwich. I can't put into words how delicious it was! If you're a fan a bbq this place is a must!
(4)
K F.
Not a fancy restaurant, but the bar-b-que is very good. A bit pricey, but good barbecue usually is because of the time it takes to cook. It is certainly worth a try. Parking is very limited, and the restaurant is small.
(3)
Charles S.
The food is here is spectacular. I've had the ribs here a few times and they have never failed to disappoint. I had to drag my wife, who is not a meat eater, here, but she was a good sport and she actually really enjoyed the fish and chips. The sides are all excellent. Extra points for the simple syrup for iced tea instead of the usual sugar packets. Sometimes the service is slow during busy periods and the seating is a little cramped and uncomfortable but the food more than makes up for both of those quibbles. Request: Macaroni and cheese?
(4)
Gretchen S.
This place is a bit deceiving... it's more of a Smokehouse than BBQ really. I'm a fan of the smokehouse taste, so their wings were very good in my opinion. I did find that the overall variety of platters was lacking. This seems more of a good choice for a lunch, not a dinner. The place is small and very ma and pa feeling. There were a few minuses: little variety in plates and sauce, the "hot" sauce wasn't hot... at all, and things seemed a bit dry overall. On the other side, the pluses: every plate came with cornbread (yee haw!), Phil came out to welcome us personally and gave my friend a shot of overseas-made Jack Daniels (awesome) and the iced tea came with sweet water to add as much as you like (which I loved). Good place to stop in and grab a bite, but I wouldn't make reservations or drive more than 30 min. It's nice to have a "BBQ" place in the area though!
(3)
Lonnie D.
Fantastic!! A rival to any of the best known Kansas City BBQ restaurants. The St. Louis ribs were great and the brisket tremendous. This was my first visit and definitely won't be my last.
(5)
TJ G.
Great ribs and sides. Love the sauce. Not a real nice dining room. Some would call it folksy, I call it ugh. No matter, it was clean and next time I will take out.
(4)
Jason S.
Menu looked great and wanted to give them a try. Ordered an assortment of things and nothing was very good. Pulled pork was ok, BBQ sauce was too sweet and had so many flavor it left a muddled taste. My biggest issue was the smoked meat. Tried ribs and wings. Everything was very heavily smoked and left me feeling like I was eating a dirty ashtray. I have had lots of good BBQ and sad to say this is not it.
(1)
cotie s.
To add to my growing list of items sampled at Phils....The baby back ribs. The baby back ribs are now my fave. Goes well with slaw and mac salad. Took my parents and everything they had they loved. Check my previous reviews for further reviews of great bbq served by Phil.
(5)
Yoshi F.
I have been going to Phamous Phils since it first opened. My laziness has prevented from writing a review up until now. BBQ is one of my favorite foods and I grew up loving the BBQ from Memphis TN. Phils is the best BBQ that I have had in the Philly area. Everything here is good from the meatloaf sandwich to the ribs. All the sides are delicious and everyone is friendly!
(5)
Janice F.
We happened to stop in one day with a craving for BBQ pork and found that Phil's menu is much more than we expected! The meatloaf sandwich, bbq pulled pork and bbq ribs are wonderful. On a recent visit we had the crab cakes and they are full of flavor. you must try the various bbq sauces Phil has to offer! the original one is flavorful sweet and tangy. Oh don't forget to try the Ice Tea! Yum!
(5)
Seth M.
I've been eating here for a few years now. Wings are great, the rest is standard fare. Usually have enjoyed our meals. Service is fair. Pricing does not match the quality of food. Sides are very small - and i am fine with that, but the price doesn't match what you get. I've been shorted wings before too. I'm not much of a complainer, so I continued to support local business. My most recent experience had me speechless however. I called in to order a takeout lunch. At Noon, they were sold out of Brisket, Chicken and Meatloaf (was only looking for about 1lb of each). Being a little confused and frustrated, I was curious why they are sold out of common items BEFORE lunch even had passed. I was then given an over the phone "lesson" on how smoked BBQ is made, and how my questioning was somehow a direct insult to their artisan craft. Mind you, I am from Texas, have my own smoker at home and know full well the time it takes to make, and the quality of meats used. However, I have never in my life ordered lunch from a BBQ place , and 2/3 of the menu was sold out. Nor was I treated that my disappointment was a nuisance to them. I was also told the Brisket will no longer be sold for take out....... Another confusing strategy as it is a BBQ staple, but I guess they must not have them means to produce enough in time for sale to their customers. I am sure I will end up at Phils again at some point, but after the somewhat rude explanation of their meat shortage issues, I am keeping my distance for now. I had good hopes for Phils, and overall is worth a visit if you are thinking of stopping in. Just beware of availability of food and limitations on takeout, pricing and surcharges for credit cards. And try not to ask any questions that result in a rude lesson in Smoking meat instead of apologizing to a let down customer who was looking forward to sharing you food with work friends as an early Thanksgiving gift.
(2)
Laura S.
Today was my 4th visit. I keep wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt---i just can't any longer. Over priced. Seriously. My lunch was $12. BBQ chicken sandwich, french fries, and a drink. $12. My sandwich was DRY. Drier than a desert in a drought. A handful of french fries and a very small drink. Not worthy of $12. $12 would have bought me a full meal next door at Bella Rosy. I will admit I am a BBQ snob. I was raised on NC Lexington-style BBQ. It is BBQ, not "pulled pork". It is served chopped or sliced. It comes on a bun, not a kaiser roll and you always get slaw (vinegar) with it. Right on top. As for service, I have always had take-out and no one has seemed overly eager or friendly. Rather ho-hum. I'll just stick with my smoker and do my own BBQ.
(1)
Duong N.
I'm surprised by some of the reviews here as the food was good both times I tried it. I plan to go back and take my friends also. The wings and ribs were really good. I haven't found a good BBQ joint around so I was glad to try this place. One of the other meat was dry but I can't remember which one right now (sorry!) The sweet tea was good and I like the fact that they keep the syrup on the side. The service is okay. We had good service the first time but had a tiny incident with our second time. They got very defensive when we told them they brought us the wrong wings (they brought the suicidal which was quite spicy instead of the sweet revenge we ordered). They kept saying we were wrong and that they know their sauces but we didn't make a big deal out of it (the wings still tasted good to us). Interestingly, when the check came out, it said suicidal wings on the order! HA!
(4)
Andrew M.
My wife and I went on a Friday night and got seating right away. The service was helpful and very friendly. The decor is relaxing and the booths are large enough to seat four comfortably. Their menu is large enough that the pickiest of eaters could find something they would like. They cover all the BBQ basics with a Specials list and a nice desert selection. I ordered the smoked beef brisket; which had a smokey flavor and was very soft and well prepared. It came with a side of au jus, but I did not find it necessary since the meat already had a great flavor. There were several sauces to chose from on the table. A spicy mustard, a house BBQ and a BBQ sauce with a twist (kind of a Jack Daniels sauce). All were very tasty and available for purchase as well. The owner came out and greeted us and brought us his "secret seasoning" to try. I found the environmental very inviting and friendly. In my opinion, I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend this establishment to anyone in the area looking for decent BBQ. They also have a take-out menu for a quick pick up meal for the family.
(4)
Jen P.
Loved the food! This was my first time here and it was fabulous! I got the pulled chicken sandwich with boardwalk fries, it was delicious. My husband had the pulled pork Reuben and he loves the sweet tea. I can't wait to go back. Friendly wait staff, highly recommend! It is always a little chilly, so bring a sweater!
(4)
Karen S.
Went to Phils again today and again had the pulled pork which is unbelievable
(4)
Patrick B.
The food is great and the service is really nice. I loved the chopped brisket. They have also done a smoked meatloaf. Phil makes all his sauces and they are amazing. He has even created a great seasoning that he sells. I have used it on homemade burgers and put it on pork chops. Oh one more suggestion, you should try the fresh brewed tea with simple syrup or a nice glass of lemonade. If you go to Phamous Phil's go hungry.
(5)
River O.
I'm from the south and used to having great barbecue. This is very poor barbecue. I also feel that it is VERY overpriced given the quality, location, and amount of food that the customer is receiving. I would not return.
(1)
Craig D.
Although slightly off the beaten path, very good BBQ. MENU Phamous Phil's BBQ Sauce = (4.5) It's a SWEET BBQ Sauce. Phamous Phil's Spare Ribs = (4) Very good! Pulled Pork Sandwich = (3) ok Potato Casserole = (3.5) Like twice-cooked hashbrowns served cold Baked Beans = (3) ok NOTES * There are 6-to-7 tables inside & most likely Phamous Phil:-) * There's a bottle of Pamous Phils BBQ Sauce on each table which makes everything taste better!:-) You can even buy it to take home!:-) * For Take-Out...make sure to get extra sauce. * There's a $10 minimum for Credit Cards.
(4)
Maw T.
Always start with smoked wings with dry rub, the best wings and the main reason for my homage to Phil's
(5)
Jason K.
Phil's is one of the newer BBQ joints to come to the Bucks/Montgomery county area. We got pulled pork and pulled chicken for sandwiches and both were very good. The bbq sauce they provide is a very syrupy, dark brown type that has that dark molasses flavor quality. While I prefer the South Carolina vinegar based sauce Phil's sauce goes well with their cole slaw if you put it on your pulled pork/chicken sandwich. The other meat tried was smoked meatloaf. and it was great - this is not your Mom's meatloaf. The baked beans had chunks of pork in it, which always a good sign, and were excellent - probably the best I've ever had from takeout. The cole slaw was really fresh and had great flavor. The potato casserole was good as well. A lot of BBQ places seem to struggle in the Tri-state area. I've been to several over the years that I thought had great stuff and yet after a number of years they closed their doors. Hopefully enough people will frequent Phil's to keep this place around for a while. I can't wait to try some of their other stuff.
(4)
Ricky H.
The best BBQ I've found in the area. Phil and Robin are great, and Courtney is the best server I've found in any restaurant. Quality is top-notch and everything is homemade.
(5)
Tim H.
Great BBQ in the Montco suburbs. I've been working down the street from Phils for a good 6 months or so now, and it has always caught my eye, but I never got around to trying it until last night. I was very happy with my experience. We got there at 6 PM on a Tuesday night, the place was empty when we got there. I got sliced brisket with cole slaw and baked beans. The brisket was very tender and tasted great. The cole slaw was good, not too sweet like a lot of places make it. The baked beans were great, as others have noted, chunks of pork in them. Delicious! my lady got a shredded BBQ chicken sandwich that came with chips. They recommended a sweeter sauce than their trademark sauce for the chicken sandwich, but she declined, opting for the house sauce (personal preference). The regular BBQ sauce that's on the tables tasted great on the chicken, from the bit I stole off her plate I wouldn't have wanted it sweeter, but to each their own. For drinks I got iced tea and she got lemonade. They came in handled jars, which was a neat little touch, and they gave us liquid sweetener, which is a huge plus in my book. Pre-sweetened tea is always too sweet for me, and unsweetened iced tea is a pain to get sugar to dissolve into. The lemonade was very good. The serving sizes weren't as big as many BBQ places I've gone too, but their prices are correspondingly lower. Not a problem for me, I'd rather pay less and lick my plate clean than pay more and not be able to eat everything. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Amanda H.
Amazing. Everytime I have to head over to the area, or drive through the area, or can figure out some way to go past Phil's, I just have to stop. The brisket is to die for, the first time I went there, I had to restrain myself from licking the plate. The pulled pork and chicken is so good, and the homeade lemonade is delicious. The waitress and Phil are always very friendly, and come out and talk to everyone at the restaurant, making you feel welcome. I tell my bf that his BBQ is better, but to be honest, I'm lying.
(5)
Erica L.
SO GOOD! We had breakfast and it was amazing. Must try the hash!
(5)
Christopher H.
Great food, Love the smoked BBQ chicken sandwich and beef brisket, YUM. Parking could be better but that is of minimal concern especially when your getting great food. Plus the [parking issue is only a concern on the weekend. It can get busy but overall you can make the parking lot work. When I got my food my wife and I were very happy to finally have some very good and very delicious BBQ from a place locally. Great smokey flavor with all the meat items we got. The beef brisket sandwich was great, nice and tender with great flavor and smokey goodness!!! The House sampler was delicious as well, great BBQ pulled pork and pulled BBQ chicken (nice smokey flavor mixed with a nice mixture of BBQ sauce, same goes for the pork), beef brisket came with the sampler as well since you cam choose amy 3 meats and 2 sides for a good price. Wife loved the sweet potato casserole. Boardwalk fries had good seasoning and nice and hot. Onion rings good as well. Wings were good with a nice spicy/hot flavor/sauce. The ribs are good especially the baby back ribs.The servings were of a decent size, sandwich had a large amount of brisket which is always a plus and the ribs had plenty of meat, etc. My wife loves the wings and potato casserole the most. I prefer the BBQ Chicken Sandwich and the icea with the simple sugar you add. Staff were friendly but they can get over run on the weekend which obviously leads to some frustration on everybody's end. Decent prices and a good selection of different sandwiches, meats, ribs, wings, etc. Definitely recommend this place for anyone that wants some good, delicious BBQ or food in general for a decent price. FYI: For those that care the BBQ sauce is a sweet sauce molasses or sugar based as opposed to vinegar based (which is fine with me since I think both types). Only wish it was a little thicker but that's just my preference. Especially wish it were thicker on the sandwiches so that it binds it and adds the flavor on top of the smokey goodness, just my 2 cents though.... I know that if it were thicker then I would buy more of the bottled sauce, just wanted to let Phil and company know in case they read this. Also Phil seem like a nice guy and learn about BBQ competitions that he's been in. Wife met him the first time we came here and she said he was friendly as well.
(5)
Michael R.
I tried the spare rib platter today, which included mac and cheese and baked beans. I took home a pound of smoked chicken salad, as well. The small dining room is clean and the service was great. (Unfortunately, my server was wearing Calvin K's "Obsession", which doesn't enhance my dining experience). Pros: Ribs were pretty tender, without too much gristle. The two sauces offered me a choice of K. C. style sweet and a sauce with some vinegar added for "extra kick" . I want to try the brisket, next time. Nice menu and helpful staff. The owner was there and talked to me a bit, too. Cons: BBQ sauces were served freezing cold (from the fridge), not something I've seen before. Putting freezing cold sauce on food (unless it is ice cream) isn't what I normally do. The sauce was very thin, even cold. I was given a knife, which I had to use some. If ribs are very tender you don't need a knife at all. The sides and the chicken salad were nothing special. The beans were extremely bland for a BBQ joint. Next time, I will probably order another meat selection and probably take it home and make my own side dishes, but given the local competition, I would say they are about they only place in the area where I would go back a second time for BBQ.
(3)
David B.
Ive been to Phils only twice now but it absolutely hit my taste buds with wonderfully full force both times. This is a very relaxing, chilled out small place with a New Orleans diner type vibe. Don't dress to impress for Phils. The atmosphere tells you that you came here for the food. Comfort food, really. And really really good. Everything about the menu says that these folks take their time to do it right. They are creative and know exactly what they are doing. I had the Brisket Reuben the other night. I love the traditional type Reuben but had to try this. Just perfect.There are 3 sauces on each table and each is better than the last. Even something as basic as the ice tea is freshly brewed and arrives with some ol' fashioned simple syrup to sweeten. The ribs, brisket and sandwiches will get your eyes rolling in their sockets. The sweet potatoe fries are huge and delicious. Can we talk??? TRY PHIL's. You wont be sorry. On busy weekend nights, you had better get there early to get a seat and so I would recommend that you try Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to come in as there is more room. If you can bring cash (vs credit card) they prefer that to keep the prices low. They also have an ATM just in case. the staff is very friendly and this adds to the homey atmosphere. See you there. Ill be the guy smiling!!
(5)
Diane N.
After 2 visits to this place I only have 1 question....What are these people thinking? Brisket with a slab of fat on it, soaked in liquid smoke....is NOT a good thing. Please. No dry rub could be detected, no smoke ring found. More like oven cooked pot roast...done poorly. Pulled pork tasted steamed and without any flavor. Generally the food lacked flavor and depth. The sides were bland. The sauce is extremely sweet and one dimensional. I asked the server (whose hands were FILTHY) what type of wood they use in their smoker. Answer? "Regular oak or something". Such a disappointment. I have had tons of BBQ in Kansas City, known for it's BBQ varieties. This place would be out of business there in no time. A joke. NOT a place to take a family with kids. Seating is ridiculous, cramped and poorly arranged. There was grease on the chairs, table and trash on the floor....imagine the state of the kitchen. The place smells like cigarettes, grease and body odor.
(1)
Rachel S.
In a word... WOW!! Phamous Phil's has quickly become my family's favorite restaurant. The food and the service consistently superb. The smoked chicken wings are the best I've ever had. The skin is crisp. The wings are meaty. The wings are perfectly coated in a buffalo wing sauce. The ribs are fall off the bone tender, the brisket melts in your mouth, I could go on and on... Phamous Phil's Is clean, the owners are friendly and definitely passionate about providing the best BBQ in the area.
(5)
Kathleen N.
Tried it here for the first time tonight. Parking was tight and the service was friendly but slow. I really enjoyed the meatloaf and the crab cakes. I would like to give it another try to sample the ribs.
(3)
Andrea m g.
We were lured in to Phamous Phils by the wonderful aroma wafting from the parking lot. Phamous Phils is tiny. When you first enter you have booths with non move-able plastic benches that will fit 4 thin people or 2 average size folks.The back room had a few tables and is very cramped. The waitstaff has to squeezes thru sideways to get to your table. I'm sad to report we were not thrilled with our food. Most food is served in plastic baskets that alone is a real turn off for me . .The Three of us agree we are not returning. I had beef brisket, fries and beans that came with a corn muffin. The meat was very fatty and Phil stopped by to see how our food was. I mentioned the fat laden brisket was a disappointment and was told that's how a recent wedding party hailing from Texas had requested it and that's how real Texans like it but the brisket sandwich they serve is leaner.???? He stated he also prefers his brisket leaner.???? OK, Phil but the guy sitting across from me is from Houston and was raised in Port Arthur Texas he Phil thinks you are full of it. Phil also to prove he was right told us about how he was voted best BBQ.. Dude take back the brisket and bring us the leaner stuff you put on the sandwiches!!!....My Texan friend had 3 meats and the same sides. He was not happy with the 2 tiny slices of dried meatloaf and felt the brisket tasted like roast beef with a healthy dose of liquid smoke.The pulled pork was declared by all to be rather ho hum. The BBQ sauce tasted like it had Hersey's chocolate syrup in it and was about the same consistency. We got the meat first and had to wait for the sides which also was not appreciated. Fries very good .Macaroni gluey .Beans nothing to write home about. Service and Phil....Not good
(2)
Greg M.
Our regular BBQ place, Rosey's in Ambler closed back in October so we headed to Phamous Phils to try it out hoping for goodness. Phils's is a small loction but found the food to be tastey. We ordered the Chili fries n fried pickle chips for appetizer. Babybacks, wings and brisket for dinner. How was it? Chili fries n pickles were awesome. Fries had pork and brisket in the chili and the pickles served with a chipotle sauce. Baby backs were just right. Good smoke and pulled off the bone as they should, no they werent dry or tough. Wings were large, moist and also very good. They are smoked so beware if you dont like wings that way. As far as the brisket, my wife ordered it chopped and I give it an ok. I prefer sliced and not in the juices it was cooked in but it was tender though flavor was only ok. Over all we were very satisfied and will be back to Phils in the near future to satisfy the bbq cravings. To top our night, we got talking to Phil when he did his normal walk around and I was treated to a shot of some Jack Daniels Silver Select 100/50 whiskey as his was my birthday dinner, plus the birthday person gets a free meal. Awesome! Everyone at Phils was very pleasant and informative and it was great talking with Phil about his background and lots of other things. Phil and crew, thanks for a good meal and plus one to you for the dinner treat.
(4)
Jess C.
I love barbeque! Phamous Phils is no exception. Ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, all tender and delicious. The smoked wings are outstanding. There are two small dining rooms, and parking on the side. Service is always friendly and attentive. Also, the iced tea is served along with simple syrup, which is a nice touch. My only minor criticisms are that the BBQ sauce is a little thin, and the side dishes (baked beans, cornbread) are nothing special. (For reference, I absolutely love the beans from the Tex's BBQ truck.)
(4)
Charles B.
me and my otherhalf went to Phamous Phils last month we another couple were the only ones in there, we ordered wings honey barbacue which where dry and flavor less not inpressed t we had pulledpork and briskett and mac and cheese and potato casserol dish it was ok it started to get busy and we had to wait along time to get are check the homemade lemonade was good but are first time experience was not inpressive we decided not to come here again diva takeout is better and cheaper.
(2)
Paul M.
I've been four times for the smoked wings which are excellent. The 'medium' hot sauce is just right for me as, even though I can stand hotter, I choose not to eradicate the good smoke flavor. I just wish they'd have smoked and Bar-B-Qued half chickens (like short-lived Benny's Bar-B-Que USA did) but Phil says they would dry out. If brined properly, they won't. Anyway. all else is good and I'm glad they're a short hop away.
(4)
Sarah D.
Good food, tiny portions.
(4)
Hungry M.
Just ok. The sauce was sweet. The corn bread was super sweet like cake. The macaroni and the potato salad was bland. The onion rings tasted like old oil. The pulled pork quesadillas were good. The tea was weak. Smaller portions than I was expecting for a 'platter'.
(2)
Rob S.
Went there last evening and ordered the Ribs. I thought they were a bit overcooked and not the best quality, but Phils sauce was excellent. Phil came over and talked with us and brought us some brisket to taste. It was excellent. We are going to go back and try some of his other items such as the pulled porked sandwich, the smoked chicken salad or the chili.
(3)
Amber C.
I was kind of disappointed with this place. The meats we tried (pulled pork, bbq pulled chicken, smoked meatloaf and brisket) were just ok. Nothing great! I liked the sides better than the meats. The mac and cheese was creamy, the macaroni salad was very good. The baked beans I felt like was missing something because it just didn't take as good. I also felt it was pretty expensive costing $37 for two people. I probably wouldn't go back again. I think I would keep looking for a good BBQ.
(2)
Bill L.
Great food, great service. I visit at least once a week, more if I have time. It is worth the drive everytime. Best in montgomry county.. keep up the good food phil.
(5)
Jeff H.
I've eaten here a few times and always been pleased with the food. Authentic BBQ and spicy which i love. Recently the portions got a bit smaller and the prices are not cheap for the type of food. Great place to go when I'm hungry for a great meal and willing to spend a few bucks. Have the brisket and mac and cheese.
(4)
reviewer m.
Delicious BBQ, great service and a returning customer! Phamous Phils is off a pretty busy road and you may drive by it before noticing it, but it's worth the stop. You know it's good when the parking lot is packed early on a Saturday nigth! The restaurant is small, but there's a back dining section if needed. As soon as you walk in, the sweet smells are all around. The menu is pretty extensive too. Angel, our waitress, is really nice and friendly. We tried a pound of wings with the Phamous Phils Sauce and a slab of Phamous Phil's BBQ ribs (with sides of cole slaw and fries). The wings are plump and meaty with a sticky sauce that I would say is more sweet than tangy. I think we got about half a dozen or so with the order. I'm not here to comment on the sides for the ribs, which were fair, but the BBQ is very tasty! The flavor of the meat goes down to the bone and the meat slides right off. The BBQ sauce is slightly runny but the flavor's there. I think we spent around $25 for the wings and ribs and were satisfied when we left without even finishing the fries or slaw. I noticed quite a few people drinking homemade sweet tea and lemonade...next time I'll have to try that too!
(4)
Ronald H.
We just had lunch at Phamous Phil's and it was outstanding. The smoked Chicken wings were the best I've had. I do a lot of smoking and grilling and it is difficult to find a great barbeque place when I know I can do it much better myself. This is not the case at Phamous Phil's. His Smoked pulled pork reuben was an awesome twist on an old favorite. His sauces can not be beat and he even sales them for me to use at home. We had the Jack Daniels Bread pudding and even if you don't like BBQ it is worth a trip to Phamous Phil's for this alone.
(5)
Dave H.
Great food at Phil's. On my 1st trip I went with the house special. I had Smoked Brisket, Chicken and Pork. All 3 were good. Good smoke flavor and very tasty. Not dry. The Sauce was pretty good too. I little runny but that's okay if it's good and it was. My 2 sides were fries and the potatoe casserole. Fries were above average, and the potatoes were banging. I asked for the recipe but I was told it's under lock and key. Ice tea wit simple syrup was great as well. My only complaint is the smell of smoke is outside, I love that smell, I'm still waiting for Yankee Candle to make that scent. Also the booths are a little small. Great place to eat!!!!!
(4)
Jesse G.
Fun experience and liked the food.
(5)
Aaron D.
Well, the BBQ itself is so-so, but the pricing doesn't make sense, it's way overpriced. I mean, it's a tiny dive, why is it so expensive? The side dishes are $2.50, and they are tiny! Quite pathetic, really. I'm not a fat person who needs monster portions, but this price is just not matching with what you get. Phamous for what exactly?
(2)
Traci S.
The placed was packed so that says something.... however my chicken salad tasted like a chimney. Ribs were better. Good mac n cheese.
(2)
Jim C.
Suicide wings that are actually HOT! Good BBQ all around. Friendly staff and Phil will even come out to chat sometimes.
(5)
Maarten V.
I was lured to the place by its 4-star rating. Just want to warn future potential victims: Even if they would pay me the value of the meal I would not go back. It's too bad, because the staff seem to be nice and making the effort, although service was slow. Food did not taste good. No juiciness, very bland. Stuff that comes back to haunt you for several hours afterwards. Still, the place was packed so maybe it was me???
(1)
J B.
I wanted to absolutely love this place. I really did. I've traveled the country, and had fabulous food. I know that you don't look for good green chile burritos in New York, you don't look for an amazing crab louie in Wyoming, and you just don't get fabulous bbq in PA. What you do get is pretty good, almost very good bbq. It won't knock your sox off if you've had bbq in Texas or the deep south, but it will satisfy a craving until you can get there. The corn bread is a disgrace! Tiny muffins that are cold, and taste bland. Should be all you can eat cornbread to make up for the small portions. Come on! Put some corn in there! Maybe some jalpenos! The food was just "warm". They need to work on keeping it hot as they prepare the entire plate. I wish them success. I hear they've had issues with the township about their portable sign. Very nice, friendly people working there.
(3)
Jim C.
Food was good and wait staff was very friendly. Dining area isn't very big so you should call ahead to reserve a table if you have a large party. We had a group of 8 (6 adults and 2 kids under 6). We got to the restaurant around 5:30P and there were only a couple of diners but the place was full when we left. No complaints from anyone in our group.
(4)
Michael s.
i went there and had the pulled pork and the ribs. i would not go back there again. the ribs were very small and dry. the pulled pork was average, and the portion small.
(2)
SH H.
Overall food was good but portions/price value ratio is poor. Had the ribs and a beef sandwich, tasty. Beans, fries, bread pudding also good. I'll give the unremarkable decor a pass. Potato casserole was lousy. Should have just gotten the "party pack" as take-out.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Darnell T.
Finally had a chance to give this place a try after driving by it forever and saying that we need to stop here. We purchased the family pack which has a rack of babybacks, 1lb of pulled, 1lb of wings, and two sides. Overall, the food was very good. While the ribs could have been smoked a bit longer to tender up just a bit more, they were on point. The sauce was very good. We had the pulled chicken instead of pork which had great flavor. The wings do have kick even though they are called mild but were very meaty and really good. The Mac n cheese was good. One thing, it is not cheap. It is a place we might visit again to try other things on the menu.
(4)Schuyler L.
This is hands-down the best barbecue in southeast Pennsylvania. They do it right and it shows. The sauces are great. There's different varieties of sauce to choose from. The ribs fall off the bone faster than any I've ever seen. Order slaw, which is perfectly sweetened; sweet tea, free refills and sweetened by yourself via the simple syrup on the table; cornbread, delicious and moist; and a full rack of ribs, I like the biggest ones! Sit and order from a waitress, bathrooms are very very clean, plenty of parking, great for children, accepts visa, no tv, quick service, take out available, and very casual! Can't wait to go back, this place is worth any trek you're debating and is easily worth the price!
(5)Matt A.
I've been a regular patron for a couple years now. Smoked cajun wings are hands down some of the best, I've had anywhere! I normally go for lunch, the pulled pork, chopped brisket, meatloaf, and crabcake sandwiches are all awesome. Potato casserole side and their chili make great sides. Been for dinner a couple times and the ribs are pretty good too. Everyone who like bbq in the area should check this place out!
(5)john k.
Went there for Fathers Fay 2015 mid afternoonish. Ordered a bunch of food with family and guests. The baby back ribs were not true baby back ribs but the larger type which I do not prefer or ordered. The ribs were tough, fatty and only luke warm. I sent it back only to be reheated somewhat but still coldish. We would have ordered more, but decided we had enough... We ordered large French fries for the table. But what appears was that we got a small order instead, not many fries at all. Perhaps a mix-up in the kitchen. But they were good. The chicken wings, pork and brisket were ok...not great It appears the food in this joint is precooked/smoked, then refrigerated, warmed over and severed. In a more of a take it or leave it fashion. If that's the way you like your barbq...then this may be the place for you. Overall, I was there before and it was good, but it may have gone down hill from 6 months ago. I was disappointed this last time. So I plan not to return...sorry.
(2)Melanie T.
We have passed this restaurant many times and my husband loves BBQ so we decided to do take out as the dining area is very small. Being a family of five we decided to get the family package. This consisted of a rack of ribs, 1 lb of pulled chicken, 1lb of wings and two lg sides, (Mac and cheese and seasoned fries). The wings were good and spicy, the fries were seasoned but rather slim to be considered large. The children said the Mac and cheese was good. My husband and children enjoyed the ribs. Our middle child really enjoyed the sauce. They all agreed that the ribs had good flavor and were tender. It would have been nice to see more than one choice of a vegetable on the menu. I understand that a variety of sauces are available. It would have been nice if a sample or two would have been included in our package. While the food was tasty I didn't feel that there was a great deal of value compared to other BBQ places we we've visited.
(3)Steven W.
They have the great combination of good food and service. All food is prepared when you order it so your patience will be rewarded with a great meal. The owners are out with guests and very open and friendly. They also produce their own brand of Bbq sauces. Must go for any fan of BBQ.
(5)texas w.
I don't want to get ahead of myself, because I haven't had any of the sides here, but the meat is cooked perfectly. These people clearly know what they're doing. The front of house staff is friendly and engaging. Phils is good, but the bigger context of it's goodness involves the unfortunate tragedy that is WIBS. WIBS is closer to me, but there's no comparison. I like the folks over there, but c'mon man... So if you want the best BBQ in C-ville and the surrounding are, go to Phamous Phils...Phor Phreal. Oh yeah, tell 'em big Texas sent you.have the BEST mac and cheese that UPDATE: Wow! the sides are really heroes of the meal the mac and cheese is out of this world. The sweet potato fries may be the best I've had.
(4)Robert M.
Stop in on Saturday morning for a fast lunch. It was really good food for the price. I'll have to come back to try there ribs
(4)Catherine Z.
I wasn't particularly in the mood for BBQ this night, but when we pulled into Phamous Phil's parking lot and saw the massive smoker outside I gave my boyfriend a high-five and was ready to eat. Walking into the establishment... well, it's nothing to write home about. It's a converted house and the front room is tiny and full of outdated faux wood benches. We kept walking, however, back to the "dining room"... which was 4 tables in an even smaller room. Luckily we were the only people in that room and, without a crowd, it was actually pretty cute. I felt like I was eating in someone's country kitchen with the plaid curtains and drinks served in mason jars. Onto the food: I ordered the brisket but made the mistake of ordering it sliced. It had the consistency of lunch meat and zero flavor. I don't often do this but I had to send it back. The waitress (who was SUPER friendly in that down home Southern way) suggested I go for the pulled brisket instead, which was supposed to be moist with a lot more flavor. I agreed... and I'm glad I did. She didn't lie! It was absolutely succulent and flavored with the perfect amount of smokiness. I'm typically the type of person who piles on the BBQ sauce but that wasn't even necessary. For my sides I opted to go with the potato casserole and mac n cheese. Both were under salted and ultimately nothing special. Now... here is where my 3 star review turns into 4 stars: My boyfriend's full rack of ribs. Firstly - it's HUGE. I've never seen a rack of ribs that big before in a restaurant setting. Secondly and most importantly - They were the most delicious ribs my boyfriend and I have EVER eaten. The smokiness was just out of this world - no doubt that smoker outside was being put to good use. The ribs were sooo flavorful; again, no real need for sauce, which is just crazy to me! Good thing the order was so big because I kept stealing ribs off his plate. I could not get enough. As I mentioned before, our waitress was as sweet as can be and was on point the entire meal. Phil himself came out to introduce himself and chatted with us for a bit, which was nice. The price was typical of a BBQ joint - too much to go there once a week but not 4 star prices, either. We will definitely go back to Phil's for those ribs. Since my boyfriend is from the South we are constantly in search for comparable BBQ in this area and I think we've finally found it.
(4)Brenda H.
They have fantastic baby back ribs but they run out quickly. Their bbq is above average I would say but I'm not an expert. Don't waste your time on the meatloaf - it's a bit strange. Same on the sweet potato fries as the flavor and volume do not justify the high price. Go instead for the fried pickles. We have eaten in a couple of times with great experiences. But our take out wasn't as successful. Our bb ribs looked suspiciously like st.louis ribs - fatty and tough. It wasn't worth calling about it and waiting for the replacement. So was a disappointing experience.
(4)Nina J.
How could it be possible that I drove by this place hundreds of times and never stopped by? But I'm sure glad that I finally did! When we first walked in I really wasn't sure if I wanted to stay. The cafeteria-style tables were not what the "nice dinner I had pictured in my head. But then we were led and seated at the "restaurant" area, which was very cute little room with 5tables. It felt like a country family dining room, which I did like a lot. Being first time visitors on a holiday and not knowing it was BYOB, they offered complimentary red table wine and Yuengling Lager. They also told us they sell 6-packs from the bar right next door. Now the food we ordered: BBQ Shrimp (Appetizer) - 3 stars. Ok that was not their fault. "You don't order a crab cake at a BBQ place." (Quoted Phil) It was on specials that night and I just wanted to try it for the heck of it. Even though it wasn't the best thing I had, it did not hurt the experience. Wings - 5 stars. We got them with Inphamous BBQ Sauce. The waitress will tell you the entire process of making the wings. You can definitely taste the smokiness and it goes perfectly with the sauce. The balance of juiciness and crunchiness make them different from anyone/anywhere else. I was in Wing heaven! Phamous Phil's Spare Ribs -- 5 stars. Again, juicy, flavorful, tender, everything about these ribs were just right. They were amazing! I wish I could eat more than the 1/2 rack I ordered, but I wanted to try multiple items. Chopped brisket - 4 stars. The meat had good texture, and sauce had good flavor. I'm only giving it a 4-star because to me other items were just amazing. This one is still good. In addition to our friendly waitress, Phil and Robin came out and told stories about being a BBQ judge, the restaurant, the customers, even the online reviews and reviewers. They really made our dinner a better experience! So needless to say I will return for more. I can't wait to try the sweet potato fries next time, and will definitely bring some good craft beer with me!
(5)Clarisse B.
YUM!! This is not the prettiest place but don't let that fool you. The food is delicious and everyone who works there is so friendly and easygoing. I had a 1/4lb of pit beef, mac n cheese and a homemade corn muffin (with cinnamon sugar butter). The beef was very very tasty! Highly recommend. My husband had a pulled pork sandwich, fries and baked beans. All equally delicious. Luckily we had room for dessert (well, made room) and tried their homemade Bread Pudding. I am now ruined because I will be dreaming about this bread pudding - it was that good!!! Luckily I only live 10 minutes away. I think I may need to become Phil's BFF to get the recipe! Go eat at this restaurant often - you won't be disappointed!
(5)James S.
Really solid bbq joint right in Collegeville. Drove bye here once or twice before seeing it on Food Network. I'm glad they decided to keep it as a bbq restaurant, because this place is really good. We had an absolute feast for a very small amount of money and enjoyed every bit of it. High points: -homemade ice tea and lemonade -orange butter for the corn bread -baked beans -mac n' cheese -beef brisket -western pit beef Low point: -they were out of the St. Louis style ribs for the evening My absolute favorite part were the wings. Delicious smokey flavor, falling off the bone and juicy. Medium heat was a good choice. I highly recommend them. Great experience. Awesome bbq. Really good service. Phil himself was present, greeting the guests and all. The whole experience had that homey feel. Looking forward to going back!
(4)Erin Z.
Our first experience with Phamous Phil's was a catering order for my daughters' birthday party. I was really impressed with Phil's dedication to customer service. I have never been to his restaurant and wasn't eve sure what to order. Phil walked me through the whole process and checked in with me 3-4 times the days leading up to the party. I also offered to pick up the order but he insisted he would drop it off because he wanted to make sure he got it as close to when we were about to eat. At my house Phil showed me how to keep it warm and set it up with the catering trays and flame from below. As far as the food review - WOW! It was exceptional, full of flavor. We bought a tray of brisket, a tray of pork, 2 trays of wings - one mild and one medium and a bunch of slider rolls. My guests were all very impressed and described the food as outstanding. Also we're all originally from Buffalo, NY and kind of consider ourselves having pretty high standards with respect to chicken wings... well Phil's wings did not disappoint! They were smoked for two hours and just delicious. We have a graduation party we are going to today and bringing the pork and rolls with us because we have plenty of leftovers since the portions were generous. (my husband isn't parting with the brisket lol) Will certainly do business with Phil again! - Erin
(5)Vishal D.
Ok food but too expensive for what you get. For a simple sandwich, side, and lemonade, you are looking at a $17 lunch all in which is crazy for bbq. Ribs are ok and brisket is good. They could do more specials and it would be worth it. Sauces are ok.
(2)Q O.
A great bbq joint. Tried with the family and friends. Ribs were great. Great rub, tender, flavorful, and their own bbq sauce was great. Sweet potato fries were great. Pulled porks and wings were solid. Their cut briskets were a bit dried. They recommended shredded briskets next time. Will be back soon.
(4)Ken M.
I have driven by this place a million times and finally decided today to give it a shot for dinner. I was in the mood for a pulled pork sandwich and was hoping for the best. I've had many from several other establishments in the area without getting a really good one yet. Without going into a lot of detail, I'll just say that I wasn't very impressed. I was expecting a "great" BBQ sandwich as described in a sign on the wall. However, what I got was mediocre at best. Something I can get anywhere. Again, good.. but certainly nothing great. I expected much better from a place that specializes in BBQ. I'll be back again as it's entirely possible I hit an off night.
(3)Craig F.
I'm writing this to Phil more than the causal diner since I know you can do better... It must have been an off night.....since it wasn't what I expected. French Fries were awesome and the Baby back ribs were also very good...little on the dry side but great color, good flavor and came off the bone nicely. Baked beans, were also good....Here comes the however...Pulled Pork was "pub-grub" at best. It was a bit greasy and lacked any smoked / bbq flavor. Most disappointing was the cubed Brisket. There wasn't a cube in it and it was basically 2 serving spoons of leftover shredded meat in a serving dish. It was far from cubed brisket. Phil, I know you can do better and the rave reviews support that. I'll come back in a month or so and try it again.
(2)Mike M.
The food at Phamous Phils is good. I've had better BBQ in my life, but not in Collegeville. Phil's meat stacks up pretty well among BBQ joints in the Philly 'burbs. The meat is nicely smoked, and the sauces are delicious. They give you three different BBQ sauces, and each of them is equally delicious. I'm a big fan of pulled pork, but I highly recommend their brisket. The sides range from decent to awesome. The sweet potato fries fall on the latter end of the spectrum... The glaze on them is fantastic. Oh, and their iced tea is somehow a lot better than other fresh brewed iced tea. It's not flavored or anything, it's just really smooth... and they serve it with simple syrup which is a good call on their part, since it allows you to sweeten as you wish without the frustration of seeing that watched sugar never dissolves. The environment is divey, approaching ramshackle... But, that's part of the place's charm. It's decorated with beat up license plates, bits of antique Americana, and maps where people can mark where they're from. That decor, in a slightly dilapidated roadside house, with creaky, slanted floors, is pretty much exactly what you want from a BBQ joint. The service, on the other hand, doesn't add as much charm as it should. It's not all bad... the waitresses I've had there have been pleasant enough, and one was very good, and the food comes out at an acceptable speed. But, one time, after they told us that they didn't take reservations, we arrived with our party of three and were told that we couldn't have the perfectly set table right in front of us because it was reserved. When we asked for clarification about the reservation policy, they told us that they don't take reservations, but DO take "call aheads." I don't know why they didn't clarify this policy (which I still don't entirely understand) when we called, but OK. Whatever, guys. I could deal with that, but then, when we (naturally) asked them to set up another of their several empty tables to accommodate three people, you would have thought we were demanding someone's kidney. After their gasps and eye rolls, apparently over our audacity to ask for a full three chairs, we had the pleasure of hearing a whole spiel about what a hardship seating three people was. The service after that was fine, but their initial attitude cast a negative vibe over the whole meal. I've been back since, and without that kind of problem. The owners might consider being a little bit more mindful of customers' experience, though. If you can get past the fact that Phil and his wife can be a bit prickly, you'll find that they're good people, with a good staff, serving good food. (Plus, there's something to be said for a restaurant where you can count on talking to the owner). So, I expect to be back... and perhaps they'll earn a follow up review with an extra star.
(3)Gary M.
I've been to Phamous Phil's twice now and have enjoyed both experiences. The ribs, both baby back and spare, are very good with good smoke flavor and nicely glazed sauce. The sauce, used for all the meats, is more of a KC style, sweet, tomato based sauce. I prefer a Carolina vinegar based sauce, but can appreciate other styles of sauce and Phil's is pretty good. The brisket is sliced a bit on the thin side, which I'm not a huge fan of, but has good taste and tenderness. I think the au jus they serve it in aids with this. I was a bit disappointed with the pulled pork. The serving I received was a bit mushy and did not have much smoke flavor or tasty bark. I was kind of bummed about that. The sides I've had we're all good. Overall I think Phil's is the best BBQ offering in the area. I'll definitely be returning!
(4)S P.
We've had the ribs and the chopped brisket sandwich. The ribs were amazing the brisket good but not as good as the ribs. Coleslaw is classic and not too sweet and the beans are smokey delicious. The inside is old store kitch but the food is what you come for. I highly recommend Phils. We're back for a second trip and I write this from the parking lot !
(4)Nmandjz N.
We love BBQ and smoked foods. This place was overall just ok. I came here with higher expectations, but wasn't excited by the end of my meal. We got a full rack of baby backs and a 1/2lb of brisket. The brisket seriously lacked flavor. I could not even taste any smoke in it! I don't think we will order it again. The baby backs had nice bark and came off the bone easily. The flavor was okay as well, but tended to be on the dry side. My biggest complaint would have to be the prices!! I feel you get way too small of a portion for the amount you pay!! We paid about $37 for a full baby back rack and a 1/2lb of mediocre brisket!! Overall, just an ok place for some true BBQ food!!
(3)Matt M.
Saved this as my 100thh review. What a great find and what Yelp! is all about. This is the type of place that used to be only known by the locals but because of Yelp we can all know. So here goes....Ribs great smoke, fall off the bone good. Brisket....chopped is moist and wonderful. All the sauces are fantastic. Sides are all delectable. You should not miss this place. Well there it is....NUMBER 100
(5)BostonBestEats X.
OK, I have to eat crow... I drive by Phamous Phil's BBQ regularly, and actually got takeout 5 or 6 times a couple of years ago. But I stopped going because I wasn't very excited about their BBQ. But thanks to their recent appearance on Rocco DiSpirito's show "Restaurant Divided" on FOOD, I decided to give them another chance. I don't know if it was because I previously had only tried takeout, ordered the wrong things, or if in fact Rocco's TV magic really has changed things, but this time I LOVED everything we ate. It certainly does seems like the TV coverage may have given them a good bump in business (slow business was what promoted the TV appearance), since we got the last two parking spaces, and the restaurant was almost full (both the remodeled front room and the back room). I can't say the remodel is particularly inspired one way or another. There is now communal seating in front, but it still looks like what it is: a hole-in-the-wall local BBQ joint with a bunch of Jack Daniel's crap on the walls. How Robin ever thought they could do a steakhouse here, I don't know. But for BBQ, it has a fine vibe, and the picnic table seating fits right in. More importantly, the food just seems kicked up a notch or three. We share a 1/2 rack of baby back ribs, which had a good crust, were juicy and not too fatty, cooked medium well (so not quite falling off the bone), and finished with a not to heavy sweetish glaze. Very good ribs. I don't know why I didn't appreciate them before. This was accompanied by some excellent sweet potato fries, crispy and lightly doused with some "Jack Daniel's Honey Glaze". We also tried a side of coleslaw, which was decent, but I'd probably go for the baked beans next time. However, the dish of the night was their amazing smoked wings. Most places don't do smoke wings, for the obvious reason that they dry out pretty quick. But that isn't a problem at PP's, as these were juicy but crunchy, with a very strong smoke flavor (they are smoked and then deep fried). And covered in a judicious amount of your choice of Phil's proprietary sauces. We tried "hot", which was nicely spicy but not pain-inducing by any means. All I can say is that thanks to that balance of smokey/juicy/spicy, these were KILLER wings, some of the best I've ever had! Finally, the "Phamous" sauces, which he also sells by the bottle. According to the TV show, Phil entered all of his sauces in the KC BBQ championship last year, and they all finished in the top 24 out of 1200 sauces entered. We didn't really feel the need to put any of the provided sauces (3 squirt bottles were on our table) on our food, but we did taste each one. I thought the "Inphamous" and "Jacked Up" sauces were a bit too sweet for my palate, but the "Zesty Carolina Honey Mustard" was outstanding, with a pronounced pickle juice flavor (some may not like that much pickle). Decent lemonade, and unsweetened iced tea with syrup so you can sweeten it however you like. I'm sure you can BYOB some beer if you like. Service was attentive, although a bit slow (it was crowded), and Phil & Robin were active in the dining room (Phil told a funny story about how Robin actually slapped Rocco on the face, but that scene was cut from the show!). The menu is still too big and unfocussed (cheesesteaks???), as Rocco said, but at least for the items we ordered they pulled it off. I don't know why I didn't appreciate Phil's BBQ before (maybe I was distracted by Smoke Daddy's closer to home), but I will definitely be a regular now that I know what to order...WINGS!!! UPDATE: I did get some takeout wings and sweet potato fries on another visit. The fries don't travel very well, but that is to be expected. However, I wasn't quite as impressed with the wings the second time around. They weren't as wet with BBQ sauce and lacked the crispiness I remember from my prior experience, but then again, travel time may account for this. So takeout wings are decent, but you probably need to dine in to get the KILLER WING EXPERIENCE.
(4)Stephen L.
Out first 3 visits were great. The ribs were tender and full of flavor. Our last 2 visits were much different. We were served some of the toughest ribs I ever had. I'll give this place one more try before I write it off for good. Hopefully they can get it together again.
(2)Mike L.
I've eaten here 3 times over the past 2 years and the food is ok at best. I really enjoy bbq and was hoping this place would improve since there are so few bbq places in this area. The prices are outrageous and the portions are very small. The service is terrible and the owner seems to not care about customer satisfaction. Phil you should be ashamed of yourself!!
(1)Sarah G.
My husband and I have eaten at Phil's several times. The food is good but the customer service is lacking. The owner's wife has an attitude. Recently we went back and asked to split the check 2 ways (there were only 3 of us) and were told that we could not do so and that had always been the rule (even though we have gotten 2 checks there on several occasions). Would go back for the ribs, but the customer service is a huge turn off.
(2)Pete W.
This place is pretty good. I like the brisket and the barbecue sauce is decent. Unlike spicy so I wish it was a little spicier. Friendly service and they give you a lot of food. The past couple times they didn't have chili or wings so I'd sometime like to try those.
(3)Jenny L.
Jenny's BF here, I dont normally hijack her account, but I had to write a review for this place: One thing that the Philadelphia Area lacks is a really good BBQ joint. I have tried many places in the suburbs and the city itself, and I have to say that between the expensive prices and mediocre food, I was left wanting something better. I was in suburbs of Philly and after seeing Phils featured on the food network show "Restaurant Divided", I decided to give it a shot. I walked in with my Mom at 5 oclock on a Wednesday and this place was empty (which was to be expected because thats a bit early for dinner) and was greeted by one of the owners of the place. She was extremely friendly and proceeded to chat with us about the show on Food network. After some initial recommendations by the owner, we decided on sharing a full rack of baby back ribs, baked beans, mac n cheese, and fried pickle chips, along with fresh unsweetened Iced tea. I am gonna break it down item by item: Ribs: These things were monstrous. Just huge. For 24 dollars for the full rack, it was well worth the price for the amount you got alone. These ribs were caramelized on the top with a sensational sauce/ rub that truly made them to die for. The best part was that these ribs weren't too sweet, which often plagues many BBQ ribs. If you get these, you wont leave hungry. I honestly have no idea how someone could finish an entire rack. FYI: it also comes with a small piece of corn bread which was very tasty. Side (Beans, Mac N Cheese, Fried Pickles): Think of your typical BBQ baked beans and multiple that by 100. The beans were a little sweet with the saltiness of rib tips and bacon to offset the sweet flavors. The Mac N Cheese was a more saucy type of Mac which was a nice change from the normal baked Mac N Cheese that other places serve. It might not be the best I have had, but it was still good. Finally, the fried pickles were probably my least favorite side. It consisted of sliced pickles friend in a thick batter with a spicy sauce on the side. They were good but I definitely had better BBQ Sauces: 3 sauces were on the table to be enjoyed all throughout the meal. A sweet BBQ sauce, a sweet/slightly spicy BBQ sauce, and a Carolina mustard sauce. I was not a fan of the mustard sauce, however the other 2 sauces were wonderful. It really helped to balance any parts of the meat that might not have enough sauce. I especially liked the sweet/spicy sauce (only had a tiny kick) and actually wanted to buy some sauce to take home (but they informed me that they ran out due to the holidays) Service: As I said before, the owner was our waitress and she was very helpful with recommendations and refilling our iced teas. Our food came out in a timely matter and I couldnt have been more pleased with our service Price: The prices do seem expensive initially, with a full rack of ribs coming in at 24 or 26 dollars, however it was easily worth it. With the sides (3 dollars each) and the ribs, my mother and I each took home half our ribs (and I am a pretty big guy, so I can eat alot of food). The prices were fully justified in my opinion and within reason for the amount of food I got. Conclusion: Overall, this was a fantastic BBQ place. The Ribs I got were amazing and perfectly caramelized. The Sides were above average and definitely worth getting. I will be back to try other things, such as the all white meat pull BBQ chicken. This is the BBQ place I have been looking for, especially since Smoke Daddys in Lansdale closed. I just hope business picks up so that they can get out of any financial trouble there were in. PS: If you don't like sitting in community style big picnic tables, request to sit in the back dining room
(5)Robert B.
Stopped in here after attending a kids party down the street. I'm glad that I did! My buddy and I struck up a conversation with another patron while waiting for our order and he ended up being Phil himself. Down to the nitty gritty. I ordered up a half pound of brisket, a half rack of short ribs and a small potato casserole which totaled around $27. I must say that I really liked the ribs. They come sauced but not overly so. After talking with Phil we found out it's a Jack Daniels based blend and I liked the tanginess of it. You can add additional sauce at the table, varieties include more of their regular, a spicy version and a Carolina mustard based blend. The brisket was OK. It was sliced a little thin and didn't have much if any bark to it but still good enough that I had no problem eating it. Finally the surprise stand out was the potato casserole side. It's basically home made hash browns mixed with cream of mushroom/chicken soup, spices and bread crumbs. It was great and I really enjoyed pouring a little brisket au jus over it for added flavor. Like any BBQ joint, its tough to nail down a review because of wildly varying preferences people have but I give Phil's a solid 4 stars. You can walk in without calling ahead for quick and easy take out or enjoy your meal in their small but inviting dining area.
(4)Jane S.
used to be a huge fan. they used to have the best brisket, a lot of bark, juicy..., but now not so much. last time I enjoyed it was 2 or 3 years ago. I stopped by since then, but they never had the brisket. This time they did, but were out of the potato casserole. $10 for a half pound, would have been nice if they added a little cup of sauce. It was about 4 pm, they weren't busy. There were 4 waitresses standing around looking at catalogs and it took 15 minutes for them to get me that 1/2 pound of sliced brisket. If only it had been worth the wait. It was just bland, a little dry, even though there was juice in the container. No reason to ever go back. BTW, those other times, they were out, I went to Dickie's in Royersford. The brisket is better, cheaper (about $14 a pound), they're generous with the sauce and there is no drama. You order, they cut and you're out in 5 minutes. Not sure what happened at Phil's, maybe they are rushing the meat out of the smoker, it was definitely wasn't sliced by hand, more like roast beef from a deli with a little liquid smoke.
(2)Ryan D.
I thought they were great. Portions are average, but delicious with everything we tried. Will definitely be back.
(4)Melanie K.
I went here for the first time about a month ago. I got their pulled pork sandwich and loved every bite of it. Put some of their homemade BBQ Honey Mustard sauce on, you won't regret it!
(4)K T.
Love everything here. Theey had a smoked prime rib for valentines day that was awesome. The Wife loves the smoked chicken salad. Kidz like the hot dags and the homemade chicken fingers. I usually get the sliced brisket sandwich which is excellent.
(5)Joe C.
On Friday it was either a stromboli or ribs and the ribs won out. I ordered the St. Louis style ribs and was aghast at the amount of subcutaneous fat that lied beneath the very tasty cherry-smoked "bark". As is the case with some other local BBQ vendors, I believe Phil skimps on the quality of his meat to focus more on the flavor or, should I say, lack thereof. I found the ribs to be flavorless beyond the bark; a courtesy shake of salt and pepper prior to smoking would enhance the taste, IMO. I really like Phil's sauce but when I asked for extra sauce on the side I was rewarded with a one ounce portion. Thanks for your generosity, Phil. (; As far as sides, if you're interested in sampling arguably the blandest macaroni salad in culinary history, it can be found at Phil's. As it was on my prior visit, the place is an absolute cluster when you walk in. Another guy was picking up to-go also and he was more or less waiting in the bathroom due to the congested quarters. And far be it for Phil to acknowledge you when you amble up to the cash register. Phil me once, shame on them; Phil me twice, shame on me. Cue The Who...won't get Philed again.
(2)Dane M.
I've been looking for good BBQ in the Philly area for years but have always been disappointed. Nothing has stood up to my favorite restaurants in the South. That was until I walked into Phil's recently. The ribs are just drenched in flavor. They taste like they have been smoked all day long with rich spices and sauce, just like Southern restaurants do it. Every bite is flavorful and you don't need a lot of sauce to taste the BBQ all over the meat, which is how it should be. This kind of BBQ doesn't exist in Yankee territory usually and it was like a diamond in the rough to me. The sides were surprisingly good. The fries were thick and crispy with the right amount of seasoning. The cornbread, while slightly dry, had great flavor. The homemade lemonade was a great drink I wish I could have bottled and taken home with me. Pretty much everything on the plate was to die for and unique for the area. The service was excellent as well, I really can't compliment it enough. One of the great things I miss about Southern restaurants is the overwhelming hospitality and friendliness. Phil's hit the right note here as well with an exceedingly cheerful waitress, owner and other staff. Phil likes to ask everyone how the food is and will replace mistakes or disappointments without hesitation. If you're not a BBQ person, or at least not a Southern BBQ person, you might not "get" Phil's. If you are though I would suggest you head out to his smokehouse without hesitation and dive in. Worth every penny, worth every bite.
(5)Kevin H.
For the amount of food you get I can't justify giving this place a good rating. From my picture you can see what $15 gets you. It got me about 3 fork-fulls of chopped brisket and two tiny sides. The brisket was only average and since there really aren't any other bbq places around the area I'll have to settle with what they have. The only thing preventing me from giving them 1 star is their mac and cheese. It was pretty decent.
(2)Nicki P.
The best BBQ! Can't beat their ribs unless you go to OBX. Pork Reuben sandwich is awesome, fries are thick and crunchy. The meat is tender and melts in your mouth. My husband loves the brisket sandwich- had it on 2 separate occasions and was great both times. Baked beans and Mac and cheese are great side dishes to go with your meal. If I had to choose btw Phil's and Zachary's for BBQ, I would definitely choose Phil's even though I live closer to Zachary's.
(5)Greg L.
Been here once for dinner and most recently for lunch. My wife and I spent a lot of years in Texas, so nothing quite compares to the BBQ we were accustomed to down there. We've tried several local BBQ places in the area, and we still like Phil's the best. I usually get the brisket and topped with Phamous Phils BBQ, it is always quite delicious. I prefer this BBQ sauce over the other ones that are provided. The sides are just OK...nothing special. He uses spiral noodles for the mac-n-cheese versus the traditional elbow macaroni. I found the corn bread to be a bit bland, but I did enjoy the baked beans. When you order sweet tea, it's actually regular tea and then they give you sugar water that you can pour as little or as much as you want to into your tea. I actually like this over the sugar packets! The place is pretty small and it can get quite busy. The inside is by no means fancy, but most BBQ places aren't. Service has always been friendly the few times we have been and on all occasions, Phil himself has come out and asked if everything was OK. One downside is that they require a $25 minimum credit card order, so you may want to bring some cash with you. They do have an ATM and will give you a $2 coupon to offset the ATM charge should you need to use it. While I understand credit card companies can charge quite a bit, it's frustrating nonetheless. Still, when I'm craving some BBQ, this is usually the place I like to go to.
(3)J. J.
Been here a few times, and I genuinely like the food. But, each item came with minor observations. For example, I always order the wing. Very good and different because they're smoked. They have a slight bark to them, and the sauce is decent with flavor. I typically ask for extra sauce. Now, minor observation: the wings seem to have hair on them. Seeing hair in food is not appetizing. I believe the hair is slight leftover remnants of feather or something. Either way, they were good enough for me to power through despite the semi-disgust. Next, ribs. I like baby backs. Theirs are okay, but somewhat gamey. 3 stars for passion about food. Didn't give 4 or 5 because they need to refine some of the details. I'd recommend this place but would not put my stamp on it.
(3)Josh L.
This spot is really great. An intimate place where you are most likely to meet Phil himself. I ate the sliced smoked brisket sandwich which was very good. I topped it off with Phil's homemade BBQ sauce which was very good as well and I had to purchase a bottle. As with anything, some will sing its praise and others wont. But every BBQ spot is different and this one is absolutely worth your time and money. I was very satisfied and next time I will try the chicken.
(5)Chris L.
I'm convinced the people who wrote reviews for 4 or 5 stars are either friends of the owner or have no idea what comprises good BBQ. This place is absolutely terrible. If you choose to eat in, you're stuck dealing with a small parking lot on a very busy street. Inside, the cafeteria decor is aged and uncomfortable. Food: A group of six ordered approximately $80 in food, between meat (beef, chicken, and pork), sides, and appetizers. Consensus: -Pulled pork sandwich: not the best, not the worst, but an extremely small portion wedged between a typical hamburger roll from any grocery store. -Pulled chicken: dry, with very little flavor. Again, if you got a sandwich, it's a tiny portion. -Sliced BBQ brisket: absolutely terrible. Less than 1 millimeter of smoke penetration, while real BBQ-ers wouldn't settle for anything less than approximately 5 millimeters. Devoid of flavor. -Smoked chicken wings: Dry and flavorless. No smoke flavor whatsoever. -Fried pickles: the worst i've ever had, and i've had them all over the country. Cold and soggy, while the batter was soaked with oil. Clearly, their oil had not been changed in probably several days, and they clearly don't understand the importance of maintaining a proper temperature when deep frying. -Baked Beans: Not that bad. Not the best, but worth ordering. Though, given the utter failure of the rest of the menu, i have to imagine these are purchased and not homemade. -Mac and Cheese: Also fairly decent, but i have similar suspicions as to their authenticity. All portion sizes fit inside styrofoam containers that hold approximately a cup of food (assuming they fill the container to the brim, which they don't. Not even close.). Given their variety platter (3 meats, 2 sides) costs $20, you would expect at least double this amount considering most BBQ joints in the south offer twice as much for $15 (+/- a dollar). Even BBQ joints in New York state offer way more food for less money. Pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches are around $8, which is still a poor deal considering you can get a much more flavorful and larger pulled pork sandwich from Champps right down the road for that price. Lastly, if you use a credit card, they tack on a 4% surcharge. First of all, credit cards generally charge the business 1.5%-3% per transaction, so they are making profit off of this surcharge. Second, the idea of charging people money so they can pay their bill is not only archaic, but also considered terrible business practice. So in short: Terrible food, terrible prices, terrible waste of time. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
(1)Martin M M.
Stopped in with my girlfriend on a Friday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was great and I'm a huge BBQ fan. There's a couple of others in the area that are also good, each one is unique so there's room for all of them... I had the Smoked Prime Rib and my GF had the ribs. Both were great. I wasn't a fan of the Chili but just my taste... I'll be back
(4)S T.
Good solid BBQ! Half chicken was excellent. Nice and smokey, fall off the bone. Server was excellent. A friendly young girl who knew the menu, could make suggestions, and was very accommodating. Back room is a little claustrophobic but ended up chatting it up with super nice couple so it made the whole evening very down home and comfortable. Bread pudding was excellent!
(4)Bill S.
Lived here for over 4 years and been meaning to stop here forever! Today I was craving BBQ pork sandwich, so I pulled the trigger. Let me tell you, the experience itself was just OK. The BBQ pork sandwich was good; pork was tender and had a smoky flavor. Beyond that, the experience was just OK. First, the service was not inviting or friendly. My server took my order and brought it out. That's it. Didn't ask if the food was OK, nor did she even bother to ask if I needed a drink refill (I did). Also, the portions, for the price, were very meager. Sandwich was small. The fries? Geez, they gave me about 13 or 14 fries! For 3 bucks extra? Gimme a break. So, if you ask me if the food was good, I'd say yes. But the experience AND the bang-for-the-buck left a lot to be desired. My total check with the "tip" (?) was $15.72. For just me. One person. Mind you, I could have probably stopped at another restaurant on the way home to get some more food and satisfy my appetite. .....and I'm not really a big eater. This will probably be my first and last time going there. I can get a similar quality BBQ and a much bigger portion at several local restaurants. My 3-star rating was merely for the sandwich.
(3)Percy N.
They are serving breakfast now. Will have to check it out, especially the housemade hash and the omelette with rib ends.
(4)Brian H.
My search for great BBQ may have come to an end even though I had to travel to collegeville to get it. What I tried: Fried pickle appetizer- perfectly fried and it went well with any of their choice of sauces Roast Beef sandwich- the meat was melt in your mouth good, and perfectly smoked. The roll was average but the meat does the talking. Pulled Pork- it came with no sauce but fear not, they offer many different sauces at the table for you to choose. The meat itself was nicely smoked. I could have eaten a whole plate of just the pork. Fries- thick cut and fried to a point where the outsides were slightly crispy. They do give you BBQ seasoning which is perfect for sprinkling on top of the fries. They are very accomidating for large groups and they also do off site catering. overall: If you're in search for great BBQ which is hard to find in the Lansdale area, do yourself a favor and make the short drive to collegeville, sit back, and enjoy.
(5)Brenda J.
I had to re-visit this review today (7/16/13) to speak only about the sampler platter. Because I and most people eat with "our eyes" first it was deceiving to initially see the food in individual containers and get excited. Presentation is EVERYTHING! With that being said, it was unfair of me to prejudge the platter before taking all the items out of their containers. 5 ounces is a nice portion and that multiplied by 5 items--3 being meats is a pretty decent amount piled on your plate!!! :). Unfortunately, I still believe that the flavor and texture was still subpar but you can't please everyone. Try this place out and make your own judgement. **************************************************Â******************** I ordered the house special sampler and also a half rack of ribs with 2 sides. the house special sampler is $20 and I received 3 containers of 5 ounces of food and a pint of brisket. Here's the rundown: House special sampler-over priced Beans-ok Smoked Chicken-slightly flavored & very dry Coleslaw-slightly bland but ok Pulled Pork-little flavor&very dry Brisket-dry Potato Casserole-i enjoyed the most Mac&cheese-very bland Ribs-had to PULL from bone. Needed to be cooked longer.
(3)Laura S.
I swore that I wouldn't go back. But now with all of the hype over the Food Network, I thought I would give it a try. Should have stuck with my gut. 1. The interior is definitely more appealing post-Food Network. 2. The staff is still unwelcoming and unenthusiastic both on the phone and in person. 3. Over priced. Sandwich and fries for $10. No beverage. 4. Blah food. I had the smoked meatloaf sandwich and sweet potato fries. Seriously--just blah. 5. I've had their pork BBQ before. It was dry and flavorless and served on a kaiser roll. If the thought was to pattern the sandwich after NC BBQ, you missed the mark entirely. Not even close. I'd like to see them succeed, but changes need to be made.
(2)Patti S.
This is real barbecue. Just delicious with a good deep smoke that doesn't overwhelm the taste of the meat. Prices are way inexpensive. Eat local folks. This is the place to stop for a quick takeout meal or for a charming sit down meal. The beer and wine (complimentary) on Valentines day was a great touch. Otherwise, BYOB.
(5)Matthew Y.
Phamous Phil's is as strong of a BBQ joint as you will find anywhere, let alone in the Philadelphia area. Having been for my first time earlier this evening with my dad and brother, I was blown away; my only regret was not going sooner when I went to college in Collegeville. Everything my group and I had was incredible - the wings with jacked up BBQ, baby back ribs, baked beans, boardwalk fries, fried pickles, and the cornbread were all amazing. Our server was great, too, and Phil and Robin were super-accommodating. We will definitely be back many, many times. Make sure to get there early, too. We were in the area, stopped by at around 4:15, and had the restaurant to ourselves. By the time we left at 5:00, every table was filled and the line was out the door.
(5)Russelle W.
Some of the best food around the area. This is now one of my new favorite places to eat. Every single thing ordered was delicious. I'm pretty critical, so it takes a lot for me to write a review. My brisket sandwich was one of the best things I ever ate. My entire meal made me feel like I was on vacation in the Deep South. Phil-you rock!
(5)Wayne J.
Phamous Phil's is our local go-to BBQ place. There are now several BBQ places in the area but Phil's is pretty consistent and I like his sauces. I have been a backyard BBQ smoker for over 20 years. That doesn't make me an expert or a champion, it does make me someone who has to enjoy the BBQ before I buy. Otherwise I will just fire off my smokers and do it myself. Phil's has a wide variety of good food so long as you get there early. Like many BBQ places, they can sell out of favorites quickly so you have to be flexible and not be disappointed. For me, well cooked and rendered meats are a given. If you can't put out good meat, go home. Phil's is consistently good in my experience. I have never asked but I believe his sauces are his own recipe. I have tried all and enjoy them especially the hotter sauces. The real reason I go to a place like Phil's is because the sides also make up the meal. Good fresh and well represented southern sides are great. They also do something extra with the tea. I love sweet tea but most places make it too sweet or unsweetened. Basic science class says you can't effectively dissolve sugar in a cold solution. Phil's provides liquid sugar. That makes the deal.
(4)Danan R.
The bbq ribs are meaty and tender with a nice, smokey flavor although the meat itself isn't as fall-off-the-bone as Redbone's. Sure beats the other options in suburbia though, and the sweet sauce is good. The standout item here is the pulled pork, though, which has a great authentic, smokehouse flavor. They didn't take any shortcuts and the taste definitely reflects that. Service was fast and friendly although the restaurant itself is a bit small for a sit-down meal. The mac and cheese and fries were ok, and the cornbread was good, but not really outstanding. It was about $28 for 2 huge platters (1 pork and 1 ribs). Will be back to try the smoked chicken salad and wings.
(4)Kevin M.
Great Ribs, very good brisket, and the Jack Daniels glazed sweet potatoes were a must get. Phil & his wife are very nice; a must stop if in the area.
(4)Danielle S.
No stars.... Never got a chance to eat the ribs. Soon we walked in....It was like the whole room stopped and looked at us. That should of been a sign. We asked for a slab of ribs... We were then told they ran out of them..... It was the middle of the day.... How are you out of ribs? Oh....I see.... Could they of run out of ribs...perhaps... But...um... I highly doubt it.
(1)Bina P.
Kudos! my husband and i drive by this place all the time and never tried it out until tonight. My husband got carry out and ordered pulled pork sandwich, ribs and brisket. The sauce is just a touch sweet and there's a slight bite that is amazing. The smokey flavor of the ribs were right on point and the brisket very, very flavorful. This place is truly a hidden gem that makes great BBQ. Can't wait to try more of the offerings. Happy Holidays!
(5)Rachel L.
Love this jim-joint. Good ole home cooking. Real people with great product. Service is sweet. and the owners get to know you. They buy local which is exactly what you want from a bbq joint. Love love love
(5)Derek C.
Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable about bbq! I was recommended to try the brisket sandwich. I can't put into words how delicious it was! If you're a fan a bbq this place is a must!
(4)K F.
Not a fancy restaurant, but the bar-b-que is very good. A bit pricey, but good barbecue usually is because of the time it takes to cook. It is certainly worth a try. Parking is very limited, and the restaurant is small.
(3)Charles S.
The food is here is spectacular. I've had the ribs here a few times and they have never failed to disappoint. I had to drag my wife, who is not a meat eater, here, but she was a good sport and she actually really enjoyed the fish and chips. The sides are all excellent. Extra points for the simple syrup for iced tea instead of the usual sugar packets. Sometimes the service is slow during busy periods and the seating is a little cramped and uncomfortable but the food more than makes up for both of those quibbles. Request: Macaroni and cheese?
(4)Gretchen S.
This place is a bit deceiving... it's more of a Smokehouse than BBQ really. I'm a fan of the smokehouse taste, so their wings were very good in my opinion. I did find that the overall variety of platters was lacking. This seems more of a good choice for a lunch, not a dinner. The place is small and very ma and pa feeling. There were a few minuses: little variety in plates and sauce, the "hot" sauce wasn't hot... at all, and things seemed a bit dry overall. On the other side, the pluses: every plate came with cornbread (yee haw!), Phil came out to welcome us personally and gave my friend a shot of overseas-made Jack Daniels (awesome) and the iced tea came with sweet water to add as much as you like (which I loved). Good place to stop in and grab a bite, but I wouldn't make reservations or drive more than 30 min. It's nice to have a "BBQ" place in the area though!
(3)Lonnie D.
Fantastic!! A rival to any of the best known Kansas City BBQ restaurants. The St. Louis ribs were great and the brisket tremendous. This was my first visit and definitely won't be my last.
(5)TJ G.
Great ribs and sides. Love the sauce. Not a real nice dining room. Some would call it folksy, I call it ugh. No matter, it was clean and next time I will take out.
(4)Jason S.
Menu looked great and wanted to give them a try. Ordered an assortment of things and nothing was very good. Pulled pork was ok, BBQ sauce was too sweet and had so many flavor it left a muddled taste. My biggest issue was the smoked meat. Tried ribs and wings. Everything was very heavily smoked and left me feeling like I was eating a dirty ashtray. I have had lots of good BBQ and sad to say this is not it.
(1)cotie s.
To add to my growing list of items sampled at Phils....The baby back ribs. The baby back ribs are now my fave. Goes well with slaw and mac salad. Took my parents and everything they had they loved. Check my previous reviews for further reviews of great bbq served by Phil.
(5)Yoshi F.
I have been going to Phamous Phils since it first opened. My laziness has prevented from writing a review up until now. BBQ is one of my favorite foods and I grew up loving the BBQ from Memphis TN. Phils is the best BBQ that I have had in the Philly area. Everything here is good from the meatloaf sandwich to the ribs. All the sides are delicious and everyone is friendly!
(5)Janice F.
We happened to stop in one day with a craving for BBQ pork and found that Phil's menu is much more than we expected! The meatloaf sandwich, bbq pulled pork and bbq ribs are wonderful. On a recent visit we had the crab cakes and they are full of flavor. you must try the various bbq sauces Phil has to offer! the original one is flavorful sweet and tangy. Oh don't forget to try the Ice Tea! Yum!
(5)Seth M.
I've been eating here for a few years now. Wings are great, the rest is standard fare. Usually have enjoyed our meals. Service is fair. Pricing does not match the quality of food. Sides are very small - and i am fine with that, but the price doesn't match what you get. I've been shorted wings before too. I'm not much of a complainer, so I continued to support local business. My most recent experience had me speechless however. I called in to order a takeout lunch. At Noon, they were sold out of Brisket, Chicken and Meatloaf (was only looking for about 1lb of each). Being a little confused and frustrated, I was curious why they are sold out of common items BEFORE lunch even had passed. I was then given an over the phone "lesson" on how smoked BBQ is made, and how my questioning was somehow a direct insult to their artisan craft. Mind you, I am from Texas, have my own smoker at home and know full well the time it takes to make, and the quality of meats used. However, I have never in my life ordered lunch from a BBQ place , and 2/3 of the menu was sold out. Nor was I treated that my disappointment was a nuisance to them. I was also told the Brisket will no longer be sold for take out....... Another confusing strategy as it is a BBQ staple, but I guess they must not have them means to produce enough in time for sale to their customers. I am sure I will end up at Phils again at some point, but after the somewhat rude explanation of their meat shortage issues, I am keeping my distance for now. I had good hopes for Phils, and overall is worth a visit if you are thinking of stopping in. Just beware of availability of food and limitations on takeout, pricing and surcharges for credit cards. And try not to ask any questions that result in a rude lesson in Smoking meat instead of apologizing to a let down customer who was looking forward to sharing you food with work friends as an early Thanksgiving gift.
(2)Laura S.
Today was my 4th visit. I keep wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt---i just can't any longer. Over priced. Seriously. My lunch was $12. BBQ chicken sandwich, french fries, and a drink. $12. My sandwich was DRY. Drier than a desert in a drought. A handful of french fries and a very small drink. Not worthy of $12. $12 would have bought me a full meal next door at Bella Rosy. I will admit I am a BBQ snob. I was raised on NC Lexington-style BBQ. It is BBQ, not "pulled pork". It is served chopped or sliced. It comes on a bun, not a kaiser roll and you always get slaw (vinegar) with it. Right on top. As for service, I have always had take-out and no one has seemed overly eager or friendly. Rather ho-hum. I'll just stick with my smoker and do my own BBQ.
(1)Duong N.
I'm surprised by some of the reviews here as the food was good both times I tried it. I plan to go back and take my friends also. The wings and ribs were really good. I haven't found a good BBQ joint around so I was glad to try this place. One of the other meat was dry but I can't remember which one right now (sorry!) The sweet tea was good and I like the fact that they keep the syrup on the side. The service is okay. We had good service the first time but had a tiny incident with our second time. They got very defensive when we told them they brought us the wrong wings (they brought the suicidal which was quite spicy instead of the sweet revenge we ordered). They kept saying we were wrong and that they know their sauces but we didn't make a big deal out of it (the wings still tasted good to us). Interestingly, when the check came out, it said suicidal wings on the order! HA!
(4)Andrew M.
My wife and I went on a Friday night and got seating right away. The service was helpful and very friendly. The decor is relaxing and the booths are large enough to seat four comfortably. Their menu is large enough that the pickiest of eaters could find something they would like. They cover all the BBQ basics with a Specials list and a nice desert selection. I ordered the smoked beef brisket; which had a smokey flavor and was very soft and well prepared. It came with a side of au jus, but I did not find it necessary since the meat already had a great flavor. There were several sauces to chose from on the table. A spicy mustard, a house BBQ and a BBQ sauce with a twist (kind of a Jack Daniels sauce). All were very tasty and available for purchase as well. The owner came out and greeted us and brought us his "secret seasoning" to try. I found the environmental very inviting and friendly. In my opinion, I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend this establishment to anyone in the area looking for decent BBQ. They also have a take-out menu for a quick pick up meal for the family.
(4)Jen P.
Loved the food! This was my first time here and it was fabulous! I got the pulled chicken sandwich with boardwalk fries, it was delicious. My husband had the pulled pork Reuben and he loves the sweet tea. I can't wait to go back. Friendly wait staff, highly recommend! It is always a little chilly, so bring a sweater!
(4)Karen S.
Went to Phils again today and again had the pulled pork which is unbelievable
(4)Patrick B.
The food is great and the service is really nice. I loved the chopped brisket. They have also done a smoked meatloaf. Phil makes all his sauces and they are amazing. He has even created a great seasoning that he sells. I have used it on homemade burgers and put it on pork chops. Oh one more suggestion, you should try the fresh brewed tea with simple syrup or a nice glass of lemonade. If you go to Phamous Phil's go hungry.
(5)River O.
I'm from the south and used to having great barbecue. This is very poor barbecue. I also feel that it is VERY overpriced given the quality, location, and amount of food that the customer is receiving. I would not return.
(1)Craig D.
Although slightly off the beaten path, very good BBQ. MENU Phamous Phil's BBQ Sauce = (4.5) It's a SWEET BBQ Sauce. Phamous Phil's Spare Ribs = (4) Very good! Pulled Pork Sandwich = (3) ok Potato Casserole = (3.5) Like twice-cooked hashbrowns served cold Baked Beans = (3) ok NOTES * There are 6-to-7 tables inside & most likely Phamous Phil:-) * There's a bottle of Pamous Phils BBQ Sauce on each table which makes everything taste better!:-) You can even buy it to take home!:-) * For Take-Out...make sure to get extra sauce. * There's a $10 minimum for Credit Cards.
(4)Maw T.
Always start with smoked wings with dry rub, the best wings and the main reason for my homage to Phil's
(5)Jason K.
Phil's is one of the newer BBQ joints to come to the Bucks/Montgomery county area. We got pulled pork and pulled chicken for sandwiches and both were very good. The bbq sauce they provide is a very syrupy, dark brown type that has that dark molasses flavor quality. While I prefer the South Carolina vinegar based sauce Phil's sauce goes well with their cole slaw if you put it on your pulled pork/chicken sandwich. The other meat tried was smoked meatloaf. and it was great - this is not your Mom's meatloaf. The baked beans had chunks of pork in it, which always a good sign, and were excellent - probably the best I've ever had from takeout. The cole slaw was really fresh and had great flavor. The potato casserole was good as well. A lot of BBQ places seem to struggle in the Tri-state area. I've been to several over the years that I thought had great stuff and yet after a number of years they closed their doors. Hopefully enough people will frequent Phil's to keep this place around for a while. I can't wait to try some of their other stuff.
(4)Ricky H.
The best BBQ I've found in the area. Phil and Robin are great, and Courtney is the best server I've found in any restaurant. Quality is top-notch and everything is homemade.
(5)Tim H.
Great BBQ in the Montco suburbs. I've been working down the street from Phils for a good 6 months or so now, and it has always caught my eye, but I never got around to trying it until last night. I was very happy with my experience. We got there at 6 PM on a Tuesday night, the place was empty when we got there. I got sliced brisket with cole slaw and baked beans. The brisket was very tender and tasted great. The cole slaw was good, not too sweet like a lot of places make it. The baked beans were great, as others have noted, chunks of pork in them. Delicious! my lady got a shredded BBQ chicken sandwich that came with chips. They recommended a sweeter sauce than their trademark sauce for the chicken sandwich, but she declined, opting for the house sauce (personal preference). The regular BBQ sauce that's on the tables tasted great on the chicken, from the bit I stole off her plate I wouldn't have wanted it sweeter, but to each their own. For drinks I got iced tea and she got lemonade. They came in handled jars, which was a neat little touch, and they gave us liquid sweetener, which is a huge plus in my book. Pre-sweetened tea is always too sweet for me, and unsweetened iced tea is a pain to get sugar to dissolve into. The lemonade was very good. The serving sizes weren't as big as many BBQ places I've gone too, but their prices are correspondingly lower. Not a problem for me, I'd rather pay less and lick my plate clean than pay more and not be able to eat everything. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Amanda H.
Amazing. Everytime I have to head over to the area, or drive through the area, or can figure out some way to go past Phil's, I just have to stop. The brisket is to die for, the first time I went there, I had to restrain myself from licking the plate. The pulled pork and chicken is so good, and the homeade lemonade is delicious. The waitress and Phil are always very friendly, and come out and talk to everyone at the restaurant, making you feel welcome. I tell my bf that his BBQ is better, but to be honest, I'm lying.
(5)Erica L.
SO GOOD! We had breakfast and it was amazing. Must try the hash!
(5)Christopher H.
Great food, Love the smoked BBQ chicken sandwich and beef brisket, YUM. Parking could be better but that is of minimal concern especially when your getting great food. Plus the [parking issue is only a concern on the weekend. It can get busy but overall you can make the parking lot work. When I got my food my wife and I were very happy to finally have some very good and very delicious BBQ from a place locally. Great smokey flavor with all the meat items we got. The beef brisket sandwich was great, nice and tender with great flavor and smokey goodness!!! The House sampler was delicious as well, great BBQ pulled pork and pulled BBQ chicken (nice smokey flavor mixed with a nice mixture of BBQ sauce, same goes for the pork), beef brisket came with the sampler as well since you cam choose amy 3 meats and 2 sides for a good price. Wife loved the sweet potato casserole. Boardwalk fries had good seasoning and nice and hot. Onion rings good as well. Wings were good with a nice spicy/hot flavor/sauce. The ribs are good especially the baby back ribs.The servings were of a decent size, sandwich had a large amount of brisket which is always a plus and the ribs had plenty of meat, etc. My wife loves the wings and potato casserole the most. I prefer the BBQ Chicken Sandwich and the icea with the simple sugar you add. Staff were friendly but they can get over run on the weekend which obviously leads to some frustration on everybody's end. Decent prices and a good selection of different sandwiches, meats, ribs, wings, etc. Definitely recommend this place for anyone that wants some good, delicious BBQ or food in general for a decent price. FYI: For those that care the BBQ sauce is a sweet sauce molasses or sugar based as opposed to vinegar based (which is fine with me since I think both types). Only wish it was a little thicker but that's just my preference. Especially wish it were thicker on the sandwiches so that it binds it and adds the flavor on top of the smokey goodness, just my 2 cents though.... I know that if it were thicker then I would buy more of the bottled sauce, just wanted to let Phil and company know in case they read this. Also Phil seem like a nice guy and learn about BBQ competitions that he's been in. Wife met him the first time we came here and she said he was friendly as well.
(5)Michael R.
I tried the spare rib platter today, which included mac and cheese and baked beans. I took home a pound of smoked chicken salad, as well. The small dining room is clean and the service was great. (Unfortunately, my server was wearing Calvin K's "Obsession", which doesn't enhance my dining experience). Pros: Ribs were pretty tender, without too much gristle. The two sauces offered me a choice of K. C. style sweet and a sauce with some vinegar added for "extra kick" . I want to try the brisket, next time. Nice menu and helpful staff. The owner was there and talked to me a bit, too. Cons: BBQ sauces were served freezing cold (from the fridge), not something I've seen before. Putting freezing cold sauce on food (unless it is ice cream) isn't what I normally do. The sauce was very thin, even cold. I was given a knife, which I had to use some. If ribs are very tender you don't need a knife at all. The sides and the chicken salad were nothing special. The beans were extremely bland for a BBQ joint. Next time, I will probably order another meat selection and probably take it home and make my own side dishes, but given the local competition, I would say they are about they only place in the area where I would go back a second time for BBQ.
(3)David B.
Ive been to Phils only twice now but it absolutely hit my taste buds with wonderfully full force both times. This is a very relaxing, chilled out small place with a New Orleans diner type vibe. Don't dress to impress for Phils. The atmosphere tells you that you came here for the food. Comfort food, really. And really really good. Everything about the menu says that these folks take their time to do it right. They are creative and know exactly what they are doing. I had the Brisket Reuben the other night. I love the traditional type Reuben but had to try this. Just perfect.There are 3 sauces on each table and each is better than the last. Even something as basic as the ice tea is freshly brewed and arrives with some ol' fashioned simple syrup to sweeten. The ribs, brisket and sandwiches will get your eyes rolling in their sockets. The sweet potatoe fries are huge and delicious. Can we talk??? TRY PHIL's. You wont be sorry. On busy weekend nights, you had better get there early to get a seat and so I would recommend that you try Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to come in as there is more room. If you can bring cash (vs credit card) they prefer that to keep the prices low. They also have an ATM just in case. the staff is very friendly and this adds to the homey atmosphere. See you there. Ill be the guy smiling!!
(5)Diane N.
After 2 visits to this place I only have 1 question....What are these people thinking? Brisket with a slab of fat on it, soaked in liquid smoke....is NOT a good thing. Please. No dry rub could be detected, no smoke ring found. More like oven cooked pot roast...done poorly. Pulled pork tasted steamed and without any flavor. Generally the food lacked flavor and depth. The sides were bland. The sauce is extremely sweet and one dimensional. I asked the server (whose hands were FILTHY) what type of wood they use in their smoker. Answer? "Regular oak or something". Such a disappointment. I have had tons of BBQ in Kansas City, known for it's BBQ varieties. This place would be out of business there in no time. A joke. NOT a place to take a family with kids. Seating is ridiculous, cramped and poorly arranged. There was grease on the chairs, table and trash on the floor....imagine the state of the kitchen. The place smells like cigarettes, grease and body odor.
(1)Rachel S.
In a word... WOW!! Phamous Phil's has quickly become my family's favorite restaurant. The food and the service consistently superb. The smoked chicken wings are the best I've ever had. The skin is crisp. The wings are meaty. The wings are perfectly coated in a buffalo wing sauce. The ribs are fall off the bone tender, the brisket melts in your mouth, I could go on and on... Phamous Phil's Is clean, the owners are friendly and definitely passionate about providing the best BBQ in the area.
(5)Kathleen N.
Tried it here for the first time tonight. Parking was tight and the service was friendly but slow. I really enjoyed the meatloaf and the crab cakes. I would like to give it another try to sample the ribs.
(3)Andrea m g.
We were lured in to Phamous Phils by the wonderful aroma wafting from the parking lot. Phamous Phils is tiny. When you first enter you have booths with non move-able plastic benches that will fit 4 thin people or 2 average size folks.The back room had a few tables and is very cramped. The waitstaff has to squeezes thru sideways to get to your table. I'm sad to report we were not thrilled with our food. Most food is served in plastic baskets that alone is a real turn off for me . .The Three of us agree we are not returning. I had beef brisket, fries and beans that came with a corn muffin. The meat was very fatty and Phil stopped by to see how our food was. I mentioned the fat laden brisket was a disappointment and was told that's how a recent wedding party hailing from Texas had requested it and that's how real Texans like it but the brisket sandwich they serve is leaner.???? He stated he also prefers his brisket leaner.???? OK, Phil but the guy sitting across from me is from Houston and was raised in Port Arthur Texas he Phil thinks you are full of it. Phil also to prove he was right told us about how he was voted best BBQ.. Dude take back the brisket and bring us the leaner stuff you put on the sandwiches!!!....My Texan friend had 3 meats and the same sides. He was not happy with the 2 tiny slices of dried meatloaf and felt the brisket tasted like roast beef with a healthy dose of liquid smoke.The pulled pork was declared by all to be rather ho hum. The BBQ sauce tasted like it had Hersey's chocolate syrup in it and was about the same consistency. We got the meat first and had to wait for the sides which also was not appreciated. Fries very good .Macaroni gluey .Beans nothing to write home about. Service and Phil....Not good
(2)Greg M.
Our regular BBQ place, Rosey's in Ambler closed back in October so we headed to Phamous Phils to try it out hoping for goodness. Phils's is a small loction but found the food to be tastey. We ordered the Chili fries n fried pickle chips for appetizer. Babybacks, wings and brisket for dinner. How was it? Chili fries n pickles were awesome. Fries had pork and brisket in the chili and the pickles served with a chipotle sauce. Baby backs were just right. Good smoke and pulled off the bone as they should, no they werent dry or tough. Wings were large, moist and also very good. They are smoked so beware if you dont like wings that way. As far as the brisket, my wife ordered it chopped and I give it an ok. I prefer sliced and not in the juices it was cooked in but it was tender though flavor was only ok. Over all we were very satisfied and will be back to Phils in the near future to satisfy the bbq cravings. To top our night, we got talking to Phil when he did his normal walk around and I was treated to a shot of some Jack Daniels Silver Select 100/50 whiskey as his was my birthday dinner, plus the birthday person gets a free meal. Awesome! Everyone at Phils was very pleasant and informative and it was great talking with Phil about his background and lots of other things. Phil and crew, thanks for a good meal and plus one to you for the dinner treat.
(4)Jess C.
I love barbeque! Phamous Phils is no exception. Ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, all tender and delicious. The smoked wings are outstanding. There are two small dining rooms, and parking on the side. Service is always friendly and attentive. Also, the iced tea is served along with simple syrup, which is a nice touch. My only minor criticisms are that the BBQ sauce is a little thin, and the side dishes (baked beans, cornbread) are nothing special. (For reference, I absolutely love the beans from the Tex's BBQ truck.)
(4)Charles B.
me and my otherhalf went to Phamous Phils last month we another couple were the only ones in there, we ordered wings honey barbacue which where dry and flavor less not inpressed t we had pulledpork and briskett and mac and cheese and potato casserol dish it was ok it started to get busy and we had to wait along time to get are check the homemade lemonade was good but are first time experience was not inpressive we decided not to come here again diva takeout is better and cheaper.
(2)Paul M.
I've been four times for the smoked wings which are excellent. The 'medium' hot sauce is just right for me as, even though I can stand hotter, I choose not to eradicate the good smoke flavor. I just wish they'd have smoked and Bar-B-Qued half chickens (like short-lived Benny's Bar-B-Que USA did) but Phil says they would dry out. If brined properly, they won't. Anyway. all else is good and I'm glad they're a short hop away.
(4)Sarah D.
Good food, tiny portions.
(4)Hungry M.
Just ok. The sauce was sweet. The corn bread was super sweet like cake. The macaroni and the potato salad was bland. The onion rings tasted like old oil. The pulled pork quesadillas were good. The tea was weak. Smaller portions than I was expecting for a 'platter'.
(2)Rob S.
Went there last evening and ordered the Ribs. I thought they were a bit overcooked and not the best quality, but Phils sauce was excellent. Phil came over and talked with us and brought us some brisket to taste. It was excellent. We are going to go back and try some of his other items such as the pulled porked sandwich, the smoked chicken salad or the chili.
(3)Amber C.
I was kind of disappointed with this place. The meats we tried (pulled pork, bbq pulled chicken, smoked meatloaf and brisket) were just ok. Nothing great! I liked the sides better than the meats. The mac and cheese was creamy, the macaroni salad was very good. The baked beans I felt like was missing something because it just didn't take as good. I also felt it was pretty expensive costing $37 for two people. I probably wouldn't go back again. I think I would keep looking for a good BBQ.
(2)Bill L.
Great food, great service. I visit at least once a week, more if I have time. It is worth the drive everytime. Best in montgomry county.. keep up the good food phil.
(5)Jeff H.
I've eaten here a few times and always been pleased with the food. Authentic BBQ and spicy which i love. Recently the portions got a bit smaller and the prices are not cheap for the type of food. Great place to go when I'm hungry for a great meal and willing to spend a few bucks. Have the brisket and mac and cheese.
(4)reviewer m.
Delicious BBQ, great service and a returning customer! Phamous Phils is off a pretty busy road and you may drive by it before noticing it, but it's worth the stop. You know it's good when the parking lot is packed early on a Saturday nigth! The restaurant is small, but there's a back dining section if needed. As soon as you walk in, the sweet smells are all around. The menu is pretty extensive too. Angel, our waitress, is really nice and friendly. We tried a pound of wings with the Phamous Phils Sauce and a slab of Phamous Phil's BBQ ribs (with sides of cole slaw and fries). The wings are plump and meaty with a sticky sauce that I would say is more sweet than tangy. I think we got about half a dozen or so with the order. I'm not here to comment on the sides for the ribs, which were fair, but the BBQ is very tasty! The flavor of the meat goes down to the bone and the meat slides right off. The BBQ sauce is slightly runny but the flavor's there. I think we spent around $25 for the wings and ribs and were satisfied when we left without even finishing the fries or slaw. I noticed quite a few people drinking homemade sweet tea and lemonade...next time I'll have to try that too!
(4)Ronald H.
We just had lunch at Phamous Phil's and it was outstanding. The smoked Chicken wings were the best I've had. I do a lot of smoking and grilling and it is difficult to find a great barbeque place when I know I can do it much better myself. This is not the case at Phamous Phil's. His Smoked pulled pork reuben was an awesome twist on an old favorite. His sauces can not be beat and he even sales them for me to use at home. We had the Jack Daniels Bread pudding and even if you don't like BBQ it is worth a trip to Phamous Phil's for this alone.
(5)Dave H.
Great food at Phil's. On my 1st trip I went with the house special. I had Smoked Brisket, Chicken and Pork. All 3 were good. Good smoke flavor and very tasty. Not dry. The Sauce was pretty good too. I little runny but that's okay if it's good and it was. My 2 sides were fries and the potatoe casserole. Fries were above average, and the potatoes were banging. I asked for the recipe but I was told it's under lock and key. Ice tea wit simple syrup was great as well. My only complaint is the smell of smoke is outside, I love that smell, I'm still waiting for Yankee Candle to make that scent. Also the booths are a little small. Great place to eat!!!!!
(4)Jesse G.
Fun experience and liked the food.
(5)Aaron D.
Well, the BBQ itself is so-so, but the pricing doesn't make sense, it's way overpriced. I mean, it's a tiny dive, why is it so expensive? The side dishes are $2.50, and they are tiny! Quite pathetic, really. I'm not a fat person who needs monster portions, but this price is just not matching with what you get. Phamous for what exactly?
(2)Traci S.
The placed was packed so that says something.... however my chicken salad tasted like a chimney. Ribs were better. Good mac n cheese.
(2)Jim C.
Suicide wings that are actually HOT! Good BBQ all around. Friendly staff and Phil will even come out to chat sometimes.
(5)Maarten V.
I was lured to the place by its 4-star rating. Just want to warn future potential victims: Even if they would pay me the value of the meal I would not go back. It's too bad, because the staff seem to be nice and making the effort, although service was slow. Food did not taste good. No juiciness, very bland. Stuff that comes back to haunt you for several hours afterwards. Still, the place was packed so maybe it was me???
(1)J B.
I wanted to absolutely love this place. I really did. I've traveled the country, and had fabulous food. I know that you don't look for good green chile burritos in New York, you don't look for an amazing crab louie in Wyoming, and you just don't get fabulous bbq in PA. What you do get is pretty good, almost very good bbq. It won't knock your sox off if you've had bbq in Texas or the deep south, but it will satisfy a craving until you can get there. The corn bread is a disgrace! Tiny muffins that are cold, and taste bland. Should be all you can eat cornbread to make up for the small portions. Come on! Put some corn in there! Maybe some jalpenos! The food was just "warm". They need to work on keeping it hot as they prepare the entire plate. I wish them success. I hear they've had issues with the township about their portable sign. Very nice, friendly people working there.
(3)Jim C.
Food was good and wait staff was very friendly. Dining area isn't very big so you should call ahead to reserve a table if you have a large party. We had a group of 8 (6 adults and 2 kids under 6). We got to the restaurant around 5:30P and there were only a couple of diners but the place was full when we left. No complaints from anyone in our group.
(4)Michael s.
i went there and had the pulled pork and the ribs. i would not go back there again. the ribs were very small and dry. the pulled pork was average, and the portion small.
(2)SH H.
Overall food was good but portions/price value ratio is poor. Had the ribs and a beef sandwich, tasty. Beans, fries, bread pudding also good. I'll give the unremarkable decor a pass. Potato casserole was lousy. Should have just gotten the "party pack" as take-out.
(3)