Dickey's Barbecue Pit

[MillCreek]

A BBQ place, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, has opened in Snohomish County.  I see it is a nationwide chain.   Does anyone know this place and have an opinion on the food?

[cosine]

One just opened in Milwaukee. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to.

[geronimotwo]

i read that as "disney's bbq pit".  

sorry, but i haven't been to either.  however, i did find a local smokehouse just south of greenville tn last weekend.  

[slugcatcher]

It's fast food bbq.  We ate at one once.  Never again.  They smoke the brisket just long enough to be cooked. That leaves it tough.  Then they trim the meat down past the smoke ring.  I've never seen that done before.  As a result it had no flavor at all.  The part that I really didn't like was when they squeezed the potato salad out of a bag onto my plate.  I understand they have everything sent in pre-made but presentation counts for a lot.  This was in east Texas where people should know better.  It's a real shame all of the family bbq joints have disappeared.

[Ned Hamford]

It's fast food bbq. 

Once is enough to learn not to go there again; hopefully you have learned from the group wisdom. 

[Harold Tuttle]

That does not sound like the Dickey's that I have been noming at for the last 6 months

they have fried ocra and make a decent 8 dollar lunch

[41magsnub]

We've had one here for maybe a year and it is alright.  It's better than any other BBQ joint in town which is more of a comment on the other places than huge praise for Dickey's.

[Ben]

We've had one here for maybe a year and it is alright.  It's better than any other BBQ joint in town which is more of a comment on the other places than huge praise for Dickey's.

I think that comment nails it. They just opened one up by my folks and we tried it for take-out last weekend. I liked Dickey's brisket better than the Costco brisket sandwich, but I've probably never had brisket at a sit-down joint that knows how to do it. I thought their mashed potatoes were good. The ribs we got were a little dry. I'll probably go there again though.

[zahc]

I've visited both large ones in Texas and a smaller one in NC. It has been consistently ok.

[Brad Johnson]

It's okay for generic BBQ, but I find it a little pricey compared to local joints that do a better job.

Brad

[Sergeant Bob]

We got one in my town a while back. I've been there 4 or 5 times (giving them a fair shot) and the meat is consistently dry and tough. In addition, I think they get their ribs from anorexic pigs.

[Fly320s]

It's okay for generic BBQ, but I find it a little pricey compared to local joints that do a better job.

Brad

I agree.  If you are in an area that has lots of good BBQ joints, like DFW, then Dickey's is way down on the list places to eat.

In NH, where good BBQ is rare, Dickey's would be fine dining.

[MillCreek]

I agree.  If you are in an area that has lots of good BBQ joints, like DFW, then Dickey's is way down on the list places to eat.

In NH, where good BBQ is rare, Dickey's would be fine dining.

This is why I am going to give it a try.  Not a lot of good BBQ, or BBQ at all, for that matter, in the Seattle area.

[BobR]

This is why I am going to give it a try.  Not a lot of good BBQ, or BBQ at all, for that matter, in the Seattle area.

That is a shame, making good BBQ is not that hard, just takes a while. I normally do a couple of briskets a year and collect beef ribs to do once a year. I go to markets that cut their own ribeyes and buy the ribs they cut off. It's the only way to get a meaty beef rib these days.

If you are ever on the dry side, and can give about 4-6 weeks notice, I could do a brisket, and probably ruin you for any chain BBQ for the rest of your life. I need the notice so I can wet age the brisket before smoking.

bob

[Balog]

This is why I am going to give it a try.  Not a lot of good BBQ, or BBQ at all, for that matter, in the Seattle area.

Hole in the Wall on James downtown in CBD.
Pecos just a little south in... SoDo? Georgetown? I can never keep those neighborhoods straight.
Carolina Smoke up in our area, in the Bothell marketplace or whatever it's called with the giant chicken in front. South of 405 on 527, you know the one I'm talking about.

[brimic]

One just opened in Milwaukee. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to.

No way that its going to beat this place:  http://www.speedqueenbbq.com/about-us/ 
Order some outside shoulder and nom away.

[MillCreek]

Hole in the Wall on James downtown in CBD.
Pecos just a little south in... SoDo? Georgetown? I can never keep those neighborhoods straight.
Carolina Smoke up in our area, in the Bothell marketplace or whatever it's called with the giant chicken in front. South of 405 on 527, you know the one I'm talking about.

Balog, FYI, I cannot recommend either Lew's or the Depot Cafe in downtown Everett or the General's BBQ by Everett Mall.  I have been to all of them several times, and the BBQ there is just 'meh' although Depot is probably the best of the bunch.  I will have to try Carolina Smoke at the Country Village.

PS: I wish I could find someone who does a good job with, and sells, the burnt ends of the brisket.  I have done some consulting work in Kansas City, MO, and I have been to several restaurants there that do it well.

[roo_ster]

I've visited both large ones in Texas and a smaller one in NC. It has been consistently ok.

This, though I would go with "OK+."

It's okay for generic BBQ, but I find it a little pricey compared to local joints that do a better job.

Brad

Yes, a nasty local hole in the wall can do better, but they can be hard to find.  Luckily my wife and I seek out such places, especially on the road.  If there are a lot of cars in the lot of a run down shack with smoke coming out the back, that is a good sign.

[Balog]

Balog, FYI, I cannot recommend either Lew's or the Depot Cafe in downtown Everett or the General's BBQ by Everett Mall.  I have been to all of them several times, and the BBQ there is just 'meh' although Depot is probably the best of the bunch.  I will have to try Carolina Smoke at the Country Village.

PS: I wish I could find someone who does a good job with, and sells, the burnt ends of the brisket.  I have done some consulting work in Kansas City, MO, and I have been to several restaurants there that do it well.

I don't get up to Everett much, but I will keep that knowledge filed away. :)

Carolina Smoke is good but a little inconsistent. The owner is hilarious, big black good ole boy from the Souf. It definitely is a family run kind of place.

Speaking of local food, you ever try that taco truck that's on 527? Just north of Thrasher's Corner I think. I drive past there sometimes but have never tried it.

[MillCreek]

Ok, so I just got back from the new Dickey's location about eight minutes from my office. I had the two meat plate with brisket, pulled pork, fried onion tanglers and barbecue beans for a total of $ 12.59.  It did not knock my socks off, but it was pretty good.  I have clearly paid more money for worse BBQ.  Both meats had obviously spent a good chunk of time in the smoker.  The brisket was somewhat dry but tender and it had a bit of a burnt edge/crust on the periphery.  The pulled pork was moist. I was not that impressed by either the regular, spicy or tangy BBQ sauces.  I would go there again, but I would say it is not as good as the local Famous Dave's.

[K Frame]

Saying BBQ is "ok" is just another way of saying it's *expletive deleted*it.

[Scout26]

Bring your yellow cup, free drinks forever.

Went to one in KC a few years back.  Not bad.  Then they opened one here, in my little 'burb.  Brought my yellow cup and drinks were on the house !!!


Also, you'd think with the Great Migration that at least ONE person from the south would have brought BBQ and given that Chicago had the largest stockyards in the world  ("Hog butcher to the world." Anyone?  Bueller?) that there would be "Chicago BBQ" that would rival Carolina, Texas, and KC and kick all their asses.  But NOOOooooooo.  We have to go out of state (mostly) for BBQ.  Yes, there's Famous Dave's, but that's chain BBQ.  It's okay,  I think Dickey's brisket is better and like their sauces.  However the best BBQ around here is Uncle Bub's.  Simply because the do the cooking on premises.  

[brimic]

Also, you'd think with the Great Migration that at least ONE person from the south would have brought BBQ and given that Chicago had the largest stockyards in the world  ("Hog butcher to the world." Anyone?  Bueller?) that there would be "Chicago BBQ" that would rival Carolina, Texas, and KC and kick all their asses.  But NOOOooooooo.

Don't they have any in the ghetto-ish areas in chicago? For truly good barbeque, I firmly believe one needs to venture into areas where the probability of getting shot/mugged/stabbed approach 1.

[Scout26]

Don't they have any in the ghetto-ish areas in chicago? For truly good barbeque, I firmly believe one needs to venture into areas where the probability of getting shot/mugged/stabbed approach 1.

Yes, there are ghetto-ish areas (most of the South and West sides).  However, there is a dearth of BBQ places. I can't recall any that were anywhere near where I worked on the westside or when I worked at Midway, and we were always looking for new places to eat.  Now Fried Chicken and/or Fish.  You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting one of the those places, or a greek-owned restaurant, or a Hot Dog Stand/place, or a pizza place, or a soul food place.   BBQ?  Nope, never saw a one.

[roo_ster]

Yes, there are ghetto-ish areas (most of the South and West sides).  However, there is a dearth of BBQ places. I can't recall any that were anywhere near where I worked on the westside or when I worked at Midway, and we were always looking for new places to eat.  Now Fried Chicken and/or Fish.  You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting one of the those places, or a greek-owned restaurant, or a Hot Dog Stand/place, or a pizza place, or a soul food place.   BBQ?  Nope, never saw a one.

WTH?  I can not even grasp that.  Most towns I've lived south of the M-D line you could go into the rough side and get great BBQ.  Heck, in Little Rock, they even set up a Neutral Zone(1) so's the proportion of white folk scared to go into the ghetto could get great BBQ.  Very humanitarian gesture by all around, IMO.



(1) Sim's at Barrow Road