Ken's food at Amarillo is amazing!! The brisket, ribs, pulled pork, mac and cheese, beans... everything. Even the Cole slaw and pickles sides are unreal. We have family in SC and have had a hard time finding BBQ in North Jersey that compares to the south but this is equal to and some dishes are even better than what we've had in the south. Amarillo has catered two of our parties in less than a year and everyone keeps talking about how amazing they were. Ken's also such a gentleman who is kind and very professional. Very accommodating and easy to work with. You and your guests will be very happy with your choice when you start digging in. read more

Delicious food..the brisket was melt in your mouth awesome and the Mac and cheese scrumptious (especially the crispy outside yum). So easy to order and work with owner and chef. BBQ chicken, baked beans grilled veggies all very good. On time service and will definitely be using them again! read more

Always delighted to eat here. Everything fresh and delicious. Family friendly very accommodating.

Ken and team Amarillo catered my wedding last night in dumbo. From the very beginning, he was pleasant, honest and plainly easy to work with. He even told me I may be ordering too much food! After we had a tasting of some of his items, I asked if he could make some adjustments and he was quick to do them and reflect it in our potential menu. My wedding was very DIY, so I was sending a million emails, but Ken was so responsive. He prefers calls, but i am very much not, so I made his life harder. :) Now onto the actual event. I had 140 guests and a buffet style dinner. They arrived two hours earlier than planned to get setup. Very responsible. Their presentation was professional and they had their uniforms on. The servers did an excellent job of clearing the tables and the staff was just lovely the entire night. The food was amazing. I had guests come up to me in the middle of dinner to tell he how good the food was (many of them are yelp elite or major foodies themselves). Even the DJ made a shoutout to them because he was impressed! For my cocktail hour we had candied bacon, Polynesian chicken wings and corn bread. Everyone wanted more of that bacon! We also had a special request. I bought a whole roast pig to the wedding since Chinese traditional weddings usually have one. Ken, being a dear, having never butchered one before, did so for us. My judging chef father didn't have any critiques. For entrees ; from what I had time to sample ; the brisket, ribs and Mac & Cheese were divine. I'm sure everything else was amazing but I only got to eat those items. Then after everything was over ; they cleaned off the tables and kitchen then packed everything away in garbage bags. It was an amazing night, thank you so much for such a wonderful job! read more

We enjoyed a great time due to Ken's prowess and awesome food. There was nothing that was not 100%. From the burgers to the ribs abd delicious chicken and all the delicious sides. All was cleaned up and put away. The leftovers were just as delicious the next day. We were able to enjoy our guests with little for us to worry about. We will DEFINITELY call on Ken again. read more

I catered my daughter's college graduation party with Amarillo Grilling. The food was AMAZING! Delicious, hot and plenty of it! My guests were so impressed with the spread. I really enjoyed working with Chef Ken & Ron. I would wholeheartedly recommend them and I will definitely be using them again! read more

We ordered the brisket for the superbowl, and it was amazing. It was advertised to feed 12 plus, and it easily fed 20 with double portions for a few. It also came with macaroni cheese, which was some of the best we have ever had. Ken is so professional with everything too, and very easy to work with. We had to change the time of pick up due to the winter storm that was coming, and he was very accommodating. You can tell he puts his heart and soul into his food, so I would easily recommend Amorillo Catering to anyone. read more

Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering - Superbowl Brisket - Caterers Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

My wife found Amarillo Grilling and Ken in a search for our son's graduation party from MSU. We were both very impressed by all those 5 star reviews, but as it turns out there's good reason for that. Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering provide excellent quality BBQ dishes. Could be the best finds my wife ever made. We ordered the brisket and pulled pork, which came along with some excellent mac & cheese, some excellent bourbon baked beans, cold slaw, lots of half sour pickles, a bunch of slider buns... pretty much everything you'd need to host one fantastic BBQ party. And everything was really excellent... just fantastic! The brisket was unbelievably tender and tasty as was the pulled pork. The bourbon baked beans as well as the mac and cheese... well, our guests couldn't get enough. I can't say enough good things about the food that Ken provided. You can tell everything is home made with lots of love. I just can't speak highly enough about how good the food was. Ken himself was also very easy to deal with. If you choose AG&BBQ for your party, you will see how personable he is. Very friendly and willing to accommodate any request. Ken wasn't able to stay as our server and I'm almost sorry he wasn't able to stay. Judging from the brief conversation we had, I'm sure he would have provided some interesting conversation while he was taking care of our guests. Every one of our guests kept asking us, "who was your caterer"... (Hint to Ken... You should bring a stack of business cards to your functions.) I don't know how far Ken will travel, but if you're in the Oakland, New Jersey area, you really should give Ken a call. (or check his website: http://www.amarillogrilling.com) I'm going to need to try his ribs next time. read more

Ken and his team did a great job for our backyard event. The food was very tasty and the service was great and everything was a great value. Would definitely recommend and hire again. read more

Honestly this review is long overdue; but, 2 months later people are STILL talking about Ken's RIBS. That's just how good they were! I reached out via Yelp in panic mode because my BBQ skills couldn't compare to my sous chefs, GMs and foodies tastes. Luckily Ken saved the day & they're still talking about the finger licking good ribs, Mac n cheese to die for & the crispiest slaw anyone's ever had. We ordered more than enough & Ken still gave us more. He delivered on time, with a smile & was more than welcome to have joined us. I'll definitely be ordering again! read more

Ken is the BEST!!! Everyone at our party wanted to know where this delicious food came from!! Everything was so perfect! And door to door delivery can't be beat when you are having a party for a lot of people! You can take care of the party stuff and the food arrives ready to serve and right on time. Dealing with Ken was easy and he squeezed me into an already busy 4th of July!! I'd give him ten stars for his food and service. Don't look any further for someone to give you BBQ, this is the guy you want, hands down!! read more

We had a fantastic high school graduation party, Sunday, and Ken/Amarillo were at the center! Almost all guests made a special point to call out how much they enjoyed the food. Not sure which is more important for an event like this...great food or a great, personable, engaging chef such as Ken. He was awesome to work with...and most of the family made a point to thank Ken, personally, snd say goodbye. Will be calling Ken for future bbq parties! Ken with our graduate (in the photo)! read more

Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering - Caterers Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

Not only was the food amazing, but the communication was always quick and transparent. Thank you to Ken for being so accommodating. Everyone was raving about everything especially the brisket. A+ all around and will most definitely be using this company again! read more

Ken did a great job catering for our party of 60 the other night. Ribs, brisket,pulled pork were all fall'in off the bone delicious, wings and sides were also great. Ken really worked hard to ensure our party was a success. Everyone gave Ken's food rave reviews. We'll see Ken again for our next event! read more

Just had the best experience pulling together a last minute backyard soiree and Amarillo BBQ catering. Ken is a true professional and super easy to work with. The food was delivered and set up flawlessly and promptly. And O.M.G. the food was AMAZING! My guests could not stop talking about it! Great portions, too. We had the pulled pork, ribs, and the brisket. Everything was perfectly executed and tasty. Definitely looking forward to working with Ken in the future (and so will my guests!) Thank you so much! read more

This review is a long time coming, and I feel terrible that it took me so long to write. We used Amarillo Grilling back in September 2014 to cater my daughter's Christening. Everything about it was amazing! Our event was for 85 people, and we did not have a hungry soul around, plus I came home with leftovers that Ken packed up for us! First, we should start with the food. We had Pulled Pork Shoulder Slowly Roasted over Black Cherry Wood basted with Maple - Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Tuscan Style Moist & Tender marinated Chicken Breast Gently Grilled over Black Cherry Wood, and Texas - Tender Bourbon BBQ Beef Brisket Slowly Grilled Over Smoked Dry-Aged Hickory Wood as our main dishes. OMG! Honestly, amazing. My favorite was the Brisket, but everything was melt in your mouth, slow cooked and delicious. Not too sweet, not too smokey. His technique was great but his flavor profile development was out of this world. For sides we had Savory Baked Macaroni & 4-Cheese made with 40% Real Cream, European Butter and aromatic seasonings, Fresh Cole Slaw, and Slowly Baked BBQ Beans with NY maple syrup, European Butter and a tang of our signature Bourbon BBQ sauce. I almost didn't want the baked beans because it's not usually my thing, but hyubby insisted. They were the most amazing baked beans I have ever eaten! Also, the Mac and Cheese was beyond perfect, and the cole slaw was really good too. OK, so Ken. He was professional, didn't need much from us, and really took care of it all. We met up a few minutes early to show him where some things were, but he just took it from there. we also had wait staff i hired, and he worked so perfectly with them. I will certainly be using him again and have recommended him to many of my friends and family. I would give him 6 stars if possible. read more

They deserve more than 5 stars! I had a last minute engagement party put together and with the help of Ken and his staff they made everything that much easier for us! Where do i even begin? Ken was so honest from the beginning with how much food we should order which was awesome to start off with. Its so easy to over order when you dont know. With the amazing menu selection we had to choose from he really guided us the entire way. Now when it came time for the party they were so organized and clean! The team Ken came with was so attentive and respectful! They really paid attention to every detail and didnt skip a beat and everyone had such wonderful personalities! I am so blown away. Now of course, the food was absolutely AMAZING! I even had people calling me the next day to rave about how delicious everything was. I can go on and on but really this team is amazing and will totally blow you away with their service and memorable food! Absolutely get the ribs though, that was definitely top of the list! Thank you guys again and we cant wait to use you for future events! read more

My lovely wife and I recently had approximately 75 adults and 30 kids at our house for a Big Birthday Blow-out! After thinking about food, we decided to cater the party rather than cook ourselves. after a few phone calls and some searching online, we decided to use Ken Johnson and Amarillo Grilling to cater our event. From our initial contact with him, to meeting him before the event, where he helped us plan the amount of food, what we should offer our guests, to Chuck, running around and cleaning up after everyone, it was probably one of the wisest decisions we ever made! The food, Oh my goodness the Food! Once Ken started cooking there was a congregation just watching him and drooling to the delightful aromas he was creating! The Tuscan Chicken was absolutely the juiciest BBQ chicken I have ever had. The Beef Brisket was so tender it fell apart in your mouth, and the Pulled Pork was astonishing in it's quality and quantity. Mac and Cheese, Bourbon Baked Beans that were absolutely incredible! Cole Slaw that was so crisp and fresh, burgers and dogs for the kids, and everything was amazing. The quality of the food, the flavors, the presentation, Outstanding! Just absolutely amazing! We even had leftovers that we enjoyed for another day! If you want a professionally catered party, with a Chef who is not only friendly, but loves what he does, and some amazing people who work for him, look no further. Amarillo Grilling can not be beat. read more

We chose Amarillo Grilling to cater our wedding reception of 100 and we could not be happier with our choice. Ken Johnson, the Executive Chef and owner, was incredibly helpful and professional, from planning to execution, and we have nothing but praise for his business. We first reached out to Ken via e-mail after finding him on Yelp, and he responded to our questions promptly and with detailed responses. Amarillo Grilling serves a variety of Texas BBQ courses and the descriptions of each course on the menu were very tempting, we actually had some difficulty deciding on how many entrees to select for our reception size (they all looked good), but Ken provided helpful advice on how different entrees and combinations would complement each other. Anyone planning a wedding knows the devil is in the details, and Ken excelled in this area. We were planning a long-distance wedding, which was rather stressful, but Ken was very prompt in answering any questions or concerns, and he utilized his own experience in addressing additional issues that we hadn't considered ourselves. He was very clear about his duties and responsibilities and easily incorporated the serving schedule into the overall reception schedule. We chose pork shoulder roasted over black cherry wood with maple honey-bourbon BBQ, chicken breast grilled over black cherry wood, and wild salmon grilled over hickory and black cherry wood. I'm a big BBQ fan and had some initial concerns whether these dishes could be prepared to scale for 100, but my worries were unfounded. The pork was moist, flavorful, and had that wonderful smokiness that you could taste and smell. The chicken breast was also excellent (this was my wife's personal favorite). The salmon was outstanding. The sides included baked macaroni and cheese (absolutely wonderful and could make a meal by itself), cole slaw, and baked beans. For appetizers, we had tomatoes with mozzarella and mozzarella, prosciutto, and tomatoes over semolina bread. Our guests devoured these so quickly that they were gone within minutes of being served. Our four servers were professional and friendly, and they made sure that every table had fresh water and was cleared promptly. We used disposable tableware that Ken sourced through a local distributor, which made the cleanup of the reception hall very easy. The tableware itself was sturdy and matched well with our table settings. We provided our wedding cake as dessert, but if you have the opportunity, you should definitely try Karen's cheesecake, which is spectacular. Ken had no issues with this and he helpfully had the cake cut and ready to serve within minutes. At the end of the reception, Ken kindly provided a massive pan of leftovers for us to take home, and we actually managed to feed our entire extended family (over 30 people) the next day and still have food leftover! Our wedding reception was perfect, and Ken and Karen of Amarillo Grilling played a big role in this. Many of our guests said that they had never tasted such great BBQ, and my wife and I agree. You can taste the love and care that went into this food! read more

Ken of Amarillo grill catered our annual Rutherford Rotary holiday party. Everyone was more than pleased. Brisket and the pulled pork was excellent. Thank you Ken for a great party. read more

Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering - Thank you Ken for a great barbecue food I don't Rutherford rotary holiday party - Caterers Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

If you want great BBQ you MUST call Ken at Amarillo Grilling & BBQ. I called Amarillo for my son's 30th birthday. It was AMAZING!! The brisket and pulled pork melts in your mouth and the macaroni and cheese is probably the best I've ever had. The service you get from Ken is exceptional!! Thank you Ken!! You made our party a huge success!!! read more

Ken Johnson of Amarillo Grilling served perhaps the best barbecue dinner I've ever had, and for 45 guests at our wedding reception, no less. Firstly, the food was excellent: we enjoyed brisket, pulled pork, and chicken breast with all the homemade sides, such as mac n' cheese, corn on the cob, baked beans, salad with organic greens, and slaw. The meat was juicy and savory (and as the groom, I got first pick of some sinfully delicious end pieces!), deep with flavor, and there was plenty of it. The corn came on huge ears and was so succulent I didn't have to pick one bit from my teeth. I can't ever recall having baked beans (made with bourbon) so rich and tasty. We did have one vegetarian at the table (luckily for her she wasn't vegan) and her plate was packed with salad, mac, slaw, and beans. I found Amarillo Grilling by searching for "Catering" and "BBQ" on google maps near our reception location and came across his website. After seeing the menu, it didn't take much convincing for my fiance to agree to reach out to them. Ken responded promptly after our first email and the process of negotiating our final menu was a pleasantly collaborative experience. He was also very flexible with the personal touches demanded by our family style dinner plans. While Amarillo Grilling traditionally serves buffet style, Ken easily agreed to let us pass the sides and to serve the entrees himself at the table, plate by plate, so everyone could remain seated and in conversation among the tight quarters of the backyard where our reception was held. There was also no push back to letting us provide our own appetizers and dessert (homemade antipasti and pie, among them!) and Ken was very clear as to what were his duties and what belonged to the rental company or to us. This was very valuable to newbie event planners who, by financial necessity, took on a lot ourselves. His help was fully professional and had no trouble constantly clearing leftovers and drink glasses throughout the evening once we moved on to dancing. We used real plates and silverware, and even glassware, and his two servers had everything washed using the house dishwasher. The bartender, John, was at home serving beer, wine, and our cocktails, and his personality added a lot to the evening. Everyone deserved generous gratuity and they certainly got it. The entire event was a magical experience - from the rain blowing through the morning of and leaving us with clear skies and stars, to Ken's friendly, booming voice asking us if we were ready for the pulled pork and saving the leftovers for us to take on our "familymoon" beach vacation...yes, parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, all of us enjoyed a huge second helping on Sunday night at the rental house. I highly recommend Amarillo Grilling for your next event - especially a wedding! The barbecue dinner was essential to making our backyard family party last forever in our memories. Leave the Chicken Fricassee for the real estate convention and go with some real down home cooking with Ken's personal touch. read more

EXCELLENT!! Kens food is upscale phenomenal flavor and made with love!! We had them cater our wedding and everyone raved about the food! Our guests couldn't get enough! Karen Nicky and Zoe our servers went beyond the call of duty and made life so much easier! Not to mention our bar tenders all provided by Ken who had the crowd laughing! We can not say enough about Amarillo except if you use someone else you will be disappointed!! Absolutely wonderful to work with!! read more

Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering - Getting ready to go!! - Caterers Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

We used Ken for a special going away party for a colleague and it was an absolute pleasure. The surf and turf was absolutely wonderful. The portions were generous. The quality and flavors of food were better than most restaurants. I look forward to using Ken for annual BBQ's. read more

Ken was wonderful for our last-minute, outdoor team event! He kindly guided us away from ordering too much and rolled with the punches as I got my act together for the day. He served up the food exactly how everyone wanted it and took great care of the vegetarians and vegans, even making a separate vegan coleslaw! Really, really appreciated Ken's flexibility and patience and the food was great. read more

Ken is awesome and was great to have at our company picnic. The food was great! The cooking on site was also a plus! The portions were huge!

Ken was absolutely a pleasure to work with every step of the way. My husband and I had Ken cater our rehearsal dinner in my parent's backyard. Everyone was raving about how insanely delicious the food was and the incredible service Ken and his wife provided. Getting married and planning my own rehearsal dinner could have been stressful but Ken made the night absolutely stress free and wonderful. I can't say enough good things! I hope I have another reason to have him cater for us again! Thanks again for everything Ken! read more

Delicious! Most people know BBQ can be difficult. Everyone at our party loved it! Kudos to Ken and team for a wonderfully hot and savory meal. Ken is also a top notch professional, he counseled me on how much food I might need/would get with the package, and it was spot on with plentyyyyy of leftovers. HIGHLY recommend! read more

I am a product of Dallas, TX and I am very picky and skeptical about Texas BBQ in NJ, but based on the reviews and because we are not back home, we gave it a try for our annual backyard fish fry and BBQ in 2019. It was Excellent!! We had more than enough food for over 50 guests and extra for the freezer to enjoy on another day. Chef does Texas proud! My husband wanted to surprise me again and ordered a family meal for Mothers Day 2020 to last a few days so I wouldn't have to cook because I can't work remote during Covid 19. It was a blessing and we are thoroughly enjoying it. See if you can get family style dinners- its a GREAT alternative to pizza and burgers. The ribs and chicken wings are the BEST. I close my eyes and imagine I am back in North Texas - it tastes so much like home. Thanks Chef!!!! read more

We always look forward to Amarillo's Catering! Ken has done many events for our business as well as personal parties. He is very conscientious of his client's needs. His food is always fresh, appetizing, and he is able to make our mouths water at every event. We have many favorite dishes of his and he has a gift for choosing just the right dishes for the occasion. His BBQ is par excellence and there is never a disappointed customer. He runs his events professionally and has a wonderful talent of adding his exuberance as a welcome personal touch. Don't forget to try his amazing cheesecake. read more

Amarillo Grilling is a must use, must try for everyone. We used Ken and his company to cater our daughter's baptism party and some corporate lunch events. Both were a hit! Break away from the boring 6-foot heroes and hot Italian food and stand out big time during your next event, house party, or even breakfast/brunch party. He's a culinary genius and everyone should experience his cooking. read more

Ken was nothing short of perfect. Very courteous, professional, and our guests loved his sense of humor. The food was a home run and people are still talking about it from a month ago! read more

Amarillo Grilling & BBQ Catering - The owner Ken! - Caterers Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

The Texas beef brisket was one of the highlights of our event. It was so soft it didnt even need a knife. Highly recommend!

Ken is a chef for all the right reasons.. His passion for food, not to mention, QUALITY food, is second to none. Ken has been trained by the best in the business and it shows. His talents shine through every bite of every one of his dishes and he will take your party/event to the next level for sure. Ken uses only the freshest of ingredients, which I learned allows him to customize your menu choices, which is imperative in the event someone has specific dietary needs. Take my word for it, hire Ken and Amarillo Grilling for your next event.. You will not be sorry.. read more

We would definitely recommend Amarillo Catering for a family barbecue or a corporate event. The ribs, mac and cheese, cole slaw and baked beans are to die for. The smell of smoking ribs for hours before dinner made the meal that much more special. We have received calls all day long from our guests telling us that it was the best barbecue that they have ever had. Ken is the consummate professional. He arrived in his signature yellow truck, set up, grilled, set up the buffet and did all the clean up. More than what we could have asked for. We will definitely be using Amarillo Grilling in the future. We highly recommend Ken and his catering business. read more

Ken is amazing! I hired him for my husbands 50th surprise birthday party and it couldn't be more perfect. His communication was on point before the party, he worked with my budget and wants, he arrived on time and set everything up without issues, everyone enjoyed the food very much including my very picky husband! Thank you SO much for everything Ken!! read more

Ken catered my daughters graduation party last weekend. Around 50 people. The food was excellent. Everyone at the party raved about the ribs and the pulled pork. He also makes the best baked beans I've ever tasted!! Ken was right on time and everything was perfect. read more

For the second time I have used Amarillo Grilling to cater my Kentucky Derby Party of over 100 people. Ken and Karen provided fantastic food perfect for the occasion. I can go on and on about the specific menu items, but the truth is that it is all fantastic. When dealing with Amarillo you get the feeling that you are dealing with people and not a company..... If you want people who care about your event as much as you do, who are availble and resposive to all of your questions, and who provide world class food , hire them for your next event, you will not be sorry!!!. read more

Ken catered my son's graduation party, around 75 people. We had a chance to do a tasting before hand and loved everything. His pulled pork was outstanding and the ribs were delicious. We also ordered Polynesian Wings which were incredible. His baked beans and macaroni and cheese were probably the best we've ever tasted. His portions are extremely generous and we even had food left over, which tasted just as good reheated! I would recommend his cooking to any and everyone. Ken made sure everything was just right, and is a true professional. read more

Amarillo is an excellent BBQ caterer. Ken catered our outdoor rehearsal dinner for approx 75 people in Oakland, NJ. I think the favorite entree of the night were the pork ribs, which were sensational and one of the best I've had in life! We also ordered the brisket and salmon, which were also extremely good, including all the sides + salad. The meat was always delicious and tender, and the vegetables tasted fresh. Our family & friends raved about the food that night, not to mention Ken was very attentive to managing the upkeep of the food during dinner and everything went smoothly. Amarillo is very skilled and professional, I highly recommend them! read more