Went to Willamette Valley Smokehouse on a whim with my husband because he was wanting to try the…read morefood, and I'm glad we did! The first thing I noticed was the ambiance and the music. It was the perfect spot for a casual evening out. We had a couple of drinks, a cider and a Japanese lager, and really enjoyed the atmosphere. The musician playing that night was fantastic! He had a great song selection, and his voice was hauntingly beautiful. I'm not a huge barbecue person because I prefer my meals to have a little more variety than just meat, but I did enjoy the brisket and the pork belly. The sides were just okay for me. I'm from the South, where we take our potato salad seriously, so I wasn't the biggest fan of theirs but I did really enjoy the beans and the corn salad. I'll definitely be back for the music, a drink, and the laid-back atmosphere. It's a great place for a casual evening out!

"Unique" place south of Salem off I-5. Felt like sitting in a campsite with smoke spewing from a…read morefire pit. Large covered area for seating. Ordered the pulled pork sandwich which had a 60/40 meat to fat ratio and bun was quite soggy. Corn was not a Mexican street corn but good. Beans were actually the best. If I come back I'd order the brisket and see how that is. Service consists of ordering and paying up front, getting a pager and choose where to sit.

Everything was great I would eat here every day if it was open on the weekends. You can't beat BBQ…read moreChicken and Catfish. Memphis style.

So they have catfish on Fridays, so I got that. Fairly tender, delicious light breading very…read morefinely seasoned. Not a really large serving, three pieces was the large, but it came with lots of fries and (I think, I'm remembering a few days later) hush puppies. Friendly guy behind the window.

My husband treated me to the best Valentine's Day meal i could have asked for at Whuttle's BBQ in…read morethe Lancaster Drive Walmart Supercenter in Salem. I'm Southern and I've eaten a lot...a LOT... of BBQ, from home cooked at my family meals and events, at roadside stands, food trucks, mom-and-pop joints, and nice sit-down restaurants. As part of my work as a corporate trainer, driving all over the South and Midwest was my daily commute, but BBQ was my daily off-work mission. I've eaten a LOT of BBQ! Whuttle's BBQ is not Southern quality, it is HIGH Southern quality. I wasn't very hungry when we went out tonight so I just ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich. My husband ordered the same plus the mac-n-cheese and we both had Whuttle's own fruit punch. I took a bite of the husband's mac-n-cheese to sample it...before he threatened me with the loss of a hand if I ate any more...and it was, to make it simple, the best mac-n-cheese I've ever had, and I've eaten a good bit of that around the country, also. The chicken was moist and tender with a perfect smoky aroma and flavor. Their BBQ sauce was just right and the sandwich had just the right amount - a flavor boost for the perfect chicken but not overpowering nor was the sandwich swimming in it. Just right. The bun was fresh and soft and was ideal. That fruit punch was so good I could have drank a gallon. It made the sandwich a perfect match. I realize I keep using the word 'perfect' in this review. That's not an accident. On top of the wonderful food and drink and speedy service was the Down Home friendliness of the folks there. We learned that the inspiration comes from their Arkansas roots and among great Southern BBQ, the BBQ I've had in Arkansas stood out from the rest, and honestly Whuttle's would make even great Arkansas BBQ seem average by comparison. It really is that good. We live just a mile or so away so we'll be regulars now. If you like BBQ and you really like great BBQ, you're missing out until you eat here.

It was Valentine's Day and my husband and I had been craving BBQ from a while. Our luck with BBQ…read morehas been sub par at best. The last thing we needed to hear was that Whuttle's like their competitors were out of BBQ. Luckily for us Whuttle's far exceeded our expectations. Words can't even begin to describe how wonderful Whuttle's is. The dining area isn't overly decorated except for these two murals that are beautiful and adds charm to the restaurant. Upon arrival the staff was very friendly. We were asked if this had been our first time. Since it was the wonderful woman took the time to explain the menu. Honestly everything sounded delicious. My husband and I both had the BBQ chicken sandwich, Whuttle's fruit punch and a side of their Mac and Cheese. In no time we received our fruit punch which was brought to us with a warm smile, and then the food a few minutes later. Starting with the sandwich and after the first bite I was astonished. The sauce was flavorful and perfectly coated the chicken which was juicy and tender, but not overly so that the bun was soggy. Before I knew it my sandwich was gone. The Mac and cheese was also perfect in taste. It definitely wasn't your standard box Mac and cheese. It was seasoned and had no artificial flavor taste that box Mac and cheese has so I'm grateful that boxed man and cheese is not in their kitchen. My husband suspects it's seasoned with thyme which definitely gives it such a delicious flavor. All this amazing food was washed down with their Whuttle's fruit punch which I have no words to describe how delicious it is, and best of all the had a little bit of ice so you get more drink than ice. Best of all when we finished our meal a nice woman whom I can assume is the owner asked us how the food was. My husband is from Georgia so he and the owner had a lovely conversation. We both mentioned the food was immaculate. Considering my husband was raised In the south he has high expectations for BBQ. Overall Whuttle's BBQ is the quintessential BBQ restaurant. I couldn't think of any negative even if I tried. My husband and I will be coming back considering it's just right around the corner from us.

I ordered through DoorDash. I see that the restaurant has a Soso reputation, however, my meal was…read moreabsolutely delicious. I don't know if it was the time of day "" lunch or the chef was in a good mood.

Spent $70+ and had to suffer listening to gospel worship music while dining in. (The close your…read moreeyes and wave your arms in the air kind) It was a weird, unwanted, and a bad experience that I will not repeat. Food was good. There are many many music options suitable and acceptable for a restaurant. This was not one of them.

Cozy spot with really great food. Honestly the best fried chicken I have had in years. Cooked and…read moreseasoned perfectly. The local beer options were excellent , and Corbyn (who waited on us) was so great with information on pairings and recommendations with orders. The beignets are sinful. There should be no way on this big blue, green, white, brown marble we call Earth, that the only place in the world that makes the most incredible beignets is located 700 miles from where I reside. It's not fair. Do yourself a favor if you're visiting. Go in. Bask in the music curated by the staff, enjoy local beers. Savor the most incredible fried chicken since before Harland Sanders sold out. And most of all, indulge in all of the glory that is the multiple varieties of beignets that will make you hope there is an afterlife. And that if you've been a solid person, and karma smiles on you, the view you see from your resting space is whatever beach, lake, mountain, stream, river or desert that brought you peace, and a massive plate of said beignets.

This is a super cute lil spot! We split a Monte Cristo sandwich and the Biscuits and Gravy…read more The monte Cristo is basically a big beignet with meat and cheese in the middle, could have more meat but overall was very satisfying and the dipping mixed berry coulis (jam) paired wonderfully. The Cajun biscuits and gravy had a lil spice to it but was reasonable for a white girl. The biscuit itself was house and exceptional. The gravy was very rich and a little on the thick side. The sausage bits were a little overdone but wonderful flavor, I personally like them A little charred. Coffee was a 10/10, it's just a hot black coffee but they provide a cute little serving of half and half. Plus, it's free refills so yay, love that! The staff were nice, helpful, attentive, and I dare say fashionable I think my two favorite things about this place are: 1. Small menu. Are you just a girl in the world suffering from decision fatigue? Come here. Menu seems to be seasonal as well. 2. The vibe is so cute, otter portraits and decor, elegant colors, and excellent music for everyone. Biggest draw back: food is a little heavy ‍ but makes the soul light I would come here again!

My family and I came here last night, and they were able to accommodate my grandfather, who's in a…read morewheelchair, very easily, which I really appreciated. The rolls were very good. We didn't get appetizers, but everyone in my family (except me) ordered the prime rib and loved it. I went with the grilled chicken topped with a parmesan sauce and a loaded baked potato on the side. The seasoning and sauce were great, but the chicken itself was pretty dry. It reminded me of cutting into a well done steak where it takes way too long to get through. It wasn't terrible overall, but I was definitely a little disappointed with how overcooked the chicken was.

We sat outside. It was pleasant and food and service were excellent! We will be back!read more

I ordered baby back ribs and fries. I wanted to love this place. I really did. Especially since…read morethe two reviews that were posted were such raves. However, the fries tasted of old dirty cooking grease. The rub and sauce on the ribs were outstanding but the meat on them was dry and tough. For smoked ribs (and they were smoked) I had hoped for that fall-off-the-bone experience with tender juicy meat. But that didn't happen. They were just average. If it weren't for such a great rub and delicious sauce, I'd have given them 2 stars.

Best.BBQ.Ever!!! We had the spare rib plate and the pulled pork and mac plate. And the Mac and…read moreCheese was OUTSTANDING! It was as good as home baked and maybe even better than mine! Fresh authentic ingredients, it tastes just as good as it smells! The service was fast, friendly and professional, and the prices are very reasonable. All around awesome food experience. The ambiance of the food cart court is quiet, safe and welcoming with ample parking.

I love food trucks and have been watching Chad's BBQ facebook page in hopes that their schedule…read morewould finally work with mine (they seem to be running every other weekend). Finally, today was the day. We arrived at around 2:15 and ordered up brisket with beans, a three meat combo plate, and an order of nachos. While we were waiting, we began chatting with the owner of the Oregon Crepe Company, who was just dropping off the buns for service (love that this business is keeping it local). This gentleman was extremely pleasant and he and the owner of Chad's BBQ gave us a complimentary pretzel bun, which was generous and tasty. Salem Ale House was comfortable and we enjoyed a lovely beer. The brisket and the three meat plate were good - the sausage was the best part of the meal - very moist and flavorful with a casing that had a crisp snap. The brisket was nicely seasoned and tender, but not fall apart tender - we still had to use a knife to cut it. Pork was a bit dry (seemed to be very lean). The beans were smoky and tangy. Portions were generous. The meal went wrong with the nachos. The chips were stale and tasted like rancid oil. Despite the cheese sauce (we thought the portion was a bit stingy) and other various toppings, the rancidity of the chips just dominated each bite. We ended up picking off the pork and tossing the chips. We probably should have mentioned this to the owner but there was a bit of a line when we left and it is always easier to avoid complaining. UPDATE: The owner contacted me, apologized, and advised they noticed a bit too late that the chips were rancid. He has offered to make it right on my next visit and I appreciate this gesture tremendously

Yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!…read more A pulled pork and pastrami sandwich is what I ordered, and it was effin delicious! How people can frequent that crap hole "BBQ" joint that gets Best of the Mid-Valley every year, I'll never know. This place had just two or three entrees and a handful of sides. Proof that quality IS better than quantity. This guy focuses on just doing a couple of things right, and it shows. I WILL be back. Soon.