I've driven by this place many a time whilst really hungry after work. Finally, on a freezing cold fall day, I decided to stop and get some hot delicious BBQ to warm me up. I was pretty excited to try this place, every time I drive past, the name makes me think of Fred Flintstone and how I always wanted to try one of his Brontosaurus ribs. Long story short, I was really underwhelmed. The service was fine, however the food was simply lacking. Really utterly marginal. When I throw down 20 bucks for some ribs at a BBQ place, I expect some pretty decent stuff. These ribs were tough, not flavorful, and were smothered in this weird tomato-pasty stuff I think was supposed to be BBQ sauce. The beans and potato salad were decent, but the bread was pretty dry and had the sitting-out-all-day kind of consistency. I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this place, but I'm never going again. It's just a bit sad when you can get better ribs at Applebee's than a specialty BBQ place. read more

Best Bar B Q, pulled pork, brisket this side of the Pecos. I'm a Texas gal, so I know good BBQ. Did some research and this place is a local gem. read more

CaveMan Kitchen - Barbeque Near Me - Kent, Washington

Use to go here for years so I was disappointed to experience what I did today. Husband still drops in now and then when in the area. I recall a darker richer bbq sauce years ago. Had the special - shredded chicken which had a good smoke - this came with 2 sides and a pop - $11.99. Tomato sauce with a small amount of whatever does not make a bbq sauce, hardly any beans in the baked beans - mostly sauce, coleslaw was fabulous! I wanted to get either a pork rib dinner or kielbasa dinner but was shocked by the prices - $19.99! I can remember the days when we got ribs, sides, and bread and it seems like corn on the cob for 7.99. Was totally shocked. Still a great little smoke shack appeal but the prices are way too high. read more

Pork Sausage, beans and potato salad were great, but at close to $20 it is a little over-priced. I would recommend to a friend but advise them of the cost. read more

A co worker was going to here for lunch so I decided to order through him to pick me something up. Called in to get the chicken bacon ranch added to the order with no issues at as knowing it wasn't cool adding something to a previously placed order. SANDWICH was 10/10. Flavorful chicken bacon and whatever ranch and bbq blend that happened was amazing. Will be back. read more

This was the worse bbq I have ever had in my life. We ordered a pound each of pork turkey and beef to go. Nothing tastes smoked and all turkey was so dry it was hard. The sides were the only thing edible. We spent $90.00 to feed 4 people and not one of us liked the food. I threw my dinner in the trash. It was so bad I didn't even call to complain because I don't want them offering me more bad food. read more

I love cave man. Their dragon wheels and po boy sandwich is so good. However I just bought both and a drink and it was $24 with tip. Too much for lunch.. I only got a medium sandwich. read more

Wow!! I can't explain how bad this BBQ is. I'm surprised this place even gets business. This was my first and last time ever going there! Nor would I ever recommend this place to anyone. Hell I'll probably go out of my way to tell people to stay away from this place. Way way over priced for a very small portion of food. $40 for two people. We only ate it because we were hungry, otherwise it would have went straight to the trash. If you can find a Texas Roadhouse go there instead. 1/2 lb of ribs was only four small fatty ribs. Most of the weight was their ketchup tasting sauce, the bones, and the fat. Pulled pork sandwich had shaved beef on it with really crappy bread. Potato salad was really bland. I'd recommend Safeway's. Double or triple the amount and far better tasting. The beans were saucy and didn't taste great at all. Bush's Baked Beans are ten times better straight out of the can. Dragon Wheel was more onions then anything. It had very little meat in it. Overall I think this place needs to take a trip to Texas to see what real BBQ is and then update their recipes. P.S. They are building a Texas Roadhouse on McChord AFB if you have access! If your ever in the vicinity of Austin/San Antonio I'd recommend Salt Lick BBQ. All you can eat for $26. read more

I've not been to Caveman for a few years and have always loved it. I went there yesterday and it has gone way down hill. I ordered the "Salmon w 3 Sides" for $23. I figured I'd get a big meal and have tons of leftovers, wrong. I got three 1/2 cup side containers and five 1" x 1" cubes of cold salmon. The salmon was right out of the refrigerator. The sides were mediocre at best (chili, baked beans & Stoup). Back to Pecos Pit for good BBQ. read more

This place might've cut it for bbq back in the 70's & 80's but with so many other bbq spots around nowadays how does it hold up? Not very well I'm afraid. Showed up on a Friday evening to an empty Cave Man and ordered a lb of ribs and an order of dragon wheels. This got me 2 full ribs and 4 or 5 partial ribs that consisted of mostly bone. I don't know how long they had been sitting around but they were also pretty dry. Maybe that's why the ribs were drowning in bbq sauce which, thankfully, seems to have changed from the old bright red (tomato based?) bbq sauce, but it was just a bit too sweet for bbq sauce. The dragon wheels were still amazing but $6.59 for what amounted to 5 bites of potato and onion. Sheesh. So after tip I paid about $36 and I was still hungry afterwards. I also got the pleasant surprise of bbq sauce spilling out of the container and staining of fabric seats! Thanks but no thanks Cave Man. read more

CaveMan Kitchen - BBQ Sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Kent, Washington

Their French bread is the best!!!!!!!!!! I love their food, I live right next to here and every time I pass by I love smelling the barbecue being cooked!!! Could be a little cleaner but I love the atmosphere (: read more

Very Disappointed about the hype of this place. surprised that this place was voted the best BBQ in Kent. I ordered the rib dinner special. 5 small bones and 3 small sides for over $22. I expected more food for what they charged. A good rib would be falling off the bone, well not this place. The ribs were tough, and nothing specials with the beans, potato salad, nor the cole slaw. There weren't much smoky flavor in the ribs at all. The barbecue sauce didn't have much flavor. Will not go back to this place again. read more

I have gone to Cave Man Kitchen for many years. Today I got the worst BBQ ribs I have ever gotten. As I traveled over 15 miles to get there, I declined their offer to give me another order. read more

this evening I went to get A french dip which i love ... They are open till 8pm , but when I arrived at 7:45 pm they hurried to lock the doors.... Hmmmm When I waved at them they let me know they were closed.... I would give a review , but they didn't evan want mu business.... I guess it's a good thing that BQ Pete's opened up less then 1 miles away... Now I know why..... :) read more

Caveman is one of my most favorite places to eat! I have come here for the last 10 years or so and everything I've ever tried is absolutely amazing! The staff is friendly, it has a roadside Burger Joint feel to it and is truly a diamond in the rough! Their out side seating makes it the perfect summer time bbq and the secret homemade BBQ sauce recipe is absolutely delish! There is nothing better than a homemade family feel! Pork cubes and Polish sausage are juicy and tender and smothered in their home made BBQ sauce, the chicken is rubbed in seasonings, juicy and falls off the bone! The coleslaw, french ,bread,baked, beans, pinwheels, salad and home made salad dressing are all the bomb lol ! Great job Cave Man team keep up the good work! read more

I went to this barbecue place in the 70s when I was a kid with my dad. It was fantastic back then. The owner would come out and hand out free bananas. The nostalgia of my experience had my expectations too high. The beef sandwich had very little beef. What was there was flavorful and the bun was toasted but I was very disappointed that I had paid nearly $16 for this little sandwich. I don't know why there was a lineup at the register. Also, the service was poor. No one greeted me and no one smiled. They acted disappointed when I didn't leave a tip. read more

I've been craving their roast beef auj jus sandwich and potatoe salad, so stopped in to pick up lunch to go. We got 2 full size roast beef sandwiches w/auj jus and cheese, 1 large side of potatoe salad ($12.9) and 1 large side of baked beans ($12.99) - it was $51 for our lunch!! Geeze!! The sandwiches are the best, the the potatoe salad was not what I remembered --- it was watery. I wish they could be consistent on their potatoe salad and use the recipe they are known for. So very disappointing!! read more

Do not trust the name Cave Man Kitchen. There are in fact, no cave men in the kitchen. Only cave women. They have sandwiches that are tasty. Sometimes the manager can be bitchy, at least this cave woman, is not carrying a club. read more

Delicious chicken meal! Juicy, succulent meat and wonderful sides. I lovelovelove their baked beans. I'm not a baked beans kinda girl, but I could drink theirs by the cup full. Give me your recipe!!! read more

So disappointed! I just drove all the way from Bonney Lake to have a couple of French dips with my husband and when I got there I found out that they only have one size sandwich now, the medium size but it costs the same as the large size sandwich did. $10.99 for a 6 inch sandwich that is only bread and meat? Are you crazy? I don't know if it is the same owner or a new one but we will not be returning so long as it is that much of a rip off. So sad as I used to love this place. read more

Say you're going to Kent for some reason (Ikea) and you're not in the mood for Swedish meatballs. Or say you're anywhere at all and you're in the mood for an amazing smoked, roasted chicken sandwich and the best baked beans on the planet. Here's where you go. Ditto the ribs, salmon sandwich, and pork cubes that are impossibly tender and flavorful. The sandwiches come on grilled, buttered buns of the crisp but not crunchy crust variety. Did I already say grilled? That's key, they are soft and the sauce soaks in but not too much. The sides? So, if you're into coleslaw or homey, basic potato salad, those are good and fine and tasty. But do not leave without trying the baked beans. You will regret it if you miss them. Even if, like me, you don't actually like baked beans. If it's nice out or anyway not raining, extra treat, you get to eat at weathered picnic tables with, i kid you not, scruffy chickens pecking around your feet. Sort of creepy but just breathe and go with it. The smoked polish sausage in piquant tomato based sauce will make you change your no-nitrate ways and think about hosting a smart mid-century modern cocktail party featuring a chafing dish filled with them. We have Cave Man Kitchened Thanksgiving, taking home a perfectly smoked whole turkey, by far the best turkey dinner around. Be sure to notice the agate shop across the street. What's that all about? I've never gone inside because the place definitely scares me. But I have a dark desire to know what it looks like in there. I suspect low and shadowy light, ghoulish stuffed animals on high shelves, and dusty trays of sharks teeth, ancient arrowheads, and (of course) agates. ---- update based on impromptu drop in on 3-30 Sigh. All is not well in Caveland. My very own review left me in a smoked meat reverie that would only be satisfied by a trip to Caveman. Fortunately, and weirdly, I had to drive down to Kent (don't ask) Friday and stopped in. First off, I had completely forgotten about the fire that shifted operations from the funky shack to a little stip-mall storefront across the parking lot. The signs on the door indicated I'm not the only one to put that detail out of mind between visits. "Across the Street" says one. And then, hilariously, as I'm peering around, there's another sign scrawled with the same quick hand: "Turn Around!" Anyway, comic relief aside, the formerly succulent pork cubes were peculiarly leathery. The beef in the bbq beef sandwich was sliced too thickly. And, tragically, the beans. While I was waiting for my meal, in wheeled an industrial size cart laden with army surplus size cans of Van Kamps pork and beans. Uh. Uh ... ok, I tell myself, little secret revealed, they must doctor up the basics to that transcendent state. But no. These were clearly doctored, and very tasty, but nothing to drive to Kent for. Damn it. For the sake of history and disbelief, I will go again in the spring and hopefully learn it was just a crap day at the Caveman, all the regular chefs were out with the flu or something. I will try again. Oh - the scene was perfect as ever. Some guy, leathery as the pork cubes, sidled up for an order and loudly, directly pitched woo to a similarly weathered woman working the saucepan. You remember me? You don't remember me. Yeah, I remember you, from the casino Tuesday. Yeah, that's me. Come to say 'hey'. Hey. But it's really busy right now (lunch rush). Ok. Well I just came to say 'hey'. also: Guy tells the really rosy counterlady he and his friends come up once a month from Olympia. Best food around. They always bring along a non believer and convert him. Yes, of course I'll go back. read more

Stopped in here for the 1st time in years. Counter girl was very helpful. Went home with a whole chicken, pulled pork, slaw, tater salad, a dragon wheel and French bread. All of it was good...Buuuut the chicken was amazing! Tender, flavorful, skin was delicious and it fell off the bone. Great work Cave Man! read more

Caveman does so much right, but the things they do wrong they really do wrong. First, I think they have the best beans I have ever eaten. They are just perfect. They also have excellent chicken. Almost all of their sandwiches are good, but there is too much bread, the bread is generally toasted too hard and there is not enough meat. For the bad, their sauce is just terrible. Its like ketchup only with less sugar. It is incredibly bland, which for a bbq is a big no-no. Also some of their ribs are a disappointment, once again suffering from bland taste. A few of the other meats also lack taste, which seems odd for a wood bbq. That said, they are still worth going to, if nothing else for a chicken dinner with the best beans in Washington. Unfortunately, this is not a place I would ever take customers/clients/someone I was trying to impress. As take out, though, it has enough to be worth going to. read more

I'm writing this with a bit of a heavy heart because of who recommended it to me. It doesn't matter who it was for the sake of this review, but I feel in some ways I am insulting him. Sorry man, but I was really disappointed and hacking out a review here on Yelp is cathartic. I was told to try the Dragon Wheels, beans, and chicken. I was able to get the first two, but they were out of chicken when I went, so I settled on pork ribs. First the good: Friendly cashier, kitchy "local" feel of the place, and smokehouse smell when exiting your car. The not so good: Nothing was particularly terrible, but it was overall disappointing, especially the ribs. The Dragon Wheels were basically fancied-up roasted fries with carrots, onion, and a bit of pork. Edible, sure, but not exactly life changing. There was a sogginess to them, and they weren't very hot. It gave the impression that they weren't particularly fresh. The beans were in a styrofoam shot glass. I ordered a small, but I wasn't prepared for just how small that was. They tasted alright, but it wasn't much of a step above Bush's at the grocery store. There was nothing about them that stood out or signaled any sort of signature quality. Nothing that said "These beans are amazing and you can only get them here!" And now the ribs. I would have been ashamed to serve them to company if I'd made them myself. Tender, succulent, smoky... These are the words you WANT to put in a review for good quality bbq pork ribs. I can't do it. They were tough, chewy, and absolutely refused to come off the bone. There was an oven-cooked quality to the taste. No hint of smoke flavor. The sauce, like the beans, lacked any sort of quality that gave me any reason to want to come back for more. I'm no expert by any means, but I know good barbecue when I taste it. I've lived in areas that are world-renowned for great barbecue and the worst I've ever tasted out of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, or the Carolinas is still far and away better than what I've sampled from Caveman Kitchens. read more

1 star Worst place I've ever eaten at.. mean completely flavorless and so chewy I pulled the meat out of the bread and could barley bite ! The little flavor it had was a metal copper taste ... never have I had a French dip that bad Could use a lot of flavor and not to over cook meat... I'm giving this place one more shot I shall try salmon next time hopefully my experience is different (: 4 stars Update: August 2018 I did try the salmon... omg omg omg... wish it was still 17.99 lbs instead of 24.99 but boy is it good.. it's like super sweet but has that smokey taste read more

Was there Saturday afternoon, hadn't been there in quite awhile, prices are outrageous 12.99 for a BBQ beef sandwich, beatsa pizza 5.99 soda and a tip 26.00!! Mediocre food at best, will not return until I win the lottery! read more

Pork rib dinner was horrible, fatty, tough and cut across the bone. Great cole slaw and baked beans through.

I've tried - BBQ Pork Sandwich for $7.89: The Good: The pork meat is flavorful, the bread is crusty [though it softens considerably during the eating] & its certainly filling. The Bad: I'm not a fan of the ketchup-y based sauce [as noted elsewhere], which drips all over the place [a Bib is required if eating in your car]; at best, its a distraction from the meat's flavor. [NOTE: for the Naughty Yelpers amongst you, consider filching some Zesty Pulled Pork Sauce from Pete's BBQ counter on S 212th & having Cave Man hold the sauce for your next sandwich; I mean really - what does Cave Man Mgmt need to fix the Sauce Problem [i.e., a second sauce option? Consultants? Tom Douglas? Morimoto? Rahm Emanuel?] - Half Chicken [$$6.99+ $0.70 tax = $7.69] - Moist, smoke-roasted, nice crispy skin, The Smoke permeates the chicken meat, Large enough to split - which I how I suggest you eat this - Dragon Wheel for $3.79: This is surprisingly flavorful - its potato slices covered in a better sauce & includes meat bits garlic & other veggies - I'm liking it NOTE: A Dragon Wheel + another side [Beans or Salad] could make a satisfying lunch - Polish Sausage [$8.29 per lb]: served with Hot Mustard : a quarter pound gets you 3 dense pieces and the mustard, combined with the ketchup-y BBQ sauce, now works - its just enough meat; spicy & tasty [compare this with Pete's BBQ at $11.99 per lb] - Baked Beans: Small portion for $1.29: comes with BBQ meat chunks, sweet and satisfying [compare this with Pete's BBQ Baked Beans side at $2.59, which has no meat in its Beans] - Cole Slaw: Small portion for $1.29: its totally white cabbage [no carrots] - has a neat, sweet flavor - try this also - Potato Salad: Small portion for $1.49: got that mustardy thing going on - it had no distinguishing flavor & its too heavy / dense for me; Cole Slaw + Baked Beans are superior choices. - Bootlegger Pudding [$3.49] For the price, not half-bad - soft, not too sweet, the whisky sauce tastes maple syrupy - worth a shot. OTHER: The interior is sparse, industrial & funky - One might consider ordering meat by the pound for lunch the bread is superfluous] No interior seating [benches outside, romantically situated right along the Highway]; Not the most professional demeanor when phoning in an order; A line out the door would make me think twice about returning another day [not super slow service, but you might reconsider if in a hurry to get back to the office...] read more

Cave man offers to smoke salmon so I brought in a king salmon I caught. They charged me over $50 and when I got it back it was barely smoked and completely raw in the middle. Never tried there food but their service is awful. Will not use this company again in the future. read more

I love BBQ. For a born and bred Northwesterner, I'd like to think I've experienced more barbecue than most people. I feel like Cave Man Kitchens is a place where the legend has outgrown the reality. I ordered the rib dinner with Dragon Wheels. I got three ribs that had a large amount of a very boring sauce. The potatoes were undercooked, and nearly inedible. My father has hyped this place up for a long time, so I wish I could say it was good but it fell far below my expectations. The service is very good, but I don't order barbecue for the service. If you feel the need for some good BBQ head over to RoRo in SoDo/Wallingford or Shorty's Grub House in Federal Way. read more

Chicken sandwich was greasy and the BBQ sauce was more ketchup than anything. The husked corn was way over buttered (tasted like fake butter even). The kids wouldn't go near the tyke meals and I don't blame them. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is for the smoked salmon and the employees were super nice. Won't be returning...there are too many other bbq places nearby that are outstanding. read more

Seriously please pay no mind the the haters and douchey BBQ snobs out there. "I grew up in blah blah blah and i know good BBQ." We get it..your from a small shitty town in the south and you know BBQ. Ok moving ahead. Caveman has recently gone through few ownership changes but i am happy to say the old owners are back where they belong. CM is seriously a kent staple and has been there since the prehistoric age. The smoked brisket is tender and juicy, the chicken is succulent, salmon is out of this world, The poorboy is one of the best ive ever had, and the dragon wheels are crack. My only and i mean only complaint about this place is no indoor seating, so if its cold outside bring it home. read more

This review is just for their smoking part of caveman. As they say "you choke em, we'll smoke em" I brought in a few pink salmon i caught the other day in the sound and for $2.00 a pound, they smoke it for you and let me tell you, the recipe they use is to die for. I could have swore i was eating Wild King Smoked Salmon. It was that good!! The turn around time is 2-3 days which is also great! Thanks guys, i'll be back in a few days to drop off more salmon!!! read more

Such hope and so very disappointed. Tomato sauce covered bones! Pricey and bland )-;

Great service and great food! It was a sunny day today so perfect for sitting outside which is the only seating option they have. If you go there on a rainy day be prepared to take it to go! If you like potatoes try the dragon wheel! read more

Terrible management! Rude staff! My grandpa came by here yesterday and enjoyed his sandwich, got 3 to go for later. He ordered at the counter and a lady handed him his food. He lives an 1.5 hours away, and when he got home he realized he had the wrong order- 2 chicken sandwiches, which he doesn't eat chicken. My mom called to ask for a refund, explained how much he enjoyed the food and was super nice. The girl she was speaking to acted like she didn't know what she was referring to until my mom mentioned that someone should have noticed when another customer got the wrong food. All of a sudden the girl knew what had happened and said the food was thrown away after they had called out to him that he took the wrong order and that it was his fault because the bags were labeled with names (did not see names, picture of bag attached). My grandpa is 77 and wears hearing aids, had knee surgery last year, and doesn't walk very fast. They are saying they couldn't catch a slow moving man in their tiny parking lot? Either way, we tried to get his $40 refund and after speaking to a manager last night, we were told to call back today to speak to someone higher up who had the authority. When we called today we spoke to Noella, who again implied it was his fault and he should have looked at the names on the bag but then said his order was on the stove and that he had called it in when he had eaten there and then went up to place the second order. The story just kept changing on their end. He was happy with the food but the poor service does not make up for the good food. We will not be returning. read more

Ok so I love BBQ and this place has the best. Just do not eat the salmon! Got food poisoning from smoked salmon. It was pretty bad had a bladder infection and 2 weeks of pain. Although I will still eat there because they have the best ribs and brisket I have ever had. Just stay away from the fish and life will be good. Also the slaw and beans and just about everything is awesome. The price is a lil high for me but hey its the NW most things are not cheap. read more

Well, I am from Texas so it is hard to please me as far as barbecue. Overall, I would say it is ok. Meat is actually being grilled and or smoked. Makes me miss home more than anything. read more

Wow! I haven't been here for a long time due to my last couple experiences over the last 4 or so years but omg, that was amazing! The pulled pork sandwich I had was incredible and the pork had so much flavor. You can definitely tell they have some new management and are putting some pride into their work. Thanks for bringing back the original caveman!! read more

When it comes to bbq in the Northwest ther is only two options BBQ Pete's and Cave Man Kitchen. As soon as you walk in you are blasted with the aroma of BBQ'd meats and savory spices. At this point if you aren't drooling then i feel sorry for you. I usually order a pulled pork sandwich or ribs. read more