Armed Forces Disney World Meets McDonald's Meh of BBQ I tried Mission BBQ based on all the great reviews on Yelp! and left feeling really underwhelmed. There are so many bad BBQ joints in Richmond which probably messes up the BBQ scale here. Open up a mediocre BBQ place in RVA and it'll seem fantastic compared to everything else. This is what probably makes the reviews of this one seem much better than it actually is. At the end of the day though it's a chain restaurant with great service, a sort of Disney-like quality to the atmosphere (which takes away from the important underlying mission of the company), and has perfected the ever-strange "too perfect" rubbery-like quality to chain food. You know how McDonald's has set a weird standard for burger places in terms of consistency and quality? (Every burger looks and tastes exactly the same in a rubbery sort of way)... well, Mission BBQ has that same rubbery quality to it. Cinnabon did it with their cinnamon buns, Dominoes did it with their pizza and Mission does it with their entire menu. For example, the turkey slices look and taste like perfect pieces of rubber turkey which makes you doubt if it is "real" turkey. Of course it is, but the brisket, the ribs, the sausage all look and taste the same way. In a world of chains, this one is doing the best that it can. If you're hungry, go. If you're expecting anything more than that, go somewhere else. read more

Mission BBQ - To the left, 5 meh ribs and 3 sides. To the right, the rubbery 3-meat sampler. - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Brianna is a great staff member and truly embodies southern hospitality. Friendly front of the house staff promptly helped as soon as I enter the establishment. The food was great a pretty good price of the shrimp plate. read more

Delicious BBQ served in a jiffy. I ate there twice this past weekend as we travelled through Richmond. The food is great, the sauces compliment the various meals really well. And I love the old school iced down mini- sodas. The cuts of meat are generous and well flavored. I had the brisket, my son had the pork and on the way back through we added the sausage to share. We've had various sides but the gluten-free dairy-free coleslaw is always a winner in our house due to allergies. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. If I was trying to complain, I'd wish they sold a gold cold beer or a selection of bourbons ...LOL. Lastly, we were in a hurry on Sunday. From the moment we parked the car to being back out on the road and eating our meals at a 'normal' pace - it took us 14 minutes. Its not fast food but its a super efficient good food option instead of all that processed crap from fast food places. read more

As I was in the area yesterday evening and was looking for a new place to dine in, I stumbled across Mission BBQ. I've been to a number of BBQ restaurants in RVA so my expectations coming into this restaurant were somewhat high. How did my experience turn out? Read below to find out. The Good: Variety- This is the first BBQ place in RVA that I've been to that offers turkey or different variations of ribs and pulled pork. Taste of Mac n Cheese/Pulled Pork- I liked the mac n cheese and pulled pork. Both had nice flavors that set them apart from other BBQ restaurants. The Bad: Environment- A restaurant's environment may not be a big deal to some, but for me it can determine whether I would want to come back to the place again. If I could describe the environment in one word, it would be Cacophony. Very loud with staff having to shout in order to communicate with one another as well as customers. But that can likely be due to the restaurant's set up. At the restaurant, customers have to form a line near the front where they order their meal, pay then wait at the far end of the front counter to pick up their food. During a busy time such as yesterday, the area where people have to wait to pick up their food can become congested and impassible to traffic. If someone is looking for a nice and peaceful dining experience, during peak hours this is not the place in my opinion. Nickel and Diming- This is the first BBQ place that I've been to where everything is a la carte. Anything that you order from the sandwich/ribs/meat market section can come with a drink and side(s). Adding a drink and one side is $3 while adding a drink and two sides is $4. Using Shane's Rib Shack for comparison purposes, I ordered the Two Meat Market Sampler (pulled pork/brisket) for $8.99 and a drink/one side for $3 extra which came to $11.99. Shane's Rib Shack offers their Shack Sampler that comes with 1/4 Baby Back Ribs, two Chicken Tenders and Pulled Pork/Chicken with two sides minus a drink for $11.99. To make matters more interesting, Mission BBQ does not offer ribs as part of their sampler. Ribs can either be purchased per bone, per five or per ten. Meat Consistency- While the flavors were there, a good portion of the pork and brisket was included the fatty part. Some people love the fatty part of those meats but I tend to like the more lean cuts. Overall- The flavors are there and I like that the restaurant offers some things that other BBQ restaurants dont, but on the flip side they do not offered pulled chicken or chicken wings. I also feel that this restaurant could take a page out of Shanes Rib Shack when it comes to getting food out to customers. To avoid having a congested pick up area during the peak hours, the restaurant could have customers who want to dine in sit at their preferred table while an employee brings them their food while having the take out customers wait in the area for their food. read more

Mission BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The food is great. You get huge portions of meat. Make sure you're hungry and can eat. You will not be disappointed. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with green beans on the side. Both were delicious. I didn't care for the baked beans with brisket. I didn't care for the cornbread but the brisket is good. If you haven't tried it, then stop by. This may become your new BBQ place to go in RVA. read more

This visit was to prove my hypothesis that Deep Run Roadhouse is the best. It is! I got the 2 meat sampler - pork and brisket, both extremely dry and not much flavor. Mac n cheese was really good. read more

Mission BBQ - 2 meat 1 side; pork and brisket. Both very dry and not much flavor. Terrible sauces. Mac n cheese was great. - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Great new barbecue spot off Glenside Dr. These guys make some amazing food. The sides are really good too, potato salad, green beans, Mac and cheese, all top quality home cooked taste. The coleslaw is a standout. They have a complete array of beers and drinks, homemade lemonade and sweet tea. The place gets busy at lunch so, try to get there around 1130. read more

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I love this location its great, clean & very friendly staff, the baby backs are the best in Richmond by far, moist brisket is also Richmonds finest, no weird smells like You often find in bbq houses, I'm on a carnivore diet for over three months believe me I know good meat. The four star is because they often have no baby backs, eight straight visits without baby backs, it's not fair they get me hooked then leave me strung out & the other reason is whenever I eat in the restaurant the ac will chill my food as quick as I eat it, the last bits are always cold, I've tried sitting in different seats within the restaurant but it's the same so I just eat in my truck, but saying all that is still Richmonds best. read more

Ive been to mission bbq about 6 times now, tried several different plates which were all extremely flavorful....even the lemonade and sweet tea were delicious..(especially when mixed together.) Ive discovered the smoky mountain sauce is my favorite of the six choices. Each time that Ive gone one thing has consistently been a let down... the cornbread. Its always dry, lacking a buttery taste and is super bland. I have wanted to go to the counter and tell them each time..but didnt know if that would be received well. I want them to change this recipe to be moist and buttery to complete what would otherwise be a perfect meal. read more

Mission BBQ - Brisket, pulled pork, mac n chz and cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This is THE MOST consistently positive Southern comfort food for this Texas gal residing in 'southern 'burbs' of Philly area! Sadly, they've not chosen to move further East from MD to the Brandywine Valley of PA! (There's an open space for them at Painters Crossing, if corporate reads these reviews and wants to investigate! ) The brisket is TOTALLY TASTY and hard to beat with two yummy choices! Have your heartwarming choice of sides: green beans, man 'n cheese, 'slaw, etc and you are good to go! This Richmond franchise is in good hands and does not disappoint! And who could not be happy eating this succulent cuisine w your beverage of choice while surrounded by heroes? Three cheers for honoring the brave men and women who so unselfishly have served!! read more

Hubby loves this place, and would like to give it 5 star. I think this place is definitely 4 star. So we ended up at 4 star, because I am in charge. This is a fast casual restaurant and it offers a lot of diff types of meat - pork, beef, rib, turkey, sausage. Yesterday, we ordered combo w 2 sides. We got pulled pork - juicy tender and smoky; and turkey (a must try) - perfectly smoked. The fries are salty and crispy, and Mac-cheese is good as well. I just wish they had more vegetable side options. This place is unique relative to other BBQ joints as they offer 6 sauces plus vinegar at the table plus 4 other types at the condiment station. All are good, even though some taste relatively similar. We like the Tupelo honey heat, Bay-b-que (with old bay flavor), and the Alabama white. The only complaint I have is that the portion seemed small as compared to the price. FYI- there are a lot of police officers and they all seemed to really enjoy their food. read more

We've been to Mission BBQ twice now and both times were great. The chicken and pulled pork sandwiches are tender and there are many sauces to try ( I think 6). The sides we've had--fries, cheesy potatoes and sweet potato have been hot and flavorful. Thank you! read more

First of all, I respect their mission and background: forming on 9/11/2001 and respecting military, law enforcement, fire fighters and first responders as well as donating over $900,000 to the USO. Now to the food experience... You order at the counter and leave a name so you can pick it up at the counter. The maIn item is BBQ as the name suggested. We ordered the spare ribs (St. Louis style), Cheesy Jalapeño sausage, baked beans and mac and cheese. Each order comes with a serving of cornbread. Orders are served on a paper lined metal tray. Although we had soda and water, they did sport a large variety of other beverages including beer and tea. We were there around 5:00 PM on. Sat. With the exception of the Mac and cheese, our food was room temperature. This had the effect of making the ribs and sausage taste greasy although I'm sure it was not different than other restaurants. The butter didn't melt in the cornbread either. We decided to stop short of finishing the meal so we could take the rest home as leftovers to heat it to a more normal serving temperature. When we went to get boxes for take home, we noticed the next group's food at the counter was steaming hot (only 15 minutes after our pick up). It was not crowded when we got our order so I am not sure why there was such a drastic serving temperature. The inconsistency in serving temperatures is something they must tackle. Who wants cold meat and cornbread? Finally, the dining room temperature had to be in the upper 60s, low 70s which made it uncomfortable on a summer day. We were freezing in our typical summer attire. I am willing to give another try but I'd better have a positive experience to keep me a customer. read more

Mission BBQ - Dining room. - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Doesn't get much better than this place AND these people. From top to bottom the staff here is fantastic! Food is spectacular too, and who doesn't love the 12 noon ceremony for the U.S.A! I love the brisket and pulled pork, but the menu is quite diverse, and all the sides and even desserts I've tried are very good. The staff talked me into VIP (no cost) and someday I'll get to putting a personal picture in a restaurant to show my family's pride in my father, USNA from ~1954 and career naval officer. read more

Let me start by saying I'm a Utah boy. Our BBQ options are not what you would consider premiere, but I have my opinions, dang it! We were debating where to go for lunch and saw this place while as a stoplight. There was a lot of empty parking spaces so we were a bit worried it wasn't going to be good. We walked into a barrage of people eating, laughing, and enjoying food. There is a reserved parking stall for the wounded warrior project, and the place is decked with veteran gear and badges. The employees were beyond nice and so ridiculously friendly! Let's get to the real rating: the food! They had 6 wide ranges of BBQ sauce, only 2 suit my taste buds. I got two meats - brisket and pulled pork. Both were exceptional. I got the loaded potatoes and corn bread as sides and left full. Go, eat and enjoy. You won't be sorry! read more

Mission BBQ - My food has arrived - faster than I thought it would, too! - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Prime example of why I'd love it for yelp to allow half stars. It's a great bbq place, it's better than 3 stars but not a 4 for me. The baby back ribs were really good, very tender and had great flavor without any added sauce. The brisket was also solid, very tender and tasty. The collard greens were good and I also tried the Mac and cheese. For me If you don't serve burnt ends you really can't get a 4 star for bbq joint. I gave this place a pass because the ribs were so tasty. The place was very clean when I walked in. All the staff was super nice and friendly. I'll have to try a few other things but I'm confident basted on what I had I won't be disappointed. read more

Mission BBQ - Baby back ribs, brisket, collard greens and Mack and cheese. Very solid.. - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

What happened to this place? I do not like to leave a review after one poor visit, but will make an exception in this case. I reviewed them a few years ago and I loved this place. But have not visited for at least a year. I should have known something changed when there were very few people present; relative to other visits. Fries looked as though they were leftovers from the day before and tasted like it as well. The BBQ was very bland, without the sauce it was barely tolerable. There are many BBQ places in Richmond that provide a rich flavor BBQ without sauce. Not sure I will return and sad about that because of all they stand for other than food. read more

Good BBQ in a pinch! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our local BBQ places, but this is the closest BBQ to my house and their later hours helps me get my BBQ fix when other places run out of the good stuff in the early afternoon. In addition, I've visited during the pandemic and their curbside pick-up is very convenient with pretty short wait times. The BBQ is on point and their sides are legit as well! read more

I've had Mission a couple of more times since my last review and it has improved a lot. But on my most recent visit the foods was way below par.. I ordered the chopped brisket sandwich, with fries and beans as my sides. The serving of brisket on my sandwich was plentiful! But unfortunately quantity doesn't mean quality.. it was a little dry and tough to eat. Didn't really have much flavor to it, even after adding a few of their signature BBQ sauces. The fries were pretty average and came out hot. The beans were lackluster and was also under seasoned. The service was quick and food came out in less than a minute and they even clean your trays up for you after you're done. Prices are very affordable with a lot of the options being under 10 bucks besides the ribs. I will definitely be back but I think i'll stick to their pulled pork which I enjoyed a lot more on my previous visit. read more

Wow. Lot of BBQ joints around the west end, but this tops them all. Impressive in all aspects. The food, the cleanliness, the food itself, the portion sizes, the prices, ample parking, ample seating inside. Very fast service. If you're looking for barbecue, I'm not sure you'll find a better overall experience in the area. Bravo, Mission BBQ read more

Still 4, solid bbq brisket was very juicy, burnt ends were great...but just a little salty. I liked the smokey sauce, not a huge fan of the others corn bread was dry needs a lot of butter collard greens were ok, small cup for $2 read more

We got take-out and haven't even left the parking lot yet but I am so impressed with the level of service that I was compelled to write a review right now. We're visiting from NY and told the cashier it was our first time at Mission. No fewer than 3 people took time to explain the menu in detail (this place doesn't have any freezers - it's that fresh!) and make recommendations on sauces to pair with our meal. I have never seen any restaurant where all its employees are so proud of where they work and excited to help customers. The food smells amazing too! Can't wait to try it! read more

Food was okay! Pulled chicken 9/10- Juicy and Smokey flavor no complaints I came back a second day for seconds! Brisket lean 7/19 meaty you get what you pay for but they could work on the lack without bbq sauce. Smoked sausage with jalapeño and cheddar 8/10-nice spice and Smokey sweetness just a little dry. read more

I just love this spot!! They have my favorite bottled soda that I drank as a youth- Big Red! We love to get a combo of meats- all cooked to perfection! read more

Best BBQ in the area. The pulled pork will make your tongue slap your brains out. Service was good when I visited a year ago but has only gotten better. New Manager named Cynthia, Candy, or Cindy is likely responsible. I asked what had brought about the improvements and she was pointed out to me. Leave the desert alone or bring your own. It's ok but after the fabulous BBQ the desert just couldn't stand up to what came before. It was like a hand shake at the end of an amazing date. I'd suggest the restaurant leave a terrific meal alone and send you to Dairy Queen for something sweet. Overall, 5 stars. Don't forget to "Tip" although this is mostly self service. A DEFINITE DO AGAIN. read more

We did family style down the office, plenty for whole office. Brisket was fork tender with loads of taste. Came with 2 kinds of beans, Mac and cheese, bread, salads and sauces. Chicken had a little spice to it, very good! read more

I have come here a few times and I love it. The service is very good and so is the food. My favorite items are the pulled pork or the brisket which both are very juicy, the sliced brisket is so tender that is pulls apart with ease and is not dry. I enjoy all the sauce. read more

Want to eat a bottle of salt with some meat? Then you'll give Mission BZbQ 5* for their dry brisket sandwich. For me it was a waste. So bad I just had to throw it out. And for over $13 /tax I felt bad enough to write this review. I won't be back. read more

If you like tender smoked brisket, this is your place. You can ask for it lean or moist and with or without bark which is the hard seasoned crust on your slices. It's amazing how they can smoke it so tender yet still able to cut it in slices. If smoked flavor is not enough for you, they offer 6 unique bbq sauces. Just delicious!! read more

So many great things about this place! Food is excellent and service is excellent. Had my 2 yr old and they brought cookies and pudding after dinner to us for free. I love that the national anthem is played at 12pm. Love love this place!! Thank you for being so great. read more

I found the BBQ to be bland and dry; and although they had a variety of sauces- none of them were very good either. My sandwich was also cold and the fires were soggy. The brownie was a generous portion, but tasted like bitter cocoa as opposed to sweet. The place smelled wonderful, but the food left a lot to be desired. read more

Really good stuff, very impressed. Place was packed, always a good sign. Brisket great Pulled Pork great Slaw good even though celery seeds in it. Cornbread great! read more

Mission BBQ - Meat market 2 meat combo..can't wait to go back. - Barbeque Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Took parents there for 62 anniversary, staff made a special desert for them and brownies for the rest of us. They were awesome, mom and dad really enjoyed it. Thank you Mission read more

Was there for Fathers Day with my son. They rolled out the red carpet with great food and appreciation over my military service. They are very detailed oriented to meet every need and the food is quality and of very good value. Stop in soon, you won't regret it! read more

I had dinner at Mission BBQ again and still think it's awesome. Burnt ends aren't on the menu, but they have them if you ask. They were fantastic. I especially liked the Smoky Mountain sauce with them. And, the fresh cut fries are really fantastic. I highly recommend both things!! read more

Love this place Great food Great customer service The fries are my favorites This is definitely my favorite place to eat pork!!!!! read more

Amazing food & great customer service! Everything I ordered was so aromatic & flavorful. I recommend trying the blueberry cobbler, so so good! Will definitely be back soon. read more

Portion are a good size for the price. Always taste fresh and high quality. Service is wonderful and quick. I would highly recommend eating here! read more

The best thing about this BBQ joint is it's loyalty to our Veterans. The interior is decorated with patches, photos, etc of each branch of the service. And they give a veterans' discount. The food is good. Not great, but it's plentiful and the service is quick. Drinks were self-service yet several staff asked if we needed refills, and got them for us. Very nice. So my complaint: Police patches, badges, uniforms also adorn the restaurant walls but there's no discount (??). It doesn't make sense. If you're going to use LEO paraphernalia to help keep your establishment safe, you need to help them out also. read more

I had went for the first time after hearing such great reviews. I honestly felt the food was pretty mediocre and not worth the hype. Although the customer service was really good. read more