Ten hut!
OK, I'm gonna start by admitting something that I never admit. I did not want to like this place. Why? Let's start with the obvious...Barbecue glut in the area...Famous Daves, Buzz and Neds, Q, Alexanders, Hogshead, Deep Run Roadhouse, on and on, there's only so much barbecue one can eat, and having this place sputter would make it easier for me to just hit my favorites and not worry about another contender.
Next, I don't mind admitting that I don't particularly like politics with my pork, and I was afraid the theming and emphasis on the military branches and service, while obviously a worthy cause, would take away from the food. Like masking the real problem with an in-your-face distraction that I didn't need to be reminded of while I ate. Don't get me wrong, my parents and grandparents were all military, so I understand the true meanings of sacrifice and honor, trust me, but every so often, in restaurants in particular, you don't need pictures of the Normandy invasion on the wall to remind you of this (They don't have these)...My other fear is...how can you NOT admit that you like a place that's all about the military, you'd be immediately branded a communist and be blacklisted? Even if the food was lousy. (It isn't).
And then there is the food. Huh? Turkey? Sausage? Not sure what they're thinking.
Thankfully after visiting, I must say that ALL of my alleviations and fears were put to rest, quickly. Not only is this one of the cleanest, friendliest and aesthetically pleasant restaurants that has opened in this area in a while, the food was excellent, on par with anything I have had in the RIC as far as barbecue was concerned.
Having been lucky enough to visit several states that pride themselves on having the best barbecue, I think it is time to say that while Richmond does not have a particular genre to boast about, I can safely say that if you want barbecue, we are one of the top ten cities to visit in the US. You start with good and generous portions of protein, and Mission certainly has that, brisket, pork, chicken, and then, yes, turkey (perfect on a salad, although I'll get to those later) and sausage, in a spicy or not so spicy variety. Ribs too of course. So choice is not an issue. The brisket sandwich I had was a generous portion for the price, although having things be a-la-carte made it a bit more pricey than the other area joints. The sides are just OK the best being the fresh-cut, made to order fries, which I had to buy more of as I ate most of my son's portion. The beans were so-so, obviously canned, and that can be done a bit better in the future. Mac and cheese was solid but not memorable. They need a bit more choice in my opinion.
Another confession - condiment junkie here....if there is a sauce I haven't tried at a BBQ joint, it was in the back, under a table or behind a dumpster hidden somewhere for my safety. In Kansas City, particularly, it's "ALL ABOUT THE SAUCE" and that is the most flattering thing I can say about Mission - it reminded me of KC. At the table seven sauces, ranging from sweet to spicy, mustard sauce, peppery, vinegar, white sauce (yes!) and I tried them all, had to. Like a junkie to the needle, I had to know what would the best sauce be...The winner, in my opinion, was a tie between the texas (I was having brisket after all) and the mustard sauce I found in the Craftsman toolbox by the drink bay - clever and fun. Having this many sauces was like giving me the keys to a Toys-R-Us after dark as a seven-year-old. I had to try all variances of meat with each sauce, you see where we are going with this...
Finally, I must say that as meat is important at a barbecue place, having choices for our non-meat lovers is essential for making everyone happy. Why? You don't feel as guilty heading there if you know EVERYONE is taken care of, and this is the one area where Mission falls a bit short...salads. Although offered and adequate, the veggie choice was sparse, and when you are asked if you want tomatoes as an extra, you need to be worried...so the veggie choices need a little bit of work, as do the dressing choices (I think there were two).
The counter service style was fast and friendly, knowledgable about what was offered and how filling each portion was. They were attentive to my son's allergy needs. They were well staffed and floated around the restaurant genuinely and did not overdo it.
So, to sum up, Mission delivered for me and my family. I want to go back and try a few more things and overlap some more sauces with them. For now, I encourage families to visit this clean, airy, friendly and most important, delicious restaurant and enjoy the barbecue glut that we are currently taking for granted in Richmond before we begin to see the regiments close ranks. Mission Barbecue is the four-star-general of barbecue restaurants in the Glenside area. At ease! read more