I would give service 1 star. We came in on a Friday night, and went to order the homestead platter and a few other things and were told we couldn't because they were running low on meat. Every BBQ I've ever been to, has the unwritten rule of if show up at the end of the night, some of the meat might be sold out. So I asked if we could order everything separately and the guy told us yes - which is ridiculous, because it's a way to up charge. My husband asked for a mixture of lean and moist brisket and the guy at the counter said "we only have brisket." It was at that point, I knew this would be an adventure. We went back at one point and asked for bread, and he raised his voice at my sister and said bread doesn't come with brisket. On to the food, the pulled pork nachos were weird. They used the mustard BBQ sauce which was an odd choice. The hot wings were good! The brisket was disappointing. It was still a little tough, and probably needed to cook for another two hours. The chicken was enjoyable. As for the sides, the corn bread was cold. The broccoli salad, Cole slaw, and potato salad was enjoyable. The place is easy to find and a decent amount of seating. My husband's family is from Pulaski and I don't think we'll be stopping in again next time we are back. read more

The Pond Pit is a hidden treasure for sure. I had the best night here with a friend celebrating my birthday and Fourth of July. We shared the shredded chicken nachos, and each ordered the special cocktail, "the firecracker" The bartender was the sweetest person I've ever met, and the vibes of the other bar patrons were immaculate. It felt like a family cookout! 100% will return. read more

Pond Pit BBQ - The Firecracker - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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(4.5) I heard from a local in Pulaski that the meats were made fresh everyday so I had to stop by and it was delicious!! A quick note they will run out of certain items depending when you get there. I got there around 7 o'clock and they ran out of Mac and cheese and regular fries. I had a pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries, coleslaw and tea as the drink! $10 Pork sandwich: 5/5 amazing sandwich I should've gotten another one. It was juicy and came with no sauce was added. There's a station where you can add them yourself. I put on some bbq sauce. $4 sweet potato fries: 4/5 I wanted regular fries but they were out of it. This ended up being great! It comes with a sweet sauce on the side. I'm not familiar with the ingredients in it. But personally I think it was too sweet. I could have done without it. $4 Coleslaw: 4.5 I love coleslaw in general and this was great! Coleslaw is a hit or miss in restaurants for me but I'm glad this was to my liking! Tea 3.5/5: I forgot how much I paid for it but it was just plain tea and the hostess gave me two sugar packets to make it sweet. Service: 5/5 I got my food within 10 minutes, they were very quick and all the food was hot. I sat outside since the inside was crowded with people, but the ambiance was nice, rustic with wooden walls. You feel welcomed coming in. Overall would definitely go again when I stop by the area! read more

Pond Pit BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

The only thing I can say is this place is great. It is my favorite restaurant in the Pulaski area. The brisket is wonderful and they have a dish called the pig plate (or something) that has a sampling of almost everything on the menu. It is absolutely huge. I recommend it read more

Good folks slinging good BBQ. Chris and Jen are genuine people, sat down with my family and I, gave me us some samples which could have been a meal themselves and a free beer to go with it, chatted us up and then right back to business never once asking us to "leave a review" or any nonsense. Small but sufficient bar for those inclined to just partake in some drinks. BBQ is mediocre by Texas standards, but that's comparing it against the greats like Franklins and Blacks; for North country and anything north of Mason-Dixon Line, it's the best I've had. Interesting too because they don't commit to a single style, you will see NC sauce/rips next to sauceless brisket (TX). Didn't try the non-meat items but had a large menu of goodies for non-meat eaters. Prices were cheap on drinks and decent on meals. It's rustic in there but clean. Don't know if they'll have a good patio game in the summer. 5 stars, worth the 30 minute trip from Fort Drum. read more

Easy to find right on Route 3. We pulled in about 11:45am on a beautiful weather day and parked where it seemed logical since only handicap and motorcycle parking is marked. Entering the front door we had already read up on the no waitstaff info and knew we had to locate menus and the order spot but the very friendly bartender with a full bar already saw us looking around and asked if we had been before and we said we had not. Although there are signs everywhere she politely told us no waitstaff, can sit anywhere you like menus on the tables go to the window in the corner and ring the bell place your order for food and any non alcoholic drinks if you want those come on over to the bar and I'll take care of ya she said with a smile. We thanked her and did just that. We ordered half a pound of brisket, loaded fries with brisket, and smoked chicken wings jammin bacon as we asked the gal taking our order what her fav was so her suggestion. Damn glad I asked wow were those wings flavorful, crispy, just the right smoke not to overpower the flavors either. The brisket had a nice smoke ring excellent edges and the pieces in the fries were more like burnt ends tasty and tender. The fries are fresh cut taters not some bagged seasoned stuff. The homemade blue cheese is creamy and chunky I'd like a bottle of that damn! The bbq sauces are not at all typical and have a tad of southern vinegar and zip too. White horseradish sauce was very good and I always get my sauce on the side but the loaded fries had white sauce and cheese sauce and beefy gravy soooo good. Met the owners as they were leaving and we sat outside so we could enjoy the smell of the smoker while we ate. They started out smoking chickens and selling them because people would smell it nearby and come looking, grew into people coming from all around and one thing led to another and here is some damn good bbq folks. Now that I know they started with chicken I gotta go back and get some. Let me clarify this place blows Ray Brothers out of the water sorry y'all in the east better make the long drive for the good stuff ! read more

Pond Pit BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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I really enjoyed The Pond Pit! As it is a bit of a drive from Syracuse, I made this my first stop of the day before heading to a state park. You order at a window or you can sit at the bar and be served. I sat at the bar and the bartender was efficient and friendly. I ordered the Pig Pen because...I guess it sounded like the best way to try all the things! I wasn't a fan of the white BBQ sauce--I guess it's good they put the sauces on there, per their recommendation. It'll eventually mix in and it'll be fine. I ended up with a TON of leftovers so I think I'll be eating this happily for awhile. I live two blocks away from Dinosaur and I'd rather drive to PP for BBQ cravings. It's the closest thing to true southern style BBQ I've had outside of the south. Would love to see collard greens on their menu though, that would seal my love of this place! read more

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Wow! An amazing BBQ experience. We have been a few times now and everything has always been great! They make fresh daily and often sell out so make a plan and get there early. read more

Pond Pit BBQ - The Homestead- ribs, chicken, brisket & pulled pork - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

4pm Friday on the dot and the smoked Prime Rib is flying out the door with preorders and patrons walking in. All the traditional smoke house sides are there such as beans, Mac and Cheese, and coleslaw etc. This is solid for northern New York and this place is busy on the weekends. Rustic as you would expect on the inside with high tops near the bar and a larger table for groups. The pricing is good and we left stuffed with leftovers ready for us later. Will definitely be back read more

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This is a great well rounded bbq place. The food was really good albeit some of the meats were a bit dry for my tastes but I would still consider it some good bbq. Although the "service" was a bit strange I think for the kind of place that it is it makes sense. The most fantastic part of this place though is the interior! Such a rustic and old-timey atmosphere that was really pleasing to see. All and all great place 7/10 read more

First time there; Excellent service, Awesome Food! We ate outside on the patio. Definitely coming back for the garbage plate, yum.

I recently took a family member to pond pit BBQ as I had raved about my experience there. I was shocked at how bad the food was and embarrassed at the quality of the food. Brisket was served cold with white fat solidified . No green salad at all. If this is their winter fair perhaps they should close for the winter. I have loved this place in the past but not sure I will ever return as the food needs to at least be decent for me to travel two hours. read more

Delicious food , the beans are delicious! Give them a try ! The pulled pork was great too . If you're in the area it's worth the stop. Very cool bar as well. Great family atmosphere! Good service read more

Still on the camping trek, and haven't gone out in a week to dine out! What is wrong with me?!? ( until last night .... ) Yes, a revisit to The Pond Pit BBQ as it is the closest restaurant to our camp spot. The place was packed, as there was a band playing outside from 4-7 as well. You have to get in a line to order your food. They give you a beeper when it's ready. It didn't take long to get our food. Every Friday, they feature a smoked prime rib that is out of this world. A nice king cut portion, along with 2 sides. They start serving that at 4pm. Get there early, because it doesn't last long. Oh so good. All of the sides we've had so far are amazing too. I enjoy the broccoli salad and the mac n cheese. Janice got the poutine. Tasty gravy and fries with HUGE cheese curd chunks. Look at the portion size!! Once again, a great bbq joint. You need to Check em Out!!! read more

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Wicked place had the bubba burger last night chris knows how to put them together would had the fullsize one and i couldn't finish it cool set up there have worth checking out read more

Neat little BBQ joint. Food is great. We have been twice this week while in the area camping. Sure beats what I can make over my camp fire. Nice bar also. I highly recommend visiting. read more

A BBQ joint with only one kind of meat at dinner time isn't for me. I can't wait until I go back down south where BBQ is king.

We've been eating here since they opened and love everything on the menu. Their food is consistently delicious and we miss it when we leave camp for the season. Our favorites are the 1/2 chicken meal and burger but honestly everything is fantastic. Even better now that they've opened the full bar and restaurant. Definitely a gem in the Sandy Pond area! read more

Pond Pit BBQ - a plate of baked beans and baked chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

Delicious food with large servings. Had the brisket poutine, Cuban with a side of tomato cucumber salad and Mac and cheese. Cute place inside. There is no waitstaff you order at a window, but nice seating inside and bar area. We thought food was better than Dinosaur BBQ. read more

Pond Pit BBQ - Poutine brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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I'm a BBQ aficionado. Been smoking meats for 10+ years and and always eager to try a BBQ place I haven't tried. This place was a bit out of the way from Syracuse but it was a nice day for a drive. I got the brisket sandwich ($17) and my friend got a half rack of ribs ($22). They were out of baby back, so he got the st Louis cut. I won't review his ribs because I didn't try them, but he was somewhat disappointed. The Brisket: A fair portion, nice smoke ring, but barely any smoke flavor. The bark was tasty but I didn't get enough of it. Tender, juicy, just lacking smoke. I eat bbq for smoke. The Mac n Cheese: A hearty portion, pretty good, no complaints but nothing to write home about. Very creamy. The Fries: These were very good Other deets: preferred a Corona and it was barely colder than room temperature. The bottle didn't even condensate. Upset my stomach a bit. No excuse for warm beer. Also odd that they had no background music. Just awkward silence. Overall, it was a long drive for an okay meal. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Pond Pit BBQ - Brisket sandwich with fries & macaroni & cheese. Not enough smoke. - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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Great food and value. You don't want to miss this spot. Food is great! I love this concept read more

Wow!! Got the brisket, wings, slaw and potato salad. It tasted so good I forgot to take a pic.... Some of the best I have had and staff was pleasant. I would stop by for sure if you're near by. read more

Best BBQ around! We even like it better than Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse. There is no waitstaff. You must order and pay for your drinks at the bar, and order, pay for, and pick up your food at the window. This doesn't bother me at all, but I've seen a few complain about it. The food is amazing, and so they will run out of food before the kitchen closes, which is 7pm. We were there for Father's Day around 2:30 pm and they were out of a lot of food already. This didn't surprise me because the food is that good! I knew they'd be slammed for Father's Day. Felt lucky though because we were able to get a rack of ribs. They were out of baby back, so we got St. Louis style. They ran out completely almost immediately after we ordered. I ordered Chicken ala Pond sandwich...love it! That white BBQ is sooo good! I was able to get the macaroni salad, but once again they ran out while we were there. The brisket is fantastic too. Love the hog wings and burnt ends but they always go quickly. The place itself is really nice. It has a wonderful rustic feel. They really did a beautiful job with the interior. Staff has been nothing but pleasant as well. We're been there about a dozen times so far. Well done, Pond Pit! read more

I came in with some bikers on a locally organized poker run to benefit veterans on Memorial Day 2022. The rough cut Amish planking and clapboards certainly added to the atmosphere. I decided to try 1/2 rack of Memphis ribs and chose salt potatoes and mac salad for my sides, and all of it was great. In fact, I had just stopped at the Rochester location of a major BBQ establishment founded in Syracuse, and I have to say Pond Pit BBQ measured up to what is considered by many to be the best BBQ in the region. The bar staff were busy and competent, leaving no one thirsty. I'll be back to try some more of their dishes, and that's probably the highest praise I can offer! read more

Pond Pit BBQ - A hopping bar scene - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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Overall unimpressed. Doesn't hold a candle to dinosaur, contrary to what a previous review stated. They were sold out of half their menu, so I ended up with my 4th choice meal option. This seems to be a trend, one would think they would start planning better if this is happening consistently. It's counter service, which is fine, but the employee taking orders was less than pleasant and seemed annoyed that we were there. Food was edible, but nothing I'd go back for. Mac salad, potato salad, and fries all desperately needed seasoning. Pulled chicken was good but had no sauce. I'm assuming you are supposed to add your own, but the bbq sauce dispenser was empty. Jalapeño cornbread was dry and dense and cold. Pulled pork was average, tender but didn't have much flavor. I did not try the brisket, ribs, or cowboy caviar so I can't comment on those. Cleanliness seemed to take a back burner. The bottom of my tray was covered in food. Was it the tray or the surface it was on not washed? Either way, it was gross. Menus were sticky. Tables were sticky. Bathroom had no TP and the faucet was too short to reach the sink bowl. Not to be TMI, but my stomach was not ok when I got home. We drove a half hour to try this place because we've heard good things, but I don't foresee myself making the drive again to give them a second chance. read more

Pond Pit BBQ - Cuban sandwich, macaroni salad, potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Sandy Creek, New York

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Don't bother with this place went there at 6 pm on Saturday night and they were out of food.

Pond Pit BBQ does it right from the moment you walk in the door - fireplace on one and and Franklin stove on the other, providing a cozy environment. Next is the staff who welcome you as soon as you come in. The food is hot and delicious. The owner came out to throw logs on the fireplace and spoke with us for 10 minutes. Great guy with a passion for BBQ. He used his 20 years of construction experience to take a bar that was falling apart and rebuild it. read more

Best Butts on or in the Pond. Rustic and charming. If you like pig bbq, this is one of the places you gotta get to

Very disappointed After reading other reviews we drove 45 minutes for dinner Ordered the brisket hand cut fries and Mac-n-cheese...they were sold out of all the other sides except these and Mac or potato salad at 5:06 The brisket was rubbery, needed to be cooked longer. It should fall apart on its own when cooked properly Fries were great, Mac and cheese was too thick, kind of gummy Partner ordered full rack ribs, fries and potato salad Ribs needed to be cooked at least another hour. Ribs should fall off the bone. These were chewy. Both meats had goose smoke but no seasoning. Bland without adding sauce Unfortunately we won't be back. read more

We had the brisket poutine and their version of a garbage plate. Everything was excellent. Very, very good BBQ. Service was pretty quick. Real casual atmosphere. I will definitely be back! read more

There are bbq, and then there BBQ. Pond Pit is BBQ. I'm a Texas girl and love my BBQ, especially my brisket. I love gatherin with family and friends eatting ribs,pulled pork, and my brisket. Pond Pit is my new favorite place. Not a chain place, it is a family owned, little restaurant. Amazing food, family friendly place. Smiling service from folks in the community. Definitely will be back. Follow them on Facebook for events they host and specials they offer. I apologize for the lack of pictures to attach but the food was too good to wait. read more

In response to your comment on my NEGATIVE review..all you did was defend yourself..you said or did nothing to warrant me making another out of the way trip to your eatery. Just an overall rushed, unpleasant and abrasive environment. No interest in returning whatsoever read more

Grate food bestfood it is fresh every day let us bring our dog and I am not the one to to say th food is great

Let's start off by saying they did great make over on the place ! Had dinner with family and the bartender was great good drinks and prices ! Now the kitchen needs some work let's just say the lady taking order was less than pleasant, ordered poutine was good except gravy was Luke warm and did not melt cheese , pig wing are good as was big bubba but the pulled pork was dry and a little over smoked nothing was really hot just warm . read more

I have contemplated writing this review for about a year now and have held off in hopes my views would change. I have been to this establishment 4 times and have only had a positive experience once. I understand that this place gets busy but the amount of food they run out of is ridiculous. 9 times out of 10 you can guarantee they are out of macaroni and cheese which is a shame seeing as how they have a whole menu section dedicated to it. After my last trip here in 2022 I decided I wouldn't be coming back but I'm a sucker for prime rib so thought I'd give them another chance. So of course, tonight's special was prime rib. Got there around 6:30 and they were out of mac and cheese (surprise, surprise). We ordered 2 prime rib dinners and when our order was ready we were told they were also out of salt potatoes and had to choose something else. We got back to our table and also realized we did not get any au jus with our prime rib. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal but the prime rib was more dry than my grandmas pork chops. I went to the window to ask for some and I was told they ran out which really just blew my mind. In my opinion, if you're going to be serving prime rib you should be serving au jus and if you're "out of au jus" you shouldn't serve dry prime rib. I probably should have said something while I was there but I was so mad I boxed my Mac salad up and left. Waste of money. This place has a lot of potential but are they ruining it by not keeping up with demands. Maybe it's my fault for going back but just expected better. Definitely a good place to drink though!! Oh and almost always out of chicken. CHICKEN! read more

Best wings ever! The service is fast and the restaurant is clean and welcoming. Been many times and it's great every time.

What a great little joint! If you blink, you will miss Sandy Creek. And for the most part, it is not a stopping point. But you absolutely MUST stop on your way down State 3, or even make the trip from I-81 to go to Pond Pit BBQ. Order your drinks at the bar, your food at the window. The food is off the charts. Everything is AMAZING. The sauces, the sides, THE CORNBREAD!!!! My wife and I got the platter for two. It's 40 bucks, but you're gonna pay that anyway at any restaurant for two entrees. Three meats, 2 sides, cornbread that could make you consider eating only cornbread.... We took the left-overs home. We were stuffed. We will be back, gotta get there earlier if we want to try the chicken. Normally, I would include a picture, but I was hungry and forgot to take one before. And it's BBQ so I couldn't take one mid-meal. read more

Went here for dinner and they were completely packed in. It's a small place to start with so seating is very very limited. We ended up sitting at a super small bar top table at the back of the bar area which was insanely tight for 4 of us and was a complete hassle trying to manage with 4 drinks and 4 dinner trays. You basically go to a window in the corner of the restaurant to order and get called back to the same window for food pickup. This was fine and food was done quickly i will give ++ for this. ALL drinks must be ordered from the bar. My husband had to wade through a sea of drunk and loud patrons to try and get us waters from the poor over worked bar tender on duty! I felt for her she was completely swamped as she was all alone! The food as I stated earlier came out very fast, but that was pretty much the only good thing about it. The ribs were ok but dry and my chicken was still pink (I ended up not eating it and taking it home to grill it some more) the rub/spices used on it were good. The cornbread lacked flavor and was very very dry. The mac and cheese was probably the best thing. Overall not the worst food I ever had but we will not be patronizing this establishment again. There are better places with much more space in the same general area. read more

Super nice staff! Clean, organized. Loved the efficiency of placing our own order and moments later it is ready. Food is amazing! Had brisket w beans/macnchz. Excellent and flavorful. Other dinner was prime rib, beans macnchz. PHENOMENAL! Can't wait to go back. read more

Searching for a good local barbecue place? This is the spot for you! Located near popular beaches, this small barbecue joint has plenty to offer. The smoked chicken wings had tons of flavor with adequate amounts of sauce. Good French fries, solid brisket, smokey baked beans, and cornbread were a few items that proved noteworthy. Complimented with nice servers, this place is worth a stop! read more