Let me preface it that I am from Kansas City and nothing beats Kansas City BBQ, but this place for lunch was delish-not disappointed. It is located in Del Ray and has its own parking. The restaurant is very clean and nicely decorated to Halloween. Meat is tender and lean. Every table has different kind of sauces. So pick one you like or even all four for fun. They have a great deal for lunch for only $7.95. You'll get a sandwich with the side and a soft drink. Whaaat?!?! Check my pictures for more details. The food was ready in minutes. Very fast and yummy. I even got a to go order for my friend. She will be a happy camper! read more

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Hiked over here from Old Town during a three day visit with my Scouts, about a two mile walk from where we were staying. Worth. Every. Step. Between our group we tried pretty much all the meats and it was all great. But the brisket and especially the burnt ends...damn! Not to mention the sides. The grits were particularly remarkable! Will definitely make sure we schedule another hike out to Del Ray for some 'cue! read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Don't get between the Scoutmaster and his Collard Greens! - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Tim was the best bartender I have ever had. He served me a virgin daiquiri five years ago and it was the best I have had.

Great barbecue place for a good price. I loved going here when I lived in Virginia. All of the classics on the bbq plus sides. Casual and comfortable atmosphere. read more

I was surprised when I went in there to see how great the whiskey selection was the bartender Charlie was very pleasant and I highly recommend this restaurant read more

I called to place a carry out order and was met with less than stellar customer service. I was told they dont't take orders over the phone. I explained that I had a rather large order but still, they wouldn't take my order over the phone.... I went in and gave them my order and of course, I had to wait... When I received my order I noticed that none of it had any barbecue sauce. I asked for barbecue sauce and was told that it would be $3 for a small container of barbecue sauce or I could fill up little mini plastic cups... I thought it was a joke but no...after spending $130 on "barbecue" I had to pay if I wanted barbecue sauce... What a crock! "Award winning" barbecue doesn't make up for the lack of customer service and the little thing like getting barbecue sauce for your barbecue food.... P.S. I went to the grocery store and bought a whole bottle of Sweet Baby Rays for $2.60...guess I saved $.40! read more

My friends took me here the first time I visited them after they'd moved to Del Ray. I was impressed with the portion sizes for the money, and the fact that each table has a caddy with 4 of pork barrel's different types of BBQ sauce to put on your meal. I've subsequently returned several times, to try a variety of their dishes, and would especially recommend their lunch bucket special - $8 for a sandwich, side, and soft drink (though you do have to sit at the bar for this). read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

3 1/2 Stars, but I'm rounding up for the ribs. We met a colleague here on his recommendation, and it was a solid choice for barbecue, if a little mixed. The chopped pork was good, but lacked the crunch from the outside of the shoulder that I love. It was tender without being mushy though, which is key. The brisket was tender and moist, if not quite as good as the brisket at Hill Country. Unfortunately I didn't get to try the Texas sausage because they were out, which is always disappointing to hear... The high points were pretty high though; the dry-rub ribs were perfect. The meat was tender enough to come off the bone easily, but with that nice little chew to it around the outside that you get with good dry-rub ribs. Some of the best ribs I've had in the area, but I'll have to come back a couple times for science to make sure... Also, the selection of bottled sodas was awesome; every sort of option you could think of from Moxie to Leninade. read more

Writing this review over going to this restaurant numerous times as it's close to our house. There are other alternatives we will start going to. When getting pulled pork, they don't do a very good job pulling out the chunks of fat or skin with no meat on them. I typically have to go through it and pull out non meat items that's unrecognizable. Just have had to do it too much. Will return when they do a better job. Don't have this problem with pulled pork at other bbq locations. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Wow! Only a 2.5 Star average rating, with only 9 giving it 5 stars (at this time)? What gives? Caveat: I'm no BBQ aficionado or anything. But, I do know that growing up in DC meant never having, real, quality, wood smoked, BBQ. So it was understood that there is no good BBQ in the DMV. That said, over the past couple years there are several new BBQ joints that have opened up to try and fill this void. I've not tried any at this time, mostly because I know that eating smoked meats is really bad for you. Nevertheless, This is Legit BBQ and the 1/2 priced Tuesday $12 rack of Ribs that I ate was fantastic! These are the Best Ribs that I've EVER had in the DC area. So was the Smoked Sausage Link. You can actually see the smoke rings in the meat. So you know your eating carcinogens for sure. mmm smoke... There's so much flavor in the meat that you don't need sauce. But you want sauce because their Original and Spicy Carolina sauces are delicious. I didn't care for the Mustard or the Sweet sauces which were the 4 choices of sauce. The Spicy BBQ Baked Beans, Jalapeno Mac&Cheese, Collard Greens, & Black Eyed Peas were all Outstanding, as well. And they have a nice selection of micro brews too. Plus Barq's Root Beer on tap and other glass-bottled sodas. I didn't try anything else, so...Maybe this isn't as good as some of the other New BBQ in DC, I can't say? But I loved it, and the all side dishes!! And I would do it more often...If only I didn't care about my health. Lastly, they have nice clean decor, a patio, big bar w/TV's, etc, and it smells wonderful as soon as you walk in. The service sucks, but who cares. The trophies on the shelf indicate that this is Competition Quality BBQ. And that's Fo Sho! read more

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My husband and I came here for dinner and we ordered the following to dine-in: Jumbo Pork Spareribs (4-Bone Slab) Platter with 2 sides (Monster Mac & Cheese and Sweet BBQ Baked Beans), Kansas City-Style Brisket "Burnt Ends" with 2 sides (Texas Caviar and Bourbon Pepper Jack Creamed Corn), and a cup of their 'Special,' which was the white Smoked Chicken and Corn Chili topped with tortilla crisps and shredded pepper jack cheese. I enjoyed the burnt ends, but there were more fatty parts rather than the meat as I had it the last time. Also, the creamed corn was really thick this time around compared to my first dining experience, and more spicier. The baked beans were really good with the bits of pulled pork throughout; however, it was spicy for my taste buds! The spare ribs were good as it was dry-rub, but bland without any of the bbq sauce, so I used the Original bbq sauce available. The Texas Caviar were black-eyed beans with red and green pepper and tomato, more like a salsa/salad type of a side. I tried out a couple from their extensive bottled beverages, the 'A Late One' and a Cheerwine cherry drink. Service was friendly as always, and the place was packed with diners. I would like to try out their Fish Fry as well as their wings the next time I come back! +Kansas City-Style Brisket 'Burnt Ends' +Bourbon Pepper Jack Creamed Corn read more

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Everything was COLD and PLAIN. Got the 2 meat platter with chicken and turkey - it was plain and cold. Got the brisket sandwich - it was plain and cold. The Mac n cheese was room temp and more like a soup than a cheesy Mac n cheese. The bbq beans were almost warm - i used that to put on my brisket sandwich for flavor. They only added one type of bbq sauce in the bag (if you have multiple types of sauce wouldn't you want your customers to try them all or most?) Would not go here again, not sure why they serve cold and plain food to customers. read more

I've been here several times. Especially last year when I was going through a massive bbq kick....probably in all 15 times. I'm surprised I haven't dropped a review yet. For starters, I love their bbq and mac and cheese. They have a huge selection of beers and root beers. They offer beef, pork, and chicken entrees. Usually I get the beef bbq. I'm more partial. Their beef sausages are decadent. The cream of corn is hit or miss. Last visit it was a hit. They have a nice lunch special where you can get a sandwich, soda, and one side for $7.95. Tuesday is my favorite day of the week to go since that's their half off a half slab of ribs after 5pm. They're so damn good. Service is solid. Never a time I have not had good service. I've met the owner a couple of times. Bill is a nice guy and we chat about St. Louis when I roll in. He is from there originally, and I moved to DC metro from there. His love for the Cardinals does show in Nationals town. Good place to bring your family since it offers up picnic table patio seating outside. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

It is a casual restaurant. You order the food at register and bring the food to table on your own. I was very disappointed the food. It was very dry and not fresh. I can't believe how this restaurant can survive like this. I would not come back even I get free food. read more

We gave up on Pork Barrel's BBQ offerings after they first opened several years ago. I decided to try them again last night, after learning they'd earned a local prize for having the area's best bread pudding. Big mistake -- the to-go order of bread pudding I was given was MUCH smaller than any dessert I've ever ordered. It was also cut from the corner of the pan, which meant it would be dry and crusty rather than rich and moist. I complained, but the server ignored me. I returned to the cashier, handed him the carry-out box, and said, "That's not acceptable -- I'm done with you." The server took the box and said nothing in response. I walked out of the restaurant with no bread pudding and minus the $6 (plus tip) that I'd just spent on the dessert. No one offered a refund, or even an apology -- which is okay with me. I will no longer be eating at any of the three restaurants run by the same people, including Holy Cow, their mediocre burger joint, or the Sushi Place, which I described as a big disappointment in a separate review. Like I said, "I'm done with you." read more

I would Give them a 3 cause when I walk in, I said hello to everyone. Everyone just looked at me ... BUT THE FOOD..... Man , I tell you pure deliciousness . The Food Made up for every thing Give the Food 5 Stars read more

Wow I was really impressed with Pork Barrel's BBQ! I've now tried out every BBQ place in NOVA! We got 3 meat combo with ribs, smoked brisket and burnt ends. The Burnt Ends and Ribs are spot on (burnt ends are moist and delicious, the rib meat are falling of the bone), the smoked brisket is better at Texas Jacks, here they slice the brisket into thin slices, I feel that the meat here is not as moist, but still delicious. Our 3 meat combo came with 2 sides, we got the skin on potato salad and pasta salad. The potato salad was really delicious, something I would totally order again. Pasta salad was decent. Pork Barrel has awesome happy hour specials, with pork belly on nachos, sliders, monday wings, thursday tacos, wine down wednesdays etc. Since it was Monday, we also got the wing special, meh, not really a fan of their wings here. It is smothered in their bbq sauce. Nothing beats Rampart wings. That said, this place is a solid 4 stars with delicious bbq. I can see why this place get's packed. The specials are awesome, the price is right, the food is delicious. Parking in their lot behind the restaurant. It fills up quick though. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

From a Texan's standpoint on BBQ: The brisket is quite good. The best I've had on the East Coast since I've moved out here 5 yrs ago, thus far (I haven't tried Myron's place yet). I've lived in TX most of my life (35yrs) and raised by a champion winning grill master. We were at chili/rib/brisket/pork/chicken/bean competitions my entire life growing up- every weekend. All that said to add validity to my review, the brisket here is quite delicious. I hate to admit it, but MUCH better than Hill Country BBQ in DC. And the burnt ends-----DON'T GET ME STARTED!!!! The burnt ends here are amazing!!! The closest thing to TX burnt ends outside of TX I've ever had. Truly delicious. Charred with smoke, just the right amount of fat so it's not greasy, but PACKED with flavor. If you've never experienced 'burnt ends', let me tell you- it is an art form, not a dish. You MUST try the burnt ends here. Ribs- unfortunately I can't give such a glowing review of those. The base flavors are there & you see what they're trying to accomplish, but there's something lacking either in the execution or the seasoning profile. The perfect rib doesn't need sauce, but rather is accentuated by it. Great job Pork Barrel- keep moving forward!! read more

I love BBQ and this place did not disappoint! Located in Del Rey (on Mount Vernon Ave) in Alexandria, VA, this restaurant does curbside pickup at an outdoor tent, which is very much appreciated in the middle of a global pandemic. I don't feel comfortable dining inside a restaurant during the pandemic, but I have been doing a ton of take-out lately and loved the take-out from Pork Barrel. I love that they have combination platters, where you get 3 meat choices, as well as sides. I ordered a combo platter with brisket, burnt ends, and a Texas sausage, with sides of mac n cheese and coleslaw. It also came with delicious cornbread. Wow! What a filling and delicious meal. Great price for such a satisfying meal. Every bite was delicious and the brisket was perfectly smoked to my liking. I have absolutely no complaints. I will certainly be back again, at least for take-out while we are in the middle of the pandemic! Definitely recommend and give this place 5 big stars. read more

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My wife and I were visiting my Daughter and her husband in Alexandria Virginia. Before we caught a flight home, we needed to get some food. My daughter suggested this place. I consider myself a BBQ connoisseur. I saw the Smackin Big Daddy sandwich online which sounded delicious. Unfortunately that was an older menu and they don't have that sandwich anymore. Renee suggested the Goldie as a staff favorite, so I listened to her. She did not steer me wrong. My wife had the pulled pork sandwich with the Mac n Cheese. I had the Goldie with the sweet baked beans. They were both really good! Renee was very helpful and extremely positive. One thing I look for when I go to a BBQ place is the smell. It definitely had that down home smell of smoked to perfection meat! You know it when you smell it. If you don't smell that smell, get out of their immediately! Thank you Renee for your recommendation and your hospitality! I apologize for not having pictures. Overall I would give the place a four star but Renee and her great hospitality made it a five star experience! I will be back next time we visit. read more

This was a mediocre BBQ place. Although, there greens are much better than most other local BBQ restaurants. The brisket and pork were not moist a flavorful but the brisket tips were very dry. There is a nice variety of sauces to choose from. The macaroni and cheese (M&C) was a big win for some and fail for others in our party. I think this dish just comes down to if and how spicy one may like a variation of M&C. If you are looking for a classic M&C then this isn't a dish for you. However, the cornbread won't disappoint. read more

Been going here for over a decade. Great BBQ and sides but the beer prices are steep.

Delicious barbecue in the heart of Del Ray! Pork barrel is easy to visit. They have their own parking lot and ample street parking. The food choices are delicious and the service was super quick. We ordered a platter that came with two meats, two sides and corn bread. We chose the brisket, chopped pork, Mac and cheese and collard greens. The favorites were the chopped pork and Mac and cheese! We loved all four of the signature bbq sauces they have on the tables. I'll definitely be a frequent visitor here! read more

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Went at noon on a Sunday so it was nice and quiet. Bartender was friendly The main counter person was about as friendly as stick in the hole. Not even a welcome to Pork Barrel or a thank you. Especially after I ordered $30+ worth of bbq. Taste/Flavor Decent to good flavor of pulled pork some smokiness Brisket decent flavor but ive never been a big fan of this stuff Ribs boring Texture pulled pork nice thicker pulled pork pieces resulting in good texture Brisket its brisket...not too tender, not very tough either Ribs on the tougher side. not very tender Portion size & Cost FIrst of all, I realize I can grow the True American Belly easily and readily at any generic eatery. But this section is my opinion as to the amount of meat for the price as compared against 'cue joints along the southern eastern seaboard. $6.5 for pulled pork My take is that the portion size was decent - filled a bun about 4-5" wide, thick pulled slices. but value? nope. should've provided at least 25-50% pork to satisfy my pulled pork conniseur belly. $8.5 for beef brisket way over priced - literally 5-6 pieces about an inch wide and about 4 inches long thinly cut slices. $2 a slice almost! $13.95 for a "half-rack" of St. Louis Ribs what a joke. "half-rack" is 5-6 ribs barely bigger than their individual beef brisket slices with barely enough meat to cover the bone. think McD's McRibb and this is barely two of those infamous sandwhiches. Aroma good aroma for all three Sauces Yes, they have won awards for their sauces. well those judges/magazine editors must have burnt tongues and taste buds from too much tabasco sauce :-). Cause their sauce is way too hot. tastes like a lb of black peppers was dumped into each sauce - whether it be "sweet", "original" or their NC style "vinegar" sauce. To be fair, many so-called nc sauces have way too much black pepper but its been a while since i've had regular bbq sauce have this level of pepper. Too bad because the flavor for the two regular sauces is actually good not great and definitely not award worthy but good IF they skipped the pepper. The NC style sauce is okay. Atmosphere nice wooden chairs/benches and decent small bar with good beer and several nice tv Specials A good thing about this place is that they do have happy hour 4-7 every day with $2 canned beer, $5 sliders. n discounted other meats. Tuesdays are half-price half-rack rib days. The only way I'd go back is if i lived nearby to take advantage of happy hour. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Decent portion size bout 4-5" wide with meat covering full bun - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Stopped into this BBQ joint in Del Ray, northern Alexandria. I got a brisket sandwich to go. The food came out very quickly after I ordered it. The brisket was moist and tender with good hints of smokiness. It was lacking in fat and juice. I wish they put some toppings on it because its just straight meat on a potato bun. Next time I'd add some BBQ Sauce to spice it up a bit. At $10 it was too basic for me. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Brisket sandwich, plain - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Disappointed in the meat quality. We got the pulled pork and brisket and neither had any flavor until we put the sauce on it. Mac and cheese was ok. My husband liked the potato salad. Will not likely go back with other great options around read more

3 1/2 stars. First visited this place a couple of years ago after viewing them on Shark Tank. Been to it a couple of times since. Pros are the BBQ sauces and quick service. Cons are the meats can be dry at times. It's really your standard BBQ joint. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Inside - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Their BBQ offerings have always been top notch. But during these times of curbside pickup take out, the ordering process and service has been a great help. Pork Barrel BBQ will be a part of our "take-out" Tuesdays for weeks to come. read more

Okay experience. Being from the Carolinas, I have a pretty good taste for BBQ (but also high standards). The actual meat was pretty good (I had brisket), the sides were okay. Definitely trying a little too hard and swaying away from classic plain ole BBQ (monster mac n cheese). The sweet tea was horrible--not sweet at all and very syrupy. It was pretty high prices. Probably will try a new place next time! But it is in a cute area and is a cute restaurant. I wouldn't tell people not to go. read more

they have fallen off... first off they messed up my online order.. ordered 2 three meat meals and one white chili soup... only got 1 three meat meal.. called for refund and just offered a refund not even anything to make up for the mishap they made after waiting 15 min when they said itll take 5 for it. now to the bbq... the sliced beef brisket is now dry, the "sliced" pork is salty, and the ribs were dry. they used to be have great quality and service. but they have dropped out my radar for a decent bbq spot. read more

Terrible. the bbq was more dry than an Afghan desert. Please don't waste your money on this place

Just a great all around spot. Great food, service, and vibes. Another Del Ray bright spot.

We were looking for a brunch spot , so we intended on going to the restaurant across the street. However, when we got there it really wasn't our style of place. Which ended us at Pork Barrel. My fiancé was over the moon when we sat down at the bar and had our bloody Mary's ! We had the Elvis fries to start , and were not disappointed. The entrees didn't disappoint either. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My friends and I love going to Pork Barrel after work. It's always clean and the staff is polite. Their Nachos are delicious and usually have to get at least two and the plates get cleared. They have good drink choices and two menus to choose from. I've never had anything here that tastes bad. It's a favorite! read more

Terrible bbq don't go here. Watery Mac n cheese, undercooked collared greens, dry and chewy burnt ends, couldn't even break apart ribs with my hands, had to use a knife, membrane was still on. All that for just shy of $50 for 2... Need I say more read more

Ok, I've been here a total of 5 times in the past 8 weeks. I have a real weak spot for bbq. First time there, had the pulled pork 4 stars for that one, good flavor, portions, and moist. 2nd time there sausages- pass on these in the future super dry, flavor was ok. Next tried the Ribs- biggest disappointment I've had in ages, For 6 bones and one side I paid almost $20 for lunch. I was there right at opening, and damn if my ribs didn't suck. Not sure if I'm a fan of their no sauce ribs but they weren't dry ribs either. They gave me two ends that were a lot of connected tissue and poor quality ribs, uncut ( for carry out I think this is a mistake). These were the worst ribs I've had in years. Sides - Collards are the best I've had, Mac & cheese is ok, but no love put into the, beans are decent. Overall I can only say the pulled is worth eating out of what I've had. Service is always good, but DivaQ's recent visit to the place is not a fair representation of the quality of the food at this place, and all the awards they have there do not represent the food that is served there. I'm a KCBS member, and I know they are too, but their brick and mortar location is a let down. Don't forget to get the Collards. Awesome read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Solid Brisket sandwich. Moist bite, with a smoky flavor. They did not include enough sauce on the preparation. Would have also like some condiments or toppings on there. Overall, a very solid sandwich. read more

We've been this place several times before but last night the service at the bar was terrible. Bar tender was rude and sarcastic, almost seemed to be mad why we were even there. The food was ok but he basically threw in front of us so it was very unpleasant experience read more

The food here was honestly just bad. The BBQ was dry as a bone and nothing had any flavor. The corn bread was also extremely dry and tasted pretty old. This was really disappointing. read more

This is a great neighborhood place for meat lovers. There's interesting selections of beer and apple cider but the cocktail menu is non existent. It is not a full bar. The burnt ends were great, get there early if you want a lb. regularly on the weekends a 1/4 lb is all that's left by 7 PM. However their new chef now has burnt ends that taste like regular fatty brisket. Their regular brisket is very tasty though. I regularly pop in to order from the meat counter at the back. You can't order ahead unless it's a large, very large order. But you can always ask ahead of time if they have the amount and cut you want! When you're at a table or bar ask for the super secret sandwich menu! Their ahi tuna sandwich is AMAZING. I ask for it to come on the lettuce wrap option. I'm a fan of their sweet potato fries also :) There's outdoor seating options, booth seats, high tables, and the bar. For a game this is definitely packed by the locals. Note: if you're picking up weekdays around 5 PM double-check your meat- sometimes it's left over from lunch and the brisket can be way too dry with 0 fat on it. read more

Pork Barrel BBQ - Ask for the secret menu. It's the bomb dot com - Barbeque Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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