This is easily a five-star review, and it's coming from someone who isn't a true BBQ lover. This place was suggested by a local, and I am so glad that I went because it was the best BBQ that I have ever had. I wasn't sure what to order, but the friendly staff recommended that I have the brisket, and I'm so glad I heeded their advice. The brisket sandwich was the most tender meat that I have ever had. I had never had brisket before having that sandwich, now my mouth waters any time I talk about this restaurant! The cole slaw that I had as a side provided the perfect crunch and balance. My mate had the pulled pork sandwich, which was also very tender. I also loved having a variety of barbecue sauces on the table and was able to try each one. Everyone has a preference, I'm sure, but after trying each one, I am completely sold on the Carolina gold. Also, I do not typically have a fountain soda, but the cola that was on tap was some of the best that I'd ever tasted. 10 out of 10 for Sugarfire, and I will definitely be returning the next time I'm in St. Louis! read more

See all

Father's Day! We stopped by later in the evening, but it is a popular spot most days and especially on Father's Day! Join the line when you walk in, when you get to the front of the line, you tell the counter person your order, the guys behind the counter were upbeat and friendly. You move on down the line and pick your sides, proceeding to the register. Paying and getting drink cups. Go pick your table with your food if its ready or just yourself if your food isn't ready yet and they will come out and call your name. Raise your hand and they will bring it over, friendly as can be. At the location in Valley Park my standing order is brisket and tater tots , so good! But I didn't see tater tots on the menu so I switched it up and got smoked salmon with fries, and an order of hushpuppies. I got the salmon and fried up first and both were great. Salmon was smoky and flaky, the fries the hand cut style with skin on. Both tasted great with my favorite coffee BBQ sauce. The hushpuppies came out piping hot with a sweet sauce on the side. The hushpuppies were so good! I will be craving them, thinking about them now, mmm. Line moves quickly, friendly staff, good food, fantastic hushpuppies :) read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - In line - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I was craving barbecue and decided to give Sugarfire a try. The parking lot is a decent size, with generally plenty of parking available. The giant pig statue in front of the restaurant was actually quite informative, as it described where the meat comes from on a pig. Anyway, as I entered the restaurant, I stood in line. It was quite busy for a Saturday afternoon. There are long tables with many seats, so seating wasn't an issue. It is a first come first served dining situation. I ordered the 2-meat plate: brisket, ribs, baked beans, and potato salad. The brisket and the sides were definitely my favorite parts. The brisket was so tender, it basically fell apart in my hands! It was delicious! The baked beans were tangy and sweet, and the potato salad was creamy. I didn't like the ribs, they were very dry and definitely not worth the money. The barbecue sauces are in bottles on the table; my personal favorite was the Honey Badger, sweet with a little bit of heat. I found the Coffee BBQ sauce to be the most interesting; I have never had anything like it before. The coffee notes were subtle and helped balance out the smoky flavors. While I enjoyed the majority of my food, I am not sure if I will be returning. It was a nice experience, but the dry ribs left me feeling disappointed. read more

See all

Since this was my first time in St. Louis, this was one of the places I wanted to try for barbecue. I was not disappointed. The St. Louis ribs were tender, smoky, and very delicious. Paired with the various BBQ sauces, it was a fantastic meal. The sides were solid as well. Service was great, with super friendly staff and really cool ambiance and vibes. I found the hush puppies to be quite interesting, with the inclusion of pork belly burnt ends. By the real surprise was how good the jalapeño jelly to dip the hush puppies in was! Love the balance of sweet and spicy. Truly the perfect sauce for every meat. Awesome job and will definitely want to come back again! :) read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - A delicious meal :) - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

I love coming to spots like this that has a local twang. Such simple southern food that you wouldn't want to pass out on. I got the roast beef and the meat itself was delicious. I could've ate it by itself because it was just on a simple hamburger bun. My fav was the beans, I ate that up so quick. I could've just had a bowl of that and be satisfied haha. Ultimately, I think the sauce selection that they have here is what pulls everything together in a finger licking good way. read more

See all

My favorite place to take an out of town visitor for some STL bbq. The casual, cafeteria style makes it easy to order and enjoy. My go-to is always the 6 ounce brisket platter with two sides and a drink. The meat comes "dry", because all their different sauces are available on the table so you can mix and match and try as many as you'd like. The staff is always helpful with ordering and making suggestions. It's no surprise why they are an STL favorite! read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, fries, coleslaw, excel bottling foundation soda - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This review is for the 9200 Olive Blvd Location Typical BBQ atmosphere (see photos) with cafeteria style ordering. The service was quick, friendly and welcoming. And there was some great 80s rock for us boomers (lol). I ordered a 3-meat platter with Ribs, Sausage and Brisket. It came with 2 sides, I chose the baked beans and coleslaw. It doesn't look like it, but the 3 meat platter is a lot of food. Generally everything was good. However, it didn't meet up to the high expectations I had based on recommendations. I found that the meats, although good, lacked much flavor unless you put sauce on them. But there were several to choose from. My favorite item were the Beans. Heavenly. Not too sweet, but had that caramel molasses flavor. Yum. The meat on the Ribs almost fell off the bone. Again good, but not great. Basic flavor, but needed sauce. The same could be said of the Brisket. You get a mix of fatty and lean. I used the Honey Badger and Texas Hot sauce for these. Sausage (jalapeño cheddar) Good, not great. Strong on the cheese. You get a slight spice aftertaste. The flavor was enhanced with St. Louie Sweet sauce (this may be a bit critical, but has a bit over processed texture). Lastly, the Coleslaw is basic, a tad watery, and ok but not much flavor. All in all I'd still recommend for some good BBQ. read more

See all

My family ordered takeout. My meal was with a side of Cole slaw. They sent potato salad. We called back and they said come in to switch it. That's it. Gas alone would eat up the $2 for a damn side let alone the time there and back. I'm diabetic and can't eat potato salad. Thanks for ruining my meal. read more

STL is fast becoming a great place or THE great place for BBQ. Sugarfire is one of the better spots here in town. They have a number of locations, I've eaten at most of them and they are all universally good/similar to the other locals. What makes Sugarfire apart from places like Pappy's or other excellent BBQ, is the sides. They consistently have a better choice of side and they are offer something for everyone. Worth saying, I've never had the chicken only variation of pork (which has consistently been excellent) read more

We went to the downtown location. It was absolutely amazing. So delicious. Highly recommend. I would visit any location anytime I was in Missouri. When we went the burnt ends and the ribs both were sold out, but the brisket was absolutely to die for. And the Mississippi mud pie. Honestly everything. My husband said the pulled pork was the best he's ever had. All 5 star ratings read more

The food was DELICIOUS I forgot to take pictures ‍ I had the brisket , potato salad, green beans, and Mac and cheese. Everything was delicious the brisket juicy and tender . The restaurant located downtown StL was clean and inviting. The service was great, kind and friendly folks. Down side was the parking is paid, so bring change for the meters 2 hour limit. Overall grateful me and my sister chose to eat here. Next time I'm in town, I'm coming back here read more

See all

Definitely not good BBQ spot at all. Came from Chicago and was expecting better since I heard St.Louis had good BBQ. I guess this is more of a BBQ chain restaurant so the quality and flavorful ain't there like other mom and pops joints. As you see, the brisket was super dry. Ribs barely had any meat and were dry as well. No flavor at all. Fries were bland. Only good thing here were the BBQ sauces and the Grape pop/soda. We paid around $40 for 3 meats and definitely don't get that much food as you see in the pictures. Wouldn't recommend it at all. read more

See all

We were visiting St. Louis from Atlanta last week, and Sugarfire BBQ was the highlight of an already great food experience. The food in Atlanta is very bland but the food has been amazing I'm St. Louis. The BBQ was absolutely incredible--everything was tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My husband, my son, and I were stuffed for hours, and honestly, we didn't even feel like eating the next day! The portions were generous, the sides were amazing, and the staff was so friendly. St. Louis knows how to do food, and Sugarfire is the perfect example. If you're in town, don't miss this spot--it's worth every bite! read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

I have tried to like Sugarfire, but it lets us down time after time. We visit the location in Olivette. The brisket is so dry. It looks like they precut the meat. Its DRY! The sides are just okay. Special sides like brisket toasted ravs are not worth it. We have been several times hoping for a different experience. It's always the same dried out taste. read more

This place came highly recommended. Delicious ribs!! And all the sides were amazing! Best BBQ I've had in St. Louis! Also, we loved the variety of different BBQ sauces. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Half rack of ribs, beans and green beans - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Stopped by for a late lunch and had an excellent meal. We had brisket, sausage (cheddar & jalapeños), ribs and pulled pork. Sides were plentiful and everything was delicious. Don't forget the cornbread and sweet tea to cap it off. Everything was hot and ready, cafeteria style as you walked through the line with your tray. Staff were friendly and helpful. Highly recommend stopping by for some bbq. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Two meat platter, share ribs with my better half - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

We went at a good time on a Thursday. Super cool place with affordable prices for all the accolades that the owner has received. Featured on Food Network and Beat Bobby Flay. The brisket was very moist, turkey was tender and juicy. The variety of sauces is impeccable so you can try them all. Think BBQ sauce flight! We came from Texas so we know BBQ and we were impressed. $40 for 2 people. Got 1 meat plates which included 1 meat (6 or 8oz) of choice; cut fresh, and 2 sides and a drink. Could not finish both sides. Coleslaw was very good. Potato salad was basic. Beans were good. Mac n cheese a little oily for me but the kids enjoyed it. This place fits large crowds as well. For the price you cant beat it. They also have a dessert spot next door with delicious homemade pies. Got from 2-5 for BOGO Sandwiches. read more

We loved our lunch at Sugarfire while visiting friends in St Louis! The food was all great and we loved all of the different options on the menu. The trays were a great way to try lots of different items. Service was quick and easy, and it was a great spot for lunch with a group, even with kids. The ribs were my favorite! read more

See all

This is probably the place I've heard the most about wrt BBQ in the St. Louis area. im also glad there are a number of locations in the area, which makes it easily accessible when i came, i got the cornbread, the ribs, the brisket (obviously a fattier cut), the apple sauce, and something else. they also have a number of different sauces to go with the barbecue, but i feel like they were mostly too sweet and a little bit forgettgable i really think that the ribs at sugarfire are missing something. ignore the sauces since truly good ribs can generally be eaten without them - how good are the ribs here really? i think think they're just okay. the flavor is much less than the one's ive had at adam's, and though i'm not a rib expert, i think the key difference is that they don't have enough fat on them. the ribs that i've gotten from here seem like a pretty lean cut. i also think they need a slight touch of sweetness to them as well, in the form of sugar. you know how good barbecue usually has a nice charred bark to it? well i've found that having some sugar/sugar glaze on top of that really helps. maybe sugarfire could consider that read more

Simple How poorly manage is a rib joint that runs out of ribs at 6:12 pm on a Sunday read more

Absolutely perfect smoked meats. I got the brisket and rub combo. Both were amazing. You must also try the white sauce, it's the best. Pro-Tip: Ask for your cornbread toasted with honey butter! The apple pie is also a great way to finish off this meal. You won't be disappointed. read more

The food was dry, cool decor, the service was typical. No one brought out your food, no greeting, just order your food and move along. Not crave-able! Just read more

Expensive and seem to cut corners. It's not as fatty of brisket with small smoke rings. We think they used liquid smoke because it made both of us super sick all day. Won't ever return and don't recommend. service was fairly quick and ambiance okay but you come (or not, in this case) because of the food. read more

This is a great authentic barbecue place with many different options. I had the smoked turkey, and my friend got a pulled pork sandwich. I was impressed that they offer smoked salmon, and they have wedges of cornbread and desserts (lots of pies) available to take with you. The drinks are self serve soda fountains. The service was fast and friendly. I would definitely return when in St. Louis! read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Smoked turkey sandwich with beans and rice, and a pickle. - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

Great everyday BBQ, if I were catering, they'd have to make it on premise to ensure freshness and hold dryness at bay. Sauce is not the answer. The big muddy stuff s a mistake for dieters but for me hit a special place. Though I prefer Pappys, convenience and steady fair quality will lead me back for a quick BBQ "fix" but if I'm trying to impress, it will be Pappys. Would recommend for the daily, if I'm trying to impress guests it would be Pappys. Off for a big muddy! :) read more

WOW what a fantastic place. On first blush it looks like a strip mall franchise... but don't let looks fool you! On arrival you'll go through a line to get to the counter where you can literally see the food being prepared. Place your order, select your sides, then prepare to be blown away. This is some of the best barbecue & brisket I've had in awhile. The ambience is kitchy and fun, though be aware that there isn't a lot of seating. This place can fill up fast! read more

Always delicious! I had a meeting down the street at lunch time. It was right place, right time (been craving it!). I came in around 120pm and there wasn't a line. I love their salads, so I got their taco salad. It comes with both brisket and smoked turkey, grilled corn, green chilies, red onion, cheese, and their delicious southwest ranch I believe? Whatever the ranch was, it was fabulous. They make your tray in front of you, you grab it, pay, and then take a seat. I got water to drink, but they have excel soda which is always a fan favorite. My salad was good, delicious, and fresh. They use fresh veggies which you can definitely tell. The flavors complimented each other really well (going to add green chilies to my taco salads at home now- what have I even been doing?), and the meat was prepared perfectly. It came served in a fried flour tortilla bowl, which was crispy and good! I wish they had a location closer to my house or else I'd be in her super regularly. Thanks for a great lunch! read more

See all

I stumbled upon this spot walking around downtown. I haven't had STL barbecue in years but always love the dry rubs and bbq sauces. The restaurant has a bit of a cafeteria casual feel to it but everyone is kind and offers suggestions. The menu was extensive so deciding on a meat and sides was challenging. I ended up getting the brisket which was cooked just right. I tried all 4 of the bbq sauces on the table with the brisket. I recommend the coffee flavor and spicy bbq sauce. I loved the broccoli salad as it was the star of the meal for me. The green bean casserole was lackluster. Their hush puppies have pork belly in them so I devoured them, but I was not a fan of the green sauce it came with as it was too sweet. I recommend this restaurant as a starter for a local bbq crawl. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Hush puppies - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

I have driven cross country 6 times, eaten bbq in all the major cities in the country...this place ranks at the bottom. Ordered the two meat combo ($19.99), brisket/burnt ends. On the menu board it reads extra cost for ribs and salmon. Wife paid, didn't look at the actual breakdown on the receipt until we got back to the hotel...$1 up charge for burnt ends??? WHY?? The combo plate shows brisket/brisket on the receipt.The burnt ends did not have a good flavor AT ALL (threw away just under half of it). The brisket was about 1/3 disgusting fat. I've had fatty brisket before, which is meat with fat...this was just pieces of fat, with no meat at all, there was one more piece of fat that a accidentally put in my mouth and spit out into a napkin...absolutely gross!!! The quantity/price ratio is off..sure you get two sides (potato salad had way too much celery), I didn't come here to eat sides...BIG waste of hard earned money!!!!!! Its all about the bbq and this place disappoints. read more

See all

Pretty good food, very pricey. $15 for 4 ribs, small but meaty, good but not great, with pretty good cold slaw but no drink included. Not worth the price. Spicy hush puppies came absolutely burnt; asked the server if they're always that dark & she said yes because they're big & need cooked that long to be done in the middle but they were inedible so got a redo. Second batch was better, not burnt but still cooked through. Pecan pie for later was good. The sauces were a highlight. The coffee BBQ sauce was amazing. I should have gotten a bottle but had spent enough for one lunch. read more

See all

During the few times I've visited St.Louis, Sugarfire has always provided consistently delicious BBQ. I love the cafeteria style set up that gets you in and out of line with your food quickly. The meat is cut right in front of you and you can see all the sides before you choose. The staff are all friendly and patient. read more

Sugarfire has one of the best BBQ briskets in STL! I love to get BBQ from them. I also love their smoked turkey! I recently visited with colleagues, and I got the Chef Salad and a separate portion of smoked turkey. Both were great! The turkey was juicy and not overly smoked - just right. The chef salad was huge and came with hard boiled egg, celery, croutons, tomato, cheese, smoked turkey, smoked brisket, iceberg lettuce. I got the cider vinegar dressing, which was great. It is a busy spot though. Seating can be a bit of a gamble, if you come during a meal rush time. So plan accordingly. When you walk in, there is a hallway line. As you approach the front, you'll see the menu. You get up to the counter, order what you want, and they put it together right in front of you on a big parchment lined tray - from main to sides. You pay, get your drinks from a fountain, and then hope there is seating. There is additional seating outside, which is good. This is a great place for catering, dining in for locals, getting carry out, and bringing visitors to our city. It's a St. Louis BBQ travel destination! read more

See all

Love me some Sugarfire! Excellent BBQ and the best sides and BBQ sauce in the area. I crave their creamy white BBQ and robust coffee BBQ, often getting some to take home. On this visit, I hit up the Pig Muddy special. This baby is a twist on their big muddy brisket sandwich. Instead of brisket, the Pig Muddy is smoked pulled pork, jalapeño cheddar sausage link, lettuce, pickles, stl sweet & white bbq sauces on a toasted bun. The sausage really added a lot of complexity to the pulled pork, giving the sandwich a lot of depth in flavor. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - The Pig Muddy special - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This particular location was in a strip mall so lots of parking. The set up on how you order and how the menu was posted was interesting. You read the wall and when you turn to order there are additional menu items of specials posted there too. So there could be last min changes in your decision! Lol. The sides are visible when you place your order... which helped me make my decision based on how they visually looked. Think cafeteria style. We started with fried artichokes. Since I'm originally from California, It's my go to whenever I see it for the menu. I was very pleased with them! The garlic aioli was perfect with it. Most places only serve ranch, so that was nice. The entree 3 of us shared the "Meat Daddy" platter. It comes with 4-bone rib, jalapeno cheddar sausage link, & 4oz each of brisket, pulled pork, turkey. Plus 2 sides and a fountain drink! The sides we got were the a potato casserole and coleslaw. We also added a piece of cornbread. Beware tho! Cornbread is considered a side so charged as a side price which (looking back) I would have chosen a different side instead for that 3.99 price cuz it was not worth the $4. Altho all the meats were great, I enjoyed the turkey and the pulled pork. I liked the potato casserole too. Coleslaw wasn't anything to remember. There were lots of BBQ sauces to choose from-- I encourage you to walk to other tables and look for the white bbq sauce! That one was my fave. It wasn't at out table but since a yelper talked about how much she liked it, I went looking for it seating could get limited if the right time if day-- some middle tables were the communal. Their sodas were different! Not Coke or Pepsi products but we enjoyed them. It's always nice to try something different, esp while on vacay! read more

See all

BBQ is away top notch flavor. I love the beef brisket great smoked flavor and juicy. Great sauces great choice of sides. Service is always friendly . Big menu on wall or look up on phone to get an idea before you stand in line to order. My STL Favorite BBQ read more

My fiancé and I went to Sugarfire for the first time, and honestly, it was a pretty rough experience. The checkout process was super confusing, we were charged wrong a couple of times, and the food just didn't make up for it. Everything was dry, chewy, and hard to eat. Definitely not what we expected for the price. read more

When I biz travel, I love finding good Q. Quick Yelp search and I found Sugarfire. I visited two days in a row. It is real good and very popular with the locals. I enjoyed the Turkey and pulled pork, baked beans and hash casserole (as good as my sisters). Day two I had a Milkshake that was real good. They also have a pie shop with dang good pies they sell in the restaurant and next door at the pie shop. Q crew are all nice folk. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Turkey sandwich with some horsey sauce is one of my go to BBQ. Just wanted to try the pulled pork. Sides here are clearly made with love - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Everything at this restaurant is simply outstanding. They try to emulate than replicate northern Texas barbecue, which just happens to be my favorite kind of barbecue. Let's start category by category. The brisket is simply outstanding. Their fatty is simply outstanding, the fat is rendered perfectly and taste amazing. The lean is extremely tender, and as it states is very lean with just a thin ribbon of fat on the top to lubricate the beautiful slice of meat. Their turkey is moist and delicious with great flavor. They're pulled pork seasoned beautifully with great deep pork and wood flavor. Now for their ribs. The ribs are lean, delicious and definitely of a higher quality pork than what you buy at the grocery store. The rug they use is fantastic and does not overpower the natural flavor of the rib itself. Now then, if they're available, do not pass up the burnt ends as they are the best part of the brisket in my opinion. I should also mention that they have an exceptional assortment of side dishes ranging from healthy to decadent. Their mac & cheese and their green beans are especially good. All that said, you will hardly regret a trip to any of their locations, for they all seem to be excellent quality and preparation. So go there and pretend you're in Texas and enjoy some great barbecue. read more

This place is fire! Award winning STL BBQ. The pulled pork was on point! Brisket was just right. Tasty sides. Pro tip: Get the cornbread! No frills service. Just order in line and head to a table, which you may share with a stranger, but that's OK. read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - The Cool Combo - 2 meats, 2 sides, cookie and drink. Cornbread was extra. - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This was pleasant experience for my friend and I as bbq first timers! Another friend recommended this place and we all really enjoyed the meat selection. My friend and I shared a 3 meal combo with ribs, pulled pork, brisket, mac n cheese, and potato salad. I thought all the meat were juicy with pleasant smoky flavor. We tried all the sauces and none of them were as spicy as we would like. The potato salad was quite chunky but super creamy. The mac n cheese was not our favorite, a bit too watery and bland for us. Service was friendly and quick :D The restaurant was quite crowded when we came for lunch around 11AM but we were lucky enough to find a seat. Interior was very western and cowboyish. Keep in mind that we have no other bbq experience to compare this to, but we will come back! read more

Sugarfire Smoke House - Ribs, pulled pork, brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri