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Not content to let our little road trip to Lancaster be wasted, we decided to hit a BBQ place that we passed on Rte 22 on the way to our destination. If there’s anything that my husband and I are always down for, it’s a good BBQ joint. Since the places we’ve tried in Columbus so far (City BBQ, Pig Iron BBQ, Hoggy’s, Cook Shack) have been a bit “meh” so far, we were hoping for the best.
The place was hoppin’, with a bunch of cars and bikes parked out front, and since it was such a nice day, we asked to be seated at the picnic benches on the patio. The clientele were very diverse – you’re just as likely to see a group of bikers as you are a family of 4, and that suited us just fine.
The menu is fairly large, with only a small portion of it being BBQ (the rest was about evenly spread between sandwiches, subs and pizza). On a sad note, neither of our first choices (ribs or burgoo) were available at the time, which the waitress told me is a pretty common occurence. She made no secret of the fact that they run out of items from their menu all the time, and that it pisses regulars off.
So, that being that, we decided from what was available. For an appetizer, we shared an order of the Glass City Fries ($6.99), a pile of fries loaded with cheese, pork, jalapenos, tomatoes, green onions and BBQ sauce. Presentation was really sloppy, and the dish as the whole was just OK – flavors worked together but just barely, and the sour cream wasn’t even necessary.
Because they were out of the burgoo, the waitress was nice enough to comp my husband a bowl of chili ($5.99), which was advertised as being a brisket chili. We joked around about the chili being like a New Orleans king cake – if you were lucky enough to find the brisket in there you would have good luck for the rest of the year. The flavor itself was a bit flat – mostly chili powder and just a hint of cumin, and it lacked depth and/or bulk. Passable if you’re hungry, but not very good if you’re a chili connoisseur like I am.
Still, the bits of meat we found in both of the appetizers showed promise, so we didn’t write the place off just yet even though the appetizers were fairly mediocre.
Since my first choice (the three meats platter – chicken, ribs, and choice of brisket or pulled pork for $19.99) wasn’t available, the waitress allowed me to do a modified 3 meats platter (chicken, pulled pork and brisket) for $15.99 instead. While not cheap, the portion sizes were very generous and the platter also comes with two sides and a piece of cornbread. Let me just say that the BBQ is where it’s at when you go to Glass City. The pulled pork was flavorful although a bit on the dry side. The brisket was the best I’ve had outside of Tennessee, with a thick layer of flavorful bark and enough fat to keep it moist. The chicken? Was OMFG good. I’ll go back just for more of that chicken, which is smoked then finished on the barbecue. It was moist, and every morsel was full of that wonderful smoky, barbecued flavor that just screams summertime cookout. The two sides I chose were macaroni and cheese and baked beans. The mac and cheese was spectacular, whereas the baked beans were good, but lacked much of the meat that it was advertised to contain.
Glass City offers three different types of BBQ sauce – Mild, Hot, and Carolinas. The mild tastes like your average bottled sauce, nothing to write home about. The hot? Is a lukewarm version of the mild. The Carolinas? Oh yeah, now we’re talking. This was hands down my favorite type, sweet and tomatoey and vinegary at the same time. Added just the right amount of pucker and needed moistness to my pulled pork.
My husband had planned on getting an appetizer sized BBQ sampler as his entree, but since they were out of ribs, that idea went out the window might quick. Instead, he chose two smaller entrees.
First up was an order of 10 wings ($8.18), which he chose to be covered with Louisiana BBQ sauce, a cross between regular BBQ and buffalo sauce. Again, a bit of flavor, no real heat. The wings themselves were tiny, but were first smoked and then deep fried, so they had a depth of flavor that you don’t find in your average wings. Still, definitely not worth the price, which is a bit steep for the size/quantity of the wings.
His other entree was an order of Glass City Mini Hamburgers ($7.49), which were advertised as coming with grilled onions and special sauce, which was to be found nowhere. These were flavorful, but dry as a bone, and served on stale rolls. The chips, on the other hand, were great – made fresh to order, and sprinkled with seasoned salt.
So, in conclusion, if you decide to make the trip down there, or are in the area, do stop in for the BBQ, but steer clear of basically anything else on the menu.
If you’d like to go: Glass City BBQ, 391 Lincoln Ave, Lancaster, OH, 740.653.5227
More reviews by swampkitty can be found online at ColumbusFoodie.com.
I’m getting heartburn and indigestion just looking at those pictures.
City BBQ is “meh”?? :shock: Every meal I’ve had there has been dee-licious.
Anyway, as to the pics posted here, it looks like slop. Especially the chili. Looks like a Skyline 3-way in a bowl. Also, nice presentation on the baked beans – not.
And is it just me or do they sprinkle scallions on every dish they sell?
Anyway, as to the pics posted here, it looks like slop. Especially the chili. Looks like a Skyline 3-way in a bowl. Also, nice presentation on the baked beans – not.
And is it just me or do they sprinkle scallions on every dish they sell?
City BBQ isn’t bad – just that compared to the BBQ I had on my trip down south (TN, NC, SC) it’s just doesn’t compare. Their stuff, while good, isn’t great – good BBQ should stand on its own without adding sauce, and theirs just doesn’t for me. Personal preference, I’m sure. Although I’ve got to say that their new Alabama style pulled chicken sandwich kicks all kinds of ass.
Pig Iron is tasty enough, but they got rid of my favorite dish (macque choux) and they never have enough pulled pork for takeout orders. Not even a pounds worth extra.
Hoggy’s is abysmal. Cook Shack shows promise, but needs a lot of work.
And I said quite clearly in the review that their presentation is sloppy, and that’s being quite kind on my part.
But trust me on the fact that the BBQ chicken kicks ass. Most everything else I can take or leave, but that won me over.
I am a BBQ chicken aficianado, so I may have to take you up on this. I never, EVER have a reason to drive to Lancaster, however. Maybe if its a lazy Sunday afternoon this summer and I have nothing going on, I’ll check it out.
I am a BBQ chicken aficianado, so I may have to take you up on this. I never, EVER have a reason to drive to Lancaster, however. Maybe if its a lazy Sunday afternoon this summer and I have nothing going on, I’ll check it out.
If you ever do make it down there, after eating some BBQ chicken, make sure you stop at Weldon’s for ice cream on the way back – their extra salty Salty Caramel is all kinds of awesome, and if that’s not your thing they have tons of other flavors too. Highly recommended. :)
Thanks for the tip! Salt and caramel are both my thing, so I will have to check it out. :lol:
(It DOES have some work to do to beat out Jeni’s salty caramel though, as I freely admit I have a bias going in…)
(It DOES have some work to do to beat out Jeni’s salty caramel though, as I freely admit I have a bias going in…)
I love Jeni’s Salty Caramel, and I’d put it about on par with hers, but just a bit saltier (this is a good thing, mind you). However, what you’re looking at in that pic is a 2 scoop waffle cone, which cost about $3.50. Not saying Jeni’s isn’t worth what she charges, but that cone is one hell of a value for ice cream that is similar in taste and texture. :)
Since when is bbq about presentation?
Since when is bbq about presentation?
My point exactly. I don’t care what it looks like, just that it tastes good, especially when it comes to BBQ. The best BBQ I’ve had in this country has been plopped onto a plate I’m holding in my hands from a guy manning a huge smoker. When I eat BBQ, I expect to leave a mess of slopped up napkins in my wake. Pretty, no – but definitely fun.
You all would hate BBQ at my house. We (gasp) even eat with our fingers. (kidding, kidding – but you get the point)
Since when is bbq about presentation?
Who said anything about the presentation of the BBQ? :?:
The best bbq I have ever had was served with a loaf of wonder bread on the table .
I went to cook shack last week and it was really good. And I am a bit of a BBQ snob.
Side Note: if anyone has a good recipe for a Carolina style BBQ sauce can you please post it or PM me… all the ones I make I seem to get Toooooo vinegary and hurt my BBQ that I smoked all day. :(
Great review and photos as always….I am ready to hit the road.
the wonder bread is for a napkin!
Seriously, I don’t know what that tradition is, but I use it for a napkin. Then, when you’re almost finished, you make a sandwich out of the fatty end bits and the bbq sauce on the bread.
Seriously, I don’t know what that tradition is, but I use it for a napkin. Then, when you’re almost finished, you make a sandwich out of the fatty end bits and the bbq sauce on the bread.
Yep. Harold’s Chicken Shack in Chicago serves chicken and fries over Wonder Bread. By the time you’re done with the chicken and fries, the bread is saturated with grease. Use it to mop up whatever’s left, and if your arteries haven’t clogged by then, munch it down. Deelish.
This looks just OK (not worth a trip to Lancaster IMO) but its getting me psyched for the Jazz and Ribs fest in July!