BOOGIE'S BBQ SMOKEHOUSE — Restaurant in Nuremberg

I'm from St Louis, home of Pappy's Smokehouse, so it was exciting to visit Boogie's again (after 10 years) and see that they are still thriving. This is by far the most American style restaurant I've ever visited in Germany, and the only place I've had authentic American style BBQ in this country. Execution, however, is a mixed bag. Here are a few notes based on my experience last week:

Good: The food, the sauces, the atmosphere, the bottled drink selection, and the friendliness of the hostess and server. Paper towels on the tables. Self service of drinks. The baked beans are as good as any I've ever had! Menu is simple and prices are fair.

Poor: Service. I know service is always slow in Germany due to under staffing, but this might be the most extreme case I've ever seen. Over 20 tables occupied and nearly 100 guests dining in and waiting for carry-outs, but only 2 people trying to manage everything. We ordered a pulled pork sandwich for takeaway, and after 45 minutes of waiting, I asked the server and he said "oops" and realized it had been sitting for quite some time without anyone bothering to let me know.

Suggested improvements: Get rid of table ordering. Switch to counter service and call out numbers when orders are ready. Also, complete the American BBQ experience by offering freshly made iced tea, lemonade and Arnold Palmer (preferably with a free refill option). A cooler of ice for drinks would also be nice, even if they have to up-charge.

Seeing how popular they are, I'm guessing it doesn't give much incentive for changing anything, though. I wish them many more years of success and look forward to...

This is a flat-out, no holds barred BBQ joint. I loved it. Like any "joint," it has simple decor and the team focuses on the taste of the food. We ordered two Pick 2 sandwiches, so we ate pastrami, brisket, pulled pork and burnt ends. The brisket was a dream: falling apart yet still moist and flavorful. The others were also superb, and the sauces were wonderful, with Area 51 being our favorite. The Caesar and potato salad were good and true to american tastes, although I wouldn't have turned down a little pickle relish in the potato salad. Cole slaw was absolutely perfect and matched well with each meat. Cole slaw belongs on the sandwich, of course, in case you were wondering. I think I choked back a few tears over the baked beans. They were smoked to perfection, the sauce was perfect. The only problem I had was I couldn't order a quart to take home with me. Closed on Sundays, so my fantasy of picking up a to-go order as I left Nuremberg was sadly zerplatzt. This is American fine...

We ordered the €55 Mississippi Platter, because we wanted to try ALL OF THE THINGS. This would definitely feed 3-4 people, or two people with big eyes and an acceptance for leftovers. Sandwiches are just meat & fresh rolls, so you can build them yourself or enjoy the meats solo.

Ribs - Husband favorite Beef Brisket - Delicious & loved the thin slice Pastrami - Delicious & loved the thin slice Burnt Ends - My favorite Caesar Salad - Very good to enjoy some greens Smoked [baked] beans - So tasty Chili - This was amazing & so well presented for a side Coleslaw - Both agree it was tangy, but balanced. Excellent.

Sauces: Area 51 - Perfect classic Voodoo - Nice kick, tasty with burnt ends Carolina Honey Moon - Good on Ribs Mississippi Mud - Very tangy

They have a massive outdoor patio, ample parking and a nice indoor space. There was blues on the music station & paper towels and hot sauce on the tables. We took it to go, since we had work.

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