Caldwell County BBQ — Restaurant in Four Corners States

Update 2023- Another place that changed. The sides can be inconsistent in flavor. Ex. Sometimes coleslaw is very plain & other times it has a beautiful lemon flavor, the cornbread casserole can be bland and too wet at times. They no longer substitute turkey in the El General sandwich for the pork, and the older guys were rude about it. The servers not as friendly, I don’t know what happened. The pecan pie went up in price but less filling, it was overpriced for single serving before. So we have decided to only visit a few times a year versus a month.

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2019 Our favorite Bbq place so far. The place looks like an older home on outside, nice and clean on inside, patio seating outside and it’s hidden off main street. Expect a line at peak lunch and dinner times, but it moves fast. Almost no parking in the back.

The brisket is awesome and you choose whether you want it fatty or not. Hubby and I both prefer it leaner, and I like the burnt edges but I’ve only found that the first time we ordered:(

The pecan pie is to die for, omg flakey crust, perfect sticky center but definitely pricey for a tiny individual pie. I don’t share my pie. Cookie is ok but pie is best!

We get the El General Patton sandwich meal which is more economical. The buns are Hawaiian and I am allergic so I get mine bun-less. I sub out the pork for turkey which is delicious, slight lemony and tender. They offer side of pickles, fresh onion, and canned jalapeños & we get all three to share. They have three sauces; a mustard type, which is vinegar based, and I like it with the turkey/ a house bbq and like a slightly spicier tangy version of the house which can be hard to differentiate. I’ve gotten the salad once but it’s way too plain and very little meat, not worth it.

Sides: We both love the lemon coleslaw and my husband hates coleslaw but enjoys it here. Hubby gets the mac and cheese and I get the corn casserole, love it!

I will say the food is not always consistent. Sometimes the coleslaw tastes extra lemony, in a good way and other times I can barely taste it, sometimes my cornbread casserole is awesome and other times it’s too soggy. My pie only once was ok...

THE. BEST. BBQ. in all of Arizona…no debate, no discussion, just pure smoked glory. The second I walked in, the staff treated me like I was family…not the weird socially inept kind, but the kind of family you actually like seeing during holidays. Friendly, fast, and clearly used to people drooling over themselves before they even order.

After inhaling my food like a starving raccoon (right before the meat sweats kicked in), I rolled myself out back like a curious tourist on a meat pilgrimage and behold! There stood Jimmy from Mississippi, Pitmaster Extraordinaire, doing what can only be described as meat yoga over giant offset stick burners. The man was tending to briskets, turkey breasts, and pork butts like they were his crown jewels. His enthusiasm? Contagious. His meats? Legendary.

This was my first visit, but I’m already considering getting a sleeping bag and just moving in.

P.S. Dont forget to wear a bib along with stretchy pants. The aftermath on my tray looked like a crime scene and I also think I may have lost circulation to my lower extremities for a brief moment.

P.S.S. Do yourself a favor and follow the dang signs to enter the place…you know, the signs with the big arrows that show where to fall in line? Yeah, those signs. Don’t go through the inviting double glass doors on the back patio, those aren’t it. If it feels like you’re about to partake in illicit activities by going around the building/down a dark alley (there on the left), then you’re on the right path.

Don’t be like me and half the state of Arizona, who tried entering through the wrong door like we owned the place…finding ourselves wandering around dazed and confused like BBQ zombies because our brains were too fazed thinking about delicious smoked meats.

TL/DR: Go get yourself a mountain of masterfully smoked morsels of meat at Caldwell County BBQ....

Came here for dinner one Saturday night. There is plenty of seating but the line was very long. I would expect to stand in line for around 30-45 mins, but it did move fast. I assume lunch time and during the week the line is much shorter.

Parking: We parked across the street in the furniture warehouse parking lot. Most people have to do that and honestly it's an easy walk over. Recommend you park here and don't even try their parking lot during peak times.

Overall the food was good, we liked what we had but we only wished they had a true sample plate you could get. Also, they didn't make it clear you could order less than a pound of meat at a time. The menu said "by the pound" and I understand it's normal at BBQ places to order less but we didn't think much of it and so we ended up with sandwiches when we might have ordered something else. So don't be like us and feel free to order quarter pounds of whatever you fancy!

My only real complaint is that the food and menu wasn't anything special. It's good BBQ, it's a good vibe, it's wonderful service, but they have a very simple menu with not a lot of extras. It felt very plain and a little unexciting, lacking any originality. The brisket did taste a little dry but that might be because we went for dinner. A friend said they have been for lunch and they noticed a difference. But the taste was still very good. Also the mac and cheese was just fine, a little plain, but the corn casserole was maybe the best thing there...very good.

Overall it was a fine spot and good BBQ for this side of the valley, I can see why they're so popular. I do recommend you stop by and try it...