Briquettes Smokehouse — Restaurant in Ashtabula

There are some critics who think that good BBQ can't be found anywhere north of the Mason Dixon line. This is shorted sighted as the application of fire to meat is intrinsic everywhere. Based on our experiences, however, the perception of success can be well debated and we establish personal standards and expectations (My own were set by the Saltlick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas) Most BBQ restaurants do somethings very well, some exceedingly well, and somethings not well at all. It's great to find more BBQ in NE Ohio and overall we thought Briquettes has some stellar points (and one truly exceptional) and one major miss. Housed in a historic marine supply warehouse on the Ashtabula port, the location is inviting. While my knees weren't set to hike the 21 stairs to the upper floor with a more scenic view, the ground level was spacious and clean. Took a moment to get some attention from the staff and I am not the quiet type. A more enthusiastic welcome in any business sets a more personal tone. (maybe it's the 21 stairs that saps the staff's energy) Our server was pleasant though I am always impressed when they can provided more background on the products, which was not entirely the case here when we had some issues. Our selections included ribs, chopped chicken, corned beef, potato salad, beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread...and a takeaway of the smoked meatloaf. Here's the scorecard Ribs: St. Louis style; meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. No baby backs served here. Tender, well smoked and glazed with the signature hot and tangy sauce. Chopped Chicken: dry and dull. Tasted old (Server could not provide any info). Looked like mostly breast meat. Better solution would be a pulled and shred of full chicken to include thigh and leg meat. We sent it back. Corned beef: The replacement for the chicken. And would make the Irish saints sing. Maybe the best corned beef I have had in NE Ohio. Thick moist slices with a slightly browned, seasoned fat cap. (and I usually trim the fat off. I wanted more of it). This is what would make me drive the 70 miles to come back. Potato salad: Pleasant alternative to the typical mayo'd version. Vinegarette with a mix of red and white potatoes seasoned with dill. Another major league hit. Beans: The typical navy bean (better when different beans are used) but in a thick stew with shreds of pork. Perhaps a bit bland for my taste, but can be enhanced with a shot of variety of BBQ sauces available to give it a different spin every time. Cornbread: Pleased to see it had more of a sweet cake texture with whole corn kernels rather than the grainy kind. Meatloaf: Okay but again dry. Best meat loaf recipes I know include more moisture. I use a cup of milk to 2 pounds of meat. Wouldn't get this again, but may try to smoke one myself. Mac and cheese: This was the major flaw. Not even sure why this is on the menu in the manner it is prepared except that the profit margin must be tremendous. IMHO and chefs I admire, there are three essential rules to good mac: Use between 3 to 7 cheeses (one of which has to be Velvetta type), well coat the mac, but don't make it soupy, and BAKE it (preferably in tureens for restaurant service). Bread crumbs are optional. What we tasted here was bland and uninspired. The manager on duty, Bill, was helpful and patient with my criticism as overt as it was. Sorry but it's a passion of mine. Bill informed me they used a cheese sauce with some cream cheese. Likely whipped together in bowl per order and dished out on a plate. As a public service, all I can say is avoid it. But don't avoid trying this place. There are a number of items I will return for and the full service bar with a number of zesty drink creations look...

Texas, Memphis, and carolinas all need to visit briquettes and take notes! I travel quite a bit, and bbq is one of my must try foods while out of town. This might be up there as one of the best I got "the big nasty" for myself 😂, I was hungry and wanted to try a bit of everything. Ribs were very good, not fall off the bone, but had a slight pull as they should be. Very juicy and tender. Seasoned just right. Chicken thighs were so juicy and tender as well. Seasoning was very complimentary.👍 The pulled pork had just the right amount of smoke. The bark was soooo flavorful. Extremely moist and don't dare put any bbq sauce on it because it would just take away from the great flavors. Wings were really good, big and meaty with good hint of smoke. I got the blue fire with a side of their RIP hot sauce ! Now... the star of the meats, the BRISKET !!!! OH MY LORD!!! Absolutely, 100% is the best brisket I have ever had ANYWHERE!!! typical salt pepper garlic dry rub, the bark was perfect, still held firm but was tender. Perfect amount of smoke. The cuts were so full of flavor, the fat rendered down literally perfectly. The fold test was almost impossible because it was so tender. The richness of the beef really shined through and it is evident these are prime cuts. Now onto the sides. The baked beans were really good, a good bit of chili powder and a hint of smoke. The Mac n cheese was really good, rich and cheesy, and a good mix of cheeses for sure. The collard greens were OUT STANDING!!!! A slight crunch, bacon, and a hint of vinegar really make these stand out from other bbq joints. And last but certainly not least, the jalapeño cheddar cornbread was soooo good. Very moist and had fantastic flavor. Not spicy at all. Just had a hint of the jalapeño flavor.

The atmosphere is really cool. Upstairs, you can look out the massive windows and watch the harbor and the draw bridge work as boats pass by. At night, the bridge lights up and really brings a cool ambiance to the area.

Service was spot on, 👌 we had a short wait but enjoyed some ice cold beverages from the bar, and in no time, our table was ready. Our server (name started with a k and I apologize, I don't remember) was FANTASTIC. She was very attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. Not one drink went empty without a fresh one already on the table. She was very knowledgeable of the menu and made some great recommendations. She is definitely a great server, Briquettes is lucky to have her on staff !

It's well worth the drive to try out some great BBQ. We drove an hour specifically for it, and if it was 3 or 4 hours, I would still...

Update 3/30/23 - Went back for another serving of delicious bbq before heading home again and this trip was as good as the previous trip. I had a simple pulled pork sandwich with Mac & cheese and my wife had chicken and pulled pork with baked beans, Mac & cheese, and jalapeño corn bread. I always try the protein without any sauce and when you can eat an entire bbq sandwich without a drop of sauce, you know it’s good - and it was! The bun was a perfect match for the protein too / not too much and. It too little - just perfectly right and that’s important to me. I was equally impressed with the chicken my wife got and will make it a regular on my future plates. The beans were good but fell short of impressive but everything else was top notch including the service! We’ll be back each and every trip up north!

Our 2nd trip here and not disappointed at all. I had the Cuban sandwich and my wife had ribs. We both had Mac & cheese and she had the steak fries and jalapeño cornbread. I’ve had plenty of sandwiches that called them some themselves “Cuban” but this one lived up to the title. I’d order this over and over again. The ribs were equally delicious as was the jalapeño corn bread. The Mac & Cheese was good but not as stellar as the proteins. The environment is friendly and upbeat. Definitely worth a trip and you can count on...