Callears Bar-B-Que Restaurant and Catering — Restaurant in Athens Township

So. Prior to the lockdowns, Callears seemed to be a fair BBQ place - a bit pricey, but overall pretty good.

This experience was abysmal, at best.

The Fish & Chips was just awful. The fish pieces were likely purchased at Creekside Market - the discount grocery store that has really cheap products. The fish pieces were small triangles that were overcooked to the point that they were fried beyond crispy. The chips/fries were encrusted with fine salt to such a degree that the salt granules were an actual barrier between my fingers and the potato. I didn't eat a single one.

I also ordered an extra side of mac & cheese. The other side - cole slaw - didn't arrive at the same time as the initial meal. The cole slaw seemed to have been previously portioned and left in the ice box as all of the dressing had settled in the bottom of the serving bowl. It wasn't "creamy" by any stretch of the imagination and it most likely came from a plastic tub that came off of the Sysco truck.

The mac & cheese was absolutely atrocious. The bottom of the serving bowl was rather lukewarm and the side, itself, was just about stone cold. Even if it had been warm, the temperature would not have improved the taste - it was cold, bland, and ick. One bite and I sent it back.

To top it all off, I ordered the "Apple Blossom" dessert which was some kind of apple filling in a wee, tiny pastry with 1 1/2 scoops of ice cream. At $5.49 per serving, one might expect it to be more of an apple dumpling, but it was SO tiny that I even asked the waitress if it was what I had ordered because I couldn't fathom charging that much for such a tiny portion of mediocre stuff.

All-in-all............if Callears decides to step up their game, serve food that is better, and take care of the outrageous portions, they might do a bit of brisk business. Otherwise, steer clear, save your money, and buy the stuff to make your...

I don't normally leave Google reviews on restaurants but I can't help but notice someone else left a review that said this place as real Southern barbecue and it makes me feel personally insulted because that Person has never been to the South A-day in their life Apparently. I can't judge the whole restaurant because I only had one plate with brisket macaroni and cheese chili and cornbread. Everything over all was very bland especially the brisket that would have had no flavor at all if it wasn't for the sauce. They don't season the meat very well before they smoke it The macaroni and cheese also a lack of flavor And the chili tasted like something out of a Box. My last complain about the food is that my cornbread was sitting in a wax paper bag ready to be Shoved in my plate on the way out the door. The restaurant smelled good and the reviews had me pretty excited to go in but after I had finished my meal out in the truck I had regretted my decision. The staff was very friendly in my short exchange with them All together I can't say that I left the restaurant unsatisfied but more disappointed and at least the prices were reasonable for the quality of the food It was just a little bit sub par...

My husband and I had traveled to the area for a family event and were hungry for dinner ... and a BBQ menu sounded good to us. Without a lot of BBQ places around, we settled on this spot, but what we discovered was a place much better than we imagined! It was a new-to-us gem and we had a DELICIOUS meal! Our pulled pork was the perfect combination of smoky and tender. The sauces were well seasoned, too - the perfect complement to the meat without masking the pork flavor. Of course, you also need sides that can stand on their own ... and these absolutely did! Their Mom's baked beans looked so simple but the flavors were surprisingly complex. Simply delicious! We also loved their mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, and sweet potato biscuits with their honey butter And don't forget to add a corn nugget appetizer with real maple syrup. All of this was served in a clean dining stmosphere with a nice ambiance plus attentive and friendly staff. We will definitely have to make it back again ... for family AND Callears Bar-B-Que...