Bird Dog BBQ — Restaurant in Colorado Springs

I have only tried barbecue outside of the state of Texas once at this point. We had some pulled pork while we were in South Carolina. I remember it being pretty good. Colorado Springs, Colorado was the destination for a work trip. After I landed, I head straight for Bird Dog BBQ. They had good reviews on Yelp and Google. I went to the original location in Stetson Hills. The owner had worked at a County Line and wanted to open a restaurant that served Oklahoma style barbecue. I did not even know that was a style. The guy there said Oklahoma style is where you order from a counter, have the oak smoked meat cut in front of you, and barbecue sauce is served on the side. That sounds like most places I go to in Texas...

I ordered the three meat plate that came with moist brisket, ribs, hot links and sides of baked bean and coleslaw. When they were cutting the brisket, I saw that the brisket had no bark. I was confused by the whole thing. I know they were using an Old Hickory smoker, but I cannot explain it. Not enough rub or seasoning? Over-trimmed? The brisket was roast beef like, dry and falling apart. You can see the smoke ring, but it had nothing else going on for it. The pork ribs were tender and juicy. They had smoke, but it was light on the rub. The ribs were not bad but were bland and boring. The sausage was the best meat I had, and of course, it is a commercial sausage out of Denver. That is not a good thing. The baked beans with brisket were really good. The coleslaw tasted crisp and fresh.

I knew I was not in Texas anymore when I went to Bird Dog BBQ. It was not terrible, but it was not good either. They had a wasabi style barbecue sauce on the table. It was good and spicy. I am the type that thinks if you need barbecue sauce on your meat, you are probably doing something wrong. But then again, I am only an "expert" on...

One star is being generous! My family and I decided to order Bird Dog BBQ on a Monday evening. We decided to pick up our dinner. We were informed that our order was completed and ready for pickup when in actuality the meals had missing items and the meats provided were either severely overcooked or nauseatingly undercooked. We informed the employee that handled our order and he was very short and snappy in his responses. Then the employee attempted to offer us other items to compensate for the subpar quality meals. We informed the employee that we do not consume red meat or pork and were still served items containing red meat and/or pork. When the employee had done the bare minimum to right their wrongs we took our meals and started heading for the door when obnoxiously the same employee that handled our order yells out “I don’t understand why customer always have to have attitudes….you don’t have to eat here!” Although the employee was correct in stating that we didn’t have to eat there the disrespect that came with his comments were not warranted since we did not have an attitude and were very understanding of some of the issues presented. When my partner chose to rebuttal the employees claims, the employee tried to quiet my partner. The employee attempted to approach my partner and clean up his comments in private when he very publicly disrespected my family. This was our first and last impression from this company. Ian not aware of how other customers are treated but my family’s experience was terrible. Meats were subpar, service was subpar, dessert was subpar. The only thing that was decent was the fried okra but who can ruin fried okra!? It’s disappointing that this place is rated so high in Colorado because it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I would not recommend this place to my enemies. Businesses have...

I don't know what bbq that the bad reviews were eating. I have been to every one of their locations have never had dry brisket ever!!! I have family that when they come to visit from Denver always say let's go to that BBQ birddog place. Lol say they need to open one in Denver. So they don't have to drive all the way to springs. I have to say the location on centennial I know does more of their catering. So their dinning space isn't as lit up and seems dim to me. That don't bother my foods flavor at all. All their meat is juicy and tender without being fatty. Like Rudy's brisket sandwich it's either dry or fatty. Both could not eat. Couldn't choke down the dry one and their wet had so much fat that I couldn't eat it as their was little bits of meat among the fat. Birddog BBQs brisket sandwich is and always consistent with juicy lean meat not fat to make it moist. I like that I can add my own sauce. As I like to taste the meat and not the sauce only. My only complaint would be that I always ask for my fries extra crispy. They have yet to make them crispy enough for me. Lol I never go to any other BBQ joint birddog is my only BBQ joint!!! I wish they would open one in Denver too. So I don't always have to get everyone's order when I go to visit my family in Denver!!! I think my parents really come to visit only to go to birddog BBQs not really to see me to tell the truth. The staff has always been friendly with good funnin banter and smiles. From management to cooks. All of the locations are clean. Will only go to birddog BBQs as long as I live in springs. Still waiting for a Denver location! Please???...