Uncle Elders Family Restaurant BBQ — Restaurant in Culpeper

My son and I gave this place a try on a not so busy Saturday afternoon because it displayed several "Best of Culpeper" awards from the past couple of years. We were seated right away by two very pleasant servers who appeared to be doing all they could to get orders out to diners in a timely manner. Our beverage and food orders were both quickly taken and drinks provided soon after. Refills were timely. After that, the experience mostly went downhill. We ordered an "appeteaser" of onion strings which were fried about three minutes too long and came out alongside our dinner plates after about 40-45 minutes. My son ordered beef brisket, asking for and receiving a lean cut. The meat was moist and tender but had already been doused with sweet & smoky bbq sauce sitting on top of a slice of Texas Toast. His sides were coleslaw, mac n cheese, and hushpuppies. I ordered pulled pork which was served the same as the brisket, and had baked beans and collard greens as sides. Both meats were tender but I didn't know the sauce would be served on the meat beforehand. Otherwise, probably would have asked for it on the side. And for the cost per plate (17.95/19.95), the meat servings were a little smaller than expected. As for the sides, the coleslaw was excellent, the mac n cheese and hushpuppies were good, and the baked beans were just okay, but the collard greens were inedible. Tasted like they had been soaking in pure white vinegar for a long time. It was disappointing that the 2nd best item on my plate was the Texas Toast. Having been to some of the best bbq legacies in NC, TX, and KC, I guess our expectations may have been too high...even for a "Best of..." establishment. It's possible we caught Uncle Elders on a bad afternoon because the 4-5 star reviews just didn't add up this day. Many folks rate them highly but Uncle Elders isn't my glass of tea. Go and judge for yourself.

ps--and yes I should have taken pics but didn't think about it until it was too...

Don't let the sleepy exterior fool you - behind the humdrum facade of this local joint lies some seriously tasty Southern comfort food. My partner and I recently stopped into Uncle Elders for dinner and were blown away by the smoky, mouthwatering flavors.

We started with the sampler platter, which came piled high with crispy chicken tenders, fall-off-the-bone wings, and melt-in-your-mouth ribs. Every single bite highlighted Uncle Elders' mastery of the grill and smoker. I was already in heaven, but then our entrées arrived.

My wife ordered the flawlessly cooked salmon, which flaked apart at the gentlest touch of a fork and had a wonderful charred exterior that sealed in the fish's natural juices. My ribeye was cooked perfectly to medium rare. We sampled sides of creamy mashed potatoes, gooey mac and cheese, earthy fried okra, and tangy coleslaw - every one was done to perfection.

The food alone is worth a special trip, but the service also impressed. Although sad part was we were the only customers at 5pm on a Saturday, however our server was attentive and friendly. Now, for the downside. The total bill seemed slightly steep at $72 for 3 dishes between two people. But in terms of pure flavor, Uncle Elders delivered one of the best meals I've had in ages.

So if you find yourself in Culpeper and hungering for toothsome Southern fare, make a beeline for Uncle Elders. The top-notch grilling and seasoning are sure to satisfy your appetite and then some. Just be prepared to splurge a little for the privilege of tasting such lovingly prepared...

I usually enjoy ever moment from start to finish at this establishment. The Brisket is simply amazing!!

I came in a great mood ready for lunch. I was waiting for more people to come but I ordered the drinks and appetizer so it would be at the table waiting. My waiter could not understand me and I had to point to what I wanted. Long story short the owner made small talk, communicated, waited on and paid close attention to every other party in the restaurant. I got his attention a few times and each time I was told to hold on or ignored. He went to the table beside me, they were finished eating, table was cleaned off, and he offered dessert to eat in or take out. He then walked away from us. I decided to leave and go to another restaurant as I was on my lunch break. I called back and was told it was due to short staff and that I needed to be patient. He stated that he was short staffed. I have worked in the restaurant business as well and have had those moments. In the event of being short staff you let your customers know at the start of your sale that you are short staffed and that there may be a wait longer than usual, apologize and at least be attentive to everyone in the establishment not make us feel unwanted. Wow mind blowing that this is an owner. I am sadden as I said in the beginning because I have eaten here many times and love the brisket, but I will not be back. I also had a law enforcement officer with me, wow this is how our community is treated, just sad. I pray things get better, hoping this was...