Zack's BBQ — Restaurant in Deerfield

I've been here twice now. The second time was very disappointing.

First time, we ate in. Food was good and turn around time quick (weekday, day time, 15 min). We got a mac & cheese with pulled pork on top -- enough to feed two adults and two young kids! We got a side of fries, and it was very small.

Second time, we did takeout. 45 minute wait time turned into over an hour. Food was cold when I picked it up, and they forgot my sides. Had to go back to ask for the sides, which took another 15 minutes (Mac & Cheese and Fries).

Food also was very small portions sizes this time. We got the 3 meat meal with two sides. It was barely enough to feed two adults, ideally would have been enough to feed just my husband (who isn't a big guy!).

It was two ribs, four sausages, a small amount of brisket which was mostly fat so not consumable, two forkfuls of coleslaw, two cornbread muffins, Mac & Cheese, and Fries. The Mac and fries were actually decent portions, enough to feed two; it was the meat quantity I had expected more of. If those hadn't been there, it would have been a meal for one.

I want to say the food tastes decent (once reheated). Could have been better. Tasted like the ribs hadn't been deeply smoked. Mac & cheese was not great, no real flavor to it. Coleslaw, brisket, and spicy sausage were good. Husband enjoyed the sweetness of the cornbread.

Customer service was not great. A bunch of teens running the kitchen and front, very disorganized. Kept asking what we ordered, couldn't keep track of what food had been made and hadn't. Three other customers also came back to state that part of their order had been forgotten (dine in and takeaway). Also, a family of 5 had been told to sit to wait for service, but while I was waiting, came up and said it had been a while and they said "Oh, you should have ordered up here at the front."

Will not be back,...

The food is uninspired trash and the owners are wage thieves and tax cheats. I am a former employee. While working here I witnessed what amounts to a clinic on worst practices for a restaurant.

There is not a hand washing sink in the kitchen. There is no regular changing of fryer oil. There are no thermometers or temperature logs nor any system for eating food. I personally witnessed the owner reheat 20+ day old chilli and serve it. I have also witnessed employees handle cash and then handle food directly without washing their hands or putting on gloves. I have witnessed the owner handle raw poultry and proceed to prepare a salad without doing anything but rinse his fingers with cold water. There was a two month period where there was no dish soap in the building and all dishes and utensils were “washed” by rinsing with cold water.

In the almost 8 months I worked there I never received an itemized paystub even though funds were withheld from my checks for “taxes.” As a result they did not have accurate tax documents for me when I filed this year. Despite withholding funds every two weeks for months when I was finally able to get a tax document from them it was 1099 with an invalid EIN. The owners also steal tips and Zack himself is proud of having made all of his female employees cry—I witnessed him boasting about it.

Everything about this place is terrible and no one should ever...

Meh/10. It was food but other than that, give it a pass. We had brisket with mac & cheese and “collard greens”…which was anemic kale, in no way resembling collards. As in not a good color, not seasoned well, steam-trayed annnnd not actually the side advertised. Brisket has a huge amount of fat and was moist if overcooked (yes that can happen and yes this was). The board noted 5 sauces, one of which I wanted to try only to find out (because I had to yell back to an employee who was talking to a cook about being accused of being pregnant, sighing heavily and was otherwise unavailable for consult) they were out of the advertised sauce. 3/4 available sauces were tomato-based BBQ and were one-note. Okay sauces but too similar to store-bought and each other. The 4th sauce was good for a Carolina sauce at a “Texas-Style BBQ” place in Massachusetts, I guess. The mac & cheese was decent…but has a crumb topping afterthought with an even more insulting sprinkle of shredded cheese on top - think Taco Bell. Not gonna get an invite to the cookout with it. Nobody put their foot in anything here except the staff who sure should put their foot in their mouth with their swearing, complaining and generally making the place uncomfortable. It’s...