Mackie's Barbecue - Takeout — Restaurant in Maryland

Where Smoke Meets Soul, and the Flavor Doesn’t Quit If you’re cruising through Rockville with a craving that only real-deal barbecue can satisfy, pull over and let Mackie’s Barbecue take the wheel. This family-owned gem is slinging Texas-style ‘cue with Maryland heart, and trust me, it’s the kind of takeout that makes you feel like you just sat down at Grandma’s Sunday table. Let’s talk meat: for around $70 (tips, tax, and all), you get a full rack of ribs and half a pound of brisket that could feed three hungry folks for two days. That’s not just a good deal, it’s a flavor investment. The ribs? Fall-off-the-bone tender with a smoky bark that whispers sweet nothings to your taste buds. The brisket? Sliced thick, juicy, and kissed with just the right amount of smoke. It tastes like it’s been marinating in anticipation of your arrival. And the sides? Oh, baby. Sweet, creamy mac & cheese, potato salad with a tangy kick, and cornbread that’s got that golden crust and soft center, each bite is a love letter to comfort food. You’re not just eating, you’re indulging. No frills, no fuss, just takeout that feels homemade, like someone’s been tending the smoker all day just for you. Mackie’s doesn’t do dine-in, but who needs a seat when the flavor stands tall? So if you’re looking for BBQ that brings the heat, the heart, and the hospitality, Mackie’s Barbecue is your go-to pit stop. Highly recommend. This is the kind of place that makes you want to grab a napkin, roll up your sleeves, and dive in. Keep it smoky, keep it saucy, Mackie’s is the real...

So the location is sort of in an industrial area, you would never know it was there unless someone told you. There is no where to sit down and eat . It literally looks like an old doctor's office check in area with a kitchen in the back. When i pulled up there was a pot outside with something being cooked in and i was initially scared.

I came here thinking it was a soulfood restaurant also. BUT NO ITS JUST BARBEQUE.

Food: i ordered 6 wings with spicy barbeque sauce and mac and cheese. EVERYTHING was very hot when i got it. The wings were probably sone of the best smoked wings ive ever tasted. The mac and cheese had soo much pepper in it, it was not edible. Literally coughed with every bite. We nicknamed it " pepper mac" . So minus the overwhelming amount of pepper it has potential to be good. The menu is typical barbeque food nothing fancy. The barbeque sauce is not spicy at all and a watery consistency. They sell it by the bottle i think.. well i saw two random bottles sitting on the side between dust and business cards. I wanted sone type of seafood but they only had crab cakes. She stated they dont want to fry any foods only bake so they took fried foods off the menu.

I will try this place again but they really need help in the...

If the industrial storefront with one rickety picnic table out front wasn't enough to give us pause about Mackie's Southern BBQ in Gaithersburg, the almost complete lack of interior furnishings made us wonder if we were even in the right place.

We had been to the Mackie's location in Frederick, but were unaware that this Gaithersburg location was primarily for catering. When we approached the maitre d' stand, which was a white folding table with a single laminated menu lying crooked upon it, a man appeared from the back room and greeted us in a friendly manner. He explained that they had performed several catering jobs that day and gave us a rundown of the items they had available (it was not the full menu). We ordered beef brisket sandwiches, mac and cheese, and potato salad. 🥩The sandwich was tangy and filling, the mac and cheese was particularly flavorful and the potato salad was delicious. Free waters were brought out to us as we sat at the outside table, bundled up against a winter breeze. Like we said the maitre d’ was so friendly!

It's always those unassuming, no frills spots that end up being some of the tastiest. Definitely a spot we’ll...