Midwest Best BBQ and Creamery — Restaurant in Miami Township

Look, as the winner of the 1992 Barbecue Competition, with Gary Burbank as judge, I'm basically the LeBron James of ribs. I've eaten my way through every smokehouse in Cincinnati, so when I say Midwest Best BBQ is the real deal, believe me. My arteries are practically Yelp-certified.

The team of servers and cooks seems like they recruited an entire football team of young men from the University of Cincinnati; service so fast you'd think they were running a two-minute drill, attentive enough to make your mom jealous, and coordinated like they're protecting the quarterback only this time, the quarterback is your pulled-pork sandwich.

Their wings, rubs, and sauces? Every single flavor profile was so good I nearly proposed to the coleslaw. And don't get me started on the G-Funk wings. They're delightful, though naming wings after a rap genre means you half expect Dr. Dre to hand you wet wipes.

And let's talk about the smoking schedule. They've got a night smoker and a day smoker, which sounds less like a BBQ setup and more like a buddy-cop movie: "Day Smoker plays by the rules, Night Smoker breaks 'em, but together they deliver justice... in the form of brisket."

Mark, one of the owners, literally smokes meat during a half-day shift with the love and passion of a Michelin-star chef who moonlights as Cupid. This guy makes ribs like he's serenading them. If Hallmark made a "Brisket Romance" channel, Mark would star in every single movie.

I bought several pounds of meat to take home. Not "a pound." Several. Because nothing says "self-control" like hiding a bag of smoked chicken behind your kale in the fridge. Exclamation point. Period.

Now, location... ...here's the kicker. They're hidden off the road over a hundred yards. That's right, it's the Area 51 of BBQ. You basically need Google Maps, a Sherpa, and divine intervention to find them. Yet, somehow, when you do, it feels like stumbling upon the Ark of the Covenant... ...only tastier, and fewer Nazis melting.

Inside? Casual. TVs locked on Bengals or Reds games, so you can watch disappointment while you eat happiness. Patio? Shaded. Perfect for when you want to sweat from the hot sauce, not the sun.

The sides? Top echelon. Beans, slaw, cornbread, each one a little sidekick to the main meat superhero. And for the low-carb crowd, this place is a protein paradise. Keto bros rejoice: you can bench-press your brisket guilt-free.

Bottom line: Midwest Best BBQ doesn't just feed you, it baptizes you in smoke, sauce, and joy. And if you're not leaving with meat sweats, did...

I saw this place for the first time today and figured with the name Best they must be really confident in their BBQ. I went in and the menu looked good, albeit a little confusing. But a couple of ladies were already in line ordering and they said it was their 2nd visit this week and were asking the girl at the register about buying some of the BBQ sauce bottled for home. That all sounded like a great sign so far. The staff was really friendly and up eat and seemed proud of the place as well. I got the Brisket sandwich although I didn't see it on the menu only as a wrap or skins or salad but another guy ordered the sandwich to go so I copied off of him because I LOVE brisket sandwiches. I chose the spicy sweet sauce out of the many choices and was salivating as I waited at a table for it. It came out quick and delivered by another friendly employee but as soon as I looked down I was shockingly disappointed. The bun was like a basic grocery store bum out buy a pack of for $2 for regular family sandwiches. I can look past that tho because the meat and sauce is the important parts right? The brisket was chopped up much dinner and smaller pieces than I've see anywhere like a sloppy joe. That could still be ok but it was dry and crunchy not juicy and buttery like good BBQ joints I've had brisket all over the Midwest and South. It may have been better originally but I'm 99% sure it was a day or two old and reheated. The spicy sweet sauce was good on the sweet part but the spice that dominated it was black pepper not like the habenero or jalepeno or chili peppers even that most spicy sauces include. The fries were a big basket for only $2 but very basic and unseasoned. The food itself I wouldn't give 3 stars to but the staff and concept was good enough that I'd hate to tank them because maybe it was just old brisket that day or a new cook and because it's a rough time for restaurants just coming out of pandemic and because those ladies must've had something better than my meal. Or maybe it wouldn't disappoint if they changed the name and expectations. Not The Worst BBQ would be...

Edited: The owner was kind enough to reach out to have us give the restaurant another try. We're glad we did. We got to try with visiting family, and everyone agreed the wings are as good as many others have said. We tried the G-Funk and Cajun Ranch, and both were delicious.

The mac and cheese were great, and the kids loved it as well. The loaded fries were very good, and the fries were perfectly crispy throughout, even the ones at the bottom underneath the cheese.

The sweet corn muffins were slightly dry, but that was the only complaint. The staff was very friendly and kept checking on us to make sure we had everything we needed.

Previous: I was looking forward to trying out the food after recommendations and reading the reviews. However, I did not get the opportunity. I placed an online order 3 hours ahead of time for a specific pickup time, but when I got there, my order wasn't ready. It apparently wasn't even close to ready.

I was told we're just a little behind, so I sat down to wait. After waiting 20 minutes and seeing only two orders, single bag orders, leave the kitchen, I asked about my order again. The staff went into the kitchen and came back saying they were still behind. It wasn't until I asked is when they acknowledged my order hadn't even been started yet. Apparently, I was not the only one.

I normally like to give people the benefit of the doubt and expect a short wait when ordering ahead but this was not the case and the lack of information of when food would be ready was too much. Also, it seems to defeat the purpose of online orders in ordering ahead as that apparently doesn't even prioritize your order, especially if you already paid.

I'm wary to want to try to order again, as I'm not sure when/if my food would...