Animales Barbeque Co. — Restaurant in Minneapolis

2025.05.02 Absolutely killer Prime Rib sandwich! Really good beans and some Mac & Cheese.

Sandwich was piled high with thin Prime Rib meat, caramelized onions, horse radish sauce and arugula. All served on a house sesame roll.

Anytime I see this on the menu, I am ordering it.

2023.08.10 Had a killer smoked pork belly BLT, super tender meat on a house made milk bread. Some tasty small potatoes and an interesting corn salad. Made by Jon and his crew. Wish you had the BLT more often. Really liked the corn salad, I would order that any day.

2022.04.28 After Jon killed it with the fried rice, I knew I had to try his take on the classic Bahn Mi sandwich. Got two of them tonight, one for Doll and one for me. Carrot Salad, and a side of excellent beans. My goto place for Bahn Mi's have been Lu's Sandwiches. I have to say, this Bahn Mi is as good, maybe even better than Lu's Sandwiches. It had all the right vegetables, good amount of meat, and some mild peppers. Classic bread roll from Trung Nam French Bakery over on University really makes it. Like I have said before, killer beans, and Doll loves the carrot salad.

2022.04.17 Stopped by twice this week.

First to try the Brisket Mac and Cheese and the beans, Second to get a meal for our surprise house guest.

Finally! Someone who does not overcook the pasta! I got it with the brisket and it was super good. I like the pickled peppers, good addition. Your beans really rock too. Not sure how you prep the beans but, they are really good.

And the ribs? Amazing, with only a salt and pepper dry rub? So tender and juicy, even the second night.

2022.03.16 If you ever see Jon and crew advertising pork fried rice, I would recommend running towards his food truck. Last week Jon stated his fried rice was some of the best and, I called him on it, and picked up some today. I added nothing to it and found the flavors to be spot on, plenty of pork and veggies. Salt seems to be non-existent, but I am sure it is there, just in the right amount. I got 2 servings of fried rice, I should have gotten one and, one of the chicken lettuce wraps, just to try their offerings. Some of the best fried rice I have had. Does that mean I am eating crow Jon?

Evening Jon and crew. I stopped by at 6:00 pm today and picked up a rack of ribs and two biscuits. Your ribs have always been very good, tonight I really think they were the best. When the first bite of something elicits a moan, you know it's damn good. Even Doll's first bite of your ribs, brought out a similar response. How you can make these ribs with only salt and pepper and smoke, so good, is incredible. Same with the biscuit, you have nailed the recipe here as well. Just a hint of jalapeno heat. Doll does not do well with spicy, but she ate it, and loved it. Keep up the great work...

Oh boy, where do I even begin with ABC at BauHaus Brewery. This apparently, with terrible branding, stands for Animales BBQ Co. Yes, it is mis-spelled apparently on purpose. As a self-proclaimed warrior against corporate greed, it pains me to see such a pitiful attempt at culinary satisfaction. Let me regale you with my recent gastronomic misadventure at this sorry excuse for a food truck.

First and foremost, let's talk about the taco shells. Or should I say, taco boulders? These so-called tortillas were rock hard, providing an experience akin to chomping on a brick wall. I'm not sure if the ABC team took inspiration from an ancient Mayan temple, but they certainly managed to replicate the feeling of crumbling ruins. Bravo!

But wait, there's more! As if the rock-hard texture wasn't enough, these tortillas also possessed a magical ability to disintegrate upon the slightest touch. It's like they were playing a cruel game of "now you see me, now you don't." Trying to hold one of these tacos intact became an exercise in futility. They crumbled faster than the dreams of someone who thought they were getting a decent meal.

Now, let's address the presentation, or lack thereof. I have to commend ABC Tacos on their ability to take something as beautiful as Mexican cuisine and turn it into a ghastly sight. The toppings were haphazardly thrown together, as if the chef had blindfolded themselves and hoped for the best. It was a Picasso painting gone wrong, with the only message conveyed being, "run away, run far, far away!"

Of course, we can't forget the taste—or rather, the lack thereof. If repulsiveness had a flavor, it would be encapsulated in every bite of an ABC Taco. The combination of stale tortilla, uninspiring fillings, and a general disregard for seasoning created a symphony of disappointment in my mouth. It was as if the chef's secret ingredient was pure apathy. In conclusion, ABC manages to achieve the remarkable feat of being simultaneously hard as a rock and as tasteless as cardboard. It's a true marvel how a food truck can take something as beloved as tacos and turn them into an abomination. Save your taste buds the torment and avoid this culinary catastrophe like the plague. RogerThat, signing off from the front lines of...

I'm making it a goal to review every BBQ place in the twin cities. Naturally I had to give this place a whirl and I was quite impressed with what they served up.

I tried the sampler platter which included spare ribs, hot links, pork belly and pickles. I'll start with what impressed me and that was the unique choice of pork belly, an item I see on few menus. That fat was well rendered and the meat tender, and was topped with a thin mustard sauce which accented rather than dominated the meat. I was happy to see someone take a risk by serving up something besides the same old BBQ staples.

The ribs were served dry with sauce on the side, which I believe is ideal as to not hide the bark and rub. The ribs were done just right - almost fall off the bone, but with a slight tug needed.

The hot links were plenty flavorful, and I enjoyed the burst of cheese, my only gripe was the casings took a bit of chewing and didn't snap as I would prefer.

This place is definitely worth checking out and is worth another visit for me. I wish there was some beef option available on their weekday menu, from what I see beef ribs are only available on weekends, and I don't see any signs of brisket. I look forward to trying their beef ribs next time I'm here and hopefully see some brisket. That'll push this review up to 5 stars! Glad to see more people serve great BBQ in MN so I don't have to keep dreaming of...