Smoke in the Pit — Restaurant in Minneapolis

This was a planned lunch trip after someone mentioned this place in a conversation we had regarding some of the best barbecue we've had across the country. Minnesota sadly (including today's visit) is not one of them.

Upon Arrival: This is a small joint with outdoor seating of 8-10 chairs/5 tables (Tip: So plan to stand or call ahead). This is a mom and pop family-owned shop (which is what drove my heart here) that's not easy on the eye inside or out. But hey...it's about the food. And they did have a smoker (av. size for personal use/smaller size for a barbecue joint) behind their building.

Food: We had a game plan in mind using the menu that is posted online (see below) we thought we were going to be eating during their lunch hours. However, once we began ordering we were informed its Monday-Friday. Yet online there's no mention of that. BIG turn-off folks. So for around 35 bucks we ordered our food and waited 40 minutes. In places that are busy...(which they were) this was understandable. We've waited an hour in some places knowing "it was well worth the wait." But this wasn't.

Brisket Sandwich Meals (sides: french fries +2.00 mac and cheese) Right off the bat we noted one of the brisket sandwiches was barely warm. Examining the meat, it was thinly sliced (much like roast beef), highly topped with sauce on a bakery bun. If your a sauce person, that's fine. But my belief with brisket is, "Good brisket doesn't need any sauce because of the smoke." This brisket barely had any smoke flavor. It could be due to a lot of factors but I'm not going to go into the "Art of Smoking Brisket." The fries were fine. They had a great crisp to them (battered season). The portion size of the mac and cheese was quite small for 2 bucks. With a glimpse, it looked much like grandma's church mac and I knew right away there was some lemon pepper flanking this side dish. Sure enough. Unfortunately, it wasn't a "knock-your-socks-off" mac, as it lacked the main piece of "not being cheesy" along with "not having that baked-bite" like most barbecue joints.

Catfish Meal (side: macaroni) The catfish was piping hot and cooked throughly. Anyone that know's catfish know's this is important for it to have a flakiness. They were well cleaned pieces and we did not detect the "catfish taste." No complaints. And for that I reviewed this restaurant with the one-star.

Within six minutes (after the 40 minute wait) we regretted spending our time and money to come here. We're the type that doesn't even bother walking into a Famous "chain" for barbecue. However, we certainly could of for the average...

Just.... dang it. Having tried their food, I now understand why their reviews are so far located on opposite sides of the spectrum. This place has the potential to be THE BBQ joint in Minnesota. Like so many others I have tried, it has failed. Unlike the others, they have found new ways to disappoint. I will go line item by line item concerning what my group tried, so you too can join in on the "fun".

Greens: This was actually the high point of the meal. Some reviews state the Greens are overly sweet. Though I do agree them Greens need some heat, I would not classify them as "overly" sweet.

Mac 'n' Cheese: The reviews are correct, this is macaroni and black pepper, with a cheese-like-substance garnish. Skip this and just make your own with Velveeta.

Corn bread: We received tightly packed sand pretending to be corn bread. Incredibly dry, and hard as stone.

Fried Chicken Wings: You know those Tyson breaded chicken wings in the frozen food section of the grocery store? Those, of a lower quality, but with the added bonus of the wing tip (yes I do enjoy wing tips). Skip these.

Smoked Chicken Wings: We were enjoying these actually. The texture was good, a bit on the dry side, but good. Nice smokey flavor. The flavor over all could use more seasoning, but these wings had the making of something to return to. And then we found it. Like other Yelpers before us, we found unplucked feathers on the Smoked Chicken Wings! Never have I or any others in my group experienced this from a restaurant. An auntie from down south occasionally, but an establishment?! What the flying cluck!

Fries: This one is quick. Overly greasy and lack of seasoning.

Ribs and Rib Tips: I am grouping these two together, as we had similar comments about both. Both the Ribs and Rib Tips lacked any semblance of flavor. I mean, salt could have improved these things. The sauce that comes on the side is a ketchup and vinegar based concoction of nastiness we threw in the trash immediately. Now, the Ribs and Rib Tips though a bit overcooked (liked the Smoked Chicken Wings), still maintained a nice texture. We salvaged the Ribs and Rib Tips by throwing them in large containers, tossing some good ol' Stubb's BBQ Sauce in there to give them a rub down, then consumed the meat.

Feel free to skip this place and any other "BBQ joints" in this state, as I am finding it impossible to discover any good BBQ here. Though the adventure is fun, the monetary investment grows tiresome. Learn from my mistakes people...

What I support for this establishment is less about its food but more about its message and the way it serves communities. Ever since 2020, the climate surrounding the George Floyd Square has changed dramatically, and this establishment has become an even stronger integral part of the community as the square itself had represented how the community thrives with its people. A lot of respect for the establishment from that perspective.

In terms of food, I would say the soul food, which contained mostly sides, were the main highlight for me. The mac & cheese was salty enough. The fries were solid in a "you can't really go wrong with it" type of way. The candied yams had enough sweetness. The collard greens could taste better but standards must be lower when they're not homemade. I also enjoyed the catfish fillets as they were fried to preserve enough hotness and softness. A lot of what they served, they made on the spot, which was what may be causing longer wait for some.

Meat-wise, a lot of items could use further improvement because they were too dry, such as the smoked wings and the beef brisket. The wings were dry to the point that they condensed and got extremely salty. The brisket relied a lot on the sauce and the existing fat on the meat for juiciness while the meat itself didn't have a lot of flavor or juice. As for the ribs, they had some seasoning, and tasted just fine, and weren't as dry. But I have had ribs in Texan barbeque places before and knew what "seasoned" ribs were like and therefore concluded that the ribs here were not spectacular.

With all that said, however, I still will return here as often as I can because I love supporting this business. The person serving me was very hospitable and patient. I still got some pretty solid barbeque even if it's not Texas. Besides, outside just the barbeque food, the soul food was solid, like I had...