Pop's BBQ — Restaurant in Morehead

SHEEESH WHAT A DRAMA FEST!!??

Terrible experience from start to finish. I will walk you through it.

We sit down at a table that was being cleaned which was our fault bc we were just trying to get out of the sun. However , they left the tip on the table from the previous customers. After a separate server takes the money off the table , a different server comes by looking for it and we advised her which server it was. Now we are involved in workplace drama as we get asked to ultimately point out who it was that took the tip. (While the culprit is staring us down from afar somewhat like a police suspect lineup.) we are cringing at this point over the drama unraveling and we are starting to feel uncomfortable.

After ordering our food an hour passes by and we have not received our food or even been asked if we wanted a refill. I had to go up to the kitchen to get someone’s attention. While I was up there I see a tray of food sitting on the counter that looked exactly like our order. When we asked , we were told our food is ready however no other servers were allowed to run it to our table, they HAD to wait for our server… who at this point was frequently M.I.A. Granted this was only her 4th day on the job so we give her a little slack.

The lady who snatched the tip off the table proceeds periodically to make comments in passing to us about “can’t believe we have servers here you can’t trust with money on the table” and “she made this so much harder than it had to be” (referring to our actual server).

When our food finally came out , it was cold. The worst part about it is that we love Pops BBQ … the food was still so delicious even though it was cold… but the experience really was so discouraging and our Beloved College Memory Lane of a place has now lost a little bit of its charm to us. Not sure if I’ll end up giving it another chance after this. We felt completely uncomfortable the whole time.

At the end, nobody was coming to bring our check so again we went to the kitchen as a group, to get our checks and pay so we could get out of there. The Rude waitress once again comes by and ejects a rude comment saying “idc how bad it is you do not walk out on your server and not pay” … which wasn’t the case we were waiting to pay. I planned to stiff the waitress however she was staring down our backs watching us fill out the check and tip. So I decided $3 should do the trick.

Godddddd this is hard for us because we do really love this place. Lots of college experiences there and maybe years down the road we will come back. But this really was a terrible drama filled experience. Those ladies need a manager… couldn’t find a one though and I hope to god none of them were actually the manager.

Please Pop’s...

I really want to give this restaunt 2.5 stars because what was good was really good but what we went there for was awful.We were so looking forward to eating here, we heard so many good things about Pop's bbq, but boy were we disappointed. We ordered a Reuben with Cole slaw, a brisket plate, a BBQ burger, mozzarella sticks, fried green tomatoes, and milkshakes for dessert. We also ordered a rack of ribs to take home. THE GOOD: and trust me the good was excellent. The best fried green tomatoes. EVER. The batter was tasty and golden brown, and the tomatoes were soft without being mushy. Whoever made this appetizer needs to do more of that, often. And advertise them heavily. The only thing I would change is they were served with some run of the mill ranch dressing as dipping sauce. Those tomatoes deserved something better. We ordered two strawberry and one chocolate/banana milkshakes. Absolutely awesome! We found out right before we left our extremely sweet waitress had made them and she knocked it out if the park. The flavors were strong without being overpowering. The banana and chocolate were perfectly balanced. The burger my son ordered was a really, really good burger. He thought there was a bit too much bbq sauce but i thought it worked well. The cheese sticks were good. Mozzarella sticks are pretty much the same most places. THE BAD: The brisket was kind of okay, a little dry but mostly just bland. Same for the Reubin. The Cole slaw was way too sweet and room temperature, the baked potato was ice cold and harder than a rock and completely drowned in sour cream, and the green beans were super salty with dry tan bits in them that I think was supposed to be ham. Most disappointing were the ribs we tried later (because when you go to a BBQ place that's the main attraction). They were somehow dry and fatty at the same time without much flavor. It was a lot like eating a dry cheap ham. The sauce smelled great but not much flavor beyond vinegar. We ended up throwing them out. So we basically paid $90 for a meal that we could only eat a small portion of. Definitely go to Pop's for the burgers, shakes, and appetizers. They are worth the trip. But can't...

Forewarning the brisket at this place can be hit or miss! Out of 10+ trips, there was a time when the brisket was 2/5 with burnt toast and sub par sides. I've also heard this from a friend who's gf worked as a server, the food can vary depending on who's manning the smoker/kitchen on the day.

That being said every other trip I've made has been 10/10. I always get the pulled pork/brisket platter side of onion rings and coleslaw. The pulled pork easily stands alone, but the handful of sauces offered will fit anyone's taste. Some might say the brisket comes off a bit greasy, but I absolutely love it. And that's what the coleslaw is for right? A side of texas toast also helps cut some of the heaviness of the meal. While the onion rings are exactly how onion rings should be, large and crispy.

I've also tried their chicken and a handful of other sides off friends plates. The chicken was very juicy with good flavor, if that's your thing at a bbq joint rock on. The sides followed suit with the rest of the food, although I really do recommend the onion ring/slaw combo.

The wait staff has always been friendly. Even when arriving 15 minutes before closing, we were actually brought a basket of the remaining fries on the day. The wait is what you'd expect depending on how busy they are. I'd say the atmosphere is a bit touristy? Can get very busy during the summer dinner rushes. But in no way are they taking advantage with a tourist price. Is actually fairly cheap for bbq and the portion sizes won't leave you hungry.

I'd recommend this place to anyone in the area or passing through. It seems ever person I've brought so far has loved it. And this is all coming from a pretty stingy reviewer who's reluctant to toss out a 5/5. Enjoy!

Oh and don't be afraid of the drive through if you're in a rush. It's actually pretty quick and somehow works for a bbq place. The lazy...