Martiny’s BBQ — Restaurant in Orange Township

I actually forgot to leave a review the day I visited the restaurant (it was late January ‘24). That being said, I believe that sharing consumer reviews is important to develop a full picture for others of how a business operates, their customer service experience and, when applicable, the quality of their product.

Upon entering Martiny’s we were greeted by who I now know is Michael Martiny, the owner. It was pleasant enough at first, and I saw a brisket sandwich being prepared that looked pretty good. I made a decision and was directed to the kiosk to order. I found the kiosk a bit tricky, and had a bit of sticker shock for a sandwich, side, and 20 oz soda at $28.06. I remember looking for a combo that included a sandwich and side, and don’t recall finding one.

It’s a very small establishment but recognizable from Columbus Pike/23 and resembles Lincoln Logs. Parking is sparse. I found the table sticky and, frankly, everything felt sticky like it just hadn’t been wiped down properly in a while. The owner was the only person visible behind the counter, so it might have been a busy lunch, but he didn’t seem overly concerned with it and I found him abrasive, if not rude directly (particularly when directing us to the kiosk, like he was too busy for us). Odd service for a small (presumably) family-owned place getting on its feet after starting as a food truck (or at least that’s my understanding). That being said, I don’t need my butt kissed if the food makes up for it.

Our food was prepared pretty quickly, and we grabbed it from the counter and sat back down to eat. I was initially impressed with the portion size (it’s a big sandwich), and I suspect that’s part of the reason for many of the positive reviews. We quickly found that you have to share sauce with other tables, and silverware is pre-packaged plastic, no salt/pepper on the table. I tried the brisket and found it very dry and lacking flavor. It appeared overcooked or otherwise not tender and juicy like a brisket should be. It was heavily chopped versus sliced which would be fine if it were more tender, but it made for a grainy texture that was off-putting.

The sauce was room temperature if not warm, and (combined with all the “sticky”) made me concerned about food safety since it’s shared amongst all of the 4-5 tables (remember, very small place). None of the sauces were what I would consider traditional BBQ, and none were flavors I enjoyed. The German potato salad is served warm, which I didn’t realize but I received what I ordered. My friend seemed to enjoy it; I did not. The mac and cheese was standard BBQ fare and acceptable. I ordered a 20 oz pop and the owner provided a fountain cup initially, I had to ask for the bottle instead (which I preferred, and it was more expensive and I had already paid).

I did not provide feedback while we were there due to time available, but instead ate what I found palatable and we left without further issue. I had intention of returning, thinking it was just an off-day, but nothing about the experience justified the price and the service was sub-par.

Since then, I provided some recommendations to others in a private FB group that the owner follows. I left an honest review of several BBQ places around town and expressed that I didn’t enjoy Martiny’s. I did speculate a bit that the brisket may have been reheated and misquoted the price, but after engaging with the owner wanted to be fair and edited my posts, even sending the owner a PM. However, much like other less than positive reviews here, the owner (and his wife) have ridiculed, insulted, and gaslighted me repeatedly and aggressively for sharing my experience. Consumers have a right to share their experience, and if you intend to do the same be prepared that the owner will attempt to bully you to change it or otherwise discredit you (and I expect they will for this post too). Buyer beware, there are better BBQ establishments that appreciate their customers and want to earn repeat business. This isn’t...

Update....chatting with the owner, he offered to refund my money or get me another lunch. I chose another lunch. I did the half chicken again but ribs this time b/c he no longer carries the hot link and the baked beans. A friend went with me and got the brisket, green beans and mac/cheese. This is what i told him.... "Thank you for the opportunity to try your food again. The chicken was much better looking and tasting than the first time. I've come to the conclusion that your bbq is not for me. The dark meat of the chicken did not seem to be done. The fat under the skin was not rendered, and there was not a lot of flavor. For me, I like my ribs with a little pull. The bones I had all the meat came off too easily and again, to me, lacked flavor, even on the bark. Both times, I enjoyed the sauce that your beans are in but not the beans themselves. I'm not a fan of French cut green beans, so I didn't feel right commenting on them. But the guy with me was not a fan. Same with the mac and cheese, I can not have it, but he said that it wasn't cheesy but almost soupy. Please understand that I am, in no way, any type of bbq expert, I just know my taste. "Original" The service was the only thing that gives this review a star. I ordered the half chicken box, added a hot link, baked beans and green beans. The food was "to go" so I never looked at it until I got back to my meeting. When I opened the box, the link looked like it had zero moisture to it and when I took a bite, I was right. It was so over cooked that it was almost crumbly. I had better hope for the chicken but by looking at it, I had my doubts. Again, I was right as I pulled the leg off and bit into it. It was dry and tough and the thigh was dry as well. Knowing that the dark meat was dry, I did not want to even try the wing and beast. I couldn't even eat the wing flat and had to dip every piece of the beast is sauce to be able to eat it. All of that to say....I wasted my money and I'm warning you to...

I called before we trekked up there from Westerville and no one answered. I was excited to try the new place, so my husband FaceTimed me from inside the restaurant because I wanted to know what "everything" was in the $35 kitchen sink.

I heard the man working day "everything we sell". We decided to go that way. The 2 items I was most interested in, were not included. I really wanted the chicken and cauliflower. Had I been told what "everything" actually was- I would have gotten the potato with cauliflower and my hubs would have gotten a box.

They don't have a lot of healthy options for sides, so I knew I wouldn't be eating them. My hubs said the coleslaw tasted like it wasn't scratch made. I tried a small amount of the German potato salad and it was lackluster and too sweet, but we have another restaurant in the area that hits this item out of the park consistently so I'm probably used to their recipe. The baked beans were - baked beans, nothing spectacular, nor was the Mac and cheese.

We got a bonus piece of cardboard in the pulled pork (shown in the photos).

It he spare ribs were very fatty. The pulled pork was good. The brisket had a lot of flavor.

My husband enjoyed the different sauces and that was the highlight of the meal for him.

I was surprised they didn't offer any bread with this meal. I would suggest having some healthier side items as options, green beans, collards, or salad maybe.

I did try calling again, but it went to voicemail again and a man left his name, not the name of the restaurant so I did not feel comfortable leaving my phone number in case the number listed is incorrect.

I would say my experience...