MISSION BBQ — Restaurant in Orange

Smack dab in the middle of a strip mall parking lot in humble Orange, Connecticut, Mission BBQ presents itself with all the subtlety of a military parade through a small town. The restaurant's interior screams patriotism with such insistence that one might wonder if the brisket had taken an oath of allegiance.

The walls, adorned with an almost overwhelming array of military memorabilia, fire helmets, and service academy jerseys, feel like a recruitment office that happened to install a smoker. "CHOOSE THE HARDER RIGHT INSTEAD OF THE EASIER WRONG" declares a wall proclamation, as if ordering lunch were a matter of national security.

Yet beneath this fortress of fortitude lies an unexpected truth: the food is remarkably, undeniably good. The brisket ($11.99) arrives in thick, tender slices, each bearing the telltale pink smoke ring that betrays countless hours of patient smoking. The meat yields to the slightest pressure, its fatty edges melting away like morning fog on a parade ground.

The pulled chicken ($9.99) achieves what many military operations strive for: maximum impact with minimal waste. Each morsel remains moist and flavorful, suggesting that someone in the kitchen understands that precision matters as much in barbecue as it does in basic training.

Side dishes ($3.49 each) march in formation across the menu board, which itself resembles a field operations manual more than a restaurant menu. The mac and cheese stands at attention, creamy and reliable, while the baked beans perform their duty with brown sugar-laden distinction.

The dining room, with its wooden tables and chairs arranged with military precision, feels simultaneously welcoming and slightly unsettling. First-time visitors might be taken aback by the sheer density of gratuitous patriotic decorations; it's as if Uncle Sam's attic exploded inside a BBQ joint.

Yet there's an undeniable sincerity to the place, even if it also and mostly feels like dining inside a recruitment poster. The staff, efficient and friendly, navigate the line between casual dining service and ceremonial reverence with surprising grace.

Mission BBQ may lay the military theme on thicker than their signature sauce, but they've accomplished something remarkable: creating a restaurant where the food's quality matches the intensity of its convictions. Yes, you might feel like you should salute your sandwich. But given how good that sandwich is, maybe it deserves the honor.

$$ | BBQ | 550 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT Recommended: Brisket, pulled chicken, mac and cheese Atmosphere: Think garish Army-Navy surplus store meets Texas smoke house Sound level: Conversational, with occasional...

Everyone has their opinion about who has the best BBQ. The following is a subjective opinion on why I cast my vote for Mission BBQ located at 550 Boston Post Road in Orange, CT.

I believe Mission BBQ deserves an excellent review not based solely on the food. Yes, the BBQ is good. There hasn’t been anything I’ve ordered that wasn’t at least tasty and well prepared. The Classic 41 sausage is probably one of my favorites. In fairness, does Mission BBQ serve the best BBQ I’ve ever had? No, not really. But, there are many other reasons why I can confidently rate this with 5 stars.

Here are some of them:

The service is always prompt and friendly. I always get greeted upon entering, the servers are courteous and take the time to review your order. They have ample amounts of seating in the dining area and it’s well kept. The drinks and utensils are organized. Plus they offer a wide variety of BBQ sauces. Some better than others, but good none the less. They have parking reserved for veterans. I’m a veteran and I feel like this is such a kind gesture. I also feel like these parking spaces should be only utilized by veterans who really need them. It’s placed near the entrance and if you’re a disabled veteran who sacrificed much more than me for our country, this space is for you. The atmosphere of the restaurant is veteran and first responder themed. I know this may appear to be a gimmick, but for me it’s actually greatly appreciated. Now I’m not the kind of veteran that believes that everyone should stop what they are doing and thank me for my service. But going into a place that has so much military memorabilia, squadron patches, and command insignias just gives me a warm and fuzzy inside and gives me a pleasant sense of nostalgia. Ok enough of memory lane, back to the delicious! They serve sweet tea!!! I’m also a southern, and those of you who know one or are one, you also know it requires a periodic dose of sweet tea to remain sane. I don’t know how y’all New Englanders don’t drink sweet tea. Maybe that’s why y’all drive so crazy. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I want to touch on another beverage detail. They offer bottled soda you normally have a hard time finding elsewhere. Cheerwine is one of those. It’s kinda like Dr. Pepper, kinda. If you’re from the Carolinas, you probably know this drink well. Another, and my personal favorite is Big Red. I LOVE BIG RED LIKE I LOVE MY MOMMA. And here’s a secret, it pairs perfectly with brisket. Iykyk.

So, here’s at least 6 reasons, other than the good tasting BBQ, why I believe Mission BBQ deserves a 5 star rating. And I hope you have the...

This was my first time in this restaurant and let me tell you, I was absolutely blown away by the customer service. Prior to deciding to eat here myself and my lady went to a couple different spots, first place didn’t even acknowledge us really, they simply turned to look at us and kept talking amongst themselves, there was even someone who wasn’t staff behind the counter hanging out and we were basically ignored because they were busy chatting. Second place had a line and didn’t even seem to be very appealing to be honest and once again it seemed more like a hang out rather than a business. When we finally googled food near me and came upon this place we said “hey let’s give it a try”, as soon as we walked in all the staff turned to us and said hello, welcoming us in with smiles. My lady turns to me and says “oh I know you like this place already !”, I laughed. We proceeded to walk in smiling because it just felt right, the vibe was exactly what we wanted and the aroma of the food that was cooking was amazing! We were reviewing the menu and couldn’t make up our minds on what we wanted because it all sounded great, low and behold the offer samples… just for context I’m not big on turkey, not that I don’t like it but I feel like it’s often too dry, so I decided to try the turkey, and I was not disappointed. We decided to get the 3 meat sampler (turkey, pulled chicken and brisket) with smashed potatoes and Mac and cheese, it came with a side of corn bread and dipping sauce. I can honestly say that I loved everything we ordered. At the end of our me we were surprised with a dessert, which was highly appreciated. The experience overall was great and we both agreed that we would definitely...