Sauced BBQ & Spirits — Restaurant in Orange

I was really excited to try this place as it photographs really well and I've heard folks say it's really good. In retrospect, I realized those folks have not had proper bbq :) Some of the food was quite tasty, and some of it wasn't there.

Their BBQ sauces are just OK. Personal preference definitely applies here, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. They were pretty vinegary in general so if that's your jam, you'll like enjoy them. I only sort of liked the Hot Tin Roof.

The Meats: Brisket Burnt Ends: These were tasty enough. I've definitely had better in Texas and Georgia, but it scratched the itch. Ribs: Nope. I'm sorry but ribs are supposed to FALL OFF THE BONE. These did not. You needed a knife to separate them and that's just like... a cardinal sin of ribs. Nonono. Sliced Brisket: Ok. Not the best, not the worst. Smoked Cheddar Jalapeno Sausage: Legit tasty! Would eat this again, no hesitation. Really well executed.

The Sides: Honky Tonk Fries: these were tasty enough. That cheese sauce is not queso though. It's not right... it has like a mayo creaminess which is just weird. The seasoning were good and their baked beans were surprisingly good. Sweet Honey Cornbread: I wanted more honey flavor to this. It was pretty plain. Mac n Cheese: Pretty good! Sweet Potato Casserole: Once again, personal preference came in here in a strong way. I don't really like walnuts, and this has little chunks of walnut in it. I actually originally thought the brown sugar had clumped but alas, it was a nut. If you're into walnuts and sweet potatoes... then definitely order this, you'll love it.

The Dessert / Drink Banana Pudding: Tasty! Very sweet. Their whipped cream tasted a little meringue-y, I thought there were egg whites in them. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it caught me off guard in the texture department. We enjoyed it! Cucumber Watermelon Lemonade: Our waitress mentioned this was one of their most popular cocktails and it deserves to me. Great fresh flavor!

I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, but I wouldn't poopoo the idea if we were nearby. I'd probably give their non-meat plates a try, and I would definitely order that lemonade again. I could see this being a good spot to hang out with a crowd - throw some axes, drink some drinks. ...

My wife and I went to see the Muse show at Honda Center, and I checked out OpenTable to see what restaurants were in the area. I found Sauced, and decided that would be a good choice for us. We haven't had BBQ for a long time so it sounded like a good choice.

Bar: The bar service was outstanding. Our bartender Joey was extremely knowledgeable, personable, and quick yet accurate. My wife and I ordered 2 cocktails each, and all 4 were very well balanced, cold, and tasty. None of the cocktails were syrupy-sweet or overly strong.

Food: The food was amazing, honestly the best BBQ I have ever had in Southern California. The pulled pork was outstanding, not too fatty and with great flavor. The jalapeno cheddar sausage was the best I've ever had, not too spicy or too cheesy just perfectly balanced. The brisket was moist, tender, and juicy. It literally cut with a fork and meted in your mouth. The flavor from everything was absolutely amazing.

Service: The service was absolutely spot on. Our water glasses never got under 1/4 full before they were refilled. Our food and drink orders came out in a very timely fashion, and they were always 100% accurate. We were constantly being checked on, but not being hovered over (about every 10 minutes we were checked on). The servers always had a smile on their faces and were happy to answer questions or take care of requests. We never once heard the words No, Don't, or Can't. Fantastic service overall.

Ambiance: It's a little noisy, not gonna lie, but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other talk. They play country music over their sound system (my wife's favorite), but again it wasn't so loud that it was unpleasant. In the bar area they had 9 different televisions, and all 9 were tuned to different channels. Oddly enough they were all baseball games, but it is the beginning of the season and nothing else was playing at the time so it made sense.

Final Thoughts: We will be...

"All Sauced up, I know what I am going to do. Next thing, I turn around and find enough food for even two." - parody of "All Mixed Up", 311

BIRTHDAY MONTH=BIRTHDAY COUPONS=HAPPY RODNEY

$10 birthday month food credit for E-Club members

Sauced BBQ & Spirits is a restaurant I haven't heard of, before. Upon researching birthday month deals for new ones I can register for, my eyes spied Sauced & I quickly signed up for their E-Club.

Arriving at opening time, I was quickly seated, where I spotted the regular food menu & their "Plucked Pop Up" menu, which consisted entirely of chicken dishes. Feeling it was my "plucky" day, I perused the "Plucked Pop Up" menu and decided upon the Naught Nash chicken sandwich.

Naughty Nash (medium heat) w/ jalapeno cheese grits- Fried breaded chicken breast, Nashville pepper oil, jalapeno sweet heat slaw, pluck sauce & pickles. The slaw & pickles made this dish! Crunchy & tangy, they made the fried breaded chicken breast pop. Medium heat was enough for my palate. The jalapeno cheese grits were prepared soupy. I've never had grits that way, before. I'd usually have grits with the consistency of cream of wheat. I enjoyed it, as I would a side of soup, the jalapenos bringing their heat.

Service was good. The gentleman attending to me was hospitable and I didn't wait long for my food to come out. Sauced BBQ & Spirits is located adjacent to King's Fish House & Prime Cut Cafe. Axe throwing cages are available for those daring enough to take a class & let them fly.

I'm feeling saucy after eating at Sauced BBQ & Spirits. I had a delightful lunch, made all the more so with the $10 birthday month credit. I didn't this time, but I hope to give axe throwing a shot, next time I'm there. In summation, I left a...