City Butcher and Barbecue — Restaurant in Springfield

Consider yourself warned. Worst food we have ever had. This was our first time here and we met up with relatives visiting from out of state. I ordered the burnt ends. My relatives ordered a variety of meats, sandwiches, and sides. My food, the burnt ends, was horrible…so SALTY…it was as if some salt accident occurred in the kitchen. I don’t know if the lid fell off the salt shaker in there or if the chef is missing all their salt taste buds but it wasn’t fit for consumption. My uncle had a sandwich with burnt ends and he also was gagging on salt. I felt awful for him as he is a heart transplant recipient and is supposed to watch his salt. My cousin had some side that was so bad she exchanged it for slaw which was also bad. Others tried it and agreed it was nasty. She wasn’t about to exchange anything again as everything seemed to go from bad to worse. The food is quite expensive as well especially since it wasn’t even edible. The restaurant was empty and now I fully understand why. My family was also scolded by the employees before heading inside because I guess they were standing close to the door (waiting for my arrival) but there weren’t even any customers, so that was a bit weird and not very welcoming. This is another place that automatically expects a tip when paying for food at a counter when I have not been served or even tasted the food. I am waiting for that level of nonsense to come to an end. Customers ought not put up with such foolishness from any establishment. Tips are for a job well done and excellent food so please stop pestering customers for tips prior to their dining experience. These places should be ashamed of themselves. I’ll steer clear of this place from now on. I’m not even sure why they have a bathroom…their customers will be busy retaining fluids given the level of salting happening in...

We had planned to visit a nearby Indian Restaurant but they were full at the time. We happened to be right next to City Butcher & BBQ so we decided to go in. I have eaten a lot of BBQ in my life. This place is some of the best.

There is indoor and outdoor seating which offers a nice variety. Like most BBQ joints there is a order window and you wait in line then have seat when you get your food. The line was not long when we got there but was getting deep when we left. That's always a good sign!

My son ordered the "Pitmaster's Duo" sandwich which is brisket and pork belly with a side of cole slaw. My wife had a burnt end sandwich with potato salad. I sampled brisket, pork belly, and a few bones of ribs. Everyone had more than enough food and everyone was happy.

My wife raved about how tender the burnt ends were, I was not allowed to try them so that should tell how good they were. The potato salad was basic but tasty. My son's coleslaw was hard to describe being neither sweet & sour nor creamy. It was good and a very fresh tasting addition to the meat. The brisket was some of the best I've ever had. It melted in your mouth and had an excellent, pepper heavy, rub. The pork belly was an exciting find as most BBQ restaurants do not offer it. It is not for people who don't like a lot of fat though. The ribs were St. Louis style and had the same rub as the brisket, very tender but did not fall off the bone (as they should not).

They offer 3 sauces: the standard is a Texas style - a little sweet, a little sour, and a little heat; the mustard - a South Carolina style and is extremely tasty with everything I had; and the spicy - a spicier version of the standard which was my favorite.

I would suggest stopping by. This was on a list of 25 best BBQ places in Missouri and I...

I have been to barbecue competitions and blaze offs in Kansas City and Texas and Memphis. I have been to every continental state but New Hampshire. I have tried burnt ends from Arthur Bryants and several other barbecue places including the one in Edwardsville Kansas that was featured on the Food Network. I can say with all certainty that the burnt ends as City Butcher are THE BEST I HAVE EVER TRIED. I am going to be 40 years old soon and have always been a carnivore. My husband agrees that the burnt ends and the beans were the best ever. Don't listen to the other review about the beans. They do not taste like a can. They aren't all hopped up with brown sugar and barbecue sauce like some baked beans are， bit these are not baked beans. They are smoked beans. They are phenomenal. Large chunks of meat in them and a wonderful smokey flavor. If you want sweeter， add some sauce. Also， the cole slaw was unique but delicious. If you want creamy sugary slaw， go down to KFC. The slaw at City Butcher is an herbed vinegar sauce that pairs perfectly with the beans and the meat. I also liked the choices of sauces because I favor Carolina style sauce but my husband like spicy. The ribs were tender and not dry and they had no fatty pockets in them. The outside was lovely and smokey and not too salty. We are very pleased to have found out that the best barbecue spot we have ever found is within 3 miles of our house! Don't drive 3 hours to Kansas City. Just go right down Campbell next to the At Home store. Get there before noon and have your pick. KC and Memphis have nothing on Springfield!...