MISSION BBQ — Restaurant in Town of Colonie

Tonight me and my girlfriend tried Mission BBQ for the first time! I know this location is relatively new, so we wanted to try it and see what it was about!

The atmosphere was nice when we walked in. The staff made us feel very welcomed when we entered into the establishment. The line to order was relatively short, so we got right to the counter to order. Staff was amazing, very nice and friendly to all customers. They had over 8 staff members in the entire establishment, and I’m pretty sure every single one said hi or goodbye to us on our way in/out of the establishment. We ordered the three meat platter (Pulled Pork, Brisket, and The Jalapeño and Cheese Sausage), aswell as a side of mac and cheese. The meal also came with a warm piece of cornbread. We got our food to go, and brought it home. One thing I thought was interesting was that the staff actually showed us our food order before we left! I have never had anyone do that to me before, so that was cool! When we arrived back to our house, we tried all of the food. Our personal ranking of all the food from first to last was: 1. jalapeño and cheese sausage, 2. Brisket, 3. Pulled Pork + The Cornbread, 4. Mac and Cheese.

The sausage was good! Some might say it was “yummy in the tummy”. The sausage had a nice level of heat from the jalapeño, coupled with a cheesy counterpart, which complimented eachother very well. The brisket was good, it was juicy and tender. Some brisket has a texture like beef jerky, but this one was super tender and easy to eat. The Pulled Pork was “kinda bland”. It was good meat, very tender and moist. However I think it lacked barbecue sauce, adding that is probably a game changer. The cornbread was your typical cornbread, corney and warm. The Mac and cheese wasn’t bad, it just tasted like your general homemade mac and cheese. Nothing that stood out, just a typical normal homemade Mac and cheese. It was cheesy and had breadcrumbs on the top.

Overall as a whole, we are giving Mission BBQ a 5/5 stars for guest service. A 5/5 stars for the atmosphere, which the inside of the establishment was decoarted with tons of military memorabilia and photographs. For the food, we are giving Mission BBQ a 8.5/10. Overall definitely a worth it stop for BBQ lovers. We will be back at some...

I will start with the positive. The service is wonderful. The serving system that is implemented, is ideal. Very efficient. The servers/cashiers are not only knowledgeable but also deliver great customer service. The atmosphere and interior design is esthetically pleasing to the eye. The food unfortunately falls short here. My family members and I are big foodies and have traveled all over the country and out of the country for food so we have also tasted all types of BBQ so this is just a bit of constructive criticism as we compare it to the best of the best. The brisket cuts were fatty and salty. I wish the rub included some other spices that stood out but all we tasted was salt. The chicken was okay but seriously lacked moisture. The cut was very dry and the skin was soggy. The Mac and cheese is okay but could use a bit of seasoning (some salt and a little spice for kick). The fries are tasteless and dry. The cornbread was dry and lacked sweetness. The beans are okay but the sauce they are mixed in is too strong. I tried 3 of the 6 bbq sauces and did not like any. My main criticism about the sauces is they are all very heavy on the vinegar and do not seem balanced. The sweet sauce needs to be sweeter. The price is good for the amount of food you get so the ratio is on par. Overall, I would not return unfortunately but this place does have great potential. My family and I travel 45 minutes to PJ's BAR-B-QSA is Saratoga and will continue to do so for the time being. I do wish this establishment the best of luck going forward.

Updated: I have tried Mission BBQ several more times since my initial review and I have actually come to enjoy the flavor profiles much more than I anticipated. The lean brisket, turkey and salmon are my go to's. I loved their seasonal banana pudding that was on the menu several weeks ago as well. I have had the special plate shrimp and am not too crazy about it so I didn't order it more than once. The service is always good as I mentioned in my initial review. I will stick with my initial analysis about the bbq being to vinegary and not to my liking but I just eat all the meats plain now, which is my preference regardless. So overall, I would say giving Mission another shot really swayed my initial opinion and I am now a...

I trashed this place when it first opened, but they have made me a convert. You should give them a chance.

The good: The pulled pork, even better with cold slaw on a sandwich. Pro tip, add the vinegar sauce.

The burger. It's probably my and my wife's favorite burger in the Capital District.

The pulled chicken. They've really turned it around.

The black plate specials. I haven't tried all of them, but the ones I have are usually spot on.

The cold slaw, the cheesey potatoes, the corn bread, the fresh cut fries.

The mediocore: The ribs. The brisket, while it's not usually bad, it doesn't shine. Turkey, again, it's not bad, but it doesn't leave an impression. The sauces. They try, but none knock me out.

The beans still suck.

Service is still phenomenal. The staff bends over backward to accommodate all your needs.

I haven't tried everything on their menu yet, but I will. I'm a BBQ purist, so I'm not as interested in the grill items, but IMNHO, they've really turned things around.

Original review below The good: Price, it's cheap as bbq goes. But you get what you pay for.

Service, everyone is very friendly, accommodating, and quick

Selection, Lots of choices for meats, sauces, sandwiches, and desserts

Drinks, again, lots of choices, including sweet and un-sweet tea.

The Bad and Ugly: The food.

I ordered a 2 meat platter of chicken and ribs.

The Ribs, It was 2 overcooked, over salted, and over sauced ribs. These felt and tasted if they were cooked in a crock pot for days.

The Chicken. I expected a 1/4 chicken, but instead was served pulled chicken. My bad, I didn't ask. The chicken was dry as sand, overcooked, and tough. I do appreciate that it is served un-sauced, but even their North Carolina Vinegar Sauce couldn't save it.

The baked beans. Don't. Just don't.

The Cornbread. Free and very good, if a little dark.

This is by far the worst barbecue I've ever had in the Capital district and New York State. You're better off getting your BBQ...