City Limits Barbeque — Restaurant in West Columbia

I arrived here on a Sunday afternoon after church, specifically on April 7th around 1315. It was my first time visiting this place, and while I had heard great things about it, I wasn't sure what to expect. The line started right after the first window, and it was moving at a pace of about 15 minutes per person. I was accompanied by my family, including my 2-year-old and 7-year-old. However, in hindsight, bringing my family along was a mistake, especially on that day.

After waiting for some time, we finally reached the door inside the building, and I was feeling positive about getting closer to trying the food. However, by that point, it was already 2:10, and my wife decided to take the kids back to the car. As I stood there on the caution tape at the door jam, it was already 2:20, and I realized that the wait was going to be longer than I anticipated. From where I was standing, I estimated that it would take another 20-30 minutes. I'm not sure if this is the standard waiting time or if some people were indecisive and causing delays in the line.

Unfortunately, my wife grew tired of waiting, and I didn't want to argue with a hungry wife and kids. Review the camera footage to see my looks disappointment and disbelief on the faces of the people around me that we were so close to the finish line. I was hoping someone in line was going to encourage to just wait a little longer lol. But maybe they saw my wife’s face and knew If I left that was 10-15 minutes off their wait.

Based on this experience, I have decided that I won't be coming back on a Sunday unless we skip church or if I come alone.

Here are some suggestions for improvement. If long waiting times are the norm, it would be helpful if they placed tape on the walkway, similar to what is done at amusement parks, to give people an idea of how long the wait will be. Additionally, participating in apps that provide wait time estimates in advance could also be beneficial.

Despite the wait, I noticed that the people who did receive their food looked excited, and I was still anticipating a perfect meal. I just wasn't prepared for the lengthy...

I’m not sure whether or not I’d consider myself a regular at City Limits, but I’ve been around 10-12 times. I’ve never had a bad meal on any of my visits.

•The brisket is what I originally went for, and the sliced moist/fatty is 10/10. I’d put it up against any that I’ve had in TX. •The smoked chicken is way better than I expected. I normally don’t order chicken because, well, it’s just chicken. The 1/2 smoked chicken is SUPER moist, and pairs perfectly with the white Alabama sauce. •When they do a whole hog bbq, the sandwich is on point. You don’t have to smother it in a bunch of sauce either. The meat itself is just flavorful. •Speaking of sandwiches, the banh mi is, without a doubt, one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. The only problem with it is I struggle to try anything else when I visit on Sundays, because I always want another. •If you like chopped brisket, the Texicano sandwich (brisket, pickled onion, jalapeños, etc) is heavenly. •For sides I can’t help but to gravitate toward the Hoppin John or charro beans. •If you make it early enough to get a side of cobbler, do yourself a favor and get one (unless I’m in line behind you).

Is the food here cheap? No. It’s not. But neither are Ferraris or anything else that stands apart from the pack. I’ll never be able to afford the high end sports car, so at least I can have some insanely good smoked meat.

Will you probably have to wait in line? Yes. Yes you will. So don’t go if you’re in a rush. It’s an experience. Savor the wait, maybe chat with the people around you. You’ll be fine.

Lastly, if they run out of something while you’re waiting, just try something new. There’s nothing bad on the menu.

(But seriously, the banh mi is...

I contemplated not standing in a line for BBQ when there are a lot of choices out there, but I am so glad I ended up deciding to come to City Limits. We arrived around 10:30 on a Saturday and were maybe the 10th party in line. While we waited, folks came out to greet us, tell us about the menu for the day, and offer free water and beer. Once they opened, the line moved fairly slowly -- but once we reached the counter we realized it's because the entire staff is so darn friendly that they spend all the time needed with each and every customer. SO friendly. We loaded our platter with brisket, hash & rice and chopped pork with chicharron, as well as collards and slaw. We also bought a bag of fresh chicharrons and some jalapeno pimiento cheese for the road -- one of the SO friendly guys behind the counter recommended the combo as a riff on chips and dip (great rec, btw). After gathering our tray, we headed outside to the one of the picnic tables and enjoyed some of the best BBQ and sides I can recall. Everything was utterly delicious and so well-prepared. The biggest surprise was the chopped pork with chicharrons, which was a wonderful combination of textures and flavors. As we ate, Robbie's wife was circulating around to check in on customers, and she spent what felt like a ridiculous amount of time at our table chatting with us and answering all my husband's many, many questions about their recipes, weekly prep schedule and business model LOL. She was SO friendly. What a wonderful experience we had, from the food to the service. Did I mention how friendly they are? If we lived locally, I'd come all the time and befriend the...