MISSION BBQ — Restaurant in Westminster

Update September, 2021: I went back to see if anything had changed since my last review and sadly, it has become worse. Both my pork barbecue sandwich and barbecued baked beans arrived cold! That's right, cold. Quality of the bun had not changed, nor had any of the sauces, although I do like the mountaineer sauce so that's a positive. But there was one change that did take place and that is price. The prices are actually higher now. The only other positives I point out is that the pork was tasty, despite being cold and the amount that they provided was reasonably good. So in my opinion this restaurant has become worse over time and I am giving it only a two-star rating. If you are reading this review, then I encourage you to go to Andy Nelson's in cockeysville on York road because it is superior there and they give you more portions for the money. More importantly the food arrives hot and fresh. I won't be going back to mission BBQ anytime soon. And if you are one of those high turnover employees from mission bbq, please do not respond to this review because the only thing you can say is nonsense. It's absolutely ridiculous to spend $27 for two sandwiches and two sides and then for it to arrive cold! I won't be back.

Original review: First of all I am not a robot, I am not being paid for this review, I don't work there and I have no vested interest in this restaurant. Just an honest review. So here goes. Pork was very good. The bun is just average. The quality of the service was slightly above average. And the pork barbecue sauces on the table are about average, except for the mountaineer sauce which is above average. The price is slightly higher than I would have expected, but overall a solid B minus rating. To get to an A rating, they need to improve the quality of their pork barbecue sauces, the quality of the bun and to reduce their selling price. Bear in mind that this restaurant is a chain and so many of the workers will have high turnover and the business will be run to make the most money it can. But, since Carroll county has a limited number of pork barbecue places, it's good to see this restaurant here and I will probably visit it again. Next time though, I will lower my expectations. The last point I want to make is that I have eaten quite a bit of pork barbecue over the years in a number of different states across the United States. The best places I have found are located in the Midwest and have not been restaurant chains. The midwesterners as well as Southerners seem to really understand how to prepare, cook and serve high quality American pork barbecue. In the Northeast and Maryland, it is very difficult to find top quality pork barbecue sandwiches. Most of them are average or slightly above average in overall quality, with many places simply not worth patronizing. So don't be...

Service was great right before I left, but before that, I asked the girl upfront if I got the dry brisket instead of what I ordered because I ordered moist Brisket and it looked dry, (whereas about 6-7 months ago when I got the moist brisket, it was falling apart, it was so moist, fatty and delicious.) But she took a look at it and said it was fine and asked if I had any sauce to use to help. Something must of changed in the time between my visits, Cuz now it’s very dry and I have a hard time chewing due to Dental work so really, I needed it like it was before. When I went out to my car and took a bite out of it, I decided to call and this lady was very helpful. She came out to my car, I showed her the brisket and she gave me something that was better. You could tell it was the moist brisket but not at all like it was before, where it was falling apart and fatty. She also gave me a free banana pudding, and cornbread for my troubles. She was very nice, helpful and apologized. I also got the Mac n cheese, which was delicious, and the corn on the cob, which was ok but was smothered in a lot of salt and pepper, almost too much. I won’t order the Brisket again but I’d definitely come back for...

I am writing this review even before taking the first bite of my food, that's how incredible staff at this location are. My 5 year old son and I walked in the Westminster location on rainy afternoon of 4/6/25, and were immediately greeted by a huge and genuine smile. The young lady who took our order was so polite, friendly, and so kind to my son. She really made my son feel like he was the center of her world. We encountered four staff members in our barely 10 minute stay and they all treated us like family. They showed us our food before packing it, to ensure accuracy. Come on, I don't even think I got this kind of service at some of the top restaurants. If you are looking for old school, hometown like, genuine service, this place maybe the last of it's kind. I took a bite of my brisket, and it's really really good. Once again, hats off to this establishment and all the amazing and dedicated staff, they really know how to make someone feel special, something most establishment have forgotten. Please continue to make customers feel special, it goes a long way without you even knowing. -Your...