MISSION BBQ — Restaurant in York

LONG REVIEW WARNING...OH MY GOSH! This was legit the best place I've eaten at so far in my life. I don't ever make reviews so this has to be incredible. Let me start by saying the staff were very informed on the menu and what is popular (And don't be afraid to ask for a sample). They suggested to me the Salmon, which I was already going to get but LET.ME.TELL.YOU. This was the best Salmon I've ever had in a restaurant. If you don't like salmon you should try this one. I could have eaten it without the BBQ sauces, but I'll get to that in a sec. The first bite was a smokey burst of herbal seasonings of the good kind. I regretted not asking for them to warm it up but it was a little chilli in there but the Salmon is a must. You barely taste the fish, but you feel as if someone cooked it just for you. I've cooked salmon before and even my Girlfriend says she'll never eat at a restaurant for salmon because mine kills, but literally this competes, probably even better than mine.

The BBQ sauces are a must try for all, the Texas Twang gives you smokey but sweet feel and I ain't too big on BBQ sauces but it was great. Smokey Mountain was my very, another Smokey sauce but it has a fresh feel as if it was just made. Memphis Belle is a little on the light side of flavor and taste like a typical tangy bbq sauce. Tupelo Honey Heat is a light spicy with a kick of sweet tangy flavor. Not too smokey either. But swallowing it caught me off guard, definitely the spicier of the 6. Bay-B-Que does taste Old bayish with fresh herbal sweetness definitely the most flavorful though. KC classic reminds me of a taco bell salsa but with an extra kick that nearly rivals Tupelo Honey Heat. The sides were on the regular side of things but still enjoyable. The NC vinegar too was a great taste, you could take shots of it all day. Best vinegar I've had. So good I mixed all 7 of the Flavors together and honestly nothing compares. You've gotta try it all. String beans were good but I don't like them with bacon but they tasted pretty good. Sweet flavor. Fries have a organic and salty taste, a good traditional side. I always said I wanted to visit this place and I'm glad I did, definitely won't be the last. Staff was very friendly too, and oh the Alabama White Sauce was good too. Not much flavor until the after taste but it's good also. Thanks for a successful Mission BBQ. Big Recommends to anyone who wants to try some...

I came from across the river from Lancaster to ride a little mountain bike, and got lost and was hungry after 3 hours riding, so on the way home I was searching for some cue I wouldn't have to drive to Divine Swine to get... I was fortunate to find this well-run (Andrew and Dave) franchise of Mission BBQ. I chose this over the bbq in east york because MB's clearly cares about the quality of their cuts and have a supplier who grows for them in the midwest. In BBQ you either get quality, or you get corn-syrup sauce on fat/heart attack.

The staff who answered my call and got someone to answer my supplier question were well-trained and seemed to have spent some time on the job, the other place, not as impressive and their food supplier was just ok (not Sysco, or better). Their sauces are pretty cool. One with a touch of ginger, one with Worcestershire, one a vinegar, others, and my fave was Smokey Mountain (not smokey, but very tasty/spiced). Brisket, "lean," ( not the fattier "wet," which is very tasty too) was awesome. None better, but maybe use some more green hickory wood.

Pork was average, ok, wouldn't need to have it again but it may be perfect for you. It's rare that I rate pork 10/10, this was an 6-8 for me, but may be 10 for you. The ribs: Type 1: St. Louis: Just amazing spicing and very good. Type 2: Pretty good, would get again. Decor: Nice themes, great giants/panthers game was on which was a bonus. Staff: Perfect. They really clean up/wash, pay attention to all details. Cost: Reasonable and you don't have to buy a ton, so you don't get soaked. Bonus corn-bread with a couple pieces of corn was...

Full disclosure:. I do not prefer BBQ-type places and would never eat at one on my own by my own choice. This visit was a result of a family decision to dine there.

The menu selection is fairly simple in terms of the meats available for a sandwich. I had the pulled chicken with melted mozzarella cheese, without any sauces. Sides were limited as well so I had the French fries.

Food is served on metal trays and parchment paper. If they have silverware, I couldn't seem to find it so everyone had to use plastic utensils. The napkins are a roll like paper towels at the table. I'm not certain what the theme of the dining area is. Is it a restaurant or more like an indoor picnic?

I found the pricing to be extremely high. For 3 adults and 2 children my bill was almost $45. In addition, there isn't table service so you're expected to wait/fetch your own food when they call your name. There is staff in the dining area that helps clean off your table, but you're also expected to deposit your food waste and tray by waste bins on your way out.

Food portions are on the larger side and drinks have free refills. We visited on a Friday evening and most of the condiment bottles by the soda machine were empty, making it difficult to find ketchup for the fries.

While the food itself tasted good, paying that kind of money for essentially self-service makes little sense to me. If it were up to me it would be a one-and-done dining choice, however my family liked it more so I'm sure they'll want to return...