Pat's BBQ in Salt Lake City: A Review

Pat's BBQ, located at 155 West Commonwealth Avenue (2125 South) in Salt Lake City, has gained a big reputation for it's big portions and big flavor. Being featured in local weekly alternative newspapers and getting the big thumbs-up from Guy Fieri on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" has only added to their prestige.

And did I mention they have live music? Many barbecue joints serve up the big flavor but fall short when delivering good ambiance, which Pat's definitely is not lacking. The menu is designed for the barbecue lover in mind. There are options to get the pork ribs plate, two meat combo, three meat combo, pulled pork and beef brisket, chicken and pulled pork, beef brisket or chicken sandwiches.

The weekly specials are: barbecue meatball sandwich on Monday, rib tips and/or chef's choice on Tuesday, smoked barbecued meatloaf or chef's choice on Wednesday, smoked pork loin or braised beef on Thursday and burnt ends or rib tips on Friday.

Side dishes include: cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, mustard greens, red beans and rice, meaty gravy and rice, mashed potatoes and gravy, Creole beans and rice, jambalaya and the soup of the day.
Pat's is also known for its homemade sweet potato pie and bread pudding. When was the last time you could get good sweet potato pie anywhere, let alone good sweet potato pie?

Although Pat's can be hard to find for those who aren't familiar with the city, it's definitely worth the drive through some questionable areas. The ribs are juicy and flavorful. Granted they don't slip off the bone as is my preference, but the rub and sauce were great on it, and the meat was of good quality. The chicken was nicely smoked, but not to the point where you can't tell if it's chicken anymore. The brisket is among the best one can hope to find outside of Texas and the pulled pork reminded me of my college days in southern Illinois and how pulled pork was something I too often took for granted. And this was good pulled pork!

Like many barbecue joints, Pat's offers its own homemade sauces at the table. Although I wouldn't call these award winning, they serve to enhance the smokiness of the meat, rather than cover it up like some restaurants' sauces do. So in that regard, Pat's sauce is a definite winner.

And if you don't want to have to hall the tribe down to Pat's or want to make Pat's part of your next party or football game, consider the fact that Pat's is also famous for their great barbecue catering.
Pat's menu can be found online at http://www.patsbbq.com.