Hickory Hall Bbq - Oakland

All meat burnt to a crisp and sides were not worth the price I paid. Worst mac n cheese Ive had from a BBQ joint. Ribs were good enough to warrant a second star.

The ribs were extremely tough and undercooked, which is surprising for pork—it should be a fundamental dish. I can't risk getting sick from that. The potato salad had large chunks and a sour taste. The beans were overly watery and lacked any flavor. As for the lemonade, it tasted like watered-down lemon juice—did you forget the sugar? This place really needs to enhance its dishes with some spices and seasonings for more flavor.

The macaroni and cheese resembled more of a macaroni salad, so I ended up tossing it. On the other hand, the brisket was fantastic, but the ribs were a bit dry. Overall, the experience was pretty good. Having grown up in Texas and Oklahoma, I know what quality barbecue is, and while this was just okay, the brisket was definitely outstanding.

First, I have to say that this BBQ brought back a wave of nostalgia, reminding me of my uncle’s backyard BBQs with canned pork and beans and brisket that was burnt to a crisp! The ribs were quite good, but there was an issue with the way they were served: the meat was placed in the box, and while the sauce, which was also pretty good, was dumped on top, the underside was left completely untouched by sauce! Additionally, I didn’t order potato salad—I wanted cornbread instead. I would definitely return for the ribs and to get my wife’s missing cornbread, but I’d skip the brisket. And why was chicken not an option?!

Pulled pork to die for. Great potato salad baked beans