Hog Tails Barbeque

Not sure what the hype is about. The service is delayed. Food is really just ok. I guess there seem to be a neighborhood bias. We got fried chicken and BBQ chicken. They both were all bad. The spot is quite pricy too. I will prefer Lancaster smokehouse any day over this place.

Thought the big BBQ combo was great for a group of 4. Boxed up lots of leftovers to go home too

Visited twice within the scope of one week. They were out of the buttermilk fried chicken during the first visit, and it was the item we wanted the most. But all the meat we had was so great, which made us determined to come back for the chicken again. The grits and mac & cheese were really good, and I really enjoyed the cornbread as well.
For the second visit we only had the chicken and the mac & cheese, and both were amazing. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy inside. The flavor and texture were perfect. I had their vanilla mint julep, which was also really good.
Seating is a little limited, but both times there was no wait. The staff where very nice and friendly. I’m planning to go back to try the Sunday brunch soon!

Never knew the Laurelwood region has so many great restaurants that I didn’t know existed, so glad that my friends took me here. Hog Tails is a nice little bar opposite of the high school, or diagonal from Food Basics. The first thing I noticed was their hours. Apparently they only open till 9pm everyday, which is quite odd considering that it’s kinda like a bar.
Environment:
The plaza that it’s located in is pretty small and the parking space is limited. But the intersection has other plazas nearby for parking and it is near a bus stop for the 13 bus. The restaurant itself is pretty small, it has around 6 – 7 tables, but it is possible to come with a group of maximum 10 people I think. The restaurant has some nice décor, gives you that vintage look, the gum machine at the door is cute. The place is not too loud, which is a nice plus.
Food:
I came with a group of 8 so we just shared the platters. We ordered the big bbq platter ($ 85) which has basically everything and comes with 3 sides. A two meat one with bbq chicken and ribs (apparently it’s good for one very hungry person). Also a fried chicken bucket. Just all the nice and greasy comfort food for winter. The portions were HUGE, and we had to pack some leftover home. I liked the juicy and tenderness of the fried chicken (it was boneless too), but it was way too salty for me. The ribs were good and the beef brisket was amazing, highly recommended. Oh and the free popcorn was really good too.
Service:
I think the service was a little slow, especially that it took the waitress forever to give us our drinks. The food was slow too, but then again we ordered a bunch of stuff and they all came at the same time. Like I said before, this place closes at 9pm, but by 8pm the waitress started giving us hints to leave by asking if we’d like to pack the food and how we’d like to pay. I was annoyed by her to be honest, I get that it’s the weekend and everyone wants to go home early, but we ordered our food at around 7pm and we were asked to leave at 8pm. We were a large group too. It was like we ate and left, didn’t have time to sit and chat.
Overall it was a good experience, food was good, prices were reasonable, so I would consider coming back

Let me begin by saying it’s not just about amazing food, it is also about those fabulous cocktails ! We enjoyed our meal throughly. The ribs, pulled pork and brisket were cooked to perfection and we loved that the side order sizes were not overwhelmingly big, so the main focus was on the meat !! Thank you for the friendly service, we will back.

This place gets a 4 out of 5 because they haven’t found their grove with desserts (as in not officially having any)
TL;DR — Meat was FANTASTIC! Really nice service, décor has completely transformed a boring strip mall space without making it feel overdone, reasonable prices and friendly service.
Now for those that want details.
We arrived to a restaurant with two groups already seated and someone grabbing take-​out.
We were seated immediately and set up with beverages. We didn’t have any of the cocktails but they looked great. Most are $ 9 but most importantly they are mixes that a) you might not have come up with yourself and b) took a specific selection of alcohol and skill to make. I can make my own B52 at home thanks, give me some creativity. They also appeared to have a tasty and reasonable beer line-​up.
Soon after getting our drinks a group of six showed up. Our waiter (whom I’m almost sure is the owner) offered us a larger table and a free appetizer if we would be willing to move to accommodate the group. We were of course willing to shift so they could be seated and waved away the app.
Well he really wanted to make sure we had a good meal so he brought us the cracklin’ pork (pork rinds) saying he loves them and if we aren’t into it then he’d be happy to take them away. Pork Rinds are definitely not my thing but I’ve had them a handful of times. These were by far the best I’ve ever had! The dip really made it but the light, fluffy, crispy rinds were neither too oily nor too dry, seriously I don’t think any place could top them and we finished the plate quickly.
We also received the popcorn that is covered with some kind of amazing cajun seasoning that was INCREDIBLY addictive to me. I honestly could have eaten that popcorn as my meal.
The food came quite quickly especially as 4 tables with 16 people total had clearly arrived within 10 minutes of each other and it’s a small kitchen. I never felt rushed nor did the staff ever seem stressed. They are clearly a well-​run team.
We ordered the three meat platter which comes with three meats of your choice (amounting to 1 lb of meat) two small sides and corn bread. The brisket was incredibly tender and beefy, I find lots of places loose the beefy flavour in the sauce and/​or brining so this was really important to me. The pulled pork was delicious, not doused in sauce so you could get all the flavour but with enough sauce so it was not dry. The buttermilk fried chicken however was by far the best, some of the most moist flavourful chicken I have EVER had, the breading was crisp with those perfect little ripples and folds that only come with buttermilk batter. They apparently have a deal for a bucket of chicken on Tuesdays and although it’s a trek for us (from Burlington) I think we have cemented it as a very viable option. We ordered hush puppies and jalapeño mac and cheese as our sides. Again the greatest skill this place has is it’s ability to wield that deep frier. The hush puppies were crispy and warm but not oil a great feat to have mastered. The mac and cheese could have been a bit heavier on jalapeño flavour but that’s because their roux was so creamy and delicious. I’m typically not a big mac and cheese person unless it’s been baked but this put that thought to rest, the roux should be used as a dip just as it is.
Finally the cornbread. I’ve never really met a cornbread I didn’t like, meally, with onions and peppers, firm to be covered in chili love ‘em all. My husband is the other story, generally hates the stuff… he couldn’t get enough. This cornbread is light, smooth, and gently sweetened with honey (much better choice than molasses which is what many seem to use.) Honestly perfect cornbread.
When we were all done we were both very satisfied and best of all not full, I find most BBQ places we go you’ll leave feeling weighed down with meat and carbs but I felt like I’d had a phenomenal hearty meal without needing to gorge myself. Not to say that the portions aren’t fair, they are healthy, especially the burgers at the next table but I think you can honestly leave and not hate yourself an hour later when you feel beat by the meal. I have NEVER had that perfect level of satisfied and healthy feeling after BBQ, so well done again.
Our server asked us if we wanted pie or cake jokingly and I asked him what kind of pie they had as something sweet would be nice. He looked shocked that I may have gone for it. He offered us bananas fosters over cornbread with ice cream. It’s not on the menu but it is FANTASTIC. They should erase the board and shout top the street about their bananas fosters. Maybe you’ve had better but it was the PERFECT end to the meal and cemented this as a destination for us in the future.

Best barbecue joint in the Kitchener/​Waterloo region. Extra marks for their pulled pork, one of the best I’ve ever had.

What a great experience! And not just because we were starving! Honestly, I’m so glad I listened to the other good reviewers! First I’m going to tell you: do NOT let the outside turn you off of going in! It looks like a little hole in the wall, and it is small, but it is so thoughtfully decorated and so warm… trust me… don’t look at the sign… just go inside! Sarah and Darryl (sorry if I spelled names wrong) have a great place going on! We were lucky enough to be served by Sarah who was super friendly and (obviously) very knowledgeable about the food. But first the beer! Try the Stratus Fear on tap! So great! As for food, we had the fried chicken (crispy and juicy and delicious) and we got one of the platters so we could sample the smoked meats. The wings and ribs were fantastic! These aren’t your dumbed-​down version of ribs you get at most places (I’m looking at YOU Swiss Chalet!); nope… these ribs and wings are properly smoked! Gorgeous crust and truly smoky amazingness! The pulled pork was crazy good with a sticky, sweet crust that I want to roll around in! The jalapeño mac and cheese was solid, but I think my favourite thing was the jalapeño hush puppies! Do not question; just order them. Trust me on this. You’re welcome. I have been to Louisiana; I never had food this good when I was there. All that was missing was a hurricane (and they might have had them on the menu, but the draught was so good I didn’t think to ask). We’re an hour from Waterloo. I will happily drive an hour to have dinner at this place again!

This was my first time staying in Waterloo and spotted Hog Tails on here and decided to give e it a try. This was a very good decision.
I ended up having the best barbecue that I have ever had. I got the three meat play because I wanted to try a little of everything. The brisket was really good. Nice long strings and some good bark. The ribs were very good too, but the smoked chicken wings were incredible. I got mine with the hot barbecue sauce and enjoyed the hell out of them.
It was a very cool place and I can see why it would be very popular. It was great food and really excellent service. I will definitely be back to try the fried chicken.

Went here with a friend wanting to try their chicken & waffles dish (during dinner time) but they sold out due to it being Mother’s Day brunch day :-(
They first give you a cup of popcorn with some sweet BBQ powder topping — SO GOOD. We ended up sharing the 3 meat platter: rack-​o-​ribs (waitress said it was 3 ribs but got 4 pieces), texas style beef brisket (4 slices), and buttermilk fried chicken (1 medium sized piece). It comes with cornbread + 2 sides so we chose: fries and the jalapeño mac&cheese. My fav was the buttermilk chicken — it was crispy and tender, not dry at all.
This place was surprisingly small, fits only about ~15 people. Overall, good food and definitely still want to come back to try their chicken and waffles!

I tried this place out due to the amount of positive reviews here on Unilocal.I was not disappointed.
A buddy and I split a platter of buttermilk fried chicken, smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, cornbread, homemade coleslaw and french fries. Absolutely everything was perfectly done and delicious. Portions were quite large.
Darrel, who was behind the bar, was extremely friendly and helpful, he even let us sample a few things such as their Caesar mix and a few of the craft beers they have on tap. Pitchers are cheap! Go here!

Pretty good food. Great staff, very friendly and know the menu well.
Everything was good — it just sucked that the one time I went they were out of brisket, which was the main thing I was interested in. The pulled pork I got though was very good, and I enjoyed the many sides offered (hushpuppies, cornbread etc, not just your typical french fries or onion rings). As my second meat I ordered the fried chicken. Now they did come fresh out of the fryer, and are pretty hot, and greasy. I’d recommend if you get the fried chicken to let it rest in your plate for 10 minutes or so to cool off, then dig in. I think you’ll be in for a treat.
I’d be giving this joint 4 stars if it wasn’t for the fact they didn’t have any brisket when I visited, as well, i paid 20 dollars for not a whole lot of food (2 pieces of chicken, handful of pulled pork, a bowl of mac and cheese, handful of hush puppies, and cornbread — i think they should increase portion size a bit. Although, I may have just had bad luck.
Besides those 2 issues, I’m very satisfied with the location. Most of all, the people were great, welcoming, and not too pushy or annoying. An excellent place to get a few friends out to, have some drinks and enjoy some delicious barbecue. Worth a try for sure.

I could seriously drink their BBQ sauce, that’s how great this restaurant is ! A++++++ Well done!

The staff there is super friendly and the food overall tasted okay (a lot of BBQ sauce on the meat as oppose to have the flavour infused into the meat itself, just FYI).
Here’s something to note: for the 1, 2, or 3 meat platters DO NOT expect a normal adult portion as in the amount of food you’re getting is tiny (p.s. I’m not fat nor have an ginormous appetite). I’ve been there twice and each time the portion size is smaller than acceptable. On top of that the food is expensive!!! If you ever go, plan on spending $ 20-​$ 25 and u still have to eat afterwards. All and all, food tastes great, not amazing, but the portion you get and the price you pay is definitely not proportionate.

Meat Sweats, Great Beer, Great People.
Gotta say, that this place is never a disappointment. If you like pulled pork, ribs and southern meats of all varieties, then this is the place to go. I’ve been for Brunch, Dinner, Takeaways & Just hung out for beers.
You know it’s good when you scan down the menu, and you come across the words «Add Bacon. No Extra Charge»
This place is a solid establishment & the staff are awesome, talented and friendly (both on and off the grill).
Happily one of my favourite places to recommend to people in the area looking for something different with a big Bang for the buck!
Make sure you try the cornbread and don’t scrimp on the hot sauce!
Bonus: Dukes of Hazzard playing on the TV.

I’ve had takeout here a number of times, and the pulled pork and brisket is always dyn-​o-​mite. But today I ended up there for brunch after finding out how little brunch options there are in the city. Once we arrived there was also plenty of seating to be had. It’s a lot harder to get a seat at the Lancaster Smokehouse, so this was a plus.
We both had the pulled pork and collard greens hash with two poached eggs. Typical great pulled pork, though in the hash it wasn’t sauced up like it normally would be and some slightly sweet collard greens. The potatoes were large and underneath, which I didn’t expect, but they had a very nice crispy thin layer on the outside and were soft in the middle. Like everything I’ve had there the portion size was excellent.
Would definitely try brunch here another time. A neighbourhood gem!

Today was the first time in a while I’d been to this location. I ordered the Cuban Missile (their take on a Cuban) with an order of jalapeño mac & cheese.
The Cuban was alright. In place of the pickle and mustard they use chow chow (their spicy relish). It certainly fills in the void where the pickle and mustard should be, except that there was really only one mouthful of the entire sandwich where there was enough that I could taste it. The pulled pork is well cooked, but definitely needs the help of the barbeque sauce given the lack of chow chow. It’s a pressed sandwich, so it was greasy top and bottom. I really liked it, but the details held it back from being great.
The jalapeño mac & cheese was a very solid southern mac & cheese with a basic hint of jalapeño flavour, but no heat at all and a little more liquid than I prefer. Tasted great, but not quite hitting those details again.
This was served along with their coleslaw, which is fairly basic. It was a lot of food and I ended up with a couple bites left over I couldn’t bring myself to finishing. I certainly left full. It was good, but I’ve definitely had better here in the past.

This is an example of a true ‘neighborhood gem’. Hog Tails has quickly become a favourite. True southern cooking and tremendous value for your money. As mentioned, portions are huge so bring your appetite or some friends… sharing is easy!
You will also want to bring a bib. It can be messy eating!
If you are looking for fine dining with the latest in trendy décor, this isn’t for you. If you are looking for great food, great beer (a unique selection of fine craft brews), awesome service and value… this is the spot! (if it’s busy, just get take out)

My friend told me this place had one of the best tasting smoked meats he has ever tried. So me and a group of friends went and got the 4 meat dinner and got every single meat except the pig tails. There pulled pork was amazing! it melted in your mouth and the sauces made it have to much flavour. There briskets were thick but very soft, meaning this place knows how to cook there meats. I wish this restaurant was more closer to the university towns so it wouldnt be so hard to get to.

I confess.
I have a crush on everyone who works here. The waitresses, the guys back in the kitchen, and especially the kid who dunks the onions in batter for the Platonic form of the onion ring that they serve up in a glorious golden pile of heart-​stopping goodness.
Yes, I have a problem: An addiction to Hog Tails.
This is the only restaurant in KW that I return to over and over and over again and I’m never disappointed. Ever.
Out-​of-​town friends and family members that comes for a visit make the pilgrimage here. Friends from back in Michigan are planning their next visit to coincide with the opening of the Lancaster Smokehouse.
The ribs. The glorious onion rings. The pulled pork. The fried chicken. Oh, my goodness, the fried chicken. I tasted it and instantly remembered the fried chicken my Kentucky-​born grandfather used to make. Somehow I think they went to his old Kentucky farm and found the recipe in the pantry.
Okay. I’ll stop gushing ’cause nothing sets up a diner for a disappointing dining experience as someone who insists «It’ll be the best thing you’ve ever had.» But seriously, it’ll be the best thing you’ve ever had.
(And it’s worth the wait. Even when the wait stretches to an hour. Thankfully, though, the Smokehouse is opening up soon!)