Backyard Barbeque

Hands down my favorite barbecue (and I’ve tried them all as far south as Georgia). Excellent food. The meat is usually beautifully cooked. The sauce is a spicy vinegar based red – reminds me of a western NC sauce. The sides include both traditional and unique. Only potential disappointments are that it is essentially carry out, but there are a few seats if you want to dine in and their excellent ribs are only available on weekends. But neither of these things bother me and the food is so good, I give it 5 stars anyway.
I was reluctant to give such a great review because I’d rather have this great ‘cue all to myself, but the owners and the product deserve the praise. Laughing.

I got take out BBQ ribs for my daughters birthday. Rocklands was unexpectedly closed. I’m glad they were! These ribs were quite good. Slightly spicy tangy sauce. Very lean meat. This will be our go to ribs place for now on.

I absolutely love this place! Husband and I eat there probably at least once a week! Everything on the menu that we have tried (which is just about everything) is delicious! And while I could rave on and on about how fantastic the food is– it’s really the staff and owners who make this place truly special. They always have a smile on their face and just have that «Come on in» family kind of attitude. Just a fantastic restaurant that is one of my favorites! :)

Well, the brisket sandwich was certainly edible, and the cashier was very pleasant. However the brisket, despite the slather of sauce, was dry and grainy. The bun was a standard commercial bun. The sauce was nothing special. I wouldn’t bother going back.

I was working earlier and was suddenly hit with the desire for a pulled pork sandwich. I’d wanted to try Backyard Bbq before but I went on a Monday, the day they happen to be closed! It’s a small spot in a strip mall with enough seats for about 5 people comfortably. The menu is basic and straight forward. Pulled pork, brisket, and surprisingly jerk chicken. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich which was very delicious. It had a nice vinegary sauce (NC style) and was served on a potato roll. The accompanying Cole slaw was great. Not sweet, with a decidedly vinegar bite. It really added to the overall flavor of the pork. I’ll be back to try something else. Backyard BBQ is a gem!

Great bbq and I love the health salad! Wonderful place for picking up food for dinner or a party.
A lovely family runs it with great support staff. Looking forward to my next fix!

Down the street from my house. I’m not sure why it took me so long to try this place! The pulled pork and brisket are my favorite. I have never been a veggie fan and the carrot/​celery salad side they have I am a little addicted to! My favorite part are the owners, super nice.

First time customer and I left there with a. I had the pulled pork sandwich for lunch and I wanted more of if. I’m not a coleslaw person but I cleaned out the side cup. If I had more thumbs id give it .I’m definitely coming back!!!

Simply a great quick bite of delicious BBQ classics. A neighborhood staple.
The grilled salmon is my go to, with a delicious fluffy bun and a generous amount of a delicious mango salsa to go with the meal. The salmon is nice and light, and the mangos really add to the flavor.
Great place for a quick bite to eat.

This might just be the beat BBQ I’ve had in the DC area. This place is small and seems to mostly do takeout but they have a small counter area with some stools to eat there, as I did. Nothing fancy and no «DC ambiance» here, just excellent BBQ! You order at the counter and they bring your meal when it’s ready.
I had the brisket sandwich and the brisket was about perfect. It was lean, so tender you didn’t need a knife, it had that smoked BBQ flavor you want, and there was a huge portion of it. One note, I liked their sauce but it’s tomato based and they only have one kind so if you only like mustard or vinegar sauce maybe get it to go so you can add your own? The BBQ beans were excellent too, with a smoky flavor and lots of peppers, onion, and a little pork. They’re worth the $ 3 for the «small» serving which is actually pretty large. They have a limited menu compared to some places so no fried items like fries, okra, squash, etc. and I’m not sure that they actually brew tea here, might be all canned drinks.
I’m picky about BBQ and this place is in a strip mall that’s a little hard to get but worth the trip. I want to go back on a Fri, Sat, or Sunday to try the ribs next time.

Amazing!!! I had the chicken sandwhich — it was cooked perfectly & came with the delicious mango salsa! Got a side of mac & chesse & the owner gave me a sample of thier pulled pork bbq, which were both great! Highly recommend! And not too greasy or heavy — very fresh!

BLAH is the best description I can provide. Pork was fatty. Brisket was over-​seasoned. Mac&Cheese tasted like Velveeta. It’s a check in the box kind of place. One and done.

I was working near by and thought I would try this place across the street and I’m glad I did. I had a pulled pork sandwich that was very much to my liking but expected the cole slaw to be the traditionally sweet kind, which I normally would pick but this was also very good but had more of a German twang (vinegar base) it was good and refreshing. I would definitely come again.

The food here is consistently outstanding. The ribs fall off the bone, the brisket is great and the sides are yummy.
They would have 5 stars but they are consistently stingy with extra sauce. The wet ribs are barely coated with it, same with brisket and extra sauce is necessary. I shouldn’t have to beg. Even when I ask I have to double check to get enough. It’s a distinct downside to the experience.

I think it depends on what you order. I enjoyed the chicken with mango salsa as as the pulled pork and mac and cheese. It’s great for the price and the location is awesome. Quick turnaround as well, took about five minutes for pulled pork.

Did take-​out here tonight after being here once before. I’m not a barbecue snob, but this is some of the best I’ve had in the area. The woman behind the counter let me try the brisket and it was excellent, tender and had great flavor. I brought home the pulled pork meal an it was more than enough for a family of three. I will definitely be going back for mor pork and a full serving of the brisket.

The barbecue at this little joint is just out of this world. We couldn’t devour it fast enough yet the post-​dining endorphin kick kept my husband and I up and giggling for hours after eating. I have not had a foodie endorphin rush like this since dining at Wolfgang Puck’s Las Vegas.
For all of these reasons — I don’t know where to start. Sure, the storefront is totally barebones and warmed by a portable space heater. You’re not going to want to take your jacket off when you step inside. But the ribs!!! Get a whole rack. You’re gonna want to take some home. In fact, you’re gonna want Backyard BBQ to cater your wedding, so grab a flyer, too. And the potato salad! Rich and divine with a crumbly melt in your mouth consistency like I’ve experienced nowhere else, ever.
For paleo people, this spot is an unassuming jackpot. For the rest of the world. Show a small local business with mind blowing barbecue tradecraft your support and stop in for a to-​go. You will not regret. You might even eat your leftover ribs for breakfast (Hey — don’t judge)!
Note: I stopped in on Wednesday night. Ribs were available, though signage indicated to check ahead or weekends only. The woman behind the counter was the sweetest thing and checked on us frequently.

This is not a proper bbq joint. Is barely mediocre. Pulled pork is not smoked. Coleslaw is watery and lacks bite. Mac and cheese comes from the kids menu at Denny’s, or so it tastes and appears. Baked beans are okay.
No tables just a couple bars at the window.
I’ll never return and I suggest you avoid.

I’m really surprised to compare the reviews and my experience here. I thought the food was great classic southern bbq. To me, it hit all the notes correctly, and wasn’t trying to gussy up something that’s always been delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwich and it was definitely the best one I’ve had at any Arlington bbq joint, the meat was actually pulled (versus chopped to smitherines) and had good flavor and bite. The bbq sauce is a not-​to-​sweet/​not-​to-​vinegary sauce that complemented the meat well. I really liked the classic coleslaw (mayo and all) that I plopped right on the sandwich in the potato bun.
My husband got brisket, which he liked — but I didn’t eat so won’t comment further. I really liked the baked beans, I thought they were sweet and a good complement to the meat, but not overly-​so. They also weren’t mushy, which describes every other baked bean I’ve had in the greater Arlington area. The mac and cheese was NOT overcooked, and it’s a creamy velveeta style sauce, but to me that’s classic bbq mac and cheese. It did not taste chemical-​y to me, and had a nice pepper kick to it.
The young women who worked in the shop were kind and effective, nothing over the top but my food was quick and they were nice.

4 stars? Y’all can’t be trusted. First, the owner was SO RUDE. He just stared at us – never said hi, never asked what we wanted. Perhaps this is some sort of Virginia tradition I’m unaware of. Carry on.
The food, like the attitudes, was appalling. The brisket bore resemblance to the bottom of my hipster boots and had no flavor. But-​for its baptism in bbq sauce it would have been completely inedible. The pulled pork was equally dry and gross and the mac and cheese was definitely easy mac.
I would never voluntarily do this to myself. I love myself. Why do you guys not love yourselves?