B-Side BBQ

Wow this was good while it lasted. Sad to hear its gone. Meat, bread, sides all top notch. :(

Old west Oakland
A dear friend of mine took me here for a little catch up lunch after a long quarter of school. We walked in and it was fairly quiet, not too busy seeing as it was an awkward time after lunch and before dinner. The vibe was an old southern rustic feel, which I love. Very clean and cozy little joint with kind employees. He ordered the brisket while I ordered the pulled pork. His brisket was a lot drier than I had expected, maybe I am slightly biased because I like my BBQ extra saucy, but I guess that’s why you can ask for bbq sauce on the side. Regardless, the flavoring was quite delicious. My pulled pork however, was very good. It was flavorful, you could taste the spices and it wasn’t too much of any flavor because the cole slaw on top gave it a nice neutral balance. It was delicious, I’m quite satisfied. It’s a shame this place closed before I could give them my thoughts, but I figured I’d do it anyways.

Sometimes you shouldn’t mess with a classic. I feel like there was too much going on with the flavor profiles. This particular day I just wanted good bbq & classic sides, this is not the spot for that. The meat itself was not bad though.

Wow, you know you’ve procrastinated on your Unilocal reviews when a restaurant closes before you’d had a chance to post your review. In any case, I figured I might as well finish my review. We stop by on a weekend to pick up dinner for a few people, and placed our order at the bar. It took about 15 – 20 minutes to prepare the order, and we tried:
–Dinner Dark & Stormy St. Louis Ribs ($ 22, Add $ 1 for Mac & Cheese): The flavor of the ribs were really good, and they were definitely meaty, but a little on the dry side for me. The mac and cheese was just ok, and a little bland.
–Dinner Smoked Brisket w/​Smoked Yams ($ 23): The brisket was pretty good, but the smoked yams were amazing! Not the healthiest since you could taste the brown sugar and butter, but I really enjoyed this and would order it again.
–Buttermilk Cornbread ($ 4): Just ok, not much flavor and on the dry side. Skip.
Overall, my favorite dish was probably the smoked yams. The BBQ items weren’t bad, but they weren’t great, either. They were also on the pricier side, although you got a decent amount portion wise. Parking in this area was tough, since there were only a few street parking spots in front of the restaurant, and this isn’t the best neighborhood. I read on their website that they’ll be opening a bakery here instead, so I’ll definitely be back to check that out!

Came in on a Saturday night and were able to get seated pretty quickly because there were only two of us. The space is pretty small, so be ready to wait if you have a larger party.
Ambiance was good. Shoot, they were even playing Blazing Saddles! Great start so far.
Drinks came out pretty quickly and tasted GREAT. We ordered The Bronze Buckeroo and Harlem Rides the Range.
Now the food:
–Bowl of Chili with Burnt ends and Scallion Sour Cream: the sour cream made the chili. They also split it up for us ahead of time and served it in halves, which made it easier.
–Brisket: now, the meat came out in great and thick cuts, but in the end, we both had really dry meat. Sad. I usually use BBQ sauce anyway, but this time, had to drown my meat in it to keep eating. The BBQ sauce also wasn’t my fave…
–Smoked Mashed Yams: money! Probably the one thing that I truly enjoyed from here.
–Spicy Coleslaw: kinda meh.
Overall, the sides and the drinks made the meal better. I’d be willing to try B-​Side again on a night where they’re not out of the ribs.

This reminded me a little of chicago’s green st smoked meat in terms type of food. This place is a quarter of the size, but the quaintness of it all is cute.
The briskest and ribs were really delicious. The rub on the ribs were good by itself. Although I wish the meat on the rib would fall off more. The bbq sauce that went with it was delicious. It had a kick to it that added to the flavor. Mac and cheese was really good too. It didn’t have the heavy cheese feel that some places have. For dessert, must try the cookie (warmed) with the vanilla crème (no crème was left behind). I call that crack cookie. They are sooooo delicious. Definitely a place to try out with friends. Date wise, it could be a bit messy with the ribs

This place is so small so expect to wait couple minutes on busy nights. Ordered half brisket and half ribs (wanted to get links but they were out) with a glass of beer. The meal came with a toast and cole slaw and some pickles.
Portion is very very small… disappointing! We shared it between two girls. maybe that’s why but even if you get it by yourself, the price is pretty high for what you get. There wasn’t much meat on the ribs, didn’t like them too much. Brisket wasn’t too bad and wasn’t too dry. But I liked their sides better than the meats — cole slaw and pickles were very refreshing! Also, their bbq sauce was good.
Food is eh not too great… heard their wings are good though so I wanna try them if I go back. Loved the interior though. Why is it so hard to find perfect bbq!!! Where are you!!!

Initially I gave B-​Side 5 stars. I was an early and frequent patron with my husband and daughter. However, I am very sad to say that my recent visits have been disappointing. I gave up on the ribs and brisket. Portions started shrinking and the meat was often dry.
I focused on the salmon and the chili. I could count on them. I have found the salmon perfectly prepared and very consistent. I also like the greens. The price increased, portions decreased. I still went. Price increased again. $ 20.00 for salmon. I think it was $ 12.00 when they first opened.
I decided not to get the expensive salmon and have a nice bowl of chili. Now $ 9.00 after price increases. Well, it has changed from an amazing bowl of mostly brisket ends to a disappointing bowl of beans. I’m so sad.
Thank goodness Perdition opened on University. Fantastic brisket, pulled pork and more. Sadly no salmon. No chili. Good greens and meat smoked to perfection. Moist! And purchased by the pound.
I assume B Side had to make cuts to survive, but the quality has seriously declined and I am very sad to say that I might not go back.
Two and a half stars.
Very nice wait staff.

Ever since I moaned audibly savoring the Smoked Pork Hash at Brown Sugar Kitchen over seven years ago, I knew chef Tanya Holland had a particular culinary style that made me do happy dances on my not-​so-​rarefied palate. There’s a dexterous lightness in her approach that makes Southern favorites like Fried Chicken & Cornmeal Waffle incredibly flavorful with little of the post-​digestion heaviness that would normally make you regret such indulgences soon afterward. She’s taken a similar approach to her sophomore barbecue joint, and I’m surprised it’s taken me three years to try it. Well, not really. After all, this stretch of San Pablo is not the safest part of town, but credit Holland for sticking to her home turf to serve her unique brand of ribs and brisket.
I came here with three colleagues from work across the bay, and yes, we took an Über to get to West Oakland. Ever read «Bonfire of the Vanities»? Anyway, it was the middle of a sunny weekday. so there was no sense of menace in the area. The compact space has been decorated in a cowboy saloon-​style. Fully expecting a long line at lunchtime, we were pleased as punch to find it half-​empty. In fact, we could share counter seating near the front door in order to share sides should generosity take over our spirits (…it did eventually). The menu is concise but packed with temptations. For the first-​timer — of which three of us were — the «2 way» plate was obviously the way to go with all the fixins, and lunch, served from 12−3PM, is definitely the better deal here as it’s only $ 15 versus $ 23 at suppertime.
Two of us decided to order a combination of the Dark & Stormy St. Louis Ribs and the Smoked Brown Sugar Rubbed Brisket (photo:
). The brisket was definitely a wise choice as it was fork-​tender and packed with flavor with a light sugar-​and-​spice rub. With a nice crust and a pink smoke ring that actually glistened, this was a winner. The ribs were pretty good, not great. The robust flavor of the marinade was spot-​on with stout and ginger mixed in it, but I was surprised the meat was more on the chewy side as if it wasn’t in the smoker long enough. The sides, however, did not disappoint starting with the Acme White Toast, which was half of a wedge of Texas Toast, something I haven’t had since my childhood in Dallas when you got it with an order of Nalers Fried Chicken.
Given it’s from Acme Bakery, of course, it was soft without being too chewy. There was also a little glass dish of pickled cauliflower, carrots, radish, jalapeño, and onion that suited the steel tray of meat just fine. The award for top side dish has to go to the Smoked Mashed Yams, a fluffy-​whipped creation that was just sweet enough to offset all the protein (photo:
). It was almost dessert. Equally light was the Yukon Gold Potato Salad sprinkled with chives, probably the airiest rendition of this picnic classic that I’ve ever had and nothing like the tub you get at the deli counter at Safeway. Topped with a subtle breadcrumb topping, the Macaroni and Cheese was clearly the work of a trained chef as the sharpness of the cheddar was balanced with a tantalizing béchamel sauce (photo:
).
Infused with garlic, the Collard Greens were probably the closest that B-​Side made to a traditional Southern dish your Aunt Parthy made (photo:
). The BBQ Baked Beans also delivered the goods with plentiful bits of bacon bringing a heartiness to the brown sugar-​sweetened beans. To wash it all down, I ordered a $ 7 Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA, which was a far more fitting libation for such carnivery than a mere Diet Coke. All in all, Holland has really put her own stamp on a type of cuisine that really isn’t her bailiwick and moreover, elicits very strong opinions on who does it best. She doesn’t as I am swimming in memories of the Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood outside of Austin, Fette Sau in Brooklyn, and Phil’s BBQ in San Diego. However, what she does offer is her characteristic light touch which makes an ordinarily heavy barbecue meal a lot more attractive.
FOOD — 4 stars… Holland’s uniquely lighter updates on BBQ favorites with the brisket and the smoked mashed yams the standouts
AMBIANCE — 3.5 stars… interior is comfortable when it’s not crowded but definitely come during daylight hours… ever read «Bonfire of the Vanities»?
SERVICE — 4.5 stars… very friendly and the food came out pretty quickly
TOTAL — 4 stars… not quite the Brown Sugar Kitchen but I’d definitely come back

My brother has been bugging me to go here for months and finally, I gave in. First of all, I’m not a big bbq fan at all. Second, I’m super asian when it comes to eating. I want rice with everything esp. meat. So for obvious reasons, I avoided this place for so long.
Let me tell you. Because of this place, I love bbq… well, maybe just theirs. Everything was perfectly seasoned, not too salty or sweet. I ordered the brisket and it was so tender with the right amount of fat. My brother ordered the dark & stormy ribs which tasted great, but my only gripe was that they could’ve been a little more tender. He also added a hot link which he loved. I thought it was okay, not bad though. I even loved the sides (potato salad and mac & cheese) which I usually don’t care for.
We also had great service. To the 2 ladies who worked tonight (Friday), thanks :) Right when we walked in, we were sat at the bar, given waters right away, had our orders taken promptly, and the food came fast.
I’m just going to say it outright… best bbq in Oakland!

I thought Unilocal had unwarrantedly closed my account some 18 months ago. I was mistaken! They simply changed the email address associated with my Unilocal account to my old work email. At any rate, I’m elated to rejoin the Unilocal ranks and exercise my writing muscle for us all to collectively reap the dividends.
The Mrs. and I were in the east bay and were craving bbq. A quick Unilocal search led us to B-​Side. I consider myself a bit of a BBQ connoisseur and my wife thinks she is because she is from Texas. So our standards for bbq are fairly high we like to think. B-​Side didn’t disappoint!
The Brisket was super tender and fell of the bone. The chicken was also excellent. We got the fried okra and baked wings as appetizers and were very pleased. The sauce for the wings had a yogurt like consistency.
My only critique would be for the bbq sauce to be a tad bit spicier. I realize not everyone has burned off most of their tastebuds so the masses may not share my preference.
The dessert was to our liking as well. Iram got a cornbread pudding with a whiskey caramel sauce which was quite delicious.
My body didn’t make me pay this morning which I guess is a good thing. If you find yourself in Oakland and fancy yourself a BBQ aficionado, check out B-​Side!

I loved the feel of this place. It’s super laid back, clean, and the waiter was really cool. Yes, it’s a little on the pricey side, but we found a way around that. Three of us shared an appetizer, the brisket main and an extra side and were totally satisfied. The food is delicious! The brisket came with some kind of sweet and spicy sauce that I drenched the meat in. And my favorite side was definitely the smoked yams. Soooo yummy!
Keep in mind that this place is not trying to be a traditional Lousiana soul food place, so don’t expect that. It is its own thing. If you can do that, I recommend it.

Is there such a thing as a Holy Grail of BBQ places? Because if so, B-​Side is definitely my HG.
+ THE RESTAURANT.
Pretty small, to be honest, probably doesn’t sit more than 25 at a time. Definitely come early, otherwise you’ll be waiting 30+ minutes for a seat. It IS worth the wait, but maybe try ordering to-​go if you don’t want to stand outside that long.
++ SPICY BAKED CHICKEN WINGS.
Oh my god. These are, without a doubt, some of the best wings that I’ve ever had. The heat builds nicely, they’re juicy, and are utter perfection. The Rogue Creamery smoked blue cheese dip is pretty fantastic as well, and is worth hanging on to to use with the rest of your meal, if you have any left.
— DARK & STORMY ST. LOUIS RIBS.
This is what drew us here, and while they were good, they are not worth the hype, unfortunately. A little dry, not very meaty, and not terribly memorable.
+ SMOKED BROWN SUGAR RUBBED BRISKET.
I have literally never had brisket that melted in my mouth before, and it was so tender, it nearly crumbled at the touch of the fork. SO good, definitely getting again.
~ SMOKED BBQ CHICKEN.
Again, awesome stuff, a little dry, but great flavoring.
— MACARONI & CHEESE.
BBQ places are failing me with their mac & cheese lately, I dunno why. This place’s was creamy, but not a whole lotta flavor.
++ SMOKED MASHED YAMS.
If you don’t order this as a side, you’re a fool. I didn’t even know you could smoke a yam, but these were the best yams I’ve had in my life, not too sweet. Our whole group couldn’t stop eating the one bowl we had, and I’m still trying to find a recipe to try to make it at home.
Definitely coming back, this place is fantastic, but maybe not when the sun goes down…

I’ve been coming to B-​Side BBQ for a few years now and they are consistently delicious! I’ve actually never been in for dinner, but I’ve always enjoyed what I’ve tried at lunch. Their Dark and Stormy Ribs are some of the best St. Louis style ribs I’ve tried. The pulled pork sandwich is solidly tasty, and the sides are all pretty good. The baked beans could be a bit more molasses-​y and sweet, but they are still great.
On our most recent trip there, we tried the chicken wings and they were AMAZING! Balanced with sweet, sour, salty, and spicy tastes the wings were tender and I favored them slightly more than the ribs this time. Note that these aren’t crispy wings, so don’t be expecting Korean-​style super crispy chicken.
The décor is clever and fitting for the theme of a BBQ restaurant. They honor black/​African-​American cowboys with photos and old movies play on a screen in the corner. There are just a few tables and seats at the bar, but I’ve never had to wait since I always go at lunch, but one of the employees there says at 7PM everyday there’s a line out the door, so be aware of that if you plan to go for dinner!

I’m a huge fan of Brown Sugar Kitchen and never knew that B side was also the same owner. No disappointment here at all. If you order the brisket leave the knife in the tin can cause it cuts like soft buttah! I also ordered a hot link and had the Mac n cheese side, it comes with Texas toast and pickled veggies. I couldn’t believe the tenderness of the brisket by far the best I’ve had in years. The hot link had just the right hear though honestly my only negative to this would be, $ 8 for a hot link on the lunch menu? If you’re looking for really good BBQ go here it’s the best you’re gonna have at least in the east bay.

After spending my birthday with family at the old Alameda Naval Base, it was dinner time. BBQ was on our minds and that’s where B-​Side came into the picture.
I’ve had Brown Sugar Kitchen bookmarked for the longest time, but I never knew B-​Side BBQ was related. This restaurant was a bit petite and tight fitting for our party of eight (six adults and two toddlers). We had to wait around fifteen minutes for the middle island table to clear. Once the table was cleared, our server seated us and handed out our menus. To follow the menu distribution, our drink orders were taken. After browsing the menu, we all agreed on getting the fried okra bites as our appetizer. As for my main course, I decided on getting the dark and stormy st. louis ribs.
Our appetizer came fresh out the fryer. The fried okra was still hot to bite into, but once cooled tasted pretty good. Crunchy and not so slimy. The creole sauce that accompanied the okra went well with each other. By the time we got to the last pieces of the appetizer, our main entrees came out nicely presented. My dark and stormy st. louis ribs came with acme toast, pickled vegetables, and my chosen side of mac n cheese.
The ribs were fall off the bone good and seasoned well. Though the exterior was a little tough, the inner meat was tender. The acme toast was warm and crispy from being in the toaster. The mac n cheese was creamy and topped with panko bread crumbs. The elbow noodles were tender and soft. The vegetables were fresh, but had that tarty taste from being pickled.
The rest of the family did enjoy their entrees. The next time around, I want to try the brisket!

B-​side BBQ stands for BEST-​side BBQ.
This joint has, in my opinion, award winning St. Louis ribs and to die for brisket. You can definitely tell that the meats took hours to prepare and hours to slow cook. The BBQ sauce is spicy and gives a lovely kick.
GET THE CORN BREAD. It’s the best I’ve had; the texture and crispy edge crust are superb. Also, GET THE MASHED SWEET POTATOES. I’m not a huge fan of sweet potato anything, but this buttery goodness is worth my while.

Came here on the last day of Restaurant Week and boy was it hectic. They didn’t seem to be understaffed but everyone was still running around crazily, and it took us a while to get our name on the list, which is why one star off.
The food was pretty much amazing though, and definitely worth the wait (we waited probably 40 minutes). The bf and I shared our brisket and Dark and Stormy ribs, and had sides of the yams, coleslaw, and collard greens. THE YAMS! Best thing I ate, I think. Never had such light and airy yams. didn’t think it was possible, especially after stirring in the melted butter. I had to alternate tasty bites of brisket, followed by the creamy yams, then palate-​cleansed with the vinegary coleslaw or with a sip of the Mango Iced Tea. I was full before I knew it, and ended up taking home leftovers that was enough for a second meal. And I didn’t even mention the house-​made pickles and Acme toast.
We got lucky and managed to park in the tiny lot next to the place, but leave those spaces to good drivers (like the bf). No way I would try to park there myself. Go early for dinner since it seems to get waaay crowded after 7pm.

A Big Daddy IPA out of San Leandro to start while I wait for my pulled pork sammich. Not the most spacious place, but comfortable besides this big cowboy guy next to me. Hes cool as shit though.
No wings, no slaw for my sandwich. I strongly suggest not coming minutes before closing. Also, if you’re taking the BART in, catch a cab, its a sketchy hood and Hella far walk.
Sandwich was good, a little spicy for my taste. Beef brisket was on point, very tender.
All in all, a cool little place to relax in.

I love that Tanya Holland has given a challenged stretch of San Pablo a chance for her BBQ joint. The space is intimate, the cocktails are unique and the brisket is tender.
All the trappings of a good BBQ spot. I’m beginning to wonder if despite what people say, the Bay Area is starting to hold its own in the arena of BBQ offerings.