Rack Shack BBQ

3 and a half stars.
The Shack serves up some pretty good tasting meat.
I thought the sauce consistency and flavor were top notch.
Smoky, slightly spicy-​slightly sweet.
The tiny seedless bun it was piled onto just couldn’t stand up to it, though, and nearly disintigrated.
This isn’t a problem when you’re dining in full service, but having it handed to you on not even a paper plate, just a few sheets of wax paper, made it difficult to enjoy as much as I otherwise would have.
Service here was pretty friendly, and I’ll try it again to get a taste of the interesting BBQ tacos I saw another patron eating.

About 8 or so years ago, an old, ornery Black man started smoking ribs and chicken at the back of the Rhythm Room to sell to customers. The meat was salty, tangy, and delicious. RR management basically ran him off, stole his recipes and brought in Randy and co. If left to Corritore, the evolution of the Blues in Phoenix will have the same fate — no resemblance of it’s rich heritage — just drunk suburbanites pantomizing and living out their fantasy. Without soul however, Gumbo is just chicken soup.

The reviews I’m reading on the Rack Shack! don’t do this place justice. I’m sitting at home after a long night having some of the best potato salad and black eyed peas in the valley. it’s all about the sides people!
The meats are good if you hit it early and they’re GREAT if you hit it late. as the night goes on, Rack Shack moves from 4 stars to 5 stars. of course this is on the Late Night BBQ scale which is admittedly different than the Early Afternoon BBQ scale and the Mid-​Day BBQ Scale.
Speaking of the Mid-​Day BBQ Scale. one of the worst places I’ve dined for BBQ lately is Dickey’s BBQ. what a joke that place is… Rack Shack has Dickey’s Beat Hands Down.
Bonus! — I’ve prepared this rhyme to help you remember where they’re located… Rack Shack Snack Attack. get it rhyme, rhythm room? … man… this review needs to end!

I agree with the other reviewer… this place is ok. Food is not terrible… but it’s not the best I’ve had. I got the ribs w/​side + corn bread for $ 12. That’s about the going rate for ½ rack of ribs… but you sit outside at a table in the parking lot.
The BBQ is tasty… the meat was fairly tender but not hot.
If you’re in the area, it’s worth a try. But, it’s not in the same category as say Sam’s Café or Keegans for ribs.

There is definitely nothing particularly spectacular about Rack Shack BBQ, other than the idea that you can get beef brisket and other smoked meats in an unlikely location — outside of Phoenix’s best small-​show venue (The Rhythm Room).
For that, I appreciate the business minds who are behind the concept, where the same target audience would be satisfied with drab provisions, like hot dogs wrapped in bacon and flimsy-​meat burgers. Instead you can partake in one of the oldest method of preparing meats, either in a full-​plate format, or on a seedless hamburger bun.
BBQ from Rack Shack is a great way to kill an hour or so while the opening band clangs through «hits» only groupies would love.