Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque

This place can kiss my ass! I am a veteran, and the owner don’t seem to like us. Therefore I would starve before darkening his door! Overpriced anyway

Fun ambience to be sure. But my general impression is you pay for ambience, not food quality. Our waitress actually said to my husband that she recommended he order something other than what he first stated because «most people dont like the sauce.» She brought him a sample; meat, covered in overpowering sauce. He ordered pulled pork instead and was satisfied. I wish they had a kids menu. My daughter didn’t care for the $ 10 pizza. I liked the duck I ordered, mushroom sauce was prime, but all in all over priced. I disagree with below, thought the sweet tea was great.

Take this review with a grain of salt, though you may want to save it for the food.
Cuz’s came highly recommended by the locals. And usually, I enjoy trying places representative of the areas I’m traveling through, even if it’s nothing like what I’d usually try.
My baked potato looked dried out and old. It tasted worse. The bbq pork just didn’t do it for me. The mix of sauce and the meat fought with each other. The slaw arrived drenched in vinegar and the bread was both stale and dry.
Finally, and I’m convinced this is unfair, the sweet tea was horrid. That, in particular, must be a Virginia thing. Far enough south to put sugar in the tea, but northern enough to mess up the brewing. It tasted off, almost like instant but not quite. This at least is consistent with the area.
If it weren’t for the potatoe and bread, I’d assume my distaste was completely because of local taste. But I did not enjoy a single bite of the food. Add to that, that it took several minutes for me to be seated with several tables open, and you have the 2 stars. I’m adding one because of ambiance, and the benefit of the doubt.

Twice a year we venture down to Bland, Va to do free dental care, it’s or tradition to come here for dinner. Always a great time! The BBQ was a North Carolina style, which I didn’t realize wasn’t sweet like I’m use to, but a very strong vinegar taste. Besides that, everything is amazing such a fun place to visit!

This place is like food on crack.
Like, I just paid $ 22 for a steak bigger than my head, kind of crack.
Like, the amount of crab-​laden cheese I consumed should have probably killed me, kind of crack.
Like, there’s pig nipples all over the damn place, kind of crack, and fuckn’ right I’m gonna touch them. All of them. Don’t judge me.
The décor is wacky to say the least and if I wasn’t warned of this prior I probably, being an out-​of-​towner, would have said ‘fuck this’ and hit the door. Plastic pigs come here to live out their existence dangling from a ceiling inside a place that probably slaughters it’s own swine right under their noses. Crazy evil if you have empathy for plastic animals. I don’t so I dined comfortably.
I ordered a steak… excuse me… I mean I ordered a Motherfuckin’ chunk of juicy and tender beef that could have easily fed 6 of me. It was unlike any steak I’ve ever had before and with a $ 22 price tag I’m sure a trip to Virginia is the only way I can ever relive this steak experience again. This thing will stupefy you. This thing will probably clog your bowels if you eat the whole thing. Eat with caution. or just take a laxative.
The sweet potato was as good as any other sweet potato. The burgundy mushroom gravy that I was coerced into ordering and pouring over my glorious steak, well, it tastes like shit. Sorry, Sam. I donated my pitcher of it and thanked my lucky stars that I tried it before I ruined the perfectly good quarter cow on my plate.
The Hot Cheese Crab Meat Dip was probably crazy caloric, especially in the quantities I was consuming it in, but it was so damn cheesy and full of crab I didn’t want to leave a drop of it behind.
The staff were great, the food was great, the pig nipples were great. You really couldn’t ask for anything more from this place. I hope I get to come back in the future so I can explore the menu a little more.
Aww, who am I kidding. I’ll always order that damn steak.

I’ve eaten here dozens of times and I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad meal here. The crab soup and steaks are always great. The scallops are better than any I’ve had at any seafood restaurant. The menu changes often and the cooks are always adding new creations.

I’ve been in for dinner 3 times… I asked which of the steaks I should order… answer…the Filet… I ordered… the Filet… now let me stop! Ready? …no joke the Filet had to be 12 – 14 oz… is that possible… yep! Maybe more… so on three occasions I’ve had a plate full of beef and a veggie… and I mean a monstrosity cut of beef… soooo, two of the three times the beef was incredible but the third wasn’t, hence 4 stars… two 5s and a 3. I really have no idea what I ate as a veggie and I’m sure they have desserts… but…I couldn’t finish the cow! But I did wash it down w/​a Cabernet! They are not open in the winter! It’s a funky looking place both inside and out! It has an open kitchen that you can from certain seat watch much of the preparation…

I’ve been coming to Cuz’s long enough to know what to order and what my Americanized taste buds simply reject. And I’ve been going since 1995 (before the fire & rebuilding that changed that back room into the gorgeous open space it is now).
My only issue with this place for years is the difficulty reading the menu. IT ALL LOOKS LIKE THIS $ 7 AND IT’S ALL RUN TOGETHER $ 13 WITHOUT SPACES OR LINES BETWEEN THE ITEMS $ 22 SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO READ $ 11 ESPECIALLY FOR BEGINNERS $ 15. But I think it’s all intentional now. They don’t care and they don’t have to change it.
Share appetizers: Cheezed egg roll and crab dip with the famous bread rather than those chips they serve. My parents are all about the seafood kabobs. My palate is very rich, so sometimes I get the creamed mushrooms in saffron sauce. Don’t do this unless you A) have a similarly rich palate B) love morel mushrooms and C) know what color saffron is.
The BBQ was what I first handled as a kid (and trust me, it’s not your St Louis OR NC BBQ… it’s just… well…Cuz’s). Now I go for the steak unless there’s a specialty item I must have such as a Duck entrée with Skanky Mac & Cheese. I’m ALL about the Green Peppercorn Filet medium. If you don’t like gravy get the red wine burgundy sauce. The side potatoes are sometimes small and the salad dressing is still something I avoid. I don’t go there for sides. It’s just apps, bread, and meat.
Order a piece of French Silk Pie to go (cause you won’t be able to consume much after you finish those apps and try to attack that filet). It’s expensive, but if you want to treat out-​of-​town company or clients who love to eat, you really can’t go wrong. This has been the most consistent mom & pop restaurant I’ve visited, and my 18 years of eating there can’t lie.

Great Service, perfect food. Steak is a must!

Barbeque? I don’t think i have ever had the barbecue at Cuz’s and for that reason I can’t comment on it. Mary and her family introduced me to Cuz’s several years ago and in those early years learned that if you lived in Tazewell County and have never been to Cuz’s then you don’t know what good food is! t
Let’s begin with one of the best things i have ever eaten in my life. Yes, I know that is a bold statement. I stand by it. The dish was called Shrimp Veracruz. An amalgamation of tomatoes and seafood, including shrimp (of course), white fish, scallops and crab along with deliciously thin squash. The flavors married so well together. I remember the first bite I took after i pulled it out of the microwave. Yes, microwave. I was enjoying this delicious stew of seafood and veggies hours after it had been ordered and cooled in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, I had to work for this trip to Cuz’s but Mary and the Fam did great! But this dish was a special, only coming around once every blue moon.
Here is the tradition that is standard with whoever is lucky enough partake in a Cuz’s meal with Mary’s family. Everyone gets an appetizer. A standard appetizer for us is the Skanky Lobster Mac’n Cheese. What a brilliant dish. Chunks of lobster mixed with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce and macaroni noodles and to top it all off… blue cheese to give it that tang that leaves you salivating for more. Mary’s mother always gets the mushroom gravy croûton, Savory deliciousness! Of course everyone shares the appetizers. For the entrees everyone gets a bite of what is ordered and nobody can order the same thing. The entrees are always different and eclectic. Their cuts of meat are ridiculous as well. The Hunka is a piece of Prime rib the size of a baby’s head! No one person is able to finis it themselves.
I have never had a bad meal at Cuz’s. The only thing that may deter some people are the prices of the dishes. Its not uncommon for a dish to be in the $ 20 range but it is absolutely worth it to splurge every once in a while to enjoy this wonderful establishment.

I moved to Minnesota almost seven years ago. I used to live in Virginia and was introduced to this restaurant a number of years ago.
I –still– miss this place. And when I go back to Virginia to visit family, it is always on my list of priorities.
The atmosphere can only be described as whimsically tacky. Walking in, seeing all the vivid primary colors, quirky furniture and random hanging lights sort of makes you feel like you’re looking at things through your inner child’s eyes. It’s Asian, backwoods, rustic, western, Mexican and awesome. I’ve never been anywhere else that compared to this place.
When I used to go, they had a live band (usually bluegrass or something similar) playing upstairs above the restaurant. Since the lines at this place are usually long, it was fun to go up there to pass the time. Admittedly, I can’t stand bluegrass or country music, but something about the atmosphere makes it feel appealing.
The owners are very nice, very wonderful people. And they do things right here… the chefs are trained very well. The menu is always being updated and jazzed up to keep things interesting. Their steaks are gargantuan and melt-​in-​your-​mouth excellent. I never skip ordering the burgundy mushroom gravy with one, though… it puts it over the top. Even the bread that they serve with sweet cream butter is amazing.
I do recall having tried their actual BBQ here and being underwhelmed. Which is amusing since the word barbeque is in their restaurant’s name… but nothing about this place fits into any mould.
Just… don’t pass this place up. If it weren’t 1,200 miles away right now, I’d be heading straight to it instead of writing this review.
And next year when I go back to Virginia, this place will definitely get my business more than once.

I am a local and have been to cuz’s many times over my life. I have yet to understand why people like this place… at all. It is the only local restaurant within miles, but that is not enough to make worth going to. For most people here curry is a «weird» dish, so that exotic flavor mixed with really tacky psychedelic décor hypnotizes the people I guess. I have had every item on the menu and have never felt like «that was pretty good» afterwards. I gave up on ordering fish there, because it is always bush league. Fish cuts are super small, low quality, and tasteless. As diverse as the menu’s selection is, the sides completely lack any taste or effort (rice, potato, or bland veggies). A side salad is only cheese and iceberg lettuce, and that will cost you extra. The ribeye is large in size but not in flavor, it’s an unseasoned slab of meat thrown on the grill. Every selection on the menu is priced double of what it should be. Even if the price of food was cut in half it would still wouldn’t be worth having. Placed in a competitive market Cuz’s wouldn’t exist. Mediocre on its best day and always overpriced, Cuz’s is just a hangout for local schmos to strut around and get sauced.

This place is a gem! I’m originally from Richlands and have lived all over and have to say my old hometown is lucky to have Cuz’s. The food is great. From the Flintstone-​sized smoked prime rib to the cheesed egg rolls to the mushrooms to the Thai Seafood Curry, its the best. If you’re a BBQ fanatic, skip it here. Not much to crow about, but every other item is top notch and the décor is funky.

4.5 stars. Finding Cuz’s is like finding an oasis in Pounding Mill/​Richlands area. Unless you fanatically love McDonald’s, it’s rough finding a decent dining opportunity here. Friendly Holiday Inn (the only place you should stay in Richlands unless you are going to stay with Cuz’s) staff pointed us to Cuz’s and that’s where we ended up spending all of our precious government per diem money for dinners. We had ostrich burger specials, thai seafood curry & bbq beef. Ostrich burger special was memorable, but seafood curry & bbq beef didn’t ring anyone’s dining bells or whistles during /​after dinner.
Like everyone here have already said, deco and atmosphere is definitely fun and colorful. This is not what you would’ve expected in SW Virginia and great fun can be had taking a quick stroll around the restaurant and surrounding cabins. I will definitely go back there when I’m in the area again.

This is my favorite restaurant… and I am in no way trying to be dramatic. I’ve eaten at a lot of places in my day and I’ve not found food that compares. The atmosphere can be described as eclectic, redneck/​asian bbq/​whatever else. The menu features anything from Oyster K Bobs (my death row food) to Thai seafood curry, to steaks bigger than footballs. All served in a room thats looks rival the general «creep» factor of most modern horror films… weird paintings on the wall and action figures hanging around. I grew up about an hour from Cuz’s and I feel like as a kid we made a trip there weekly… as did most of Grundy. It was NOT uncommon to find license plates on cars from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, etc… mind you these states don’t border Southwest Virginia so thats gotta tell ya the food is legit. My only quarrel is that they aren’t open all year… they close from mid november to sometime in the spring… i’m not 100% as to why… but it just does and we’ve all learned to accept it. So yeah… the food is great… prices are a little high but you get enough food to eat on for three days… and the experience is awesome. If you haven’t gone… GO!!! If its too far… cowboy up and Go anyway… they have cabins to stay in!

Cuz’s first opened when I was in high school all those year ago. It was unlike anything we had ever seen in that part of the state and we loved it.
It was the first place I ever ate Thai food back in the early 1980s, so it is not your usual BBQ joint either. Mike and Yvonne were always cooking up something funky, interesting and fantastic. I always go back whenever I am back in the area.

An eclectic place to be sure filled with mismatched furniture. Very «out-​there» for otherwise conservative and rural Tazewell County. Really funky and wild décor.
Service was decent. Dinner started with some dense and tasty hunks of bread that had the faint taste of sourdough. Had the rib appetizer. They were just drowning in the sauce. The sauce was good and the ribs were smoky – more smoky than you generally find in BBQ around Virginia which I liked and meaty. But this was a mess to eat, even moreso than BBQ is.
Entrée was the smoked prime rib. Not much smoke flavor and the cooking was very uneven. Some parts were a perfect, juicy and buttery medium rare, outsides were so overdone they tasted awful and was so dry and touch, it could have cracked a tooth. The parts that were good, were very good. It’s just that not all of it was edible. Served on the bone which is how prime rib should be done.
All in all a decent experience. Would definitely go back to try a few more things on the menu.

I’d heard about the great BBQ at Cuz’s, so after a trip to Burkes Garden we decided to try it.
The restaurant is really eclectic — it looks as if the wait staff, after a long shift, was given buckets of paint and all the beer they could drink and told to do what they wanted in the restaurant. Swirls and hand prints, kitschy sayings and phrases — there’s a lot to look at, for sure.
When we told the waitress we were there for BBQ, she asked if we’d been in before. A tip? She brought us samples of both the pork and the beef BBQ, and I’m glad she did. Both were drowning in a tomato-​paste sauce of some kind, and had an unrecognizable tang. We opted for kabobs, a couple of ribs, and a crab dip.
All in all, «meh» is a good way to describe it. Certainly wasn’t worth the $ 30 ticket, although I’m glad she steered us away from the BBQ. If you like dry BBQ, this is not the place — not even close.