Pappy’s Smokehouse

I think this is a case of where my expectations were set so high, they could only fail to meet them. And that is on me, not them.
I will say that I’m a BBQ snob from Texas. #truth #triggerwarning
So when I stopped by for lunch, I was excited. The line told me I was in the right place.
The line moved quickly, and they had an efficient process to help with seating. The service was super friendly the whole time.
Being a Texan, I ordered brisket. I also had burnt ends (thinking KC would have an influence), and I had to try ribs too, because everyone said to.
Verdict: OK… probably great for St. Louis (no disrespect). But for me, this was average. The brisket was flavorless to me, so I got one of the sweeter sauces and used it liberally. The «burnt ends» weren’t what I expected; it just looked and tasted like coarsely-​chopped brisket. I was expecting charred nuggets of the brisket. Not here.
The ribs were the high point, actually. I could taste some love in there in the form of smoke flavoring. If you’re a rib fan (wet style), you’ll like these.
I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t know that I’d come back in a hurry. Still, this is probably great is you’re a casual BBQ fan.

Mmmm barbecue… Visited St. Louis for work and everyone told us to go to Pappy’s so off to Pappy’s it was. We were out in Chesterfield so I’d consider this a hike for food, especially when it snows like 0.5″ and it’s bumper to bumper traffic. Still, Pappy’s was packed and did not have much by the time we arrived. Only pulled pork left… good thing it was some banging pulled pork. Had that w/​2 sides – sweet potato fries and slaw. The sweet potato fries were obscenely sweet but it made it so addicting and good. Had frito pie to split too and that was just trashy and amazing. If I’m back in St. Louis I’ll def have to stop by here again for brisket or ribs or burnt ends…

Ribs are awesome
I love this place because they have delicious food and at reasonable price. The ribs are a must have and are absolutely delicious (try with different sauces they have) and sweet potato fries are also great. The prices are very reasonable and 2 of us had our lunch meal for $ 35 only. I would recommend this place to everyone, however there could a queue and you would have to wait and it is immensely popular. I have been there twice in last month and one time had to wait for almost 1 hour (it was my first time so had to try there as I had heard a lot about them), but the second time we just got our order placed in 5 minutes so basically it would depend at what time of the day you go there.

Do not let the line scare you! It was long but stayed moving. It was about 1 hour from when we got there to when we were eating.
We ordered a full rack of ribs with burnt ends and a Frito pie with pulled pork. Wow!
Everything was amazing. The sweet sauce was my favorite but the food didn’t really need any sauce.
We will come back when we are in town.

Pappy’s, my sweet, sweet Pappy’s. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s rose? No, that would be weird, but I will compare thee to other local BBQ spots. And… You shall take four stars! First and foremost, do not expect to get in and eat quickly, my friends. The line for a lunch at Pappy’s is not for the faint of heart, and surely not for those about to pass out due to food deprivation. You WILL wait. But, you will be happy that you did.
Ribs. Get the ribs and love yourself for ordering them and your tongue for tasting them. My first visit, the owner was walking around with, listen, FREE RIBS, just handing them out like candy to those of us waiting in line. It was almost too good to be true. I had some great conversation in that line, it made the wait fly by. The service was phenomenal and though we were worried we wouldn’t get a spot to eat, we were relieved that they opened up quickly.
This really is some of the best BBQ in St. Louis, you just can’t beat it. But do expect a long line and to get out after you eat quickly, it’s not necessarily a place you can sit and chat, relax.

Famous for their ribs. You won’t be disappointed unless they run out. Decent sides. Not as strong overall as other local BBQ, but the pork ribs are the best.
Pro tip: Go on an weeknight or at a less popular time to avoid waiting in line.

Got in line at 4pm on a Saturday and burnt ends were already out, and the brisket ran out by the time we got to the front of the line 45 minutes later. Nevertheless, my girlfriend and I still had some great food while feeling like a local:
— full rack of ribs (in retrospect, a half rack would have sufficed)
— ¼ lb pulled pork (+4 when added to the ribs)
— baked beans (YUM)
— sweet potato fries (sprinkled with sugar YUM!!!)
— fried corn (yum but unnecessarily salted)
They do a great crowd control, but honestly, there are plenty of seats available and once you get seated, it felt like the restaurant was at ²⁄₃ capacity — meanwhile we had just stood in line for 45 minutes and we all know the food is already ready to go. But I guess it’s nice to not sit elbow to elbow with others. Service was friendly, food was good and well priced — glad I came here for my one weekend in St Louis.

Ribs are the best item here, would focus the appetite there.
The brisket is ok, the fried corn on the cob is a neat concept (but will leave plenty of corn between ur teeth), and pulled pork is fine.
But yeah the ribs are clearly the star, thats why its listed 1^st on the menu! Moist, tender, flavorful — yum indeed.

Don’t be discouraged by the long line. If you’re with people it’ll definitely fly by with conversation or just start speaking to strangers if you’re alone.
This place is def your authentic on the fly sit in smokey BBQ joint. Despite the unfortunate circumstance of my friends vehicle being broken into in the parking lot we enjoyed it. The ribs were tender and the sides were well seasoned and portioned. The long line of people trying to get food here tells it all. Thanks a million to one of the owners who helped my friend with patching up the car window the hoodlums broke when they stole everything out of the car. Take the advice of the signs posted. Leave No valuables in your vehicle (yep the trunk too). All in all this place is Good eats and from what I could tell it had some good people.

What hasn’t been said about Pappy’s? Great food, attentive staff, efficient line movement (because you will probably be waiting for the best BBQ in town) and a friendly atmosphere. It was cold and snowy the day we went, but we didn’t have to wait too long outside. Mainly because we got there around 11:30, and we still were waiting an hour to eat. But after tasting the pulled pork and brisket, there was no reason to complain.
The sweet potato fries were a surprise, since they had sugar on them, but the fried corn was delicious. The turkey was a bit dry, but the right amount of BBQ sauce helped out greatly.

Great food. They were out of brisket and burnt ends when I got there at 5:30 on Thursday. No wait at all. Got the Adam bomb. Enough food for 4+ ppl.
(I’m from Memphis, so really I wasn’t that impressed with the BBQ. But I love jumping on bandwagons so I’ll give this 5 stars, too. St Louis standards=5 stars. Memphis standards=4)
Hoodoo and holly’s hot sauce are the best. I mixed all 4 together, and it was awesome.
Oh and to the guy that says it’s better than Rendezvous in Memphis… definitely a fringe opinion there, sir. To each their own I guess.

(Post review from Aug 2014)
Best Pork Ribs I’ve ever had. Full points for:
smoke — A+
moist — A+
thick cut — A+
grease — none
flavor — A+, slight mesquite/​hickory, mostly wood, salted great
dry rub — A+
I will never go ST L withOUT stopping here. The line is USUALLY out the door starting around 5pm. (We stayed at a hotel nearby.)

I just moved to St. Louis from Austin, TX. I have spent the last year and a half of my life sampling all of the BBQ Central Texas has to offer. From the famous Franklin BBQ, to the BBQ Mecca of Lockhart Texas, I have pretty much had it all.
It is tough to compare Texas BBQ with Missouri BBQ because it is like comparing apples to oranges. Ribs are a staple in Missouri while Texas is all about the beef.
Pappy’s had the best ribs that I have had in a loooong time, and they were better than any pork ribs that I had in Texas. Their sweet potato fries were also amazing. That being said, the brisket was not good at all. It was grey instead of pink and brown as it should be, and it was chewy. Not juicy at all. I was disappointed in the beef for sure.
When it comes down to it, the performance of the brisket at Pappy’s just does not allow me to put it in the same category as some places like Franklin BBQ, Terry Black’s, Black’s and Smitty’s Market. With that being said, the ribs and sweet potato fries were enough for me to say this place is ⁴⁄₅ stars. I will definitely be back to try the brisket again as I know BBQ is very dependent upon when the meat is served in relation to it leaving the smoker. Perhaps I just had a bad batch of beef!

I like to think I have some BBQ street cred given the years I’ve spent in Atlanta (feasting mostly on Harold’s and Fat Matt’s). And I’ve even been to Memphis to try out its famous dry rub BBQ at Rendezvous.
IMO, Pappy’s does dry rub BBQ ribs done perfectly, even better than Rendezvous. You could add sauce, but I advise against it. Enjoy their ribs as is: the perfectly blend of dry rub on smoked meat, without a hint of dryness. I was very impressed.
I didn’t find any of their sides amazing (I’m not a fan of corn, so I passed on the deep fried corn), but nothing was bad either. My only regret is that I couldn’t try their burnt ends.

I was in the heart of St. Louis and walked four miles round trip to get to this place in the brutal cold. It was well worth it.
There’s usually a wait. The restaurant opens early and is packed until they run out of food. I watched it happen to the people behind me.
Ribs are well seasoned and delicious. The sides were pretty much good home-​cooking. The service is great and they check on you often. I found service suprisingly fast. It’s a long line to order. However, food gets there as soon as you find a seat.

As a native Saint Louisan I feel ashamed that it’s taken me 22 years to come here for the first time. The food is amazing and this place is a must if you’re ever in town. If you’re coming here for lunch, I suggest you come in by 11:45am to beat the lunch rush. I will say that the food comes out pretty quickly, so even if you’re at the back of the line I don’t think you’ll be waiting for too long. After you order an employee will call your name out and bring the food out to you. By the time my friend and I picked a table and sat down our food was already out.
I got the Pulled Pork Platter, which I highly suggest. The meat was just so tender and juicy. You can also dress your meat however you like with any of the restaurant’s 4 sauces that comes with each table. The platters come with 2 sides, and I got the Slaw and the Sweet Potato Fries. The slaw was really fresh and the dressing is really delicious. If you’re looking to really fill up I suggest the fries because they definitely won’t skimp on the portion. That’s another thing worth mentioning. The portions are HUGE. I only managed to finish half the platter, which is totally fine because I was able to enjoy Pappy’s again at home for leftovers. You must give this place a try!!!

We visited pappy’s thrice in a fortnight, and found the food consistently excellent, the service informal but informed.
Menu is concise and short but there’s certainly plenty to get your teeth into. Pork ribs, beef brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, meat combos… Smoked pork ribs oozed flavor, grilled to melting softness, with sides further enhancing the credentials. Go hungry.

These ribs are so delicious. The meat falls of the bone and is super flavorful and tender. I’m not usually one to dig in and consume a half rack of ribs in one sitting… but Pappy’s can change the mind of even the most vehement dieter.
The rub is already so flavorful that sauce isn’t really necessary. However, Pappy’s sauces are so delicious that you should still try them. My favorite (I hope this isn’t forbidden to recommend) was a combination of Pappy’s Original BBQ Sauce and the Hoodoo Sauce at about a 3:1 ratio. SO GOOD. My friends’ favorite was Jane’s Sweet Sauce, but it was a little too sweet for my liking.
Try to get here earlier in the day because they do sell out (or call ahead to make sure you can still get what you want after braving the inevitably long lines). Food comes out incredibly fast and the people are super friendly.
If you’re in the downtown St. Louis area, make sure to stop by – this place is really special!

If you wanna know something, it’s that I am [mostly] a carnivore. Put me in any bbq and I am sure to leave no trace of meat, fat, or tendon.
You order and then sit down, but they bring you your food before you can even sit down, that’s how fast they are. The line can get pretty long though.
Pappy’s was delicious with ribs that were savory beyond my expectations. Eat them alone and you’ll have a great time. Add one of four sauces available and you’ll have an even greater time. (I hope this isn’t blasphemous) Mix some sauces for a balanced blend of flavors and you’ll have an awesome time. There’s not much to say, but get a rack of ribs and maybe a different kind of meat if you like (they sell until they sell out so be mindful of that). But have a bite of their mouth watering rack of ribs and you’ll be done before you know it.
I can’t say much about the sides since the main attraction are the ribs. The sides are there as a filler although I did enjoy their sugar coated sweet potato fries. If you’re ever in St. Louis, stop by here for a delicious meal!

I came here on NYE at 11:30am as part of a group of 10, and we were able to easily order quickly and get a table. Luckily we were able to avoid all the long lines that the other reviews were talking about! We ordered pretty much everything, so here goes a review for each:
Ribs — Must have. Meat falls off the bone. Tender. Flavorful. Delicious. Add the Hoodoo sauce to add a little spice to it.
Chicken — Another must have. I ordered the half rack of ribs and ¼ chicken. Chicken is so juicy. Not dry. No need for sauce.
Brisket — Good, but not as moist as I’d like it. Coming from Texas, we have very moist and fatty brisket, which gives it a full flavor. Pappy’s is a little drier with a small amount of fat on the edge.
Sweet Potato Fries — Good, but a little too sweet for me. They add sugar on top of the fries which makes it even more sweet. I dipped mine in the Hoodoo sauce to even out the sweet and spice.
Fried corn on the cob — Interesting, but I think this is a side you can skip. Imagine a regular corn on the cob, but instead of it being juicy, it’s a little harder and sticks to your teeth.

How good is Pappy’s? Well, I’m a native Californian, and as I write this review, I wish I could be back in St. Louis, braving the cold weather, just to be able to smell all that delicious smoked meat and to get a taste of those «burnt ends».
Just in case you’re only visiting St. Louis, as I was, I’ll try to explain «burnt ends». Created from the fattiest part of the brisket, these meaty chunks are also beautifully greasy, smoky and crunchy in the same bite.
NOTE: True burnt ends are made from the oddly shaped end pieces of brisket (though some places «cheat» by merely chopping up a piece of brisket then re-​smoking those pieces and passing them off as burnt ends).
Either way, these are little bites of beefy heaven that really make your mouth water for more at the mere thought of them (pardon me as I wipe the drool from my mouth real quick).
My wife ordered the beef brisket, which was just about as juicy, smoky and tasty as I’ve ever had anywhere else.
For sides, I tried the baked beans and «slaw». I’d definitely get another side of baked beans.

As a west coast temporary transplant to the Midwest for a couple months I have never had «BBQ», just the knock off version served up and down the California and Washington. I can now say that I know what BBQ is and it has changed my life. I used the tip of calling in an order for takeout to save me the 30min-​1 hour long wait and the process was super easy in avoiding the lines.
The ribs have a slightly pepper dry rub on them and then you choose the sauce you want to use. The traditional sauce hits the spot and the 2 sides which come with a slab are decent, but really for looks. Here, it is all about the meat.
If you are close to St. Louis you need to come here and get yourself some real american BBQ.

Pretty much every Thanksgiving, I drop ~$ 600 to ride in a flying tube where my body crams into coach like twisted alient in a jar from sci-​fi scenes, because FAMILY!
.Lol no, because St. Louis BBQ hollaaa~~
As usual, while basics were away punching babies over discounted TV on Black Friday, I shuffled through a quick holiday-​and-​rainy-​weather line and received that divine slab of ribs with open arms and open mouth.
Misc:
— RIBS, baked beans, sweet potato fries
— Awesome service
— Legit meat for your buck

I feel like this has been said. You know when you some to STL– your butt has to get some BBQ. But, where do you go? Pappy’s? Duh? I mean there are soo many other places in STL to get BBQ, and some think this place is over-​ratted. I mean it’s an institution. You got to wait in line here — guaranteed. But the burt ends and sauces are delicious.
Must Dos:
1) Burt Ends
2) Green Beans
3) Buy a bottle of their BBQ sauce to go
The End.

One word: Overrated.
If you Google top BBQ joints in the U.S., chances are that you will see Pappy’s Smokehouse on the list. When you arrive, you will see a line going out the door. After you wait 30 mins, 45 mins, an hour. .. you will see dazzling compliments from celebrities such as Jimmy Eat World, the Ataris, Adam Wainwright, Prince Fielder, Tony Stewart, Willie Nelson, John Boehner, Wendy Williams, etc. Sorry folks. .. it’s all hype.
Maybe I am just spoiled. I have lived in 3 different states: Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. All are known for their BBQ. I cut my teeth on Fat Matt’s greasy, spicy, soulful barbecue in downtown Atlanta. I waited outside in the cold for Ridgewood BBQ to open near Bristol, TN so I could devour some of that delicious hickory cooked ham withe coleslaw on top. We plan our family visits around the hours of Duke’s BBQ in Orangeburg, SC so we can taste some of that delectable South Carolina mustard sauce.
But Pappy’s? It’s good. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just not great. I ordered a half-​rack of ribs with baked beans and vinegar coleslaw. The vinegar coleslaw was different (I’ve never had coleslaw made with vinegar) but good. The baked beans were average. The ribs looked really nice: crispy bark on the outside, pink smoke rings on the inside. They just weren’t all that great. As a matter of fact, I think I’ve cooked better ribs myself!
If you want to check this off of our BBQ bucket list, go right ahead. You will enjoy it. Just don’t expect to be blown away.

Fantastic BBQ place in STL. I was starting to worry that STL wasn’t living up to the BBQ hype that I’ve heard so much about. This is a non-​pretentious bbq joint that serves amazing food. Everything is simple, which is refreshing because downtown STL restaurants feel like they’re trying to be classier/​fancier than they really ought to be.
The food was on point. I got the half stack of ribs, which comes without sauce. All the sauces are on the table so you help yourself to as much or as little as you prefer. I could have eaten it dry, but all their sauces were pretty amazing too. Gotta give it up to the original though, best flavor overall without being too spicy or too sweet.
I got baked beans and deep fried corn. Baked beans was just alright, nothing really special about it. The corn was delicious though. I’ve never had corn on the cob prepared this way, so it was new and exciting. The ribs sat on top of a piece of white bread too, which you can pretty much just toss out cause it’s JUST a piece of white bread.
The service was fast, and the staff was really nice. It is a popular place to go though, so there’s a chance you might not get a table if you go during peak hours. This place is definitely worth coming back for.

There are all sorts of regional disputes about food style and expertise, BBQ being one of the more prominent. I love eating animals, and have had a fair amount of BBQ, so I was expecting this to be above average.
I’m sorry North Carolina/​New York/​Texas, Imma let you finish, but this is the GREATEST BBQ OF ALL TIME.
I knew I wanted to have the best when I only had 24 hours in St. Louis, and fortunately chose Pappy’s. I would pay $ 24.95 just for a jar of the smell when you walk in.
I got the ribs and pork platter with potato salad and corn bread and likely took at least two Wednesdays off my life. I will remember this meal forever.

I stopped in here for lunch recently after hearing about this place for years. It lived up to the hype.
Tip: get there early. I got there about 11:15 am and the line was about 20 deep to order at the window. About five minutes later, it was almost 50 deep. They sell until they run out of stuff, and I didn’t want to miss out.
Being my first time here, I went big. I got the two meat platter with burnt ends and pulled pork, with deep fried corn on the cob and baked beans as my sides. The food arrived incredibly quickly after I ordered it at the window, and man were the portions huge.
The meat was excellent, especially the burnt ends. I still favor Texas BBQ joints, but this was better than most places I’ve ever been. I tried a few different sauces and enjoyed the extra hot flavor. Sides were also outstanding, especially the surprisingly good fried corn. I somehow managed to clean my plate, and I did not need dinner that night. My only regret was not trying the ribs.
Some BBQ places coast by on reputation, but Pappy’s has earned its acclaim. I’ll be back the next time I’m in St. Louis for sure.

This place has such a long line up! But despite the long line up, it moves quite fast and service is pretty great.
I have the following dishes:
1. Ribs — dry-​rubbed and slow smoked over apple and cherry wood
Tender and very flavourful ribs! Loved the Hoodoo sauce with it
2. Sweet Potato Fries
Great sweet potato fries
3. Deep Fried Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob was just amazing! After having the corn, I wish I had that instead of the sweet potato fries.
4. Burnt Ends
These were good too — tender but not as fatty as I hoped. However, they also put something that made it sweet which disappointed me.
5. Beef Brisket
These were so-​so for me. Not that flavourful and a little tough esp compared to the other two.

Las mejores costillas que e probado, se acaba rápido la comida así que hay que llegar temprano y hacer fila. Bale la pena, noble doy 5 puntos por que no tienen cereza.