Oregonian restaurant critic Michael Russell recently traveled to Texas to get a sense of Portland’s competition and shared his list of notable barbecue spots around the region. “These places are just as good as some of the top ten places on the Texas Monthly list, in my opinion,” he said.
Grassland (Hood River)
“They’re really into that sort of big-game trophy-hunting style of barbecue. That barbecue is really good. If you're a fan of smoky meat, that's the place to go.”
💡 Pro tips:
- They’re open just two days a week.
- Check out Ferment Brewery while you’re waiting. “They’re trying to create a line culture, which gives me shivers, but people do seem to be willing to wait half an hour to an hour.”
Matt’s BBQ (Boise)
They have three locations — two barbecue spots and Matt’s Tacos.
“They’re big now. They have a barbecue warehouse up on Columbia. For me the quality is really high.”
💡 Pro tip: They also supply the meat for Eem.
Daddy D’s (Vancouver)
The restaurant serves Louisiana-style barbecue, with plenty of sauces.
“It’s delicious. [It’s] the older school style of barbecue, and also a Black-owned business.”
💡 Pro tip: “One of the signature things about Daddy D's is that it's at the back of a Shell [gas] station so you can buy drinks from [there], and they opened a second location not far away.”
Kann (Buckman)
Don’t forget the highly acclaimed Haitian restaurant!
“He does a Texas-style beef rib, which is totally delicious. It's rubbed with a Haitian coffee, salt, and pepper, and it's really tender.”
💡 Pro tip: It’s Portland’s most difficult restaurant to get into. Recently they had an in-person giveaway of reservations. Keep an eye out for other opportunities.
