Pig City Barbeque in decline!

My wife and I live in the Middletown area and have enjoyed Pig City Barbeque since it first opened. They changed ownership or management sometime late last year or early this and since then they've been to me to decline in the quality of the food. It was first noticeable in their brisket, it used to be served in beautiful slices and was very moist and tender. They then started serving it in pieces that were already soaked in sauce so I would no longer buy that item. Then they started reducing the number and quality of their sauces and eliminated the ones we really liked.

The final straw with the other day. My wife went in for a pulled pork sandwich and fries. The sandwich was served cold with grease dripping out of it when she picked it up. The fries were also cold and a greasy. To top it off the waitress was nonexistent once the food was served. She ended up just leaving the money on the table and leaving.

We complaint in the past about the decline in service and quality with no results. This was the last straw and we will not be returning.

I love barbecue and Pig City used to be one of my favorite restaurants. I used to enjoy their pulled pork sandwich but the last couple of times that I've gotten it, the bottom of the bun has been so soaked with grease that it was impossible to pick up. The last time I ate there my sandwich seemed to be as much fat and gristle as meat.

Well !!! This is certainly not welcome news. Since moving to KY we had found Pig City to have the most consistently "average to above average" BBQ in town (and I don't intend that to be construed as a left handed or snide remark).

I am by no means an "expert" in BBQ but having had experience in both cooking and judging competition BBQ as well as having sampled BBQ (literally) from coast to coast I will state categorically that (IMHO) real BBQ is one of the most difficult things for a restaurant to serve. Take it off too soon and it's tough. Take it off too late and it's mushy. Let it sit around under a heat lamp for too long and it's dry....yada, yada, yada...but there is no excuse for greasy BBQ.

In my mind it boils down less to the management and more to the pit master (if that's what you call someone who slaves over a computer controlled stainless steel indoor "smoker"). Not to get too far off the subject (or go off on another rant) but consistently cooking really good "Q" requires soul...something that is apparently hard to come by and still maintain any semblance of a profit margin.

Great I just bought one of their restaurant certificates on Restaurants.com last week based on previous reviews-I hadn't been able to get there yet....


Deb

Great I just bought one of their restaurant certificates on Restaurants.com last week based on previous reviews-I hadn't been able to get there yet....


Deb

<sigh>...Me too. What the heck though, I'll still give it another try.

It's still my oldest son's favorite bbq place and he hasn't had any problems with his meals there.

I have always thought that we had many, many better BBQ spots than Pig City. Jucy's, KenTex, and others are on my short list.

And KBC, dern good eats.

I have always thought that we had many, many better BBQ spots than Pig City. Jucy's, KenTex, and others are on my short list.

See. There ya go. It's like I've been preaching...BBQ joints are definitely "beauty in the eye of the beholder". I've tried Jucy's four (or was it five) times since I've lived here and aside from their brisket (which has always been pretty good) have found the BBQ to be very pedestrian. Their ribs and sides have been particularly disappointing...Maybe I'm just timing my visits wrong.

I'm with Steve P - not a Jucy's fan. Especially when you can just go another mile or so farther out on the same road and find Texcians and get what I beleive to be the best BBQ meat around. They're screwing around with their hours, so call first, but it is wonderful meat. Maybe the most tender brisket I've ever had.

I think the ribs at Jucy's are perhaps the best in town, while the brisket at KenTex is the star. Agree completely that everyone has their own "thing" about BBQ (and about everything else in life, too, I suppose!).

Steve P, have you tried the KenTex BBQ? Its pretty much our only option out here in the sticks.

FABD is my go to BBQ joint. The Louisville Beef (chopped beef) is delicious. The ribs are also pretty good.

I've had a very similar experience with Pig City. First time we went, everything was good (especially the chicken wings) the second time everything was disappointing, including the service.

I've enjoyed FABD and Staten's... I haven't been to KBC (I headed down there once, but the signage confused me )

I will give KenTex a try soon.

Steve P, have you tried the KenTex BBQ? Its pretty much our only option out here in the sticks.

John,

I haven't had the pleasure on KenTex BBQ....yet. I've seen it on the way out to your place a time or two but just never had the Jones on for BBQ at the time. Let me know if you ever want to meet up for a meat-feast and I'll be there.