[beavis]

Is this the same BBQ and sauce as Bad to the Bone? I heard it was and I don't want to try it if so, b/c Bad to the Bone wasn't very good.

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

No, I had thought it was, but was mistaken.

Completely new place.

Ask for Steve, he is the BBQ Pitmaster over there..  Tell him AZBarbeque sent you.

[beavis]

Awesome. I'm there this week.... been waiting for years for even halfway decent BBQ in 101/Shea area and now 2 chances - Breakfast Joynt guys and Big Daddys opening soon. Hopefully, they can make the disappointment over Bad 2 Bone and Dickeys disappear.

[Mark]

Be sure and go for dinner. I took a business associate to lunch there last Thursday. He's a Texan with an office nearby and was all fired up at the prospects of a brisket sandwich. No such luck at lunch. I told the harried waitress that I was with AZ Barbeque and asked if I could peek at the pit and chat with the chef, but she said he wouldn't be in under 3pm.

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

True, they are only serving up BBQ after 3 pm.  Before that, the day time owner runs the other restaurant...

It's worth going back after 3 pm for...

[beavis]

Before I start, I'd just like to say that the following is one person's opinion (and a newbie at that), so I encourage you to try the Barbecue Joynt and form your own opinion.

Here are my specific ratings:

Sauce -- D+ -- one pet peeve I have is when there is no sauce on the table or routinely served with the meal. Such is the case at The Barbecue Joynt. I had to make a special request to receive a small bowl of each sauce, as normally, the cook just puts a little sauce on the meat himself. As far as the taste, I found it eerily similar to a dilute A-1 steak sauce with a bit more sweetness.

Chicken -- B- -- the chicken had a good, smoky taste. However, it was one small 1/2 bird. My wife usually shares her meal with me, but after she finished her chicken, I had to give her some of my brisket, because she was still hungry.

Ribs -- F -- the ribs had the flavor and texture that one might imagine if a hospital cafeteria smoked ribs -- very bland except for the smoke taste.

Brisket -- C- -- the brisket had a nice heavy smoke flavor, but overall, it had a taste and texture more like a smoky French dip sandwich than a true barbecue brisket.

Beans -- D -- again, very plain Jane with no real flavor

Potato salad -- B -- a decent, creamy taste with just the right amount of crunch.

Unfortunately, I don't think that The Barbecue Joynt is going to make it. The barbecue following in Scottsdale is minimal, so it will take an exceptional restaurants to succeed, and The Barbecue Joynt falls short.

Overall rating - DNR - Do not return.

Hopefully, Big Daddy's will be better.

[Crash]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, even newbies.  But really, D's and F's?  What are you comparing it against? 

Just asking, not calling you out. 

[beavis]

Reference Standards:

Kansas City BBQ such as:

Rosedale
Oklahoma Joe's
Jack Stack
Gates
Arthur Bryant

[Crash]

I urge you to try/compare BBQ restaurants in AZ against other BBQ restaurants in AZ.  Comparing BBQ restaurants in AZ against a city over 1000 miles away seems to be an unfair comparison for both sides of the spectrum.

I'm not saying you're wrong at all, but comparing Kansas City BBQ to Arizona BBQ is like comparing apples and oranges.  

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

Thanks for taking the time to post a review, that's what we are all about here.   Wish we had more members that would post up reviews on a regular basis.

I too have eaten at The Breakfast Joynt and it is most certainly a world of difference from Kansas City Style BBQ.

They concentrate more on the Carolina Style BBQ and unless you are a fan of that style, it will make you take a step back.

I personally think their BBQ was a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best.  Not to say I didn't like it, I did, very much so, just due to the atmosphere and like you said, the sauce on the side, etc.  It is a Breakfast Restaurant first and foremost and rather that close down at 2 pm each day, they turned it into a win/win for Steve to see how his BBQ would fare and the Restaurant to have clients in during the evening & Dinner hours.

Steve is hoping that it takes off enough where he can open up his own place and customize it his way.  He used to own a BBQ Restaurant in California and if you stop in again, ask to see his pictures, it was a very cool place with lots of atmosphere.

Keep the reviews coming and keep them honest.  We want the people who come here looking for this info to feel that we are giving them our honest reviews.

[jmcrig]

Reference Standards:

Kansas City BBQ such as:

Rosedale
Oklahoma Joe's
Jack Stack
Gates
Arthur Bryant

Tough standards to live up to. Those are five world class BBQ joynts. Growing up with those five BBQ joynts, I have found it easier to just learn to make my own BBQ, than to go out and be disapointed by someone elses thoughts of what they feel BBQ is.

[Mark]

One problem that The Breakfast Joynt may have is its dual ownership. Am I correct that there is a different group doing breakfast and then that Steve takes over and converts the fare to BBQ for the evening hours? If so, that could add to the confusion. I went there at lunch and found little in the way of BBQ. I did try the shaved prime rib sandwich and I anxiously tried it because of the rave reviews. Unfortunately, it tasted old and reheated to me. (and those who know me know I'll eat pretty much anything). My lunch partner is originally from Texas and was looking forward to brisket. Since there was none on the lunch menu, he settled for chili. The beans were still kind of hard as if they hadn't been soaked long enough before cooking. Plus, the chili had a weird dry-up surface crust. I'm not sure how that came about...maybe microwaving it and not stirring it? The waitress was nice enough, but seems harried for a restaurant that wasn't even a quarter full. I told her that I was with AZ Barbeque (she didn't have a clue what it was) and that my Texas friend and I would love to take a quick peek at their cooker and say howdy to the chef. She checked and said that he was too busy. (this was after 2pm and there were maybe 3 tables with diners already eating.)

With a big sign above the door shouting "breakfast", I'm afraid that Steve already has a tough row to hoe as a BBQ dinner house. I'm sure his que is much better than the food we had, but his morning doppelganger ain't doing him any favors. My Texas buddy owns a video production company at the Airpark. They order takeout every day for the crew and clients. He would most certainly welcome a quality BBQ joint just down the street, but I felt guilty that our lunchtime experience may have stunk up the consideration for both him and for Steve.

On the good side, he lives at Anthem and is eagerly awaiting award-winning brisket coming soon to his neighborhood!

[BERNIETHEK]

When evaluating food you should do it as we, KC judges, are told to do.  DO NOT compare and judge it on it's own merit.  Now that is tough to do... But what the heck it's your opinion...

[smitty250]

I met the owner of The Breakfast Joynt (David Phelps) the other day at a North Scottsdale Chamber event. I told him I heard of his restaurant on the AZBBQ website. He told me he is no longer doing BBQ with Steve. I guess some communication problems regarding pay. He said he is going to try to do BBQ himself. Still in the works.

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

I figured that when I saw Steve advertising on Craigslist again last night.  He is still trying to find a restaurant to run for someone else.

Guess those gift cards I got from them will have to be used for Breakfast now...