The BEST bbq in town..and prolly many states...DEETS!

Wow, I'm gonna have to check this out. I love bbq but my biggest complaint is usually the price. Ribs are nice, but you're paying for a bunch of bone.

The ribs are $10 - you get a good ammount.

I love the pulled pork sammich - its $7.50 for the pulled pork meal. The "large" meals are just a larger cup.

Thanks for the review. Gonna have to make this a "ride to eat" destination.

I have been trying to get there for weeks. Just may have to hit the AWT and do it. Thanks for the review. I usually pick up Daves (is that on your no-no list?)

I have done Dave's, I have done Smokey Bones.....they are all subpar to my tastes.

Dave's and Smokey is all about the setting and charging you for it...Deets is damn real bbq at great prices. Where I use to live in California (Lompoc / Vandenburg area) they use to have huge bbq grills setup along the roads all year round. Pull up...pay $5 and get some of the best west coast bbq.

BBQ is not about setting - its about taste.

Go...behold real bbq.

For you bbq snobs...here is me favorite all time bbq: tri-tip. It is the west coast bbq, and for some reason no one on the east coast has caught onto this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-tip - if you can find it, eat it. Our west we cooked it after drowning it in the cheapest beer possible and then smoked it. Truly amazing stuff, I miss it.

Gah, pardon my typos...I have had a bit of wine tonight.

I believe that Balance Pan Asian was using their pulled pork for their sandwich, The Yellow Submarine. The pork was fantastic!

The husband has been saying for weeks now that we need to get to Deets based on great reviews. I'll tell him I've just read one more!

I love Deets.. I usually eat there once a week for lunch, sometimes twice if I don't have any leftovers from dinner the night before. Pulled pork sandwiches are delicious as is their coleslaw. $6 for a 1/2 pound sandwich, you can't go wrong. And the receipt comes with a $1 off coupon at the bottom

Like OhioKimono said, Deet's is real BBQ. You can tell it is from the smell when you walk inside. Unless you know someone who has a smoker or sought out a renowned place in the south, most Ohioans have probably never had real BBQ.

The pulled pork has the flavor and texture you only get from low and slow for at least 8 hours in a smoker. I had a half rack of ribs as well. The dry rub and smoke flavor was perfect, but I personally like them a little more done. Both of their sauces are excellent too. I am going to try their pulled pork nachos next time I go, which might have to be this weekend.

Will try Deets. BTW, OhioKimono, I have been getting tri-tips from Dave at the House of Meats in Andersons Maumee store for a couple of years.

Jim that is GREAT news! I will head over there and get some!

It's great to hear they are still doing awesome! I haven't been by there in a while but I saw on their website that they now have a food challenge!!
http://deetsbbq.com/macho.html

I cook with wine.
Sometimes I even add it to the food.

OhioKimono... please be so kind as to report back regarding your tri-tip aquisition from HOM @ Andersons. I, too, am from CA central coast (Santa Barbara) and have searched Toledo area butchers for the elusive tri-tip for many, many years. If it's the real deal, jimavolt will have more than one competitor for these scarce delicacies :) Tri-tip, beans, salsa and fresh sweet corn. Oh My!

LEt - oh wow, I loved Santa Barbra!

If I get the real deal, I plan on making a dedicated food thread about the marvels of tri-tip and how we use to cook it out west.

This thread got us hungry for a tri-tip.

I called HOM / Andersons around noon and ordered one. My wife & son picked it up this afternoon and we just finished dinner.

Tri-tip and cheese potatoes. ummmmmm. We didn't even add barbecue sauce. ummmmmm.

Ah man...do you cook it like how we did in Santa Maria?

Wood Grill and coat it in the cheapest beer you can find and cook?

Gas grill for me.

Got roast with fat slab cut off but in the package. Sprinkled with garlic powder, Adolphs & Montreal Steak seasoning and roast let warm on counter for 30 minutes.

Gas grill up to 550+; seared one side for 10 minutes then flipped and covered with fat slab. Turned gas under the roast off and cooked w/ indirect heat until internal temp hit 145. About 45 minutes total cook time.

Let rest for 10 and dug in. Sadly no beer was involved.

I have to ask my dad just what it is we did...there was a rub, but also the cheapest beer you can find involved.

Tried Deets after hearing a few raves. It was ok. Not sure if it would beat some of the ghetto bbq's or a couple in bbq places in Detroit, but a solid bbq meal. I'll write a full review here and on yelp when I have time.

i'm with JJ. the best bbq in toledo can be found in the inner city.

Whats that carryout on the corner of Bancroft and I forget its name off Adams coming out of downtown? Anyway, I get stopped at that redlight the rare occasions I go that way and the smell of that guys grill made of an oil drum or whatever is ridiculous! Never ate there though.

bancroft & ashland. so so good.

There used to be Fat Man's ribs which was a portable grill that was down on Dorr Street I used to go to. Not sure if he ventured away from that location over to Bancroft Street.

A friend has mentioned Ann's Barbeque on Hawley Street. She says they have excellent BBQ and also very good shrimp. I think it is take out only. Has anyone been to Ann's? If so any impressions?

We tried Deets the other day and we thought they were good,but not one of our favorites.Everybody has their idea what the best ribs are in the city.Deets might rank at fifth or sixth with us.We thought that they were a little too smoky and greasy for our tastes.I only ate four ribs and I could taste and smell the smokiness on my hands,clothes and in the house for hours after we ate them.We also were burbing up the flavor most of the night.My wife needed some tums later.On the positive side,we thought the ribs were very tender and cooked just right.For me they were just too smoky.This is just our opinion,but for us we will not be going out of our way for more.We don't like being reminded(burbing) of what we had to eat for hours after the fact.

We stopped at Deets just last night and thought the food was great. My husband got ribs with the sweet sauce, and I got the pulled pork sandwich with a "mix" of sweet and spicy sauces. We both had baked beans as a side.

I didn't find anything to be too smoky or greasy for my own tastes and I don't recall any burping afterward. What I loved about the sandwich was how they didn't over-mix the sauce into the meat, nor was the meat shredded too fine; it was nice and "hunky." This made every bite a little bit different, which I guess might bug some people if you desire your pulled pork to be consistently textured and heavily sauced like a sloppy joe, for example, but I really liked it. I paid attention to every bite, which isn't something you normally do when eating a sandwich!

We would've preferred real silverware over the plastic, though, I do have to say.

Do they serve a true vinegar-based sauce? No tomato, no mustard, just a true Eastern Carolina sauce?

Best BBQ? The Rib Room - Ft. Smith, Arkansas

Everything has a great crusty dry rub and sauce is on the side.

I have to chime in on the tri-tip (this is my first post). Lived in Santa Barbara for 10 yrs and the best Sundays were spent at Cold Spring Tavern listening to Tom & Kenny and eating tri-tip sandwiches. I'm looking forward to somone starting a thread on tri-tip. It may just get me excited enough to buy a real grill. Been using a cast iron hibachi for small stuff. Thanks for trip down memory lane.

Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan... wow. Oh Wow. Memories of Santa Barbara: Amazing concerts at County Bowl. Mornings at Hendrys. Volleyball at East Beach. Fabulous farmers' markets. Great great GREAT clubs (the state street crawl, including Joe's.) Small town with big town amenities. Miss SB. Hope to be back soon, and not just for the tri-tip!

So sorry to be off topic in the above post. We don't often dine out in the Toledo area, but when we do we look for GREAT stuff. We're off to European desstinations for a while, but will definitiely try DEETS on our return. Oh, BTW, BBQ and tri-tip are NOT synonymous. Completely different parts of the food pyramid.

LetITBe - I tell people all about the highway into Santa Barbra - the palm trees and flower flowing down the walls into town.

My favorite place in Callie still is Pismo Beach.

ok, had Deet's today, coz they did a Groupon, and we loved it. Fun people and excellent flavor. we shared a full rack, which was way too much, and they were just the way we like em...smokey, slightly dry, and falling off the bone. He had spicy sauce and I had sweet but added a bit of spicy for a few bites...the owner loves them mixed and I liked it, too. Cornbread is moist with good texture and the coleslaw and red potato salad were great compliments, cooled your mouth down after the spice. We had a good laugh at the nacho board in the hallway, still no survivors yet. Got to try the smaller portion some day. Cool little place. I wrote on the chalkboard in the bathroom that 'we will be back without the groupon', lol. 4 thumbs up!

^ glad you liked it. I recently tried 'City BBQ' and after a few bites through the stuff in the trash.

Deet's is how southern BBQ is done.

I was thinking as we were leaving Deet's, 'well, guess I'm not going back to City.', lol.

Sorry I've had Deets and while it's ok....city BBQ is just so much better...not to mention their sides are great. I love the cornbread pudding and baked beans...wow! I guess to each their own but City BBQ wins hands down.

Is this Deets any relation to the Deets on Holland-Sylvania near Bancroft?

city bbq is amazing! i'm surprised to see anyone speak poorly of it!

My apartmenthold are fanatics for City BBQ. Yeah yeah, I know, City Q is a chain (we DO admire local diners, drive-ins and dives). Had Deets and the sauces were legit. The ribs I had weren't as slide-off-the-bone as I wanted, but some days it's like that with BBQ joints. I DO rate Deets over Famous Dave's quite honestly.

def Deet's over Dave's, no doubt.

Annie, what you're thinking of is DEEZ Diner, cute place. Went there once to find out if they were Primus fans, lol. Guess not.

City BBQ is northern style BBQ - Deets is Southern. There's a big difference. If you prefer northern then City BBQ is the place to be. If you prefer Southern style BBQ then northern is where to go.

Honest to God, I tried City BBQ and threw away my BBQ after a few bites.

I like all kinds of bbq. North, south, east & west! Cook that animal up and throw it my way.

Agreed Upso! I always hate when someone says. "They don't know how to make BBQ up North." Well you know what BBQ is BBQ, there are alot of different types, with many of them being equally delicious in their own way.

For me around here, I say make the extra drive and go up to Detroit to Slows. Amazing beer selection and great food. They also have a number of things on their menu you don't see at City/Deets. If you ever get the chance give it a try: http://slowsbarbq.com/

I find my way to Slows a couple of times a month, best BBQ I've ever had. Lots of nice stops in Corktown http://corktownconnection.org/.

now i'm hungry :/

CityQ used to be my favorite -- we ate there a dozen times in the year they opened. Then after a while, the texture of the (pork) meat got really soft and mushy. While the flavor was still great, eating a sandwich meant ending up with a squashy meat glob stuck to the roof of my mouth. I can understand why someone might throw it away ... that was a very unpleasant sensation.

I'm not a culinary professional, but I suspect they changed meat suppliers or possibly began ordering some kind of chemically-enhanced grade of meat.

When Deet's opened, we started going there. It's now our favorite. I'll probably go back to CityQ to give them another try -- the side orders were always awesome!

I was wondering when someone would get around to mentioning Slows. Actually, I was going to ask OhioKimono if she'd stopped there to try it when she was taking photos of the Michigan Central Station, since it's not far from there at all.

I love love LOVE Slows. Deet's is a nice local option, but Slows is the kind of place where I want to shoot dagger eyes of envy at everyone who comes in to pick up take-out... just because I'm too far away to do the same.

Now I'm hungry, too!

Thanks, nana, for the info!

The two best BBQ restaurants I've ever visited are Sconyers in Augusta, GA. When Jimmy Carter was president, he would get BBQ sent to him in the White House from Sconyers. The other, and my absolute favorite, was the Rendezvous in Memphis. Dry-rubbed BBQ -- MMMMMM!

Every time I try to go to Slow's its way too crowded and/or can't find parking.Going to Motown this Saturday, may have to try again

Hoops, don't try to go on a day when there's a home Red Wings game. They're busy and they're busy early since they do a lot of pre-game traffic.

When we go, we just assume we'll have to wait. So far, we've been lucky to get seats at the bar every time so the wait isn't too brutal.

Best BBQ ever: Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, and Jack Stack in Overland Park, KS. Pulled pork, but especially burnt ends. Yum!

Ever since Mr. Gamegrrl and I spent time in Kansas, we've been ruined for beef anywhere else.

Asking who has the best barbeque would be like asking who has the best pizza,steak,hot dogs,or mexican food.Everyones tastes are different,so it is very difficult to determine who is best.If you don't like something it doesn't matter how many people think otherwise.I have been to Deets just once and have not been back since.I thought they were okay but not quite what I would call the best of what I like.I thought they were way to smoky and I thought the sauce choices were too limited.Maybe if I go back I can try mixing their sauces together.I have heard that a lot of people mix their two sauces together.

I agree. I am not a Deets fan, but I love City Q. Go figure.

Best BBQ I've had in town-although I haven't had Deets yet-Bandits Smokey Ribs. White cube van parked in the gas station on Reynolds just south of Dorr. Guy and his wife selling BBQ out of a van. My default order is a rack of ribs-took a rack and pulled pork to my girlfriend and her kids, confirmed, best they've ever had. Makes City Q look like McDonalds.

Channel 13 did a story on them.

All the best foods come from roadside vans.

When I'm in the mood for bbq, I prefer buying it at a place like Bruno has mentioned. I've seen that van near Reynolds, but usually I stop at a trailer on Bancroft just west of Detroit Avenue.

I do not eat ribs frequently (a few times a year) but thought last night would be a good opportunity before the football game so I drove out to Deet's and got a rack to go. 1/2 sweet sauce, 1/2 spicy. I am not a rib aficionado so if you are a more serious purveyor of barbeque this write up probably is not for you but I generally do have a good sense of good food if that means anything.

I was not impressed nor displeased with Deet’s. I thought the ribs we good but there was nothing that would compel me to drive the 12 miles out on 475 again since I live closer to City Barbeque and Shorty’s. 20 years ago when Damon’s was out at Southwyck it was almost as if they revolutionized ribs in the area. No, Damon’s was not perfect but they were pretty tasty at a time when there were not that many ribs options available in the city. Now it seems like there are many paces you can get tasty ribs and if I had to guess many of them use the same suppliers for meat and that is why there just does not seem to be a huge variance in quality or flavor for me anymore. Again, people who have more appreciation for barbeque then I do would probably be better indicators.

So for me it’s still City Barbeque. Good value, good portions, close to home.

How are the ribs at the Rib Cage? That place has been around for over 20 years.

We used to go to the Rib Cage quite often and I thought their ribs were decent.

We also like to get a slab or two of ribs from Churchills on Briarfield in Maumee for when we want to eat at home.

Another good spot used to be Ann's Bar-B-Que on Hawley Street. Haven't been there in years, and don't know if it's still as good.

A place to travel a little way from Toledo used to be the New Riegel Cafe in New Riegel, Ohio (Not far from Fostoria as I recall)

Has anyone else here tried either of these & if so, what did you think?

Another good spot used to be Ann's Bar-B-Que on Hawley Street. Haven't been there in years, and don't know if it's still as good.

A place to travel a little way from Toledo used to be the New Riegel Cafe in New Riegel, Ohio (Not far from Fostoria as I recall)

Has anyone else here tried either of these & if so, what did you think?

I haven't been to the Rib Cage in years. My dad used to take my brother and I there all the time on Friday's since mom worked 2nd Shift and he didn't feel like cooking after working 12+ himself on a Friday.

I agree with Buckeye, it's just a matter of opinion. I had always heard about New Riegel and wanted to hit it up one day while I was out riding with my sister from Findlay. She was all like, ew no way, so I never went, mainly because we have similar tastes in other things. :)

I was really looking forward to trying Deet's tonight. We ended up leaving after we stood at the counter for a really long time and no one even acknowledged us. Really disappointed.

I hear you Kaj...we ordered over the phone. The person taking our order seemed somewhere between a cretin and an imbecile. They ended up screwing up our order.

Typical restaurant stuff. Good place and good concept UNTIL the owner can't be there to keep an eye on things and everything heads south fast.

6th Floor...I have stopped by the guy on Reynolds south of Dorr...good stuff. Ther is a guy at Eastgate and Heatherdowns too.

New Riegel Inn ribs are pretty good. They are unique in that they are semi-breaded or something, and have a texture to the sauce. Also, there is an art to ordering the right amount, as they offer an "order and a half" on the menu.

And, there is a meat market across the street that makes a decent brat.

Thanks for the info on New Riegel. It has come up again in my in-law family, they have heard about it and want to try it but it's like herding cats to get them all in the same place at the same time and that's a drive they are no way familiar with. maybe I need to rent a van.....

can I recommend to the vistors of Deets that have had a bad experience... that you actually contact the management and let them know?

As a restaurant owner, the thought of people complaining to their friends but not me drives me nuts. it's the best way to help management fix things.

I sent a message to their online 'contact us' thing.

I know they've been very popular as of late (for very good reason)-Every time I've been in there, I feel like it's been the owner's son (who it appears may be a partner), and they've been very nice and competent. Upso is right, and give them another shot. It's a tough biz, and it's impossible to be perfect 100% of the time.

BTW-Upso-amazing lunch yesterday at Grumpy's-you guys are just always rockin'

I've been to "off" nights at most of my favorite restaurants... I try to always give places a second shot, even if the first visit is particularly terrible.

glad you had a good time yesterday ahmahler! :)

I had ribs the last two nights in a row. First night was a rack from Famous Daves. YUCK!!! What are they famous for? The sauce was burned, the ribs were knaw off the bone under done, they should have fallen off the bone. The ribs were small and very little meat on them.

Went to Deets today for the first time. Ribs were excellent! Big and meaty and pretty much falling off the bone. The sauce was VERY good. The beans weren't anything get excited over though. The only place that has/had better ribs in Toledo IMHO was flaming pit that was near Sylvania and Secor but they have been closed for a few years. I've tried Shorty's, Toms, and most others here in Toledo, but Deets is the best by far.

If you're ever in the Nashville TN area go to Martins BBQ in Nolensville TN, about 30 miles south of Nashville. Best BBQ ever!!!! They were featured on Food Networks Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I love going there everytime I'm down there for work.

Just gotta say. I tried Shorty's again today (I'm on a rib binge) and WOW!! When I had them a few years ago I was less than impressed.

Today is a whole different story. Excellent awesome ribs! Meaty, fall off the bone done tasty delicious, and so much more. Not sure what happened that first trip a few years ago, maybe they were having an off day. Today they more than made up for it though. Man they were good!!!!! Great onion rings too.

Deets is indeed delicious.

Locally, I have always had excellent ribs at J Alexander's restaurant on Talmadge. Not the cheapest rack in town, but they have that consistent "fall right off the bone" cooking and a tangy/sweet sauce that is delicious.

Lots of good BBQ in town.

Deets, Shorty's, City BBQ.

IMHO though the best though is a few miles down south in Tontogany at a little place called Doc's!

Lots of good BBQ in town.

Deets, Shorty's, City BBQ.

IMHO though the best though is a few miles down south in Tontogany at a little place called Doc's!

Mike, j Alexander's isn't local ;)

Upso: true, J Alexanders is a small chain (30-odd units), but so are some of the other places mentioned in the thread, such as Famous Dave's, which has almost 200 units. Anyway, great ribs can sometimes be had at chains.

@historymike I wholeheartedly disagree - the secret ingredient in all BBQ, is always love. That, my friend, you can't franchise. Otherwise, there'd be an Oklahoma joes on every corner. Deets wins, shorty's is a solid second. Great BBQ isn't judged by ribs, but by brisket.

>end of rant.

With all due respect, ahmahler, I have had "local" ribs that flat out sucked. The key to excellent ribs is having a quality recipe and cooking procedure plus purchasing quality meat. Also: love of one's work is not necessarily a monopoly of a one-store owner: great cooks are great cooks no matter who employs them.

Yes @historymike- you definitely need all of those things, but to go from competent to great, you need love, and smoke. Plenty of bad, locally owned restaurants everywhere. Just like evrything with chain restaurants- why bother? I'd rather trial and error a bunch of bad BBQ looking for that one great one.

J. Alexanders. Hmmm, wonder if I could get another rack in before the wife gets back in town? :)

Mmmmmmmmmm!

All this rib talk was too much, and I went over to J Alexander's for ribs. Once again: awesome ribs, and now I will collapse on the couch and watch the Final Four.

If you enjoy ribs, give J Alexander's a try. I just had a ribgasm.

I can't go to J. Alexander's without ordering the filet. The scoop of butter on the steak...

Damn, I know where my wife is taking me for my birthday.