- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ashley's Barbecue
Categories: Restaurants Barbeque Restaurants Soul Food Barbeque, Soul Food [Edit]
1501 W Center StMilwaukee, WI 53206
Neighborhood: North Division
(414) 372-7666
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
Sun 12 pm - 7 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
19 reviews for Ashley's Barbecue
Review Highlights
-
"highly recommended are the shoulder dinner and rib tips." In 5 reviews -
"The cole slaw is fresh and clean tasting." In 3 reviews -
"The Mac and Cheese was super cheesy." In 3 reviews
Loading...
19 reviews in English
-
Review from Tomjulio ,.
Milwaukee, WI
12/5/2011
ribs? check. beef tips? check. goat? pig snout? wait, what?
I have indulged in BBQ from the edge of the south, into the heart of Texas, the bowels of the center states, to the reefer remnants of Haight Street in San Fran. So to my surprise, on a rainy Saturday, Ashely's came into my world.
This is a foodies discovery. It's a hole in a wall behind bulletproof glass with a dentists waiting room from hell. but guess what? I ain't here to dine in or taste it's ambience...I am here for the meat, and holy shit do they deliver.
hierarchy:
Ashley's.....Speed Queen......................everything else in MKE
...you do the math.
(after many visits now the algorithm stands firm) -
Review from Barbara B.
Milwaukee, WI
5/12/2012
We visited Ashley's this evening after reading the reviews and having a taste for BBQ. I was very happy with the food. We tried the rib tips, shoulder, shoulder sandwich, the greens, baked beans, potato salad and coleslaw. Everything was very good. The sandwich had a very good amount of meat and wasn't drenched in sauce but was very good and the meat was tender and flavorable. The greens were very good and seasoned. I've been in Milwaukee a;; my life and had never gone to Ashley's but I'll be back. We called in our order and didn't have to wait long when we got there and the order was correct. It sounded as though a young person was taking the order so I was very happy that everything was exactly as ordered. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are nice.
-
Review from Brandon B.
Milwaukee, WI
4/22/2012
Excellent shoulder dinner reasonable price I will be coming back as far as the sides to me they were reasonable size no different then speed queen or places like jjs and hooks. cole slaw was very good same with the baked beans and if you don't care for slaw and beans you can substitute fries
-
Review from Jed H.
Thiensville, WI
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
BBQ was good. Had the outside dinner and rib tips. The outside was excellent. Sides were on the small side. Rib tips were kind of burnt and were mostly bones. Kind of disappointed. Sauce was just enough not too much or too little. Sketchy part of town but it's a different type of sauce from Saz's so worth trying. Will go back to try other things and request different sides.
-
Review from Rick V.
3/25/2012
A hole in the wall joint with tasty food. Carry out only. As of this review, they don't have a driver so are unable to offer delivery. Barbecued ribs are good, but when ordering a family meal good for 4-5 people, the sides were extremely tiny. The potato salad and coleslaw portions would have fed one or two.
-
Review from Sarah W.
Milwaukee, WI
3/18/2012
The food from here is AWESOME! The portion sizes are very reasonable and they're great for leftovers too. :D
One of the other reviewers mentioned this, but I wanted to go into greater detail about their deliveries. We really like getting delivery from here because, other than the food being really good, is that the delivery folks are really nice. The wait times are also very reasonable, especially considering that they have to travel a long ways to get to us. The owner himself comes out sometimes to make a delivery, but even when it's not him the people have always been really polite and just extremely nice. They always are really happy to see you - genuinely so, and the energy that they exhibit is really something you don't see often. I know that some may feel nervous about ordering from Ashley's because it's located in a bad neighborhood, but to extend stereotypes associated with that to the staff of Ashley's would give one a very poor impression of what they're really like.
The other concern that sometimes might pop up about hole-in-the-wall places, especially in bad neighborhoods, is sanitation. I've NEVER gotten sick from Ashley's, and neither has my boyfriend. We've ordered all of the different dinners (yes, I did order the Snout dinner). They've always been delicious, and gastro-friendly. ;P -
Review from Ralph And Anna S.
Milwaukee, WI
10/30/2011
I've lived in Los Angeles, Miami, and now, for a short time Milwaukee. These are the 2nd best ribs I've ever had, and trust me i've had a few. The only better ribs I've ever had were sold on a street corner in a little enclave of subsidized, project housing in Coral Gables - right next to my alma mater, the University of Miami. The man who sold those ribs, Mr. Kelly, informed me that he would regularly partake in national BBQ competitions, and that he never came in lower than 6th place - his ribs were out of this world incredible. Never will be bested. Ever.
All of that being said, Ashley's is a very, very, very close second. It is one of the most amazing culinary experiences I've ever had. I am going to be a lifelong customer - or at least until I get the hell out of Milwaukee and move back to Miami so I can get those on the corner ribs.
I highly recommend Ashley's to anyone who has a soul. If you don't like their ribs, I suggest you kill yourself. -
Review from Peter H.
Chicago, IL
8/6/2011 ROTD 11/13/2011
Where do you think you are going to find good Q Mequon? Yeah right, if you want the good stuff you know you are going to have to go into the center of the city. Driving by Ashley's it fits the description of a good Q joint. An unassuming place with a hand painted sign advertising it's bbq and smoking pouring out of its roof. If you weren't looking for it you could easily drive by Ashley's without ever knowing it was there.
Walking in I knew I was in for a treat. No table, just chairs, arcade machines, bulletproof glass partition, and some smooth r&b music playing in the background. They have a very diverse BBQ menu which I'm looking forward to going back and trying, particularly the goat which sounds amazing.
I went with the rib tips dinner which came with cole slaw and beans. I also got one of the soul sides of mac and cheese, and when they found out it was our first time they threw in their greens for free.
On to the meal. Rib tips were great; tender nicely smoked with a nice accent of their sauce which is a vinegar base. The slaw was good as well cream and vinegar base. The soul sides were real good. The Mac and Cheese was super cheesy. The greens were exceptional, so tender and delich. If you have never had greens before do yourself a favor and get them at Ashley's so good.
The price is real affordable right around $10 for their dinners and as said in other review they will deliver to anywhere in Milwaukee. Next time I'm going to have to go on the weekend for their soul food buffet which is 2 meats and 2 sides for 9 bucks. No way you can beat that deal. Although I'm open to giving the other Q joints in Milwaukee a try I think Ashley's is going to be my go to for when I need an infusion of ribs. -
Review from Peter K.
Prior to going here in the evening, I read a lot of the reviews that seemed to unanimously say go here during daylight hours and I would have to agree with that. During the night, it seems rather sketchy.
THE GOOD
- The barbeque sauce they use is quite possibly the best barbeque sauce I've ever had. It's just tangy enough and salty enough to give it a lot of flavor. The flavor isn't one of those things that just hits you on the first bite, but it keeps at you every bite. It's so delicious! 4.5 stars!
- The baked beans are good. Nothing spectacular and I think some of the flavor dies after eating the ribs first, but they are definitely worth getting. 4 stars!
- The cole slaw is fresh and clean tasting. I generally don't like cole slaw but we ordered this by mistake. It was definitely worth getting! I ate it really quick because I liked how fresh it tasted. 4 stars!
- The price was fantastic for a dinner, running about $9.95 for a dinner meal that included 6-7 ribs, bread, a small container of baked beans, and a small container of cole slaw. Quite the value! 4 stars!
THE BAD
- While the sauce itself tastes fantastic, the ribs need a lot of work. They are overcooked and dry and hard to eat off the bone. I've been to many BBQ places across the country where the meat just falls off the bone and is easy to eat. The ribs here are difficult to eat and at times, a bit exasperating since it chews more like jerky rather than tender rib meat. The meat also contains a good chunk of fat in there (which I understand often comes with the cut of rib), but there was a noticeable amount of fat on the rib that I don't care much for. 1.5 stars :(
- It seemed a little bit scary to wait there for the food since a lot of people seem to loiter there. Also, it just smells like people smoked a lot in the place. They do have bullet proof glass to protect the vendor on the inside, but not much protection outside of that. 2 stars :(
THE SUMMARY
- I would come here again and give the ribs another try to see if I got them at the wrong time and the ribs could be more tender. The value of the meal is great but because the meat was rather dry, I'd give it 3 stars. -
Review from Samantha L.
Arlington Heights, IL
6/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tip: Get the Rib Tips. Pass on the Pulled Pork and Cole Slaw.
SUPER Divey "restaurant". (It is a closet/room, with a bank teller glass, that has a protective [bullet-proof] turntable, where your food and money will pass between.)
There were advertisements about a "buffet" within, and I'm still not sure how that would work... Especially since there were 5 chairs and no tables, and a handful of old school arcade games.
While the "ambiance" might make you concerned about the health standards at this locale, you quickly get over it when you bite into one of their rib tips. Seriously.
Fantastic sauce, meaty pieces, not too much fat, super delightfully smokey, moist and not burnt. Overall, a great foodie experience. If you want some local food, Ashley's is a place that you should not overlook. It's well worth the wait and the trepidation. (Minus that of the Pulled Pork and warm cole slaw that is...) -
Review from Vlad K.
Milwaukee, WI
Updated - 12/14/2011
Had to bump it up to a full five stars. I got delivery over the weekend and the driver was friendly, cool, and nice. Everything I ate was just as mind-blowing as before. Ashely's, you have a fan for life. I will order from you several times a month and I will always tip your drivers as well as I possibly can.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/28/2011
These people know what they're doing... Ashley's is as real as it gets!
I was jonesing for some real… Read more »
-
-
Review from Scott w.
Milwaukee, WI
1/1/2012
Great BBQ,ribs a little dry.Great fries.Ya get a lot of food for the price.Everything else was great.Go during day......
-
Review from evan c.
Updated - 11/25/2011 5 photos
Another great trip to Ashley's....
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
4/26/2010
Update: Had a Hot Link sandwich at Ashley's and it was the best sandwich I have had in Milwaukee.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jim G.
Milwaukee, WI
Updated - 8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Addendum: leftovers are incredible. The ribs, outside shoulder & tips lost NOTHING from a few days in the fridge, and the sauce may have tasted even better.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/27/2011
We had a neighbor over Friday evening for a BBQ fest, and we chose to go with Ashley's on the basis… Read more »
-
-
Review from Kip G.
Oak Creek, WI
9/30/2010 4 photos
I had heard that Ashley's ribs were better than Speed Queen's, but I never bothered going there being of its sketchy location. I mentioned the name to a coworker one afternoon and he enlightened me to the fact that they delivery anywhere in Milwaukee county. Since then, I've been ordering it at least once a week. I'm hooked on their greens and mac & cheese just as much as I am their ribs. I will definitely never go back to Speed Queen after discovering Ashley's.
Sauce suggestion: try a mixture of their hot and mild sauces...seemed to be a favorite of everyone in my office. -
Review from S T.
Kenosha, WI
Updated - 8/20/2011
I had the ribs again for lunch. Dam they have a deep smoke flavor that is king. The owner was out today in the lobby and I told him that he has the best ribs around and that I drove close to forty miles to get them today and he thanked me. The portions are also bigger than any other BBQ place. The full slab dinner with a pound of fries and four slices of white bread for $18.65 out the door. This will take 3 to 4 meals to eat. After five hours and several hand washes the hint of smoke is still on my hands. Ashleys blows all the chains away and is real BBQ. Weekends have soul food in the hot table which looked pretty good but I was there for BBQ. Thank you Ashleys BBQ. This is my fourth visit and people please get past the neighborhood being a little rough looking. The people working and waiting have all been very nice. I hope this place around for a long time.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/30/2011
This BBQ take out place is the best in Milwaukee. It's rich smoke flavor is just how I like BBQ. I… Read more »
-
-
Review from Smiling P.
Milwaukee, WI
4/17/2011
I've never had an issue with the area that Speed Queen is in and I've even wandered down to Mr. Perkins by myself to surprise my husband with some damn good soul food for his birthday, but I have been told that I can no longer venture into the hood by myself unless I'm packing.
Anyway, although Speed Queen is good, we wanted to try a different bbq joint and heard about Ashley's, which is also in a dodgy area. Luckily I yelped it and read Kip G.'s comment and so delivery it was! Delivery time was decent (about 45 mins), friendly and included a random free strawberry soda.
The ribs are slide-off-the-bone good and the shoulder and the sweet, spicy sauce it came in was lick the styrofoam container good (official tests of good bbq). We also ordered the hot link which was gigantic and had the right amount of detectable heat. With onions and more of that mmmm bbq sauce and some grated cheddar from our fridge, I kept eating it beyond the stretch-point of my stomach for which I paid dearly as I expanded my skinny jeans beyond the point of skinny-no-mo. I don't care. It was worth it!
Is it better than Speed Queen? I think so. Is it the best bbq in the whole country? No. But it's still pretty damn good. Also, hello, they DELIVER! -
Review from swordfish m.
Milwaukee, WI
7/3/2010
another of the very few places offering authentic bbq in milwaukee that deserves praise. highly recommended are the shoulder dinner and rib tips. the shoulder is perfectly cooked in a tangy and slightly spicy sauce. the menu also features many other non-bbq items, including burgers, perch, catfish, corned beef, gyros, ice cream and sundaes. saturdays and sundays feature a soul food buffet.
delivery available. -
Review from David R.
Milwaukee, WI
5/19/2010
just like Speed Queen, this is not in a nice part of town... but the BBQ is legit.. go for the shoulder & the ribs.. not much else to say
