- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Chef Edwards Bar-B-Que - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Barbeque American (Traditional), Barbeque [Edit]
1915 San Pablo Ave(between William St & 19th St)
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 834-9516
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Ed V. said: "Yes, they're only open four days a week ( Wed - Sat.) and never during dinner hours (11 am - 6 pm) , but God bless you if you're lucky enough to get a hold of some of the slow- cooked, crazy-smoky brisket they're dishing up at…" read more »
106 reviews for Chef Edwards Bar-B-Que
Review Highlights
"The piggly wiggly is the bomb diggity."
(in 23 reviews)
"I really enjoyed the baby back ribs."
(in 6 reviews)
"...greens, candied yams, and black eyed peas are my favorites."
(in 4 reviews)
Loading...
106 reviews in English
-
Review from David S.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2011 1 photo
We tried this place for lunch today for the first time and enjoyed it just fine. We both had the Beef Brisket Lunch Special, it came with the most amazing cole slaw. Not your usual creamy slaw.
As of Aug 2011 they no longer serve breakfast.
They are closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Accepts credit cards. -
Review from Toni T.
San Francisco, CA
10/2/2011
This was our first time ordering from here, we just moved to the area last month and we are trying new places to eat. Okay, so Chef edward is a sweetheart. BUT.....here's my review. First our order was wrong. I asked for lemonade with my meal and i got coke. Did'nt want soda. My husband wanted beans and got potato salad. Why give us options when you don't actually serve them to us. (not good costumer service). I had the roast pork and 1/2 chicken: pork and chicken where dry as a bone. And its not half a chicken its a quarter of a chicken. My sides: potato salad, tastes like it is premade from the super market tub. Mac n cheese was mush and did'nt have any flavor.
My husband got the brisket and hot link: brisket was dry and believe it or not so was the damn hot link wtf? Did'nt know that was possible.
Sides: cowlslaw (NASTY). And we would have tried the beans but they messed up and put potato salad.
So called corn bread=hockey pucks.
At least he called me and said they where running late. Wont be ordering from them ever agian. Sorry Edward. From one Chef to another, I would'nt serve it. Try it before it goes out. Make sure its up to par.
***P.s for what you are serving its way over priced, for the two of us it was almost 50 bucks not including tip. -
Review from Ada T.
6/10/2011
Good spot to go for lunch in the Downtown Oakland area. It's not too crowded, so finding a seat and getting your food quickly isn't an issue. I tried it for the first time today and had the pork on a bun (aka piggly wiggly) sandwich with mild sauce and it was delicious! I loved stumbling onto a charred crispy piece, but it all really tender and yummy. The sauce, which is admittedly pretty mild, had a nice amount of sweetness to it. As usual with bbq sandwiches, the bread wasn't able to hold the weight of the meat and sauce. Still, the buttered and grilled bread went great with the meat.
The sides were more disappointing. You can get a basic side (coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans) with a combo or add $1.50 for a fancier side. My group shared the potato salad (pretty standard, I liked it); the candied yams (holy sugar); mac n cheese (bland!!); and baked beans (unmemorable). Next time I would probably just get the potato salad as part of my meal. -
Review from Mindy S.
Oakland, CA
5/18/2011
Gee...I wish I could rave about the food at this cute little BBQ joint, but I honestly can't. I am from the South and LOVE, LOVE BBQ!! but I have been hard-pressed to find the same kind of BBQ out west as I hoped I'd find. No offense friends!! really!
The chef, Chef Edwards was a really nice man and I was really patient, waiting at the counter to place a "to-go" order. He was doing a good job of waiting on people in the order they came in (it was dinner time 6 p.m.) but I wished he'd offered me a glass of water while I waited, really, about 10 to 15 min. till he got caught up to get my order. Having been a waitress I know you gotta make sure people have at least a drink until you can get their order. He didn't even know I was ordering a take-out until he took my order.
I got the order home....the Piggly Wiggly Special and a beef rib dinner. I was so looking forward to digging into the ribs!! I opened the box and there were 3 MASSIVE sized pieces of rib. The ribs were spicy without the sauce on it (I ordered mild...and it had a kick to it...good). I was having a hard time gnawing the meat off the bone....that was most disappointing and there wasn't much meat on the bone to begin with. I now know why baby-back ribs are so much better.
The Piggly Wiggly sandwich was pretty tasty. I would order that again. The side dish of the cole slaw was most unusual. I love cole slaw very much and my grandmother used to make the sauce from scratch w/ just basic ingredients...milk, mayonaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. I was impressed that Chef Edward's makes their own so I was excited to try it. It was very different...not bad, but curry and spicy style...not southern style. I am sensitive to spicy foods so I let my partner have my slaw. He really liked it. Just different strokes for different folks : )
I am not a big fan of getting plain old commercial sliced bread in a bag. It just seems to say to me....."I can't be bothered with this part of the dinner...so here's a slice of Wonder bread for ya." Cornbread or homemade biscuit would be idea for this place....certainly for the fried fish it would go very well with that. I had a side of french fries and they were good....shoestring fries.
I noticed a lot of people were drinking the lemonade. I wasn't asked if I wanted a drink and was tempted to ask for a glass of lemonade, but just didn't speak up in time and certainly didn't want to take it w/ me since I was on my bicycle. Maybe another time.
I will go back and try some other items, like I said I liked the pulled pork sandwich and it looked like the potato salad was homemade. -
Review from Yen C.
Oakland, CA
7/18/2011
3.5 stars
Piggly Wiggly was good, but the bread got really soggy really fast. I ended up dropping the whole thing on a plate and eating it with a fork/knife. Ordered the pork ribs to go for my bf. He loved it. -
Review from Michael N.
Emeryville, CA
8/12/2011
First, the people here are really nice. I'm a sucker for friendly service so it pains me to just give this place 3-stars, but the food was just ok. The main issue is that none of the meats had a discernible smokiness.
- The beef brisket had a fine texture, but no real smoke ring.
- The ribs had a sort of sweet, almost asian-inpsired rub. This was a nice, unique flavor but again, no smokiness. It was almost as if these were not smoked, but rather baked
- The slice pork roast was my favorite meat, although it too was not smokey. There are places in the area that do pulled pork, but sometimes I want a coarser cut. I'd have to say that (don't scoff) Tomm's pork (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) is the best in Oakland.
- The hot links were fine, although I'm not sure that they actually made those there. The links had a nice, tightly packed texture that seemed like the handy work of a machine.
- The mac and cheese was kind of bland, although to it's credit, it's real cheese. I guess that from visiting so many southern BBQ places, I actually sort of look forward to velveeta in my mac and chese
- The spaghetti was ok. Chunks of ground beef and a bland sauce that seemed more meat-grease based than tomato based.
I also had a slice of coconut cream pie, which was probably the low-light of the meal. The original request was banana pudding, but they were out so I opted for a lemon meringue slice. Much to my chagrin, it ended up being coconut cream.
The workers are good guys and they handled a particularly whiny patron very well. I just wish I liked the food more... -
Review from Scott O.
Novato, CA
7/22/2011
This is just off of a first impression, as I stumbled upon this place looking for some good eats in Oakland. I got the beef brisket sandwich and a side of fries. The sandwich was a plate of brisket with two slices of small, middle-school type bread, on the side. I thought this was great because you got a ton of beef! The brisket was good, and the sauce was good as well (but not mind blowing) The fries were only mediocre.
Atmosphere was cool. It's a small place, and if you eat in, you have to wait in line to pay your bill, just as if you were ordering again. The server and Chef Edward were cool, super personable...I'd go back again and try the Piggly Wiggly, which is apparently the staple pork and slaw sando of the place. -
Review from Cali G.
San Leandro, CA
6/28/2011
I came here today w/ my mom and ordered dinner (take-out). I saw this place on "Eye on the Bay" ch. 5 last summer and have been tryin' to get here ever since...I read the reviews and finally decided today would be the day. We met Chef Edwards and he was really cool. Our order was done in about 10-15 min.
I really enjoyed the baby back ribs!! You get a lot of fall off the bone meat. I didn't taste any gristle either :) I ordered it w/ a side of beans and potato salad. I got the "spicy" sauce which was really good...it had my nose runnin'. Potato Salad was good too, it reminded me of "Reeser's" potato salad at Safeway which is really good. Mac n' cheese seemed bland, but I ate it anyway cuz I luuuv cheese (no one beats my mom's mac n' cheese-I'm not jus sayin' that cuz she's my mom either).
My mom had the same dinner but her sauce on the ribs were "mild" and she had cole slaw instead of beans, and greens. She loved the ribs and said the cole slaw had a different flavor, but overall she gave her meal 4.5 stars out of 5. She said this BBQ was better that Everett & Jones cuz they actually give u meat and not gristle.
Oh yeah, yams and hot water cornbread were off da chain--and I normally don't care for hot water cornbread. The carrot cake was a little dry--my FAV carrot cake for the last 8yrs has been at Sam's Club--PLEASE TRY if u like carrot cake. Bread pudding was good, but a little too much nutmeg made it overpowering.
Chef Edwards also accepted my $10 off coupon that I got from http://restaurants.com. Well, we'll be back here, overall we liked everything we ate!! :) (PS. Sorry my review is soooo long) -
Review from Matt R.
Oakland, CA
11/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's a different kind of 'cue, and a good difference.
We wandered in on a cold and windy day, looking for protein and sustenance. The place was warm, inviting, friendly, and the service was fanstastic.
And the meat was solid.
The Pork On The Bun was pretty damn good. It was an interesting hybrid, reminding me a lot of the far-western NC 'cue (Appalachian style) that's smothered in tomato sauce and served over a corn cake. But this stuff backed off on the cheese, went with a spicier sauce, and was served open-face on a roll. The cubes of meat were tender and tasty, and a little Louisiana Hot Sauce brought everything up to speed. The side order of beans was just great, loaded with pork bits and chilis. All of this was served with a smile at a nice 50's-style diner counter.
It's different than Phat Matt's pulled pork or Everett & Jones sweet sliced meats. I want to come back for brunch.Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Marc A.
9/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
A solid four stars to Chef Earl Edwards and his BBQ'n staff.
If you like fall off the bone meat, covered in a tangy hot or mild saucy served with a side of wheat bread and a choice of slaw or potato salad, this is the place for you.
Pull up a seat at the counter, watch CNN on full blast from the TV in the corner and wipe the sides of your mouth as the BBQ sauce drips out and almost lands on your new shirt. Damn good!
Bonus star for the super friendly service. Enjoy! -
Review from Arleenies G.
San Jose, CA
12/1/2010
Walked in for lunch with a friend of mine around 1pm. I should have known better to eat there when the place did not smell like bbq nor was it smokey in there. Which now that I think about it I know for a fact my food was microwaved because I only had to wait a few minutes for my food.
When my food was ready, the waitress came out with a plate of 4 small dry ribs and a cup of beans. Ummm wheres the sandwich? She comes back within minutes with a BAG of cheap wheat bread and gives me the last two slices in the bag and says "enjoy". I could not believe I just paid $12.00 for a sandwich (if you could even call it a sandwich, which I had to fix myself) a cup of beans and a pepsi. At least it didnt taste bad as it smelled.
This place was the worst BBQ I've ever had! -
Review from scott b.
Oakland, CA
12/18/2010
Great BBQ, sweet owners & right across the street from my apartment. Chef Edwards nails it & the service always makes me smile. The Piggly-Wiggly is a great sandwich & the brisket is one of the best in town.
A must try for a BBQ lover! -
Review from Hyphy W.
Oakland, CA
2/28/2011
I first ate at this place like 8 years ago when it was at the old location on San Pablo with my husband. My husband typed and put together his menus for him. He has known Chef Edwards for many many years. My husbands aunt use to work for him when she lived here in da bay area when it was still at the old location. When I first had their BBQ there it was delish! We would get a 3 way combo with links, brisket and ribswith mild sauce and with a side of macaroni n cheese and spaghetti. We would also get the corn bread which was very good. Everything was good.....We would be at the old location alot.
Once he moved to this new location I feel like It has changed some what. The sauce to me taste Different and the meat also taste different. I dunno why. I mean dont get me wrong I still think its very good just a slight difference in taste at least to me. But over all the place is good and I would like to go and try their breakfast one day. -
Review from Brent T.
San Francisco, CA
10/7/2010
I was in the area and passed up two Vietnamese restaurants that intrigued me to try this bbq. I went here around 3 pm so there wasn't much of a crowd. I was greeted by a nice lady. I asked her what she would recommend. She told me everything is good. I tried the baby back ribs with potato salad and coleslaw as sides.
Ribs: dry and covered with sauce. I wasn't impressed.
Potato salad: tastes like potato salad.
Coleslaw: this was a kind of coleslaw I've never had before. It was the color of curry, looked like pickles you get at a Japanese restaurant, and tasted like a pickled cabbage. I ate it all. It was interesting. Can't say I'm a fan of it but definitely points for a different coleslaw. -
Review from Ryan R.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2010
3.5 stars. There is better BBQ in Oakland.
Went for dinner before a show, not crowded, good service.
The food didn't knock my socks off. -
Review from J S.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 9/18/2011
They had a good breakfasst for reasonable price, but they had to stop that. Now, they are not serving breakfast anymore. :(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/21/2011
I had a chance to not only eat at Chef Edwards but also had a chance to meet him personally. He was… Read more »
-
-
Review from Christi T.
Oakland, CA
9/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I think we came here on a good night -- the ribs were delicious, with the juicy meat falling right off the bone. The links were pretty good, and the chicken wings had a nice crunchy salt n' pepper batter on them. Beans were good, as was the potato salad (definitely decent, even if it might be pre-bought). I like that they give you a couple of pieces of soft wheat bread -- brings me back to my southern roots. The BBQ sauce was really nice, with a kick!
I enjoyed the coconut cream pie to top it off, even though it was obviously store bought. I did notice that their sweet potato pies were homemade; I'll have to try one of those babies next time.
Best of all was the service; the woman behind the counter was very friendly. -
Review from Moni M.
Emeryville, CA
4/27/2010
PERHAPS I VISITED Chef Edwards on the wrong day, but I have no intensions of returning. I'm a West-Oaklandite and a firm supporter of small businesses -especially Afram owned/operated establishments.
When the short-order cook is loudly bellowing out Motown tunes, off key, while spewing his DNA all over the food he's preparing, I'll pass.
I ordered a 2-way: brisket 'n links w/mild sauce (Thank heaven it came from the back kitchen). Links were old and too chewy (2-3 days old) and be advised "mild" = "HOT". The sauce is not signature, "beans" are not your traditional smokey baked beans, potato salad bland. I was not pleased. You pay addtnl $1.50 to substitute side orders (yams, greens, mac n cheese). WTH?!?
Very disappointed. -
Review from Parker P.
Emeryville, CA
7/30/2011
Good food, better service.
Pork ribs: the meat slides right off the bone. It was very tender, with just a little bit of hard around the edges. I loved it. The hot bbq sauce was tasty, while not mindblowing, and not particularly spicy.
Potato salad: light, tasty. Also not mindblowing but definitely ready for some black pepper, hot sauce, and maybe even stir in a little bbq. It complemented the meal perfectly.
Beans: Tasty. I'm not going to write home about them.
Chicken: like the pork, it slid right off the bone. Could have been a touch more moist, but nothing to complain about.
Chef Edwards: super friendly, lots of smiles, very personable. We've lived around here less than a year and meeting business owners that are this welcoming really means a lot.
Yellow cake with chocolate frosting: I'll update this when I find some room in my belly! -
Review from Drue C.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2008
I think chef Edward might have been on vacation hunting down the missing ingredients to his barbeque when I rolled through. The sides were missing something, and I think I know exactly what it was. Flavor.
Luckily he was not out of meat. However he left the ribs the smoker and forgot to set an alarm for those he left to tend them when he walked on out the door. Those are some smoky tasting ribs. Not overdone, just smoky. The brisket was the highlight, not too fatty and nice and tender.
The sauce. We ordered hot, and it was hot. But it was not that tangy or sweet or any other of the flavors that generally come out in a good sauce. Apparently Edward ran out of all sorts of flavors in his kitchen.
Hurry back Edward, I know you can't have possibly left never to return. And, if you are reading this, pretty please bring some oomph back home with you. -
Review from Len V.
Concord, CA
2/26/2007
Melt in your mouth great BBQ. Want a treat? Go at dinner time. Downtown rolls up the sidewalks after 6 so you'll have the place virtually to yourself and Chef Edwards will likely serve you himself... and make fun of you for choosing the mild sauce. Place gets crowded at lunch.
Here's a good plan for when you've got tickets for a show at the Paramount. Take BART to 19th St. Walk the 2 or 3 blocks over to Chef Edwards for a great dinner. See your show, then walk a block up to Lukas for drinks and dessert.Listed in: Places To Eat Near Work…
-
Review from Steve K.
CA
1/1/2008
I really wanted to like this place, and Chef Edwards seems like a nice guy, but the middlin' Q just didn't do it for me.
The quality of the meat was okay, but the fat-to-meat ratio of the brisket was too high, and the smoke-to-meat ratio was too low. Read: bland-n-fatty.
The sauce was nothing to write home about -- tomato based and unremarkable.
Sides were not dressed to impress. I had to try the cole slaw, because it's vinegar-based, not drenched in mayo (that makes me gag). Unfortunately, it's made with yellow curry (that also makes me gag).
The corn bread was a cold, fried hockey puck soaked in oil.
Sorry Chef. I like the classic car pix on the walls, but pix ain't a meal. -
Review from Tony U.
2/9/2010
Chef Edward's BBQ is a nice little nugget in Uptown Oakland. Hours are 7am to 10pm and they offer traditional breakfast, great lunch items, or excellent BBQ chicken, sausages, pork, ribs, etc.
I prefer Kansas City style BBQ and thought the quality here was decent. The sauce seems too sweet to me. I don't like overly sweet BBQ. I prefer more hickory/metallic/wood smoked flavor.
Still, the interior is comfortable and Chef Gregory himself seems like a nice man who will give you your money's worth.
Will probably try this regularly now that I've discovered it. -
Review from Mari M.
Oakland, CA
1/19/2010 2 Check-ins Here
When I first went to Chef Edward's, I had no idea what o expect. I was actually looking forward to some burritos...which happened to be closed.
I ordered the brisket sandwich. First of all...it had no business being called a sandwich. It should have been called a delicious meat monster blanketed with red BBQ sauce. It took me all day to finish it. However, the second time, it took me 7 minutes to finish it because it was so very delicious.
The staff was very attentive, and super genuine. The food is sooo good, that I can even ignore the poop I almost stepped on as I was walking to Chef Edwards or the guy urinating near one of the buildings. I can also ignore the guy who asked me how much would I charge him while I was walking in my sweats...covered from head to toe. It's THAT good.
They only get 4 stars because I wish they were open on Sundays and Mondays...my usual days of not cooking.Listed in:
…">I Heart the East Bay, Favorite Hunger Relief Places -
Review from maiko h.
El Cerrito, CA
6/1/2006
We went to the new location for lunch, and boy, was I disappointed. First, one should be suspicious of a BBQ place that doesn't smell smoky or saucy. Chef Edwards new restaurant is a squeaky clean simulacrum of a 50s diner with formica tables and some counter seating--it's like the set of Food Network's "Unwrapped." Yep, you know what I'm talking about! Despite the clean interior, though, the bathroom was out of soap. Finding this out before I ate my food made me suspicious and grossed out. I hope there is another soap-equipped sink for employees to wash hands.
I'm giving two stars because there are some reasonably priced choices and they have strawberry soda on tap (I prefer grape, but oh well). However, I can't recommend the BBQ here based on what I ate. We got the "lunch special" which is shredded BBQ meat on a bun with a side of potato salad or cole slaw for $6.50 (beef or pork). Not bad economically. Not good taste-wise. The bread they used was what fastfood joints now tout as "ciabatta," a slightly crusty and large-holed bread. It is just weird for me to eat BBQ with anything other than squishy, nostalgic Wonder Bread, but I didn't mind it. The BBQ sauce was merely glorified ketchup. I asked for mild because the "hot" at Everett & Jones is pretty hot and Chef Edwards doesn't offer a medium. There's no smoky flavor or molasses depth, just ketchuppy tomato flavor and some sweetness.
The meat was just...meat. I wouldn't say it's bad *if* I were eating it at a non-BBQ joint approximating BBQ pork. But damn, this is a BBQ joint and I expect BBQ! While the meat was moist, there was no noticeable smokiness to the flavor at all. My sandwich kept dripping clear fluid--whether it was from the anemic BBQ sauce or the meat I do not know. It better not have been the meat. BBQ is a dry cooking method, and the meat should be rested after cooking so it doesn't lose its juices.
The potato salad was ok. The potato chunks were kind of large, and waxy due to refrigeration. If they did a great job on the salad, it could've been the saving grace. If they can't do the meat right, then they should at least serve up a good potato salad, a skill that's easier to master than the art of BBQ.
I'm the kind of person who just wants some shredded pork or a couple of pork ribs slapped on a slice of white bread and call *that* a BBQ sandwich. If you refuse to file that under sandwich and are swayed by the presence of ciabatta-style bread in a sterile faux diner atmosphere, then this place would be perfect for you. Like I said before, beware of BBQ joints that don't smell smoky or saucy!!Listed in: Blurbecue
-
Review from Andy M.
CA
2/7/2007
I miss the old location with the funky green and white paint job and the rickety stools, but the new location across the street is very cute and will probably appeal to more people than the old place. It does feel a bit sterile for a BBQ joint, but it is still new and hasn't had time to build up a coat of smoky grime yet - give it time folks. Don't listen to the fans of Doug's up the street - Doug's can't hold a candle to Chef Edwards, and Doug's sauce has a really strong dose of MSG in it - yuck.
All of the BBQ is great - the sauce is more spicy than sweet-n-sticky, which is my preference. The chicken is probably the best bet - always amazing. Check out the brisket - super moist (sometimes a bit fatty) - and the ribs, sausage, and pork roast are also memorable. The salt water corn bread is probably not for everyone, but I adore it. It is like a dense fried hockey puck of corn bread - not healthy but so satisfying.
Some of the sides can be iffy, but there is a large selection. The greens, candied yams, and black eyed peas are my favorites. The mac and cheese is unfortunately forgettable and kind of lumpy.
The easiest thing to do is to order too much. In fact it is hard not to as the portions are huge. I have yet to try the breakfast, but they serve homemade S.O.S. which has my name on it. -
Review from Matthew P.
Philmont, NY
8/3/2005 1 photo
Update: It seems Yelp migrated the reviews over to the new location. I have not been to the new location, but my review doesn't make a lot of sense, since many of the details revolve around the original space.
Review
Up there with the best bbq in the area. Chef John Edwards is a great shop owner. His place seats about 10 people, no more. In a moderately scary area of Oakland that is undergoing urban redevelopment (Chef will be relocating in the not too distant future). Not a place where you would necessarily bring a date (unless you were with a really cool chick). Some people will love this place for its character and grittiness, some people will think it is rundown. The cutting board is right in front of you and the food is delicious. My only disappointment is the coleslaw, It is too vinegary for my taste.
Any restaurant that has been muralized must be great...
http://www.danfontes.c...Listed in: Places I Will Miss Most, Lake Merritt Lunch
-
Review from Learnee L.
Emeryville, CA
2/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've been watching too much Food Network for the last couple of weeks and it got me to crave BBQ. Finally last Friday, I drove by the place to get a take-out dinner for me and hubby. Having been here last year for my birthday, I know the food is not going to disappoint my craving.
One guy was waiting for his take out at the counter when I came in. The lady was really nice to take my order. I ordered an order of brisket dinner with potato salad and corn and pork ribs dinner with coleslaw and beans. It may have something to do with the fact that the place was empty, but it took a while for me to get my food. The lady was really nice and apologized for the delay.
The BBQ was good...it really satisfied my craving. I'm not a fan of potato salad and beans but I ate some of the potato and was okay with it. My hubby and I didn't like the coleslaw since it's the red vinegar kind not the traditional mayo. Of course, you can't miss the wonder bread that always come with your order. -
Review from Lisa K.
12/3/2009
Excellent barbecue, and extremely accessible from Paramount theater or 19th st BART station - and actually open in the evenings, which a lot of places in the area don't seem to be.
Everyone was super-friendly and our waitress checked on us frequently. We tried a lot of items, and there's plenty more on the menu. Top recommendations go to the baby back ribs, which were incredibly meaty and tender. The brisket was quite good as well, although there were some fatty areas that had to be avoided. I'd skip the chicken next time - not bad, but really nothing special. The beans were outstanding and had much more depth and flavor than I expect from barbecue places, where they often seem to be an afterthought. The french fries were some of my favorite type - crinkly and well fried to create a pleasant exterior. Overall the barbecue style was less smokey and more sauce based, which some may not like as much - but it was tasty.Listed in: Bay Area BBQ
-
Review from Jamila N.
Oakland, CA
3/15/2009
They say you can't properly judge the quality of BBQ based on the chicken, but I don't eat beef or pork, so here we go.
I've only been once but I just don't think I'll give it another go. The chicken was a bit undercooked at the bone for me, which is a little scary. I didn't have any real complaints about the sauce, but it wasn't anything remarkable either. The sides are what really put me off. The mac n cheese I had was cold by the time I got it home, which isn't far enough for it to be cold already, and a little mushy for my taste. The greens, which I was excited about because they're meatless, were also tasteless. Making delicious meat-free greens is an art and Chef just didn't do it for me. Finally, the hot water cornbread woulda been good if it wasn't also ice cold and seemingly not very fresh. Many people here have commented on the consistency of the cornbread, but again, it's hot water which has a different texture and weight than regular cornbread.
Overall, the only reason this place gets more than 1 star is that the service was really great, friendly and fast. Too bad it's a restaurant, so the food has to be good too. Oh, and it was a bit pricey to me (15 bucks for this!?). -
Review from Mollie M.
Berkeley, CA
2/28/2007
yummyyummyyummyyummyyummyyummyyummyyummyyummyyummy yummyyummyyummyyummy..............
good bbq, friendly owner, and a couple of bargains on the menu. I'll be back.Listed in: feed me meat!
-
Review from Leah S.
Livermore, CA
11/20/2009
First, let me just say that they are the NICEST people. Chef Edward's brother in law was my delivery person, and the Chef called me himself to confirm my order.
I thought the mac n cheese was good, and the black eyed peas were off the chain. Excellent quality meat. I had brisket and ribs. The sauce tastes a little tomatoy, but I think it comes down to preference. It is clearly homemade sauce, and I just like mine a little tangier. At least it's fresh and is true Southern-style. I can't deal with spicey food (i.e. salt is too spicey for me), so if you get the beans, beware there is a little kick. I also enjoyed the potato salad. The cornbread is excellent. It's a combination between a corn fritter and a hushpuppy. Delicious. Overall, worth the money and amazing staff. I can't wait to go and enjoy the restaurat in person. -
Review from Jen L.
9/17/2006
I remember seeing Chef Edwards in Sunset Magazine a few years ago in a pretty desolate part of town. Little did I know I'd end up working near there. The neighborhood's really changing and sadly, the old Chef Edwards location is gone.
But, they've reopened with a spankin' new store across the street. Yes, very 50's decor but I enjoyed one of their chicken sandwiches and met Chef Edwards himself-a very charasmatic and nice guy. A few East Bayers tell me it's the best and most reasonably priced bbq in town. The coleslaw was a strange curry yellow but I plan to go back when I have a hankering for bbq again.
Footnote: For their bbq sauces, mild was pretty spicy already. So be forewarned if you think you can handle hot or otherwise! -
Review from Nikki S.
Redwood City, CA
8/16/2007
this BBQ is helping me to warm up to Oakland (i know people love it here, but between the crazy AC bus drivers and the guys w/nothing better to do than hang out by BART, I've yet to understand it). No, the service isn't that great (although i don't think it's all that bad), and it's kinda out of the way (but i can always find parking around the block), but the sauce is good--tangy and sweet--and it's cheap for how much food you get.
Not crazy about their coleslaw, but i am way too picky about cabbage side dishes, so most will probably enjoy it. Go for the spicy sauce--it's not that hot and it gives a nice kick. -
Review from Robert C.
Oakland, CA
3/12/2011
The best thing is Chef Edward is a personable guy. I had the 2-way combo ( pork ribs and brisket ) in mild sauce. It wasn't bad. I like the idea of a little more fat on my ribs. You also have the choice of two sides, I chose potato salad and beans. The beans are different from other places. Spicier. Also had the cornbread which seems deep fried. Ordered some dessert to take home, some coconut cream pie but haven't dove into that as yet. I didn't leave hungry !
-
Review from R. M.
Oakland, CA
11/17/2007
I recommend Chef Edwards for breakfast. It's a really good deal and you can get grits. The menu doesn't say grits but says "hot cereal." I love biscuits and gravy so come here for this! I had a good thing here yesterday: it's a fried cornbread patty, savory and not sweet, kinda like a giant hush puppy. I don't know what they called it-- maybe like a corn muffin or something. Anyway, I was surprised when I got it because it wasn't what I expected, but it was good.
A lot of stuff is kind of on the sweet side. I really like the sweet potatoes. Even though they are SO sweet they are REALLY good.
The only problem is he's closed on Sundays but otherwise he opens at 7am. -
Review from steven c.
10/17/2005
This has always been my favorite barbecue spot west of el paso, texas. Chef is always a friendly face, and I really like the no-frills ambience of the place. Hasn't really changed a lick since I started going there in '94.
The pig here is divine, the chicken is always tasty and the ribs will stop you in your tracks.
I disagree with other reviews that downplay the sides here, as I think there's some real gems amidst a few croakers. The cabbage is top notch, the greens are always good and the macaroni salad will stand up to any picnic fare out there. I even appreciate the vinegar based slaw, though I do prefer it mayo based.
If you don't bust a button on your meal, there's always sweet potato pie (eight thumbs up!) or a monstrous slice of chocolate cake to top you off. -
Review from William D.
Oakland, CA
2/20/2008
We ordered a large order for eight of us @ work.The portions were OK, too much tomoto in the sauce on the ribs.
Hot Links 2 Stars
Ribs 1.5 Stars
Sides 2 Stars
Overall not bad,but not the best BBQ I've had.
I'll have to give Everett & Jones a try -
Review from Scooter G.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2007
Great BBQ, luv the sauce.
His new digs are very nice.
One of the better BBQ places in the area. -
Review from M R.
Emeryville, CA
6/16/2009
I was underwhelmed. I ordered a 2-way with ribs and brisket. It looked like I got a lot of food, but really, I just got ALOT of sauce. I ordered the Hot sauce, and it wasn't even close to being hot. I thought they gave me mild sauce at first. The ribs weren't very meaty and I didn't get much brisket. The potato salad tasted like it was made with Miracle Whip.
All in all...go to Everett and Jones
