Fette Sau
354 Metropolitan Ave
(between 4th St & Havemeyer St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 963-3404
- Menu: MenuPages
- Good for Kids: No
- Delivers: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
71 Reviews for Fette Sau
Sh*t's good.
Wash it down with the Pikes ville Rye. It's, um, un-authorized, let's say, for sale in this state. Pike sville (one word - I don't want to expose anyone). Mm mm mm. Pykesvylle.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I headed all the way to Brooklyn to try this place based on Chantelle's recommendation but have to say I was dissapointed. I will give credit to the atmosphere and their innovative way of serving beer, however the actual barbecue was bland and nothing to write home about. I prefer Blue Smoke and I don't have to trek to Brooklyn to get it!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Holy beejesus this place is GREAT. Let me break it down for you: BBQ by the pound; beer by the gallon and housed in a old mechanics garage. Too cool, right?
Went here on the first springish day in NY with a bunch of buds to celebrate the warmish weather (emphasis on "ish"). I'm pretty sure we got 4 lbs of everything and every side (I love, love, loved the pork belly, ribs and potato salad).
I didn't have to wait in the queue (that's what boys are for, right?) so us girls nabbed one of the picnic/cafeteria style benches and waited for the grub. Every table comes decked out with homemade BBQ sauces - they have a variety - and rolls of paper towels! Which is perfect for me as I seem to get sauce over every square inch of me. We wound up staying so long that we sampled a ton of their beers, cider (barf) and capped it off with some whiskey. Seems to be both a really popular neighborhood joint (lots of babies!) as well as with the younger set.
Not that we ran into this problem, but I did notice they seem to have more customers than tables and since you line up buffet style to get your meat, it can be a bit of a crapshoot if you get a seat after or not (so it's good to come in a group and split up like we did). Also be warned since it is an old garage, they have a huge sliding metal door that stays open the entire time so when the sun goes down, it can get just as cold inside as out.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (3)
Cool (4)
I wanted to like this place, it's in the neighborhood. Hipsters lined up out the door, for what? Ribs so dry they taste like sawdust? Bad on so many levels. I like the pig too. Disappointing.
Hooo, dawg, is Fette Sau's pulled pork butt delicious. I stopped by with friends last night to share a pound of the moist, meaty goodness...plus a half-pound of brisket, two spicy pork sausages, some baked beans with burnt ends, broccoli salad, German potato salad, and a gallon o' wheat beer. It was quite a feast. Let's break it down:
Brisket: Moist and tasty, but a little too fatty for my taste
Pork Sawwwsages: Wished I'd ordered more just for myself
Pulled Pork Butt: Amen.
Broccoli Salad: A surprisingly tasty, refreshing addition to the plate
Potato Salad: Also surprisingly tasty (I'm not usually a fan)
Baked Beans: Eh. I'd skip these next time. They were a bit too thick and heavy-tasting--I wanted more vinegary bite (or something)
Gallon o' Beer: How can you not love this? Four of us finished it off (mind you, we're not dainty drinkers; we could have shared with more people, but hey, it was there)
Other thoughts? I liked the wooden-picnic-tables-stashed-behind-a-chain-link-f ence vibe; the place smelled amazing; and I loved the butchering diagrams painted onto the walls. Service was a bit aloof (the girl who rang us up had the too-cool-for-school, hipster sensibility down pat), but because you order your food at the counter and pay for it right there, we didn't really interact with the service staff for long. I loved the range of sauces available--a tomato-based Texas-style sauce, a hot barbecue sauce, and Carolina-style vinegar sauce. Despite my Texas upbringing, I couldn't get enough of that vinegar.
I'll be back to Fette Sau, even knowing the place will be perpetually mobbed with the warm weather returning. Because, you know, sometimes nothing makes you feel better like a pound of barbecue and a gallon of beer.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The BBQ was not bad here. Not my favorite in NYC, but definitely high up on the list. And what southern girl can't love a place that serves your beer in a mason jar? I mean, REALLY?!? I personally liked the cafeteria style, but didn't like the attitude from the server when my friends were a little confused on the ordering process.
Ok, now I'm going to list why it's only just OK:
-It's not cheap
-The picnic table seating and the lack of seats once it gets crowded (you will get to know your table neighbor pretty well)
-It's full (and I mean full) of hipsters, so if they aren't your thang, you're not going to have a good time
Other than that, I really liked it, and will definitely come back a little bit earlier during dinner time rather than later to make sure there are enough seats for me and my friends.
I don't know why everyone is voting that it's great for kids, when I was there on a Saturday evening, it was full of hipsters drankin' and getting their grub on - not a place I'd want to bring my kid and have them sitting right next to someone drinking heavily and swearing, but that's just my own personal opinion.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
This place is great. It's got the whole Texas/German BBQ concept happening. You stand in line and get meat by the pound. They have a butcher who cuts and wraps it up for you. With each order you get bread to make sandwiches and they have 3 types of BBQ sauce on the table.
The Ribs, Boston Butt, and Beef Brisket are all delicious. They also have these pretty tasty sausages you can get for $1. if you're not a huge eater and realize that the sides are lame (see below) you can eat here for pretty cheap.
I'm a whiskey drinker and this place has a great selection. The bartenders also have these freakishly large ice cubes just for that. When you order a whiskey on the rocks, they put one in your glass and pour it into this special jigger that fits diagonally over the glass. The whiskey then pours slowly out of the jigger and onto the ice like a golden brown waterfall. (Sniffle) It's so beautiful.
-1 star for the picnic table seating. Does anybody like the picnic table seating? If you have more than 1 person with you, you're hovering over people like a punk until someone leaves. Then you got the empty seats you desperately need with jackets or purses or cameras on them. What's that all about? You gotta ask people if someone's sitting there while your friends canvas the room like cops after a prison break.
Also -1 star for the subpar side dishes. You gotta try harder than that, Fette Sau. The broccoli has a weird vinegar-y aftertaste and the baked beans are way too tangy. The potato salad is just plain gross.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (6)
Cool (6)
The barbecue craze is a little overblown in this town these days, but Fette Sau gets the job done better than most. You can only buy meat by the pound. If you know BBQ, that's real. This is one of the few places in town that recognizes you need cider vinegar if you're gonna eat pulled pork. No sandwiches here...you'll have to rip open a roll and make your own. The owners of beer bar Spuyten Duyvill are behind this place, and they've definitely got their beer right, although I would like to see some cheap bottles on the menu. People seem to be claiming the sides are no good here, but come on people, are you really going to a BBQ joint because their potato salad is amazing? This experience is about THE MEAT people. But I guess that we New Yorkers expect the world. There's also plenty of seating at picnic tables outside, which is a very nice touch for the warmer months.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
There once was a girl from New York
With a great love of barbecued pork.
Despite Jews' prohibitions
She took trafe positions
And did place the pork on her fork.
Um, yes. I really like barbecue. So naturally I was psyched when Fette Sau opened. Now, as a rule, I have issues with NYC barbecue. Not because it's mediocre, although it is, but because of the incredible cult of preciousness surrounding it: the obsession with 'recreating' 'authenticity' and the innumerable self-conscious Southern trappings that ring as phony as the drawls in 'A Love Song for Bobby Long.' (Hey, I had HBO.) Go to the Bryant Park bbq fest if you want to know what I mean: hundreds of foodies, lined up for hours clutching copies of Saveur and relishing the authenticity of the experience.
Down south, barbecue's just what people eat, the way we eat pizza. Some of it's good, some bad, but it's always unfussy. And you know what? I kind of like having something that we can't get in New York, that you have to travel for. You know how peeps are always prosing on about eating seasonally to actually appreciate the rhythms of what we eat? We're so spoiled in New York that we don't realize the same applies to the regional.
Rant over.
Fette Sau is okay. The atmo is very good - sepia-toned (my fave adj) and decorated with antique phonograph horns and other arcana. Bar seats are made from tractor seats (cool but v uncomfortable), tables are wood, there's a great bourbon selection and the food's cafeteria-style, served onto butcher paper.
So far so good, but the pulled pork was meh - fatty, not very flavorful and utterly lacking in the unctuous melting quality of great bbq - the potato salad a bore, the beans forgettable.
RUB, Dinosaur and Daisy Mae's are all better, even though this spot has em all beat for atmo. If your main objective was drinkin', with food an afterthought, I'd call this a superior choice. But even by NYC standards, you can do better for bbq.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (6)
Cool (7)
Fette Sau is for lovers.
Or love-ahs, as the Clarvins would say.
("The Clarvins" are Saturday Night Live characters played by Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch)
If you love barbecue as much as these love-ahs love their spiced meats, stop by Fette Sau for a delicious BBQ dinner experience. Visit on a warm evening where you can sit out on a communal bench with your love-ah under the moonlight.
Before sharing this romantic meal with your dear one, step into the line and look at "Tonight's Meats." Items are crossed off as they run out throughout the night, so don't come too late. Like say, after a lusty romp in the meadow. Come before that. You and your love-ah may choose from many a delightful meat, including pulled pork, brisket and even pig tails. There are several sides to choose from, including the ever-popular baked beans and potato salad. Do not let the broccoli salad fool you; it is not a "salad," nor is it very good.
Sandwich your love-ah's pulled pork into the roll provided with your hearty bounty. Be careful not to forget some barbecue sauce, specifically the ligher-colored bottle. The darker has a bit too much spice and will take away from the delectable pleasure your tastebuds receive from the food, not unlike the pleasure you receive from your love-ah.
As you finish your meal of meat, gaze longingly into your darling's eyes while washing it all down with a refreshing beer. If you are feeling extra feisty, order a huge, affordable pitcher to share with fellow love-ahs. Upon finishing dinner, make sure to hold your love-ah in a long, sensual embrace under the glow of the moon... before heading home to submit to yours and your love-ah's desires, triggered by the BBQ-ecstasy you experienced at Fette Sau.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
You know you're at a restaurant that cares more about quality than presentation when your meat comes on a tray and your beer comes in a gallon-sized glass jug. I can't wait till it's warmer out so I can chill outside with my giant tray of meat and lethal amount of beer.
Although, for a BBQ place, I didn't really enjoy their sauces. A bit too strong for me.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
Fette Sau is the best place to get barbeque north of the Mason-Dixon.
You wait on line to get food cafeteria style, know what you want and yell it out. Don't forget the sides, the broccoli is out of this world. If you want your cardiologist to get a new pool try the pork belly, it is amazing but you will hate yourself when you are done.
There are taps of beer with different cleavers, it makes you think Sweeney Todd decorated the place.
The only draw back is the tables. You have to fight for a seat, which are picnic tables, many people don't want to share. Make sure one person gets the food while the others get the seats. Cell phones makes good walky talkies.
Once you get a seat enjoy the outdoors and of course the food.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I'm pretty surprised this place only has a 3.5 star average, as I think their BBQ is pretty awesome, they have outdoor space with picnic tables, and they sell delicious microbrews from taps by the gallon. The only issues that I had with it are that food is served by the pound from a very small counter area where there's only really room for one person to work, so the line can get large quickly, and that there isn't much indoor space, so I'd probably reserve return trips here for nice weather days.
The BBQ was really top notch. We had huge chunks of soft brisket, slices of massive boneless beef spare ribs, spicy sausages, pork ribs, and burnt end baked beans. All were really great, with the brisket being the highlight. They have a large slow cooker which apparently places in Manhattan cannot have due to some cockamamey rule, and their brisket certainly is tender and moist. The burnt end beans were a unique and excellent tough too.
Their beer taps have all been fitted with knives as handles, which was a cute little touch. They pour really high quality draughts too, and you can get growlers or gallons. A gallon of microbrew for $32 kept six of us quenched during a sumptuous feast, so while the BBQ isn't exactly cheap (ours came out to $25 per man, so compared to Hill Country or Blue Smoke I guess it is a pretty good deal), the beer'onomics kind of compensates for that.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
it was a bi-weekly thing. but then it got kind of expensive. not only that i think my heart was slowing down considerably from all that meat.
i love fette sau.
i was never much of a bbq man before but after fette...well...after fette everything changed.
its just all good. i've had almost every cut of meat that they offered and i only found one not to be up to my tastes. that one was the pig tail. but pig's tail is an acquired taste i would think. my favorites are: the veal sausages, the ribs and the pulled pork. the ribs are cooked for 11 hours and come right off the bone to satiate your every carniverous need. the sausage explodes into a world of flavor with a peppery kick as you bite through the casing. the pulled pork simply melts in your mouth...and possibly your hand if you are to handle it without utensils. the beans that they have also have a little bit of spice to it. but i figure going to fette sau is like going to a steak house. you don't go for the salad when you go to the steak house, you go for the steak. likewise, if you're going to fette you need to get your meat.
they have a huge selection of whiskey. a pretty good stock of their own beers which range from ales to stouts. my usual is a rack of ribs, two sausages (which sometimes is pork, sometimes veal), and some pulled pork. that costs around $25. but i dont eat it in one sitting, still good when you have it reheated...not as good as fresh on the metal tray but....still good.
five stars for making me fat and spend way too much money. i'm going to quote my brother "i feel the way a tyrannosaurus must feel after eating a brontosaurus"
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (3)
oh, so this is what bbq is supposed to taste like...instead of writing NYC bbq off completely after a really crap meal last week (see last review), i figured i'd indulge my passover fueled brisket binge and raise it some swine.
a whole hog better than swill hill country, this place gets the rating for the food rather than just looking good and being centrally located. juicy ribs were the highlight of all around tasty vittles, eclectic beer and stellar bourbon selections help wash it down, and communal outdoor seating that featured visiting distillers and a comatosed transvestite made this a great venue.
can't wait to come back the next time i find myself 'burg bound...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Cholesterol is the least of your worries here...just make sure the defibrillator is behind the counter.
This place is reminiscent of HILL COUNTRY, but with smaller portions. The atmosphere and presentation is somewhat the same where they charge you by the pound. The meats are extremely fatty so a side of yummy broccoli salad or bottle of coke is highly recommended to wash that fatty goodness down. Portions are pretty generous, but definitely not worth the price in my opinion when you're squeezing half the fat out. Is it better than HILL COUNTRY? Probably not, but for good tasty meats next to a fireplace TV in Billyburg I'm all in.
Wish the coke was larger and there were more sides to choose from, but coming from a small place it packs a lot by the pound.
Check it out, soak up the fat and begin feeling a tingling sensation in your left arm.
this place makes me feel like a glutton for gluttony and i mean that in the best way possible. great beer, lots of different cuts of pork and beef, and the fat to meat ratio blows my mind on every visit. don't come here stoned.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Atmosphere: Well designed casual atmosphere, conducive to conversation with friends and strangers.
Beer: Laudable selection, quality and bargain priced.
Whiskey selection: Impressive.
Minced Pork: Not as tasty as Pies'n'Thighs (RIP?), gave a table full of people the green apple splatters.
I'll avail myself of their beer & space again, but I don't think there's ever a good time for pork-induced dysentery.
BBQ is serious biz, and Fette Sau knows this. Craft and local brews are also serious biz, and Fette Sau takes it very seriously.
Treat yourself to some seriously good eatin' and try their fall off the bone ribs, fabulous pulled pork, and the heart-clongingly good brisket burnt ends, which are the burnt corners of the brisket (they tend to be high in fat, but high in flavor).
Next, saunter over to the bar area, and get you and your friends a grinder (one of them big beer jugs) of craft and local microbrews and a few mason jars to drink out of. This place gets an extra star just for having freaking mason jar beer mugs.
Finally, plop down on the long wooden communal benches and go hog wild.
My only beef with the restaurant, is the lack of good vegetation to go with your meal. Not that i'm a militant vegetarian, but I was slightly miffed by the fact that they didn't have collard greens to go with the excellent BBQ.
Collard greens and BBQ should be unseperatable, like macaroni & cheese, Mork & Mindy, and Belle & Sebastian.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
The atmosphere is great- picnic tables, LCD fireplace, smoke in the air... but the food is not overwhelmingly delish. The BBQ sauce comes in squeeze bottles on the table- cold sauce on hot meat is not a great combo. Usually, in a real BBQ place, the sauce is served hot, laddled over the meat by request or on the side in a paper cup. Also, the BBQ sauce was not that great.
The meat... the pork ribs and brisket were really tasty. The pulled pork so so and the chorizo so so. We got broccoli on the side- and it was very odd tasting and greasy.
Also... you will smell like smoke after going !!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
YES. Delicious barbecue until it runs out. The best damned cider I've ever tasted on tap, with an awesome rotating selection of microbrews. In some big ass containers. Big.
The whiskey selection (they have ryes!) is phenomenal. The hang is great - but avoid the joint on Friday and Saturdays, it's simply overrun.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Time to see what kind of BBQ Brooklyn has to offer up... after a few disappointments in Manhattan, my Yelper in Crime and I decided to check out Fette Sau. The "Fat Pig" (what Fette Sau translates to in German) used to be a car repair garage... you can still imagine this place with some beat-up old cars and grease stained mechanics. But walk in... and you're greeted with the scent of smoked meats, a faux fireplace on a flat screen, and pit-masters handling big cuts of flank steak and ribs.
This is not a sit-down & order restaurant. Instead, you stand in line, try to make out what's on the menu (can they write the letters any smaller on that board!?), place your order by the pound, receive your order on butcher paper, and pay (cash only). The challenge is finding seats on one of the several communal picnic tables. Unless I'm outdoors (there are a few outside... but obviously not idea for winter weather), I'm not a big fan of picnic tables... esp when you're sharing the table with a b-day party that got increasingly loud throughout the meal, while my YIC and I are squeezed on the very edge of the bench. On top of that, the party was hogging up the table and all the utensils in the restaurant (which left us to use plastic sporks).
Despite the less than ideal seating arrangement, the BBQ was very good, esp the pork baby back ribs (all pork is Berkshire -- yum!). We got a full rack and had no problems finishing this first. Good rub & flavor on juicy tender meat. The Berkshire pulled pork was good but a bit on the dry side... which would've been fine if any of the 3 available sauces were good (only 1 out of 3 was decent). After tasting the brisket here, I decided for good that I'm not a brisket fan (I've tried brisket at almost all BBQ joints I've been to and yet to have liked it anywhere). The baked beans w/ burnt bits was also good.. but it's heavy. Broccoli salad was good... esp as a complement to the meat and beans.
They have a good selection of local beers / ales and bourbon. I don't know shit about bourbon so I just got a pint of beer. Overall, thanks to a new environment and the company (incl all of his deep philosophical thoughts), I thought Fette Sau was a solid place. I'll wait to go back though... when the weather warms up and I'll be more in the picnic mood.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
After endless BBQ searches in Brooklyn, my fiance's co-workers invited us out for dinner at Fette Sau. The second you open the door - you start to drool. Im not kidding. My glasses became fogged up with the heat that was coming from this place. I wanted to eat.
We got a pint (served in jars) at the bar (about 10 different microbrews and they offer beer in all size, including to-go gallons - NICE!). It did take about 20min to scope out some people that were leaving a table but it was well worth the wait. After snaking the table, we ordered (no waitresses here). I ordered the pork belly beacause I have never tried it and also - Ive heard so many great things about it.
First thing I saw when I got the pork belly was glistening fat. Now, I usually skeeve any fat on my meat and spit it out, but I tried this and wow. OMFG wow. The fat literally liquifies in your mouth. Its so decadent. We also ordered the baked beans, a sausage link and the ribs. SO FREAKING GOOD. The best part - all that food for $22.
I felt so guilty when I got home though. Im supposed to go and try on wedding dresses this weekend. There goes the diet - all I can think of is - When will be my next trip to Fette Sau?
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
My favorite thing about Fette Sau is going up to the counter and telling them how many people you are and just asking them to make a platter for that many, and then a giant pile of food appears and you eat it.
Also, beer by the gallon.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
We deferred to Chris F.'s suggestion of telling them how many people were in our party and letting them make our platter. xoxo Chris!
It was pretty good but I've had better. I hate saying that, especially since we had such a great meal, but I'm a selective bugger. The sausages were particularly tasty and was seasoned with a touch of spices and fennel (I love fennel in sausages!). In addition to the pile of meat, there were also unimpressive rolls, a very good potato salad, and some excellent chili/baked beans thing with a nice and spicy kick. I was not at all impressed with any of the bbq sauces that were on the table and actually thought the chipotle sauce was a bit on the nast. I have to admit, though, that due to the fact that we were sending a friend back to Japan, the food wasn't the main focus of the evening, so this review could be a lot more critical than it is.
If you are with a large group of people, get the gallon jug of beer. It's a pretty impressive jug, and it will have the tables around you commenting on how crazy it is. Because let's face it, a gallon of beer is pretty crazy!
Oh, for the budget-conscious, this is not the most budget-friendly place to eat, but there's lots of meat!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
3 stars because whether you can get fed is always a toss up.
5 for food... average of 4.
This place isn't big enough to hold the demand, but if it were the atmosphere wouldn't be as kick ass. It is pretty damn cozy with the wooden benches, tv burning log, lit phonographs hanging from ceiling over bar, etc.. The number of ways are endless.
The meat is always delicious - generally I get the brisket or pulled pork. The burnt ends baked beans are good, but sweet. Cora's broccoli salad is good if you like spicy, vinegary things.
The booze are good. Great bourbon list & beer list. Beer comes in jars! You can get 1/2 pint, pint, quart...etc...
Also, they have the cutest business card ever near the counter. Make sure to take one. Seriously adorable
This place is a great place to get your greasy, fatty, good-in-your-belly barbecue grub on. Order by the pound or whatever fraction of it at the counter of whatever you want. The sausages are delish and the ribs are good too - though the pork belly is a tad bit fatty. Get a variety though because each thing has its own flavor and you can get carried away with ordering. The beans are good, the potato salad is so-so, and the bread is so-so but it does the job. Drinks will be poured - or pour yourself for water - in mason jars. The back wall is painted with different meat cuts and there's an LCD fireside. Slightly rustic, slightly humorous. The place is aimed at being friendly and having a good time - share a roll of paper towels with your neighbor down the bench table. Their bbq sauces could be better. Don't wear your best shirt here.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
My wife and I are split on this place. We are both from TN and while that doesn't make us authorities, it does mean we've had a lot of experience standing in line with a tray to get a roll, baked beans, potato salad, and beer in a jar. When it comes to BBQ I tend to lean towards the Carolinas and she towards Memphis.
My wife was turned off by the food our first time. I myself was ambivalent. But here is the silver lining, BOURBON, WHISKEY, RYE! It's a nice, serious selection. That's why I keep coming back (without my wife). And maybe it's the alcohol I consume there, but things taste a little better every time I go.
Almost all of my friends I've taken there since have viewed the experience positively and yes, they are lushes.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Sounding like a villain named by George Lucas, this Billyburg BBQ joint that does as good a job as I've seen in NYC of authentically creating the southern BBQ shack feel.
Once inside, you line up to make your meat order. The meat options are plenty, the sides are more limited (potatoes only served as chips or potato salad, no mac & cheese, no sweet potatoes).
Meat is priced by weight aside from the sausage and the ribs. My Yelper-in-crime and I took advantage of the options and ordered the pulled (Berkshire) pork, a rack of pork ribs, some brisket, baked beans, and broccoli salad (her choice). Total price tag per person around $25.
The star - by far- were the pork ribs. Great rub that resembled a pastrami rub more than traditional BBQ. Fell right off the bone. No sauce necessary. This last point is important since their trio of BBQ sauces are awful. A sickly sweet vinegar-based sauce and two darker sauces that both missed the mark.
A good vinegar-based BBQ sauce really could've helped the dry pulled pork. This is even sadder when considering this is Berkshire pork. The quality of this pulled pork is SO far from that of Momofuku Ssam. Every forkful tasted a bit saltier from my tears - oh the unrecognized potential. Honestly, I'd order Brother Jimmy's pulled pork before this b/c at least they have a good sauce to complement it.
The brisket was thicker and fattier than I like. Also could've used BBQ sauce. The baked beans weren't good - the sauce tasted burnt. Broccoli salad was cold - as was my reaction to it.
On a more positive note, the beer selection is very good and a Mason Jar pint only runs $5. Great bourbon selection too.
While the shack motif and picnic table seating hints at a raucous vibe, it's actually very chill. Don't recall any music. The service was friendly but a bit subdued. Allowed for a more philosophical conversation than I'd imagine at, say, a Hill Country or Brother Jimmy's.
The ambiance, pork ribs, beer, and bourbon are 5-star worthy. But the rest is so disappointing that I've got to drop this place down to 3 stars. If you're a big BBQ fan, I would recommend bringing your own sauce to boost it up a star.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This is actually one of my more favorite places in the neighborhood. An old car repair garage turned into a Southern Smoked BBQ restaurant. The meat selections here are wonderful and stays true to the theme of the old Mississippi with it's amazing selection of Bourbon and Ales; American Ales and Bourbons only!
Oh the Bourbon selection was pretty impressive and I was able to explore decent top shelf selections and compare the different flavors from the different regions. The prices were reasonable for the quality of food you were getting. But be warned as you immediately REEK of Smoked BBQ upon setting foot into the place. Despite my annoyance of having my clothes smell like smoked BBQ, i'll go back any day for some more meat!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (1)
Cool (5)
As much as I love to eat like a vegan, sometimes you just need to go Gonzo. Fette Sau is just that. It's the best BBQ I've ever had - anywhere.
You order you meat by the pound depending on what they have today. It's a great place to go with friends, and try a few things, plus there are a whole mess of sauces to choose from at the bench-style tables. Top it all off with a GIANT jug of kick - ass beer on tap.
Meat lovers delight.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
So hey. If you are some bbq freak who has had it at 46 of the top 50 places in Memphis, I don't want to hear any of your yakking.
Well if they started Spuyten Duyvil, how bad could it be? Right? Right. I think the food is nicely done. The meat definitely brings the flavor and rightly so as it's slow cooked Love the supe fatty pork belly. And since I hate basically every potato salad known to man, I am glad that theirs is a little bit different. I, in fact, do love it. The sauce is good, but there is only one of them that I like of the two. Good beer selection, some of which are made exclusively for them. But where they shine with the alcohol is the bourbons! Jeez! I've never seen so many obscure ones in my life.
The Ribs here are totally 5 star.
But everything else is sorta lacking. Pulled Pork is super duper dry and doesn't have the best flavor. Sides are insanely expensive, can you believe it's possible to pay 8 bucks for a side of spicy broccoli? Well it is...
This place suffers most from the mega 'tude of the employees who treat you as if you are LUCKY to be there. I guess I'm lucky to blow 40 bucks on some ribs and beer but I thought I was more of a sucker...
It's one of those places I don't really want to support because the people working there/owners are such jackasses. They never comp a drink if you buy 10 in a row. They never smile. It's like a nightmare summer camp cafeteria getting your food, with the mean fat ugly tattooed lunch lady sneering at you...
Anyhow, you get the picture. The BEST time to go here is in the summer, at around 5pm for an early dinner. No crowds, you can be in and out of the interior area and sit outside in the sun and enjoy the Ribs...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Alright - I have been to Fette Sau twice. The first time I went I didn't eat. The second time I went, I ate. Here's my assessment:
Food - Unreal. We ordered pulled pork, brisket and sausage. It was all moist and delicious, and I think my breasts were noticeably larger when I walked out. The beans were also out of this world.
Atmosphere - Great. If you didn't know it is located next to a body shop, you have not done too much research, as that is the first thing that everyone mentions. It makes for a dramatic and fun entrance and also provides a nice little foreground to the industrial setting of the restaurant/bar. The space is big, open and again industrial. It works really well, and there's no way you can go here and not have fun. During the summer (or winter, if you choose to act like a man - http://www.youtube.com...), there are tables outside.
Scene - I am not very hip, so maybe it's me not exactly fitting into the setting, but I would not go here expecting to meet someone to take home. It tends to attract large groups of twenty and thirty somethings, that appear to live in BK (you know what they look like).
Service - Doesn't really matter. You pick up the food on a tray and go sit at a communal table with strangers.
Drink - As good as the food is and as fun as the space is, the bar might be the best part. They have a slew of fancy beers, and they serve them to you in liter and gallon jugs, which you the pour into jars. Again, fun. They also have a ton of bourbons, which is cool, and a ton of other drinks that people from the south probably enjoy.
Go to Fette Sau with a group, eat unhealthy food and drink a ton of beer. You won't regret it.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Pros:
Delicious.
They use Berkshire Pork.
Fine selection of adult beverages.
Cons:
No Collard greens (I'll take any greens) or cole slaw. I need these sides when I eat BBQ. To me they're a BBQ given-like napkins or beer.
A Brisquet and cole slaw sandwhich may be one of my favorite things ever-but not here.
I didn't even see corn bread.
The meats were fantastic, but overall the place doesn't measure up to the best I've had. I will return and I'm glad it exists.
If you need some good ribs this is a fine fine choice.
Ah! Another BBQ place that serves meat by the pound. As we were ordering, I mentioned to my bf, "Oh, it's sorta like Hill Country..." which the server overheard. He hadn't heard of it, so we told him about the similar set-up but that it was much, much more chaotic. He said it was a pretty slow night that night (Sunday), but that it usually gets pretty crowded there too. He also added with a smile, "Our food's probably better though."
Now, I wouldn't necessarily say that it was better, but it was still pretty good. Funny thing is, I think it was actually more expensive than Hill Country ($22 for a full rack of rather short pork ribs??). We were pretty dismayed that they didn't have any corn bread or mac & cheese on the menu. Can you really be a BBQ joint if you don't serve either of those things? We went with the broccoli salad and potato salad as sides.
I liked the pork ribs - they were nice and smokey. I tried some of the pork shoulder and that was good, too. I wasn't at all crazy about the broccoli or potato salads. They're both vinegar-based and it was just too overwhelming. I couldn't taste anything but the vinegar. Overall, the food didn't really blow me away.
The set-up and decor is pretty cool. I like the fact that it's kinda like eating at someone's converted garage. The picnic tables add to that effect, and I was digging the lighting fixtures over the bar (antique gramophone speakers, perhaps?). I agree with others that your clothes (and hair) will reek of smoke afterwards! It was a bit off-putting.
The last thing I'll mention is that I had a severe case of heartburn the next day. I woke up with a tightness in my chest that didn't go away until I went to sleep that night. It was the most bizarre thing, but I couldn't really attribute it to anything other than that meal. Unless I was having a 24-hour heart murmur that didn't kill me. If it had, that would have been really unfortunate b/c I wouldn't have wanted Fette Sau to be my last meal on earth.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I'm giving this five stars because 4 stars is too low, and there's no 4.5 star option (seriously, when are they going to implement that? iTunes, too! FIve options for judging quality is hardly enough!).
I say this because a five star meal is possible here. You are not guaranteed one, but when it all comes together, it's awesome.
Yes, the sides kind of suck. But the sides are hardly the point, are they? Unless you're a vegetarian, in which case, you should not be at a BBQ place. Only the beans are worth getting, and that mostly to eat the pork floating in it.
But the meat..oh, the meat. When they are on, they are on. The guy who has been serving every single time I've gone there is patient, will help out in ordering the right amount of meat for you, and doesn't give you any pressure (you might feel pressured by the long line of people behind you, but that's your own fault).
The pork belly, when they have it, is the best. So fatty that you really shouldn't eat more than a quarter pound but soooo good. The beef ribs that I've had a couple of times weren't as good, occasionally coming out pretty dry. The sausage, however, is pretty good if you're a sausage type person. Other than that, the pulled pork/pork shoulder/brisket/etc are usually pretty good bets. You're not guaranteed for every bit of meat you get to be perfect, but, as I keep repeating, when it works, you're going to want to eat it for the rest of the evening.
The beer is good, served in jugs, but the other awesome thing is the bourbon bar. The large portly bartender there is great--if you have no idea what you want in a bourbon, he knows just how to walk you through the process of picking one out. If you get it on the rocks, they use special large ice cubes of distilled water that won't melt as fast and water down your drink too quickly.
Really, I love this place.