Uncle Frank's BBQ and Catering
Categories: Southern, Barbeque, American (Traditional) [Edit]
2135 Old Middlefield WayMountain View, CA 94043 (650) 964-4476
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Mon-Sat 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Sat 12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner, Lunch
- Alcohol: Full Bar
228 reviews
Santa Clara, CA
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173 Reviews for Uncle Frank's BBQ and Catering
The high points: the spicy sauce was pretty spicy with good flavor, the menu options are better than most places in the area, and it's got a fun, dive atmosphere.
The low points: the sweet potato pie was overly soggy/mushy, the ribs were a bit overcooked, they tried to mask that with way too much sauce, and they were shorthanded the day that we went, so it took forever to pay our bill.
Oh my gosh do my new hubby and I love this place! We love it so much, we hired them to cater our reception. We had our reception in a park nearby and just knew we had to have BBQ for this occasion rather than a stuffy catering company provide the food for our event.
We ordered 2 super tailgator's (chicken, ribs, links with sides) and 2 briskets.
The ribs .. oh the ribs ... so tender and good fallin' right off the bone. Several people commented that it was the best they have ever had! The brisket was wonderful with a nice round smoke ring. The links had a nice spicy bit to them as well. The sauce was a hit! The hot a bit too hot for some, but wonderful still. Everything had a great smokey flavor.
Everyone just raved about the food! The Cajun corn was my hubby's fav! I tried some of the food later on that night, as I was too busy to eat it there. Unfortunately for me, there were no more baked beans left! Everyone had gobbled them up! So I will have to get baked beans the next time we go. We had sooo much food and still had plenty of leftovers.
We will always be grateful for Uncle Franks and the wonderful people who helped make our reception memorable to all who attended!
Thanks!!!!
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Good gracious Almighty, Uncle Frank's knows how to do me right when I'm hankerin' for some Southern style BBQ in the South Bay. Add the the NO frills BBQ shack ambiance (they're located in the back of an unassuming neighborhood bar!)...mix it up with the kindly folk that work there who care for you with sincere Southern hospitality and you get a true diamond in the rough.
But be forewarned about a few of Uncle Frank's quirks.
1. Not all of the side options on the menu will be available. You'll have to look at the board to see what's available that day.
2. You have to order drinks from the bar.
3. Under 21 and you may be out of luck because of the bar factor... although I've heard of a new patio area that may allow for the U-21 patrons. You might want to call ahead for details on that.
4. If you don't want your meat seriously 'SWIMMING" in sauce, ask for it on the side. Me personally, I love how they drench it in sauce.
I can't speak to the fried items on the menu, but try as many of the BBQ meat options as your stomach can endure (or just come back another time) because they're all good. My personal favorite is the brisket. Don't mess with the desert, your purpose there is to eat MEAT! Other than that, make sure to wear clothes to accommodate the inevitable expansion in your belly, because it's going to happen.
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I don't eat much meat. I don't particularly like BBQ. I don't usually give 5 stars to restaurants.
I ate a lot of meat here. I loved the BBQ here and everything else we ordered. I think it deserves solid 5 stars.
First of all before we go to the food, this place is a stellar, a landmark that needs to be ranked as a historic preserve. It's in a quite deserted stretch in Mountain view, and it's hidden in a SERIOUS DIVE. Last time I saw establishment like this was probably in the middle of no where in Ohio. As soon as you walk in, the people sitting at the bar are those people who have no life besides hanging out with friends there every night. They are all very kind people, some drunk, some horny, some only care about beer. Whatever. They directed us to the dining area which is in the back room that has a nice little platform/stage. Picture it, dark dive, 2 pool tables, gaming machines, little platform, stellar.
Ok here's the food.
We got the 2 item combo, Beef Brisket and Smoked spare ribs, which comes with 2 sides of your choice and corn bread, and we chose Cajun corn and Pineapple yam. And we also got the fried chicken wings.
Beef brisket is the heaven. You just can not skip this one. It's soooo juicy and tender, extremely flavorful. The smoked spare ribs have very nice smoky flavor, also juicy and tender, especially the meat that's right by the bones. I wish I could chew the bones. The fried chicken wings are HOT, and the fries that come with it is piping hot, crispy outside and incredibly soft inside, like fried mashed potatoes.
The sides are no less impressive than other items. The cajun corns had a very nice spicy kick that I just could not put it down. The pineapple yam was sooooo spicy (with spices not pepper), it's almost like a pineapple yam pie without the crust. It was a great dessert in my opinion.
The waitress is such a nice mamma, she kept giving eyes and mad fun of my bf and I, cuz we could not be separated even with out mouths full of BBQ.
Get the spicy BBQ sauce instead of the regular one. It has a nice kick, and less sweet than the regular one. Don't worry it's not at all too hot.
Great place, fantastic food, awesome redneck fellows, hardcore dive, it's just outstanding.
Went to Uncle Frank's for a good friend's birthday/going-away (sniff). We brought a large group and got a group order of good, solid BBQ:
- The beef ribs were really flavorful, even without the sauce; I went back and got seconds. The larger ribs were really tasty but the smaller pieces were way overcooked. I still liked these a lot, better than Armadillo Willy's, but I think Tony Roma's standard pork ribs still have the edge.
- The chicken was decent. Not uncooked or overcooked which easily happens. Not terribly flavorful either though.
- The Louisiana-style links were juicy, though they were pure beef, which was too intense while also pretty boring. I prefer a little more kick in sausage, hot-links-style.
- I enjoyed all the sides we got: corn, baked beans, collared greens. All very flavorful.
- Tasty corn bread, especially the end pieces. They actually reminded me a little of Boston Market's corn bread (that's a good thing) though more crumbly.
- The sweet potato pie was ok... It's definitely better than Safeway pumpkin pie but it wasn't up to Marie Callender's level.
Was $15/person, which wasn't bad for the quantity of food we consumed, and there were bags leftover.
Ambiance was a little dumpy but chill. It's literally the back of a dive bar with everything that that implies. Our funny and helpful waitress was awesome, and it felt like a family restaurant.
I'm honestly not a big southern BBQ fan, so I'm not sure I'd go again on my own accord. But if you're in the mood or want to takeout a lot of meat for a picnic, this is the best all-around BBQ place in the area.
Oh, this is also the first restaurant where I saw a Yelp plaque! Not just a sticker.. a plaque!
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I threw my husband's birthday party here and we had a great time. He's a native Texan and loves BBQ, and this place has the best BBQ in the bay area.
Yummm! I could LIVE off the cajun corn, baked beans, cornread, ribs (with the HOT sauce!) and sausages. Really good stuff.
The chicken was good in its own right, but I'd much rather go to Back-a-yard for my chickeny needs. I've also had better brisket, but that's not to say Frank's doesn't produce a damn fine one.
They did a great job catering my friends' wedding. They arrived on time, and helped us with our complicated set up (we wanted to rig an outdoor BBQ to keep all the food warm in its containers), They did a great job, and the food was well-loved by all the guests.
Eating IN their establishment, I've heard, is sort of a pain. I've only experienced takeout and catering, so I can't rightly say.
i attended the same get together as wayne k., so i had the same stuff. the ribs were kind of disappointing in texture. it was a bit tough i thought. however, they had a really great smoky flavor so it was fine without the bbq sauce. the bbq sauce was nice and thick with good flavor. i liked the hotlinks a lot; they were really juicy but i honestly didn't think that they were that different from most hot links ive had. i really liked the baked beans and cajun corn though. mm.. although i like the mushiness that some other people didn't really like. i don't like the sweet potato pie in general, but this one seemed to have good texture. unfortunately, i didn't get to try the brisket. i'll probably get it to go one of these days. so it's kind of a sticky place but it's behind a dive bar so what do you expect. i would give this place 3.5 stars, but they had some really awesome corn bread, so four stars.
Don't get me started on Uncle Frank's genius here. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. If you haven't tried the BBQ beef brisket at this place, you haven't lived.
Their waiters and waitresses are also some of the kindest and down-to-earth I've encountered. They all have good memories, too! So tell them you know that asian "babyface" kid with the friend that likes burn-your-face-off-hot sauce and tip them well.
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First figure out that its actually at the back of an old bar frequented by contractors, get through the phalanx of butt cracks at the bar and maneuver around the fight about to break out at the pool tables to make your way to a dead on authentic barbeque shack complete with grungy walls, a decor that hasn't changed in years, a staff that has total respect for the cuisine and rolls of paper towels at every formica table.
Ambience/experience was a solid 5 while the food was actually closer to a 3. Since they are basically the only game in town for authentic BBQ, I settled on a 4 star rating.
Pros:
- Incredibly tender meat with permeated with a light smokiness.
- Flavorful sauces
- Authentic atmosphere
- Baked beans flavorful
- Waitress very sweet and helpful
Cons
- While dinners are voluminous, rather expensive at $15~16 each (better to get more realistic sizes that one can actually finish)
- Corn bread dry and crumbly
- Yams, corn, and beans on the mushy side
- Everything overly smothered in sauce: lighten it up man!
- Long wait*
*I know I should have called ahead for 5 take out dinners, but still, it seemed to take a rather long time. I mean, come on, wasn't everything already cooked for 10 hours or whatever in the back?
As there is nothing that comes close on the Peninsula, "I'll be back" (as the Governator would say)-- frequently.
Special thanks to Liz L. for the heads up on this place!
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Oh my dear God. Best ribs I have ever ever eaten in my whole (short. ahem) life.
Also had the cajun corn and potato salad and it came with corn bread. It seems that they work on a limited menu, not their full printed menu, so check the specials board for the sides they have that day/night.
My fingers smelled like sauce for at least three thorough washings, and despite the ingestion of a Pepcid tablet, I still burped up smoke for 12+ hours.
My serving of ribs was so big that I brought home more than half of all my food and had lunch Saturday too. That was the most well-deserved two-day indigestion ever.
My ribs were swimming in sauce, so next time I will order sauce on the side.
Another tip, you will have to order your drinks at the bar. The restaurant only offers bottled water. I wish they at least had ice tea.
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I seriously love this place.
My BF and I can order two dinners and be eating it over the span of three days. We love saving some of the hot links to include in a egg scramble in the morning. This place rocks for some good BBQ .
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I was craving BBQ/soul food for a long time and honestly haven't been to one in Nor-Cal. I found this place looking at Zagat's short South Bay list and was impressed with the high ratings. The description said "slum-like bar" and it was easy to miss this place. We did a quick U-turn and when I opened the door, I wasn't sure if I was at the right place. At first you can only see the bar but hear the voices in the back. The smell of BBQ smelled nice and I couldn't wait to dig in! Good thing we were seated right away and with a quick glance and suggestion from my date I got the two-way. I had the ribs and brisket and for my sides I chose Cajun corn and baked beans. Finger-licking good ribs, hot bbq sauce and good smoke rings on the ribs. I thought my brisket was soft and delicious but my date wasn't too happy with them. My baked beans were good and although Cajun corn was made of caned corn, it had the right amount of spiciness and it was first thing to be finished from the table. Although we were full, I couldn't pass on peach cobbler. It was soft, peachy, warm and was finished in minutes. All in all food was great minus the corn bread.
Service was fast and friendly. Portions were huge and we had plenty of left-overs. Next time I think I would probably share a dinner due to large portions. I will probably come for lunch since lunch prices are a lot more reasonable.
Great traditional family run business in the back of a sports bar that serves great bbq. If you have more than 8 - 10 people, I recommend getting their super tailgater which is $90+ but will fill up everyone and have tons of leftovers. Their brisket and sausages are great and their included appetizers, baked beans and potato salad are top notch. Make sure you call them to "reserve" your cuts and pieces of their fine meat.
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A year ago I would have given a better review, but they have really started slacking. And I even like the back room location in a dive bar.
First of all, they never have "Southern" specials anymore. Even when they did before they were mostly cajun, which is not the same. Anyway, I had lunch there on a weekday not long ago. As usual, they were out of the daily special, which was pulled pork (my fav) and it was only 1:30p. So I ordered ribs. They were completely charred and then drenched in barbeque sauce. Now their sauce is good, but it doesn't fix burnt ribs ... some parts were so tough they were inedible. Potato salad was excellent, but the candied yams were horrible. They're way too sweet and had pineapples in them, yuck! Chicken wings were freakishly enormous and there were no drums, didn't like these at all.
And I'm all about waiters/waitresses being laid back and friendly, but this woman flat out ignored us, had an attitude and then overcharged us because she can't add (btw, she had a calculator).
So if you have a rib craving, go to Carmen's in Fremont.
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This place looked like it belonged on the Diner, drive-in's, and Dive's show on the Food Network. To get to the restaurant, you have to walk through a dive bar all the way to the back. The decor didn't improve when we got there but when we got our food, it made it all okay. We ordered a 4 item combo which you get to choose up to 4 different meats. We ended up selecting the bbq chicken, the pork ribs, and 2 briskets. The chicken was a little dry but the ribs and briskets were sooo good. All the meats had a good smoked flavor and you can even see the smoke rings in the meat. The ribs and the briskets were pretty tender and moist. For the sides, we ordered the cajun corn and the baked beans which we thought was okay. The beans were a little too mushy for me.
Overall, the meats were tasty and it satisfied my craving for good authentic Southern bbq. Next time I go, I'm going to try their sweet potato pie!
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So if a place is a dive, it get more points automatically, right? Hmmmm. And because it's a dive, we can excuse all usual shortcomings that might count against higher end places, right? Because bad service gives it "character." Right?
Uh...Wrong.
I love dives, but just like everyplace else, they have to do all the right things to get a good rating. They have to be "diamond in the rough". But Uncle Franks doesn't hit all the wickets for me. The service is super slow, and sometimes downright abominable. The side dish items are hit and miss, sometimes good, sometimes not much better than a supermarket deli. And dives should be relatively cheap, but Uncle Frank's charges standard bay area prices for what it dishes out. A lunch combo with two sides and cornbread will run you just under 20 bucks. And that's with no drink.
Uncle Franks does an excellent job with one thing: meat. If you want to go to get some killer brisket or delicious ribs, this place does it right. But that seems to be where the excellence stops. If you are lucky, you'll get there on a day with interesting homemade side dishes like mean greens or cajun corn, unless they run out suddenly. But other times you may get the pretty standard beans, cole slaw, etc which are pretty dull. The corn bread is sometimes fresh and warm, and sometimes cold and dry. It's a roll of the dice.
I recommend going here in a group if possible, since groups seem to get a little more attention. And make sure you have some time on your hands. Count on waiting 10 minutes to order, 20 minutes to get food, 30 minutes to eat, and maybe another 15 minutes to get your check, (and then maybe another 10 to actually pay and get change). That's almost an hour and half folks.
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My friend recommended me this place. I love the ribs. It was excellent. I ordered HOT. The sauce is thick and tasty. I am sure I will come back again. I don't really like the chicken though. It was just ok.
under 21 cannot get in the restaurant because it is located inside the bar.
Louisiana style BBQ, where the meat is smoked, grey and flavorful. The sides are great, too. This is the best BBQ that I have ever eaten - better than anything in Texas and I know those are fighting words. Located in the back of a bar, Francesca's (the name on the outside of the building), so the under 21's cannot come inside. Get the food to go if you want this food for family night.
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I love this place. Everything is SO good. Brisket, ribs, everything. The cornbread is so good, it almost tastes like cake. They are super friendly as well, and very affordable.
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I love the food from this place. I've only been there once and it had a dive atmosphere, all fine and dandy.
But I eat at Uncle Frank's because of the sweet sweet taste of the spicey sausages, the delicious 30 hour precooked briscuits, the ribs whose meat slides off the bone right into your belly, the delicious hot corn, beans, yummy potato salad and the fantastic sauce.
I have had food catered from Uncle Frank's on three other occasions and am always satisfied. In fact, I just had some today and am on cloud nine.
One of the best BBQ places I've ever been to(if not the best). The only drawback to this place is that it is anything but healthy. Some people might find it too spicy, but NOT me. The taste is perfect.
BEST FRIGGIN BBQ IN SF BAY AREA. Can't believe that I haven't written a review for this place yet despite having eaten here so many times. The beef brisket is tender and so awesomely smoky - delicious with Uncle Franks super BBQ sauce which comes in medium or hot. The ribs are super too and eating them with the sauce is key. They do offer cornbread and sides like coleslaw, potato salad, collard greens, cajun corn, etc. but those aren't so great.
And the atmosphere is a strange attraction for me. Uncle Frank's is located in the back room of a super old bar in Mt View - you have to walk through the bar (which is usually empty at lunch except for a couple of hardcore local neighborhood alcoholics) to get to the back. Almost like going to the back poker room. There you'll find a very modest setup but you'll find Uncle Frank (or his son sometimes) cooking their magical BBQ.
Bottom line: Homage to Uncle Frank. Super BBQ everytime I have gone. If he were my uncle, I'd be over his house every week eating his BBQ.
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Mmmmmmm.... !
I am by no means a BBQ connoisseur; I just know when I like something. And Uncle Frank's hit the spot with me today for a friend's birthday luncheon (12/16/2007)!
...tender brisket... succulent ribs... juicy chicken... smokey, sweet, spicy BBQ sauce...
... and to top it off, the cornbread is moist and delicate; more like cake than what you might usually find.
Mind you, this was a cater'd/buffet-style affair and thus, we were let loose to plate up our own portions and whatnot. I'm sure there might be a little something-something lost when you cook for the masses, but still, it was delicious barbecue and I can only imagine what its like when they take their time. In fact, from what I saw from a plate someone (not with our party) ordered at the bar, they pay generous attention to individual orders, plating up heaping portions of smoked meat drizzled over with that kick-@ss barbecue sauce. A large spooning dollop of collard greens. And that generous BLOCK of cornbread/cake-y goodness.
There's a reason why Uncle Frank's is so highly lauded in the Bay area; that alone has gotta tell you something...
The decor is distinctly ma-n-pa in nature, with a few cinematic touches. There are the four round pleather booths (likely a hold over from before Uncle Frank's moved into Francesca's back room), and then a couple of long tables and mix-matched chairs. Eye-catching? The hand written signs tempting you with $2.50 sweet potato pie and $4 peach cobbler... And oddly, a framed gold record of the Judgment Night movie soundtrack (... AWESOME "rock meets hip-hop" soundtrack, by the way!!!).
And if you're lucky, on the stage at the back of the room, you might get the chance to listen/see Vicious Groove jam out a raucous set!!
Good food... GREAT entertainment!!
Definitely, definitely going back for another round!!
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This place is a seriously friendly restaurant! I went with 10 others for my friend's birthday, and they treated us very well. We even brought a cake with us and they gave us a knife and extra plates to help celebrate. A very friendly staff, especially the woman waiter, she's real nice!
They have really good food too. Except the fact that they don't serve free water, which at a BBQ is essential!
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Ohhh damn good BBQ! So far I've been here twice within a 2 week period and I just love it!
Alright, so it's located in the back room of a bar, but who cares? It's all about the love of BBQ here. The first time we came here, I believe Uncle Frank took our order and I just fell in love with everything. Who doesn't love a beer with their delicious pork ribs? The sauce is deep, rich, sweet, savory, spicy and has just an overall great flavor to it. Not to mention, this is one of only a couple other BBQ joints (including Armadillo Willy's, which I will never go back to after having the real stuff) in the area.
Come prepared with a very empty stomach though. The portions are huge. Don't forget to order the Cajun Corn. Mmm...
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I cant add anything else constructive to this review that hasnt already been said.
Bottom line:
- Uncle Frank's is awesome
- Walking through Francesca's dive bar to get inside is scary
- Get the Brisket w/ the Hot BBQ Sauce
- The cajun corn is flippin rad
- Move the paper towel roll to the center of the table before you start
Do it.
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Sketchy in a good way... Most of the charm comes from how sketchy this place looks. The place itself exudes grunginess, and you walk through an even grungier looking bar to get to the food.
The food is good for what it is - really hearty, smokey meats. The sides are also solid, artery-clogging fare. Try as I might, I can't end the meal with enough room for dessert.
The service varies between ok and terrible (which I guess fits in with the ambience). Once, we got all our food and sides at more or less the same time, no problem. Another time, at lunch, the sides slowly drifted out 15 after the food. Some sides were entirely forgotten, and then the waitress told off one of the guys for not ordering the food ahead of time for a larger group.
Real sauce, real beans, real slow-cooked BBQ.
After reading reviews about the potential slow service during lunch hour I held off on going until 1:30 and was rewarded by being one of only two customers there at the time, so I was waited on and served almost immediately.
Yes, it is in the back of a dive bar, but remember that this is a suburban dive bar (in Mountain View no less) so it's anything but sketchy.
Almost everything was a smash hit. The cornbread had a delicious crumbly crust. The baked beans proved that there is indeed an art to preparing this simple dish - they had just the right amount spice as well as brown sugary sweetness. The cajun corn had a nice zesty flavor but an odd almost-creamy-but-not-really texture, and that's the one thing I'd probably skip next time. Besides, I only got the corn because they were out of the candied yams.
But as much as good sides compliment the meal, BBQ is all about the meat. I went for the rib & hot link combo. Ribs were cooked PERFECTLY. They had a gorgeous charred crust, rich but not overpowering smoky flavor, and the meat fell off the bone. It's clear that these guys have a deep appreciation for the fine art of slow-cooking. I can unquestionably say that these are as good as any ribs I've had in the Bay Area, right up there with other top-notch BBQ joints such as Everett & Jones.
The hot links were spicy and lean, but I generally order them more to guage the sauce than the links themselves. The sauce here is another authentic home run - both zesty and sweet and paired perfectly with those succulent baked beans.
I'll definitely be back to try the chicken and brisket.
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I really wanted to like Uncle Frank's BBQ, like, really REALLY wanted to. Instead, I walked away $20 poorer, with my dream unfulfilled; I still have yet to find "teh best evar" BBQ joint in South Bay.
Maybe my expectations were set way too high, but I was pretty much underwhelmed by the food. I was impressed by how tender the rib meat was and how it seemed to just melt right off of the bone and into my mouth. Other than that though, I wasn't a fan of the sauce, and the sides were just blah and basically flavorless. No kick. No oomph.
As I ate, Uncle Frank sat a mere two tables away from me. I avoided looking in his direction in fear that my forlorn gaze would reveal my disappointment in the food.
I plan to give Uncle Frank's another chance at some point. In the meantime, I've had to settle for Armadillo Willy's. This is a sad state of affairs, people.
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Uncle Frank's definitely has potential. Unfortunately the whole dive bar set up isn't working for them. I've been here twice and it's really depressing to see how the restaurant and kitchen are set up. Also, the waiter we had couldn't get our order right to save his life. Not to mention, you have to get all of your beverages yourself from the bar.
I know Uncle Frank will someday get out of this dump. You can doooo ittt Uncle Frank!!!
On a side note, even though it's a BBQ joint, their fried catfish is reallly tasty and fresh.... no gray slime at all. They close pretty early and as with most true BBQ places once the BBQ is gone, it's gone. Time to close shop.
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I love BBQ. I mean, I REALLY love the Q and as a result of this love affair, I have to admit, I am quite the Picky Patty. With that admission out on the table, I sadly have to say, I wasn't all that impressed with this stuff.
They catered a recent company outing and when they pulled up with the smoker attached to the truck, I was like an eager little kid in a butcher shop and as happy as can be! I could already smell that incredible BBQ smell permeating the air at Golden Gate Park and for the hour or two that we had to wait to eat, I was soooo excited.
Finally it was time to grub and the assembly line of food was out and proud and I scooped up a mean plate of food. Ribs, Trip Tip, Chicken, spicy corn, mac n cheese and even some potato salad. I then practically ran to the table and dove in.
At first I thought it was okay. The meat was tender enough, but the sauce was on the side and because of that, it was a bit dry. The corn had a definite kick to it, which was good, but then the mac n cheese was just really bad. Where was the flavor? Did they leave it in Mountain View? I realize that's mean, but I adore m&c, so when it's lackluster like this, well, frankly, it just hurts my feelings!
Maybe the food lost something in the catering process and maybe in a sit down indoor setting it would be different. All I know is this meal was anything but memorable and my overall impression was a big ole, "Not so much."
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Very good place for BBQ. I highly recommend the Brisket with Spicy sauce. It's almost like a secret place because it's behind a bar that its attached to. The sides are somewhat mediocre, like the bread is literally a slice of bread you get from a bag of Wonder and the other sides come in a small plastic cup. But that doesn't really bother me because the main dish is so good the sides are merely a palate cleanser.
It's like leaving the state and going to another part of the country. The smokey meat and the spicy sauces are very very real.
The ambiance is almost too real including the stainless steel in the bathrooms and the formica tables.
I was no longer in california.
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For BBQ, basically the only game in town.
Let me make this clear, I love the food. The brisket is tender, and the ribs are tasty also. But the more I visit (about 10 times so far), the more I'm disappointed by the inconsistent service.
I went with some friends (10 hungry grad students and postdocs) and we ordered up what we thought was a ton of meat. We were greeted with two baskets of meat (half our order, and obviously not enough for 10 people, because they messed up the order) and the portions seemed smaller than what we expected from our vast collective past experience. They came back with our full order after we tried to fill up on the sides.
Came out to $20/person (without drinks) after tip, which seemed like twice as much as we're used to paying here. While we questioned this,
they assured us this was right. Oh well.
In the past, I would order up a Super Tailgator ($95) and an order of the Brisket for our weekend poker games. At least once (out of ~5 times), they screwed up and left out some part of the order. Despite this, it easily filled up 8-10 people with leftovers for days.
This place has some serious Southern loving going on here! The BBQ definitely has some soul to it. So much soul, that country loving manifests itself in to some kicking flavor. The chicken here has an awesome slow cooked smoky flavor to it; the brisket is ultra tender and has that same sweet smoked flavor to it; the ribs are moist and smothered in some great BBQ sauce; the hot links are exactly that - HOT! And if you order the four meat plate, you'll find that all these meats are dumped into a single serving for you to enjoy and smothered in a mild or hot sauce. The sides are just as good and have just as much of that Southern comfort to them, especially the corn (which has a nice spice and kick to it) and potato salad. The corn bread tastes fresh.
Aside from the food, this place is a bit of a dive bar, which I think even adds to that comfort food feel since the people there are incredibly friendly and down to earth. No stuck up noses here and no trashy folks, just some friendly folks and good food.
If you love BBQ, you definitely have to check this place out. And if you have space, save some room for peach cobbler and sweet potato pie just like mom used to make.
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Their brisket is to die for!! And if you eat too much of it, you probably will die (via stroke, heart attack, etc.). But that's what makes BBQ so great!! It's the ultimate I-don't-care-how-unhealthy-this-is-for-me food! I'm a big fan of the lean brisket. Oh well, who am I trying to kid, I drool over the fatty brisket! They usually serve a mix of lean and fatty brisket topped off with their spunky BBQ sauce (mild or hot, pick your pleasure). If it's not obvious enough, you have to try their brisket. Cheat on your diet for one day.
I've also tried their ribs, which are ginormous and also taste-tastic. Their hot links are good until you eat about half of it...because then you realize you're just eating spicy sausages and you begin to get sick to your stomach. They also offer plenty of sides, but my favorite side is undoubtedly the cajun corn! It's corn with a kick! They don't always offer cajun corn everyday, but if it's offered when you're there, order it! It's ok, you can go on the treadmill for 20 minutes the day after.
On my most recent visit to Uncle Frank's, they had a special, "Bayou-style Seafood Gumbo." I decided to give it a try...big mistake. You would've gotten 5 stars from me Uncle Frank (there actually is an Uncle Frank there and he's very friendly), but your gumbo stole it away from you. Plain and simple, the broth looked gross. It looked brown and murky...like it was straight-up swamp water (ahhhh, that's why it's called bayou-style). It didn't taste good at all and it was very unfulfilling. I should've sticked to what they're known for, which is great BBQ!! I will not make that mistake again!
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The ribs here are so good that I now:
- Belong to the baptist church
- Own a gun
- Think George Bush is the greatest president ever
- Have a poster of John Ashcroft over my bed
- Want to build a wall between us and Mexico
- Only listen to Keith Urban and Toby Keith
- Only shop at WalMart
- Believe the south will rise again
Wet sloppy and hot is just how I like em.
My ribs.
Get your mind out of the gutter.
Dirtbag.
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So good... so so succulent...
Without a doubt, you'll never leave unsatisfied after eating at Uncle Frank's! I always go for the two-item combo and usually mix it up with either the brisket/ribs or the brisket/fried catfish. Both combos are amazing! I definitely recommend asking for the BBQ sauce on the side so for at least the first couple of bites, you can truly experience the wonder of perfectly smoked meats. With fall off the bone ribs and fall apart in your hands brisket, it's definitely worth the price.
Strangely enough, the portions have actually gotten smaller since Frank's first opened but you'll still be totally stuffed in the end. I tend not to go crazy over the side dishes here, which can be pretty inconsistent, so instead I just ask for extra corn bread. If you do have room though in the end, I highly recommend the peach cobbler if they have it available! Warm, gooey goodness...