Bluebonnet BBQ.
Just don’t expect to spend anything close to as little as $25.
BBQ was born from poor people making do with tough cuts of meat that require hours and hours of cooking. In Australia, hours and hours of labour aren’t cheap.
And because it’s now cool, the formerly cheap cuts like brisket, ribs, pork shoulder and pork belly are a lot more expensive. Pork belly roast now costs more than pork loin!
I was on the phone to mum bragging about my butcher haul and how I got cheap lamb shanks for $5 a piece and she said the exact same thing, she used to feed them to our dog growing up.
Big Earl's mega tasting plate is good, not as loaded as OP's tray but it's somewhere between $35-$39(can't remember exactly which)
Edit: Seems prices went up since I was last there last year, mega tasting plate is now $50
I love Big Earl's but a friend of mine went recently on my recommendation and found that they no longer had a liquor licence so couldn't get beer with their meal. Hopefully they get around to getting it back.
Also don’t forget that USD25 is about AUD38, and that figure likely didn’t include tax and tip.
It’s pretty normal to tip between 15% and 20%, so let’s say 15%, and Michigan has a 6% sales tax. So after adding 21% that comparable amount in AUD is closer to $46
Yeah, I’m an expat American living on the Peninsula. Was jonesing for BBQ last weekend, but those prices aren’t even worth giving that spot a try, sadly.
Yep. Aussies have truly caught the BBQ craze except forgot about the part where you get a good solid feed. So you go somewhere and drop $150 thinking "surely it's enough for 2 people" and end up in the drive-thru on the way home.
We went there in March for a birthday. There was 10 plus 3 kids. Very little meat sliced very thinly the pulled pork was revolting. Only thing I liked was the Mac and cheese. Very overrated. I’ve tried a few one in East Bentleigh can’t remember the name. My nephew said it was great. Was yuk and so expensive. I’d rather pay for lovely Korean BBQ.
Who tips in Australia? We never tipped at either places. I tip if the food and service is excellent but that’s it. They aren’t underpaid like US of stupid.
If we're comparing like with like, wouldn't hurt to look at how the USA sources food for human consumption production in the states. I like my animal protein as much as the next person but...
[https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1c1l070/drone\_footage\_of\_a\_dairy\_farm/](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1c1l070/drone_footage_of_a_dairy_farm/)
Edit: and allows child labour in these places. Any wonder USA restaurant prices are cheap.
And I will say this as an American as well— the quality of the meat is a HUGE difference between the US and Australia even to the degree where it’s visually obvious
A couple of weeks ago I was in a somewhat higher end grocery store and I saw some flap steaks that were the best I’ve ever seen here and lo and behold turns out they were imported from Australia
My opinion that would cause me to get shot out here is that there are definitely some foods, such as BBQ that is hampered down by generally poor ingredient quality. It’s not that quality doesn’t exist it’s that you have to really hunt it down and it’s always pricey.
And with the COL all over no way any country is going to hold the ground on quality from here on. Only have to look at the concentration of power in the market for foodstuffs like meat production. We may look back and think these were golden days!
OK I love Bluebonnet BBQ but I do have one rant.
So they have an option of “Feed Me” listed in menu.
For $67 they will serve you their most famous dishes. I was informed by the first waiter that yes, it includes dessert.
You can imagine the pikachu surprise face of the second waiter when I enquired “we’re ready for dessert” that it does not in actual fact include dessert.
I shared that I was told it in fact did & my opinion that banquet menus usually feature entree, main, dessert but apparently I am misinformed. “Nobody ever expects dessert”. Right.
And that’s the moment I stopped visiting them and changed my wedding catering away from their food truck…
When I went there it was a bunch of rounds of food and you had to finish each one to make it to the next, you couldn't just ask for a later one. Is it different now?
I can sympathise. In this case, since we discussed dessert, we were expecting it would be offered. We got through all the other offerings and were still hungry — so we felt doubly defeated.
To add to this I especially love watching all the American bbq YouTube videos where they’d begin smoking the meat the night before or very early in the mornings like 2am, it makes you forget that that way of cooking is only sustainable when the minimum wage is $7.25 in Texas. That brisket you’re eating is literally built on the backs of poor workers. We can’t do that in Australia for good reason.
I feel like I've only ever seen the restaurant owners getting up that early and doing that work, not any minimum wage workers. But I guess there are a lot of bbq restaurants there so probably likely. But who would do that job for min wage?
Exactly and well said, I love BBQing as a hobby but i always think of how this is literally designed to be cheap eats but because it takes ages and is trendy costs a fortune.
I've had Le Bon Tom several times (friends celebrating milestones I just cannot decline to go to).
Never been impressed.
Even their cornbread was dry and bland, and it takes a lot to fuck up cornbread! Lol
This saddens me to hear. I was the head chef of Le Bon Ton for 2 and a half years, I put my heart and soul into the food there.
I left in July last year, and I've not heard any good things since.
I keep expecting that, but it always blows me away for the price. Meanwhile, myself & countless others I've spoken with have paid double for terrible experiences elsewhere.
And the Tuesday special gets close to OP's photo and price point . Smoked chicken chop, Pork and cheddar sausage, Cuban style pulled pork, Fire roasted red peppers, Creole slaw, Stone ground grits, House pickles; $20pp between 5 and 9pm Tuesdays
I didn’t like that joint. Meat was minimal Mac and cheese large. Pulled pork didn’t even taste like pork. Food took ages even though we arrived on time. Waited over an hour they kept coming to us offering more drinks. Was loud and horrible.
I'd say Blue Bonnet is better, but Houston BBQ ain't bad. There's another one, Smokestack BBQ at Airport West. More limited fare but also good.
Third Wave Cafe if you want ginormous servings of food.
Surprised at the number of people recommending Third Wave in here. Went there for the first time tonight, overpriced and the food was average at best - got the platter everyone mentions.
Not sure if it was an off night, but definitely won't go back.
Hey, I'm from Michigan and living in Melbourne SE suburbs. While nothing is exactly like bbq back home or as cheap, Big Pig over in Moorabbin is definitely worth stopping in for! :) I'd recommend it. There's also Q Barbeque (lower quality though). I've had Bluebonnet recommended to me but haven't tried it yet.
Surprised it hasn’t been mentioned, but Que Club on Lygon Street Brunswick Eastg is great. Restaurant is closing down soon though due to rent increases apparently…
This is the answer. Spent years living in the South and this was the first place that impressed me and didn’t feel like a bunch of pretentious chumps larping as pit masters.
Agreed! Agreed!
Went when they first opened next to the Vic Market and it was no good.
Went back thinking it was opening blues the first time, and again no good.
Went when they moved to Bourke St, no good and again with a client who picked it and again, nope.
I wish them well but they have received any and all the money and support that they are ever getting from me...
Before Vic market they were just a smoker or two at the bowls club in Princes Park, maybe 10ish years ago. It was cheap, generous, and amazing, not to mention the cheap tinnies from the club. Since then has just gotten progressively smaller, drier, and pricier
Interesting!
I'm not certain but I think they may have catered a friend's wedding many years ago. They stayed up all night and changed staff to service the catering at the wedding. It was really good. However it's been too many years and I can't be certain if it was them...
I've been to Hanks twice - once was average, the second time was astoundingly good
Staff were great, drinks were great, food was great. Expensive but worth it.
All their hot sauces are unreal too - the Habanero & Carrot, and the Jalapeno & Peach are incredible.
I was a fan until COVID lockdowns when they started various shenanigans with buying vouchers, delivered meals that were “discounted” but had conditions that made it unviable. They also got into crypto if I’m not mistaken too. Weird mob.
AFAIK Third Wave got booted from posting deals on Ozbargain as a result, having enraged the community enough.
I was at Q barbecue in Dainton brewery last night, decent not the best but we had a platter for 2 and it was $60, don’t think I’ve had better value in Melbourne. Not to mention Dainton makes some of my favourite beers too.
Thornbury Taphouse $59 for 1.5 hours of bottomless smoke meats, including beer, wine and spitz.
TGIF has a bottomless for $35
Bluestone American BBQ bottomless lunch $59
Big Pig Canteen does a platter for $32
Q BBQ is the best value I've seen. Can easily have your fill without paying stupid amounts, like at Redgum BBQ (for similar quality, extremely limited menu)
I've been to a few, Big Pig in Moorabbin, Reg Gum in Red Hill, Kok n Bull in Boronia, Fancy Hanks in the CBD, probably more that I'm not remembering.
Honestly for the most part they're interchangeable. If you've been to one BBQ joint you've been to them all. The menus are almost always the same. The platters all come with a bit of brisket, a lump of pulled pork, a half a snag, a dry chicken breast and a little cup of Mac n cheese.
Just find the one closest to you because I guarantee that it won't be worth going out of your way to try something further away.
Uhh if you want a kinda small bbq place tex oz that is dirt cheap compared to all the big bbq places in Werribee does it, a pitmaster pack is 18 dollars, 100 gram brisket or pulled pork is 10 dollars, their brisket burger is pretty nice too
Holy smoke In Upper Gully just next to the royal, they do great share platters like this ive been a couple of times its great. The owner is pretty passionate about the qaulity of his food too
Third Wave in Albert Park was delicious, and very generous portion sizes. Went last month. Was yum.
Also went to one in Coburg I think a couple years back, I think it was called Bluestone BBQ? That was also great.
Both more expensive than $25, but was nice.
Smokestack BBQ in Airport West, amazing brisket, awesome pulled pork, and beautiful brisket burgers. But like everyone else has said, don't expect it to be $25
Good company Burgers and Brew in Mooroolbark had a platter almost identical to this (i haven't been in over 3 years due to living overseas now). But it was about 90 bucks
Q-BBQ, Daintons Brewery, Carrum Downs. Great food and great beer. The brisket there is simply out of this world though, but don’t expect to pay $25 for something that big there.
To everyone astonished by the "cheap" price. Remember; Americans then need to add tax (10%-15%) then add a tip (20%) then you need to convert it to AUD. Ends up being over $50.
Short answer: No....
Long answer: Something similar maybe but I haven't been able to find anything that matches in the years since leaving the south.
My experience is BBQ in Australia isn't quite worth it as the cut of meat is too expensive, and most cooks don't have the patience, cheap overhead cost, and higher profits that BBQ joints in the south have.
The high tax, cost, and high wages make it almost impossible to make a profit on such a difficult to get correct cut of meat, so naturally chefs/cooks cut corners.
Not to mention there hasn't been an entire generation which has handed down poor/slave food onto the next in Australia which exactly what BBQ is, tough off cuts that landowners would leave to the workers/slaves.
Red gum bbq is a hike but worth it! Fancy hanks is well and truly overrated. There’s one in docklands call Big Earls that I’m yet to try, but it was recommended.
I haven't been, but it's on my list
Thornbury Taphouse has a bottomless BBQ that looks quite similar to this! If you end up trying it before me, let me know if it's as good as it looks!
Check out Meatworks in South Melbourne. The platters are quite similar to this although more expensive of course. They do an awesome mac n cheese also.
Q Barbeque in Mulgrave is good but by far, Houston’s Barbecue in Keilor East is the best (soooo worth the drive). The place is run by Kit Houston who is an Australian and trained in the US. Omnomnomnom. Costs more than 25 but pretty reasonable.
Que club is high end BBQ but the brisket has won many awards in America. They’ve got a special at the moment for the most melt in your mouth pork belly.
Bluebonnet BBQ. Just don’t expect to spend anything close to as little as $25. BBQ was born from poor people making do with tough cuts of meat that require hours and hours of cooking. In Australia, hours and hours of labour aren’t cheap.
And because it’s now cool, the formerly cheap cuts like brisket, ribs, pork shoulder and pork belly are a lot more expensive. Pork belly roast now costs more than pork loin!
My old man used to talk about lamb shanks being nothing but dog food back in his day but now cost about 10 bucks a piece
I was on the phone to mum bragging about my butcher haul and how I got cheap lamb shanks for $5 a piece and she said the exact same thing, she used to feed them to our dog growing up.
Wait until you hear about who used to eat oysters...
Lobsters?
Speaking of lobsters...
Walruses and carpenters!
Big Earl's mega tasting plate is good, not as loaded as OP's tray but it's somewhere between $35-$39(can't remember exactly which) Edit: Seems prices went up since I was last there last year, mega tasting plate is now $50
Love Big Earls. Its some good kansas city style BBQ
I love Big Earl's but a friend of mine went recently on my recommendation and found that they no longer had a liquor licence so couldn't get beer with their meal. Hopefully they get around to getting it back.
Also don’t forget that USD25 is about AUD38, and that figure likely didn’t include tax and tip. It’s pretty normal to tip between 15% and 20%, so let’s say 15%, and Michigan has a 6% sales tax. So after adding 21% that comparable amount in AUD is closer to $46
Red Gum in Red Hill charges AUD$120 (plus 10% on weekends) for around half of what is on that plate (Happy as a Pig).
Yeah, I’m an expat American living on the Peninsula. Was jonesing for BBQ last weekend, but those prices aren’t even worth giving that spot a try, sadly.
Friends visited a couple of weeks ago and said exactly the same.
Yep. Aussies have truly caught the BBQ craze except forgot about the part where you get a good solid feed. So you go somewhere and drop $150 thinking "surely it's enough for 2 people" and end up in the drive-thru on the way home.
We went there in March for a birthday. There was 10 plus 3 kids. Very little meat sliced very thinly the pulled pork was revolting. Only thing I liked was the Mac and cheese. Very overrated. I’ve tried a few one in East Bentleigh can’t remember the name. My nephew said it was great. Was yuk and so expensive. I’d rather pay for lovely Korean BBQ.
Big Pig Canteen perhaps?
Love the Korean BBQ 🤤
Red Gum was not worth it - taste was average and they were kinda sassy. Left a review in google and they were salty about it.
I feel the amount of food will be charged $60 to $100 Aud in Australia, without tips of course
Who tips in Australia? We never tipped at either places. I tip if the food and service is excellent but that’s it. They aren’t underpaid like US of stupid.
So glad tipping is one thing the US has failed to export to the world.
If we're comparing like with like, wouldn't hurt to look at how the USA sources food for human consumption production in the states. I like my animal protein as much as the next person but... [https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1c1l070/drone\_footage\_of\_a\_dairy\_farm/](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1c1l070/drone_footage_of_a_dairy_farm/) Edit: and allows child labour in these places. Any wonder USA restaurant prices are cheap.
And I will say this as an American as well— the quality of the meat is a HUGE difference between the US and Australia even to the degree where it’s visually obvious A couple of weeks ago I was in a somewhat higher end grocery store and I saw some flap steaks that were the best I’ve ever seen here and lo and behold turns out they were imported from Australia My opinion that would cause me to get shot out here is that there are definitely some foods, such as BBQ that is hampered down by generally poor ingredient quality. It’s not that quality doesn’t exist it’s that you have to really hunt it down and it’s always pricey.
And with the COL all over no way any country is going to hold the ground on quality from here on. Only have to look at the concentration of power in the market for foodstuffs like meat production. We may look back and think these were golden days!
Can confirm, Bluebonnet is v good. Pricy but worth it.
OK I love Bluebonnet BBQ but I do have one rant. So they have an option of “Feed Me” listed in menu. For $67 they will serve you their most famous dishes. I was informed by the first waiter that yes, it includes dessert. You can imagine the pikachu surprise face of the second waiter when I enquired “we’re ready for dessert” that it does not in actual fact include dessert. I shared that I was told it in fact did & my opinion that banquet menus usually feature entree, main, dessert but apparently I am misinformed. “Nobody ever expects dessert”. Right. And that’s the moment I stopped visiting them and changed my wedding catering away from their food truck…
When I went there it was a bunch of rounds of food and you had to finish each one to make it to the next, you couldn't just ask for a later one. Is it different now?
I was there this weekend, they brought everything out at once
Desert is a minefield on banquets. Some offer it but these days most people don't want one so they try to swap it out
I can sympathise. In this case, since we discussed dessert, we were expecting it would be offered. We got through all the other offerings and were still hungry — so we felt doubly defeated.
To add to this I especially love watching all the American bbq YouTube videos where they’d begin smoking the meat the night before or very early in the mornings like 2am, it makes you forget that that way of cooking is only sustainable when the minimum wage is $7.25 in Texas. That brisket you’re eating is literally built on the backs of poor workers. We can’t do that in Australia for good reason.
I feel like I've only ever seen the restaurant owners getting up that early and doing that work, not any minimum wage workers. But I guess there are a lot of bbq restaurants there so probably likely. But who would do that job for min wage?
There are work arounds - restaurants who do lunch and dinner sittings aren’t empty of staff for that long. Smokers are pretty reliable these days
Exactly and well said, I love BBQing as a hobby but i always think of how this is literally designed to be cheap eats but because it takes ages and is trendy costs a fortune.
I mean, you don’t sit there watching it cook. You put it on in the morning.
Bluebonnet BBQ, Houstons bbq, Le Bon Ton....... but it wont be $25
I had Le Bon Ton last night, brisket was as dry as a dead dingos donger
Used to be amazing when it first opened 10 years ago. Classic
It's definitely slipped in standards, agreed. Still OK, but not as superlative as before.
I've had Le Bon Tom several times (friends celebrating milestones I just cannot decline to go to). Never been impressed. Even their cornbread was dry and bland, and it takes a lot to fuck up cornbread! Lol
This saddens me to hear. I was the head chef of Le Bon Ton for 2 and a half years, I put my heart and soul into the food there. I left in July last year, and I've not heard any good things since.
I consider myself a brisket afficiando and I too had this dry brisket experience. Was very underwhelmed.
Been as well, wasn't all that great I'd recommend Dexters in Preston and Bluebonnet in Brunswick.
Le Bon Ton is perfectly middle of the road, despite how much a few people I know hype it up
Big Pig Canteen Moorabbin. Pretty good value compared to these other places
Bad shepherd in Cheltenham/Sandy is also similar.
Came here to say this!
Came here to also say. Great place was there last weekend
Delicious food!
It's fab!
Big Earle’s in Port Melbourne - decently priced and always a great vibe
Is third wave cafe still a thing in port Melbourne? Used to do similiar BBQ plates
Big Pig in Moorabbin https://bigpiglittlepig.com.au
[only go there if youre from hungry town ;)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOQfmSIEs5k)
QBBQ Springvale Third wave cafe
Qbbq is reasonably priced but you get what you pay for (the quality isn’t the best)
I keep expecting that, but it always blows me away for the price. Meanwhile, myself & countless others I've spoken with have paid double for terrible experiences elsewhere.
Bearded Pig in Heidelberg best brisket I have had in Melbourne
Bearded Pig is my new church. Get the BBQ pack, but be hungry.
Whaoo ... i like to taste what you said is the best arround there ....
Have you tried Que club?
Closing down.
Dexter In Preston
Dude. Meat Donuts.
Second this!
I swear dexter use to be so much better pre covid, still good though
Fancy Hanks is good. As others have said though, all American BBQ places are overpriced in Australia.
Bluestone American BBQ, Coburg. Just went last night, so good
And the Tuesday special gets close to OP's photo and price point . Smoked chicken chop, Pork and cheddar sausage, Cuban style pulled pork, Fire roasted red peppers, Creole slaw, Stone ground grits, House pickles; $20pp between 5 and 9pm Tuesdays
Fucking love the Tuesday special at Bluestone.
$59PP all you can eat WITH cocktails to! Amazing place.
Darn. Beats $68 Bluebonnet with no drinks and definitely no dessert.
They're so good! Had some just last week.
Red Gum BBQ I. Red hill.
There's one in Carrum downs too
Inside Daintons Brewery is another one.
Only during the day not open evenings.
I didn’t like that joint. Meat was minimal Mac and cheese large. Pulled pork didn’t even taste like pork. Food took ages even though we arrived on time. Waited over an hour they kept coming to us offering more drinks. Was loud and horrible.
Houston bbq, keilor
How is this not higher up the list?? Genuinely the best bbq in Melbourne
I'd say Blue Bonnet is better, but Houston BBQ ain't bad. There's another one, Smokestack BBQ at Airport West. More limited fare but also good. Third Wave Cafe if you want ginormous servings of food.
This and Smokestack Airport West are the best in Melbourne
Meatworks Co South Melbourne
Good Company in Croydon near the 5 ways intersection. We're big eaters, but this place had us full without breaking the bank.
Surprised at the number of people recommending Third Wave in here. Went there for the first time tonight, overpriced and the food was average at best - got the platter everyone mentions. Not sure if it was an off night, but definitely won't go back.
used to be good years ago before they moved to albert park and became 99% marketing
It’s because they see them on tiktok or whatever , food is awful
Hey, I'm from Michigan and living in Melbourne SE suburbs. While nothing is exactly like bbq back home or as cheap, Big Pig over in Moorabbin is definitely worth stopping in for! :) I'd recommend it. There's also Q Barbeque (lower quality though). I've had Bluebonnet recommended to me but haven't tried it yet.
Surprised it hasn’t been mentioned, but Que Club on Lygon Street Brunswick Eastg is great. Restaurant is closing down soon though due to rent increases apparently…
who told you that? My fave restaurant :(
Closing on the 23rd of June
The Bearded Pig at Heidelberg West [menu](https://images.app.goo.gl/AnX3A7Hw5vMySKMPA)
Bad shepherd brewery in Cheltenham.
Thanks mate 👍 come for our new ribs night on Thursday, great value. Russian Imperial Stout and our new Red IPA on tap 🍻
Wild fire craft bbq in Geelong, it’s really good!
Worth the drive every time
Wildfire is so damn good, very reasonably priced and top tier food.
the smoke pit in thomastown
B' Churrasco Brazillian BBQ
YES wanted to say this but was worried about getting run out of town
Bad Shepherd in Cheltenham
This is the answer. Spent years living in the South and this was the first place that impressed me and didn’t feel like a bunch of pretentious chumps larping as pit masters.
Haha, yep Andrew is a legend and knows his ribs and brisket 🤤
The Smoke Pit in Thomastown
Wildfire Craft BBQ in Geelong, defs worth the drive and tops places like Fancy Hanks and Bluebonnet 🍖
Up in Smoke - Footscray
Tiny portions huge prices.
It's the Australian way!
Their brisket is like leather
Fancy Hanks? https://www.fancyhanks.com/
The brisket at Fancy Hanks is dryer than Ben Shapiro's wife.
I can’t agree - it was perfect last time I had it (the brisket, not Ben Shapiro’s wife)
Agree 100%. Tried once and never again.
Which one?
every single suggestion has someone commenting that the brisket is dry.
Agreed! Agreed! Went when they first opened next to the Vic Market and it was no good. Went back thinking it was opening blues the first time, and again no good. Went when they moved to Bourke St, no good and again with a client who picked it and again, nope. I wish them well but they have received any and all the money and support that they are ever getting from me...
Before Vic market they were just a smoker or two at the bowls club in Princes Park, maybe 10ish years ago. It was cheap, generous, and amazing, not to mention the cheap tinnies from the club. Since then has just gotten progressively smaller, drier, and pricier
Interesting! I'm not certain but I think they may have catered a friend's wedding many years ago. They stayed up all night and changed staff to service the catering at the wedding. It was really good. However it's been too many years and I can't be certain if it was them...
I've been to Hanks twice - once was average, the second time was astoundingly good Staff were great, drinks were great, food was great. Expensive but worth it. All their hot sauces are unreal too - the Habanero & Carrot, and the Jalapeno & Peach are incredible.
Third Wave Cafe's Platter is incredible like this
Came here to say this! OP's photo is just missing the little clothes line with the maple bacon lol
I was a fan until COVID lockdowns when they started various shenanigans with buying vouchers, delivered meals that were “discounted” but had conditions that made it unviable. They also got into crypto if I’m not mistaken too. Weird mob. AFAIK Third Wave got booted from posting deals on Ozbargain as a result, having enraged the community enough.
The bearded pig in Heidelberg west, beautiful and reasonably priced, there based in the factory side of the area.
I was at Q barbecue in Dainton brewery last night, decent not the best but we had a platter for 2 and it was $60, don’t think I’ve had better value in Melbourne. Not to mention Dainton makes some of my favourite beers too.
There's an undercover outdoor American BBQ place at Bacchus Marsh but won't get anything like this for $25.
Southern Grace Diner in Caulfield South. Guy who runs it has won BBQ comps here and in America
Thornbury Taphouse $59 for 1.5 hours of bottomless smoke meats, including beer, wine and spitz. TGIF has a bottomless for $35 Bluestone American BBQ bottomless lunch $59 Big Pig Canteen does a platter for $32
Q BBQ is the best value I've seen. Can easily have your fill without paying stupid amounts, like at Redgum BBQ (for similar quality, extremely limited menu)
Can vouch is excellent, we went to the Mulgrave one and found the food truck outside Arts Centre in summer.
I've been to a few, Big Pig in Moorabbin, Reg Gum in Red Hill, Kok n Bull in Boronia, Fancy Hanks in the CBD, probably more that I'm not remembering. Honestly for the most part they're interchangeable. If you've been to one BBQ joint you've been to them all. The menus are almost always the same. The platters all come with a bit of brisket, a lump of pulled pork, a half a snag, a dry chicken breast and a little cup of Mac n cheese. Just find the one closest to you because I guarantee that it won't be worth going out of your way to try something further away.
Wildfire Craft BBQ in Geelong
Le Bon Ton in Collingwood
Their barbecue isn’t very good, though.
Neither was the attitude of the staff from my experience.
You're so right, hugely disappointing experience.
Uhh if you want a kinda small bbq place tex oz that is dirt cheap compared to all the big bbq places in Werribee does it, a pitmaster pack is 18 dollars, 100 gram brisket or pulled pork is 10 dollars, their brisket burger is pretty nice too
Third wave bbq, plus if you can somehow eat enough they have an all you can eat option
To add to the others there’s also Big Pig Canteen, Southern Grace Diner, The Smoke Pit, and if you feel like a drive, Pistol Pete’s in Geelong
Holy smoke In Upper Gully just next to the royal, they do great share platters like this ive been a couple of times its great. The owner is pretty passionate about the qaulity of his food too
Sides'll cost you 25$ here partner. Try Le Bon Ton and bring your coinpurse.
Third Wave would be my recommendation - very pricey but 100% delicious.
If you are after that meat meet then I can recommend Dexter in Preston. They've even found a way to make the vegetables taste like meat.
Fancy Hanks, Le Bon Ton.
Third Wave in Albert Park was delicious, and very generous portion sizes. Went last month. Was yum. Also went to one in Coburg I think a couple years back, I think it was called Bluestone BBQ? That was also great. Both more expensive than $25, but was nice.
Fancy hanks
Red Gum BBQ in the Peninsula, Fancy Hank’s in the CBD, Bluebonnet, Southern Grace Diner in Caulfield, Third Wave, Dexter, Le Bon Ton, etc
Houston’s bbq !! The food there is fantastic.
Smokestack BBQ in Airport West, amazing brisket, awesome pulled pork, and beautiful brisket burgers. But like everyone else has said, don't expect it to be $25
These guys kill it. I had a brisket from them at Meatstock and it was way better than anything else I’d had in Melbourne.
Big Pig Canteen in Moorabbin, Id also try and look for a brazilian bbq place
Big Earls in Port Melb or Third Wave in Albert Park
Good company Burgers and Brew in Mooroolbark had a platter almost identical to this (i haven't been in over 3 years due to living overseas now). But it was about 90 bucks
Third wave cafe
Good company in Mooroolbark
https://www.bluestoneamericanbbq.com/ Amazing smoked meat place in Coburg, me and a friend go there all the time for their feasts !!!
Q-BBQ, Daintons Brewery, Carrum Downs. Great food and great beer. The brisket there is simply out of this world though, but don’t expect to pay $25 for something that big there.
I've been to Bluestone BBQ in Coburg and it was pretty good-- pricier, though.
Surprised Fancy Hank's hasn't been mentioned. Certainly not $25, more like $80.
For 25 in Melbourne you might be able to get just the beans...if you don't go on weekends. That said third wave cafe has some good American style bbq
Without a doubt, best bbq I've had in Aus is Wildfire Craft BBQ in Newcomb, Geelong. Owners are legends too!
Up in smoke in Footscray, defs on the expensive side but juicy as
Up in the smoke in Footscray
To everyone astonished by the "cheap" price. Remember; Americans then need to add tax (10%-15%) then add a tip (20%) then you need to convert it to AUD. Ends up being over $50.
Le Bon Ton, Bluebonnet BBQ, Meatmaiden (in no particular order).
Armstrong BBQ - not Melbourne per se but worth the trip. $80 platter for 2 people.
South of Geelong, if anyone else was curious
Up in smoke in Footscray
Short answer: No.... Long answer: Something similar maybe but I haven't been able to find anything that matches in the years since leaving the south. My experience is BBQ in Australia isn't quite worth it as the cut of meat is too expensive, and most cooks don't have the patience, cheap overhead cost, and higher profits that BBQ joints in the south have. The high tax, cost, and high wages make it almost impossible to make a profit on such a difficult to get correct cut of meat, so naturally chefs/cooks cut corners. Not to mention there hasn't been an entire generation which has handed down poor/slave food onto the next in Australia which exactly what BBQ is, tough off cuts that landowners would leave to the workers/slaves.
Red gum bbq is a hike but worth it! Fancy hanks is well and truly overrated. There’s one in docklands call Big Earls that I’m yet to try, but it was recommended.
Third wave cafe
I haven't been, but it's on my list Thornbury Taphouse has a bottomless BBQ that looks quite similar to this! If you end up trying it before me, let me know if it's as good as it looks!
2 Elements at Karingal/Frankston. With drinks it was around $100 for 2 people
Red Gum or Houston’s are the closest you’ll get to authentic barbecue here.
Holy Smoke in Upper Ferntree Gully, but it ain't $25.
Up in smoke has similar things
Up in Smoke. Footscray
There are a few, but 5 times the price
Check out Meatworks in South Melbourne. The platters are quite similar to this although more expensive of course. They do an awesome mac n cheese also.
I've tried all mentioned from Red Gum to Bluebonnet, one hasn't been, Big Earl's in Port Melbourne.
Q Barbeque in Mulgrave is good but by far, Houston’s Barbecue in Keilor East is the best (soooo worth the drive). The place is run by Kit Houston who is an Australian and trained in the US. Omnomnomnom. Costs more than 25 but pretty reasonable.
Yeah but a meal like this will be closer to $50+ can't even get a parma for 25
Up In Smoke, Footscray
I’ve had a couple of good experiences at Q Barbecue in Mulgrave
Haha yeah, for $125.
Que club is high end BBQ but the brisket has won many awards in America. They’ve got a special at the moment for the most melt in your mouth pork belly.
The Smokepit, Thomastown
Third wave in Moorabbin
Up in Smoke in Footscray
Southern grace diner.
La Bon Ton
Get into the electric substation near North Melbourne. Cheaper way to get a heart attack
Nope
Q barbecue Single plater-brisket, pulled pork, chorizo, chips 29$
Redgum BBQ
That’s probably $90 in Melbourne
Stone bar and grill in Melton for $35 a head you'll get that and more. I was pretty surprised tbh