I went to Porky Butts BBQ in Omaha because I heard of people talking about how good their food was. My grandparents recommended porky butts to me. barbecue food is my favorite so I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. After eating I will say it was a pretty good experience. The restaurant had good food and a good environment, but there were also a couple of things that could have been better.

The first thing I noticed was the smell of smoked meat I could smell it from down the street. The restaurant looked like every other bbq place but that’s not a bad thing. There were TVs on, people talking loudly, and workers moving around trying to keep up with orders. It felt busy but not in a bad way. It gave off the feeling of a place where people go to hang out, eat good food, and spend time with friends.

When it came to the food, Porky Butts tasted great. I ordered pulled pork, brisket, mac and cheese, and fries. The pulled pork was my favorite part of the whole meal. It was super tender and had a smoky flavor without tasting burnt or too salty. The brisket was also good because it was juicy and soft instead of dry like some barbecue places make it. You could tell the meat had been cooked with care.

The sides were also better than I expected. Usually at barbecue restaurants, the meat is the main focus, and the sides are just basic but that was not really the case here. The mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy, and tasted homemade. The fries were crispy and seasoned well too. This is probably some of the best bbq in Omaha.

Another thing I liked was the service. Even though the restaurant was packed, the workers still seemed friendly and patient. They answered questions about the menu and did not act annoyed when people took a while to order. The food also came out faster than I thought it would, especially for barbecue, which usually takes longer to prepare. The service and workers seamed very professional.

Even though I liked the restaurant, there were still some negatives. The biggest one for me was the price. The food was good, but it was more expensive than I expected for a “casual” barbecue place. For a full meal with sides and a drink, it ended up costing quite a bit. I understand that smoked meats are expensive to make so I’m not upset at the prices. But the price makes me want to come every once in a while, instead of a lot.

Another negative was how crowded and loud it got. Since Porky Butts is popular, finding a table was stressful. I had to wait for a spot, and once we sat down it was hard to hear conversations because there was so much noise. It’s not the restaurant’s fault though it was just busy.

I also thought some of the barbecue sauces were basic. They had different options, which was nice, but a couple of them tasted either too sweet or bland. Luckily, the meat already had enough flavor on its own, so I didn’t really use much sauce. But sauces always make the food even better.

I would still recommend Porky Butts to anyone who likes barbecue. The food had a lot of flavor, the portions were good, and the service was excellent. The pulled pork and brisket were easily the best things I tried, and the sides were surprisingly good too. Even though it was expensive and crowded, I still enjoyed the experience a lot. I would definitely go back again.