Piggyback Tavern (Forest Park)

No, I haven't been yet, but I'm wondering if someone else has. New BBQ, etc. place in Forest Park, at the location that was previously (long ago) La Piazza. BBQ, some tacos (?), and apparently a "speakeasy" bar opening soon. It's the people behind Lake Street Kitchen + Bar, and lest one suspect they have not set the bar high enough, apparently Publican is a model/inspiration. A couple of smokers, good beer selection, lots of pulled pork, ribs, fried green tomatoes ...

I'm really curious, because if the place is any good I might as well start budgeting for regular visits.

Piggyback Tavern
410 Circle Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois 60130
(708) 669-9744

http://www.piggybacktavern.com/

Hammond is keeping an eye on it.

Well, in the off chance people read his piece as current, Piggyback is now open

Interesting. I'm right in the neighborhood there and will certainly give them a try real soon. Thanks for posting, I'll post a review once I get in there.

My wife and I decided to try this place out last night. I'll start by saying that we both really wanted to like this place. We both were hoping for something really good opening in the neighborhood that could become somewhat of a regular place for us since we could walk there.

First impressions, I liked the room. The high ceilings and the way the bar and seating was set up all looked good. The smell of BBQ wafting through the place gave me high hopes this was going to be good.

We were seated by a very friendly staff and our waitress came over soon after. I thought the flight of 4 beers at 9.50 was a pretty decent deal so I went with that. My wife had a can of some peach wheat beer.

For dinner my wife ordered the grilled salmon with grilled veggies on the side.(entrees don't come with any sides so they cost extra.) I ordered the slider sampler tray and 3 different tacos (chx, brisket and pork.) We both also ordered the piggyback salad with their BBQ vinaigrette.

The salad was okay, I'm glad they used bibb lettuce instead of head lettuce but it was still just lettuce tomato and onion. I thought 5 bucks was a little high for what it was but it wasn't bad. It was just a very simple salad that a lot of places will offer for a few bucks.

Before we got halfway through our salads we were told by our waitress (who seemed embarrassed by this) that our entrees were already up. So, we made some room on the table and she brought the rest of our meal out. We both rushed to finish our salads so she could take the bowls away.

I ate the sliders first. There really wasn't much meat on them but what was there had a good flavor. The cole slaw was a thicker cut slaw which I liked. The major issue I had with the food in general (besides the price compared to what you get) was that everything was dry. Like, super dry where you couldn't possibly eat it without adding sauce.

I know Gary W. says in Low and Slow that good BBQ shouldn't need to be sauced. He also says that sauce is often used to cover bad BBQ. From a flavor standpoint the meat wasn't bad but the fact that you could not get this down without saucing it turns me off.

I smoke meat at home pretty often and if I had guests to my house and my end product turned out like this I would seriously be embarrassed to serve it. I felt like I was in one of those cracker eating challenges going to my water way more than I should have to to get it down. My wife told me that her salmon was dry as well.

The tacos were basically more of the same. Not much meat on 2 corn tortillas. I liked their tortillas and the tacos were okay. But, I'm certainly not making a point of running over to this place for 2 and 3 dollar tacos when any mexican restaurant in the area is probably going to give me a more satisfying product. Again, I don't have an issue with the flavor but the portion sizes and the dryness of the meat really turned me off.

My wife decided to add an order of fried green tomatoes at the end. These were really tasty with a really nice breading on them. But at 7 bucks I expect more than 4 slices of a not very large tomato. I'd guess they used about half a tomato for this and when I saw what it cost when the bill came that pretty much solidified my thoughts that we wouldn't be back.

Unfortunately the whole thing was pretty dissapointing. The wait staff is good and our server, Jess, was really nice and accommodating. We actually chatted with her quite a bit as she had good knowledge of their beers. I had a pint of Greenbush's Anger black IPA as well. They serve their pints in a ball jar which I thought was a unique idea.

They also offer flights of whiskey, tequila and moonshine and it looked like you can mix them up if you want. Again, I like that idea but there wasn't enough good about this place to get me back. Hopefully they make some changes in the kitchen as that's where the issue is. Whoever is doing their BBQ must be heating their meat to 250 degrees or so to get it that dry.

The funny thing is we read some Yelp reviews while waiting for our food to come. We were laughing at some of the rediculous complaints like "I couldn't get the sauce out of the jar" but there were others that mentioned the exact complaints we had; Dry meat and overpriced for the portion sizes.

When we arrived the place was about 1/3rd full and by the time we left it was at least half full. So, they're doing a pretty good business it seems. But, I doubt that will continue if they don't make some changes. They definitley didn't impress us and we probably would have been regulars if they had. At 83 bucks before tip I can have a much better meal than this in any number of places.

sad to hear this place is not off to a good start. always looking for good bbq in this area for lunch without having to drive that far.

Hoping that it really is just a matter of a bad start. There's really no reason good BBQ must be limited to just four or five far-flung places. At least the service sounds solid!

Wow, well, gorack, thanks for taking one for the team. Because they're still a relatively new place, I'd maybe give them a few weeks before coming to any final judgements, but initial reports are of concern.

I'm certainly willing to give them another chance if I start reading reviews that say they've changed. I really do want the place to be good. I just don't know if they know what they're doing with their BBQ right now. And their price points are just a bit high for what they offer imo.

gorack wrote:I'm certainly willing to give them another chance if I start reading reviews that say they've changed. I really do want the place to be good. I just don't know if they know what they're doing with their BBQ right now. And their price points are just a bit high for what they offer imo.

This seems fair to me. You also report that the flavors were generally good, and that's what I found tonight as well: a great-smelling space with some well-conceived bites, not totally there on the execution (yet).

Grand: michelada, default brew is Modelo, comes with a Piggyback cozy you can keep, at least right now. Well-mixed. Hand cut fries were crisp, not greasy, and in a good portion, and worked well with two of the sauces. Flavors in the charred salsa, crema, and roasted vegetables were really nice (I went for the taco side of the menu).

Not all there: pork in the taco had no smoke flavor, and seemed finished at too high of a heat (extremely firm and well done); my portion tasted good but was not well pulled / picked over and was somewhat hard to eat. Chicken taco actually had much stronger smoke to it, but again was not observantly chopped. Tasty onions and squash in my veggie taco weren't cooked through - hot, but quite raw.

I ran into some kind company that may bode another data point coming shortly. I really like what they've done with the space and concept; hard to imagine that was once La Piazza. I'll return to try the more central meaty part of the menu soon. The sauces are handcrafted if pretty much one note each, reinforced by the urban 'cue bath catalog bottles that decant the liquid rather than allowing a full mix, but I imagine they'll work well enough on the right entree.

This is a job for Gwiv. He could fix this. Really.

Has the bar, I mean, "speakeasy," opened yet? Because a nice craft cocktail lounge is another thing the area is missing and desperately needs, at least before people move on from cocktails.

David Hammond wrote:This is a job for Gwiv. He could fix this. Really.

Not if the owners don't give a rat's hindquarters, or, if they truly believe excellent, premium priced, q is supposed to be hard and dry.

(Sorry, I'm in a restaurant funk right now. Went to a brand new joint last night, ordered take out, and I watched the owners screw up my order in front of my eyes. I let them package it up nicely, and then I grilled them on what they screwed up. I took it upon myself to explain to them that they would never, ever possibly stay in business if they can't get an easy order correct and complete. I also explained to them that I am only one person who actually caught them before I got home and said to myself "screw that place, I'm never going back," after finding out what they screwed up. They offered me some freeebies, and I politely refused. I understand mistakes with new places, but bad cooking and not being able to place a list of items into a bag is not a mistake. It is the signal of someone not giving a shit no matter how you spin it.)

seebee wrote:(Sorry, I'm in a restaurant funk right now. Went to a brand new joint last night, ordered take out, and I watched the owners screw up my order in front of my eyes. I let them package it up nicely, and then I grilled them on what they screwed up. I took it upon myself to explain to them that they would never, ever possibly stay in business if they can't get an easy order correct and complete. I also explained to them that I am only one person who actually caught them before I got home and said to myself "screw that place, I'm never going back," after finding out what they screwed up. They offered me some freeebies, and I politely refused. I understand mistakes with new places, but bad cooking and not being able to place a list of items into a bag is not a mistake. It is the signal of someone not giving a shit no matter how you spin it.)

Fellow Grump, without mentioning names (and you probably could mention the name of the place unless you're alleging some legal or healthcode violation), could you explain what happened with this messed up order? Sounds juicy.

Wait, you saw them messing up your order and you didn't say anything until it was all packaged up and ready to go? Why wouldn't you just stop them and ask them to do it right?

David Hammond wrote:Fellow Grump, without mentioning names (and you probably could mention the name of the place unless you're alleging some legal or healthcode violation), could you explain what happened with this messed up order? Sounds juicy.

No legal or healthcode stuff at all. Nothing like that. I ordered three things, and they left out two of the things. It was the newly opened Falafelji joint in Lyons on Harlem around Pershing. I've been there 4 or 5 times since they've opened, and I've seen improvement and inconsistency each time I've gone. It seems they have a decent, and needed product for the area, and I've told them each time I've gone that I want them to succeed and flourish. SO anyway, last night I ordered a combo plate, a side of rice, and a 6pc of falafel. They left the falafel and rice out of the order. The place was empty. When they handed me the bag, I asked them to repeat the order. When the got to ther falafel, I asked, "who placed the falafel in the bag?" The two people behind the counter looked at each other like Laurel and Hardy, then one started making the falafel. I then asked for them to keep reading the order. When they got to the rice, I asked yet again, "Who put the rice in the bag?" Laurel and Hardy again. I then explained that if I am just ONE order when they are not even busy, how many peoples' orders have they possibly screwed up, and of those ppl, how many said "screw that place, I'm never going back!" If they won't even llok at their list of items that should be placed into a bag, and then make sure those items are placed into a bag, then they are in the wrong field of work, and they will more than likely lose what they've placed into this venture. I WANT them to stick around, even if their food is decidedly average, so far. But, if they don't even take what they are doing seriously, and just slop out stuff with no pride, and won't even take the 8 seconds it would take any minor level primate to place a list of items into a bag, then why should I bother to make the effort to patronize? I'm getting really old cootish, maybe, but I don't think ppl should just "get" my money because they decided to open a restaurant. If they refuse to take any pride in their offerings, and won't even deliver the promised product that they are asking for my money for, then I have no obligation to be a customer.

Jesteinef - I waited until the bag was in my hand, because the lady who took my order was the one who was bagging the order. I didn't know if she had some plan of attack, like she had the missing things off to the side somewhere I couldn't see. And also, anyway, if I'm supposed to tell you what my order is after you've helped me order it, by telling me what I should get, explaining what the order will come with, written it down, typed it out on a register, printed a receipt, taken payment for it while reading it back to me, read the receipt as you are making it, and taken my money for it, you are in the wrong field of work. Seriously, my order was a standard combo plate straight off their menu - no substitutions, a 6 pc falafel, and a side of rice. They left out the falafel and rice.

All that said, I wasn't mad at all. Before I told them what they screwed up, I let them know that I want them to do well, and I want them to be around for a long time. They offered me some free rice while I waited for the falafel, but I refused it, not to be a jerk, but simply because I was already getting rice, and I didn't actually want anything for free, I only wanted what I ordered, and paid for - and I told them that. I said to offer the rice to the people that had just walked in, so they could try it. This wasn't about me being a grump, or an irate customer, I was simply letting them know that their process was a complete disaster if a simple order was missing 2/3 of its list when there wasn't even a SLIGHT rush. And I enjoyed doing it there, instead of taking the bag, and having to call back, and giving them the chance of saying "what a jerk, I KNOW I packaged it correctly."

I am still not mad or anything. More like I feel sorry for them for not giving a crap about their venture. Perhaps it was a long, busy day for them, and they were burnt out at 6pm. (That's just another way of saying they don't give a crap.)

And by the way, for anyone reading this, this post has absolutely nothing to do with Piggyback, I've never been there.

Wow! Cranky.

Stopped at PB last night with My Bride. Had some design on a place on Western but My Bride had some designs on a pre-dinner drink.



Tequila Flight for me and a Margarita for My Bride.

The Margarita needed an extra shot from my flight to help it out.


Deviled Eggs as a starter.

They were tasty and well filled. A good touch of salt and the relish present.


Ordered the Brisket with roasted veggies and jalapeno cornbread (no heat) as sides (they were out of mac 'n cheese, Boo!) and ...

Brisket for the most part was tender and tasty. The part north of the Dixon Line was well marbled and very tender and South got a bit firmer as it cooled off. There were some awesome bites in there (at the ends) and as it firmed up the veggies did a good job keeping things moist.


... one of each taco, chicken, brisket and pork.

Taco's were well filled and juicy. Not much smoke on the chicken and pork but I wasn't expecting much. For the most part meat, tortilla flavors stood out. They should go to Antique Taco to see how a main event item like this should be balanced.

I have gotten over sticker shock for an infrequent visit but My Bride did squawk a bit especially on the brisket plate being $12, just meat and no sides.

It will be really hard not to head out to Smoque or Honky Tonk to get my fix but I might stop by for a taco or three.

The brisket looks nice, and i like the flight idea with moonshine and whiskey - the restaurant seems to be well-conceived, but is receiving mixed reviews early-on. This is normal for a newly opened joint, especially one serving BBQ. What I've found, from personal experience and observation of others: there are 2 types of people that get into the BBQ Business: professional chefs that are capable of cooking in a commercial environment, but don't have a substantial amount of BBQ experience - and BBQ Guys,that are great in their backyards, but don't have a substantial amount (or any) of professional cooking experience. What this creates, for the first few months, is inconsistency in food, and a sharp learning curve.

Reading about the background of the chef, it looks like he has professional culinary experience, but doing BBQ is very different than any other type of food. The techniques used to cook this type of food are developed through experience, and different from cooker to cooker, restaurant to restaurant. Your timing is going to be substantially different if you serve a busy lunch, and if your busy nights are mid-week or just weekends . The difference between great BBQ and good BBQ for me is freshness. Due to the time consuming smoking process, many BBQ restaurants re-heat food to order rather than attempt to have it fresh from the smoker - this causes many early inconsistencies. BBQ is its best served within a few hours of it being smoked, fresh from the smoker or holding cabinet - not cooled down and re-heated. This is difficult to figure out in the early stages of a BBQ business, and causes many chefs to work harder on making re-heated food taste good rather than working on timing the BBQ to always be fresh.

Some restaurants figure it out, and their product becomes better - others eventually just close. Of the 12 BBQ Restaurants that opened in 2010, half have given up and closed....based on the pics of that brisket, I would give this place a try if I was out that way - but their product looks to be hit or miss at this point, and I'd wait a few months (or some more consistent + reports) prior to making a special trip.

I like concept...if I go, i'll report back

This place is a stone throw from my house. I agree that they have some kinks to work out, but I like it. We went on a weekday evening around 10pm for a late dinner, and there were a good number of people there. Great atmosphere.

My favorite thing was the drink menu. They offer flights of tequila, beer, and moonshine. Pretty good beer selection, too. I had a prickly pear margarita, which was a little on the sweet side, but still good and very pretty in the glass. My significant other had a beer flight which was all local (revolution, 5 rabbit, two brothers, and hopothesis).

The food was good, but a few kinks probably need to be worked out. I had three tacos with the smoked chicken, pork, and brisket. In general, the 'que is good and smokey, but needs the sauce due to being a bit dry. There are three sauces to choose from. A South Carolina style, a sweet, and a spicy. My biggest letdown was the South Carolina style. Far too vinegar-y with not enough salt and sugar for balance. Also, the vessel it's in is awkward and causes the vinegar to go everywhere. The other two sauces are pretty good. Both thick, sweet, and tangy. One tastes very tomato-y, almost like salsa, which makes it go well with the tacos. Another problem with my tacos was the tortilla to filling ratio.

The hubs had the baby back ribs, and enjoyed them. He was really disappointed though that you couldn't get a combination plate for less than $20.

Servers were super friendly, but seemed a bit young and inexperienced.

We will definitely be back. This place is beautiful and has a good, friendly atmosphere. Great place to drink. In the summer it will be especially fun. I hope they make some tweaks to the food so this place will be as good as it can be.

Piggyback had been open three weeks when we stopped by. That’s not long enough to do a formal review. Usually reviewers wait at least a month before they weigh in. That’s a fair policy, and the following observations are presented from the perspective of a food-oriented Oak Parker who applauds a place like this and is simply offering suggestions to help make the place better.

I had read initial comments about Piggyback on LTH and elsewhere. The new BBQ restaurant is getting a lot of love, specifically about its craft beer selections, which is indeed spectacular and perhaps the best you’ll find locally (if you’re having pork, I’d highly recommend the Crispin hard cider, which complements the meat with a sweet tang you can’t get in most beer).

Complaints in social media seem to focus primarily on three points: dryness of the meat, the price-to-value of the food, and the uncomfortable chairs.

We ordered the catfish taco, pulled pork sandwich and the half-slab of baby back ribs.

On the dryness point, I must concur. Both pulled pork and ribs were very dry, making them less tasty and harder to chew than they should have been. The pork actually had a small black marble-sized clump of 100% carbonized meat on the plate: that’s about as damn dry as something edible can get. Actually, though I ate it, I’m not sure it was, technically, edible.



I mentioned the dryness of the food to the server, and she pointed out that this is because “the quality of the meat means that there’s less fat, and we use a dry rub.” Maybe. We also came by late in the day, so perhaps the meat had been on the smoker a little longer than it should have been. More likely is that the meat was smoked hours earlier and then re-heated a little, which would also cause it to dry out. Running a pit takes some time to master, for sure…and Piggyback is only weeks old.

After dinner, walking to the back to check out the smokers, I ran into a neighborhood friend, Wesley Cichosz, who had read no online reviews and had no preconceptions.



I really like talking with guys like Wes because he’s just coming for the chow, doesn’t give a damn about trends or what kind of wood the Pitmaster might be using, or how the Q here compares to what they’re turning out at Honey 1 or Uncle John’s. He’s also very happy to talk about food. He told me that even his burger was dry, which started me thinking that maybe this extra-dry theme is part of Piggyback’s approach. Piggyback supplies each table with bottles of Carolina, Zesty and Smokey Sweet sauce; you’re going to need them…except for the fish taco, which was moist and tasty and priced right at $3.



Cichosz was with a group of local joes who regularly dine together. He said their budget for dinner is usually around $25 or so for apps, entrée and two drinks (plus tip) – which, personally, I think is on the low-side (a frequent hangout for these guys is Goldyburgers, where you can definitely hit that price point). By the Cichosz scale, Piggyback was expensive. Although I didn’t feel that the per person price was way out of range, I did feel the portions were a touch small. The pulled pork sandwich was $9 and the half-slab of ribs was $12 – the former came with fantastic slaw (good texture, not too creamy), but neither came with fries. It might be advisable for Piggyback management to spend the few extra cents per order to add fries and make diners feel like they’re getting a decent value. The plates as ordered seem a little sparse, Carolyn noted, and so the perceived value is low.



I wasn’t bothered by the chairs, but both Cichosz and Carolyn seemed put off by the hard metal surfaces. “I’m an old fart,” confessed Cichosz, “and I have a hard time sitting on metal for hours.”

I want to see Piggyback succeed. This area of our community could use a new BBQ place. So I humbly submit that Piggyback should tweak their cook times (and perhaps use fattier meat) to yield a juicier product, consider adding fries to make their dinners a better value, and maybe invest in cushions.

The first few weeks after opening are a crucial time for a restaurant. They’re still getting themselves together, so everything may not be 100%, but they’re still making a lot of first impressions.

Getting up to leave, Cichosz boldly proclaimed, “I’ll never come back!”

But then I mentioned that I might post his comments, and he said, “Go ahead! Maybe they’ll send me a free gift certificate.”

So I guess you never want to say “Never” as there are clearly some circumstances that would lure customers like Cichosz back to Piggyback. The surest way management can keep customers coming in and eating happy, however, is to make some small adjustments that would improve the food, make it a better value, and minimize customer butt-discomfort.

Good luck, Piggyback. I applaud your efforts, encourage improvements – and continue to bemoan the fact that Forest Park, rather than Oak Park, continues to score the more interesting and promising restaurants.

I dined at Piggy Back for the first time this Thursday.* Overall, it was pretty good.

Started with the smoked chicken wings. They were my favorite of the night. Smoked, then fried, but not breaded or coated. Good smoke penetration and blistering crisp chicken skin unadulterated by quarts of sauce. Only complaint was that the skin on 3 of the wings were "breached" and the oil made the inner-meat dry as jerky.

I got the combo plate with a half a slab and brisket. The brisket was the standout of the two. I tasted a fair amount of smoke, good ring, nicely rendered fat and deep, rich bark. The ribs where on the dry side. Pretty lean and thin, which is a shame considering the rub and smoke were on point, and if the rib was more substantial, BBQ balance would have been achieved.

My wife had the burger which was big & sloppy, but the beef was cooked perfectly to temp (med. rare) but under-seasoned. A little S&P would have made it a standout.

Sides: tasty yet monotone grilled veggies. Super sweet and super tangy (es possible?) and SOUPY slaw. Mac & cheese, which my wife liked. I tasted the cheese portion and the sauce tasted burnt, which could be the dish picking up all the smoke in the back I felt was a burnt béchamel base. I could be totally wrong.

Service was FANTASTIC, moonshine flight was fun and dynamic and my kids chicken tacos where as dry as a dessert sand donkey.

The atmosphere is lively in a non-bar/pub/italian joint way and I like that. THe high boy metal chairs are atrocious and my flat ass was sliding down it the whole meal. I had to prop my gams up on both the foot rest on the chair and table. Needless to say, by the end of the meal, my quads and hammies were utterly BLASTED. Regardless...

....I really, really, really want this place to succeed. I believe they can, and will definitely be back in a couple week. The FP/OP/RF needs this place to succeed, as the BBQ options are pretty limited. The best being the riblet sandwich at Mikey's which I haven't had in at least 8 years.



Jeff


Discaimer: I haven't eaten any bread or dairy this week, and by thursday evening, I had a fever, and the only cure for that fever, was a big ass plate of meat. PLus, I was really really hungry.

Have eaten here again twice in the past 10 days - can't pass up those late hours (which, no doubt, will be shortened soon, per prevailing local trend).

Atmosphere, smell, and welcome are excellent, a notch up from nearby DuckfatfatDuck.

Food has been uniformly chalky, but well-flavored. I had the brisket for the first time on my last visit and the rub was really tasty, and the smoke finally managed to permeate the meat. The chicken was inedible - gristly, sour, miserable, and the slider buns were stale. Fries were again good.

The service is extremely puzzling - defensive, forgetful, proud, smiling. Bloody Mary had the same relatively weak base as the michelada and was served without smoked olives, the whole point. On request, two wrinkly gray olives were grudgingly delivered, unappetizing but very thoroughly smoked. We confused the kitchen by ordering two sets of sliders and one order of fries. We received one set with cole slaw and one with fries (cole slaw should have come with each, per menu). A second bowl was delivered, and then they charged us for it.

I'm all over the hours, beer list, tequila, and moonshine. Mixed drinks and barbecue have been weaknesses so far. I don't impose preconceptions or require genre conforming on local places; I'm happy they're here, and can only hope they'll step it up.

cheffjeff wrote:Sides: tasty yet monotone grilled veggies.

Carolyn ordered the grilled veggies, and I should have objected (I mean, in a meal that's mostly smoked, a crisp vegetable contrast would have been more to my liking). Monotonous, agreed.

David Hammond wrote:I had read initial comments about Piggyback on LTH and elsewhere. The new BBQ restaurant is getting a lot of love, specifically about its craft beer selections, which is indeed spectacular and perhaps the best you’ll find locally

Poor Phil's beer menu is far superior imo. I'd agree that Piggyback probably has the best beer selection on Madison or in that immediate area. Also, Piggyback's create your own flight option does rival Phil's set flight option. But, for price and selection in the area Phil's is a better option for a beer connoisseur imo. Even Marion Street Cheese Market tends to have some spectacular beer selections on hand. If I'm going out just to have a couple of beers with one of my beer snob friends I'm more likely to head to Phil's or Marion Street. But, that might just be me and my tastes.

Poor Phil's beer menu is, indeed, impressive.

Piggyback has curtailed its hours, at least for the winter. Because, really, who wants to eat or drink in the near Western 'burbs after - gasp - 10 PM?

I thought the flavor was good on the ribs I had about a month ago. The tacos felt very overpriced, as did the meal in general.

I love good Q, I do have high hopes.

I haven't stepped inside the space that is now Piggyback tavern since the final days of La Piazza. I still remember having a glass of wine with Gaetano that night as he told me how he was working on the new restaurant he was soon to open. What a difference. Doesn't remotely resemble the old space. We went on a Monday night and they doing were a brisk business. We all enjoyed the wings. My wife had the shrimp Po Boy. She really thought it was outstanding. Great flavors that were well executed. Served with fries that everyone at the table couldn't keep their hands off of. The Po Boy was probably the consensuses favorite. I had the brisket. It was moist and tasty, with good smoke flavor. My daughter enjoyed the ribs. Both were served on the cool side of acceptable, though neither was dry. For sides we enjoyed both the collard greens and the mac and cheese. A good beer and drink selection rounded out the evening. My wife and daughter were hesitant to try a new place that serves BBQ. After this visit, they would be happy to go back.

I'd been putting off Piggyback for months due to a general disregard for BBQ in these parts, but finally hit it today. Food was good, but it's the service that deserves a shout-out. I'd called in my order and was told 12 minutes, but when I turned up they couldn't find my food anywhere. They were pretty swamped with dinner, but still took the time to figure things out, until the friendly host apologetically realized he was the one who took the order and completely forgot to send it to the kitchen. Very sorry, he told me it would be a few minutes, and that he would give me 30% off for the mix-up, which was cool with me. I told him I'd need to zip home for a few minutes first and then swing back to get the food, but when I returned he simply handed me the bag and told me, with a smile, that it was on the house. That, my friends, is how you handle a mistake.

Got the half-slab of ribs, pulled pork, grilled veggies and mac and cheese. My daughter didn't dig the m&c, which means it was probably pretty good (kids ... ). We both loved the pulled pork, though, and the grilled veggies were a nice complement. The ribs were seasoned well enough that they didn't need any of the provided sauce, but both the sweet and zesty variants were tasty and tomato-y. All in all, solid enough to try again, and even if it wasn't, the service was such that it demands a few second chances.

The better half and I dropped in about 4:00 p.m. today (Sunday), after an abortive attempt with in-laws two days ago. We punted because of the wait and noise level at prime time on Friday night, but I am very glad indeed that we returned.

One of us had the slider trio as a main course, so we got to try all three of the pulled meats (pork, brisket, and chicken) and the other just had the pulled chicken sandwich. Of course, we tried all three sauces offered as well. Our report follows:

We were pleased that none of the meats were sauced, just dry rub and a hint of the cherry, oak, and hickory used in their smoker. Of the three meats, we were a bit disappointed by the brisket, as it was (as others above have mentioned) a bit on the dry side - it needed the moisture of the sauce to become tasty. However, we really enjoyed the pulled chicken, as the cherry smoke really complemented the dry rub used, and the chicken stayed moist and tender - really nice flavor profile! The pulled pork also remained moist, and was very tasty.

Of the three sauces, we split on our favorite; the wife loved the "sweet and smoky", while I preferred the "tangy" tomato based sauce. The "Carolina" cider vinegar-pepper sauce didn't work for us with any of the pulled meats, but it was outstanding with the fries; the vinegar, liberally applied, sort of turned the fries into English chips with malt vinegar - a personal favorite.

We tried the peach cobbler for dessert, and were impressed with the preparation - the chef showed restraint with sugars, and let the fruit speak for itself.

We found the beer selection admirable (20 craft brews on tap!) and really liked the fact that there was a sampler offered ( 4 4oz pours for 10.50, no restrictions on which drafts were chosen). All were fresh, and there were a good number of different styles represented.

Given the area, the quality of the meal and excellent service, we'll certainly return.