My wife and I headed over to one of the newest restaurants in the area, the Rack Shack BBQ in Burnsville. Located in the strip mall along with J’s and Subway, they have inserted themselves into the local BBQ scene and have received accolades from many people including Chowhound rjayasuriya and our ever so famous MSPD. I have to admit that after MSPD’s mouth watering review I had high hopes for the quality of food coming out of this place and perhaps that was where I went wrong.
We arrived just before 7. The place is clean and simple with more tables than I expected for a place that considers itself a take out joint. We sat down and looked over the large menu on the wall. Pretty standard BBQ items including ribs, brisket, chicken, turkey, etc. Prices seemed acceptable for a meat item and two sides. We placed our orders with my wife grabbing a half rack of ribs and me a BSB pulled pork sandwich (i.e. huge). My wife got their baked beans and coleslaw and I went with their corn bake and potato salad.
Our food did not take long to pop up and was served in black Styrofoam containers with plastic silverware. I get the desire to be a counter-service takeout place but I think that if you’re eating in the Styrofoam containers can be ditched. Seriously save yourselves some money while doing something good for the landfill. The sides were, well, paltry. They come in tiny little containers which could double as shot glasses. The sauce is also served in tiny amounts and must be requested and handed over from behind the counter instead of the typical bottles of sauce available at most other BBQ places I have eaten at nationwide.
My wife’s ribs were a good size and were definitely meaty but she was mildly annoyed that they were pre-split. She wants to see the entire half to full rack presented to her for tearing so she knows what she’s getting. She asked for their St. Paulie sauce and went to town on the slaw, beans, and ribs. She enjoyed them and thought the sauce was fine. From the little bits I had, both with my sauce and her’s, I found the St. Paulie sauce worked really well with the ribs. I would certainly eat those on a future visit. The beans, which everyone has raved about, were just ok for us. Nothing special at all to be honest. Yeah, they weren’t out of a can but I really didn’t see any true advantage over any other baked beans I’ve ever had. The coleslaw was a complete “meh” for me but as I’ve mentioned many times before, I’m pretty particular about my coleslaw so feel free to take it with as much salt as you’d like.
My pulled pork sandwich was a behemoth. I mean it was seriously huge. But for $11.95 I kind of expected that. The bread was soft and apparently is brought in daily–nice touch. The Houston Oil Fire sauce had kick but lacked any spice longevity at all. I used the entire container, aside from a tiny bit that I used on a bit of my wife’s ribs, and aside from a slight peppery taste, even though it had ~10 peppers next to it to on their sauce list to indicate spice level, it didn’t match the level of Sriracha or even Frank’s. Aside from the lack of spice level it just really didn’t have much depth and it’s not one I’d recommend.
The meat looked good but when I tasted it plain it had absolutely no flavor. Later when I was asked by the owner what I thought about my meal I told him it had the consistency of canned tuna fish and was tasteless. The bread completely overpowered the sandwich even with the sauce–which just shouldn’t happen, right? Perhaps another sauce would have offered me more but being that I didn’t have easy and open access to them I didn’t bother to ask for another.
My potato salad side was fine. I mean, it tasted like the potato salad I whipped up a few days ago to get rid of a couple of extra red potatoes and some sour cream I had laying around. I wouldn’t order it again but it wasn’t inedible. The corn bake on the other hand was gross. I mean, it reminded me of dry canned creamed corn. I took a couple of forkfuls between bites of my tasteless sandwich wondering if it would grow on me but it just kept heading further and further south. While certainly not the main draw of this place, I really do expect the sides to at least be something I don’t have to choke down and as you know, I can literally eat almost anything…
My wife thought her meal was fine and based on my experience with her ribs and the choice of St Paulie sauce, we’d return for a full rack to split between us. We’d forgo the sides and save ourselves quite a bit of money because what we had tonight was certainly not worth the $34+ we spent–at all.
Have you eaten at the Rack Shack BBQ in Burnsville? If so what are your thoughts? What meats and sides did you try and what did you like best? What sauces worked best for you and your entrees? Whatever you have to say about the Rack Shack BBQ in Burnsville go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Address:
Rack Shack BBQ
2925 Cliff Road
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone:
952-736-3004
Hours:
11 AM – 8:30 PM
See all the pictures from the Rack Shack BBQ on Flickr here
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February 25th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
That location would be a big hit for us. We cross cliff many times per day. Hope the food is great.
February 25th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
It’s a good thing they added “barbeque” to their name, because otherwise, I would have thought it was a rather different sort of establishment.
Though after looking at their website, it seems they were thinking the same thing I was.
February 26th, 2010 at 9:24 am
I wonder if the construction includes a pit smoker.
And the “nice rack” thing on the website is stupid. I’m surprised they didn’t dredge up “nobody beats our meat”.
If there are any would-be restauranteurs out there, can you please, please, please not make me hate your restaurant before I have a chance to even try it?!?! PLEASE!
Here are some basic don’t dos:
- Naming your restaurant “Cuqui” or “Enjoy!” or anything with “Grille” in it.
- Anything similar to the Casa Nostra debacle
- Stupid sophomoric branding like “nice rack”
- Trumpeting your menu of “homemade” food and/or “unique sandwiches”.
February 26th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Oh, but I hope the place is good and I wish the owners well.
February 26th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Another BBQ joint coming to Burnsville — Dickey’s Barbeque Pit, where the Starbucks was in the Heart of the City. (That’s right, no Dunkin’ Donuts there. Sorry.) Why all the BBQ joints?
February 26th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Seriously, no fucking Dunkin Donuts in Burnsville? Hey Mayor Kautz, congrats on screwing up one of your best bets for getting people into the Heart of the City. Way to go!
*applause*
February 26th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Interesting…I went to high school with the Hittners. Best of luck to them, of course!
February 26th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Chains, chains, everywhere are chains,
Blockin’ up th’ HOC
Causin’ us pains.
Eat this, don’t eat that.
Can we get some cha-ains?
And the sign says check your tastebuds at the door and, heck, come inside!
HUH!
Hey there mister can’t you read,
BBQ chains on every street.
Welcome one, welcome all,
as long as you use L-E-Deeeeeees.
Chains, chains, everywhere are chains,
Blockin’ up the H-O-C
Austin, Texas based.
Burnsville? No, Lone Star State…gets our profit gai–ains…..
And the sign says anyone caught innovating will be Kautzed on sight.
February 26th, 2010 at 10:52 am
MSPD
“Here are some basic don’t dos:
- Naming your restaurant “Cuqui” or “Enjoy!” or anything with “Grille” in it.
- Anything similar to the Casa Nostra debacle
- Stupid sophomoric branding like “nice rack”
- Trumpeting your menu of “homemade” food and/or “unique sandwiches”.”
I agree with all of these except the third one. I feel that if you have “well endowed” servers, you are entitled to use that branding! I guess time will tell! :)
February 26th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
The Rack Shack may have a hooteresque theme, which would then justify the slogan. We will see.
I mentioned they were doing construction in the starbucks space. Is that place, Dickey’s BBQ Pit a chain? I thought there was an ordinance against chains locating to the HOC?
February 26th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Chad, I assume you’re kidding?
Milio’s, Cub, Starbucks, etc, etc, etc, etc?
February 26th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Yeah, I guess I missed something there. For some reason I thought there was something saying that places like McDonalds, Burger King, etc could not locate to the HOC. Perhaps I was just projecting from the drive through ban. Sorry, lack of common sense there.
February 26th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
I wonder how Radio Shack will take it. I know of a couple of stores (not in this area, but where I used to live) used Shack as part of their name and Radio Shack sent in the lawyers and told them to change it or be prepared to put up with legal fees.
February 26th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Good evening South Metro bloggers,
Good stuff! It’s nice to see that we haven’t even opened our doors to the public and there is already some talk on the web of the new BBQ place in B’Ville. I thought it was cool when my wife told me her co-worker (who knows we live in the South Metro) has a son that is excited of a new BBQ place in Burnsville. That co-worker had no idea my wife was involved. This blog is like that, but better. The place I’m talking about is Rack Shack BBQ… NOT Dixie’s or Dickey’s or whatever it is. I understand that’s a chain and we are the farthest thing from it.
We are family owned and operated using the freshest and most local ingredients available. It’s a take-out joint. Our focus is on the food using our own family recipes, our own secret rub, and our own sauces. Our meats are all smoked fresh daily. No re-heats here. Pulled pork, ribs, brisket, birds, etc. All wood fire smoked with traditional sides like cheesy mac, beens, slaw, corn bread, and special sides we’ll feature on a limited time basis. NO BOOZE! No need to be half in the bag to enjoy this dish. Coca-Cola products and some other fun beverages are available. There will be a few tables, chairs, and counter space for anyone who wants to elbow up for some “Q”.
There’s a ton of traffic on Cliff so we like the location as much as the blogger above. This is our stompin’ grounds. I grew up down here. Go Braves! Go Blaze! Whatever your mascot preference is we all look forward to seeing you here at “The Shack” and we look forward to a great BBQ option in the South Metro.
I know some have made an attempt to find out more on the web or contact us that way, but it’s under construction so I’m sorry if we haven’t gotten back to you. It’s a work in progress… some of you may know how that goes. The website will be fully functional soon. We’re excited to bring you some great, FRESH, BBQ very soon.
I hope this has helped.
When we do open I’ll post back to let you all know of the grand opening and you can be the judge. We’ll do a soft open in March and have a grand opening in April when the weather clears up.
FYI – Don’t come and expect to see any “hooteresque” servers. There are none… servers that is.
We look forward to seeing you here face deep in a full rack of fresh, meaty, St. Louis style pork ribs.
Get your mind out of the gutters boys. This here is good, wholesome food!
~ On behalf of my family members Elliott (Pit Master) & Keith (Big Daddy Warbucks) I am Keith Jr. and we’ll see you soon!
February 27th, 2010 at 8:57 am
KHH…I hope it will be as good as you make it sound. I’d love to hear more…what kind of wood, pit, your experiences/passion for BBQ.
One repectful suggestion…if it is a clean, “family” place, lose the “nice rack!” from your web site ASAP. Being a family guy, that doesn’t play well.
Thanks for posting and especially disclosing you’re part of the operation…this is a great community (this blog) and we love to support local places if they’re good.
February 27th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Attention South Metro restaurant owners: that is the way you do it!
February 28th, 2010 at 12:39 am
To be fair, it *is* rather hard to talk about meat products without running into double entendres left and right. :) Places like The Strip Club do it right in their name.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:57 am
KHHjr,
You had me at
When is the grand opening? Maybe a LL outing/gathering (I say gathering since KHHjr said it was take out only).
P.S. Unrelated to the KHHjr’s comment, can we give some mad props to MSPD for the “Signs” parody???? Nicely done, MSPD.
February 28th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
No booze? I don’t know, that seems like it could be a costly error…and I’m not even a huge drinker. Good luck, though!
March 1st, 2010 at 6:47 am
It’s primarily a take-out joint, from the sound of things, so that won’t hurt it as much. But were it more of a sit-down place, I’d agree.
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:35 am
I’m glad to hear they’re going to use local ingredients. So who are they sourcing their meat from?
Also, since they won’t be serving “booze” (heck, I’d just go for some good, local beer), will they, like some other no alcohol license restaurants, allow you to bring your own in?
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Kris, restaurants have to have a liquor license to allow BYOB whether or not they sell liquor.
So I imagine the answer to your question is, no, they won’t allow you to bring booze in.
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:02 pm
From my understanding after discussing this exact thing with a local restaurant owner is that they are only a little less money than an actual liquor license.
I’m guessing that for many places it wouldn’t be of much benefit.
March 10th, 2010 at 8:21 am
I received a comment from an e-mail address which was not valid (people, use your real e-mail addresses please) that said:
March 10th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
OK, here goes:
Wow! Not “wow” in the sense of “wow this is the best BBQ I’ve ever had”, but not too bad and “wow” on a few other levels:
1. On day 1, within minutes of opening, they appear to be fully competent. The counter girl (they’re right, no ‘Hooteresque’ servers, although she was very cute in her sensible outfit) wasn’t fumbling around with the menu or learning the register (like Baldy’s in Lakeville). Ordering was prompt, guys back in the kitchen were giving guidance to customers, food came out quickly.
2. The food itself doesn’t suck (like Baldy’s in Lakeville). THE BRISKET WAS SLICED TO ORDER, AND SLICED PROPERLY (thick and across the grain)! This, alone, is miraculous in Minnesota. The meat had evidence of real smoke and being cooked slow. Again, I can’t stress enough the joy of seeing them slap a brisket flat on the board and slice it to order! With a knife!!
On the downside (and again, this is Day 1), I really didn’t detect much flavor out of the rub. I’m always curious to try and pick apart ingredients in a rub and, honestly, I couldn’t even detect salt. The meat flavor was naked. I was kind of surprised because the brisket he was slicing almost looked blackened which made me worry it would be TOO spiced.
Also, the brisket was trimmed a bit too much for my taste. Not quite enough marbling and no sizzling fatty bark…left it suffering a bit for lack of moisture. Next time I’ll see if I can talk the guy into the fattier end or see if they do points (if not, they should…they could add burnt ends to the menu).
This is nitpicking from someone who takes brisket far more seriously than I should. All in all, it was good enough that I devoured it and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again. So, again, Wow! for a Day 1 effort.
3. The sauces: They offer three — serve yourself out of squeeze bottles along the side. Though none of them struck me as “perfect”, they were well-constructed and unique. The combination of one tiny dip in the “St. Paulie” (I think) and a more liberal dunk in the vinegar-based one seemed to hit the spot for me. BBQ sauce is very subjective though. Again, hearty applause for their effort, if not making them themselves, for sourcing sauces that don’t taste like KC Masterpiece, ketchup, or some other off-the-shelf product. Aside: I think the vinegar sauce would be great on good pulled pork…we’ll see.
4. Wow for the sides. Again, more because of how refined they are for Day 1, and because they are actually made (not heated), less because they were spectacular. I hesitated to order them because of the giant cans of Bush’s baked beans on the rack behind the counter, but the baked beans are two parts black beans, one part kidney and one part standard, hints of pork, onions and a touch of molasses. All in all, they were good and nothing at all like canned Bush’s baked beans. Which left me wondering what they have those cans for. Maybe they’re just the base.
Jojo potatoes are coated in cruchy breadcrumbs and baked. Imperfect, but in a good way.
So, there’s a series of things to “wow” about. I didn’t have to leave my BBQ standards at the door! Prices were fair for those that are wondering.
One other small nitpicking point — no “combo” meat offerings on the standard menu. I would have liked a 1/2 order of brisket and maybe a couple bones. But the food is good enough that I’m really excited to give the ribs and other stuff a try on future visits. Yes, I said visitS in plural…I got a good vibe from this place.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:25 am
MSPD, where would you recommend for the best brisket in the metro/MN?
March 11th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Tearitup, unfortunately I don’t have much for you. There just aren’t enough people that understand it and/or have the patience to make it right around here.
By just meeting the basic requirements, Rack Shack is immediately in that upper echelon of Minnesota brisket. I left with high hopes that they can hone in on a good version. They’re not too far off — just need to tend to the moisture and the outside.
Honestly, Market BBQ and Famous Dave’s (yes, I said it) have been my best local restaurant brisket experiences over the years. And I say that with absolutely no enthusiasm. The best beef brisket I’ve had in Minnesota was a mail-order brisket a client sent me from Texas and cooked at home.
When I need a BBQ beef fix, I go to Big Daddy’s on University in St. Paul (at Dale) on a Friday or Saturday and pick up an order of their “Flintstone” beef ribs. http://www.bigdaddysbbq-stpaul.com
March 11th, 2010 at 11:56 am
MSPD, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. FD’s is where we usually end up. I like it and I know what to expect. We tried Baldy’s but were disappointed. We’ll have to give Market and Bid Daddy’s a go. I really want Rack Shack to be good and to succeed. It’s in our neck of the woods and it would be nice to have another descent BBQ place nearby.
Have you tried Baker’s in Edina? I went in with high hopes and while it wasn’t awful it was not great and in the end also disappointing.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Yes, been to Baker’s (Eden Prairie). Interestingly, beef is king in Texas BBQ and they don’t have plain old brisket to my recollection. Baker’s is an outpost of a Texas chain.
Overall, Baker’s CAN be fine, but you have to hit them at high-volume times (which is true of most BBQ places). I’ve been there when it’s quiet and you can tell the food has been sitting in warming storage.
If you’re going outside the realm of beef, you’ll have better luck with BBQ in MN. Ted Cook’s does a good job with ribs.
Do give Rack Shack a try. If Famous Dave’s is your go-to spot, there’s a good chance you’ll like it better. I honestly don’t mind Famous Dave’s, I just think it’s a bit too formulaic as most chains are. The best thing about my visit to Rack Shack was that you can tell they actually COOK the food (not just prepping it from cans/packages). This invites more variation in the food (e.g. some fatty pieces, some crunchy char, etc.). This is a good thing in BBQ.
As long as the food continues to be at least as good as what I had yesterday (I’m really eager to get back to try some ribs), I won’t be needing to go to Famous Dave’s in the south metro any more at all.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Any comments on the type of place it is? I.e. someplace you could likely stop for a quick lunch? Geared more towards take out?
March 11th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Mike….both. There were more tables in there than they made it sound — I would guess at least 20 people could be sitting and eating at any given time.
I did takeout (I like to eat lunch in my car and listen to the radio). I was in and out in the same amount of time it would take to get McDonald’s.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Thanks again for the comments LL readers! The sampler platter is not on the menu, but ask and you shall receive. There was a demand for a meat sampler so we NOW have one available. We had a great first day and an even better second. There is of course some tweaks that will be made here and there as we get in the groove. Thanks for your support of our local family owned small business. We strive for excellence and we will only get better. We’re happy to be your choice for great BBQ in the South Metro! We’ll see you at Rack Shack BBQ!
March 11th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Can’t wait to try the place, KHH. You all sound like a class act. Welcome to the neighborhood.
As a transplanted son of the South, I have had my share of just about every kind of barbecue ever created and loved them all in their own way. I am a particular fan of North Carolina pulled pork with that spicy, spicy, spicy clear pepper sauce, but I might just turn into a brisket junkie after reading MPSD’s paean to the beef above.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
tried it today- LOVED it… had 3 of the sauces with my delish brisket…. best mac and cheese I’ve ever had… and I’ve tasted plenty (my southern mother-in-law may not be pleased by my last comment). SUPER excited to have a great BBQ place local. Keep up the good work….. oh… and for the record…. the girls behind the counter were pretty cute….. much hotter than a hooters gal!!!
March 12th, 2010 at 6:56 am
Just thought I would weigh in on the brisket rub. My son KHH wants more rub flavor in the brisket as well. Our rub is a formula of 16 spices. I added a 17th last night and tweaked a couple. I want the rub to be a flavor enhancement and not so dominant that it competes with the sauces.
I’ll test this one today and if it tastes as good on the meat as it does on my finger I think yo’ll be pleased.
Man I love BBQ.
Sr.
March 12th, 2010 at 9:16 am
KHH Jr and Sr…thanks for the posts.
I don’t want to overstep my bounds on Bill’s site, but I’d love to hear from you here on a regular basis. You know you’ll get honest feedback here and besides yourselves, there’s probably no other group that wants to see you succeed more than we do.
As you can tell from the “wow”, I was really impressed at the level of quality on your first day. I loved to see you guys actually caring for the meat and putting some “soul” into the food (cooking vs. opening packages and cans) — those are really the hallmarks of true BBQ.
And now, for some gratuitous groveling: I’d be thrilled to help you test the tweaks to your brisket!
Either way, I’ll see you again soon. Congrats on the new venture and keep up the good work.
MSPD from Burnsville
March 12th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Tried the Rack Shack today, their third day. These comments are meant as first impressions, as it’s not fair to judge a restaurant during its opening days.
I didn’t get a look at their equipment, but the rubs and preparation were top-notch. The meat was clearly prepared by someone who cares, not churned out assembly-line style as at most of the Twin Cities factory-cues. (I’m talking to you, “Famous” Dave.)
The pulled pork was hands-down the best I’ve had locally, nicely seasoned, perfectly smoked (not overdone) with a flavorful, blackened “skin” (they call it “smoke bark”). Also, it was not pulled to the point of mush (I’m talking to you, Caps), so it had real tooth and texture. I had only a bite of the brisket and no ribs or chicken. I’m just one man.
Do you like beans? I like beans. And I’m here to tell you, these are hands-down the best beans I’ve had anywhere, from Lockhart to Memphis. There was almost as much meat in my beans as there was in my pulled pork sandwich, and they were served piping hot. Big, big thumbs up.
Criticisms? The meat was served lukewarm to cool. The cole slaw seemed made on the premises, but was watery and utterly lacking in character. (Note to restaurant owners of the world: It’s OK for cole slaw to have a little character. Or even a little salt.)
The restaurant clearly has some kinks to work out. The owner told me they underestimated traffic and ran out of meat early on days 1 and 2, so they are working to balance supply and demand. Based on the lunch crowds I saw yesterday and today demand is not going to be a problem. I look forward to my next visit.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I had the wonderful experience of lunch today at the Shack and I can’t express even more how wonderful the BBQ is. For me this will be a great location to crab a nice whole chicken on the way home after a long day of work, and know my family is in for a wonderful dinner! I can’t wait to visit again to try a rack of ribs! I wish you the best of luck on your new venture, and know this quality of food will do well in the Eagan area! ~Thank you!
March 12th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
You are so right! The place smells good one the way in, looks good once you get there. Good menu. The sides we tried, especially the beans (a meal in itself, actually!) were fantastic! They said in the comments that they are finessing the spices and I think they are totally in the zone. Great brisket, too. Really reasonable prices! Nicely done! Can’t wait to go back!
March 12th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
People. Listen. I know the place is apparently good but the “reviews” are getting a little ridiculous. We have been down this road many times before for many different restaurants. Before it gets even more out of hand let’s recap:
1. Use of exclamation points every other sentence is not only annoying, it’s dumb.
2. If you’re not going to be super specific about what you liked, don’t post anything at all. The people who read here are generally foodies so I suggest referencing MSPD’s review (#25) above for what you should be doing.
3. If you know the owner(s), are family, friends, coworkers or have some other close relation to them, be clear in who you are and what that affiliation is. If we catch you and you didn’t state it, it looks really bad for all involved.
4. I’m real leery of any comments from new users who come straight to this page from the Rack Shack BBQ Facebook page and have never visited another page on this site ever before. I suggest poking around a bit on the 1450+ posts (many of them about other local restaurants) before you dive in and proclaim this one is the best in the South Metro ever (it may very well be, I just would rather you be sure we haven’t covered something else first).
Cool? Cool.
If any future posts look as ridiculous as some have that I haven’t approved, you know why you are going to sit in the big black hole in the sky, k?
March 12th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
My wife and I tried this place tonight and were very happy with it.
Like MSPD, I had the beef brisket. I’m not an expert on it by any means, but I could also definitely taste the smokiness, and the meat was tender enough to cut with the edge of a spoon despite being cut thick. Mine didn’t have a ton of fat, but it was there; it wasn’t all removed. I got the meal, which gives you a generous portion of beef along with two sides. Oh, and for the record, they do have a sign by the door now advertising burnt ends. :)
My sides were the beans and what is referred to as a “corn bake.” Others have discussed the beans here at length, so I’ll basically just agree with them on what they liked about it (as with Scott, the portion I had contained lots of big chunks of meat) and would also come back just for these. The corn bake was alright, but it mostly seemed like regular corn (albeit with good-sized kernels) with a little bit of pudding-like bread. It tasted good, but I was expecting something more like a traditional corn pudding, i.e. sweeter and with more ingredients. I finished it all and didn’t regret getting it, though.
My wife got a half rack of ribs with the corn bake and potato salad sides. I didn’t have any of her ribs or potato salad, so I can’t comment on either, though she said she loved them.
I tried two of the sauces with my meat: the Georgia Sticky, which is the vinegar-based sauce, and what I think was the Memphis Sweet. They didn’t taste like any other barbecue sauce I’ve had around here, which is a good thing. The Memphis was more tangy than sweet and, bearing in mind that I don’t eat much in the way of really spicy stuff, had a mild kick. I enjoyed it, but in the future I would like to try it on pork, as I think it would complement that better. The Georgia Sticky had a nice vinegar zing to it which contrasted very well with the beef. I think MSPD is right that it would go well with the pulled pork, but I would also be curious to try it on the chicken or turkey.
The service was really fast — like, they could have had it ready five minutes after I called fast if I had wanted. :) They asked me how soon I wanted it ready, and I asked for ten minutes since I wasn’t ready to leave just yet. And sure enough, it was all ready to go when I got there. There were a couple of groups of people dining in when I was there to pick up my food, so I think it’s true that this place is already getting some good buzz. They have a huge menu board against one wall that would make ordering in person easy (I used the menu on the website) rather than having to read off a normal menu. The man at the counter who served me was very helpful and courteous.
All in all, definitely a place I will go back to when I feel like barbecue. I’m glad to have them up in my neck of the woods.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Burnt ends…nice. Even if they suck, total credit to them for knowing what they are. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever heard of burnt ends in Minnesota.
Thanks for the heads up and the detailed writeup Tim.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
We stopped by and picked up a to go order for the family last night. All in all, I thought it was great.
The meat was good, and I enjoyed the sauces. We tried the chicken, brisket, and pork. All were flavorful and ejoyable. I am not in any way an expert on Bar B Que, so I wont try to offer any tips. It was good and we will get it again.
I would however say some of the sides leave some room for improvement. The coleslaw was ok, although a bit bland. The corn was ok, but again, a bit bland, really nothing special. The beans were very good, as noted above. The mac and cheese could be great, but was very dry, maybe it just does not travel well? The flavor was really good, but again, very very very dry. The Jo Jo’s were dry and nearly flavorless. I think the breading or seasoning could be rethought a little bit. The corn bread had decent flavor, but again was very dry. It needed both butter and some syrup, which may have been the intention all along.
So, to those raving above with no honest feedback, I would say you are doing them a disservice. Honest feedback is priceless. Mindless raving from friends/family is useless and no help to the owners to improve the place.
Service was great. The people were very nice, and I am excited for them to do well.
I think the sides can use some work, as noted, and it might just be that they dont travel well (its about a 10 to 15 minute drive home, but its a take out place, so you have to keep that in mind when you make the meals). They were very generous with the sauces, allowing you to take large cups of each home with you, which was very much appreciated, although might get costly.
Great start, and good luck to you!
March 14th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
I tried it on Friday around 1:30 and will give it another try. I think the prices are good for what you get, a sandwich with two sides. My pulled pork sandwich was very good, the sides I had need improvement ( Mac n cheese, beans) I Think they could be good, but both were very dry. I think they will make it after they get the kinks taken care of.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:45 am
They have burnt ends!!!! Damn! I’m there! I discovered those wonderful little morsels when I live in Kansas City and I’ve never seen them available up here. When I’ve asked for them at a few places up here I just get blanks stares, except for Baker’s Ribs. They knew what they were but didn’t have them.
March 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Went back today. First, there was conversation about burnt ends — only available at dinnertime.
Ribs: Outstanding job on the rub. Where the flavor was lacking on the brisket from my visit the other day, it was spot on on the ribs.
Brisket: Similar experience to the other day. I might try at a different time of day to see if things vary. The character of meat changes so much depending on how far removed it is from the cooking process and how long it’s been in the warming cabinet.
Cole slaw: As others noted, just fine. I like my cole slaw just a bit sweeter than this when eating it alone. Since they offer an eastern North Carolina style pork sandwich (cole slaw on the sandwich, watery vinegar sauce) it makes more sense. I think this cole slaw would hold up well for that purpose.
Mac and Cheese: Echoing Chad, it was a bit dry. Decent flavor. I ate it out of the separate container — I think next time, I’ll dump it next to the meat where it could soak up some of the grease and sauce drippings.
Sauces: They had a few new additions and I tried to take better notes. The Georgia Sticky (today at least) is a sweet, mustard sauce with hint of vinegar (eastern Alabama/western GA style for those scoring at home). I touched the end of the rib to the sauce — nice. I wouldn’t use too much though as it could be syrupy. I’d actually like to taste this sauce with some salmon.
The Kansas City somethingorother sauce was straightforward.
I noticed a bottle of “Houston Oil Well Fire” and couldn’t resist. The sauce had some nice heat (to my fairly sensitive palate). I could see this one working great with chicken. It was a bit overwhelming on the beef given the lack of fattiness and spice.
There was one other…I think involving Memphis. (I said I “TRIED” to take better notes…I didn’t say I achieved better notes). Part of the reason I’m not sure about Memphis is that I expect a thinner sauce from things labeled Memphis. This seemed a bit thicker — even thicker than the KC. But who knows, maybe I’m getting the two backwards….maybe I should stick to one or two.
Anyway, all in all, I’m still very impressed given that it’s their first week of operation. I’m eager to keep reading reports.
March 15th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
KHH Congrat buddy, I just stopped in and am really looking forward to having a great BBQ joint right across the street from the office. I hope that the store is a huge success.
Karl.
(KHH you may know who I am from that)
March 16th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Just thought I’d share a photo.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:55 am
My wife brought home take-out from here last night. We had the pulled pork, which was good, with two sauces. The Houston Oil Well Fire was the best, a lot of heat with good flavor. The Memphis something-or-other was a milder, sweeter sauce, didn’t do much for me. The cole slaw was a little nondescript, but worked well when stacked on a sandwich with the pork. The beans were interesting — three different beans with lots of meat in it, kind of a meal in itself. Bottom line, liked what we got and will go back to try more.
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:27 pm
I can’t believe how great this barbeque is! I am from Eden Prairie and frequent Bakers, Famous Daves, Market BBQ and Ricks. I would never order barbeque from a franchise restaurant. The ribs were meaty and were marbled just enough to keep them moist and tender. I loved the pork and my mate loved the beef brisket. The Jo Jo’s actually tasted like potatoes and aren’t deep fried for once. And how can you complain about beans that have a meat base?? Rack Shack is on our take out list every week! Enjoy!
March 24th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
OK, Bill and other faithful followers…
I wish my first post in months was a kind and heartfilled review….NOT!
My first experience is something out of a stephen king novel in my opinion.
My first tasting of the place was a to go order today that consisted of a Beef Brisket Sandwich, Mac and Cheese and the Baked corn…What I recieved(noticed back at office) was a Pulled Pork sammie, potato wedges and coleslaw…All for the Low price of 12.80! Because hey, who aint got $12.80 to spend everyday for lunch!
Now, of what i DID recieve let me tell you this.
1) Potatos were 100% raw throughout half of each wedge.
2) The “special” coleslaw is ahhhh not that good(and i DO like most coleslaw)
3) The hoagie was NOT special, not toasted and really just not a tasty hoagie–prove me wrong!
4) The sauce is self served out of greasy containers that are less than appealing to look at and get squirted by! (on my shirt)
5) When the nice young man came to me and said “heres your order” I grabbed the container by the side and then got to my car, sat it on my friends leather seat and BAM…The bottom of the container was FULL of grease and possibly a stain…dont know yet but will shortly!!
What a terrible first visit and only can hope that My second visit (funded by rack shack) will be a totally different experience and I will certainly let you all know!
March 26th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Sorry to hear about that kind of problem. If there is one expectation I place on places that do take out, it is getting the order right. Nothing is more irritating than ordering one thing, driving home, and finding out it is something else entirely.
March 29th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Until 5am, Tuesday March 30th you can get a $20 gift certificate for Rack Shack for just $10:
http://livingsocial.com/deals
I bought two.
March 30th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
lenny, thanks for posting that! I purchased two myself as well. I have a potluck this Saturday and so instead of doing the right thing and cooking something myself, I will just order out from Rack Shack and bring it to the potluck!
March 30th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Of course I read it as 5PM 3/30 and thought I could buy some today. Nope. Damn it.
I hope to get over there soon to post an official review.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I bought a living social coupon for rack shack! tried it out yesterday the service was friendly I ordered the beef brisket meal with mac and cheese and jo jo potatoes for the sides, and 1/2 rack of ribs also added a extra order of beans.
The meat was very good and tender juicy, the ribs were also tasty.
I agree with everyone else the mac and cheese was a bit dry but it like it that way.
jojo potatoes was nothing special it had a crusty cheese? breading or something not sure what it is but it isn’t something i’d come back for.
Beans tasted like well beans haha again not something i’d come back for.
I was also disappointing in the portions for the sides they were tiny!
The service was quick I came around 3pm got my food within 10-15min can’t really remember. The 2men that were taking my order and making it were really friendly and talked to me for a bit.
Overall I would come back only for the meat maybe try a few different sides and sandwiches when i’m in the area, but honestly I would prob stick with my famous daves for bbq.
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:19 am
I have moved all the comments from the original blurb about the Rack Shack BBQ under the review for historical purposes.
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:24 am
Rack Shack BBQ: Burnsville, MN (http://tinyurl.com/ygakr9q) — sorry, updated link!
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:59 am
My co-worker and I went here this week to give it a try. I ordered the beef brisket, potato salad, slaw and a drink. The brisket was tasteless without BBQ sauce, the potato salad and slaw also had no flavor. I had finished my meal which seemed more like a $7 dollar meal vs what I actually paid in $13 and was left wondering when the rest of the food was going to come. Funny thing about that is my co-worker had to go up and ask about his order that hadn’t arrived yet and I had already finished. Good thing the Twins were on TV to keep us entertained rather than thinking about the poor food and service. I must say the pop did taste good.
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:25 am
Strange. When I was there, the sauce bottles were all out on the counter by the tables, and you could take what you wanted. The sides were also in bowls that, while not huge, were still a decent size. They must have changed things up since I went to it.
And yeah, they need to do something different with the corn bake.
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I haven’t tried the place out yet, but had been excited to until I read this review. Now, I might give it a try sometime, mostly because it’s within walking distance from my house, but probably won’t be rushing over there too quickly.
If BBQ is what I’m really craving I’ll probably stick to the tried and true Rooster’s in St. Paul, just east of 35E and Randolph. Great food but word of warning – there are only about 6 seats so get your order to go.
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Kris,
I’m thinking if they were to bring back the bottles of sauce on the counter instead of behind it that it would have been a bit better of an experience. The meat could have just been a one time thing (although from the Chowhound’s experience linked above they said the pulled pork was their least favorite). Who knows.
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:37 pm
How refreshing to have a restaurant owner actually be receptive to constructive criticism! (rather than defensive). Just because of that, i am gonna try this place!
April 5th, 2010 at 8:54 am
[...] season already?, Kate’s photos of Walleye a la Meuniere, Rack Shack BBQ in Burnsville gets an unenthusiastic review from Bill Roehl, Dining Out for Life features 157 restaurants, takes place April 29 and benefits [...]
April 6th, 2010 at 7:31 am
Wife and I went last night. We would have stayed to eat, but the establishment lacked high chairs. Might be a good idea to have 1 or 2. I enjoyed the brisket. It was tender, smokey, and served in what I considered plentiful amounts on the hoagie. I put the Houston sauce on it. Probably not hot by Bill standards (insert eye roll here;-)), but i thought it provided a nice amount of heat that lingered on the lips and tongue for a while without burning the throat. I had the coleslaw, which I liked, however, nothing about it really stands out from most coleslaw I’ve had. The corn bake was OK, but it is easy to make, and I like mine better, so I probably won’t order it again. I tried my wifes beans. They were definately a winner, packed with meat and a nice rib sticking consistency. My wife seemed to enjoy the Turkey. I tried a small taste and found it to be moist enough. The flavor good, no suprises.
The service was quick. We were reminded, when we picked up our bag, to keep it flat, so that it would not leak. As a result, our upholstery is just fine.
End result? We will be back, especially since my daughter, the rib fiend, asks when she can get some ribs there nearly every time we drive by. As far as choosing between this and Famous Dave’s? Depends on where I am, I would go to whichever is closer at the time. I felt the two were comparable, and that certainly isn’t meant to denegrate. I like Famous dave’s very much.
April 6th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I have to say I am so surprised to hear Bill say that the pulled pork sandwich tasted like canned tuna fish! I hate tuna fish more than anything in the world and I eat a Rack Shack pulled pork sandwich three times a week (seriously). I love the pulled pork so much – and so does my daughter (who is just under 1). She likes to sit on my lap and have little bites. I keep hers free of sauce, but mine I smother with Saint Paulie. I guess everyone has different tastes, but the comparison was just too much for me to not comment on :)
Also, I highly recommend the mac and cheese…mmmm. Bill, make sure you try it when you go back for your full rack. I know you said you weren’t going to do any sides, but this super unique recipe it really worth it. I’m with everybody else, too, love the beans. Great job so far Rack Shack!
April 6th, 2010 at 9:07 am
“Surprised” is related to the owners. Take her comments with a big grain of salt. Oh and for the rest of you Hittners be clear on your relation, ok?
For those of you that don’t remember the original research on this place:
1. Here’s the Secretary of State filing.
2. According to the website domain’s WHOIS information it appears that the restaurant is owned (at least in part) by Keith Hittner of the the Hittner Group real estate in Eagan.
—
NO MORE ASTROTURFING. Oh and apologies are always welcome. Thanks.
April 6th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Oh I was serious about that apology. In fact the entire Hittner family is free to apologize for astroturfing here and on Urbanspoon as well (where I have also outed them).
As for the comment about it “tasting like tuna fish,” that’s not what I said at all. I said, “it had the consistency of canned tuna fish and was tasteless.” Not that I’d expect a family member to do anything but disagree with my comments but I thought I’d just clear that up for you.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Sui Generis, thank you for the review. I also enjoyed the Brisket a great deal.
Surprised, you are not doing anyone any favors with fake reviews. The people posting and reading here want your family business to succeed, and honest feedback is incredibly valuable.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Bill,
I don’t feel “outed”. :) I appreciate your opinion on the food and the Rack Shack (and all the other folks who have posted), and thought that I could also give you mine. I truly do love the pulled pork sandwiches and truly was surprised by the comparison. Sorry for the imperfect tuna fish reference, though. I am not involved in the day to day operations of the Rack Shack, I am an attorney who just loves to eat there.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Now you’re banned. Any other Hittner family members want to join her?
April 6th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Surprised,
Here’s the deal. It’s just fine to love the food there even if you are a family member or a friend of the owners. If my family opened a restaurant, I’d sure hope it didn’t suck.
But the thing is, family members and friends have a vested interest whether or not they are involved day-to-day. They will go the extra mile to ensure their success and well-being.
Also, as a family member, spouse, or friend of the owner, you’re quite possibly getting a different/better product and/or treatment than the average customer off the street. Maybe it’s a little extra pork, maybe it’s fixed up the way they know you like it, maybe they’re beta testing new sauce tweaks on you.
It speaks to integrity. Just come right out and say, “Listen, I’m the wife of the owner but that doesn’t matter — it’s good food, period. And besides, I’ve seen how much care they put into the product….etc., etc.”
By acting like you’re just another customer off the street, that does a disservice to the restaurant and dilutes the usefulness of this forum which Bill so generously provides. We come here for HONEST discussion of our likes and dislikes not a covert advertisement for your friends/family.
Join in. Defend your family’s/friends’ business on its merits. But be honest about it.
Unfortunately, Bill gave you a 2nd chance and you chose to tell a half-truth. Based on your carefully crafted last sentence which isn’t technically a lie, I guess I am “Not Surprised” that you’re an attorney.
April 6th, 2010 at 11:27 am
MSPD,
I do love the food (especially the pulled pork). I am the wife of one of the owners. I was not trying to hide that intentionally, I was just following what I thought was the format of the blog. I certainly did not mean to undermine the integrity of this site. I just wanted to also give my opinion :) I am sorry to Bill and anyone else who felt misled.
Nicole Plourde Hittner
April 6th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Thank you. All is now forgiven.
April 6th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Get em Bill!! lol
We love our brisket & will try this place when we don’t feel like cooking our own!
It’s a shame people have to be all catty about stuff…The Food Should Speak For Itself!<<<<<<
Will be back later hopefully with the remnants of BBQ stuck in my teeth..
Have a Nice Day all…
April 6th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Surprised wrote: “I am sorry to Bill and anyone else who felt misled.”
Not wanting to pile on (and maybe this is a topic for a new post), but that’s a crappy apology. Note the placement of the onus on the people who “felt misled”, i.e., that it is somehow their fault for having too thin of skin or were too sensitive and as a result, had an overreaction to her initial action, which, by implication, she feels there was nothing wrong with in the least. (As also evidenced by the fact that she was willing to apologize for getting the tuna fish reference wrong in post #70, but not willing to apologize for astroturfing.)
I hate apologies that have conditions or that aren’t really apologies. Even more than I hate crocs. Maybe even more than Mrs. Marcos hates Pepsi :)
April 6th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
But…do you hate it more than I hate astroturfing?
April 6th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Surprised/Nicole,
I’ll accept your apology under one condition: You also disclose which one of you drives that hideous eyesore of a raging hot pink Nissan Murano around town. Good God that thing needs to meet a wrecking ball.
Joking aside, I can’t speak for others, but the disclosure is appreciated.
April 6th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
As always thanks to all who post. Including people who don’t know me, people who do know me, or who fold my socks :) They’re all welcome! Remember to make yourself known.
It’s fun to read the comments of people who have been to our small little corner of the BBQ world here in Burnsville, MN. It’s also fun to read the banter. We all have our pet peeves don’t we…
We always welcome respectful constructive criticism and of course like to hear the accolades as well. As we know most folks look for an outlet to shout from the rooftops when their expectations have not been met. Everyone has a different opinion and different tastes for that matter. Thought we aim to please most people we know we can’t please them all. We do this all while staying true to our concept and true to our beliefs. We also know when lunch or dinner time rolls around we’re busy serving our version of great family food to new Rack Shack’ers and return Rack Shack’ers alike. There are many and we appreciate you stopping back in.
Thanks again for all of the comments. Keep ‘em coming guys and we look forward to seeing you here at Rack Shack BBQ.
PS. The pink Nissan is Sr’s wife. She’ll claim that car any day of the week. Honk if you see her. I’m proud to call her my mother. Like I said… you can’t please them all :)
KEITH H HITTNER, JR
Rack Shack BBQ
Co-Owner
952-736-3004
http://www.RackShackBarbeque.com
April 6th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Keith,
Thanks for the message. Question when you have a chance — did you guys remove the self-serve sauce bottles like Bill says?
As you say, I will “make myself known” the next time I stop by. You might already remember me — I’m the guy who recommended you post your specials to your Facebook page and/or Twitter like they do at Brianno’s down the block (Tomato Rice Florentine Soup and Baked Farfalle w/Prosciutto today).
April 6th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
LOL
I never thought reading blog posts could be such fun. My wife is goosey just because her pink car was even mentioned. She keeps poking me and saying seeeee I told you it would get noticed.
Shoot me!
The sauce bar is down. It got too messy and the sauces were walking out the door faster than Bill with a bad tuna sandwich. We even had people coming back in saying they loved it with chips.
CHIPS! We don’t sell chips! Oh ya they take it home (free of course) and eat it with other stuff.
Good news I guess because they love the stuff but it gets a little expensive with spices costing 30-50 bucks a bottle and we are gong through the stuff by the gallon.
Then there is the trash! I would be taking out the garbage and there are dozens of full containers of sauce in the garbage. What the heck it’s free, right!?!
Don’t quite know what to do about it but we’ll figure it out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Most difficult thing that I have found is trying to get a handle on what is going to sell on any particular day. One day we can’t keep pulled pork in stock and the next day it’s brisket.
We refuse to stockpile and reheat so we’ll just have to get a few more weeks under our belt and see if there is a pattern. I’d rather run out towards the end of the day than sell bad food. Yesterday I threw out an entire batch of Jo-Joes because I did’nt like them. They just did not turn out. That means we were out of Jo-Joes for an hr and a half.
I am blathering on like an idiot but I could talk about this stuff day and night.
At any rate keep comming back and we’ll keep working on providing the best BBQ that we know how to prepare. Again any suggestions are appreciated. I don’t pretend to know it all.
But, I know a hell of a lot more than I did a couple of weeks ago before we opened.
Here’s sauce in your eye,
I’ll keep you posted
Keith Sr.
April 6th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
My buddy and I have traveled the coutry tasting BBQ and this was by far the worst. I had the Brisket and It was like eating Moms old beef roast. No Smoke Flavor at all. I had to dump BBQ sauce on it just to feel like I was eating BBQ. My side was the cheesy bake…which was served in a tiny container….counted the noodles…I had 14 maccaroni noodles and they weren’t cheesy at all…more oily and plain. When the waitress asked me how it was I told her the truth….What’s with the BBQ sauce being given in such small portions….over all it wasn’t worth the $13.?? dollars that I paid for it.
April 6th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
KHH Sr, what a great response. We have seen so many people respond horribly to negative feedback, and I have to say your response was refreshing.
We will keep coming back and hope that you work out some of the kinks. Personally, I thought the meats were great and the sides left some room for improvement, but certainly the foundation is there.
Best of luck
April 7th, 2010 at 9:28 am
I look forward to trying out this BBQ joint the next time I’m in Burnsville. The Hittners are all class acts. They have a great attention to detail, and always make the customer their top priority. Pulled pork is my favorite thing to order, and I can’t wait to try their version out and discover my favorite Rack Shack sauce!
It takes a little time to get the kinks out in any restaurant – whether its finding a better vendors or getting some more “seasoning” on the grill or figuring out whats a hit (or a miss) on the menu.
I hope to see it someday on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Dives & Drive-Ins” like my friends who own The Nook.
(In the interest of full disclosure, since that’s apparently a concern on this site, I’m friends with the Hittner Jr. family.)
April 9th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Tonight partook in the Rack Shack BBQ…….If you love “Macho-man” heat that covers up any flavor then maybe you will like these ribs. First I detest dry rubs used on any meat because they have the tendency of becoming a skin that prevents the transfer of smoke to the meat. The Rack Shack uses a dry rub that has a base heat. The smoking part of the cooking process appeared not to be working OR the ribs never made it through the three hour smoking time. Another thing that was noticed was the absence of the aroma of the smoking process outside of the restaurant proper. My rating of this rib experience was an “F”. By the way when I smoke ribs for three to four hours, they do have a wonderful hickory smoke taste.
April 9th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Gotta love when the wife of the owner searches Google for ridiculous terms like: “Bill Roehl bad press” and “Bill Roehl attacked”
Sad.
April 9th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
You mean they didn’t find anything but your own site? That’s impossible! Those searches are money!
Besides, I would think all of the south metro astroturfing restaurantrepeneurs would have banded together and snapped up
http://www.WedRatherSniffOutCriticsThanWorkOnImprovingOurFoodAndService.comhttp://www.billroehlsucks.com and put out their damning information, like, “He thought the food at my restaurant tasted like a Stouffer’s meal,” or, “Can you believe he wanted sauces on our tables?” Oh, and they could include all of the times that Bill outed them for telling everyone that their own restaurant was awesome.That sounds like a killer of a Google search result for “Bill Roehl bad press” and “Bill Roehl attacked.”
April 12th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
It befuddles me how these astroturfers have no clue how dumb it makes themselves and the restaurant look when they astroturf. Feeding pulled pork to a baby? I seriously hope that baby has a full set of teeth or that the meat is being chewed for him/her first otherwise they’d be choking. And like an infant has a great sense of what tastes good/bad!
I understand you want to defend your family/friend in a public forum, but you only make them look worse when you provide a biased opinion and try to disguise it as an anonymous, unbiased opinion. It’s called constructive criticism, use it to improve your restaurant.
Put yourself in another diner’s shoes for a minute. A lot of us come to this site to get honest opinions about restaurants in the South Metro. When the comments section is littered with:
“OMG!!!1! Best napkins ever! Will be back soon!”
“Restaurant X has a lovely ambiance and provides the freshest ingredients available anywhere. The steak is tender and juicy and the chefs know exactly how to cook it. The appettizers are a great starter for a romantic dinner and there’s even a bar where singles can mingle.”
“The cookies are amazing. They’re just like how my grandma used to make them when I was younger!”
“The tacos are incredibly authentic, I should know since I once visited Mexico and had authentic tacos.”
^ Do any of those comments benefit the person searching for an opinion about a restaurant? No. Eating out is expensive and when we can only afford to do it a few times a month, we want our experience to be a good one and reading reviews is a good way to hopefully pick a good restaurant where we will get our hard-earned money’s worth.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:21 am
There sure seems to be a lot of new BBQ joints opening up around here. I was near the Sam’s Club in Shakopee and saw a new Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened up. I checked out their website and they say there will soon be one in Burnsville, but no location given yet.
http://www.dickeys.com/locations-state.aspx?strState=MN
What else is there that’s new….Rack Shack BBQ, Baldy’s…am I missing another recently opened barbecue restaurant? I don’t think they can all survive.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:16 am
lenny,
Dickey’s is opening where Starbucks was in the HOC: http://www.lazylightning.org/rack-shack-bbq-burnsville-mn#comment-46725
As far as them all surviving, I guess that depends on their food. Based on a recent review of the Rack Shack on Urbanspoon which covered several items over two visits, I’m guessing that they need to do some serious work in order to keep people coming back. They are obviously not listening to their customers very well and insist on believing that it’s their way or the highway.
I liked Baldy’s but who knows, maybe it has suffered the same fate.
I don’t know about Dickeys nor do I plan on going out of my way to try it being that it’s a chain and they are popping up all over the metro.
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:49 pm
I went to the Rack Shack for lunch today.
I had the brisket “sammie” (regular size) and 2 sides. The regular size sandwich includes one container of the sauce of your choice. You can buy other sauces for $.35 each. Not a real big deal, but it would be nice to try the other sauces without having to pay for them.
I chose the Houston Oil Fire sauce which was really good. It had good flavor with a nice modest kick to it. I thought it was well balanced. They list a “New Orleans” sauce and claim it is super hot and requires signing a waiver. I’m not sure if the waiver is for real or just a joke. It costs extra, I’ll order some next time.
The cheesy mac and cole slaw was good. The size of the sides is small, but I didn’t need any more. No complaints.
I’m not a BBQ expert. In fact, I’ve never been blown away by BBQ. I don’t know if that means I’ve never had the good stuff, or if I just don’t “get it”. That being said, I thought the Rack Shack was good and I will be back for more.
EARTH DAY NOTE: They really need to cut back on the useless packaging and waste. I was eating in, I didn’t need a styrofoam container for my sandwich. I didn’t need little plastic cups and lids for my sides and sauce. I didn’t need a pre-packaged set of a plastic fork, spoon, and knife. I needed a plate and a fork, and would prefer to see something reusable.
The garbage cans were overflowing with plastic and styrofoam, it seemed extremely unnecessary and wasteful.
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:34 pm
I agree that it can be really wasteful and I don’t like using that stuff when I’m eating in either. That said, they already need to offer it (or an equivalent) for people getting takeout, and if they used actual plates and silverware, someone would need to wash them, so there would be extra labor costs. It sucks, but I can see why they would do it.
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:37 pm
They can use paper plates and paper cups if you’re eating in. At least those, while wasteful, aren’t as bad as stryofoam.
April 26th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Ah yes, the astroturfing beat goes on. Image is from Chowhound, courtesy of “phoebesmom” a.k.a. Linnea Evans of the Hittner Group.
Also interesting item from the Hittner Group Web site:
“Our Core Values
Integrity and Honesty–We demonstrate our commitment to Integrity and Honesty by surrounding ourselves with people that adhere to our internal code of professional conduct.”
I really appreciate the way Keith Jr and Sr have conducted themselves on here, and I still have hopes for the restaurant’s success, but I’m not sure the people they’ve “surrounded themselves with” are as good at exhibiting that integrity and honesty listed as their #1 core value. The subversive/deceptive marketing efforts of their friends, family and business associates is really turning people off.
April 26th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Dumbasses.
April 27th, 2010 at 10:47 am
I was planning on going back to get their ribs but after their continued attempts to astroturf all over the Internet, even though they have been told in numerous ways–including privately–to stop, it’s apparent that they don’t want my business or anyone else’s either.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
In the review it mentions a daughter. Is that the same daughter from comment # 66 that is not yet a year old and loves the pulled pork sandwiches with no sauce? I would like a review from her.
May 7th, 2010 at 7:14 am
After being on the fence about this place, but living very close, I finally tried it out last night. With it being only me, I went for what is my standard order at any BBQ place – brisket sandwich. Since the majority of the comments about the sides were not good, I got just the sandwich, on an onion bun with a side of Savannah BBQ sauce. I wasn’t expecting much and still I was disappointed. The bun, while good, was not oniony and completely overwhelmed the meager portion of brisket. The sauce was good but nothing outstanding – I’ve made better in my own kitchen. I ended up scraping the sauced meat off the bun, eating that, tossing out the bun and went looking for something else to round out my 1/2 cup of meat meal. For $6.37 it was a joke.
May 7th, 2010 at 8:49 am
According to the Rack Shack’s Facebook page they will be offering a new super hot sauce:
Perhaps this one will have a page full of little pepper icons next to it since the previous “hot” BBQ sauce they had was about 10+ peppers. They have intrigued me enough to get me back in the door but I’m ordering the most inexpensive item and trying it just for the sauce. If they don’t match my expectations then all hope is lost for them.
May 7th, 2010 at 9:39 am
When are we going?
May 8th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
UWTM, Josh and I went over to try out the new ghost BBQ sauce (I believe called the New Orleans sauce with a pepper x 10 on their BBQ sauce menu). A surprise additional $1.95 fee is charged to take part.
The sauce is hot. Not so hot that I passed out while eating it but definitely came with enough burn to make this chilihead a happy camper. The burn is long lasting, gives you the endorphin high if you eat it straight up and carries the nice ghost pepper flavor.
While this is nothing near the flavor of the ghost wing sauce at Girvan, they just began developing it and it may take time to perfect. For right now it’s definitely the hottest you’re going to find within 20 miles and comes recommended if you’re a SOTR heat lover.
Only complaint, I could have used 5 of the containers but wasn’t willing to pay $10 for it.
—
I tried the brisket tonight and some of Josh’s pulled pork. The meat was flavorful and had some crispy bits. Much better than my first visit but based on the variety of responses from across the web it would appear that there are still some consistency issues.
But if you’re into the heat, go there and pay the $1.95 extra and enjoy.
May 8th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Great to hear they did a good job with this. I think its clear they are trying to please people.
May 8th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
The Ghost sauce was good and will definitely bring me back. I had the pulled pork, the dish by which all barbecue places are judged. Flavor was good; meat was a little mushy. Sides were just OK (slaw and corn bake). I could see stopping by for just a handful of ghost sauce containers to bring home and dump on my own ribs, fresh from the smoker.
May 29th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
As I do when a group of Peruvian nuns see the tears of Saint Mary flowing from an oversized russet potato, I absolutely pay attention when MSPD issues a “wow” for a restuarant (or in this case, a well caveated wow to certain elements of a restaurant experience). When the wow intersects with BBQ, my passion and true love, it’s a big deal.
That said, the standard chaos in our home had prevented me from making the “pilgrimage” to the Rack Shack until just last Wednesday, when I finally found the time and two work buddies (hey, I need multiple ordering power to broaden my sample size!!) to make the trek. I also subsequently snuck by for a dinner tasting on Thursday to see if the evening outcome differs from the midday fare.
In my humble opinion, if you are going to do brisket and/or ribs (my two favorites, hands down), there are certain musts in order to achieve a high grade:
1. The ribs must be meaty and tender, and it should not take a lot of work to remove the meat from the bone. The Shack hit the mark here no problem.
2. The meat must stand on its own. It should have a good smoke aroma and flavor, and should have a decent bark and smoke ring, unless you are going with a saucier, Memphis/Nashville type approach. The Shack does one of the best jobs in the area with this, and after rummaging through several efforts at Baldy’s with barkless, smokeless, “grey” looking meat, I can see where MSPD offered up a “wow” seeing a nice, dark, bark-laden brisket hit the carving table, and ribs with some nice rub crust on them.
3. Brisket HAS to either be decently marbled and recently prepared (so the meat isn’t dried out) and/or the rub has to have the right proportion of salt and brown sugar (or equivalent) to ensure the flavor of the meat is enhanced and well complimented.
Unfortunately, for me, the Rack Shack misses on #3 by a mile. And in my opinion, it is not only the brisket that lacks it, but the ribs as well.
When making your way through the most reknowned BBQ joints in the US, you are never under the illusion that there are any Weight Watchers or American Heart Association affiliations with anything going on in the establishment. Yet, in Minnesota, I almost get the feeling that BBQ producers here are bashful to be bold, to let flavor shine through, and just don’t understand the “wow factor” behind the best BBQ. I had a full meat order of brisket, and only one piece contained any discernable marble (though I asked for the as much bark and marble as they could spare when ordering). In the end, it turned out dry and rather bland, which was a huge disappointment. Also, hearing that burnt ends were only available on Tuesdays (not dinner anymore) was similarly frustrating. So, in a way, this was the ultimate brisket tease — looked authentic, smelled great, layered with a nice rub crust, yet….dry, tasteless, and disappointing.
I too like to try and discern what is in the rub. That is good fun for food geeks like me, with nothing better to do. In the case of the Rack Shack, you ABSOLUTELY could not, even if you tried. There is certainly a faint hint of brown sugar, which comes through better on the fattier, moister ribs than on the brisket, and some black pepper and cayenne hints, but beyond that, the lack of discernable salt is startling. Why be afraid to let the rub be bold? Why shy away from offering a memorable flavor from the rub, and leave it up to sauces to steal the show? IMHO, once you go that route, sauces easily can mask and eliminate the meat as the star, and that still is the one distinguishing factor for me that made certain Texas, Memphis and similar BBQ experiences “memorable” and this one, like most MN experiences, forgettable.
The pulled pork was moist and a bit smokier than most MN offerings, but nothing special. The portion I had in my meat sampler was devoid any of the bark pieces advertised on the menu, but that’s OK with me as I didn’t/don’t really need that to make pulled pork a winner for me. While the meat was so so, the Carolina vinegar sauce I added to the pork was a smash hit — very flavorful and quite reminiscent of some of the better vinegar based sauces I’ve had in my wife’s home state of North Carolina. No problems there.
In fact, I would grade all of the sauces at the Shack NOT called “sticky” as an A- or A. I really, really LOVE the KC sauce for some reason — a nice, fresh, bold flavor with a hint of Sri Racha (I believe?) and just the right blend of tang, spice and smoothness. The base sauce (whose name I forget…ugh…maybe St. Paul or St. Louis?…lol) was fine too — again, a more original and “homemade” feel and taste than the sauces at other MN BBQ eateries in my opinion. I wasn’t a HUGE fane of the NO ghost pepper sauce – you lost me at the upcharge – which was a bit too hot without a depth of flavor underneath, and was not a good compliment to any of the meat I sampled, unless you’re just in it for the sauce. All in all, if you’re a sauce fan, I can’t imagine being disappointed here. And yes, the bottles are back on the shelf, and clean as a whistle, so it appears they heard us on that front.
The sides, I felt, were awful. NOT a fan of the beans at all, which was surprising to me given the generally positive feedback on here surrounding those. Yes, there was meat in them, but given the ultra small size of the dish, I’m not sure filling it all up with bland meat is a net plus. Plus, the sauce was kind of canned feeling to me, and there was nothing special about the beans or spices themselves that had me even wanting to finish. The cheesy mac was somewhat dry, and AGAIN — where’s the salt?? The bits of jalapeno completely overwhelmed the dish, and rendered whatever cheese was in there hard to taste and a bit player. The corn bake featured nice sweet corn kernals, and could be decent, but mine was somewhat cold and had a sogginess to the bread “bake” part that I just didn’t like. Is it me, or should the breading and “bake” be on top of the gooey glob of corn, not buried beneath/within it? The only other side I tried was the smoked potatoes, which were nothing worth noting, except how distantly behind the wonderful fries at Baldy’s they are. The fellas with me, both MUCH less picky and discerning of the particulars of food than I, BOTH commented on how mediocre and small the sides were.
Finally, the ribs. On Wednesday lunch, the ribs were sorta dry and smallish, and altogether not that good. On Thursday dinner, the ribs were meatier, larger and more moist, with a good balance between meat, rub and well…grease. That said, I STILL found Thursday as generally uninspiring flavorwise and the obviously old Wednesday sample, and in general, I was not thrilled with the net effect. Based on the appearance, smell and look of the Thursday ribs, I was really excited to down these things. And all along the way, I kept waiting for that peak to kick in. But it never came, and I was altogether disappointed. They just are missing that “something”, even when sauce is added. And I firmly believe, in this case, that something is as simple as a larger dose of salt in the rub. The resulting tenderness, kick and flavor complement to a pork rib could make these a “wow” rib. But of course, BBQ is highly subjective, and I understand beauty ids in the tongue of the taster.
Overall, I think the Rack Shack is intriguing, and close. But not there. I wouldn’t make a special trip there (from Lakeville) over going straight to the consistent, if uninspiring, Famous Dave’s. That said, it’s clear they get it here — the vision and the technique appear to be there, and with a few tweaks and some time, I could see things turning around rapidly. So I will drop in from time to time, hoping this BBQ “tease” turns into a destination here in BBQ deprived MN.
May 29th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Oof. That’s a lot of reading.
Unfortunately, not only am I going to largely agree, I’m going to go one step further and talk a bit about the series of disappointments I’ve had at Rack Shack in the 3 months since I wowed about their potential.
I still think the potential is there. Occasionally I’ve caught a glimpse of what could be — like the return of the sauces, and even better ones (although I’m not any better at recommending the names. I’ve come to love the hot one…”Texas Oil Well” or something. It has a good burn, but not over the top. And the first rib I had there, offered as a freebie with some brisket. It was spot on rub-wise, and not at all dry.
But, in the half dozen visits I’ve made (give or take), unfortunately several things have hit the decline. Like people mention, they cut the size of the sides to about 1/4 of what they used to be. They’re now little 4 oz. containers. Also echoing others’ comments, the quality of the sides has taken a slide. The mac and cheese has been dried out the last couple times. The corn bake is fine but is an afterthought. I still like the beans, personally.
Most importantly, it seems they haven’t perfected the art of keeping the meats in good shape after they’ve been freed from the smoker. More often than not, the meats are on the dry side. So much so that they just aren’t edible without a heavy dousing of sauce.
Maybe because we share 30+ years of BBQ background, I think Jason hit the nail on the head with the brisket, as well as Minnesota BBQ purveyors’ approach to the art. Restauranteurs seem like they are deathly afraid of serving fat. Brisket and corned beef are supposed to be fatty, and fatty beyond the tolerances of the increasingly health-conscious society. Now, I’m “increasingly health-conscious” but not to the point where I’ll jerk around with a food that’s been around for 150 years.
The brisket potential and technique are still there, but I think they’ve gotten away from the soul of the meat. Brisket and corned beef need that 1/4 inch of fat and need to be placed fat side up in the smoker so it marinades the meat as it cooks. As I alluded to in my “Wow” post, they trim it too much. There’s the outer bark then meat. It should be bark, FAT, meat, then bark.
It might be a good thing Jason missed out on the burnt ends. My disappointment in them matched my excitement that they were being offered. They trim the burnt ends off the brisket, then they soak them in their BBQ sauce back in the smoker. Burnt ends should be naked — no sauce! The beauty of burnt ends is that they are sizzling, crunchy, chewy, heavenly chunks of fatty meat. The user should get to choose the sauce. What you get at Rack Shack is a sticky, gooey mess, with a strongly concentrated BBQ sauce flavor that overwhelms everything.
Brisket and burnt ends should be like standing in your kitchen over the remnants of a pot roast, looking around to see if anyone is watching, then popping the fatty, crusty pan bits into your pie hole. It’s sinners’ food. You know you shouldn’t but you do.
I really, really hate to be critical, especially because I still think these guys are trying hard to put out a good product, and because they still have the potential. But it seems like it’s slipping more and more each time. I’d love to hang out in the kitchen for a while and make constructive suggestions. Maybe just reading it here will help.
- Fattier brisket!
- Make sure you are carefully holding the meat, or are staggering when they are finished smoking so the customer doesn’t get anything dry.
- Make sure people are tasting things periodically. If they had tasted one of the ribs I had last week or the mac and cheese, they would have/should have thrown them out. They were dried out and the rub on the ribs had gone to a paste-like consistency. Constantly sample.
- Not just the brisket should be cut to order. The pulled pork seems like it’s now sitting in a steamer tray.
Anyway….like Jason said, I’ll periodically stop in and see how things are going, but I just can’t say I’ve become a loyal craver of the Rack Shack.
July 16th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Get two $25 gift certs for $28.75 here:
http://kstp.tcldotcomdeals.com/index.php?index_type=promo-detail&h=7619774
Move quick, they’re going fast. They had 100 about an hour ago, now they’re down to 58.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
We went there tonight, using a coupon we had bought earlier and I was deeply disappointed. It wasn’t the food, though. I never got a chance to try it. We were there at 6:30pm and they had signs on the pork & turkey that it wouldn’t be ready until 7:30. No problem…we’ll have brisket & chicken. After waiting what seemed to be way too long for the number of people in line, we finally made it to the counter and the gal asks if we can wait a second. No problem. Turns out she has to write out a couple more signs for the brisket & the chicken. Seems there will be an hour wait for those now too. WTF?!?!?!
The only meat that was available was ribs or beef, but the beef was only available if you ordered a sandwich, not as a meal. I didn’t quite get that logic but didn’t stick around to ask either. We just turned around and left.
Considering they had so few options available, I can’t imagine why the line was so slow. I guess I’ll have to go back so I can use the coupons. I just hope the food is worth it.
July 19th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Lenny we sincerely apologize. WTF is right!!! We made twice as much food as we normally sell on a Friday and we ran out. It was WILD! We’ve had some recent media coverage in the Mpls St Paul Mag, we were on TV Friday on Twin Cities Live for a BBQ segment, TC Live was selling half off deals, as well as “living social” deals that were sold on Thursday. Our food takes up to 14 hours to prepare in most cases and sometimes we sell out, but Friday was crazy. Again we are sorry and we look forward to seeing you back again. Thanks for giving us a shot.
Keith Jr
Co-Owner
July 19th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Keith, I accept your apology and appreciate the explanation. We’ll definitely be back to give it another shot and I look forward to trying it.
I certainly understand the time it takes to make good Q. When I lived in Kansas City, home of the 79¢/lb brisket, I used to get up at 3am to get my brisket on the smoker for a late afternoon barbecue. There’s no hurrying good barbecue.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Gawd…I thought the plains of North Dakota were long-winded. It took me less time to regurgitate my Rack Shack meal than to read some of this tripe.
-The brisket tasted like my mom’s tough old roast (left in the oven all day)
-The ribs were nearly flavorless
-The “sides” are a complete joke
-This place must make a $7 profit on everything they serve, because they sure as hell don’t pay for dishes, dishwashing, ambiance, liquor license fees, or hair nets for the cooks.
-This place makes Famous Dave’s taste like Bryant’s in Kansas City
September 10th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
I just tried Dickey’s Barbecue Pit for lunch – had the “Smokehouse Baker” (Dickey’s was doing the “Hobo” long before Rack Shack existed) – with brisket, cheese, scallions, butter, bbq sauce, and fried onion straws. The potato was a pound-and-a-half, or so the menu says – I don’t doubt them – easily enough to feed two people (but I ate it all myself, barely).
The potato was perfectly done, the toppings were plentiful, but not too plentiful – it was still potato-ey enough. The brisket was chopped up (to order) fine enough that it mixed in well with the potato and other ingredients – all in all, a really good lunch. I’ve eaten at a few other Dickey’s, and the meat is consistent and good enough – probably a half-step or so above Famous Dave’s, and better than what I got at Rack Shack last time, and the best part is that the prices are probably 60-70% of what Rack Shack charges – the gargantuan potato was only $6.00, compared to $8.95 at Rack Shack.
I’m rooting for Rack Shack – I really am – but the few times I’ve been in there, I’ve just left feeling like I was overcharged for food that was not up to what the prices would indicate. I have my own smoker, and I know that I can buy pork shoulder for about $1.20/lb. in bulk. Let’s allow for 50% shrinkage during smoking, add two bucks per pound for spices, sauce, and wood – that gets us up to $4.40 per pound, conservatively, and Rack Shack charges $12.95 per pound – that’s quite a markup. I’m guessing all that styrofoam must be expensive…
Oh yeah, and Dickey’s gives you free ice cream – all you can eat – with your meal, and has fresh-brewed tea – sweet and unsweet.
September 10th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Wow- just what we needed. An advertisement from Dickey’s.
Here’s one back at ya.
I’ve tried Dickey’s twice…you really couldn’t tell from one time to the next that the ribs were from the same place. One order was greasy, fatty and really hard to digest (and cold), and the next time they were dry, and seemed like they had been in the meat locker (post cooking) for quite some time.
I last had a combo meat sandwich (whose name escapes me at the moment). The kid at the counter had NO clue how to wrap it, and the thing was all over the place in the bag, with bun perfectly ripped in half lengthwise so the innerds fell all over the bag. Oh, and there was supposed to be cheese on it, and it didn’t have it.
Personally, I find the BBQ meat at Dickey’s just as bland and lacking flavor (without sauce) as Rack Shack. The only difference is that at least at Rack Shack I got a decent sized serving of BBQ for my money, and at Dickey’s I got next to nothing. The portions are quite small.
I find it distasteful when owner/operators of competing restaurants pop on in the guise of readers, and try to skewer their competitors, especially local ones. That Dickey’s is a chain and Rack Shack is locally owned and operated is one reason of many I can think of to justify paying a little more for their food than Dickey’s. Now, I can add this little bit of subterfuge as another.
If you’re not affiliated with Dickey’s, and just happened to pen your first comment on here with smooth sounding, well crafted marketing-speak, then I humbly apologize for the mischaracterization, but stand behind my conclusions nonetheless. However, I suspect I am not far off.
I’m not a huge fan of the Rack Shack’s food, but I find the open and forthright give and take from their owner/managers to be appealing and inviting, for what it’s worth…just sayin’.
September 10th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
I admit, my “Trying Too Hard BS Meter” was tripped by this one too. It’s a f-ing baked potato thrown in an oven with 200 other baked potatoes by some college student that morning. It’s not a piece of Wagyu. I’m pretty sure I could throw a potato in the oven on a random temperature for a random amount of time and it would be “perfectly done” 999 times out of 1,000.
Anyhoo…
I’ve been to Dickey’s once and Rack Shack a bunch of times. My first impression with Dickey’s was solidly good. But, so was my first impression with Rack Shack. Since then, I’ve been hard-pressed to have a good meal there.
September 10th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Have to pile on with the thought that GregH has some vested interest in Dickeys. The tip off, imo, was “The brisket was chopped up (to order)” as I dont really know what that means, and neither did the kids working at the counter when I was there, but that is EXACTLY what the menu says.
To agree with the post above, I ordered the same sandwich, and in the picture on the menu board it has cheese. There was no cheese on mine, and I was told it costs extra.
I sort of jumped ahead there. I tried Dickeys. Nothing wrong with it. The people working were friendly, although they did not know ANYTHING about the food. The food itself was decent, although bland without the sauce. The prices were sorta high. $10 for one person to have a sandwich with sides, and the onion ring things were so heavily seasoned as to be inedible. The free ice cream was a nice touch.
All in all, I am underwhelmed by both Rack Shack and Dickeys, and annoyed by the self promotion on this blog of both.
September 10th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Wow – you guys are exactly what’s wrong with this website. I have _no_ interest in Dickey’s except for a few good experiences eating there. It appears that anyone who can write fluently, and likes a restaurant that you don’t like are automatically shilling. The reason I used (to order) in my brisket description was that several people who reviewed Rack Shack were impressed by the fact that the brisket was sliced “to order”, and not taken from a steam tray – it’s a good thing to know about a BBQ restaurant.
Sorry if my review was too fluent – I’ll try to think less before I write in the future.
September 10th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Greg H, thanks for the good laugh. You made my day with that.
September 10th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
There’s a difference between “fluent” and circumlocutory.
Lighten up and look at it from our perspective…some dude comes in and launches straight into a very detailed and glowing report on a chain BBQ joint, excitedly gushing about their two varieties of tea (?) and other pedestrian qualities. Maybe you are on the up and up; if so, welcome. But you have to admit you sounded like a total classic shill.
By the way, the sliced/chopped to order aspect of the brisket IS relevant to me, and I appreciated seeing them whip the brisket out of the holding pen and slicing it up.
September 10th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Greg, you should train your staff on what (to order) means. I asked when I visited and they had no idea.
It seems you are from the area, and you have an affinity for Dickeys. As this is clearly your first and second time posting, I would love to hear your fluent descriptions of other places in the area that you recommend.
September 10th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Yeah – _I’m_ the one that needs to lighten up…
September 10th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Greg,
Start here: http://www.lazylightning.org/astroturfing-poor-attempts-at-changing-opinion and then go through the last 25 or so restaurant reviews. Read the posts, read the comments, and get a feel for how the general reader here shares their opinions of a place. After you do that, reread your first comment in this thread.
Now, after you do that reread Chad’s comment where he asks for you to give your thoughts on other local restaurants and then do so. We’d love to hear what you have to say.
Thanks.
September 10th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Yeah – I’m a long-time off-and-on reader of the site – and I’m familiar with your stance on “astroturfing” and the whole Casa Nostra fiasco – which is why I would have had to be stupid to try something like that on here.
I’m really not a huge fan of the general negative tone of the whole site – not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just not my style. I do read occasionally to find out about new restaurant openings, and, as you’ve mentioned in other postings, for the entertainment value. I appreciate the work you put into it – there’s a lot of good info.
My reviews/posts/shills are available on other sites – I hang out on Chowhound, among others – in case anyone wants to read them.
Time to go explain to my employees how to put cheese on a barbecue sandwich and how to slice brisket to order…
September 10th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Thanks for not doing what I asked. I tried.
September 10th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
I did exactly what you asked – I just didn’t come to the conclusion that you expected me to, I guess.
September 10th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
No Greg, when I told you to follow up with Chad’s suggestion you provide thoughts on local restaurants I didn’t want a vague reference to your postings elsewhere under who knows what name.
I’m done. Take care.
September 10th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Me too – not my kind of crowd.
September 10th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Cheese on a BBQ sandwich sounds weird to me, but its in your picture. Maybe talk to Shakopee?
September 14th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Chad and MSPD,
This is Elliott, the general manager and part owner at the Shack. I don’t know when the last time you guys were Im but I am wishing after your meals next time that you introduce yourself. Also I am aware based on experience that our food is different from the corporate guy in town. When I say different I mean is better by ten miles. We have come a long way since March. Please stop in and give us another shot. Closed circuit to Bill, pints of Ghost on sale for 14 bucks. I owe you one though. Thanks guys.
September 15th, 2010 at 10:35 am
[...] problems eating a whole raw habanero. I have also eaten plenty of ghost pepper infused hot sauces, BBQ sauces, salsas, and even wings but this was the hottest I’ve felt. Woo boy. They were not kidding [...]
September 15th, 2010 at 10:37 am
Elliott, I’ve said hello to you in person a few times and I’ve actually made some suggestions to you and your staff. I generally keep my “real” identity separate from my “MSPD” one — MSPD is sort of a persona that includes both my true opinions, but also creative writing/”entertainment”…not sure that makes any sense. So I may not walk up and say, “Hi, I’m MSPD”. MSPD is an online character.
September 15th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
MSPD, I understand. I am new to the blog thing. I really enjoy reading them though, this one in particular. A lot of funny stuff going on here. Either way I am sure you are a good guy and since you and I have probably talked I would recognize you by face if you did say “hey, I’m MSPD”. Thanks for your writings and suggestions.
September 15th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I enjoy going around town saying, Hi, I am MSPD!!
September 15th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
TL, TL…get it right. It goes like this (usually in the context of a traffic stop):
“Don’t you know who I am?!? *I*……..(pause for William Shatner-like effect)……am MSPD!”
Which usually elicits a sort of bewildered look, followed by whatever action would have occured anyway.
September 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Yeah, I tried that last week and the officer immediately used his stun gun on me, pulled me out of the car, threw me to the ground, cuffed me and tagged me with the extra charge of providing an officer with a false name. All for being pulled over for a tail light that was out. I need to remember to just use your “online character” when I am dining.
September 15th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
I tried using his “online character” at the McDonald’s drive-through recently figuring that because he eats there so often I’d get a freebie. They called the cops instead.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Hmmm….maybe I need to lay low for a while.
September 29th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Reading through the comments, it seems others have experienced what I have in my visits to the Rack Shack: A lot of enthusiasm on the part of the owners, but a steady decline in the quality and consistency of the food.
I’d like to address the issue of sides. In my visits the Rack Shack the side dishes have gotten progressively smaller and worse. First visit, the beans !#$%^& knocked my socks off, and I’ve eaten BBQ at joints all over the south. I mean, never had beans that good — and a BIG portion, to boot. Since that first visit the sides have gotten about 75% smaller and whole lot worse. I think you see that reflected in the comments over time.
As for the sauce issue: figure it out, guys. Famous Dave’s leaves 5 bottles of sauce on every table and somehow isn’t going bankrupt. Doling out the sauce in those little plastic containers is chintzy, and doesn’t allow for experimentation.
The meat has also been up and down. After one great visit, I eagerly brought a friend and ‘cue fan to lunch, only to be deeply embarrassed. We all get that it’s nearly impossible to forecast accurately at a BBQ restaurant. After all, it’s not like you grab another Cisco box out of the walk-in. (Well, at Famous Dave’s you do.) But still, Rack Shack has demonstrated less consistency than should be expected from a place like this.
Like someone said above, we’re all rooting for Rack Shack, but it’s a little like rooting for the Timberwolves: The 4-to-1 loss ratio just wears you down after while
September 29th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
According to the Burnsville City Council agenda I got today, it looks like they’re applying for a 3.2/Wine On-Sale liquor license.
September 29th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Cashed in my Living Social coupon yesterday before it expired. I got a pound of pork and a pound of beef. The pork seems to be meatier and chunkier now, less “pulled” or “string” like. Basically, it doesn’t have the consistency of tuna anymore.
While the cuts of meat were very good and tender, the flavor/rub still left a lot to be desired.
They now have bottles of sauce on the tables in the dining area and jars of sauce for sale too. Three kinds of sauces are on the tables, not sure which ones. They also seem to have modified the formula/recipe for the Houston Hot because it seems to be spicier than when I first tried it months ago.
Without the Living Social coupon, I’d probably never go back, the prices just don’t justify the quality and quantity of food you are getting.. I’m spoiled by my uncle who is a great BBQ’er and I just eat his whenever I need my ‘Q fix.
September 30th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Regarding portion size. What determines if a portion is too small? Is it that you have finished eating, and are still hungry? Or is it simply a comparison to what portion size you received somewhere else for the same or less cost? If the latter, then was the portion you received before more than you could eat such that you had leftovers?
I’m curious, as I have seen a change from the food of the 90′s where portion sizes seemed to keep growing and growing. So much so that a pasta meal at the Rainforest Cafe could have enough left over that you could pack the rest for lunch for a week. These days I still see some of that but am seeing more and more places cutting back on portion sizes to something you can eat in one sitting. Is that perhaps the case here, or is their portion size simply too small, leaving people hungry when done?
September 30th, 2010 at 10:34 am
A few weeks ago our family of 5 went to Rack Shack and each ordered a meat meal to go. All three kids wanted the the St. Paul sauce. Rather than give us 6 little tubs of the stuff, they gave us a retail jar. Nice touch! The kids really liked the sauce and we had plenty left over.
I ordered the pulled pork and when we got made sandwiches using some hamburger buns. I got three good sized (not overflowing with meat) sandwiches out of the portion. The pork had a nice smoke ring and was very tender.
I agree the portions on the included size were rather skimpy. I’d rather have one larger portion so next time I’ll order beans & beans. I thought the beans were ok. Not great, not terrible. I really liked the corn bake but only got 2 spoonfuls in the little tub.
Two nights ago I used our second Living Social GC and got 2 pounds of pork. For s&g’s, I weighed the meat when I got home and it was right at 2 pounds. What did disappoint me, though, was that for the 2 pounds of meat, all they gave us were 4 little tubs of sauce. I didn’t bother asking for more since we got a jar the last time, and I have plenty of other sauce at home that I need to get through.
I now call ahead to make sure they haven’t run out of anything we want before making the drive. We’ve used our two Living Social GC’s and have 2 more to go. After that we’ll try Baldy’s and Dickey’s. I liked Rack Shack, but it was nothing I have to go back for, considering the distance from our house, about 7 miles.
They may have only 3 bottles of sauce on a table, but while waiting for our food once, I discovered that it’s not the same three on each table. They also had several bottles on the ledge near the retail bottles. I didn’t count, but I’d guess there were 6 different kinds available. Most were too sweet for my taste.
October 5th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
At tonight’s Burnsville City Council meeting Rack Shack was approved for a liquor license.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Hi Bill, we visited Dickey’s over on Hwy 13 tonight and tracked back to your post here on the Rack Shack. We hope to keep this conversation going on the growing BBQ joints south of the river. Thanks for all your help! Brent & Lisa
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:56 am
[...] Cafe 5. Chateau Lamothe (closed) 6. India Palace 7. Fireside Pizza 8. Blondie’s Tavern 9. Rack Shack BBQ 10. Smashburger 11. Solo’s Pizza Cafe 12. Jake’s City [...]
December 31st, 2010 at 11:10 am
[...] Porter Creek Hardwood Grill: Burnsville, MN Wild Bill’s Sports Saloon: Apple Valley, MN Rack Shack BBQ: Burnsville, MN Valley Diner: Apple Valley, MN Casa Nostra Pizzeria Ristorante Italiano: Lakeville, MN Minneapolis [...]
January 13th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
It’s been a while since I have been to the Rack Shack. We went today for lunch to use up a LivingSocial coupon that we were given.
My wife had the pulled pork sammie, and I had the rib tips.
I had to post today, because in my mind this place is WAY BETTER than they were 6 months ago.
The rib tips were tender and smokey with a great bark on the outside from their homemade dry rub. My wife’s pork sandwich was also fantastic.
They have the three bottles of their favorite sauces on the table, and extra sauces on the ledge by the counter. They no longer put the sauce in a little cup and make you buy more.
In my opinion, they have really up’d their game and I will be back.
February 4th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
I finally got over to this place tonight after driving by it about 100 times in the last year.
Ordered a rack of ribs along with Beans and Slaw, and they gave me 3 little cups of the Ghost sauce. I suspect I was supposed to pay for that up front, but didn’t realize that until I read the comments above, but the guy didn’t say anything about it and gave them to me. For 26 dollars and change, that was probably the right call.
The place was pretty busy. Most of the tables were taken and there seemed to be consistently 10-12 people in line and an equal amount waiting to take home food. The line was pretty slow, but I got my take out food in about 5 minutes after paying, which was much faster than I thought it was going to be based on the time I spent in line.
The ribs were quite good. The meat properly fell off of the bone, there was a really nice crust or char (not sure what the proper BBQ term is there, and I like it when there is a discernable red line between the exterior and the meat inside (smoke ring?). The ghost sauce was probably hotter than about any BBQ sauce I have ever tried. It held up on my tounge for a good length of time, and about 10 minutes ago I made the mistake of wiping my eye. Even though I used a wet nap to wipe my hands after eating, my vision in that eye is still at about 65% as I write this. I will definitely get the ribs again.
The sides, like so many of you seem to say, stink. The beans were overly sweet and the cole slaw had zero anything. Apparently you can buy those same paltry sides for $1.95. That is a rip. The cole slaw food cost could not have been more than 25 cents, the beans 30. Since very few people will ever stop in just for sides, you need to make that a better deal. Make your profit on the meat, sides should be double food cost at best.
Overall, I would give it a B. Good enough to go back and try other things for sure, but it is not good that I don’t feel as if I can get a good side, because I really think that is an important part about eating BBQ.
Operationally, they need to find a faster way to process customers. I waited in line for about 10 minutes as it took about 2-3 minutes per customer to ring them up. If that is a function of quantity of food available, find more capacity. I almost walked out a few minutes into it.
Second. Don’t pack cold food (slaw) with hot food (ribs and beans). That’s food handling 101, and I can’t believe you have not had feedback about people having to eat hot cole slaw after spending 10 minutes next to the hot stuff. More so, you put all that food in a bag. All you have to do is separate the two.
Based on the comments here, the owners seem to be decent guys. I wish them continued success.
February 4th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Its funny that you posted this today. I was just talking about Rack Shack with a few people at work today, and two of them said almost exactly what your review says. The meat was great but the sides were blah at best.
I guess on the bright side, they are getting the hard stuff right.
February 4th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Exactly! For a place with that kind of variety of sauces and rubs, etc., you would think that they might want to try a little thing called “black pepper” in the slaw.
It really makes little sense.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:53 am
One word that puts the Rack Shack debate to bed: Dickie’s. Three locations, including one just down Hwy 13. The owner, Dave, is extremely conscientious and demanding of his employees. But more important, Dickie’s has mastered the most important aspect of BBQ: consistency. They use a sophisticated smoker and pay close attention to the results. You can talk with the person handling and cutting your meat, get straight answers (“How’s the turkey today?”), and make special requests (“Throw a little more fat in with that chopped brisket.”) And you may not adore all the sides, but they will be the same every time. (Still shaking my head at what Rack Shack did to their beans.)
Unless you find yourself with a flat tire and 45 minutes to kill in front of Rack Shack, consistently better food, good service, and overall better restaurant savvy makes Dickie’s a better choice.
March 14th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Scott, while I appreciate your opinion, I have to disagree. While I have nothing against Dickies, and have eaten there a few times, the service has always left something to be desired.
I have seen the manager greet friends as they came in to visit, and bring them plates of different things to sample, but he has never said a word to me on any of my visits, including one where I stood and waited for about 10 minutes to pay while he chatted away with some people he clearly knew.
To be quite honest, the management experience is very similar to what I encounter at Juniors on cliff and 13. The manager is present, and seems nice enough to the people he knows, but seldom interacts in any way with the rest of the paying public.
March 14th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Sigh.
I really don’t need to say what I’m sure we’re all thinking…
Thank you for the [unsolicited][independent][genuine] Dickey’s promotion on a Rack Shack thread. I am sure this [unbiased][seemingly real][4th comment] will have me zipping on my way to one of the “3 locations, including one just down Route 13…”.
March 14th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Jason, that was my first impression too, but if you look at his first and second posts (#37 and #136 above), he didn’t always feel this way about Rack Shack. From his first post describing Rack Shack, this doesn’t sound like someone shilling for Dickie’s”
“The pulled pork was hands-down the best I’ve had locally, nicely seasoned, perfectly smoked (not overdone) with a flavorful, blackened “skin” (they call it “smoke bark”). ”
and
“Do you like beans? I like beans. And I’m here to tell you, these are hands-down the best beans I’ve had anywhere, from Lockhart to Memphis. There was almost as much meat in my beans as there was in my pulled pork sandwich, and they were served piping hot. Big, big thumbs up.”
Based on what he posted in his initial review, I’m willing to believe he came about his change of opinion honestly.
June 15th, 2011 at 10:09 am
[...] Rack Shack BBQ [...]
August 2nd, 2011 at 1:25 pm
I have changed my grade of the Rack Shack from a B to an A Minus.
We’ve eaten take out a couple of times in the past few weeks, both times getting the ribs and once getting a pulled pork sandwich. The pork sandwich was very good, but the ribs are as good as it gets.
I won’t profess to be a BBQ expert having eaten at Arthur Bryant’s about 13 years ago and never outside of Minnesota before or since, but I have been attempting to smoke ribs for years and can’t do what they do, not even close.
These are especially good with the Bella Peppa Extreme hot sauce, even though the Ghost stuff is pretty good.
I don’t have any reason to think that they have fixed the issues with the side foods, but they don’t make you order them, so all is good for me there.
August 21st, 2011 at 8:42 pm
MSPD is going to love this.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:49 am
While I have no problem with the utilization of a pg rated double entrendre in marketing, I do have a problem with bad advertisements. Zooming in on a pair of ample female breasts is hardly creative, and the guy that says “nice rack” acts like a complete tool.
This should attract nobody to The Rack Shack. Boo.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
Hey Lazy Lightning chatters, this is Elliott the GM of the Shack. The commercial was more of us having fun while trying to inform people in the south metro about the good BBQ we have. (like Lefty was saying)
We actually have had a great response in the store in regards to the commercial. I am guessing the ones who are offended by the ample female breasts just dont come in. Boo for sure. We would love any of your creative ideas for our next commercials. We arent going for any awards in directing really, just awards for damn good BBQ. Take care all.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Nobody’s offended by ample breasts and hey, you can run your business and advertising however you want. The issue with the ad is the awful double entendre that has nothing to do with how good your food is. Sure, you’re going to piss off people who think it’s too risque as well as people who think it’s sexist. By the sounds of it, you don’t want those people eating at your place anyway, or at least you don’t expect them to eat at your place, which is odd to me since that covers a lot of people.
If you’re going for awards in damn good BBQ, I’d expect an ad talking more about why your BBQ is so good and less about local towns and breasts. This ad just leaves me feeling like I’m going to a local version of Hooters.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Elliot, who is your target audience? The people during the testimonials portion of your commercial tell me it’s adults 25-54. But the final scene, the take-away, is clearly aimed at men 18-34. Don’t try to do too much with your commercial, keep your message simple. But first you need to figure out who your audience is. Fluff aside, that commercial sucked. It was lame and I’m not sure if I should visit your restaurant for the food or for the waitress.
August 25th, 2011 at 9:39 am
Here…I’ll fix that for you:
p.s. – I’m certainly no prude and I’m about as hardcore a BBQ afficianado as you’ll find in the south metro but that ad doesn’t have me enthusiastic about coming in.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:06 am
Elliot,
First, don’t listen to Dan N. He is too cheap to eat at your place in the first place and he knows nothing about food.
Second, you are pretty ignorant. Your ad sucks, and it has nothing to do with the “nice rack” connotation. It has everything to do with the way you used it. Case in point. The part where you zoom in on the boobs and the whole rack of ribs is out of shot. It removes the double meaning and calls the viewer an idiot, as if they would not have noticed that “nice rack” could be used for both tits and ribs. Even an amateur director should have figured that out.
C. You had a great response “in store”. Those people are already in your fucking store. You don’t need “marketing” to get them to come back. You need to serve them good food. “Boy, that food sure sucked, but the chick had some nice breasts on the TV, let’s go back, spend some money and watch the ad again”.
iv. What should you do in your next commercials? How about you show the process of how you make food. The dry rub concoctions that you make from scratch. The amount of time and care in the smoker you take to ensure quality. The fact that you run out of meat sometimes because you can’t make enough to meet demand at times and that it might take 12 hours to make more or however long it takes. The inordinate amount of different sauces you provide to your customers, also made from scratch. You could even market your good service which I have usually experienced.
Fifthly. Trying to be the “Hooters” of ribs is pretty dumb. Have you ever eaten at Hooters? If not, better run to the mall since most of them are gone cause the food sucks.
6. Most importantly, your food is very good. I have eaten at your place enough so lately that I think a few of you recognize me when I come in. I would understand trying to divert attention from the quality of your food by showing boobies if the food sucked, it makes no sense when the product is of quality.
7. Even if your food did suck, “Nice Rack” blows.
VIII. Are you ever going to fix the problems with your sides? Thems a rip off.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Lefty, I’m not sure what’s better about the comment above, your ownage of Elliott or your use of 6 different numbering styles in 8 points. Well done, sir.
I’ve been to the Rack Shack too and thought the ribs and sauce were pretty good but the sides sucked. Seems to be a theme from most people. Oh well, guess it means they’ve got the main part down which is important. I realize everyone needs to offer sides even if it’s not your specialty, but if you can’t get it right, don’t offer it in the first place.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Oh God. Don’t encourage him! ;-)
August 25th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Who hijacked Joey’s handle? Whoever you are, thanks!
Another thumbs down for our thumbs down leader. :)
August 25th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Firstly……..lighten up. It’s one silly ad. Based on the name of the place you had to know it was coming. If you are offended, dont go, but really it’s so far from offensive as to be laughable.
Second, the sides suck. Bad.
August 26th, 2011 at 9:38 am
Chad,
If tiny little meaningless things didn’t get completely blown out of proportion on a regular basis here, I would have to leave you all forever, and who would want that?
lefty
August 26th, 2011 at 10:16 am
True. I just get tired of all the PC crap. If you don’t think it’s funny or clever (It wasn’t) then don’t watch it. If you were truly offended then don’t visit. Personally I have no issue with hooters or alarys or this commercial.
I do have an issue with the awful sides.
August 26th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
What about the sides do you not like? How are they a rip off? I serve a 5.5 ounce side and you get two with every meal. They are bigger than most places. We have made countless changes in the Shack in responce to our customers requests. Our commercial does not call the viewers idiots and we sure aren’t trying to be Hooters. The points brought up in section iv. of Lefty’s post were and will continue to be addressed in several media publications, news paper reviews, TV news segments and on our upcoming episode of Man Vs Food Nation that will air in early October. Lefty, you seem like you are supportive, but I am not ignorant.
August 26th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Chad,
I’m with you on the PC crap, but scroll up to post 14 from Keith Jr. and tell me what’s wrong with this picture:
“Get your mind out of the gutters. Don’t come and expect to see any “hooteresque” servers.”
Huh, Hooteresque server shown on TV. Zoom in on her cleavage.
I also think his comment was interesting:
“NO BOOZE. You don’t need to be half in the bag to enjoy this dish.”
8 months later, their liquor license is approved.
Bottom line for me is that I was watching TV with my 9 and 7 year-old boys who understand the innuendo, and when this thing came on I thought it was bush league.
August 26th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
elliot
Read my original comment (#146). I think my comment about your sides is very clear. Since nothing has changed, I stand by those words. Hell, you still pack the cold coleslaw with the hot food. That’s foodservice 101 that you get wrong. I guess you save 2 cents on a bag that way.
Also, while you get two with every meal, the “meal” costs three bucks more than ala carte. 5.5 oz of lobster should be very expensive. 5.5 oz of cabbage with some mayo should not be. More importantly, they are really bland, and many here seem to agree with me. Maybe if they tasted good, I might not be so put off. Bigger than most places, I don’t know, are you now comparing yourself with “most places”? I am sure you are not ignorant, but that comment sort of is.
Regards,
lefty
August 26th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
5.5 ounces of slaw is 1.95. My sides are bigger than most BBQ joints we researched prior to opening. Currently for example, Dave’s serves a 4 oz side for 2.29 so I don’t know, mine seem like a value. What is slaw supposed to taste like anyway? Slaw is what you said, cabbage and some mayo with some salt and pepper. Not too technical. Anyone can guess on numbers, with that said you are incorrect about our cost being .30 cents on beans and .25 on slaw. It was a guess so no big deal. As for the servers looking like Hooters girls they don’t. I have 2 women staff members and they wear the same shirt as I do. It’s only a commercial and we were just having fun. I mean watch any beer or Axe commercial. MSPD, do you think the booze was a nice touch? BBQ and beer just go together. When this thread began a year and a half ago we were still making decisions and still are today. It’s not anything wrong; it’s just adapting and changing.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
I don’t care one way or the other about the commercial. What I DO care about is getting shorted on my food. The last time I was there, I ordered a pound of brisket and a pound of pork to go. When I got home, I weighed the meat on our food scale and both came to 14 oz. I was a bit pissed off about that.
I really liked the brisket, but I prefer it sliced thinner.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
And that weight included the container, so the actual food weight was somewhat less.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Elliot,
Thanks for the feedback is an option, you know.
Go to Sea Salt, get the coleslaw and give me a call. I doubt they have the same lame “whatever” mindset about it.
How do you treat people who don’t buy your food?
August 26th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Elliot, thanks for talking with us, and for good BBQ. But really, go sample some of the sides on your menu at other places.
August 26th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Elliot,
If you’d be willing to sponsor it, I’d be happy to get a bunch of people together to do a blind taste test of BBQ place sides. We’d pit yours against several others to determine which are best and why.
It would be fun to do and maybe it would show that your sides really aren’t as bad as we are saying. Or, it could give you some real true feedback about what you could do to make your customers happy.
August 27th, 2011 at 10:13 am
Chad, to think I haven’t done that and still don’t benchmark is funny. I refuse to rip other businesses on this blog because that’s not my style but I have sampled and I feel like I know where I stand. Let me know some of your favorite place and I will go check them out.
Bill, I’d for sure do that. I especially want to invite Lefty. He’s a real character.
August 27th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Yeah Chad.
You are so stupid. You love his sides, you just don’t know it on account of how hilariously naive you are.
August 28th, 2011 at 1:16 am
Yeah, never mind I guess.
October 5th, 2011 at 8:51 pm
http://blog.rackshackbarbeque.com/2011/10/04/see-the-trailer-of-man-v-food-nation-at-rack-shack-bbq.aspx
I’m a big Man vs. Food fan and it was interesting to see the trailer. However I really think that the point being made about steaming the burger to get the cheese to melt was a backhanded compliment at best.
October 6th, 2011 at 8:14 am
For as much as the Rack Shack was pumping this up, I didn’t think they were going to highlight a burger.
Did you see the Punch spot last night on M v F? I was going to tune in, but was sidetracked by the beefsteak caper on the other thread and completely forgot.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
I saw the episode of Man V Food Nation, and immediately went to my phone to order some food; it looked really good. So I call in, and I speak with someone (not sure who) who all but laughs at my request for a take-out-order. I believe he said “no way”, and “we aren’t doing those”, and “we are just too busy, you will have to come in”. Really? You are too busy to take some of the food you have been cooking all day, put it in a box, and wait for me to come get it? Wow! Great business model! As a business operator myself I know there is one thing that can trump quality, and that is customer service. You guys need to learn that lesson. Good luck.
October 6th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Though, to be fair, it is possible that was some random employee that answered the phone and not a mgr. I really hope that is the case because my first experience (which is the most important one) with this establishment is not a good one.
October 6th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Lefty, we featured the Hobo. They wanted to check out the burger for another show. They filmed for around 9 hours. If you caught the show last night, you would have seen a segment on our Hobo Potato.
October 15th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
After a long day, I screamed on over to the Rack Shack two nights ago for some takeout. This was a virgin voyage. And I must say that I will be a repeat customer. Although, I will make one teensy change.
I ordered the pulled pork sammie on the onion bun, and since I love me some beans, ordered both sides as such. I found the place to be busy, very clean, and the service, both from the guy who took my order to the gal who delivered my food, to be very fun-spirited and friendly. Before leaving, I was even asked if I wanted to take along a different sauce to sample.
Now, for the food. The pork itself was very tender and smokey. The onion bun added a nice layer of sweet contrast to the spicy sauce. I am not sure of the name, but it was two steps down from the hottest sauce offered. The Savannah, maybe?
I had to wait a bit later to test drive the beans. I gotta have them chilled, people. Verdict? I really liked the combo of the red, white and black beans, and the flavor was very nice, and the beans were perfectly al dente. The only thing that I added was a sizable grinding of black pepper corns. But I do that with pretty much everything savory.
Now, on to the jar of Houston sauce that I also purchased. I loooooove me some spicy, but a sampling of this sauce nearly brought me to my knees! The flavor was nice, but the heat a little too intense for me. I would imagine that the hottest sauce would burn both going in AND out, and would likely require a hazmat team. But to each there own, I say. It’s all about whatever makes your peanut butter Skippy, and, of course, living and learning.
And that, folks, is all. Carry on! :D
October 17th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Geoff,
Sounds like you got an idiot on the phone, though if you go there you will understand why that person said that. You would have to wait in what is often a long line just to get up to pay. In my experience, after I order and pay, the food is given to me in just a few minutes, so calling in ahead really gives you no advantages the way they do things.
I was there over the weekend, and it appears that this place is bursting at the seams. They won’t let you order large portions of their pork or brisket (I assume so that is some for everyone since they run out quickly). The place was jammed with customers eating in and taking out and they were already out of pork for the day.
I don’t know if the TV exposure did this or what, but they appear to be operating about at capacity. I understand they are bringing in a new (bigger?) smoker this week to be able to produce more food.
Assuming they are going to be able to make more food, I would think they would benefit from a take out only register. That way they could get a lot of advance warning from customers that want take out, have a way to ring them up quickly and not wait for other customers to place their orders, especially with all the new customers that do not know the drill on how to order taking up bucu time at the point of purchase.
Oh, and they bought a fryer. Judging from the fried food they sell, the list is a who’s who from the Sysco frozen drop it in the fryer and wait 3 minutes menu. Don’t think I need to order any of that filler ever.
They also seem to have the sauces in better order than ever before, so small changes can be both good and not as good, but I can’t fault the effort.
Side still suck. Don’t know why I keep asking for them.
October 17th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
The day the episode aired I received nearly 2500 search engine hits (1500 of them in an hour or so) for ‘rack shack burnsville mn’ (and variants) that evening alone. Considering I usually have 15-20 on any other given day I’m guessing it was the TV show’s exposure.
edit: I originally noted “Google searches” when that wasn’t true. I was looking at all web searches in aggregate.
October 17th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
How much does a place have to pay Man V Food to be featured on that show? I bet a lot.
October 17th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Our group of six hungry guys ate there Thursday, it’s a favorite of several in the party. It was our 4th time there. The food is good, the sauces good with a wide range of flavor. I usually pour (squirt) on the Savannah, it’s at my limit for heat but it’s tasty. They do have a hot,hot,hot sauce upon request… Bill, have you tried it?
All in our group love the joint, two because they serve descent beer.
October 17th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
C&V,
Of course: http://www.lazylightning.org/rack-shack-bbq-burnsville-mn#comment-52302
October 17th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Bill,
Aha, the curse of the long thread hits me again. :-)
October 29th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Lefty, they called us to be on the show. No payment. So not a dime. Restaurants do not pay to be on TV. Make sure to stop by after Christmas to see our new smoker in action. Happy Halloween.
October 30th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Elliot,
What do you think about my advice about a take out register? So that you know, if you had one and allowed me to call in as opposed to waiting 15 minutes in one of your long lines, I can guarantee I would eat there much more often. It should not be that hard to take a small order on the phone and have it ready for someone who wants to take the food home and not eat in your place (which is a bit more expensive in most cases).
lefty
October 31st, 2011 at 1:08 pm
We went back to the Rack Shack over the weekend for a return visit and enjoyed it a great deal.
The ribs and turkey were both great, so much so that my wife wants to get a Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner.
I still cant say I am a fan of most of the sides, but the mac and cheese was ok, and the corn bread was really good.
October 31st, 2011 at 2:04 pm
I too have gone back several times for the turkey, which I think is a real hidden gem. It seems to just be getting better and better every time I go there.
I too think that the sides here lack a certain…well…anything. But I also believe Elliott when he says he’s benchmarked them against other local joints — basically, almost any BBQ sides in the Twin Cities suck…and are really overpriced.
That said, I think (my humble opinion) Elliott is selling himself and us short by making these statements:
“I mean, what is cole slaw anyway? Cabbage and some mayo…” — Elliott, I have had some REALLY good slaw that was really unique and well thought out…I’d seek out those restaurants again just for the slaw, and I don’t typically like cole slaw. It’s the old law of what goes in, comes out. No effort, no results.
“I think I’m in line with other establishments in the area” — This to me is a telling comment. You want to be what it sounds like you aspire to be? A destination BBQ joint – a top choice in the area? You have to want to bury the competition, and stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Think you’re in line with everyone else in this area? Then you are failing. We all know that BBQ sucks around here basically, and your opportunity is to prove you’re the exception…not to “compare favorably” to the other garbage out there. Just my two cents…
November 1st, 2011 at 10:42 am
Jason, your post was much better and more informative than mine. I would like to add that while the meat was very good, it is expensive.
Two sandwich meals (two sides each), a half rack of ribs (no sides), and two fountain drinks (third person drank water) was $55.00, give or take some change, before the tip. Never sure if a tip is appropriate for counter service. Normally I would tip, but I was a little taken back at the total.
Anyway, the meat was great, and we will be back. We may get a Turkey there for thanksgiving as well. However, as Jason notes, with some great feedback, there is still some room for improvement.
November 7th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Lefty, I think your idea about a take out register is a good one. We have discussed doing something like that. All of us want to move the lines faster and be more efficient in our service. You should see some changes as we continue to make improvements.
To those that are considering ordering a Turkey for Thanksgiving, (they are fantastic) please let us know asap as the list is filling up and eventually be full. We can only smoke so many turkeys. They were a hit last year and it’s looking to be very popular this year as well. Take care all.
November 8th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Say Elliott,
Any way to order a care package of your sauces for those of us out of the area currently?
November 15th, 2011 at 9:45 am
Perhaps a cole slaw Elliott should taste?
http://www.lazylightning.org/wienery-minneapolis-mn
April 10th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
The Rack Shack is starting an all you can eat buffet on Sunday, April 22.
http://www.rackshackbarbeque.com/
April 24th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
I normally don’t write reviews for eating establishments, but today I have been compelled to. I have eaten at the Rack Shack plenty of times over the last 18 months. I have always found them to be hit or miss. Today’s lunch experience was a big MISS.
I went today to try their brisket burger specifically. Apparently it was the first burger(s) ordered of the day, because my lunch companion found out after paying that apparently they were out of bacon (if you have been out since Sunday, and the truck didn’t bring it today(Tuesday), may I suggest that there is a Cub Foods down the street). After being asked if it was OK that they didn’t have bacon and lunch companion sayin ‘No, it wasn’t', the server appeared to be at a lost for words. Nothing was offered in compensation for the $2 upcharge for bacon. To their benefit, they managed to find bacon by the time the burger was served (I won’t wonder WHERE they found the bacon)…
I must say however, at this point, we weren’t holding out much hope. I missed it, but my lunch companion mentioned that there was some problem with the grill chef when the order came through. Something that lead one to believe that cooking the burgers would be a problem. I must say, the problem came through on the burger. While I could taste the quality of the source meat (what I came specifically for), the burger was over cooked. Now, I didn’t specifically say I wanted a medium burger to the counter person, but I got to believe that it wouldn’t have made it to the cook anyways.
Basically my feeling is this, if you’re going to charge a premium price, you should probably put out a consistent premium product. To the Rack Shack benefit, I understand they took the burger off the menu after our ordering it, but that didn’t change my experience with the product put out (not sure if asked while there whether I would have said anything — Midwest upbringing). The only similar experience I can relate to was an over cooked Kobe burger I have had in the past. I’m payin extra for quality of product, maybe you could cook it to the level of the source material.
April 24th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Hopefully you learned an important lesson: Order burgers at a place known for burgers. Order BBQ at a place known for BBQ.
April 24th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Wasn’t like I was ordering a burger at Totino’s…
My understanding was that this burger was something that the Rack Shack featured…
April 25th, 2012 at 8:53 am
I was just giving you grief. Hopefully they will stop “featuring” it now.
April 25th, 2012 at 9:45 am
They featured that burger on the Man vs. Food episode, so it is surprising that they would take it off the menu since one would think (as I think TearItDown did) that it is a destination menu item.
April 26th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
I’m guessing they just took it ‘off the menu’ for that particular day. I’m also just guessing, but I would think the reason was that the cook was having a problem cooking it. I don’t plan on checking whether they still offer it any time in the near future.
August 19th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/08/18/best-of-minnesota-barbecue/
September 6th, 2012 at 10:10 am
For MSPD:
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/168632426.html?page=2&c=y
September 6th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Memo to Rick Nelson — the place has been open for 2.5 years.
But, yeah, I continue to see the commercial with that fucking tool and his “whoa…that’s a nice rack” and I continue to send my recommendations and family’s BBQ money elsewhere. Between that and the hit-or-miss consistency of the food, it quickly fell out of my rotation.
September 6th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
I still like the place, but the advertisement is stupid in this day and age, who was the advertising guy that came up with the demographic on this one?
September 6th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
That review jumped the shark when he said the coleslaw was decent. Like the idiot owner needed more fuel to keep serving a substandard product for ridiculous prices.
September 6th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
I am sad to say that Rick Nelson seems to be more of a cheerleader than a critic.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:07 am
I do recommend Aida (the other side of the Rack Shack review) , its not the best Eastern Med food, but its well priced and the concept is good.
Agree with Lefty, the coleslaw was nothing special, but the barbecue beans are pretty good.
September 7th, 2012 at 11:04 am
I had the Sunday BBQ brunch a month or so ago, and while I was able to get full, the food was not very good and the price is crazy high. Not sure how brunch is going over for them, but I was not the only disappointed person the day I was there.
Still like the food, but the place is a little expensive and the sides are still not great.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
I’ve got to agree with Mulch concerning Aida. I like what they have done and enjoy eating there. Love the shawarma.
October 1st, 2012 at 9:35 am
[...] Overall, while the food was fine, especially at the price point, I’m going to guess the restaurant is going to fail due to the public’s lack of appreciation of the wait staff’s attire and the rumored trademark suit brought against them by Burnsville’s other inappropriate restaurant, Rack Shack BBQ. [...]
October 5th, 2012 at 12:03 am
Guys, Bill,
I don’t even know if Bill will post this. He thinks I’m a sleeze. I’ve learned from a lot of feedback from customers how to better our store. Some comments are constructive and some are just critical. Nonetheless I feel that we get a bad rap for being an innappropriate restaurant just because on our commercial. When I wear my nice rack shirt around town I have to say it’s a mixed bag in regards to how it’s interpreted. Most of our staff is guys. I only have 4 women and they are not offended or afraid to wear the shirts. We aren’t busting out in tights and tight tops at all. Jeans and-shirts. We have made numerous changes based on what you all have suggested. You hate the sides. I get it. I’m not that bad of a guy. Yes I penned this Bill and this is from my cell phone.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:44 am
Elliot, I visited Rack Shack once. My wife and I had a babysitter that night and decided to try the place out. The food was pretty good and the guys behind the counter were nice.
But I won’t be returning for the same reason I’ll never buy a web domain from GoDaddy. Anyone who relies on sexually-charged marketing and innuendos to sell a product that has absolutely nothing to do with sex is not someone who’s going to see my dollars. There are plenty of other places to buy web domains and BBQ.
I guess the “rack” innuendo was funny in middle school, but to me it feels old and tired now and to see a grown-up business using it to promote something that’s completely unrelated to their product is puzzling. And no, my reason isn’t just that it “objectifies women.” I wouldn’t feel any differently if you were a place selling hot dogs with a shirt that said, “Nice Johnson!”
I also find it highly ironic that after I finished typing that I decided to look up where the Rack Shack’s domain was registered. Check it out:
October 5th, 2012 at 1:17 am
Elliott, since you feel that you get a bad rap for being an innappropriate restaurant just because of your commercial, why don’t you do something about it? Stop running it. Edit it differently. Do a new one.
It’s tacky.
October 5th, 2012 at 3:31 am
No Elliott, I don’t think you’re a sleaze. I think you’re a spoiled rotten douchebag who runs a fairly mediocre BBQ joint with a tacky motto. I also think you’re a lying sack of shit because you attempted to misrepresent yourself as a victim in an attempt to make me look bad.
Dude, keep scoring points for yourself. I’m really glad you think people talking about you negatively is good for your business. If you spent half as much time actually working on your product instead of recruiting girls for your next TV commercial or acting like a whining five year old, maybe you wouldn’t have to resort to shameless commercials, mottos and asinine self-promotion to get people in your door.
October 5th, 2012 at 8:45 am
elliot<<<<<Owned.
Remind me not to piss off Bill at 3 in the morning, or Joey, after he has been sucking down Summits in their new tap room and then pounding more beers after he gets home.
I stopped eating here a while ago because I can get food that satisfies me equally for a similar value but don't have to give my money to idiots.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:17 am
Bill, why were you up at 3:30 AM? :)
October 5th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Ryan M, I made the mistake of looking at my phone when I heard the e-mails come through ;)
October 5th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
I said it was rumored *shrug*. The source was a very good one. If the source is bad, then let me know and I’ll be sure to post a retraction.
I do know your history. You live off your family’s local legacy. I’m glad you’re proud of that.
You made yourself known last time. You were intoxicated and said to someone else in the men’s room, “That’s Bill ‘Roll’ and he has a blog.” Congrats, you and hundreds of thousands of other people can recognize me on sight. Good for you.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Oh and if your ridiculous lie about not posting a comment on this site when I confronted you privately about it wasn’t enough to prove you’re a douchebag above everything else, I don’t know what to tell you.
October 5th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
I am pretty sure it probably took you about 15 minutes to formulate that sentence and another half hour to type it you meathead. It is probably better you waste your time on me than coming up with such stunning achievements such as:
Cole Slaw:
2 oz. Sysco shredded cabbage like substance
1 oz. Mayo
Mix
and
BBQ Beans:
Some Beans
Boil.
Drain.
Mix.
It’s too bad you aren’t going to get a chance to meet me in person, because if we did speak, we would have words. I tend go to decent places not run by jackasses.
lefty
October 5th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Also,
Must be a pretty busy place when you can be posting shit on the internet at 12:15 on a Friday during lunch “rush”. LOLZ.
October 5th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Elliot, there are 3 ways to handle criticism:
1.) Dismiss your critic as irrelevant.
2.) Recognize their criticism but do nothing.
3.) Acknowledge their criticism, apply changes accordingly (if you find their criticism to be valid), and maybe even offer them a return visit to see the improvements made.
You guys have applied a strange combination. First, Keith chose option 3.) and got a lot of praise for it. You’ve bended to choose option 1.) though, especially in your more recent comments. Given your opinion of the readers of this site, you may be shocked to know that we’ve changed our opinion of other restaurants that got off to rough starts. We’ve also changed our opinion of good restaurants that went downhill. We also differ in our opinion of some restaurants.
What’s most telling about your supposed dismissal of Bill’s criticism is that you really aren’t dismissing him at all. If you were dismissing him, you wouldn’t have said anything here at all. Yet 2.5 years later, you’re still coming back. You know that this review ranks very high in Google’s rankings. You know that anyone searching for the Rack Shack can not only read Bill’s review here, but also the 229 comments (and counting), including those comments from you.
Since those are a lot of comments to sift through, I’d like to take a trip down memory lane to see how we got to this point where there’s such hostility between you and LL readers:
1.) Pre-opening: People were excited about the possibilities and generally disappointed about the use of “nice rack.” We were treated to a great preview of the restaurant from Keith. Bill even gave you guys props as an example for how restaurant owners should address blog readers! Things were looking up.
2.) First impression: Pretty good food, a little high on the price point, better than a lot of other local BBQ, good service, bad sides, would return. That seemed to be the majority consensus. Phrases like “class act,” “wow!,” and “very happy” were thrown around liberally.
3.) Next few months: Overall, still pretty good reviews. Not a huge amount of change, but generally positive (notably, this included mostly positive reviews from Lefty and MSPD). You and your management team interacted with readers here and people complemented you all on your service. There were some issues with family and friends of yours commenting and astroturfing on other sites, but an apology was issued, Keith continued the conversation, and all was good and right in the world. Keith Sr. even said that reading the comments was “fun!” Elliott, you said, “I really enjoy reading…this [blog].” We were on a roll (even if the owner’s wife was trying to dig up negative info on Bill…whatever, she’s not the first to try that and we’d rather judge your establishment on the merits of its direct management anyway).
4.) A year and a half in: You released a tacky ad in which the camera specifically zoomed in on a pair of breasts and the “nice rack” double entendre took center stage. Dialogue about this ad was cordial with debate over the ad’s tackiness or usefulness. In fact, discussion quickly got away from the ad and back to the quality of the sides, a constant theme for the last 2.5 years here. You adamantly defended both your sides and the double entendre. Bill even offered to have LL do a side-by-side comparison of your sides with other BBQ joints’ sides! Everyone was trying to sing kumbaya with one another and it was a pretty special moment. Nothing ever came from Bill’s offer (though you had said you’d do it).
5.) A few weeks later: The Rack Shack was featured on Man vs. Food, which apparently brought you many new visitors. Comments continued to come in from regular readers here (Chad, Chapter&Verse, and other less regular readers), the VAST majority of which were A.) positive about the meat and B.) negative about the sides. Regardless of the criticism of the sides and frustrations with the takeout procedures, most commenters noted that they are frequent visitors and really like the Rack Shack. It’s all good and everything’s groovy!
6.) Two years in: Criticism starts to pick up a bit. Nothing overwhelming, but a few comments about hit-or-miss quality of meals. Not much that was overwhelmingly negative, more just overall frustration from a few people and fewer positive reviews were rolling in. I suppose it was a sign of what was coming.
7.) Two and a half years in: Bill posts a link to a Star Tribune review that notes the tackiness of the “nice racks” moniker. There was some back-and-forth about the Strib review, then out of nowhere, you posted another defense of the “nice rack” tagline and, more importantly, that Bill “thinks I’m a sleeze [sic].” Now, maybe there was some communication directly between you and Bill that everyone else was unaware of, but I don’t see anything in the previous comments that would lead me to think Bill thinks you’re a sleaze. Again, maybe he does, but it didn’t seem that apparent to me in the previous comments in this post.
And that’s where everything went south faster than a retiree in December. Calling Bill a turd didn’t help your cause either.
So, somehow, some way, this thread went from, “Great service, awesome interaction from ownership with their customers, a place I frequently visit!” to “Who the hell treats their customers like that, especially in a public forum?!?” As a business owner, you will obviously generate numerous opinions and feelings from your customers and you can’t please everyone. But the fault for the direction of this thread is squarely on you. As the business owner, you just can’t react the way you have to people you disagree with. It’s totally unacceptable. If you want to write off the opinion of a commenter or two or even of Bill, that’s your prerogative. But you’ve chosen to handle it in a way that’s completely baffling and has certainly lost you the business of many people in this thread who were former supporters.
October 5th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Joey, I believe Lefty is the one being called a turd, not Bill.
October 5th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Lefty, you are correct. I figured in all of that drivel I had to screw something up. Thank you for the correction.
The point still stands. Calling someone a “turd” – especially someone who sang such high praises for this establishment at one point – is unbelievably stupid in a public forum, no matter how much of a turd you may be. (I will let others judge your actual turdishness.)
October 6th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Joey, s/Lefty/Ozzie. You apparently wasted all of your braincells on your long ass comment ;-)
October 6th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Wow, you’re right. Calling Ozzie Lefty…no excuse for that. Sorry Ozzie!
It didn’t help that I wrote the comment with all of the HTML formatting in place, so trying to read and re-read it was next to impossible given all of the links I sprinkled throughout it. Not that anyone is actually clicking through all of those links for the references, but I thought it made for a more complete comment.
October 6th, 2012 at 10:53 pm
Apology accepted.
No hard feelings.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Baldy’s makes it to the final four of the 2011-2012 Bar-B-Quest Bracket but Rack Shack does not.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VUb6vdmNLg4/UJwkudNQPAI/AAAAAAAAHJ8/mpjxx_AafT4/s1600/Bar-B-QuestBracket2012_10182012.jpg
via: http://youcarewhatwethink.blogspot.com/2012/11/baldys-bbq-lakeville-mn-bar-b-quest.html
November 8th, 2012 at 8:03 pm
This BBQ competition is suspect without Ted Cook’s 19th Hole included. That said, Hook’s must be pretty good to beat out Big Daddy’s.
November 16th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Wow I commented on this post in April of 2010. My buddy said I needed to check it out again because things have gotten crazy. He sure was right. Rack Shack staff has lost their damn minds. I have followed LL for some time and know for a fact this blog has influence on the community. To bad Rack Shack doesn’t respect that. My buddy and I have a blog that has gained some traction as of late. Maybe we will have to stop by and see if they have made any real changes th their food.
Keep doing your thing Bill…
December 17th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
From Urbanspoon:
December 17th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
I am voting for Joey’s comment when it is up for comment of the year.
December 17th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Jerk.
December 17th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Sorry, MSPD. Did you have a good one too?
December 17th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
lefty, sorry that comment isn’t rated highly enough to make COTY. Here’s one of his that will: http://www.lazylightning.org/apple-valley-police-officer-speeds-unnecessarily#comment-237802
December 17th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I think his juxtaposition of the new Burnsville logo on Rich Uncle Pennybags is the runaway winner. Screw the stupid comment rating nomination system.
December 17th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
That only had +9. It’s not even in the top 3. If you have a better system, please let me know.
December 17th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Crazy that a comment that took an hour (the one in this thread) and one that took a half hour (my Burnsville city logo mashup with the Monopoly guy) both rank lower than one that took 10 seconds.
December 17th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Yeah…nominations. Things are thumbsed-upped and downed for things that have nothing to do with quality of post (or humor or whatever).
Or just give it to me.
December 17th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Nominations are hard since there are more than 6000 comments posted this year (way down from last year’s record 8300) but still difficult to wade through.
Tell you what, I’ll put up links to the top 25 or so and then offer a place for people to suggest ones taht may have not received the ratings. Cool?
Oh, and MSPD, even if you won (which won’t ever happen), I’d jsut give you a gift card for a business that has is closing in 2 weeks.
December 17th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
I won a dinner at Lola that I paid for. You should be so lucky.
December 17th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Yeah but I took a picture of the back of your head and had to endure the stares of uncomfortable patrons as they laid eyes on your ugly ass.
That, and Lola wasn’t all that great and now we have to listen to C&V whine about how great it is all the time.
December 17th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Well, that’s an improvement over the 2 days you gave me last time.
December 17th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
“…and now we have to listen to C&V whine about how great it is all the time.”
Truth hurts sometimes, eh, Bill? :-)
December 17th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Not as much as bullshit stinks ;-)