Bad Brads BBQ Shelby Twp Review – Pics, and menu info. Bad Brads BBQ on 23 Mile Rd in Shelby Twp, Michigan fits well into debates of best bbq restaurants in Metro Detroit.
OAKLAND COUNTY BBQ RESTAURANTS
Bad Brads BBQ compares very nicely to the competition and comes out at or near the top. The rustic interior and exterior give it an up north lodge feel. There is plenty of dark woods, a wood paneled-ceiling, gun-metal accents, brick, and even some cinder block. There’s also an outdoor patio that can be enjoyed during the warmer seasons. Pair the ambience with the aroma of smoked BBQ favorites, and you’ve reached food and comfort heaven.
Bad Brads BBQ Shelby Twp MI Pics
Bad Brads keeps the casual BBQ dining experience true to a typical BBQ by serving foods on a tray and drinks in tall Mason jars. There’s nothing overly fancy here, and it’s great that way. Throw me a few wet naps and let me dig in.
OAKLAND COUNTY BBQ RESTAURANTS
Bad Brads BBQ has plenty offer on their menu, but doesn’t over do it to the point where ordering off the menu is overwhelming, or they bit off more than they could perfect. Bad Brads offers BBQ meats such as slicked brisket, chopped brisket, pork sausage, pulled chicken, pulled pork, and smoked turkey. You can go the meat platter route with a couple of sides and then just enjoy sampling all the sauces (read below about these). The sides are many and all sound good… potato salad, french fries, pit beans, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables, corn bread, chili, grits, mac n cheese… The portion sizes are huge. I would estimate that the sides alone are about 3x the amount of the sides served at Union Woodshop. And, the meat portions are also larger.
Brads offers wood fired pizzas, cooked at 750 degrees. This is when being gluten-free is no fun. If I could, I would definitely try out the Burnt Ends pizza which is made with burnt ends, wood grilled onions, garlic, shaved red bliss potatoes, and cheeses including blue cheese.
Bad Brads menu includes appetizers (nachos, skins, wings, and some more unique options, salads and soups, sandwiches and burgers, BBQ platters, ribs, entrees (steak, salmon, chicken), kids meals, full beer menu, and desserts.
Bad Brads BBQ has their own in-house BBQ sauce line of six different flavors, including 321 (three parts sweet, two parts spicy, and one part sour), Sweet Mustard, Sour, Spicy, Spicier, and Sweet. My favorites were 321 and Spicier. Spicier was not over spicy so don’t let the name scare you. It’s full of flavor. My husband also enjoyed the Sweet Mustard.
The service at Brads BBQ during lunch was super fast. I can’t speak on the dinner rush, but considering it was a pretty full house when we were there for lunch, it was impressive. I guess all the meats are smoked and prepared so they just need to serve it up on the platter as the orders come in.
So, how does Bad Brads BBQ Shelby Twp MI stack up against other popular Metro Detroit barbecue restaurants? A comparison to one of Michigan’s most popular BBQ restaurants, Union Woodshop BBQ in Clarkston, comes to mind. Bad Brads BBQ hangs tight with Union Woodshop in terms of taste and quality. The difference is Bad Brads portions are significantly larger.
Not only do you get more food, Bad Brads is open for lunch (Union Woodshop isn’t). Don’t get me wrong, like Union Woodshop, Bad Brads is very popular and always crowded. You’ll just likely wait less for BBQ at Bad Brads – and having Bad Brads open during lunch hours is very convenient.
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Bad Brads BBQ Shelby MI
Shelby Township
6525 23 Mile Road
Shelby Township, MI 48316
Phone – 586-254-7010
For more info on Bad Brads BBQ Shelby Twp, visit badbradsbbq.com
