Blue Oak BBQ Leads The Ranks Of Barbecue Joints In New Orleans

The BBQ scene in New Orleans is thriving, and Mid City's Blue Oak BBQ leads the pack. The restaurant, which opened back in 2016 after years of smaller pop-ups in both Grits and Chickie Wah Wah, has found a home in a neighborhood that has embraced the workings – and the mouthwatering waft of smoked meats — produced by owners and pitmasters, Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley. On any given day, the patio is filled and the interior restaurant and bar are bustling with patrons looking to satiate their carnivorous cravings.

Evans and Moseley, both New Orleans natives, worked in a barbecue joint in Vail, Colorado, where they honed their craft before opening up shop in New Orleans. "Low and slow" is the restaurant's motto, and its carefully crafted menu demonstrates this process with a combination of sandwiches like the Doobin Lubin, featuring pulled pork and house smoked sausage, and plates stacked with prime beef brisket, St. Louis spare ribs that fall off the bone, or chicken legs. In addition, the menu offers a wide variety of savory sides, including Brussels sprouts, roasted garlic mac 'n' cheese, and potato salad, all of which have become as equally revered as the barbecue itself.

The laid-back rustic interior boats a full bar serving a wide assortment of beer, wine, and original cocktails. Even better, there's a happy hour Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Specials include $5 smoked wings and mini barbecue nachos, $3 barbecue sliders, half off daiquiris, draft beer, and wine, $2 tall boys, and $2 off house cocktails.

If you can't get enough of Blue Oak BBQ's meat-y goodness and don't have time for a sit-down meal, order one of its bag lunches, which include either a pork or brisket sandwich dressed with a choice of side for $13.

Head over to its Carrollton Street location Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. If you can't make it to New Orleans, find high-quality barbecue across the nation.

The meal that is the subject of this review was provided at no cost to the contributor.