Drunky's Two Shoe BBQ Review

Trolls, Goats and… Clowns. That doesn’t seem like a good way to start a review but stick with us. For Father’s Day this year, we visited Seattle’s own Fremont District, a mix of eclectic hipster vibe, young families, and breweries. After the obligatory sacrifice made at the Fremont Troll, my youngest suggested we go to Fremont Brewing Company. He likes the complimentary pretzels and apples, but I digress. Then my family surprised me with a trip to Drunky’s Two Shoe BBQ for lunch.

Twenty plus years of experience working in other BBQ restaurants followed by 3 years of testing wrought this Central Texas inspired BBQ joint. Hell, they started out of an Airstream. Who doesn’t love an Airstream?

We first noticed the…goats. Not goat, but goats. Penned in the front the restaurant, they were an immediate hit with the younger crowd. As for the adults, we noticed the side patio, with pickup truck beds as bench seating and picnic tables are something you’d expect to find in Texas, not in Seattle. The staff brought carrots for the kids to feed the goats while we reviewed the menu.

The food. First, any place that lets you add pork belly bacon to anything for a nominal cost is good in our books. We tried several items – “The Bone Yard” a mix of chicken, brisket, and rib, and the hot link plate with baked beans and of course corn bread. Alongside we enjoyed the mild, spicy, and “DOOM” sauce.

The BBQ was served dry with sauce on the side, which we like because it says there is nothing to hide. The chicken was moist and smoky. The hot links had the right kick and a snap to the bite which tells you they’re not overdone. Although the ribs were good, they were just a tad overdone, just a bit. You can tell when you bite into a rib, you should pull away and see a complete bite-mark, not have half the rib pull away with it. Smoking ribs and keeping throughout the day in restaurant quantity isn’t easy, and these were pretty good. The brisket was flavorful, with a good smoke ring. I was most excited for this part and it held up. Brisket is, by far, the most difficult cut of meat to smoke. Do it wrong, and it will taste like boot leather, any BBQ pitmaster will tell you. Do it right, and pull it apart with your hands, and you’ll see what we call the, “honeycomb,” where tender meat separates along the length. Drunky’s? It definitely honeycombed. My only complaint is it was in the warmer long enough to dry out towards the end of the meal. A little sauce solves that. Speaking of sauce, we enjoyed all of their sauces. Have a beer, milk, or peanuts nearby for “Doom.” It’s not blindingly hot, but packs a kick.

Lastly I mentioned clowns. The Smithsonian reported in a 2008 survey of 250 children between the ages of four and 16, that most of the children disliked and even feared images of clowns. So maybe you shouldn’t let your kids between four and sixteen go to the bathroom by themselves. I kid, I kid. But that’s definitely the décor in the bathroom. Clean, well taken care of…with clowns.

As a family, we had a great time at this BBQ joint and have sent many friends ever since. A fun find by my [now] wife and a Father’s Day favorite. Delicious food, friendly attentive staff, and unique décor. Definitely a must try in the Seattle area.