18324 E Nunneley Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296
Review Highlights
Caldwell County BBQ Restaurant Review
I discovered Caldwell County BBQ while on the east side of town. From the intersection, the restaurant was almost entirely blocked by mature trees, and it appeared they were operating out of an old trailer.
Once I got closer, I could see that it was a much larger operation. In fact, it was a full size restaurant.
Depending on where you park, Caldwell County BBQ is oriented in such a way that you have to enter through the large covered patio.
Near the entrance is a cordoned-off area containing the main attraction: a row of approximately four massive barbecue pits, each roughly 20-feet long.
Once inside the restaurant, there will probably be a line. Generally, long lines tell the story of the popularity of the restaurant.
But sometimes the long lines exist because… there is only one register! Everything is laid out cafeteria style [basically like Chipotle]. But the line moves efficiently.
A tip for aspiring restaurant owners is to have one centralized checkout. This will create long lines, which signals to passersby that the food must be good.
The culture of the restaurant really stood out. For example, while making my way to the order line, I was given a generous slice of freshly chopped brisket to sample.
For this visit, I tried the following: El General Patton, which is 1/3 pound of chopped brisket, 1/3 pound of pulled pork, and 1/4 sausage link on a Hawaiian roll.
Coleslaw can be added to the sandwich at no charge. The signature dish also includes one individual side. I chose mac and cheese.
They asked if I wanted a side of pickles and/or jalapenos. They too are no extra charge.
In the photos, you might notice a small portion of pinto beans. The restaurant gave me those to sample. They are made with pulled pork, onions, and jalapenos.
The first thing I tried was the coleslaw. Legit. I noticed that it had a citrus flavor in it.
Turns out it was a lemon poppy seed coleslaw. To me, the poppy seeds were insignificant/unnoticeable.
I won’t say it beat regular slaw but it was solid. I like how they try to do things different.
Next, I tried the beans. Definitely good. The key to good beans is meat.
I then tried the mac. As I was eating it, I noticed some type of flavoring in it. Not quite onion. Not quite bell pepper. But something was in it.
Turns out they add roasted green chilies. It was okay but I would prefer just plain mac and cheese.
The star of the show was the photo-ready El General Patton BBQ sandwich with three different meats. No chance I was going to eat it in one sitting.
Given its size, you might need to take a break from eating meat for a while. This monstrosity has about a week’s worth of calories in it. Insane!
In addition to good barbecue, they also had some classic desserts that I want to try, like “Aunt Diane’s Texas Sheet Cake” (brownie?) and a unique take on banana pudding with smoked vanilla beans.
No matter where you are in the valley, Caldwell County BBQ is definitely worth the visit. Peace.
