4
Bailey 24 months ago
After two failed attempts, I finally got the chance to try Joe Mo's! On the whole, it was definitely above average and I'm glad I got to mark another Huntsville-area bbq restaurant off my list!
This small shop is located on the corner of a somewhat dilapidated shopping mall. Look for the Ollie's Discount Store; then you'll know you're in the right place! The signage is nondescript but you can see a big smoker behind the building. Always a good sign. :)
We arrived right at opening time at 11 AM on Thursday. The inside is simple: a chalkboard menu on the wall, two or three tables with chairs, an upright cooler with canned drinks, and a single bathroom in the back. Their menu has lots of bbq favorites: smoked chicken, pulled pork, ribs, sausages, wings, etc. Sides are simple and standard bbq fixings, like baked beans, slaw, and potato salad. On Friday and Saturday, they have broccoli salad and macaroni and cheese.
Looked like a one man show when we were there; we saw him working out back and waited a few minutes for him to come inside to place our order. But what a nice man he was! He was apologetic about the wait and super service-oriented; he insisted we sit so he could deliver our food to us, and would not let us pay until we'd eaten our lunch and ensured it was to our satisfaction. He had a jovial and energetic demeanor and it was a pleasure to interact with him.
For lunch, my mom and I both ordered smaller sized pulled pork sandwiches. I had a bag of chips and a Pepsi with mine and she ordered a small side of potato salad. Think we got out for less than $15 for both of us; not too bad for these days. Our food was brought out in to-go bags; I think everything comes out that way whether it's really to go or not.
Overall, this was solid bbq. It didn't vault to my new favorite spot, but it's definitely a top 5 in Huntsville, for me. You can come here and you definitely won't be disappointed. The pork was smoky and pulled into good sized pieces. The sauce that came in a cup on the side was medium thickness and a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Very good sauce, as far as I'm concerned. It covered up the pork's one weakness, which was that it was a tiny bit dry. 4/5 though. Mom liked the potato salad.
Also brought husband home a half rack of ribs. They were reasonably priced at about $15. He really, really enjoyed them. He said almost 4.5/5. Like me, his one criticism is they were a tiny bit dry/tough, but not distressingly so.
My only major complaint: it was hard finding a time when they were actually open. Like I mentioned earlier, visited twice when Google and Yelp BOTH said they were open, only to find that not to be true. It seems Facebook has the most correct times on there, and I believe I was successful in updating Yelp's hours, at least. For now, it looks like Thursday - Saturday from 11-7 is go time. Just something to keep in mind when planning your visit.
Aside from hiccups with opening hours, I'd definitely recommend you give this place a try for some pretty good bbq.