Savannah Joe’s Bar-B-Que

The food is outstanding! I had the pulled pork and it was some of the best that I have ever had. The sauces are a real adventure. You can customize the flavors any way that you like them. This will be a regular stop on my trips to the Northern Neck and I will bring my friends. I wish that I lived close enough to have my holiday turkey smoked by Savannah Joes.

An unpretentious place that makes everything in house and serves up tasty barbecue at a reasonable price. I wish I hadn’t been planning a big supper this night so I could have tried more items than their beef brisket sandwich.
Okay, the place looks like a dive from out front (especially with the old Smokin’ Joe’s name still visible from the road), and looks like a dive for most of the inside as well. The dining area is nice, though. But if you want good food and good service, looks are deceiving in this case. Savannah Joe’s is a great place to eat.
My meal came on greaseproof paper overlaying a serving dish. The cole slaw was minced, yellow, sweet, and delicious. The meat was piled high and enough for a sandwich and a half if I were at home. The meat was a little dry, though, so I dumped the slaw on the meat, squeezed on some original BBQ sauce, and had a good sandwich.
My wife had a pulled pork sandwich which rivalled anything we’ve had in BBQ crazy central Florida, and pretty much anywhere else. She also loved the fried okra.
This place does a hopping take out business, and there were only two persons working when we went — one woman to run the register, handle the take out orders and the phones, and work the dine in patrons as well, and the cook. Still, service was fast, friendly, and attentive.
Savannah Joe’s will also smoke meats you bring to them, which is a wonderful idea. They do a good job at it as I’ve had salmon they smoked for my mother.
If you live in Kilmarnock and haven’t tried this place, you’re missing out on a local gem. If you’re visiting and want to experience some great local BBQ, find this place (it’s right next to the Tri Star grocery store).

Yummy pulled pork bbq. Delicious crab bisque too :) lunch prices are a steal! Dinner in a little expensive. Great family atmosphere, seating indoor and outside

Mouthwatering, fall-​off-​the-​bone ribs plus good, friendly service; what more could one want? The live music on the funky, inviting wooden deck would be nice, but it’s been discontinued, unfortunately. But worth going to for the food.

Go for the ribs, no contest. Ribs, smoky, sliding off the bone — 5 stars. Pulled pork — 2.5 (tasty but too chewy). Beans were decent. Slaw and potato salad — nope, way too sweet. Hush puppies, yep, delicious, but wait, why only 3? No you may not have one of my hush puppies! And — is this the only place on the Northern Neck that you can get lunch after 2 on Sunday? What’s up with that? The locals sent us here after we bombed out on all the places we thought we wanted to try. Nothing fancy, but the food was way better than expected. Nice find.

Super ribs and Thursday is all-​you-​can-​eat ribs (super deal). I had a pulled pork sandwich with green while my husband had the all-​you-​can-​eat ribs with coleslaw. I love that the sauces are available separate and you can add as much or as little spice, sweetness or tang as your taste buds would like. The restaurant wasn’t very busy which is too bad because they serve really good food in a laid back (t-​shirt and shorts) setting. Friday nights also bring some good bands to the area. (I just wish they open up a bigger space to enjoy the music. One can only take so many elbows and/​or sweaty bodies bumping in you!)

We stopped here on our way to our friend’s farm. The BBQ was okay, but the sides were borderline yucky.
The fried okra tasted like it was of the frozen, boxed variety and the potato salad was full of sugar – and not much else. The baked beans were pretty decent.
There are a variety of sauces, sure, mostly Carolina style, which is fine by me. The meat (I had pulled pork) was a bit tough, and not in a good way. Even the sweet tea left me a little disappointed!
I may go back one day to try the ribs, but probably not – my farm friend is an amazing cook anyway.