CG Hooks Eatery

Cold food and flavorless pork. Ordered a Chicago hot dog once as well and the flavor is just not there, won’t be returning.

Let me say, this joint has 5 stars written all over it. The White Bear Lake area impresses me yet again. My ribs were not as hot (temperature-​wise) as I like them, but the flavor was there. The sides I had were slaw and baked beans which were both great. There are lot’s of sauces to pick from and the one I chose was called Carolina Gold. Excellent flavor. Right by the lake shore, and very nice on the inside. I will return sometime for sure.

I offer one whole star to C.G. Hooks, which is the sum of several criteria.
Staff/​Hospitality: ¹⁄₃ Star — no server ever acknowledged me, but the two waitresses I approached told me that someone else would be sent to help me (the right way to do this is find out what I want & have the other person bring it…)
Food Quantity: ¹⁄₃ Star — total joke. If the food is really «scratch» like advertised, their gross profit margin is INCREDIBLE. You’re going to pay around $ 9 for a $ 1-​$ 4 sandwich, $ 2.50 for 2oz of beans/​shredded cabbage/​seasoned chips.
Food Quality: ¹⁄₃ Star — any flavor the food might have was unnoticeable, waiting to be ignored and the insane pricing are very unappetizing and leave a bitter aftertaste.

My wife and I were waiting for Acqua to open today, (July 5^th 2015) and decided to swing by Tally’s for a cocktail (across from cg hooks, serves bbq.) After looking at the menu and seeing the slow smoked bbq advert we decided to stay for dinner. I would consider ribs to be my favorite dish, so I was excited to try them out. I went from excited to have a close-​by memphis style bbq joint to frequent, to bummed out enough that I decided to write this. Here is our order, and here’s the review:
Yardbird on a skin: Chicken was Dry, no smoke flavor. Needed maybe some salt or something. Potatoes tasted like they’d been cooked for awhile and reheated.
Rachel Press: Wife said it was okay. I thought it was decent, but still didn’t have the smoke they were advertising.
Full Rack of Ribs: A+ For quantity, D for quality. There were a bunch of them, but the rub was sparse and there again was zero smoke flavor. I’m starting to wonder writing this review if their smoker was broken and instead of telling people, they just hoodwinked them and served baked ribs. They were tender, but had no rub or smoke flavor whatsoever. I was a bit concerned at this and walked over to find that unlike every single other decent bbq joint I’ve ever been to, there was not a smell of smoke in the place.
Drinks:
Mojito: Decent.
Paradise Island Spiced Tea: Tons of booze, so you got some value there I guess.
The wait staff was okay and the view was great. Two stars for having a drink by the lake.

This place has amazing ribs and brisket. Rather than smother their bbq in sauce, they use rubs and slow smoking to create delicious harmony of flavor and tenderness. Their pulled pork sandwich is solid as well. They custom make their sauces including styles from the Carolinas, KC, Memphis, as well my favorite, the «Howlin’ the Blues» sauce, made with ghost peppers. They also make a buffalo sauce thats delicious with their Yard Bird chicken. They keep a rotating tap service sure to provide many different types and styles of beer from pale ales to IPAs to lagers to porters featuring breweries all over including local breweries, New Belgium, Odelle’s, Alaskan, and Deschutes. During the warm months, you can enjoy live music on Wed, Fri, and Sat evenings featuring a myriad of performers including local artist Jake Nelson. Definitely a need to visit spot in White Bear or if you live nearby become a regular.

Portion sizes for the ice cream are pitiful. I am being generous with an estimate of 2oz of ice cream in one of their scoops. My 6 year old started crying when she saw her scoop – ended up giving her mine. I think that $ 2.80 for ¼ cup of ice cream is a little steep… plenty of other options in the area.

Chicken sandwich was good, but that’s where it ends.
Chicken wings are only available during the summer, pig wings too. Note: We ate here in May.
Beef brisket tin plate was merely OK, a little dry and a very small portion.
Baked beans were barely passable; very light on flavor.
Cole slaw might as well have been just plain shredded cabbage.
And then the corn on the cob. Oh my, where do I begin? If I were to try to reproduce this, it would go something like this:
1. Take the oldest ear available.
2. Boil it until all the flavor is gone, then keep boiling it until the kernels start to shrivel.
3. Put it in the fridge overnight, uncovered to dry it out and remove any lingering sweetness that might have remained.
4. Barely warm it up and serve it without any butter.
Then as we were leaving I spied a caddy of BBQ sauces that we were never offered.
Not going back.

We ended up here after searching for ice cream near by White Bear. We had seen this place while eating next door but didn’t know what it was about. The menu had BBQ on it so we gave it a try. We ate indoors because it was raining but they have a great outdoor space next to the lake. The service was a little slow but the staff is very nice. They have a pretty good beer list and the owner is a beer guy so you should be able to find something you like. We both had pulled pork, mine was open face and hers was a sandwich. The meat looked and tasted great. We both devoured them. We got the corn salsa and beans as a side. Also great. The BBQ sauces are all homemade and fantastic. I tried the ghost and the Memphis. The ghost is named for the ghost peppers used. It is hot but not overwhelming so. The owner actually picked my sauces for me since he knew I would like those with flavor. The Memphis also had a little bite but the flavor was awesome. The owner chatted with us a while. He is a very nice guy and obviously a great cook! We plan to come back with the kids and try some other options on the menu.

This was one if the worst BBQ experiences I have ever had. I ordered the Brisket dinner to take out with beans and corn salsa on the side. The service was ambivalent even for takeout. The brisket was fatty and appeared to be boiled (or had been sitting in a steam table for a long time). None of the crust or smoke you hope for in good brisket. The portion was very small for the $ 16 meal price. The Kansas City BBQ sauce they sent was little more than tomato paste with no snap at all. They were out of the Memphis style but it’s probably just as well. The corn salsa was basically frozen corn. Cold and horrible. The cornbread side looked like a mutant Pillsbury crescent roll and was dry and tasteless. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this meal. With many new and encouraging dining choices springing up in White Bear I cannot envision ever eating there again. Hoping for better.

Ordered the full rack to go. Ribs were OK, sides were ridiculously small, no corn bread. Not sure I would go back. Lot better places for ribs.

I’ll agree with all the reviews here: The ribs are great. But, the portions are so small. Spending $ 35 should be enough to fill 2 people up plus some at a rib joint, right? I would think so. Don’t get me wrong, these are great ribs, fall off the bone, and juicy. Not particularly meaty though. That’s fine with me, but at least add some size to the sides. Both my wife and I felt like we needed a snack a couple hours later and we don’t usually snack.

Went to the place on a whim with my family for a late lunch. I was extremely disappointed. The portion sizes were meager and the food was expensive. As everyone else has mentioned, you have to order sides. My panini alone was $ 8 and then to get fries, we coughed up $ 2.50. I’m not cheap. I expect to pay but considering the price, I expected more and better tasting food.
The food wasn’t great but the customer service was worse. We waited forever for our food. I know that sounds like an exaggeration but I timed it (posted a photo with a time stamp right after we ordered). We waited 25 minutes and we were the only seated customers. We also had to ask for a high chair and then drag it to the table from the middle of the room after the server pointed to it.
After our food, my fiancé decided he wanted ice cream. We waited in line so long that a family ahead of us walked out. We watched as a new hire struggled to scoop ice cream (the customer even hinted dipping it in water first might help). He then broke the cone while scooping, handed it to the customer and said, «I hope you don’t mind.» Seriously? They were out of a few ice cream flavors and waffle cones but didn’t seem to realize it as they scrambled to dig through boxes and run to the kitchen. If you don’t have it, let us know before we order and wait and wait and wait.
The kicker was trying to pay. They had lost our table. So we stood there as they yelled back and forth and rerung us.
As we left, my fiancé turned to me and said,“if I was the owner, I would be mad to see that happen.” And that was the strange thing. There was no leadership, not even a manager that I could see. Just a bunch of high school kids leaning on counters and not taking ownership.
I am spreading the word. This place is a waste of time.

Food was decent but again the sides are ridiculous they come in the sample sized dishes you get at a supermarket deli counter.

When we first walked up to this place, we thought it was odd that it was almost empty on a beautiful Saturday evening (Acqua Restaurant next door was completely packed). The reviews were mixed and we really wanted to sit outside by a lake so we figured we’d give it a try.
The pulled chicken and beef brisket were okay. At almost $ 10 a sandwich, you don’t get any sides and the sandwiches are small. The BBQ sauce that came on the side was definitely not good; it was more of a chunky paste that was way too sweet. We had baked beans, cornbread, and corn salsa for sides. The sides are $ 2.50 each and you get a very small serving of each.
The tap beers were $ 6, which isn’t too bad compared to other bars. However, when you pair it with the cost of the food, it just wasn’t worth it. I guess this place is really only worth coming to for the drinks. I doubt we’d even be back for that, which is too bad because it’s in an ideal location.

I really wanted to love this place. Went in on a Saturday evening to pick up dinner for the family. The guy behind the counter was super helpful and offered many recommendations. Unfortunately I found the food to just be OK. The portions were tiny, the side he packed for 4 people seemed like a side for 1 or 2. I just can’t justify spending that much for a small portion of decent BBQ.

I’m not overly impressed with their food, prices and their staff. Would eat it if that was my only option, but other than that no.

In a nutshell: Great food, super small portions, kinda pricey.
I’ve been here a handful of times now. It’s a cute little family owned place. The indoor seating is larger than it looks, and the outdoor seating is nice too. The service has always been pretty good.
The bad: The sandwiches don’t come with any sides. None at all. When they bring out your $ 9 brisket sandwich, it’s only the size of a McDonald’s Happy Meal hamburger — I’m not kidding, it’s really that small. And there are no sides with it. None at all. Those cost an extra $ 2.50 each.
The food is super good though, and all hand made, rubbed, and smoked on-​site. Just know what you’re getting in to and be prepared to spend a little more than you normally would. It’s worth it! The ice cream is also great on a hot day.

Holy Buhjeezus it was hot up in here! I mean, I get it, you’re smoking the food right there (as evidenced by the yummy smells) but would it hurt anything to get a few fans?
We had a
gift cert. to use that I’d chosen on a whim since we live not too far away and like BBQ. So we hit this place up on a Friday night. We have a 2-​year old so we dine fairly early. We went in around 6pm and were the only people in the place.
We ordered the frito burrito pie thing, a pulled pork sandwich, a ½ slab of ribs with cornbread and beans, and a grilled cheese for the kiddo. All the food was tasty, especially the cornbread. The beans (and the beans in the frito pie) had the biggest beans I’ve ever seen in them. I don’t know what they were, other than beans on steriods. The beans had a slightly sweet flavor to them that was interesting. I thought they’d be more tangy.
Pulled pork was good but messy. Messy good though. Next time I’ll probably get it with the slaw on top. Ribs were good but not «fall off the bone» good.
The highlight of our night was our server, she was the sweetest thing! She loved our daughter (can’t blame her there) and got everything we needed. My only complaint and this probably isn’t her fault, but a pitcher of water would have been great instead of constantly asking for refills.
Top off the night with an ice cream cone and we’re good to go!
It’s really nice that it’s basically on the lake. We took our cones and our daughter for a stroll before heading home.

Let me preface this review by saying, I love barbeque.
So not too long ago, I was mulling around White Bear Lake on lunch break and out of the 80’s suburban regularity CG Hooks appeared. I knew as soon as I saw it from the Taco Johns parking lot that this CG Hooks and I had a date with destiny. For there has always been a great dilemma in this Northern clime of where to find good barbeque and I thought I had found it. Alas, my experience with CG Hooks the next week
was mixed at best.
What attracts the senses to good barbeque is always the scent of smoking brisket and indeed, that is what caught my attention. In front of the unassuming restaurant is a large smoker from which emits that dark meaty fragrance that lures in the passersby. This is how CG Hooks makes its initial impression to me, all of which seemed good. After taking a look at the menu, I was encouraged by the selection. So, I ordered a beef brisket sandwich with my favorite fixins: baked beans and corn bread.
Then comes the bad; I was surprised after getting the total which came closer to $ 20 than I really feel comfortable with for just lunch. I tried to comfort myself by saying the portions waiting for me in the little bag I clutched must be huge.
But then, just another disappointment; the beans were in a container I normally associate with condiments and the cornbread was closer to a cookie than a muffin in size. The brisket was good, but there just wasn’t much there. To be fair, they made me a sandwich which, isn’t really on the menu because I was getting takeout.
Overall the taste was decent, portions small and price high. I intend to visit again and eat in to see if my experience is any better, but for now I cannot rate ye high, CG Hooks.

I was surprised by this place. From the outside, you can tell this place is small. But don’t be fooled. When you walk in, there is an awesome selection of ice cream and further back, a few seats for dining in. All of the ribs are premade, and warmed up to serve. Memphis style, dry rub, and quite tasty, prepared very well. The red cabbage coleslaw was solid. My wife had the Cuban sandwich which was also good. The 1919 Root Beer on tap was very good as well. Ice cream is from some place out of Madison, I can attest to the cappuccino flavor. A solid bet.