BBQ in Tuscon, AZ?

[gtr]

I'm gonna be in Tuscon for a day in a few weeks. Where's the good grub at? :hungry:

 

[peeps]

Not BBQ, but I recall the food being decent and the beer being good...

http://www.barriobrewing.com/

 

[gtr]

Thanks - yeah, it doesn't necessarily have to be BBQ - just something good! Looks like they have the burgers going on at that place.

 

[Gore]

Tucson isn´t really known for it´s BBQ. There were a few places downtown growing up, but I expect they´re long gone now. In college, I used to frequent Big Ray´s BBQ, but they no longer exist. There are tons of great restaurants though. One standby that I always try to get to is La Parrilla Suiza. It has become a chain. I believe I used to order the 23 and the 46 :becky:, but that was over 20 years ago. I´ve been a few times since and it is still good. It is a completely different style of Mexican food and not typical of the area. The Mexican food I grew up with in Tucson is not available so much anymore. The meats are mixed with beans and rice, for instance. Growing up, this wasn´t the case.

Many great places have since been overrun. For instance, in the Northwest, there is a restaurant called Li´l Abners. This used to be a bar with about 5 tables in it. I remember it being a long way out of town and we used to have to drive on a dirt road to get there. They served a one pound T'bone and a 2 pound porterhouse -- that was it. The bar was filled with old dusty crap that I found fascinating. Usually, it was just us eating and a few old farts sitting at the bar getting drunk. They expanded a bit and added ribs and chicken to the menu by the time I was in college. I went back about 10 years ago and it was huge. There was a banquet hall, outdoor patio, lots of extra buildings, and farkin´tour buses! :shock: Oddly, the original building with the bar and seating that we used to eat at was still there, but all this other stuff was built around it. I don´t know if I recommend it or not. :noidea: Pinnacle Peak on the other side of town is always good for a laugh.

I believe the last restaurant I ate at was Vivace´s on Campbell and River Rd, and it was quite good.

As expected, La Parrilla Suiza has changed their numbering

http://www.laparrillasuiza.com/menu.html

They have great chilaquiles, and I used to love the parrillada de filete (heck, it was all pretty good).

 

[Cast Iron Chef]

Little Miss BBQ has a place in Phoenix. It's about 1.5 hours out of Tuscon. Never ate there but they did well in competition and on FB they seem to sell out.

 

[gtr]

Tucson isn´t really known for it´s BBQ. There were a few places downtown growing up, but I expect they´re long gone now. In college, I used to frequent Big Ray´s BBQ, but they no longer exist. There are tons of great restaurants though. One standby that I always try to get to is La Parrilla Suiza. It has become a chain. I believe I used to order the 23 and the 46 :becky:, but that was over 20 years ago. I´ve been a few times since and it is still good. It is a completely different style of Mexican food and not typical of the area. The Mexican food I grew up with in Tucson is not available so much anymore. The meats are mixed with beans and rice, for instance. Growing up, this wasn´t the case.

Many great places have since been overrun. For instance, in the Northwest, there is a restaurant called Li´l Abners. This used to be a bar with about 5 tables in it. I remember it being a long way out of town and we used to have to drive on a dirt road to get there. They served a one pound T'bone and a 2 pound porterhouse -- that was it. The bar was filled with old dusty crap that I found fascinating. Usually, it was just us eating and a few old farts sitting at the bar getting drunk. They expanded a bit and added ribs and chicken to the menu by the time I was in college. I went back about 10 years ago and it was huge. There was a banquet hall, outdoor patio, lots of extra buildings, and farkin´tour buses! :shock: Oddly, the original building with the bar and seating that we used to eat at was still there, but all this other stuff was built around it. I don´t know if I recommend it or not. :noidea: Pinnacle Peak on the other side of town is always good for a laugh.

I believe the last restaurant I ate at was Vivace´s on Campbell and River Rd, and it was quite good.

As expected, La Parrilla Suiza has changed their numbering

http://www.laparrillasuiza.com/menu.html

They have great chilaquiles, and I used to love the parrillada de filete (heck, it was all pretty good).

Well, now that you've said "chilaquiles" I won't be thinking of anything else until I eat some. :doh:

 

[cb25]

I've been told there are some good spots in Tucson, I just haven't been to them. La Parilla Suiza is decent (I've only been to a Phoenix-area one)

If you end up a couple hours north in Phoenix at all, I may be able to recommend better.