Atmosphere:
Podnah's is located on Killingsworth Street near 15th, so the neighborhood isn't quite as lively and inviting as some other spots around town like Alberta or Mississippi. There are definitely a lot of quality places to go nearby, but everything is a little more spread out. The restaurant itself is nice and cozy with a rustic quality that is pretty prevalent around here. A lot of wood and a no frills kind of feel with friendly people and a lot of regular customers.
The decor is what you might expect from a sit-down Texas style BBQ joint. Comfortable lighting and music fill up the spaces between all of the people. We went on Friday night so naturally it was pretty busy. We put our name on the list, but then two spots opened up at the bar so we decided to sit there.
Food:
While there is technically no happy hour specials, the portions are big enough to split between two people so you can still be economical about it. Fooditka and Yours Truly split a cup of the Texas Red Chili and The Pit Boss, which is a platter of assorted BBQ meats and a hot link. The Pit Boss comes with 2 sides and some cornbread.
Texas Red Chili - Dubbed an "all meat chili" on the menu, it is as advertised. Nice big chunks of brisket that almost fall apart in the smoky and spicy sauce, it was a great way to start off. The chili is served with a wedge of cornbread, which is always a nice complement.
The Pit Boss - A nice sized plate of food, The Pit Boss comes with 1/4 pound of brisket, 1/4 pound of pulled pork, 2 pork ribs, a sausage link, 2 sides and some cornbread. It's a great sampling of some classic BBQ options. The brisket was tasty for sure, but a little on the fatty side. The pulled pork was very solid, and the ribs were good as well; tender and falling apart, tangy and and delicious. I thought the sausage link was fantastic, I'd say it was my favorite part of the meal. Pretty spicy and on the well done side, my only problem with it was that there was only one. Oh well, I'll just have to go back one day and get another.
Yet another highlight was the variety of sauces that accompany the meat. There is some tangy vinegar for the pulled pork, their house BBQ sauce for the brisket and the ribs, a great hot mustard for the already hot sausage, and some honey for the cornbread. The sides were also good, we went with the collards and the BBQ beans.
Quick, Quick, Slow, Slow - On to the adult beverage portion of the show, I ordered this guy which is just a fancy name for a shot of Buffalo Trace and a 12 oz Shiner Bock to chase it with. Like I said, it's a no frills kind of place. They do have a full bar, and an interesting array of cocktails on the menu to choose from.
Service and Cost:
I'd have to say the service was great; perhaps it was aided by the fact that we were at the bar, so anything we needed we got right away. But beyond that, the people were friendly and efficient and happy to answer all of our questions. And despite the no happy hour deal, with food, drinks, and tip we got out of there for less than $25.00 per person; not too bad for dinner on a Friday night.
3 Mmmms
Podnah's Pit Barbecue - 1625 N.E. Killingsworth Street Portland, OR 97211
503.281.3700
podnahspit.com
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