Sugarfire 44 - Valley Park

The potato salad is awful. Pulled Pork was ok. I'm not really a fan of Sugarfire, but they are great at supporting local people when there is a devasting event in the area (flooding a couple of years back). So, when I'm at that end of town, I try to stop in. This is a locally owned business, and I try to support local businesses when possible.

I'm being a little generous with the 3 stars, but 2.5 isn't an option. This is a BBQ place southwest of St. Louis. Near the freeway and right next to the hotel. They have really strong reviews so I tried it. I found it very average. I ordered the 4 Bone Ribs with a side of mac&cheese. I pretty much never get appetizers, but I could not resist trying the Pork Belly Hushpuppies. I should have resisted. The hushpuppies came out after I was more than half done with my dinner. They were very dark brown from over-frying. Inside, the dough was dry and almost completely devoid of flavor. I guess they wave the pork belly by the deep fryer while they're cooking as there was no evidence of any pork belly in them. They came with a container of what was billed a jalapeno jelly. Again, I guess they wave the jalapenos at it from another room. The only thing I could taste was the sickly sweet sugar. The ribs were overdone and dry. The rub had a bit of flavor so that helped. There were four sauces on the table. I tried all the red ones. I will not every try anything called white bbq sauce. All three reds tasted straight out of bottle. None of them were the least bit interesting. The mac and cheese was actually not bad. Nice, thick cheese coating. I could be wrong but it may very well have been house made. The absolute star of the meal was the locally brewed stout. Overall, very average to below average.

Best brisket I've ever had! All the food was good but the brisket definitely stood out above the rest! Staff was awesome and the atmosphere was very neat! Will definitely make this a stop next time I'm in the area.

Review for Sugarfire Smokehouse I recently visited Sugarfire Smokehouse with a friend and had an overall excellent experience. The restaurant offers a wide variety of options, ensuring there's something for everyone. The smoke rings on the meat were subtle, and the tenderness and juiciness of the meat were impressive. I opted for the brisket dip, which came in a generous portion. While the taste was delightful, I found the amount of cheese to be overwhelming and ended up removing about half of it. Despite this, the dish was still quite enjoyable. Sugarfire Smokehouse is a place I would definitely recommend. The quality of the barbecue and the variety of choices make it worth a visit. I'll be returning to try more of their menu in the future.

Food was good. Awesome cornbread. Coleslaw that could compete with mine! Didn't get to try the brisket as they ran out while we were in line. Bbq sauces are all that weird vinegar stuff, not my thing. Staff were nice, atmosphere was a little too chain restaurant.