Restaurant Review-TJ's River BBQ - Howell, Michigan

LouCfur · 12-13-2009, 11:46 AM

This place has been open since the summer but just finally stopped in last night.

http://www.tjbbq.com/

Food was good and got plenty of it. As always you want to try everything but with just me and the wife ordering that wasn't going to happen. They offer a dinner for 2 for $19 with a choice of 1 app, 2 entrees and 2 side dishes. For our app we chose fried shrimp and you got 6 medium sized shrimpies and the were cooked perfect. A real light batter and nice and crispy. For our 2 entrees we chose a 1/2 slab of spare ribs and 1/2 smoked chicken. Waitress said they ran out of 1/2 chickens but would sub 8 chicken wings so we agreed. Ribs were very good. Nice smoke ring in the meat, very tender and just a thin coating of sauce stuck on. Chicken wing were some of the biggest I've seen and they were very tasty. Side dishes we selected were mac & cheese and green beans. Mac and cheese was good and creamy and the wife like the green beans but I don't eat em.

From 1 to 10 I'd rate it a 7.5. Looking forward to trying some of there other menu items next time. Definitely worth a stop if your ever cruising down I96 and in the Howell area when a Q urge strikes you!

bbqbull · 12-13-2009, 06:52 PM

Thanks for the write up Lou!

mbowker641 · 01-23-2010, 06:23 PM

Today, my daughter and I made the 30 mile drive from Lansing to Howell and ate at TJ's. We split one of their "feasts" which had ribs, brisket, pulled pork and sausage.

To be honest, the food was fair to middlin and no better than what I can make at home. Although the sausage was pretty good. The brisket was a bit on the dry side as was the pork. The ribs had the right tenderness, but nothing had much of a smoke flavor.

Their sauces are not bad, they have a mild, sweet sauce, a Carolina mustard sauce and a spicier version of the mild sauce with a bit more heat and vinegar.

They now have a bar with 8 beers on tap and a fairly good selection of bottled beer. I don't drink liquor or wine, so I can't comment on those selections.

Overall, I too would rate it a 7.5. A nice place to stop if you're already in town or passing through, but I don't recommend going out of your way.

bbqbull · 01-23-2010, 07:42 PM

Thanks for the write up Mike!

12-13-2009, 11:46 AM	#1
LouCfur Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 11-05-09 Location: Hell, Michigan	Restaurant Review-TJ's River BBQ - Howell, Michigan This place has been open since the summer but just finally stopped in last night. http://www.tjbbq.com/ Food was good and got plenty of it. As always you want to try everything but with just me and the wife ordering that wasn't going to happen. They offer a dinner for 2 for $19 with a choice of 1 app, 2 entrees and 2 side dishes. For our app we chose fried shrimp and you got 6 medium sized shrimpies and the were cooked perfect. A real light batter and nice and crispy. For our 2 entrees we chose a 1/2 slab of spare ribs and 1/2 smoked chicken. Waitress said they ran out of 1/2 chickens but would sub 8 chicken wings so we agreed. Ribs were very good. Nice smoke ring in the meat, very tender and just a thin coating of sauce stuck on. Chicken wing were some of the biggest I've seen and they were very tasty. Side dishes we selected were mac & cheese and green beans. Mac and cheese was good and creamy and the wife like the green beans but I don't eat em. From 1 to 10 I'd rate it a 7.5. Looking forward to trying some of there other menu items next time. Definitely worth a stop if your ever cruising down I96 and in the Howell area when a Q urge strikes you! __________________ I love the smell of Q in the morning. Smells like hickory.

12-13-2009, 06:52 PM	#2
bbqbull Watching over us. Join Date: 12-27-05 Location: Mid Michigan	Thanks for the write up Lou! __________________ "You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." "I wish my mind could forget what my eyes have seen. :shocked:" "Heavily medicated for your protection. :doh:" Klose Mobile Pit Klose Owners Reccomended Pit Cookshack Smokette Gasser Little Chief Smoker Large BGE Gifted to me my Pit Barrel Smoker :mrgreen::clap:[URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/"][/URL]

01-23-2010, 07:42 PM	#4
bbqbull Watching over us. Join Date: 12-27-05 Location: Mid Michigan	Thanks for the write up Mike! __________________ "You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." "I wish my mind could forget what my eyes have seen. :shocked:" "Heavily medicated for your protection. :doh:" Klose Mobile Pit Klose Owners Reccomended Pit Cookshack Smokette Gasser Little Chief Smoker Large BGE Gifted to me my Pit Barrel Smoker :mrgreen::clap:[URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/"][/URL]

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01-23-2010, 06:23 PM	#3
mbowker641 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-14-06 Location: Holt, MI	Today, my daughter and I made the 30 mile drive from Lansing to Howell and ate at TJ's. We split one of their "feasts" which had ribs, brisket, pulled pork and sausage. To be honest, the food was fair to middlin and no better than what I can make at home. Although the sausage was pretty good. The brisket was a bit on the dry side as was the pork. The ribs had the right tenderness, but nothing had much of a smoke flavor. Their sauces are not bad, they have a mild, sweet sauce, a Carolina mustard sauce and a spicier version of the mild sauce with a bit more heat and vinegar. They now have a bar with 8 beers on tap and a fairly good selection of bottled beer. I don't drink liquor or wine, so I can't comment on those selections. Overall, I too would rate it a 7.5. A nice place to stop if you're already in town or passing through, but I don't recommend going out of your way.