Abner’s Authentic Barbecue

Changed owners and name!
Chicken was unpleasantly dry, and the uniquely delicious signature Ambner BBQ sauce has been replaced with what tastes like run-​of-​the-​mill fare. Very disappointed! Abners was a four-​star…

Stopped here for lunch again only to find the business has been sold. Some things had changed, not as easy to get bbq sauce as before. The new owner seems to be cool, expanded the menu a lot.
I had chicken wings and the wings where ok, I wasn’t very happy with the sauce. The regular sauce was just ok and the «Memphis Hot BBQ sauce» was edible but not great.
The wings didn’t have the smoky taste like before. Overall, ok experience and will try again. The new owners have only owned the place for 3 weeks

Excellent ribs and chicken with succulent sauces! They have the best beef ribs around as I have gone to many b-​que places. This place knows how to make good ribs! This place is always packed with customers and the services is fast for good take-​outs as my best friend took me there two weeks ago. I saved some ribs for my wife who agreed wholeheartedly about the quality of the ribs which has very little fat on it. Highly recommend!

I went to Abner’s twice. The first time I rated the place excellent. I had a beef brisket sandwich about noon time. The meat was plentiful and delicious. The sides were great and the desserts the same. The second time I went there I arrived about 5 PM. I ordered a beef brisket again and the meat was fatty and was not the same quality as the first time there. I felt that the sandwich was made an hour before I got there and put in the oven to stay warm. The sides remained great. I had the greens and mashed sweet potatoes and cole slaw. This time I was disappointed and will hear for Sweet Lucy’s on my next BBQ adventure. Stay away from Famous Daves and other chains.

Great meats! Go for the pulled pork, the brisket, or the half chicken. Abner’s is always quick and consistently delicious for authentic BBQ. They offer a variety of sauces to choose from so you can have it just the way you want it.
The only consistent weakness for Abner’s is that the sides don’t live up to the meats. While the sides are often tasty, they just don’t compare to the out of this world taste of the BBQ. But if you’re up for take out in the area — this is your best bet!

it’s a mistake that i ordered smoke bbq. i’m not just into it. L)

This the best option in the area if you are seeking authentic bar-​b-​que. It’s not the best you’ve ever had, but Abner’s will quench your appetite if you’re craving that smokely smooth flavor that only bar-​b-​que can satisfy.
I’ve had several of their meat options, from pulled pork to pulled chicken, bar-​b-​que chicken, ribs and brisket. There are times when it’s simply devine, nice and flavorfull with little fat and you can’t get enough of it. There have been a couple of times where there is way too much fat, and the person cutting your meat should be more mindful of providing you with what you’re paying for — the meat, not the fat!
I would like rate Abners as 2 stars were it not for the mac and cheese. Totally agree with some of the other Unilocalers about Abners’ homemade mac and cheese. It’s awesome stuff, but they could be a little more generous with those offerings of side dishes.
I also love the «fixins’ bar, where there are several choices of sauce and condiments so that you can doctor up your food to what suits your taste. All of the sauces are excellent.

I was very disappointed with Abners. I had been thinking about BBQ for 3 days and didn’t feel like driving all the way to Sweet Lucy’s — I had heard several good remarks abut Abner’s but had always seemed to get there when it was closed. Well, yesterday for lunch (about 3pm) — I made it!
I got pulled pork and Mac & cheese — I couldn’t wait to get back to the office and eat. The staff was very friendly and fast service. It smelled soooo good.
I opened the mac & cheese first — dried out. I think it could have been good, if it had any moisture to it. I opened the pulled pork and the two sauces I chose (4 to choose from). While it was tasty, there was alot of grease in the container (more then half way) and I got quite a few fatty pieces and big black skin pieces which ruined the whole thing. I ate less then half of the 12 oz of meat and tossed the rest, same with the m&c. It could have been the time of day — Lunch rush leftovers? but I won’t risk it again.
I’ll drive to Lucy’s.

I took a trip to Trader Joe’s and decided that I should sate my hunger before I bought shopping bags full of cookies and or almost healthy chips. I did a search for the area and found Abner’s Authentic BBQ. I am glad I found the place. It was well worth it.
It’s tucked away on the side of a shopping center next to a Dunkin Donuts. They have an easy to spot sign on the road, but it’s actually only easy to spot after you have passed it. Still, if you know the general area of where the place is you shouldn’t have a problem finding Abners, just don’t expect a huge neon Arrow.
My dining partner and I had a Beef Brisket sandwich, a sample order of the ribs, an order of mac and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes and two orders of corn bread.
Let’s start with the sides. The sweet potatoes were fine. if you prefer the kind that are slathered in marshmallows and brown sugar you are going to be disappointed. But, if you prefer just the natural taste you will enjoy them. They were well mashed and not overly flavored. The sweet taste went well with the meat.
The macaroni and cheese was awesome. If you have never had home made mac and cheese that didn’t involve Kraft you will be in for a treat. There’s that crusty bit of cheese at the top that lets you know real cheese was used and not some sort of cheez type substance.
One complaint I would have about the sides is the portion size. Of course, this complaint shows how tasty these sides are. Still, for the price that is charged for sides I would expect a tad bit more. Perhaps a dollop? Is that a real measurement?
The corn bread? Nothing to write home about. But, nothing to complain about, either.
Now to the main attraction. The meat was delicious. Unlike many BBQ places they don’t put any sauce on the meat. This is up to you to do at your table. They have two types of sauces, and a third mustard sauce that I didn’t try. The beef brisket was delicious. It wasn’t in any way dry, but it was able to soak up the BBQ sauce and allow the sauce to heighten the taste of the meat. And boy, the sandwiches were jam packed with meat. Each bite a little bit would fall out on the plate. Perhaps, that is due to my sloppy eating — but I l think it has more to do with the overstuffed sandwich.
The ribs were mostly good. They fell right off the bone and were delicious. But, they were a little bit stringy. Again, the sauces they had complimented the meat very well and made for a nice meal.
Very good service!
As an extra treat we went in days before their Anniversary so we received a cup that lets have free drinks for the month of April. They have a very good sweet tea that i would recommend. In addition to the standard drinks you find in any restaurant.
Well worth a taste.

It wins on location, there is no other decent BBQ in the area. Flavor is okay, but both times I’ve tried foods here (namely the pulled pork, ribs and I think brisket) it was overcooked and/​or fatty. I would suggest if your really in the mood, go the distance to NE Philly to Sweet Lucy’s.

Abner’s is a great place to go for Barbecue, and is my favorite place north of the Mason-​Dixon. All of the barbecue is smoked in-​house and served with a variety of southern style sides, such as mashed sweet potatoes, collard greens, and mac & cheese.
The food is served up quick if you want a in & out lunch, and is extremely flavorful. My favorite part is the variety of homemade BBQ sauces they use — sweet, hot, mustard-​based, vinegar-​based, etc. Having a Dad from Carolina gave me an appreciation for a mustard-​based BBQ sauce, which is tough to find in the Philly area.
The reason they do get the fifth star is the lack of thoughtfulness in their desserts. For a restaurant that prides itself for homemade dishes, I’m disappointed that most of their desserts are frozen, and the only one I’ve seen that they make be the bread pudding, which I’m guessing is just because they have the old bread as a free ingredient.

I was raised in northern California and certainly most barbecue fanatics will say this disqualifies me from even having an opinion on this subject (Why ARE barbecue fanatics that way?). I certainly don’t know if Abner’s does barbecue «right», but the food is pretty good. This clean restaurant located in a small strip mall has been around for several years, and is run by a guy who is extremely enthusiastic about his business. All the meats I’ve tried over about eight visits have been tasty. The ribs are a bit expensive for lunch, so I usually stick with the sandwiches. The bread on the sandwiches is very soft, so you if you hit it with a lot of sauce, it may disintegrate on you.
Overall Abner’s is a good choice for a heavy, meaty meal. For a little bit better food, in a cooler old-​school atmosphere, try Ron’s Ribs in Center City.

This has been one of our local «go to» places when we don’t feel like cooking and don’t want to spend a fortune going out.
We usually get the pulled chicken sandwiches, they are HUGE and sometimes even split one with a medium side and that fills us up for dinner. The ribs are very good and I think I have had all the sides at one point and they are all decent, esp the sweet potatoes. My friend got the beef brisket and said it was the best she ever had, juicy and tender. Hubby has gotten the chili (served with shredded cheese and sour cream) and he said he enjoyed it. And they have all kinds of BBQ sauce you can try, Sweet, House, Mustard, Spicy etc. plus unlimited pickles.
Up until the past couple of months I would have given this place a 4 — it was very good but not quite as good as Sweet Lucy’s (see my review). But the past few times we have gone it has not been so hot. I thought we were maybe going on a bad night but its been so so for the past three times now.
Can you say… overcooked? Advance apologies but I need to now overuse the word overcooked.
The sauce in the chicken sandwich has been watery which makes the roll wet and the chicken has been chewy and overcooked. The mac & cheese has been overcooked so its dry and crusty but not in a good way. This past week I tried pineapple upside-​down cake and it was really stale and had been overcooked to begin with anyway.
Someone needs to tell the cook to stop killing the food!
So please Abners, get your act together again — even though you are still sort of ok, you used to be so much better!

Abner’s is tucked away in a little shopping center in Jenkintown, so take a lookie-​loo at the map before you go looking for it — it’s not easy to see from Old York Road. I’m always amazed at how fast they can get my order together — and I know the food is fresh. I’ve decided that the dudes who work at Abner’s must be part-​time, BBQ-​loving superheroes.
Great pulled pork and my favorite mac & cheese in the ‘burbs. My husband loves the ribs so they are worth a try for sure. But my favorite thing about Abner’s is the sauce bar… they have an amazing assortment of BBQ sauce, from sweet to vinegar to hot to house… the list goes on. Handy, dandy travel containers are provided (along with a sharpie so you know what you’re eating) so you can douse your meal as much or as little as you want.