McClure’s BBQ

Best BBQ in the city! You can get waffle fries at the Nola taproom location but you can get jalapeño corn muffins at the Magazine location. The choice is yours, and there’s no wrong decision.

I ordered some dinner at their little window when I went for a couple drinks at NOLA Brewing. They have a pretty substantial menu offering, but I don’t know what they serve at their original location. I noticed they had macaroni and cheese, so I asked them if I could put pulled pork on top of macaroni. Side note: that’s a delicious combo, so go try it! The guy taking my order said they could do that and asked me what size food boat I wanted. I went for the medium size, which was a pint. Well, when I got that food, they had filled this baby to the top! There was so much food, and it was only $ 9ish. I threw some BBQ sauce on it and dug in. I won’t lie — it wasn’t the best pulled pork and macaroni I’ve ever had, but it was pretty delicious. I would definitely eat it again.
Perfect for when you inevitably get the beer munchies!

Neil McClure saved my life!
That may be a bit dramatic, but I’m well known as a drama queen around these parts, so let me explain. Saving my life may be an overstatement, but Mr. McClure and his new location at the Nola Brewing Tap Room sure helped me score some great BBQ which helped feed my addiction to smoked meats.
The new location inside the tap room is a match made in heaven. Nola Brewing produces some of my all time favorite brews (Hopitoulas and Irish Channel Stout), so adding one of my favorite BBQ purveyors was pure genius. The layout is pretty snazzy with both bar height tand regular height tables. The bar located at the back is beautiful with all those taps, but I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to discuss the damn fine BBQ.
Ordering takes place at the window to the left of the bar. Orders are taken via iPad and your given a light up vibraty thing for when your order is ready. Today I was desperately craving brisket, but both McClure’s locations were out. Since I was already at the window I decided on pulled pork, ribs and chorizo. While waiting for my food I was greeted by a man who I immediately recognized as the owner. I told him I was craving brisket and he humbly apologized saying it was his fault that he didn’t make enough for lunch, but assured me he would have some for dinner. If I didn’t have to be across the lake then, you can bet I’d be first in line for that brisket.
The food was as good as I have grown accustomed to at the original location. The pork was tender, smokey and had several pieces of bark that I love so much. The ribs were absolutely incredible. They were perfectly smoked with just the right amount of give one expects from smoked ribs. None of that fall off the bone none sense here. The chorizo was perfect. I’m not sure why all BBQ joints don’t smoke chorizo, but they should. That spicy sausage goes so well with smoke that I could probably live on that for the rest of my life.
The BBQ stood on its own without sauce, but I want to comment on one of the sauces that I think is beyond anything I’ve ever had. Their South Carolina mustard based sauce is so damn good that I literally licked the top of the plastic ramekin to get every last drop. Imagine driving by me at work and seeing me shoving a plastic ramekin in my mouth. Yeah. That’s how good it is.
My one complaint is that there is no way to call ahead and place an order at this location. I also always worried that my company’s prohibition of entering bars at work would prevent me from waiting around here for food, but don’t let the name fool you. This is much more of a restaurant atmosphere (at least during lunch) and kids are even welcome.
In summar, McClure’s is awesome no matter which location you try.