Bad Brads BBQ

We’ve been here a couple times now and I can’t recommend this place enough. I travel south a lot so I eat a lot of BBQ and Bad Brads remains at the top of my list. Bad Brads is great BBQ, great people, and such a special gem hidden in metro Detroit. Nicole was our server tonight and she was awesome. So kind, welcoming, and sharp - like every visit I’ve had here so far. I’m so glad this place is near by and I’ll continue to recommend this place to everyone. Absolute best potato salad too. Pro tip: ask for the extra spicy BBQ sauce!!

We are driving to Niagara Falls from Kansas City and stopped here for dinner. My wife's brother lives nearby and we stopped to have dinner with him on our way and he recommend this place. We entered and having never been here at night the entrance isn't very defined. Maybe a lit up entrance sign or something would help? Without windows on the door my son walked past it but I realized this was the entrance. Maybe daytime it's defined but at night it's a bit disguised. We entered and the place was lively and interesting. We were quickly greeted and they seemed friendly. When our server greeted us she asked if we'd ever been here. I appreciate that question. I was a server in high-school and any well trained server should be asking this to know if people need guidance. The server answered our questions and went to grab our drinks. I loved the large jar type glasses. Nothing worse than waiting for refills but these were large drinks. My son said his tea was too sweet and the server quickly replaced it with a Dr. Pepper. We ordered and enjoyed the nachos and the bacon appetizer. My 10 year old tried bacon for the 10th or so time and declared he likes bacon now. Our food arrived and we all really enjoyed everything. The corn bread was delicious. My 10 year old inhaled his macaroni. The butter for the corn bread was delicious. I had chopped brisket, pulled pork and sausage. I could barely eat half. I was so full I only took 1 bite of my macaroni and my wife was happy to take it to-go for herself for later. My 17 year old had sliced brisket and it was a bit fatty so we exchanged brisket. It was very tender and delicious. He enjoyed the chopped brisket. I enjoyed his sliced brisket and needed a to-go box. I only tried the 3 in 1 sauce and enjoyed it. Overall we enjoyed this restaurant and I'd definitely recommend this place. This will be a fun little memory for our Christmas vacation.

Layout is very cool. Not too brightly lit. Feels like a cross between a cocktail bar (especially near the bar) and a BBQ place. Lots of natural wood, metal & stone. Great vibe. Staff is very friendly and quick, too. But ease up on the checking in, folks. Halfway between getting my food and finishing my lunch I'd been asked 5 times by 3 different people, "How are you doing?". The collard greens are phenomenal if too salty. The slaw has just a hint of pineapple, nice. And I wish my grandmother could make Mac & Cheese this good. The sandwich seemed a bit small but with all the other stuff, it wasn't. Music was a bit too loud and, since it was 80s pop 🤮, I'd have preferred almost anything else. Jan '26 Came in for dinner with a friend. Louder because of all the other people present on a Friday night. Still playing a lot of '80s music.

Came in today and got three different platers, Alex was our server and he went above and beyond with excellent service to make an amazing first time experience, definitely one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. Definitely recommend💯

My first time trying any type of barbecue spot, and I was very impressed. The atmosphere was cool. I enjoyed the decorations and the aesthetic that was going on. Everything was clean and the restaurant smelled incredibly delicious. We were seated quickly and our waiter, Alex, was so kind and patient with us. He made my boyfriend and I feel very welcomed by constantly checking up on us and being polite whenever we asked for something. Our food was amazing. We tried their nachos, chilli, grilled chicken, broccoli, sweet potato mash, macaroni and cheese, pulled pork, and brisket. Everything was to die for. I was actually so impressed with the food. The flavors of the food were delicious. I would definitely return, considering I am someone who does not even eat barbecue. This place made me want to crave barbecue now. I can see why everyone enjoys it here.

We've had awesome experience after awesome experience here. The food is always absolutely delicious, with generous portions that arrive quite quickly. Their barbecue sauces are the cherry on top of the already perfect meats, and their service is always amazing, making sure you're looked after, but they never crowd you as other places tend to. Shot out to Alex, who's been amazing every time we've had to pleasure of having him as a server.

WHY HAS NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS PLACE!? Definitely coming back here as soon as possible. I wish my stomach was bigger so I could eat more pulled pork. Our server, Alex, greeted us with amazing energy and made our experience over the top.

Bad Brad’s is our favorite BBQ joint in Michigan, and the best I’ve found since a visit to Texas. Special shout out to Josh for always making sure we have the best dining experience, but the service is consistently quick and attentive. All of their food is full of flavor; the pulled pork is juicy and the chopped brisket is perfectly smoky (if they ever bring back turkey, it’s an easy pick for me). Our favorite sides are the sweet potato mash, mac & cheese (this one has personality!), and the 1/2 pit beans and 1/2 potato salad (will make dill fans proud). Bad Brad’s happens to also carry our favorite BBQ sauces, but you have to ask for these two: my hands down favorite BBQ sauce is their sweet and funky mustard and my partner’s favorite is their ghost pepper, which he says adds robust heat and flavor. They always have their Sour (North Carolina style, a close second favorite), Sweet, Spicy, and 321 (all three mixture) on the table. The interior is rustic and visually fun. And bonus: you can check Google to see current wait times and add yourself to the list before you get there.

We went out for some BBQ and everything was delicious as usual! We got the BBQ nachos and they were great and also the burnt ends pizza which was outstanding!! The service was great and the atmosphere was amazing. We love this place!

I had never been inside this establishment before, and it was my nephews pick for a dinner out on a Tuesday night while I was staying with him. It had kind've an up north, off the beaten path look to it on the outside-which I found cool. They have a patio to enjoy when it's warmer out. Would like to go back in the summertime for that. Seemed to be a good amount of cars in the parking lot so couldn't wait to get inside. I have never been to any Bad Brad's before, so was looking forward to trying it out. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures....was having good conversation with my nephew so I didn't bother. Will definitely do that next time! I love BBQ-so when I saw "the Hammer" ($12.95)was a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on it, I was in. The side you get is just a bag of kettle chips....so I had to order fries($3.95) to go with it. A bit disappointed in the amount of fries, but they were very good so it made up for it. I also ordered a beer-that was $5.50 if I remember correctly. My nephew got a pop($2.00), the Smoked Fried Wings(normally $11.95) and he was told he got 2 sides....so he did the fries and the small Mac & cheese....but looking back now on the receipt, it said I was charged for the small Mac & cheese side that was $5.45, and I think it was supposed to be a deal of "pick three house made sides" and it was cheaper that way. This is why I'm giving only 4 star review...the food was perfectly fine, but my nephew wasn't going to get the extra side until he was told he got to pick 2. Overall good atmosphere, nice server. Good food. I think $17 was a bit pricey for my sandwich & fries ....but others may be fine with it.

I visited Bad Brads to order food to carry out -- I was told I would need to order online. I did not have my phone. I asked the employee if she could order the food for me. She said she could not do that. I find it odd that one can't order in person in the eatery. At any rate, I went elsewhere. The place was pretty much empty, so I did not feel I was imposing on anyone. Go figure.

Best bbq nachos. I'm bummed to see they don't make their chips anymore. The Growler sandwich has pulled chicken, candied bacon, avocado & onion and is my go to. 40 min wait on a Friday night at 6p. No call ahead or reservations. Staff is friendly and attentive. Awesome industrial decor and artwork.

Yelped carry-out and oh my goodness! Definitely absolutely amazing food all around. I ordered the bbq nachos with chicken got the sweet sauce and spicy on the side, don't let how big of a meal it is fool you I ate it all. That is just how delicious the nachos were. It was cooked to perfection with the crispiness and the flavor. I will be back for it. My fiancé got the chicken sandwich and he said it was also delicious. We will be back.

Would be 5 stars but our group order 3 pizzas and they were all way under cooked.... The service was friendly and accommodating. The nachos were out of this world. Way too much seasoning in the potato salad. Overall, a great spot with good food other than the pizzas - stay away! Loved the outdoor patio. Great place to eat and converse.

We had Bad Brads cater a party for us. Food was excellent, delivery and service were perfect. Will definitely use again.

Food was good. Had ribs, greens and potato salad. All were delicious as usual. But here's the thing. I ordered a carry out and got charged $1.20 on a $40 bill for the containers! I have never been charged for carry out containers, ever. Who does that? If you're going to offer carry out, shouldn't the containers the order comes in be your cost of doing that business? Or are these restaurants just trying to see how far they can push their customers before their customers start taking their business elsewhere? BTW, it's no biggie to me. I just took the extra charge out of the tip. I'll let you explain why your employees should be happy about that.

Their sides are amazing, salads and soups as well! Not crazy about the pulled pork being void of the classic 'bark' and inner pink ring so I still make that myself at home. The ribs are perfect but the brisket is always dry. Once they stopped serving smoked Turkey and took it off the menu I haven't been back.

My first time ever trying Bad breads barbecue and I loved it no restaurant can beat them in their macaroni and cheese. The brisket was on point it was not salty I was able to eat my food without having a lot of salt in my mouth that macaroni cheese tasted like my grandmother's southern Bad BBQ gets 10 stars from me

Walking into Bad Brad's, the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, giving off a true barbecue joint vibe. The service was friendly and efficient, adding to the overall positive experience. I tried their pulled pork sandwich, and while it was good, it didn't quite reach the level of greatness I had hoped for. The meat was tender and flavorful, but there was a slight inconsistency in fat to meat ratio throughout the sandwich. The coleslaw was fresh and added a nice crunch, but I wished for a bit more depth of flavor. In summary, Bad Brad's is a good spot for BBQ enthusiasts. While it didn't completely blow me away, it was a tasty meal in a pleasant atmosphere. I'd certainly return to explore more of their menu and hope to find that extra spark to make it great.

Really great food. I love the 321 sauce and the brisket. The pig candy is also a good appetizer. Sweet potato mash is my favorite

I travel a lot and one thing I can't do is not try the local best bbq spots. Tucked away in a small town its worth making a drive for not only for the food but the interior design as well. A must see in my eyes. The Nachos were by far the best I have had in the US..period!! Variety of sauces for everyone's taste..wings were really good especially with their blue cheese sauce. Don't forget to order the dripping sweet bacon...

Had another outstanding dining experience at Bad Brad's. The Cobb salad and carrot cake were delicious! Service including at the bar was very professional and friendly. Prices were reasonable Will definitely be back again

The BBQ nachos are the best! That's all I've tried but sheeesh are they insane. Mmmmmm

I love this place there pulled pork is always on point and there wait staff are always very helpful with the menu and refilling drinks

Delicious ... highly recommended. Great service. I order online to pick up, but for what i can see when I got there, the ambience was good.

I tried it after a recommendation from friends. Since it was my first time, I always like to get the basics. I ordered what I thought was a rib tip dinner. I tried asking the counter person if I could do that. Music plays so loudly in there that I wasn't sure what she said but she mentioned something that comes with it. I paid over 18.00 and left a dollar in the tip jar. I went home and my neighbors were out, so I thought I would show them what I got. It was embarrassing. There were eight rib tips, three paper thin tortillas about 3" in diameter, two tiny sides of sauce and two tiny side containers of unidentifiable matter. All of that for eighteen plus dollars. I returned to Bad Brads BBQ to find out where the rest of my food was, but was told that was it. They offered additional food, for a charge, per the manager. Well I already spent enough money there, plus I wouldn't trust them handling my food after complaining. I left without my money or the tortillas, which slid off of their slanted counter in the foyer. Needless to say I will never be back and my neighbors don't want anything to do with it. Oh and that smirk on Bad Brad's face on their carry out bag is Brad laughing all the way to the bank with your money.

So good! Some of the best bbq I've had in a long time! Service was great! We will definitely be back!

Bacon candy was delicious. Brisket tacos were excellent. I will be back for more. They run out of product due to demand, but that's to be expected for freshness

Haven't been here in awhile, and was looking forward to some beef brisket. I use to always order the 2 meat meal, but not anymore after I seen how they now up charge an additional $4.00 if you pick the brisket as 1 of your choices. Time to go elsewhere.

Excellent food, unmatched bbq! The platters are outstanding for a little of everything. My favorite is the turkey sandwich with succulent slices of real turkey paired with their homemade mustard sauce is beyond delicious! The Mac & cheese is wonderful. My daughter & I tried the banana pie & have never been disappointed. You'll leave with leftovers & totally satisfied!

Everything is so yummy! The candied bacon is the BEST and the bbq chili is one of a kind! I've also never had a corn bread so yummy than from Bad Brads!

Worst BBQ ever. We ordered a large to-go order - almost $400 dollars worth. What we got was dried out, chopped up brisket - totally shredded- who can eat this? 100% uneatable! Now my dog gets $400 dollars worth of shreds and my BBQ was ruined.

They have multiple locations. Same food. Check those reviews as well. The Shelby location is the nicest ambience. I am a regular at this one and Baltimore location. I prefer actually the new Baltimore location overall. First the prices. Not a huge fan of the post Covid price hike. But this is the reality of us dealing with the mask mandates and all of the Covid mandates. We are paying the price for our negligence and not fighting back. Bad Brads changed their seasoning recently on the chicken and particularly I can tell. I really preferred the previous seasoning much better. Everything now currently seems to be, including the brisket, over peppercorned. It is so highly peppercorned that it's overpowering. Overall though the quality is still very good. I enjoy it quite a bit. I probably won't come as often because of this hike in peppercorn and change of seasoning.

I've had my fair share of BBQ and this place is pretty darn good. Growing up, I've always passed by Bad Brads but was always curious to try it. Well, the day has come (last week) and I ended up going with my family members. For Appetizer, we had the BBQ nachos which was super good and a great amount to share between three folks. For Dinner, I had the pulled pork with two sides of chili with grits and sweet potato mash. I've never had chili with grits. I must say it was amazing and super comforting (great for when you're having a bad day). The dish was flavorful with chzy creamy grits! I loved the sweet potato mash they were not too sweet but had a great hint of cinnamon, pretty light and refreshing. I picked at the pinto beans and Mac & Chz, those are amazing sides. I loved the pinto beans, I can eat those day and night. Sweet, Sour, and Smokey! I totally recommend this place to all those visiting or live in MI. I will be back!

It pains me to update this review of my once favorite restaurant to a three-star rating. After three visits within the past year, an updated review is warranted. As much as I would like to continue to leave a five-star review, this place has definitely gone downhill. Over the past year, likely due to covid, we found that Bad Brad's BBQ has made changes that are not for the better. They now offer a limited menu, with only three entree options. One of the three options is actually listed under another category on the menu, so more like two and a half. There are plenty of sandwich and burger options though. Our favorite appetizer, the campfire nachos, has significantly decreased in quality and portion size. What once was offered as a large portion of chips, covered in delectable toppings and melted cheese, is now a much smaller portion with semi melted cheese and lacking in quantity of toppings. At my most recent trip to Bad Brad's, I ordered the grilled chicken. I anticipated receiving a grilled chicken breast that I could then add barbecue sauce to. What I received was a very oily, vinegary chicken breast. It was as if it was drenched in a Greek style dressing. The chicken was sitting in a pool of oil and vinegar. I've included a picture with my review. The chicken actually was really good, but not at all what I thought I would get. Adding barbecue sauce to this just made it gross. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be and while good, wasn't really barbecue food either. The barbecue chicken salad wasn't a $13 salad. Small portions of chicken topped a mediocre salad. We also ordered a kids meal but were told that they had no drinks other than pop (out of milk and no juice options). Service was okay, and I would never take away stars due to poor service. I realized that there aren't as many service employees working right now. We will likely return to Bad Brad's in the future, but it has definitely gone down in quality and I likely wouldn't recommend it to those looking for barbecue.

Great Food grest service, and accepts credit, debit, or cash, unlike another rib business. Also, uses yelp for fast, safe secure home delivery.

Great BBQ at Bad Brads!! Takeout or dine in love their side dishes and my Husband loves the Mac and Cheese Must visit they seem to be closed on Sunday and Monday

They have a text number by their parking spot to call ahead. Text the number in your party and they will text when a table or ready. Not a bad setup We sent our text at 5:34pm to indicate we planned to dine-in, my name and party size. No confirmation that your text was received, just have to hope they got it then. We received a text after 4 minutes to "come on in." The exterior of this place looks dilapidated and run-down, but that is the purpose. If it wasn't a BBQ place I would probably have turned around after driving by this place, it looks like it belongs down south or in a not so desirable area. Our waitress is nice enough. We started off with the campfire nachos with pulled chicken added, street tacos with pulled chicken with salt and vinegar potato chips, BBQ platter with Turkey, side of jalapeño cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw. Their collard greens and the bad Brad's pit beans both have pork in it. They have a short plastic divider between booths as they are seating people back to back in here. It doesn't seem like this place is half capacity, based on seating, but maybe half capacity of the overall building size. The pizza oven is right by the dining area, it's fun watching the pizza man roll and shape the dough. There are 6 guys by the bar and one guy is less than 3 feet away and none of them are wearing masks and I can even hear them all talking about just arriving and dropping their bags off at their hotel and having layovers in Chicago on their way here. They are talking about more people joining their party. These guys just came from the airport and are leaning against the wall backing up to the wall right next to us. A staff member asked the party to move so we could comfortably eat our nachos placed at our table. They did stay more or less by the bar but I felt more comfortable after they were gone and finally seated. I think it would be good if there was some plexi glass between the booths and the bar. I get this large group of guys were catching up and weren't thinking about social distancing within the group or by others either, especially since they came from the airport. The Nachos came out and had a really good generous covering of stuff, every chip was nicely covered, just the way I like it too. The nachos were yummy, some of the better ones I have had in ages too. I could have eaten the campfire nacho alone, it was that good and filling, but today was a share day. ;) The cornbread is nice and moist and super sweet. It has a nice crunch to the crust and outside as well. The butter is sweet as well as the corn bread itself. The turkey slices are not too dry and has a decent amount of flavor. They're even better with the spicy barbecue sauce. Every so often I can really taste the smokiness of the Turkey meat. The street tacos are super yummy. I like the crunchiness of the corn taco. The tortillas a little bit thicker than normal, but it's good. The chips, coleslaw and potato salad came in silicon ramekins. They were both okay, but not outstanding. The salt and vinegar chips were quite salty. I couldn't taste much of the vinegar. We were both sated. The food and service were all good.

I highly recommend coming to this place for good BBQ food. It's easily the best BBQ food I've had, and the service is top-notch.

Food is amazing as always, but I wanted to give some accolades to our server Annie. Annie is the embodiment of hospitality and excellence as a bartender/server. From the moment she greeted us with a radiant smile, it was evident that we were in for a remarkable dining experience. Beyond her impressive skills behind the bar, Annie's attentive service throughout the evening demonstrated a genuine passion for ensuring her guests have an unforgettable time. Her enthusiasm, professionalism, and warm demeanor made our visit truly exceptional. Annie is undoubtedly the kind of server who elevates the entire dining experience, turning a night out into a cherished memory. If you have the pleasure of being served by Annie, consider yourself in the hands of a hospitality virtuoso

Gosh I want to give 5 stars but and it's a huge butt, y'all have to come down a smidge on pricing. I got 1 slab again 1 slab $46.98!! And nothing else came with it. But their ribs are out of this world and this is coming from Hazel county (Alabama) rib eating. Champion (1998, please no autographs). Anyway I would go way way more if it was little bit more reasonable

Fantastic bbq. So many good choices. We love the marinated chicken and of course the 321 sauce. Pig candy is good and the nachos are bomb!

Good barbecue place.,,, have ordered the big pig feast several times for take home when guests are in. The smoked turkey is one of our family favs, along with the ribs! We usually get the garlic broccoli to feel better about all the heavy food!. Mac n cheese is really cheesy, And the pig candy.... Sweetened bacon.... Is addicting!!!!

We LOVE Bad Brad's! Our recent visit was the first time we have been here since the COVID reopenings. They have a great system in place! When you arrive for dine-in, all of the parking spaces have signs directing you to text your name, number in group, and they will text you back with a wait time. We received a text back right away letting us know to come in. We went for a late lunch/early dinner, so there wasn't a wait (But the parking lot was full of carry out orders!). We sat on the patio, so it was pretty easy to see the tables spaced apart properly. There was a tag letting us know that the table had been sanitized. While we were waiting for our meal, we noticed a young guy sanitizing the tables. He was very through, and when he was done added the tag showing it was completed, so servers knew it could be used. We've never been disappointed with the food here. The southern fried chicken sandwich is hard for me to pass up. Knowing this great seating system and seeing things being cleaned correctly, I have no hesitations on coming back soon!

Pricey! $45 for a rack of ribs. The food is fantastic every time I've been but it is an expensive night out.

The barbecue is always outstanding. In fact, I could make a case that this is the best barbecue I've ever had, and I've lived in Kansas City. The chopped brisket is delicious. Zero complaints on the food. The service and ambiance are fine. The only reason it's not five stars is value. The food is understandably expensive, but the beer and cocktails are outrageous.

Bad Brads used to be a go to place for BBQ. Unfortunately over the years they have changed from doing fresh, authentic BBQ that almost came directly from the smoker, to turning into just a step above Famous Dave's. Is their BBQ good, yes, but do I feel it is fresh? No I don't. In the old days, it came out steaming and smelling heavily of the smoker and they have nightly specials that ran out if you didn't order it by 7pm. Now, the specials are gone and the BBQ is tougher than it used to be, like it sits in a hot box for hours on end and reheated before served. The collard greens used to obviously be cooked for hours before they were served because they were incredibly tender and so full of flavor, now the greens are kind of tender and still bitter meaning they haven't cooked enough. It's good BBQ in a pinch if you don't mind overpaying for what you're really getting, but it's not that really good smoked food they used to serve. They got too big and abandoned their old quality and standards.

Food is consistent across locations. Ambience is very casual and fun. Many sauce choices and of course I'd recommend the sampler if you're new to Bad Brads.

Last Saturday, we decided to have barbecue at Bad Brad's. We have been there before and had a great meal. Tonight we ordered 1/2 rack of ribs, French fries and corn bread. The service was excellent and the portions were about right. When I took my first bite of the rib, I hit bone! I finished the rib to find out that it was almost all bone, with little meat. I tried the second and third rib. They were the same. VERY DISAPPOINTED!

Large, stylish BBQ restaurant. Large booths available for seating. Attentive service. Delicious food, and large variety on the menu!

I am a big fan of Bad Brads. The food is definitely some of the best bbq in the area and they do an awesome job with service. Their hours are currently cut down due to staffing issues and they aren't serving pizza for the same reason. Unfortunate, but I appreciate that they have maintained a high level of service. Our food came out quickly and was delicious. If you have a couple drinks it can get a little pricey, but in my opinion it is worth it!

Good for north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Nicely developed smoke rings, tender and cooked to proper doneness, good portion sizes, good price.

Their candied bacon is amazing & the presentation is so cute. The 321 bbq sauce is the best one I could drink it! It's all of the bbq sauces mixed together The cornbread & baked beans are my two favorite sides! I always go for the brisket or the ribs.

An okay place, not many options for the sides if you're trying to eat cleaner. I had a side salad and their garlic broccoli with 2 portions of the sliced brisket, the brisket is good, fatty and juicy, just be careful there is an up charge for brisket, so since ours was the 2 meat ($17) we were charged an additional $7 for the meat, so really it's $24. Their bbq sauces are super sweet to me. The kids food is mediocre, they choose the fingers and fries, so pretty much frozen tenders with fries, for $5 cant really expect much. The outdoor patio is cute, service was okay too.

Food overpriced and dry. Waited for over 45 minutes for a table when several lay empty. Server was not helpful and they were out of corn bread. Wtf. Will never go back. Went for my uncles 60th, their was 8 disappointed people that day.

we waited quite a while for a table. Food was good . Clean and friendly staff. Loved the brown sugared bacon!!!

I am so happy their wings are back! Best greens and the hubby LOVES their tortilla soup. Will continue to order, so so so good!

Yummmm. Love this place!! I wish I could give ten stars. Came in with a party of six and from the moment we walked in with friendly service to the moment we left with a full belly, everything was perfect. We ordered two BBQ nachos and the pig candy to start. Both were amazing! The jalapeño sauce to add onto the nachos was delicious. I ordered the Pablo tosta... oh my goodness gracious. It it was delicious! Smoked Pork, Guacamole, Queso Fresco, Black Beans , Salsa Rojo, Cilantro, Pickled Onions wrapped in one... my both is drooling just typing it. And the jalapeño sauce from the nachos added on. YUM! Highly recommend coming here if you haven't yet. You won't be disappointed.