Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q

Absolutely wonderful experience! The staff did an amazing job helping my boyfriend, his family and me put together a large takeout order for his surprise birthday party. I’m BEYOND grateful for how kind and helpful everyone was throughout the process. I especially want to thank the woman who was the manager working today — I unfortunately didn’t catch her name, but she went above and beyond to make sure everything came together smoothly. The entire team was incredibly friendly and supportive, and I can’t express enough how much we appreciated that. The food was great as always. We ordered several chicken halves, pulled pork, ribs, and almost all of the sides — everything was delicious. If you like BBQ, Brooks is absolutely the place to go. Since this was a takeout order for a big group, they also supplied plates and silverware, which made hosting so much easier. We definitely ordered more than we needed, but the leftovers are just as good the next day! We’ll absolutely and always be coming back.

This is a rare example of a place where buying from the mobile fundraising events is an overall better experience than visiting the home base. Firstly, the meat is good but sides are like chain buffet quality. Every BBQ taste is different. If you’re looking for Texas wood smoke you won’t find it here. This is charcoal based BBQ, and in my experience, chicken and ribs are the highlight since they take better to that kind of cook. I was not a fan of the brisket or pulled pork because I think those really need Texas smoke. They should add sausage and turkey options since they are also good charcoal cooked meats. If you want to dine in on the weekends, it’s buffet only and no sandwiches. The cost will be between $20-35 depending on your choice of meat. The buffet is all you can eat sides and dessert (ice cream and pudding), but meat is only one round. They also bring you fries and bread for the table, but I think the goal here is to fill you up on that cheap stuff so would recommend skipping those. Plus they’re not even good. Get a biscuit from the buffet if you want some carbs. So why 3 stars? The overall experience just feels cheap and it really seems like they look down on their customers. The place is old and not in a cool vintage way. No hand sanitizer for the cafeteria style buffet. I felt like I was being watched the whole time to ensure I wasn’t stealing food. Idk maybe it’s a problem for them in which case they should change the format. They allow you to take uneaten meat home but not anything else on your plate, and not even any of the fries or bread that THEY gave you. Not sure what’s happening with those leftovers. Packed leftover meat is wrapped in foil and given to you in a clear plastic bag that is trimmed and knotted in a way to again ensure you’re not stealing anything. Look I’m not interested in stealing food or taking buffet items home. It just all overall made for a weird experience to the point where it seemed like I was inconveniencing them for being a customer.

It was pretty good. We got the buffet. Which really isn’t a buffet because you can only have a set amount of bbq. You can pick 1 2 or 3 different meats. 2 meat was $30 per person and you get choice of two meats and then whatever is at the buffet. Buffet is decent. Mashed potatoes were good. Mac and cheese was good. Salads were good. The best part was the ice cream. They have pure maple syrup as a topping. The atmosphere is great.

Our first time eating in this famous restaurant! BBQ chicken and all the fixings are delicious!

We chose Brooks’ for my daughter’s wedding reception. We knew the food would be exceptional and our guests would love it. It was held in their log cabin called The Roost. It was a great rustic venue! We chose one of the buffet packages but we had 2 wait staff (Missy and Skylar) who were excellent. They consistently checked with me, the bride and groom and our guests. Missy worked with our DJ to ensure all the various wedding traditions went smoothly. Dan was our bartender and also was great. We could not have had a more accommodating and friendly staff. One of the managers, Gene, was very helpful and patient during planning and set up. Finally, Ryan Brooks was absolutely wonderful in helping us plan and very accommodating so we could have time to decorate. He has a great team but teams are always a reflection of the leader and Ryan is truly awesome! Thank you for making the reception perfect! I highly recommend Brooks’ BBQ for any event!

This establishment has been a “must go” place for my wife and her family for as long as she can remember; so this review comes from a place of 36 years (that’s how long I’ve been apart of the family.) This last visit was a bit disappointing… the food was still amazing, but the service was less than average. After ordering we were given a receipt and left to figure out what to do next. When I asked, “now what do we do?” I got a figure point to the middle of the dining room area. I would still recommend this place; but caution to not expect stellar customer service.

We came here after we were told that this was the best bbq in the state. Just follow the smoke. Upon arrival, this place was thoroughly packed for an early weekend afternoon, couldn't believe the amount of foot traffic and the line of people waiting to get in. Apparently when we went, the restaurant had just reopened the indoor dining area and converted to an all you can eat buffet. We had the pick three buffet and were given a chip. The chicken and the pulled pork were the best pickings on the list of meat options. Went back for cream of broccoli soup, several rounds of sides, refills of soda and a few desserts. Outside the restaurant, there were several out building as well as a truck that was purchase from Frank Sinatra. We were constantly asked about feedback which showed the restaurant wanted feedback on how well they were doing with the new menu and showing they care about customer satisfaction.

Unfortunately, Brooks House of Barbecue is no longer what it once was. From the current ownership and management to some of the staff, the overall environment, the quality of the food, and especially the pricing — the change has been undeniable. Brooks House of BBQ, as many people remember it, is now a thing of the past. This decline falls squarely on the current owner, his ego, and his focus on pinching pennies and increasing profits rather than prioritizing quality food and a positive customer experience. That mindset has clearly filtered down through parts of management and staff as well. The owner seems far more concerned with the sauce plant than with the restaurant itself. While there were noticeable negative changes prior to COVID, the pandemic appeared to hit the current owner particularly hard. Instead of adapting constructively, he allowed it to affect him, and that frustration was taken out on his staff, the restaurant, the customers, and ultimately the food. The current owner does not handle criticism well at all. What was once a respected and beloved establishment is now suffering greatly, and sadly, the owner is in the process of destroying his own family’s legacy.

There's lots of howling at the moon here in the comments, but I came up here on a one-day trip with a friend all the way from Harrison NJ and was delighted. It's true that takeout orders might provide more of a classic experience than the new buffet format; the buffet isn't a destination in its own right, think of it like a salad bar on fleek. The main point is to get a hit of smoke-laden chicken. Highlights included brisket chili and chicken with gravy which is supposed to go with biscuits but I already had a ton of food. In my non-meat moments I enjoyed the string beans and pasta salad. It does appear that one downside of the New format is the absence of the exemplary fries. If someone in charge sets up a time machine that returns Brooks' to its 2018 settings I won't complain but I like this one too.

After 30 years of patronizing Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q, I won't EVER be back again. Once Upon a Time: Brooks Chicken was amazing. We would drive an hour to get there, several times each year. As a child, my dad would bring it home every time he had to work in Binghamton. We would always be so excited for dad to come home with THE CHICKEN. Now, It's been about 2 or 3 years since I have been to Brooks'. We stopped a few times during the pandemic to show support, and ordered a bunch of takeout for family and friends. Even then, we noticed that the chicken had gone down hill a bit. Flavor was off, from what it used to be. And often the chicken wad dry. Very dry. Yesterday, 9/30/2024, I brought a friend (from outside of the USA) to come try the great American BBQ. I was embarrassed. Brooks' has switched over to a buffet style of dining. It is AWFUL ( compared to the past). 2 Dinners (1/2 Chicen) with the buffet dinner cost me over $70 with tax and a small tip. Maybe I am just getting old. But - WOW. $70 for two people eating chicken and some Sysco Buffet crap ? REALLY????? Here is how it works now: You stand in line (forever). Then you tell the cashier what you want as your meat (1/2 chicken is $25 per person). You will get a paper ticket that states what meat you selected. The chicken is not buffet style (all you can eat). Instead, you walk over to the hot food area, and hand your ticket to the person at the meat station. There, the attendant is squirting liquid all over the chickens that are sitting in a steam pot. This is a joke. Your chicken comes out wet and blubbery. Epic FAIL. It's NOT off the grill. It probably came off the grill 45 minutes ago and sits in steam pots. The Chicken had very little flavor (no surprise, when you have it sitting for an hour in s STEAM POT, making it wet). I used to LOVE The flavor of the sauce on Brook's Chicken. What happened? It literally has NO FLAVOR anymore. Way to go Chef!!! Then comes the buffet part: Sysco chicken nuggets. Mac and cheese with no flavor. Beans that taste like they came from a can. After 30+ years of my patronage - I will NEVER Be back again. $70 for 2 people to eat a crappy chicken dinner is a NO GO from me. I will throw down some cash for good food. Had this DELIVERED on that , I would be writing a great review saying: Sure, it's $70 but WOW the food is worth it. That is NOT the case here. As I said - perhaps I am just getting old. The parking lot was jam packed on a Sunday afternoon at 2pm. PACKED. The table next to me was RAVING about how great the buffet food was. . . so . . . maybe I am wrong here. Or maybe some pople's taste buds died a long time ago. It's a NO from me, DAWG.

We came here one night with our Cooperstown Team and EVERYONE there was extremely accommodating and helpful despite the fact that there was about 40 of us. Inside was extremely casual, which is perfect for a 12 year old baseball team. One of the moms made reservations in advance and we were ready to be seated upon arrival. The process works VERY well. Every family orders to front and pays. This way, after you eat, you don't need to worry about splitting bills, etc. You can pick brethren 2 meats or a 3 meat dinner. There are stations for the meats, which you get one serving of. The extra are buffet style and you can keep going up as you please. This included the salad bar, Mac n cheese, potatoes, veggies, they had a brisket chili, etc. I was so stuffed, I didn't even get to the chili. Lastly, this place was priced right. If you're in the Cooperstown / Oneonta area, this is a must try.

This place has gone to SHIT!!! The buffet is ridiculous, and with no extras from the buffet; I wasn't allowed to take my fries to go, only my$17 piece of chickenbreast... They'd rather throw them in the TRASH! SAD TO SEE A ONCE GREAT PLACE TURN INTO THIS!!!

There are very few places that I hold near and dear to my heart and Brooks House of BBQ has snuck their way in like a little imp. I love this place so much. They're so efficient. They run this place like a military operation. The first time I went I got a half order of pulled pork and this time I had a 1/4 chicken. Bbq is delicious and the sides are to die for. I could very easily take a nap in the parking lot after a meal here. Salad is a little meh but let's be honest you didn't come here for the salad!!! All of the bbq fixings are great like the garlic green beans, mashed potato, mac and cheese, and more. The chicken gravy is very nice on top of the biscuits. I love this place and I'll dream about it forever. Until we meet again brooks house of bbq.

I thought the food was good! It's a bbq place. I was originally recommended this place by my son in law who went to college in the area many years ago. There has been changes due to new owner but I thought the food was good specially the sauce. I just didn't like that if you don't have the buffet you can't eat inside you have to eat outside. But there is a really nice area with benches to eat outside. All in all I good place to eat!

I stopped in for lunch on Sunday. What a delicious meal. On the inside, they offer a Sunday buffet. For about $20. You can enjoy everything your heart desires. On the other side, you can order à la carte items. On Sunday, I ordered, the barbecue chicken, which is what they are most known for, and a couple of sides. The mashed potatoes and gravy were fantastic. I also got carrots. They weren't soggy or sugary, but absolutely delicious. The chicken was excellent. The ambience is good. Very low-key and family oriented. Service is excellent. Even though there was a line, we didn't have to wait long to order or to get our food. Lots of outdoor seating as well so you can enjoy the outdoors on a nice day. Great experience. I will definitely be back

Great food, great service, friendly staff. Plenty of seating. Food was hot and fresh. Very enjoyable experience.

Did take out last week. Our meals were ready on time for pick up. I had the brisket dinner and my friend had the 1/2 chicken dinner. Both were delicious and filling!

Chicken was a little dry but the buffet selection was great! My partner had the ribs and said they were amazing.

Stopped here for lunch last Sunday on my return drive from the Adirondacks to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The restaurant was not open, but the takeout window was open. A friend and I both ordered the pulled pork sandwich with one side. My side was coleslaw and my friend had a baked potato. The wait for food was acceptable, and we were able to dine at one of the outside tables with an umbrella. there is also a picnic pavilion with covered picnic tables for outside dining. Pulled pork sandwich was generous, but not my favorite way of a serving pulled pork. The pork was saturated in barbecue sauce and more or less scooped onto the role, more or less like a "sloppy Joe". I prefer my pulled pork shredded on the sandwich and like to add my own amount of barbecue sauce... not have it totally saturated like a sloppy Joe. But... we were both pretty hungry and the sandwich hit the spot, the service was reasonably fast, and the outdoor dining was pleasant. Many years ago when I stopped at this restaurant, I had a delicious fried rainbow trout... It is no longer on the menu unfortunately.

This is a long time staple in the area, and it recently turned into a buffet menu. Brooks bbq is known for their bbq and it is yummy. There's a variety of meat choices, including salmon, once you have your meat you can make endless runs to the salad, side dishes and dessert buffet sections. All the hot hot sides were fresh and the salad bar was pretty full of choices. The restaurant is clean, the staff attentive, we enjoyed our meal, would definitely recommend.

I debated 3 vs four stars. It was definitely an experience, and if you're in the area, you have to stop. Brooks is well known, even in Ulster/Dutchess county as they cater a lot of fundraisers and parties here too. When we went in spring 2023, they didn't have indoor seating, but they had a few picnic tables outside (covered!). We ended up taking the food back to the hotel but the tables did look nice. We tried various entrees and sides. There were four of us so we all shared lots of different things. It was not cheap, but it was very tasty. This is kind of like authentic inexpensive BBQ that you might find down south. Not the highest quality, but it's really good comfort food, made well. Portions were big enough to keep everyone happy. Ample off-street parking. Ordering and pickup was a little hectic.

Thank you Donavan for awesome customer service, it was our first time here and your suggestions were very helpful. The food service and atmosphere were great

I knew the owner. I thought I did anyway. Nope, I did not. Par for the course in The City of The Hills Have Eyes. Keep driving until you see signs for the interstate. Then take that to civilization.

Wow, this restaurant should be in a business class. "How to take a successful world renowned business and destroy it..... quickly". I have no idea what happened but I've been coming to Brooks since the 80's. I grew up 30 minutes away and with family in Oneonta. I've been coming to Brooks my entire life. Since we live in the Albany area now, we haven't been in since they changed the indoor restaurant to a buffet style. We were with friends so we decided to do takeout which was closer to their old menu and eat it in the pavilion right outside. Just to save anyone the hassle of stopping at Brooks; it's nothing like the old Brooks. The food is terrible. The chicken barely had any of the flavor it used to have. Half of it was so dry I had to keep drinking my drink in order to get it to go down. My wife got the brisket. She ate one bite and couldn't eat anymore. You open the tin foil and it looked like fatty (not in the good brisket way) government issued meat that was super thin. It was then doused in some disgusting sauce as if it was in a crock pot. That was brisket? We'll never be back again. Judging from the reviews we aren't unique. Do yourself a favor; if your stopping because you're visiting family and dying to have Brooks since it's been years, saw it on an old food show about its history or just haven't been in awhile. Save your money and go someplace else. This isn't the Brooks of your childhood.

TAKE OUT ONLY We ate at Brooks a while ago and it was great. We decided to go back today. It's an 80 minute drive for us, but a pretty drive with winding roads and beautiful hills, farms and scenery to look at along the way. This time the dining experience was a real disappointment. We were looking forward to a nice relaxing casual dinner inside, but learned it was take out only because according to the signs - lack of employees. So the choices were to eat in our new car or eat outside. We ordered the St. Louis Ribs, Pull Pork, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Baked Beans and Lemonade. Everything came in a big plastic bag but no fork or napkins. We procured forks and napkins and decided to eat on the outside picnic tables that were under a pavilion. On a nice day that would of been tolerable for us, but it was 60 degrees, rainy and really windy. Honestly the wind and rain made us really cold and this certainly wasn't fun fighting the napkins and plastic containers from blowing away. We were freeking cold too and the food was cooling off really quickly. The pulled pork at $13.99 was delicious but the portion size seemed smaller than it used to be. The St Louis ribs order consisted of 3 ribs for $14.99 - also delicious .. but the portion size wasn't what it used to be. The baked beans are excellent and a nice big portion. Also big portions of cole slaw - but in our opinion it was very sub-par and we tossed it away. That was a matter or personal preference - I don't think anything was technically wrong with it, we just didn't like the way it was seasoned I guess. We honestly though a place like this would have real lemonade, but it was a 75 gram of sugar bottle of Minute Maid Lemonade. No way was this the real deal lemonade. So yeah, the BBQ portion of the meal was tasty but smaller than usual portions, the baked beans - awesome, coleslaw blah, lemonade - was not what we expected. It was puzzling that they would not allow to bring the food inside and eat at the counter where no waitress would be required and we saw about 12 employees working at the take out window area and 2-3 were bored doing nothing. Why they disallowed bar seating - I have no idea. In summation - food was 90% very good, but portions seemed smaller than normal. The entire dining experience was a real disappointment. Maybe in the fall things will be back to normal their. We suggest you wait until they are fully open before trying the normally awesome Brooks BBQ

I only get take out, not often but I refuse to use the restaurant. Reasons why expensive and besides the meat 2/3 of the salads are convenience. A month ago I stopped, bought a quarter, the thigh and leg. I took it home unpacked it and thought well that's the smallest thigh and leg I've ever seen. Thinking it was just a fluke that I got an exceptionally small quarter, I stopped again to bring a quarter of chicken home. Disappointment again! I think it was even a little bit smaller plus it was dry obviously warmed up. No juice in the bag whatsoever. I really miss the old Brooks's house of barbecue with Joan and John.

Haven't been here since I moved out to the Midwest over 30 years ago. Living in Kansas City, I've tasted LOTS of bbq and nothing compares to this! Yes, that is the ultimate compliment! After 30 years I was skeptical...some things have changed (no waitress service) however the Iconic chicken wallpaper still remains. I ordered a combo meal and was surprised by the many side selections. Gone is the cinnamon apple slice , but the the barbecue quality remains. I was surprised that they had their own brew...a very nice touch. Take out window was as busy as yesteryear. All in all it was worth the 2 hour trip out of our way!

My family ordered catering takeout for a funeral reception last week. Everything went accordingly, the staff was very efficient, the food was excellent (as usual), packaged well and the serving utensils were handy to have. We had around 65 people at the reception and the family shared lots of leftovers. We had trays of chicken, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and potato salad. The chicken was consistently fall off the bone and all the sides were creamy and comforting. Everything stayed hot for hours. We really appreciate the attention to detail in everything that Brooks does and we were glad that all of the details were taken care of so we could relax. Thanks again for the great food and service!

No chicken like brooks!! Outside eating with an ice cold beer was perfect end to a long road trip

Awesome meal !!! But they forgot to give me dessert that I paid for and I didn't realize until an hour later when I got home!!! I was in and out! Service was quick but not so thorough!!!! Definitely recommend the place they have never given me a bad meal or left me hungry!!!!!!!

Wish I could give less than a star. The buffet style makes no sense. The brisket was soaking in juices yet so dry it fell apart and my whole serving was the gat left over from the day. Figured I'd give the salad bar a chance and to my surprise it was really fresh and delicious until i found a long dark hair in my fresh brand new salad. By far the worst bbq in new york and horrible sanitation. This place should be shut down. Not to mention it was 70 bucks for 2 less than mediocre dinners. I think I ate less than 5 bites. Don't waste your time.

I have eaten at Brooks for more than half a century, and now have tried this buffet business for the second time. It will be my last. I hope the prime rib is better than the brisket (mushy and bland), the FRIED halibut (barely got a knife through the rock hard breading), and you know what? No more pickles! I don't know why they decided to make this change but they must have had themselves in m NOT lifelong, loyal customers. 8

I grew up in the area and always enjoy going to Brooks for a speedy or a regular chicken. Even though I know the recipe for the marinade, I can't seem to get it to come out the same way. I always love the service here. The decor doesn't seem to have changed much since I grew up here, but that's something I enjoy about it. The only negative is some of the sides are really quite small. My partner enjoys coleslaw and the serving is like a shot glass. I go for the chicken, so it doesn't bother me lol

The quality of the food is terrible it's either overcooked burnt or fat and swimming in grease. Really don't want to come back again. The buffet is a joke. The item selection is like pre chewed food. Dessert is limited to canned pudding or fake soft Ice Cream . I've had worse but I can't remember when. very dissapointing

There is no better barbecue! However, changing it to a buffet has left the quality and atmosphere in a rather poor state. Although the food was delicious, we waited 10 minutes when we were finished without anyone approaching us for the need of takeout containers. In fact, there were no workers to be found at all in the dining room. I finally went to the man behind the meat buffet and asked; he provided me with a small white bag. A very small white bag! Doggy bag for sure! I don't know their reasoning for changing into a buffet but it really lowered my overall opinion of the place! In the past i would have given 10 stars now just 3.

It's buffet style and pretty expensive considering the quality of the food offered. I had the pulled pork selection. Their portion of pulled pork was a nice size but it came pre-sauced. Like pulled pork you'd get in a school cafeteria. Pulled pork is BBQ 101, and if the pork can't stand on its own without you having to drown it in sauce (that was way too sweet) then your pulled pork isn't good. The meat had been stewing in that sauce so long it had broken down to just fibers. It was a runny, stringy, overly sweet soggy mess. Horrible texture for BBQ and all you could taste was that atrocious sauce. The sides were pretty basic, nothing looked home made. Everything kind of felt like it came out of a bag off the back of a Sysco truck. The rolls they served were so stale we could hardly eat them and with bbq that sloppy we needed something to add some mouthfeel to the the meat. In all honestly the meal was pretty bad. I'm going to give it 2 stars because everyone was very very friendly. We paid over $60 for lunch, that we wouldn't have bought had we known what we were getting into. If you are looking for good BBQ, skip this place. It may have been good at one point or maybe people don't know what good BBQ is but this Georgia boy sure does and this ain't it.

Went with family. Absolutely DELICIOUS. We have been to Brooks before it was made into a buffet. Honestly, we really like the newer buffet format. The chicken was very fresh, and sides were all you can eat. Included drinks and dessert.

We had the buffet for my mother's birthday. Lots of selections of sides--salads, mashed potatoes, seasoned vegetables--something for everyone. The main meat course was just ok--next time we come, we will get a meal takeout and skip the buffet--though there were plenty of options, we were unable to try everything and i would rather have leftovers!

Quality of food has gone downhill post covid era , was disappointed the past two times for dine in "experience" compared to what it used to be .

Recommended by our AirBnB hostess! Awesome BBQ which only offers carryout or deliveries due to staffing. We ordered the Senior brisket and the Chicken and Brisket combo to go. Each came with two sides and we each ordered the Cole slaw and I had the baked potato and my wife the baked beans. A dinner roll was included, but if you'd prefer cornbread there is a slight up charge of 60 cents. The brisket came double wrapped in tinfoil and was juicy lean and delicious. The chicken was the best bbq chicken I'd ever had. Both were fork tender and didn't even need to use the side of sauce supplied with each dinner. The coleslaw was plentiful and had a green tint to it, (maybe made with green goddess dressing?). The dinners were actually so big, neither of us could finish all we received. The restaurant was in business for 72 years and the stream of customers testified to its popularity in the Oneonta, NY area

It's always been a great place to go to, close to I-88 and famous for their chicken, the ribs excellent too. It was quite the surprise to go in and discover they have discontinued table service and now it's a buffet! The half chicken is $25. They hand you a bucket for your bones, you pay and it asks you for a tip! For what? We left it blank. The buffet itself looks poorly organized. First you take your ticket to the "meat" guy. Then you wander the buffet, salad stuff on one, the sides on the other. It is all very uninspired looking. Small pieces of corn on the cob swimming in lukewarm water. The local corn is delicious this time of year, but it shouldn't be served waterlogged. The butter is in a canister-sized bin, with a small ice-cream dipper to serve it in. Since it is melty and room temperature, it doesn't really dip and is a mess. And I'm not at all sure it was real "butter". Small baked potatoes wrapped in foil, mildly undercooked. Biscuits that look good but are a little stale and again not hot. The baked beans are still good, they are in a bowl with a spoon, can't you at least put them in a pot? And again, not hot. Desserts, industrial looking vanilla, butterscotch or chocolate pudding in big pans. A soft-serve ice cream machine, chocolate, vanilla or twist. No cones, just small dishes for a make your own sundae. Only toppings chocolate or caramel sauce, no whipped cream and no nuts available. A few other toppings, sprinkles, chocolate cookie crumbles and oatmeal cookie crumbles. Well it's a Sundae can't I have whipped cream and nuts? And maybe I'd like a cone. They do clean off your dishes for you, but that's about it for service, and everyone is nice. We left a few dollars on the table for the bus folks. Anyways, I guess I would never go in again, maybe stop for takeout. It's a shame, a restaurant with a line out the door now reduced to this sad buffet. We'll probably never know why they made this decision but it's not a place we would go out of our way for anymore, and it used to be great to stop there.

We lived in a cabin in Blenheim for two years without any good food, but an hour away is Brooks and it's AMAZING!! It's definitely a destination!! We absolutely loved the BBQ food, the fried cauliflower is mouth watering with the hot and mild sauces! The salads are great with balsamic vinegar and their famous grilled chicken! I ordered the Dinner Combo of Pulled Pork and Chicken with two sides of Mac and cheese and cauliflower! I loved their BBQ sauce, wooden indoor tables and outdoor seating! If you have time you can check out the Brewery. I wish this was closer to our home but it's perfect. We've traveled to Texas and it's pretty darn similar with the juicy pulled pork and chicken. I'm very happy this place is still running post pandemic, a lovely staple of the local town with friendly and helpful staff members. Everything is very clean and tidy and we will definitely be back again!

On our return drive from Cooperstown toward Harrisburg, PA, my two sons (15 yrs, 13 yrs), wife, miniature-poodle and I stopped here for lunch. We arrived near 11:15am, so it was before the crowds arrived. Brooks BBQ has a unique charcoal pit and is known for barbecue chicken. They currently do not allow in-house dining, but the outdoor seating was nice on a sunny, summer day. If you're traveling with a dog, it's convenient to picnic outdoors. We ordered the chicken spiedie sandwich with a side of coleslaw. It was very tasty. If you're not familiar with spiedie, it's like a marinated kabob. I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken. My son got a brisket sandwich, which was OK, but nothing special. The restrooms are outside in a mobile unit (it's much nicer than a standard port-o-potty). It's unfortunate that in-house restaurant dining remains closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic I can understand the owners being careful because lots of tourists (and buses) come through this place. But I think NY state has a fairly high vaccination rate - so it may be time to open up the dining room with limited capacity (and spacing). Bottom line - if you're passing through Oneonta, it's worth a stop here for the BBQ chicken (or the chicken spiedie sandwich).

Confused cashier didn't know how much meat per serving is sold. Over priced portions for very poor quality meat called pre-cooked. Sitting in metal pan barely hot. The brisket was full of fat swimming in a fat of hot water. buffet had a minimal selection of more pre-cooked heatlamp food. compared to other barbecue restaurants I barely give this a two star. I doubt I would return.

Visited this restaurant two times while visiting g Cooperstown for a baseball tournament. Did takeout pulled pork and chicken one day. Food was amazing. When back another day and did the buffet. Had the chicken and it was dry but I didn't mind because everything else made up for the dry chicken. They had a chicken chili that was very tasty. My husband even went back for 2nds of the chicken chili. Def. Good eats!

This used to be a great place to go. Now it's extremely overpriced with sub par food on the buffet. After patronizing this establishment for 16 years, there are many other hometown restaurants that are wonderful in the area to try.

My love and I decided to stop for dinner since it has been over two decades since either of us had been there. It has changed a lot which is not necessarily a bad thing. We went in, stood back from the "hostess" a little bit to look at the "menu" options. This "hostess" stood up when we walked and the look on her face said "I'd rather be having a root canal". She propped her elbow up on the ledge next to her, laid her head on her hand with her fingers in her hair!!! She was zero help and downright dismissive. We had no idea what the steps were, since, as I said, we hadn't been there in forever. I had to ask multiple questions and figure out how to order and what to do after ordering. We find a table and go up to the buffet. The bar that had the sides had some nice options and most of the ones we tried were decent. The salad bar was laughable! Basic iceberg lettuce, cheese, black Olives, gross looking tomatoes, the fake "bacon flavored" hard, so called bacon bits and a couple of mixed salads. Really disappointing. Then we get to meat bar. We each chose 2 meats. Hubby asked for ribs and chicken while I opted for pulled pork and chicken. The man working this area was very polite and friendly. Unfortunately, the meat was HORRIBLE. Every single bite was just overwhelmingly full of liquid smoke flavor and nothing else. No BBQ flavor. You couldn't taste the actual meat. It was just smoke and a TON of salt. We spent $64 dollars for 2 disgusting, disappointing buffets. This was a horrible experience. We will never step foot in the place again.

Brooks used to be great. Now that they changed to buffet, it is not so good First, 30 dollars for 3 ribs and 3 slices of brisket, and I had to watch the girl count the meat. Then the buffet was awful, with tots, lol, chicken nuggets, and basically garbage food. The salad bar was ok. When I wanted to take home the meat they give you foil and a clear bag, being afraid god forbid you took something from their awful buffet table like a roll...OMG. They need to visit a real buffet or go back to the Great Brooks it used to be. We will never go back there.

On our way up North, we stopped here for takeout. A large menu featuring appetizers, salads, dinners, burgers, sandwiches and desserts featuring pulled pork, brisket, chicken, spareribs, mac and cheese, wings, chicken salad, and so much more featuring senior dinners and even vegetarian burgers. There is something for everyone's tastes. We ordered, the bbq chicken dinner, chicken sandwich, brisket dinner, mac and cheese, mozzarella sticks, coleslaw and baked beans. We enjoyed everything but found nothing exceptional for our tastes although food was wholesome. Takeout was wrapped well, so food remained hot. Portion size was good and prices reasonable. The restaurant was crowded, the staff friendly, and no in dining related to covid precautions. Please note that this restaurant earned the James Beard Foundation Americas Classic Award.

Way to go Brooks. Been going there since the sixties . Brooks has been a main stay. Always good. Well not anymore. Dry chicken with no taste . A buffet with cold chicken and bisques and cold Mac and cheese. Restaurant is empty and for good reason. Way to destroy a business . Sad. Very very sad. I'll never go back

Currently they are taking to go orders at the counter. But thankfully they have plenty of outdoor space to take your food to go. The bbq chicken was delicious, Especially the dark meat. Coleslaw and Mac n cheese also enjoyable. Behind the restaurant they have several play structures to keep the kids entertained. Definitely a must try when you are near by!

First time customer and given the prices and reputation I was stunned by how poor quality the food was. Everything was dry, flavorless, and had big chunks of fat hanging off. Worse than cafeteria food.

Don't waste your time or money! We have been stopping here for years whenever we travel through the area, but this time will most definitely be the last. There is no wait staff. You have to stand in line and order then seat yourself, exactly like a fast food place. While you stand there waiting for your turn to order, you have plenty of time to read the extensive and insulting rules regarding what you're allowed to serve yourself from their limited buffet side dish options. Here's how it works: 1. Order your main course from a blackboard menu. Pay for it and take the token (like a beer chip). 2. Take the token to another counter where they plop your BBQ, ribs, chicken, or whatever you chose onto your plate. Or, if you've ordered take-out they literally dump it into a PAPER BAG and give it to you with juices and sauces dripping down the soggy sides. 3. Take what sides you want from the buffet. Pay attention to the rules though, and don't take more than you can eat. The $25-30 dollar price tag doesn't allow you to take any leftovers home except for the main course. Don't forget to get your fountain drink. 4. Try to enjoy your meal. You won't get their signature loaf of bread anymore either, which is probably for the best since youre not allowed to take anything home anyway. 4. When you're ready to leave, you have to go track someone down (remember there's no wait staff) and ask for a takeout container. BUT YOU WON'T GET ONE. They'll give you a small paper bag to dump your main course into. If you aren't satisfied with that option, they'll offer you a piece of foil to wrap it in and kindly assure you that the bags don't leak. 5. Before you leave, make sure you flip the card over on the table to alert the bus boy or girl so they can clear it. 6. Eat your leftovers at home later, with no potatoes or any other sides, because you just wasted about $60 on 2 fast food dinners that were disguised as gourmet meals. 7. Reflect on your life choices. Write a review to help prevent others from making the same mistake that you did. Note that they have disabled reviews on all their FB pages.

Have been here twice now. Love the atmosphere but we had a couple of issues first of all it's very expensive for the food portions you get. They give you a buzzer and you pick up at a counter tip, they won't even come to your table for a tip. The chicken and brisket can be dry depending on the day your there the sides are pretty good. We would go again if we were in the area from Poughkeepsie New York hopefutduring the summer when we can sit outside and listen to a band

Heard about this must stop location on the way to visit Cooperstown. Definitely a traditional BBQ place just off the highway. Clean and neat with all COVID precautions in place. There were three of us on this visit. The guys ordered pulled pork grilled cheese sandwiches. They enjoyed them. One with a side of slaw and the other with French fries. I ordered the veggie burger topped with lettuce and a side of onion rings. The to go container had a side of salsa. Not exactly certain what I was to do with the salsa. I guess add it to my burger. I was disappointed that the burger didn't have or I wasn't offered tomatoes or sliced onion. If I had realized it while ordering I would have asked for it. My onion rings were barely warm. Same as the French fries. The coleslaw looked creamy and my boyfriend said it tasted good. I'm a mustard fan vs ketchup. Ketchup was provided in the to go package. When I asked for mustard I was provided two packets. We had to go back up to the counter to get additional packages and they had to go somewhere else in search of it. But this time when delivered I got 5 packs which were plenty for my onion rings and burger. Everyone was nice and accommodating. The place wasn't well lighted but we sat next to a window in a booth and even on the overcast day we enjoyed natural light. The service was good and explained when we ordered. Every meal was placed in to go boxes with all of the extras. We unpacked it when it was brought to our table. I would have appreciated packaging that is more environmentally friendly vs all of the plastic boxes.

Visited early June 2022: First of all let me say that I'm happy they're allowing people back inside, as apparently they had not been doing This through covid and up until quite recently. I ordered buffalo wings to start - Zesty BBQ variety, which had no spice whatsoever. They were good otherwise, though we did not care for either their ranch or their blue cheese. I ordered the brisket and pulled pork combo, sides coleslaw and fried cauliflower. The coleslaw was nothing to write home about, it was actually rather tasteless... Get the cauliflower instead. I thought the brisket was quite good, very tender and lean, but not as flavorful as I had hoped. Wifey liked the pulled pork sandwich, with Mac and cheese side. I thought the mac and cheese was not bad, but rather interesting because it was more of an alfredo then mac and cheese The atmosphere was a little weird, as they had booths all over the place, and a long lunch counter looking space that was not in use. There did not appear to be a bar or anywhere that was serving any alcohol, but when you ordered at the desk you could order a can of beer from the case behind the hostesses or they had a special on two different types of beer where you get 2 pints for five bucks!! Good deal for some decent beer to wash down your food! Perhaps I was just there on an off day, as this did not match the recommendations that one of my family members gave me for the place...... We went at about 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and the median age of patrons was pushing 70, which I thought was a little odd, but I later noticed they have some awesome senior specials, so kudos to Brooks for taking care of Grandma and Grandpa!

Same good food but now an overpriced buffet. Very disappointed in visit today. $25 for chicken buffet but can't have other meats and only 1/2 chicken. Sides were good but not worth $25. Been a customer for over 50 years but will not go back. Nice to se Phyllis still here but this buffet is a step in the wrong direction. Very sad to see a star in Oneonta fizzle out.