LARK'S BAR-B-QUE

Staff is very friendly. Was out of brisket at 4:00 pm on a Thursday which seems like a planning foul. The seating area is nice, a little chilly so bring a jacket. The tip and chick dinner was good. Sauce had lots of flavor but tons of bones in the sliced chicken. The pulled pork sandwich and just the meat were really good. Good smoke flavor with great sauce. The beans were great but a small serving size for the price. French fries seemed fresh and were hot. Overall it seems a bit overpriced for the serving sizes. Good food though.

You can taste the process in the BBQ Ribs and Chicken. They both had a good smokey flavor, were tender, and the sauce added a nice kick. We also tried a couple of sides. The coleslaw was a stand-out while the beans, greens, and cornbread not so much. The beans needed a little more spice, greens needed vinegar, and bread was too dry. The tables were empty besides a roll of paper toweling (which was needed). However, salt and pepper and hot sauce would have helped with the subtle difference between ok and really good. Some upbeat background music would have also enhanced the ambiance.

Good home cooked barbeque. Liked that we could get sauce on the side for the ribs. We also ordered ribs and chicken that came with sauce. We should have requested sauce on the side as it was more than we expected. But overall, it was a good meal. Liked all the pictures on the wall and the message of hope. We would eat there again.

This was my first visit to this place. My daughter had a half rack of ribs and I had amazing brisket! With 2 drinks it was 36$ out the door. I loved that everything was piping hot. A lot of barbecue places that I visit seem to serve food that isn't so warm. The surrounding neighborhood is slightly blighted but don't let that deter you from trying this place out! I will be back if I'm in that neck of the woods.

Lark's knocked it out of the park! The taste of the rib tibs and catfish fillet were to cry for! Good moisted meat that had a good pork and smoke taste; fried to perfection fish that don't miss. The service was excellent and this place is a great place to bring family, friends, or employees. There was good overall barbecue being made here. There is also rich history in the community serving others. I love the pictures on the walls of how the establisent started and how their ministry is involved. You won't be disappointed!

Love Larks. New location is shiny, but the Que is still the best. Get the ribs or the rib tips. Brisket is a solid choice. Can't comment on the poultry or fish, I never get that far down the menu board. Get a large order of tips and serve in small crock pot at your next get together. Great old school mustard potato salad. There is a reason why Larks has survived and grown-Good Food-Great Service.

Very tasty, first time here. Will definitely come back, glad we stopped in for our wedding anniversary dinner while passing through.

Rib Tips w/ beans & mac and cheese My buddies and I were passing through the town and I stumbled on Lark's. The four of us had a great lunch. 🔥 Barbeque Sauce

For the price point it wasn't bad at all . Would be a 3.5 stars. Got the ribs and dark dinner combo. Didn't know it was covered in bbq sauce which I didn't like. I would Get bbq sauce on the side . The bbq sauce is tangy. Would come back for the price and trip the tips and dark chicken combo. Got the food fast.

Food was good. Service was good. Ambiance was cool -- maybe a former gas station or auto service center? I like that they were open at 11am on a weekday. I had the brisket. Took a little bit longer than expected to get our food, but not terribly long.

I love Lark's. I've been going to Lark's since 2000 when they used to be in that old gas station up Main Street a ways. Back in the day when you ordered your order was received slabs of meat cane out of a window and were ferociously chopped up with a meat clever. I miss that experience, but none the less their BBQ is top notch. Always on point. I have learned to order my BBQ with the sauce on the side SOS. That's a personal preference. Their sauce is amazing not too sweet, no too sour and with a little kick at the end. Love it! I just like to taste the meat and I think they do a jerk rub on the chicken, but I've never asked. I always call when I'm on my way so I can come in and pay and eat. Which suits me just fine. The picture below is of their Combo with Rib Tips & Dark Meat Chicken. Amazing one of my favorite meals in SWMI. If you have not been? Give them a shot. They are part of the foundation and soul of Benton Harbor and it shows in their delicious food.

Good amount of food for the price. It does take a minute for food to come out, but that just means it's fresh. Wish there were more options for dinners (meat with sides included), but I can't complain. The facility was very clean.

Awesome BBQ ribs and catfish. First time here at another's recommendation and I will return and recommend. This is true wood smoked meat.

First time here and I guess I should have ask question but didn't. I usually order beef brisket at BQ places because they put the BQ sauce on the side where everything is basted in sauce. I order the large order of beef brisket to share with my boyfriend. When I got home 20 minutes later and opened the container, I was so disappointed but it was my fault. I'm diabetic and the meat was swimming in sauce. I'm sure my pound of brisket was 14 ounces of brisket and 2 ounces of sauce. Everywhere I have ever order it, the brisket is fall apart tender and they ask me about what kind of sauce I wanted but this was not tender and my boyfriend didn't want it either. Total waste of my money.

Our second time to Lark's Bar-B-Que was just as delightful as our first visit a couple of years ago. The service is friendly and inviting; the environment is laid back and simple, and the food is mouthwatering - packed with freshness and flavors! On our most recent visit, we had a large group; however, they ensured our food came out together and double checked to make sure everything we ordered was included - true hospitality! I ordered the Full Slab of Ribs, with a side of Mac & Cheese, Greens and French Fries. The rib meat was falling off the bones and had the perfect amount of BBQ sauce. The Mac & Cheese was cheesy and creamy; the greens were well cooked and seasoned, and the fries were done just right! I don't have a single negative thing to say about Lark's and encourage anyone in the area to stop by and check them out! Can't wait for future visits!!

Best sauce And smoked ribs and rib tips. I have heard there are other food is good also. When you get that smoky food, barbecue flavor stuck in your head, stop by Lark's and grub some tips

Still a great lace for jerk chicken. Been eating here for 30 years almost. Take a drive.

Great ribs, rib tips and catfish. However that is all overwhemed by the high prices, and the owner being a rude jerk! I will never give him a cent again.

Great rib tips, nice and clean food was fresh and hot. Very nice people to do business with. Stop there at least 2 times a month

Lunch run for a group. Called ahead and order was ready as quickly as they said. Greeted at the door graciously by the owner who's wife makes amazing desserts! Group loved the rib tips which were cooked to perfection! Definitely a repeat lunch with run.

I come to Lark's from a long time, since they use to have a car wash together with the BBQ. the ribs are my favorites and I normally do not change too much. Lastime we ordered the corn nuggets (I messed because I'd mean corn bread) but I really like them. I felt a little expensive but probably due to inflation.

Lark's Bar-B-Que has been a staple in Benton Harbor for years, probably decades. But unfortunately it's not the go to place for lots of people. Why? Their food is not how it once was and there are now many places that make ribs that are just as good if not better. I still enjoy their ribs and burgers, and probably always will, but if they want to be the place people automatically go to they need to step up their game. I was very pleased to see they are getting themselves out there at the Berrien County Youth Fair. I believe they were the only rib place at the fair so I hope they found some good customers from the county. Long story short, I still like them, but I no longer love them. Sorry Larks, but I do promise to be back soon.

All I can say is 10/10!!! The food was amazing and the service was even better. The fish and brisket sandwiches were delicious and crispy. The fries and corn nuggets were hot and fresh. The brisket sandwich was saucy and well seasoned. The catfish burger is to die for and fried very well! I will definitely be back again!

Seemed to be one of the few resturants opened in downtown area on a Friday night. The restaruant was interesting. You go in, order first, then find a seat. There are not waiters. So towards the end of the meal we realized there are no waiters, so we had to go up and ask for a refill of water and was not sure what to do with our trays. Pretty pricey menu for quanitty and quality of food. Got the large pulled chicken, ~$10 for bowl of chicken, sauce, and a side. Also got 2 corn breads. The chicken was very dry, probably would not get it again. The corn bread was very very dry, would not recommend getting it, but there are other breads and sides you could try that looked and sounded better.

Written by my ten year old daughter: I had a pleasant experience here! The Mac and Cheese I had was a tad bland, but overall the staff was very very nice, the place was clean, and I tried some cheese fries and they were pretty good! It was a good place overall, and I was satisfied with the experience. I can recommend this place to any BBQ lover. We live in Chicago and I love BBQ. I had the rib tips. They were great. We will be back.

The first taste of that pulled chicken sandwich was fantastic! Juicy, tangy, so flavorful. Not to mention very hospitable staff. This spot is open for business during Covid and there is dine-in available. Just to prove how good this place is, there were people in line or picking up food the entire time we were eating. Their menu has a good variety of sides, sandwiches, and platters and their prices were very reasonable. Really enjoyed and would highly recommend!.

The food was absolutely delicious. I got the dark meat chicken with a side of greens. It was more than I could eat and almost too good to share. I'll go back when we are in the area.

Great BBQ. Brisket and tips are perfectly prepared. Perch surprisingly excellent. Fresh. Hot. Full flavor and smoke. Staff were friendly and helpful. We'll be back.

Brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are the best! All the good looks good though. Nice clean place with great service. Wish I had one back home.

Not bad if you have the money. But not worth the cost. Not authentic real barbeque. Dried pork sitting in a pan dipped in bbq sauce when served.

Although the workers were friendly, the food was not up to par. I ordered a small brisket (unbelievably dry. It was smothered in barbecue sauce. I don't know if it helped/made it worse) and Lark's Rib Tips (very tough. I had to wrench it out of my mouth.) A friend ordered ribs, gumbo (decent) and something else. Boy ordered a shrimp po' boy sandwich. The shrimp were so small. About the size of a quarter. Disappointed in the quality of the food, but I liked the atmosphere and customer service.

Ridiculous! Wife loved the dark chicken and thought mac couldn't possibly have been better. Rib tips outstanding. Beans were dynamite. Greens were ok and cornbread was unexceptional. The portions were gigantic. It seemed expensive but was a fair price. We have tons of leftovers. We liked the staff! If you're anywhere in southwest Michigan, this is a must. Dining room looked clean and attractive, but carryout better. Drinks are Pepsi - if you like that sort of thing.

First trip there. I felt it was going to be good when I pulled in parking lot and there are stacks of wood on Big rack ... yum! Good start. It's clean, beautifully decorated and judging by the number of people working they take food prep seriously!! I was there for lunch and didn't want anything too heavy so I just got the Black Bean burger. It was reasonably priced and one of the best I have ever had!!! It must be cooked over the wood flame too. Yummy!! This place is top notch in my book and I will be bringing my family back. The only caveat is the small parking lot.

Great brisket, great chicken Philly sandwich, great bread pudding, good portion sizes, check it out!

This place is awesome. I had the ribs, brisket and turkey knuckles. They all tasted homemade and the sauce is delicious. So good I went back two nights in a row.

I'm from Texas and have also lived and continue to travel other places in the South so I'm particular about BBQ. Larks is good but not great. My search continues!

This place is simply a GEM I love going here. By far the best ribs so far I've had in the state. That's right the state I would challenge anyone to give me a better place. I know my bbq and have been to many places in state and out and Lark and his team have been doing it up for as long as I could remember. I stay an hour away from them now but still try to make it out due to the great food. I only wish they would expand their operation. At the same time its probably good that they haven't bc is could mess up their quality. Keep it up Mr. Lark and team love the food and always a great conversation. A much try spot and SW Michigan!

I used to love getting larks every time I came to Benton Harbor because they don't have one in Chicago. But the last time I went I got ribs tips and they were cold. Am I supposed to heat them up when I get home? What if I want to eat them in the car . The sauce was sitting on top of the rib tips in a frozen looking state. I asked for hot barbecue sauce and it was extremely mild no spice at all. They did offer for me to return them but once you're in the house and have taking off your shoes and coat and ready to eat who wants to go back out? Nothing is the way it used to be. I'm happy to know they have other options here in Benton Harbor now... There was a time they were worth coming out of town for. NOT ANYMORE!!!! 3/5/18 update Ok ok I forgot to tell you they redeemed themselves. They told me to come back and they would replace my tips ... I did .... they did .....and they were good!!!!! Yum yummy... I guess I'm still in the Larks game. I will go again ...

Incredibly dishonest way to sell ribs. The old "we cut the ribs before serving em" scam. Someone in the back picks out 12 precut bones and you get pieces that are just that: bone. Note that my thumb has more meat on it. I will never go back after one of the owners tried to bs me about what was in the box. A full order of spare ribs would have filled two of these boxes easily if you weren't picking out the thinnest bits of rib you cut all day. And if your spare happens to actually be a St Louis cut, you are still wrong, cause at least 4 of these bones look like the tiny end of baby back cut; shorter than half my pinkie. Unreal.

Love this barbeque joint. Pulled pork sandwich was fantastic. Sauce was nice. Potatoe salad was great southern style. I recommend!

Not many bbq places get 5 stars from me but the ribs at Larks are worthy of 5 stars. So delicious.

We have been meaning to come to this place for 5 years - I believe they have been in this spot for about 2 years. I was always curious about the idea of a restaurant AND car wash coexisting in the same business - but they do! The dining room is clean, bright and open with two big glass garage doors in the front, I wondered if they open these in the summer months? If so, it would feel like open air dining to the max! You order at the register and they bring your food out to you. When we walked in we were greeted by a friendly, smiling cashier who took our order and made some great suggestions. We landed on a few pulled pork platters (with THREE sides) and a feast sampler of all of their meats. We also tried and order of fried smelts. The previous reviews weren't kidding about needed a bigger table to hold all the food...and prepare to have lots of leftovers. The pulled pork was excellent, a big portion with a fluffy bun. I had the beans, mac 'n cheese and potato salad on the side. The potato salad was the delicious...everything else was really good too bu the mac 'n cheese could have been warmer. Our dining mates had the feast platter and it was more than enough food for 2 or 3 people and included 3 different kinds of ribs, turkey knuckles, hot links, pork sausage, fried baloney, brisket and I think, chicken. AMAZING! The big portion of fried smelt was lightly battered and perfectly seasoned. We also tried their banana pudding for dessert and it was the best I've ever tasted...I will probably go back just for that. We were told their desserts are all house made so I'm anxious to try some of the other items on the menu. The best part about this place isn't the food - it's the service. The owner (I think) was constantly checking in to make sure we had everything we needed and the food was to our liking. Lark's was a big hit and our first "dining out" experience of 2016...I think the bar is very high for the rest of the year.

We needed to find a quick place to eat and had never been to the area. We saw a place on the right side of the road and pulled in. It looked like an old car repair place that has been converted. I always enjoy seeing a real bar-b-que grill outside. Usually a good sign it's legitimate. We were there around 3pm so not crowded. Had the pulled pork sandwich with baked beans, Mac-n-cheese and French fries. French fries were ok, but everything else was DELICIOUS! The owner was also there which is nice and everyone was very nice. I'll be back whenever I'm in the area again!

This BBQ restaurant is a classic! I could live off of their side dishes. They're meats and sandwiches are really great too. And they're prices are so affordable!

Luckily found Lark's while in Benton Harbor for the day and had the their bbq brisket sandwich which was the most mouth-watering sandwich I've ever eaten in my entire life not only delicious but also fast service, as opposed to other nearby places I checked out that were overpriced, long waits and not very friendly. If you are looking for good take out, good prices and nice people running the place to boot, can't imagine finding a better place, highly recommend!

Read the reviews and came in. Great atmosphere and met the owner. Super nice guy! The food is PHENOMENAL! You see the BBQ grill and the wood sitting outside. You know it's gonna be good!

Truly a joint to get some soul food around the area. With a variety of meat selections you wont be disappointed. Their customer service was what stood out the most to me. Southern-hospitality is the what I would describe it as. I ordered their Jerk burger and their homemade sweet tea. Though I didnt enjoy their burger so much (you may enjoy it), I was delighted with their sweet tea and corn nuggets (had a share of my friend's). Cheers !

Not the best BBQ I've had, but it's okay! It may be my taste preference - I usually like less saucy meats, or sauce on the side so I can taste the flavor the meat first and then add as much sauce as I like. Unfortunately, there was just too much sauce in my pulled pork sandwich for me to really appreciate the work they put into making the meat. I will try it again soon! :D

Got a pound of brisket got home it was a pound of mush.. never seen brisket in that state.. it was treated like pulled pork with sauce mixed in..not what I was looking for.. very disappointed wasted over 20$ it did not taste good at all all tasted old .. never again

Had high hopes for this place, seemed to have great Yelp reviews. My wife and I stopped in for lunch, first off the menu is a huge and difficult to understand what comes with what. Everything is a la carte and ends up being about $15-$20 per person. We ordered the brisket and pulled pork. Both were extremely underwhelming. Somewhat small portions, and basic, unimpressive sauce that comes slathered over all of it. Almost $4 for a 4oz serving of Mac and cheese. Just very dissatisfied, to top it off went for a refill, removed my lid to find 2 bugs frozen inside an ice cube, so gross. Won't ever be back.

Food was good! I ordered rib tips. I wanted mild and hot sauce (cause I'm from Chicago and that's what I do). When I got my food a was a little disappointed because they put the hot sauce on the side. But baaaaabaaaaaay I want to thank the cook! The sauce was from hell it was soooooo hot!!!!!! If that would've been over my entire meal it would've been ruined. The meat was very tender, the sauce was good, the restaurant was clean and the employees were very nice and welcoming. Also had peach cobbler for dessert....I will pass next time. I make a mean cobbler.

Great BBQ. We had the dark chicken and slab of ribs. We ate it too fast to take a picture :)

Best Bar B Que outside the great state of Texas, everyone knows Texas is the best but hands down Larks is great tasting wonderful atmosphere and the lady behind the counter Awesome.

1st time here... has the meatloaf lunch special and it was amazing... meatloaf was covered in bbq sauce with mashed potatoes and green beans... I work near here and will visit this place more often to try other things! Great home cooking! Highly recommend

This is the real deal . When we walked up the bbq man was cleaning the cooking screens the smoker was on and smelled wonderful. The heritage of the location is a great story. The religious openness is refreshing. A challenging economy can be observed in the building close to the downtown. A thought provoking place to eat. Oh I forgot the food is a knock out the ribs were great got them with sauce on them. My wife loved the perch. Purchased by the pound it was great and we ordered too much but had plenty for another meal. The upscale golf course is neat and loved the okra also ummm

Stopped by here for lunch and tried the chicken, rib tips,brisket,and potato salad. The chicken and rib tips were quite good, with a nice tangy, spicy sauce, although the brisket was watery. The sides were not very impressive. The potato salad didn't taste much different from supermarket variety. I would eat here again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

This establishment has been a beloved part of Benton Harbor for over 20 years. They are known for their BBQ but my love is their catfish sandwich. I grew up eating this in high school and as I come back to visit, I always find myself coming back to get a catfish sandwich. They cook your food to order so unless you are planning to sit and eat in, I suggest you call it in so the wait isn't as long. You can also get a slice of pie, different cuts of meat and a lot of sides. Their fried pickle spears are really too. You really can't go wrong here.

I've been going to Lark's since they were attached to a hand car wash down the street. The hospitality is great, and Mr. Lark is a Benton Harbor community fixture. My buddy and I used to stop in there to pick up a Polish sausage with sauce before heading out on the boat. The quality of the Polish sausages (hot and mild) are great! I can also recommend their pulled pork... pricey, but good. Lark's sauce is also quite good. Unfortunately, I will not be ordering the rib tips or brisket ever again, and won't be risking the $ on a rack of ribs either. The meat is very tough, and the portions are small for the price. Baked beans used to be made by Mrs. Lark and were really good: the last time I ordered them, they tasted/looked just like Bush's out of the can. I'm not sure what Lark's is going for in their nicer, newer location. As far as I can tell, prices have gone way up and quality has gone down. I will continue to go there, but only for the Polish sausages. Sorry.