OUTSIDER BBQ & BEER GARDEN
Restaurant · Fremont
4010 Leary Wy NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Highlights
Outsider BBQ serves up melt-in-your-mouth Texas-style brisket with a Turkish twist on sides in a chill, family-friendly Fremont spot.
Outsider BBQ serves up melt-in-your-mouth Texas-style brisket with a Turkish twist on sides in a chill, family-friendly Fremont spot.
"It’s a familiar plot arc—BBQ pop-up opens. BBQ pop-up becomes BBQ restaurant. The townspeople rejoice and gnaw on rib bones. And we’re right there with them, because Outsider in Fremont serves a lineup of smoked meats so good it’s possible to momentarily forget that BBQ sauce even exists. And tasty sides offset the copious amounts of pork fat nicely. The surroundings are thoroughly country, thanks to an outdoor fire pit and a soundtrack of twangy tunes about blue jeans—but it doesn’t feel like you’ve been kicked in the jaw with a cowboy boot. Roll in with a group at any time and have the staff customize a platter of everything." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Seattleites have long enjoyed the ribs, brisket, and other meats at this roving Texas-style barbecue kitchen that incorporates Turkish flavors. They now have a restaurant at the former Ballard Pizza Company location." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente
"What makes Outsider distinct from the other barbecue joints around town is its Turkish-influenced sides, but don’t let that fool you: This is a classic, Texas-style barbecue place. The standout is the fatty, buttery soft brisket, but the smoky sausage is a treat as well. The cheesy corn casserole is the side to get, and like every barbecue place worth its sauce you get white bread and fresh, crunchy pickles with every order. There’s a line here on weekends — expect popular items to sell out — but the staff often goes down the line taking drink orders and bringing beers to thirsty ‘cue fans." - Harry Cheadle
"Ballard is loaded with expansive brewery beer gardens that are filled with families every sunny weekend. Outsider BBQ, which recently opened in the former Ballard Pizza Company space on Leary, has a lot of those neighborhood beers on tap plus a little indoor kid’s play area for those rainy days. For the adults, there’s meltingly tender, fatty brisket and a selection of sides that draw on owner Onur Gulbay’s Turkish background." - Harry Cheadle
"It’s a familiar plot arc—BBQ pop-up opens. BBQ pop-up becomes BBQ restaurant. The townspeople rejoice and gnaw on rib bones. And we’re right there with them, because Outsider in Fremont serves a lineup of smoked meats so good it’s possible to momentarily forget that condiments exist. (But sure, twist our arm with a drizzle of peppery golden mustard sauce.) Mounds of pulled pork are moist. The brisket is a less-is-more case study in smart smoking. Links of jalapeño cheddar sausage have impeccable snap encasing molten pockets of cheese. And sides, like sumac-sprinkled potato salad and fluffy corn casserole, offset the grease nicely. Granted, they’ve got some skips, like a syrupy peach cobbler that lacks acid and poppyseed slaw assaulted with a tumbleweed of shaved lemon rind. You know what? Flinging that zest bunny on the cobbler could solve those problems. The surroundings are thoroughly country, thanks to the blaze of an outdoor fire pit, massive wooden tables, and a soundtrack of twangy tunes about blue jeans. But it doesn’t feel like you’ve been kicked in the jaw with a cowboy boot. Ordering is chill too, as the staff can whip up a mixed platter based on your party count in less time than it takes for you to ponder what a quarter-pound of brisket looks like. Yeah, the plot arc is familiar. But familiarity can be great. Food Rundown Pulled Pork These pork shreds are so juicy that they’re worthy of eating completely alone without so much as a sauce dab. But dab away anyway. Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage A link or four belong on your metal tray. We love the balance of sticky cheddar craters and fresh roasty green pepper here, and the whole thing isn’t too spicy if that’s something you worry about. Brisket Smoke is merely a fleeting whisper in this slow-cooked hunk of melty beef, and it's proof that great brisket doesn't need to taste like it spent time in a Las Vegas Casino. But not to worry—there's still a lovely crust and crimson smoke ring to remind you that this is indeed some serious BBQ. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Pork Spare Ribs It’s not the most exciting slab of meat in the world, but the ribs are seasoned perfectly, the fatty parts give way where they need to, and leaner bits have a welcome chew. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Potato Salad It's a Turkish riff, with sumac and dill adding some pop to markedly firm potato hunks dressed in a creamy mustard situation. Tack it on. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Corn Casserole Fantasies of licking cornbread batter come true in this buttery scoop. We’d roll in just to eat a pint. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Mac 'N Cheese This one-note mac is certainly fine, but we call it a missed opportunity. Essentially, the edible equivalent of being 40 and still seeing a pediatrician. You can do better." - Aimee Rizzo
