Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q

Where to Get Finger-Licking Barbecue in Metro Detroit

"In business since 1964, Parks Old Style BBQ is a destination spot in the North End. It specializes in pit-style barbecue basted with a vinegar-based sauce. Go for meat and bread only — choosing from slabs, rib sandwich, chicken, rib tips, and wing dings — or splurge on the full dinner, which comes with two sides such as coleslaw, potato salad, and green beans." - Eater Staff

Where to Get Finger-Licking Barbecue in Metro Detroit

Food Prices Force Some Detroit Restaurants to Make Tough Menu Decisions - Eater Detroit

"Chose to absorb additional food costs to maintain customer experience, as cutting portion sizes was not an option." - Karmen Elaine

Milan Calderin

Google

I wasted $25 on this. Sorry Food absolutely disgusting. The rib tips were very tough. The sauce was horrible, which was mild runny sauce. The sides came in a tiny container. The greens taste like water not a piece of salt in it. The mac & cheese was the worst part, they should have just used box and if they did they use the cheapest of the cheapest do not waste your time here and the lady that answered the phone does not sound like she wants to serve you !!!! Absolutely not !

Kesha Alexander

Google

Where do I start brought a slab that was over priced and extremely small. Smaller than a baby back size rib. Over cooked added like 5 pieces of bread so that the dollar store white garbage bag it was in could feel a little heavier so I wouldn’t notice the size. Never again they actually tired the food in a white small can garbage bag. SMH horrible.

Luvli Uno

Google

We had lunch catered from here today, I was very dissatisfied with the presentation of things. I ordered ribs and chicken, I expected to get a pan of ribs and a pan of chicken however they packaged the ribs and chicken together and drenched them in BBQ sauce how did they know everyone wanted ribs and chicken, some people don"t even eat pork, the side portions are so small, the mac and cheese was TERRIBLE, the food is overpriced. You all need some training in catering. I like Park BBQ but I will not be placing a cater order ever again. The only thing I appreciated was the delivery was very timely and the guys were nice otherwise....

C T

Google

If I could give zero stars I would have! Service TERRIBLE and quality of food TERRIBLE! I paid $50 for a rib slab and received less than that (see picture). The cashier was nasty and rude and the owner Mr. Parks was no better. I requested a refund and was told they do not give refunds. This by far was the WORST experience Ive had at this establishment. I am all for supporting black businesses but no longer this one!

LaShawnda “The Financial Mogul” Robinson

Google

The staff is very nice but the quality of the food isn't anything like it used to be. I was charged $40 for a full slab of spareribs and got baby back ribs. I'll buy their sauce and go somewhere else.

Lottie Ellington

Google

The food was low quality and over priced. The Mac and cheese was over salted and had no seasoning and appeared to be made on the stove top. (I expected southern baked Mac and cheese. The Chicken wing dings were clearly bought frozen wings that they deep fried. They forgot my to give me my bread. The atmosphere was depressing, and the serving sizes were tiny.

K Webb

Google

Unfortunately I ordered beef ribs that had very little meat on the bones and were overcooked. As well I was supposed to get four bones and only got three!! The potato salad always clearly store bought. The greens were the worse I've ever had. They literally tasted "green" it was like eating a warmed salad with no seasonings. The chicken was okay and the pork ribs were disappointing as well. I came on a whim because you were the closest BBQ to the location I was visiting. I've never been more disappointed in a food choice.

Angiee Atkins

Google

Yes he is the highest one Detroit no one is charging 55 for a slab I have been going there every since Young's Bq closed I miss the ribs but refuse to pay that much for some bones I can get a nice Steak Dinner for that price

Vera O J.

Yelp

omg.... I been going to parks as long ass I can remember, 60 years over on the north end!! I been going a good 45 years... I LOVE PARKS... would recommend it to the world!! Thank You Parks... Keep up the good work... Customer 4Life

Alesia W.

Yelp

Well this is an updated review. I've been going to Parks every since I was a child and I am over 50. The sauce is just unmatched and I still crave that sauce. Unfortunately, I drove 30 minutes to get there because of this craving. And was sadly disappointed. When I returned home, which I live a distance now when I unwrapped my ribs, all I had was bones. I had ordered a sandwich but there was not one piece of meat on any of the bones. Even the top half had been cut off where u can usually find some meat. I don't know if they do that to make up rib tips or what, but I was so mad and disappointed. Had I been closer I would have drove and took them back. Someone else that was with me, called me and asked me how was my ribs because they got a large end. He was very disappointed as well and said that all he had was bones. He said there wasn't even a flap of meat or the meat at the top either. I don't have to tell you, that Parks is the most expensive ribs around. And it's just sad not to be given what overpay for. They should have been ashamed of themselves because there is no way u could see there was no meat there, not to mentione there already bad customer service. My friend said the last time he got the ribs there which was a couple weeks ago he had nothing but bones as well. So I guess this will be the end of the road for us going to Parks after many decades. Not sure if u could purchase a bottle ofvthe sauce only.

Fred M.

Yelp

I definitely recommend the food here. Some of the best BBQ in the city. The only bad thing is that there is no where on the inside to eat so it's all carry out. Never had a bad experience here with the food.

jamillia v.

Yelp

I love there food , today I got Large End dinner Hot style omg the sauce was hot and I mean spicy . That's what I go back for every-time because they are perfect. They have been around since 1963 and they are still good like they open today . I would say I did order a dinner so I thought I got Fries but other then that it's a 9/10 !!

Ant G.

Yelp

Rib tips are pretty good but for some reason they never have any. Only side item I'll get from here are the French fries, all of there other sides are terrible! Customer service isn't so pleasing at this establishment either!

Tiffany L.

Yelp

Parks has never failed me! I love their rib tips and it's a must to get extra bread and sauce lol

Timothy H.

Yelp

I am from Cleveland Ohio. My girlfriend and I was looking for some good BBQ. The location is cool and the service is great. I was a little bit disappointed because I thought the food was going to be good. The price $$$ was not worth what I got. DO NOT GET THEIR SAUCE...buy you a bottle of your own. Ribs......4 out of 5 Sauce....2 out of 5 (vinegar-bitter) Mac-Cheese....2 out of 5 (salty-not cheesy) Baked beans 5 out of 5 VERY GOOD Greens 3 out of 5 (not very flavorful)

Robert C.

Yelp

I order the lunch special at 3:30 (that ends at 4) and was told it would be ready in 20 min. It was a snow storm so i arrived around 4:05. The customer service when I walked in was HORRIBLE. The young lady told me because it was after 4, she had to charge me full price. So instead of $14, I was charged $20. The barbecue sauce was very watery and disgusting.. I ended up eating a can of soup. I will never go back to this restaurant!

Shiv E.

Yelp

This hurts to write because I'm a big fan of hole-in-the-wall places, and I've heard great things about Park. Sadly, I would have to recommend Slows-to-go before coming back here. Short Answer - They forgot 2 of 4 sides - The ribs had 0 meat on them - Overpriced Long - Got the beef and pork ribs, and both lacked meat. The ribs seemed like they were from animals in a 3rd world country. - The sauce was okay, but nothing special. Heavy on the vinegar, which I didn't mind, but lacked in the flavor department. - Forgot our mack-n-cheese and greens - Overpriced for the flavor and meat

Nat Z.

Yelp

I used to be a Parks loyalist and have been coming here since I moved to Detroit-- I used to live a block away, too, which was convenient. There is something nice about the lack of pretense in a city where people increasingly will tell me, "hey, go to Slow's!" I'm like, bro I'm not about paying $20 for a sandwich and a side. But this was basically my experience at Parks today. I ordered online at 3:58 and it said it'd be ready in 30 minutes (for delivery, it said the estimate was around 27 minutes). I showed up at 4:45, thinking this would be ok, and I went in but the lady told me to leave because of capacity limits. I waited another ten minutes and went back in and she was like, "oh, I haven't gotten to the online orders yet." So I came back half an hour later and it was finally ready. Customer service-wise, like... if you tell me an hour for the order, that's fine, but if you have it set up so it tells me half an hour, it shouldn't take an hour and a half. They were out of mac and cheese, which was a bit disappointing, but they gave me two pieces of cake, smooshed up but moist and sweet and spongy and Sufficient. The collard greens were good, but nothing to write home about. The baked beans were good, but a bit too sweet. The hot sauce is HOT. Like, fire emoji hot. It's not particularly flavorful, though, it's just sort of vinegary hot. The biggest thing was that this whole thing cost me $46. I'm like, what? $46 for dinner for two? Is this Birminghambien Street and not Beaubien? I'm disappointed but I am keeping that second star just because of the fond memories I had of Parks of Old.

Adrian G.

Yelp

Sadly, the day that I have dreaded has finally come. Today, I have had Parks Old Style BBQ for the very last time. The last few times I've had the ribs, it's been hit or miss. Today, the ribs I got were so bitter and burnt that I am now smoking a cigar just to rid my mouth of that God-awful taste. I have loved Parks and Young's BBQ since I was child. I literally grew up on the flavor. But I cannot do it anymore. I should not have to wonder about the quality of the order every time I go there. And all I ever get is ribs and a side of fries. That's it. I ate the ribs hoping that each bone would be better than the previous one but to no avail. If Parks returns to its former glory then I may return, but as it stands now, I'm beyond done.....just like the ribs I just ate today.

Ronny H.

Yelp

AINT NO WAY I JUST PAID $20 FOR THIS TRASH. What is this?? Like honestly? I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, can't mess that up, right?.....WRONG. Opened the box and the bread (not bun) was completely soggy. Probably from this vinegar that they obviously bathed the meat in. Mac and cheese had no flavor. This goes to show that all skinfolk ain't kinfolk because this is not bbq or soul food. I'm trying to be a calmer person, but this is taking me someplace I don't want to be LOL. Somebody needs to get chin checked for this bs

Aron B.

Yelp

Meh...to be perfectly fair, the way they prepare their ribs here is not to my preference. I prefer my pork ribs to be fall-off-the-bone tender, with a less vinegar-based sauce, and these are kind of the opposite. I bought their lunch special: a Rib sandwich (from the long end) with 2 sides for $15. It neither made me happy nor sad...but it fed me, and it did what it needed to do, and nothing else. To be honest, the sides were better tasting to me than the ribs were, but *nothing* went uneaten (save for 1.5 slices of white bread), as I was absolutely starving by that point. It was an attempt to support small business in Detroit, and God bless them in the future. At least they were open at 3:45PM in the afternoon, whereas at least two other places I tried to go were not. Hey: credit where it's due, you know? I can't say that I'll be back, as my ribs were, indeed, a bit overdone and overly chewy as a result. However, again: their preparation is not to my taste, and that's not a problem, per se...it's just that I wouldn't want it again if I'm the one paying the bill. It's awfully hard to get me to actively *dislike* pork ribs, and I did not dislike these...I just prefer them a different way, and these may have been slightly overcooked. They still were eaten without issue. Service was fine, kind even. No issues there. I was very grateful to be able to find a BBQ place that was open, serving, and made my hunger go away. They did that, here. Certainly worth an OK in my book. Not dying to go back, but not in any way sorry that I went.

Vivian D.

Yelp

I frequent this restaurant at least once and month and always order the rib tips. I got rib tips, lemon cake and sweet potato pie and my food was delicious!!

Breahna C.

Yelp

Terrible customer service, terrible food, terrible location. This is my third visit and every time I'm ignored or greeted with an attitude. Why are you even open?

Lo B.

Yelp

Great sauce and good service A Detroit original. There is nothing better than their ribs. This is Old School legendary

Anthony N.

Yelp

Ribs are so good. Tasty and tender. But way to expensive. $40 dollars for a slab of ribs, and it isn't even a full slab?? Again not worth the price.

Stephen J.

Yelp

Ordered dinner tonight from Parks and spent $60 on beef ribs, rib tips, Mac and cheese and baked beans. The food was inedible and the above order was incomplete. The beef ribs were steeped in vinegar and hardly any meat was to be found on the bones. The rib tips were slathered with sauce. The mac and cheese was never sent and the baked beans order was incorrect. My impression of the attempt at this offering was lackluster at best. It seemed as if they sent out food that was what was left at the end of the day and/or reheated meat. I am very disappointed that the dinner I ordered had to be thrown away without being consumed.

candace w.

Yelp

The best ribs in the ENTIRE metro Detroit area! Staff is great and very friendly too!!

Teresa L.

Yelp

It hurts me to my soul to post this, but this is one time too many. I love Parks, but the inconsistency has become so ridiculous! Today, I ordered a whole slab which cost almost $30. The pig it came from must have been anorexic . It was more bones and sauce than meat. The meat that was present was dry and in many places burnt, not charred, burnt. So burnt that when I bit it, it crunched. I had to spit it out because it was like eating charcoal. Getting Parks is usually a treat for me. It's something I'm willing to splurge on. I deal with the cost and long wait, but I do it because I expect to get the great barbeque I love. The last few times have been really hit or miss. Particularly since covid-19 has started, prices have gone up and quality has gone way down. The slab I received did not even fill the tray. Whoever cooked it should have known it shouldn't be served. Whoever sauced it should have known it shouldn't have been served. Whoever packaged it should have known it shouldn't have been served. It was truly disrespectful to the original Mr Parks legacy. I really need there to be some standards. It'll be awhile before I order again. It takes a while to get over heartbreak. I hope when I return they show me the same love that I feel for them. If not, I'll definitely let you know.

Tamica J.

Yelp

In my effort to support small businesses, I try to order carry out once in awhile. Last night I chose Parks Old Style BBQ. I looked up their website, called the number and received no answer. On the website it said they were open, and had EatStreet to order online and to pick up. I used EatStreet and it said pick up 30 minutes. I sent my friend to pick up the order, and he said it was closed. Lights off and no one in sight. I received a text from Eatstreet saying they could not confirm my order. I informed them that Parks was closed and wanted a refund. They said I would receive it in 5-7 business days. Last time I order from Parks online. They could've had a phone message saying they were closed, or posted it on the website. Tacky way of doing business and they have been open too long not to have customer service down pat. Totally disappointed.

Erica W.

Yelp

Every time I come back home to Detroit to visit, I ALWAYS stop by Parks to order rib tips. I love their tips. You would think living in Texas, I'd have access to great bbq. But nothing tastes like and gives me the satisfaction Parks gives me. Not the best customer service but they're always packed and selling out. So I guess they feel as if they don't need the customer service aspect.

Jacob R.

Yelp

Completely inedible and disgusting food. Literally could of made better myself at home and don't even know how to cook. They also have multiple fake UberEats and Postmates restaurants up, pretending to be a completely different and more reputable restaurant entirely. Avoid at all costs.

Theresa B.

Yelp

This will be my 1st time trying this place, i hope i can give it a great review. Im kinda worried as ppl have been there recently and expectations were not good. I ordered the small end ribs with greens and baked beans. Here goes nothing. Fingers crossed. True yelper... 1 for now until i get my food. Im about to dig in, it feels really lite i hope theres enough meat:( Soooo, 1st off they never asked if we wanted mild, hot, or sweet. When we called back she said we said mild. 2nd off i only eat sweet bbq ribs so i had to settle with the mild, and he only gets hot ribs sauce. There goes the points. The greens were on point and so was the baked beans but those little containers--really. It was like 3 bites and done. I wasnt to happy with the small ends as they were ectremely burnt:(. I will try them 1 more time eventually and see if the stars can raise up some.

Precious D.

Yelp

Everything tasted like vinegar there was no barbecue sauce it was just vinegar paprika and some spices whoever said this was the best place to get barbecue in Detroit obviously lied the only good thing was the baked beans that's it.

Desiree C.

Yelp

This is out right disgusting. I spent $33 on two wing dinners and one combo old ass meat I will never and I mean never eat at this establishment again

Kate L.

Yelp

Tried carry out from Parks for the first time yesterday. Ordered the beef ribs and mac and cheese. The ribs seemed old and reheated. I literally could not bite into it. The mac and cheese was watery and salty. Really disappointed.

Danielle R.

Yelp

Park old style BBQ is the worst place you can go to get soul food. I couldn't remember what my dad said about Parks BBQ but now I know they're horrible the sauce they could try to create taste like s*** . They have false advertisement when it comes to the peach cobbler they show one picture online and then when you get there just totally different item. If you really want good soul food try Lape's soul food restaurant everything is fresh and made from scratch.

Tonya F.

Yelp

This is the worst place in America for ribs and customer services. They seem to be known for burnt food and strongly lack the minimal customer service skills. This establishment don't even deserve the one star, but in order to leave a review I had to select a star. Please spend ur money else where unless you like burnt food and people talking to you crazy.

Cheryl F.

Yelp

Worse BBQ ever! My first time ordering a combo. 2 ribs and 3 pieces of chicken with coleslaw. The ribs were dried out, covered in sauce and the chicken the same with feathers still on them! Come' on guys, do better! this was horrible, won't see me again.

Darwin L.

Yelp

I hate to write this review being that I'm a fan of Detroit proper old school establishments, however nothing has changed in Parks probably since it's opening in the 50s. They still use original pinesol to clean at closing . Well I was excited to try this place especially since it appears to be an original establishment of the city , but upon entering I felt as tho I was flung immediately into the past waiting for the riots to start in any minute . There is nothing updated in this place which could in some place can be a good sign . But in this case it isn't .....I ordered the wing dinner with 2 sides , the wait staff called in the back for the cook to warm my wings while she took 2 trial sized cups out of the cooler and put them in a 1970s microwave. I decided to add a peach cobbler to my order while I waited for the ding of the microwave. Well finally my order was ready and I made it home with my meal only to discover that the Mac &cheese was all runny like velveta the greens were bad .... but the wings as tiny as they were tasted pretty good ( open pit sweet and tangy sauce ). the peach cobbler was under cooked with the crust soft and cold , I had to put it in the oven for 30 min . Well I don't plan on going back anytime soon !

Cydney L.

Yelp

I haven't been in a while and decided to make that trip to Detroit for some rib tips. The tips were so damn dry some were darn near inedible. I won't give up on them just yet, but today was a NO for me

Ken T.

Yelp

The quality of meat is down THE PRICES HAS GONE UP from $24. To $34. A slab dinner. A 40% increase. Just can't bring myself to pay that increase in price. Sorry Parks enjoyed it but got the find a new place.

John R.

Yelp

Terrible restaurant. I've ordered delivery twice from here, both time having a terrible experience. First time the food was undercooked a lot, which I asked for a refund, just to get refused. The second time I ordered, it was stated as delivered, but it was never delivered, I called the restaurant to see if my food had been picked up, but they never answered, and I still also go no refund. I have spent over $50 on food here and have maybe actually eaten $5 worth of food. Just avoid this place.

Gail S.

Yelp

This place is absolutely the worst I've encountered! I am a driver for Uber eats & literally everytime I get an order for this place , they are always either closed or just cancels the order just because with no explanations! I think it's wrong that they do this cause they're waisting the drivers time and gas just cause they don't like preparing Uber eats orders! Place is very unprofessional there is always only one lady in here working ...no wonder they don't get any business and the bbq isn't real bbq u can make that shit at home..please avoid this establishment at all cost

Danu O.

Yelp

Love the bbq but for some reason when u put it in the Owen for the second time it's even better

T F.

Yelp

The BEST BBQ that I've ever had! Tender, juicy and that sauce!!! OMG, can Parks please, please, put that sauce in a jar so that I can order it online and have it flown/ FED EX's to me? Absolutely delicious! The sides are like going home to Mama's

Y S.

Yelp

It's hard to place an order at Parks. You must call your order in, but no one answers the phone. You walk in and no one else in the lobby but the very rude employee who was there today still would not take the order. Went to my car and tried for almost an hour of calling! No one ever answered the phone even though I was in front of the building and could see it was not as busy as it had been. We accept this treatment from this restaurant but I have visited Parks for the last time and will share this experience.

Rene F.

Yelp

STILL DELICIOUS! I came back home to Detroit for a conference and we just had to stop by here because this was an old consistent stomping ground from over 30 years ago.:-) Yuuuuup...the sauce & the preparation/delivery is exactly the same. LOVE IT!:-)

Lexi L.

Yelp

Ribs was kind of dry and sauce used on the ribs was vinegary. Mac and cheese was okay. Several years ago it was delicious.

Sharmyn W.

Yelp

I have been a Park's patron for over 40 years (my family went weekly when I was a child). It seems to get worse and worse but nostalgia and hoping it will get get better keeps bringing me back. This might have to be my last time. More often than not the ribs are burned and close to not being edible. That's unacceptable for a $26.00 slab of ribs. Not only that, call in orders are not ready when they say they are going to be. Also, this last time the person who took my order on the phone seemed annoyed that I was calling. When I got there her attitude wasn't much better. I think I'll cherish the memories and save my money and gas since I live 30+ minutes away. Such a shame. The deceased owner, Mr. Parks', legacy is being tarnished.

Edwin E.

Yelp

The only reason why the place worth these stars is their staff and the good atmosphere in there. Food quality is poor and it look like people behind the scenes do not give enough care. I hope some changes take place for the good of this nice place.

Life O.

Yelp

I love the food. But the people that The people who serve are mean as hell. I love to support Black business but they dont appreciate our business. God Bless you all. Hope you think about that.

Julian B.

Yelp

This is one of my fave ribs joints in the D and a legendary Dtown staple because no other rib sauce is like it. Vinegar, cayenne and paprika based. Not to everyones taste. I love it. Stay away from the hot if you can't take heat - its hellie hot - get mild. Hot is good but sometimes overwhelms the taste. I stick to just ribs. Not into much else here. Solid fries. The only complaint is I didnt always care for their cut of spare ribs. They now hve baby backs too so thats cool. Call ahead, can get busy. Rough hood. Be safe.

Deborah C.

Yelp

We went to Parks Barbecue on Beaubien, a little while ago today and ordered a slab of ribs meat only. This little thing is not a spare rib, this is a Danish rib at the cost of $27 per slab. Parks does NOT give refunds!!! We couldn't see the rib until we got home because they had it double wrapped and covered it with bread. When we saw it, we took it back and spoke to the manager who claimed that Mr. Parks was in Florida. I don't like the outcome (they gave us a couple of more bones to try and pacifier us) we're still not satisfied. We we're told that some of the ribs are smaller than this one (the price went from $20 to $27 for a hell of a lot less!). We have patronized Parks BBQ for many years and always got regular sized spare ribs NOT Danish ribs . We will not be returning to Parks Barbecue on Beaubien in Detroit.

Angie C.

Yelp

I'm back, they started to care again or either got rid of the other cooks, or even just needed a vacation. ...lol meat is tender smoked almost as if it was boiled but not with the smoked an grilled taste. Believe me I know the difference. Nunn's still doesn't have nothing on this place. I thought a few people had attitudes before maybe it was to hot outside an overwhelmed with the repeat business but you'll recieve better here an better food all day. Hope my mind isn't changed again.

Richard D.

Yelp

Come on. You can give anything less than five stars to Parks barbecue? Sure the ambience is horrible and the bulletproof glass somewhat concerning, but the ribs are the best barbecue I've ever had. Forget Southern barbecue... Parks has a secret recipe that I have been trying to figure out for years. I get the small land and white bread spicy. Some hard-core good ribs.

Teamm T.

Yelp

Young's was better but parks will do. Unique sauce, good meat. Never been disappointed.

Cordelia H.

Yelp

Park barbecue is very good when we stay on the east side my mother use too go there back in the day we love park ribs their sauce food period is Good i am getting me some park real soon.

Michelle B.

Yelp

Really *great* food and lovely staff. Juicy ribs. I think the (51 year old recipe) mild sauce brings out the flavor of the rib meat, but if you get a little cup of hot sauce on the side it is nice to dunk a few times. On our first (of many to come) visit Doug was generous with his recommendations and very friendly and welcoming... the beans and potato salad were really good, I liked the cole slaw and greens, too. We visited the nearby Ford Plant for a tour and stopped in here to eat. Everyone in the place on Sunday afternoon felt like regulars and in a great mood. Upbeat music, 12 kinds of pop from a vending machine, thick stacks of napkins... who needs more on a sunny afternoon? *^.^*

Where to Get Finger-Licking Barbecue in Metro Detroit

Where to Get Finger-Licking Barbecue in Metro Detroit

Food Prices Force Some Detroit Restaurants to Make Tough Menu Decisions - Eater Detroit

"Chose to absorb additional food costs to maintain customer experience, as cutting portion sizes was not an option." - Karmen Elaine