Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company

I eat here a few times a year and I am always amazed they remember my name when I visit. CONSISTENCY:: Since the rib joint closer to my home lacks consistency, it put me in the mood to stop messin’ about and chow down on some juicy, meaty beef ribs — that means a trip to Rocklands. The ribs and wings are consistently good along with mac n’ cheese. But the jalapeno cornbread can be inconsistent. YUMMIES:: Today, I was “hangry” for some beef ribs with a side of collard greens. When I visit I typically like to try a featured or new item, so today I added a taste of beef chili. The BEEF CHILI has chunks of celery and sweet onion added for a crunchy-sweetness that uplifts a standard chili. Its base sauce is a hint sweet for me but nothing that a pinch of Himalayan sea salt can’t smoothen. Now I start to pinch off chunks of meat off a BEEF RIB to dip into the BBQ sauce. Succulent, meaty beef rib meat, yum!! Follow every other bite with COLLARD GREENS. Oh yeah, now that’s what I call good eats.

One of the better BBQ joints in NoVa/DC. Good food, great prices, ample portions. They offer a wide variety of sauces and trimmings, including pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions, and spicy pickles. I especially liked the spicy mustard sauce mixed with the Carolina vinegar sauce. I had the 3 piece sampler with collards and slaw for the sides ($15), and added two pork ribs ($7) to round out the meal. The sampler included chicken, pork, and brisket- all good! I got there around 5pm and didn't have to wait. Plenty of seating. And from my seat I watched a steady stream of people coming in to pick up take-out orders. I do believe I have found a place to wait out rush hour before heading out to I-95.

The Alexandria Rocklands location is hands down the BEST rocklands location. The customer service is always stellar. The food is always on point and delicious. Each and everytime I visit this location, the food and service is so awesome that I come back two days in a week EVERYTIME…no matter the season!

Enjoyed a quick lunch at Rockland’s Alexandria location: pulled chicken sandwich with two sides (macaroni and cheese with fruit salad). Very delicious and a great value. Was with a large group so sat outside on the covered patio, as indoor space was a bit crowded at lunch time. Fast and friendly service! Rocklands is the best BBQ in the area!

The the cheese on the macaroni and cheese, taste it like rehydrated cheese powder. The ribs were cooked correctly however, the sauce was a tangy mess. The barbecue baked beans just taste like you added a bunch of cheap barbecue sauce to it. But the collard greens are great. Also, the brisket was average. 0/10 will not return.

Rocklands is my comfort food now. When I walk in I take a deep breath and I'm instantly relaxed. The restaurant had a homey feel from the first time I went, and that feeling has only intensified over the three years I've been eating here. Every time I try something new I love it. My favorites are the fried okra, and the Texas Corn pudding, but you can't go wrong. Rocklands is the Brooks Brothers of BBQ. You walk in not knowing what you want, but you will walk out with something tasteful and amazing.

I came in for lunch and ordered an item from the menu. The staff member chosen a different item because he didnt manage to catch up what i want to order. After paying, I noticed the price didn’t match what I originally wanted, so I politely asked him to correct it. I was completely willing to wait for the adjustment, and everything could have ended there without any issue. However, right after fixing my order, he went to his co-worker and started making comments about me—blaming me for his mistake—and they both laughed about it. If he was confused about what I ordered from the beginning, he could have simply clarified it with me like any customer service would. Instead, he acted like he hadn’t just been talking negatively about me when I called him out on it. The food here is good. I’ve even bought large portions for my family before just last week, and I usually pick this restaurant because it’s close to my workplace. But today, the service made me decide that I won’t be returning. It’s disappointing to lose a customer over something that could have been resolved so easily. P.S. I’m sure he’ll have more to say about me after I leave, but that’s fine—I won’t be coming back. I’m writing this so the person taking my order today knows that your actions don’t go unnoticed. Next time, be accountable and learn from what you do wrong instead of deflecting and pretending you didnt messup somebody ordered. Goodbye. 👎

I’m going to be honest in this review. I usually try to help places out but. I ordered a beef brisket sandwich moist pieces and the one bone rib. …………..it was nasty. There was no flavor, the brisket was dry, the beef rib was very dry and full of fat. It’s suppose to be fall off the bone. I also had the Mac and cheese was terrible. I’ve been smoking and grilling bbq all my life. This is not it. Please do better.

Rocklands BBQ really hits. My only complaint is that I wish there were more tables inside so we could all chow down at the same time. Service was quick, friendly and helpful. The beer selection is plentiful and interesting. As it should be, the food is the main attraction. It flies out fast so brace yourself. The chopped pork sandwich is piled high with tasty, fatty shoulder. Throw on some of their chopped slaw, warm house BBQ sauce and a few pickled onions and I can hardly imagine a better single bite of food than that sandwich. The corn pudding is suave and just the right amount of sweet. The baby backs are tender and falling off the bone. There's a sauce available for every regional preference, so don't worry if you love your meat sweet, vinegary, or mustardy, they have you covered. Come hungry, leave stuffed.

I've been going to Rocklands since the 90's or whenever it used to be in Carpool. Anyway, I don't know what was going on today, but it seemed like the young guy working the counter at the Alexandria location today seemed to have no idea what was going on. The table behind me had an issue with their order where they got corn pudding instead of cornbread that they asked for. The table next to me only got half of their order. Then we didn't get what we ordered either. We ordered the Texas brisket...and mind you, there is only ONE item on the menu with "Texas" and "Brisket" in the name. I ended up with the plain brisket sandwich. When I went and asked about it, the other guy was trying to tell me "yeah, that's Texas brisket". And I asked "where on the menu is this item was?"...he said the one that says brisket. I was "does it say TEXAS?!?!". I have no idea which one we paid for because they also had taken our receipt and also gave us our items to go when we asked to eat in. I don't know, but it was a really annoying experience. Considering everyone else around us also had issues with their order, maybe I wasn't overreacting and confused about what we ordered versus what we received. It was just a bad experience overall, which is disappointing. The food was okay, but it wasn't the @$@&ing Texas brisket that's on the menu. ‍

This restaurant is definitely a hidden gem, tucked away in an alley just off Duke Street. The vibrant decor perfectly complements the BBQ and Southern theme, creating a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. The menu is extensive, offering a variety of meats, sides, and fried dishes, catering to all BBQ lovers. I opted for the Three Meat Platter, which included Beef Brisket, Chopped Pork, and Pulled Chicken, along with a hamburger bun and two sides. For my sides, I chose the Macaroni and Cheese and the Mexican Street Corn Salad. I also added an order of Baby Back Ribs. While the portions could have been more generous, the meat was tender, though it arrived only mildly warm. The Mac 'n Cheese was a bit underwhelming, but the Mexican Street Corn Salad was flavorful and enjoyable. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor picnic-style seating. Conveniently, there is a self-serve handwashing station inside near the kitchen, which is handy after your meal. Service was quick, and our food arrived within 10 minutes.

Wow, what a great event catered by Rocklands BBQ. The staff was superb. Terry, the BBQ Maestro, was fantastic. The smoked whole pig was a novelty and the BBQ was mouth watering. The chicken kabobs with peanut sauce where great as well. Loved the accompanying grilled vegetables. Even the Mac n Cheese was so, so good. If you need them to cater an event, great choice. I definitely need to visit one of the three restaurant locations. Give them a try!!!

I feel that barbecue is subjective and kind of depends on your personal preference if you like it or not. My idea of good BBQ may not be yours. That being said... I LOVED this place. My brothers and I were in the area and one has been craving BBQ something fierce. Walking in, the place smells like heaven. We probably ordered way more than we should have because if we weren't hungry before, we definitely were when we smelled how good it smells here. We all ordered the pulled chicken sandwich, soda, cornbread and we each ordered different sides: baked beans and corn pudding, yucca fries and fried okra, and onion rings and macaroni and cheese. We also had a side of coleslaw to share since BBQ sandwich + coleslaw = perfection. You order at the counter, stop to gawk at the biggest selection of hot sauces I have ever seen for sale, grab your plastic ware and fountain soda, debate if you want pickled jalapeños, pickled onions, hot pickles, (hot pickles were AWESOME!!!!!) and then have a seat. They brought us the food pretty quickly and we dug in. We found their original BBQ sauce, found on the counter in a giant cauldron thing, a little too sweet and tomato-y for our likings (although I did enjoy digging the sweet marinated onions out of my cup of sauce, because those were great with the pickled onions and hot pickles), but they had a smoky and sweet one on the tables that we really liked. The onion rings were so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and tasted amazing. I dipped one in his macaroni cheese and that tasted pretty darn good too. The fried okra is a huge portion and is also perfectly fried. The yucca fries were also wonderfully crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and not at all greasy. The baked beans are a little savory and a lot sweet. The corn pudding is very soft and fluffy and tastes like a hush puppy without the hard exterior. The coleslaw is delicious. They add super crisp peas and carrots to the normal cabbage. More places should get on this because it adds sweetness and texture and it is fantastic!!!!! The cornbread is amazing! I have no idea how they make it so fluffy and moist but WOW. I may carry honey in my handbag in case there is ever cornbread and I have never been so happy about my weird tendencies because YES!!!!!!! The pulled chicken was juicy and tender and smoky and so good. The buns they use are perfect for standing up to the saucy goodness. We really wanted to try some of their pies and banana pudding, but we couldn't eat another bite by the time we left. The portions were very generous, you couldn't even close the bun around all of the chicken without it jumping ship. You definitely need a fork to scoop up all your fallen chicken, which is also how I like my BBQ... I really wish we lived closer to this place because it was delicious and I would probably feign being too tired to cook dinner at least once a week so we could come here.

Today I had a taste for a salmon salad & decided to go to Rocklands for lunch and give the salad a try for the first time. Usually, when I go I'm with a male co-worker or two and we get stuff that's self explainitory however, today I decided to visit the location alone. As I stood looking at the menu to see the ingredients that was in the salad, I politely let a person or two in front of me. Not seeing the entree salad option on the menu, with a detailed description I walked to the register and expressed that I would like a salad. The guy behind the register was very nasty and attitude was very displeasing. His response was "What do you mean a salad? You mean the entree with chicken or Salmon?. I responded kindly, "Yes, a salmon salad. I was trying to see what was in it but it's not on the menu." He responds, "It's a house salad with regular stuff like corn, lettuce and tomotoes, the picture is down there, on the right." I immediatly thought to myself, not all salads come with corn & it could have been a ceasar salad, so how would I know. I decided to move pass his negative attitude, tone and energy & just said, "Ok, that's fine, is the salmon bbq". This where it took the cake with sarcasm; he says, "everything in here is bbq." That's obvious because its a bbq establishment but my question was more or so, is it plain grilled or have bbq sauce. I said you know what, nevermind, because I don't like how your speaking to me. He responds, "Ok, bye; you can try again another day." As my co-workers and are "were" repeat customers, I felt very disrespected by his attitude towards me. As I was walking to my vehicle, I realized that I was the only woman besides the lady who cooks in the back & I was the only black person out of about 20 people in the establishment at the time. I decided I would like to speak with the manager. So I went back in and ask for the manager. To my surprise, the rude staff member named Alan Quiteno was/is the assistant general manager and he disregardingly passed me his business card. I said thats fine, and made him aware of how I felt mistreated & discriminated against by him in that environment amongst so many white people at that time. He just stared at me, with no remorse, no accountability; No, "I apologize if I made you feel that way, it wasn't my intentions," no nothing. I said, I'll be writing a review and his response was, "Ok". However, No it's not ok, it is never ok to unprovokingly treat anybody like that, not alone a customer and your the general manager. Than ontop of that I was 1 out of 2 women and the only black person in an establishment full of white men at that time. In the height of the DEI debate, it appears that he intentionally went out his way to try and belittle me in front that crowd Six of us pulled up in a van but I was the only one who went in, when I returned to the van the six of us collectively agreed we will not be returning and I returned back to work and told my manager & co-workers and collectively as a department we will not be returning again. Next, I'll be sending out messages to my transit company union page about my mistreatment.

Wow! I've had Rockland's barbecue at events but today was the first time I stopped into the restaurant, and so glad I did. My Texas brisket sandwich was just incredible. My teeth floated thru both the bun and the meat itself - they were pillow soft. The sweet and smokey sauce completemented to perfection for this Texas girl's palate. The restaurant is small - order at the counter - and food was brought promptly to the table. The wide variety of beverage options includes daily beer and bourbon specials and, my favorite, an unsweetened ice tea with mint.

I take it back. I take back my original review. Maybe it's because I live in Alexandria now and I have come to LOVE Rocklands. I'm sorry for what I said when I didn't know any better. I'm going to blame it on it being a catered event and maybe it was sitting out too long (it was 14 years ago since that review so I don't really remember but that's what I'm going to blame it on) Since then I've tried many of their specials and often order their bbq pork by the pound for sandwiches at home. Thank you Rocklands!

Amazing BBQ for an amazing price. The amount of meat that came with the pull chicken sandwich is incredible, packed with flavors and juicy. I also got the sliced pork sandwich which was amazing as well the pork was cooked just right and had little parts of fat that makes it taste so good! Restaurant is very clean and comes with many free sides like pickle radish and tons of condiments on the table. Service was really quick and kind food came within 5 minutes! Only bad things were the sides, Mac & Cheese was cold and tasted cheap and the coleslaw was really watery. For a extra $5.50-6 for two sides I was a little disappointed.

Open since 2004, this restaurant serves barbeque using their own sauce. Their original sauce was INEDIBLE. More on that later. They have 3 locations around the DC area. The first location opened in 1990 on Wisconsin Ave in Washington DC. It's still open. With 33 years of experience, they should be making exemplary barbeque. I have been trying to find a place that sells properly cooked barbeque meats with great flavors. This wasn't the place. My wife and I got 2 platters and a drink. 1) Three Meat Platter It had pulled chicken, chopped pork, beef brisket, 2 sides, a potato roll, and a small cup of their original sauce. A description of the AWFUL sauce is down below. The potato roll was soft and moist with a light sweetness and potato flavor. It was as good as any. They offer 25 sides. We chose sweet potato fries and brussel sprouts. A. Sweet potato fries It had brown sugar with a touch of salt. The brown sugar and sweet potato flavors went well together, but it was a little too sweet. It was slightly crispy and luke warm. If you like sugary fries, get these. B. Brussel sprouts They were cut into quarters and boiled with a few tiny pieces of bacon. It was oily even though it wasn't pan-fried. Go figure. The bacon was soft and mushy with no flavor. At least the brussel sprouts were cooked properly. Skip this side dish unless you want salted boiled brussel sprouts. C. Pulled chicken It was dry white meat with little flavor. So, my wife mixed it with their sweet and smoky sauce. We ate it the next day. It was better in taste and moisture. The sauce was sweet, smoky, tangy, and a little peppery. D. Chopped pork It was moist and very soft, almost mushy. It had good flavors of pork and seasoning, but they were light and easily overpowered by sauce. Needs fixing! E. Brisket It was moist, tender, and savory. It was sliced thin and easily chewed. The amount of fat was just right, and it was distributed well. One the best examples of brisket that I've had in a long time! F. Original sauce It had a strong vinegar and black pepper flavor with light flavors of ketchup, molasses, and spice. The sourness was overwhelming. The smell of vinegar was strong. The sauce at the self-serve counter was the same. This was the absolute worst barbeque sauce that I have ever tasted other than some North Carolina sauces. I hope this flavor isn't the norm. If it is, then call it North Carolina style sauce so people know. It's the considerate thing to do. 2) Chicken and Rib Platter It had a quarter chicken, 2 pork ribs, and 2 sides. We chose chili and beets. There was a choice of dark meat or white meat chicken. We chose dark meat. A. Chicken leg quarter It was moist and tender with some savoriness and a nice roasted flavor. This and the brisket were the best meats all around. B. Pork ribs They were moist, a little chewy, and slightly burnt. The pork flavor was weak due to their overpowering sour sauce. The texture was average, and the flavor needed vast improvement. C. Chili It had ground meat, green peppers, onions, kidney beans, and celery in a tomato sauce. It had well-balanced flavors of sweet, sour, peppery, and savory. The meat was in little chunks instead of a fine ground. Overall, this was tasty and satisfying. D. Beets They were marinated beets and diced onions that were sweet with a hint sourness. The beets were soft and cube shaped. It was a simple tasting dish with no depth in flavor. The service was polite, helpful, and quick. It took only 12 minutes for the food to be ready. The dining area and restroom were clean. The restroom was old and worn looking. They have a large variety of hot sauces and other sauces for sale along with their t-shirts. The drinks were self-serve. They don't have hot drinks. There's free parking in a small lot. Only 3 dishes were enjoyable out of the 9 dishes. This is what they serve after 33 years of experience!! Experience is only useful when it's used. Re-evaluation of the food preparation or ingredients is needed. We won't be back until improvements are made. For now, I don't recommend a visit.

Wow. I hadn't been in about 15yrs because I didn't really like their brisket. Today everything I got was phenomenal! No brisket but the Pit Beef sandwich would make any Baltimorean proud! I'll be going back again soon just for that! Chopped and sliced pork are 2 completely different products but both outstanding. Spareribs and 1-bone beef ribs on point. The SIDES! That corn "pudding," the red beans and rice, the okra, and the collards! All outstanding Funky sauce too. Definitely unique and quite good.

I ordered the beef spare ribs. 2 came with the order. Boom! They were succulent rich Smokey and tender and the most delicious version of smoked beef I've ever tasted anywhere. Not cheap but phenomenal value for what you order. 10 STARS and top 10 tip to whoever came up with the recipe and prepared them . Big time recommendation

This was my first time getting food from Rocklands. The service was quick and the food was just as delicious. I will definitely be back to check out the other menu items.

Update #2: Been here 2-3 times since, cookies are still over baked (they use to make them way better) but haven't had an issue with the wings. They have some of the best wings in the area and service has been great. Kudos to getting it right.

The food is always good and the staff is so attentive. I look forward to my dining experience upon every visit.

Some of the best barbecue in Alexandria. Great beer selection. Fast service. Good food

Good value and solid bbq. It has a good amount of parking sauces and fixings. The sandwiches have a lot of meat and the combinations platters have a good amount

My friend and I came to this establishment to place a takeout order in the late afternoon. The gentleman who took our order was very patient and knowledgeable (give him a raise!). However, the food was mostly disappointing. My bone in beef rib was half fat, the Mac and cheese had absolutely no flavor, and their bbq sauce tasted more like chili. The wings were good, but they coated them in sauce, which made them soggy (personal bias). The lemonade and sweet tea were great! We also enjoyed the brisket sandwich, fries, and burger.

We get carry out about every 4 months or so from here. They have very good ribs. We love corn pudding as well. My sister in law loves that they clearly identify what sides are gluten free. She likes the potato salad most.

A perfect day to chill indoor with friends and play games. It was such great idea to have BBQ ribs for lunch. Be prepare before you open up the deliver bag, the strong smoking favor will get you! Even the meat didn't fall off from the bone, but it is moist and the taste is about right (not salty and you can add extra sauce). We also ordered the brisket and pull pork, which are moist and nicely cooked with strong favor. Someday I will go there physical to taste the fresh smoke meat : ) The price is very affordable comparing to other BBQ stores. It is definitely a hidden gem in this city and my buddy didn't even know this place had been in business for long time.......

I usually order through DoorDash but have also dined in person. I've never had a meal here that sucked. Staff is good and I love how they always add a bunch of free sauces. In the summer the outdoor seating is a nice touch. I normally go with the pork belly sandwich but you can't go wrong with the brisket either. I can pound a rocklands pearl under a minute with no regrets, definitely recommend

I used to live a block away from this place, and I miss it so much!!!! Anytime I'm craving barbecue this is where I go. My company has even catered from Rockland's and it's been a big hit! Nothing better than barbecue and a craft beer

Super yummy BBQ! The onion rings have a tiny kick to them too and are delish. Mac n cheese is yummy too.

All of my food was nasty. The ribs didn't taste like they were done. The beans were okay but could've been sweeter. And I've had better cucumber salad. This was my first ordering from here and it will be my last. I'll just order from my usual Smoking Kow next time.

Looking for some good, slow cooked/smoked bbq, be sure to check out this place. The smell hits you in the parking lot, soo good. The menu has a variety bbq meats, so you have plenty to choose from. Today we opted for beef. The beef rib was soo tender and marbled really nicely, which help keep the rib nice n moist. I was only able to eat half the sandwich since the slices were nice and thick. Great place to check out.

Been eating here for years. Best burger in town. I bring all my friends and family here to test this burger and everyone agrees that it's one of the best. Swiss cheese and bacon please!!!

Oh my gosh. I don't know why I waited so long to try Rocklands. I love some good BBQ and Rocklands did not disappoint. We placed an order in person to take out but I liked seeing that they had some outdoor seating available. We got a whole rack of ribs and sides of mac and cheese and baked beans. The ribs were so tender and fell off the bone! The portion was massive and we had left overs for days! Food was delicious, employees were friendly and helpful. We will certainly be coming back!

The BEEF RIBS & beef chilli were ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS!! The beef ribs are so tender & seasoned so well with enough marbling. I was in bliss. The beef ribs were rubbed with bbq sauce which was tasty but which they kept them naked. The Mac & cheese was ok, didn't have anything too special about it but that's fine because the chili and the beef ribs made up for it. Also, it looks very cool for a barbecue spot.

I got the brisket, beef rib, grits, and rocklands pearl. The brisket was dry and super tough. It hurt to chew. The grits and beef rib were superb. Very cheesy. I like my grits more thick but theirs is pretty runny. The beef rib was very tender and flavorful. And the rocklands pearl was pretty underwhelming. Odd taste to the beans and the mac and cheese was just nasty. All my food was cold too which is a minus. But the beef rib and grits redeemed the restaurant so I give them a 2.

Service was excellent. They even called to alert that our order went through twice. Food was terrible. Thank God we didn't end up with two orders. Especially for the price. Even if the price was 50% cheaper it would still be bad. All the proteins we ordered were over cooked. Baby back ribs, grilled salmon, and grilled wings. The only thing that was O K was the mac and cheese but seasoning had to be added. Please refer to the picture of the wing. I usually don't post negative reviews because taste is subjective. But this? This is just a location that doesn't care. Everything being overcooked is the indicator. This location's output did not used to be like this.

I've been to both Virginia locations multiple times when I have a barbeque craving. I usually get the three meat platter. For the most part the meats are solid, the pulled pork is moist and has a good bark and the pulled chicken is smoky and not too saucy. The brisket is sliced thin and can be a little hard to cut through, not super moist. My girlfriend likes to get the pearl which has baked beans, mac and cheese, chopped pork and barbeque sauce in a bowl. It's pretty solid all combined and it does the job of filling her up. My go to sides are mac and cheese and collards usually but the red beans and rice is pretty decent. The mac and cheese are shells but still pretty cheesy. The collards are decent no complaints, same with the beans and rice but I wish they would've had more flavor. I also got my Thanksgiving turkey and some cornbread muffins here and it always turns out great. Definitely worth a shot, they have a lot of option and some good sides to offer.

The beef ribs are quite sizable and very tender and juicy. Great to look at! They lack, however, a good "beefy" flavor and taste a bit meh. (Maybe they were just having a bad night, dunno) The physical appearance makes it seem as though they'll be unforgettably good, but I did not find that to be the case. I ordered the mashed potatoes as well. I did not eat more than a spoonful, and the leftover - nearly the full container - remain in my fridge (from 2 weeks ago). I feel the food requires better seasoning. Perhaps, the largeness of the ribs speaks to the quality of the beef. I will say, however, that after one night in my fridge, the flavor of the ribs improved by at least two notches. Maybe you just have to let these ribs sit a few hours before consuming so that the flavors can gel and settle better. I dunno. I do know that the staff is well mannered and takes your order right away. Kudos to that. I would like to see an improvement in the flavor of the ribs. They are so large which is a plus, lots of fat, which usually adds flavor but not in this case. They are pricey, so this restaurant must do better in preparing the food or in choosing meat suppliers. But the ribs are so large that I am almost tempted to give this place another chance. I dunno. Like I said, places are pricey.

I have never been to the physical location but have ordered them several times via door dash. With the exception of one order, the wing have been phenomenal every time! It's the only menu item I have ordered but I love what I love! If you're not sure what to try I highly recommend the grilled wings. And the best news... they travel well so they are just as good when you get them home!

Excellent food and incredibly prompt service with handling pick-up orders. My personal favorites? Beef Ribs Salmon Pecan Pie

Service was good, food was terrible from the sides to the meats. Nothing was seasoned sides and all. If they add some seasoning to all their food it would be it better. The bbq sauce was terrible, tasted like an experiment of sauce. On top of that it's way too pricey for the level of food they put out. My ribs were very tough and the beef ribs needed another hour cooking for tenderness. Would I go back here No but try it for yourself.

Hands down my favorite neighborhood bbq joint. The three meat platter is my favorite. During COVID-19, I ordered pickup for lunch. The brisket, mint cucumber salad, cornbread and the kora are my favorite. This platter is so huge, I was able to have 3 meals with it. I'm so glad they haven't cut down in quantity given the current situation, as so others have. Prices also haven't gone up, glad they are able to keep the same prices. Staff here is always nice & kind. Doors were propped open for no contact pickup. Highly recommend this all time favorite, neighborhood bbq joint that has stood ground for decades.

Great service Awesome brisket get it thin no sauce Pork is moist and delicious Great draft beers Handicap accessible Clean Fast Parking is good

This place really was good!! I was happy and full!!! The food was super flavorful I would definitely comeback again!

Excellent BBQ. The baked beans and Texas corn pudding were delicious. Self service but the meals came out quickly.

One of the best restaurants in the dmv area! Always great service, mouth-watering good, friendly/fair priced, and a nice, chill vibe. I absolutely love rockslands!!!

Enjoyed their baby back ribs which were OUTSTANDING. Tender, flavorful seasoned very well fall off the bone. Also had the greens, mac/cheese and cole slaw. The greens were excellent, mac/cheese alright. They should try adding some sour cream to their recipe. The cole slaw was yuck. I didn't try the various bbq sauces. Excellent ribs like Rocklands you don't need bbq sauce. I also ordered a slab to go. I enjoy a Porter or stout ale and they had one of each available. I had both and they were excellent. Service was fantastic and the staff explained the food items, how they cook their bbq. An awesome experience for a man visiting from Alabama that knows good bbq and dark beer. Put one of Rocklands on you list. This location had limited seating inside but ample patio tables and space outside.

Immediately greeted by a barrel of peanuts and a crowd of laughs. Inside atmosphere seemed cozy at first but there's a whole outside portions with 2 long rows of benches. inside theres a back corner with high stool chairs and tabletops at the window. Menu was easy to read and broken down nicely. They had a shelf of hot sauces and other specialized condiments for sell. Surprisingly there was also a small bar with a good variety of liquor. Now for the important deets!! Brisket bbq sandwich- the ratio was great. Meet to sauce to bread the brisket was cut thinly and barely had any fatty parts. Spar ribs- nothing crazy special but still good. Good cut of meat too. You can always tell when it's not cause there's barely meat and mostly fat but it wasn't the case here Marinated chicken wings(not pictured) - you get a lb which comes out to around 10-12 wings. We didn't count and clearly didn't get a pic because they were so good! Try dipping it in the mustard bbq sauce, added an extra kick. They had a nice char and the meat fell right off the bones Mashed potatoes- fluffy and seasoned well Mac n cheese- the shells remind me of velveeta, but didn't taste like it. The cheese flavor was lighter than that. Would be nice to see baked Mac n cheese on the menu this was something like your mom would whip up on a busy night with chicken tenders Cucumber salad- refreshing but needed some salt and pepper to bring out the flavor Potato salad- im picky about potato salad but this was great! Def not your store bought type Over all we would come back, probably to try diff sides and maybe the bbq chicken or blackened salmon. Also!! They GROW corn on the outside of restaurant (pictured) so we would def try the corn they have on the menu

Took members of my grandson's soccer team to Rockland's for a quick lunch. Of course they did not disappoint. After the team devoured several baskets of chicken wings and emptied the machine of soda's, they went out front and occupied themselves as they ran back and forth and played. Not a typical review, I know, but Rockland's is a cool place and you never know what will happen next.

Rocklands just has had a special place in my foodie heart for a long time. I haven't had anything on their menu that I do not like in the 10+ years I've been going there. And I love their Beef Ribs. Whenever I go I either have to get their delicious Mac & Cheese or their Corn Pudding. I really like their Burgers too. Eating in the restaurant is just as great as picking up. I've always had top customer service from them, I don't know how they hire such great employees.

After Googling for highly reviewed BBQ joints near me, thought I'd check out this one after hearing the owner is a native Virginian. I had very tasty VA-style pork BBQs in southern VA during my college days. Boy I was blown away by their authenticity after trying their mixed pork and beef ribs platter. Like a true pit master, they use wood as heating source for their meats. It took me a while to find out which meat is which since apparently they sliced and mixed them in the mixed rib platter I ordered. All three meats are pork: 2 spare ribs and 1 babyback rib. The in-house sauce they mixed in though somehow makes them even more enjoyable. The extra bone of beef rib wasn't cheap at all for $10-11. It was totally worth it though. Although it wasn't exactly fall-off-the-bone, it wasn't tough at all. It was definitely on the tender side since at least it was easy to eat the meat and ligament off the bone. Enjoying it with their several choices of in-house sauces heighten it even more.

Tucked off a busy street in Alexandria is Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company. You'll likely see them around town at breweries, (They had a massive calendar printed out front with their food truck schedule) but it's worth stopping in their actual restaurant. When you walk in you're hit with the smell of smoked meats. IT'S LOVELY. I split their July burger special (Mushrooms and Swiss) and a 3 meat combo (came with two sides), an extra side of fried okra and 2 beers with my boyfriend all for about $35. Their signature BBQ sauce served hot and ready paired with everything perfectly. I particularly loved the fact that their brisket is thin sliced. Full of flavor and not covered in sauced. Great selection of local brews. This will definitely become a staple for me in Alexandria.

Don't know what happened to this place but the ribs were old and hard also came out cold wings the same sent them back felt like they came outta of a fridge got them back we're burnt to shit can't believe I've recommended this place it's definitely fallen off very disappointing

Great tasting bbq. I had the ribs. Very comfortable one of a kind environment. A little pricey. Will definitely be back.

I've been here a few times over the years. It is a solid BBQ joint and the service is quick and efficient. I used to love their mac n' cheese; even if I wasn't in the mood for BBQ, I would sometimes just go pick up the mac n' cheese to have with my dinner. However, I was there recently and the mac n' cheese was lacking flavor; I hope it was just an off day! I would recommend this place to someone who is craving good BBQ.