Shack in the Back BBQ

Restaurant · Kenwood

Shack in the Back BBQ

Restaurant · Kenwood

1

10706 W Manslick Rd, Fairdale, KY 40118

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Highlights

Pit-smoked BBQ, famous turkey ribs, skillet corn, sweet sauce  

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10706 W Manslick Rd, Fairdale, KY 40118 Get directions

shackinthebackbbq.com
@shackinthebackbbq

$10–20 · Menu

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10706 W Manslick Rd, Fairdale, KY 40118 Get directions

+1 502 363 3227
shackinthebackbbq.com
@shackinthebackbbq

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Sep 8, 2025

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Family-run and fiercely local near Jefferson Memorial Forest, Shack smokes over real hardwood and leans into Kentucky classics like burgoo. Featured on the Cooking Channel’s Man Fire Food and celebrated by local media, it’s a warmly hospitable, true-blue Metro favorite.

https://www.shackinthebackfairdaleky.com/
Best BBQ in Louisville (2025)
View Postcard for Shack in the Back BBQ

Stephanie Boone

Google
Great place! Good food. Love the sides selections. Definitely need to try the White Lightening Sauce! I like the idea of combos but they do not offer an option to choose which meats and the meats offered in the combos on the menu are not what I would personally choose, but we kind of worked around it.

Craig Myers

Google
While out on a bourbon tour, my wife and I stopped here to grab a quick lunch before our next tour. We had a little over an hour to eat and get to our tour which was about 20 minutes away. We thought that by ordering barbecue sandwiches that the service would be quick and we would be in and out. While we were seated and our order taken quickly, it was at least 20 or more minutes before our food hit the table and left us to inhale our food to try to get out and to our next tour. My pork barbecue was tasty and tender and the sauce was good. My wife had the chopped barbecue chicken sandwich and said it was a bit dried out. The potato salad tasted like it had been made well in advance and while it was ok, did not taste fresh. The skillet corn was really great and tasty. Almost like a fried corn but just the kernels and not all the mess. If you are not in a hurry, it’s a nice little local barbecue joint with decent food but if you are expecting to get in and out in a hurry, I wouldn’t count on it.

Colin

Google
Have wanted to try this place for a long time but living 40 minutes away has made it difficult. Decided to finally try it and was really excited however the experience was not great. First will say the turkey ribs are very good and encourage everyone to try them. That was the only good thing about the visit. Mac and cheese and the least cheesy Mac n cheese I’ve ever had, service was god awful and noticed one specific employee was very rude to not only customers, but talked down to her fellow coworkers which was enough to not come back. Our area wasn’t wiped down and a mess from people before us. The nachos were literally, the WORST we’ve had at any restaurant!! Incredibly dry and it was like eating cardboard. There was no cheese it was more like cardboard! I can’t stress enough how bad these nachos were. Will never be back and tell others about the experience.

Ali E

Google
We visited this spot on a local's recommendation, specifically for the turkey ribs and nachos. The atmosphere was pleasant with comfortable seating. While the service was prompt, it was a bit unenthusiastic. For our meals, we ordered the brisket sandwich with skillet corn and burgoo (a sausage soup), along with the turkey ribs accompanied by baked beans and mac and cheese. Unfortunately, the brisket was quite dry and uninspired; it was only edible with a generous amount of sauce. The mac and cheese was also bland and not worth ordering again. However, the turkey ribs were an absolute revelation – truly fantastic! They alone are enough to make me want to come back for another visit.

Megan B

Google
My partner and I come here often. The food is always fantastic and service is great. Sometimes when they are busier it may take longer for a waitress to get to you or for the food to come out but we never mind. I am currently a waitress (7 years) and was a line cook before (3 years) so I know what all goes on when a bunch of people come in around the same time. The staff always does a great job. They have live music sometimes too.

Lorna Mosbacher

Google
Very good food. We were out in the area on a day trip, and we found this little gem. Come to find out, one of the best places for BBQ in the greater area. Very busy when we got there. Great server. Suggested the potato salad over the slaw, personal preference. She did not steer me wrong. Cute decor. Definitely thought we were going to be in the middle of nowhere. But out of the blue, the town popped up. Make sure you stop if in the area...even if you are 2.5 hours from home!!!

James Sims

Google
Very good smoked food the turkey ribs are great all the sides are good they sell pickles by the jar very good it has a great atmosphere

Jen Whittaker

Google
We decided to eat here tonight at the new location, my second time and my sons first time eating at this establishment. The 3 of us all tried something different meat wise, I ordered the pulled chicken which was very good, my mom ordered the brisket which she was satisfied with, however my son ordered a chicken breast which he did not like. We allowed him to try both of ours so he was able to taste all 3 meats. In doing so he found he liked my pulled chicken instead. After deciding to order him something else to eat and letting our server know he didn't like his , she worked with us to make it right . Our server was good, she kept our drinks refilled, and checked on us and made sure we were happy with our food. I really like the new location and the atmosphere of it . Food was brought out in a decent time . They were decently busy. The place smelled so good , even getting out of our car and walking inside you could smell the food . I tried 3 of the 4 bbq sauces with my favorite being a surprise since it had a ingredient in it that made me question rather I wanted to try it , which was the sweet bbq, it was definitely worth trying. The sweet side is also good.
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Tiffani S.

Yelp
The food was amazing. Ordered to go, and the workers were extremely nice, and it had a lot of families at it.
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Robin S.

Yelp
I used to really love shack in the back. But feels less familiar than before. They still remain my go to for white lightening sauce and pickles. I am not a fan of placing the meat in a plastic baggie. Meat by the pound should be wrapped in foil or in containers.
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Dale E.

Yelp
First time here, And last time. By the look of other reviews, this is similar. We went inside it had a decent crowd which is a good indication that people like it. I've only heard good things. We went to the bar to sit and order because there was no staff to seat us or give a menu. We sat there for a long time and the people (2) working saw us and never asked if we wanted anything, no menu, not even a hello. They took care of the customers that were already at the bar, that was it. We looked at the menu on line and continued to wait. There were 3 workers sitting at a table, talking and carrying on. They saw us because I was looking at them. We called them (while sitting at the bar.) and ordered our food to go. The lady at the bar finally acknowledged us and we told her we just ordered it to go. She said they only had 2 people working the floor. A lady in a UofL healthcare uniform apparently works there too. She was sitting with the other workers at the table. I went outside, got it to go and the lady checking us out had no personality at all. (And they wanted a tip). We took our food home to Cedar Grove / Shepherdsville and by that time it was cold and very dry. The brisket, the baked beans and potato salad had a great flavor and probably would've been great if it was fresh and hot. We planned on eating there and enjoy our first time trying it. We drove a long way, out of our way to try it. I would not drive out of the way to try it again. There was a "strange lady" (trying to be nice) at the bar that was not in reality... again, trying to be nice and not give an in-depth description. Shepherdsville needs a good sit down BBQ Place. Getting food to go just to eat it cold is not enjoyable. Especially at that price.

Cindy H.

Yelp
Wow! Best barbecue ever. Had the brisket nachos which were plenty for 4 people to share. The beef brisket sandwich was delicious. We especially loved the baked beans. They were rich and full of flavor. Enjoyed the potato salad and Cole slaw. Excellent food and will be back
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Phil G.

Yelp
I found this place on Yelp with a 4.4 star average with 373 reviews and figured it's a no-brainer. We drove over from the hotel (thank God for GPS!) and made it within an hour of closing time. We each had the brisket dinner meal. I got potato salad and "skillet" corn for my sides. I got a hint of the smoke flavor which to me is perfect. I put sweet bbq sauce on. My only complaint was with the bun. It must be the cheapest bun available. It detracted from the brisket frankly. The ambiance was awesome. They have an old 1950s pickup out front, you can smell the smoke outside, and the interior was very unique. Intimate and open at the same time.
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Jennifer Y.

Yelp
Shack in the Back BBQ is a solid spot for BBQ. My co-workers and I were looking for something different to have for lunch and we decided to check this place out. We went around noon on a weekday and it was pretty busy. There's a private parking lot which is nice, and we were able to snag a spot easily. Upon entering, we were greeted by a staff member and seated immediately. Our server was so nice and patient. We wanted to order family style and she recommended some options for us. We went with a family combo which included 1 pound of meat and 3 sides. We ordered 1 pound of Brisket, Skillet Fried Corn, Baked Beans, and French Fries. We also ordered a half pound of Pulled Pork. One of our co-workers ordered a sandwich meal which came with a sandwich and two sides. Most of us also ordered the Sweet Tea. Our drinks and food came quickly. The tea was very sweet (to be expected for Sweet Tea) but it was good. The Brisket and Pulled Pork were both flavorful and tender. There are 4 different sauces available. The Hot BBQ sauce was tasty. It wasn't hot though. The sides were all solid. The corn was buttery and the baked beans were tender and had a slight kick. Nothing special to mention about the fries but they were okay. Overall, giving Shack in the Back BBQ a 4/5. Service and staff are amazing. The BBQ is solid. Would recommend to anyone in the area looking for BBQ. Would come back again when visiting.
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Lauren D.

Yelp
Today we ate lunch around 12. There were quite a few people there, but we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly we got seated. Our server came to our table quickly and took our order immediately. The outside patio area where we ate is fully gated which is perfect for eating with kids! It makes eating out easy! The food today came out quickly and everything was prepared well!

Karen C.

Yelp
I got the 1combo with mop and white sauce . The white sauce and ribs were good everything else was mediocre . The burgoo was meh with hard carrots. I was asking the server if the Mac and cheese and other side dishes were good good . She kept saying huh after every question and then a yeah . I won't make the drive again

Cris M.

Yelp
Previous visits have always been great but tonight was a total miss on their part. We arrived and knew we would have a wait-totally ok with waiting. All tables full and super busy hostess. When she got to us she started a wait list and said it would be about 10 min for a table. We looked around at every full table and saw that no one had food, so we knew the wait would be longer-we were ok with waiting. We sat down to wait and after 35 min she started seating people that had come in after us. They want to save the booths for larger groups-we get that. But after the 3rd group got seated we noticed that she had abandoned the wait list and instead started asking people waiting how many in their group and sat the next group instead of us-clearly seating based on number of people in their group vs people on the wait list. After 50 min there was an open table and we approached the hostess who completely forgot that we had been there waiting. She was very apologetic. We sat down, and then noticed a couple just getting their food, they had sat at their table right when we arrived to the restaurant-they had been waiting close to an hour to eat. We waited another 10 min and no one came to take our drink order. After realizing it was going to be another hour before we would even eat we left. One of my problems is that the hostess completely failed to see that the wait was going to be considerably longer. She should have told us that the wait would be 30-45 min or so. And, they only have a handful of booths so I understand wanting to seat larger groups there, but at some point they have to stop ignoring the smaller groups that have been waiting longer.
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Aldean R.

Yelp
Shack in the back was an awesome experience. All our food was good, except for one item and the service was an A+. Called in our order and picked it up. We both ordered the option number 2 to instantly try several items on one order. It comes with bbq ribs, sausage, two small sides and two small sandwiches.We also ordered dessert. All of my food was good and made just right. The bbq was falling off the bone, beef ribs with plenty of meat, loved the sausage, potato salad and corn was on point, my small sandwich of pulled pork and chicken was a tender treat. The Banana putting looked good and tiny and not much taste to it. The parking lot was full and I was lucky to find a spot to park. It was easy to order and my food was ready when I got there. The food cost around $60 with a tip. Next time I will order single meal and try their skins. This will help lower the cost of the amazing food here. If I had a magic wand I would make the sides 20 percent bigger, but a great experience overall.
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Donna S.

Yelp
My first ever visit to this restaurant. I never was one to enjoy un-air-conditioned places or eating outside in the heat of the summer. They have done a complete renovation with a very nice dining room, spacious. Our group of 14 had a wonderful lunch there yesterday. Speedy service, very attentive, wish I would've been offered a refill, but that's OK. I see some reviews in the past speaking negatively of a few issues. I found absolutely none of them in our recent visit. Absolutely delicious pork barbecue sandwich. Homemade potato salad, green beans, baked beans. I heard rave reviews of the baked beans. I loved the green beans, just enough ham flavor. And let me tell you, I promise you will not be disappointed in the portion sizes. All the sides were mounted up as was the pork barbecue sandwich. You add your own sauces, I believe about four different ones. The sweet spicy was absolutely delicious. Everyone loved what they got. The only negative thing I have to say is, although we were stuffed to the gills, I wish we would've gotten desserts to go. How could we pass up that homemade peanut butter pie? This may deserve another trip! Enjoy.
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Bruce D.

Yelp
This has always been one of my favorite bbq places and I stop anytime I'm coming through. The food has changed a little since the location change the green beans were still great, brisket was ok but they did not have the peach cobbler when I was there. The service was good, the new building is nice and clean.
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Rina L.

Yelp
Complete disappointment. We were in the mood for good BBQ and this restaurant came up so we decided to give it a try. Definitely not returning. We arrived at 7pm on a Friday and we're asked if we wanted inside or outside dining. We chose the latter. After seating outside for about 5 mins, a kind waitress came to take our dock order but we were ready and ordered our meals at the same time. They had a live solo singer, music was nice but a bit too loud. Then a couple of mins later or actual waitress asked us if she could take our order. We informed Ms. B our order was taken by Ms. A and requested to sit inside because the heat was unbearable. Our food must have taken approximately 35 minutes to arrive. There was never a visit from any of the waitress to inform us our food was going to arrive late. When the food arrived, we were starving so we decided to go all in!! Complete disappointment, the brisket was tasteless and the Mac&cheese was below par. I just feel terrible for my daughter who ordered the ribs. If the picture doesn't show it, we'll, they should be called "Burnt Ribs" and they were so tough I tho I was eating beef jerky, disgusting of I'm being honest. The famous green beans side was way too salty. I did like the potato salad. We wanted to try the banana pudding but after tasting the food we decided to save our hard earn . Complete disappointment and never again!
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Rene M.

Yelp
Great interior and wonderful food. Service was good, though server seemed more attentive to the "regulars" than this newbie. Definitely try the wings which were awesome.
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Andrew D.

Yelp
I had missed an early morning flight from Chicago to my Atlanta residence and needed to get back that night. Thus, 800 mile drive here I come. I have never been through KY but have ALWAYS heard good things about Louisville. While driving (I think I was only passed once over the 800 mile stretch), I yelped BBQ for Louisville. Obviously this place came up. It was a little further off I-65 than I anticipated, but it is what it is. I think many of the photos were old and mentioned ordering at the counter, so I figured quick food, quick eating. When I arrived it seems it is waiter service now. That said, the restaurant and service sensed I was in a hurry. They accommodated my party with quick service and quality fare. The Brisket was awesome, the soup Louisville's version of Brunswick Stew had great tang. Banana pudding was yummy. Seems there is a nice bar here, likely with draft beer. I briefly noted it and could for sure imagine knocking back a few pints here. That said, I was gone in a flash and nourished. Good place. Good find through yelp.
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Adam N.

Yelp
The food was amazing! Like highly recommend but our waitress (Taylor) legit forgot our drinks our food came out before we even got our drinks. She done our refill and gave my girlfriend a diet coke when she ordered a Dr Pepper, lady was just rude.
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Kimberly F.

Yelp
We have had this BBQ several times since moving from TX five years ago and as far as Kentucky BBQ goes it's the best we have found. This time it was not the taste of the brisket but the fact that I ordered a pound and when I got it home to split it into four servings I realized we only received 10 oz total. Disappointing!
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Jim F.

Yelp
Shack in the Back is a true Louisville(ish) gem. We visited here a few years ago, before the move to the new location, and promised we'd visit again. Then things like COVID happened and life got in the way...so we finally made it to Shack in the Back again. Woo-Hoo! While the original location definitely had its own charm and character, the new location is freakin' gorgeous. It's probably 3 or 4 times bigger than the original location, it has a large outdoor seating area, and even a few table on the second floor. (Yes, a Second Floor!) We visited on a Saturday afternoon and were seated immediately. The weather was fantastic and there were a number of people eating outside (not me...I'm not an outdoor seating kinda guy). Our server greeted us immediately and got our drink orders. The menu isn't extensive, but it doesn't need to be. It's well suited to Shack in the Back's focus (BBQ) and doesn't clutter the menu with nearly the same items. I love, Love, LOVE the interior. It's kind of rustic inside with a lot of exposed wood, several television screens showing various sporting events, and the most unique gift shop I've ever seen. I get the impression that some time before it was the improved Shack in the Back that it was a bank. The gift shop is inside a literal bank vault. #CompletelyAwesome! I had the pulled pork nachos (I'm a sucker for nachos anywhere I go) and we delighted to find they're served on fresh-made potato chips instead of your average tortilla chips. While I've had pulled pork nachos before, they did not measure up to Shack in the Back's. Our server (Abby?) was spot-on with drink refills, making sure we had what we needed, and stopped for a friendly chat a few times. I absolutely love the new location of Shack in the Back and I feel bad that I haven't been there in so long. Gonna have to fix that and go again soon.
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Paul S.

Yelp
Ok I think I reviewed in 2011 but just back to the new location and was still great BBQ. Combination platter is perfect for two that wasn't to experience a little of several menu item. We got ribs fall off the bone tender, Smoked sausage and it's a great sausage. Sliders one pulled pork one brisket both fantastic. Sides were baked beans and these are for real great beans in the straight from the smoker kinda way. In house chips with some dry rub and bbq chips the way they should be. Service was good busy night and still prompt. Love the new look miss the old place. Great memories from a work stop and Mike in the shack always remember 2+2= yeah I love a beer
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Joseph G.

Yelp
Shack in the back bbq is a local Lousiville and Fairdale community bbq joint that has a massive and cult like following. This place will be on a lot of lists for favorite local bbq. For years shack in the back was a literal small shack that had very limited dining. In the year 2021 they started building up a newer location in town and that location is now complete and the upgrade from small hole in the wall bbq joint to boujie bbq joint is complete. The new setup is very nice and spacious. The decor is really cool and includes a cool old pickup truck out front. The food while a little higher than the past is still just as good. My personal go to is a pulled pork sandwich with baked beans. If shack in the back doesn't have my favorite baked beans in the city then it is at minimum tables 2nd. The menu overall is pretty good and you can't go wrong. Service at the new location could be better. It's a tad on the slower side. Maybe it's an adjustment going from mainly takeout orders to now having full on dining experiences. So that could be a kink easily ironed out. Overall you can't go wrong with shack in the back. Good old fashioned down home bbq. And while the nostalgia of the small old shack will be missed the new setup is super nice. It feels like a Completely different place all together but still has the same tasty food.
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Amy Zeitz B.

Yelp
Turkey Ribs are my favorite! Bbq sandwiches and all the sides. Great location and building -- its bright & cheerful --close to Jefferson Memorial Forest. Service is always so nice!
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Vivian B.

Yelp
This was our first and definitely not our last time here. We kind of made the mistake of coming later in the evening, so the items we wanted were no longer available and our food items were a tad dry. Thus, we hope to experience them on an opening time to truly experience the quality that this place exudes in the layout of the store, menu and location. Given that I had not been here before, my original vision of this place was nowhere near what was seen. It exceeded my expectations! Price, quality, and service was all within reason which makes the desire to return all more worth it. Compared to the BBQ places we have in our area of Hardin County, this makes the drive worth it for us on future visits. Military discounted honored. Their sauces are good. The white sauce makes it all worthwhile. My tidbit is to add it to your coleslaw for the kick it needed. The potato salad is on point. We hope to experience the brisket on our next visit. We look forward to bringing family when they come to visit here as the go to for a local institution!
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Renae D.

Yelp
I personally love this place. Their Turkey ribs with white lightening sauce & wings with spicy bbq are a favorite tie for me. Aside from their spicy pickles. The baked beans & potato salad are my go to sides They have a lot of different appetizers & dinners I have yet to try but I'm sure it's equally good. I love supporting a local family. A win win for BBQ
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Natural G.

Yelp
Walked in and found a place at the bar to sit. The place was busy but had staff everywhere. I waited for at least 5 minutes with employees walking by and no one said a word to me. I gave it a few more minutes and walked out. All it takes acknowledging someone and saying "I'll be right with you in a minute".
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Erick P.

Yelp
Arianna was our server for this visit and she was extremely helpful in giving us the best option for a great experience on our first visit. The Turkey ribs are one of a kind and the restaurant is relaxing and great. The good overall is simply incredible and you can tell the family has invested in their food and service. I would come back if I lived closer. Amazing!

Heidi S.

Yelp
Omg this is REAL barbecue!!! I am a barbecue afficionado, I travel quite a bit and have tried many different barbecue restaurants all over the country. Shack in the Back by far ranks way, way, way, up there as being one of the best bbq places I have ever had! We were passing through the Louisville area and wanted barbecue. The hotel recommended that we try Shack in the Back. My biggest regret is that we didn't order more food. The meats, (we had pulled pork and chicken sandwiches), were delicious, with that deep, rich, buttery smoked taste. The bun was super soft. We had beans, coleslaw, and potato salad as sides. The sides were super yummy. The beans had a nice taste and weren't spicy. The coleslaw had a nice, light, vinaigrette dressing, and the potato salad was very mild and light and not loaded with tons of mayonnaise. What really stole the show for me were the sauces!!! I am a huge sauce person. They have about five different sauces. I tried the sweet barbecue, the Sweet SOP, and the tangy barbecue, and all I have to say is OMG! You haven't lived until you try their barbecue sauces! I could drink all of their sauces, particularly the Sweet SOP, which is a very unique sauce that has almost a syrupy-consistency to it, and is super sweet with a very mild kick to it. And their fountain soft drinks were even good!!! Also, it is such a cute restaurant, Very old-school, vintage feel. There is a vintage Chevy pick-up truck outside, and the restaurant itself is like a huge hut/barn inside, very cute! Whether you are a local or passing through, you must try Shack in the Back!!! Trust me, you will not be disappointed!!! A definite A+++++!!!
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Kenny W.

Yelp
New location and first time to check out the new digs. Dinner was great! Service; friendly and welcoming, we chose patio table. Prompt service helpful with new menu. Happy we stopped by and we look forward to returning.
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Tom S.

Yelp
This is a fantastic restaurant. I have been coming here for many years and have never been disappointed. Even during Covid and the completion of a new restaurant, they still kept their service and food quality at an excellent level. Everything on the menu is wonderful. It's impossible to pick out a favorite - the pulled pork, brisket, and chicken; the chicken, bacon club, the smoked bologna sandwich, the smoked sausage, etc., etc., etc. The sides are great accompaniment - skillet, corn, baked beans, homemade potato, chips, Burgos, etc. And do not forget the turkey ribs, something that needs to be experienced. I recently had a birthday party for my wife catered by Shack In The Back. The catering staff was wonderful helping pick the food items and plan the meal. They stayed in touch prior to the event. We're very helpful in adjusting things as our guest count changed. The day of the party they showed up early, got set up quickly and we're ready to go. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious, no surprise. As the party was winding down, Shack In The Back began packing everything up. They boxed all the leftovers into individual to go boxes for our guests. And, they cleaned everything up. They did a fantastic job. All of our guest raved about the food. To use them again is a no-brainer. A big thanks to Shack In The Back for helping us make this party a success.
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Deidra B.

Yelp
Two words...Turkey. Ribs. *chef's kiss* Every time I bring up how I wanted to try Shack in the Back, the first thing out someone's mouth is about the turkey ribs and now, I see why. I enjoyed the smoked wings and brisket and chicken sliders also. The green beans remind me of home down South and the baked beans have this smoked flavor that I haven't experienced elsewhere. 10/10 highly recommend.
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Jeremy R.

Yelp
If you are looking for an all around great BBQ joint, look no further. Great BBQ, great sides. Comfortable atmosphere with inside and outside seating. My favorite thing is the Turkey Ribs with the white lightning BBQ sauce. Don't skip out on this BBQ joint!
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Phyllis Y.

Yelp
Excellent all the way around. Good service, great food. The bologna is off the chain!!! We also had smoked turkey wings and brisket. Both banging! Only bad thing is I did not have room to try the dessert!! Nice atmosphere.
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Shelley S.

Yelp
This was our first visit since they have relocated and expanded. What a cool space. This has more seating bit is still not that big. My guess is on busy nights is there is a wait outside. Be sure to check out the safe gift shop. Family loved this visit. I wasn't fond of loaded fries but my family loved bbq, wings and banana pudding. Service was ok. The plus for my family is they serve Big Red.
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Austin R.

Yelp
Seated very quickly, the waitress was also very kind and filled our drinks often. The inside was nicely lit and there was live music outside. The food was great and the sauces were unique!
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Samantka Malgorzata T.

Yelp
My fiancé and I are on a road trip and we were far from a Buc-ees's (I was craving the brisket sandwich of course). Shack in the Back was our best option and boy are we glad we stopped here! The service was lovely and the food was satisfactory. We recommend the Turkey ribs if you like Turkey legs from the fairs! Tastes exactly the same, so good paired with the homemade bbq sauces provided to you on the table. The baby-back ribs were a little over cooked, however the Turkey ribs made up for it, very delicious. I also wish the brisket sandwich's bun was a little more soft. For dessert we ordered the banana pudding and chess bar, we recommend pairing these two and eating the pudding with the bar. A perfect match! Overall, for being close to the highway, totally worth the stop.

Renee P.

Yelp
The Shack in the Back BBQ is one of our favorite local restaurants in Louisville. Yummy food at a reasonable price, plus great service and a really cool building. Check them out!
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Becky R.

Yelp
5 stars for the food! It was great bbq, and as a whole I'm not usually a fan of smoked meat, so that's saying something from this humble opinionated gal. Service was super friendly, however, and this is not a negative just information, a little slow. So be prepared to sit and enjoy your time! I had the pulled pork with homemade chips and skillet fried corn. The chips were good, the white lightening sauce, a vinegar mayo based sauce was not my favorite but otherwise all was good! My only real issue was I ordered the banana pudding to go (really good btw) and I paid $3.50 for a basically a sauce cup amount, a larger sauce cup, but it was still small. So that was disappointing. All in all good place to enjoy some great BBQ!
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Jessica L.

Yelp
Cute little bar & grill - friendly staff as well! I love how they have an upstairs as well and large booths for large groups! We had a bit of everything it felt like, but our favorite was the Turkey ribs - better than the regular ribs to be honest! Everything else was pretty good but the Turkey defiantly made an impression!

Rick V.

Yelp
What phenomenal bbq. The brisket was perfect and the pork cracklings were out of this world. Great service and glad it's not close to where I live. I'd be there 4 times a week and double my body weight. Don't pass this up!
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Andy R.

Yelp
We had the privilege of meeting with friends that were made while missionaries in another country. That was nice. My wife & I ordered a #2 Combo meal so we could share it. That includes ribs, sausage, two small sandwiches & 2 sides. Our sides were the burgoo & potato salad. Both ok but nothing to instagram about. It's a good deal. Well, maybe. The ribs are the worst I have ever had in L'ville. Overcooked, crusty & no flavor. Well, I couldn't eat the ribs because they were just so, uh, so unappealing. The sandwiches were dry pulled pork on an unappealing crunchy bun. We had to add a lot of sauce to make them edible. The sausage was ok. A simple cooked sausage weiner. I mean, if you screw up cooking sausage... 'Nuff said. So, that is my view and experience with the Shack don't need to go back. (We were NEVER asked if everything was ok. Apparently they already know it ain't.)
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Tonya W.

Yelp
Turkey ribs, green beans, and coleslaw so delicious every visit. My husband gets the pulled chicken sandwich, potato salad, and baked beans. Huge servings and so good. Family feel and friendly.
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Jeffrey W.

Yelp
Some of the best bbq I ever had. You can't pick up ribs. The bones come out. In Louisville area try them out. Gets busy. Try lunch.
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Jason W.

Yelp
Went here on a whim. Asked a lot of questions regarding their sides. The wings were really good and the ribs were smoked to perfection. They provide a variety of BBQ sauces to try, I recommend the hot. The turkey "rib" which seemed to a be a deep fried collarbone wasn't bad for my first try at this item. Potato salad was ok and I was disappointed with the skillet corn as it was missing peppers, onions and overall taste. The best of it all was the ice tea and our peppy server. I prefer charcoal meats, but this place provides great BBQ at a fair price.
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SaMika W.

Yelp
I came in to place a to go order. Staff is very friendly and helpful. I ordered turkey wings and a side of mac & cheese. As someone who doesn't eat pork, I was thrilled to find this place has turkey wings- and they did not disappoint! I tried it with bbq as well as with lightning sauce- it was delicious either way!
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Tracy W.

Yelp
WOW!! This is the spot. Great BBQ and wonderful people here. It has that old time feeling from the time you walk in the door. Very friendly staff makes you feel like family. Good prices and excellent food. I was with a group of 3 so between us we tried the ribs, wings, brisket, chicken, baked beans, gr beans, slaw, banana pudding. I may have missed something but it was ALL delicious. I will definitely comeback when I'm in town.
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Bryan D.

Yelp
Excellent staff and service. Best BBQ around. Best of all, it's a local business. I've purchased for catering a couple of times and was never disappointed.
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Donna B.

Yelp
Best bbq ever. The side dishes are good too. Fast friendly service. They catered a wedding reception I attended and the food was fresh and hot. I recommend them without hesitation
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Rachel E.

Yelp
While visiting town I had to try the BBQ place Shack in the Back BBQ that my friend told me about. I don't really eat pork but they had pulled chicken which was great, I tried the "Pulled Chicken sandwich with Baked Beans, Mac n' Cheese and Sweet Corn" it was really good, my favorite sauces were Spicy and Tamgy BBQ. Jaylin was a great server.
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Jason E.

Yelp
I will start saying the place is clean staff is friendly. The food is the problem. It's not really quality issue either. We just didn't like it. The bright spot is they have burgoo which you don't find that often. It was decent and hearty. The Mac cheese had an okay amount of cheese sauce but not much flavor. Her corn was supposed to be fried but it was just straight from a can. She said her slaw was okay.creamy and a little sweet. The brisket was disappointing. It was shredded and closer to pot roast. Brisket normally comes sliced with some seared edges. At first I thought I had been served pulled pork by mistake. The bun was generic and dry, toasted would have helped. I tried 3 out of 4 sauces didn't fancy them. I settled on the tangy which was similar to McDonald's sweet and sour McNugget sauce. The sweet had chunks of black pepper in it not much else. The 3rd said sweet and some thing but didn't taste like much either.
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Brad G.

Yelp
I've been a Yelper for 5 years. I've been to Shack in the Back countless times. Did you know that I haven't been there since being a Yelper?! I used to be in that area more 5-10 years ago because of a past relationship. I rarely go that way unless I'm going to Jefferson Memorial Forest. On those occasions, I never think to visit the Shack. I was nervous since it had been so long. I was afraid that maybe the quality declined. Before I continue, I used to order ribs here. They're definitely the best non-chain ribs in the city(I still have a soft spot for those fall off the bone ribs at *cough* *cough* Texas Roadhouse). My decision was easy. Full rack of ribs! I could eat half while I was there and save the other half for the next day. These ribs are still tasty. So tasty in fact that you don't even need to add sauce to them. You should still try their sauces(their tangy sauce is my favorite). I'm incredibly happy that the quality still stands! I honestly need to make more trips to Fairdale just for Shack in the Back. My girlfriend ordered the turkey ribs. Also good. Many people love the turkey ribs here. I think they're good but when I want ribs, I'm going with beef/pork ribs every time. Our friend went with the chicken wings (sides green beans/corn). She also wanted banana pudding so we added that to the order. The banana pudding looked good but I can't tell you if it's good... I love bananas but banana pudding just isn't my thing. This place is still A+ for bbq in this city! Other notes: -- Service - It was good. I've heard many complain that it can vary and even 5 years ago I remember having smallish issues there. No issues on this Saturday. From ordering to the food arriving at the table... perfect. -- Price - I think it's good. For the three of us, it was 41 dollars. Disclaimer, my full rack of ribs were 21 dollars so that was half of the price. -- The place was packed with people. There were numerous people eating deliciously. -- Wait time - Not long at all. From order until the time we had a seat, I think it took 10-15 minutes for our food to come.