We made a stop at Ronnie’s BBQ at the request of my Brother-in-Law. He wanted us to check it out and let him know if it was any good. So we rerouted our trip home from Richmond to find out. Wow! Am I glad we did.

Ronnie’s BBQ is mainly a take-out restaurant. They have a few chairs at a counter by the windows and a table outside by the smoker. But mostly they are for take-out.

Everyone there was very friendly. We felt just as welcomed as if we lived close by and visited there three or four times a week. I believe the lady that took our order was Ronnie’s sister. My receipt says “Cheryl”. Either way she was awesome. Loved talking to her. We also met Ronnie while we were there. He was just as friendly. People like this need to have a good business, they deserve to do well. I think you get my drift about them. We also met a couple others who were friendly as well but I don’t recall their names. Can you guess that so far I really like this place?

Where Are They?

Well they have a Richmond address on New Market Rd. But they are actually closer to Varina, VA. They are on Route 5 between I-95 and I-295. They were pretty easy to find at the intersection of New Market Rd. (Rt.5) and Varina & Willson Rds. If you’re traveling on I-95 you’d need to use GPS or someone else’s directions to get there, not mine. I can help from I-295. It’s a breeze. Just take the Rt. 5 Exit towards Richmond and you’re probably about a mile from them on your left.

What We Ate:

Ronnie’s BBQ Sampler

Since this was the first time eating at Ronnie’s BBQ, I had to order the “Sampler”. It comes with Pulled

Ronnie’s BBQ Sampler, Closer Look.

Pork, Sliced Brisket, Chicken Wings, and Ribs. No sides are included with this one. I ordered their Baked Beans and Fresh Cut Fries to go with it.

Tammy ordered the Brisket Combo with Collards and Fresh Cut Fries.

I’m not sure where to start with this one. I could just say that everything was excellent and leave it at that but that’s not enough.

I’ll start with the sides. If you like Southern Style Collards seasoned with pork you’re at the right place. They were great. Then comes the Fresh Cut Fries. We watched as a bucket full of these were brought to the kitchen while we placed our order. They don’t get any fresher than that. To me they also came with just the right amount of salt added making them outstanding. Finally there was the Baked Beans. These were a combination of kidney beans and pork n beans that were seasoned out of this world. I could pick up on a very slight hint of chili powder (I think). I don’t know what else was in there but they were awesome.

Ronnie’s BBQ, Brisket Combo.

Now the main courses from Ronnie’s BBQ, the meats. I used up all my adjectives on the sides. I knew I should have paid more attention in school.

Let me start with the chicken wings. No these are not Buffalo Style Wings. Their menu says that they are marinated with Italian herbs and spices. I know they were smoked and were some of the best chicken wings I have ever eaten.

The ribs were next. They were large and had a great smoked flavor. I did not use any sauce on them. I loved them.

Moving on to the brisket. It was sliced and very tender. Smoked to perfection, the brisket had a very nice smoke ring to go with it. Tammy’s was on a bun but mine wasn’t. Mine was in one of the dividers in my Styrofoam plate with the meat’s juice in the bottom. I thought I’d die. I know I’ve already used awesome but the brisket is also awesome at Ronnie’s BBQ.

Finally, there’s the pulled pork. They serve NC Style pulled pork and do it quite well. It has a wonderful combination of smoke flavor with a slight vinegar taste to go with it. It just left me wanting more. It was some of the best I’ve had in this area.

So I think that I’ve made my point about Ronnie’s BBQ. You cannot beat the people or the food. You have got to go here if you haven’t already. Traveling near Richmond on I-95 or I-295 get off the Interstate and find them. You’ll be glad you did.

What You Think:

Are you a local? Tell us what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Have you been to Ronnie’s BBQ? We want to hear from anyone that’s been there.

They are on the web: www.ronniesbbq.com and on Facebook Ronniesbbq Rva.

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks to all of you.