As our journey continues we made a lunch stop at Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers in Hugo, OK. We were informed that we had already eaten at the best bbq place in Paris, TX so we thought we’d hit the road to find another town. Not wanting to ride the Interstates we continued up Highway 271 to Hugo, OK.

So before I get going with our restaurant review, some may wonder where Hugo is and what’s there. To start with Hugo is just barely in OK. They sit near the TX / OK border. What could make you want to visit here? Having talked to the owner at Pit Stop BBQ I did a little research to see what was there. Here’s a small sampling.

Endangered Ark Foundation:

The Endangered Ark Foundation is located in Hugo. This is a retirement ranch for elephants. Their goal is to educate the public about these endangered species and to provide care for aging circus elephants. Being married to an extreme elephant lover, Tammy was very disappointed to find that they were closed when we passed through. So if you want to check them out visit their website for hours and details. You can find them at: www.endangeredarkfoundation.org

Also in Hugo is the Showman’s Rest and Bull Riders Reprieve. Are you into visiting cemeteries? This one is for circus performers who died during the winter off season. Hugo was home to a couple of circus shows. They’d spend winters there and prepare for the spring season. There are some bull riders buried there also. One is Freckles Brown. He rode “Tornado, The Unrideable Bull” in 1967. Another bull rider, Lane Frost (remember the movie?). Lane wanted to be buried next to Freckles. After being killed by a bull in 1989 the 25 year old Lane received his wish. Read more at: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10433

Just a couple spots worth mentioning. Hugo is a small town with great charm, well worth the visit. Now on to the review.

Where is Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers?

Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers is located on Jackson St. in Hugo, OK. Coming in from Paris on 271 they were very easy to find. They are situated right on the corner as we came up to Jackson St. I know the route we took to Oklahoma City is not a preferred route so if you’re coming in from the north, map it or GPS it.

The Restaurant and Staff:

Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers has a nice sized dining room. Everything was very clean and well taken care of. You can tell that the employees care about the place and why they are there. Wendy, our waitress was very nice. She was very helpful as we made our choices. They stayed busy the whole time we were there. Even though we arrived around 1:30 they were still hopping from lunch.

We met the manager/owner, John Morehead, after we ate. He said he’s been there a couple of years now. John told us that the place used to be an old gas station which he worked at when he was young, changing oil. He bought the place wanting to open a burger joint. While remodeling he decided to try his hand with BBQ just for a little cash flow since he knew he had to add on to the building. Once he was set up and smoking he had opening day for his Q. The response was overwhelming, lines out the door and down the street. Then he needed a dining room which was added onto the gas station structure.

John has since added his burger joint at the other end of the building. He assured us we’d love them if we would try one. Not after what we ate. John says a lot of his success comes from buying the best quality meats to start with. While I agree with that, there has to be some love and skill involved also. I believe I witnessed both on our visit.

Our Choices at Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers:

Sliced Brisket with Fresh Cut Fries and Banana Pudding.

Finally to the food. Tammy went with their Sliced Brisket with Fresh Cut Fries and Banana Pudding. The brisket at Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers has a great flavor with just the right amount of smoke. It also sported a nice smokering. You know, it’s hard to beat fresh cut fries, especially when done right. Let me tell you that these were done right. They were incredible. And banana pudding as a side? Well this isn’t the first time. I did get a small taste of it and really liked it. However, Tammy didn’t share much of it. Can’t really blame her.

For me, I chose a 2 meat plate with Pulled Pork and Hot Links. My sides were Fried Okra and Pintos. The pork was wonderful. Along with good smoke flavor it also had a nice smokering. Topping it off was the bark mixed in with the moist Q. Too often pork can get dry, but not this one. I didn’t even try any sauce on it. Strangely I see that I have no notes on the hot links. If I do remember correctly, these links lit me up. Just when I was about to give up, Wendy brought me a drink refill and I carried on. Maybe that’s why I didn’t write anything. They were unforgettable. My fried okra was very good. It seemed to be battered and fried fresh, not frozen okra bought and fried on site. The pintos were very good also, seasoned very well. I enjoyed both of my sides even though I didn’t have any banana pudding.

Pulled Pork and Hot Links with Fried Okra and Pintos.

Sauces:

I tried the brisket with sweet sauce and spicy sauce. Both sauces were really good. The spicy sauce was my favorite. I also ate the brisket without sauce. I enjoyed it all three ways.

Final Thoughts:

My take on Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers would be that I enjoyed it a lot. The people were wonderful. Even the other customers were friendly. We usually do enjoy finding a spot in a small town. Those places are the hidden gems that we like to talk about. John has also been very patient following the BBQ Trail and waiting for his turn. We’ve sent messages a few times and I have really come to like him. I think he has the passion for his work and the love shows in the food that they serve. Add to that some really super waitresses and it’s hard to go wrong. Hopefully we can return some day. I’d love to try a burger.

Now For Your Thoughts:

Enough of my thoughts. What do you think about Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers? Anyone other than us just pass through and try them out? What did you think? Post some comments and let us know how your visit went.

What do you regulars think?

I saw some workers having lunch as well as several locals while we were there. There has to be a good base of regulars at this place. So fill the rest of us in. What keeps you going back? Tell us about the rest of the menu. How about them burgers? Are they all that? We’d love to hear from the good folks out there in OK. And yes, employees and friends can add to this also. We just take a snap shot of a one-time stop. You live there. Fill us in please.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I would love for you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Help get the word out about Pit Stop BBQ & Burgers.

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I’d say their website is a work in progress. Check it out at: http://pitstopbbqandburgers.com/

You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pitstopbbqandburgers/

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.