Well Tammy and I finally got up the courage to hit the road again and paid a visit to Wahoo BBQ in Palmyra, VA. I’m not sure about the courage, I think cabin fever is just working on us. We really had a blast so I’m glad we did. It felt good to just get out for a Jeep ride. So if you ask me where Palmyra is all I can tell you is it’s south of Charlottesville, VA. We went for the scenic route so you may need to check for directions. It was a beautiful ride though. Always great to get off the interstates and ride the highways and by-ways. But now let me get on with what we found out here.
The Restaurant and Staff at Wahoo BBQ:
Wahoo BBQ is a small family owned and operated business. Just the type we love to find. While there we met Howie Brown, who is the owner/operator/pitmaster. In addition to him we met two of his sisters and one other lady working the inside. According to my receipt the other lady was Rosa and she was the one who took our order. Hopefully I got that right. None the less, everyone was awesome. We felt welcome as soon as we walked in. We also got to talk to Howie for a little while after we ate. He was very friendly and you could tell he’s passionate about his work. His goal is for you to be happy with everything you order.
They are doing take-out orders only. There is no inside dining. Now there are some picnic tables outside you can eat at. I believe there are 5 or 6. I did count them but didn’t write it down so I may be off a little. So even in 40 degree temperatures we sat out there and enjoyed our meals. It actually was not bad in the sun until the wind blew.
Some Background Info on Wahoo BBQ:
Howie gave us a little background on Wahoo BBQ. He learned the love of cooking from his parents. His dad gave him the desire to cook outside which eventually led him to smoking meats. Howie started out just doing backyard cookouts and then a little catering. He also did a little competition cooking with his Pulled Pork. All of this helped him practice and learn more about his craft. He finally opened the restaurant in October 2019. His sides are versions of family recipes which he has doctored and tweaked. So just a few months after opening the pandemic hit us. Howie said he never got totally settled into the business before it hit.
Well let’s move on to the food.
Our Choices at Wahoo BBQ:
Tammy and I both had Pulled Pork and Sliced Brisket. I ordered a 3 Meat Platter and added Baby Back Ribs. The sides are where we took different paths. I chose Baked Beans and Potato Salad. Tammy went with Slaw and Mac & Cheese. Let me just say here that the sides at Wahoo BBQ are homemade. Except for the fries and onion rings is what I was told when ordering.
Pulled Pork & Sliced Brisket with Slaw and Mac & Cheese.
Our Sides at Wahoo BBQ:
Let’s get started with our sides. The baked beans are very good. Nothing fancy but a really good seasoning and great tasting side for the meats. The potato salad really confused me. I really liked it but couldn’t figure out what was in it. It is mayo based but I will not go into the other ingredients Howie told me about. Once he told me, the taste just fell into place. I loved it. The mac & cheese was awesome. Lots of cheese and fantastic ingredients just made it killer. I was actually lucky to be able to try a bite of Tammy’s. Finally there’s the slaw. Again we’re talking mayo based and incredible. I’m a slaw snob. I eat a lot more of it now since starting this blog but only a few really stand out as something I’d go back and order. This is one of the ones I’d order on another trip. So that wraps up our sides. None of them will lead you wrong. And just something to think about here…When you make a lot of side dishes that are mayo based, do you think the mayo brand makes a difference? I do.
The Meats at Wahoo BBQ:
I know you’re waiting for this so allow me to move along with the meats at Wahoo BBQ. Remember, Tammy and I both had pulled pork and sliced brisket. I’ll start there and wrap up with my baby back ribs. Let me say that when you go to Wahoo BBQ you will get fresh meats. They are smoked overnight, every night when they are open. They are smoked with hickory.
Pulled Pork, Sliced Brisket and Baby Back Ribs with Potato Salad and Baked Beans.
The pulled pork is what Howie competed with. And I understand he did pretty well. As he should have. The pork has an excellent smoke flavor and some nice bark mixed in. The smoke, seasoning and natural taste of the pork all combine for some really good bbq.
The brisket, I think, was even better. And yes, usually I go for pork over brisket. Tammy is the true brisket connoisseur. This brisket was awesome. Tender and juicy. You just kind of cut it with your fork and it come right apart. There was a really nice smokering and again some nice bark on the outside edges. The fat was rendered nicely making the whole thing just melt in your mouth. And yes, the smoke and seasoning on the brisket was just right. I loved the brisket.
And last but not least are the baby back ribs. These ribs were delicious. Smoked all the way. No sauce. Some nice char. These are some awesome ribs. There are only a handful of places that I truly love the ribs at. Now there is one more. As soon as I bit into one I could tell my eyes got wide open and a big ole smile came across my face. These are the ribs that make 2-1/2 hour trips worth every minute of the ride.
Final Thoughts on Wahoo BBQ:
OK, so I’m a little obvious with this one. I am so glad Tammy and I made this trip. It’s been very depressing not being able to go meet new people and find awesome little spots like this to write about. And just for the record, we went back in and ordered a pound of brisket plus a rack of ribs to bring home with us. Wrapped in foil and slowly warmed in the oven and they reminded me of being there again. Well except I was sitting at my warm kitchen table.
Bottom line here is this is a great restaurant. I truly hope you will look them up on the web and if there’s any way possible go pay them a visit. You can’t go wrong here. Howie and the rest of the staff are all wonderful people. We had a great time meeting them and I look forward to a return trip to get to know everyone even better and definitely to enjoy some more wonderful food.
Thank you all for a great experience. Please hang in there and keep up the good work.
Now For Your Thoughts:
So there’s no guessing where I stand with Wahoo BBQ. I love them. But what about you. We’d love to hear from some others who have been there plus their local regulars. Tell everyone about your experiences there. This is your chance to let everyone, including the staff, know how you feel about your local joint. I heard one young man telling Howie that everything was wonderful as usual when he was leaving. We need to hear from some of you.
Just scroll down and leave your comments in the box. I’ll get them posted with this review as soon as possible.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.
You can check out their website at: https://wahoobbq.com/
You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/WahooBBQVirginia/
13 Comments
I stop by every morning for a breakfast biscuit, they are the best and you can even get a brisket biscuit! I also have lunch or dinner a few times a week. Their sides are awesome, so good sometimes I get just sides. I’m truly blessed to have this on my way to work and 10 minutes from the house. You must try it.
Tim. Yes you are blessed. I’d probably be pushing the 400 pound mark but happy. Don’t know that I will make it for breakfast but a brisket biscuit sounds delicious. Thanks for the info.
My wife and I are fortunate enough to have known Howie and his wife Claire for quite some time. During that time, we’ve been blessed to have eaten a *lot* of Howie’s cooking. When he first told us that he was opening his restaurant, we knew it would be awesome, and that he’d be a smash hit in the area. It’s a bit of a drive from our house to the Wahoo BBQ location, but like you, we found it is absolutely worth the drive. I can’t say enough good things about the place, and about Howie and his staff — for anyone taking the time to read this, all I can say is: you HAVE to check this place out. The food is flat out fantastic, and Howie is a great host!
Brian. I couldn’t agree more. Our whole visit was awesome. So glad we made the trip. We will be back for more. Thanks for the comments.
My pleasure!
I have known Howie and Claire for years as well as the rest of the family and they are great people! As a school teacher eating out isn’t something that is done a lot but I do stop every Friday morning whether we are in school or not and always get the Brisket egg and cheese biscuit, it’s a great way to kick off a Friday and end of the work week! If you haven’t tried it I highly suggest you do, great people, great food, great fun!
Nick. It really sounds like we need to get up there for breakfast. I guess we could leave here between 6 & 7 am to make it. From all the comments it may just be a good idea. Plus we do look forward to getting to know Howie and the rest of the bunch a little better. Everyone we met was wonderful. Great people serving great food. Thanks for joining in. Love to get comments from folks who really know.
I go to Wahoo BBQ about once a week. He also makes breakfast wraps of egg, cheese and brisket that is amazing. He will make a wrap with any meat! He also has smoked wings that he then deep fries. Yummm. Lately has has offered Brunswick Stew made to perfection. During Lent he had smoked Salmon. Another favorite. I can make a meal from his sides as well. Everything is great. Worth a road trip!
Claire. You are so right about the road trip. We enjoy them anyway. But the amazing food made us so happy we chose to ride this direction. I hope many more follow us and check them out. Thanks for all the extra info.
I first met Howie when he was doing his Q out of his house and catering events at nearby wineries. I loved everything he made, the meats and sides, all of them. The building he is in now sat vacant for years, and I was thrilled when he told me had been able to get the building and open the restaurant there. 15 minutes from my house! It is my go – to pandemic takeout place, it fact just last night we picked up some pulled chicken and mac & cheese. I’ve got to say, though, that your review peaked my interest in the potato salad, which we have never tried! I am with you 100% on your review, glad you made it down our way.
Bill, I’m so jealous. 15 minutes away, yes I’d be dropping by quite a bit. Glad to hear I sparked your interest in the potato salad. It was really good. Not often I can let a local in on something. That’s pretty cool. I do appreciate you commenting. It helps give more insight to the story. Thanks.
I’m a local also…work up the road at The Market at the Lake…this is the greatest..so convenient and the best bbq ..these people are the best
Linda. I’m really glad you took the time to comment. We love to hear from the locals especially when they agree with what I found. This way I know we didn’t just get lucky. We loved our visit and yes, the people are awesome. Everything we ate was awesome. Thanks for joining in.