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Peckinpah
Category: Restaurants Barbeque Barbeque [Edit]
2 Water StVancouver, BC V6B 1B2
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Gastown
(604) 681-5411
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
75 reviews for Peckinpah
Review Highlights
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"So Carolina-style BBQ is a thing with me." In 7 reviews -
"I had the brisket and my date had the pulled pork." In 27 reviews -
"...their other meats include pork sausage and beef short ribs." In 4 reviews
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75 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
5/16/2012
OK, I have to preamble this by:
1- i had consumed half a bottle of cava before eating here
2- i was STARVED for restaurant action in general
3- i hadn't eaten meat in 5 weeks and wanted to get my gnaw on big time
So Peckinpah totally hit the spot! I like my ribs, i prefer them on the dry side and slightly chewy. This makes me an enigma I realize this, but there you go. So when I ordered the pork ribs, I asked whether they were fatty
"not really"
"ok good, bring it"
I was totally satisfied with my meal. And hence the 4 stars. Having said that, I realize most people prefer fall off the bone, fatty meat. That's cool. Maybe the short ribs were like that. But the pork ribs were dryer and exactly what I wanted.
The sides were decent, mainly the collards were good but the coleslaw lacked flavour big time. Corn bread was meh.
Would I come back? Hell to the ya! Especially slightly inebriated and needed to gnaw on some bone. -
Review from Josh R.
Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC
5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Why have a BBQ joint if you're not going to do it right? Peckinpah has a really awesome atmosphere and a cool layout but this is definitely NOT authentic BBQ. The meat was very dry and nearly flavorless, also the sides were sub-par to say the least. I had the pulled pork sandwich and was sorely disappointed, the meat was dry and begging for a dry rub. Perhaps the most disappointing dish of the night, however, was the pulled pork mac 'n' cheese that my buddy had. The cheese sauce was thin and watery; I wouldn't be surprised if it was from a mix. It also looked very unappetizing with the chunks of "pulled pork" sprinkled on top. To qualify as a "pulled pork mac 'n' cheese," one would expect the pulled pork to be incorporated into the dish and not just used as a garnish.
The prices are too high for a BBQ joint but I understand that they need to cover their costs with that prime Gastown location. Perhaps they should open up another one in a less desirable neighborhood so they can focus on improving their recipes and overall quality of food they are serving. I probably won't be going back here unless they miraculously start pumping out some REAL Carolina BBQ. -
Review from Aaron D.
Port Moody, BC
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
The Smoked Chicken sandwich is amazingly good. It tastes like southern BBQ exploded in your mouth and the blast is over FAR too quickly leaving its victim craving another. I wish I could tell you about everything on the menu as it is a fantastic assortment of South Carolina BBQ favorites. Truth is, the Smoked Chicken is SOOO good, I keep ordering it.
The Pah is a great joint in Gastown, right on Gassy Jack's corner. The service is good and usually SUPER fast. Oh! And they have a TAKE-OUT window for those who want to enjoy their BBQ at home.
The location is beautiful. The perfect people watching spot in Gastown overlooks the very spot Vancouver was first conceived under a Maple Tree atop a barrel of Whisky. Call before you stroll down on peek days as the seating area is small and when it's busy, it can be cramped. In the summer there is outdoor seating for your fresh air fancy. Sit and stay or take it away, the food and location are perfect to casually chill with a few friends for dinner. -
Review from Matthew C.
Vancouver, BC
5/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
You how you go to bbq joints and you think "how can it get any better than this?" well, it can, because you could be at Peckinpah. Literally the best bbq joint in town. Well, maybe second best after my place. I highly recommend the "bit of everything" plate in which you get a bit of every meat they do. DELICIOUS. And almost exactly the right amount of food, too. Hard to go wrong.
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Review from Katie O.
4/4/2012
Who knew that it would take a trip up to Vancouver for me to finally enjoy some good Carolina BBQ?
The location was a bit cramped, but our server was courteous and brought our food out in a timely manner. Unfortunately, she divvied up the bill wrong and forgot to bring a little side of honey for my corn bread. :o(
Besides that, the food was delicious, and I felt like I was back in the South. Mmm good! -
Review from Joyce D.
Burnaby, BC
3/29/2012
Against my better judgment I wandered down to Gastown just for a little stroll, a breath of fresh air and to basically decompress after work. Little did I know one bite of a deep fried pickle would be the one item to do me in for good. Yes I admit people I am officially addicted um bigtime!!!
First off I have to say something about some of the luke-warmish reviews on the place namely....what the hell is up with that????? This place blows Memphis Blues out of the water tsunami style.
The decor is so cool and the staff are amongst the friendliest I have ever encountered especially one of the managers that was on tonight. He took the extra effort to fully explain the sauces and answered any questions I had about various menu choices. You can tell they take pride in the place and that goes hand in hand with knowing you have an excellent product to back up that pride.
As soon as I seen deep fried pickles on the menu that was a given and for any of you out there who haven't tried them you have no idea what you are missing; SERIOUSLY! In all the cool places in Vegas and LA deep fried pickles are what is happening right now and I have tried many. Unfortunately if you don't have the crunch factor down it makes for a soggy pickle and no girl likes a soggy pickle. Peckinpah nows owns the rights to the most superior product I can honestly say I have ever tried. The batter is unbelievable and massive flavour and that isn't even commenting on the smoked jalapeno mayo. Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit its that good! The second gift from God I tried was the House made corn dog which was no ordinary corn dog. Nope, the boys went over the top again and produced a spicy pork sausage in cornmeal batter. Freaken amazing.
After those two winners I made sure I grabbed a take-out menu as I am already obsessing over my next stroll to Gastown. On a side note.........Globe and Mail sucks!!!! -
Review from Tera K.
Vancouver, BC
4/8/2012
It was my first time going and I had a pretty good lunch here.
I asked if they had lemonade and although it wasn't on the menu they made it fresh on the spot. It was very tart and tasty and the perfect accompaniment to the pulled pork that was...
...on my Cobb salad! Most epic Cobb salad ever. Very tasty and tender pulled pork with lettuce, guacamole, boiled egg and a yummy mustard vinaigrette. The only thing that I didn't enjoy very much was the brisket but it was my first time trying brisket and I'm not very partial to meat with strips of fat on it.
The woman beside me ordered the chili and it looked really good too - I'll be trying that next time. -
Review from Christopher N. W.
Vancouver, BC
3/19/2012 8 Check-ins Here
I showed up early and Jess showed up late; so everything was in order. I had a Steamwhistle Pilsner which was lovely, and very affordable. Jess had a club soda. We decided on the Lil Bites Platter with a selection of ribs, brisket and a smoked sausage. They have a multitude of sides and you get 2 plus a piece of cornbread with a combo. we went with the warm greens (kale, chard and collard) and baked beans.
Now. I know a little something about Barbecue. I worked for over a year at Memphis Blues on the Drive and in that time learned a truckload about the preparation, serving and most of all taste of barbecues meats. Peckinpah branded themselves as more of a Carolina style of barbecue against Memphis's well, Southern Memphis style, both of which differ greatly from the smoky spicy Texan style. So my expectations were vinegars and mustards and hunks of non basted whole cooked Hog.
Eastern North Carolina style barbecue is, by most accounts, the oldest style of barbecue in the United States. Originating during Colonial times in the coastal regions of Virginia and the Carolinas, it endures and thrives today in the eastern third of the state of North Carolina. According to Vince Staten and Greg Johnson, this style of barbecue "originated in those days when people thought tomatoes were poisonous and refused to eat them. When the early settlers wanted a seasoning for their barbecued pig, they chose English ketchup, a vinegar seasoned with oysters and peppers and other spices, but containing no tomato."
Our food arrived and it appeared to be a simplified version of what they were doing over at Memphis Blues. There was a cumin-y barbecue sauce on the table as well as a bottle of chili vinegar. (One of these things doen't belong...) Jess immediately noticed how dry everything appeared i concurred but decided to let my tongue and palate decide.
I picked up a length of thin sliced brisket which had only a modicum of smoke ring - the pink ring that form just below the skin or crust of barbecue meat that demonstrates low and slow cooking with wood smoke. The first bite was... all-right. The brisket was over-cooked and it seemed that either too much fat was being trimmed off the cut or they are purchasing brisket pre-trimmed and there isn't enough fat-cap to preserve the moisture in the hunk of beef that should be cooking at 250 degrees for 12 plus hours.
I dig into the greens and beans...
The beans are well cooked but are lacking in the sweet/smokey department. They aren't tomatoey though which is good and there is no noticeable cloying molasses taste common to the beans at Memphis Blues and some other places. Overall they are just bland and acceptable. The greens however are nice. Wilted and warm but not to fall apart soft, the mix of collards, chard and kale was peppery and vinegary and a bit sweet, quite nice.
The cornbread was good. I'm not a huge fan in general and it could have used a pat of butter but theirs was soft and warm so again... OK.
Onto the sausage. A large link, greasy and sliced multiple times across the top it was smokey and garlicky and most likely not produced in-house though I didn't ask. It was delicious though.
A tiny rack of 5 back ribs sat charred and black. The matte covering of burnt dry-rub did not induce salivation like a greasy glistening order of ribs should. They had obviously been overcooked and my first bite confirmed it. The taste of charcoal and phenolic carbon was only slightly matched to the stringy and dry "meat" that remain stuck fast to the bone. I gnawed off about 2 ounces of this failure at cooking and gave up. I was literally shaking my head. As a professional I would never have sent out that order
Anyhow, I will be back to try the pulled pork and the other condiments, probably in sandwich form and I will follow up after that. -
Review from Lisa T.
4/27/2012 2 photos
not quite what i had expected, considering the food quality and the cost.
the meat was quite dry. all types of meat. and while the sides were good, the divorce platter did not live up to it's price tag. the service wasn't all there. i mean, yes i understand there was a canucks game on. but still. two servers could cover the small-sized restaurant with a few occupied tables. i'm a bit disappointed to say the least. -
Review from Jenny F.
4/3/2012
After walking around Gastown for a little bit we decided cornbread and hushpuppies sounded like the best option. Peckinpah delivered on both. We wanted to eat a selection of sides and they were more than happy to let us order off that menu. We each ordered macaroni & cheese and then we shared cornbread, hushpuppies, and a side of the kale greens. Oh so good. We also got Apple Thingies - delightful drinks designed by Peckinpah's bartender made of bourbon and apple juice with cinnamon sticks and some Southern Comfort to top it off. Make sure to order the bourbon sauce to dip your hushpuppies in, and pour it on your cornbread, too. We did have to take some of the macaroni to go but we licked the other plates clean. They have a number of other things I'm dying to try - I'll have to come to Vancouver again soon so I can. The next thing I want to order is the Punkin Bread Pudding. Yum.
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Review from Florence C.
Vancouver, BC
4/26/2012
It's OK.. Peckinpah is not far from my workplace, I'd drop by for their pulled pork sandwich once in a while. My colleague had the chili and it was so obvious that it came out of microwave. Anyway, I'm happy with my pulled pork sandwich and cornbread. Satisfies my cravings, AND, good news: it's not as greasy as Memphis Blues.
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Review from Annie W.
1/25/2012 1 photo
First time here, so I ordered the Lil'bit of Pork & Beef combo platter which came with Beef Brisket, Pork Ribs, Pork Sausage, cornbread & two choice of sides (creamed corn & southern greens for me).
When my plate arrived I thought everything looked really good. Everything except the brisket, which looked dry, and it was indeed that tough, chew, water, more chewing, and repeat kind of dry. Dousing it in the red sauce available at the table helped make it palatable- just barely though. I found the pork ribs much tastier than the brisket, albiet still on the dry side.
Now the Pork Sausage on the otherhand was a whole different story. Sooooo gooOooOoOOod...I could seriously just eat a whole plate of that next time! I also really enjoyed the cornbread which had a nice crumb to it, and the creamed corn was heavenly.
Won't write off this place just yet, not until I've had a few more pork sausages and sampled a little more of their menu. Plus the service was excellent and that's always deserving of a second chance in my books. -
Review from Lloyd B.
Mount Pleasant, Vancouver, BC
4/1/2012
Good BBQ, not many tables and very busy....
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Review from Gretchen C.
Vancouver, BC
southern comfort food. my favourites off the menu have to be the pork ribs and the beer-battered pickles. i don't even like pickles, but the beer-battered pickles are what's up. the jalepeno sausage is pretty good too, and the beef brisket is alright, but not my favourite.
huge portions (well, in my opinion). every dish comes with two sides (hush puppies, greens, baked beans, etc.) and cornbread.
i love the iced tea that they serve here too. they have a whole whiskey/bourbon/rye bar with a million different types of bottles.
my only criticism is that they don't serve fried chicken - when i think southern comfort food, i think fried chicken.
the place itself is really comforting and welcoming. it's not that big, but i've always managed to get a table every time i've been here without too much of a wait. -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
2/23/2012
You remember that scene in Texas Chainsaw Massacre with the BBQ pieces slowly rotating in the gas station warmer? Well, despite the whole cannibal thing, I think I'd rather eat those.
This was the driest, gamiest BBQ I have ever encountered. The brisket and ribs were so, so dry, bland and somehow gamey that I can't imagine ever eating them again. Bleh. Why so dry? Whyyyy?
I enjoyed the cornbread and collards, hence the second star. I also love the Carolina style vinegar to douse the meats with - sadly, even my liberal vinegar-ing couldn't moisten those ribs. Such a bummer. -
Review from Gino V.
Vancouver, BC
5/9/2012
popped in for a quick lunch - server was good, but the product was dry.
my lunch date had the pork ribs and i had the brisket - both were dry.
i dont know how they keep the product warm...but something is making it dry. the vinegar sauce and bbq sauce was good...but neither of them could mask the fact that it was dry. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh Peckipah.
Having spent a great deal of my life living in Victoria stuffing my face with Pig, it surprised me it took as long as it did for me to haul my ass down here.
We got there around 6:30 for dinner and were lucky enough to find a table for four waiting for us. I ordered the pulled pork with coleslaw and beans, seemed like a must try for anything BBQ. My friends ordered the chilli, cob salad and ... a sandwich of some sort. I ordered the half as I was concerned about the size of the plate compared to the space in my stomach.
Everything came pretty quickly and was fantastic. I couldn't believe how good the beans and pulled pork were. What also surprised me was how amazing the cob salad looked, so next time I'm totally getting that.
Ultimately, I enjoyed myself and will be back.Listed in: Hot Eats
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Review from Robin M.
Updated - 8/31/2011
Sigh. Love affairs never really last, do they? The spark fizzles, the magic fades, the pork... dries up.
... ahem.
Still good enough, just not as mind-blowing as it once was. Moisten your meat, Pekinpah. Let's get it back on.Listed in: Which town? Gastown., Fill Me Up Vancouver, I'd like you to "meat"…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/13/2011
**I apologize in advance to all vegans and vegetarians who may be offended by my following review**
I… Read more »
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Review from Daren D.
1/14/2012 1 photo
I ventured on in to check it out and maybe a snack & drink. The mint julep short was different than what I'm used to; yet rather good and nice buzz for me. Good fries. I like the rustic western feel to it and with the squeaky wooden stairs, to boot. Staff seemed good.
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Review from Jennifer L.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2011
The pulled pork and collard greens were great! I really liked the coleslaw too.
I heard the ribs and brisket were dry so I didn't order them. They looked ok though so I'd definitely try them next time.
My husband and I split the pumpkin bread pudding - that was sooo delish! Probably too heavy for one person but it was perfect as a share plate.
One thing was a bit discerning... we sat at the bar and got to see the kitchen... they don't wear gloves and some lick the side of the pan and then touch other things... the server also told us she licked the pan after the bread pudding. But I'm sure thats just how ALL regular restaurants work behind the scenes anyway! right?? ....:D -
Review from Chris M.
Vancouver, BC
2/29/2012 1 photo
Best ribs ever!!
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Review from Katie R.
Vancouver, BC
9/3/2011
First, kudos to Tim S. for the excellent directions on how to enjoy a Peckinpah sandwich. When your food arrives at Peckinpah, it may surprise you that the pulled pork is sauceless. This is actually a common way of serving pulled pork. And the ability to sauce to one's pork to one's content is a pretty great thing. Moreover, the vinegar concoction is delightful (and I even have a soft spot for the red sauce as well).
The less flattering reviews of Peckinpah kept me away from this place for months. Reading over these reviews, I think that there the dishes at Peckinpah range in deliciousness and ability to satisfy. If you are stopping in for a bite, I suggest a sandwich or the pulled pork half order. I have avoided the ribs based on Yelp reviews.
Also, I will admit that I shared a North Cakalaka platter a while back. I was not thrilled with the portion size on the side orders and we only received one piece of cornbread (which may have been an oversight). After returning for bourbon and brisket lunches, I can say that the half orders are the way to go. -
Review from Tim S.
8/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So Carolina-style BBQ is a thing with me. Summer trips down the coast to North Carolina's Outer Banks beaches were a cherished part of my upbringing in the American mid-Atlantic and, let me tell you, they know how to do up a pig. So I was pretty excited to hear about Peckinpah opening up in my favorite 'hood. Don't get me wrong: Memphis Blues ain't bad, but the thin, vinegar-based Carolina-style sauce does a number on the thick, smoky, tomato-based Memphis version every time.
Does Peckinpah pass the test? Well: it's at least West Coast good, which ain't bad, but if you want to eat like you're *from* here, there's some things y'all need to know.
HOW TO EAT BBQ AT PECKINPAH like you mean it:
1. Pulled pork sandwich with hushpuppies. You don't even need the menu.
2. While you wait, you'll notice that your table has two sauce bottles: one says "BBQ sauce" and the other says "vinegar sauce." It's a trap. Ignore the red "BBQ" sauce; it is a false prophet and will lead you astray from the path of righteousness.
3. Your sandwich will, oddly, arrive dry. Flip it over and pull off the bottom bun. Grab the vinegar sauce and douse the pork like you're putting out a giant, delicious pork fire.
4. You think you're done? That pork fire's still smolderin' pretty good there.
5. Did I tell you to stop? You want some flavor in there or what?
6. -- All right, there, that looks pretty good. Put the bun back on.
7. Enjoy!
Bevvies at Peckinpah are solid, if not strictly authentic. I can't believe that they don't have a proper sweet tea -- iced tea with so much sugar it makes your teeth hurt a little -- or maybe some bottles of Cheerwine. The excellent bourbon selection (a Tennessee concoction) is a little out of character for a Carolina-style pig place, but surely there's no pleasure to insisting on tradition there. Me, I like to wash my sandwich down with a draft microbrew.
Good food, great atmosphere, friendly service, has hushpuppies. Will happily visit again. -
Review from Allen W.
8/5/2011
Ordered takeout -- yuck.
--Dry, mealy pork ribs w/not much flavour
--BBQ sauce on side was lackluster, kinda like ketchup
--Small portions, large prices
--Potato salad different, but good
--Corn bread, soft and warm
--Hush puppies quite tasty
I'm sure dining in the restaurant adds some ambience, but my review is about the takeout they offer. Based on it, I won't be visiting the restaurant any time soon.
Lived in TX, and although this is a different style of BBQ, that doesn't mean the meat should be dry and flavourless. Did not like it and did not like the price for what I received. -
Review from Katie S.
Vancouver, BC
6/14/2011
Carolina Style BBQ. In Gastown? Holy smokes!
The smell of sweet glazed smokey meat and evidence of a liquor license lured me in on a sunny starvation-filled Saturday afternoon.
Beef short ribs, pork ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, corn bread, hush puppies, fries, potato salad, collard greens. OMG it's all too much. Clearly the decision is a life or death situation. Clearly I can never try any other dishes EVER. The anxiety and pleasure of another dining experience.
Can we just try it all? Why yes you can, lil' darlin'. You can order a half order of everything on the menu! But after twenty minutes of indecisiveness, we both selected the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries for the lad and hush puppies for me.
Though there was nothing special to note about the fries or the hush puppies, we both enjoyed our pulled pork sandwiches. However, I do have to say, the pork was a little dry for my liking. It' was a sauceless dry rub. You can put the sauce on yourself, which I found to be a bittersweet deal. At first I didn't like the BBQ sauce provided, but after a few bites it definitely grew on me.
At the end of our meals, we discussed the possibility of ordering another sandwich as we didn't feel very stuffed. When I think of Southern BBQ, I expect to be so stuffed that I almost require a stretcher to wheel me outta the restaurant.
The waitress enticed us with a deep fried mars bar, which was fried gooey death on a stick. Yummy! But nowhere near as good as the ones back home in Australia. I feel like it needed some sugar on the outside. Let's face it. Once you've committed to the decision of allowing a deep fried mars bar to enter your system, you should just go the whole hog and do it right. The pro-diabetes way.
I did like the food. The drinks were fine.The staff were friendly. The window seat view was great. But it felt a little stiff to me. I don't know about you, but I like my Southern BBQ down, dirty and delicious. But I just felt like I was in another exposed brick cafe in Gastown. No mechanical bull nor a mess to be seen. I would return, but I'd definitely like to see more grit. Some things just aren't supposed to be made small and simple. And if there's anything that should be BIG and JUICY it's Southern BBQ. -
Review from Kevin S.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2011
So, anyway, the place is a bit pedestrian (def. #4 here if you need help: http://dictionary.refe...).
The meat isn't much better than you could get at a fast food, or semi fast-food, joint. It's dry, covered in crapsauce, and devoid of flavour. And the corn bread? Like crumbly polystyrene. Mm.
If, by chance, they happen to get the meat right on the night that you're there, don't ask for the wine list. There isn't one. They offer one white, and one red; a Ravenswood Zin, I think. Whatever, stick with the Lucky Lager.
Negatives aside, there are a handful of bright spots. They have a smart, wonderful waitress there who looks like Bridgette Bardot. She salvaged the evening with excellent, no bullshit service. She and the bartender even bought our table a round of shooters for merely quoting one of the staffs' favourite movie quotes (from True Romance!). Fun.
And they do have a decent bourbon selection. Try the Eagle Rare, neat. You won't be disappointed.
All things considered, you could pass on this restaurant and never leave this earth having missed one of life's finer things. -
Review from Pennylane S.
Vancouver, BC
4/21/2011 ROTD 11/6/2011
I'm pretty excited that there's finally a southern inspired bbq place in Vancouver other than Memphis Blues. Despite a few reviews nailing the authenticity of the food, it still warms my heart to see places that remind me of the Smokehouse in Fort Greene, Brooklyn - perhaps it's a nostalgia thing.
I was also very pleasantly surprised to find that prices weren't outrageous at all but just rageous enough. For $10-$12 a got a heaping place of their pulled pork (unsauced - apparently the true dry rub way of doing it) and two sides (coleslaw and hush puppies).
Now, I'm an eater. It's probably my favourite pastime and one of my greatest talents. So when I couldn't finish my plate of food, a part of me dies inside and I felt my pride ought to wrapped up in that doggy bag along with over half of my meal. The bright side is that pulled pork (drenched in their home made spicy vinegar) avec cornbread tasted just as good the next day (or rather, later that night, let's be honest). -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was wandering gastown with an out-of-towner friend, and we stopped infront of this restaurant. It was about 7pm, and my mouth instantly started watering as I read the menu. My friend, sensing my hunger, casually suggested we give it a try.
We called out three more people, and 10 minutes later were pouring over the menu at a table together. I split the Beef Beef Beef platter (seriously, how can you order anything else?!) with two guy friends. The other two split a beef brisket sandwich. Seriously, three people splitting a platter might be reasonable, but we struggled so badly to finish it. The best of the three was clearly the beef ribs (the meat was fall off the bone delicious), but the fail was the brisket. It was dry and bland, and we had to load it up with sauce. The sausage was delicious as juicy as well, so we just tried to mix it up between bites.
Overall, the price point was good, and we were definitely full of meaty goodness. Even the coleslaw (my pick, because I demanded vegetables), couldn't help cover the meat sweats. But the potato salad is the best side there.
I hope they fix their brisket soon though, that was kind of a disaster. Good thing we had the ribs to make up for it. Mmmm ribs. -
Review from fred e.
West Vancouver, BC
7/12/2011
Love walking Gastown in the summer. Lots of people watching and fun times.
I've never seen this place even though its right on the corner in front of the Gassy Jack Statue. Was craving some Brisket so went in to try it.
The restaurant has a funny feel to it. Stair to get into it and stairs going downstairs into a basement. It just feels awkward as a business but its an old heritage building and they have to make it work. Can't hold this against them.
Waitresses were extremely nice and made a great beer recommendation and I also ordered their Brisket meal with homemade coleslaw and potato salad.
The portion is just plain huge. I could only eat half. Next time I'll definitely share this with someone. The brisket was unfortunately dry, and over done. Won't throw them under the bus but I'll give it a try again to see if its better.
All in all if your craving some barbeque smoked meats then this place is recommended. -
Review from Shawno A.
Vancouver, BC
1/16/2012
This was quite possibly the worst barbque I have ever had. My partner and I had eaten here first week it opened and was very impressed. This latest visit was very different. i ordered the smoked chicken sandwich. It was served on the stalest bun I ever had in a restaurant, it literally crumbled apart in my hand and virtually no meat on the sandwich. It was served cold. My partner had a disappointing pulled pork sandwich which was also served on stale bread. We ordered cornbread which was also stale and cold. Only redeemiing factor were the hush puppies which were passible HOWEVER they had the nerve to charge EXTRA for a tiny amount of dipping sauce. The server and the cooks seemed overwhelmed. This place needs a serious overhaul.
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
10/16/2011 3 photos
* Sigh *
Ready to see some exciting BBQ - the luscious smoky flavours of tender meat that has been smoked long and slow?
Something like this: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
or this: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sigh. This ain't no Salt Lick: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
This is Peckinmeh....Sorry, I mean Peckinpah.
The brisket was tough, had no noticeable smoke ring, was served in burger style with burger toppings (WTF?!?!?!) as well as a BBQ sauce that tasted like dressed up ketchup. Oy......Photos: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... and http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Even the coleslaw didn't satisfy. It was goopy. Sigh: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
This solidifies things for me - the only decent BBQ in Vancouver is Chinese BBQ. While that is great, sometimes I would just love to have a good BBQ brisket. Oh well!
P.S. The owner made a comment about my experience starting with, "Sorry your brisket was tough, but it looks like you had the brisket sandwich, not the platter." - is that an excuse for tough brisket?!?!?! I'm confused. They went on to explain the missing smoke ring due to the usage of an electric smoker instead of a traditional smoker, claiming it doesn't affect the taste. They went on to say that smoke rings are not considered in the Kansas City BBQ competition. Well, for what it is worth, that competition also doesn't use electric heat sources. Hm.....And they do judge on appearance overall. While we'll have to agree to differ that electric smokers and traditional produce the same taste, tough brisket is tough brisket regardless of what method you used to smoke it. If they could produce brisket that is as flavourful and tender as a traditional smoker I'd be more than happy to be missing the physical signs of a smoke ring (even though it reduces the quality of the appearance to me personally). But as it stands right now the brisket I had just wasn't up to snuff. Sorry.Comment from Tyson R. of Peckinpah 10/18/2011
Sorry your brisket was tough, but it looks like you had the… More » -
Review from JY F.
Richmond, BC
7/21/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Did I mention I'm a huge BBQ fan? Well for those of you that don't know me, I'm a huge carnivore and will never ever be or even contemplate being a vegetarian or vegan in any capacity because of my love for all things meat related. And what better way to celebrate the love of meat than in a good ol' southern style barbecue? I've told many of my friends and family that when I die, rather than having a boring formal solemn event I want all my family, friends and loved ones to have a huge authentic southern BBQ in my honour.
I've frequented Peckinpah several times in the last few months and it satisfies my love of BBQ and meat each every time! I definitely recommend the pulled pork and beef brisket. The meat is tender, juicy, and has just the right amount of smokey flavour. Unlike most BBQ places that I've tried, the meat isn't slathered with sauce, rather served on the side at your table. You can splash your meat with their spicy vinegar-based hot sauce or homemade barbecue sauce (I use both!) I love that you still taste meat rather than sauce. Despite this, I'm not a fan of their ribs. They're a bit dry and don't have that "fall of the bone" quality that I usually look for in ribs. But their other meats include pork sausage and beef short ribs. You can also try their oyster po'boy or roast chicken sandwiches which I've heard are hearty and oh-so-yummy!
Peckinpah also has a great selection of sides...my favourite being the Southern Greens, which are so buttery and soft that combined with the flavor of the smokey meat it's BBQ heaven in my mouth. Another must, is their Hush Puppies (deep fried corn bread fritters) with bourbon honey mustard...it's hard to describe, just do it! Their coleslaw is light and refreshing which is also a great accompaniment to the rich flavourful meat.
I recommend washing all this rich hearty food down with their bourbon Cesar or choose from their great selection of beers and bourbons.
Oh and I forgot to mention, this place is sooo cheap! For BBQ lovers, this is a place you're going to get the biggest and best bang for your buck in Downtown Vancouver! I've taken my family of 6 hungry adults, we ate our fill and the bill (minus alcohol) was less than $150 (incl. tax and tip)! -
Review from Sam L.
6/20/2011
Call me old fashioned, but I believe that when you visit a barbeque restaurant, the most memorable part of your meal shouldn't be the fries, or the pickle. I was there for lunch and ordered the beef brisket sandwich, which looked good on paper and was cooked to perfection, but was also extremely bland. I realize that this place specializes in Carolina style bbq, which mainly uses rubs and seasoning on their meat instead of being heavily sauced. Where was the rub? Where was the seasoning? Where was the smoke? After the first couple bites it went something like this: Bun, check. Lettuce, check. Tomato, check. Pickle, check. Meat.... Wait what? I seemed to be chewing on a meat-textured substance, the only difference is that it seemed to defy the laws of flavour. I tried dousing it in their bbq sauce (which kind of tastes like pasta sauce), but this didn't seem to help.
On the other hand, my girlfriend really enjoyed her Cobb salad, and the couple bites of pulled pork that I tried from her plate were pretty decent, so I'm going to chalk up my experience to catching them on an off day and give them another go. Also, I am not a bourbon drinker, however while I was here a had a strange craving for the "brownest of the brown liquors".
For me, this place is teetering on 2 stars, but like I said, I have a feeling maybe I came on a bad day, and am willing to give them another go. -
Review from Tod M.
Vancouver, BC
9/8/2011
Had the brisket -- my first brisket experience. Got to say, the presentation was lacking... I mean, I know I'm eating a dead cow, but laying it out in slabs of fatty beef just isn't all that appetizing.
The beef was, though, amazing. Tender, flaky, and just the right amount of spice. Sadly, so was the large amount of fat attached to each slab. I mean, isn't "removing fat" in Meat Cooking 101 for new chefs?
Some items on the menu sounded great but, well, just weren't. I thought the idea of deep-fried cornbread balls would be interesting, but they weren't anything unique. Take cornbread, deep-fry it, and eat it. I don't know what I was expecting. Oh wait, yes I do -- flavour.
The baked beans it came with were excellent -- a little spicy and meat throughout.
I ordered a half-size and couldn't finish even half of what came. Their half-size would fill up anyone. (They also had "everything" on the menu. I mean it. Everything. For $99, they would bring you EVERYTHING on the menu. Every single item. Wow.)
Now, for the bad part. All the rest of that night (I ate there about 5:30 p.m.) I felt horrible. Sick, nauseated, feverish, and just really gross. After dinner, I visited a friend in the hospital and a couple of people remarked that I looked sicker than the patients.
So, that was it. Tasty? Yes. Too much food, not enough care paid to the fat amount, and a good location -- right outside, appropriately enough, Gassy Jack. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's happening. I can taste bits and pieces of the deep south in our very own Gastown. When I am next craving a hit of the mighty BBQ, I will surely be Peckinpah-ing for the pulled pork.
Why? The two sides (beans and slaw please) and the mammoth heaping of pulled pork (full order) made me one happy lady. Note to the tiny tummies: you may want to sidle up next to someone with a big appetite or go for the half order when picking pulled pork. Or find a way to roll yourself down the stairs and out the door. Speaking of stairs - venture into the basement bathrooms for a chance to read the Georgia Straight from the by-gone years - circa-I-haven't-a-clue.
Food comes quick but lacks sauce, purposely. There's a homemade BBQ and hot sauce vinegar on the table that you can load up to your heart's content. I suggest making good use of the BBQ - it may not be up to snuff in a southern's opinion, but it's dang fine to my northern palette!Listed in: Gastown Hotspots
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Review from Linzi M.
4/17/2011
Warning: This is a beginner meat eater's review. I've come off a 14 year spell of vegetarianism and when you're off the wagon, if there's one thing you should eat it's BBQ, right?
Looking for lunch spots in Gastown, we decided upon Peckinpah and ordered up a pulled pork sandwich and a cobb salad. The cobb salad is full of meat, as of course a salad should be!
We waited quite a bit for our food. Dangerous in a BBQ place, as I could have been tempted to gnaw the leg off a waitress. But finally served and it hit the spot. Nice big chunks of pork and beef in a tasty sauce. The Southern Greens are not advisable though, more cabbage than spinach. Don't try to be healthy in a BBQ place, fool!
The salad was gooood, lots of meat and greens, but with an overpowering blue cheese.
Peckinpah is tasty but didn't knock me out of this world. Maybe a bit too yuppie and not enough down 'n' dirty Southern grit. I'd love to come back and try the 'Half of Everything'. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2011
Alright - I guess I couldn't expect too much from a BBQ joint in Gastown. Not even a dedicated BBQ joint - more like a bar specializing in smoked meat, similar to Migz and the now-closed Dix. But my buddy and I are on a quest to find the best BBQ in Vancouver - there must be more than Memphis Blues.
My buddy is a BA-BA-CUE gourmand - he used to work for a BBQ caterer and he recently went on a 'Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives'-inspired tour through the South. And me -- I like to eat dead animals and my service record is exemplary. I guess leading into night being regaled with lurid tales of glorious Southern BBQ wasn't quite fair.
The decor is an Western saloon (probably to tie in with its namesake) - which kinda blends in with the cowboy store a few stores down... both equally out of place in this trendy part of town. I really couldn't shake the feeling of it being a bit poseur. The place was packed at 7PM on Saturday - after some warm-up brews at the bar, we were quickly seated (even though the maitre d' really pushed us to stay at the bar to free up some tables).
There is good selection of brews on tap for ~$5.50 a mug and an extensive collection of bourbon as well. We went with a full order of the beef brisket and pulled pork - which is $15-$20 each and comes with cornbread and two sides (i.e. greens, coleslaw, salad, beans, fries, etc.).
Beef brisket is epic when done right. We got overly thick and dry brisket slices served at room temperature. They claims to specialize in dry Carolina style BBQ - which contrasts with the heavily sauced style Memphis Blues does. However, you had to drench the mostly flavourless brisket with BBQ sauce to make it palatable. However, the pulled pork was alright but nothing amazing. The sides were passable, the fries were good but extremely salty.
Definitely not better than Memphis Blues and very pricey in comparison - am I saying Memphis Blues is the best BBQ in Vancouver? Sadly, yes.
To top it off - we finished our subpar BBQ, plates bused, and declined the offer of dessert. Too lazy to move, my buddies and I decided to order man-dessert: more beer. We didn't like the food - but drinking here was alright. Without prompting, the maitre d' brought us the bill and said that there was quite a wait for tables - and asked if us we would like to move to the bar. I don't like being rushed however he made it right with shots of free bourbon. A good judgment there on what to ply us with.
However, moving a metre to the bar was the same as moving to one of the many other bars in the area - so we left for another watering hole. I hope the 90 lbs girls that took our table made up for the loss revenue of shooing out a group of hard drinkers looking to blow off steam after work. I don't know jackshit about running a pub - but I probably would have let the dudes drinking, cursing and racking up the bill be. But that's just me... (shrug).
If you're looking for good BBQ, Peckinpah is not the place to go. Not the worst place to grab a drink, however.Listed in: A Compendium of Fine…, Shots Fired
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Review from Sara M.
1/26/2011 ROTD 5/15/2011
**Alert Friends! I only had drinks!**
But man am I a fan of this place! On Saturday night I found it an oasis in a sea of poncey joints.
It's dressed to be country, so it seemed unpretentious. There isn't a lot of seating but the dude running the joint that night was super accommodating. He just wanted everyone to have a seat and enjoy their night. Once we did grab a table, the window seats were perfect for people watching.
Great beer list and even better bourbon selection. Yum! Our server was delightful and on the ball, even though she was uber busy.
My pals ordered the chili and some fries, but the review was "meh". Apparently they have a take out window open until 2am... maybe the food tastes better en route home from a night at Modern? -
Review from Peter S.
3/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
By the sounds of it, the cooks have read a few of these reviews.
I am talking about the dryness factor here, or lack there of now.
The pulled pork was a juicy mess with the spare rib arriving they way I would expect.
The pulled pork was lacking a bit of umph though. It was good. But not DIRTY GOOD.
I would put them well ahead of Memphis Blues, despite my heinous meat burps that made my cat's eyes water (ya, I burp in his face). The "homemade" BBQ sauce was pretty damn yummy. I considered filling my jacket pocket with some for home, but thought better of it.
So... three stars eh!
Well, by the sounds of it, they have improved a lot. But there are still a few kinks to work out. The sides could use a bit more love.
This cowboy shall return soon for another round, except with Rolaids in his holster.
Cheers for the 16 Bourbons. That's pretty rad.
Try the Bookers. Its YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW-errific.Listed in: Pig Out, Gastown rocks because of...
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Review from Jordan S.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2011
Tucked away as it is in the center of Gastwon, Peckinpah's wood adorned interior and huge bar is inviting as anything in recent memory. Their huge glass windows let the warm light from inside spill out onto the streets and the smell of slow barbecued meats and spices practically opens the door for you.
I had the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and fries, along with a local microbrewed beer. The pulled pork was fantastic and the fries were better than the usual fare.
The real gem here is the bar service. Unless you're with a group, always sit at the bar. The staff there, not doing an injustice to the servers who are also great, is friendly and engaging.
While I wouldn't consider myself a bourbon drinker by nature, I may have to change that; after the meal was over, my friend and I stuck around sampling some of Peckinpah's wide array of liquors. I left pleasantly full and a little wiser in the ways of bourbon.
This place is definitely on my hit-list.
