Soulbelly BBQ

⚠ As a Celiac, this place does not have a marked menu but apparently they use tamari in their BBQ sauces. They use a shared fryer for their flour-coated tobacco onions, so if you need to eat gluten free, anything from the fryers is a no-go.

Potato salad was apparently gluten free, as were the meats except for the glazed pork belly. We really enjoyed the food.

This BBQ place had a starting tip suggestion on their handheld payment machine at 25%! TWENTY FIVE PERCENT STARTING. In what universe do businesses have such audacity?

That alone knocks this place down to a 3 star.

The waitress stands there as you examine the bill on the handheld device and then you need to take it from her hand to enter in a custom tip amount if you don't want to pay 25%+ tip on what I assume is the taxed total.

How is it that when I travel to Europe or New Zealand, they also have corporate greed "inflation" and yet somehow pay their staff a living wage without tips?

A HALF POUND of brisket without sides starts at $19. A large side of potato salad is $16. It's not as if prices are so cheap that it's basically a charity and the tip is in exchange for a subsidized meal.

The service was standard. No complaints, except for the gall of asking for such a high tip without even the courtesy to allow us to look over the bill and discuss privately.

My husband and I had the:

$9 hatch chile & cheddar cheese sausage link $19 half pound brisket $8 small side of potato salad $16 BBQ Basics Boubon Glased Pork Belly sandwich with a side of watermelon salad. $5 Blake's El Chavo Cider

That's $57 pre tax (+$4.77 at 8.38% sales tax), and yet this place is asking for a nearly $15 tip to walk out 2 plates of food and a can of cider. You even fill your own water cups from a carafe on the table! It's offensive.

The smokers are in the front of the restaurant and you can watch food being put in to smoke from your tables either inside or out. There is also an area for live music and a full bar.

4 stars would be a marked menu for gluten free options and to remove 25% as the initial tip suggestion.

Visited May 2023.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Not Much

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

GF not listed on menu, but staff was knowledgeable about gluten, just inform them. Was told the meat rubs use tamari instead of gluten containing products. Yummy brisket and sides. Accidentally put bread on final order but promptly replaced with a new order. I’m very sensitive to cc and had no issues. Live blues band and fun indoor/outdoor seating.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent