Dallas

Dallas at Bobby's Burger Palace

bobbysburgerpalace.com

C-

Perhaps it was inevitable. When Bobby Flay expanded his Burger Palace chain to the Las Vegas Strip, we didn't really care, until we went and ate the burgers (and drank the shakes) and goddamnit if we didn't love this place. The fancy burgers were a little less expansive and a little less fancy than the other casino burger shops, and it was glorious. So we kept coming back. But at last, disappointment. We ordered the Dallas, allegedly a spice-crusted patty with coleslaw, jack cheese, barbecue sauce and pickles, and we "crunchified" it by adding potato chips because even though this seems ridiculous, it has worked for us in the past. This was just short of a titanic fail. I don't know what spices were crusted on this burger, but salt was the only thing we could taste. Combine some Lay's and a runny barbecue sauce that was more savory and steak sauce-ish than sweet and tangy, and you have a one-note salt bomb from which there is no escape. Pickles usually make everything better but this just wasn't going to happen. The meat, though cooked medium rare, was bland and mushy on the inside. We'll always have fond memories of Bobby's, but with Shake Shack, Fatburger and Fukuburger within Strip walking distance of this shop, I don't think we'll be able to find a reason to return. It was yum while it lasted.

PBR Pulled Pork

PBR Pulled Pork at PBR Rock Bar

pbrrockbar.com

C+

You can't really tell from this picture, but this is a mountain of a sandwich. It's just huge. And the amount of tender, juicy pulled piggy in this thing is obscene. Couldn't eat half of it. Half. PBR Rock Bar is smack in the middle of the Strip, a gigantic, somewhat cheesy themed restaurant that sucks in tourists whether they're rodeo fans or not. It's a big food machine. But what most people don't know is that it's the home of what is probably the best barbecue on the Las Vegas Strip, including some smoky brisket and some righteous ribs. This sweet, supple pork is right up there, too. The problems here are the dried-out burger bun, the mostly bland, creamy coleslaw, and the portions: some more of that slaw, if it had more crunch and flavor, would help moisten the bun and cut through the richness of all that sweet meat. When you order a barbecue sandwich, you're not supposed to want to scrap the bun and topping and only eat the barbecue.

Krispy Kreme Pulled Pork

Krispy Kreme Pulled Pork at Truck U Barbecue

truckubbq.com

B

This is clearly insane, but also impossible to not order. It was a special from our beloved Truck U Barbeque food truck, and even though we also devoured fried chicken tacos and a burnt-ends brisket burrito that were off-the-charts delicious, we felt compelled to go to work on this super-sweet indulgence: Truck U's slightly smokey, slightly spicy, juicy and wonderful pulled pork and a slice of cheddar sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts. We've seen other people make crazy sandwiches out of Krispy Kremes, but usually they cut one in half. Nope. Not Truck U. Two full doughnuts, over the top in an irresistible way.

Chopped Beef Brisket

Chopped Beef Brisket at Big Ern's BBQ

bigernsbbq.com

C

Did you know that we, the people behind allsandwich, have started a new barbecue blog? It's true. Check it out, if you want. Downtown 'cue spot Big Ern's was our first target. On a recent return visit, we indulged in this saucy, smoky brisket sandwich, which, despite the fancy looking bun and a serious load of meat, was only mediocre. The brisket was a bit too fatty and a bit too bland, while the sauce—even the spicier of two barbecue sauces available at Ern's—is a little too sweet. This 'cue will do in a pinch, but it misses the mark in sandwich format.

Spicy Barbecue Chicken Melt

Spicy Barbecue Chicken Melt

homemade

B+

Relatively simple yet highly effective: Cajun spice-dusted, grilled chicken breast, sliced into tender mini-strips and squished into a ciabatta with chipotle pepper-laced white cheddar, made toasty in the oven and then dabbed with Horsetooth Hot Mess porter, bourbon and coffee barbecue sauce. Lots of flavor, a little heat, a little sweet, lots of warm bread crunch. A pretty magnificent combination, as it turns out.

Char Siu Pork Roll

Char Siu Pork Roll at Buddha Belly Deli

thebuddhabellydeli.com

B+

Buddha Belly Deli is one of the most exciting sandwich shops to open in the Las Vegas valley in quite some time. Why? Because they're incorporating familiar, drool-inducing Asian flavors into classic sandwich structures, like a beef dip with pho au jus and a Sloppy Joe with red curry short rib. It's a fantastically fun menu, and our first stop was this big, beautiful pork roll. A mixture of brioche and Hawaiian sweet roll, this fluffy, buttery bread creation is piled high with delicious (if a bit dry) char siu roasted pork shoulder, sliced into thin, almost crisp shards. A traditional Vietnamese veggie trio of carrot, daikon and jalapeño joins the party, plus a sprinkle of crunchy slaw and a sweet hoisin barbecue sauce. It's fusion at its finest, subscribing to no rules other than the most important sandwich guideline—if it's delicious, add it to the mix.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Pulled Pork Sandwich at Wendy's

wendys.com

D

No, Wendy's, no. No! Stay away from barbecue, you pigtailed fast food devil! Wendy's has had some sandwich success lately thanks to using these upgraded brioche buns, but this double-edged bread sword comes back around with this disaster, with far too much slightly sweet, pillowy bun and far too little (admittedly) tender, mostly flavorless meat. Pile on some mayo'd, crappy slaw and some "spicy" barbecue sauce, and congratulations, I'm angry.

Texas BBQ Thickburger

Texas BBQ Thickburger at Carl's Jr.

carlsjr.com

D

What's on the latest monstrosity from Carl? A third-pound Black Angus beef patty (or a half, if you like), American cheese, "smoked brisket" in cloying "mesquite BBQ sauce" and fried jalapeño and onion bits. The brisket goes on the bun first, a mushy amalgam of fat and sugar. There's no trace of the guilty pleasure satisfaction that comes with putting additional meat on a cheeseburger. Carl's Jr. makes what is probably the best-known barbecue burger on the planet, the old Western Bacon Chee, so it's kind of disappointing that this adjustment—brisket for bacon, fryer leavings for onion rings—is so much crappier. But then again, it's certainly not surprising. I will say this: the new buns at Carl's are an improvement. A tiny improvement, but progress all the same.

Mangalista Burger

Mangalista Burger at Comme Ça

commecarestaurant.com

A

Sorry, you'll probably never get to eat this. It was a one-night special during Comme Ça's springtime burger and beer nights on the patio at the Cosmopolitan, where for $20 you get one of Las Vegas' most amazing burgers, two beers, and $1.25 oysters if you choose to add a little more fun to your evening. It's one of the greatest deals on the Strip, and there might be a few more Wednesday nights left for this event, so check into it. But it's not likely they'll bring back the Mangalista Burger, since they're always cooking up new burger concoctions, and that's a shame. This deserves a permanent menu spot. The juicy, savory patty is ground from all sorts of different pig parts with tender, silky, swine-alicious results. There's also pickled slaw, thin slices of house-made mortadella, Saint Agur blue cheese, fried onions and a barbecue sauce made with smoked pork fat. Yes, you read that last one correctly. Flavors don't get any bigger than this sweet, smoky, rich sauce. If you can manage to get a bit of everything into a single bite, it's one of the most wonderfully over-the-top mouthfuls you'll ever experience.

Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich

Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich at Arby's

arbys.com

F

Sometimes a limited time is not short enough. In attempting to create an upgraded barbecue sandwich—let's not forget these bastards already have already have the Arby-Q—using "real smoke from real fire," Arby's has forgotten, or perhaps never really understood, what makes a barbecue sandwich so fantastic. You can slather sweet sauce or smoky flavoring on anything. We crave barbecue on a bun because it's a bountiful stack of juicy, savory meat. The Arby's smokehouse brisket sandwich comes with a tiny portion of beef. It sure smells smoky, but somehow doesn't taste like much of anything. There's gouda cheese, mayo, barbecue sauce and fried onions added, all feeble attempts to make this disaster taste good. Wait, did I just type that there's mayo? On a barbecue brisket sandwich? Clowns.

Pork Butt Torta

Pork Butt Torta at Truck U Barbecue

truckubbq.com

A+

Allsandwich was lucky enough to get one of the very first tastes of the new Las Vegas food truck Truck U Barbeque, owned and operated by former Border Grill chef Mike Minor, whose tasty treats have made a few appearances in this space already. Now he's doing his own thing, and if this incredible pulled pork sandwich is any indication, his own thing kicks much ass. Truck U is all about melding classic, sticky-sweet-spicy American barbecue flavors with the Mexican and southwestern cooking the chef has been focusing on for a decade, and though this sandwich is most definitely true 'cue, there's a little Latin influence. The pork is simply incredible, perfectly smoky, sweet and tender, a generous portion forced onto this puffy, delightful brioche bun. We're talking big, biteable chunks with a well-spiced, crispy crust on the outside, magically falling apart in your mouth. The meat is saturated in  plenty of the truck's signature Negro Modelo and molasses barbecue sauce, and the sandwich gets extra decoration from an ancho chile and honey aioli. Those crispy potatoes are actually duck fat fries, a wonderful bed for all that piggy goodness, with some creamy, crisp coleslaw on top. You really couldn't plan a better barbecue sandwich. We were expecting a lot from Truck U, and this first taste over-delivers. Hopefully the truck's beef short rib or chipotle brisket torta will be next up.

Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork at Lulu's Bread & Breakfast

lulusonthemove.com

A-

You better hurry up if you wanna eat this baby, a mass of tender pulled pork crisped together into a brick of barbecue goodness and then panini'd in a perfect French baguette with chunks of pickled carrot and daikon and fresh cilantro. Act fast, because the sandwich guy at Lulu's is switching up the menu soon. This will become a version of a Cuban sandwich, which will almost certainly be just as delicious as this pulled pork. Lulu's is quietly and quickly becoming one of the best sandwich spots in Las Vegas. Stay tuned as we'll have more beautiful bites from this up-and-comer.

BBQ, Bacon and Cheddar Smashburger

BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar at Smashburger

smashburger.com

A

Let's be real: Smashburger is consistently impressive. Sometimes the greasiness of their burgers, depending on the other toppings that may or may not balance things out, can be too much to handle. On this barbecue burger, there is enough texture and flavor to offset any surplus juicyness, not to mention the formidable soakage ability of the firm egg bun. This sucker has cheddar cheese, sweet barbecue sauce, applewood smoked bacon and a nice pile of fried onion straws. Not too sweet, with a crispy-meaty bite, and plenty of richness from real cheese. Smashburger is staying at or near the top when it comes to fast food in Vegas.

BBQ Pork Sliders

BBQ Pork Sliders at Bottles & Burgers

tivolivillage.doublehelixwine.com

B

Kudos to the folks at Bottles & Burgers for their courage. They've opened yet another Vegas burger joint, they've done it in the struggling Tivoli Village shopping center, and they've gone above and beyond to make it interesting. Of course, a pulled pork slider sandwich is nothing new, but these are pretty damn good. The meat is tender and flavorful but not too soft, the apricot barbecue sauce is not too sweet, the chiptole coleslaw has a delicious zesty, creamy kick, and the baby brioche bun is wonderful. There's event a sweet pickle chip on top, just for fun. Of the several sandwiches we tasted in our first visit to Bottles & Burgers, these baby barbecue bites were the standouts.

The Hungry Pitmaster

The Hungry Pitmaster at Sassy Sal's BBQ

sassysalslasvegas.com

B

This is a daily special, a monstrous sandwich not on the everyday menu at this friendly little barbecue joint in northwest Vegas. And it's got the perfect name, because you better be more than hungry if you're planning to tackle this bitch, and pretty much everything in the barbecue pit is on top of this toasted bun. There's a pile of smoked beef brisket, a pile of pulled pork, a huge, wildly spicy hot link split down the middle, shredded cheese and yet another pile of creamy coleslaw. The coleslaw is actually pretty good, a nice cool counterpoint to the spicy and smoky flavors embedded in these juicy meats. There's a few squirts of barbecue sauce somewhere in this delicious mess, too. But as is the case with so many multi-meat sandwiches, the varying flavors of the brisket and pork get lost here, blending together into a muddled-yet-tasty mashup. Not the hot link, though. This guy stands strong, refusing to be outshined. A sandwich with just this link would be great ... oh wait, Sal's has that, too.

McRib

McRib at McDonald's

mcdonalds.com

F

Dear Clown: Go. Fuck. Yourself.

Pulled Pork with Cincinnati Chili

Pulled Pork with Cincinnati Chili at Top Notch Barbeque

topnotchbarbeque.com

B+

Top Notch Barbeque is a caterer/food truck in Las Vegas, casually styled as some sort of west coast-desert-cowboy barbecue cuisine, but the cook has some serious midwest roots. Also, he' s crazy. How else would you explain topping a juicy mountain of a pulled pork sandwich with spicy, volcanic Cincinnati-style chili? It's pure meaty madness, and you won't believe you ate the whole thing. With a fork.

Honestly, Top Notch earns its name as one of the best barbecue suppliers in Vegas, and it's pulled pork is as good as any in the city. You can also get it topped with creamy coleslaw, if you're not in the mood for this monster. But with the chili added, and with the soft egg bun absorbing lots of pork and beef juices, this really becomes more than a sandwich, something like a barbecue/chili version of Philippe's famous French dip. Mighty and tasty.

Mastodon

Mastodon at Kuma's Corner

kumascorner.com

A-

We close our Chicago sandwich escapades with a return to Kuma's Corner, perhaps the greatest burger bar on the planet. Vegas is burger city, yes, but we don't have anything like Kuma's. It's the metal, baby.


There are so many interesting options to beef up your burger here, and we must admit, the Mastodon is not the most exciting. It's basically the best version of a Western Bacon Cheeseburger you could possibly imagine, with its fried onions, bacon, barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese. So if this burger must receive an A-, we'll take credit for the minus because we should have ordered something more exotic. But that's not to say the Mastodon isn't satisfying; in fact, it's the most satisfying BBQ burger we've ever munched. The meat patty is huge and perfectly cooked, and the sauce is not too sweet. Like it's namesake, this sandwich is pure awesome.

The Beautiful Contradiction

The Beautiful Contradiction

homemade

B+

Potato Bun. Boca Burger veggie burger patty. Dill pickle slices. Chopped barbecue pork. Red onion slices. Why would you do this? Why not?

Sandwich Sundays Presents: The Afterparty

The Afterparty

homemade

A-

On Sunday, my first attempt at smoking a brisket was a rousing success. Compliments galore. It was tender if not juicy, rich with smoky flavor and augmented with a crisp, black, sharp and savory crust. Overall, almost perfect.

But my favorite way to eat brisket is in a sandwich, so I put it together Sunday night. This thing, too, is almost perfect, with the delicious beef providing loads of meaty satisfaction with each bite. It's topped by a blended barbecue sauce, spicy and sweet thanks to hickory, hoisin, honey and chili oil, and a homemade coleslaw of cabbage, carrot, green onion, mustard seed, almond splinters and an apple cider vinaigrette. The almost fruity-sweet notes of the sauce and the apple-ish tang in the slaw engage in a flavorful slugfest, and then the salt balance from the beef kicks in ... it's powerful stuff. The only reason this isn't a top-ranked sandwich is the bread. Regrettably, I only had plain-old Italian white bread, and while it's suited to just about any sandwich, it's too soft for this job.