mini-review: Ranch House BBQ (Olympia WA)

[Denny Wheeler]

Ranch House BBQ, 8 miles west of Olympia, WA on Highway 12
http://www.ranchhousebbq.net/restaurant.html

Read about the place in here awhile back, and finally got down that
way (went to the Coast on the W. side of the Olympic National Park for
a few days) last week.

IMO/E, their prices are a bit on the high side (see the menu at the
website; let me know if those prices are high).

It's definitely a BBQ joint--not dirty or messy, but for me it had the
right 'feel'.

The food. I had the BBQ Sampler Plate (19.99) which includes some
brisket, pulled pork, a smoked chicken hindquarter, and a couple
spares. The ribs were okay (Dave B's are better and bigger); the
pulled pork and the brisket were great. The chicken I can't give a
good report on, as I ran outa room so ate it the next day. Pronounced
smokiness to all the meats, which was good. No sauce on the pork,
chicken or brisket; a tiny bit on the ribs.

Sides--their coleslaw's maybe the best I've ever had and their bbq
beans are good.

My lady had their lunch special which was a pulled chicken sandwich
plus one hot link. The chicken was very good--neither of us can give
much opinion on the hot link, as we don't normally eat 'em. (I don't
care for 'hot' stuff, and she, who does like hot stuff, couldn't taste
the link for the heat) I did sample it and didn't think much of it,
but I'm ignorant wrt hot links.

All in all, I'd say the gals do a good job. I'll definitely stop in
again when I'm near there, probably for brisket or pulled pork.

For those who get to Olympia itself, Ranch House has an 'Express'
store in town.

-denny-

[John B]

$9.29 for a single BBQ sandwich w/o any sides? $7.50 for a 1/3# burger?
...more than a "bit" high!

[JD]

Post by John B
$9.29 for a single BBQ sandwich w/o any sides? $7.50 for a 1/3# burger?
...more than a "bit" high!

In the BBQ restaurant biz you have to jack the price up to the level
where you don't run out until the end of the day. In most other
restaurant types you can always make more on the spot. Yeah, it's high
but it's also the only game around. One of my clients agonized over
raising his prices until he figured out it was better to charge more
than to have 'em pissed because you're out of something.

JD

[Shawn]

Post by JD
In the BBQ restaurant biz you have to jack the price up to the level
where you don't run out until the end of the day. In most other
restaurant types you can always make more on the spot.
JD

Bull, ;-)

Some of the best Q I have had, they cook it, and serve it, and when
they run out, you close.
Why stay all day and night when you can sell it and go home?

[Harry Demidavicius]

On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:36:10 -0500, Shawn

Post by Shawn

Post by JD
In the BBQ restaurant biz you have to jack the price up to the level
where you don't run out until the end of the day. In most other
restaurant types you can always make more on the spot.
JD

Bull, ;-)
Some of the best Q I have had, they cook it, and serve it, and when
they run out, you close.
Why stay all day and night when you can sell it and go home?

That works for Butchers and Bakers and many restaurants etc

When they are out of X - you can't have ay more; if you have no
fall-back 2nd choices, please come back tomorrow. [brilliant, eh?]

Harry

[Sqwertz]

Post by Shawn
Some of the best Q I have had, they cook it, and serve it, and when
they run out, you close.

That's what drove the best BBQ place out of business here in
Austin (John Mueller's BBQ).

Post by Shawn
Why stay all day and night when you can sell it and go home?

If a business isn't consistently open and serving the food you
came there for, people tend not to return.

-sw