OT: Hilltop BBQ Steakhouse

[joober jones]

Today is one of those extremely rare days where I have the house to myself. Between my wife and I, our kids, my sister-in-law, and niece and nephew, there are 7 of us so it's pretty uncommon. Anyway, I figured I'd go out for lunch and stopped at the Hilltop BBQ in Moodus. I ordered the nacho appetizer and the combo platter with St. Louis ribs and beef brisket. It's pretty much the first time in my life where I was served more food than I could eat. The brisket is beyond a doubt the best I've ever had. It's melt-in-your-mouth tender and the flavoring is just right.

I also purchased a small steak to go for Jonathan Mandeldog. He's loving it.

Has anyone else on here ever eaten there? If not, I highly recommend it.

 

[8893]

Well if your dog loves the steak that's enough of an endorsement for me.

 

[August_West]

Today is one of those extremely rare days where I have the house to myself. Between my wife and I, our kids, my sister-in-law, and niece and nephew, there are 7 of us so it's pretty uncommon. Anyway, I figured I'd go out for lunch and stopped at the Hilltop BBQ in Moodus. I ordered the nacho appetizer and the combo platter with St. Louis ribs and beef brisket. It's pretty much the first time in my life where I was served more food than I could eat. The brisket is beyond a doubt the best I've ever had. It's melt-in-your-mouth tender and the flavoring is just right.

I also purchased a small steak to go for Jonathan Mandeldog. He's loving it.

Has anyone else on here ever eaten there? If not, I highly recommend it.

Good to hear .I will have to try again

I have eaten there more times than I can remember as it's less than 15 minutes from my house. But haven't for about 2 years now . For me ( but I'm admittedly a bbq snob probably to a fault) it was always middling to decent fare ( and yes great portions! )and it served my bbq fix while my wife and daughter could order non bbq stuff they like off a pretty decent menu. My last meal there was the second worst BBQ I've ever had in my life ( the worst distinction goes to Red House in Deep River) and not coincidentally was the exact combo you are raving about. The St. Louis ribs weren't trimmed properly ( cartilage over the top of rib means they missed the square off point)......they were falling off the bone ( true pit master no no!) and worst of all the bones were scorching hot to the touch which is a tell tale sign of microwaving. As bad as that sounds , the Brisket was 100 times worse. It wasn't even cut properly , instead of nice slices it was shaved like coarse saw dust ( which means some noob was carving with the grain instead of against it which with brisket means it will disintegrate) . It was bad. I dressed down the manager after he tried to tell me that was how it was done, and I pulled my kcbs membership card out of my wallet and his face turned red (only time on my life I ever got to do that .

Last couple years I've been patronizing Taino in Middletown instead. But it's not a family place for me like Hilltop was

Anyway before that I always liked the place and the staff and felt bad that I couldn't eat there in good conscience anymore. Their wings were always really good too. Now with your good review I can justify trying again.

 

[joober jones]

Good to hear .I will have to try again

I have eaten there more times than I can remember as it's less than 15 minutes from my house. But haven't for about 2 years now . For me ( but I'm admittedly a bbq snob probably to a fault) it was always middling to decent fare ( and yes great portions! )and it served my bbq fix while my wife and daughter could order non bbq stuff they like off a pretty decent menu. My last meal there was the second worst BBQ I've ever had in my life ( the worst distinction goes to Red House in Deep River) and not coincidentally was the exact combo you are raving about. The St. Louis ribs weren't trimmed properly ( cartilage over the top of rib means they missed the square off point).they were falling off the bone ( true pit master no no!) and worst of all the bones were scorching hot to the touch which is a tell tale sign of microwaving. As bad as that sounds , the Brisket was 100 times worse. It wasn't even cut properly , instead of nice slices it was shaved like coarse saw dust ( which means some noob was carving with the grain instead of against it which with brisket means it will disintegrate) . It was bad. I dressed down the manager after he tried to tell me that was how it was done, and I pulled my kcbs membership card out of my wallet and his face turned red (only time on my life I ever got to do that .

Last couple years I've been patronizing Taino in Middletown instead. But it's not a family place for me like Hilltop was

Anyway before that I always liked the place and the staff and felt bad that I couldn't eat there in good conscience anymore. Their wings were always really good too. Now with your good review I can justify trying again.

I also tried the RedHouse once and didn't like it at all. Duck is one of my favorite foods and they managed to make a duck wrap that I hated. That's not an easy thing to do.

 

[August_West]

I also tried the RedHouse once and didn't like it at all. Duck is one of my favorite foods and they managed to make a duck wrap that I hated. That's not an easy thing to do.

I don't even know how they are still open. I had a terrible meal there prett quickly after they initially opened, and said "ah it's too bad " Then in a funny ( and typical for me) twist of fate because everyone know I love classic rock and that's s classic rock themed place I ended up getting like 300 dollars worth of gift cards from well meaning clients and friends that Christmas. Lol. So over the next several months my family went back 4 times. I ordered something different each time. The brisket was horrible, the ribs were pathetic, the jambalaya I actually ended up laughing out loud upon delivery to the point the waitress said " is something wrong sir" , and yeah I had the duck too. Good to know its not just me.
I'm convinced that if I got a look in the kitchen that it would be no stoves or ovens, just a bank of microwaves, Applebee's style.

 

[UConner]

I also tried the RedHouse once and didn't like it at all. Duck is one of my favorite foods and they managed to make a duck wrap that I hated. That's not an easy thing to do.

Worst BBQ in CT was Russels's Ribs in Groton. They're gone but Chester's in Groton is really good for CT
I have gone on BBQ vacations to Memphis and KC.... Just saying...

 

[joober jones]

Chester's is great. They've opened a location in Clinton recently too.

 

[joober jones]

Worst BBQ in CT was Russels's Ribs in Groton. They're gone but Chester's in Groton is really good for CT
I have gone on BBQ vacations to Memphis and KC.... Just saying...

The disgusting behavior on the part of two customers at the booth next to me (or maybe it was a table, I don't remember anymore) was so disgusting that Russell's was pretty much ruined for me automatically. Ever watch two overweight 50-somethings pick stuck bean fibers out of each other's teeth while they produced a running commentary? It's not appetizing.

 

[whaler11]

You had the house to yourself and went out to lunch?

I get the wings there after golf
sometimes and they are pretty good.

 

[sanchez42885]

I drive by Hilltop all of the time on my route to Steady Habit but haven't stopped there yet. I'll have to check it out next time. I highly recommend checking out Steady Habit next time you are in the area if you like IPA's/Stouts. It's only 10-15 minutes away over the bridge into Haddam.

 

[Waquoit]

Why haven't they updated their website in a month?

 

[ctchamps]

Good to hear .I will have to try again

I have eaten there more times than I can remember as it's less than 15 minutes from my house. But haven't for about 2 years now . For me ( but I'm admittedly a bbq snob probably to a fault) it was always middling to decent fare ( and yes great portions! )and it served my bbq fix while my wife and daughter could order non bbq stuff they like off a pretty decent menu. My last meal there was the second worst BBQ I've ever had in my life ( the worst distinction goes to Red House in Deep River) and not coincidentally was the exact combo you are raving about. The St. Louis ribs weren't trimmed properly ( cartilage over the top of rib means they missed the square off point).they were falling off the bone ( true pit master no no!) and worst of all the bones were scorching hot to the touch which is a tell tale sign of microwaving. As bad as that sounds , the Brisket was 100 times worse. It wasn't even cut properly , instead of nice slices it was shaved like coarse saw dust ( which means some noob was carving with the grain instead of against it which with brisket means it will disintegrate) . It was bad. I dressed down the manager after he tried to tell me that was how it was done, and I pulled my kcbs membership card out of my wallet and his face turned red (only time on my life I ever got to do that .

Last couple years I've been patronizing Taino in Middletown instead. But it's not a family place for me like Hilltop was

Anyway before that I always liked the place and the staff and felt bad that I couldn't eat there in good conscience anymore. Their wings were always really good too. Now with your good review I can justify trying again.

Me thinks after your failed mojo and failed anti mojo attempts you should invite @joober jones to your place for bbq whatever. I would wager the two of you live near one another, that there probably isn't a better smoker or barbequer than you in CT and, if you recall, jobber's brother passed away prematurely and the guy has provided his home for the sister in law and kids. He deserves some time off from the family now and then. You would be doing a good deed thus giving you some saving grace from the fiascos. AND jobber can attest to your culinary skills to determine if what you say is true or all smoke and mirrors. You might consider an invitation for the culinary expert @8893 as well to determine what part of the world the meat comes from.

 

[August_West]

Me thinks after your failed mojo and failed anti mojo attempts you should invite @joober jones to your place for bbq whatever. I would wager the two of you live near one another, that there probably isn't a better smoker or barbequer than you in CT and, if you recall, jobber's brother passed away prematurely and the guy has provided his home for the sister in law and kids. He deserves some time off from the family now and then. You would be doing a good deed thus giving you some saving grace from the fiascos. AND jobber can attest to your culinary skills to determine if what you say is true or all smoke and mirrors. You might consider an invitation for the culinary expert @8893 as well to determine what part of the world the meat comes from.

Sounds like a plan, I would definitely do that and bless joober I must've missed that thread. ( or more likely my burnt hippy brain failed to retain again which seems to get more common every year) . 8893 only welcome if he loans me his new thermometer.

 

[sanchez42885]

Why haven't they updated their website in a month?

He used to regularly update the website but now uses facebook/beermenus.

https://www.beermenus.com/places/29396-steady-habit-brewing-company

 

[ctchamps]

Sounds like a plan, I would definitely do that and bless joober I must've missed that thread. ( or more likely my burnt hippy brain failed to retain again which seems to get more common every year) . 8893 only welcome if he loans me his new thermometer.

And you can play Tom Waits song "The World Keeps Turning" after the meal when you guys finish with a cold one.

 

[Waquoit]

He used to regularly update the website but now uses facebook/beermenus.

Thx. It's a bit of a ride for me and I want to know what's on tap before I go.