| Address | 707 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Thu; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri & Sat; 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sun |
| Phone | (202) 347-8396 |
| Website | http://www.capitalqbbq.com/ |
Great brisket, sausage and sides. Wasn't a fan of the pulled pork, but everything else was a 10!
Warning for those who like "East Coast Southern BBQ", this place is NOT FOR YOU. This place advertises itself as Texas BBQ. I am use to eating florida and carolina bbqs and this place was utterly disappointing. The seating was uncomfortable and small with very low tables and stools. The roll of paper towels on each table seemed great at first, until you realize that its inevitably going to be "in the way" (small tables) and should probably be attached to the table better. The brisket was DRY and FLAVORLESS and their choices of "hot and mild" sauces were less than appetizing. The mild was sweeter than expected without spice or smoke. The spicy sauce was all spice with hints of tang. The sausage sandwich was okay. The mash potatos were okay, tasted buttery; the potato salad was horrible (i've had better at safeway); the home fries were overdone with no crisp; and the nibblet corn did not taste fresh and was too watery. After we complained about the potato salad, the the manager tasted it for himself and agreed that it was "off" on our visit since that is usually his favorite side dish and came back to our table with a refund for the side order.
Less than average barbecue. It's a little baffling why this place keeps making the Washingtonian top 100 "Cheap Eats" list. My theory is that they have a quota for DC, Virginia, and Maryland and there just aren't that many cheap restaurants in DC.
I'd been craving barbecue for a few weeks, so my friend and I headed down to Capital Q to give it a try. The place was practically empty, but since it was St. Patrick's Day, I'm guessing more people wanted green beer than pulled pork. The service was great; the guys were helpful, and they let me sample a few of the side dishes when I couldn't make up my mind between their long list. The place looks like a tiny little roadhouse with a cafeteria-style ordering area. They've got rolls of paper towels instead of napkins, and even eat-in orders are served on styrofoam plates. You can have beer, soda, water or juice to go along with your meal, and they've even got a few basic desserts. Unfortunately, my smoked turkey was dry and my friend's brisket was a bit gristly. The turkey I can blame on the fact that we came in at dinnertime, so maybe the best time to have it is for lunch when it's not overcooked. The brisket? Just a poor cut of meat, no more. The sides were fifty-fifty. The collard greens were almost all stem, the Texas caviar's black-eyed-peas were kind of mealy, but the mashed potatoes and pasta salad were good. They don't skimp on the portion sizes when they're doling out the sides, but my friend thought that there could have been a little bit more barbecue on the plate. He had a point; my plate had more turkey on it than his had brisket. Their barbecue sauces (spicy and mild) were really good, and they'll give you both if you ask. But I'm used to places where you can doctor up your plate when you sit down; there isn't even salt or pepper, let alone hot sauce or vinegar, at the tables. Lastly, I received the wrong kind of juice when I ordered my meal, but since I had popped the top already (and since the service staff was just so darn nice) I drank it anyway. Their barbecue chicken looked good, so maybe I'll go back for another try. If I do, next time I'll ask for a small cup of sauce on the side.
Not the best bbq I've had, but it's ok if that's what you're craving. I actually like the sides better. The corn salad or whatever it's called is very good.
Smoky tender meats, standard side dishes and notable Texan Republicans looking over your shoulder. Not great but good enough for someone needing a BBQ fix.
There's usually some irony involved to mispelling the name of your retail establishment. "Hair to the Throne" or "Sew Sue Me". That sort of thing. If there's some irony to how Capital Q misspells "capitol" it probably has to do with their overpriced food. It could have been semi-decent barbecue along the lines of what Hogs on the Hill is like nowadays - edible, but nothing worth noting. Instead it's more like cafeteria-slopped leftovers. Not to mention that they tried stiffing me for half the order and got the sandwich wrong.
Pulled-pork sandwich was a mess. Meat looked like it was sub-grade (bitter?) that makes me remember why I was a vegetarian for a while, homestyle potatoes were few (~4 pieces) and slightly green, and collared greens were bland and inedible. Barbecue sauce was decent, but that was the only slight saving grace.
Instead of napkins there are rolls of papertowels. This place takes the food seriusly.
It closes very early in the evening. The sides are wonderful--collard greens, potato salad, corn and baked beans.
