Buster's Texas-Style Barbecue

05/08/03

This is real barbecue!

by beth76

I used to live in Texas and the best barbecue restaurants there are just like Buster's.

If you're disappointed with Campbell's and Reo's (real barbecue is not baked ribs with sauce on it) I think that you'll really like Buster's. Buster's also uses higher-quality ingredients than other places. You won't have to throw half of your dinner away because it has too much fat on it or because it's too tough to eat.

One little bit of trivia: Pres. Clinton and Pres. Bush eat at Buster's when they come to Portland.

• Pros: high-quality meat, family-friendly, inexpensive

10/02/08

Plastic does not go with potato salad

by brynn72182

I could talk about the food and ambiance, which were both fine. But there is something much more important to note here...

... I found an approximately one inch piece of thick hard gray plastic in my potato salad.

Um what? How does that happen?

And to make it worst, I didn't notice it until it was in my mouth and I bit down on it. Yeah, that was a little nasty.

Enough said.

08/26/08

Four years later, I STILL love it!

by Moose77

I had a chance to try Buster's Tigard location when visiting the Portland-area with my son back in 2004. We both just loved the food and couldn't wait to come back. It took until August 2008 for me to be able to come back to this restaurant (I live in Northwest Washington, just slightly south of the Canadian border). The food was every bit as good as I remembered it!

My lunch consisted of a combination plate with brisket and sausage. I had potato salad and baked beans as my sides and was also served a piece of Texas Toast. One thing I've noticed over the years about Texas-style barbecue is that a person really loves it or can't stand it. There is no middle ground. As for me, I do love it and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Even bought a t-shirt to take home! The meats were good enough to have enjoyed without sauce, but I dipped mine in the spicy sauce along with some onions. FYI- in Texas-style bbq the sauce is served on the side, not slathered over the meats.

I only hope it isn't four more years before I return!

01/31/08

Yummy BBQ!

by ljays22

I love this place and frequent the Milwaukie location as well. They have great food and a fun atmosphere - buffet style so you can get in and out quickly. I have gotten dry meat sometimes, as another reviewer commented, but have found you can exchange it for a different selection, all you have to do is ask! Give Buster's a try - you'll be glad you did.

• Pros: Great food
• Cons: I can't eat there as much as I want!!!

01/14/07

Buster's Tigard location is poor at best, Milwaukie is Okay, Tigard-Dry meat, bad service/attitude Milwaukie OK

by ormondrunnels

Buster's is (sort of) Texas style barbeque and in Texas it would rate at the lower end of mediocre but there the competition is fierce and here in Portland not so fierce. Campbells's, My Brothers's, and others are every bit as good or better across the board. The Milwaukie location seems to be the best followed by Gresham. I have eaten at them all and the Tigard location has the worst service and food of any Buster's. The brisket was dry, so was the ham, the sausage better but over cooked, the pecan pie soggy, there was that overcooked barbeque sauce odor/flavor to the meat, the service was unfriendly and not very good. I love barbeque or I'd rate the Tigard location as 2-3 out of 10 and the Milwaukie location as 5-6. If you are a Texas style barbeque fan Milwaukie Buster's is a 7 maybe an 8 on a good day and Tigard maybe 3-4 at best. The links are pretty good most of the time, the sauce is Texas style and okay but not really great like some Memphis barbeque.

• Pros: Milwaukie only- chopped beef sandwich (lunch only), links, pecan pie.
• Cons: Tigard-Dry meat, overcooked almost burned, bad attitude, poor service.

11/14/06

Good

by nicky7899

Sides are good too

• Pros: Good chicken
• Cons: sauce

09/28/06

How anyone can vote Buster's #1, is WAY beyond reason

by jman4545

After the last experience I had at Buster's in Tigard, I know I don't want to go back. While the Quality of the food was ok, at best, the service we received was horrable!(And thats putting it as mildly as I can!) While I was in the middle of eating my meal, a worker, who didn't speak a word of english, so it seamed, decided I was done with my plate, at took it away from me, while I was eating. When the person who claimed he was the manager, was finally found, and told of the problem, he didn't have the professional courtesy to say he was sorry, or offer to do anything to fix the situation, He acted like it was no big deal at all. That is unexceptable!

• Pros: If you want to experience the worst in service
• Cons: Everything

07/08/06

Okay food, but what is up with their "cafeteria"

by jasejazz

The food was okay, but I didn't like the fact that I had to get in line like I used to in high school. The barbeque was somewhat dry.

Barbecue that's safe and familiar, with a side of ranch decor.

by Contributor

In Short
From the wooden restroom signposts to booths sporting cowboys-and-Indians upholstery--it's all about the Old West here. Eats are served cafeteria-style, so after loading up your tray, you needn't worry about interruptions while you dig into your barbecue. Offerings here include smoked brisket and baby back ribs, with sauces are served on the side (so the spice level is up to the customer). The tangy and sweet baked beans make an excellent side.

12/06/05

The Best Southwest Barbeque in the Northwest

by ldgage

This is Southwest Barbeque, not that Tennessee stuff slathered in sauce. It is surprisingly good and compares with the average Texan fare. Anyway, cheaper than a ticket to Llano, Tx.

• Pros: Southwest barbeque, Sides, Value
• Cons: drive to Tigard

06/09/05

If You Are From Texas...

by kgeraci

I go to bar-b-que restaurants for one reason the meat, sides are sides; if if you are from Dallas/Houston/or San Antone' and have particiapted (competed!?) in many rib and brisket cook-offs; there baby backs and brisket are the best I have had in the "city", shame they are in Tigard and not Portland, beyond that, folks, this is the real deal!