Just discovered Caldwell BBQ and had to drop a quick review — The smell hits you before you even walk in (in the best way), and the brisket? Melt-in-your-mouth good. Staff was friendly, portions were legit, and the whole vibe is laid back. Caldwell definitely earned one. If you’re a BBQ fan, do yourself a favor and check it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dan
Lil pricey but great quality and friendly staff. Go early for lunch as the line gets long as the secret is out.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Linda \u0026 Steve Page
Amazing BBQ!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Cabello
Being from Texas, this place is the real deal. I was excited to try the food knowing that the owner traveled through Central Texas to learn the techniques from pitmasters there. The brisket was exceptionally moist, the ribs had some good tenderness to them while the jalapeno/cheese sausage was just a tad disappointing because I was expecting a little bit more heat and cheese flavor to them (my preference). Pinto beans were the bomb and so was the corn casserole. I’ve been in the Phoenix area for the past 6 weeks and I’d wish I had found this place sooner. Will be back on my next business trips in the next few weeks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Dez Raysh
Great service and food! Big portions!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenny Fuller
BEST BBQ IN AZ!!! I’ve tried a lot of different BBQ in Arizona and this one by far was the best one! I have relatives in Texas and I LOVE Burnt Bean but sadly I’m not over there enough. But Caldwells is now my definite go to and I will definitely be bringing my family back! The brisket and turkey were so juicy and the Mac and cheese + Lala’s beans were to die for! Me and my husband had plenty of leftovers and Hartley came over and checked on us! She made sure we got plenty of sauce, pickles, to go boxes, etc. This kind of service was phenomenal and the staff looked very happy to work there! Overall this was a 10/10 and if you visit around 5 to 6 on a Sunday was a perfect time to go!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rick Guillette
Great BBQ, ordered take out, food was ready when promised.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dustin Nguyen
I’ve been going to this place for a few months now and I have to say that this place is the best barbecue restaurant in Arizona. The fatty brisket is by far the best thing I’ve ever eaten. No other brisket comes close. After eating my meal, I got the opportunity to chat with Pit Master Steve about how they prepare their food, best ways to reheat barbecue at home, and discuss tips on how to improve cooking at home with a grill. I will tell everyone to come to this place if they want excellent barbecue.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris P
Best BBQ I've ever had!!! Ordered the BBQ salad with brisket, Potato salad and sausage. Food was 5-star amazing! While waiting in line, they offered a taste of their brisket. It was melt in your mouth delicious! Sausage sliced and was also delicious. Potato salad was the perfect mix of creamy, potatoey, and tangy. Great portions and customer service was top shelf. They came around frequently to see if we need anything. We didn't see option for corn bread, but they had a cornbread pudding like alternative and that was good as well. They have a good size sample of it! Tried some of my friend's beans she ordered and it was the right spice.
Order at register then find a seat. Line is partially indoor and I imagine it snaking out the door. There's lots of outdoor seating with cool mist but in 115° I'll sit inside despite the cool mists 😜. There's tables inside, but I can see it filling up during peak hours. We were there at around 3pm ish and it already started filling quick. If you're in AZ,.stop by this BBQ joint. Definitely worth it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Guerrero
Mason, meat cutter, super attentive and genuine. You can tell he enjoys his job.
Toren the manager, what a gem, this guy has great things in his future. Sat and chatted with us and made us feel like family.
THE. BEST. BBQ. in all of Arizona…no debate, no discussion, just pure smoked glory. The second I walked in, the staff treated me like I was family…not the weird socially inept kind, but the kind of family you actually like seeing during holidays. Friendly, fast, and clearly used to people drooling over themselves before they even order.
After inhaling my food like a starving raccoon (right before the meat sweats kicked in), I rolled myself out back like a curious tourist on a meat pilgrimage and behold! There stood Jimmy from Mississippi, Pitmaster Extraordinaire, doing what can only be described as meat yoga over giant offset stick burners. The man was tending to briskets, turkey breasts, and pork butts like they were his crown jewels. His enthusiasm? Contagious. His meats? Legendary.
This was my first visit, but I’m already considering getting a sleeping bag and just moving in.
P.S. Dont forget to wear a bib along with stretchy pants. The aftermath on my tray looked like a crime scene and I also think I may have lost circulation to my lower extremities for a brief moment.
P.S.S. Do yourself a favor and follow the dang signs to enter the place…you know, the signs with the big arrows that show where to fall in line? Yeah, those signs. Don’t go through the inviting double glass doors on the back patio, those aren’t it. If it feels like you’re about to partake in illicit activities by going around the building/down a dark alley (there on the left), then you’re on the right path.
Don’t be like me and half the state of Arizona, who tried entering through the wrong door like we owned the place…finding ourselves wandering around dazed and confused like BBQ zombies because our brains were too fazed thinking about delicious smoked meats.
TL/DR: Go get yourself a mountain of masterfully smoked morsels of meat at Caldwell County BBQ. You’re welcome. 😎
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alanna Griffin
It’s actually hard to only give Caldwell’s five stars because their customer service, friendliness, and food are beyond anything you could conceivably expect from a local BBQ joint. Walking in, you see where the magic happens. This is where we met pit master Steve and Brendan. They gave us a run down on how they run their giant smokers. These men genuinely love their jobs and it made the experience even more enjoyable. Caldwell’s quickly became my number one pregnancy craving, so we have come often this summer and always look forward to returning. Even though it was 108 today, sitting on the patio was definitely tolerable with the fans and misters. The manager (I think his name is Ben) takes care of patrons like we’re family and the staff greets us warmly like we belong there every single time. Mid day on Sunday was a great time to go for a slow pace and even available indoor seating. This is my family BBQ spot for the rest of time and this baby is going to come into the world probably wanting BBQ.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Syd Sabbath
Best BBQ in AZ. The food is amazing! My favorite is the loaded baked potato because you get soooo much food for the price. Brisket is bomb and so is the banana pudding! The employees are also so friendly!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brittany Smith
Limited parking but so good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Patty Romero
Best ribs and bbq brisket. Very friendly staff and management! Kudos and cannot wait until the opening in Peoria!!
Just discovered Caldwell BBQ and had to drop a quick review — The smell hits you before you even walk in (in the best way), and the brisket? Melt-in-your-mouth good. Staff was friendly, portions were legit, and the whole vibe is laid back. Caldwell definitely earned one. If you’re a BBQ fan, do yourself a favor and check it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lil pricey but great quality and friendly staff. Go early for lunch as the line gets long as the secret is out.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Amazing BBQ!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Being from Texas, this place is the real deal. I was excited to try the food knowing that the owner traveled through Central Texas to learn the techniques from pitmasters there. The brisket was exceptionally moist, the ribs had some good tenderness to them while the jalapeno/cheese sausage was just a tad disappointing because I was expecting a little bit more heat and cheese flavor to them (my preference). Pinto beans were the bomb and so was the corn casserole. I’ve been in the Phoenix area for the past 6 weeks and I’d wish I had found this place sooner. Will be back on my next business trips in the next few weeks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great service and food! Big portions!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BEST BBQ IN AZ!!! I’ve tried a lot of different BBQ in Arizona and this one by far was the best one! I have relatives in Texas and I LOVE Burnt Bean but sadly I’m not over there enough. But Caldwells is now my definite go to and I will definitely be bringing my family back! The brisket and turkey were so juicy and the Mac and cheese + Lala’s beans were to die for! Me and my husband had plenty of leftovers and Hartley came over and checked on us! She made sure we got plenty of sauce, pickles, to go boxes, etc. This kind of service was phenomenal and the staff looked very happy to work there! Overall this was a 10/10 and if you visit around 5 to 6 on a Sunday was a perfect time to go!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great BBQ, ordered take out, food was ready when promised.
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been going to this place for a few months now and I have to say that this place is the best barbecue restaurant in Arizona. The fatty brisket is by far the best thing I’ve ever eaten. No other brisket comes close. After eating my meal, I got the opportunity to chat with Pit Master Steve about how they prepare their food, best ways to reheat barbecue at home, and discuss tips on how to improve cooking at home with a grill. I will tell everyone to come to this place if they want excellent barbecue.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best BBQ I've ever had!!! Ordered the BBQ salad with brisket, Potato salad and sausage.
Food was 5-star amazing! While waiting in line, they offered a taste of their brisket. It was melt in your mouth delicious! Sausage sliced and was also delicious. Potato salad was the perfect mix of creamy, potatoey, and tangy.
Great portions and customer service was top shelf. They came around frequently to see if we need anything. We didn't see option for corn bread, but they had a cornbread pudding like alternative and that was good as well. They have a good size sample of it! Tried some of my friend's beans she ordered and it was the right spice.
Order at register then find a seat. Line is partially indoor and I imagine it snaking out the door.
There's lots of outdoor seating with cool mist but in 115° I'll sit inside despite the cool mists 😜. There's tables inside, but I can see it filling up during peak hours. We were there at around 3pm ish and it already started filling quick.
If you're in AZ,.stop by this BBQ joint. Definitely worth it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mason, meat cutter, super attentive and genuine. You can tell he enjoys his job.
Toren the manager, what a gem, this guy has great things in his future. Sat and chatted with us and made us feel like family.
A perfect 100 experience 6 out 5 stars
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
THE. BEST. BBQ. in all of Arizona…no debate, no discussion, just pure smoked glory. The second I walked in, the staff treated me like I was family…not the weird socially inept kind, but the kind of family you actually like seeing during holidays. Friendly, fast, and clearly used to people drooling over themselves before they even order.
After inhaling my food like a starving raccoon (right before the meat sweats kicked in), I rolled myself out back like a curious tourist on a meat pilgrimage and behold! There stood Jimmy from Mississippi, Pitmaster Extraordinaire, doing what can only be described as meat yoga over giant offset stick burners. The man was tending to briskets, turkey breasts, and pork butts like they were his crown jewels. His enthusiasm? Contagious. His meats? Legendary.
This was my first visit, but I’m already considering getting a sleeping bag and just moving in.
P.S. Dont forget to wear a bib along with stretchy pants. The aftermath on my tray looked like a crime scene and I also think I may have lost circulation to my lower extremities for a brief moment.
P.S.S. Do yourself a favor and follow the dang signs to enter the place…you know, the signs with the big arrows that show where to fall in line? Yeah, those signs. Don’t go through the inviting double glass doors on the back patio, those aren’t it. If it feels like you’re about to partake in illicit activities by going around the building/down a dark alley (there on the left), then you’re on the right path.
Don’t be like me and half the state of Arizona, who tried entering through the wrong door like we owned the place…finding ourselves wandering around dazed and confused like BBQ zombies because our brains were too fazed thinking about delicious smoked meats.
TL/DR: Go get yourself a mountain of masterfully smoked morsels of meat at Caldwell County BBQ. You’re welcome. 😎
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s actually hard to only give Caldwell’s five stars because their customer service, friendliness, and food are beyond anything you could conceivably expect from a local BBQ joint.
Walking in, you see where the magic happens. This is where we met pit master Steve and Brendan. They gave us a run down on how they run their giant smokers. These men genuinely love their jobs and it made the experience even more enjoyable.
Caldwell’s quickly became my number one pregnancy craving, so we have come often this summer and always look forward to returning. Even though it was 108 today, sitting on the patio was definitely tolerable with the fans and misters.
The manager (I think his name is Ben) takes care of patrons like we’re family and the staff greets us warmly like we belong there every single time. Mid day on Sunday was a great time to go for a slow pace and even available indoor seating.
This is my family BBQ spot for the rest of time and this baby is going to come into the world probably wanting BBQ.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best BBQ in AZ. The food is amazing! My favorite is the loaded baked potato because you get soooo much food for the price. Brisket is bomb and so is the banana pudding! The employees are also so friendly!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Limited parking but so good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best ribs and bbq brisket. Very friendly staff and management! Kudos and cannot wait until the opening in Peoria!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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