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OK Corral BBQ coming to WS!!!

Started 3 years ago by villagegreen
Latest reply from squareeyes

villagegreen
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This was mentioned on the WSB home page, but think it may have slipped by most readers - at least I'm assuming it did since it didn't get much of a reaction.

BBQ is coming back to WS! And not just any BBQ. OK Corral is the best in the city IMO. Pulled Pork, Brisket, Chicken, Catfish, Hot links,etc. Their main branch is up in Greenwood and was one of the only things I was jealous of northsiders about.

And the best part (at least for me) is that it's gonna be two blocks from my house - next to Tervo's on Fauntleroy. I don't get to gloat much about where I live (being stuck down in the gully with no view), but Buddha Ruksa and now OK Corral within blocks - genius.

My only question is, isn't that building supposed to be torn down soon?

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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I can't wait!

Posted 3 years ago #
hopey
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23 comments isn't "much of a reaction"? :)
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=10772

Posted 3 years ago #
villagegreen
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Whoops! Guess I missed that post. The only post I saw regarding them opening had 4 comments. Anyway, 23 posts regarding OK Corral coming to WS is still fairly weak, IMO!

Posted 3 years ago #
WSB
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I'd never heard of them before - don't get to Greenwood much. So I don't know that they're a well-known name around the city. Also, as is the case with most sites, barely 1% of readers ever comment on anything (cumulatively, not per-post) - I read a lot of news and seldom comment, on the sites I frequent, unless it's something I'm over-the-top passionate about - over the course of a week, that first post would have been seen by 14,000 homes/businesses. Anyway, as I mentioned in the followup, I am expecting to interview Otis later this week, once he clears a hurdle in the process of getting ready to open. So watch for the followup - TR

Posted 3 years ago #
WSB
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Posts deleted by person who has posted plug for a different business in at least 4 different spots on the board under two names. No reposts, please. I've let two of them stand.

Meantime, if anybody missed our recent followup with an interview with Otis re: OK Corral coming to WS, http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=11035

Saw activity in the storefront there while driving past late this afternoon.

Posted 3 years ago #
johnnyblegs
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While driving home from running errands this past Sunday, my wife and I noticed the open light on in the new OK Corral space. We decided to give it a try for lunch. Inside the space, the old menu from the previous terriyaki joint is still posted. There were only 3 rickity tables. The woman who greeted us told us that they didn't have a menu decided on, but that they were offering a tasting platter for $8.95. We opted to share it. We sat down at a mismatched table with a roll of paper towels, which should have given us a clue to what was to come. The tasting platter was HUGE! Succulent ribs swimming in a spicy tangy bbq sauce. A generous portion of fried catfish. Collard greens to die for. A hot link with beans...and fried chicken drumlets that are better than Ezele's. When we had our fill, the woman forgot about the hush puppies; about 12 balls of cornbread fried in deliciousness. They say the full menu is due out in a week or two, but every West Seattleite should go check out the tasting platter. The best lunch deal in the Junction!

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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Thanks for posting your experience johnny; I had just been wondering if anyone here had tried it yet. I sense bbq in my very near future. Hmm, bbq + The Office/30 Rock = happy square eyes!

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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thanks for the review, johnny! I have been meaning to get there since Thursday. Perhaps that will be dinner tonight! I love collard greens - and they are so easy to do badly...I am glad to hear theirs are great!

Posted 3 years ago #
RS
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I'll be awaiting further reviews from WSBers. Not that I don't trust Johnnyblegs, but the reviews of the Greenwood location are VERY hit or miss. http://www.yelp.com/biz/ok-corral-seattle

Posted 3 years ago #
cruiser
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Well here ya are RS:)

For lunch today myself and Mrs C split exactly what Johnny had and as I write my bellies are all warm n cozy and full:) The grub was lovely jubbly and Otis and Rita were very friendly.

Thumbs up

Posted 3 years ago #
RS
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Nice timing! Ta, cruiser!

Posted 3 years ago #
FullTilt
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I went to OK last thursday. Amazing BBQ. He said he was out of chicken, which is fine because really the only critters that should be in BBQ are cows and pigs. Otis knows his pig. Ribs so tender, not only was the meat falling off the bones, but the bones were nearly soft enough to chew through. Perfect greens with just a hint of smoke, and beans and rice that I could seriously live off of.
I am excited to see what happens with the space when he is actually done with it.

Posted 3 years ago #
MrJT
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We stopped by tonight on the way home. The place ain't much to look at but, pretty easy to get over that when you take the first bite. Cant WAIT for the pulled pork sandwiches !

Posted 3 years ago #
Sue
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For those who've been there, is this type of place where BBQ sauce is dripping off everything? I've never been a fan of sloppy, drippy BBQ, so wanted to know if it's a place to avoid.

Posted 3 years ago #
FullTilt
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THere is a fare amount of sauce. Not overly sauced that it covers up the taste of the meat though.

Posted 3 years ago #
littlebrowndog
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We stopped by there a couple of evenings ago. Wow, a huge amount of food. We of course had the sampler plate as that is all they had. They were out of beans and rice and the young woman said they had greens but she forgot to include them and we didn't notice until we got home. We definitely had leftovers for the next day. The ribs were so tender the meat just fell off the bones.
All this said, they are a different style from that place down around 2nd or 4th or wherever it is, cannot remember the name, or our favorite Berry's on Ambaum. Delicious, just not the same. It's the sauce that is different. But Berry's does have so much sauce that it is dripping, so Sue I think this new place might be just what you are looking for. I certainly can recommend it wholeheartedly. Just wish we could have gotten a taste of the greens and beans.

Posted 3 years ago #
thee
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I hit the joint on opening day. As some have noted, the place ain't much to look at -- the old wallboards from the teriaki place are still up. There was no menu. Otis greeted me, shook my had and than asked if I was hungry.
"Born hungry," I says.
Good. We'll fix you right up.
So off he ambles into the back and starts filling up a big to-go tray. When I got it to the Bev, I found it filled with beans and rice (excellent), greens (excellent) and hush pups (v. good). The main course was three huge ribs. Good smoke flavor, tender meat, but just a bit fatty. The sauce was thin and tangy. I got two full meals out of it. Cost: $8. A deal packed with deliciousness.
Welcome to the hood, Otis!

thee

Posted 3 years ago #
cruiser
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Thee,

BBQ then to the BPP...you got this life down:)

Posted 3 years ago #
FullTilt
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"our favorite Berry's on Ambaum"

I live about a block from Berry's. Would never eat there again. Brisket should not be sliced, never. THe meat is not smoked, it is oven baked. Sides were decent, but not great. Berry himself is just rude though. Can't really get over that. I ate there about five or six times when he first opened. Each time he just seemed like it was a chore to make me a plate of food. Nope. I will either go see Otis from now on or Roys in Columbia City. Roy's has the best lemon cake I have ever had, and he sells it for a buck a slice!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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Good intentions turned to...bbq

I went to the gym yesterday but the power was out. What do I do now? I know, turn those good intentions to something sinful...a giant plate of bbq. I headed to OK Corral and picked up one of their combo plates. This is two full meals and then some for $8.74. I got two pieces of chicken, 1 piece of catfish, a hot link, hush puppies, greens and, of course, ribs. The ribs, chicken, and hot link had sauce poured over them. The greens, hush puppies, and catfish were in the separate sections of the box and managed to remain unsauced. The sauce was both fruity and spicy. It had a few chunks of fruit...I want to guess pineapple from the texture, but the sauce had absorbed all the flavor from the fruit so I can't be sure. I was warned to keep the bag steady on way home and that was good advice so that the things that shouldn't get sauced stayed unsauced.

Catfish: I haven't had catfish for years, found it mushy the one or two times I did have it. OK Corral's reminded me of breaded tiliapia...and I am a fan of tilapia. Thumbs up.
Hot Link: Spicy hot dog. 'Nuff said.
Chicken: Uber crispy and tasty.
Hush puppies: I don't have a lot of experience with hush puppies. They're fried, right? If so, they didn't appear at all greasy. I dipped these in the sauce. Yum.
Greens: Wow!
Ribs: They weren't falling off the bone, but certainly came away from the bone easily. Beautiful smoke flavor in the meat that married really well with the spicy/fruity/tangy sauce.

I think it's going to take them awhile to get through their teething pains. Everyone who walks in first looks at the old teriyaki menu and are then directed to look at the smaller OK Corral menu and then encouraged to get the combo anyway. I think they only accept cash at the moment. Be patient with them and you'll be rewarded.

I have a whole second serving left for tonight (minus the catfish) to kill all my good work after the gym. I can tell I'm going to have a hard time staying away from this place!! Highly recommended.

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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squareeyes, you're making me hungry!

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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Ahh, you've sussed out my evil intent -- to make everyone crave the new 'que.

Posted 3 years ago #
Kayleigh2
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Do they have sweet potatoes and cornbread (not the fried cornbread)? So I have something to eat when I go with my BBQ-loving friends...

Posted 3 years ago #
dapuffin
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Hey Squareeyes! I think you were there when my husband and I were having dinner last night. We had the combo and Oh...My...Gawdess... it was amazing. I detected some spiced apple in the BBQ sauce. Unusual, but it works!

We were impressed with how the fried stuff (chicken, hushpuppies, catfish)came to us without being greasy. Husband would have liked a little tartar sauce with the fish, but we still enjoyed it. All the meats were incredibly tender I don't know how he makes those collards, but they were awesome!

The only part of the combo that I wasn't overly fond of was the hotlink. That said, my husband who grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland said the hotlink was just perfect. What's a Bostonian like me know from hotlinks?

And you're right. No credit cards.

Oh, we'll be back. Lots.

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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we walked down for dinner last night and they were just closing up for the night. Hopefully tonight we'll get off the couch 1/2 sooner so I can get my collard greens on!

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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finally managed to get to OK tonight and OH. EM. GEE. man, what great BBQ. those greens are to die for, and the beans and rice are sublime. the ribs....amazing. fell off the bone. GREAT sauce. just a little spicy, a little vinegary - perfect. the staff was super nice, too!

Posted 3 years ago #
JoB
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this is so unfair..

i was going to faithfully start my diet tonight..

tomorrow's good.

Posted 3 years ago #
dapuffin
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Was there last night for round 2... Seriously addictive stuff.

I think the WSB-ers need some sort of button to wear so we can recognize one another and say hello...

Posted 3 years ago #
Sue
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We went tonight - I had them go light on the BBQ since I had mentioned here that I wasn't the biggest fan. It was okay, but not enough to win me over on BBQ and have me go back for more. More for all of you then. :) I think it would've been better had it been fresh - they had to heat it up in the microwave since the ribs weren't hot, and when I got it home (1 mile away) I discovered the hushpuppies and catfish were cold too. Oh, and the price for the combo is now $10 ($8 before 2pm). Definitely a good value even at $10 for all that food.

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous
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God knows I hate to disagree with Jenv...but I thought the sauce was a LOT spicy and a LOT vinegary. So much so that I could not discern any other flavors or spices. Did not care for it. Way to sour/tart tasting for my sweet tooth.

Catfish and greens were both good. Beans and rice and hushpuppies were what you'd expect.

Not for me, but I wish them success.

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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ruh roh. to be fair, I am the woman who puts Tabasco on EVERYTHING...so my tastebuds might be a bit skewed. Sorry about that, JT!

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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Following in dapuffin's footsteps I quickly made a 2nd visit to OK Corral. There were some changes, which is to be expected as they work though their teething pains.

The menu is now mounted on the wall over the kitchen entrance. They are charging dinner prices for their dinner - $13 for the single item dinners, $15 for the Hook Up. Still value for money as I can get two full meals out of a single dinner.
The biggest change for me was the sauce. Last night's sauce was much different from my first visit. This sauce was thicker, and definitely had the strong vinegar taste that previous posters have mentioned. While I can understand it might be too much for some people, I do like vinegar'd food so it wasn't a minus for me. My thumbs remain upright after my second visit.

Next stop: Maharajah's new bar!

Posted 3 years ago #
emmett
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Otis and OK Corral embodies the best of West Seattle Character and BBQ tradition.

West Seattle is Small town in the city.

When you walk into OK Corral you enter literally a hole in the wall. Nothing fancy. You are personally greated by Otis the owner. He shakes your hand and introduces himself. In the best small town spirit Otis will announce that he is taking care of you and yells out instructions to the back room for them to make you the best of the day and turns back to fine tune your preferences.

Heck I will frequent the establishment to support the best in BBQ small town culture!

Of course the BBQ is great wet BBQ

Posted 3 years ago #
JoB
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I have to say that i had the same experience in Berry's... after i warmed him up a bit by asking about his pics on the wall... and the bbq is good there... though admittedly not great enough to have me running back.

i am looking froward to trying otis's bbq.. i too like a little more vinegar in my sauce.

Posted 3 years ago #
angelescrest
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Three generations of my family ate OK Corral last night, and we all raved. The piquant sauce! The meat falling off the bone! The catfish...and the hush puppies! We ordered two dinners for three of us, and there were leftovers. Oh,yes--the dog enjoyed her bone. My mom would want you to note: they had no bags for carry out, so you may wnat to BYOB.

Posted 3 years ago #
josie2006
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Went in for lunch a few days ago and were disappointed that the prices were higher than promised. Sauce was very tasty, quite spicy, but the meat was overcooked--ribs chewy, chicken pasty. Catfish was good. No greens--some kind of cabbage dish. Beans were bland. Overall disappointing, especially for the price. Sorry to say it, b/c we love bbq and were very excited based on all the reviews.

Posted 3 years ago #
mom2soren
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It's south-eastern BBQ, exactly how they like it below the Mason-Dixon line. Southerners love vinegar on their BBQ. On Phinney, you can get the whole experience of couch on the porch, orange crush (and sweet iced tea?), large platters, and lots of friendliness. I sincerely hope that he makes it here in West Seattle as a business, with a generic-looking shop. His product is unique, and I plan to support his business & hope that others do the same. It's another unique offering that West Seattle is lucky to have.

From the Stranger:
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=3442

Posted 3 years ago #
villagegreen
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Yeah, I wonder how he's doing? That location does seem cursed. Even though there is a huge parking lot right next to Tervo's, people just don't seem to have it figured out. I'm within walking distance, so it doesn't bother me.

I think if he was up at the Junction or even in that space that used to serve BBQ behind the old Corner Inn he'd be a huge hit. Anyone know if he's got sandwiches yet at lunch, I've only had the dinner platters?

Posted 3 years ago #
Sue
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I've been wondering how business is too. I drive by there all the time and it always seems empty. I gave it a try when it opened, and while good, I'm not a big BBQ fan, so I'm not inclined to go back often.

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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I've been in about four times since they've opened. I LOVE the food and would really like to go more often than I do, but my blue jeans would no longer fit if I did. I drive past every evening on my way home from work and rarely see a customer. I really hope they are getting more business than it appears.

Posted 3 years ago #