Battling traffic while hurtling along 196th Street in Lynnwood, it’s easy to speed right by Moonshine BBQ.
That would be a mistake.
Tucked in next to a Taco Bell and an automotive repair shop along the busy south county thoroughfare, Moonshine BBQ is in the same building that venerable burger joint Herfy’s once occupied.
I’d heard some good things so I asked my dad if he wanted to celebrate his birthday with a little brisket. He didn’t hesitate. (He’s smart, for an old guy.)
We made our way down to Lynnwood on a cold January evening and parked. Instead of the former red-and-white happy exterior of Herfy’s, Moonshine BBQ is darker, with reclaimed wood and corrugated steel rimming the outside. (I drove right past it the first time.)
But step inside and you’ll be transported to the south. It feels like an authentic BBQ joint you could find anywhere from Kansas City to the Carolinas. The interior is nearly all wood, from the tables dotting the inner portion to the booths and smaller tables ringing the outside. Seating is made up of steel chairs and stools and wooden siding dresses the inside walls.
We took a seat in one of the booths and were greeted quickly by a server. It was a Tuesday night, so it wasn’t too crowded. There was a TV right above our table, which would be great if I was there for the game, but on this night was a bit distracting. On that note, there are a number of flat-screen TVs sprinkled throughout the restaurant, giving Moonshine BBQ a pretty strong sports-bar feel.
It was happy hour, so we took a flyer on some quick eats, including the salted caramel sweet potato waffle fries and something called Jack Stix, which were basically three large deep fried mozzarella sticks. Both were $4. The Jack Stix were crispy and cheesy and a perfect appetizer, while the fries were a bit too sweet for my liking.
The happy hour food menu had nearly 20 items from $2 to $7, including a pork slider ($2), cup of chili ($3), small riblets ($6) and pulled pork nachos ($7). Happy hour drinks included $3.75 well drinks, $2.50 Rainier tallboys and $5 moonshine.
We opted for two pints of Lagunitas’ Brown Shugga for $1 off. I was impressed with the beers on tap, which included options from Elysian, Dogfish Head and Georgetown Brewing. They also have a number of bottled beers, including New Planet, a gluten-free beer.
Another note on the drinks: Moonshine BBQ is true to its namesake and has a full sheet of moonshines and whiskeys. We didn’t try any, sadly, but if you like either one you’ll be happy with the selection.
The dinner options are categorized by burgers and sammies, greens and smoked meats. With all of the BBQ on the menu, I’m not sure who would use the “greens” section, but it’s there.
The burgers, which are served with your choice of Southern favorites like tater salad, cornbread, fries, slaw or baked beans, are a mix of angus beef, pulled pork and brisket.
My dad ordered the Moonshiner, a mix of angus beef and Italian pork sausage. He remarked that it was delicious. Moist, cooked to perfection and full of flavor, it was a fitting birthday meal for my old man, who reminisced about his time in the Army as we ate.
My eye gravitated toward the smoked meats, which is split between entrees like St. Louis ribs, BBQ meatloaf, blackened crawfish mac and others, and combos, which are combinations of brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, hot links, etc. I ordered the basic — choosing brisket and kielbasa — and got fries and coleslaw to go with it (two sides come with each of the combo plates).
The brisket was good, if not a little dry, and was a perfect vessel to be slathered up in the spicy BBQ sauce that, along with bottles of sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, lines each table. The kielbasa was great. I sliced it up and dipped it in the tangy BBQ sauce and didn’t regret a thing.
I don’t want to completely ignore the salads, so we’ll throw them a bone here. Besides the proverbial house and Caesar, which you can add chicken and brisket to for $4 and $5, respectively, there’s a chipotle brisket salad, BBQ chicken salad and a pulled chicken wedge.
Overall prices were pretty comparable to most sit-down BBQ joints. The salads and burgers ranged from $10 to $12, while the entrees started at $11 and ended at $21 (St. Louis ribs). The combos were $15 for the basic and $17.50 for the chicken.
We didn’t have room for dessert, but by the looks of the menu Moonshine BBQ does it right. I would have ordered the crispy bread pudding bites, which came with chocolate and caramel sauces. There’s also ice cream, caramel apple pie, death by chocolate cake and, of course, pecan pie.
Good luck keeping enough room.
Aaron Swaney: 425-339-3430; aswaney@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @swaney_aaron79.
Moonshine BBQ
4911 196th St SW, Lynnwood, 425-672-9592, moonshine-bbq.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.
Happy hour: 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight every day.
Alcohol: Full bar, including 16 taps, wine, moonshine and cocktails.
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