Best Lil Porkhouse - San Rafael

Absolutely delicious! The customer service was fantastic—there was a super friendly guy at the front who assisted me with my order. The food was incredible! I had sides of mac and cheese, beans, fried okra, corn, and oh my goodness... fried pickles. The fried pickles stole my heart ten times over! And the BBQ? It was mouthwatering. They even provide a variety of sauces right at the table. This place is a must-try!

During my latest visit, I ordered a large Remington platter, which is quite a hefty amount of food, though definitely not cheap! We were hosting friends on a rainy day, and I didn’t want to fire up my grill or smoker, so I thought BLP could save the day. However, as I began to warm everything up at home, I noticed the brisket was way too dry and desperately needed some moisture. The pulled pork was rather bland, and the BBQ sauce was offered in meager portions, forcing me to resort to my own homemade sauce to add some flavor. The sides I got, burnt okra and potatoes, didn’t fare well as takeout either. The baby back ribs were the exception, holding up decently due to their high fat content, so I wish I had just ordered a few racks of those instead. Overall, we were pretty let down. I really don’t want to see BLP BBQ lose their clientele; I just wish they had a location where they could actually smoke meat and serve freshly prepared BBQ. For now, I’ll be on the lookout for a better BBQ joint.

Rest in peace, Ken Flach, who introduced fantastic BBQ to Marin before his passing in March 2018. [hidden link] I remember that his daughter used to work at the San Rafael location. After his death, it seems they couldn’t keep the restaurant going. I'm grateful for the memories... Since Sammy Hagar was reportedly a financial supporter, I’m hoping they might revive those delicious recipes one day. I wish I had a picture of the food on hand. That funny sign always cracked me up whenever I walked in... "Vegetarian: An Old Indian Word for Bad Hunter."

I really want to give Best Lil' Porkhouse the full five star treatment. This small and quaint barbecue joint seems out of place in San Rafael, sort of on the way leaving downtown in a small strip mall. I had to circle a few times to find it and some parking. You order the food in one storefront with a separate dining room around the corner, although the staff will bring you the food directly. The Porkhouse has a counter service front with an extensive menu of locally-sourced organic meat. This is rare in the barbecue industry and deserves a great deal of credit. I ordered spare ribs with brisket, fries with baked beans, and cornbread. The ribs were very good with a great meaty texture without falling apart completely, although they were somewhat cool when they arrived. The brisket was served sliced thin without completely falling apart with a great taste and texture. The meat had a rub and was served sauced. The sides were very good. The cornbread muffin was perfect with a nice slightly-sweet taste and pieces of corn inside. The fries were cooked well and served seasoned. The baked beans were excellent with good flavor and chunks of crispy bacon and vegetables. Porkhouse supplies several sauces at each table with real flatware and wet naps in bulk. I really love barbecue and the use of local and organic meats. The Best Lil' Porkhouse is doing a great job of promoting this cuisine even in Marin county. They are probably best set up for take out, but the funky dining room is good for a quick meal. Consistency is always an issue for barbecue due to the nature of the meat and time of day, so it is had to punish a place for temperature issues. It is nearly impossible to quickly reheat barbecue without affecting the overall taste, so I will have to try again earlier in the day.

Seriously am in love with this place. I was really skeptical because it's deep in Marin county cmon! I expected better in Oakland or in Vallejo (tried most of the soul food spots) but this was a pleasant surprise!! Take me back! I ordered the brisket and ribs, sweet potato tots, mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese...corn bread. All were delicious. Oh and the onion rings were out of this world. I really can't wait to go back. Not gonna say much about the staff. Tired, dark humored, laid back (sweat pants for I don't care mode) but honest on what to order and asked if the food was ok while I sat in the dining room. Oh the dining room is really cool too. I like the option. It has wipes, utensils, sauces...ask for lucifer I guess..and don't worry the paranoid schizophrenic won't bother you outside. Unfortunately there's only one non-15 min parking spot...and I took it!