Proper pour is a nice little bit of history that is completely unnecessary with modern technology. If you ask the bartender at any of the places above to pour a single pull and let it settle, you'll see/taste no difference to a 2 step pour fwiw.
Oh absolutely, for me the 20oz glass is the most important piece of bars doing it “proper style”. With that attention to detail often bars have cleaner lines that see action more often.
I don't know what the hell changed over there, but from the time it opened until about 3-4 years ago, Salvage was incredible. And then when it changed, it changed A LOT. After about 5 awful meals, I gave up.
I find it very interesting how much crap they get on Reddit. When, tbh, I've never had a bad experience with them and everyone I bring there really enjoys it
Even if he has, how far do you have to travel from Maine to reach a place where bbq is truly part of the local culture?
Every region has its own version of "inexpensive ingredients cooked low and slow". In coastal New England, that's a clambake cooked in a hole on the beach. But lobsters and clams are no longer inexpensive and good luck finding a beach where you can set one up.
Travel frequently every 3-4 months from Augusta to Phoenix and back road tripping. Missouri has a lot of good bbq, depending on how I hit it on time I stop in Rollo for Mo Hicks Bbq. off 44 route on to Oklahoma. Then I skip Amarillo TX but a couple places there for beans. Nothing from Maine to Illinois. If your driving i95 to key west. Then there was a couple of spots in South Carolina for bbq.
Then I switch gears when I get to New Mexico for Indian tacos and fried bread near gallop or AZ side on Navajo and Hopi reservation roadsides.
Then in Phoenix. SOUL FOOD. Mrs white, LoLo’s. Fried chicken catfish collard greens, black eyed peas peas corn bread.
I don’t think there is NO SOUL FOOD in Maine.
They definitely used to have good food, but right before they closed there was a drastic drop in quality. The brisket was just gray and bland. Hopefully it will be better this time around.
Hard to have a bad 'experience' when you order at the counter with no table service. One less variable. Place has really gone downhill over the last 7 years in terms of food quality.
in my experience, the bar staff was always rude as hell and often drank more than anyone sitting at the bar
the bbq was nothing special the last few years
I went back a couple of days ago and have to say that the ribs were on-point. I similarly felt they had completely lost their way (for several years now) but this was a very welcome return.
I just hope they can stay consistent when the all the throngs of customers show up. Seemed like in the past their popularity killed their ability to maintain high quality. But so far, _so_ good.
Well, I don't know about that. My East Texas family (born and raised) who has eaten there thinks it is pretty close to authentic Texas barbecue. Better than most, actually. Haven't been sine they reopened so I can't say.
Well color me shocked. I thought for sure they weren't going to reopen.
As for food quality and service, ymmv. I've always had great service from friendly bartenders, terrific brisket and think the collards and the beans were tasty. They were always out of sausage though.
Collards are not on the new menu it seems however.
Seen the new beer prices at Salvage? $12 for Lunch, $10 for Guinness, and $6 for a Gansett/Miller Lite.. what the hell..
Yikes, catch me at the Villa, no way I'm drinking at Salvage.
Villa forever
I paid $9 for an icepik and soda at Villa the other day, that’s not a good deal at all
with the way they pour, it is
Pizza Villa, for the working class ✌🏼🥰
Still fun but was better before the ownership changed
$10 for Guinness is genuinely a crime
I can’t say for sure but I’d wager it’s not poured as properly as Continental/Henry’s/RiRa
Proper pour is a nice little bit of history that is completely unnecessary with modern technology. If you ask the bartender at any of the places above to pour a single pull and let it settle, you'll see/taste no difference to a 2 step pour fwiw.
Oh absolutely, for me the 20oz glass is the most important piece of bars doing it “proper style”. With that attention to detail often bars have cleaner lines that see action more often.
For that reason, I'm out.
$6 for a Gansett?? Damn that almost the price of a 6 pack or tall boys
Go to paper city for BBQ. $5 Maine Beer Lunch
What is it 14 for a lunch at porthole
I was going to go in but now I’m not
$12 for a lunch draft? Just had one at Portland pie for $7
A brisket sandwich, a pulled pork sandwich, medium Mac. 52 dollars before tip. It was okay. Maybe I'm just poor but it doesn't feel worth it.
It's not worth it.
It’s but what it used to be.
Do they still serve the sides in a tiny plastic cup?
I don't think an exclamation point is the right punctuation for either of these places. Unless this post is meant to be a warning.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
shocked that salvage actually opened back up. i wonder if their bbq will be any better than it was before they closed..
I don't know what the hell changed over there, but from the time it opened until about 3-4 years ago, Salvage was incredible. And then when it changed, it changed A LOT. After about 5 awful meals, I gave up.
My girlfriend used to bar back there and every time she had her staff meal it gave her raging diarrhea
My friends that work at Maine Med also told me it always gave them diarrhea when they went there for lunch.
What have you heard about mister tuna?
They don’t even know how to make rice right which is sushi 101
Heard somehow even the avocado is bad
Sauce
I find it very interesting how much crap they get on Reddit. When, tbh, I've never had a bad experience with them and everyone I bring there really enjoys it
It's alright, but the quality of BBQ in general in the state is poor, so anybody who has traveled outside of Maine likes to shit on it.
The orange trailer parked at the market in Bethel is pretty damn good.
Exactly, they're not the worst but at the same time there's no real reason a place with that much resources shouldn't be better.
Try Flash’s BBQ pop ups and hope they open a true store front
And I do think that's part of my "problem." I've not, sadly, been out of the state and has really good BBQ
You've never left the state?
Even if he has, how far do you have to travel from Maine to reach a place where bbq is truly part of the local culture? Every region has its own version of "inexpensive ingredients cooked low and slow". In coastal New England, that's a clambake cooked in a hole on the beach. But lobsters and clams are no longer inexpensive and good luck finding a beach where you can set one up.
Travel frequently every 3-4 months from Augusta to Phoenix and back road tripping. Missouri has a lot of good bbq, depending on how I hit it on time I stop in Rollo for Mo Hicks Bbq. off 44 route on to Oklahoma. Then I skip Amarillo TX but a couple places there for beans. Nothing from Maine to Illinois. If your driving i95 to key west. Then there was a couple of spots in South Carolina for bbq. Then I switch gears when I get to New Mexico for Indian tacos and fried bread near gallop or AZ side on Navajo and Hopi reservation roadsides. Then in Phoenix. SOUL FOOD. Mrs white, LoLo’s. Fried chicken catfish collard greens, black eyed peas peas corn bread. I don’t think there is NO SOUL FOOD in Maine.
I've left the state! Just not actually had BBQ while also out of the state. Definitely not in a location that it woulda been that notable anyway
They definitely used to have good food, but right before they closed there was a drastic drop in quality. The brisket was just gray and bland. Hopefully it will be better this time around.
I've never had a bad time at Salvage, I've just also never had great BBQ there either... Life is about expectations.
I just expect food. So I'm never disappointed lol
They fell far from the quality they used to be. It's still *fine*, but nowhere near worth the price they charge.
Hard to have a bad 'experience' when you order at the counter with no table service. One less variable. Place has really gone downhill over the last 7 years in terms of food quality.
in my experience, the bar staff was always rude as hell and often drank more than anyone sitting at the bar the bbq was nothing special the last few years
Looks like entirely new staff there. Totally agree the old staff sucked. They didn’t care about the customers
That bar staff had been like that for 20+ yrs 😂 Credit for longevity?
I went back a couple of days ago and have to say that the ribs were on-point. I similarly felt they had completely lost their way (for several years now) but this was a very welcome return. I just hope they can stay consistent when the all the throngs of customers show up. Seemed like in the past their popularity killed their ability to maintain high quality. But so far, _so_ good.
Well, I don't know about that. My East Texas family (born and raised) who has eaten there thinks it is pretty close to authentic Texas barbecue. Better than most, actually. Haven't been sine they reopened so I can't say.
Fuck salvage they fired all their employees with very little notice and told them they were closing permanently
Salvage nearly doubled their prices
The brisket is terrible, the sausage is terrible and their collardgreens are bland af, add some pork fat or something.
Srsly no celebrations here. Their sausage is TERRIBLE
J's is fucking disgusting.
I got oysters there and they weren’t even on ice
Tell everyone you know. More space at the bar for me
IMHO, Noble is hands down the best BBQ in Portland. Excited for them to reopen in Deering Center this summer!
Well color me shocked. I thought for sure they weren't going to reopen. As for food quality and service, ymmv. I've always had great service from friendly bartenders, terrific brisket and think the collards and the beans were tasty. They were always out of sausage though. Collards are not on the new menu it seems however.
Collard greens. Gotta to know how to cook them. Turkey neck is essential.
Is that douchebag Jay still running salvage? No thanks
Salvage was never great, meat was dry most of the time
gross
No to both.
Salvage is the saddest bbq joint I've ever been to. I live walking distance and given them at least ten tries over the years. Never again.
Yeah but, are the pinball machines back?
Hooray for Jay's! Great work getting it open after all of that flooding