Hot Mess BBQ & Soul Food

"Great food andstaff. Got the shrimp and grits and the wifey got the catfish with collard greens and she gave the two thumbs up. Got the fried chicken to go and it was worth the wait."

"TL;DR: most of the food was good, but the brisket was subpar. I have been here twice and based this review off of the varied experience with the food. Overall, the pork products are great. Sausage is bangin', pulled pork is good. I also had the shrimp and grits which was a pleasant surprise to see on the menu, and didn't disappoint. I would have preferred it a bit less runny but I know that's preference to some degree. The bbq beans were also decent, albeit a bit too sweet for my taste. Could be dialed back a bit. My biggest criticism is the brisket I had. I'll admit to being highly biased, having eaten a lot of good BBQ in Texas. Some of the basic attributes I expect from brisket are tenderness, good moisture, and well-seasoned bark based on salt and pepper. Some of this is dependent on the quality of beef and some is dependent on preparation. I will go further by acknowledging that this place is decidedly a Carolina style BBQ place, and beef is historically a lesser priority for this style. Taking that all into consideration, the brisket I had was dry, under seasoned, and tough, bordering on rubbery. I usually love LOVE bark, but the bark here was so flossy and unpleasant. I had a lot left over, and even chopping up and slathering it sauce at home didn't help too much. It was just hard to eat. I will go back some other day for more sausage and maybe to try the ribs, but I'll pass over the brisket. Maybe it will get better in the future. Brisket (left), beans (left) and grits (right) pictured in the photo."

"Best Barbecue spot in Albuquerque! Delicious food for a great price. I had the Catfish, and it didn’t disappoint! Their take on the tartar sauce that comes with the catfish, is addicting. I got baked Mac N Cheese as my side, delicious. Definitely a place I would recommend to friends and family."

"The fried catfish doesn't disappoint! The pulled pork sandwiches are very good, the cornbread is a good sweetness and isn't super dry. The truffle fries are packed with flavor. They have lots of options for lemonade flavors which you can mix and match. (The lemonade is very sweet.) The employees were friendly and helpful. Overall a great experience."