Since we are not from the South, we can’t say for sure if this is a "meat ‘n three" kind of place but you can order three meats with three sides served on a paper-lined aluminum tray and call it a day. Beef brisket and pulled pork is sold by the quarter pound, ribs and chicken by the piece and specials have been known to appear on the chalkboard out front. Available sides include collards and mac ‘n cheese as well as ranch style beans, potato salad and Parker House rolls. Meaty sandwiches and salads (to which meat can be added) and ice cream for dessert round out the menu.
If you're looking to feed 3-4 people, you may want to opt for their Family Meal ($71). You have a choice of 3 meats (1 1/2 lbs) + 4 medium sides (eg mac & cheese, coleslaw, beans, cornbread, potato salad, etc.).
The team here is serious about their smoker, made by Southern Pride. Everything from the cauliflower steaks to the chicken on the nachos spends time inside, bathing in the aromatic wonder of gas and airborne particles that add flavor to whatever it touches. The Southern twang extends to an appetizer of queso and chips, something on every menu in certain parts of Texas (and Tex-Mex restaurants) but rarely seen north of San Antonio. BBQ ribs are done Saint Louis style and of course there is brisket, chicken and pulled pork.
All can be enjoyed at one of the wood slab counters inside the restaurant or at a picnic table out back (where you can catch live music on weekends).
Roadside BBQ specializes in authentic, slow smoked all American BBQ with homemade sauces, sides, rubs and pies. They use a combination of Apple, Hickory, and Mesquite woods to smoke all their meats. Located in the Northgate Mall, the restaurant boasts a family-friendly "down home" atmosphere, with an outside patio and a refreshing selection of ice cold beer.
Recommended Dishes: Baby Back Ribs; Brisket Sandwich; and Sausage Platter. And if you're feeding a small crew of hungry hungry hippos, we recommend the Family Pack ($37) - a full order of smoked meat, with 2 large RoadSides, & 4 corn muffins (serves 2–3), and the Slider Bar ($32.95) - all the fixin's for 10 Pulled Pork, Brisket, or Smoked Chicken Sliders.
One part beer garden and one part smokehouse with a dash of camper chic from the trailer that serves as the restaurant’s kitchen is perhaps the best way to describe the scene.
Big plates of brisket, pulled pork and coleslaw fit easily on the long picnic tables which are ideal for groups and families. If your taste buds are slightly more daring, try the Totchos (Tater tot “nachos” with queso, pico de gallo, chipotle crema, jalapeño) and Danny's Texas Twinkies (two bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with beef brisket, smoked cream cheese, cheddar).
Their rotating tap list includes craft beer (Fog Belt Red Ale, Fieldwork Brewing Hefeweizen), wine and cider. S’mores for dessert can be savored around one of the firepits. There’s even live music most weekend and weekend-adjacent days, too.
Perry’s – both the Novato and the Larkspur locations – is not known for its barbecue. There’s more of an American comfort food vibe going on here with dishes like pot roast with spinach, their famous burger, the Cobb Salad, and their crab cakes. But ribs are pretty much as all-American as you can get – there are countless styles of cooking and accompanying sauces which we won’t go into here.
While we don’t know the secret recipe that makes Perry’s BBQ ribs so juicy with just the right ratio of sweet to smoke... we just know that we like them!
