I love barbeque. Â I like grilled stuff, but barbeque is a little better.
Slowly cooked, falling off the bone, yet still juicy.
Mike's scores. Â
They also have excellent barbeque sauce to go on. Â Makes for a great combination.
They make a vinegar-based sauce that is spicy. Â Not liking spicy stuff, I'll leave that review to others.
Cole slaw was excellent. Â The dressing is vinegar-based (not creamy), but it doesn't taste vinegary (is that a word?) (can you put three phrases in parentheses in a single sentence?).
Baked beans are excellent. Â My partner hates baked beans. Â I'm usually polite enough to eat his -- starving children and all that stuff my mother used to tell me.
Didn't get any beans. Â He had the nerve to eat them himself.
It is about an hour's trip for us to get to Mikes.
We'll be back!
The food was terrific, we will definitely go back next time we are in the Port Gamble area. Â I'm not a huge fan of pickles, but the deep fried pickles were amazing. Â Definitely try some, as they aren't this good most of the time. Â
The menu has the normal BBQ selections, plus some other choices for those who may not enjoy BBQ as much as my family does. Â Kid friendly options as well. Â
The restaurant is clean and the employees are friendly and helpful. Â Try them!
The fast review for those of you driving through Port Gamble and need a review before your cell service fails: Turn around and go try Mike's BBQ.
And now for my full review...
The Carolina Piggy (pulled pork and handmade smoked sausage) was delicious and a perfect bite when paired with their homemade sauces. Â I loved their spicy sauce the best...it brings flavor and heat. Â The pulled chicken sandwich was very good too. Our ribs were dry, but the bark and rub were very tasty. Â Bad day in the smoker I guess. Â The vinegar-based coleslaw was delicious, if not a bit over dressed. Â The beans were outstanding, well seasoned with some cumin (maybe?). Â The house-made chips were almost perfect (needed a bit more salt) and the deep-fried pickles were so good everyone put their main course down and raced for the last one. Â Even the cheese quesadilla made for my non-BBQ kiddo was huge and tasty.
The facility is clean, open and family friendly. Â They have a nice outdoor seating area and great beer selection. Â I spoke with the owner for a bit and he's a great guy to chat with. Â
Can't wait to return and try their other offerings.
Me and my husband went here late in the afternoon past 5 pm, so they were out of brisket by the time we got there. Â I was a little sad I didn't get a chance to try it but my husband, the glutton, ordered the meal for 4 and he pretty much killed off everything. Â The chicken, sausage, ribs, and pulled pork.
He is from the south, lived in both North and South Carolina and is a complete BBQ snob. Â He enjoyed Mike's. Â It wasn't the best he's ever had, it wasn't the worst. The thing he appreciated was that for the same price as Famous Dave's he got something that didn't taste like ketchup, had a home made touch, and had a nice feel.
When I was upset about the brisket he reminded me that most BBQ joints run out when they run out and I remembered when I went to his hometown and that happened every place we went. Â Sometimes its good when they run out of what you want so you try something new.
This isn't a fancy place and its a order at the counter and take it to the table kind of place. Â Its great for families and we will be coming here again soon when my husband is in the mood for someone else's BBQ.
My review covers the ribs, beans, cole slaw, setting and service. Â In case you don't normally read the tips I'll tell you here. Â If you are planning on eating there late in the day, call ahead to see what is still left as the do run out of stuff. Â The staff at the counter style (go up and order and they call you when the food is ready) could not be more friendly if they tried. Â They are very nice.
The ribs and beans are fantastic! Â The cole slaw is very good but is a bit of a shock if you are not used to vinegar based versions.
I am not a BBQ expert by any stretch of the imagination but I know what I like and I do like Mikes!
Seating inside is in a wide open space that feels family style - Take your food out to go and cross the street for a great waterfront view if the weather cooperates.
Since I'm a stickler for fresh product and always complain when it seems like the beef has been sitting out in a warming tray too long, I guess I can't complain that it was going to be another 4 hours until they had some beef ready to serve....
Having to deny my craving for brisket, I had the pulled pork sandwich. Â The pork was tasty if maybe a little dry. Â The sauces were certainly saucy - I preferred the spicy option over the other choice, I would say about an 8 out of 10 in terms of specialness.
My wife had loaded potato skins with BBQ chicken and my daughter had a bbq chicken quesadilla - both were things that were very tasty and not at all what you would expect at the run of the mill BBQ place - and this is no run of the mill bbq joint. Â I had the home made potato chips - they were ok and have a huge potential to be really good.... The problem - bland. Â No salt or seasonings. Â I did try to add some salt once I got them, but potato chips must require salting/seasoning prior to cooking because the salt just didn't stick. Â It was a generous portion however and I was able to eat them all (with some help from my more than willing family)..
The setting is really interesting - apparently a historic filling station. Â I liked the decor on the walls - not fancy but certainly cool to investigate.
The service was good - and basic - not unlike many bbq places - place your order at the counter and go pick it up when it's ready. Â
I had a tough time between 3 and 4 stars - the food was probably only 3 stars but the choices made it seem like it is worth the benefit of the doubt. Â Remembering that they would turn away business instead of selling something less than prime quality sealed the deal - even if I didn't get what I would have liked to have. Â The bread was pretty much bleh.... but there was enough meat that I was eating it with a fork, open faced so I didn't find it to much of a distraction.
The setting is worth checking out if you are interested in historic buildings - being able to go inside and look around was very cool. Â Sadly, the tables weren't exactly clean - there was some film on them that was disappointing.
The prices - eh... a little high - but probably market - I'm just cheap and I know it.
I think they live up to their name and certainly have the potential to climb up to 5 stars, I'll have to come back when they have some brisket and see how it turns out.
It's a good stop, on the way to Kingston which is a fun place to walk around or catch a ferry.
Outstanding. I'm stoked to admit that I have found some great BBQ in the PNW. Mike's is off the beaten path but in a beautiful little place called Port Gamble. Maybe I'll go back just to give my daugthers away some day. They seem to host weddings across the street from Mike's, with panoramic view of the Puget Sound. It's just beautiful. Meticulously manicured lawns, quaint little shops... You feel transported back in time. Apparently it is an old logging town. Oh, Mike's... right. Mike is, first of all, a really nice guy. Underlying his clear love for smoked meats is his views of health, which I share and he incorporates into his food (low gluten, low sugar options). Not only are the meats PERFECT... yes, I said perfect, the cole slaw was delicious. Mouth watering and vibrant. The brisket tasted like juicy beef jerky, no sauce needed. The chicken was also good but who am I kidding? It's all about the brisket. Mike's: Bravo Zulu, friend.
Review Source:The people are friendly and outgoing, Mike and his wife both took time to check on our meal, explain the history and decor etc. Â Service was beyond excellent.
The decor - is fun - the place is an old service station in an old logging town and the decor takes both those themes to make a interesting and fun place to eat. Â The restaurant is very clean - no issues there!
The food - excellent. Â The BBQ sauce is some of the best, the portions are large, there are no heat lamps etc - everything is made fresh.
Definitely will return.
What can I say, we love this place, the best ribs we have had in this State. Mike and his wife Stefanie do a great job of both making you feel welcome and serving up hands down the best BBQ around here.
My personal favorite is Mike's hand rubbed Spare Ribs, they are cooked to perfection, crisp bark on the outside, tender juiciness on the inside, the meat just falls off the bone. Mike's Carolina Style Pulled Pork and Brisket makes the rest of my family quiet right down with looks of bliss on their faces.
The sides are tasty and bring the whole meal together perfectly, I have never tried any of Mike's other menu offerings (the BBQ is THAT GOOD!!) but if they are prepared with the same care and enthusiasm I have no doubt they are fantastic. Â
Whenever we are making a trip to the Olympic Peninsula we plan it so we arrive back across the Hood Canal Bridge in time to stop at Mike's, but then again Port Gamble is worth a trip all in itself, the place is beautiful.
Mike's Four Star BBQ, is a Five Star in my book.
My boyfriend and I got a to-go order from there today and were sorely disappointed. We got the Pulled Pork Sandwich, a Carolina Piggy Sandwich, a pork rib, coleslaw, beans, and fries. The pulled pork was very dry, and only had a spoonful of sauce - which was quite bland. The Piggy sandwich was not quite what we had in mind, and again, the pulled pork was dry, but the sausage was ok. The rib was, again, dry and pretty chewy - almost like it had been sitting under heat lights for a while. The coleslaw was made with some sort of vinaigrette, not your typical mayo-type slaw and it was alright... The beans were also in the "meh" category. The fries were $3, and in roughly a 6"x8" container, so it looks like you get a lot, but they just barely covered the bottom. We also got two sweet teas, and I honestly feel that McDonald's sweet tea is better. For two sandwiches, a rib, the sides, and the tea, it came to close to $40 for mediocre food, so it seemed pretty over priced. To top our to-go order off, they handed us the bag, tied off, so you would think that napkins and a fork for the slaw/beans would be in there, but apparently not. Considering there was a fair there today, you would think that might be something they mentioned - utensils/napkins are self-serve. Bottom line: It was food, but I wouldn't go back. Famous Dave's has better barbecue sauce (and more variety for those who are particular to sweet or spicy).
Review Source:After living in the south for 20 years - AL, TN & GA - we know and love great BBQ. I was a bit disappointed to learn that Mike doesn't have any Southern roots - because he makes such delicious 'cue, it's hard to believe a west coast man can do this! We had the ribs, pulled pork and brisket with usual sides - beans, slaw, sauce and rolls.  The pork ribs were perfectly smoked, tender, just the right chewy texture, perfectly seasoned, served "dry" you have several choices of sauce - sweet & smoky, kicked up a notch with some fire or Carolina style vinegar based. The pulled pork had just enough of the charred edges & juicy fat morsels chopped in to provide a complex bite of pork. Texas brisket is something I don't usually try, but Mike's was excellent! The beans were better than any I had in the south. The slaw was average (I'm not much of a slaw lover, anyway). The rolls were no-hum and could be homemade to kick my review to a 5 star. I like a restaurant that doesn't skimp on the sides and a good, homemade roll would make this place dang-near irresistible and worth the long drive and cost of the ferry to get there!  They have many other items on the menu plus some specials that come & go. I would like to try the smoked cheese-stuffed jalapeños I've read about. Cold beer is available in bottles and on tap.
Review Source:Like others have said the food is delicious, especially the beef brisket. I really enjoyed my dining experience at Mike's Four Star BBQ. However, I've got something on my chest and it's been bottling up inside me for a few months. I saw a terrible, terrible, sight. While waiting for my food, I happened to glance back at the kitchen while a employee was refilling a ketchup bottled labeled Heinz. Nothing crazy there, but when I saw what she was refilling the bottle from I was disgusted. It was clearly a large tin can labeled Huntz. I just thought the public should know.
Review Source:Let me start by saying I have lived all over the US and all over the world, even, but by far, mike's is THE BEST BBQ EVER. Â We got the 5 way, for 5 people, and it was too much food! Â Everything was great, but my favorites were the brisket, and the chicken! Â We ordered, and really enjoyed the old mill chips, and the onion rings, which were stellar! Â Can't recommend this place highly enough!!!
Review Source:Once again, quantity is not a substitute for quality and my standards for BBQ are very high; I've sampled award-winning fare and critique accordingly. Indeed, the portions are huge and even one of the smaller platters could inexpensively feed an average mormon family. However, this place is absolutely average. The beans were very good, but that's not the signature food I would expect at a road-side bbq. Avoid the ribs - they have been cooked quickly with too much heat. The surface is dry, the meat is a bit chewy and does not fall off the bone easily. It's almost like somebody opened the door to the bbq too often and when the temperature dropped too much, they overcompensated with too much heat. You won't be disappointed, yet you won't be pleasantly surprised, either.
Review Source:A family friendly, fun and yummy stop for lunch if you're in Port Gamble. Â We've driven by this place MANY times when it was closed, but were lucky enough to catch it when it was open the other day. Â It's a funky little place, with license plates on the walls and a concrete floor, and the building is an old firehouse. Â The BBQ is good, and plentiful, especially for the price. We shared a combo meal that is for 2-3 people and it easily fed us both for 2 meals. Â I enjoyed the brisket quite a bit. Â Be careful of the BBQ sauce on the table, if you squeeze too hard it will go all over the place.
Review Source:Awesome BBQ in Washington?! Yes sir, right here! I have been on the hunt for a decent pulled pork sandwich for the past nine months, and my hunt has finally ended.
I have driven through Port Gamble several times on my way to the ferry, seen Mike's and promised myself I would stop in one day. Today, I finally had the chance. We stopped in around 3:30 and we were the only customers. We hit that time frame right between lunch and dinner, which was perfect for us! The girl at the counter was very friendly and helpful with recommendations.
As stated in previous reviews, there is no kids menu, however they have plenty to offer that is appetizing to younger kids. Based on staff recommendations, we ordered the girls a pulled smoked chicken quesadilla with cheese. My husband and I both ordered a pulled pork sandwich and two orders of fries.
The food the was delicious. The pulled pork was perfectly seasoned and tender. The only hang up about the sandwich is the bread was not toasted. It wasn't a deal breaker by any means, but I think the sandwich would have been pushed over the top if the bread had been toasted. The barbecue sauce was a perfect blend of sweet and saucy. The fries were run of the mill frozen. However, they offer a vinegar sauce to put on them that was crazy good. Vinegar mixed with a blend of spices to make the perfect combination. I asked the waitress what was in it, and she told me there were red pepper flakes, chili powder, and various spices. The quesadilla was delicious, the girls finished the entire thing!
Can't wait to go back, I am so happy to have found good BBQ in the Pacific Northwest. This is a must try for all BBQ lovers!
I found this place randomly on the way back to Seattle from a day hike in Olympic National Park. Â I started with the pulled pork platter, which was pretty good. Â Normally I would have been satisfied with that but since I had been hiking for a few hours I was hungry and ordered the brisket sandwich next. Â It was awesome. Â I've been to the "famous" Salt Lick in Texas and honestly found this brisket to be better, mainly because it was more tender and juicier. Â I just wish it were closer to Seattle so I didn't have to take a ferry ride to get it.
Review Source:Multiple friends have raved about this place to me, so I went to try it for dinner tonight. Â
Hands-down THE BEST beef briscuit I've EVER had. Â The baked beans were wickedly delicious, too. Â I didn't care for their style of cole slaw, but I think that's just a personal preference. Â
This is an order at the counter then go sit down type of place, but the service is friendly, it has a nice atmosphere and as a bonus there are clean restrooms, too.
There's no kids-menu per se, but our boys (10 & 7) loved the beef briscuit and the chicken wings. Â The only real complaint I have is that they serve Pepsi (I'm a Coke addict), but they make up for it by serving sweet tea.
We apparently got there just in time tonight though, because as we were leaving, they were putting up a sign that said "sold out" in the window and turning new customers away.
I try NOT to give out 5-star ratings, but this place earned it. Â They need to change their name.
Woman running the counter seemed less than friendly at first and there were only two other guests in the place.
Typically when I'm a customer and look someone in the eye and I say "thank you" they either say "you're welcome" or "thank you' in return instead just "your food will be up shortly".
But you know what? The barbecue was so awesome she could'a beat me with a stick and I'd still give this place five stars.
Anyway, as we were leaving she said thanks. So maybe just a bad day. Â Anyway the ribs are the 2nd best I'd ever had and the smoked chicken was perfect, not dry at all. Â Cole Slaw was amazing. Â Service was fast and maybe a little bit more expensive, but the portions were huge, so nothing to complain about. Â Address shows this place in Poulsobo but it's actually right in the middle of Port Gamble.
We have been visiting this establishment for about a year now and we have yet to be disappointed. The food and atmosphere are great. They have a good little selection of craft brews including Mac 'n Jacks African Amber. That brew pairs great with the BBQ. I prefer a more smoky flavor but my wife doesn't, so this is right in the middle. The service is great! The owners remember the regulars and really strive to make it a great visit.
Review Source:When you think about Port Gamble, barbecue probably isn't the first thing to come to mind. It does for me now that I've had Mike's Four Star.
The ribs were as tender and meaty as I've ever had, the sauces were OUTSTANDING, especially the vinegar based one. Mike's pulled pork was tender and generously portioned, actually much better than I've had in North Carolina.
To top it off, they had a decent selection of Micro brew on tap, Manny's, Mac and Jack's, ect.
I was quite pleased with my experience here, the only improvement would be to have table service instead of lunch counter style service. One of the girls from the counter come all the way to the patio to my table to tell me that my order was up instead of bringing it with her.
We were vacationing in Seattle and, on a whim, decided to spend a day driving thru the Olympic Peninsula - turned out to be one of the best decisions ever made especially as we drove through Port Gamble at around lunch time. Â I was driving with my dog and saw the sign for Mike's Four Star BBQ - having visited Texas and the mid-West many times over the years and tasted quite a bit of good BBQ, this was a no-brainer. Â
Ordered the "Carolina Piggy" - a sandwich with Mike's homemade smoked sausage and pulled pork. Â The sausage was the best - very tasty and flavorful and great tangy and spicy-ness! Â The pulled pork was good too especially with the BBQ sauce they give you but I wish I could've taken some sausage to-go. Â
And many many thanks to Stephanie - she took very good care of me and my pup on a weekday before the July 4th holiday weekend. Â She seated us in the outdoor patio area and even gave a little treat to the pup. Â I have since told many friends about Mike's BBQ and I can't wait to go back to Port Gamble so I can go back to Mike's and try the other menu items like the ribs and brisket. Â See you guys soon!
I've driven past Mike's many, many times but I'd been trying to find a time it wasn't so packed with tourists. :)
I had a great experience there Saturday evening. Â The weather was great so the outdoor seating came in handy. Â Love sitting outside in picturesque Port Gamble!
We had the hot Buffalo wings to start - my buddy from PA said they're the best he's tasted on the West Coast. Â I think they were the most authentic wings I've ever had. Â Very spicy, sprinkled with green onion, and made with a buttery spicy sauce that wasn't neon orange like most wing joints around here.
I had the smoked chicken quesadilla and it was perfect. Â The chicken was moist, smoky, and not overloaded with sauce.
My friends had the pulled pork sandwich and the sausage sandwich, both of which I got to sample. Â Both were tasty; I'm not the biggest fan of smoked sausage but this was basic & well-seasoned. Â I liked the pulled pork - probably because I get to choose what kind of sauce to add (I lean toward the Memphis-style sweet sauce).
There was a good selection of local brews (hooray for Manny's on tap!) and I liked they offered a hard cider as well!
The place is fantastic - lots of character and the owners have poured a ton of love into the place. Â It's a comfortable, local eatery that I'm glad is only a 10-minute drive from my place. Â I'll definitely be back to try the Atomic Poppers and one of the four- or five-way trays.
We were in Seattle for a long weekend and decided to drive the olympic peninsula 101 loop. We stumbled past this place at lunchtime on an unusually warm day for march. should we stop? bbq.., no brainer.
The two of us decided to split the platter which feeds up to four. comes with pulled pork, brisket, half a chicken, slab of ribs, bread, beans, and slaw. it was a feast. We had no problem killing all of it but the chicken. we took that on the road and finished it off later that day.
Overall i would say it was above average. based on its location, you would be hard pressed to find a better lunch or dinner option. The pulled pork was real good and definately what i would order again. The ribs were a little on the dry side but that is forgiven when drenched with one of two sauces they offer. the brisket was good and the chicken left us wanting more.
I look forward to coming back through port gamble and stopping by mikes again.
cheers!
We stopped here on the way back from Port Ludlow, and man, it was a good decision. The fries and the close slaw are probably the only vegan things on the menu (would it kill you to stock some garden burgers?) but these were well worth it.. And my meat eating dining partner loved his cheeseburger to death. It was the Mike's.
They took a little long making it, so they offered us a free beer. I hadn't even noticed it was really that long a wait, but we were glad to get the free beer! They have quite a few good names on tap, and serve wine too. We are totally stopping here again next time we drive out this directions - which will be soon, I hope.
Oh, and don't forget about the outdoor seating, or the cute little espresso hut next to Mikes. It's worth a stop as well!
Port Gamble, or the whole Bainbridge Island area itself, isn't really known as a destination for good BBQ, or even good food to begin with. That has pretty much changed. Mike's Four Star BBQ is about the best you will find on the Olympic Peninsula.
Mike spits out some very respectable pork ribs served dry, above average pulled pork and beans/slaw that are better than above average. His take on brisket is a bit strange in that he pulls it as well as the pork, not sliced like most brisket kings serve it. It comes off as more of shreadded roast than the cross-grained sliced slabs most would recognize as typical brisket.
Mike serves two different sauces on the table; a typical Memphis sauce with a sweet and slightly spicy tomato base, and a thinner vinegar and pepper based sauce more like something you would find in North Carolina.
Portions are HUGE. We ordered a 3 way with brisket, pork bones and chicken with beans and slaw sides. The dinner came with three rolls which we didn't even touch. Sign says it will feed 2-3 people. We were very hungry but could only polish off about half of it for the two of us.
What Mike did have as a special this day was something called  Mike's Smoked Atomic Peppers. He explained it to us this way; you take a medium jalapeno pepper, seed and clean out the membrane inside. Stuff with cream cheese and wrap in bacon. Smoke for a bit with your other smoker proteins and you got Smoked Atomic Peppers. Very good, not really atomic in the heat department with the seeds and membrane removed, but very smoky and delicious. I could sit and eat a dozen of them, but I had to share with my brother who ordered them in the first place.
The place is in an old service station/garage that must date back to the early 1950s. he theme inside is most definitely "historic garage gone eclectic". The service was friendly and prompt, even though there were 9 in our party. We called in advance and Mike secured us a long table. Orders were served open tray style - that is all the items come on one big tray per item or combo ordered. The trays are covered with paper and the wet items and sides are served in paper boats.
So we went back to where we were staying for the weekend and placed the leftover 9 bones and 1/2 chicken in the fridge. I was thinking about some nice smoked chicken salad or BBQ pork omelette's for brunch... but we never got the chance.
Overall all Mike's is closer to a 3.5 out of 5 stars compared to other BBQ places I've rated on the west Coast. Â Since Mike himself came out from the kitchen and had a genuine interest in how our meal was, he deserved the extra half star.
The BEST BBQ Ribs, Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork and Chicken, Smokey Beans, Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw, Old Mill Chips and Fries (with a dedicated GF fryer!)
Oh... don't forget the BBQ Wings and Sausage! Â I absolutely love the 2 sauces - thick sweet and slightly spicy and the other is light vinegar style with a big KICK!
The meats, sauces and most sides are GLUTEN FREE by request.
If you love BBQ like I do this is a MUST EAT at MIKE's Four Star BBQ!
If you are in Seattle or the area it is worth the beautiful ferry ride and drive to historic Port Gamble just off the Hood Canal Bridge.
(Mike is Gluten Intolerant so he knows the importance of preparing and eating Gluten Free food.)
Enjoy!
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