I moved from the Austin, TX area to New Hampshire three years ago and, ever since, I have been on an incredibly disappointing journey trying to find good bbq up this way. Many places claimed to be Texas-style BBQ and every single time it ended up being absolute trash.
Until today. I caught wind on FB of a place in Concord, NH called 603 BBQ and it looked promising, but I live nearly an hour away so finding an opportunity to stop by has been a challenge. I had the day off and it was storming, so I figured this could be my chance to try it and potentially avoid the long lines I have heard they get at lunch.
My intuition was correct; I walked in and there was no line, though the dining room was mostly full. I walked up and immediately started asking questions like "Can I choose lean or moist brisket (a question that has resulted in confused looks at most other bbq places up here)?" and "Are your bbq beans sweet or savory (most beans up this way are very sweet, in stark contrast to the savory beans you find in Texas)?" Without hesitation, he confirmed I can choose lean or fatty and offered up a sample of the beans. My expectations weren't high based on all of my previous experiences up here, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were fantastic with a nice mix of a little sweet and a lot of savory.
I ordered their two meat plate with a 1/2lb of lean brisket, bbq beans, and elote. Cornbread is also included. Then, I took a look in the drink cooler to see what my options were and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that they had Big Red (something that you can't find in any store up this way, you have to order it online and have it shipped).
Coincidentally, my golden rule for Texas BBQ joints in Texas was "Any BBQ joint worth visiting offers Big Red as a drink option. If they don't, just leave." And it's a rule that served me well.
All that to say, the brisket was fantastic along with the beans and the elote was decent, too.
They have a variety of sauces, and I tried their OG sauce (traditional vinegar/tomato
-based sauce) and a Dr. Pepper sauce; both were delicious, too!
So glad to finally have a legit BBQ spot up here!
by jwc8985
4 Comments
I go to NH a couple of times per year — thanks for the tip! Gonna check it out next time I’m up there!
Not BBQ but I lived in Manchester for a year while applying to schools in Boston and the Mexican food was comical. I’m from Southern California and was stoked when I found a place that had “authentic” Mexican food only to be disappointed once I tried it. Their menu had this big long story about their love of Mexico and the food which was their motivation to open their restaurant, I think they even mentioned family recipes. They used pre-made taco shells and everything was bland. 😂
That brisket looks dry AF, I don’t believe you.
Check out Smokehaus in Dublin, it was really good