We’ve talked about BBQ before. Many times. There is so much great BBQ in the area and everyone has their favorite. Sandfly, Wiley’s, Smokin’ Pig, even Bluffton BBQ in old town Bluffton are on my list of faves in the area. There are others, of course, but around here those are typically the headliners. The roadside smokers in and around downtown Savannah also do a very nice job and are “go to” spots for those in the know looking for an inexpensive bite. Randy’s on Wheaton Street is probably the most popular. Trick’s on Bull Street near Victory is another. There is a new player in the “roadside smoker” game and I can tell you, it is every bit as good as those others.
Munchie’s BBQ and Subs on Montgomery and 38th is that new place. John Maxwell is the man in charge. Once upon a time he was part of the group on Wheaton Street, but he decided to go out on his own. I’d been seeing ads around town for this new space. I drove by one day and saw the set up there. Nothing fancy. A tiny screened in “smoke house” if you will and a white tent to keep customers protected from the sun or rain. No tables, no dining room. No frills. I will admit I was intrigued.
A bit later, I had the ribs and some of the chicken. Loved it. Absolutely loved it. The sauce is a mustard base very similar to the ones you get at the other roadside spots. They are all cut from the same mold, but his one had a sweetness that just made it addictive. It was so good, we decided to put him on television. He was part of our “Ten under Ten” show that aired last Sunday.
John knew exactly what he was doing when he set up shop at Montgomery and 38th. “I had driven around for a while, looking for space”, he tells me. “I drove by here and saw a lady outside. So I stopped and talked to her. We talked for a long time. About an hour”, he adds. “One thing led to another.”
The location is spaced out perfectly from the others, frankly. Randy has Wheaton on lockdown. Trick’s is very popular in the Victorian District and others who travel Bull Street daily. In just a few short months, Munchie’s has developed a significant following along Montgomery Street. More than once, I’ve seen lines at his spot.
To appeal to the neighborhood, John does what he can to keep costs down. There isn’t a lot of made from scratch here. Inside he has a pot of greens and some baked beans. He tells me sometimes he switches those up, but not very often. It’s pretty clear his goal is great BBQ ribs, chopped pork sandwiches and chicken. The chicken and ribs the most popular. Why? Well, how about lunch for two dollars?
When he opened earlier this year, John introduced a “2 dollar Buck Box.” Two BBQ chicken legs and a slice of bread for two dollars. A short time later, he pulled the special. “People started fussing at us”, he says. “Why don’t you have the buck box?!”, they asked. “You need to bring back the buck box!”, they screamed. Ultimately, he buckled under neighborhood pressure. You’ve got to keep the masses happy, right? Of course you do. Keep in mind before you go running down there, these legs are rather small. They don’t look like the turkey legs you find at the state fair. But truthfully, many times I am more than good to go with a couple of pieces of a chicken for lunch. I don’t even need the slice of bread. Want a side with that? You can have one for less than a dollar extra. That might just be one of the best lunch values within city limits.
Another item John tells me is very popular is his “Crab and Shrimp Rice.” The day I was there he had run out. He tells me that is a regular happening. Rice tossed with crab meat and shrimp and his “special seasoning.” “Some seasoning and carrots”, he says. “We had a lady the other day buy 50 pieces.” An order of that crab rice will set you back five bucks. Crab, shrimp and rice for $5 doesn’t exactly say “straight off of the boat” fresh, but if you are paying five dollars for anything significant to eat, then you should also carry an asterisk around with you and apply it when necessary. I’m not saying it’s impossible to get great food for five dollars, it’s just not very easy.
Of course the star here at Munchie’s are the ribs. John says he marinates his racks of ribs ($20) overnight then smokes them for three or four hours. He tells me he is going through about 90 racks of ribs in a day. Which isn’t too hard to believe especially considering he closes at 7pm. The others sometimes will close after lunch. But just like 90% of all worthy BBQ out there, when it’s gone, it’s gone. “People like to fuss at us, why do you run out of ribs?”, John says. But no one wants day old BBQ. The key is to sell out every day.
As I said, BBQ is a tricky sell. Everyone has a favorite. Where you get yours will frankly depend on what part of town you live in.The Isle of Hope crowd will go to Sandfly BBQ, Islanders will visit Wiley’s or Papa’s. Downtown has a few options. Out on the Southside, B’s Cracklin BBQ is back open on White Bluff Road after that devastating fire. BBQ, Fried Chicken and Wings are the three topics most likely to fill up my inbox with “how could you forget X” emails. I can’t list them all. But I do know there is a ton of great BBQ out there. Now there is one more.
See you on TV.
Jesse
