Burnt End BBQ

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10 and Yes. For being down in the corporate wasteland that is DTC, admittedly my expectations were tempered with this visit. When I rolled up at 11:40 AM, the sign still said closed and I wasn’t sure if they were still operating, but when I peeked inside, some staff saw me and came out to confirm that they were open, but they had forgotten to unlock the door that morning. Upon walking in, there wasn’t any smoke smell to speak of, but the place had chill and comfortable vibes to it, with reclaimed wood along the walls, concrete floors, and seating for about 100, with some outdoor options as well. While nothing really blew me away with the barbecue, I have to give them credit that everything was pretty solid and had a good floor to its flavors across the board. With burnt ends being less common to find in Colorado, it was nice to see them a staple on the menu and the they were also the only place I’ve seen offering a pork burnt end option and only the second place in Colorado behind Pit Fiend, that I’ve seen offer smoked jackfruit. For being corporate owned, I’m pleasantly surprised at the quality and would recommend it if you’re in town for a conference and craving some bbq

Date Visited: 7/7/2024

Address: 5332 DTC Blvd #100, Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Day of the Week: Sunday

Time of Day: 11:40 AM. Open at 11:00 AM

Owner: PB&J Restaurants Group aka Paul Khoury. Paul partnered with Pit Master, Stephen “Smokey” Schwartz (Who worked at Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, Jack Stack BBQ, & The Golden Ox, all Kansas City meat legends)

Website: https://www.burntendbbqdenver.com/

Number of Years in Business: Unsure, but I somewhere between 2010 and 2015

Number of People in Line: 0 in front of me and no one had been there yet before me, since the doors were locked. Did have 8 people come in after

Regional Style of BBQ: Kansas City Style

Total Cost: $86.76 with tip. Ordered 1/4 lb of brisket, burnt ends, sausage, turkey, pulled pork, and 1/4 rack of ribs. For sides, added in mac & cheese and coleslaw. Came with 6 pieces of Texas Toast and a Kona beer

Type of Wood: Hickory

Type of Smoker: Vertical Electric (I believe)

Type of Seasoning: Several blends

Best Dish: Pulled Pork or Burnt Ends

Best Sauce: Southwest

Best Side: Pickles

Interior Description: Sitting in a DTC business park area inside an upscale strip mall. Cafeteria style ordering with meats broken out down to the quarter pound. They also have bowls, platters, salads, wings, and even some taco options. Seating for about 100 and a familiar layout and feel to a Qdoba or Chipotle. Music was 70s and 80s pop and soft rock hits, which wasn’t exactly the type of bbq vibe I’m usually looking for

Pro Tip: Go for the burnt ends, pulled pork, and grab the pickles for a nice crisp and balanced acidity hit

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Seasoning: Salt and pepper, possibly others

Description: Thinly cut with a light smoke ring to each piece. Was juicy for both the fatty and lean sections, but was a little tough to chew. Not much for smoke or seasoning coming through either. Serviceable but nothing special either, I’m 50/50 on needing to order this again

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Salt and pepper, possibly others

Description: More tender than the brisket and with better smoke and seasoning coming through each bite, but still pretty light on both. For a place called Burnt Ends, this was the better of the two brisket options and I would get again. 1/4lb is plenty for ordering next time

Pork Spare Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, possibly others, and bbq sauce

Description: Fall off the bone tender, but not overcooked and still had a good bite to it. Not a ton of seasoning coming through and a light amount of smoke to them, most of the flavor seems to be coming from the sauce. Cooked really well, but needs more smoke and seasoning to them. Would get the again though, with 1/4 lb being enough with 3 ribs

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Seasoning: Unsure

Description: Super juicy and smoky flavor coming through in each and every bite. Not much for seasoning, but cooked perfectly and one of the smokier pulled porks in Colorado and definitely a top 3 for juiciest. Would order again

Sausage

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Description: Chopped into bite sized pieces, the sausage was a little mushy and leaning a little fatty for its internal blend. Had good flavor and seasoning to it though, with a nice bit of heat as well. Would get again to share with the table, but also not one that I would probably order again for just myself

Turkey

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Seasoning: Unsure

Description: Juicy through most, but not all of the pieces. This was the smokiest meat they served, but needs more seasoning and for it to be cooked just a little bit less. Would probably get again if in the mood for turkey, but not a necessity either

Sauces – Didn’t review, but tried all three with the Southwest being the best one

Sides – Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Description: Noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy without being thin. However, the mac & cheese was way under seasoned. Added some salt which made it better, but could skip the next time