Sizzle BBQ
has anyone tried the new rib and bbq place on main street.it is where the old leos was?
mel mel
Ah, you mean "Sizzle" that shares the billing on this post:
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/821330
The menu link on their website is here:
http://thesizzlebbq.com/our-menu/
I haven't tried it yet, but their Sandwich selection looks yummy, especially if it's actual thick cut steak on their steak sandwich, rather than the typical "Steak-ums" (which aren't always drained of some grease before serving in some other places - especially Quik Check, lol).
Portuguese BBQ & Argentinian Sausage makes me think of an awesome Argentinian Restaurant I went to in NYC a long time ago - so freakin' tasty!
Of course, the funny thing is...in Brazil they speak Portuguese, whereas in Argentina the official language is Spanish. Same Iberian Peninsula origins, with 2 countries (well the Basques are a story in themselves) but different languages & Portugal surrounded on 3 sides by Spain. I'm surprised they don't call it Argentinian Barbecue.
Looks like plenty of Empanadas on the menu there for those Empanada lovers out there.
Phil D. Went with the wife last week. We both had the Argentinian sausage sandwiches, which were good, and empanadas, which were just ok. Food was pretty good overall though.The decor inside is nice. I'm looking forward to trying their actual BBQ!
Dancicus Fighticus 
Greg 
Skippy ribs? BBQ? I have not! Maybe we should swing on by and gorge ourselves on some delicious Portuguese food! Hopefully they have Coleslaw for you Mel! You're the Coleslaw connoisseur!
Yourbestestpal Anyone remember the Portuguese takeout in Long Valley, that place was great and hopefully this place is as good.
iJay They have terrific empenadas....... quite the variety too........the best I've ever had
$2 each.
fire251 
Tracy These are Argentinians they were Portuguese. That being said, the best BBQ I ever had was by Argentinians. Not as common as Brazilians in the restaurant scene but they love there meat more than the Brazilians.
I got the BBQ chicken today with beans and a beef empanada. Chicken was great, beans were jazzed up and tasted good. The empanada I wasn't crazy about. The first bite I took it had too much moisture in it. It ran down my chin because I wasn't expecting it.
Metsman We went there last week and were somewhat disappointed. On the plus side the place looks nice and we found the service very good. The food was just okay and nothing special. Although I enjoyed my soup the beef barbecue was less than I expected especially given the price. I hope it is because they are newly opened and the food will get better. We expect to give it one more try in a couple of weeks.
jono That's too bad - probably since they opened they are still trying to get their act together.
Luca Sizzle's combo of chicken and pork ribs with EITHER rice OR fries for $18 seems a bit high. The real deal can be found here where you get BOTH rice and fries included. This is one of my favorite places when in the area of Newark. Everything is always seasoned and cooked so well.
http://www.bloomfieldavebbq.com/
Lenny Rock Lenny Rock- it looks like that BBQ place is affiliated with Burnet BBQ. We used to go to the one in Union when we lived Maplewood. For $10, we would have chicken, ribs, rice and fries for days! Stopped by not long ago and while the prices have risen a little, same great BBQ and quality they've always had:)
Blackcat Elm Street BBQ in the Ironbound is my go-to place for 1/2 chicken plus two when I'm Down Neck...
In this general area, Pork Chop's BBQ on 31 in Raritan Township is also fantastic. 1/2 chicken and two sides for $8.50 beats the hell out of 1/4 chicken and fries for $7.50.
http://www.pcbbq.com/menu-1/
ianimal We tried the $37 lunch special for two last weekend. It was more than enough to feed my family of four, two adults and a 12 year old and 9 year old boy (both eat more than adults!). My husband ordered it at the counter for take out and they told him 20 mins, 20 mins later everything was packaged ready to go. Everything was good and the amount of fries and rice included was crazy! I feel like it was worth the price.
Snow I have driven by Pork Chop's now I have to stop based upon the rec. Yes, the price for Sizzle might be a bit high but there are few around. Pic Nic in Ironbound is my latest favorite; used to be an old favorite but went downhill with new owners and now with new owners again it is back on course.
MB 
Just happen to have a picture of the 1/2 chicken with fries and mixed vegetables, lol
Went for whole rack beef ribs, and empanadas takeout last week, and was very impressed. Food was good and plenty. Actually made meals for two, for 2 days. Hope they do well. Tired of businesses going in and out. People on this forum are so abnormally critical. You may like restaurants in Newark or PA, so go there. Lots of people in Hackettstown area want to eat in Hackettstown area. So when we ask for local recommendations, we don't really want to know about restaurants in Atlantic City, Delaware, or NYC. Give these guys a chance.
USAfirst I agree USAfirst. I hate when someone asks where there is good something close and the first answer is a place in Bergan County. Just as bad is when someone asks for ribs and the response is there is a veggie place in Chester that does not even serve ribs, fake or real.
MK Ian- The last time I was there the fries were a discussion. They are killer but I kept hearing my doctor's voice in my head" no potato" blah blah blah. I went with their fresh made slaw instead that visit.
I plan on smacking my doctor when I see him next for being a jerky McJerk face. Lol
had the skirt steak last night with the black beans and rice.very very good.good salad and lots of fresh crispy bread.cant wait to go back again.very clean inside and good service.
It definitely has the right character inside. I highly recommend the place for pickup.
Went with some girlfriends Thursday night and we were not disappointed, it is hard to believe that it used to be Leo's. The decor, food, and service was great! We will definitely be going again! I highly recommend the Nutella and banana empanadas -)
just saying is all Why are people commenting here when they have not been there? 80% never ate there but “ want to try it”. Not helpful.
Janis We went here a week or two ago with several people. Everyone was drawn towards the empanadas because there were so many interesting variations and they were a great price for our appetizers. Between all of us, I believe we had about every empanada they offered and every one was unique and had great flavor. Another guest with us had the pork ribs and loved them. The chicken meal was average, had good flavor but didn't seem as stand out as the other items were. No one in our party got the sandwiches but we saw them being served to other tables and they appeared to be a large portion and actually looked quite tasty. When I go back I will be trying a sandwich I think. Overall, very satisfied with the quality of food, prices, and atmosphere.
WashingtonTswp
colleen24 
JeffersonRepub Ianimal's pic of his 1/2 chicken dish from Pork Chop BBQ down near Flemington does indeed look delish!! I've eaten there myself and the meat is nicely seasoned.
Bev Got some take out from Pork Chops. Run by asians now but they get the chicken and fresh cut fries right. The chicken is classic Portuguese from Newark or Elizabeth. I actually prefer it over The Sizzle.
Had a great dinner this evening at Sizzle BBQ. First time there, so we 'sampled' our way through dinner. Tried a couple different Empanadas as appetizer starters - perfectly prepared and 3 different sauces to complement those selections. We split a dinner salad as a bridge to the entrees. The chicken (with rice and beans) was tasty, moist and tender. The beef ribs had a nice smoky BBQ flavor. The 1/2 portions were plenty for each of us.
Of course, no first time visit could go without sampling one of the many desserts - in our case, it was the mango cream pastry - a nice finish to a wonderful meal. We'll certainly be back. Sizzle BBQ is a welcome addition to the Hackettstown dining scene!
dan4golf Have enjoyed lunch and dinner at Sizzle many times. Their homemade soups are savory. They recently started offering cappuccino — truly the best I have ever had. They now offer homemade cookies, brownies and pound cakes — perfect with that cappuccino after a wonderful meal.
Robin We stopped in recently and were impressed with the food and service. Their sauces are delicious.
Lovely meal was had and we would go back for sure.
friendly Mcfriendly The owner María plans to introduce a variety of burgers in the near future: burgers with avocado and grilled pineapple, amongst other savory choices.
Went there tonight for take-out - Cheese Steak Empanada's very good and they make a crazy good Potato Salad...really enjoyed it.
ru Outstanding Empanadas. Cannot be beat.
I don't often look for fries or eat them, but when I do, I want them to be good. Sizzle's need to be a lot better.
Going back soon for pork ribs.
Savory soups, including sausage/potato/leek, chicken torrilla, lentil and black bean soups are in the rotation — along with their staples of chicken noodle and chicken with rice
The sizes are generous and the prices
Reasonable!
Can anyone comment on the “juice bar”? I see it advertised outside of the place but nothing in their menu..
JuicyB Had lunch at the Sizzle, I didn't know they added to their menu ie.... Hamburgers, sandwiches, wraps ect.... And the soup was great. Totally recommend the Maria burger.
Russ Went there for the first time to order empanadas for Mother’s Day. They were incredible!
Best empanadas anywhere.
So cute inside.
Wonderful food and service. Highly recommended!
The Sizzle empanadas being served at Maifest were ok at best. Likely to be better served at the cafe but there are too many places out there that have way better than the tiny bland one I had at Maifest.
CBGB This was what I wrote on Google months ago:
Yeah, sorry......we really wanted to like this place. We ordered the pork ribs and found them to be dry and the outer layer was hard and not worth the trouble to chew. One member of our party ordered the Beef Empanada and enjoyed them very much. But I feel if your going to call yourself a BBQ joint, that should be your signature. I find the ribs at Applebees to be far superior to what I ate tonight. Service was polite and the place is clean with a cute decor.
From the looks of things not much has changed.
Geeey Clearly @ Geeey is not familiar with Argentine cuisine: empanadas, BBQ and steak are de rigueur. The owner María makes her empanadas from scratch. Her parents owned an empanada store in Buenos Aires and her recipe is generations old.
To judge a truly authentic cultural restaurant against an over-salty fast/food chain is absurd.
Nailed it, Robin. Comparing anything to Applebee’s tells me ignore the entire review.
Their homemade sauces including chimichurri are outstanding!
Portuguese BBQ is the genre and they add Argentine cuisine and sauces from all over South America. It is not an American or Southern BBQ joint, it is a different animal. I understand the confusion for the first time visitor who has not read or checked out their menu online first.
We ordered Sizzle for catering this past Saturday and it was delicious. Chicken, pork ribs, rice and beans, and chicken mango salad was enjoyed by everyone at the party. I would highly recommend them for catering.
Honestyseasy Just wanted to drop a line to say "What Robin said!"
I will confess that the first time we visited The Sizzle, which was before we moved to Hackettstown, I was *expecting* a traditional American/Southern BBQ. But one look at the menu and it was obvious this was Argentinian.
It's great restaurant all the way around; great food, great service, great prices. Maria is the best.
Monty I'm not a big fan of pork ribs cooked on the churrasqueira, either... I was raised on the low and slow, pull off the bone Southern BBQ ribs and just find the fire-grilled ribs to be way too chewy for my taste. Love that half-chicken, though... and empanadas? Yum.
I am not a fan of fall off the bone. I don't want tendon and the thin, tough part that covers muscle, and that also falls off the bone.
They call that "collagen" and it's widely recognized as being beneficial for skin, hair and joint health and is only broken down by low temperature, long duration cooking processes, but we're all entitled to our personal preferences.
I love the flavor of churrasqueira but I also love real tender smoke cooked meat too.
Sizzle is a good place, I've eaten there a few times. The meat was always good, the fries outstanding, and some very nice empanadas. That said, I've also bought an empanada or two at an event. Some were as good as the restaurant but some were not. I suspect in the reheating, or trying to keep them fresh at an event they don't do so well.
ianimal - I'll have your plate of broiled collagen ready in about 15 mins. Bring your appetite. ;-)
GC Four of us had dinner at Sizzle last night, and it was outstanding!
First, it's Portuguese. The area around Sizzle smells like Lisbon!
This is authentic Portuguese barbecue. This is not American chain food.
We ordered 4 empanadas - all excellent with house made dipping sauces, equally excellent.
We then ordered the Sizzle Sampler for 2 ($55): flank steak, sausage, beef ribs, pork ribs, chicken with a side.
It was huge. We added another 1/2 order of bbq chicken since we were 4 people. We didn't need it, but for most groups, it would probably feed 3 with good appetites.
Flank steak: thin, juicy, very fllavor.
Sausage: super lean, super flavorful. LOVED it.
Pork ribs: excellent. Meaty, flavorful. Not that drippy "fall off the bone" mess in a bunch of sugar.
Beef ribs: Different. Sliced ribs with steak attached. More like flank steak. WONDERFUL.
Chicken: amazing! No grease, smoky flavor, juicy.
The place was crowded, and it it nicely decorated. I feel like we found a great place to eat in Hackettstown. While we love JoM, their menu is limited for us. Sizzle has so much, and it's very reasonably priced. We're very lucky to have both JoM and Sizzle on Main Street!
Commenting is no longer available.