Woodstock Brings Smoking Good BBQ To Lakewood

Woodstock
13362 Madison Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-8828
Hours: 3:00PM - 2:30AM
Serving until midnight every day.
http://www.facebook.com/woodstockbbq

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BBQ, Bar-B-Que, Barbecue no matter how you spell it, has been sadly missing on the westside of Cleveland, and in Lakewood. Attempts are spotty at best, with mixed results on different days. Over a decade ago, I was working with the Williams family to bring Hot Sauce Williams to Lakewood. That never materialized and a restaurant you could count on for ribs, brisket and BBQ just didn’t exist.

Five years ago, BBQ took off again, quickly overtaking tacos as the cool food to search out and try. But like the craft beer mentality, it was more about tasting various attempts at BBQ, and posting about it, instead of finding a rock-solid Barbecue you could count on for a good BBQ day after day, time and time again.

The question on everyone’s mind was when would good BBQ arrive here on the North Shore? Well, it just did. Robert Tagliotti, a Lakewood wash ashore from 20 years ago, and entrepreneur, has stepped up and put money where his mouth and belly are, on Madison. Directly across from his other business, Red-Eye Photo Booths, Bob bought Trios, and has been turning it into a proper Bar-B-Que. It took nearly a year to get the smokers installed and working perfectly.

Eight years ago I ran into Bob and he wanted to open “Bob’s House of Beef.” Glad he came up with a better name for this fine establishment. It was amazing seeing him sitting there at the beautifully renovated “Woodstock,” with the same concept, good beef for the city. Well, more than beef. With the help of pit-master Toomy Chambers, Bob is delivering great brisket, ribs, rib tips, chicken and sausage. It's BBQ Pit style, served in a pie tin with paper napkins and plastic utensils, which makes it more of a Southern BBQ experience. Add in the good side dishes and Brunswick Stew, amazing selection of bourbons, ciders, beers and ales, along with some mighty fine mescal, a great time will be had by all. For all Lakewoodites, Bob kept on some of the amazing staff from Trios, like the night barmaid. On a hot night, on the patio, it might be the best spot on Madison.

Although Bob has never been in the restaurant and bar business, Bob knows great food, and travels all over in search of good food. He knows nice, he knows comfortable and he knows what he wants. I think he got it right. One of the interesting features in this restaurant-- no highchairs, and no kids after 9pm. “People have to understand, it’s a bar/restaurant, that is no place for kids after 9."

Who cares what I think? Go check it out yourself. You will love it.

Woodstock
13362 Madison Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-8828
Hours: 3:00PM - 2:30AM
Serving until midnight everyday
http://www.facebook.com/woodstockbbq