Shelby's - Washougal

My wife ordered the Mushroom and Havarti Burger ($13), which came with grilled mushrooms, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and garlic mayo, plus a generous helping of fries—a pretty good deal in this area! Her meal arrived hot, obviously freshly prepared, and was absolutely delicious. The meat appeared fresh, and the Havarti cheese was genuine, not the processed slices served at other places. I had a craving for BBQ and chose the Brisket Plate ($14.50), which featured six ounces of tender, juicy brisket that was so easy to cut it with a fork. It included a choice of two sides (I picked fries and hush puppies), a selection of BBQ sauce, and cornbread with butter. The brisket was outstanding—perfectly cooked and seasoned—and the fries were homemade, hot, and crispy, just the way I like them. This brisket rivals some of the best BBQ I've had during my 11 years in Kansas City, a place famous for its incredible BBQ. The hush puppies were also delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, though I didn't taste any bacon or jalapeños as advertised. The only slight drawbacks were that the indoor temperature could have been a bit cooler (by about 4-5 degrees), the less-than-stellar happy hour drink discounts, and the missing honey for the cornbread. These minor issues kept me from giving this review a perfect score, which I don’t hand out lightly like many other reviewers. So, there you have it... great food! CombatCritic rates Shelby's Grille 8 Bombs out of 10... More Bombs Are Better!

This is the best southern-style BBQ I've had in the Pacific Northwest. A table with different BBQ sauce options and some banana pudding would really complete the menu!

The best BBQ in town! You must try their brisket—it's incredibly tender and absolutely delicious!

I would rate this place 3 stars for the service and drinks, but the food didn’t impress me. I’m not a big BBQ fan, so if you enjoy BBQ, this might be a good spot for you. I wasn’t expecting it to be a BBQ restaurant—perhaps it should be called Shelby's BBQ. The menu is quite limited, mainly featuring beef and pork, neither of which I eat. My husband doesn’t eat pork either, but he does enjoy beef, so our choices were quite limited. I ended up ordering a chicken sandwich with fries and hush puppies. Unfortunately, the sandwich lacked flavor, the fries were soggy, and some were burnt. The hush puppies were overcooked and hard as well. The staff kindly removed the hush puppies from our bill. On the upside, our server recommended a popular drink, the dirty mule, which was delightful and refreshing. I was initially skeptical, but it turned out to be fantastic. Our server was patient with our numerous questions about the menu. I’d suggest coming here only if you love BBQ or are looking for a good drink.

As a BBQ enthusiast who has cooked my fair share of brisket and ribs, I have high expectations when it comes to restaurants and their service. That said, this place did not disappoint. The food was fantastic—well-seasoned, perfectly smoked, and tender just as it should be. I highly recommend trying all the house-made sauces, especially the apple one, which I absolutely love. The combo platter is perfect for my wife and me, allowing us to feel satisfied and even take some leftovers home. If I could suggest one thing, it would be to include a bit more brisket. I know beef can be pricey, but it would be appreciated! Overall, this is a great place, and I plan to return as often as possible.