Uncle Frank’s BBQ & Catering

Tod? What happen?

Please open back up Frank! I use to love coming to this hole in the wall and having your Cajun Corn and the 48-​hour slow cooked bbq. I knew this place was good the first time I came because I seen all the awards on the wall and was instantly impressed. If anything, find another hole somewhere in San Jose so we can start having your bbq again. I always hated driving to Mt. View and I know San Jose folks would definitely appreciate the good grub you put out. Smoking Pig and Andy’s is pretty good, but I liked your bbq the best!

CLOSED. I went there– nothing there! I also drove to Old Middleway, which is where Google told me to go for Uncle Frank’s– also closed.
I sent in an update to Unilocal,and I hope they confirm it soon, because this wasted a lot of my time last night.

This place sucks, seriously. Way over-​smoked brisket and the sides are out of a can, or at least they seem that way. Their ribs are terrible and chewy as well. The staff has an attitude to boot. You’d be much better off going to any number of other bbq place in the area.
Uncle Franks — You suck.

The place is CLOSED!
I’m sure Uncle Frank’s BBQ was good once upon a time. Maybe even great. I’m sorry I missed out on it.
But I’m even sorrier that I invited a friend to meet me there for lunch today. The bar is there, but Uncle Frank is no where to be seen and there is no food. A nice lady behind the bar told me that the intent was to bring Uncle Frank’s food there, but that it did not work out.
I hope that Unilocal posts this and that no one wastes their lunch hour trying to find the legendary Uncle Frank’s BBQ.

I thought Uncle Franks packed up his ‘Q” and went back home. Good to see he back in business.
I miss good BBQ! cant wait to get back to Franks! if you have a party, tailgate or just love good BBQ stop in and see Frank.
My only concern is its hit or miss on occasions, one night the food is good as gold, other nights its pretty bad. So my suggestion is to only go there on Thursday — Sundays, that way you get the best off the smoker.
So on Thursdays thru Sundays check them out!

I am offended this place is highly rated.
Terrible customer service. Their phone sucks so you can’t call in and order. «Just order when you get here.»
Food tastes like it was smoked 4 days ago refrigerated and reheated in the microwave. Over smoked and tasted like gas. Food was also cold.
The best part was the sliced bread.

I’ve been a fan of Uncle Frank’s since it’s last location in Mountain View. When I heard it had reopened I was eager to go back and dig into some brisket and cajun corn.
On Friday night, the listed hours had them serving until 11pm. We arrived just after 8:30, stood at the bar for a while (there is almost no indication anywhere that Uncle Frank’s is even here) and finally the barmaid came over and we inquired about the food. She left to the back, returned and told us with the most «I couldn’t care less» expression that they’d stopped serving a few minutes ago.
Really? At 8:40, with two tables in the bar eating? We went elsewhere, but I decided I would give it one more chance before I wrote them off.
On Sunday we returned, during some sort of Blues show, which to be honest was good music but at ear-​splitting volume. We again asked about the food and this time got to order.
The small menu has been pared down dramatically to a handful of items, and sadly the cajun corn appears to be one of the casualties. I ordered the brisket with spicy BBQ sauce and the baked beans.
The brisket was thankfully great, and the sauce maybe the best I’ve ever had, although the portions seem to have shrank slighty since the Mountain View location. The baked beans were just as good as I remember, but in place of the excellent cornbread were two small slices of wheat bread.
I suppose I should be thankful that they even exist at all now, but it’s hard not to be sad at what was lost in the fire that forced the move. Hopefully it’s only temporary and eventually they will bring back all of the things that made me a fan. I miss the table service and not having my eardrums mutilated. Not to mention the bar must be for vampires, it’s so dark.
For anyone who loved the old place and hasn’t been to the new one, now you know.

I gotta say. YUM YUM YUM!~!
I wouldn’t say the dishes are cheap but they are very reasonable. Especially for the taste that you get. We ordered both ribs and brisket to try them out. I normally prefer ribs but in here, I liked the brisket better. There’s just something about Uncle Frank’s briskets that just melts in your mouth.
I was eager to meet the ‘real’ Uncle Frank but the ladies told me that he’s back in South opening another Uncle Frank’s restaurant. If I ever do come across him, I definitely will be giving him a thumb up!

It’s da Beef No’ Guy again!
O — wasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!
\-|-/​
/​\
OK so at Uncle Frank’s there’s no noodles, no broth.
But prep a fine a$$ piece of bovine that makes a man (or a woman) go mooooooooooooooooo (at the table that is), and tha’ Beef No’ Guy is sooooooooo there.
Got the brisket off the lunch menu and I think it was close to $ 9.99. Good portion of smokey succulent juicy melt in your hands (and mouth) quality cuts that required very little tooth pressure for the most part to separate the strands, with the hot sauce (spicy max) providing a much needed BAM! and luckily not causing any problems with
O
(POOOF!) { }_​/​|\
{ } /​\
or
O — how bout a courtesy O
/​|\ flush man?! Peeeeeew! /​|\ | TOILET
/​\ || —-
later, made this a real winner.
Good solid 3 star work, but in order for a four star to happen…
— the cole slaw dressing seemed a little bit too watery for my liking
— for starch you only get two pieces of untoasted wheat bread (with the crust trimmed). This makes for a real sloppy sandwich if you try to do it. A thicker loaf (like a dutch crunch, country, or sourdough) would have been better.
— an option to say add or upgrade side for a small fee (say $ 2) that includes Uncle Frank’s signature sides (whether it be beans or collard greens, or a little bit of corn), even if a miniscule portion, would have enhanced the lunch combo experience and value.
A decent taste of Suthun BBQ in Mountain View otherwise.

I finally made it.
From Unilocal’s earliest moments, some of the most boisterous food reviews from these parts have come from the kindred neices and nephews of Uncle Frank. So, to come here today, for the very first time is equally satisfiying as it is humiliating for knowing that I am *that* out of the loop.
Like the default order of lumpia at a philipino restaurant, I tend to order the briskit when I step into a bbq place for the first time (although Texans I’ve found may steer me toward the beef ribs — get it?).
Despite having come of age during college in a land where vinegar and pig flesh equate to the word barbeque, I’ve admittedly evolved into quite the briskit rut. (and, hook me up with a toothpick, while you’re at it)
Like meat? Come see Uncle Frank.
Awesome 3 way vibe (eating, bar, pool hall) that makes anyone feel at home.
Minus points for no iced tea. Huh? Also, what is up with faux, synthetic, squishy, roll it up as a ball *WHEAT* bread with the meat? What, did Wonder go out of business. Hello?

Mama T (head cook) will help you choose your meat if you are having issues making a decision or simply need company. Choosing your cut isnt an easy task when you have the delicious choice between smoked brisket, ribs, sausage and more. Mama T says she smokes her meat for more than 20 hours! I finally decided on the combo plate of brisket and ribs with spicy BBQ sauce and a side of Lousianna style beans and Cajun corn! I do believe the food here would be Sam Merlott approved! (All of you True Blood fans know what I’m talking about) :P
The brisket! Unlike any other protein I’ve experienced. The smokiness and chewiness dipped in there spicy BBQ sauce took me straight to the bayou on a perfectly humid Baton Rouge night. And I’ve never been to the South!
The restaurant is a little run down with a dusty performance stage that needs to be risen from the dead a la bluegrass banjo or an open mike night. I asked Mama T about the performances and she stated they hadn’t had a performance in months and she has no one to do the planning for her. :(
There is a bar adjacent to the restaurant so after you get your meat on buy a corona for 3 bux and hustle some old man at pool in the billiards room.

Came here again recently and it was SO good! The same waitress was there, and she was so sweet. We couldn’t decide between potato salad and coleslaw. Despite her recommendation to get cole slaw, the bf picked potato salad instead. While we were waiting for our food, she gave us a cup of the slaw to try and… well, let’s just say we should have listened to her recommendation!
We got ribs, hot links, and chicken with the hot bbq sauce on the side. All good :)

My co-​workers took me here for my bday lunch yesterday and we just laughed when we walked to the front of the resaturant.
I totally wasn’t expecting this kind of hole in the wall place. As you walk in there’s a bar and you have to walk further in the back to get to the normal seating area. It has a «you’re in the middle of nowhere» kind of feel. haha
But ignoring the setting, the food was really good. We all ordered the BRISKET!!! mmmmmm
I think this place is great for take-​out. Everything smells smoked and mesquite in here!!!

What can I say about Uncle Frank’s that hasn’t already been said…
I love this place; plain and simple. It’s a no-​frills, back of a bar place. Don’t judge it based on this, b/​c isn’t that what makes it so great?
The ribs are my favorite, smothered in the hot BBQ sauce. They are soooo smokey, it’s just incredible! The cajun corn on the side is a must – you won’t regret it. The potato salad is good, and recently I tried the mac-​n-​chesse. It was fair, but not the best I’ve had. A recent addition that I love are the hush puppies. I’m from the South and I just can’t get enough of a good hush puppy! Although you’re stuffed on the main course by the time you’re done, dessert is an option. Recently I took home some of the peach cobbler… it was mighty fine.
A big plus is that there’s a full bar, albeit separate! The staff is incredibly friendly and make you feel welcome!
Uncle Frank’s is the best BBQ I’ve had in the Bay Area. I’ve been back several times and will frequent it many more.

Two important bits of information for those who have never been here:
1. Uncle Frank’s is the back area of a dive bar called FRANCESCA’S! So, if you are driving around on Old Middlefiled at night, you will not be able to find Uncle Frank’s because the lit up sign says «Francesca’s instead of «Uncle Frank’s!» Just FYI, since plenty of our party got lost both times we went there.
2. Uncle Frank’s is closed on Mondays!!! Their hours on this Unilocal page and on their website is wrong. We came on a Monday once, and their dinner area was closed. I called to check another week, and they confirmed that they are only open Tuesdays-​Saturdays.
Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s talk food. Their brisket comes in a very large serving, which was tender and drizzled in BBQ sauce (choice of mild or spicy). Their spicy actually has a little kick to it, so if you are wary of the spice, might want to order mild. The ribs were overly blackened, so we weren’t impressed. The hush puppies however, were yummy! They had a house-​made tartar sauce then went perfectly with it.
They have a large variety of sides — we ordered the collared greens, cajun corn, cole slaw, and baked beans. I found the baked beans to be the best, and the cajun corn was actually REALLY good after I added some of my spicy BBQ sauce to it. The cole slaw is a little weird because it had pineapples in it, and the collard greens were just okay too.
A little weird also that all drinks come from the bar area, which the waitress says is a «separate business.» Even if you want water, you have to pour it from the pitchers by the bar. The service is also slow, as there is only two people in the kitchen and one waitress serving all ~10 tables.

There’s something magical about going to a BBQ restaurant that’s at the back end of a dive bar. Came here for lunch with some coworkers and it brought an amusing tear to my eye when the the guys at the bar were checking out my coworkers. It somehow made the experience that much better.
The waitresses were super friendly and helpful. It genuinely seemed like they were happy to be there. That’s always refreshing. It makes me happy too. On her recommendation, I ordered the lunch ribs, hush puppies, and corn bread. Ribs were were really tender and pretty meaty. But in hind sight, I think I got jipped a bone. I only got 2 when the menu promised me three. Sadness! But I had my very delicious corn bread and hush puppies in which to drown my sorrows.
The only real down side is that to get drinks you had to go to the bar. Since I was stuck in the booth, somebody else went to get us water. But when I wanted more, that was kind of a pain.
I really want to come back here for dinner some time. BBQ just ain’t right without a beer.

This is the easiest review I’ve ever had to write.
Texas Smokehouse BBQ is 5 Unilocal stars. Uncle Frank’s is not just a step down, it’s about 2 steps. That’s not a insult, they run a nice joint with good food, but all their accolades are not warranted. Texas Smokehouse BBQ in San Jose delivers everything I thought Uncle Frank’s would.
I ordered the house special brisket and it was good for sure and my boss gave me a pork rib. Pork rib was average, kind of small and not very skin-​tingly, juicy and falling off the bone. Brisket was good and juicy and had a nice taste to it. My experience was positive overall. Waitress was nice and the place was clean. (it’s attached to a bar btw, so you can’t order anything other than water from the waitress).
My final thought is no matter what you hear about Uncle Frank’s winning awards and etc, I tried both this place and Texas Smokehouse BBQ and Uncle Frank’s cannot hold their jock strap.
Texas Smokehouse BBQ = 5 stars
Uncle Frank’s BBQ = 3 stars
Make the right choice if you want «real» BBQ.

I don’t eat much meat. I don’t particularly like BBQ. I don’t usually give 5 stars to restaurants.
I ate a lot of meat here. I loved the BBQ here and everything else we ordered. I think it deserves solid 5 stars.
First of all before we go to the food, this place is a stellar, a landmark that needs to be ranked as a historic preserve. It’s in a quite deserted stretch in Mountain view, and it’s hidden in a SERIOUS DIVE. Last time I saw establishment like this was probably in the middle of no where in Ohio. As soon as you walk in, the people sitting at the bar are those people who have no life besides hanging out with friends there every night. They are all very kind people, some drunk, some horny, some only care about beer. Whatever. They directed us to the dining area which is in the back room that has a nice little platform/​stage. Picture it, dark dive, 2 pool tables, gaming machines, little platform, stellar.
Ok here’s the food.
We got the 2 item combo, Beef Brisket and Smoked spare ribs, which comes with 2 sides of your choice and corn bread, and we chose Cajun corn and Pineapple yam. And we also got the fried chicken wings.
Beef brisket is the heaven. You just can not skip this one. It’s soooo juicy and tender, extremely flavorful. The smoked spare ribs have very nice smoky flavor, also juicy and tender, especially the meat that’s right by the bones. I wish I could chew the bones. The fried chicken wings are HOT, and the fries that come with it is piping hot, crispy outside and incredibly soft inside, like fried mashed potatoes.
The sides are no less impressive than other items. The cajun corns had a very nice spicy kick that I just could not put it down. The pineapple yam was sooooo spicy (with spices not pepper), it’s almost like a pineapple yam pie without the crust. It was a great dessert in my opinion.
The waitress is such a nice mamma, she kept giving eyes and mad fun of my bf and I, cuz we could not be separated even with out mouths full of BBQ.
Get the spicy BBQ sauce instead of the regular one. It has a nice kick, and less sweet than the regular one. Don’t worry it’s not at all too hot.
Great place, fantastic food, awesome redneck fellows, hardcore dive, it’s just outstanding.

So if a place is a dive, it get more points automatically, right? Hmmmm. And because it’s a dive, we can excuse all usual shortcomings that might count against higher end places, right? Because bad service gives it «character.» Right?
Uh…Wrong.
I love dives, but just like everyplace else, they have to do all the right things to get a good rating. They have to be «diamond in the rough». But Uncle Franks doesn’t hit all the wickets for me. The service is super slow, and sometimes downright abominable. The side dish items are hit and miss, sometimes good, sometimes not much better than a supermarket deli. And dives should be relatively cheap, but Uncle Frank’s charges standard bay area prices for what it dishes out. A lunch combo with two sides and cornbread will run you just under 20 bucks. And that’s with no drink.
Uncle Franks does an excellent job with one thing: meat. If you want to go to get some killer brisket or delicious ribs, this place does it right. But that seems to be where the excellence stops. If you are lucky, you’ll get there on a day with interesting homemade side dishes like mean greens or cajun corn, unless they run out suddenly. But other times you may get the pretty standard beans, cole slaw, etc which are pretty dull. The corn bread is sometimes fresh and warm, and sometimes cold and dry. It’s a roll of the dice.
I recommend going here in a group if possible, since groups seem to get a little more attention. And make sure you have some time on your hands. Count on waiting 10 minutes to order, 20 minutes to get food, 30 minutes to eat, and maybe another 15 minutes to get your check, (and then maybe another 10 to actually pay and get change). That’s almost an hour and half folks.