113 E. Main St.
Columbus, OH 43215
614.826.0750
website
A concept built by the same folks who brought Columbus The Walrus down the street and the Olde Towne Tavern, Pecan Penny’s has the same kind of community bar feel as those two joints, but with the added bonus of a Texas-inspired barbecue joint. Oversized benches make the seating, and garage doors open to allow for a little relaxing time on the patio. Half a dozen kinds of barbecue sauce of all stripes are available as you gorge on wonderful smoked and barbecued meat of all varieties. It’s all good here.
Just about anything you like in the traditional barbecue circuit is good here. Some of the best things:
- Smoked Wings: Boy, these have already made a big splash in Columbus, and they’re easily one of the best options in town! Crispy, crunchy and dusted with dry rub, these wings have a steady, sweet and wonderful smokiness that kicks through the whole time. These don’t need sauce or anything else, they are just perfect they way they are.
- Beef brisket: The magic in this brisket is it’s soft and chewy. Chopped, it’s even better, with a kind of simplicity. Melts in your mouth. Add a little of that vinegary southern-style sauce and you’ve got it.
- Brisket tacos: A special that lets you try the wonderful brisket in a taco. Simple with the addition of some onions, a little cilantro and white sauce on a flour tortilla. Don’t skip it if you can.
The restaurant is a traditional sit and serve kind of restaurant, so you’ll have a waitress (or a bartender if you sit at the old-fashioned U) but then the rest of the thing feels pretty casual, almost like a porch party that you’d find in backcountry Texas – or one of the small-town barbecue shacks that are so common there. That’s not necessarily an easy feel to replicate in the downtown of a major Midwestern city, but it really gets pulled off. You come here for a game of cornhole, watch the traffic filter out of town at the end of the day. There’s something special about it.
There’s something about a backyard hog roast that feels uniquely American. If you’ve never been to one, you can picture it well. Bringing not just the food, but the feel, to the city is not an easy task. Happy to see these guys pulled it off so well. I’ll be back.
Recommendations
- Good during the warm weather. There’s an outdoor porch that’s intended for parties and games of cornhole. Very relaxing!
- The wings are an absolute must if you want to enjoy the food here. Should be your first bite.
- Some special events, like crawfish boils, pop up now and then and they’re fantastic.
Another Food Critic 