Leo's

Name: Leo's BBQ
Location: 3631 N. Kelley Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Type of Food: Barbecue
Website: NONE
Kid Friendly: YES

Once again Diner's Drive-ins and Dives hits a three pointer. Leo's BBQ is one of those places you might never visit had you not heard about it from a friend or on TV. The restaurant is actually an old gas station turned BBQ joint. The original owner (Leo) bought the place and (loosely) transformed it into a hole-in-the-wall BBQ paradise. He built a brick smoker into the wall and therein lies the secret to his amazing food.

I took my whole family and we decided to order by weight and item instead of each getting a plate. We tried their brisket, spare ribs, some sides, and their cake. The brisket was good, but I didn't find it any better or worse than what you might find at another good BBQ place. His spare ribs, however, are some of the best ribs I have had. That may be because I'm something of a purest and he only uses salt, pepper, and natural smoke to flavor them, but whatever the reason, I would gladly eat them again... and again..... Another huge winner at Leo's is his home made BBQ sauce. He has a spicy and a regular version, both of which are delicious (though I'm partial to spicy) and he sells both by the bottle. People swear by his delicious cake, and while it was good, that's really all I thought about it.

A description of Leo's would be incomplete without at least mentioning the atmosphere. From the street it may look a touch shady, but inside it's really quite full of character. Don't get me wrong, it's old and there is nothing fancy about it, but it has a very homey feeling to it and the people who work there make you feel welcome. It's a little pricier than I thought it would be, but still not terrible. I understand that there is another Leo's in town now, but I haven't visited that one. Overall: definitely not the place for a nice date, but if you just want to relax and eat some great BBQ that will stick to your bones, Leo's is the place to go.

Check out the vid from Triple D: