Illinois > Belleville: Beast Craft

Belleville is about a 30 min drive from downtown St Louis. Beast Craft is a BBQ restaurant with some twists. They have the standard BBQ (ribs, brisket, chicken, pork) and some other things as well - Pork belly, snoots (a St Louis thing) and pork steaks (another St Louis thing) among others. They have standard sides as well as things like brussels sprouts with pork belly. At times they can have a line. They have a nice selection of craft, local beers, local sodas and source as much as they can locally.

We tried the lean brisket, ribs and pork steak. The lean brisket was very good with a great flavor and good moisture. The ribs had a great flavor but a touch dry since I got some from the thinner end - not terribly dry, but I would have liked a bit more moisture. The pork steak - my goodness, what a delight! It was one of the best bites of BBQ that I have ever had. Better than anything I have had in St Louis or anywhere else. Great balance of smoke and rub. We also like the sauces - they were less sweet than most of the commercial stuff you get nowadays and had distinctive flavors. One a little more sweet, a nice chipotle sauce and one I call a texas brisket sauce (black pepper).

This place holds their own against Pappys and Bogarts (although Bogarts still has the best ribs I ever ate in a restaurant).

Do yourself a favor and if you are in the area, just go. One of my top 5 BBQ restaurants.

Thanks for your reviews of StL area que joints Mark!
I've got to get over there to try that pork steak alone.

Are you in the area for work? perhaps along with member Brad Olson from WI?

If he is nobody told me about it!

Belleville's kind of out of the way for me when I head down that way, but it's good to know there's an option. Thanks, Mark!