Hawk's BBQ Extreme

10449 Midlothian Tpke
N Chesterfield, VA 23235

 As you may know, I LOVE BBQ! It is by far my favorite food. When done right, it is like a slice of heaven in your mouth and when done wrong, it is still better than any salad. I have made it my mission to eat at every BBQ restaurant in the Richmond/Central Virginia area. My latest BBQ experience was at Hawk’s BBQ on Midlothian Turnpike. It is a tiny little hole in the wall shoved in the corner of a non-descript strip mall off of Midlothian Turnpike. It is almost impossible to find; even while actively searching for I had a hard time finding it.

Pulling into the parking lot, the Hawk’s BBQ looked quite sketchy. The outside windows were covered in airbrushed paintings which only added to its trashiness. The inside matched the outside with a lot of airbrushed paintings on the walls and on the large menu hanging above the counter. It looked like a Mexican gang hangout.  While the place called itself a BBQ restaurant they were barely any BBQ on the menu, only a BBQ sandwich and a BBQ platter. The rest of the menu consisted of mainly fried fish and a few other southern foods.  On the walls hung pictures and newspaper clippings, including an obituary, of Mr. Hawk, the gentleman who founded Hawk’s BBQ. From the pictures and the clippings I got the feeling that the Hawk’s name had slid downhill since his death.

Feeling cheap and extremely unappetized, I ordered the BBQ sandwich which cost over $4. Within a minute I received my sandwich. I small little thing on a soggy bun already soaked in BBQ sauce and covered with cole slaw. The sandwich tasted like it could have come from a Lloyd’s BBQ container bought at Food Lion. It did not contain a single note of the smokiness or home cooked “love” mentioned in the paper clippings.  The cole slaw was extremely sweet, finely chopped and watery.  It was as generic as a BBQ sandwich can be. I really hate to be mean but it was by far the worst BBQ I’ve had on my many excursions. It was edible; but that’s the best thing I can say about it. 

Needless to say, I will not be going back to Hawk’s BBQ. The restaurant is a little on the trashy side and the food, well the BBQ at least, is lackluster and devoid of any slow cooked smokiness that I love in good BBQ.  I will drive the extra mile down Midlothian Turnpike and eat at Famous Dave’s.  Heck, I’ll even drive down the road and buy some BBQ at Food Lion before I eat at Hawk’s again.