Half Moon Bar-B-Que, Silver Spring - Waned.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I took a field trip this afternoon and met Stretch (plus the Whopper) for lunch at Half Moon Bar-B-Que on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. This is a down-and-dirty hole-in-the-wall barbecue/blues music joint in sort of a run down strip of shops a couple of blocks south of Colesville Road.

The menu is very limited but has sliced brisket, pulled pork, ribs, sausage and chicken on the menu, You can have a sandwich for about $4.50-5.00 or you can have a platter of either 2 or 3 kinds of meat. The platter comes with choice of 2 sides.

I opted for the 2-meat platter and ordered the pulled pork and the brisket. Both very serviceable. The platter came with the brisket piled up on one side with the pulled pork in this medium sides plastic container. The sauce is tomato based with just the right amount of spice to give some sting the meal. The meats were both well smoked and tender, I didn't detect any sort of "rub" and I would describe the style as "Kansas City." I had the French fries and the 3-bean salad as the sides. The fries were great, the salad so-so.

Stretch had the ribs and sausage, but I'll let him throw in his 2 cents.

A nice pint draft of Sierra Nevada each and the tab came to just under $30. I get the feeling that the place has some nightlife as we were the only ones in the joint at about 12:30. A couple of other diner drifted in, but I get the impression that they have other sources of revenue.

My view is that the Q at Half Moon is a good bit better than Rockland's, but about average if you hail from Kansas City, like I do (we have high standards for bar-b-que). I'd go back if I was in the area.

Website

Edited June 3, 2005 by Jacques Gastreaux

[jasonc]

I had the French fries and the 3-bean salad as the sides.  The fries were great, the salad so-so.

Jack,

Were you disappointed because the menu advertised four kinds of beans, yet you only got three? serviceable indeed!

"rubfully" yours,

Jason

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Jack,

Were you disappointed because the menu advertised four kinds of beans, yet you only got three?  serviceable indeed!

"rubfully" yours,

Jason

Frankly, when I was writing this up, I couldn't remember how many beans were supposed to be in the X bean salad, and I really didn't care for it, for that matter. And I don't go to a barbeque joint for the salad. I had to pick 2, stretch already picked the barbequed beans. I thought the barbeque was fine. I take it you have been there and had a different experience.

[johnb]

They also have a fairly good burger and fries. And the night life comes from some live music they have, several night a week I think. All in all, not a bad hole-in-the-wall.

[jasonc]

Frankly, when I was writing this up, I couldn't remember how many beans were supposed to be in the X bean salad, and I really didn't care for it, for that matter.  And I don't go to a barbeque joint for the salad.  I had to pick 2, stretch already picked the barbequed beans.  I thought the barbeque was fine.  I take it you have been there and had a different experience.

No, I've never been. I just wanted to rectify the discrepancy I noticed. Thanks for the review though, I will definitely check it out now.

[squidsdc]

Half-Moon BBQ in Silver Spring has closed...Here's hoping that the offer he couldn't refuse will result in a new local restaurant coming on the scene? (There's always hope!)

[Sthitch]

Was it any good?

[JPW]

Was it any good?

Flip that question around, Steve. It wasn't bad. As JG put it in his old review -- "servicable". More importantly, it's only a mile from my house.