Mookie’s BBQ, Great Falls, Virginia

We’re pleased to present another report from Senior Correspondent Chris Heim. Chris lives in Maryland, but is always on the lookout for good food. This report takes him to a Virginia favorite, Mookie’s BBQ at 1141 Walker Road in Great Falls.

We first happened upon Mookie’s BBQ by accident. Call it a “beautiful oops.” An afternoon hike at Riverbend Park beside the Potomac River in Great Falls had lasted longer than we’d expected, and we decided it was far too late – and we were too hungry – to drive all the way back to our neighborhood before eating. Since we rarely frequent Great Falls , we were left at the mercy of Tripadvisor to locate an agreeable looking place to eat, and quickly! Mookie’s looked promising and we decided to give it a try. Located in a nondescript corner shopping center, Mookie’s greets your approach with the fragrance of good things happening in their kitchen, good enough to make you salivate before even entering the restaurant.

Our first visit was good enough for us to cross the Potomac again and again.

On this visit, our third, we were again greeted quickly and kindly upon entering, and offered the chance to sit in the bar area or in the dining room. The bar area has several television sets for sports lovers like myself, and on some evenings live music, such as was in the offing that evening.

The dining room extends into an adjacent sunroom with tables with a clear view into the kitchen through a wide glass window. There is also an outdoor patio area with tables that would be tempting to sit at during times of good weather (though doing so would mean missing the show in the kitchen.)

On this visit we arrived at about 5:00 pm, and our server arrived promptly. We ordered draft beers to sip while we perused the menu and made the most difficult decisions of the day. Among the choices were two rotating drafts on tap. I chose a local IPA and Maryann chose a local Kölsch. When our beers arrived, we also put in an order for Maryann’s favorite item on the menu (and one of mine): loaded fries. These fries feature a white cheddar cheese sauce, green onions, pulled pork, and burnt ends. We shared a small order and they did not disappoint.

The cheddar cheese sauce was in perfect balance with the thin, fresh-cut fries and the generously portioned meats. Both meats were well-seasoned and tender enough to fall apart at the touch of my knife. This definitely was not finger food, but a fork-and-knife affair, and a delicious one at that!

As I was polishing it off, I scanned the menu for another option to share for dinner, and we quickly settled on the braised short rib grilled cheese. I’ve long been a fan of boneless short ribs, and Maryann loves a well-made grilled cheese sandwich, so this was an easy call. The clincher is that this sandwich is made with sourdough bread, another Maryann favorite. We opted for a side of BBQ beans. When the dish arrived, we dug right in.

Biting into the buttery sourdough confirmed the apparent crispiness of the bread’s exterior. The short rib inside was well-flavored, amply portioned, juicy, and just as tender as the meats in our starter. The cheddar cheese was again adequate but not overwhelming. And the side dish of barbecue beans acquitted itself nicely, too, with its smoky flavor and chunks of cubed pork bacon to complement the beans. Note that this dish is a bit soupy. The soupiness does not bother me, but some who prefer a thicker texture might be turned off by it.

We’ll certainly return to Mookie’s for a fourth visit. In addition to pork and burnt ends, Mookie’s offers brisket, turkey, chicken, ribs, and sausage, as well as five burgers, salads, and lots of sides. Excellent food and prompt and friendly service are quite a draw. If you enjoy good barbecue, I recommend that you try it.

There you have it, a good place to eat close to a beautiful park with some 10 miles of hiking trails and other activities. The Mookie Burger especially caught my attention when I looked over the menu. Give it a try and let me know if it’s as good as it looks.

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