This Modest Ohio Restaurant Might Be Serving The Midwest’s Best Brisket
I’ve spent years chasing great barbecue across the Midwest, and I can tell you that finding truly exceptional brisket north of the Mason-Dixon line is about as rare as a snowstorm in July. Most places serve up dry, flavorless meat that makes you wonder why they even bothered with a smoker.
But then I pulled up to Ray Ray’s Hog Pit in Westerville, and everything changed. This unassuming spot doesn’t look like much from the outside.
There’s no fancy dining room, no white tablecloths, just a walk-up window and the intoxicating smell of wood smoke drifting through the air.
What they do have is brisket that rivals anything I’ve tasted in Texas, Tennessee, or the Carolinas. After my first bite, I immediately understood why people drive from all over Ohio just to stand in line at this place.
Finding Your Way to 5755 Maxtown Road
Ray Ray’s Hog Pit sits at 5755 Maxtown Road in Westerville, Ohio, tucked into a spot that you might drive right past if you weren’t looking for it. The location doesn’t scream barbecue destination at first glance.
There’s no towering sign or flashy billboard to guide you in.
What you will notice is the line of cars snaking through the drive-thru and the handful of folks standing at the walk-up window, all waiting patiently for their turn. The Westerville location has become a beloved outpost for barbecue lovers throughout central Ohio.
People make the trip from Columbus, Dublin, and beyond just to get their hands on that famous smoked meat.
The setup is refreshingly simple. You order at the window, they hand you your food, and you can enjoy it at one of the outdoor picnic tables or take it home.
There’s no indoor seating, which actually adds to the charm. This is barbecue in its purest form, focused entirely on the food rather than fancy atmospherics.
Getting there is straightforward, and the parking lot can handle the crowds that show up, especially on weekends.
The Brisket That Started the Conversation
Let’s talk about why you’re really here. The brisket at Ray Ray’s is the kind of meat that makes you stop mid-conversation and just focus on chewing.
Each slice comes off the cutting board with a dark, peppery bark that crackles slightly when you bite into it, giving way to impossibly tender meat underneath.
I’ve had my brisket both as a sandwich and on its own, and both preparations showcase the quality of the smoke and seasoning. The meat practically falls apart with the gentlest pressure from a fork.
There’s none of that sawing and tearing you have to do with lesser brisket.
What impressed me most was the smoke ring. A proper smoke ring tells you everything about how the meat was treated, and Ray Ray’s shows off a beautiful pink band that runs deep into each slice.
The flavor is rich and beefy without being overwhelming, with just enough smoke to remind you this came from a real pit.
Multiple reviewers have mentioned eating this brisket every weekend for months without getting tired of it, and I completely understand that dedication.
Spicy Dry Rub Magic
One of the secrets to Ray Ray’s success is their spicy dry rub option, which elevates the brisket to an entirely different level.
When you order your brisket with the dry rub, you get an extra layer of flavor that builds as you eat, starting with a pleasant warmth and growing into a satisfying heat that never crosses into painful territory.
The rub includes habanero peppers among its ingredients, giving it a fruity undertone beneath the spice. This isn’t just heat for the sake of heat.
The seasoning blend complements the natural richness of the beef while the smoke adds another dimension entirely.
I watched one regular customer order his brisket sandwich with the spicy dry rub, and he told me he’s been doing it every weekend for three months straight. That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen by accident.
The combination of perfectly smoked meat and expertly balanced spice creates something genuinely crave-worthy.
Even if you’re not typically a spicy food person, I’d encourage you to try at least one bite of the dry rub brisket. It might just convert you.
Jerk Chicken That Rivals the Main Attraction
While brisket might be the headliner, the jerk chicken at Ray Ray’s deserves its own standing ovation. This isn’t some watered-down version of Caribbean cooking adapted for timid palates.
The seasoning tastes authentic, with the right balance of allspice, thyme, scotch bonnet heat, and that distinctive jerk flavor profile.
The jerk chicken sandwich has developed its own cult following, and after trying it, I joined that cult immediately. The sandwich comes piled high on an onion bun with a pickled slaw that cuts through the richness of the chicken.
One reviewer described it as more like two sandwiches than one, and they weren’t exaggerating about the portion size.
What makes this chicken special is the smoking process combined with the jerk marinade. The meat stays incredibly juicy while picking up smoke flavor that complements rather than competes with the Caribbean spices.
The sauce that accompanies it is so good that people literally scrape their wrappers to get every last drop.
Several customers mentioned this as their go-to order, even at a barbecue spot famous for brisket.
Mac and Cheese with Character
Ray Ray’s mac and cheese is not what you’re expecting, and that’s a good thing. Forget the bright orange, gooey versions you’ve seen at other barbecue joints.
This mac and cheese has a darker color that comes from the specific cheeses they use and how it’s seasoned, giving it a more sophisticated flavor profile.
The texture sits somewhere between creamy and firm, with each noodle properly coated but not swimming in sauce. Some people have strong opinions about this mac and cheese, either loving it or finding it too different from what they expected.
I fall firmly in the love category because it tastes like actual cheese rather than processed cheese product.
It’s mentioned nearly fifty times in customer reviews, which tells you this side dish has made an impression one way or another. The mac and cheese pairs especially well with the pulled pork, and many regulars order it as part of their Pulled Pork Mac Bowl.
The seasoning includes hints of spice that complement the barbecue meats without overwhelming your palate. This is comfort food with a backbone.
The Meat Sweats Box Experience
Ray Ray’s offers something called the Meat Sweats box, and the name alone should tell you everything you need to know about portion sizes. This sampler platter lets you try multiple meats in one order, making it perfect for first-timers who want to experience the full range of what the smokers produce.
The box typically includes samples of ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and hot links, giving you a comprehensive tour of Ray Ray’s smoking skills. One reviewer mentioned getting the Meat Sweats for Two, which came with all those proteins plus sides, and they described it as more than enough food.
What I appreciate about this option is that it lets you compare the different meats side by side. You can taste how the same smoking technique brings out different qualities in beef versus pork versus chicken.
Each protein gets the same careful attention, from the seasoning to the smoking time to the final presentation.
The name might be playful, but the execution is serious. This is how you feed a group or figure out what you want to order on your next visit.
Collard Greens Done Right
Barbecue without proper greens is like a song without rhythm, and Ray Ray’s understands this fundamental truth. Their collard greens show up in review after review as a standout side dish that holds its own against the smoked meats.
The greens are cooked down until tender but not mushy, maintaining enough structure that you know you’re eating a vegetable rather than green mush. The seasoning leans savory with a hint of smoke, likely from being cooked with some of the meat drippings or smoked meat itself.
There’s a richness to these greens that makes them more than just an afterthought on your plate.
I’ve seen multiple customers specifically request greens instead of coleslaw in their bowls, which speaks to how well these are executed. One regular mentioned that their go-to order is the Pulled Pork Mac Bowl with greens substituted for the slaw, and they could eat it daily if their budget allowed.
The portion size is generous enough that the greens feel like a substantial part of your meal rather than a token vegetable. They’re the kind of side that makes you feel slightly less guilty about eating a pound of smoked meat.
Drive-Thru Convenience Meets Scratch Cooking
Ray Ray’s has managed something remarkable by offering genuine scratch-made barbecue through a drive-thru window. This combination of convenience and quality is rare in the food world, where drive-thru usually means compromised ingredients and rushed preparation.
The drive-thru gets mentioned repeatedly in reviews, with customers appreciating that they can grab award-winning barbecue without leaving their cars.
The staff moves efficiently even when lines form, and the service comes with genuine smiles rather than the glazed-over expressions you get at corporate chains.
What makes this work is that Ray Ray’s doesn’t cut corners just because they’re serving food quickly. The meats still come from the smokers out back, where the team tends them carefully throughout the day.
The sides are still made from scratch. The only difference is the delivery method.
One reviewer specifically mentioned watching the smoking team at work while waiting for their order, noting how focused and skilled they were. That dedication shows up in every container that comes through that window, whether you ordered from your car or walked up.
The Sauce Selection Strategy
Ray Ray’s offers four different sauces, and choosing between them is part of the experience. The sweet sauce gets mentioned most frequently in reviews, with customers praising how it pairs with the pulled pork.
The Carolina sauce brings tangy vinegar notes that cut through rich meats beautifully.
What I respect about their sauce game is that none of them try to hide subpar meat under sugar or heat. These sauces are designed to complement already excellent barbecue, not rescue it.
You can taste the meat first and the sauce second, which is exactly how it should work.
The staff happily provides samples if you’re not sure which direction to go, and most people end up taking a couple different options to try at home.
One reviewer described the sweet sauce as something that would haunt their dreams, which might sound dramatic until you taste how perfectly it balances sweet and tangy.
My recommendation is to try your first few bites without sauce so you can appreciate the smoke and seasoning, then experiment with the different options to see what speaks to you.
Planning Your Visit to This Ohio Barbecue Spot
This place is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly. They open at eleven in the morning Tuesday through Sunday and run until eight-thirty in the evening, giving you plenty of window to grab lunch or dinner.
The busiest times tend to be weekend afternoons when the lines can stretch a bit.
Several reviewers mentioned that arriving earlier in the day means getting the freshest meat right off the smokers, though even later batches still maintain quality. The prices fall into the moderate range with two dollar signs, meaning you’ll pay more than fast food but less than fine dining.
Bring cash or cards, both work fine. The outdoor seating area provides picnic tables if you want to eat on-site, but many people just take their food to go.
Weather doesn’t stop the operation since everything happens through the window anyway.
This is real barbecue in Ohio that stands up to anything you’ll find in traditional barbecue regions. Come hungry, be ready to wait a few minutes during peak times, and prepare to understand why people keep coming back week after week for that brisket.