A Sunnyslope Stop for Serious Texas-Style Barbecue

A tray can get serious quickly at this Sunnyslope barbecue stop: sliced brisket beside ribs or turkey, a scoop of ranch-style beans, a warm-looking pan of macaroni and cheese, and perhaps banana pudding waiting at the end. The cooking is Texas-style, with smoke and seasoning doing the heavy lifting rather than a blanket of sauce.

Brisket is the centerpiece. It comes sliced or chopped, and a lean sliced portion is an option for diners who prefer that cut. The meat is known for being tender and juicy, with a straightforward profile of salt, dry rub and gentle smoke.

The setup is casual counter service, but it has an unusually welcoming rhythm. Diners join the line, place an order, collect food at a separate station, then settle in at a table, booth, counter seat or patio bench. Staff members are attentive after the tray lands, too, checking in without turning the place into a formal dining room.

A small taste of brisket may be offered during ordering, which is a nice way to understand the restaurant's priorities before committing to a plate. It also explains why a modest order can grow a little larger by the time it reaches the register.

For a first visit, combinations and meat plates make sense. They let a table compare brisket with pulled pork, ribs, sausage or turkey rather than choosing a single lane. The food is built for passing around, debating favorites and returning for one more bite of somebody else's selection.

The three barbecue sauces give the table some room to play. A spicy sauce and a mustard-style sauce are among the choices, with bottles also set out at dining tables. Still, the smoked meats are comfortably full-flavored on their own, so sauce can stay an accent rather than a rescue operation.

Pulled pork brings a darker bark and plenty of smoke character. It is a good contrast to the brisket's beefy richness, especially on a shared tray where each meat gets a chance to show its own personality.

The ribs are notably meaty and tender, with a slightly sweet glaze on the outside. St. Louis ribs are also on the menu, giving rib-minded diners another direction to take the order.

The 707 house sausage has small pieces of jalapeño scattered through it, but the heat stays mild rather than aggressive. It has a pleasing snap when bitten into and remains juicy, which is exactly what sausage should do in a barbecue lineup.

Hot links offer another sausage option, while turkey has a devoted following for its exceptionally tender texture. Calling barbecue turkey “butter tender” is a high bar, but it captures why this is not merely a fallback choice for someone avoiding red meat.

Pork belly has appeared as a Sunday offering and gives regulars a reason to make that particular day a barbecue day. Because popular meats and sausages can sell out later in the day, the available lineup may be more generous earlier on.

The side list is broad enough that choosing two can become the hard part. Jalapeño cheddar grits are a particularly good place to start: creamy, cheesy and visibly flecked with pepper or jalapeño, with a mild warmth rather than a punishing blast of spice.

Ranch-style beans have the savory, sturdy quality that barbecue beans ought to have. They are not pushed toward dessert-level sweetness, and they hold their own beside rich meats instead of disappearing under them.

Macaroni and cheese is another worthwhile counterweight to the smoke. It has been described as tangy and lightly smoky, a little more interesting than the plain, cafeteria-style mac that too often fills this role.

Potato salad comes in a red-potato style preparation, and coleslaw provides the cool, crisp note a full barbecue tray needs. The sides are substantial rather than decorative; a plate can easily become a meal before the meat count gets too ambitious.

Banana pudding gets the sort of attention that makes it hard to dismiss as an afterthought. It is a sensible finish after smoke, salt and spice, and a good item to split if the table has already been generous with the meats and sides.

The smoked pecan pie goes in a more intense direction. Its filling is very sweet and soft, almost gelatinous in texture, so it will appeal most to diners who like their pie unabashedly rich. This is not the quiet little bite to order out of politeness.

The Sunnyslope location has a large air-conditioned indoor dining area, a practical blessing when barbecue cravings collide with Phoenix weather. Inside, the mix of tables, booths and counter seating gives solo diners and groups different ways to settle in.

Outside, the patio uses long bench seating that gives the meal a more communal character. It suits a family group, a lunch with friends or any order that has expanded into enough food to require a little elbow room.

Free parking is available in the lot, with some street parking also mentioned. Space can be easier or harder to find depending on the time of day, much like the line inside.

Busy lunch periods and weekends can bring a line toward the door, though the separate ordering and food-pickup stations help keep the process organized. At quieter weekday or early-evening times, the wait can be much lighter.

Earlier visits offer the best odds of seeing a full selection before limited meats or sausage run out. Once the tray is assembled, though, there is no need to rush the rest of the visit: a few sauces on the table, a bench or booth, and a dessert decision are enough to keep the afternoon moving at barbecue speed.