Animales Burger Co. - Minneapolis

By far the best burger in MSP or I ever remember having anywhere.... Better than Parlour ! Damn I want to go back now!

Based on recent visit, I believe their best product is the pork belly. Amazing. I also liked the sausage, beans, pickled cauliflower, jalapeños and gold sauce. I thought the brisket and ribs were average. The burnt ends were overcooked and chopped too small. Some as small as half-inch. However, I would return for the pork belly and sausage.

I ordered ribs and chopped pork, which tasted like they were cooked in either water or a propane cooker—absolutely no flavor whatsoever. The pork belly was particularly disappointing; it had an awful texture, a gray color, and was overly greasy. I’ve traveled all over the U.S. seeking out good barbecue, and this place is far from it. I suspect the reason they add slaw and pickles to their sandwiches is to mask the lack of flavor in the meat. I’m puzzled by the 4.6-star rating, and honestly, I wouldn’t spend my money here again. While the staff was friendly, I’m sorry to say I won’t be returning. I’m giving it 2 stars because I feel bad about giving anyone a 1.

Today, I had their BBQ, and I can confidently say it ranks among the worst I've encountered. The pulled pork was undercooked, yet they disguise that by chopping and mincing it to mask the toughness. Although there was a visible smoke ring, there was no actual smoke flavor—it felt like they were using a steaming process with propane. Then there was the pulled pork sandwich, overloaded with coleslaw, pickles, and various toppings, which is not how most people prefer their sandwiches unless they're from South Carolina. Moving on to the BBQ ribs, I was extremely disappointed. They were coated in a lackluster rub that had a hint of heat and sweetness. In my opinion, ribs that fall off the bone are a sign of overcooking; the meat ended up mushy, resembling a pot roast on a stick rather than ribs. If you know ribs, you'll agree they should have a bit of resistance when you bite into them. Wrapping them in foil and drizzling with vinegar or a thin sauce only leads to overcooking. Once again, the flavor was lacking—no smoke flavor whatsoever, likely due to the use of the propane-assisted Old Hickory smoker. We know propane contains moisture, which prevents achieving that rich smoked flavor. Lastly, the pork belly was unlike anything I've ever tasted—it was burnt, tough, and overcooked, drenched in grease. I could see a quarter inch of clear fat, a telltale sign of the propane cooker. They might occasionally toss in a stick for a minimal hint of smoke, but the majority of what they use is propane. As for the burnt ends, they were a huge letdown—bland, gray, and devoid of seasoning. Typically, burnt ends should be 1-inch cubes sprinkled with brown sugar and spices. I could go on, but if you value traditional BBQ, you'll be disappointed here. Honestly, MINNESOTA DESPERATELY NEEDS GOOD BBQ. If you only eat BBQ in this state, you'll never truly understand what great BBQ is like. Thank goodness they didn’t have brisket; I’d have preferred McDonald's for $40 instead.

Since we were also planning to go to another BBQ spot, we decided to just pick up some ribs and brisket this time. Unfortunately, they didn’t have beef ribs available; otherwise, we would have loved to try one of those. Everything looked fantastic and was well-packaged. We were pleasantly surprised to find some burnt ends included with our pound of brisket. My first rib was decent. I suspect they were baby back ribs. The meat pulled away from the bone quite easily, which I didn’t prefer; I like a little more chew. However, the next rib I tried was much better—good flavor and a nice bite. It wasn't overly smoked and was seasoned quite well. While it wasn't mind-blowingly good, I would say they were solid ribs. As for the brisket, it was also quite good. It could have benefited from a longer smoke to render some more fat, but it was still tender and had a lovely smoke ring. Their sauce is tomato-based with a good amount of spice—definitely more than what we generally find in Minnesota. All in all, I would say it was some pretty solid BBQ. I'm definitely interested in exploring more of their menu items and specials, like the birria tacos and burgers!