Sonny’s BBQ Pit

• 889 W. Columbia Ave.
• Battle Creek, MI 49015
• (269) 660-6225
• Website
• Menu

It’s not often work takes me to Battle Creek, but today, it did.  A co-worker and I were killing time when we went by where the OT’s cart used to be on Beadle Lake Road.  I mentioned that I was a little disappointed it wasn’t there and the guy I was with said he ate at a place a couple years ago that had great BBQ.

I know of two BBQ joints in the Cereal City and if it wasn’t OT’s, it had to be Sonny’s.  I didn’t know the address, but thanks to modern technology (ie. smartphones), that wasn’t a problem.  We found the address and realized we were pretty close, so we headed that way for lunch.

Sonny’s BBQ Pit (formerly Sonny’s Pit Stop) is on Columbia Avenue just east of Woodrow Avenue on Battle Creek’s west side.  The building is a stand alone in a very commercial area.  There’s a patio out front with an entrance that leads into a small dining room.

We actually entered through a side door and I saw a sign that said to sit down if you were planning on eating in.  We were so I went to sit down.  My co-worker noticed the buffet and headed right for it.  He asked the waiter, who someone else actually called Sonny, if the buffet was going today.  He said it was and that made our decision easy. 

While we were looking over the buffet, the waiter brought out a couple Cokes.  The advantage of going to the buffet was that I could have as much pulled pork as I wanted….and that’s dangerous.  I used to eat at a Texas-style BBQ buffet when I lived in Peoria.  I left feeling sick every time….sick not because the food was bad, but because I had eaten way too much.  I knew I could do the same thing today if I wasn’t careful.

My first trip I went for the basics.  I grabbed a paper plate off the stack and opened up the hotel pan that was filled with rib tips.  I put a pile on my plate and then loaded up a bun with pulled pork.  The best thing about the buffet is everything is served naked.  There are bottles of the Original sauce on each of the tables, but they also had bottles of their Sweet Sauce and Spicy Sauce near the buffet.  My first go around, I stuck to the original.

The rib tips were not what I was expecting.  There were no bones which was awesome.  It was just tender pieces of ribs that are perfectly cooked.  Very tender and still a little juicy.  I covered them in the original sauce which was very good.  Not too sweet, but still in that Memphis sweet style.

The pulled pork was fanatstic.  It’s served the way I like it and again, very tender and very juicy for a piece of meat that is slow smoked.  I put a lot more on my bun that I’m sure I would have gotten had I ordered off the menu.  Again, I topped the sandwich with the original sauce.  Not too much though because I really wanted to enjoy the meat.

On my second trip, I noticed a tray of Mac & Cheese had been brought out.  Of course I had to try that.  It was a little different than what I was expecting.  It was more peppery than cheesy, but still very good.

I also picked up more pulled pork on my second trip.  No bread this time though.  Just straight pork.  I did go with the sweet sauce on this trip and this sauce is right up my alley.  It’s not too thick, but very sweet.  I know not everyone likes the sweet sauces, but I do and this one was definitely sweet.

My co-worker branched out a little more on the sides than I did.  He also got a pulled pork sandwich in addition to spaghetti, corn bread and baked beans.  I didn’t ask for specifics, but I know he was very pleased.

We sat there for a little bit after we got done eating to let the food digest.  Our bills were about $10 a piece and that includes the drink.  It’s hard to get a meal at a BBQ joint for that price.  Granted, there were no ribs on the buffet, but I almost always order pulled pork anyway.

Sonny’s is another great BBQ joint in Battle Creek.  The big advantage they have over the competition is that they actually have a dining room.  The buffet is a great idea and it’s really priced well.  I was heading back to find a fast food joint somewhere so I’m really glad my co-worker brought it up.  J’s a little mad at me because I had BBQ without her…but she’ll get over it.  I’ll bring her back next time we’re in Battle Creek.

Rib Tips

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Mac & Cheese