Black Bear BBQ, Blacktown

Low and slow. That's the ethos behind Black Bear BBQ, serving up Texan-style woodsmoked barbecue. You'll find them in the back streets of Blacktown, feeding a non-stop queue of hungry tradies and office workers. There's nothing fancy here. Just massive serves of meat served up in takeaway cardboard boxes, and that's exactly the way the locals like it.



You'll know you've arrived when you spot the picnic tables out the front and the giant light bulb letters spelling BBQ.


Black Bear BBQ menu

It's one helluva meat fest on the menu. Vegetarians aren't really catered for here, unless you're happy with slaw, pickles and a handful of crisps.

Order at the counter (yes, they have EFTPOS) and enjoy the spectacle of your meat being carved up before your eyes.


Barbecue pork ribs

Barbecue porks ribs are cut through with ease...


Beef brisket

but it's the huge slab of beef brisket, covered in a deep black bark, that's guaranteed to get your mouth watering.


Lunch for three

The meat boxes range in price from $15 to $25, each bolstered with crisps, pickles and a rainbow slaw of cabbage, carrot, celery and corn. The drinks fridge includes plenty of American favourites like Dr Pepper and Canada Dry.


Half rack pork ribs $35

We feast on all the meats, starting with a half rack of pork ribs. They're impressively tender (only a smidge dry at the thicker end of the rib) with its sweet glaze enhanced by a generous dousing of barbecue sauce.


Hungry Bear Box $25
Links, brisket and pork belly

The Hungry Bear Box yields a triple threat of links, brisket and pork belly. The brisket has a lush layer of fat although it's not quite as smoky as we expect, even with the visible smoke ring. There's a good ribbon of fat running through the pork belly, cooked to a caramelised juiciness.


Sausage link with cheese

The sausage link is a real highlight through, the springy smoky sausage stuffed with cubes of cheese. I'd definitely order this again.


Beef short rib box $25

The beef short rib box usually comes with only one rib but because there are only two small end ribs left in the tray, we score both. Win! It's a fatty reward, just the way we like it, the beef cooked long enough so the fat has rendered throughout. Suze reports that it was heavily smoky in flavour on her last visit. Today there's a subtler imparting of smoke to the meat.

Here's the bad news. They're only open weekdays although they do open most Friday nights - I hear the queues are hectic so be prepared to wait. Otherwise you can do as we did and take a day off work for a trip out west. They're open from 6am for breakfast (brisket and egg roll, anyone?) with lunch (and the meat boxes) starting at 11am.






Black Bear BBQ
11/27 Forge Street, Blacktown, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8605 3953

Opening hours
Monday to Thursday 6am-2pm
Friday 6am-2pm, most nights 6.30pm until sold out 


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