Kaddy Shack delivers sub-par dining experience
Kaddy Shack BBQ opened at 1100 13th St. in Boulder on March 8 in the vacant space that previously housed Dairy Queen.
For weeks the anticipation surrounding Kaddy Shack has been building momentum among students at CU, and people were anxious to sink their teeth into some “real” Memphis, Tenn., barbecue.
Owner David “Woody” Woodard successfully created an atmosphere that captured Memphis’ Southern charm. The task of transforming the fast food style interior of the building into something visually appropriate was undoubtedly difficult.
The walls are decorated with numerous pictures of Woodard with celebrities, athletes and country music superstars. There are miniature street signs that say “Elvis Presley Blvd.” and “Beale Street,” which is one of the most famous districts in Memphis. Country music blared from the speakers and the workers spoke in a distinct Southern dialect. The decorations were authentic but sadly the food was not.
Kaddy Shack is known for its delicious selection of barbeque sauces and “world famous” ribs. The menu is small and offers classic dishes like pulled pork, coleslaw and ribs. Two staples of classic Southern food were glaring omissions on the menu: homemade macaroni and cheese and cornbread.
I waited patiently all day in anticipation of finally being able to try this new restaurant on the Hill. This was going to be the cure for my late night munchies during the rest of my time at CU and I was excited.
Once I arrived at Kaddy Shack a sign was posted on the door that read “closed till 4.” As 4 p.m. came and went, an angry mob had gathered outside waiting to please their palates with some Southern grub. We waited and waited until finally the annoyed Woodard let us inside. Everything that subsequently occurred was nothing short of disastrous.
I ordered an eclectic selection of food, deciding to sample as much as I possibly could. I started with a half-slab of the ribs that came with a dry piece of bread and two sides. For $10.95, the amount of food on the plate was substantially over-priced.
The “world famous” ribs slid right off the bone but lacked in both substance and taste. The potato salad and coleslaw were decent, but the small portions and cafeteria style quality were nothing to gloat about. The baked beans were the only tasty item and had moist slices of meat embedded within their gooey core.
Next, I tried the barbecue nachos for $7.95. Disgusting nacho cheese covered dry, tasteless chips accompanied by a small amount of meat and then doused in barbecue sauce. It was nothing to look at and even less to taste. I could’ve spent my $7 on a larger portion from a different restaurant, and then my hunger would’ve been cured.
My meal at Kaddy Shack was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in my life. The quality of the food was comparable to the often-atrocious CU dorm food and lacked everything that makes a meal memorable. Most of it was probably frozen, thawed and served, or purchased at Safeway. Honestly Safeway’s potato salad is far superior compared to Kaddy Shack’s.
For those of you who have lofty expectations for Kaddy Shack, you should either not go, or have your hopes and dreams shattered like I did. Unfortunately, I will never go to Kaddy Shack again.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Quincy Moore at Quincy.Moore@thecampuspress.com
