Don’t you love killing two birds with one stone? Tonight’s version involved dropping off a cake tier for friends who got married on the weekend at a location that turned out to be just steps away from Sloppy Hogs Roed Hus. So we thought it was our duty to capitalize on its proximity, and finally try out one of the most talked about restaurants as of late.

Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus

It’s easy to miss Sloppy Hogs, given its relatively non-descript storefront in a strip mall not far from NAIT. But given we piled into two of the last remaining seats at the bar during the dinner rush, its popularity has nothing to do with its location. The interior reminded me of its sibling restaurant, Absolutely Edibles, with its stone work and dark colour palate. The décor as a whole was much more refined than I was expecting for a smokehouse, and featured just a few telltale artifacts, including two small cowbells and a saddle at the bar. We were also seated close enough to the kitchen to see that instead of a typical dinner bell to alert servers that a dish was ready to go, the kitchen rang an old-fashioned wrought iron triangle hung from the ceiling.

The service was the highlight of Sloppy Hoggs. From the moment we stepped through the door, we were immediately greeted and taken care of. Our server was warm and friendly, and our bar seat gave us a great vantage point to watch the staff interact – they all seemed like they were having a great time, which further perpetuated the carefree, joyous atmosphere that surrounded us. We were also in and out of the restaurant in less than an hour – talk about efficiency!

Whoever designed the menu had a great time doing so – the dish names, including “Piglet Pillows” (brisket-filled pasta), “Hogg Nadds” (pulled pork wrappers) and “My Ridiculous Fat Ass” (a sandwich), were humorous and over-the-top. The menu complemented the cheeky t-shirts worn by the servers, including one that read, “Vegetarian = Bad Hunter”. We weren’t hungry enough to attempt an appetizer on top of an entrée, but many were tempting! I ended up with a half-pound beef brisket sandwich ($9.50) and a side of tempura onion rings ($4). Mack ordered The Cure ($17), Sloppy Hoggs’ take on breakfast for dinner.

My only quibble with the brisket sandwich is that it wasn’t quite hot enough for me – it was lukewarm, but had likely been sitting out while the onion rings were being prepared, as the rings were screaming hot. The brisket itself had been smoked for 14 hours, and had a good ratio of tender meat to fat. The kitchen was also thankfully light-handed with the house BBQ sauce – the beef was allowed to speak for itself. I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed the onion rings as much as I did, but they were fabulously light and crispy, and the onions didn’t slip out of their shells!

Beef brisket sandwich

Tempura onion rings

Mack’s plate was one beautiful dish: pulled pork, barbecue sauce, bacon and a sunny side up egg over top  house-made waffles. He really liked the flavours, and the richness of the pork and runny yolk. The waffle also stayed crispy throughout!

The Cure

We were able to experience first hand why Sloppy Hoggs isn’t a secret gem anymore – between their service and food, it’s easy to see why people would come back and bring their friends. Mack certainly got his meat fix tonight, but the next time that craving hits, we may be forced to stick with felling just one bird.

Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus
10406-118 Avenue
(780) 477-2408
Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 8pm, Sunday, 11am – 5pm