Cowboy Up

I came here back on 8÷10÷13 for my 10 year HS reunion. We had our reunion here in Mendon even though I went to Three Rivers. The place was not bad. Food was good. Country music is not my type of music but overall the place was ok.

Being from a larger city I thought we have it all, I was wrong. I have yet to find a place as all around fun as Cowboy Up. I knew it was not in your average place when I noticed the disco Cow Skull over the line dancing teacher saying how good her students were doing because they had «the steps and the claps down».
We came for dinner and stayed for the great music, Steve Armstrong and the 25 cent beer band were fantastic. Most bands are either fun or musicians, they are both.
Everyone by now knows I have a food allergy, and gauge a waitress on her willingness to help me not get sick. Tonja ran in the back, found out what I could eat, and was back with my husband’s pitcher of beer in a minute. She was laid back, friendly, helpful, and above all quick. There is nothing worse than the disappearing waitress, now you see her, 20 minutes later now you STILL don’t.
We ordered the combination platter that they say feeds 6 – 7. I guess cowboys must eat a WHOLE lot more than us mere mortals. The food arrived in the arms of a burly cowboy because it was an entire sheet tray. Not just the half tray you bake cookies in the on, think twice that size. We had an entire slab of ribs, a 6×9 hunk of brisket, 2 chicken breasts, what looked like a half of an entire turkey breast, enough pulled pork for 4 sandwiches, an entire frier full of french fries, a soup bowl of baked bend, another of coleslaw, and what looked like half a sheet tray of corn bread.
The taste was amazing. Due to the low and slow but not smoked method of cooking everything was juicy and seasoned just right. How many places can make a brisket have enough flavor to taste like an expensive steak. The BBQ sauces were straight forward and old fashion. Just what great food needs just a hint to complement, not something fancy and pretentious to drown bad food in.
The price was remarkably reasonable coinciding we were stuffed to our gills and took home 3 large carry out containers.
I’m now working on a girls weekend just to have a field trip to Cowboy Up!

Not bad for a barbecue place out in the middle of nowhere with no competition. The food is okay but nothing to write home about. The salad bar is pretty good. The brisket and pulled pork is very dry but has good flavor. The restaurant is kind of dark and dingy and desperately needs an upgrade. The lighting is very poor. I was watching TV at the bar and the cook comes around and changes the station without asking whether I minded or not! RUDE! The service was mediocre and the waitresses seemed more interested in talking among themselves than getting the food out. This place could be spectacular with a little more attention to detail.

Neat little Barbecue place. The barbecue is pretty authentic and I like that you could add your own sauce to whatever meat you choose. The wait staff was very friendly, but a little unorganized and forgetful. The food was good and you get a lot for what you pay for. There is a dance area in the back which is unique. I would definitely go back.

Went for the first time last night. The restaurant is a little bit of a weird layout, the wait staff is friendly, but the service is haphazard and not real organized. It was busy, but it looked like a lot of new staff training going on as well. The smoked brisket was good, very big portions as well. My wife had the flank steak and thought it was good as well. Oberon on draft, so that was nice as well. Basically, pretty good food and BBQ. Now, the dance area outback was awesome… Great layout, you have plenty of areas to sit and watch the live bands. Lots of line dancin! We are def going back with friends and get our country on!