Food and booze are two things in life that go together well.
The natural pairing is harnessed nicely at Buck’s Naked BBQ in Freeport with its unique “Fooze” menu. While the description on the menu reads “a little bit of food with your booze,” it wasn’t until I ordered a Yabba-Dabba on a recent night out that I truly understood the concept.
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A “little bit” is a slight understatement. When my vodka cocktail — mixed with house-brewed sweet tea and lemonade in a pint glass — arrived at the table, what stood between the booze and me was a big honking beef rib nestled atop the glass.
The rib itself was longer than the glass is tall, and cooked to the perfection that the barbecue joint touts. The drink was yabba-dabba-delicious and, for $6.95, fairly priced.
Al Brown, who runs the Freeport location, says the Fooze menu is pretty popular and always changing. The bartenders work to shake up the menu, but customers weigh in frequently on which combinations work and which fall short.
The bestseller is the Bloody Buck, which is made with the venue’s very own Bloody Mary mix and served with a baby back rib. Since I’m not the world’s biggest Bloody Mary fan, I’ll take Brown’s word that this drink is “truly phenomenal.”
The restaurant and bar, located on Route 1 just south of downtown Freeport’s shopping hub, is a fun, relaxed place to take the family or meet up with friends.
Upstairs is a fun, relaxed dining area. Above the booth where I sat was a sign that read “Recharge Your Mojo,” and a large piece of art featuring a trio of peppers with wings hung high on the back wall. Just before the stairs leading to the downstairs was a play area for kids, making the dining family-friendly.
The bar is located downstairs in the “Juke Joint.” You can swing by for a chill night of watching one of five televisions or playing a game of pool. Or you can enjoy live entertainment starting at 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night, often featuring local musicians.
If you’re going for the barbecue as well as drinks, don’t be afraid to get dirty. Buck’s leaves a large roll of paper towels on the table to wipe up the mess. Or you could just lick your fingers clean.
For those of you interested in keeping your barbecue and booze separate, Buck’s does have a ton of other options. It offers 12 beers on tap and 14 in bottles, ranging from $3 for domestic brews up to $4.50 for a Guinness. Wines are priced from $4 to $7.
The full bar offers cocktails starting at $3.50 and ranging up to $10 for something like a margarita mixed with top-shelf liquors. Fooze listings range from $5.95 to $7.95.
While the rib was an interesting touch to add to a cocktail, I asked them to hold the beef when I ordered my second Yabba-Dabba, and they weren’t offended by the request.
Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.
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