Sandwiched between a gas station and a combination cars sales lot and lube station, Roscoe’s Barbeque, 9711 Kaw Drive in Edwardsville, is easy to pass by. Hidden behind the gas station sign, the building is barely visible until you are about to pass it.

Even with the help of a GPS, I passed Roscoe’s and had to take a quick turn into the car sales lot. Then I had to drive about in search of where I was supposed to park. There was a concrete patch on the side of the building, but it had no lines to speak of so I declared it a free-for-all and made my own parking spot.

Exiting the car, I immediately noticed an assorted pile of wood that appeared to be cherry. A barbeque restaurant that cared about the wood it used was obviously going to have great food.

Heading inside, I was surprised that the restaurant was one large room; it looked much larger from the outside. Nine tables took up the majority of the space with a single counter in the very back. The small menu hung over the back of the counter. Instead of descriptions about their meat options, the menu simply stated beef, pork, ham, turkey and ribs available in a meal, in a sandwich or by the pound.

I was taken aback; I didn’t just want to order pork. I wanted a nice flowery descriptive title that would have enticed my senses more than just pork. I ended up ordering a full slab of ribs with a side of french fries, because it was Ribs Tuesdays at Roscoe’s. The lady behind the counter took my order, told me to sit down and called back to Roscoe himself to prepare my food.

Sitting next to a window, I had a terrific view of the gas station and highway to entertain me until the ribs arrived.

When they arrived, they looked great. The ribs had a deep brown color that was nicely contrasted by the pure white bread they were served with. The meat did not fall right off the bone, but it came off easily. They had a thick tough bark on the outside, but the inside meat was tender. Overall, they tasted good and I would happily eat them again. However, next time I go to Roscoe’s, I will be trying something different.

The fries were plentiful and hot, but they were obviously Ore-Ida and tasted accordingly bland.

Despite the generic fries, Roscoe’s is overall a decent restaurant. The barbeque is good and the restaurant comfortable. It may not be worth it to drive specifically to Roscoe’s, but if you are passing by, it definitely merits a stop.