Fikscue Craft BBQ

Review Highlights

Fikscue Craft BBQ is a halal 'Indo-Tex' barbecue restaurant in Alameda, California, run by married couple Fik and Reka Saleh. What began as a pandemic pop-up built a devoted Bay Area following, leading to a brick-and-mortar opening in November 2023. The restaurant was named to The New York Times' 2024 list of the 50 best restaurants in America, with writer Eleanore Park praising a menu that fuses Texas-style barbecue with Indonesian cuisine — a combination 'unlike anything else in the country.'

• ·Fatty Brisket ($35/lb) — meltingly tender with a signature jiggle; the NYT calls it alone worth the nearly two-hour wait. “The meltingly tender, jiggly brisket and smoked dino ribs alone are worth the nearly two-hour wait to eat here.”
• ·Smoked Dino Ribs — massive beef ribs smoked to the same fall-apart tenderness as the brisket, drawing devoted crowds.
• ·Rendang Plate — slow-cooked smoked brisket in coconut milk and spices, served with rice, kale curry, potato fritter, and a fried egg with sambal. Called an “umami bomb of flavors” and a must-order for first-timers.
• ·Sumatran Beef Noodle Soup (Batagor) — beef ribs slowly simmered in a pool of lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, and galangal, showcasing the Indonesian side of the menu.
• ·Balado Plate — smoked fried chicken nested under a sauce “punched up with fermented heat,” blending barbecue technique with Indonesian sambal traditions.
• ·Jalapeño Cheddar Beef Sausage — “a nice snap on the outside, super juicy on the inside, and extremely flavorful.”

The New York Times named Fikscue to its 2024 list of the 50 best restaurants in America, with Eleanore Park calling the halal Texas-Indonesian menu unlike anything else in the country. The brisket and dino ribs are the headliners, but Indonesian dishes like the Sumatran beef noodle soup and the balado fried chicken are what make the restaurant more than just a great barbecue spot. Open only three days a week with items frequently selling out, arriving early is essential — but reviewers agree the wait is justified. The Sale Pepe Amore blog rated the meal 8–8.5 out of 10 for its 'inventive and bold flavors.'

About

Fikscue Craft BBQ is a halal 'Indo-Tex' restaurant in Alameda, California, from husband-and-wife team Fik and Reka Saleh. The menu uniquely fuses Texas-style barbecue — brisket, dino ribs, smoked sausage — with the bright, bold flavors of Indonesian cuisine, including rendang, sambals, and Sumatran noodle soups. Named one of The New York Times' 50 best restaurants in America in 2024, it operates from a modest Park Street storefront with seating in the adjacent Alameda Brewery.