Nubby’s

Destination barbecue in south county? Believe it —  even if on first glance the location couldn’t seem less promising. Nubby’s occupies the entire second floor of All American Sports Mall. One room looks over the hockey rinks; the other is a huge, open sports bar complete with a wall of televisions, darts, skee ball and a seating area with leather couches. The neon liquor signs and banners that decorate the room make Nubby’s look like the sort of county sports bar where you’d find deep-fried finger foods like crab Rangoon and taquitos — and you will, only instead of straight-from-the-deep-freeze junk, they are handmade and based on old family recipes. As for that barbecue, owner/pitmaster Matt Hines is serving some of the area’s best brisket and a wonderful thick-cut pork steak. $-$$. Opens weekdays at 11 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. Open til midnight on weekends.