re: The Steak House and Hi Ho BBQ in Hammond Reviews

I think B&J is a great seafood joint. The shrimp were beautiful. The jumbo lump wasn't jumbo lump.

I didn't notice any au jus at HiHo. Just watered down ketchup, more or less.

I've eaten at Hi Ho all my life. My father had his first ever Coca Cola there when he visited Louisiana in 1937 so once in awhile we would drive to Hammond and grab one.

I do it like Boss sans the cheese and it serves a purpose for me. Nothing to write home about but a sliced pork sandwich with a thin BBQ sauce and a cold bottle of Barqs. About twice a year. Suits me.

that location in metairie absolutely bombed

dont even think it lasted a year

also didnt help themselves to have so little parking

I never tried any other location except the original which isn't even the original. I remember another smaller one close to that location when I was young. I think realigning the road changed that.

Facts about the Caboose: The original owner is Lloyd Kinchen. The first Caboose was in Independence. Years later Lloyd opened another Caboose in Hammond. After opening the Caboose in Hammond, he closed the one in Independence and it became a video poker establishment and has also closed down because of mismanagement. Lloyd later sold the Caboose in Hammond. The new Hammond owners vowed to keep the menu and recipes the same. Maybe they didn't and popularity declined. The owner of The Steakhouse in Hammond across from the police station, one block from the railroad tracks in the center of town on Thomas Street is Lloyd's son. Lloyd's son cooked a lot of the steaks in the original Caboose. Lloyd now owns the Caboose in McComb Ms.. I ate at the McComb Caboose about a week ago and it was good and there was a big crowd in there that evening.

About the Hi-Ho, my favorite place in Hammond. The HiHo was opened over 50 years ago by Mr. Joe Spitale. Back then, barbeque sauce was not what it is today. We are talking approximately the 1950's here. Mr. Joe came up with his sauce recipe and the way he cooked the meat and it has not changed. Mr. Joe became a wealthy man with his "barbeques". In his last years of life Mr. Joe and I placed together in the Independence Brass Band. He was a tenor sax player. The band played marches exclusively for town and church events. The sauce is thin and still has the same flavor. I can taste the garlic in the sandwiches. Today's HiHo sandwiches are a taste from the past and they are what they are. If you are looking for Texas, Memphis, Carolina, Kansas City barbeque with the thick rich sauces of today, as you know, you won't find it at the HiHo. Eating at HiHo is like going back in time and experiencing a taste of the past. After the passing of Mr. Joe, the HiHo has been owned by Mr. J.T. Guzzardo and he has retained the recipe that all the locals love.

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I don't mind a thin sauce, but I mind when it has no flavor and this had no flavor

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I've lived in Hammond most my life and while it is mainly a "local" thing. The taste of the sandwiches now is completely differnt (IMO) of the way they were. It's kind of nostalgic to us to go get 2 pork heavy, a bag of plain Lays and a Barq's because that's what we did with our dads or grandpas.