Last month, Ron from Beacon Hill commented that he prefers Roy's BBQ to the nearby Jones BBQ. This spurred us to get off our ass and finally check Roy's out. The verdict: hot damn, that's a good sandwich.

That's the biggest difference between Roy's and a place like Jones: Roy's is all about sandwiches--pulled pork, beef brisket, pulled chicken, even the oyster po' boy. As usual, specialization pays off.

The Georgia Gold (a favorite on Yelp) was a perfectly sized dollop of pulled pork on a soft roll from the Columbia City Bakery. The Gold's mustard-based sauce delivers a delicious tang, spicy and interesting without crossing the line into heat. Just the right amount of slaw mixed in delivers a satisfying, contrasting crunch to every bite.

We also picked up a side of Connie's Mac-n-Cheese. It's not as stellar as the sandwich, but it's very good. It's a recipe so thick it's served as a slab, not in a bowl.

We'll be going back. We foresee only one problem--the Georgia Gold is so good we're reluctant to try a different sandwich. (And we do wish they were open later on more days. It can be hard for us to get there by 7--how about 8 or 9, Roy's?)

Roy's BBQ // 4903 1/2 Rainier Ave South in Columbia City // 206-723-ROYS // street parking, but not nearly as difficult to find as in Capitol Hill or Belltown