Most good barbecue joints share certain cliched characteristics. A well-worn, rural-themed decor. A casual, laid-back atmosphere. A large, sweaty man in a sauce-stained T-shirt running the show.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, which opened last week in Scottsdale, doesn’t fit that image. There’s an undeniable fast-food feel to the Texas-based chain, which boasts “slow cooked, served fast.”

The strip-mall space, brightly painted in red and pistachio, is open and airy. High-def TVs are tuned to soccer games. Energetic teenage staffers are decked out in polyester shirts and baseball caps.

You order at the cash register, choosing from a half-dozen types of meat available in sandwiches or by the plate.

Smoked turkey and chicken are the highlights of my visit. The turkey breast is cut into thick slices with no traces of skin; the chicken breast is cut across the grain like fajitas. Neither has much smoky flavor, but both are incredibly tender and juicy.

Barbecue sauce comes on the side in a small dish. Dickey’s standard sauce is tangy and on the thin side. Surprisingly, it’s served cold. But a warming unit next to the soda fountain offers two piping-hot sauces, labeled “spicy” and “sweet,” that are slight variations.

Among other meat options, good-sized pork ribs, devoid of visible fat, yield plenty of tender meat, and sliced Polish sausage is flavorful. Pulled pork and beef brisket both are a bit dry, which easily is compensated for by adding sauce.

Sides — plates come with choice of two — include small crocks of ho-hum barbecue beans and macaroni and cheese. Waffle fries, which have a hint of garlic, are better. Baked potato casserole, a chunky version of mashed potatoes, also would be a winner it wasn’t room temperature.

My favorite part of the meal are Dickey’s large dinner rolls, which also come with the plates. Dense but soft, they’re buttery and slightly salty. On my next visit, I’ll definitely order extra.

A soft-serve ice cream machine provides free, do-it-yourself cones for dessert. Unfortunately, it breaks down during my visit so I’m out of luck. Oh well, another thing to try next time.

This is Dickey’s second foray into Arizona. A couple of previous franchises, including one in Chandler, closed a couple years ago. I’ll bet this franchise stays around.

If you’re looking for authentic, down-home barbecue, Dickey’s probably won’t appeal to you. The food has a certain mass-produced sterility. For a fast and fairly inexpensive meal, though, it’s surprisingly enjoyable.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Where: 7337 Shea Blvd., Scottsdale (just east of Scottsdale Road)
Open: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Prices: Sandwiches $4.29, one-meat plate (with two sides and bread) $8.59, two-meat plate $9.99, three-meat plate $10.99, desserts $2.59
Info: (480) 368-5569 or dickeys.com.

First Tastes offer “first impressions” of new East Valley restaurants. Full reviews, based on multiple visits, aren’t written until restaurants have been open at least a couple months.

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