Visited the original Waldo's on Main St. in Mesa. Extremely casual BBQ decor, sawdust on the ground- booths and tables everywhere. There's a "bar" up front and they have full service options with beer and well drinks. The staff was friendly, greeting us as our party walked through the door. Our server was nice as well, checking in on us several times to make sure we were happy.
The food is just okay. I ordered the smoked chicken and it was a bit fatty with mixture white and dark meat It was a decent portion served with two homemade side dishes. There are plenty of sides to choose from- I went with the spicy fried and mac n' cheese. The fries were undercooked and were doused with some sort of seasoning that I guess was supposed to be spicy? The mac n' cheese was also ho-hum, elbow macaroni with very "soupy" cheese sauce- not much flavor. I had to add a lot of salt and pepper to give it some taste. We were only served one type of BBQ sauce- it was a little sweet and served warm.
The prices are definitely reasonable- I paid $7.95 for 1/3 pound meat and the two sides, which are endless servings (only one order for me though). Sodas were served in giant mason jars- adding to the country vibe.
I'd try Waldo's again- give some other sides a shot and maybe give their ribs a try. The service helped the overall experience.