I'm going to put it out there, it's a hole in the wall and it's not most visually appealing food. But it's pit beef, the food which nourishes the working class. It's not fine dining so keep your expectations low and have them surprisingly exceeded. Having lived in the Howard county area for 30 years, pioneer pit beef has stood the test of time. My mentor took me here when I was on middle school and I remembered thinking this was the best thing ever. Though it used to 8 dollars for a super pit beef platter, inflation has only raised it to 11 dollars in 2024. In contrast to the food industry where consistency is severing lacking, pioneer pit beef thrives at it. The staff and ownership has barely changed through the generations. This has kept cost down and operational steadiness throughout its history. The value one receives from this establishment far exceeds any fast food chain. Food this fresh and fast is unmatched. Treat yourself to the super pit beef platter (medium rare). Tiger sauce and onion are my go to. No gravy on the fries. Get a pickle if you are the sour/savory type. Cash only!

Probably the best pitbeef in MD. The tiger sauce is wonderful! Had read about them a lot. The place is a little hard to find but the food is wonderful. The meanu is limited but very tasty. They don't have indoor or covered seating.

Walk into the yellow shed hidden behind the liquor store and you've come to the right place. Lunch crowd was steady and ordering is quick and efficient as you walk through the shed and walk out the other side with food in hand. Service staff was friendly. There are three benches if you care to eat outside the shed, or take it to go. As for the pit beef sandwich I ordered medium rare, it was flavorful, though a little stringy and fatty in some bites. The meat was more medium than medium rare. The onions were flavorful, the horseradish was perfect and not overpowering, and the mayo was good.

Excellent service and Excellent food. The pit beef was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. 1000% bussin bussin. Also, I was short a buck and they looked out for me. Will be back here 100 times.

Best pit beef I've had. Med rare, onions, and tiger sauce is the way to go 🔥💨🥩

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Cash only. Great pit beef, great proprietors. Well worth the wait in the long line. Moves pretty fast. Get there early for a quick lunch.

Item: Regular beef burger with American cheese/ $7.25 + PRO +Good pit beef/ + variety of sauce / +Great value / cheap price / Quick serve / on roadside, have parking / Friendly and helpful stuff - CON -no toilet, if you need to take a leak during your lunch break I got au jus(the meat sauce), Tiger sauce (mayonnaise and Horse radish), onions with my burger it was great! Definitely need to try barbecue sauce with mustard the next time. Their fries also looked amazing, which just $2.5. Enjoyed it at their picnic table, with the scent of their burning wood.

Fantastic pit beef. The medium rare was perfect. The flavor was excellent. The fries with gravy are scrumptious. The only part that's tough is no covering to eat under. If it's sunny, it's hot. Of it's rainy, it's wet. I'll go back on cool and dry days.

My favorite pit beef spot. Their beef sandwich and BBQ pork sandwich are both tasty. Always reasonable price compared to other places. Whenever I travel to somewhere (remotely) close to this place, I will find an excuse to stop by.

I was visiting Maryland for work and my work friends drove me out here to sample some great local cuisine. It was sunny and cold in early December, but the sandwich was quite possibly the best beef sandwich that I have ever had. Cash only. They give you a sample of the beef while waiting in line to ensure that it's cooked the way you like it. I ordered mine rare, not knowing that they had extra rare. Maybe next time!

It's been tough to find a great pit beef place since the one near me burnt down a few years back. Was so very happy when a friend suggested this as a place to meet and the sandwich was SO good (lots of tasty meat and not fatty) Picnic tables set up right next to the "hut" so we could sit and chat for a little bit.

Used to visit this place a lot; recently decided to stop buy and grab some pit beef. After a few sips I looked at my cup and there were little ant like bugs in my drink and also smashed in the lid. Please clean your cooking/working space.

This sloppy looking, blood dripping mess might not look like much, but rest assured it is one thing Maryland does right. This classic pit beef sandwich served up from the folks at Pioneer Pit Beef Catonsville, MD on the outskirts of Baltimore delivers one of the most tender pit’s I’ve had. Sadly for me, I never knew about this place till after I left the area. Nestled behind a liquor store rests this rustic smokehouse where an line out the door, for even an early lunch crowd, had me brimming with anticipation. They have only a few menu options, but only one is needed really, the super pit sandwich. For $7 you can’t can’t go wrong.

I don’t want to beat a dead horse but like everyone in the review says…. their pitbeef is the best!!!!!! Super tender, juicy, and flavorful!!!!! You can smell the meat & smoke as you’re walking towards it from the parking lot. Also, huge shoutout to the staff for the wonderful and generous service :) They are one of a kind ❤️! Tip: get extra tiger sauceee!

During our visit to Maryland, we were told that trying Pit Beef was a must, and after exploring various Pit Beef places, I found Pioneer Pit Beef to be my personal favorite. This place is a small establishment located behind a convenience store. As soon as you arrive, the enticing aroma of their smoky dishes fills the air. Despite a long line, the service is efficient and moves quickly. I appreciate the speed of service. I had several customizations I wanted for my sandwich, and they got it right. You have the option to specify how you'd like your meat cooked and select from a variety of sauces to add to your sandwich. I enjoy observing the staff as they prepare my sandwich, slicing the meat right in front of me and assembling my order while I wait in line to pay. I ordered a Medium Rare Super Pit Beef Sandwich with tomatoes, cheese, onions, tiger sauce, hot jus, and a side of French fries. For a sandwich of this size and quality, along with crispy, savory fries, all for less than $10, it's easy to understand why the locals highly recommended this spot, and I wholeheartedly agree. They offer a few outdoor tables, but it's worth noting that this is a cash-only carryout spot. You can withdraw money from the adjacent convenience store for your convenience.

Don't blink or you're likely to drive right past Pioneer Pit Beef. This cash only, takeout only eatery offers the basics; pit beef, ham and turkey. You can get a regular sandwich or a super for less than a dollar more. The meat was very moist and tender, but it lacked that deep pit cooked flavor you usually get from pit beef. Adding some of the Au Jus did compliment the meat nicely. Service is quick so don't be intimidated by longlines they get you in and out. Next to other pit beef restaurants Pioneer definitely makes the list and is worth a trip for a sub or sandwich.

This is the definition of a hole in the wall place. Their pit beef, turkey and ham are awesome. The employees are friendly. I grew up getting pit beef here and continue going often. They are CASH ONLY. Prices are cheap.

CASH ONLY Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun closed (A photo posted in May 2023 showed the place as closed for repairs.) Price: $$ Parking: Plenty (Shares parking with a bar/liquor lounge) We decided to take a detour to visit Pioneer Pit Beef in Maryland when visiting DC a few months ago. PPB is in a yellow shack with green roof shingles and trimmings. It’s located behind Johnny’s Bar and Liquor Lounge shares the parking lot with it. A ginormous pile of wood and a big green dumpster greets you before entering the small building. There were three long picnic tables out front. When ordering the roast beef, they gave us a choice of medium rare or medium. They suggested medium rare. We decided to order super medium roast beef to share with the Tiger sauce on the side. We regretted our decision because medium seemed more well done (barely any pink), so it was very dry. Will try medium rare next time. Tried the sandwich without the Tiger sauce. It tasted like cardboard. It had no flavor other than smoke, but the Tiger sauce made a huge difference. What’s Tiger sauce? It’s a creamy horseradish sauce. The meat portion of the “super” was nothing like what the picture they posted on the board. It was more like half the amount. Overall, it was pretty good. Next we’ll order medium rare roast beef with onions, salt, pepper, provolone cheese ($.50), Tiger sauce, and maybe Mayo if we’re in the area.

YUM! YUM! YUM! I picked up lunch for myself and a bedridden friend. So tasty and juicy! We both went with pit turkey. There was SO much meat; could never handle the super size! Undeniably the BEST anywhere!

Been going to Pioneer for years. Have passed the love for their super pit beef sandwich platters to my offspring. They always seem to ask for it. It's nice to ho and see the same faces doing things the way they always have. Serving awesome pit sandwiches over and over.

Twice I've tried to go to this place, both times within their business hours, and both times they've been closed. Pretty frustrating. Don't bother trying to come here, even with the good reviews. It doesn't matter how good their food is, showing up during business hours to find them closed (on multiple occasions) means no food at all.

I find this to be the best pit beef I’ve had in MD. I always order it rare. It’s not always rare but that’s the best chance for it to be moist. Also best onions. My go to is super sandwich rare tiger sauce salt and pepper. The people are nice too.

I heard about Pioneer pit beef on Instagram and was looking forward to giving it a try. I live in the DC vicinity, so give or take an hour. Anyone that uses their GPS needs to know that it says, "You have arrived " before you can see it. There is a small wooden building in the same parking lot that I first mistook to be the beef pit - closed! Go to the top right of the lot to be able to see it.😐 The line was about 8, or so, people long. You have to line up outside until you are second or third out.The prices were very good. I chose the beef, but they also have turkey (no pork). I know most people seem to love it, but it was a tad plain for me. I felt the taste of smoke overtook the taste of beef. Maybe I should have tried the tiger sauce but I was thinking I wanted to experience the beef most of all. I got the fries (decent) with "gravy" on the side. I would not recommend the "gravy". I do realize that you have to find shortcuts to making enough food to serve that many people all day long, so I guess they have to use a commercial product. So the sandwich was generous, prices very good, fries decent, but not worth the hour drive.

Delicious, well crafted food by people who care about their business. My boyfriend and I enjoyed a picnic right outside (:

Great pit beef and great prices. The portions are huge and filling. They only accept cash, no credit or debit cards. Great tasting food. They close at 5pm

My husband, sister, and myself went there to get roast beef and turkey sandwiches. The turkey I had was delicious; it was very juicy. My husband had the super roster beef sandwich, he lived it.

Absolutely the best pit beef in the state. In today's inflation, 2 regular sandwiches and two small drinks will set you back $20, but it's worth it. The sandwiches are prepared fresh as you order, and you get to pick from a list of toppings to enhance your sandwich. I recommend getting onions, horseradish, and coleslaw at a minimum. They serve thr slaw on the side so you can add the amount you'd like. The sandwiches are a little messy, but unlike other places, never soggy. The service is quick and friendly, and there is limited outdoor seating available. Cash only