When it comes to Barbecue (BBQ, Barbeque, Bar-B-Q, Bar-B-Que), everyone has not only their own spelling, but their own region, flavor, rub style, sauce style and cuts of meet. That’s why it deserves to have its own dedicated page on the GrubHub. Last spring, the wifester and I went on a BBQ bonanza around NYC to see tops our list of the All-American favorite grub…. This is the short (rib) version of what we found from an urban perspective…
1) Dinosaur BBQ – It was tough to crown this #1 over Daisy May’s, but the food was about tied, and the overall restaurant, variety and experience gives it the nod. It goes a little against the GrubHub philosophy of the greasy-spoon being the best, but the fact that this is in the middle of nowhere on W131st Street softens my principles.
2 ) Daisy May’s BBQ USA – Really good and solid. From the brisket to the ribs to the pulled pork, everything is delicious in the no-frills cafeteria style setting. The sides aren’t amazing, but the sweet tea in the take home mason jars is a great touch. Something just does quite add up though. I think it’s more the vibe and setting than the food, which is great, that keeps it from being #1. It’s hard to put my finger on, but I am never quite satisfied when I leave. It could be the difficulty in getting a table (or even a stool), it could be the location on highway-esque 11th avenue or it could be that it lacks the charm and authentic feeling that you want in a BBQ place. Of course other NYC BBQ joints aren’t exactly authentic, but most at least fool the customer a little.
3) Pies-n-Thighs – Now this place slow cooks in authenticity somehow, unlike Daisy May’s. It is one hell of an adventure to find, literally under the Williamsburg Bridge in the land of lofts akin to TriBeCa 15 years ago. But it is certainly worth it. It is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall connected to a large dark bar. The inside is cute, but the outside is where it’s at. There’s a patio area between buildings with 5 or 6 tables and a large grill where all the meat is cooking. You really feel like you’re in someone’s (urban) backyard. All the meats and sides we tasted were very good and it really made us want to return as soon as possible. You can tell it’s a labor of love at Pies-n-thighs.
4) Blue Smoke – Danny Meyer can do no wrong it seems. The man just knows how to make and market quality eateries. Blue Smoke is very good on all accounts – food, service, atmosphere, marketing, etc. I can’t really complain about it, other than it’s just more corporate than the others. It attracts business people and is a little more high-class and expensive than the others on this list. So if you want nicer BBQ go here and they will do everything right, but you’ll be missing a little bit of a real experience.
5) Rack and Soul – It was ok, but not great in any respect. The meat was fatty and the sides kind of boring – although the drinks were quite strong. It doesn’t quite compete with the top 4, but is a good addition to the neighborhood and I’ve heard the catfish is tasty.
6) Brother Jimmy’s – It would be hypocritical of me to say anything bad about Brother Jimmy’s since I practically lived here after college. It has big portions and you can’t beat AYCE “White Trash Wednesdays”, but you’re not coming here for the great BBQ, you’re coming for the big screen tv’s, raucous atmosphere, hot waitresses and large fishbowls of booze.
7) Dallas BBQ – These seem to pop up everywhere and are basically a less fun version of Brother Jimmy’s, although very popular because they’re cheap and offer big drinks. I guess they’re like the Applebee’s of NYC BBQ.
Still on the list to try:
RUB BBQ
Virgil’s
Hill Contry
Sothern Hospitality
Some roadside chicken place in Jersey
