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Adam's Rib Smoke House
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10 am - 8 pm
Fri 10 am - 9 pm
Sat 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Adam's Rib Smoke House
Review Highlights
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"...I was so happy find a place serving tri-tip in Oregon." In 4 reviews -
"...are fair and they serve beer (always good around BBQ sauces." In 7 reviews -
"Pulled pork and beef brisket are great even without BBQ..." In 7 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Tina A.
5/17/2012
My family and I came here to fill our stomachs just before Cinco de Micro. I tried their "pulled" chicken, which was more like dry, bite-sized pieces of chicken, but that allowed me to taste each and every one of their BBQ sauces (they offer six or so). On the side, I had Texas toast (cheesy, buttery bread), cole slaw, and baked beans. Extremely good... I'll make a point to visit next time I'm in Salem!
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Review from Astra N.
Hillsboro, OR
5/14/2012
Tom Peters, in his book "In Search of Excellence" said that there's only 5% difference between a mediocre and excellent company. With very little help this place could rock the Casbah (and Salem, too, which is a culinary wasteland for the most part).
Let's talk about the food.
I had high hopes, because the place smelled like *smoke* - one of the prerequisites for a good 'cue-joint. It lacked any pretension (another plus) - and I'm a sucker for a chalkboard-menu above the ordering station.
Sadly, though, things began to go downhill from there.
My friends and I ordered pulled-pork sandwiches. I asked, "What sides do you have?" The young lady looked at me vacantly; I repeated, "Sides. Y'know - coleslaw; stuff like that?"
"Oh, yeah. We have coleslaw."
"What else?"
"Two types of beans".
The conversation went like that until I could pull enough information out of her to assemble an order. Some other indispensibles were absent - no pickle bar (every 'cue-joint worth its sauce has a spot where you can load up on pickles, picked onions and Pepperocini); the sauce was too sweet and leaned far too heavily on tomatoes.
Lastly - the place is small. That's all right - good restaurants are not beholden to a size-criteria. However, they have a fondness for letting friends play guitar and bellow out old rock numbers at the top of their lungs - and in a postage-stamp building, this doesn't do anything but force guests to eat fast with their nerves on edge. Hardly a restful experience or a place where you'll want to linger over a sandwich, much less anything more substantial.
Conclusion: Minor changes would make this place a keeper. Until they do away with the loud 'live music' scenario, you're better advised to buy whatever you're getting and taking it with you. A more substantial sauce and the aforementioned grazing-station would give the place a four out of five stars. -
Review from Julianna H.
Turner, OR
1/5/2012
If I could give this place negative reviews I would. I guess they can have one star for the BBQ sauce. I like the spicy one.
I ordered the brisket. My plate was swimming in grease. No flavor well unless the flavor of fat counts. I couldn't even sop up the oil with 10 napkins. So nasty. I showed the girl who worked behind the counter.. She just shrugged and walked off. My roll was so hard I could have bludgeoned someone to death with it. My side of potatoes was bland and gluey. Besides the terrible food the place is dirty. There was a layer of grease on all surfaces. Grease covered by dust and repeat. I really can't figure out how they pass a health inspection..
Please save your bowels and DO NOT EAT HERE
It's always a bad sign when you pay first then see your food. They get your money and you get a stomach ache. No refund no apologies -
Review from Charles H.
Salem, OR
4/28/2012
Yum Yum Yum!
Went here a couple weeks ago and had the pulled pork sandwich. It was amazing! To top it off there was even a guy playing guitar! :) -
Review from Lindsay L.
Portland, OR
Intoxicating smells were wafting through the air as we entered. You need to order your food, pay and then grab a seat. We sampled the BBQ combo plate and their Smokehouse Burger. ...This is a good reason to stop on my way through Salem!
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Review from Chuck B.
Updated - 9/26/2011
This place has never really punched my ticket. They have some things they do very well. (Red Beans and Rice with their spicy sweetness and Hush Puppies with bits of Red, Green and Jalapeño Peppers, to name a couple) Their Ribs are good, but Ken Pickett at Smokin' Swine or the folks at Duffy's Hanger have nothing to fear. Hamburgers are good. I've not had their Tri-tip, but hear good things about it. The Cornbread I had today had a very off-putting mustiness to it. The Slaw was unremarkable. They have a selection of Sauces, most are good and one is great (Kentucky Bourbon). They're housekeeping is deplorable and approaches the low level of the Off Center Café. I won't detail what I saw today in that regard and hope I just caught them on a day (or possibly week) when their cleaning staff was on strike.
It's unfortunate that, for a town of this size, our Que choices are so few.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/4/2010
Sadly, this is the best BBQ place in Salem. (I haven't tried the one in the old McNary Golf Course… Read more »
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Review from Aaron W.
Updated - 9/9/2011
A friend and I returned to Adam's Rib Smokehouse about a week and a half ago. I got the pulled pork low-carb meal ($8.95): basically my choice of meat (in this case, pulled pork) with a side of grilled vegetables. My friend got some chili with a sweet corn muffin.
I loved the slight smokiness of the pulled pork, and when paired with their Blazin' Hot BBQ sauce, gives the ideal amount of sweet and heat that I enjoy. The pork will not melt in your mouth or anything, but it was definitely in the above-average echelon. The grilled vegetables were seasoned well and retained their crunch. And yes, I put the BBQ sauce on the veggies as well! I basically got a dish that would be hard for them to screw up -- and they prepared the food very well here.
My friend liked her chili, but stated she would have wanted it spicier -- even after she put the Blazin' Hot BBQ sauce in her food.
In short, Adam's Rib Smokehouse remains a good place in Salem to get some BBQ!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/22/2011
I wanted to give this place another try. I ordered a two-meat combo: pork ribs, chicken, two sides… Read more »
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Review from Paula G.
Dallas, OR
10/15/2011
Having been craving BBQ for weeks I gave it a try. The tables were sticky. The employees, while nice, were not overly friendly.
The food: we ordered the family meal with chicken, brisket, pork ribs. The chicken was fabulous, the brisket was greasy and tasteless, the ribs were good. Good, not great. The cornbread muffins were brought home for my chickens (too dry) as was the mashed potatoes (just yuck)! The mac n cheese was dry without much flavor and the coleslaw lacked flavor. Overall disappointing, however, I will return for take out chicken. Still looking for good BBQ in the Salem area.... -
Review from Evil W.
Kent, WA
12/29/2010
Christian music is *not* Right wing propaganda.
Good - now that that's out of the way, this place apparently is the only game in town - literally - when it comes to barbeque. It ain't great, but it's not bad either.
Small place on a corner next to the train tracks - and yes, you can get held up if you're going East and a train comes. Decent crowd, parked on the street.
Service was quick - they have a lot of options, printed on a menu above the counter - kind of hard to read, unless you like looking up for a while. Drink selection is Pepsi, bottles, lemonade and tea - both kinds, and beer.
See, the name is a religious reference - you know the one about the Lord made woman from Adam's Rib - hence the Christian music and lack of vulgarity. I guess if it pisses you off enough you can just start your own darned barbeque place and call it "Satan's Fireplace' or whatever suits you.
On to the food - pork was okay - they do have a bunch of sauces (no mold - I checked) tucked into beer six pack carriers on the tables (Christian or not, you can get sauced here). I ordered beans as a side - they were my biggest disappointment. Beans should have sauce, and flavor. These lacked sauce, and were WAY too peppery - need to tone down that recipe and add some liquid to the next batch.
All in all, not bad - I got out for under $10, and it was pleasant enough. It's not going to win any barbeque cook offs or anything, but if you're hungry and can't find that guy with the food cart you can sort yourself out here. -
Review from Mark S.
10/24/2010 2 photos
I first found this restaurant when they appeared at the Oregon Bite event along the river, downtown Portland during the summer.
Was in Salem for work and thought I'd see how the actual restaurant is and was glad I did.
I had a basic pulled pork sandwich and an order of Cole slaw, both were excellent. Service, excellent.
Can't wait to come back and try the ribs.
This is a BAR B QUE joint that is worth your time!
Negatives? Cheezy Contemporary Christian music, restroom full o' trash. -
Review from Steve W.
Hillsboro, OR
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
When BBQ is done right, it is one of the most fabulous foods on the planet. When it isn't...oh boy...
I have been there twice, and both times I was told to try the tri-tip sandwich. This is a very difficult cut of meat to do correctly, so it should showcase the BBQ acumen of the cook. Unfortunately, it shows just how not do do tri-tip. When done correctly, it can be very flavorful and very tender, but it needs to be cut correctly and slow cooked for a long time. Neither was done here. The meat was very tough and chewy, as I was really having to pull the meat and tear it with my teeth to bite into it. This really goes to the cutting. It was also very dry and lacked flavor, which means it was cooked too fast and the fat didn't get into the meat.
The sauces taste like anything that you could get from any bottle. The hot tasted like the sweet, but had a tobasco type of heat added to it. Not really hot from a mixture of spices.
I could give or take the whole xtian vibe...but it surely didn't heighten the experience.
Fortunately I only go to Salem for customer visits, so I can get my BBQ fix elsewhere. -
Review from Samantha O.
Salem, OR
11/1/2011
Went last night with 3 friends and loved it, picked it for the look of the place and the food just made it even better. If you like BBQ sauce then try this place out, with 6 different sauces on the table you can never get bored. I had the 1/2 lb. Black and Blue burger and Im already craving it again. Yum!
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Review from Erin H.
Medford, OR
Updated - 3/27/2010
My group went here for lunch today just because two men in the party wanted to attempt the Goliath Challenge. Both failed, but that's not really the point here. The food and service ARE.
My brother and I both ordered the three meat combo and got the exact same meals: double smoked ham, beef brisket, and pork ribs with coleslaw and mac n' cheese as sides and it came with a corn muffin.
The ham was ok. Not the best ham I'd ever had, but I didn't really dislike it. The beef brisket looked like pulled pork but tasted like beef, so ok. The problem with it was that most of it was like jerky--a sure sign that this stuff had been sitting around for a while. It didn't taste like much of anything, and I assume that's why 5 different BBQ sauces are provided at each table. Additionally, it was greasier than heck. I found that to be pretty odd. The ribs weren't my thing, so I gave them over to my bro who would never turn a pork rib down.
The service was the same as last time: kids who didn't care what they were doing. The cashier was pretty surley and the cook couldn't have been more than 16. So then I started wondering where the ADULTS were. Perhaps this is why the service and food are so poor.
The place is pretty dirty, from the bathroom to the eating area. I stopped in the bathroom first, where I was greeted by TP all over the floor and a pretty disgusting toilet. The TP on the roll didn't spin but it was encased a plastic holder so you had to twist the damn thing yourself. Really annoying.
Back at the table I found the chairs to have food and sticky yuck all over them, and dried BBQ sauce over the table placards. This is NOT a clean feeling place, for sure, but it's a BBQ place so what ever.
AND THEN, one of the worst things I have EVER seen in a restaurant:
Boyfriend grabs the red ketchup bottle (its the diner kind where you can't see through it) and squeezes some onto his Goliath plate. He makes a noise and we all look to see the ketchup is swirled with white stuff. Weird.
I screw off the top of the ketchup bottle and HORROR OF HORRORS--MOLD all around the inside. Seriously--furry white mold. Until this moment, I had assumed that ketchup COULDN'T mold because of the acidity (you know, vinegar and tomatoes). I stand corrected. That was pretty gross, and pretty bad. How neglected must a place be that mold would grow inside a condiment bottle. I mean, these things get filled regularly, right?
Freakin' terrible. I took it up to the 16 year old manning the counter and she didn't care. Big surprise.
This place gets voted 'Best of the Mid-Valley' every year because the options are so limited in the mid-valley. It's not a compliment to win by default.
Adam's Rib--Please clean up your act, because I'll be contacting the Marion County Health Department. Thanks. Oh yeah, the corn muffin was d-r-y and the mac n' cheese was a joke. You should fix that.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/17/2010
Once again, I feel bad. This time it's because I'm cuttin' down a local business. But they aren't… Read more »
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Review from Travis R.
Portland, OR
4/2/2010
I was told that somewhere in Salem, there was a BBQ place that serves tri-tip. I grew up on tri-tip. If I die tomorrow (view profile if you doubt my resolve) I will die bbqing tri-tip. I will hunt a cow with nothing but a home made spear, bottle of BBQ sauce, naked, and my own tenacity if that's what it would take.
Fortunately it's not the end of days, and I can order it. Unfortunately, it's hard to find good tri-tip in Oregon I've found. So while in Salem I attended this recommended establishment, ominously wondering if I would be disappointed. The staff were friendly, and as advertised they provide tri-tip.
They also advertise a 5 lb. Hamburger meal challenge called "the Goliath." Sweet Jesus are you insane?! Good luck with that.
I ordered the tri-tip and sat down with immense anticipation. While waiting I engaged in small talk with my companion and perused the surroundings, wary of some previous yelp reviews. For one, the place was clean. For two, there was no right wing propaganda playing in the back ground. Actually Hootie and the Blowfish were on at the time. Not sure if I'd rather have Rush Bimbo or that. Anywho, even if there was a bonafide GOP senator standing behind the kitchen counter trying to tell me about health care, I'd still order. Lets face it, most right wingers BBQ better then the left in my experience anyway. (Don't lynch me people, take into account the number of vegans, then look into my eyes and tell me I'm wrong.)
After a short wait my tri-tip was delivered as promised. The bad, it was thinly sliced and not marinated in the least. The good, it was still delicious. I loved adding the multiple BBQ sauces they provide on the table for you. I was particularly fond of the blazing hot and regular varieties. Someone complained about the sticky bottles I believe, but remember, your in a BARBEQUE restaurant, not the local tapas bar. Expect shit to get a little messy. Speaking of messy, I was informed by my gluttonous partner that the ribs were excellent. I tried to partake in some, but my 120 lb. vacuum cleaner of a mate decided to rob me of that pleasure.
(That's okay, the next time she asks me if she looks "fat" in her jeans, I will hesitate just enough before answering. This will destroy her psyche. Revenge will be mine.)
Everything considered the place is cheap, quick, semi-happy-servers, and overall a worth a trip. While the tri-tip didn't floor me, I still enjoyed it and recommend the experience. And to Julia, I want my rib back. -
Review from Jeremy H.
Turner, OR
11/7/2011
OK, I love BBQ and the fact that I have lived in Salem almost 20+ yrs and never eaten at Adam's before was a source of secret shame. I ventured in with my wife and three year old daughter, all BBQ lovers, to have a what we hoped would be a great dinner that would scratch our itch. To start I'm not a fan of the atmosphere in the place. The cooler housing the cold drinks was dirty and noisy the tables were self serve clean and the silverware was obviously dipped in a semi cleansing liquid of some sort before being reissued. When we finally got our food it was disheartening, even before the first bite! My wife's three meat picks were awash in a sea of grease that could not possibly have been the bi-product of her serving alone. The meat was bland and tasteless, something the additional BBQ sauces could not overcome let alone hope to compliment. The sides of potatoes had solidified to the point of being dangerous if thrown. To top it all off, this was not a cheap meal. $47.00 to feed two adults and a child without tip, we could have done so much better for that kind of money. Needless to say, Adams BBQ will once again be a source of secret shame, if only I had never gone.
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Review from Justin K.
Salem, OR
6/6/2009
Dixie Rising in South Salem.
This place plays conservative talk and evangelical radio just about every time I come in. The Christian radio might be apropos, since the greasy burgers, fries, and BBQ might be enough to give you heart attack right then and there.
But boy, the food is good. I went with the buffalo burger ($9 and marginally less greasy than the regular burger), which comes with your choice of a side. The fries are fantastic -- hot, salty, and generously-served. Actually, you could easily share an order of fries among three people, not that I'm complaining.
If BBQ sauce is your thing, you ought to try this place. Each table is equipped with six kinds of BBQ served like a six-pack of beer so diners can customize their sandwiches to their heart(attack)'s delight.
4 Stars for the food. Minus one star for having to listen to Rush Limbaugh (ever.) -
Review from Derick C.
Aumsville, OR
9/20/2011
While the inside of the place looks like a dive, the food is awesome. This is just what I am looking for when it comes to american bbq. They smoke a lot of their meat in a HUGE smoker behind the place and it smells incredible. Definitely a place to check out for some really good bbq.
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Review from Hieu T.
Beaverton, OR
12/12/2009
Did not experience the Christian music at all. Did not even see the references in decor or what not. Be that as it may, I don't really see how it could deter from the nice experience you can have at Adam's Rib Smoke House. The place is somewhat haphazardly designed, but the entire feel is like a cabin up in the mountains. The atmosphere and ambiance is chill, mayhaps due to the college just down the street? Either way, this place is definitely a good place to hit up for some ol' fashion BBQ.
Aside from the nice lady messing up one of our orders, everything was pretty good. We ordered a buffalo burger, a couple of smokehouse burgers, a garlic Swiss burger and their pulled pork nachos. I myself had the garlic Swiss and it was merely OK. They stuffed a lot of full-clove roasted/pan fried garlic in the burger which kind of worked but not at the same time. The flavor was nice, but the texture of the garlic was tough and chewy. The burger itself was charred but somewhat pink in the middle. If I had to rate my own meal, I would give it a 2.5.
The nachos with the pulled pork is an interesting twist and it is just as you'd expect, however. Think of chips, cheese, salsa and then pulled pork. The pulled pork itself was fantastic.
Didn't try the other two burgers, but my brothers said they were good.
So why the high rating? The sides are pretty yummy and the value you get at this joint is awesome. I like the variety of BBQ sauce they have at each table (the original is the best, followed by blazing hot), which adds to the experience of the place. The service is friendly and accommodating and they also have self serve water. They also have a 2lb burger challenge!
I'd give the place a 3.5 if possible, but I really want to go back again. If I have a bad experience next time, I'll definitely knock a star off. I feel they had an off night with the cooking too, so I'll stay optimistic about these guys. -
Review from Alex M.
Salem, OR
2/26/2011
Nice atmosphere, semi-happy staff, good variety of BBQ sauces. The food was Good. I would recommend the brisket! Worth a visit!
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Review from Sean G.
Food was good price is right.
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Review from Johanna R.
Salem, OR
2/9/2009
As a vegetarian - I can still appreciate the value of an excellent BBQ joint for my husband and son. The feeling is always like home, it is always busy and moving. The prices are fair and they serve beer (always good around BBQ sauces)
And you HAVE to like trains - we haven't been there yet where one hasn't passed by... -
Review from Robert L.
Salem, OR
3/5/2011 11 Check-ins Here
I've been eating at adams since their old location. Not too bad. Really good sauces. Meats are on par with other bbq's in the area. But that's not very many. Still, a good place to try. Later.
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Review from Jennifer D.
Beaverton, OR
2/27/2011
I chose to get the pulled pork, which I normally love! Here at Adam's it did not do me well... I had a few pieces of pure fat, and I did not think it tasted very well. However, I tired my boyfriends brisket and it was AMAZING! It tasted SO good that I would go back for more of it, but not the pulled pork. The fries as a side were really good as well, and all of the different BBQ sauces they had were really fun to try and all had there own taste! The service was okay, but everyone was not overly friendly, which I would have liked, it being my first time going.
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Review from kathy m.
1/9/2010
now that the Smokin' Swine is gone this is the best BBQ place in Salem. I usually have the pulled pork sandwich with slaw and other members of the family always get the baby back ribs. We've had all of the sides at one time or another and I must say that I'm a little disappointed with the hush puppies--they put green chiles inside and I'm a purist. I still eat them, but I'd rather have plain.
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Review from Ryan T.
Providence, RI
12/27/2009
I've been here twice now and have never heard christian music or Rushbo being played. Maybe they quit doing that since last summer. Anyways, being a central California transplant I was so happy find a place serving tri-tip in Oregon. I'll be back, the food tastes great, the owners know what they are doing. If they prices were a little lower it would be a 5-star rating.
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Review from Ken C.
Royal Oak, MI
2/10/2009
Nothing flashy, but just really good BBQ. Pulled pork and beef brisket are great even without BBQ sauce, and the portion sizes are generous but not crazy. Nice selection of sides, especially the hush puppies which you can't get everywhere. And you can get a beer with you meal to wash it all down. Highly recommended!!
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Review from Daryl C.
7/4/2010
Best BBQ in Salem, although it might be the only one. Good food, reasonably priced. Don't go during lunch hour though, you'll never get in.
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Review from george k.
Rohnert Park, CA
2/11/2010
We had asked some people for a good bar-b-q place and about 6 diffrent people recommended (adams rib smoke house) they were locals so they know. Well we went and the place is little, theres no wait staff, you order and you pay, they call your name, and you pick it up. The food was good, the side orders are generous and the staff behind the counter was very friendly. i would definatly recommend them to you.
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Review from rachel n.
Salem, OR
12/15/2008
'Cue with a heavy dose of evangelism. If you don't mind listening to the christian music or being bombarded with biblical references then you should be alright here. Vegetarians and atheists should definitely find an alternative venue. Lots of meat choices and varieties of barbecue sauce to add to your dish. There are plenty of side dish choices as well. They also serve beer.
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Review from Scott D.
Portland, OR
5/13/2009
Good BBQ.. The portions are good sized. They have 6 different BBQ sauces. I would recommend the spicy BBQ sauce. A good place for lunch although, it can be crowed due to proximity to the state offices! Probably one your better places to eat in Salem
