Dallas BBQ
241 W 42nd St
(between 7th Ave & 8th Ave)
New York, NY 10036
- Nearest Transit:
Times Square-42nd St (1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W, A, C, E)
42nd St-5th Ave-6th Ave (7, B, D, F, V)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
103 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village
"Very fun place. I went here with my wife one friday night randomly, no reservations, but apparently none needed if you arent picky on your…" read more »
35 Reviews for Dallas BBQ
I got the veggie burger, baked potato and a lemonade. I wish the barbecue sauce was tastier, because the lightly fried veggie burger is not so flavorful, I like the size and texture though. For the price it did the trick, on our way to watch a movie. Service was prompt. Next time I'll try the fried fish.
There is no desert, fine with me. I liked the new location, we went on a Monday, it was a sunny after work early evening and it was not crowded. Loved the view, a fun spot to fill up and move on.
You can spend a lot more in Times Square, so we will definitely go here again between work and an evening out. My other choice is Ollies'.
The perfect place for the novice BBQ fan. Given the proliferation of fantastic new BBQ spots in NYC (see Hill Country, Dinosaur, RUB, Smoke Joint), I can't for the life of my figure out how this mediocre chain gets more than 1 star. It makes me doubt the credibility of all the other reviewers on this page.
In short:
The brisket - dry
The ribs - drowned in sauce
The wings - over-the-top
The atmosphere - cavernous and dull
The cost - overpriced.
But, if you're looking for a change from your usual friday night lovefest at Applebee's -- This is home-sweet-home.
Pass.
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For as long as it has been since I have been here -- and not to this particular location, but to Dallas BBQ in general -- there are certain things to seem to remain a constant . . . consistently good and tasty ribs, consistently good onion loaf, consistently good and hefty in size drinks (i.e. Pina Coloada's, Margarita's or just plain sodas), and of course consistently reasonable prices. But be aware if you stray from what they have been able to maintain their image upon.
Note, this has been my first visit to this particular location of Dallas BBQ and my first visit to Dallas BBQ in several years. But, in fact, I have been coming to Dallas BBQ since they had either two or three locations -- unlike the seven that they have now. But regardless of which location you visit the ribs are generally very tender, juicy and sloppy (not in a bad way), and the onion loaf is cooked to perfection -- they have their formula down and they don't stray. Although there was a time a few years back that I was afraid that they quality was slipping, after my visit last night I believe it has returned.
So, if I am talking about them having a quality product and being consistent, why did I give them three rather than four or five stars you might ask? Because aside from what I have named (and perhaps their chicken as well), they don't really seem to "master" much else. And although they have mastered their style of ribs, etc. -- they are not my "all-time favorite" for BBQ either, but would not pass up a meal there either.
Others in my party ordered the steak there last night and it was reported as having been dry, and the chicken soup (why would someone order chicken soup here), did not look terribly appetizing in my opinion. And I have noticed they have added other dishes to their menu over the last few years -- but quite frankly, I don't think it is worth it to stray from what they do fairly well.
So, if you are in the mood for babyback ribs and only ribs, then come here (and for the obligatory onion loaf). Their drinks are good and fairly potent too. But if you want true BBQ, check out the various other options in town -- but be prepared to pay a premium as well.
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Good Chili.
This chili was a good meal. I went for the cup size, and the chili came with a chunk of very (very) good corn bread. This is no starter/appetizer. The chili was full of meat and beans. I was full after I finished my meal. It comes with a heaping scoop of sour cream.
The chili itself has a slight smoke flavor to it. However, the overall flavor of the chili was missing. There's no way to identify the flavor of this chili. It's meat (lots of meat), beans, and oil. That brings me to the other negative aspect. There's an unhealthy amount of oil floating around in this chili. That was a bit of a turn off.
Dallas BBQ Chicken Wings:
I enjoyed their chicken wings. I had my order via take out, so the bbq sauce came on the side. The wings have a nice crunchy outer-shell.
Much like their chili, their chicken wings are missing its identity. I could get similar chicken wings from the local Chinese fast food place, drench some bbq sauce over it and it'll taste better than Dallas BBQ's variant (Sweet Baby Ray's makes an awesome bbq sauce).
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Dallas BBQ in Time Square is C-R-A-Z-Y. I don't know why we decided to watch a movie at the AMC 25 across the street but we did find ourselves in the middle of Time Square mania. Yikes. On a Saturday night, no less. And when you're hungry, sometimes, you make some impulsive decisions - like going to Dallas BBQ on W 42nd St. There was a wait to dine upstairs, which we refused and sat at the first floor. The portions (BIG) and prices (cheap) are great! You can't beat Baby Back Ribs for $12 and Carolina Pulled Pork for $11! They were good and satisfied me for the time being but really, not the greatest BBQ... The service was quick, which assured quick turnaround of the tables but wow, the crowd. If I want to get cheap BBQ, I'll definitely come back but not to this location!
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Going to the Times Square flagship of this spreading BBQ empire means appreciating the lot of the unfortunate cattle that find their way to your plate.
As you pass through the glass doors, you are immediately greeted by someone with a walkie-talkie, who surveys your party, barks into the radio and sends you up a long escalator. As you get to the top, you are then grabbed by another associate, and led to your table or up yet another escalator, eventually to your table. This place is like the massive industrial feedlots, moving people in and out at remarkable efficiency, filling them until they are about to pop and then ushering them out with the same amount of grace.
There is a place in my heart (right next to the arterial blockage) for all sorts of BBQ, from the vinegary Carolina sort to the spicy dry-rubbed Memphis style. Dallas is the Texas style, greasy meat smothered in sauce. You won't find smoked meats or brilliant spice rubs here, but you will find piles of satisfying roasted chicken and ribs at ridiculous prices.
The food snob in me says to rate this lower, but I can't argue with the great times I've had here, and it is a great place to start the night if you are with a group that doesn't want to break the bank for dinner. The cocktails are a great deal -- opt for Texas size, even just one will get you feeling pretty good.
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If you're going to make wrong decisions that night like take too many guesses on your date's ethnicity or get caught sneaking into a 3rd movie, don't add insult to injury and order something crapiocre from this place. Their menu is not huge, but there are some things that just aren't worth the grind of elbows (with strangers).
Firstly, I'd suggest getting a seat upstairs, preferably close to the window, but not next to the enormous sign that'll blind you by the end of the meal. Ordering one of their frozen drinks is almost mandatory. My favorites are tangerine and blue bull. They are huge, you can order them with a shot and they get you to that happy place pretty fast.
From the starters the only thing I go for are the 'hot' wings, but be ready to get messy. I guess burgers are fine, but the steaks are as good as couscous is as an aphrodisiac. I have yet to try a good fish dish here and doubt that I ever will. Chicken is a much better choice. I expected better pulled pork here, but the chef clearly has something against me. Quality of their smokehouse specialties are mainly depended on whether you ever had a real good set of short ribs or brisket.
They lack good beer selection but that could be said about many things on the menu. Let's just say you won't go poor by getting stuffed and disappointed here.
You won't impress anyone with this place either and if you will then maybe you deserve each other and should try your best to stay together.
P.S.
In case it really lasts the wedding banquet can be arranged on the third level and they even got their own DJ - Pablo Juan Dyk
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This place is amazing!! The food is heavy and filling, but who goes to a BBQ joint for a salad ya know. Be prepared to waddle out the door, because you will be that full!
If you are a lush have fun, they have a fish bowl size frozen drink that comes with a extra shot of booze in it. For only about 9bucks you will walk out drunk full and happy, with some extra cash in ur wallet.
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Dallas BBQ is what it is. Cheaper BBQ in the city. There are a lot of places that are better (I heard Daisy May is great), but if you want BBQ that's priced reasonably, then this will hit the spot. The wings here are actually quite delish as well.
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Very, very good food. If you go, be prepared to be a mess afterwards. Luckily, they give you wet naps for after your meal. The huge ribs are a little tough to break apart and we're convinced even a saw can't get through them. I'd recommend the chicken and ribs combo. Make sure you get something on the chicken (either honey mustard or BBQ sauce) or else it will be too dry. The prices are pretty good, as well.
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What the hell. This is nothing like Dallas, Texas BBQ. This is like going to a golden coral for prime rib. However if you like mediocre food and being hearded around like cattle to eat then this is the place.
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I love this place! I went there several times with my girlfriends and had a great time. Everything is in huge portion and great tasting soul food. Reasonable pricing. I highly recommend this place.
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This place is massively huge! Tables open up continuously so they'll sit you shortly after you walk in. The drinks are LARGE as well, everything about this place is just huge.
The burgers are delicious here.
My friends and I couldn't stop laughing about what the difference could possibly be between the "Chicken and Ribs" and "Ribs and Chicken" listings on the menu.
Two large tvs to top off your meal, one for some crazy bull-riding action, and one for some crazy...ny city action.
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The price is right at Dallas BBQ! A quarter chicken for $4.99?!?! Hell yeah!
Last night I had the baby back ribs and they were pretty good. For one, it was the cheapest dinner I've had in a while. The sauce was great, with a little kick, which is just how I like it. The meat could have been a little more tender, but for the money, it was right on the money! Also, the corn bread is gooood!
Big portions, little money, and pretty good food. I'll be back!
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oh my goodness the margueritas served here knocked me for a loop the other night!
It literally took me an hour to finish one, and that one finished me!
I laughed all the way to Jersey!!!
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The Times Square Dallas BBQ is the unofficial flagship of the Dallas BBQ NY empire and a fitting homage to Dallas (the city - not the nighttime soap - unless Bobby Ewing was a cow).
If you've never been to Dallas, it is B-I-G. Everything in it is big. If there was a little more subtlety and artistry in the city of Dallas, there would be some.
Dallas BBQ lives up to its namesake city for better or worse. The food portions/value are fantastic. The drinks - huge! The space is unreal - two floors and the ceilings are like 25 feet high. It's got to be tough designing a restaurant to compete with the joint spectacles of Dallas and Times Square and they've succeeded.
As for the food, it really depends on your BBQ tastes. If you like straightforward BBQ, this place will serve you well. By straightforward BBQ, I mean the sweet, tomato-y BBQ sauce that you grew up with - like you'd expect at a Chili's or from a BBQ sauce from the store. This is how BBQ tastes if you go to Dallas (or at least it did when i've tried it there) and it fails to satisfy anyone except vegetarians and elitists.
But I prefer BBQ from other parts of the country - Memphis, Carolina, Austin (not hatin' on Texas - just Dallas), etc. I'm not a chef so I can't tell you exactly what's different but ingredient guesses are pepper, vingear, hot peppers, mustard, molasses, etc. Whatever it is, I just find it more satisfying.
So now that I've qualified why I give Dallas BBQ 3 stars even though it nails what it sets out to accomplish, here are some specifics:
Chicken Fingers - Very good. If I kept a list of fav chicken fingers - which would be tough b/c how do you rank a ton of mediocrity - this would shoot towards the top. Heavily breaded, these taste like a good piece of boneless fried chicken vs a fried strip of white leather. Recommended app.
Pulled Pork - The meat was good and plentiful but the sauce doesn't add much. Needs more spices (and not just hot sauce).
Fries - Good. I try to lay off fries at a BBQ joint for more creative sides but these are a fine fallback
Cole Slaw - Very good. Less mayo and more crispiness than most.
Baked Beans - Skip it.
Sweet Tea - Fine as long as you don't expect southern sweet tea.
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Although it's in Times Square, this place is so huge it never gets ridiculously packed, and I've never had to wait for a table. Plus, the prices are the same as with other BBQ locations, not marked up at all. Stick to the basic ribs, chicken, meat stuff. The fried seafood is not worth it. Huge ass burgers! The only downfall is that the fries are soggy, greasy, and unenticing. You do get a big pile though, it's just kinda inedible especially once it cools to room temp. Love the wings appetizer, the size of those puppies is enormous, probably 4 wings and you're stuffed. Huge salad platters, basic. Gotta get the jumbo size margaritas with extra shot.
If you're a size queen (hehe), the sheer mass of everything they serve is surely impressive!
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This place always has great food for great prices. Everything else in the area has over-priced chicken fingers and low quality food. The food is always fresh. The service is hit or miss though. I went in once and was served my dinner within 10 minutes. Another time I went in and the food took 30 minutes to arrive after ordering. It was worth it though.
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Great ribs. Big and noisy, but expected, and not out of hand. They still managed to be clean and organized with the heavy traffic, where a lot of other big chains stopped caring about that long ago. Good value. A safe bet. Really I can't stress enough that they pull it off so well in Times Square.
FYI:
Early Bird Special: Mon-Thurs 11-1 and 2-6 (not between 1 and 2) $9.99 for TWO full meals... half chicken, rice/fries/baked, cornbread and soup/salad. Its sooo worth it to try to come during these hours if you can make it. Not sure about the weekend hours...
Otherwise, my first time eating BBQ! Besides Brother Jimmys but I'm not sure if that counts... my taste-buds are always useless there after endless dollar drafts on ladies night. Dallas was pretty good, large portions for a good price, and the one times square is huge with some nice views on the top floor. Definitely go for the half chicken rather than the quarter chicken... and don't bother paying extra for all white meat. You get plenty of white meat with the regular order. You should pay a dollar for BBQ or honey glaze though.... a bit ridiculous that it doesn't come with it even though its called "Dallas BBQ."
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What could you possibly not like about this place? (Vegeterians are exempt from answering...)
Dallas BBQ has pretty damn good food and when you consider the price, you've got a really good reason to come back again.
Baked potatoes, chili, baby back ribs, large drinks, reasonable prices...
Why would you care about decor? Just pretend you're in a palace.
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Good food, nice restaurant with reasonable pricing, what more to ask for. Hubby and I first went when they have just moved to this location, it was less crowded then, nowadays it's different, you will see a long line and many people standing outside waiting to get in. We enjoyed our meal very much. :o)
I hate working in Times Square. My lunch options are limited to overpriced schlock geared towards craneheaded tourists who come all the way from bumblesticks, mississippi just to have tgifridays, redlobster and olivegarden because "it's just like bayack home!" Yeah, getouttamyway. Dallas BBQ, however, is somehow exempt from it's surroundings. Sure it's mediocre food but it's cheap (the prices are the same as every other outpost in the city), filling, fast and the drinks are more often than not quite furious. We all like to get a little tanked on our lunch hour. Admit it.
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If you like steak, ribs, chicken, or all the above, you will love Dallas BBQ. If you are planning a visit to New York add this place to the list. If you live in New York and haven't eaten here, what the hell is wrong with you? It was one of the first places we ate on our trip, and it kind of ruined us for the rest of the trip, because nothing could compare. The food was reasonably priced, as compared to most NY restaurants, and you got lots of it. I had the steak and chicken, and would highly recommend both. I would also recommend the Margarita, and the shot of tequila that comes with it.
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Deliciously nitty gritty food. The kind that makes your fingers sticky. If you can hang, order the ribs and eat their fries with ranch sauce. MmmmmM greasy debauchery. Topping it off with a 9 dollar texas style margarita makes the experience.
Yeah it's not fancy: no decorations, margarita stirrers ordered in bulk (unless they intentionally ordered neon mermaids), heck I think Times Square BBQ used to be a movie theatre. It doesn't matter: good times and a satisfied stomach- the social aspect says it all.
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In what is by far the fanciest Dallas BBQ location with a spinning logo and a multileveled decor, this is about as good as it gets for the popular Manhattan chain. The food is good and the prices are surprisingly the same as the other locations. Its not without its problems (besides the daily heart attacks to all of its customers) as this location is extremely touristy, the service is rushed, and the wait can be longer than expected. The delivery is somewhat slow as well and I technically only live about 7 blocks away. What is more alarming is that I've gotten faster delivery from the *23rd* street location.
Out of all of the Time Square restaurants, this one is probably the best (which is not really saying much) for the food and price. Perhaps a stop here before heading into the movie theaters makes for a solid Times Square date.
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Holy Gignormous Restaurant, Batman! The newest Dallas BBQ location is big big big! The portions are big, the wait staff is big, the drinks are big. But the best thing about this Texas-sized restaurant is the flavors!
This place is a carnivore's delight, serving up juicy beef and pork ribs. Just skip the green stuff they call broccoli. It's almost offensive to order it in a place like this!
Insider's tip: Ask for extra wet naps because you're gonna need it!
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"I went with a group traveling from Boston, it was packed but we got seated in about 1/2 hour. The seating on the third level where groups are was pretty crowded, I wished it was more space.
We placed our orders and got our food in no time. If you get a soda or margarita, the cups you get will be very big. i was on a very tight budget but lucky I was able to spend around around $10 (I think) on everything I spent. The people were great and had a good time. I hope to go back soon."
I really enjoyed this place. A good time was had, and I'd go back. They start you off with a huge frozen martini (flavor of your choice) including a shot tube placed in the drink. Souvenir? I think so. Then, the food is filling and cheap- I had a piece of chicken, a potato, and cornbread for $4.99. To top it off, since I'm cheesy and enjoy these things, they give you a drink stirrer that looks like a preying mermaid. Don't miss the photo-op with the large ceramic bull.
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i'm sorry, i'm sure that a lot of people (including those who haven't reviewed it) love this place. a lot of my friends do too. but after going there twice, i've decided to boycott it whenever my friends go. yes, the restaurant is HUGE and can accommodate our party of 15 but that doesn't mean i'm going to spend my money eating disgusting food. it's incredibly loud, the flashing lights make me feel like i'm about to have a seizure when i'm eating, and it's a terrible terrible atmosphere.
the cornbread tastes bland, the sticky wings just taste like deep fried breading drenched in some syrup, and the ribs are dry and bready. the chicken tastes like paper with honey. i would normally love the onion strings, but they were way too greasy for me to even stomach. i could do without the massive drinks, too. blech.
i don't care if texas is big and everything in texas is big. there is no excuse for poor execution of BBQ. if i was from dallas, i'd be embarrassed that someone decided to use my hometown's name for this monstrosity.
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For where and what it is, this place isn't that bad, the meals are cheap and the drinks come with a kick, it's not great and it is a chain, but it's not bad either. With lots of locations throughout the city it has decent food, that comes to your table relatively quickly and is doesn't hit your wallet that hard.
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I can't believe how much bigger this location is than the Chelsea spot I've always frequented. Same cheap food, Same obnoxiously large drinks but instead you're much more spread out and can hear the person across the table from you.
Its too bad its in Times Square, which I avoid like the plague because of all the damn tourists, but if I happen to be in the area, I'll probably be LESS feisty and angry because I know good cheap barbecue is nearby.
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I've been eating at Dallas BBQ since my undergrad days at NYU. When I worked at Bellevue there was a D-BBQ there for me. And then they put one up in Washington Heights just 10 minutes away! D-BBQ has always been a faithful and dependable ally in my quest for decently priced, slightly above average bbq ribs, chicken, humongous & cheap frozen margaritas, and tasty cornbread! This was my first time at the Times Sq. location. I had a full schedule lined up Saturday night. The gf and I were watching Blades of Glory (Will Ferrell is God!) and hittin up Dave & Buster's later. After the movie we decided instead to eat somewhere other than DNB so as to avoid long waiting times. D-BBQ had a seat for us in 10 minutes!
This place is ridiculously large! It's like a massive mess-hall/ cafeteria at a major party university! There was a giant screen towards the back where they had a projector set-up to show bullriding competitions. Nice touch! I normally have the same stuff whenever I go to to D-BBQ. I get the wings for an appetizer and then my ribs (with like 20 wet toillettes). This time i decided to deviate and get crab cakes. Bad time to deviate! Those things were nasty! They looked like fuzzy little mounds. They tasted extremely rubbery and the accompanying sauce did little to mask its distastefulness. We only got through 2 of those...fortunately our food got there just in time. We had gotten huge margaritas with shots as well which was a great precursor to the trip to DNB. Everything tasted great (except the crabcakes)! Excellent portions as expected. And our waitress was quite attentive, even against the background of like thousands of people all vying for her service. I thought that was impressive.
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Bring the antacid 'cuz this place is a belly buster.
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the chicken wings here are HUGE (the biggest i've ever seen for chicken wings...which is actually a little suspicious...hmmm)...better yet, the drummettes come still attached to the wings and that counts as ONE chicken wing...so the half-dozen order really is enough for 1 person...
large portions, super cheap prices, and margaritas in a large, spacious, noisy restaurant...this is a great place to go if you're with a large group and want to avoid paying too much for so-so food in times square
you can also get a quarter rotisserie chicken with cornbread and french fries for $5...it also serves burgers, salads, bloomin' onion, etc
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