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125th St (1)
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This place is definitely one of the better BBQ places in New York City. I recommend it over the Dallas BBQ spots that you find everywhere. The one in Rochester, NY is a little bit better, especially when it comes to the sides but that is for another review.
Be prepared for a long wait unless you could reserve in advance because this place is always packed. Weekdays it's busy. Weekends it's busier. You could order the same food for take out if you are in a hurry and don't need to dine in. There is a counter just for takeouts.
There is a bar by the door for those that just want to drink or to get drunk while waiting.
The place is pretty cheap considering the portions and the fact that it's mostly meat. There is one kind of meat combo all the way to a choice of three different meat combos. All of the combos comes with two sides of your choosing and a cornbread.
I prefer baby back ribs which this place don't carry but the it's still pretty good. I like the rub seasoning on it. The brisket is nicely spiced and pulls apart easily. The chicken is good but not great. It tastes like grilled chicken. Nothing more. I think it could be a little more moist.
Dinosaur BBQ have their own selection of sauces. Put them on the BBQ meats and everything tastes better. The sauce is pretty good here. There is even a spicy version for people like me that likes everything hotter.
For the sides I highly recommend getting the Syracuse Style Salt Potatoes as one of the choices. Very nicely buttered flavored. Very tender. The mac and cheese and the soup of the day are great choices too although for the soup you have to pay 50 cents extra.
Definitely try out the Swag Drunken Spicy Shrimp Boil Plate as the appetizer. It's not really spicy but it is very well seasoned with dry spices and herbs. I get it every time I'm here.
My friend had the steak the last time we were there. From the sample bite I took from it, I would recommend that as something to try also. Very well done and juicy. Fresh tasting and not overcooked at all.
For those interested in good micro brew beers. They have a good selection here for you to try. Order the sampler if you don't know what to choose. That way they give you three small cups of your choice.
The food was not good.
Cold ribs
Dry pulled pork
We did have good, friendly service though.
"Barely warm" pork ribs that were tough, tough, tough! I like my ribs falling off the bone and melting in my mouth, but you won't find ribs like that at Dinosaur BBQ. The kind waiter re-heated my ribs, but they still weren't worth the calories to eat.
All of the sides were "Barely warm" as well. Macaroni Cheese, potatoes, BBQ beans....all still cool in the center.
Not one of my better dining experiences. The two stars are for the waiter. He was great!
It's clear that they have a shaker in the kitchen of "Dinosaur BBQ Rub" that is liberally splashed on everything.
That's a lot of rub. A lot of the same sweet-spicy-saltiness lingering after each bite just in case you forget what your catfish-pork-potatoes-mac&cheese taste like. Which you won't as everything tastes kinda the same.
I thought it was all good, but would have liked it more if I had only ordered one thing and walked away liking that sweet-spicy-saltiness instead of just being sick of it.
http://Harlemtogo.com delivers from Dinosaur BBQ, and when the food arrives it's at least warm if not hot.
Catfish, 3 stars
Coleslaw, 3.5 stars (a vinegar heavy mayo made this.)
Potatoes, too salty and fake buttery, 2.5 stars
Cornbread, sahara dry, 2 stars
Mac & Cheese, fake cheesy but a nice crispy crust, 3 stars
ribs, mac and cheese, baked beans
good comfort food, great prices
Hits:
pulled pork
greens
beans
the amazing smell when you walk in
Misses:
brisket
mac-n-cheese
salt potatoes
This review is for fan #84
Big portions. the wings are great - at about a dollar each... fair enough.
Good ribs. What I had was mostly well above average but not other worldly. Not prehistoric good as the name would intend. I liked my collared greens (called something else mysteriously, like vegetable greens). The cornbread was throw away, barely potent to soak up goodness. And not surprisingly, the fried rice is a punishment for whoever would order fried rice from a BBQ joint.
I like the flooring and the tables. Deep wood stuff. Nearly Outback-like, but more authentic. As authentic as a southern BBQ Syracuse offshoot under Riverside Drive can be.
It's not the end all for me. Too corporate. Rustic wood in NYC makes me feel this way. Why aren't there more locations around the country? It seems formulaic. We can do it! Expand baby, expand! We need shareholders!
Absolutely incredible. Quite frankly, a close to perfect BBQ experience, and a true gem in the city. Get away from the NY dining scene pretentious attitude and enter a Utopian smoky flavored land.
As always, I'll apply the same analysis for restaurants of the same genre. Sorry Hill Country, but you just got served by a Dinosaur from Harlem.
DinoBBQ rocks on a) Meat; b) Sides; and c) Drinks & Service. Leaving drunk, with a belly full of juicy meat and delicious sides makes this a place worth visiting. Multiple times.
The meat was incredibly tender and needed very little added sauce. Why is that so hard to understand for so many NY bbq joints? The brisket is incredible and the ribs slip right off into your mouth. The sausages were a bit tough, but all in all, an incredible meal.
The sides. Well, I'll have to say that they kick Hill Country's sorry butt. The Mac and Cheese is INCREDIBLE. Absolutely try them. Cole slaw was incredible. As appetizers go, DEFINITELY get the fried green tomatoes. We ordered a round, and then ordered another. That good.
The drinks and service was exactly what you wanted. People who kept the drinks coming, kept them coming fast, and had opinions about the menu.
I left happy, satisfied, and slightly buzzed from either the great food or the many beers.
Highly recommended. Avoid the tight jeans. You. Will. Love. It.
Yabba Dabba Doooooo!!!!
My syracuse potatoes were the best thing I ate, the garlic-butter sauce they were in was freakin fantastic.
Wlma's ribs and sausage were good but I enjoyed my brisket sandwich with mushrooms, peppers, onions and cheese more.
To top off my BBQ experience I had some really good cajun corn and collard greens (which I believe had ham in them).
Overall this place is a good BBQ joint with decent ribs.
My stomach had to lock out all the food that was coming in.
So my mouth yelled: WILMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I ate so much food here I think my liver and kidneys started processing some of it to help my stomach along. I blame peer pressure, mockery from the peanut gallery, and lack of good sense. First came the wings, recommended by my new buddy Josh R who was sooooo excited to have them again that of course I had to try them too. Three delicious wings laced with Wango Tango later, I was still feeling peppy, gunning for a grand round of more meat.
Then came the full rack of ribs with 4 sides and 2 cornbreads.
Ok... truth be told, I shared it with Hubby, but we're both small people, so I'm not sure why we hadn't factored the huge portions of meat here into the equation. It's not like we hadn't been here before. I looked at this goliath platter before us and said flippantly, "We can finish this!" So I ate and talked, talked and ate. I don't think I heard a pip out of Hubby. He was busy working on the ribs. They were as awesome as I remembered and the huge slathering of that mild bbq sauce made it even better. Then came a point where I looked down at my fourth rib and nibbled sides and realized I was feeling uncomfortable. That was when the peanut gallery kicked into gear.
"Pppfffeeeehhhh...and you said you could finish it...," came the mockery from Chris K on the other side of the table, telepathically sensing my growing doubt. What does anybody do under such ridicule, I ask?! You square your shoulders back, sneer in the person's general direction (this didn't happen, but let's pretend for drama's sake), and shake your fist at said person in defiance! AARRRGHHH!!!
Although Hubby and I were one of the last people who kept eating at our table of 18, we did end up finishing the ribs and most of his two sides, which were better than mine.* Our triumph, however, came at a cost of two hours of lying motionless on the couch.
* Hubby's sides, which I recommend, were the beans and Creole potato salad. I had the fried rice and mac & cheese. Of the two, I would say the mac & cheese was better and probably best eaten while still hot. The cornbread, unfortunately, was fit for squirrels of undiscerning taste.
I don't think I've ever eaten that much pork in one sitting before I came to Dinosaur. Ordered the pork and brisket plate and it was SO good. Tender, succulent, tasty... it was pretty much what i had expected and more. The brisket was fantastic though. I loved the crispy outside and it was quite lean, with a little fat, which is perfect for me. The sides were pretty good too. I highly recommend the mac n' cheese. Creamy, with a little kick. The simmered greens I could have done without, but i wanted something kind of healthy. It's not that they were bad, i just thought it was a little too sour for my personal liking.
Next time I'm here, I want to try the ribs-- they didn't look too messy and the meat falls off the bone... mmm. I also want to come back when it's warmer and not raining because after devouring all that food, you'll want to take a walk and why not walk along the Hudson?
Nothing screams wide-eyed instant love like a full rack of BBQ ribs and four hearty side dishes. Gents, friends, and meat-lovers, listen up while I share a personal secret. The Sweetheart Deal For Two is your one-way ticket to a girl's stomach, and thus her heart. At $27.50, it won't even break your wallet.
In my case, I shared the order with the lovely Rachel A., who decided to be a lady with a fork and knife while I already had half the rib bone in my mouth. Oops? The meat falls off the bone, but has a nice tender texture to it. For our sides, we got the mac-n-cheese, fries, greens, and the veggie of the day (corn). We even started the meal with some lip-smacking chicken wings to whet our dinosaur appetites.
The contented murmurs and concentrated eating coming from most of our group of 20 can speak to the quality of the food. You can get chicken, ribs, chicken wings, pulled pork, and a nice selection of sides at a price-to-portion ratio that will make any pre-historic monster happy. Okay, I'll stop with the dinosaur references, but only because I have some leftover ribs calling to me now.
I heard a lot of great reviews of this place and so of course I had to try this place out...
Gather up a few people to come and trek all the way up to Harlem. Only two people out of our group has tried this place before and L usually orders the brisket. J usually gets the Ode to Elgin. I was curious about the Elgin, but I don't like the fact they pair it with ribs and I don't like ribs. I am not a big meat eater unless it's kobe, hamburger or filet. But J told me it doesn't even taste like Elgin's link, and he should know since his family is out there.
K and me, we LOVE fried green tomatoes, so we decided to order that for our appetizer! It was really yummy but I don't really think anyone can mess up fried food, right?
I tried a tiny smidgen of S's appetizer, the chicken - eh, too sweet for me and it just wasn't good at all.
K and P decided to get the Sweetheart Deal - I know how gay and definitely a humongous order! 4 sides with two cornbread and huge rack of ribs! They loved the ribs and they totally killed the whole rack!
I tried a bite...pretty damn good and I don't even care for ribs.
I followed L and got the brisket and it's not that good...it was really dry tasting, perhaps I should have gotten the pulled pork.
Mac & Cheese was also too dry and not cheesy enough for me to deem it as the best tasting mac & cheese.
Cornbread - they definitely need more work on this, it was decent but a damn good cornbread would cause someone like me to want to OD on carbs.
Creole Potato Salad - I am glad I got this instead of the fries, since I didn't really care for the fries here and the potato salad was really good and had a nice kick.
But the thing that really really would make me come back here again is not their meat but it's their dessert. ME LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE their Seasonal Cobbler! It's so damn good and especially since they topped it with Ice Cream!
I tried S's Key Lime Pie - didn't taste like they used Key Lime and L's Peanut Butter Pie was a bit too heavy and rich for my liking.
This place was decent, but not for a Texas gal like me. However, I would definitely go back just for the damn Seasonal Cobbler!
Wait, what? How can I not have reviewed this place yet? DBQ*, you have been in my heart for the last 7 years, and in my stomach for the last 10 hours. Whenever I am done eating here, I go into a food coma. I sit. Silently. Wishing I had room to finish (I never can). This is the true reason I have gained weight since moving to NYC.
Rather than give you a legit review (as if there aren't enough here), I am going to offer something very special to you: Invite me with you, and I will tell you what to get. It's that simple. I know the secrets (not all the sauces are on the table) and I plan to keep it that way.
The only thing that bothers me about this DBQ is their lack ofthe Mac Salad side that they have up in Syracuse. You hear me, Dino-People? Get on that!
* Dinosaur Barbe-Que, to the uninitiated.
YUMMM!! Rib meat that comes right off the bone, chicken breast and wings..all grilled and smothered in their different BBQ sauces to your liking. Definitely try their mac & cheese. Cole slaw, mashed potatoes and corn bread are OK.
A dozen honey BBQ wings with blue cheese and some mac & cheese always calms my craving for Dino's..any time of day!
I knocked off one star because of lack of parking for those of us that drive and the ridiculously long wait times I've experienced at times (mostly evenings and nights on weekends) ...but the delicious BBQ variety that awaits usually makes up for it! ;-D
The Bar-b-Que Chicken Wings appetizer was very good. The exterior displays that subtle char that's indicative of grilling over a live flame. The winglets and drumlets are big meaty pieces. And, the flavor is a good semi-spicy flavor.
Next, I tried the Drunken Spicy Shrimp. They were average sized shrimp boiled in beer, and sprinkled with spices. It came with a habanero cocktail sauce that turned out very good.
Ribs were very good. The smoky flavor is present. Then once your teeth sink into the ribs, you get some nice juicy meat.
The Pulled Pork was just as I last remembered, soo juicy and succulent. It's incredibly moist and juicy without being overly fatty.
For my sides, I went with the Creole Potato Salad, and the Coleslaw. The coleslaw was ok. And, the Creole Potato salad was a bit salty. The flavors in this just didn't balance out.
Overall, this is a great bbq spot. They serve the best Pulled Pork I've ever had, a very good brisket, very good ribs, and some very good wings.
I'm looking at their menu again, and there are quite a few dishes that I want to go back to sample; for no other reason than, I like the way they flavor and cook their dishes.
For my next few visits I'll have my eyes on:
- Chili on the half shell
- Cubano sandwich
- Brisket Smothered sandwich
- Pulled Pork + Grilled Portobello sandwich
- Pork-Sket sandwich (brisket, pulled pork, cheese, coleslaw)
- Half Bar-b-q chicken
- Bbq Beef Ribs Korean Style
- Bbq Fried Rice
There is a lot of positive reviewer feedback for this place. However, just one week ago I attended… Read more »
Really really good ribs. The brisket was a bit disappointing but the bacon and cheese on my sandwich covered up its dryness. Sides were also good including the deviled eggs and fried green tomatoes. I really wish Dinosaur was closer/easier to get to......
The BBQ here is great. Awesome brisket/pulled pork/ribs/chicken. All of it is top notch. Also, their sides are fantastic. I highly recommend the mac and cheese, and chicken wings. The kick they add to these staples makes it extra special.
Went with a group of ten and got great service for a good price. I recommend the sweet tea, for sure!
We also got the fried tomatoes , another great hit!
OK, here's the trick, people... do not eat in the restaurant. Aside from the interminable wait, it's loud and crowded. Instead, go when the weather's nice and order from the take out counter and sit on the picnic tables outside. A waitress will take your drink order and you get all their BBQ sauces to choose from. I'll admit it's weird sitting next to a Fairway parking lot under a bridge, but hey... that's BBQ!
I went to the Syracuse Dinosaurs this summer and it was actually better than this location, but unless you have a car and 8 hours to spare, this is your best bet for BBQ in the city.
Imma a fan fo life..
You usually don't associate BBQ and NYC but Dinosaur BBQ has the goods to put BBQ on the map in NYC.. A short walk from the 125th subway train.. And u find BBQ heaven on 131st..
My favorite is the Pork Ribs...Perfectly smoked to perfection and perfectly seasoned with the perfect amount of sauce.. Did I mention that their pork ribs are perfect?
Their sides are amazing too.. Of note are the fried green tomatoes and the fried rice.. Yup.. fried rice.. Who knew? haha..
You'll definitely find me grubbing here next time imma in Harlem..
Dinosaur is the best place for BBQ. It became popular upstate and finally moved its tail to Manhattan. Despite the fact that you'll see a lot of Columbia Law students there, the place is as far from fake as you'll get (just a joke, don't sue me). It's just a down home BBQ joint.
The meats are flavored perfectly and fall off the bone. The mac and cheese can't be beat. One problem for some people is that there aren't really many vegetables. So don't take any herbivores. The collard greens are decent but you'll find better at Rack & Soul farther down on Broadway. The service is usually fine with a lot of young aspiring actors waiting tables, but the quality is tough to keep high with so many people. I recommend booking on OpenTable since it's so well known.
This place is fun and feels like a chain restaurant inside but it's NOT! It's authentic, baby. There are two kinds of barbecue sauce and a BIG ASS pork plate that you can order (I heard this is awesome). My barbecued chicken was great, I beefed that up with some macaroni and cheese and even the collard greens had some kick! I didn't eat EVERYTHING that day... but I'd like to go back and order more to keep the flavors coming. I think that if you like barbecue, there's no way you can go wrong here. SOUTHERNERS... if you have a hankering and have been feeling deprived in the big city, head up to Harlem, honey!
Dino BBQ is a pretty far trek for BBQ if you are in the village, but its definitely well worth the trip. Dino BBQ has a great atmosphere. When I was there the bar was hoppin' and the music was playing loudly, and people were gathered around every nook and crany they could find that was vacant to hang out and chat. I loved eating here, with my friend. We sat together and enjoyed appetizers galore ... We actually met the Chef Cooter and he pointed us in the right direction with what we should order, what we shouldn't order, and what we should splurge on. Everything about DINO BBQ was fabulous. We had a great time drinking together and eating some finger lickin' good food together.
Head up to Dino if you are in the mood for some southern soul food.
Lots of people are doing it, so, so am I. Dinosaur BBQ is really a 2.5, but since I do not have any 2 star reviews so far, I'm slightly downgrading them. Blame Yelp for the lack of .5 on their rating scale. Ok, enough gibberish, and on my super unbiased, objective review.
When I think bbq, I think of fall of your bone goodness. Only thing in that accomplishes that are the wings from the app menu. Everything else is just a sloppy plate of meat. Granted, all the food has a good smoke flavor, but I can pretty much accomplish that with a bottle of liquid smoke. The meat from the ribs are tough, and the chicken is actually pretty dry and bland. Their apps/ desert are actually worth the price of admission. The wings w/ japaneiro sauce have me flaming. Love it! Other than that, I can't really recommend anything else.
Perhaps I do not have the palate for good bbq food. What a shame! For my money, if I'm craving good bbq, I'll make my way to Brother Jimmy's and get a bucket of ribtips. (That should be my next review!)
Life would be so much easier if I were smart.................
Case in point, if I were smart I wouldn't have procrastinated and come here sooner. Yes it is a hike from downtown or Brooklyn and yes it's worth it.
The only disappointment in my meal was the cornbread. Not so much bad as bland and boring. Everything else I ordered or tried was very good to excellent. I like that the sides are not afterthoughts as they are in many bbq places. The creole potato salad was great. It had a very nice tang to it sort of a cross between a deviled egg and potato salad. The mac & cheese was a little soupier than I'm accustomed to, but still tasted good. I love the dry rub ribs, tender, juicy without much fat. I liked them dry but a variety of sauces are available if you like your ribs wet. The spicy sausage was well..... a spicy sausage. Not as hot as a texas hot link, but very good. While I doubt this would be destination for vegetarians, if there are any in your party there is a smoked portobello sandwich plus a variety of sides to choose from.
Dinosaur BBQ also has a fully stocked bar, even though on my visit I stuck with sweet tea. No I'm serious. I really did. And it was good.
Many reviews complained about the wait for a table, so it should be noted they now take reservations directly or through Open Table.
If I were smart I would've ordered more food. Not because my meal wasn't enough, I was stuffed and didn't eat again that day, but because this is a place you want to take a doggie bag from. I spent Sunday watching sports wishing I had brought some ribs or chicken home from Dinosaur.
If you like BBQ don't be like me or the tin man, head to Dinosaur BBQ now.
GREAT BBQ!
Ive heard a lot about this place and was supposed to go a few times but never could make it. Finally I went with my boyfriend and my friend and her fiancee. After spending the day in a damp and dreary city with my boy and walking the soggy streets yet having fun it was time for some grub (I mean i had made Matt spend a good hour and a half in Victoria's Secret, the flagship store near Times Square, during a Saturday while I tried on oodles of bras). So after contacting our friends, it was the obvious choice (especially them coming from good ol' Jersey).
We didn't have to wait long luckily, but the place was crowded as all hell! It was bumpin....and we lucked out with a small table right next to the window. It was a warm late summer night and we were starving. Having such appetites, the guys each ordered the biggest and most expensive dish they could find on the menu - something with ribs, half a chicken, brisket and pulled pork with two sides... absolute insanity. Best part.... my guy managed to eat wings before this w my friends fiancee and also finish his entire plate, along with some of mine. I ordered brisket and ribs and mac and cheese along w coleslaw as my sides. The mac and cheese was to die for!!! To start we had ordered wings for the boys and southern style pull and peel shrimp.... garlicky and good... it was yummy.... my friend had a few too many and didnt feel quite well... but what do you expect when you eat a pound of shrimp almost by yourself haha!?!?
No dessert for us because it was too much food.... but everything was delicious. The atmosphere was somewhat southerny... and the service wasn't the best but with the amount of ppl it was alrighty. 4 STARS!
Love this place! Location has so much character, food is delicious, and Fairway Grocery Store is right across the street!
Recommendations
*Sweetheart Deal For Two: Full Rack + 4 Homade Sides (get the mac n' cheese for sure!) $27.95; great combo for two-to-share!
*There's an assortment of BBQ sauces on the table!
Solid BBQ that is worth the trip to Harlem. The ambience is perfect for a BBQ joint. It's unpolished, gritty, dark, and hip music floods the air. Hardly a more relaxing place can be found in the city to eat ribs and drink beer.
I ordered a combination plate that provided a partial rack of ribs, BBQ pulled pork. corn bread, pork and beans, and mac and cheese. The flavors in both the ribs and the pulled pork were quite good. Sophisticated, smoky, sweet, but nuanced, I was hooked at the first bite. The mac and cheese was very creamy and good. The beans were disappointing; I really thought these could have been much better with the inclusion of molasses or brown sugar for example. I also had their sweet tea which as good as the many I have had living in Virginia. A great place to be at ease with solid BBQ, I'll definitely be back!
DBQ I fell in love with you in Rochester. The NYC version does not disappoint. Be sure you go on an empty stomach because as the reviews make reference to "it is hard to stop eating"
The ribs are cooked for 24hrs. What else do I need to say?
The Dino sauces is delicious. Defiantly worth the trip.
Maybe the best BBQ in NYC!! Great Location for those of us that live in the burbs, just spitting distance from the G-Dub. Plenty of parking (supermarket parking lot across the street)
The building really gives this place great ambiance, you forget that your sitting in the middle of NYC. This place took me back to my days in the south as a Shrimpin' Boat Captain, oh wait that was Forrest Gump. Anyway we stopped in for a late lunch around 2pm and we were seated right away.
Smack dab in the middle of the menu is the beer list!! 25 beers on tap including seasonal brews and at least another 20 - 30 in bottles, they even go old skool and offer some of the shit in cans that you might have drank in your youth (PBR, Schlitz, Genny etc.) Needless to say this is my kind of place.
DW, DD and I shared some Wango Tango Wings and 1/2 lb of Drunken Spicy Shrimp for Apps. DW had the Half Bar-B-Que Chicken with baked beans and potato salad for sides. I went with the pulled pork with Mac & Cheese and Home-made fries. Mac & Cheese was some of the best I have tasted. The pulled pork was sweet and juicy again some of the best I have had.
We would go back here in a heartbeat, in fact I'm going to do my best to find a reason to go back next week. Keep in mind that this review is coming from a "Yankee" but this is some of the BEST BBQ that I've ever had.
I have family upstate in Buffalo, NY.... so ive been fortunate enough to experience the greatness that is real Buffalo Wings. There is a spot up there called La Nova that is probably the best damn wings you can get.
Dinosaur BBQ is no La Nova's... especially since La Nova has about 10 different styles of wings from BBQ to Italian all the way to raspberry, But Dino BBQ is a damn good replica and probably the best you can find in the metro area. The wings are the star of the show here and they are everything they are hyped up to be if you like BBQ or Hot wings.
As for the rest of the menu, the fried green tomatoes are ridonkulously good. Actually, pretty much all of their appetizers are so good to the point that your left somewhat dissapointed when the main dish comes around. This is definitly a great place to have a few beers from the huge selection and eat appetizers while watching the game.
Dont get me wrong the food was pretty good. i found the sides to be mediocre, not bad, but nowhere near Blue Smoke quality. i came here with a large party so i was able to try a little bit of everything. For the most part, everything is good, the BBQ is better then most place in NY and probably Top 5 at least, just not anywhere near the best.
The thing that will keep you coming back here is the portion sizes... for $22 dollars you can order a plate that has Half a Chicken, a pound of Brisket, a half rack of Ribs which is equivalent to a regular BBQ place's full rack, and 2 sides. Their full rack of ribs was astonishing... i lost my appetite as soon as i took a look at it. Truthfully any of their main dishes can easily feed 2-3 people. For great BBQ on the cheap, this place is at the top of the mound.
i recommend that you take advantage of ordering take out here, the atmosphere may be nice, but wait times of 1-2 hours are not unusual.
to sum up.. good food, fun atmosphere, Literally Dinosaur size portions, and cheap prices = Thumbs up
Great BBQ outside of the BBQ wasteland of midtown!
Definitely get the wango tango chicken wings, they are delicious. From there the ribs were great with a nice rub and smoke flavor as well as the pulled pork. We tried pretty much all of the sides and they were all really good, notably the mac n cheese, bbq fried rice, and deviled eggs.
Not too mention they have a nice selection of beers on tap so check that out. We will definitely be back!
There are better barbeque places in the south. There are none in the city.
With a wide selection of choices, you can't go wrong. Pork, Beef, Chicken, Shrimp, Catfish, sandwiches, an amazing group of sides (the greens and mac n' cheese being particularly strong)... my mouth is watering even as I write this down. If you are a meat-lover and have not been yet, run - do not walk - to this Harlem-based restaurant. It would only be better if they had live music there...
Oh wait. That's right. They do.
BEER SELECTION: Great: over a dozen beers, with pitchers available at good prices.
FOOD: Fantastic.
SERVICE: Very good, but can get held back on busy nights.
Speaking of busy nights, this place is ALWAYS packed. I have never been there without a 30-minute wait for a table, and it usually runs along the side of an hour. They take reservations through Open Table and on the phone, but I've heard this is a gamble. Instead, hang around the bar. There are raised tables that are first-come-first-serve that have the full menu. Don't be like those suckers outside waiting; listen to your ol' buddy Steele and sneak on in through the side.
NOTE: The booze does rack up the charges, but the food itself is very appropriately priced. The biggest hits are on the steaks and full rack of ribs, which hover around the $28-$32 range. Everything else is $10-25.
Perhaps an "Apples to Apples" comparison of it's original flagship location in Syracuse, NY might be slightly unequivocal. Nevertheless, the thought of having the flavors observed in the Syracuse location mirrored in our own backyard was too tempting to pass up.
The establishment at the Harlem location is slightly different than that of its Syracuse counterpart. What's observed from Dino BBQ in Harlem is a rustic yet tranquil feel when entering the establishment. The exposed grey brick wall that's accompanied by red checked table cloth provides a subtle ease and low key feel to the restaurant. More importantly, the biker bar scene is essentially non-existent, as the consumer base is dominated by the "average" New Yorker and Foodies alike.
The Food: Opted to order the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich w/ a side of Beans & Apple Sauce (same as the platter ordered in Syracuse)
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich: Excellent in terms of execution and flavor but lacking the potency that's embodied by the original. Each individual bite did indeed possess a balance of juiciness derived from the pork's renderings and sweetness from the BBQ sauce. What's was lacking in terms of this location's rendition is the potency of the spices in the application. Although the initial consumption revealed a surprise balance of sweetness and heartiness, the extreme flavor derived from the seasoning did not kick in through further consumption. What was also noted was the contrast in flavors between one flavor from the next, as certain bites of the pork revealed a level of dryness and lack of flavor, where the Syracuse original did not have such technical flaws. Nevertheless, the flavors of the pulled pork were pleasant and provided a welcoming balance of sweetness and spice.
BBQ Beans: Similar to Syracuse's rendition in every way, the Baked Beans were mildly firm and perfectly sweet. The Baked Beans possessed a mild cinnamon / sweet taste that's accompanied by a mild detection of honey flavor. The Beans themselves were of medium firmness, thus providing a proper balance of meatiness and ease of consumption to the application.
Apple Sauce: Is as described! Two bites of this helped to cleanse the palate from the excessive flavors of the BBQ Pork
At a slightly higher price tag of $9.95, the platter itself was worth it! Despite the lack of potency and embodiment of the bold and robust flavoring that was observed at the original Flagship, Dino BBQ still manages to produce a glimpse of the remarkable and captivating flavors that rendered its excessive notoriety. Certainly, it's not better than Syracuse, but the flavors themselves on a stand alone basis are worth the hike, not to mention the 2 hour wait time.
Remember the opening sequence of the Flintstones cartoon? The part where they goto dinosaur BBQ and a huge rack is thrown on their car and the car tips over. Yah, this place rocks.
I've been to the syracuse location and the NYC one a couple of times. Never fails to disappoint. Prices are great, food & side dishes plentiful, great beer selection. They make their own dinosaurr sauce. mmmm... dinosaur
I've been to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que twice and enjoyed it both times.
The wings are unbelievably good. All different kinds of sauces on them. Mild to awesomely hot. Their side dishes are incredible. I had a side dish of corn, and the spices they put on it were amazing!
The staff is very friendly, and they don't bother you too often. One of the worst things for me is how waiters come over 5 times in the first 15 minutes, and they did not do this. They let us get started on our meal and didn't come up to us for a good 15 minutes. They only came over when we called them over.
The atmosphere is really nice. The bar always has a bunch of people, and it is never too loud, so if you are sitting down at a table, you can have a conversation without yelling at the person 24" to your right, or 30" to your left.
Weekends get extremely packed, so I suggest going Monday-Thursday.
I unfortunately forgot to make a reservation, for a Saturday night, and the wait was 3 hours! Crazy, right? Even better, they handle the large crowds very well.
Sloooooow delivery but I have to admit the food was almost worth the over an hour wait.
The ribs were were fantastic, although I like mine with a bit more sauce. The Syracuse salt potatoes were really good, unlike anything I've ever had and a nice alternative to mashed potatoes. The mac & cheese tasted like it came from a box, which was really disappointing.
But the cornbread was the worse by far, what a waste, no flavor and extremely dry!
It's a bit pricey for what it is, not sure I'd order delivery from them again but would probably eat in the actual restaurant.
I personally prefer Dallas BBQ, but everyone has their own tastes.
I recall this place as being "Okay."
You might notice a theme in some of my reviews, or a recurrence of the words "I passed out" or "I was very drunk."
It was a lovely Spring day, a bunch of friends were meeting to celebrate a birthday. We began the day at Dinosaur...hostess was pretty rude to us. Ordered the house beer, which was pretty refreshing and got the garlic chipotle wings. Those were great.
I believe I got the pulled pork and found it to be pretty unremarkable. Even with one of the sauces on it. And the sides were pretty blah.
What's more fun is the day that followed. We bar hopped a bit before going to see Watchmen which after several hours of BBQ eating and beer drinking, most of us passed out during.
My first impression of this place was...SCARY! the location was a little discouraging especially when the night that me, my bf and friends went was filled with scary bikers surrounding the restaurant. Not only did the bikers fill the air with their annoying bike growls but, the restaurant also happens to be situated underneath the bridge. For such a lousy location the food better be worth it!....
And by golly it was! I don't usually crave for ribs and junk but for some reason I was. For starters we had the sampler which is a definite must! it included chicken wings(which was good), deviled eggs(which was really really good!), shrimp(GOOD), and the "fried green tomatoes"(which was surprisingly really really good!). It comes in an order for 2 or order for 4. I wish they would have had an order for 6 because I would be all up in that thing...yes...it was that good! and i had 4 other people say the same thing.
Now for the main course...I ordered the "ode to elgin" which was 1/4 rack of Ribs, Beef Brisket & Hot Sausage Link. The ribs was nice and tender and so was the beef brisket. I really wanted to like the sausage link, but it just didn't tickle my fancy too much. I guess it's hard for me to compare it to the sausage that I had at the BBQ block party at madison square park. And yet, I really can't complain because this so much way better than the food that they serve at Dallas BBQ.
My boyfriend on the other hand had the "sampler extreme" which was 1/2 Chicken, 1/2 Rack of Ribs, Texas Beef Brisket. Everything was the same as mine except for the chicken. Oh man...it is definitely waaaay better than the chicken at Dallas BBQ. It was sooo juicy in comparison and full of flavor. The serving was also HUGE. My bf is a big guy and he couldn't even finish 1/2 of the things that was on his plate. It's funny cuz when you think that you finished something, there's some meat hiding beneath something else.
So my overall experience?
1. Location = C
2. Ambiance = B
3. Service = B+
4. Food = A
I have eaten here more times than I can conveniently count (although that's counting my visits to the Syracuse location as well but that's not the point) despite the consistent wait for a table even with reservations it never disappoints. I switch the main up a lot and haven't had a bad one from the chicken to the ribs and back (I've even had the fish) but always the same sides .. the potato salad which I would eat huge bowls of if they gave it to me and the cole slaw. The cole slaw is the best I've had and though its a odd choice to judge some places on it seems that most restaurants that offer it give you a nasty tasteless watery cup of cabbage .. not here .. its hearty and well seasoned and delicious.
Also I come here for the wings which while spicy aren't quite like buffalo wings. the grilled BBQ wings are so tender and juicy and the sauce is great (speaking of which you can buy it in stores). Also this place turned me onto fried green tomatoes I prefer them with the spicy shrimp remoulade sauce but either way they're delicious.
the only issue i ever have with this place is getting a seat.. it takes for ever even if you called ahead, although you can just grab a seat at the bar tables which I have done and its okay but a little too close to your neighbors sometimes. the decor is kitchy but its based on the original in Syracuse which is a real biker bar with real shitty bikers. and I love the old cafeteria style plates! keeps my food from touchin!
Neighborhood: Harlem
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Hell's Kitchen
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Manhattan Valley
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Harlem
Category: Barbeque
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