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Rub BBQ
Category: Restaurants Barbeque Barbeque [Edit]
208 W 23rd St(between 7th Ave & 8th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
Neighborhood: Chelsea
(212) 524-4300
- Nearest Transit:
-
23 St (1, 2)
23 St (A, C, E)
23 St (F, M)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
417 reviews for Rub BBQ
Review Highlights
"The burnt ends are the fatty delicious bomb."
(in 84 reviews)
"The pulled pork was juicy and mild."
(in 151 reviews)
"The Onion Strings were top notch."
(in 50 reviews)
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417 reviews in English
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Review from Mike H.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I ate two entrees at RUB recently, the burger and the pulled pork sandwich. I went there on a Monday, their burger night. Got a cheeseburger with bacon...extra crispy, I asked. Just as requested, three excellent strips of perfectly crispy, but not burnt, bacon was served on the side. The burger itself was served with at least a couple slices worth of cheese, yet nothing else except a small bun. Fine with me, I suppose. The side order of fries tasted different to me though, and were coated with a few different spices which tasted like brown sugar or something.
The pulled pork sandwich hit the spot. Served in halves, and piled solidly with moist pork on rye. Yes, very plain rye bread - new to me. It's dense enough to hold the sandwich together without all the mass of a bun. And it worked really well with their spicy vinegar sauce. Few BBQ places carry it outside of, say, Eastern NC, but it's awesome when done well. My two sides were the baked beans, which were really tangy, and the greens, which were some of the best I've ever had.
So I ate all of this good food after choosing from a nice little draft beer list. Same goes for their bourbon selection too. A Yelp check-in makes the first beer free so I stayed with that. -
Review from C. L.
New York, NY
1/27/2012
I love BBQ. I eaten BBQ all over the south. and I make killer ribs and brisket. That being said Rub was a disappointment. I had been here before and thought it was just ok, but I was in the neighborhood so decided to check it out again.
The Baby Backs were the best thing we tried. The St. Loius Ribs were pretty good as well. Moist and tender with a good spice rub. The brisket was dry, and the pastrami just didn't do it for me. We also had onion straws which were greasy ......
Overall......if you crave good BBQ then this isn't the place for you.
Good luck on the quest and let me know if you find somewhere awesome. -
Review from Malcolm G.
Manhattan, NY
1/17/2012
I love bbq and this place has the best burnt ends I have ever tasted.
Two problems: 1) they never seem to have them and 2) everything else on the menu is mediocre at best.
Been in there on multiple occasions in hopes of the burnt ends only to order other items and frankly have been underwhelmed every time, once actually getting into a confrontation with an over aggressive defensive waitress.
The last visit I ordered the chili because it has ends in it and lets just say that there are many places to try bbq in NYC and this place is just off the list.
The drinks are watered down and I just didn't get the sense that this was establishment looking to impress it customers with good food.
I have been in enough seeking the ends and not getting them to have tried most of the items on the menu and honestly if they do not have the burnt ends I am not sure what the redeeming value of eating here is.
As an aside the place could use a slight sprucing.
Service ......... middle of the road (If i were a waitress constantly explaining why we don't have our best menu item I would get frustrated too) -
Review from Iris L.
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
2/5/2012
What we liked :
The best part was that we arrived at Rub BBQ at 9pm on a Saturday night and there was no wait and our waitress was very nice and friendly.
What we did not like:
By the time we got there they had run out of chicken and turkey. To us the food was mild and bland.
Unfortunately, asides for the 0 wait time and friendly service, we see no reason to return. -
Review from Nikolai V.
Manhattan, NY
2/6/2012
They got rid of the Rib Sandwich, which was their best item, but Rub is still my favorite BBQ in NYC. Try the 1/2 duck if you're hungry enough, its amazing. Don't forget to finish the meal with fried oreos.
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Review from Antonella M.
New York, NY
They are always out of burnt ends... You now have a large fan base, do we really have to play this game with running out of really good items still? I enjoy RUB but it's very heartbreaking that the first thing you have to look at when you enter is a small sign on the counter listing what they ran out of for the day. The burger is ONLY available on MONDAY between 6pm - 9pm (a tad pretentious, no?). Monday's are packed with the most diverse crowd you have ever seen, especially in the neighborhood of Chelsea, foodies from all over come by, wouldn't you for the Fatty melt? TWO grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun in the center you have the burger... Genius! Obesity on a plate but oh so delicious.
If you are not here on a Monday, I suggest the following:
Stuffed baked potatoes - They stuff it with cheese & meat; a meal in itself!
The Baron platter - Really a little bit of everything, a must share with the crew!
Fried string onions - Does this even need an explanation? Yummy!
Cornbread - A mix of dessert and bread, simply brilliant and melted in my mouth!
Overall, if i am in Chelsea, I will go again and yes I will curse them up and down when they are out of all the good stuff and claim never to come here again, and of course repeat :) -
Review from Jason M.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dang I'm a BBQ snob coming from MI, and this place was GREAT!!! My old roommate from Vegas recommended it to me and we met up and got a free beer for checking in. Portion was huge, 3 of us took it back to our hotel room and we ate it the next day too. Service was good, and the place is friendly.
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Review from Erin S.
Chelsea, Manhattan, NY
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
We popped in here for lunch to find they were out of rib sandwiches? What!??
In any case, I was convinced to stay for the pulled pork sandwich, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Our server was great AND we got two free draft beers for checking in through Yelp.
I would have given this 5 stars if they had had the rib sandwiches. -
Review from Elisabeth L.
Chelsea, NY
1/3/2012
I don't know what these self proclaimed BBQ Geniuses are talking about ...this place is pretty freakin good to me.
The Country Cocktail is huge, and they don't spare the bourbon, i was totally loaded by the time we left. IN FACT, I don't even like bourbon, except this way.
The non-cooked bun, and the speed of light at which our food was ready kind of weird...
- It was waiting to be adopted out of its cage, face pressed against the bars, i just had to say .. " PULLED PORK!" ::BOOM:: It was there..
but i totally forgot about it after i put all the different BBQ sauces on the sandwich.
Fries are awesome. ..you wont be able to stop eating them. -
Review from Paul K.
New York, NY
12/23/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is my Lo' Lo's Chicken and waffles substitute here in the city. The chicken is great, the wings are juicy, and the Ribs are literally making my mouth water as I write this review awaiting my delivery - Yes that's right, delivery!
Normally I would just walk to the place, but my gf is out of town so you know what I'm gonna do??!! BBQ-IN-BED!!! haaa!!! I'm gonna spill chicken on the duvet cover, BBQ sauce on the pillow cases, and cornbread crumbs on the sheets!!! It's gonna get saucy and moist and I'm not going to clean it up until she gets back to see it!!! MWUAAH HAHAHAHA!
Yea Bra! -
Review from Thomas C.
ASTORIA, NY
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ordered a brisket sandwich, and was served in 5 minutes with my friends appetizers. It was a plain bun with a decent sized helping of cold strips of brisket. Not tough, but pretty dry. Adding loads of bbq sauce helped a lot.
After eating dinner we ordered fried Oreos, which took at least 45 minutes to arrive. We were never really waited on during that time. The oreos were delicious, but how hard can it be to screw up deep frying cookies? -
Review from Katie B.
Manhattan, NY
1/13/2012 4 Check-ins Here
My go to BBQ place in New York! The food comes out fast, which is a great sign for things like Brisket - they have the meat ready to go. Everything on the menu is delicious. Decent beer list, and great atmosphere. The only downfall is the dessert. The Fried Oreos ARE delicious, but the only choice, and they take forever to come out - yet worth the wait in my opinion.
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Review from Allison P.
Manhattan, NY
12/7/2011
Yeah I'm a certified bbq judge but my dining partner is not. And she would agree with the rating of 2 stars.
Brisket - Almost as dry as it could be.
Pastrami - Very lean (no fat for flavor or juice). Barely passable level of moistness - just a tad better than the brisket.
Both lacked flavor. Not even a hint of smoke.
Barbecue sauces - original and spicy - eh. Nothing special. At all.
Coleslaw with mayo - Fine.
Baked beans - Fine. Only item that tasted of smoke.
Cornbread - Terrible. We both put it down after one bite. And she didn't even bring it home for her pet.
Fries - Awesome. Supposedly they have their "rub" on them. I sure did NOT taste these rub on any of my meats but very good on the fries.
Cocktails - Loaded Lemonade and Razz Tazz (something like that) were both great. Served with lots of ice in a large plastic cup for $10 each.
If you call yourself a bbq place but a customer can only walk away saying the french fries and cocktails were really good, that's a problem.
I was Rub'ed the wrong way here. -
Review from Vonnie B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/16/2012
BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. Isn't that really all that needs to be said?
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Review from Roger M.
CHESTNUT RDG, NY
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best sauce I've tasted anywhere. Burnt ends are the highlight here. If they are out of those I get the pulled pork sandwich sloppy top. Best Q in the city.
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Review from Alexis R.
ASTORIA, NY
1/22/2012
My kinda place sauce on the side pulled white meat chicken and onion strings. Ahhhhmayyyzing! Waiters are great real down to earth. Lots of personality. Cheezey fries were pretty good just wish they were crispier. Try the brisket and burnt ends... ill probably stop by this week for a cheat. 8)
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Review from Jenny K.
New York, NY
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was really looking forward to trying the burnt ends, buuut they were out. Sad face. Not to be deterred, I got the 12hr ribs...aaand they were okay, if anything, on the dry side. We also ordered the Frito Pie (um, yum) and a bunch of sides. The onion strings are pretty good. Service was excellent and we got a free draft beer for checking in through the Yelp app. Hoping the next time we go the burnt ends are available!
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Review from Nga C.
10/1/2011
Now Ah reckon I aint no Southerner and Ah reckon I might not understand wut real BBQ food is, but when I took dat one bite of my combo sandwich, I knew right away, Ah was in true heaven's bliss. 'Cause here, 'em folks really know how duh rub me in all the right places and made my tummy felt sooo mmm mmm gud!
Ah came here on Saturday wid sum friends. It was all our first time and we didn't know wut to expect. Ah ordered a combo sandwich ($11.75) dat was comprised of smoked pastrami and brisket. The decor of dis place wasn't all dat. Cheap compressed wood wid them Christmas lightin' on duh side. Nothin' was impressive until mah food arrived and boy was it slamming gud. It was dead on wid smokey richness!!! The meat was tender as it should. Not overly cooked but just right. The choice of BBQ sauce was optional, as it was presented to us. Wid them added sauce, everythin' tasted so harmoniously perfect.
Of course if y'all lookin' for 'em fake shit then Ah say scoot on down to Dallas BBQ on 8th Ave, where they'll serve y'all wid nothin' but the nastys. But if yo' pallet is requestin' for nothin' but duh bestest, then Ah say this joint is seriously for you!
So next time when y'all in de neighborhood, you might wanna check dis place out 'cause I'm sure glad Ah did!
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**This review is dedicated to one of my favorite books, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonListed in: How I love this "F"ing Train, BBQ
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Review from Philip N.
10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's OK. The food is all pretty decent, but all strangely room temperature when it came out.
It's a good enough place to grab a bite with friends, but isn't close to being the best bbq in the city. Quick plug for Fette Sau in Brooklyn or Dinosaur BBQ. -
Review from Judy T.
Oakland, CA
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Is this what New Yorkers think BBQ tastes like?
My Frommer's guide indicated that the co-owner is a Kansas City pit master who's won seven world BBQ championships. How could we go wrong?
The service was superb, and the wing appetizer was great, so I had high hopes.
The food arrived, and the brisket was dry and not distinctive in any way. Perhaps the point is to slather the meat in BBQ sauce, but I think the meat should taste good on its own, and the sauce should merely complement it instead of masking the problems.
The sides were also yummy, so you can't go wrong there. Unfortunately, the BBQ meat, which should have been the star of the show, was little more than a side act. -
Review from William P.
Bartlett, IL
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has HUGE portions... and tastey BBQ. Two people shared the $50 combo plate (minus the $250 bottle of Dom). My favorite was the BBQ pastrami. The pulled pork was also amazing. The ribs were tender and tasted good (not my favorite, but not bad at all). The sausage link was a let down. The brisket was pretty good.
We were seated immediately and taken care of fairly quickly, although I would still say that the service at this place was sub par. I finished my beer and water rather early on... and wasn't asked if I wanted something else to drink until we were ready to settle up and dash.
The atmosphere was nice, with a TV in the bar area to catch the Yankee game. The front area was open to the street, but it did seem to be a little stuffy/warm the farther back you went. -
Review from Sam E.
New York, NY
10/25/2011
Pretty good BBQ place. Strangely enough, I enjoyed the sides more than I did the main course. The Onion Strings were top notch. Could eat them forever, and the cornbread was soft and moist.
Had the pulled pork, I was slightly disappointed. It came out room temperature, would have loved it if it were served nice and hot. Plus had to add a lot of BBQ sauce to it...the chicken wings on the other hand, were incredible! -
Review from Pamela S.
Yummy stuff. Fair prices. I had the pulled pork sandwich and the vinegar based slaw. It was the perfect marriage of flavors. I could have been very happy with just the meat and the slaw, but having the roll there was a nice touch too. The service was friendly and the atmosphere nothing special.
I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here since I live in BKLYN, but if I was craving BBQ again and was in the area-RUB would be an option. Worth a shot. -
Review from Terrie C.
KNICKERBOCKER, NY
9/15/2011
Been here a few times and they really give huge portions. My fave is the St. Louis style dry rub ribs, YUMMY!!!! I also like their cornbread, cole slaw, and collard greens. It's a messy way of eating so just be prepared with wetnaps! JK.. but if you're trying to impress your HOT DATE, maybe avoid this place as it is a lot of using your hands and stuff to pick up the ribs. haha!
Oh, and ask the bartender for this beer that has a lot of alcohol content. She warned me that as long as I do not have responsibilities the next morning, I'll be ok. HAHAAH. The beer did taste sweet and she was right, I was buzzed half-way through. So this is the beer to CHECK OUT! I just forgot the name... -
Review from Sofia T.
Brooklyn, NY
10/15/2011
I probably would not go back to this place unless I was in the neighborhood. The food was fine, but (as another reviewer commented) room temperature when served.
A friend and I ordered a combination platter (I forget the name) that included ribs and sausage. The ribs were okay, flavorful but nothing special. The sausage, however, was terribly dry which was a huge disappointment and a bit strange for a place that only serves meat. Really, they seemed like they had been reheated more than once. But since they were also served room-temp, I can't imagine when they were originally cooked.
The fries and coleslaw were good. And on the upside my friend was able to score a free beer through four square.
In the end, it's the service that's going to keep me from going back. With a bunch of empty tables in the back, my friend and I were shoved into a small space next to a pillar and in the way of foot traffic. To be fair, it was still summer and they were probably trying to put us close to the entrance so we could people watch.
But, if I ran this restaurant I would fire a bunch of the staff. After we had placed our order, we were approached by another server trying to take our order. Then before we were brought our food we were interrupted at least twice by servers trying to bring us other people's orders. Then after we got our food were were interrupted several times WITH OUR MOUTHS FULL to be asked if we needed anything. Not a pleasant experience. Considering that the food wasn't even good, this place isn't worth the bother. -
Review from t m.
Warrington, PA
12/18/2011
Staff super friendly. Didn't have a door, was using a black sheet as a doorway. Thought it was kind of different.
Next door to the famous Hotel Chelsea.
Ordered brisket sandwich and ribs. Sandwich was pretty good. Ribs were bad, and I through them out. Skimpy on bbq sauce, but free drink refills. Diverse staff and crowd. Small, cramped interior. -
Review from Kristen W.
Strongsville, OH
This is a really good authentic BBQ place in NYC that ISN'T a chain, which is hard to find in the city nowadays! Between two of us we split an order of wings, and a one meat platter that comes with two sides.. It was plenty of food!
BBQ wings- grilled and have some char on them which makes them awesome! They are a really good size too! Split these as an appetizer is they are out of the fried green tomatoes.
Brisket- I've never had brisket before but this was DELICIOUS. Wasn't over cooked it was so tender and perfect and now I'm a huge brisket fan.
Onion straws- Get these as a side to any entree! I seriously dream about these onion straws. I don't know what is it about them but they are so addicting!
The waitress was super nice and helpful. I will definitely be coming back here to try the burnt ends! -
Review from Erik T.
CANAL STREET, NY
1/17/2012
Great NYC BBQ.
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Review from Sarah E.
New York, NY
7/15/2011
The staff is really nice. The place is open to the street so you can people watch. Honestly, the name RUB alone is what enticed us to visit here. Great marketing! What a great barbeque name! I also like how their sauce tastes.
But unfortunately for our experience, that's sadly where the good-times ended. Until they better understand what it means to slow-cook their meats, this place is not worth the buck. This is NOT TEXAS BBQ. And it's over priced when you consider the value and experience of other great BBQ spots in NYC.
They try to make chewy (not melt in your mouth) $16 brisket-sandwiches look bigger with large platters and wax paper bursting out from under the bun in all directions. It's just an annoyance once you figure out the smoke and mirrors trick. If it was a good brisket sandwich, I wouldn't be negative. But it was a bun, with SQUARE chunks of meat piled inside. Square?
The whole thing kept falling apart. :(
Pulled meat is what a BBQ sammie should have. :( :(
That's what congeals it together and makes it soak into the bun. :( :( :(
Also (and this should have been a telling sign from the get-go), there are no napkins for you to grab from anywhere. You have to ask the waitress. AND the napkins they give you are terrible. It's Barbeque. BBQ! BAR! BEEEEEE! QQQQQQQQQQQ!! It's messy. If it's not, you either don't believe in sauce-slathering, or you just don't get the Texas way.
Here's a lesson for frizzle: No matter how AWESOME your brisket tastes WITHOUT sauce, customers will experiment with lots of it anyway. And they will need a role of paper towels at their disposal. One at each table, to be exact, AND replenished every two hours if you are a busy house. What surprised me most is that their sauce was actually really good. It covered-up how boring the meat was. So I will forever question the napkin thing.
Bottom-line, my husband and I left very very sad. I hate being so critical, but the bill is truly what hurt the most. $47 for two sandwiches that were chewy/ho-hum on taste, sodas, plus tip (because our waitress was super cute and 20% is always awarded for that) is hard to swallow.
We know a place where we get so much more for $47. Check my review of Hill Country BBQ and you will have found your New York barbeque heaven. -
Review from Nicholas S.
Cincinnati, OH
The last place you'd expect to find authentic Texas BBQ would probably be in the heart of Chelsea. But that's exactly where you'll find it, right down to the slabs of meat served on wax paper sitting in cardboard boats. Also in the spirit of true Texas BBQ is the bespoke sauce, the (uncharacteristic for Chelsea) friendly staff (dare I invoke Southern comfort?), the side of pickles with every dish, and the unassuming atmosphere.
But what really blew me away about RUB was the authenticity of flavors. The brisket is smokey, the chicken is juicy, and everything else is just the right combination of savory, sweet and spicy. You can close your eyes with a mouthful of pulled pork and almost imagine yourself at a truck stop Rudy's somewhere between Dallas and Houston.
RUB picks up where neighboring boutique Chelsea eateries leave off: flavor without the pricetag. And don't forget to take advantage of the check-in special on your Yelp app while it's still available! -
Review from Chris J.
6/21/2011
All I know about BBQ can be traced to the garbage that plays on the food network and cooking tv. I'm sure some of the minute details and subtleties are overlooked when Bobby Flay is preparing for a showdown.
Friends from Kansas have been chatting about a RUB gathering (pun completely intended), so we went last Saturday. We ordered the Baron, to dabble in a bit of everything. Truth be told, I couldn't determine which was the brisket or the pulled pork. It all tastes like smoked meat smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce to me.
I have knocked RUB down a star, because of the service we received. The place was far from jammed and our waitress couldn't be bothered with us for additional settings and drinks when requested. It's sad to say, but the restaurant should be serving pork, not employing the worst breed of swine (read: our money is green, too, customer service shouldn't feel like that). -
Review from Rebecca A.
White Plains, NY
1/10/2012
The burnt ends were ok. I thought the rib tips were ok. I know this is the place to go for BBQ, but my friend, who is a vegan, got the portobello sandwich and it was way over priced. Regardless, I'd go back.
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Review from Scott B.
We had a 2nd meal at Rub BBQ last night, and all I can say is WOW! Vinny and I ordered The Baron to split, and it was amazing. $48 for a smorgasbord of meat and 2 large sides! We got sausage, sliced brisket, sliced ham, pastrami, turkey, and pulled pork... and we have enough for leftovers tonight! Note that we doused our meats w/ Rub's spicy BBQ sauce, which is quite tasty! I highly recommend this over their non-spicy version. For sides we got the onion straws and baked beans. The baked beans are cooked with chunks of brisket in the sauce. OMG! What a treat!
So, here's the low down on Rub... it's tasty, very reasonably priced ($48 for 2 people to eat and enough leftovers for another full meal at home), and the drinks are good (they have Abita Turbo on draft for only $6). If you're looking for romantic ambiance, this is not your place. If you don't mind the rustic, southern BBQ joint look and feel, then you'll feel right at home at Rub!Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/31/2011
I visited Rub this past weekend with my boyfriend and a group of other close friends, and, for the… Read more »
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Review from Will C.
Updated - 9/26/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Went back and they ran out of burnt ends yet again. We did have some great pulled pork and extra crispy fried green tomatoes.
Listed in: Will's Places Away, Will's Top Restaurants, Will's BBQ Pursuit
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/28/2011
After a fun night at the Frying Pan, I called the Rub number to see if they still had burnt ends… Read more »
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Review from John D.
6/24/2011
GO HERE FOR THE BUTT!!!
I went here 4 years ago and remembered it being pretty good so I wanted to revisit on my tour of NYC BBQ joints. WOW! This place exceeded my expectations.
I came here with 6 other dudes and we were all very happy with our meal, the highlight being the BUTT! They say to pre-order this the morning of your reservation due to limited availability and I highly recommend you do. We started out with some fried green tomatoes and an order of wings which we were all big fans of. We then got a rack of baby back ribs which were a little bit of a letdown and a half pound of brisket which was tender with a thin edge of fat on it, which I like. Then came the BUTT! The outside of the BUTT is rubbed with a delicious mix of spices and charred to perfection. Underneath is pound after pound of juicy, tender, dark meat that you pick at with tongs. We were all taken back by how good it was. It's definitely the best thing on the menu as far as straight meat goes so if you're not ordering this, you're making a big mistake.
For sides we ordered the baked beans, onion strings, potato salad, and corn bread. They were all excellent with the onion strings being everyone's favorite.
I will definitely go back here and I will order the BUTT every time I do. You should too. -
Review from Sarah C.
4/12/2011
I had been dying to try RUB for ages. Boyfriend's grandma lives in the neighborhood, so I'd like, try to float it as a dinner suggestion to no avail... But eventually Boyfriend took pity on me and we went. We got chili cheese fries, which were smothered in that creepy yellow cheese sauce, Boyfriend got a two meat platter with brisket and I got a big old thing of ribs and some like potato salad and stuff.
For a restaurant that I had been looking forward to for years, RUB was actually a bit underwhelming. The ribs were good, and I was happy to eat them, but they weren't melt in your mouth tender or especially flavorful--I've definitely had more memorable meat elsewhere. Aside from the definitely-not-cheddar on the fries, everything was pretty good, but just not outstanding. Even the space itself is a little dull, with no real atmosphere. It isn't particularly comfortable, or inviting, or even fun and kitchsy. The service was just that: serviceable. From beginning to end, nothing really stood out about our dining experience.
RUB says all the right things about cooking their meats low and slow for up to 17 hours, which makes you think "WOW THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST." As it turns out, it's hard to get really excited about anything one way or the other at RUB. As Boyfriend so rightly said: "It's one of those places that I'd give three stars, not really because there was anything wrong with it but more just because I wouldn't particularly recommend it."
If you want great NYC bbq, I suggest you stick to Dinosaur or Fette Sau.Listed in: Barbeque and Southern Soul…
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Review from Kiki R.
6/23/2011
The hush puppies were the star of this BBQ show. They were so light, fluffy, and crispy. I could eat a million of them, except I won't cause my ass is getting big.
The smoked turkey and the brisket were just "eh." They were a bit dry, but if you use Rub's house special spicy BBQ sauce, it is mildly better since hot sauce works on everything! The fried oreo was yum, but then again, how can you mess that up? You are frying an iconic American cookie, so it best be good.
The service was awesome and my waitress was so sweet. The place is a bit tight, because the douchey male behind me didn't bother to move his seat. The crowd wasn't too obnoxious just a few couples here and there. It was a fun night, but you've been warned that the BBQ food is just average. -
Review from Giselle R.
Jersey City, NJ
7/10/2011
Almost everything about Rub rubbed me the wrong way.
Crazy noisy.Tightly packed.
I've had Texas BBQ in Texas and this was not that.
I had the brisket. Almost inedible,it was SO dry. I had to soak it in all kinds of sauces and ask for mayo which came in packets. On Rye means on tiny slices of not too fresh rye bread.
My girlfriend had the pulled pork sandwich. Also on a tiny burger roll. Like from the supermarket. More like appetizer sizes.
The only redeeming item of our meal was the fried green tomatoes.
Those came out crisp and piping hot and I
think they were flavorful but I had seared my tongue on the first one so I can't be 100% sure.
Unfortunately my taste buds had returned to full capacity by the time they brought out the crappy sandwiches. -
Review from Eric B.
Charles Town, WV
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite places to eat in NYC. The BBQ Bacon app is to die for!
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Review from Krissy K.
7/4/2011
The burnt ends are the fatty delicious bomb. The onion strings and cornbread made for nice sides. It was a little crowded when I visited, but our group of 5 got a table without trouble.
Everyone enjoyed their food, and the portions were generous and reasonably priced. Turbo D.'s review really makes me want to go back and eat some butt. Since I sadly do not live in NYC nor visit it often enough to merit repeat trips to many restaurants (it's a gastronomical wonderland!), I may have to live through life Rub-Butt free.
