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Categories: Barbeque, Breakfast & Brunch
1300 10th StMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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So first off I want to say that Happy Hour on Sundays is what knocked this place up to five stars. They really need to advertise this more because I would have been here sooner.
What made me want to come here initially was the promise of good Mac-N-Cheese. Unfortunately that wasn't the best part of my meal.
I had Spare Ribs and the husband had Brisket. The little Potato Salad they serve with you meal was excellent. Some of the best Potato Salad I have ever had.
The BBQ Sauce itself was lacking in a way. It was not unique in any way. The dry rub however was an excellent touch on my ribs.
The place has this permeating smell of fat. I have never craved just fat off a bone more than when I walked in here. Is that the opposite smell of when you walk into a bakery? Still smells delicious though.
The drinks were fantastic! They were some of the more interesting drinks that we have ever had. The best was the Ginger Press. A delightfully light drink that could get you into trouble if you have to many.
The 10th & Gillman wasn't that good. I got mine without the Chambord Float. That stuff tastes like medicine. This was my least favorite drink.
The Time After Thyme was really good. If you love grapefruit juice as much as I do you will love this drink. All fresh squeezed juice also so it gives these beverages that little something extra.
The Bitter Sweet Symphony was pretty good. One of the best cucumber cocktails I have had. Some cucumber cocktails tend to get a little rubbing alcohol hinted and this one didn't. It was uniquely delicious.
We loved it here. Its open and airy and the service is good and quick. It has all of my favorite components. Good food, good drinks and my husband and I had a great time.
I cant wait to come back for another Sunday Happy Hour. Yay!!!!!
5 stars for their excellent happy hour menu!
Appetizers are half off! I enjoyed EVERYTHING we ordered. MMmm. The $1 tacos were my favorite, the salsa is so delicious. I could eat ten of them! We also had the pulled pork nachos, the other burger , pork riblets, the french fries with chipotle ketchup, and the captain's scatter (fried okra, calamari, shrimp). The most expensive thing was the captain's scatter at $6. I think the other burger is a great value for $5. It comes with a side of homemade bbq chips and a 1/2 pint of PBR.
They also have a good variety of cocktails made with quality alcohol and nice selection of beers. :) I'll be back for those tacos!
The concept of BBQ and whiskey in a pristine, two-storey dining room is a cool idea. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows behind the bar stands out but works well in this light industrial neighborhood.
Burger with blue cheese and bacon was delicious.
Look forward to trying the ribs next time.
Let me be clear- I love the food at T-Rex and i used to love everything about T-Rex. I would have given it 5 stars if I hadn't had such a rude, abrasive, unhelpful server yesterday.
Everything got off to a bad start the minute we sat down. Our server was immediately in our faces trying to get us to order "starters" (at brunch?) of beignets or beef jerky. At this point no one had even looked at their menus or had any idea what they wanted. She acted incredibly put out that we weren't going to succomb to her attempts to upsell us. I got the distinct impression that she wrote us off in that minute as cheap people who weren't worth her time or effort.
Then things got worse. My husband and I both have wheat allergies. Having this dumb allergy is usually incredibly annoying for both us and for our server. We know this and try not to be too demanding. But wheat is hidden in most sauces and the after-effects of eating the wheat are so bad that it's not worth it for us to take chances. We've been dealing with this for a few years now and have generally had good results with servers trying to help make sure that we don't leave their restaurants sick. This girl wouldn't listen ("there's no dairy in our BBQ sauce") and again acted super put out by dealing with us at all. She was just nasty throughout. I could understand being a little annoyed if the restaurant was busy but it wasn't.
Once we got our food we all loved it. But she ignored us after the food was delivered and only came back to try to sell us dessert. Again the heavy sigh, eye roll, and condescending glare when we didn't want dessert.
I don't know what to say about this place. Their food is really good. But I don't plan on going back for crappy service. Maybe I'll try again in a few months and just hope that we don't get the same server. In the meantime, we'll be going elsewhere.
This whole thing is a mixed bag. I have been here a few times, and I generally have a good experience. Some things are very good and some things aren't. Here's a rundown:
- No links. WTF?
- Pulled pork dish is pretty good, but the sauce is average
- Brisket sucks. Plain and simply. Should call it Bri-suck
- Ribs are above average, but sauce, again, is average
- Potato salad is different, but damn good
- Mac n cheese is really special. Get it with bacon
- homemade BBQ chips are really good.
As you can see, the non meat items are awesome and the meat items are meh. This is clearly more of a swank place than a downhome BBQ joint, but I would expect better.
I was on my way to the Yelp Elite event down the street when the overwhelming smell of BBQ took over my air intake. Where was it coming from? Who was cooking the Q?
Turns out it was coming from T Rex and I couldn't resist getting some before I went home.
Big pluses for killer service. Big pluses for chicken fried bacon and home made potato chips. Big plus for cornbread that was sitting in a sticky sugary goodness. Big plus for making their own deserts. Big plus for mac and cheese that was so cheesy in all the right ways.
Yums all the way around. Enjoy!
This is my first time going to this place. Before going, I checked out most of the reviews about it. I tried my best to balance between the what most reviewers say it's good and what they don't like. My best friend and I agreed to order separate meals and then trade off mid way.
We know from the reviews that their pulled pork is unanimously "off-the-hook". So, we didn't order that. We order meals that were split (some people like it and some don't) and some we just like because it sounded good.
I ordered the beignet and the two way (brisket and baby back ribs). My best friend ordered the mac and cheese and duck confit hash. I ordered the brisket and ribs because it was after all a barbecue place and a lot of people are passionate when it comes to it.
On to the review...the beignet. I am a novice for this breakfast item. This is my first time eating it. I thought it was rather good, especially with the espresso custard. I noticed it was better warm than cold.
The ribs was visually tasty. I love ribs with only dry rubs, not with that fancy crap (ahem sauce) drenched all over. I wanted to taste the meat and the smoke, not the sauce. Taste-wise, it was good. The flavor was there. There was some bite to it but it was not too memorable. I did not have the feeling of "hallelujah" Don't get me wrong it is still one of the best I've tasted.
The brisket is excellent. Just enough of the fat to make everything so awesome. The smoke, the well season meat, the fat and the crust make everything about it worth going back.
Mac and cheese is generally my favorite carb food and the T-Rex version is killer! Holy crap! I love it! It is cheesy and creamy. Go and order some! I gave my best friend a bite and ate the rest.
The duck confit hash wasn't that good. I think if they were to shred the duck more and brown it more it would have been better. When we got it, there were big chunks of the duck.
We tried the cornbread with honey too. I was surprise that it was dry. I thought it would be moist because of the honey. Granted...I ate that last.
The customer service was decent. Our waiter was cool, sometime a bit on the cold side when taking orders. But he was very much in control and seems to know how to handle big groups.
Went here last night with a friend and was pretty excited to actually go here. I've heard about this place from a friend who works near this place and always talks about it.
As soon as my friend and I walk in, we notice the enormous bar that just stares at your face. We are greeted as soon as we walk in and are shown to our table immediately. The place doesn't look like your typical bbq place; it's very modern and upscale-ish.
We looked over the menu prior to arrival of this place and somewhat knew what we would be getting:
APPETIZER:
Smoked salmon with Crispy Potato Cake and Lemon Cream-this was very light and subtle. The cream and the smoked salmon had a very light taste. The potato cake wasn't heavy at all, very crisp and warm.
MAIN COURSE
My friend had the Dungeness Crab Salad with Green Beans, Egg, Avocado and Green Goddess Dressing. She said the crab was very fresh and the vegetables were very crisp. Overall she enjoyed it.
I ordered the TWO WAY dinner with Baby Back Ribs and Brisket. The ribs were enjoyable yet I could get meatier ribs from Costco. The smoke flavor was nice and wasn't too overpowering. The ribs itself wasn't fall off the bone but it was good. The brisket was very tender and cooked just right. My friend noticed that the texture of the brisket was more like of a corned beef style and after she said that, that could be it. Fooled me but I enjoyed it! The potato salad that came with my meal was very good. A nice big chunk of potatoes and potato salad dressing itself wasn't heavy as other places would make it. I didn't care too much for their BBQ sauce. I don't have anything against it, I'm just not a fan of BBQ sauce when it comes to eating BBQ.
SIDES:
Braised Greens with Smoked Garlic-this was ok. Not the typical greens you would get from other BBQ places because it's not cooked with a smoked ham hock or any type of pork fat. The taste is very bland. We had to add some salt and lemon to it yet it didn't do much. I probably wouldn't order this again.
Macaroni and Cheese with aged cheddar and parmesan was to die for! My friend and I were extremely happy with this side dish! I would order this again. Loved the taste of the aged cheddar and the golden brown parmesan on top of the mac was on point! The mac was cooked very well!
We decided not to get dessert as nothing really caught our eye but maybe next time we'll try something. I only give it 4 stars only because the service wasn't all too great but I could just tell by the crowd of people in there that it was a busy night. I would definitely come back tho!
Came here for brunch with a group of friends. The food is so-so, nothing spectacular. The BBQ sauce was kind of bland (even for me). For some reason the potato chips tasted fishy. Don't know what was up with that.
The bar area looked appealing, and I thought the layout of the two-floor restaurant is unique. Given all the other great brunch spots in the area, I probably won't be back, unless someone else organizes it.
If you are from an area of the world with "real" BBQ then forget this place.
We've tried it twice and sampled a number of things. The best thing about T-Rex is the building, which is a stunning remodel.
The BBQ sauces used on most of the meats are way, way too sweet.
During one lunch visit, I had one of the pulled meat sandwiches. Aptly named, as there was so little meat on the bun that we all joked that it had been "pulled' out of the bun in the kitchen. Overpriced!
I don't know why but I was always sort of against trying this place... upscale BBQ. What?
I gave in, and I'm glad I did.
The food went past my expectations, but the service was really slow (hence the 3 stars and not 4). Though I do think the poor waitress had the entire second floor to herself. She was, however, lucky enough to be paired with a bus boy who provided spectacular service.
Anyway, the food. I ordered the pulled pork with spicy sauce on the side, the boy got the "other" burger, and we split the mac and cheese (with bacon) and the corn bread.
The pulled pork was amazing, though the spicy BBQ sauce was not as spicy as I would have liked.
The other burger was a steal at $5.
The mac and cheese was good though I wish we had pepper we could have added. Mixed in a bit of BBQ sauce and it was creamy and had that added kick.
The cornbread? Not so good. It was way too sweet with way too much honey. It almost seemed dessert like. I could see why people would like it, but I'm just not a fan of honey and that much sweetness.
After dinner we ordered the whiskey special. Which was $10 for a whiskey and beer. The whiskey was the best whiskey I've ever tasted. Smoothy, silky, with a hint of a vanilla aftertaste. And well, the beer was an IPA and I really can't go wrong with those.
We'll be back probably for the ribs, which looked juicy and full of flavor. But not for the cornbread, I'll save those calories and sweetness for the apple cobbler.
It's alright... Service is a bit crappy.
After standing there for about 2 minutes I had to walk up to some random waiter and ask where I could sit.
I asked to sit at the bar because they have some nice screens up and there was a game, blah, blah, beer!
But the lady that was bar-tending had an attitude as if she was pissed at... who knows what.
Had the baby back ribs and to be honest I've had better.
They were swimming in grease, tender good flavor but I was not impressed, bbq sauce was alright.
Salad was very simple, "very simple" a bunch of romaine lettuce with 3 or 4 chunks of crab on top with a lemon wedge. Nothing impressive about that.
Not sure how this place made it all the way into the zagat ratings... But I'll give it one more try but I'll go for pulled pork next time.
Been here 3 times in a month! Loving it!
1st round
Lamb burger, juice yummy delicious! meat cooked to order, and the cucumber yogurt sauce is just amazing! The spice of the meat, cream of the yogurt, sensation in ma mouth! FIVE Star!
2nd round
After some rock climbing over at Ironwork I recommended we came here for a late lunch. And this time I go straight for the meat. Smoked beef brisket and I'm glad I did. The beef brisket been cook to perfection, not completely falling apart but just enough to give you that mouthful of texture and flavor. The BBQ sauce is spicy and tangy but not overpowering the meat. FIVE Star!
3rd round
Just have to watch my diet, no carb! So I go for the pull pork this time. Again, no disappointment! A great and balance blend of meat flavor and BBQ sauce! FIVE Star!
Hey, that's like a 15 stars right?
For someone who doesn't like pork, I sure do like their pulled pork!
3 1/2 stars? That is just silly. This place is at least 4 stars, probably 5.
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It is a fancy BBQ spot. I did not think such a thing was possible until I came here. I thought that with this place being so fancy, surely the BBQ is sub-par but I stand corrected.
It is a little pricey, thus the "fancy" bit of it being a "fancy BBQ spot," but it is not exorbitant and it is worth it.
Their mac&cheese is a must-try. MUST. If you eat ham, get it with ham, and get some of their spicy BBQ sauce on the side to mix in with it. Even if you do not eat ham, their plain mac&cheese is delicious.
Also, the service has never failed me. The servers all know about what they are serving (food and alcohol) and have been able to make great pairing recommendations. Also, they are fun and not suffocating.
Last, the interior here? Class-y. It is beautifully laid out with an upstairs and a downstairs, it has lots of wood, and lots of open space.
the smell from the outside is the shiny bait at the end of the pole. then there's a smiling host waiting for you at the threshold. (they're slowly reeling you in...) don't forget the bar, with its multi-colored glass soldiers waiting eagerly to get summoned (wait for ittttt....) once you get close enough to try and take a peek at the other patrons' meals, BAM! there's no turning back, my friend. consider yourself punked.
lunchtime fare:
beef brisket plate: as i attempted to find any semblance of flavor and depth, all i can see in my head were my dollar bills traveling counter clockwise into a giant drain leading to a vast ocean of regret. translation: it was really bland, dry, and overpriced to me.
mac n cheese: pretty tasty sauce, though i prefer my pasta a little less bloated. i still wanna have that kind of al dente texture, however the way TRB prepared it is the way many people i know prefer it.
corn bread: i was expecting a piece the size of a deck of cards and instead got the whole damn baking dish. the mofo was HUGE, man. this behemoth was really quite good. suggestion: present it with different butters to add value to the price (personally, i got kinda tired of the same taste after about a quarter into the current portion) or a smaller portion size.
time after thyme drink: superb. strong and refreshing, especially after loading cumbersome patio furniture from smith & hawken onto a tiny coupe. um, let's just say i'm better at trussing than securing important shit.
2.5 stars for the cornbread, drink, and mac n cheese. i would give it 3 stars if it wasn't so overpriced, even at lunch. face it: you pay for the surroundings of yuppie, my dear little guppy.
This is the best kid-friendly bar ever! When I need a cocktail and have my two little kids in tow, T-Rex is the place to go. I love going to T-Rex because the food is great, the atmosphere is fun & energetic and the bar is fabulous.
The crowd is a good mix of young, hip foodies and families with kids. And they all coexist happily together. The BBQ ribs are pretty good. The cornbread w/ honey butter is so good it's evil. And brunch is super tasty too. Try the beignets w/ espresso custard or the banana-strawberry pancakes during brunch.
We're always eating at this place. As a matter of fact, it's one of my boyfriend's favorite restaurant in the area. So, we've decided to have his Bday dinner there. I decided to bring our own cake as a surprise from one of his favorite bakery.
Anyway, WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME, THAT THERE WAS A FREAKING, "CAKE CUTTING FEE"? I have never heard of that before. I mean, this place is not upscale or different from any decent BBQ place we've ate at before. I would appreciate it, if someone, maybe our freaking waitress, that there was a $30 dollar fee. If that was the case, we would have just ordered their dessert. Because it was a bday dinner and we had 15 of our friends, mind you, there's also gratuity added to our bill, which we didn't mind. But, at least give us the decency and common courtesy to let us know about your hidden fee.
Instead of getting mad or upset about it, we just paid for it and will not be back for a very long time.
If there was an option for ZERO stars, that would be my selection.
Went into T-Rex for lunch mid afternoon. Had passed it for years but today was my first visit.
Parking was convenient as it shares a lot with several other stores. There is also parking on the street.
T-Rex is both a restaurant and somewhat up-scale bar. Although you enter on the bar side, there is a separate dining area floor level and upstairs. There is also a table outdoors. The large screen TV was on and turned to mute with captions. Music was playing and not at a uncomfortably high volume. The floors are wood and the tables in the dining area were simple but attractive. The heavy smell of BBQ was pretty evident as the kitchen area was not separated off and was somewhat unpleasant. The restaurant is neat, clean and nicely decorated.
At 3pm, the T-Rex bar was crowded with young adults enjoying their drinks and "happy hour" food". Their list of bar food was extensive and reasonably priced. Their restaurant, on the other hand, was empty.
It took me some time before anytime realized that I was waiting for a table even though I was patiently standing in front of a sign stating "Wait here for a table.". Some of the cooks, bartenders and other staff apparently saw me but no one came over to acknowledge me with even, "Someone will be with you shortly.". I finally had to approach a bartender and let him know I'd like to have lunch. After some delay, (actually the delay was long and I was ready to walk), I was seated. After another delay, a waitress handed me a menu and immediately asked me what I wanted. I asked about the T-Rex burger on the menu. It did not have a description of its size. The waitress described it as 1/2 lb... way too much food for me. I ordered a mixed green salad with apples, Pt. Reyes blue cheese and candied pecans with the addition of a grilled Sonoma chicken breast for a total of $13.50 and also a Reed's Jamaican ginger beer $3.00.
Noticed that other customers began to appear and they were promptly given a menu and their orders came ahead of mine, but perhaps the crowd in the bar area had lessened or they ordered a BBQ item that was already made.
My salad and drink arrived and I was unfortunately disappointed. The salad plate was very warm and consequently the greens were wilted and the Pt. Reyes blue cheese large crumbles were warm and softened. Blue cheese is always better when it is chilled. The green apples were micro sliced (Perhaps received 6 total) and were not sweet at all- or evenly slightly sweet. The grilled boneless, chicken breast was unfortunately overcooked, tough, dry and also did not have any flavor. Over the salad was a sharp and not the least bit sweet vinaigrette dressing. The ginger beer was sharp and pleasant. As I was perhaps 1/3 of my way through my salad, I signaled my waitress that I wanted to ask her a question. I asked if the salad only came with one dressing or was there a choice. She said there were other choices and listed them. She had failed to mention the choices at the time I ordered. I took a deep breath, ate my salad, drank my ginger beer and decided that perhaps T-Rex would not be worth another visit.
I can be OK with waiting for a table a considerable time when the place is busy, but I could have easily made a better salad at home.
The ladies' bathroom was neat, clean and very attractively decorated. Have never seen a sink with a translucent cobalt blue surface lit from below. Had I had a few drinks, I might have thought that I was seeing things... Hmm.... wonder what the men's bathroom looks like. Male Yelpers... let me know. Describe the bathroom. Inquiring minds need to know. I cannot imagine a ladies' bathroom to be awesome and they give you a ho-hum one.
The restaurant and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible and the ladies' room has one stall that is wide enough for wheelchairs.
T-Rex tried to pull out all of the bells and whistles by including mixed greens, candied pecans, apples and Pt. Reyes blue cheese but it was still was way far from its mark. It service and ventilation issues are also a problem. It is my understanding that the place is associated with Lalime and as most of you know, Lalime has awesome food and ambiance. The restaurant is an attractive place and has potential.
T-Rex... the dinosaurs died off because they were not able to adapt. Hopefully, you will be able to make small changes that will allow you to live a long, healthy life in the community.
We had our team dinner here tonight and it was pretty tasty.
Known for their "Smoked" meats, I opted for the ribs.
It definitely felt like a full, hearty meal you'd get out in the south, with all the trimmings: side of Mac n Cheese, sweet corn, honey-dipped corn bread, grits and even brussel sprouts!
I was impressed by the info about their meat:
WE USE ONLY ANTIBIOTIC AND HORMONE FREE MEATS AND OUR FISH IS SUSTAINABLE. OUR PRODUCE IS ORGANIC WHEN POSSIBLE AND OUR MENU CHANGES SEASONALLY
The spare ribs I ordered were just a tad bit too fatty for me, but our server forewarned me, and I just forgot how 'juicy' ribs could be.
All in all, it seems like a god place to grab a nice bite with the team.
I was impressed by their drink menu which had a solid selection of adult cocktails and specialty drinks (like the Moulon Rouge drink)-- yummy).
T-Rex is the S.H.I.T. Chicken fried bacon? Of course! Great selection of mixed drinks but an even better selection of whiskey. Everything I have ordered here has been good, with the occasional exception of the french fries (a distraction anyway). Try the lamb burger (medium) or the duck confit (brunch only). The sides are tasty, especially the extremely rich and satisfying mac and cheese.
Other than the food, T-Rex also has a good atmosphere. Upstairs is very chill and sunny. Parking is never a problem (unusual for Berkeley). Service has always been solid. Good for groups or a date.
I read the cum soaked reviews of this place and was really excited to try the BBQ - Man what a disappointment!!! I had a two-way with brisket and spare ribs. The brisket was tasty but cold and the ribs were inedible - cold and greasy with the distinct flavor of rancid oil. The chicken fried bacon suffered from the same rancid oil flavor. I sent it back despite the waiters attitude and got a burger which was really good - hot and juicy - good meat flavor.
On the plus side, the side dishes were GREAT!!! Others at my table had sandwiches and steaks which were served hot and were 100% better than my plate of ick I was initially served.
Bottom line: go for the burgers and sides and try the deviled egg appetizer. If you want BBQ, go ANYWHERE ELSE.
So I went here because it was a Monday and Viks is closed on Mondays. So I mobile Yelped it and it seems like people enjoyed it. Now I would normally give this place a three. But they really shined in those areas I've found lacking at restaurants lately.
(1) Service. Our Seth Rogen-esque waiter was awesome. Funny, attentive (but not overly) and helpful. You actually looked forward to his return to our table.
(2) TV's. Three words, Monday Night Football. (would have been better if the Pat's lost to the Bills tho)
(3) Beer. They have Old Speckled Hen. I mean please, EVERYONE loves that beer, even non-beer drinkers like me.
(4) The BBQ sauce. I got a selection courtesy of our waiter. And I'm thankful for that, becuase I only loved the spicy one, and by loved, i mean LOVED.
...and that's all I have to say about that.
Came in to see what the fuss was all about, left disappointed with a large bill. Sorry, but "upscale" and "BBQ" do not belong in the same sentence. If your every food experience must be yuppified, then by all means go here for an overpriced small-portion average rib and chicken experience. Otherwise go get messy at Evertt & Jones or any number of other local joints.
One of my favorite spots for Happy Hour. So many good choices, it's hard to steer clear of gluttony. The Mac'n'cheese pleases, but the salad isn't that great. Chicken Fried Bacon sounds weird but my bf and I have to RoShamBo for the last piece every time. Friendly service, and the location is next to some really interesting shopping!
My not-diminishing-as-fast-as-you-might-think fan base demands a new entry, and the masses will shall be done.
Some days, you just deserve BBQ. You might, like me, have begun Friday at 5:00 in the morning. You might, if you were lucky, have been scooped up in a jet black Cadillac Escalade and transported, rapper-fashion, to the airport. You might, if you were amazingly unlucky, have found yourself in the very last row of the airplane, sharing a large portion of YOUR seat with someone who looks like they got booted from the first week of "The Biggest Loser Goes to Georgia Trailer Parks." You might have found yourself magically transported to a portion of John Wayne Not Really International Airport that is, honest to God, actually a mobile home, only to get back on that horse and ride it home a scant 9 hours later. This, too, may have happened to you.
And if, after you landed, you hurriedly flagged a cab, paid the driver extra to pretend that the speed laws had been repealed, sprinted into your home, stripped the pitted-out shirt off your head, liberally spritzed cologne about your torso, pulled on another shirt, grabbed your beloved's hand and ran out of the house in order to make a fundraiser hosted by the coolest Far Beyond the Rising Sun East Bayer you know, then, my friend, you, too, deserve BBQ.
And if you are sorta kinda evil, and sorta almost smooth, then you might spend some time talking up the local pool hustler, then abscond from the fund raiser early with the Most Exalted Hostess in tow, and fling her into the back of your Mystery Wagon [provided that the Mystery Wagon was made in Germany, with all leather seating areas, and power-reclining REAR seats] and transport the whole shebang to T-Rex.
And when you walked into the place, with these two stunning women accompanying you, you, too, would would be wearing a knowing smirk and slowly scanning the place as the 3 of you walked through, trying to arrange your face as if to say "Yep, whatever you're thinking about me, you're right. I AM that rich. I AM that big."
And if you tend to live life as though tomorrow may never come, then the only thing to order would be: a mint julep, a full rack of ribs, a bourbon sampler flight, an English pub beer, and a side of mac and cheese and another side of corn bread, soaked most wonderfully in maple syrup. And it would all be wonderful.
And that would just be Friday.
So, you know how you have this friend, and he's really fun to be around, and you've known him for… Read more »
Great brunch...can't wait to come back and try the bbq! Brisket hash and poached eggs were excellent, as were the banana huckleberry pancakes.
BBQ is not really my thing but the pulled pork here is damn good. The mac n' cheese is amazing. And Happy Hour - come on - $5 cocktails?! Can't go wrong with that.
Also, the servers kick ass. They are friendly, knowledgeable and have to run your food and drinks up a friggin' flight of stairs. So take that into consideration all you whiners.
Who eats BBQ with a cloth napkin?
The idea of an "upscale" BBQ joint makes me raise my eyebrows. I'm from the Midwest where one of the key ingredients to a good grill is the residual layers of grease. Just ask the Chinese why they prime their woks!
And what to expect from a hoity-toity, modern loft space on the fringe of Berkeley?! Yet somehow T-Rex won me over. First it was the wall o' booze glittering in the front windows. (Sunlight damage?) Judging by the quality and diversity, it seems they must get a lively happy hour crowd. The killer discounts certainly warrant it.
The next checkbox: brunch. Interesting, scrumptious, something for everyone. You can bet the bloody marys are proper too! Floating bits of horseradish, crisp stalks of celery, olives and pickled onion and cauliflower fills your quota of veggies for the day.
But the main attraction, of course: smokey, delicious meat. My dining companions praised the pulled pork, but commented that the BBQ chips were overkill. My chicken breast was a serious piece with flavorful "spicy" sauce though there was no lip sting for me.
Truthfully, I eat BBQ for the sides: hearty mac and cheese, cornbread floating in a puddle of "honey" and collard greens. The bill stacks high quickly with these though, and are really only worth it when sharing.
Overall, finger-licking good. Likely I'll be back for the sunbathed upstairs and brunch.
Is it fair to be reviewing a salad @ a BBQ restaurant? Sure, why not, they put it on the menu and charged $9 for a brunch-time salad, and it wasn't very good. Romaine and watercress, and the watercress was pretty bruised, and the salad was very small.
My dining companion had a $5 burger, so that's a pretty good deal, and it actually came rare as requested, so I guess points for that. But minus points for serving it in a little bowl type thing and really needing a fork and knife to tackle the juicy burger but there not being room in the little bowl to really use said implements. Meh.
The Good:
-"The Other Burger"
-Quality, tasty hormone free meat
-Great space and service
The Meh:
-Greens beans
-Dessert options
-BBQ sauce that goes with quality, tasty meat
The Bad:
-Chicken fried bacon
-Ordering a burger and getting it well done instead of medium
-Expecting traditional BBQ and receiving something else
Overall, if you are looking for traditional BBQ this may not be your place. But if you want BBQ with a California/Berkeley twist, the food is pretty tasty.
The space is very spacious - lofted and open, and everything is super clean. There's also lots of natural lighting and a variety of seats available (tables, booths, single couch type seating...). Generally, I like this kind of feel, but I guess it doesn't feel like a bbq joint? But I do like that there's a parking lot in the back.
Unfortunately, I was not blown away by the food. The spicy bbq sauce is good, especially with the pulled pork, but everything else was disappointing. Portions are average, and the salad was small. The chicken was a bit dry and lacked much flavor. Ribs didn't blow me away, and I'm not a huge fan of the white bread that comes on every plate. The cornbread was over-drenched in honey and butter. The mac and cheese needed more of a baked crust and was too liquidy, plus it needed more salt. To me, BBQ should have bold, strong flavors, which they lacked.
There are some interesting cocktails and non alcoholic drinks. Desserts all run along the lines of brownie/cake/ice cream stuff.
Service isn't bad, and water is refilled pretty quickly. They can't split checks, but they do try to be accommodating about taking multiple cards.
T-Rex looked interesting to begin with because it's a chic place with a classy aura and a long list of alcohols. Of course, if you're a restaurant, it's all about the food. While some aspects of T-Rex begs for a higher score, I cannot overlook the general wastefullness of eating here. The menu choices are mostly the same things and of the same caliber of when your mother would cook half-heartedly for a potluck that she didn't have time for and didn't feel like attending.
In the home of Top Dog, paying $10 + tax and tip for a wiener is pretty ridiculous however you look at it. Most menu items are comparably over-priced, or provide too little value. The Calamari was overcooked and the Mac & Cheese was an oily, stomach-upsetting, cheeseless mess. Beef Jerky is something you buy from the convenience mart, or at the fanciest, something you get from the butcher - not a six dollar appetizer at a restaurant. The burger is ostensibly the same burger Carl's Jr. parodies for their $6 burger, only it costs $10, and if you want bacon, that'll be another $2.
In short, come here for the happy hour, or at any time of day really: get some drinks, and maybe some select appetizers with some friends. Please, do not come here expecting a good sit down meal. The management here seem much more suited to running a bar than an actual restaurant.
a great-looking (and great-smelling) barbecue restaurant right up gilman.
came here after rock climbing for a late lunch. they have a nice variety of sandwiches with barbecued meats, halibut, and lamb. mmm. they also have barbecue platters, of course. i had the beef brisket with the mild bbq sauce, and the waiter was nice enough to let me switch out the potato salad with their cole slaw. both the brisket and the slaw were delish, and you get a decent portion size as well. their thick-cut fries were also yummy and had a different, but good, consistency. (not too mealy, not too crunchy).
my only beef (HA!!!) is that their mild sauce is a bit spicier than i'd like.
next time i'm gonna get the half-rack of ribs. those looked delish!
You think Lucky Charms are magically delicious ?
You're wrong.
It's T-Rex.
This place is so god damn good.
If you like barbecue and hearty food in general, you will be in love.
Barbecue is a little below your standards, you say ?
Pipe down.
This place is classy and tasty. The drinks are excellent, the environment is laid back, and the food is unrivaled.
It isn't cheap, but it is worth it.
Try the outside burger. It's different from any burger you've had before.
What is it with Yelp and fuckin' Mac and Cheese, *man*? I mean, my mom could make goddamn good mac and cheese, chopped up dogs and all. One handed while talking on the 20-foot-extension-corded phone. Almost but not-quite as impressive, I can make it from scratch in my unsanitary kitchen in like 10 minutes. And I once made the Kraft kind in a coffee pot. Wicked awesome! Fun Fact for y'all who don't cook: it just ain't that fucking hard.
My friend nailed what was wrong with the the drink I ordered: it smelled like a wet dog! Fer reals! It's called the Smokehouse, perhaps inspired by and in honor of that venerable, grimy, and largely unredeeming burger establishment on Telegraph. Smell one if you don't believe me. Not to be confused with the Smoked Barrel which was actually good.
The pulled pork sandwich was acceptable and I liked the straight-up sour BBQ sauce. Not much in the way of real smoke though, so I was glad I got something cheap. "East Coast" style pulled pork, if you ask me. Lovingly cooked for a long time in an oven. Cole slaw was this weird fusion stuff, like they were going for asian flavors but without the sesame oil that could have saved it.
Anyway, I recommend the $8 mac and cheese.
I can honestly say this was the WORST BBQ I have ever eaten! Came here with a party of 4 and we ordered the following:
Appetizers:
Calamari (average)
Cornbread (I've heard good things, maybe we just came on the wrong day because ours was completely over cooked, dry/cold and covered in syrup)
Devilled Eggs (average)
Meal:
Baby Back Ribs (The most disappointing - Dry and tough. I guess I'm used to rib meat that completely falls off the bone once you bite it).
Baked Beans (Completely flavor-less...Bush's Baked Beans are 10x better - enough said),
Greens (Bland - no seasoning once so ever)
I was initially going to give this place 1 star - the only reason it got 2 Stars is because the restaurant itself has a cute decor & the staff was cool. Aside from that, I can't imagine coming to this place ever again!
I can say that this is the best bbq i've found outside of Texas!
I was in the area for work, and my boyfriend was dying to have bbq. So i got on my iPhone and googlemapped the closest place.
Having never gone there before or even heard of it we decided to give em a try.
The waitress was a ditz and was messing up alot, but I understand how that goes so I never complained.
The food was amazing, I will absolutely recommend it to friends.
The only reason I did not give this a 5 star though was because the waitress seemed to add in her own tip on my receipt (we had put the full tip on my boyfriends), thus charging me extra (AND overdrafting my account!). BUT we called & spoke to a manager who was helpful and more than happy to fix the situation.. he restored the peace and I will now continue to tell people about this place.
The barbeque is ok. My lips were on fire. But it was ok. The mac-n-cheese is good. The cornbread is crazy sweet. The happy hour is pretty awesome. If you are the designated driver, they have a lot of non-alcoholic (and even pure cane sugared) beverages to choose from as well. The bar upstairs is pretty sweet. The bathrooms are clean. The parking is pretty easy....even for a tool such as myself who cannot parallel park. The prices outside happy hour are a bit steep. $10 for macaroni and cheese that's not nearly as good as the frozen one from Trader Joe's? Eh....
BUT the whiskey wall and the waiter who looks like a red-headed Jake Gyllenhaal are what will bring me back. ;)
This is a nice open restaurant with a pretty glass bar. We came for a late lunch. The service was fine. My husband pronounced the hamburger a 9.5, which is very high marks. The fries were good. I had deviled eggs, plain green salad, and grits. All were good. The contents of the eggs were a bit baby-foody for me, but the horseradish added good flavor. The grits were delicious but too soft for my personal preference (like soft oatmeal). We will definitely come again. I want to try more options.
Prix Fixe Menu $28 with wine
Neighborhood: Gourmet Ghetto
Sea Salt Open New Late Night…
Berkeley, CA
Berkeley, CA
Category: Barbeque
Berkeley, CA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Rockridge
Category: Barbeque
Berkeley, CA
Category: Seafood
Berkeley, CA
Category: Pubs
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