Where to Eat Giant Smoked Beef Ribs in NYC
There are only a handful of BBQ joints in NYC that serve great beef ribs, and one of them is Red White and Que Smokehouse.
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One of my favorite all-time barbecue items is Central Texas-style beef ribs. Sometimes known as dinosaur ribs or brontosaurus ribs or “oh my God, are you eating that yourself” ribs, classic beef ribs typically are enormous and could easily be split among two people for a meal.
I’ve eaten beef ribs from some of the finest joints in Texas, so I know a thing or two about what can make them special. Chief among them, these ribs should be rich, smokey, fatty, and have a healthy amount of salt and pepper on the bark.
In the New York City metro area, only a handful of barbecue restaurants serve beef ribs that typically spend at least 6 hours in the smoker. And not every one of these joints that has them on the menu can go toe to toe with Texas. So, without further ado, here are six BBQ joints that serve killer beef ribs.
Hamilton Pork — Jersey City, NJ
Just across the Hudson River in Jersey City, NJ, is Hamilton Pork, which sports an eclectic menu and many delicious choices that are not just pig-based. One of their top menu items is the beef rib, and it’s certainly big enough to be shared by two people. Or heck, order one for your group so you can all get a few bites. Check them out here.
Hometown Bar-B-Que — Brooklyn, NY
If you love barbecue and you still haven’t been to Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook or Industry City, you’re missing out. Hometown is regularly regarded as one of the top, if not the top, BBQ joint in NYC. One of its standout items, among many, is the beef rib. Pitmaster and owner Billy Durney learned some of his skills from famed pitmaster Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas, and it shows in the beef rib. Check them out here.
Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse — Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY
About a month ago, Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse launched its official second location. This means that instead of just Brooklyn, you can now find their delicious kosher BBQ on the Upper West Side too. At either location, you can typically get a giant beef rib (“dino rib”) that weighs in at about one and a half pounds, and it will make you smile. Check them out here.
Kimchi Smoke — Westwood, NJ
Robert Austin Cho, a regular showstopper at Brisket King NYC, might be best known for his brisket and creative Chonut sandwiches, but don’t sleep on his beef ribs either. Cho regularly offers beef ribs as specials on his menu, and he calls them “Godzilla Beef Ribs” because they are meaty monsters. Check them out here.
Mighty Quinn’s BBQ — Multiple Locations in NY and NJ
One of the first places you could ever find a giant, high-quality beef rib on its regular menu in New York City was at the East Village location of Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque. Since opening in 2012, Mighty Quinn’s has opened a ton of new sites throughout NY and NJ (and Dubai!), but you can still count on them offering up, dare I say, a mighty beef rib. Check them out here.
Red, White, and Que Smokehouse — Kearny, NJ
Since opening in 2016, the fine folks at Red, White, and Que Smokehouse have offered excellent barbecue that regularly shows up on the list of best BBQ joints in New Jersey. While you could order just about anything on the menu and be happy, you’ll especially be pleased if you get one of their gigantic smoky beef ribs. Check them out here.
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These are some of my favorite joints in the NYC area to eat beef ribs, but there may be other restaurants where I haven’t had the beef rib yet. Let me know your top pick.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Eater NY loved the brisket at Hudson Smokehouse in the Bronx.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema stopped by four “new” barbecue restaurants to try their smoked brisket sandwiches and ranked all four. He stopped by the new Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse location on the Upper West Side, the Virgil’s Real Barbecue to-go outpost on the Upper West Side, the new version of John Brown BBQ in Queens, and Hudson Smokehouse in the Bronx. You might be surprised which won. READ HERE.
Newsday has created an updated list of the best BBQ joints on Long Island, including Smok-Haus, Old Fields Barbecue, and Smokin' Wolf BBQ. READ HERE.
Philadelphia-based social justice professor R. Scott Hanson missed Texas barbecue, so he's now putting on weekly BBQ pop-ups at Cadence Restaurant in Philly. READ HERE.
NYC lost a lot of classic restaurants in 2020. Eater NY paid tribute to 52 restaurants that left us in the past year, including Blue Smoke NYC in Flatiron, Queens Comfort in Astoria, and Baohaus in the East Village. READ HERE.
Jim Dandy's in Rutherford, NJ, has reopened with a new look and menu additions after a devastating fire that occurred nine months ago. It will still be serving the "killer ribs" that it is known for. READ HERE.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
Brisket King 2021 will be the first great BBQ event of the year.
April 21, 2021: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King NYC 2021. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their take on brisket and pastrami. Read more about the 2019 edition of Brisket King or about the importance of Brisket King to the BBQ community. BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 29, 2021: This Memorial Day weekend, you won’t want to miss the food, drinks, and fun at the 5 Boro PicNYC at Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island. This event will feature a new version of the Rib King NYC competition, winners from Sauce King NYC showing off their best sauces, and much more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
July 31 & August 1st, 2021: The 11th Annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival will be back at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint for a two-day event. This event focuses on bourbon and beer tastings, along with multiple barbecue joints serving up lots of excellent smoked meats. BUY TICKETS HERE.
September 11, 2021: At the end of the summer, Pig Island NYC will celebrate its 12th year on September 11, 2021, at Snug Harbor on Staten Island. Join in for all-inclusive food and drink, from all-star pitmasters and chefs who will be serving up delicious porky goodness, as well as local breweries, distilleries, and cideries. Top chefs will compete for the best dishes and event-goers reap the benefits. BUY TICKETS HERE.
October 16-17, 2021: The 8th Annual Hot Sauce Expo NYC will be back for two days in fall 2021. The event will be held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint and will feature tons of hot sauce samples, barbecue, and beer to purchase, fun on-stage events, and more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. CHECK OUT THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR HERE.
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