All the meat you care to eat!
Written: Nov 27 '02 (Updated Nov 07 '05)
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Pros: great food - good prices
Cons: only 12 seats, kids may not find something they like
The Bottom Line: Small, mostly take out, restaurant with great barbecue food and decent prices. Check out the fun decor.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Blue Ribbon Barbeque |
Blue Ribbon Barbecue is one of the few barbecue restaurants in the Boston area and is probably the closest you can come to a southern barbecue joint this far north of the mason-dixon. They do the traditional barbecue over an open fire and the meat has that pink tinge that comes from this method of cooking. The barbecue is very, very tasty and worth the trip. The restaurant is mostly take-out.
AMBIANCE AND DECOR
Blue Ribbon is very small. Sometimes the line spills out the door. The decor is great, part 50s, part southern barbecue joint, part trailer park. There is a lot of galvanized steel, some neon, elvis on black velvet, license plates and street signs, a screen door and lots of other great decor.
The ambiance is very, very casual. The kitchen is open for all to see. There is usually music playing (chef's choice).
THE FOOD
This is throw out the diet, stick to your ribs kind of food. You will not be hungry when you finish and will most likely have enough left over for tomorrow's lunch. Everything I have had at Blue Ribbon tastes great. The pulled chicken is my favorite, not terribly greasy with great flavor. The greens are spicy. The cornbread is light and a little sweet. The cole slaw is heavy on the dressing. The jerk chicken tastes great, but is not the same jerk flavor that I remember eating in Jamaica.
THE MENU
The barbecue meats include: North Carolina Pulled Pork, Kansas City Burnt Ends, Texas Sliced Beef Brisket, Barbecued Pulled Chicken, Red Hot Smoked Sausage, Memphis Dry-Rubbed Barbecued Ribs, Barbecued Chicken, Jamaican Jerked Chicken and combos of the above.
Side dishes include: baked beans, cole slaw, rice & beans, green beans, collard greens, mashed potatoes and black-eyed corn.
Homemade desserts include: pecan or sweet potato pie, fruit cobbler with whipped cream, dream bar, chocolate chip brownie and congo bars.
Extras include: cornbread, gravy, pickles, barbecue sauce and salsa.
You can order food by the pint or quart. You can also order platters which come with an ample amount of meat and side dishes. I can't finish a platter by myself.
Pints of meat are around $10. A whole chicken is $10.95. Pints of side dishes are $4. Platters run from $8-12.
HOW TO GET THE FOOD
You can call ahead and then pick up. Otherwise, show up, pass through the screen door and wait in line. You order at the counter, then proceed downstream a bit and pick up at the other end of the counter. Drinks (sweet ice tea and lemonade) are self-service from a cooler. At this point, most patrons leave. Some lucky patrons might find a seat on one of the few stools that provide seating.
SERVICE
There is not much service. You stand in line to order and pick up your food. However, the counter staff is usually friendly and helpful. If they are not busy, they will accommodate special orders with a smile. The restaurant is also very clean because the staff cleans up promptly after each patron is done dining in.
SEATING
This is mostly a take-out place. There are twelve stools in the front window for seating. On busy nights, you will probably not get a seat, much less a few together. If you come to eat by yourself, there are magazines in a rack next to the seating, or just watch out the window to see the world go by.
KID FRIENDLINESS
There are only 12 stools to sit on: no boosters or high chairs. There is no kid's menu. Most of the food is spicy which may not appeal to many kids. They usually have macaroni and cheese on the specials board - but my kids claimed that it tasted funny and refused it. The only thing they will eat in the restaurant is cornbread and baked beans. I do see kids eating in the restaurant all the time, but it is not what I would call a family restaurant.
GETTING THERE
There is no public transportation nearby. There is quite a bit of parking, almost all of it is meters. There are meters on Washington street in front of the restaurants and a few small lots on the side streets around the restaurant. There is usually parking available within a 5 minute walk.
OTHER INFORMATION
address: 1375 Washington Street, Newton, MA
phone: (617) 332-blue
fax: (617) 527-ribs
website: blueribbonbbq.com
They take credit cards (not always a given in the Boston area.)
They will cater (which seems to mean they will deliver a large order for a fee).
They won't deliver unless the order is over $150, you give advance notice and pay a $25 fee.
There is another location in Arlington, MA.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
The food here is great and worth the trip. We love going on summer nights to enjoy the lemonade and barbecue. I highly recommend this restaurant.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? TRY THESE BOSTON-AREA RESTAURANTS:
BOSTON: Radius; Caffe Vitoria; Excelsior; Jacob Wirth; Cottonwood Cafe; Imperial Seafood House; Sibling Rivalry; Fleming’s.
BROOKLINE: Mr. Sushi; Fugakyu; Takeshima; Tsunami; Anna's Taqueria; Zaftigs Delicatessen; Bangkok Bistro; Golden Temple.
NEWTON: Appetito; India Paradise; Ice Cream Works; Baker's Best; Bill’s Pizzeria; Cafe Nicolas; Union Street; O’Hara’s; Yeradi’s; Johnny’s Luchonette.
CAMBRIDGE: S&S Restaurant; The Japanese Mall; Jasper White’s Summer Shack.
WEST ROXBURY: Cafe Misono.
BRIGHTON: Tasca.
ESSEX: Woodman’s.
SAUGUS: Kowloon.
CHAIN RESTAURANTS: Not Your Average Joe’s; Bertucci’s; Legal Sea Foods; Cheesecake Factory; Rainforest Cafe; Fire & Ice; Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse; Friendly’s.
COFFEE, BAGELS AND DONUTS: Bruegger’s Bagels; Finagle a Bagel; Dunkin Donuts; >; Peet’s Coffee and Tea.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations everything is great - a platter is the most economical way to sample different items.
Best Suited For: Friends
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modernmarvel
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Can anyone recommend a western family dude ranch for a vacation this summer?
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