Dallas BBQ

[Fat Guy]

Though I'll readily admit it's neither real barbecue nor fabulous, I'm nonetheless a fan of the BBQ chain of restaurants for its good food at exceptional prices.

As I recall, when I was a kid a place called Susse Chalet opened up on West 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus, in the Hotel Olcott space (I will not be sharing my other Hotel Olcott story). It was a rotisserie chicken and sweet baked ribs restaurant of great capacity. Later it became Dallas Jones BBQ, though I don't believe the menu changed much. After a time it was shortened to Dallas BBQ. Now the restaurants in this chain, which I've only seen in Manhattan (I can't find a Web site to check this), seems to be called just BBQ.

Anyway . . . these cavernous restaurants serve up a few very nice items. The rotisserie chicken is quite flavorful, as are the only-slightly-too-sweet oven-baked ribs. There's a fried onion loaf that sets the standard in my opinion -- I've had none better -- and equally good deep-fried mixed vegetable "tempura." Also superb coleslaw. And everything is super-cheap, especially the whole chickens to go. I'm bummed that I live outside the delivery radius of the 73rd & Third location, else I'd order this stuff often. As it is, I don't get there very often, but it's tops on my cheap eats list.

[Double 0]

Your 100% right about BBQ. When I lived in the city we went there often. Decent enough ribs, but the onion loaf was the best, I don't think I've ever had better. Do you rember the name of the restaurant across the street that had Maryland style crabs?

[Felonius]

Thanks for the tip. I live practically across the street from the UWS location and used date a girl across the street from the UES location. I have walked by both a million times and they are usually packed. Being a southerner, I could never muster up enough excitement to try BBQ as I was certain it was destined to disappoint (as all oven-baked ribs must in the end). Now I will have to stop by to at least try the onion loaf and rotisserie chicken. Any other items besides these and the cole slaw I should try? Are the ribs worth a shot, or do they have a pulled pork sandwich (don't laugh please)? I think I'll head over there tonight.

While we're on this topic, Fat Guy, who do you think serves the best ribs in Manhattan? Is Blue Smoke any good? Does anyone else in the city actually smoke their ribs instead of baking them?

[Kim WB]

I had a terrible experience as a waitress for Rachel Hirshfield's short lived Rib place, Rachel's. It was a copy of Tony Roma's, and abe Hirschfield was always there, since he financed it, a nd crazy as could be. But boy, their cole slaw was good. Lots and lots of celery seed.

[Fat Guy]

Felonious, they do a nice brisket, actually -- I think it's better than the ribs. The ribs are more like what you'd get at a soul food place than like what you'd get at a barbecue place: They're slowly oven baked, probably par-boiled first (not sure about this), very tender, very sweet -- sort of like at Sylvia's or whatever. They're also baby-backs and not the big ribs more common to real barbecue. There's no pulled pork. I think it's supposed to be Texas-style, nominally. Ha ha. In terms of best ribs in New York, let's talk about it here.

Double O, you're talking about the crab place on West 72nd Street? Shoot, I can't remember. I think it was in the space Sambuca now occupies. You're talking way back, huh? My mother will know.

[Double 0]

Maybe 20 yrs ago. It was the place that got me started going down to crab boils in Maryland(but that anoughter thread).

[Wilfrid]

Like Felonius, I was always scared off by the tacky look of the places. Zagat lists five New York locations, and is still calling them Dallas BBQ (dunno if Zagat;s update their web-site more than annually). I should give one a try.

[Fat Guy]

Double O, my mother is saying "Maryland Crab House," but she's not positive. She promises to investigate further when she runs into some of the folks who know everything about the neighborhood.

Wilfrid, you're authorized to try the place only if you bear in mind the price/quality ratio. I don't want to hear any crap from you about warm plates and such. However, should you wish to start a warm plate thread I'll join you there.

[Bilmo]

Sidewalkers?

[Fat Guy]

Yes, that's the one, in the Oliver Cromwell, right? It's a doctor's office now, I think. My doctor, come to think of it. Thanks a lot, mom, for the great info.

[Wilfrid]

However, should you wish to start a warm plate thread I'll join you there.

I thought I did, months back, and didn't get a bite.

[Fat Guy]

I recall your warm food thread, but I think warm plates are a different -- though related -- issue.

[Stone]

Does anyone else in the city actually smoke their ribs instead of baking them?

Back in the mid-80's I stayed with a friend at 92nd and 2d for a few months. There was a small BBQ/convenience store downstairs that smoked ribs and brisket in a weber bullet outside on the sidewalk. The smoke wafted up into the apartment. I was always drooling. The poor dog would sit by the window whimpering. I think there's a parking garage there now.

When I lived at 8th and Bway, there was a BBQ down the block. It was one of the places (like Krispy Kreme) I wouldn't let myself go to for fear of easy addiction.

I think Brother Jimmy's makes pretty good ribs and great pulled pork -- you just have to find a time when it's not filled with annoying frat-boys.

[Bux]

Sidewalkers used to get a lot of Japanese tourists. I recall seeing reprints of write ups about the place in Japanese magazines. For a brief period there was a very ice Japanese restaurant in the premises. I think it came after sidewalkers and just before the current Italian restaurant. My parents lived around the corner and I thought that Japanese restaurant was the finest restaurant that neighborhood ever had. Of course that just raises the old question abut uws restaurants.

[Shermar]

Sidewalkers it was!

But for fried onion loaf I recall a place called Tony Roma's that had a good one years ago(East 57th?) Then there was a place called St. John's Wood on First Avenue not far from the U.N. that had a good fried onion loaf as well. Alas, I am not a fan of Dallas BBQ--awful sugary bbq sauce and a clanging atmosphere are too much to justify a trip for the onion loaf alone.

[SobaAddict70]

I haven't been to a BBQ in ages.

And every time I walk by, I'm frequently reminded why.

Pet peeve numero tres: small tables with barely enough space to squeeze by and barely enough space to hold everything at once; pet peeve numero uno y dos don't apply to this post -- them being bad acoustics and inadequate lighting.

Plus I'd rather go to Blue Smoke for bbq, Pearson's for the quasi-real thing, and out of state for the real deal.

SA

[Rail Paul]

But for fried onion loaf I recall a place called Tony Roma's that had a good one years ago(East 57th?) Then there was a place called St. John's Wood on

There was another location at 49th and Bway until 2-3 years ago, agree on the onion loaf. Huge, like a loaf of bread.

TR still operates, via franchise, locations around the US

[mogsob]

OH MY GOD. I can't believe what I just read.

Dallas BBQ is among the nastiest of the nasty. Their burgers have freezer burn. I have seen roaches the size of my thumb running around. The onion loaf is a greasy beyond belief. It is about the worst place in NY. Reminds me of some of the worst greasy spoons in London.

Steven, I'm just going to pretend I never read this.

[dimitri steinberg]

Actually, I think that Tony Roma's is just about the nastiast place around. I had some of the worst food of my life there. Re: BBQ, that place will always hold a special place in my heart, as it is (for reasons to long to explain) the place I first went to one a quasi-date with my now wife.

This thread prompted me last night to compare the BBQ and Brother Jimmy's delivery menus and Fg is right the price difference is about 2xs.

[Wilfrid]

As I recall, when I was a kid a place called Susse Chalet opened up on West 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus, in the Hotel Olcott space (I will not be sharing my other Hotel Olcott story). It was a rotisserie chicken and sweet baked ribs restaurant of great capacity. Later it became Dallas Jones BBQ, though I don't believe the menu changed much. After a time it was shortened to Dallas BBQ. Now the restaurants in this chain, which I've only seen in Manhattan (I can't find a Web site to check this), seems to be called just BBQ.

Thus, Fat Geezer. I don't know if he's right or wrong, but thus.

[tommy]

i just called the 3rd ave branch, and they answered "dallas barbeque." i asked if they were officially known as "dallas bbq" or just "BBQ", and the fella said "no, no, dallas bbq." hey, if the bus boy says so...

[Wilfrid]

Unreliable and inaccurate reporting by recent James Beard winner. In future, Thomas, I shall listen only to you.

[MHesse]

I walked by the place on 72nd yesterday; it is still Dallas BBQ, but the Dallas is in very small print, such that if one was driving by or on the opposite side of the street, you would think it was just BBQ.

And a 3rd confirmation that the place across the street was Sidewalkers. I once had medallions of alligator there. Tasted like chicken

BBQ still seems popular. It gets a lot of business from uptown and I see charter busses parked outside too.

The other side of the street seems to be a jinxed location for restaurants, with none getting enough business. Sambuca has been around for a while now, but I don't think it's as popular as it used to be.

[Fat Guy]

Okay, I looked at the menu from the branch of BBQ at 21 University Place -- this is the only one I have on file. The logo at the top of the menu, while smudged, appeared to say only "BBQ." Moreover, on the NYC Department of Health site, which seems a good guide to official restaurant names because it's relying on the government records, it is called "BBQ Restaurant." (Minor violations.) Now here's what's interesting: On the same site the West 72nd Street branch is called "Dallas BBQ." (No violations.) This certainly requires more research. But I assure you all that those in the know refer to it as "B. B. Q."

[tommy]

This certainly requires more research. But I assure you all that those in the know refer to it as "B. B. Q."

with the periods? i just don't wanna sound dumb in front of all of my foodie friends.