Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Since I signed up to Blackboard Eats I've been getting special deals to certain restaurants. A few weeks ago I got a 30% off lunch or dinner coupon for Dinosaur Bar-B-Que so I decided to try it today. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has a reputation of being one of the best and authentic barbecue spots in Manhattan so I was pretty excited when I received the coupon. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is on 131 Street and 12 Avenue which is all the way up in Harlem making it kind of out of the way for me but Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is worth the train ride.

The space is massive and decorated sort of like a stereotypical truck stop and a saloon mixed together. There are gas station signs that line the walls along with graffiti all over the bathrooms and each table has a different set of chairs. Though personally I prefer the decor of Wildwood BBQ, its the most "elegant" (and I use elegant loosely) out of all the barbecue spots in Manhattan, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has a very authentic feel and is definitely better looking than R.U.B. and Blue Smoke. The place is packed and everyone from all over NYC comes there. You have your Harlem and Upper West Side locals. Then you have your business men, students and large men with beer bellies huddling at the bar.

The menu at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is pretty typical and features Pork Ribs, brisket, BBQ Sandwiches, chicken wings amongst other things. The prices at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que are outstanding. I was at Dallas BBQ the day before, which is hands down the worst BBQ place in Manhattan...worse than Daisy May's, and Dallas and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que are priced competitively and for the quality and portion size you get at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, I'd say you get the better deal at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. I ordered the half rack of pork ribs plate which comes with 7 pork ribs, two sides and cornbread and is priced at $15.95. At Wildwood I get a half rack of ribs for $15.99...nothing more. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que serves their ribs dry so its your job to add their signature Barbecue sauce to them if you feel the need. The ribs are fantastic and the meat basically falls off the bone. Though personally I prefer the rub at Hill Country better, I'd say the ribs themselves are a bit better tasting than Hill Country's and I loved Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's BBQ sauce. It wasn't too spicy or overpowering and added the right amount of sweetness. The fries were pretty good as was the mac & cheese and cornbread as side dishes. The service at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is super friendly and makes you feel like you're at home and even though the restaurant is super crowded at all times, the service is never frazzled or creates a bad experience with the customer.

I really enjoyed my lunch at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. The barbecue was excellent, the prices are amazing and the decor and service were great as well. My only issue is that its a bit out of the way for me, but after tasting those fantastic pork ribs its worth the trip!