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Wildwood Barbeque

Critics' Pick

225 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003 40.737349 -73.988379
nr. 18th St. See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
work212-533-2500 Send to Phone

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Cuisine: BBQ
Price Range:
$$$
Key to Prices and ratings
Upscale

Almost Perfect

Exceptional

Generally Excellent

Very Good

Good

Cheap Eats

Best in Category

Excellent

Delicious

Very Good

Noteworthy
Very Expensive

Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Critics' Rating:
*
Key to Prices and ratings
Upscale

Almost Perfect

Exceptional

Generally Excellent

Very Good

Good

Cheap Eats

Best in Category

Excellent

Delicious

Very Good

Noteworthy
Very Expensive

Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Reader Rating:
6.0 out of 10
|
7 Reviews | Write a Review

Courtesy of Wildwood Barbeque

Map Order Online Rate & Review

Hours

Mon-Thu, 11:30am-11pm; Fri, 11:30-midnight, Sat, noon-midnight; Sun, noon-11pm

Nearby Subway Stops

4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W at 14th St.-Union Sq.

Prices

$12-$32

Payment Methods

American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Good for Groups
Hot Spot
Lunch
Notable Chef
Take-Out
Teen Appeal
Online Ordering

Alcohol

Full Bar

Reservations

Accepted/Not Necessary

Delivery

Order Delivery with www2.seamlessweb.com

Profile

Stephen Hanson’s big-box venture occupies the same vast hangar space that once housed his failed Spanish experiment, Barça 18, and it operates according to the same well-rehearsed, volume-oriented principles. The room is ribbed with wood beams, which make it look less like a juke joint than a giant Viking hall, and fitted with a cocktail bar that’s longer than a good-size passenger jet. The well-trained, unfailingly cheerful wait staff are dressed in snappy charcoal-colored T-shirts and come at you in never-ending waves. "Big Lou" Elrose, a former cop from Ozone Park who learned his craft at the great brisket mecca Hill Country, operates two belching smokers in the back, which turn out those three mainstays of the barbecue canon—here, “Carolina” pulled pork, “Memphis-style” baby backs, “Texas smoked” brisket—by the truckload.

Quality is tricky when you’re dealing with this kind of volume, and many hard-core barbecue hounds have dismissed Wildwood on account of that. But Wildwood is more of a big-money New York restaurant and bar than a hard-core barbecue joint. And for a big-money New York restaurant and bar, the barbecue isn’t so bad. My 8-year-old daughter, Jane, gave thumbs down to the dry, spicy-sweet baby backs (“The ones at school are better, Dad”), but she liked the crunchy chicken wings and the fatty, “all-natural” Denver lamb ribs. I wouldn’t recommend the shanky, semi-smoky pulled pork to anyone from North Carolina, but it doesn’t taste bad in sandwich form, buried under pickles and cole slaw. Big Lou’s brisket is the best of the barbecue facsimile on the menu, but his signature sauce (flavored, tragically, with raspberries) needs retooling. The best of the industrial-size desserts is the carrot cake. But beware: Coming on the heels of all this meat, just the sight of this towering, Bunyanesque creation could tip even the most hard-bitten barbecue hound into a deep food coma. — Adam Platt

Note

The bar offers an impressive 32 varieties of bourbon.

Ideal Meal

Chicken wings, Texas smoked brisket and/or Denver lamb ribs, carrot cake.

Food:	4

Service:	5

Décor:	5

Value:	5

I have only been to WW during the lunch hour where I find the place to be typically empty and quiet. They do not even open until a little past 12 so I would not come here too early. The beer/liqueur selections are impressive and unfortunately I have not had the chance to indulge. Work lunches unfortunately do not constitute three martini lunches anymore. Sad. The service here is pretty quick especially at lunch since no one is here. The cornbread is nothing special. It is kind of dry and crumbly. The brisket is good but I recommend getting it lean unless you want to eat a droopy piece of fat is you get it moist. Overall, I would come here again and would eventually like to check it out during the dinner scene.

Wildwood Barbeque

Not to shabby

bp9451 from 10604 | Posted on 10/17/08

Overall Rating: 108 (Recommended)


Food:	7
Service:	8

Décor:	8

Value:	7

I have been to many BBQ joints from Blue Smoke to Rub and i have to say that WWBBQ is pretty good. I work in the area and have been there over 8 times since its opening. The food is quailty and the staff is very friendly. I decor is perky/Barn like and gives a nice enviornment that is quiet even when full. The dessert menu still needs some work but the ribs are a pleanty and the taste is just as good. Try the onion rings or the home made salt and vinegar chips (YUM)

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