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Home > Restaurants > RUB

All Reader Reviews of...

RUB

208 W. 23rd St., New York, NY, 10011
nr. Seventh Ave.
212-524-4300

6.2 "Mixed Reviews"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10		 Write Your Own Review
61% Would you go back?
50% Would you take a date?
61% Would you take kids?
38% Would you go on business?
44% Would you go on a special occasion?
Food: 6.5
Service: 6.5
Décor: 5.4
Value: 5.7
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  • Showing reviews 1 through 10 of 18

Excellent BBQ

jforst02 from 07030 | Posted on 12/29/08

Overall Rating: 8 (Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 9
Service: 7
Décor: 9
Value: 6

This is a great place if you want Ribs. If you're looking for Brisket, stick to Hill Country. If you want something nice, go to Wildwood. However, for Ribs these are arguably the best. I'd stick to the pork ribs. The pastrami and wings are also great. I also like how they have vinegar based slaw. Texas lager is also a nice touch on the place. Definitely one of the best BBQ joints in the City. Anyone who likes Dallas BBQ or Virgil's is insane.

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4 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

the food is great, but the service?

amybrill from 10009 | Posted on 8/15/08

Overall Rating: 7 (Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 9
Service: 3
Décor: 1
Value: 5

Everytime I go in this place at lunch time there are the oddest bunch of characters walking around looking confused ... and that's the service staff. I also never seem to see any of the same servers from one week to the next. The people who eat there look focused and clearly know why they are there. The food is great. I particularly like the brisket, which some people have said here is dry, but for some reason that doesn't bother me. I like it with the coleslaw on a sandwich. I also love the baked beans, which is why I keep going back. They are spicy and loaded with bacon, yum! But whatever is going on with the dazed and confused service, I hope the management can get it sorted out.

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6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

good grub at RUB

rwisdom from 10011 | Posted on 7/10/08

Overall Rating: 8 (Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 9
Service: 8
Décor: 7
Value: 5

I've been to RUB many times (at least 25); obviously I like it. especially the baby backs, and the St Louis ribs, the brisket and the burnt ends. The burnt ends and brisket are not always consistent which can be a common problem at smoke houses. The brisket is usually very lean and tender; but hey, it's not corned beef, so if you like it more moist then just add a little sauce. The wings are also great (very different though than fried Buffalo wings, these are of course smoked but are still spicy because of a spicy rub). The sides are just OK, the collard greens are good but not my thing; this place could use a really good selection of salads or and some other vegetables. Also, I found the beans to be a bit much, very beefy and smokey. But overall, love this place. This place compares very favorably with any other place in NYC, better IMO than Blue Smoke or Virgils but not as good as Burnt ends from Kansas City or most brisket in Austin which is where I'm from. (HS in KC and college at UT)

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9 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Burnt ends are the best!

jackmogee from 10027 | Posted on 6/3/08

Overall Rating: 8 (Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 9
Service: 8
Décor: 8
Value: 8

Been eating BBQ for a long time and the burnt ends are really really good!! The best I've ever had. St. Louis ribs and pulled pork were also tasty... but agree with most reviews that the brisket was dry. I would definitely go back again though. Casual dining environment works well for the food. This place is a winner in my book.

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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Very, very slow service

catwoman from 10044 | Posted on 8/20/07

Overall Rating: 4 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 5
Service: 2
Décor: 2
Value: 5

I went there on Sunday afternoon around 4 PM. The place was only a half full. It took exactly 45 minutes from the time we sat down, and food finally came. People from 2 other tables were complaining that they got wrong dishes. Their staff seems friendly, but poorly trained. Food was OK -- I agree with those who wrote they were dry. I had brisks, chicken, and baby ribs. Their fried oreo dessert was really good.

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210 out of 415 people found this review helpful.

OK, let's get real...

HRose from 75240 | Posted on 6/29/07

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 10
Service: 10
Décor: 8
Value: 10

Real BBQ that is! I never do this sort of thing but i feel it is required. I came back to NY as a tourist as i now live in TX. I had to visit RUB as all my friends were telling me it was the "best" BBQ in town. They most certainly were right. THe Pastrami is amazing, dare i say it easily gives Katz's a run for thier money?! and the burnt ends (oy vey!), dont even get me started they are AMAZING! The wings were perfectly cooked as well. It is clearly obvious that the added "plugs" for other named restaurants from the low rating reviews by others are"friends" of those establishments, not I, just a BBQ loving fan and a new fan of RUB.

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225 out of 485 people found this review helpful.

Best of 07' hands down!

MDGirl from 21044 | Posted on 4/27/07

Overall Rating: 10 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 10
Service: 10
Décor: 10
Value: 10

RUB BBQ is amazing. The meat is extremely tender and tasty. If you want delicious BBQ, you need to go here. RUB BBQ is definately the best BBQ around.

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201 out of 429 people found this review helpful.

Skip this Mediocre BBQ Joint

Segundo from 10604 | Posted on 3/31/07

Overall Rating: 3 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 3
Service: 5
Décor: 5
Value: 3

Ate dinner on 3/30 and was disappointed. Brisket was dry and bland, and the wings were terrible. Skip this place and stick with Virgil's, the superior BBQ place.

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278 out of 586 people found this review helpful.

Dont Bother - Stick With Dallas BBQ

Agent_C from 10017 | Posted on 3/13/07

Overall Rating: 3 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 2
Service: 7
Décor: 5
Value: 5

All the meats were dry and tasteless. Everything had a freeze-dried texture to it. Very unsatisfying to the palate. I also don't like to eat off of paper plates when I go out to dinner. The onion rings were unremarkable... The fries were just ok... The hushpuppies were re-fried so many times, they were completely uneatable. What I find most surprising, is how this place stays in business, just one block away from Dallas BBQ.

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310 out of 644 people found this review helpful.

Killer!

fattyrick from 10001 | Posted on 3/5/07

Overall Rating: 10 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 10
Service: 10
Décor: 8
Value: 10

Beef Ribs! That's all I need to say- And the Deckel sandwich are killer. About the best Reuben in town, and Definitely the best ribs.

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272 out of 584 people found this review helpful.

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