The Votes are in. Best BBQ on Long Island???

[Sledneck]

I have been to daisy mays a couple of times. I love the brisket. I dont care much for the ribs or pulled pork. Its a bit pricey. My next stop in the city is Paul Kirks R.U.B restaurant on 23 street

 

[Sawdustguy]

Being honest I don't know how well a real good BBQ joint would do here on Long Island. Most people here want a sit down resturant with a fancy interior and waiters or waitress that cater to their every need. Places like Arthur Bryants or Oklahoma's Joes IMHO would only be appreciated by those of us who appreciate what low and slow really is. When we went to smokey bones we overheard a women complaining that she liked the brisket that she made in her pressure cooker better. She complained, "why do we need all the BBQ spices and rubs".

 

[BrooklynQ]

I have been to daisy mays a couple of times. I love the brisket. I dont care much for the ribs or pulled pork. Its a bit pricey. My next stop in the city is Paul Kirks R.U.B restaurant on 23 street

I don't know what you consider pricey - but Daisy May's walk-in specials are a steal. $11 for 5 to 6 ribs with two 1/2 lb sides. $9 for half a chicken and two sides? Pretty good prices for Manhattan.

I haven't been to RUB yet. But food wise, Daisy Mays is the best in the city. If you're looking for a NYC interpertation of BBQ, with pretty good Q and good atmosphere, try Blue Smoke.

 

[rookiedad]

anybody ever try virgil's? it's been there longer than the new nyc bbq joints. i tried the ribs and pulled pork about a year ago and found it to be pretty good. i liked the pulled pork a little better though. Rob, have you ever reviewed it on the blog? it's on 47th and 7th.
phil

 

[BrooklynQ]

I've never reviewed Virgil's but back when I was working at MTV i used to eat there at least once a week. I haven't been there in at least 2 years. Probably time for a revisit.

It was ok, but very very inconsistent. I found that towards the end I was ordering the non-Q dishes more often than the Q. The Q could be lousy, good, even great but it was a real crap shoot and rather than be disappointed I would play it safe. Also Virgil's is probably the most expensive of the BBQ places in the city.

Spanky's has opened around the corner. I reviewed them. Their stuff was mixed, but they have great beer. I've got to go back there.

 

[RichardF]

Having done some traveling to NYC, I think RUB is hand-down the best barbecue in the City (not including Great NY Noodle Town or any of the various Korean places that make Q). They seem to have found the best balance between what most people on this board would consider barbecue, and a NYC audience. They stick with the basics, with nothing too goofy on the menu. There two flyers are a Sichuan duck which is great, and pastrami, which is pretty good. Just my $0.02.

 

[BrooklynQ]

IMHO Sichuan duck and pastrami aren't BBQ. They may be great dishes, but that's not what I'm looking for when I vist a BBQ restaurant. If those are RUBs flagship dishes, then I would compare it to places in Chinatown for the duck and Sammis or Katz for the pastrami.

I'm looking for ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, sausage, chili and chicken when I'm looking for BBQ. The classic smoked meats. (OK I know that chili and chicken aren't the classic smoked meats - but who says I need to be consistent?) Not the other stuff.

The word I've heard about RUB is that the pastrami is great but everything else is just OK, but improving since their opening.

 

[RichardF]

Brooklyn - I think you misread my post. I said that RUB sticks to barbecue basics, but that they had two flyers on their menu, the duck and the pastrami. I think the general word on the street is that their ribs, pork and chicken are very good, and that their burnt-ends are fabulous. If you live in Brooklyn, you should give it a try. Don't forget the fried Oreo...

 

[BrooklynQ]

I guess I misunderstood what you meant by flyers. I thought you meant that they were the outstanding items on the menu.

About RUB - I will try it. I've met Paul Kirk and he seems like a good guy and I've learned a lot about BBQ from his books. I will try the place out soon, but it's in a part of Manhattan I don't get to very often. But, all I've heard about his restaurant is how good the pastrimi is and how "just OK" everything else is. I hope the critics are wrong.

 

[backyardchef]

The pastrami is good at RUB, getting better. The texture is a bit rubbery on bigger bites. Can't compare to Katz's, which is not smokey, but is nirvana. Oooh, Katz's. Mmmm. The ribs, brisket, etc.... at RUB are good 'que. I've eaten there a few times now (once, across the table from P.K. himself) and, like many of the NYC joints, sometimes it is better than others. I'm in the minority that believes the burnt ends are overhyped....

For me (fwiw), the order is:
Daisy May's
RUB
Blue Smoke
Dinosaur

The oreos are best eaten immediately when you get them.

 

[RichardF]

Daisy May's is good, but I shy away from anybody cooking barbecue that insists on being called by three names (Adam Perry Lang); somethin's just not right there. I guess he's doing something right, he does cook for a strip-joint.

 

[BrooklynQ]

Yeah I wondered about that too. Perry is his birth dad's last name and Lang is the last name of his father who raised him. If I remember correctly his birth dad died when Adam was very young.

 

[Smoker]

"I've never reviewed Virgil's but back when I was working at MTV i used to eat there at least once a week."

Rob,

Which VJ where you? I don't remember seeing your show.

 

[BobberQer]

"I've never reviewed Virgil's but back when I was working at MTV i used to eat there at least once a week."

Rob,

Which VJ where you? I don't remember seeing your show.

BQ.... another Cougar alum worked there at MTV, Christine Sheehan is her name ..Edwards is her maiden name ... Bay Shore chick..