Blue Smoke in NYC

I will be in NYC this fall and I was hoping some of you had some knowledge about the operation. NYC BBQ does not seem like the thing to do but If I am there and it is good, I would like to try it. I have a feeling it is very expensive.

http://www.bluesmoke.com/blue/secondary/menus.html

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I've been to Blue Smoke and like it very much -- not blown away, but I like it. It's not expensive by NYC standards, but that doesn't mean it's not expensive!

I'm trying to remember what I spent the last time I was there. Probably about $35-40 per person. Downstairs has blues music (separate charge).

If I were coming to NYC, I wouldn't bother with BBQ, personally. Especially if I were from the South. But, obviously, that's strictly a personal choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

I will be in NYC this fall and I was hoping some of you had some knowledge about the operation. NYC BBQ does not seem like the thing to do but If I am there and it is good, I would like to try it. I have a feeling it is very expensive.

http://www.bluesmoke.com/blue/secondary/menus.html

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Forget Blue Smoke............been there and have done that. You should really hop in a cab and go to Dinosaur Barbeque. I am sure you will like it.

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Originally posted by chezkatie

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

I will be in NYC this fall and I was hoping some of you had some knowledge about the operation. NYC BBQ does not seem like the thing to do but If I am there and it is good, I would like to try it. I have a feeling it is very expensive.

http://www.bluesmoke.com/blue/secondary/menus.html

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Forget Blue Smoke............been there and have done that. You should really hop in a cab and go to Dinosaur Barbeque. I am sure you will like it.

I'm inclined to agree, especially given the atmosphere at Dinosaur. But, make sure you've arranged your return transportation.

Blue Smoke is great. If you compare it to traditional BBQ down south, well them of course it's going to come up short. It's a fine restaurant, everything they do is top notch, it's reasonably priced (remember, it's all relative) and it's convenient if you're in Midtown for a visit.

Dinosaur is WAY uptown, at least a $20 cab ride from midtown (depending on traffic), and it's VERY hard to get a cab back downtown. You can easily take the 1 train there, but remember it's about a 5-10 minute walk from the subway to Dinosaur, and it's a dicey neigborhood.

My advice is to give Blue Smoke a try. I live about 4 blocks from there and I'm a semi-regular. I absolutely love it.

I would recommend Daisy Mae's. The chef just took grand champ at a KCBS sanctioned contest on only his second time out.

John

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog

I would recommend Daisy Mae's. The chef just took grand champ at a KCBS sanctioned contest on only his second time out.

John

Daisy Mae's is great- really delicious, but it's take-out only, and waaaay over on 12th Ave. Not too convenient.

Sundancer,

My input would be to definitely skip the NYC BBQ scene. Although there is some good BBQ there it is not what NY does best. For instance, if you want to eat NYC's best smoked meat it's not BBQ, it's a Pastrami sandwich at Katz' Deli. Also, why waste your time on okay BBQ when NY has so many great Italian, Oriental, Latin American, Greek, etc. restaurants? Do the ethnic food thing! The walk down 9th Avenue from 34th - 55th Street is perhaps America's best ethnic food court. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Q: Is the menu at Blue Smoke just "regular" BBQ or is it yuppied up ala Bobby Flay?

(I live in NY and have never been there; I do go to Mesa Grill a lot which I like for yuppied up SW cooking.)

Paul,

The last thing I would have when I visit the city is BBQ. The top 5 things to do not necessarily in this order.
1- a corned beef and pastrami sandwich at the Carnegie
2- a slice of Pizza at the original Ray's at 6th ave and 12 street
3- a meal in Chinatown
4- a bagel at H & H
5- a meal in Little Italy

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Q: Is the menu at Blue Smoke just "regular" BBQ or is it yuppied up ala Bobby Flay?

(I live in NY and have never been there; I do go to Mesa Grill a lot which I like for yuppied up SW cooking.)

It's somewhat yuppified but not to the Bobby Flay extreme. I seem to remember some high-falutin' add-ins in my hush pupies that never would have been there in your typical dive-BBQ place, but this is New York, after all. Generally, the food's pretty straight-forward although I prefer Daisy Mae's. Based on my experience in Syracuse, I'd bet Dinosaur in Harlem is better, too.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Paul,

The last thing I would have when I visit the city is BBQ. The top 5 things to do not necessarily in this order.
1- a corned beef and pastrami sandwich at the Carnegie
2- a slice of Pizza at the original Ray's at 6th ave and 12 street
3- a meal in Chinatown
4- a bagel at H & H
5- a meal in Little Italy

Paul,

I have to agree 110% with Dale on this. Don't waste your time with BBQ in NYC. This is not to slight Blue Smoke, which is fine by NY standards, but which will surely be dissappointing to you. Dale's recommendations above are right on the money!

Just went to Dinosaur yesterday for take out.It was awsome! went about 12 noon on the 1 train and it was about a 5 min. walk, the neighborhood is fine, at night I don't know. Had the full rack of ribs, 1/2 a Chicken, 4 sides,baked beans,cole slaw, mac and cheese and a extra cole slaw(doubled up on beans) for 36 bucks. It totally blows Virgil's and Daisy's away. Thought the people on the Subway home would rob the food,it smelled so good!

Anyone into barbeque will know Mike Mills, and he "helped" open Blue Smoke. That is all his style, rub, and sauce. The head chef went out to Las Vegas to see how he dose it. But his food is awsome, perfect in my opinion. D Jr is good too, but no 3 time world champ food thats for sure....Just my 2 JR

Mike Mills gave a nice talk on a BBQ panel at the NYC BBQ a few months back. He was very imformative and seems like a nice guy. Glad to hear he contributed to Blue Smoke.

For BBQ in NYC you need to go to Virgil's on 44th just off Times Sq.... But Howard Baratz hit the mark with Katz's in the Bowery. Excellent home cured/smoked and hand carved Pastrami on Rye and really great pickles and pickled green tomatoes.

I am not a huge fan of any of the Dinosaur BBQ's. It's better than average and a cool Rock-n-Roll kinda bar but doesn't have as good bbq as Virgil's. http://www.virgilsbbq.com/home.htm

FYI...I believe the owner of Blue Smoke is St. Louis's own Danny Meyer, he also owns Union Square Grill in NY.

Yes, Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park, Tabla, Gramercy Tavern, the fabulous ShakeShack and the management contract for the new foodservice at MOMA.

quote:

Originally posted by zigfus

For BBQ in NYC you need to go to Virgil's on 44th just off Times Sq.... But Howard Baratz hit the mark with Katz's in the Bowery. Excellent home cured/smoked and hand carved Pastrami on Rye and really great pickles and pickled green tomatoes.

I am not a huge fan of any of the Dinosaur BBQ's. It's better than average and a cool Rock-n-Roll kinda bar but doesn't have as good bbq as Virgil's. http://www.virgilsbbq.com/home.htm

Virgils is a tourist trap zoo. Dino totally blows it away, for food AND atmosphere! Katz's, however IS GREAT (overpriced as hell, but worth every penny)!

quote:

Originally posted by Howard Baratz

The walk down 9th Avenue from 34th - 55th Street is perhaps America's best ethnic food court. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Ahhh hell's kitchen - there are many wonderful restaurants there. One of our favorites is Uncle Nick's for Greek. Here are some reviews: http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?neighborhoodid=0&restaurantid=3879 Right on with the flaming Saganaki and be sure to order the taziki with grilled pita. It's very good and reasonable for NYC.

How long will you be there? Any chance you can hop across the border for a ripper at Rutt's?? It would be so wonderful to meet you! Sue

I have been to Blue Smoke five or six times and think it is pretty good. I love the atmosphere and I can easily walk to and from from Grand Central, saving the cab fair elswhere. I like the pulled pork sandwich. The prices are reasonable compared to other restaurants mentioned.

However, I would recommend Katz' pastrami sandwich as the best in New York (don't waste time or money at other places such as Carnegie)

I personally think Little Italy is to be avoided due to poor food quality. That goes for Carmines, too. Becca is pretty good and if you get the all you can eat three pasta dinner, the price is very reasonable.

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Originally posted by larrygeller

Katz's, however IS GREAT (overpriced as hell, but worth every penny)!

Overpriced compared to what? Their competition is within NYC, and really their only peers are Carnegie and Second Avenue (some would argue Stage, but then I think you would be right in saying "overpriced"). Their prices are pretty well in line with what those places charge. Most of their sandwiches come with about 2/3 lb of meat on them -- plus whatever you get extra from the cutter (based on your tip, which does increase your cash outlay).

To say that they are not cheap would be correct, but I don't know if you could argue that they are "overpriced."

Steve

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Originally posted by stevekoe

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Originally posted by larrygeller

Katz's, however IS GREAT (overpriced as hell, but worth every penny)!

Overpriced compared to what?

Compared to, say, the many branches of Ben's, Ben's Best, Pastrami King. Katz's is almost double what these places charge for sandwiches.

Perhaps the price is double to second rate places but the quality at Katz's is triple. I don't usually like pastrami but Katz's was so delicious. Also, I don't think the price was more than the monstrosities at a place like Carnegie or Stage.

Also, Katz is just a real New York place. It isn't just a tourist hangout like so many other places in the Big Apple.

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Originally posted by larrygeller

quote:

Originally posted by stevekoe

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

Katz's, however IS GREAT (overpriced as hell, but worth every penny)!

Overpriced compared to what?

Compared to, say, the many branches of Ben's, Ben's Best, Pastrami King. Katz's is almost double what these places charge for sandwiches.

i think you are a little off base here -- if my recollection is right, a corned beef sandwich (and usually corned beef, pastrami, and the like are all priced similarly or close enough) at Katz's will set you back about 12 bucks. You will likely get enough sandwich to feed an invading army. A sandwich at Ben's, which I personally find absolutely inferior, will still run you almost 10 bucks in their Manhattan location.

The only thing that is "almost double" is the amount of meat you get on your sandwich at Katz's.

$12.00 for a corned beef sandwich? Man I'm glad I live in Central New York

quote:

Originally posted by stevekoe

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

quote:

Originally posted by stevekoe

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

Katz's, however IS GREAT (overpriced as hell, but worth every penny)!

Overpriced compared to what?

Compared to, say, the many branches of Ben's, Ben's Best, Pastrami King. Katz's is almost double what these places charge for sandwiches.

i think you are a little off base here -- if my recollection is right, a corned beef sandwich (and usually corned beef, pastrami, and the like are all priced similarly or close enough) at Katz's will set you back about 12 bucks. You will likely get enough sandwich to feed an invading army. A sandwich at Ben's, which I personally find absolutely inferior, will still run you almost 10 bucks in their Manhattan location.

The only thing that is "almost double" is the amount of meat you get on your sandwich at Katz's.

If I'm not mistaken, Katz's sandwich is $12.95. The other places I mentioned (and I'm referring to Queens & Long Island locations for Ben's, I assume Manhattan IS more) range fron $6.50 to $7.95. And I still think that Pastrami King is better than Katz's, and the size of the sandwich is just as large. However, I do LOVE ALL of the places I mentioned. I would rate them, for pastrami, as PK first, then Katz's, then Ben's Best, then Ben's. I don't know about the Carnegie, as I haven't been there in years. If we're getting deli in Manhattan, then it's Katz's.

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

Compared to, say, the many branches of Ben's, Ben's Best, Pastrami King. Katz's is almost double what these places charge for sandwiches.

What exactly are you basing this on?

PASTRAMI ON RYE:
Ben's: $9.29
Pastrami Queen: $9.75 (Pastrami King has been closed for years)
Katz's: $11.75

quote:

Originally posted by Wigo

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

Compared to, say, the many branches of Ben's, Ben's Best, Pastrami King. Katz's is almost double what these places charge for sandwiches.

What exactly are you basing this on?

PASTRAMI ON RYE:
Ben's: $9.29
Pastrami Queen: $9.75 (Pastrami King has been closed for years)
Katz's: $11.75

Pastrami King is now in Merrick, LI. Same exact pastrami as the old Queens location. $9.29 is the price at Ben's in Manhattan. It's cheaper in Queens & LI.

Paul, sounds like lunch is a good safe time to try the Dinosaur. Or, you could keep on traveling upstate after you're finished in the Big Apple and try out the original Dinosaur in Syracuse, or the second one in Rochester.

Yeah, that's the ticket, come visit me in Rochester and after the Dinosaur we can go to Nick Tahoe's for the famous garbage plate.