Dinosaur BBQ - NYC

Well, I finally made it to the NYC location last week (I'm a big fan of the Syracuse location). Unfortunately, my visit coincided with the onset of a cold, and my taste buds were unexpectedly shot! Everything tasted the same to me, from the mac and cheese to the icebox pie. But, I was with four other guys (all NYC urbanites, if that flavors anyone's perception), so will pass along their general comments about the food.

We/they generally agreed that on a 1-5 scale (1 = bad), the Dinosaur ranked at about 3.5 or a little better. Which is pretty good, I think. The BBQ wings appetizer was a big hit, as was the peanut butter/chocolate pie for dessert. Everyone like the ribs well enough, and the guys who tasted from my pulled pork/brisket platter thought it was decent. I suspect the mac and cheese was very good although, again, I couldn't taste it too well. Very good selection of beers, and the crowd was a lot of fun. We were told to expect an hour wait, but ended up grabbing a table near the bar about two minutes later. For five of us, the bill came to a little under $28 a person, which is far, far less than we usually spend when we go out.

About that Mac n cheese, was it creamy or baked and firm and crunchy on top?

quote:

Originally posted by signman

About that Mac n cheese, was it creamy or baked and firm and crunchy on top?

I am not the person to whom you were asking the question, but I have had the mac and cheese at Dinosaur (I think it is one of their specials on Fridays, but I could be wrong).

It is not an issue of creamy or baked, but I assure you, it is like nothing you have ever had. First, it is baked -- but that it is not it's standout quality, as it is also a little creamy (enough cheese so that you know you are eating mac and cheese!). It has a kick to it, most definitely. There are also little "bits" in the mac and cheese -- I don't know if it is BBQ specks or what -- but there are surely "bits" of something in there. It also has an onion flavor.

I don't know if I helped describe it or not - but, someone else is likely to verify that Dinosaur mac and cheese is like no other mac and cheese you have ever had.

Steve

Well...its been about a year and a half since I started this thread and I finally got a chance to visit the Harlem branch of the Dino. My wife had bought tickets for she and my daughter to see Wicked and I guess I was invited along as the driver.

We cabbed it to the Dino from the Metropoltian Museum of Art. The cabby said the street numbers didn't add-up (12th and 131st) and I ended up calling info for the phone number and confirming the address for him. We got there about 7:30 Friday. There was a good crowd and an hour wait and the place looked great....all the Dino ambiance. I went to the bar for beer wine and rootbeer. It was crowded so I went to the hostess stand to ask if we could take the drinks outside. There I met the fabulous Abigail. I have seen her many many times in the Syracuse Dino, but never actually met her. She said by all means take the drinks out front. We enjoyed the nice breeze, watched a bit of sunset over the river and through the steel.

Amazingly, we were called in just as our drinks were gone. I had the 1/2 chicken with cajun potato salad and veggie greens..and another beer. My wife had the texas rib-eye with cajun salt potatoes and beet salad. The steak with the seasoned butter was done perfectly and the beet salad was great. My chicken was perfect as usual. The greens were a twist on an old favorite, different than the syracuse greens. They had a little ginger zing to them. My teenager was getting cranky and had french fries.

The place had a great atmosphere, with tables of families celebrating various occaisions. It was a real melting pot crowd, everyone enjoying a good time (except the teenager...). I do have to say the Syracuse waitresses are the top of all three Dinos. The Harlem waitresses were great, nice(...though we did run out of drinks before we finished our meal, but they arrived in time for the last few bites and to lubricate after dinner conversation), but they just didn't have that edgy attitude I love. We missed seeing John, however Abigail took great care of us (way better looking too) and many thanks to her and everyone else for a good time.

The next day I figured out my hotel was just a block away from Blue Smoke, so I went there to eat while the girls took in the show. Waaay different atmosphere. The staff was friendly, suggesting I eat at the bar or I could wait 45 for a table. I had them put my name down but found a seat at the bar before my first beer was gone. I shamlessly talked two cute twenty somethings out of the stool saying I was going to do a comparison w/ the Dino and needed a seat. The barmaid asked if I was from Syracuse and I explained I worked there, but lived in Cortland. Turns out she had gone to Cortland State University.

I ordered the pulled pork platter (they don't have BBQ chicken, so I couldn't make a direct comparison). While I waited, I had to endure overhearing some supremely yuppie-manhattenite conversations. Very entertaining, though. The pork arrived piled on a big slice of farm bread with coleslaw and beans. The pork was good, smokey, a little fatty but hey, it wasn't dry. The beans were good too, pintos in a tomato sauce with a zip of cumin. I mopped the pork in the sauce. The coleslaw was entirly disposable, It had a clear dressing and the cabbage tasted old and bitter. My Cortland State friend helped me out with a shot of Rebel Yell as a digestif. All in all a nice night. I must say though, biased as I am, I prefer the Dino feel to the Blue Smoke feel. Its just more comfortable to me, less 'showy'. Sorry no pics...cranky teen left the camera at the hotel.

I'm jealous of your trip and comparison eating.

Thanks for the write up. Dino BBQ is definately on my "to do" list this weekend when I'm in the 'cuse for 4 days. I also plan to hit Heid's. The rest of my meal's will be made by mom!

Don't be jealous, we spent as much on that two day freaking trip as I normally do for a week on Skaneateles Lake. I won't be doing that again real soon.

Hey, if I'm working saturday, I'll be there for lunch. I'll be the bespeckled, gray haired, goateed sap BSing the barmaid/waitress or reading the paper at a high-top...Unfortunately, its looking like I'll be caught up by Friday...

My last meal before moving from nyc was a full rack of ribs at Dino. I've been to just about every major bbq joint in the country. Dino's ribs stack up if not exceeds everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by Cosmos

Don't be jealous, we spent as much on that two day freaking trip as I normally do for a week on Skaneateles Lake. I won't be doing that again real soon.

heh, I hear ya on that.

quote:

Hey, if I'm working saturday, I'll be there for lunch. I'll be the bespeckled, gray haired, goateed sap BSing the barmaid/waitress or reading the paper at a high-top

Sounds like half the crowd I normally see there. The other half has mullets, tatoos and ride Harleys. But they still BS the barmaids and waitresses.

Has anyone been to both Dino's NYC branch and Virgil's (another of the city's BBQ hotspots)? If so, how do they stack up against each other?

I saw Sonjaab's message, and I couldn't believe it...but I checked the website, and he is right...Grandma Brown's baked beans is a regional speciality, made in upstate New York!!

Growing up in upstate New York, and going on many family picnics (and eating these beans, covered in bacon and brown sugar, yum!), I always assumed that this was just a national brand, albeit one of exceptionally high quality.

Now, I can't believe that much of the country has not tasted these wonders!

Hey Scorereader,

Check out the Brooklyn Pickle in 'Cuse when you're there. I think its just off Rte. 690. Some of the freshest sandwiches I've ever had. The ham salad is great and the deal closer is the bread which I believe they get from Columbus Bakery. Enjoy!

Sonjaab,

Loved the references to Grandma Brown's and salt potatoes. Every clam bake I ever went to had those and they are the bomb, baby! Nobody here in NYC know what I'm talking about. So sad. We just got our first Trader Joe's, so I think it'll be a LONNNNNG time til Wegmans ever get here. I think I'm in Wegmans withdrawl! Always ship a box of good from them whenever I'm visiting upstate.

Dinosaur is a good example of a chain (a small one, but a chain nonetheless) that can have threads about it outside the FFF forum because it has a review on this site.

haven't been to dino yet but let's just say i wouldn't refer to virgil's as one of nyc's bbq hotspots. let's just say if eating in times square is your idea of regional roadfood dining then, nah that sounds too mean spirited. happy memorial day

quote:

Originally posted by billyboy

Hey Scorereader,

Check out the Brooklyn Pickle in 'Cuse when you're there. I think its just off Rte. 690. Some of the freshest sandwiches I've ever had. The ham salad is great and the deal closer is the bread which I believe they get from Columbus Bakery. Enjoy!

I've been to Brooklyn Pickle. I prefer Pickles, on Genesee St, at the end of Erie Blvd.

Went to Dino BBQ on Saturday the 27th, after a round of mini-golf at Fairmount Glen.

Didn't get to Heid's this weekend, but, I brought home some salt potatoes for my Upstate, NY themed party this coming weekend here in DC. Thanks to Wegman's I can get all my other items in Fairfax, VA.

I wonder how Wegman's determines where they will open their stores. I think that they would do fine in Westchester county, New York, or in Long Island. Plenty of people would appreciate their quality and purchase accordingly.

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Barry

Has anyone been to both Dino's NYC branch and Virgil's (another of the city's BBQ hotspots)? If so, how do they stack up against each other?

The Dino destroys Virgil's (a tourist-trap zoo, IMHO) for both food & ambience. One of the waitresses at Dino is incredibly obnoxious & pushy (tries to browbeat everybody into ordering the most expensive menu items), and it was still great.

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Barry

Has anyone been to both Dino's NYC branch and Virgil's (another of the city's BBQ hotspots)? If so, how do they stack up against each other?

The Dino destroys Virgil's (a tourist-trap zoo, IMHO) for both food & ambience. One of the waitresses at Dino is incredibly obnoxious & pushy (tries to browbeat everybody into ordering the most expensive menu items), and it was still great.

Dinosaur BBQ is know for their "rough" and planned gruffness biker style of obnoxious service.
If you have ever been to the one in Syracuse, that is their trademark..It is a trademark of theirs.
That is one of the true Dinosaur BBQ's original style.
It used to be on their menu about their style of service..
I have not been to the one in Syracuse in 10 years, but all I can say, is that when I was in the one in Syracuse, that was the only one, and now they have 3 locations, so they must be doing something right.
There is a copycat place in Myrtle Beach called Dicks Last resort, that warns you, that they have a "unique", shall we call it style of serving.
Dinosaur is a tradition, and you should go in there, expecting to be "insulted', and to take it with a grain of salt. For the thin skined, I advise to stay away.
Great food and atmosphere in the one in Syracuse..

gruffness, bordering on rudeness is fine if it's well known and expected....take for instance the old kosher dairy restaurant Ratner's.....the waiters always rude..I remember bringing college friends there once ( I was the only jewish person they knew) back in 1980....they couldn't believe that there wasn't a stitch of meat on the menu....and how "rude" the waitstaff was...but one taste of the blintzes had them ooooohing and aaaaaahing.

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90

quote:

Originally posted by larrygeller

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Barry

Has anyone been to both Dino's NYC branch and Virgil's (another of the city's BBQ hotspots)? If so, how do they stack up against each other?

The Dino destroys Virgil's (a tourist-trap zoo, IMHO) for both food & ambience. One of the waitresses at Dino is incredibly obnoxious & pushy (tries to browbeat everybody into ordering the most expensive menu items), and it was still great.

Dinosaur BBQ is know for their "rough" and planned gruffness biker style of obnoxious service.
If you have ever been to the one in Syracuse, that is their trademark..It is a trademark of theirs.
That is one of the true Dinosaur BBQ's original style.
It used to be on their menu about their style of service..
I have not been to the one in Syracuse in 10 years, but all I can say, is that when I was in the one in Syracuse, that was the only one, and now they have 3 locations, so they must be doing something right.
There is a copycat place in Myrtle Beach called Dicks Last resort, that warns you, that they have a "unique", shall we call it style of serving.
Dinosaur is a tradition, and you should go in there, expecting to be "insulted', and to take it with a grain of salt. For the thin skined, I advise to stay away.
Great food and atmosphere in the one in Syracuse..

I have no idea what you're talking about. I have been to the Dinosaur in Syracuse dozens and dozens of times. I grew up in Syr, and lived there when it opened. The service staff is very nice. The wait staff doesn't get fussy when you can't decide, and they're always helpful. Giving suggestions, but never rudely.

It's true, that there is a biker atmosphere, but that's because of the decor, and the fact that half the place is filled with bikers.

The bartenders tend to be the "roughest" only because they usually have to shout a little to get your order if you're standing behind the barstools while ordering your drink(s). But, the last time I was there, when I couldn't decide on a beer, she asked "what are you going to eat?" I said, "ribs" She said "great" and poured me a beer she thought would be a good match. And it was.

Not sure how any of that is "gruff" service. Unless by "gruff" you're talking about the kidding around they do, mostly between the waitstaff, which can be "off color" occasionally, but all in fun, and all with a wink.

Maybe the other places offer up "gruff" service, but the flagship in Syracuse is very accomodating.

Their "trademark" is fun. And the atmosphere is family friendly. Especially now that there's no smoking cigarettes even at the bar.

I've been to Dino in Rochester. I've also been to some "Institutions" in the south. If you can only get Dino (like in the NE), it'll do. If you have the option of it or something from Alabama or Memphis or Texas, etc. it's a no brainer.

Enjoy it though. BBQ is like sex, even when it's lousy, it's still pretty good.

DT

I know it's hard to believe a true BBQ joint could exist in upstate, NY, but considering its founding:
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/about.htm , it's exactly the kind of place that became an "institution" in the south. The place hasn't been around long enough and isn't far South enough for some good ol boys to accept it. But, I've seen the faces of people from Texas, NC, Georgia and other Southern states when their skepticism is completely erased.

If anyone is interested, there is a slightly smarmy vid clip on the MSNBC website, under the Today Show heading of Al Roker and Meredith Viera at the NYC Dino. They prep the day's cue with John Stage and put it in the smoker...then it gets smarmy.

Good to see John and the Dino on TV, though they don't let him say anything....and too bad we still haven't invented smell-o-vision...