RUB BBQ Rocks: $40 Feast for Two
July 16, 2008
The aptly named Righteous Urban Barbeque lives up to expectations; Affordable and meaty ribs, brisket-topped chili cheese fries and deep fried Oreos. It hasn’t disappointed in 5 visits and I’m pumped to go back. Read on to find out how you and a friend can feast for $20 each.
BBQ Chili Cheese Fries $8.50
More of NYC’s Best French Fries Here
Arguably the best chili cheese fries I’ve ever had. The decadence you’re looking at above doesn’t do justice to the sloppy deliciousness below. A bed of crispy and fresh skin-on fries supports a copious mound of tender brisket-filled chili. I usually avoid melted cheddar cheese sauce because it tends to take over any dish it covers but in this case it actually melds well with the hearty fries and mildly spicy chili.
Individual Side of Onion Strings $3.75
Mixing the flavors of fried onions with smoked pork is one of my favorite combinations and these onion strings are topped with a little bit of RUB’s rub so the flavor is doubly delicious. An individual side of these thinly sliced fried yellow onion strings is more than enough for two people. Ask for them cooked well done to avoid a greasy pile of sog.
Pork Spare Ribs – $12.75 (“Bony End” 6 Meaty Ribs)
More of NYC’s best BBQ & Ribs here
The ribs below are pork spare ribs that are nothing like the ones you’ve had at a Chinese restaurant. They’re the meatier first 6 ribs on the slab aka “The Bony End”. For $12.75 you get 6 meaty ribs that are tender enough to make you forget they’re spare ribs. Covered with a spicy dry rub, I like to mix some hot sauce with RUB’s BBQ sauce and spread that on top. If you like a little less meat and fat, you can also get the “Short End”, 7 leaner ribs, for $13.75.
Deep Fried Oreos – $4.75 for an order of 4
They’re deep fried Oreos, they speak for themselves. Think funnel cake with melted oreos in the middle. Sugar bombs of deliciousness, the perfect serving size (2 each) and ending to a savory meal.
Photo complements of Jadeblade at Flickr.com
What I’m getting next time…
Friends have not been impressed with the Baby Back Ribs ($24.75 full/$13.75 half) so I won’t be going in that direction. In their huge competition quality smokers seen below, RUB smokes turkey, ham, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and sausage, all of which are delicious. NYC Food Guy, however, will be going for the pastrami! A manager told me her favorite menu item is the BBQ Reuben Crusher ($11.75 – pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut and Russian on grilled rye). Her recommendation is to order a small side of mayo slaw ($3.50), open up the Crusher, and smush the order of slaw between the two halves of smokey goodness.
$40 Feast for Two
Stick with water as your beverage and my highlighted menu items (Bony End Ribs, Chili Cheese Fries, Onion Strings, Fried Oreos) and your total should end up in the $30-33 range. That means if you have a heart and tip 20 percent, your meal should be around $40. Thank me later. Get to RUB now and tell me how good it is.
RUB BBQ
208 West 23rd Street b/t 7th & 8th Ave New York, NY 10011212-524-4300
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July 16th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
WELCOME BACK!!! Your adoring public missed you. Thanks for the review. It’s dinner time, I’m hungry, and I wanna GO THERE NOW! Alas, I am in the torrid wastes of Long Island, and too much trouble. But another time Food Guy, another time….
July 16th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Wow, this stuff looks wonderful. But seriously, if you can eat this and have horrible heartburn, I envy you. I’ve avoided chili cheese fries for so long that I think if I ate them now, I’d have to take Maalox for days. So I will just live vicariously through you. =)
July 16th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Oops, I meant to type: “If you can eat this and *not* have horrible heartburn.” I would never wish that upon anyone!
July 17th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Damn…. those BBQ Chili Cheese Fries look like a sloppy messy delicious dream come true. I’d like to dig in with a fork in one hand, a spoon in the other, dripping mess all over my face and down my shirt, YES OH YES!!!!
July 17th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Seriously, my mouth is watering from looking at those, it’s 5 a.m. and nothing is open yet so there’s no chance of me getting anything to satisy my craving, and all I have is crap food in the refrigerator. Stupid NYCFG.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:28 am
the food guy is BACK!!!!
well done, those ribs/chilli cheese fries look AMAZING.
Where were you all this time?
July 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am
RUB is my favorite BBQ place in Manhattan. You must try the Burnt Ends Dinner – that’s the best thing I’ve had there.
And their greens are perfect, too.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
The Reuben Crusher is the best of the sandwiches and features the smoked pastrami that’s the most underrated item on the menu. Burnt ends are a must– order ’em as a side.
Note: the ribs, like all the meats at RUB, arrived unsauced. You can sauce ’em if you want, but I think they’re good enough as is.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Nice visit! Scott and Andrew rock. They help us out every year with the NYC Food Film Festival and the que is always great. The deep fried Oreo looks pretty tasty though, didn’t know that was on the menu..
July 17th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Doc,
Thanks, big pig at Daisy Mays Sunday. I’m pumped.
Laryssa,
I don’t take my eating abilities for granted, I promise you that.
Tim Allen,
Cue Evil Laughter.
Phil,
They are amazing, better in real life than in photo. I was on vacation, thanks for the love, sorry to leave you hanging. What do you want to see now that I’m back?
Chomp,
I’ve had the Burnt Ends as an appetizer, they were delicious. I’m looking forward to having the bacon and pastrami though.
PigTrip,
Thanks for clarifying, I fixed it in the post. Next stop: Reuben Crusher.
Hamburger America,
Glad to spread the word on some deliciousness. How’d the festival go this year? I had Mets games every night and wasn’t able to make it. What’s the best burger you’ve had lately?
July 18th, 2008 at 12:25 am
you took a vacation from eating nycfoodguy? you must be starving now!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Yes, he is back. Eat and be Merry.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I hold you personally responsible for the chili salsa waffles I made yesterday morning. Yeah that’s right… a can of chili, a jar of salsa, poured over a couple microwaved frozen waffles.
I’m still feeling the effects today.
Thanks a lot man!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I AM THE BIGGGGGEST RUB BBQ LOVER! Never disappointed at that places food as well as the awesomely fast and attentive service. The pulled pork sandwish is amazing. The softest meat that just melts in your mouth. Also yes yum fried oreos.. amazing.. they are hot when served and although you may have a heart attack afterwards – well worth it.
Love that place so much I bought a tank top that says “Nice Rack” on the back.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
i’ve only been to RUB once, and maybe i went on a “bad day,” but i think it’s highly overrated. i was there around 7, 7 30 — they gave us a hard time about ordering ribs, saying they were gonna be sold out if we didnt order immediately, so we got ribs and they weren’t particularly good. also, the guy who seemed to be in charge was a huge dick…rather go to daisy may’s, georgias, or try hill country…
July 18th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I’ve never been to rub but I’m definitely gonna check it out. Would love to see you review some Mexican food NYCFG!
-Phil
July 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
you just want to see pics of long hard burritos phil..
July 18th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
i like ribs that are falling off the bone — these dont look like theyre falling off the bone at all. i dont want tough ribs that i have to fight to chew and get off the bone…i want tenderey, falling of the BONE ribs!
July 18th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Oh gosh I have an IMPOSTER now?
July 18th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
i meant to say oh golly, not oh gosh. please dont judge me.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
NYCFG can be seen in Homo Xtra magazine as this weeks Nakid hunk.
July 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Timothy Allen,
Wow, just wow. You’re an animal. I want pics of that.
Stinkus the Pincus,
Sounds like I’ve met my match in love for RUB. I definitely need to give the pulled pork a whirl. Nice description of that and the fried Oreos. What else have you had there?
kingofketchup,
Respect, I went with you that time and you’re right, we did have to wait a while and the service was sub par. They usually run out of the good stuff early so that wasn’t surprising. You should definitely try Hill Country but its not the ribs that are supreme, its the sausage, the brisket and prime rib.
Phil,
Sounds good man, I’ll throw some Mex up next week for sure.
FOB,
These are spare ribs, as I mentioned, so you’re right, they won’t just fall off the bone but they do come off pretty easily. The mark of good ribs isn’t those where the meat falls off the bone but when it comes off easily with a light bite. RUB’s spare ribs arent that tender but they’re close and they taste great.
Rudy McBagel,
Aren’t you the cover story? Bringing bagels and hot dogs into the bedroom?
July 27th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Rub is great! Try the Frito pie next time…FOB, FYI, falling off the bone = over cooked
July 28th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
bbqdude,
I’ve been meaning to try that for a long time, just can’t pry myself from the chili cheese fries. You are correct about your note to FOB.
July 30th, 2008 at 12:02 am
post NYCFG, post!!!!!!! step your game up!
I dont understand right when you get your big break (DNL), you go and stop posting consistently????? What’s up with that????
November 17th, 2008 at 5:04 am
NYCFG,
Went to RUB recently and was just dying over those chili cheese fries. The guy next to me ordered them and let me take a nice little pile. I’m so lovin’ those. Brisket chili? Has RUB been reading my diary?
November 17th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Bill,
RUB… is…. awesome. You just can’t go wrong. Those fries are absolutely awesome. The chili makes them. I’ve never had chili this good before. The flavor, the huge chunks of brisket. Just amazing.
Word on the street is there are also bacon chocolate chip cookies. Mr. Motz says they’re ridiculous and who better to trust? There have been some oven problems of late, however, so you might not be able to get a hold of them.
Where are some of the other best chili cheese fries you’ve had?
December 12th, 2008 at 8:16 am
[…] All ready home to the best brisket chili cheese fries I’ve ever had, I couldn’t imagine the wings would fall far behind. And they didn’t, but they didn’t really impress either. These are BBQ style wings; seasoned with the same rub as the ribs, smoked and then fried. For $7.50 the result is a dozen good sized, lean and quality wings which are smokey and sweet with a residual spiciness which lingers after you finish eating. They can be served with bleu cheese, which brought out the sweetness, or the better suited buttermilk ranch. Neither truly enhanced the eating experience. Next time I’m at RUB, I’m passing on the wings and sticking with my go to $40 for 2 BBQ feast. […]
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:36 pm
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