Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que started in 1988 as a biker bar in Syracuse and somehow became one of the best barbecue destinations in New York City, which is not a city where BBQ is usually the first thing you think of. The Harlem location sits under the Riverside Drive Viaduct and has this post-industrial, lived-in feeling to it, brick walls, wood, big screens, and the kind of noise level that means everyone else is also having a good time. Getting there requires a subway trip north, but the people making the effort tend to report zero regrets. The ribs are the anchor of the whole experience. We got a half rack and they came out with a proper smoke ring and the kind of bark on the outside that tells you they've been in a smoker for a while. The meat pulled off the bone cleanly but not easily, which is exactly how it should be. Alongside we had the pulled pork combo plate with mac and cheese and coleslaw, and the mac here deserves some recognition, creamy and a little sharp, not the box stuff. The brisket ended up at the table too and it was tender enough to pull apart, with a satisfying fat cap. The honey hush cornbread that comes with things is moist and slightly sweet and gone faster than anything else. Cocktails are solid and the beer selection is good enough to pair seriously with the meat. A full table of smoked meats here is genuinely one of the more satisfying meals you can have in New York for the price.