This must be the place that toppled the Flintstone’s car…

Ask anyone who knows me about my deep love affair of all things BBQ and they will tell you right away how fanatic I am about grilled meat.  So obsessed am I with BBQ that for the longest time I was having my sauce shipped to me from a little place called Fat Matt’s Rib Shack in Atlanta Georgia after I had stumbled upon it looking for a quick dinner while on a business trip.

Since then I have searched far and wide for a BBQ joint that didn’t require me to hop aboard a plane and fly to the southern US to satisfy my insatiable cravings for ribs and chicken smothered in so much sauce that I’d need to shower after having stuffed myself into a coma.

So when my good friend Laura told me I had to try Syracuse’s famous Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, I had to give it a try and I am so glad I did.

The first thing you’ll notice when you pull up to the massive restaurant on the corner of West Willow and North Franklin Street (the first of five locations throughout New York and New Jersey State) is the line-up of patrons patiently waiting for a table.   It doesn’t matter what time of day it is or what month during the year, the place is always packed.  I knew right away when I saw the massive line-up there must be a good reason for it.

Inside you’ll find a mish mash of biker bar / roadhouse / family restaurant.  If you have the kiddies with you I’d recommend getting a table away from the bar area as it can get pretty crowded and loud while people wait for their tables and it is hard to hear yourself think let alone have any semblance of a conversation. 

In the later hours the restaurant turns into a blues bar featuring all kinds of great bands.  If that is your scene, visit the website to find out what acts are scheduled to play before you go. 

Now let’s talk about the food; what can I say other than WOW this stuff is good and the portion sizes are large enough to satisfy Hazard Co.’s Boss Hog on his hungriest of days after chasing the General Lee.  I particularly enjoy their Wango Tango BBQ’ed chicken wings followed by a half rack platter of ribs.   The ribs are smoked to perfection with a great crust and the mouth watering meat falls off the bone.  Plus if you are a lover of a good BBQ sauce, not to worry, you can have all the extra sauce you want thanks to the bottles they provide at each table for you; regular or their spicier Wang Tango sauce.

The side dishes are great also.  The mac n’ cheese is phenomenal and extra cheesy with a great breadcrumb crust and their corn bread as well as coleslaw would make even the most season southerner think they were back home at their mamma’s house for a family feast with Sweet Home Alabama blaring in the background.

Prices are more than reasonable with a half rack including two side dishes plus corn bread will set you back $15.95 and trust me, you won’t be able to finish it all.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a great place to go any day of the week at any time.  The food is fresh, the staff is great and the price is right.  This is a great place to go whether you’re taking the kids out and sharing a full rack of ribs with the family or looking for a fun place to take that first date to break down those walls by getting your face and fingers all sticky then cutting loose on the dance floor.   

I enjoy this place so much, I’d gladly drive the three plus hours to Syracuse just to go for an evening out.  But then again I’m kinda crazy like that.

So whether you’re travelling through Syracuse or going there for a weekend shopping trip with your family or friends, make sure you stop by Dinosaur Bar-B-Que for an experience you won’t soon forget.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

246 W. Willow St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com