My God, I want some BBQ... (Boston, Cambridge: houses, neighborhood, live in)

[AandD]

I live in Sharon - where can I go to get Bar-b-que? Even bad BBQ at this point would be fine.

My mouth waters just at the memory of Salt Lick BBQ in Austin....

edit to say: OR - a steakhouse! Some place that serves steaks would be good too.

And restaurants that serve BBQ or steak AND nachoes or, heaven forbid, pizza don't count. LOL.

[holden125]

It will not be the same as Texas. I hesitate to even venture into this thicket because people get pretty animated about it and nobody really agrees. That being said...

Close to Sharon there's not all that much. Chili Head BBQ in West Bridgewater, which is not that far away, is not bad. There is Blue Ribbon (West Newton near Exit 16 and Arlington Center). People divide on Red Bones in Somerville (I like it myself), but you'd have to find parking over there. There's a ribs place (Pete's?) in Revere which is pretty far from Sharon but well regarded locally. Also, if you feel like heading down toward Providence there is Memphis Roadhouse on Rt. 1 in Attleboro.

Steakhouses we can do. There are some fancier ones in the city but also some popular local places. I don't know much about the greater Sharon region but there's Ken's in Framingham (seen the dressing at the supermarket?), Stockyard in Brighton (right next to Mass Pike), Frank's on Mass. Av. in North Cambridge, Hilltop on Rt. 1 in Saugus. It seems to me for whatever reason that there's more food north than south of Boston, but maybe because I've spent more time north.

[AandD]

I work in Providence, so the area between Sharon and Prov is what I'm most familiar with at this point. Memphis Roadhouse it is! Thank you, thank you!

PS: Who'd have thought that BBQ would be a point of contention in the NE? I'm just glad to find a place. Next: Chicken Fried Steak!

[LeavingMA]

Well, you won't find the same good Texas bbq around here. I'm big into bbq and it is hard to find places that do bbq like the south. Many places here call bbq by grilling meat and then sticking bbq sauce on it.

The best places for bbq i've had are: Firefly's in Marlborough...good pulled pork and all around bbq. Texas Roadhouse...but just for their ribs which are excellent. There also is a newer place called Texas bbq in Northborough, but I haven't tried it yet. I looked at the menu and they have lots of pulled pork and it doesn't seem like they really know what Texas bbq is because a lot on the menu is just general bbq. Tennesse bbq is a chain and their bbq is fairly good. It isn't great, but it will get the job done at a reasonable price.

I've also been and was recommended to go to Muddy River bbq in Portsmouth, but wasn't impressed at all.

[LeavingMA]

Memphis Roadhouse is ok. I've also eaten there. I think Red Bones in Somerville is way overrated...I would hardly consider it anything close to real bbq. People do like it though, but it isn't close to Texas or southern bbq at all.

[lrfox]

I don't know of many good BBQ places in New England. I'm sure there's something, but I'm almost positive that it wouldn't be what you're used to.

There are, however, good steakhouses around. The problem is that they can get pricey. We're not in the middle of cattle country, so the quality beef comes at a cost. We have the typical upscale steakhouse chains like Ruth's Chris (there's one right next to Providence Place in Providence and one in Downtown Boston) Steakhouse and Morton's (two Morton's locations in Boston, actually) as well as the Capital Grille. We also have the mediocre chains of Bugaboo Creek, Longhorn, Texas Roadhouse, etc.

I prefer some of the local places. K.O. Prime ( KO Prime | 90 Tremont Street - Boston, MA ) in Boston is fantastic. Lydia Shire's, Locke-Ober Steakhouse is excellent as well ( Welcome to Locke-Ober ). I'd also check out Grill23 in Boston, I haven't been but my sister swears by it ( home | Grill23 & Bar | 617-542-2255 | Celebrating 25 Years as Boston's Premier Steakhouse ). All of those places are on the more expensive end, but they serve up a good steak. Also check out "Ten" in Providence ( Ten Prime Steak and Sushi - East meets West dining in Providence, Rhode Island ); Ten has good steaks and sushi. It's also not cheap but it's a great place to go if you want steak AND sushi.

Unfortunately, that's sort of how it is up here. A good is steak going to cost you and good BBQ is next to impossible to find. My dad's from the South and misses BBQ like nobody's business, so if someone out there posts a good BBQ place I'm going to have to let him know.

Good luck.

*Edit*
I haven't tried Davio's in Patriot Place yet (there's also a location in Boston, but I would assume it's easier to get to and park at Patriot Place in Foxboro), But I've heard that it's pretty good and the menu looks good (check it out: http://www.davios.com/fox/index.html )

[JViello]

If you don't mind making the trek down to the Hartford CT area, there are several places that do good Q. I lived in the South for 7 years and have a big ol' smoker with a texas firebox sitting under my deck so I know Q. These places do it right and the way you would find it "Down South".

Danny's Little Taste of Texas

Little Mark's Big BBQ

Black-eyed Sally's BBQ and Blues on Asylum St in Hartford, CT

Some LA Cajun food and BBQ

Welcome to World Famous Rajun Cajun

And my favorite:

The Cookhouse Restaurant

[CaseyB]

Memphis Roadhouse, 383 Washington St., Route 1 South Attleboro, MA - Ribs, BBQ and Steaks

Firefly's Quincy Location

Do NOT bother with the one on Rte 1 in Foxborough just before the stadium. There's another one in Walpole (name escapes me) at the junction of 1 and 27 which I woudn't recommend, either.

[lrfox]

I can't believe I forgot about Wes's!

I have been to Wes's Rib House twice and LOVED it. I don't know BBQ like many on this forum, but it was fantastic. It's in a really industrial section of Olneyville (a Providence neighborhood) and is in now way a gorgeous building, but it has good BBQ.

It shouldn't be too far out of your way to check out while on the way home from work and I know they make their own pulled pork and other "to-go" specialties, so maybe you can check it out.

Wes's Rib House: Wes' Rib House Home Page

[JViello]

Thinking about it you HAVE to have some Brazilian barbecue better known as churrasco around Boston.

Yea, it's not Texas BBQ but it is a slow roasted meat lovers dream regardless.

A small mom and pop churrascarias like this place in Hartford is required dining for me at least twice a year.

BrazilGrill