As a longtime barbecue eater and a resident of New York, happy to report that we now have legitimate options. I'm a fan of Texas style, so that flavors my suggestions.
The big daddy to beat these days is Hill Country Barbecue -- locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. It's got the most consistent brisket around.
Brisket Town in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) -- I sampled this guy's stuff while he was testing but haven't been to the actual restaurant. That said, during testing phase he was producing some of the best brisket anywhere outside of New York.
Morgan's (Brooklyn) -- One of the opening partners supposedly trained at Franklin's (and supposedly has left). Brisket is decent, but the giant rib is what I keep going back for.
Hometown Bar-b-que (Brooklyn) -- The newest entry and good stuff. But way off the beaten path (and the subway).
Mighty Quinn's (Manhattan) -- Solid all around. Pulled pork was my fave. But the logistics of the place -- wait in line, then wait again for a seat -- are crazy-making.
Fette Sau -- perfectly fine.
Blue Smoke -- now considered one of the old guard of real New York barbecue. Good for sides and sit-down places.
Dinosaur (Harlem, Brooklyn) -- a jack of all trades, and all of them I like. Not the strongest brisket, but the overall vibe is great.
There are other places -- some tourist traps that serve boiled ribs and giant drinks, others that go for authentic barbecue but fail miserably at it -- but they've been left off my list for a reason.
The restaurant business in general is a hard place, but New York is particularly brutal -- imagine paying obscene rents AND having someone come in and demand a vegan plate. So I'm happy that a few brave souls have taken on this challenge and continue to deliver.
The big daddy to beat these days is Hill Country Barbecue -- locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. It's got the most consistent brisket around.
Brisket Town in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) -- I sampled this guy's stuff while he was testing but haven't been to the actual restaurant. That said, during testing phase he was producing some of the best brisket anywhere outside of New York.
Morgan's (Brooklyn) -- One of the opening partners supposedly trained at Franklin's (and supposedly has left). Brisket is decent, but the giant rib is what I keep going back for.
Hometown Bar-b-que (Brooklyn) -- The newest entry and good stuff. But way off the beaten path (and the subway).
Mighty Quinn's (Manhattan) -- Solid all around. Pulled pork was my fave. But the logistics of the place -- wait in line, then wait again for a seat -- are crazy-making.
Fette Sau -- perfectly fine.
Blue Smoke -- now considered one of the old guard of real New York barbecue. Good for sides and sit-down places.
Dinosaur (Harlem, Brooklyn) -- a jack of all trades, and all of them I like. Not the strongest brisket, but the overall vibe is great.
There are other places -- some tourist traps that serve boiled ribs and giant drinks, others that go for authentic barbecue but fail miserably at it -- but they've been left off my list for a reason.
The restaurant business in general is a hard place, but New York is particularly brutal -- imagine paying obscene rents AND having someone come in and demand a vegan plate. So I'm happy that a few brave souls have taken on this challenge and continue to deliver.
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