Definitely worth the price. But as for rib itself, I have to say it's not that delicate.
(3)
Emily E.
When I first started eating here like 3 years ago it was amazing. I ordered here like last week and I was not impressed. First off the ribs didnt seem done. And to top it off there was a F$@&#% hair laying on one of the ribs. Like wtf. And I'm pregnant so i was pissed. And I always tip nicely so I was hurt. The fish was really good but was scarce for a $20 plate. But I Won't eat here anymore #yuck
(3)
Angela L.
Ok came back because I bought a gilt city $15 for $30 worth of food. I'm still obsessed with the Mac and cheese because it has crunched up barbecue chips on top. And I still love the corn bread here. But... The chicken tenders are so amazing. Can't believe I've never thought to get them here before. Perfectly juicy and FRIED. Also, the fried mac and cheese is pretty good too! After we got our chicken tenders, the brisket couldn't compare to how good the chicken was. YUM! Now I know where to go for good fried chicken tenders :)
(4)
Fred B.
Baby back ribs are very good. Might check out the spareribs next time, just for giggles. Tried 3 of the 4 sauces and they were good as well. The signature sauce was clearly the best. Some things that would get them that extra star: - Better draft beer selection. Redbones has them beat here by a country mile. - Better bottled beer selection. This is really easy to do, unless you don't have the refrigeration/storage space. - Better fried chicken. My wife can do this better than Soul Fire...and she'd be happy to come down to explain how. - St. Louis ribs would be a nice 3rd option. - Mashed potatoes are kinda blah. Here's a great opportunity to do something creative with cheese or jalapenos or something. - Ditto on the potato salad. Nothing special here. - Double ditto on the cole slaw. Slaw in a ribs place has to be salty and celery-y. Boring slaw is a sin. - Real booze vs. beer/wine only. We're grown-ups here; we like our vodka. - A nice black bean side. The recipe on the side of the can will suffice. It was great to have good ribs again in the Boston/Camberville area. I cannot eat Redbones' ribs anymore, they're just awful. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, Soul Fire. PS The baked beans are homemade and wellmade.
(4)
Adam G.
I find their mandatory ordering food with a drink policy very very strange. I don't understand what the reason is but I don't care and I don't like it. OK, whatever I'll get something light. So I order fried Mac and Cheese bites and a Gansett. I really wasn't hungry but just needed a drink and maybe to use the bathroom. The atmosphere was okay. Service was decent, friendly enough and I didn't sense any hostility but I have to say that policy about the food really burns my ass. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm an adult and I don't like being told what to do or how to spend my money when I'm patronizing your establishment. So my deep fried mac and cheese comes and guess what? It sucks. I wasn't impressed. For $3 I didn't expect (nor did I get) a big portion but the noodles to cheese ratio was way out of whack. "Deep fried noodles and butter" would have been a more accurate description. Again, I wouldn't care so much about the crappy $3 appetizer if I wasn't forced to buy it in order to get a drink. It's the principle. If you're being forced to buy anything, chances are it sucks. So in all fairness I'm rating this on my experience, where I didn't get to really taste the barbecue, which is obviously what this place is known for. But I can say that as someone who was passing through and needed a quick drink and a rest that I didn't like it. I'm curious to try the barbecue as this place seems to be popular and I want to see what all the hubbub is about but I wouldn't come back here to drink and I would avoid the appetizers menu and get the Q.
(3)
Mike S.
The other Yelpers were right - the service is awful. There were about 12 people in the whole place and we waited like 10 minutes just to be greeted. The food is not all that great either :( It is not bad, but there are much better options in and around the city of Boston. Definitely not worth the price and we won't be going back. Felt like I was in the first half of an episode of Restaurant Impossible.
(2)
Amy X.
By far the best brisket I've had in Boston area. I've been trying different bbq for takeout for a while now and have tried from the likes of redbones, east coast grill, Tupelo etc and soul fires bbq have consistently lived up to the expectation! I've had some great bbq in other states/countries and the food here comes pretty close! The meat is flavorful, has great texture, and makes me crave them every couple of weeks. Their sauces are amazing and in my opinion make the difference. Try all of them! The spicy one is great if you can withstand the heat - otherwise the soul fire sauce is great for everything. The collard greens are the best as well. I always get an extra side of those when I order from them. Cornbread is meh (Tupelo has the best, which is expected from the owners of petsi pies!), but what's bbq without cornbread?? Their platter options are the best deal. Also the fish came out pretty good - wasn't expecting so from a bbq place, but pleasantly surprised!
(4)
Kevin L.
YES! Finally! Having experimented many different combinations off the menu, I now know what to get in order to have a superb meal. This time I ordered the 3 meat combo of catfish, fried chicken wings, and the brisket with sides of cornbread, rice, chili, and mac & cheese. I've come to the realization that everything that's fried here is amazing! The catfish and chicken wings had a delicious crisp batter and everything underneath it was so juicy and well spiced. I hear there chicken tenders are amazing too. The brisket, as I had suspected, was pretty dry....just like their ribs. The sides here are topnotch. I haven't had a bad side yet. My favorites in order are the mac and cheese, chili, rice, and cornbread. Can't wait to come back!
(4)
Ashley C.
Monday nights they have all you can eat wings for ~$10. Wings come in 4 flavors - buffalo, pitboss, honey mustard, and a special flavor. The problem I had with this is when they served the wings, the different flavors were all put in one tray and the waitress couldn't tell us which ones were which so we couldn't really tell her what we wanted for the second round. Eventually, all the "flavors" started blending and they all tasted the same. On top of that, I stopped eating at the second round because the chicken wasn't cooked all the way.... we even made a complaint to our waitress but the next round was also undercooked. I would've understood if the place was packed with people and they were in a rush, but at that point, it was only our group left for the remainder of the night. I would not come back here for their all you can eat wings. However, I am tempted to return to try their BBQ items on the menu, especially since other yelp reviews are raving about it.
(2)
Todd B.
I discovered Soul Fire BarBQ while taking a lunch break on my visit to the area for work. As a Tennessean and former Texan, I am skeptical when it comes to eating BBQ in the Northeast. This is less of a concern these days, with more options like this one popping up in NYC and Boston that are a good match for the real thing. I chose the brisket plate, and it was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't resist the lauded mac n' cheese either, and so glad that I didn't. It was cheesy and creamy as expected, but topped with corn flakes in a way that made it extraordinary. Most Austin BBQ fans would not sneer their nose at this BBQ -- it's on point, and I can't imagine anything else in Boston coming close. Well done. Pun intended.
(4)
Judy K.
This is one the better bbq places in Boston! If you like dry rub, then this is the place to come! I've had real BBQ from Texas and I can't say that Soul Fire is better or even remotely close, but it's definitely delicious. I couldn't stop eating the ribs! HIGHLIGHT: Baby back ribs and fried chicken! For the sides, nothing really stood out... the mac n' cheese and the rice and beans was not bad. I'm not a big fan of heavy dripping sauce so I didn't like the pulled pork, but the ribs and the fried chicken was yummy. The fiery sauce paired really well with the meat, but beware! It's definitely spicy... For the sides, I was surprised that the collard greens and baked beans were sweet. I didn't like it very much. The rice and beans is very dry, but it still has good flavor. I would go with the classics like mac n cheese, mashed potato or cole slaw. The cole slaw is heavy on the liquid mayo though... also, the corn bread comes out cold. Like what? CORN BREAD IS SUPPOSED TO BE WARM AND SOFT AND CRUMBLY. I would come back for the ribs alone, but don't expect fast service. When I went, it took forever to get our orders, get our food and clean up. There's a weird wall in the middle that cuts your view of the waiters so maybe that's why I couldn't get the attention of the waiters.
I moved to Boston from Memphis 18 months ago and have been searching for great BBQ. Soul Fire not only provided great food, but at a Memphis price point. BBQ joints are not supposed to be fancy. I just want a pork plate and some sides, no real ambiance necessary. Soul Fire delivered I had a pork sandwich (comes with 1 side, $8) and cornbread (~$1.50) and a beer ($5). My husband had the pork plate (2 sides and cornbread, $12) and a beer ($5). Service was quick, though not necessarily chipper. I liked a mix of the sweet and pit boss sides. We got there at 6 on a Friday night. It was pretty empty but was filling up by the time we left.
(5)
Khalid F.
I was in town to attend a party at the Wonder Bar, located next to Soul Fire. A fan of soul music and soul food I had to give Soul Fire a try. I ordered fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. I sat at the bar, the old soul album covers were a pleasant surprise. The decor and wall art was nice as well. On to the food, the fried chicken was good, fried just right and juicy. The macaroni and cheese wasn't the traditional Southern dish I'm accustomed to. Elbow noodles weren't used and the cheese sauce was lacking in the taste department. Soul Fire's twist on macaroni and cheese didn't satisfy my appetite. The collard greens were TOUGH and a tad bit too sweet. I couldn't get over the TOUGHNESS of the greens, they should have been cooked longer. Would I be willing to go back? Maybe.
(2)
Michelle D.
In a restaurant-heavy, hard-to-park mixed neighborhood like Allston Rock City, restaurants come and go and you can't predict what's going to succeed. Some of our favorite places didn't make it out of their first year. My husband and I lived in Upper Allston ten years ago when the bright red Soul Fire awning went up at 182 Harvard, and we frequented the place, hoping all the while for their success. We moved to Lower Allston five years ago and don't get there as often, but when we do, we find they're just getting better. That red awning has faded to a whitish pink, and Soul Fire has long since worked out its initial kinks, has expanded its menu, gotten its beer & wine license, and settled into its role as area favorite purveyor of great BBQ. I'm so happy to see them thriving. Soul Fire is spacious with lots of roomy tables. They've got a cool ambiance of red walls, dark woods and steel. Two TVs show silent sports (one of the TVs is massive). They have a number of pieces of artwork and a mural of soul artists. They play a steady soundtrack of soul and R&B, and the long bar is decoupaged with soul album covers. The kitchen is exposed, so you can see funky cooks preparing all those spare ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, catfish, smoked turkey and chicken. They offer a menu of sides that has grown over the years -- collards, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, beans & rice, baked beans, slaw, and have even expanded to offer a range of vegetarian choices, quite accommodating for a BBQ place, in my opinion. They still have the original four killer sauces and everyone has a different fave. They serve on checkered wax paper on flat, round platters. The menu is an accommodating mix & match affair. Order a salad and a single rib, a half rack, a rack, or order for a table with the "feeds 4 souls" combo. A meal (say a half rack) comes with two sides of your choice, and always includes their signature pickles and cornbread -- which is so moist and sweet that you should save it for last and eat it as dessert. Unless you want an actual dessert, which they didn't have back when they first opened but have since added...fried dough, pecan pie, cheesecake. Does anyone have room for dessert after a Soul Fire meal, though? My husband swears by the brisket or the catfish -- in both cases, either the sandwich or the platter. I'm partial to the half rack of baby back, and I always get the collard greens, which are tangy and a bit on the sweet side. The mac & cheese comes with potato chips crumbled on top, which at first turned me off but I've since grown to like. I have sat at the bar, and I've sat at a table -- many times over the last ten years -- and I've never experienced any poor wait service. Are we just lucky? Or are some Yelpers just impatient? I've always found the servers to be cheerful and competent. Again, it's Allston, so you roll the dice on finding parking, but Soul Fire is on the green line -- take the B-train to Harvard & Comm. Or the red line to Harvard Square, then the 66 bus practically to Soul Fire's front door.
(4)
Jenn S.
This is going to be weird but this review will have NOTHING to do with bbq-ed meat! I am a non-meat eater and when I go here with friends I usually order the wedge salad and a ton of sides. I have tried the Mac & Cheese, Cornbread, Pickles, Rice and Beans, Coleslaw... you name it! Overall I don't have much to complain about besides when they aren't busy everything is a little cold/plastic looking, especially the mac & cheese. But I continue to go over and over again so that says something :) The Soul Fire BBQ sauce is my favorite too!
(3)
Hannah P.
Amazing!!! So so happy I bought a gitcity voucher for this place. My husband and I went last weekend and loved it! I liked the rustic, very relaxed ambiance and it's easy to get to. Our waitress was delightful! Very friendly, upbeat, happy to be there. We ordered the pork ribs and chopped brisket with bbq sauce which were all fantastic!! Their mac and cheese with crushed bbq potato chips were unreal, best mac and cheese by a longshot. The cornbread was great as well, flavorful and not dry at all. The mashed potatoes were real and had savory skins in them and we would gladly order them again. My husband had the cheesecake with fresh blueberry compote and strangely enough, thought it was the best cheesecake he's ever had. This place is a diamond in the rough, we will return!
(4)
Joseph G.
TLDR: Food- 4 Service- 2 Atmosphere- 5 Overall- 4 Atmosphere- It's a roomy restaurant with plenty of seating and a bar. Two coworkers and myself sat at the woody bar with 6 sauces in front of us in a old cardboard six pack for beer. It feels like a old southern BBQ restaurant. Service - The service from our waitress was pure agony. She greeted the 3 of us after 10 minutes of sitting down. She took an eternity to place our orders on a tablet. While drinks and food came quickly, to place the orders was an antagonizing experience. To make matters worse, the restaurant was almost empty and gave no reason for such snail service. The service overall was ghostly and slow. Food- I ordered a 3 meat meal with braised beef, roasted chicken, and pulled bbq pork. The sides were Mac and cheese, cornbread, Cole slaw, and rice with beans. It all came on a silver circular platter with a picnic paper underneath. All the meats were flavorful and juicy and the tangy bbq sauces only added to my delight. The Mac and cheese was cheesy and soft as well as the beans. The cornbread was dry and I only took a bite, not very good. Overall the main course was well done but the sides could use more work. A filling experience was worth the wait.
(4)
Phil T.
This is place is awesome as a casual BBQ restaurant, with very spacious setting. Food is excellent. Best BBQ I've had around Boston. I've been here 3 times and every time the food has been great. They consistently produce great BBQ. My personal favorites are spare ribs, and half of a chicken. Their sides are also all excellent. My favorites for sides are collard greens, and their mac and cheese. Their cornbread which come with every plate is also delicious. I can't rave enough about their food. They also have a variety of BBQ sauces, for all the other sauce lovers like myself out there. Their service is adequate, but the food is the true star as it should be. I've always left this restaurant feeling full, content and satisfied.
(5)
Ching Y.
This is possibly one of the best bbq places in the Boston area accessible by the T. I've come here several times, and their ribs have been consistently good. Sure there's Red Bones in Somerville, though they are sometimes inconsistent, and Bison County in Waltham, which is harder to get to, but Soul Fire has been reliable every time so far. Their ribs are meaty, juicy, tender and smoky, the briskets are flavorful, and their fried chicken is really tender and crispy. There's just so many meats to choose from, and they offer a variety of hot sauces on the side, as do most reputable bbq restaurants. If you're in a group of 3 or more, you can always go for the platter, where you get a big selection of meats and bread rolls on the side. Get ready to eat up!
(5)
Emily C.
Came here for dinner tonight with a group of friends. We arrived around 7 PM and had no trouble getting a table. Our waitress was very nice and attentive The venue is very hip. There are large tables that can seat 4-5 people, as well as couple smaller tables and seats at the bar. The food was a truckload of smoky, meaty heaven. We ordered the "Serves 4 Souls" set which, as the name suggests, is meant to serve 4 people. Let me tell you that this could comfortably feed 5 hungry eaters! Three of us ended up bringing home leftovers. Not one of us left with even a millimeter of empty belly after that meal. The cornbread was probably my favorite part. However, for the diehard carnivores, the ribs and pulled pork were the winning meat selections of the evening. I thought the chicken was very tender, but nothing that special. I hate super-soft pasta in my Mac n' Cheese, so this one was pretty underwhelming. All of the sauces are mild except (of course) the Fiery sauce. That one left a distinct burn on the tongue for a few seconds. I love me some spicy food, so it was actually my favorite sauce. :)
(5)
Patrick L.
Nice bbq joint. Friendly, casual place. They don't have beef ribs which was a big letdown for me. Ordered the pulled pork, rack of baby back ribs, side salad, collard greens and mashed potatoes. Also had an Arnold Palmer and for desert we had the fried dough. Everything was the way it should be. Nothing fancy but solid southern bbq.
(4)
Melissa P.
I'm so not into this place. Our server was super sweet and the atmosphere was fine (casual, spacious, not too loud), but the food was just not good. The chicken and ribs were overcooked, the mac and cheese was bland (but there were chips on top, which was a plus), and the slaw was uninspired. Corn bread was the saving grace of the meal, but not enough so to bring me back. If you must come here, make sure it is with some sort of coupon, and a really good friend so at least the conversation and low price point will keep you happy.
(2)
Nicola Y.
I LOVE THIS PLACE. Soulfire does NOT get enough love, honestly. This place is a must-visit especially when my boyfriend comes to Boston. I love that it is never too crowded or at least I've never waited long to be seated. Ever. And the staff is lovely. Get the 2 combo or 3 combo. The southern fried tenders are great, and I always get the mac and cheese and beans for sides. SOOOOO GOOD. Try out all their sauces - I love the Soulfire and the Sweet sauce. Their cornbread is also perfection. I always douse my mac and cheese in the Soulfire sauce. Then, when I ask for a to-go box, I douse the takeout in more sauce. That way I can enjoy it later on at 2am, when I crawl out of bed to scavenge for a second dinner. My friends are fools who don't realize how great this place is (unless you are one of the lucky few I bring along to make the trek with me to Harvard Ave). That's fine by me because I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE ANYWAY. Soulfire is my little secret.
(5)
Venessa R.
Not really sure how this place has a 4 star review. Not impressed with their bbq at all. Their pulled pork was dry and unflavored. If you want good bbq go to sweet cheeks.
(2)
Kim B.
Soul fire is a gem to Allston. Let me reword that, it is a gem to all of Boston. Walking by, the smell of BBQ food will entice you in and then after that you will never think twice about following your nose again. This time, it leads you to a great place. It has a funky, fresh alternative vibe that makes you tingle with excitement when you first walk in. The music is upbeat, and you start to feel it in your bones. Everything about the atmosphere just makes you feel like you have a little more soul then when you were a mere passerby just minutes before. The menu is big and unique. There's a lot of flavors that they throw around, but there are options for everyone. They have a great deal for a meal for chicken wings/fingers, fries, cornbread and 2 sides for $13. I don't ever ever like cornbread, but I loved it and wanted more. The staff is funny, friendly and interactive. You can really tell that they truly value the notion of soul and that it is not just the name of the restaurant. They put it into every aspect of their buisness, the presentation, the atmosphere, and most importantly into their food.
(5)
Kellen Y.
Split the sampler with a friend! So much food and so good! Definitely going again... Like tomorrow.
(5)
Adrienne P.
Been wanting to get in here for such a long time! I suggested it to a friend who was in town for a show, and it was just the right ambiance and price level. We split a platter and sides, and the food was pretty great. The pulled pork was fantastic, and the cornbread was so moist and delicious. The loved the mac and cheese (crushed doritos on top??? omg). Props for having a variety of sauces to try out as well. Wasn't a huge fan of the cole slaw or potato salad, for the same reason....way too much mayo. Taking a star off for the slow, unfriendly service. We were in there at a time when the restaurant was not very busy at all, and were the only people on our side of the restaurant. It was a good 15 minutes before we even got a menu, and even longer for the check at the end.
(4)
Helen L.
Good place to get some inexpensive southern food. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was seasoned pretty well. A little on the dry side but nothing their yummy side sauces, Pitboss and Soulfire, couldn't fix. I tried the ribs (wish there was more meat on the bones) and cat fish. Both were pretty good. I also got the fried Mac and cheese. This was not what I expected and it's probably something I wouldn't order again. For the outside I was expecting a breaded texture and the inside would ooze of the cheesy galore. Their version tasted more baked and there was nothing to encase the Mac. It was a bit dry and the outside was hard. Portions were filling, food arrived timely, and our waitress was friendly.
(3)
M L.
Absolutely delicious sliced briskets and spare ribs with sides of potato salad, cole slaw, fries, and cornbread. As soon as I took my first bite of the briskets, it was heaven in my mouth. I didn't want to dip it in sauce, which I LOVED because the meat itself was so juicy and flavorful. It had right amount of fatty layer in it with just perfectly cooked thickness of meat. Mm! Mmmm! MmmMmmm! Even the cornbread was amazing and I loved the potato salad too! Will definitely return!
(5)
Sarah C.
Ordered delivery last night, and I think this might be my new favorite BBQ place in the area! (Sweet Cheeks & Coast Cafe are close seconds). Every single thing we got was great, if not excellent. The spare ribs were awesome, and the half rack is huge. The fried catfish, also great, and shockingly survived the delivery process very well. The pulled pork and chopped brisket were SOOOO flavorful, I couldn't stop eating the stupid white bread that had soaked up all their juices. The sides are fantastic as well - mac n' cheese, baked beans, potato salad - all great. And the collard greens are the best and spiciest I've ever had! Oh and the CORNBREAD! Oh the cornbread... Great, great BBQ place, as far as BBQ in the North goes.
(5)
Ann J.
Being from the South, I know what good BBQ tastes like. Unfortunately, Soul Fire doesn't meet my high standards but being in Boston, i'll cut it some slack. I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. To be honest, the mac and cheese was kind of bland. However, the pulled pork was great so that made up for it. My friend ordered the brisket on a bun and was very impressed. She's from Texas so Soul Fire should take that as a HUGE compliment. Overall, Soul Fire is a cool Allston restaurant great for those nights you want to go somewhere that won't break the bank. They offer a wide variety of BBQ that can be ordered on a bun or on its own. Side note - their drink prices are great. The beer is cheap and pairs great with the food!
(4)
Guillermo M.
Very solid bbq place. The two meat combo is a great selection. We got the spare ribs and the fried wings. It comes with a cornbread, pickles and we got as a side the mashed potatoes and the mac and cheese. I loved to amount of space they have in this place and you can get good beers.
(4)
Emily A.
3 stars = A-OK for a fast food joint. Been here twice, once for table service and once for take out. There really is nothing too exciting about the food, (except for the fried chicken, that stuffs dank). The pulled pork is average. They serve it on a thick cut piece of white bread, which soaks up the sauce nicely. The brisket was slightly dry both times I've had it. What really is the big dissapointment here, is the fact that none of their many sauces stand out in particular for me. The sweet one is pretty good, but the three other ones just don't do it for me. One is really bitter, which I don't really understand. I ended up just putting some of my own BBQ sauce on my meat at home last time I ordered take out.
(3)
Eric B.
The food here was so awesome, it's a shame that the service wasn't that great when we were there. I would have given 5 stars if the server had been quicker and more attentive. The restaurant wasn't very crowded, so I'm not sure what the problem was. Anyway, we shared the three-meat platter between the two of us and ordered an extra side, which was more than enough food for us. The chicken was moist inside with a crispy fried coating, the pulled pork was seasoned perfectly, and the brisket was dry and flavorful. Seriously everything was absolutely delicious. Mmmmm!!! But the service wasn't delicious.
(4)
Arti P.
Awesome Harpoon beers plus Southern style BBQ wings ... Aah! I just loved it. The DOZEN varieties of BBQ sauces I seriously couldn't believe there can be these many varieties of BBQ if u r WINGS FAN Don't miss this place
(4)
Samantha B.
Come for flavorful sides and tender meats. Tucked into a sea of ethnic restaurants on Harvard Avenue in Allston and a short walk off the Green Line - B Branch (Harvard Ave.), the atmosphere is very casual with delivery and catering also available. Sandwiches and platters available with four BBQ sauces (Soulfire, Fiery, Pitboss, and Sweet). Fiery is the standout with strong elements of heat, pepper, and vinegar. Slightly reminiscent of a thicker and spicier eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce. The namesake sauce is less spicy with hints of tomato. Recommend mixing Fiery and Soulfire. The platters come with choice of two sides, corn bread, and pickles. The sandwiches come with one side and pickles. The brisket is thickly sliced atop a piece of white bread (a la Texas toast)? Sauce is not needed but recommended for added elements of zest. The pulled pork is juicy with some sauce already cooked into the meat and presented the same as the brisket. The sides are traditional and recommend many of them. The baked beans are smoky and saucy. Potato salad and cole slaw represent strong elements of the backyard barbecue and the collard greens (with bits of bacon) blend vinegar and sweetness evenly. The corn bread is extremely moist and very pleasant. Make sure to come on Monday night (5 to 11 PM) for all you can eat wings!
(3)
Amanda R.
Whoa. Southern fried chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese with crumbled bbq chips on top, and the table shared chili cheese fries. $2.50 PBRs. Just. whoa.
(5)
Loretta K.
The sauces here are pretty incredible. Wings are particularly spectacular and the fried catfish sandwich, fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes are delectable. I started out not liking barbeque and now I start to twitch if I don't have it often enough.. this establishment is pretty much entirely to thank. Love love love :)
(5)
Robert J.
This place is the shizz, I try to hit it up everytime i'm in Allston. Killer sause.
(4)
Emily R.
mm mm mm ! I had the fried chicken, collard greens, and mac n cheese with the soul fire sauce...It came with a lot of chicken...I had leftovers! so yummy. so happy.
(4)
Lyle H.
Two hours for delivery and they don't even come to your door? No thanks.
(1)
Brian P.
Delivery driver is rude, person who answered the phone offered to have a manager call me next day. Still haven't heard back. Not the only BBQ spot in town, my business will go elsewhere
(1)
Tom L.
Fried chicken was very good. The pit master BBQ sauce is really good, wasn't a fan of the other sauces. The slaw was grose (way too much mayo), but the mac&cheese and corn bread were really good. Good beer selection as well.
(4)
Joaquin X.
This place is great! I always wondered about it having seen the menu outside, looked good. But when I actually went inside I was totally excited. As a soul music lover, I have to say that walking in and hearing Joe Quarterman's music on the speaker and images of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, etc really roped me in before I ordered the food. I had a HUGE catfish sandwich that came with a side of mac n cheese with potato chips in it, which was a nice touch. All for only $9. I also tried some of the ghetto-fab baked mac n cheese squares. Everything was flavorful and fun. They definitely don't skimp on the servings. And there is plenty for vegetarians (beans use veggie stock, FYI). The beer selection was pretty good (had a Brooklyn Brown) and there is a bar with a TV for sports viewing. However, I am happy that the music played on. As a music expert and record collector, I could tell that the playlist was curated by someone and not a Pandora service. Best tunes: Quarterman, Betty Davis, Funkadelic, etc. And the mural above the bar looked like it had a painting of Betty Davis amongst the JB/Sly characters. The only (minor) quibble was that the (white) girl behind the counter seemed more interested in talking with a friend at the bar than serving us. Perhaps an afro-haired sister woulda given us better hospitality? Anyways, small minor complaint and it ain't no big thang. I will DEFINITELY be back here and I am telling my funky friends about it. (I wonder if they have soul/funk DJs in there?)
(5)
Quynh Nhu D.
This is literally across from my house so luckily I don't ever have to go far to satisfy my craving of delicious bbq. Spare ribs and the Baby Back Ribs are delicious. I guess the different between them is the Spare ribs are dryer and the BBR is much more juicier. Awesome sauces. Awesauce. So many variety. They have a sauce bar that you can fill as much as you like. Tried them all. Love: cornbread, mashed potatoes, and potato salad. Cole slaw are ok ~ Not a fan of the Chopped Brisket. Too dry, not that good compared to their ribs. They're on Grubhub so it's really great to order takeout and bring a combo home. Good dine-in experience, no complaints.
(4)
Kelsey M.
Such a hit or miss place when it comes to food. I've learned at both locations when it's best to leave just by looking at who's working there!
(3)
Alexandra M.
I'm a pescitarian and I liked this place a lot, so that should be saying something! First off: the sauces made everything perfect. I had the fried mac and cheese, french fries and fried dough (and didn't feel terrible after!). The mac and cheese was a bit dry at times, but the sauce helped with that--and to kick things up in the heat or sweet department. The fries were actually really good for being plain french fries--can't place my finger on why other than some had a seasoning on them and maybe if they all did it would have been too much. The fried dough came with honey butter sauce which was delicious. Almost couldn't finish but it was too good to not! Good size for 3, maybe a bit too much for 2. I also had the lemonade which I thought was supposed to be homemade but tasted a bit like Minute Maid... Service was great and very on top of everything we wanted--especially the all you can eat wings! Whenever someone was almost out she was asking what kind they wanted next. Good prices, other than the drinks which seemed a bit steep.
(4)
Emma A.
Anyone who talks trash about Soul Fire must have been having a really bad day or super hangry and just took it out on this fantastic establishment, because the only time I've ever NOT been happy in Soul Fire is before I get my Pulled Pork Platter. Sure, some the staff is a bit inexperienced -like dropping the check while I still have food in my mouth-but you're in hipster central and she probably had a show to get to at Great Scott. The food comes out fairly quick, no matter how many friends you brought. The sweet tea is AMAZING, and I've lived in the south. You get SO MANY WINGS on wing night, and you can take home with you after you've eaten so many that you might puke (because they're that good). Also, I will personally judge you if you don't go here and try the pulled pork and Mac n cheese because it's worth every calorie. I've even attached a picture, which means I sacrificed a moment of my bliss before devouring this just so you could see how good it was. You're welcome.
(5)
Matt J.
This place was absolutely fantastic. It surpassed my already-high expectations! We got a 3-Meat-Combo with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken. All were delicious, especially the chicken, and they pared particularly well with the Soulfire, Sweet, and Fiery sauces. The combo also comes with two sides (we chose mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy), pickles, and cornbread, which were all also excellent. I'd highly recommend this place, and I'll definitely be back soon!
(5)
Savannah S.
My happy memories of Soul Fire are too numerous to describe. The BBQ is authentic, affordable, and delicious. It's better than the overpriced Sweet Cheeks Q, and there is no rush from the staff. I recommend it to every ex-pat Southerner I know in Boston. I always get the pulled pork dinner plate so that I get more sides. Potato salad is flavorful without being stuffed with filler, the mac and cheese is creamy with crunch on top, and the cornbread is soft and moist. You'll have a variety of sauces to use on your meat, and I like to mix them for adventure. And of course, this is one of the few places I have had the pleasure to enjoy sweet tea in New England.
(5)
Greg P.
Soulfire: 2 parts good southern BBQ, 3 parts overhyped Located on Harvard Ave in Allston, Soulfire is easily accessible by T but not by car. Prepare to spend a while looking for street parking and definitely do not park in any of the side alleys because those are tow-zones. A mix of different southern BBQ styles, Soulfire does not have a strong regional identity and the result is very generic BBQ. They have all of the staples of southern BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. The pulled pork is not bad at all, moist, smoky, and flavorful. The brisket comes out dry. I have had it a few times and that observation is consistent. The ribs are not always that meaty and sometimes have too much fat. They have a tendency to get overcooked as well. The sides are pretty good at Soulfire. The mac&cheese balls are as good as people say they are. Overall, Soulfire is pretty good but nothing stands out from other local BBQ joints. By way of context, Village Smokehouse and Blue Ribbon are far superior in both options, taste, and quality.
(2)
Jennifer H.
I cannot believe I had never been to Soul Fire before last night. I guess I always headed out to Village Smokehouse, but Soul Fire is definitely on my list now. Overall, I have to say this place is a good bet for some standard BBQ; I have no complaints. I love the casual feel and later-night service here. You are free to seat yourself, and service is decent; our food came out quickly once it was ordered, but it took a little while for the waitress to take our order and to process the check. The pulled pork was pretty much perfect (for me): flavorful, moist, tender, and it didn't need additional sauce. I was impressed by the cole slaw because I am super picky, and Soul Fire's met the bar. The potato salad was good as well. I really wish they served the sweet, sliced pickles fried; that would just take the platter to the next level. The portion was just enough for me to feel satisfied but not stuffed (I was hungry going in), and I thought the price was reasonable. While this restaurant is incredibly T-accessible (take the green B line to Harvard St. and walk not even a half block west), the parking along this stretch of Harvard Avenue can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. I easily found a space within a block on a Tuesday night. A good place to catch the game as they have a couple TVs over the bar and a giant projection screen on one of the walls.
(3)
Ben S.
I'm so conflicted. I love the food here, but they give you so little of it, it's not worth the money more often than not. Boston only has a few good bbq spots, and though I value flavor over portion size, I have to draw the line somewhere. Barbecue and eating to excess are two concepts that will forever be entwined. All the more reason that the full-priced, appetizer-sized entrees make me cry.
(3)
Christian M.
I had the 4 souls and boy was it great!!!the full rack of spare ribs with the full oven roasted chicken was awesome. The pulled pork was amazing..everything was great!! DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!!! The staff was great, the kitchen is an open kitchen so you can see everything and the cooks were extremely nice
(5)
Shale O.
I have lived in the South and do know what good Soul food taste like. Soul Fire is just ok. It felt more like the fast food of Soul Food lol. I was actually going to give them 3 stars but downgraded based on service. It took 30 minutes for our orders to be taken after we sat down. I think our server might have been a tad clueless but I wouldn't know. I got Cat fish with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. The coleslaw was superb, the Cat fish was greasy; but what else was I expecting from fried food, the baked beans was the worst...The corn bread tasted really nice :) This is not the standard that I am used to but maybe it works for Boston
(2)
Chantel J.
Soul Fire is a hidden gem. Looks like a bar from the outside but is jammed packed with delicious food. I've had the catfish which is moist, no bones and sooo filling. The southern wings taste just like from down south and the sauces make it amazing. The pull pork is to die for, delicate but super filling. The ribs I mean how can you not try the ribs?? Amazing. You can buy a spare rib so try it as you salivate for your food. Try the Mac and cheese it will make all your bad days seem a little better.
(4)
Mia C.
Portion is big. You get lots of meat for what you pay for. The chicken is very crispy. However the ribs are very disappointing. They are coasted with dry rub and...that's pretty much it. They are bland and don't taste like they come out of a BBQ smoker. Maybe they did come out of a BBQ smoker but they seriously need to stay there longer. Their ribs are basically just bland oven roasted ribs without much woody smoky BBQ flavor.
(3)
Brad H.
Always on the lookout for good BBQ, I finally got around to checking out Soulfire one night. For an appetizer we got an order of the chili cheese fries. This heaping plate of fries that are completely smothered in gooey cheese and meaty chili does make quite a mess (definitely a fork worthy endeavor), but it's worth it since it's very tasty. However, if you're not packing a large appetite I would recommend a smaller app (or no app at all) since this carb blast might fill you up too much before your entree. The pulled pork was exactly as it should've been. Nothing more, nothing less. The baby back ribs (if I remember correctly I believe the only ribs they serve are baby back, no St. Louis ribs here) were cooked well. The meat came right off the bone with a minimal tug. The dry rub they used was average, nothing outstanding; and the ribs definitely benefited from some sauce. Offering 4 or 5 different sauces, I couldn't find one that really hit home for me. I did manage to hit the sweet spot though by combining the Pit Boss sauce with the Soulfire signature sauce. Doing this resulted in a sauce that I felt was more balanced in it's sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess. Surprisingly though, their BBQ isn't what stands out. What really shines at Soulfire is their fried chicken. This stuff is some if the best fried chicken I've ever eaten; it's perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. This has become my go-to place for the best fried chicken in Boston. The service was average as was the atmosphere. This place is pretty no frills when it comes to the layout and decor sporting murals on the walls, a big projection screen and some other tv's that usually have some sports game(s) on. But you shouldn't be visiting Soulfire for the decor, you should be coming by for the good BBQ and fantastic fried chicken.
(4)
Lillian C.
I was craving some BBQ and found this place on Yelp. It's pretty close to the T stop off Harvard and a couple of friends and I decided to give it a shot. When we first walked in we were a bit confused as to sit down somewhere, order first, or wait to be seated... After about 5 min a waitress told us just to sit anywhere. So we sat down and she brings us the menus. I ordered the two meat plate with brisket and baby back ribs with mac and cheese and cole slaw as my sides. The plate also comes with a piece of cornbread and some slices of pickled cucumbers. The brisket came on top of a thick slice of toast (not sure why) and it was SO GOOD! Very tasty and cooked perfectly. The ribs were also very nicely cooked and juicy. I only ate about half my food and saved the rest for another meal. For the price I think it's pretty darn worth it. I also had a bite of the spare ribs and that was really good too. I love that they also have about 6 different sauces. I liked mixing the pit boss and soulfire sauce. Delicious! I would def be back for more!
(4)
Simon L.
Giant spares that are sparsely trimmed create a nice crisp exterior from the reasonably heavy brown sugar that is part of the rub. The carmelization is chock full of flavorful spice and a bit of kick - chili pepper. Full rack of spares will never disappoint and comes with corn bread and two sides. Rib meat is pink to midway to the bone and explodes with juices. These are giant spare ribs that are tender and have a superb smoky flavor; sauce is completely unnecessary although multiple are available for sampling. My preference tends to the Pitboss. The fiery NC rendition is a decent second. Coleslaw is fresh and clean. Mac and cheese is served just warm. Corn bread is moist and not too sweet. Sit at the bar and enjoy a lone star or a gansett tall boy.
(5)
Christopher K.
Best BBQ in the Boston area. The sauces are fantastic. I found myself dipping the bones in my extra sauce just to taste more. The ribs were excellent. Perfectly slow-smoked. And the sides were unbelievable, from the potato salad to the mac-n-cheese with BBQ chips crumbled on top. Great atmosphere doesn't hurt too.
(5)
Carmen S.
I'm from the south and sometimes I want a little southern cookin. This place hits the spot every time. They have the best spare ribs and mac and cheese I've had this side of the Mason Dixon. Way better than Redbones.
(5)
Nisreen G.
You set me soul on fire. Light my soul. Caress my belly with your crispy fried wings, fresh fried catfish, and creamy mac and cheese. What's that I see? A 3$ rib appetizer? Damn you sure know what I like. Soul Fire is delicious BBQ and perfectly priced. Food comes out crazy hot and the servers make sure to give you prior warning which is really nice. As a newbie I tried to take a bite out of my chicken and nearly burned my mouth off. It was well worth the pain though. Salty, crispy, perfectly marinated. I actually debated ordering another round but decided with catfish on the menu, i'd be crazy not to get an entree. I absolutely love the atmosphere of Soul Fire. It's pretty bright so I can see my food but doesn't feel like a fast food joint. The red and white checkered table cloths remind me of summer BBQ's but they don't throw too much BBQ theme in your face. Tons of famous jazz artists and musicians are plastered on the wall in black and white and it's pretty cool that they sometimes have live music.
(5)
Tammy T.
I use to come here everyyyyyyyy Monday for the wing special! They weren't anything to die for but I loved their variety of sauces! Always went out the door satisfied. It's always a great time to come with a big group of people to enjoy the big portions of wings each round. But the wait for a big group is quite long. One of my favorites is the macaroni squares! Soooo good! I haven't been here in a while but I hope the Asian waitress is no longer there because she was completely straight up rude. Don't be a server if you can't put on a fake smile and make your customers happy. Every time I came, she would always give attitude, roll her eyes and give dirty looks. Put that shit aside or don't work as a waitress at all. I had asked for a water one time and as I was sipping it I looked inside the cup to see a dirty napkin at the bottom... I kindly asked for another and she basically said I put it in there, rolled her eyes and left. Rude. I'm hoping to come back here soon with better improvements and more friendly servers.
(3)
Kimberly M.
AHHH!! 2 whole hours to deliver one meal ten minutes away?!? I called after it was 40 min later that quoted and the girl told me "he's leaving now!"....are you kidding me?? (I'm painfullllly hungry) I say okay thank you blah blah I'll see you soon, (also cravvvvving the can of pepsi I ordered) So 25 minutes later and still no sign of my food. Finally the driver arrives but low and behold...no pepsi. So bummed. So so bummed :( The food is just alright.
(1)
Young J.
3.5 stars. Pros: great portions for cheap prices. All the sides were good (we tried the potato salad, coleslaw, mac n cheese and the baked beans) and I was in love with the cornbread. Chicken was nothing spectacular but brisket was pretty good. I liked how they give you four different sauces in a bottle, and this was a plus for me since I don't like my BBQ drenched in sauce. Cons: service needs to step it up. It was less than half full on a Saturday night around 8pm. I didn't know it was a "seat yourself" place so my bf and I stood around for several minutes before one of the waitress told us from where she was standing (didn't even bother coming up to us) to take a seat wherever we liked. We ordered a soda, but did not receive it until 15 minutes later. That was somewhat understandable. When our meals came out almost 25 minutes later, they got my bf's order wrong so we still had to wait around for a little while longer. Also, when I asked my waitress about the appetizer we ordered since it was nowhere to be seen even AFTER we received our meal, she seemed very confused that we ordered it. Either way, our appetizer (chili cheese fries- very good and huge portions!) came out immediately after I mentioned it but it kind of took away the meaning of "appetizer". I would visit this establishment again for the great food, portions and prices but I think service is a hit or miss. I would be more understanding if the place was packed with people but there were multiple waitresses just standing around chatting to one another and our waitress didn't even bother coming to our table and checking up on us.
(3)
Christina C.
I don't do this often, but not only did my food take an hour and a half to get here, but it was measly and cold. I asked for mashed with gravy and got cold potato salad and my sandwich was pathetic. I work nearby and frequent Soul Fire but this was awful. When I answered the door, the driver ACTUALLY ASKED ME: "Is this a joke?" because I have bad reception in my household for cell service (I stated this very specifically in my Foodler directions). I left a prop in the door and left my front door OPEN. If he could not figure out how to get my food, that I paid for, and idiotically tipped 20% for, to my face, then this man should be fired and sent on his way. The food usually redeems itself, but not tonight. I will not be coming into Soul Fire on meal breaks any more. What is going on over there?! Sorry! UPDATE: After writing this review, a manager promptly got in touch with me and apologized. Something like that has never happened to me, as I am not in the business of writing reviews to get something out of it. It was truly a surprise and it's refreshing to know that a local business is doing its best to do right by its customers. A+, guys and gals. Keep doing your best! I changed my 1-Star review to a 3 and I can only imagine it getting better.
(3)
David W.
I have to say that my experience with Soul Fire was anything but pleasant. I ordered food online, payed the delivery fee as well as a generous tip and when it came to delivering the food the delivery guy called me and asked me to come outside to pick up my food. It was raining and the reason he gave was that there was no parking on the street, but a look out of the window showed that there clearly were plenty of parking spots. The next excuse was that there was no legal parking, which is simply not true, as there is plenty of legal parking on the street and most businesses I've ordered from will deliver to my apartment door without any questions asked. This guy did not even ring my door bell. Since revving his engine would not draw me out he ended up driving off. Calling the restaurant and explaining the situation to Becca, the manager on deck, caused her to say she could get the food to me if I came down to pick it up. Now, to me, that is not what I really consider delivery... if I have to get the food it is not being delivered to me. Expressing this alongside with the suggestion to cancel the order was met with an OK and being hung up on right away. When calling them back in order get hold of her boss, she said he wasn't around but would share her opinion on this matter. From this I can only gather that Soul Fire does not value their customers or their business. The service and (frankly) manners displayed by this restaurant have convinced me to never ever order anything from them again, regardless of the fact that they do have good barbecue. But at this point, that doesn't even factor into the review. 0 Stars? Yes, if it was possible...
(1)
Andrew K.
Why has it taken me this long to try this place? I'm a southern boy. Grew up in the south, where we know bbq. I still call people, "Sir," which people like, and, "Ma'am," which people don't end up liking. Regardless, I digress. After going through some House of Cards in preparation for the new season, I got a hankering for some ribs. I don't mean those ribs from the chinese place. I wanted some real southern ribs. I decided to take on soulfire as a trial. Seriously. If you like southern food (real southern food) or bbq, try this place. You're missing out. Food: unbelievable. Couldn't give a better compliment. Ribs are top notch. Cornbread. Fries. Mac and cheese. Cole slaw. You can't go wrong. Service: no clue. I ordered delivery. But it came pretty quick (maybe 20-30 min?). Overall: amazing. Hands down the best southern joint up in the north. And also, for this price, you can't go wrong. For two people (let's be honest here, with these portions we could have served 3), for $30, I'm better off getting food here than from any other restaurants.
(5)
Trevor S.
I love BBQ. Like, I'd call my first child BBQ if I could. That's love. Soul Fire doesn't really return the feeling. This is the kind of place that puts the "meh" in mediocre. I mean... they try. The pulled pork is a pretty good vinegar style. But it goes down from there. The brisket is just sort of bland fatty meat that can occasionally be dry. The ribs seem coated with some rub that's just for show because there isn't any sort of spice to it. The sides just go downhill. I love collard greens. Soul Fire's are rubbery and cloyingly sweet. I love cole slaw. Soul Fire's is just a soupy droopy cup of yuck. We've been blessed with our fair share of BBQ in Boston. There's no reason to ever come here.
Went here for all you can eat wings and was not disappointing. I prepared myself accordingly. I didn't try anything besides the wings so I can't judge on anything else. They first brought us a demo dish with one flavor of each wing. After we were done, they asked us what flavor we wanted in our big plate. We opted for all 4 because they were all delicious. Because we were a party of 7, we got 2 very large plates of wings. I like how they didn't tip-toe the all you can eat by giving you a few wings at a time, they go straight for the kill. We demolished the wings and if I could eat until my stomach exploded I would have. Soul Fire satisfied my wing craving plus more. Will be back here again to get my filling of wings.
(5)
Steve B.
BEST BRISKET I"VE EVER HAD! I got the 1/2 chicken & brisket combo, both cooked perfectly! Good blend of smoke, flavor, and moisture. Got the close slaw (not bad) and baked beans (amazing) as sides but came with the best cornbread I've ever had. I got 6 pieces to go for the fam and we were all in AWW of how good it was. I will be back ASAP! I don't even know where to start! I'm a BBQ feen! I make it myself minimum once a week and get it whenever possible and I must say...this is definitely in my top 3.
(5)
John M.
Everything a good soul food place should be. Otis Reading on the juke box and great food. I had the fried chicken and it was delicious, as were the collard greens and the coleslaw. My companions had the ribs and the hickory chicken. All raved about it. The service was prompt and cheerful.
(4)
Jamie C.
I have been a regular at soul fire since they opened and have yet to find better BBQ in boston! Love this place, love the atmosphere, and most importantly love the food!!! I have also used the to cater a work event and it went awesome. This place is the best!
(5)
Lynn J.
I wanted to love this soul food, but left very disappointed instead. STAFF: OK, but not too happy. FOOD: French fries tasted flavorless & frozen. My fried catfish sandwich was bland too. I expected soul food seasoned breading. My friend likes the food there, so I gave an extra star. THE DEAL: My friend likes this place, and told me you can get all the sauces to go. She orders a big platter, then takes home half.
(3)
Shirleyanne A.
I really didn't like their coleslaw. I just threw away the whole thing because it was dry and all I can taste was the cabbage. It didn't smell too appealing either. Their collard greens were too sweet for my taste. The ribs were pretty good. They were moist and tender and fell off the bone easily but it was pretty greasy. I still like Blue Ribbon's ribs better. The barbecue sauce selection they had was pretty good. I tried all of them and I was pretty happy with all of them. I liked how some of the sauces were pre-warmed. Parking is difficult in this area so it's best to take public transportation. The people working here were cheerful and friendly and they packed my to go order neatly so that the contents don't jostle around during my drive home. I plan on trying their other items sometime in the future but until then, they get three stars from me.
(3)
Kyra M.
In the otherwise delivery deadzone that is Lower Allston, Soul Fire is our savior. This isn't just a spot that is "good food for Boston;" Soul Fire is legitimate BBQ. No need to narrow down your experience with the more than reasonably priced 3 meat combo, which easily feeds two hungry adults. Being able to order on GrubHub is a super bonus. At this point, we've had every meat on the menu. Here are my top 5 favorites from least favorite to most favorite (keeping in mind they are ALL favorites): 5. Sliced Brisket; my partner would disagree but I'm a fan. Sometimes he lets me order it or I sneak it in. It's less consistent than the other products, more variation with tenderness amongst orders, but still solid. 4. Hickory Smoked Chicken; it's exactly what it sounds like, and so juicy. 3. Fried Catfish flaky and delicious. Never greasy, always amazing. Tartar sauce FTW. 2. Pulled Pork; yes, please! Even without any sauce it's got that smoky meaty thang going on good on its own, on top of coleslaw, or wrapped up in a slice of white bread. 1. BABY BACK RIBS!!!! Skip the spare ribs (unless that's your thing), I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back.... So meaty and perfect. So very perfect. Love these ribs! As far as sides go, I find them less impressive than the meat. They'd be 5-Star if they could master the sides. We pretty much stick with the collard greens and coleslaw. Macaroni isn't as great as some reviews would have you think, at least in my opinion. Baked beans lack significant flavor. The corn bread is solid. Overall tasty food. We've dined in once and they have a small selection of beer and plentiful seating, but why leave the house when the delivery is just as good?
(4)
Robert F.
I was born and raised in the South and the DEEP South. I've eaten BBQ all my life. Soul Fire is pretty good,. I came to visit my daughter at BU and she was craving some Q. It was an unusually muggy night and the restaurant was a little too warm. Service was quick and friendly. The lighting was quite harsh. She got the pulled pork platter with beans and mac n cheese. I had the chopped brisket with beans and slaw. We each found our favorite sauce from the four offered. The pulled pork was pretty darn good as was the mac n cheese. Neither one of us cared for the beans because of the HEAVY molasses flavor. The chopped brisket was okay, though it is really diced/cubed and not chopped. The portion size was a little small. The slaw was good, but more of a vinegar base than a mayo based dressing. All in all we enjoyed the meal, though next time I'll get my Q fix back home, y'all!
(3)
Alyssa F.
My boyfriend is a Kansas native, so he knows good BBQ when he eats it. As such, we've been trying all the local places. This is as good as it gets on the East Coast. We both had the brisket platters--$13 for brisket on thick white bread with two sides, cornbread and pickles. Brisket was insane. There are 4 BBQ sauces on the table to choose from. I liked the sweet, he liked the fiery. We both got mac + cheese and baked beans, and agreed that the mac and cheese was delicious but the baked beans left something to be desired. I also had the mac and cheese bites as an app, and they were splendid. Not too heavy. All in all, it was a slam dunk. Can't wait to go back and try some more things!
(5)
Ali K.
SOUL FOOD at its finest!! If you want to try southern cuisine in Boston this is your spot. Clogged arteries and all it's so worth every bite, luckily for me it was down the street from where I was staying and I hadn't eaten all day so this would make everything even better. Place wasn't packed for a Wednesday night but that's to be expected usually on the weekends a ton of people are in there they said. Very spacious restaurant with pretty cool decor kind of a 70's vibe. Huge big screen TV's so you can watch whatever games and enjoy your food. I ended up getting the Fried Mac and Cheese, the Fried Chicken Platter with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and a Biscuit slathered in butter. Yeah pretty much if I had a heart attack that night I would have died happy. The Fried Mac and Cheese came in this cube shape and once you bit into it it was heaven on earth. The fried chicken platter was so flavorful, juicy, and crunchy it blew my mind. The mashed potatoes and gravy was unreal, I don't know if they put little bits of bacon in the mash potatoes or what but whatever they did, it added and extra hint of flavor to it for sure. The biscuit was not to be overlooked, it was amazing, like something out of your Grandma's kitchen. Definitely highly recommend this place, but you won't be eating for at least 6-7 hours after if you do it right.
(5)
Josh K.
Reasonably priced bbq. Nothing fancy and the food was alright. I wouldn't seek this place out but if you are looking to grab a quick bite with beers prior to hitting the bars in the area, it's worth a try. It's also the only "Southern" restaurant in Harv. Ave so you might run into some crowd on the weekends.
(3)
Mallory C.
We had a groupon for this place, and my boyfriend LOVES BBQ, so we had a date night. First of all, they get an A+++ for accessibility, as they have buttons that open their door for wheelchair users (very rare!!!), and are just super helpful. The food was delicious, and portions were huge! We are french fry connoisseurs and we could not finish their "basket of fries" even though they were so good! The rice and beans was also great! Our waitress was patient, friendly, and did not hurry us at any time. She got bonus points when we paid- we forgot to tell her about the groupon until after she ran our card, so she did it again with no complaint, AND she came back and told us, with the groupon we didn't even reach our price limit and could order something to go if we wanted! We ordered an order of wings that were out in record time! We will definitely be back here.
(4)
John R.
Just perfect. Wyatt the owner has made this place what it is. All of the food is great. The staff friendly, the beer cold, the music perfect. The sauces are awesome as is the sides.
(5)
Thuy L.
Came here around 8ish on a Monday night for the All You Can Eat Wings and some soul food with my little family. Once we arrived, the host said we can take a seat anywhere we liked. As we sat down, she gave the table another sprits to make sure the table is santized and clean. The waiteress then arrived to asked us what we liked to order. The menu was pretty simple and short. My husband did the all you can eat wings, and I did the "2 meat combo" with BBQ spare ribs and pulled Pork. The combo came with 2 sides, and I wanted Collard greens and Mac n' Cheese with an EXTRA side of baked beans (I was hungry.. And ordering with my eyes haha). It also came with sliced pickles and corn bread. As soon as we ordered,, she put it in right away and the food came out within 10 minutes!! Which is super fast. My plate looked full and I knew I was not able to finish it. There was only 3 spareribs, but they were pretty big.. I was only able to finish 2 ribs and had some of my sides and it filled me up!! The Mac n cheese was a little on the dry side tho, so I might opt that out next time and choose something else. I loved the collard greens, and the baked beans had this sweet taste to it which is a plus! The corn bread was perfect and super soft. The all you can eat wings were delicious! My husband was not able to go for another round once that first one came out. He liked 3 out of 4 flavors of the wings, so the waitress brought out 18 wings for the first round. It was a struggle because the wings were plumped!!! I think he would need to be SUPER starving in order to go for another round haha. Overall: Service was great and so was the food. The All you can eat wings are only on Monday nights from 5pm- Closing and it's $12 (not 8.99)!
(4)
Alyssa M.
I've been here twice and really enjoyed both the sandwiches I tried, the Pulled Pork and the BBQ Reuben. They hit the spot! And the prices are right for the sammies. I also liked the chili, the Mac n cheese, and the potato salad. I only like one of their 4 sauces, Soulfire, but I only need to like one. :) The atmosphere is casual and chill to the max. The beer selection is pretty good. Good music playing. Service is fair. I'll definitely be back to quench my BBQ cravings!
(4)
Ben M.
Hate to give this place two stars but two stars on yelp literally translates to "Meh. I've experienced better.", which stands true in my experience. My girlfriend and I were pretty excited to try this place because we both had a long day and were in desperate need of some solid BBQ and a cold beer. What we got was pretty dry with some stuff and things and sauces and yeah whatever just get it in my mouth I don't care, it's hard to be picky about BBQ in Boston. So we finish the meal and service was great but I noticed a small fruit fly in my beer with about two sips left. The fly wasn't that big of a deal in itself but my girlfriend didn't agree with me when I said it was gross and that I've seen enough episodes of bar rescue to know what I'm talking about. She claims it "flew in from the front door and landed in my drink in front of me". I think I'd know if anything flew into my beer sweetie. Who does she think she is? Then she goes on this rant about how she doesn't always have to agree with me...livid at this point. Arrived home and immediately farted on her toothbrush. The cornbread by the way was excellent.
(2)
Matt L.
I was excited to try Soul Fire after hearing about the place from a friend of mine. Service was fine, but the bbq was not. We tried the Pitboss sampler so that we could try all of the different meats they offer. The pulled pork was pretty good, but the ribs and brisket were not. First, they do not remove the silver skin on the bottom of the ribs. After taking a bite or two the silver skin would come loose and just hang there. Not very appetizing. The chopped brisket was also disappointing as they failed to render out the fat properly before chopping. So there were large hunks of fat mixed in with the chopped brisket. Again, not very appetizing. The best part of the meal was the wings. So if you're going to try Soul Fire BBQ, I'd suggest getting wings.
(2)
Abby R.
Pah-retty good. I've been here a bunch of times at this point since it's close to where I live and I'm comfortable here. I know what to order. I know what not to order. I've formed expectations. Do not expect the best barbeque of your life. Simple as that. The atmosphere is weirdly empty and too open, which is y'know, fine. Except when it's 10 degrees out and the door doesn't shut properly and the whole place is cold. Bring a jacket, kids. Or have some of the fire barbecue sauce. The way it works is you order a meat. They bring you the meat and you get to douse and/or sprinkle it with the bbq sauce of your choosing. Which is nice because I like 2 of the 4-5 sauces enough to want to eat them both. The best meat to order is the chicken. It's consistent, it's fraad, and it's moist and delicious. I really don't like the cubed brisket. It was tough and just looked like a whole bunch of steak dice. Somehow they were also really fatty too, which does not attract me. I've tried the shredded brisket twice. Once it was good, once it was fatty and chewy. I stick to the chicken. Do they have mac and cheese? Yes. And it has a little dusting of bbq chips, which is extra special, but I've never had it served to me more than lukewarm. Do they have potatoes? Yes and this chick likes her starches. And I like these starches. They have good starches here.
(3)
Melissa P.
Came here for dinner and was very disappointed. Despite the restaurant being empty, service was slow. Our waitress was very awkward and acted like it was a burden to be serving us. I tried the 1/2 hickory chicken platter w/ baked beans and collard greens and my boyfriend had a pulled pork sandwich. The beans had a strange taste, almost like they were burnt and the collard greens were overly sweet. The food was very average and something I could have made in my own kitchen. The only pros are the cornbread and prices.
(2)
Rhen W.
The food's delicious, but after several visits with different servers each time, I have to conclude that the service leaves much to be desired. I spend a lot of time waving servers down to get their attention. Improve the service and this place will be an easy 5-star bbq joint.
(3)
Jackie P.
Corn bread is amazing, Ribs are great! Love all the different bbq sauces!
(4)
Christine G.
Came here tonight with high expectations having seen the great reviews. When we walked in, it smelled good so we were excited. We started off with the fried mac & cheese which was okay - not great, but not bad. My sister and I split a combo including 1/3 rack of baby back ribs and half a smoked chicken. When the plate arrived, the chicken still had its skin on it which is normally fine, but in this case the skin looked dry and green. The ribs were 2 different colors - the middle part was a dark brown/grey and the upper and lower parts were purple. Ribs tasted like sausage and tasted nothing like bbq and the chicken had a very strange aftertaste that lingered after each bite. the fries and cornbread were probably the only enjoyable things, but even that was cold. Besides the bad food, the service was terrible. We rarely saw our waitress and I had to walk up to the bar to ask for a glass of water after already having asked her. Very disappointed & will not return again.
Easily the best brisket in Boston. Fried chicken wings also very good. Go several times a year and never disappointed. They could use a better beer selection.
(4)
A A.
Lately everything has been excellent! Great rub, nice smoke. Much better !! Hope it continues to improve!
(5)
Alena G.
This place has good comfort food. The brisket is great, as are the ribs, and the catfish. Sides are also awesome - especially the mac'n cheese. Overall, a decent, consistent BBQ place in the middle of Allston. BONUS: fried dough.
(4)
Steven Y.
DELICIOUS. Great pulled pork and fried chicken. Need to come back to do a second more thorough review.
(5)
Bean C.
Soul Fire has really upped its game. The spare ribs, fried chicken, Mac & cheese all excellent! If you like mustard for the fried chicken, request their mustard sauce. The side salad was v. fresh. Washed it down w. a Brooklyn Lager. Great attentive service.
(5)
sean m.
When I lived in Allston, we got delivery from here every couple of months. The service/delivery way always good/prompt and the food was pretty good. If you are looking for BBQ, it wasn't like being in Memphis, but it definitely hit the spot.
(4)
Samantha G.
OK...this place is AMAZING! Very pleasantly surprised. The salad is great (not crappy iceberg but mixed greens and veggies) and the pulled pork was fabulous! Comparable to the pulled pork I had in Atlanta and that's saying a lot! The sauces are excellent as well. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Myung P.
You are not going to get better BBQ around the Boston area than Soul Fire. I've had BBQ in many places including the Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Indy, and few other cities and states. I once drove 7 hours just to eat BBQ at a place where The Food Network said was the best BBQ in America. (I was impressed, but if that was the best BBQ in America, life is not worth living) I originally came to Soul Fire since I had a Groupon, but now I go back and pay regular price. It's that good. The meat is tender and juicy. The sauces options are good. The portions are great for the price. Make sure you don't order too much. I thought two full orders were enough for 3-4 people. The sides were great. I heard that Sweet Cheeks is considered the best BBQ in Boston. I've been there TWICE because my co-worker swore that my first try must've been an off-night. While it was not bad, overall, it was regular BBQ joint. So a 3-star and price was a bit on the high side. Soul Fire just trumps Sweet Cheeks. I feel that Soul Fire is less busy than Sweet Cheeks due to location and less hipsters live in Allston compared to Fenway.
(5)
Ariel P.
After 4 years of Carolina, I've made Allston my new home so naturally I went on the hunt for BBQ and found SoulFire. Quick Rundown: Great Service: came in by myself sat at the bar and was served immediately and often checked on (which sometimes isn't the case when it's just you at the bar). I was a finicky customer and asked for extra pickles with my sandwich and subbed in potato salad for fries after the ticket when in, and all my requests were taken care of. Solid Food: Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and a small order of those fried mac and cheese bites everyone keeps going on about. Liked the pork, it was definetly served Carolina style with tons of vinegar which I do like, I just wonder if you can ever get it differently so you can actually use one of the 6 sauces they put out. None which I explored because my pulled pork was already so saturated with that vinegar flavor. Pro tip: for cutting the spicy vinegary-taste there's nothing better than cold potato salad, and these folks do it right. Last I'm sad to say I was a bit let down by the fried mac and cheese bites, I expected a cheesey, gooey block of mac and cheese (to be fair my expectations were directly related to having had fried mac and cheese at the NC State Fair as well as the Raleigh Cheesecak Factory). I found these bites to be both a bit dry and almost too hot to eat. They came out with my sandwich and I had to wait for them to cool down til I was almost done with my sandwich to taste and cheesy flavor as opposed to just heat. Price: It's on par with area pricing and fair for what it is. If you order well or light here you can make off with a pretty cheap dinner, had I just gottent he sandwich and the magner's cider it would've been about $14 after tax. Location: Good location on Harvard Ave, space itself was inviting and neatly directed with soul records. Big space, not crowded. Verdict: Whenever I get that Carolina craving, I'll have to come back. Maybe I'll pass on the mac and cheese bites next time.
(4)
Fu D.
I have children and I don't usually speak in such a manner... but I want Soul Fire to Fuck My Face With Its Food... Thank you for making amazing barbecue. That is all.. Fu D.
(5)
Joan P.
Umm...I've been here many times. Ribs were good and prices are way better than Redbones. However, there were DEAD FLIES in my wine today. Waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill, but still...GROSS.
(1)
Amy D.
3.5 stars but rounding up to 4. Yikes! I thought I did my review for Soul Fire months ago when I actually ate there, but it got knocked off my pending reviews list.. In any case, there were a few BBQ spots in Boston to choose from while I was there for a vacation, but Soul Fire seemed to be the only one that was open late. We came in around 9pm, and the restaurant was still pretty full but we were able to grab one of the last tables right away. However, they were definitely understaffed, and it took a while for our server to come by. They had also been slammed with a huge order earlier, so our server warned us the food would take longer than usual. We ordered: -3 Meat Combo w/Spare Ribs, Chopped Brisket, Fried Chicken Wings, Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Pickles ($20 + $0.50 to substitute for a salad as a side, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! The fried chicken wings were amazing (and HUGE), and the brisket was pretty good as well. The spare ribs were just ok, and I liked that the least out of all the meats. This 3 meat combo platter could easily feed two normal serving sized eaters. -Single Spare Rib Order ($3, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Huge serving for a "single" spare rib order, and it was good, but nothing special. -Side of Potato Salad ($2) and Macaroni and Cheese ($2) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! Both were pretty good, but some of the potatoes in the potato salad could've been cooked longer. -Different BBQ Sauces ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): I tried all of the sauces, but unfortunately, can't remember which once I liked best. I think it was probably the SoulFire. Overall, Soul Fire is a solid BBQ joint in Boston, and if you're in the mood for BBQ late, this is the place to go! However, parking (and traffic) around this area can really suck, and service can be a little slow.
(4)
Nancy H.
Went back for some finger lickin' goodness. More catfish and fried chicken but this time tried the fried Mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad, fries, and mashed potatoes as sides. Boy were they soooo good. The collard greens were great but at one point tasted too sweet for the rest of my meal. Service was great, the place was clean, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
(4)
Mattie M.
So good! Try the macaroni. My Texan brother in law even approves this place! Their food is perfect for what they offer. I've brought tons of friends here and they all approved! Also, the service and range of beers on tap are both great!
(4)
Devon A.
I will only go here on $9 Buffet Mondays with friends. But whenever I go it's always a good time and a little competition is stirred, seeing who can eat the most at one time. Currently my record is 41 wings and I hope to go to 50 wings next time. I'm not a fan of buffalo so I'm a little sad when I see one of the plates come out as buffalo. Wings are a little on the small side but the fact that we get a plethora of wings coming in constantly for $9, what more can you ask for?
(4)
Tanya Y.
When they say on the menu that the Pitboss Sampler feeds 2 to 3 people, they're lying! They give you much more to definitely cover an extra person. The group of 3 decided to come here on a whim after finding a Google Offer that allowed us to purchase $25 worth of food for only $12. Because of so many great sounding things on the menu, we thought it was a no-brainer to order the sampler. This comes with: 1/2 rack baby back ribs 2 spareribs (they gave us 3!) Pulled pork Chopped brisket (comes ontop of texas toast) Southern fried wings (there were 4) Spicy honey wings (we got 2) 1 hotlink And sides : Cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, beans, collard greens, corn bread, and rice w/beans. They also gave us mashed potatoes with gravy even though it wasn't on the menu, all for $40. Because we thought we were macho and could handle this platter, my friend ordered a corn dog ($1.95) for herself, and the table collectively thought it'd be brilliant to also order chilli cheese fries ($5.55), because c'mon - How could you pass this up?! All of the food came out on platters similar to what you'd see a New York style pizza on. I'm so thankful we got the sampler, because there were definitely things that were just OK/subpar, and some food that stood out from the rest. The spareribs peel off from the bone in a way similar to beef jerky, which is great because I love jerky. The "baby back ribs" weren't babies at all, rather it was as if these ribs were on steroids. They were huge, and a little difficult to eat. The meat barely fell of the bone with some tugging with a fork. The hotlink, pulled pork, and brisket was just ok. As long as you choose to douse these in one of the four BBQ sauces available (Soul Fire, Fiery, Sweet, and Pitboss), then it all tastes great. My favorite was the Sweet. The Southern Fried wings were a little too salty for my liking. The best parts of the entire meal were the potato salad (I swear they put crack in it), the spicy wings, and the corn bread. Ah, and of course the chilli cheese fries. The service was just ok and the ambiance super chill/casual. SoulFire also had a huge screen playing the Pats game, which was a plus. I also noted that they have an unlimited wing day (I think it's Mondays) all for one set price of $8.99. I left full, with so many left overs, and not too big of a dent in my wallet, thanks to Google Offers. I think I 'd only come back if I just want something small to eat/snack on, but my search for exceptionally good BBQ continues on. Anyone have any recommendations?!
(3)
J K.
I've gone here with living social deals and have had great experiences. I really enjoy their medley of sauces and am impressed with their sides. I'm in love with BBQ and since I'm no longer near RedBones, I like SoulFire.
(3)
Erik O.
AWESOME BBQ food. i love this place. the vibe is cool, the food is superb, and beer selection is great. The side dishes are awesome. The wings, the ribs, the pulled pork, the brisket, they all rock. The BBQ rueben is amazing. They have a huge projection screen that shows live soul performances or sports games. the place is always playing some sort of soul/funk music Friggen place rules. nuff said.
(5)
Chris L.
Very tasty BBQ in a busy locale in Allston/Brighton Rock City! Perfect carnivore hideout prior to a show at the Paradise or Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harper's Ferry). Pit Boss Sampler is perfect for 3 people and nicely priced at $39. Includes most every kind of meat they have and a dish of each side plus 2 corn bread squares. I tried most everything (oh me and my gluttonous ways). The meat - The ribs (spare and baby back) were smokey and delicious. The baby back were a little dry though and needed to be slathered with copious amounts of one of their 4 sauces. The chicken (fried and smoked) were moist as well. Loved the wings. Just the right amount of spice to 'em. Speaking of spicy, the sausage link on a stick had a nice fiery kick to it and the little cubes of brisket (I think) were morsels sent straight from BBQ heaven. The pulled pork was ok but once again, a little too dry. But like I said before, nothing a healthy dollop of BBQ sauce couldn't cure. Side dishes - Collard greens were tasty especially mixed with the molasses heavy baked beans. Mashers with gravy was standard but the cole slaw was superb and offset the heat of the spicier meat dishes. Mac & cheese looked good although I didn't have any. Rice and beans was a cajun BBQ mix of perfection with diced veggies thrown in for good measure. Potato salad also held it's own against the spicy BBQ sauces. Cornbread was very tasty with the kernals of corn bursting with flavor inside. Misc - Service was excellent. Sat down right away and Ian, our server, was constantly checking up on us for beer refills. Could have used a moist towelette for the cleanup though. Prices seemed reasonable. We only got one thing though so who knows. Beer selection seemed ok with a couple of micros and PBR on tap. In all, a solid dining experience and reasonably good BBQ in Allston area. They usually have some cool specials like all-you-eat-wings night on Mondays I think. Might like to try this out sometime in the future. Happy eating!
(4)
Jennifer D.
Being a Southerner, I know what good BBQ is. Unfortunately, good BBQ is one thing that Boston is severely lacking. Well, the North in general is lacking in this arena. With that said, i've had to greatly lower my standards when it comes to eating BBQ. I ordered the half chicken platter which was pretty decent. The chicken wasn't too bad, the potato salad was decent, the cornbread was good, and the baked beans were okay. The beans were way too sweet for my taste. My husband ordered the pulled pork platter. The pork was actually pretty good. Definitely better than Redbones. I also enjoyed their different sauces. Each one was pretty good. Overall, Soul Fire satisfied my BBQ craving. Not the best i've ever had, but it also wasn't terrible.
(3)
Brianca C.
I love this place. I think that they make THEIR BBQ with THEIR stamp on it and they do it the right way! Im from LA and am used to a certain type of BBQ-- it feels like Soulfire is a place that wants to stand out--- and stand out it does. They make everything the day of-- so nothing is sitting around waiting to be cooked. I appreciate the variety of BBQ sauces that they have ( my favorite is the Soulfire Sauce). The ribs are amazing, the chicken is amazing, and having a pulled pork sandwich is like heaven touching my mouth. HIghly recommend---this is NOT late night eating, you need to be able to remember and enjoy this. They also have Redstripe beer which for me, gives you 2 thumbs up. But man, this place is GOOD--- Mondays they have all you can eat wings foe $8.99.
(5)
Beck N.
Stopped in here for a quick beer & was surprised that they require you to purchase food (which the bartender kindly told me after I had ordered my beer). OK. Whatever. She suggests the cornbread or the fried mac & cheese bites (I got the mac 'n cheese). Not overwhelmingly delicious or cheesy - a bit dry, actually. But the atmosphere is totally chill, the beer selection is varied (only 4 on tap, but plenty of not-your-average bottles & cans). The staff is friendly & the food smells delicious. Will probably try back here for an actual meal, if I'm ever in the area again.
(3)
Justin C.
This place is great - 287 people think so, so I'll just say that the Pitboss Platter is a disgusting amount of delicious food for 2 people to eat, but me and my buddy gave it a good go tonight - loved every bit of it, really. Highlights were the ribs and baked beans, but everything was delicious. The service was super friendly and the food came out fast. We had a living social coupon, too, and the deal was great, and it will in fact make a repeat customer out of me. Bomb BBQ. Eat some.
(5)
J D.
Had a chance to check out Soul fire recently. Had a really good BBQ feed. First off, their prices are very reasonable for BBQ. They dont gyp you on the portions either, the platters come with the usual suspects, a nicely moist corn bread, some interesting collared greens that were cooked with a maple syrup component which, weirdly, worked, and baked beans. The baked beans were the weakest of the group, they have a strong molasses base, but not the best I've ever tasted. The star is the meat, as you would hope in a BBQ joint. I had the short ribs and they were on the money. Cooked just right with enough snap in the meat to make it true BBQ. They provide 4 BBQ sauces at each table and the soul fire sauce was excellent. The service was slow. You don't want to be in a hurry here. Servers were friendly, but were either understaffed or just really casual. I would go back for sure, but might opt for sitting at the bar for less down time during the meal.
(4)
Nick K.
We went here with a Groupon. The place was extra busy due to the additional business. There was some wait due to the amount of people. We had a mixed plate, and a fish plate. The meat portions were good, nothing to write home about but good. The fish was also good, but not great. The side of Macaroni, Coleslaw, Collard greens, and beans was good. I will say the Collard Greens were done better then most. We wanted mashed Potatoes, but they ran out. Portions were good, and the restaurant look was fine. However, for the money there are better options.
(3)
Alan B.
Soulfire has some pretty damn good BBQ for Boston. With everybody living in close quarters, it's hard to get good BBQ when your neighbors won't let you have a smoker. That said, Soulfire does a great job. They also do a $9 all you can eat wing night on Mondays. They bring 4 wings, each a different flavor. You pick which you want, then they'll bring a full serving of that. I'm a big fan of the spicy honey and the pit boss wings. The beer selection is quite good, too. They have a diverse selection of some Belgians, some US micros, and Lone Star. Ohhh Lone Star. For those of you who don't know, Lone Star isn't really anything special on its own. It's an American lager that's best served near freezing. It's crisp, but not exploding with flavor or anything. But paired with some great BBQ, nothing's better.
(4)
Mikhaela K.
I go here during that time of the month because I'm not the kind of girl that always craves chocolate. Fried macaroni and cheese sprinkled with BBQ potato chips? Yes, please! Rib platter? Nom, nom, nom fall off the bone deliciousness. Wings? Gimme gimme! Their mac n cheese is something I daydream about: cheesy but not cloying with loads of flavor and those chips sprinkled on top are excellent. Their sides are great, especially the collard greens which come with cubed slab bacon bits. The ribs are generous and you can take out your dentures to eat them. I love this place but don't go here if you want to stick to your diet.
(4)
L W.
Not my favorite BBQ place in Boston, but it's the only one in this neighborhood and has respectable food, so I've come here a handful of times. Each time has been good, and it's enough to get me to come back, though admittedly, I've never had a "I HAVE to go to Soul Fire" moment, like I occasionally do with other BBQ places. One of my favorite surprises from our first trip here a few years back was that the sides were DELICIOUS. We got the pitboss sampler for two, and we were full by the end of the appetizer portion. The collard greens, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese were all amazing. It was especially surprising, since I normally don't enjoy bean, coleslaw, or mac n cheese. The platter was way too much food, so we've never ordered it since, especially because it was - in my opinion - too light on the "good" meats (like ribs) and too heavy on the "filler" meats (like chicken wings or sausage). Now, we place one order of ribs (e.g. the Soulfire platter with two kinds of ribs), plus a ton of delicious sides - more than enough for two. I have to say, though, I much preferred the "order at the counter" setup before. There was no dependence on waiters, plus it made the whole evening really low-key, which I enjoyed.
(3)
Joe M.
AWFUL!!! Terrible BBQ all around. My room mate and I went in for a late lunch today. The chilli cheese fries were sub par, I couldn't even tell if the cheese sauce was real cheese. The fries themselves were good though. The collection of sauces was awful, but they made up for it with big bottles of Frank's Red Hot, I put that $hit on everything. The pulled pork was awful. I was expecting a burst of flavour from some sort of special BBQ sauce on it, but no, it was plain and bland. I had a side of mac n' cheese and instead of putting some effort and adding real bread crumbs, they crushed up BBQ potato chips and sprinkled them on. The wild rice was fine. Luckily the corn bread and great bar man made up for the lack lustre food. Because of those two things I didn't give them one star, unfortunately they won't be having our business ever again. TIP: Bring in a new head chef that has some real BBQ experience. I could probably get better quality food at a soup kitchen and atleast get my food served on a plate, not a pizza pan...
(2)
Julia J.
I purchased a Living social deal at soul fire, and the price was reasonable. The fried chicken wings are tasty, and the pulled pork sandwich is a Ok but nothing special. You can get better sandwich elsewhere. Also tried the bbq ribs, but I don't particularly like it. I won't come back for this place, but doesn't hurt to try a new place
(3)
JJ G.
Love the housemade pickles Love the being served like it's fine dining when it's take out Love the BBQ Ruben Love the Lone Star!!!
(5)
Meghan M.
I'm a southerner, so I miss barbeque every now and then. This place is AMAZING, and the ONLY place in Boston I've found to have GOOD bbq:) I love the brisket sandwich, fried chicken (incredible) and I can't get enough of their mac 'n cheese. Ugh. SO good. Their sauces are hit or miss for me, I found one and stuck with it ever since (I think it was PitBoss, can't recall the name at the moment). I'm a darker beer drinker, but there's this Cider beer they serve that's really different - it's something you really should try! I love the wait staff here, they're attentive and really aim to please. Can't wait to go back!
(4)
Alexandra T.
This place is sooooooo good My boyfriend and I went to Allston to try it and I am so glad we did. For the appetizer we got the friend macaroni and cheese, which is nothing like I've ever had before. Delicious! We then each got a sandwich, the pulled pork and the pulled chicken. They were both so good, and you get 4 different BBQ sauces at your table to pick and choose from. For a side, I got corn bread, and I can honestly say that it's the best corn bread I've ever had in my life. It really really was. Not only that, the prices are great. If it was more expensive I would probably only give 3 stars. They even have beer if you want. I don't know if I would go all the way to Allston on the bus just for this place, but we have friends who live there, and the next time we're in the area I really hope we stop again!
(4)
Alexis B.
Amazing BBQ. The waitstaff is super nice- I don't know where they found these ladies but they have always been so nice and very friendly. The ribs are off the hook! The mac and cheese has crushed BBQ potato chips on top. I know I know it sounds weird but it tastes awesome. I don't like brisket but it is still very tasty. I usually get the spare ribs though the baby back are good also. Fast service. Good food. Well priced. Amazing staff. How can you not try it now?
(4)
Bill M.
Let me put this on a case by case basis. I ordered through Foodler, this is my results. Delivery: If you schedule a delivery, don't. If you don't mind waiting for your food and don't need it at a specific time, fine. Ordered at 11:46 AM for 1:30, got here at 1:52. Normally there is a 45 minute delivery wait. The food got here, in styrofoam wrapped in plastic. Actually that was a good thing because it kept the food warm, so I give it 2 stars. Catfish Sandwich with a side salad. Fried Catfish Sandwich. Was suppose to be "seasoned", didn't taste anything, barely could taste catfish. No dressing with side salad. Side Salad was put in one of the small cubbies of the thing with a BBQ sauce container taking up the other, 2 stars. Fried Chicken Wings - Disappointing. These were suppose to be season too and marinated for 24 hours. It tasted like unseasoned fried chicken. 2 Stars Chili Cheese Fries - These weren't too bad, they weren't the greatest, but i've had worse, 3 stars. Macaroni and Cheese - I actually like the BBQ Potatochip topper, it gave it a different zing. I'm going to do the same thing when I make it at home. Sadly, it's still no better then I make at home, but it's pretty good in itself. 3 stars. It averaged less then 3 stars, for the 2 star rating, and I really don't want to round up.
(2)
Jackie S.
Really bomb, that's what I have to say. We got the fried mac and cheese for an app and it was really good. 4 for 3$ is pretty good too. Then I got the beef brisket and it was so tasty and soft. The Soul Fire BBQ sauce was tasty on it. The cornbread was awesome, the mashed potatoes OK, and the rice was OK. The pickles added an extra treat to it. Really well presented and cheap. The service was great but the place was really loud, but I guess that's kind of to be expected. Def a go to for those who like BBQ type food.
(4)
J.J. B.
A terrific spot for cheap beer, great music and lip-smackin' BBQ. Awesome decor, a friendly staff and a killer soundtrack make this the best BBQ place in the city. Great variety of sauces to satisfy spicy and sweet teeth. Amazing value, you can get a huge meal (2 meats, cornbread and 2 sides) with a draft for under $20 bucks. And if you aren't me, you might have leftovers.
(4)
Jason F.
i love this place, i come here a lot. the first time was for the all you can eat wings night, i LOVE their wings. the last time i came i got the pulled pork sandwich with mashed potatoes, everything was really good. This is one of my go to spots, they give you a ton of food, and it's all pretty cheap.
(5)
Nancy P.
Crumbles of BBQ chips on top of the warm, gooey mac and cheese??? ummm...briliant and delicious! The cornbread...hello, sweet goodness! Hi little pickles on the side...you are tart little treasures. The side options and I get along well. Four sauce options and the Pit Boss is definitely boss! (does that sound ridiculous? yea, kinda.) The baby back ribs could do me a little more tender, but I am still mighty satisfied. The beef brisket sandwich could do with beefing up its bun. The delectable brisket is the star (as it obviously should be), but it could do with a little more support. The relaxed, casual atmosphere is a fitting setting. Friendly, helpful staff. Good stuff for BBQ in Allston.
(4)
Michael X.
The question to Life, the Universe, and Everything is: Soul Fire BBQ or Redbones? My dining partner seemed to think Redbones is better, but I disagree. Redbones is very good; Soul Fire was AMAZING. We got the Pitboss Sampler, which had quite large portions (when it says "feeds 2-3", I imagine they mean quarterbacks). I literally had a perfect meal. Everything was delicious, from the meats to the sauces all the way down to the collard greens. Prices weren't cheap but weren't expensive either. I can't think of anything about the food that I didn't like. My one gripe: they use circular metallic trays (think pizza dishes) to serve the food on and to act as plates. These tend to slip about annoyingly on the polished surface of the tables. My one warning: it will get very very messy. Do not bring someone here that you want to impress.
(5)
Mary L.
I was looking forward to eating at Soul Fire after seeing the rave reviews on Yelp, but my visit left me unimpressed and yearning for Dinosaur BBQ instead. There was no wait and the service was fine, but the food was mediocre. I had the wings for an appetizer and the 3 meat platter with fried catfish, pulled pork and baby back rib as an entree. The size of the platter was more than adequate, though not gargantuan as some other reviewers have described. The wings and ribs were relatively dry and the pulled pork was nothing to write home about. The highlight of the night? Fried catfish. Straight out of the fryer, the pieces were crispy, golden brown and delicious! There were several types of BBQ sauces to smother my food with - most of which were too sweet except the Pitboss . Overall impression? Great for college students in the area but not worth the twenty minute drive and hassle of looking for parking.
(3)
Liz B.
My favorite things at Soul Fire -- Chili and Pickles. I know, not standard BBQ fare but man are they good. The chili has just the right amount of heat and has a good bean to meat ratio. The meat is all the left over BBQ pieces... YUM! I love the high top counter facing Harvard St. It makes for great people watching to go with the yummy food. Good value, nice wait staff and most importantly great food. I love that they leave the sauces on the table so you can decide which one you want for every bite! The mac and cheese comes crusted in BBQ potato chips, pure genius if you ask me. Only complaint is that for $.50 extra you can have a salad as a side but the portion you get is really dinky compared to any of the other sides and not always the greatest quality -- wet and limp. Oh well, if that's my only real complaint we're doing great!
(4)
John J.
Gotta agree w/ all of the 5-star reviews. I was in there yesterday afternoon w/ a buddy and we had the place to ourselves. Our server was everything you want a server to be. Prompt, polite, attentive. Fairly attractive to boot. We sampled the BBQ wings and they were very good. Big, meaty & moist w/ that habanero BBQ sauce that was great. I got a full rack of Spare ribs w/ slaw & potato salad for my sides. Buddy had a 1/2-rack of Baby Backs w/ slaw & baked beans. Potato salad was tasty enough, but the slaw was outstanding. Creamy, tart & crunchy. Next time I'm there I'll get a pulled pork sandwich w/ some of that slaw on it and it'll surely be fantastic. Buddy's baked beans got a thumbs-up from him. As for the Q itself? Outstanding. My Spares were big, meaty, moist. I could see a great smoke ring & they smelled fantastic. The rub might need a little more flavor, but overall they were fantastic. The meat (properly) didn't fall off the bone, but w/ a little pull, the meat came off w/ little resistance. Unlike another reviewer, I don't believe using sauce is sacrilege. I had the Pitboss sauce and thought it complemented the meat very well - a bit tart, a bit of heat. Not too sweet. My leftovers today were finger-licking good. We will definitely be back for more.
(5)
Stacie J.
Delicious!! We got the baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwich, and loaded up on the sides too. We tried the corn bread, mac n' cheese, potato salad and pickles. Everything was very yummy! They load your table with various sauces from sweet to spicey. You are sure to find one that your taste buds will love. The prices are great too! The items above fed a family of 4 plus we had leftovers to take home. All of this for only $40 & that includes 2 beers. Enjoy! You'll be glad you stopped here!
(4)
Sophie J.
I am in love. I love Soulfire. First, lets just get behind why this restaurant exists at all. The owner found a passion. And made food that you cannot replicate in your own kitchen. And loves soul music. That alone would bring me into any establishment. I love restaurants where the owner shares something they are really passionate about. Then, the food. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday so we got a ton of things to sample. We started with the country fried wings and then got a platter with 3 meats: chicken, sliced brisket, and spare ribs. The sides were the mac and cheese and the baked beans. It also came with cornbread and pickles. All of that, plus 4 sauces that are already on the table. It was the most glorious meat-filled feast. If there was a way to die happy, it would be death by Soulfire. The wings are great, super big and juicy with such a crunchy crust. You can eat them alone or with any of the 4 sauces they give you. The spare ribs are AMAZING! The meat dissolves in your mouth. The rub they use is incredible. We ended up with the rotisserie chicken (we meant to order pulled chicken, which we had had before but there was a bit of a mis-communication with our waitress, granted it was her first day). It was the best chicken I had ever had! The brisket was great as well, served atop a giant piece of Texas toast, ready to soak up any leftover sauce. I don't like mac and cheese, but my boyfriend loved it, especially with the bbq chips on top. The baked beans...oh, the baked beans! Hands-down my favorite part of the meal. I would bathe in them. They are home made, smokey, and amazing. You MUST order them. Even if you don't think you like baked beans, just give them a try. You are in Boston, after all! And these are unlike any baked beans you've ever tasted. So, in all, the meal was fab. And what I liked the most is that all of the meat is kind of DIY. They do amazing rubs and cooking, but they don't do an overkill with sauce. You get to pick your sauce and put it on yourself, so whether you like your ribs naked or loaded with sweetness or with a kick of spice, you get to choose! Which is especially awesome if you are sharing with a ton of people. Their wine is also great - not crap wine like some other small restaurants will offer, aka not out of a box. Oh, and did I mention the baked beans?!
(5)
Corey L.
You know, Soul Fire could be awesome, the food was really pretty good. I wouldn't go as far as to say they have the best BBQ around, its pretty watered down, even for Boston. I went with a Groupon, and I was having trouble pulling it up on my phone, so instead of just giving them the Groupon code (like 3 other restaurants have done), I had to get in my car and drive all the way back home to print one out. The waiter was cocky and rude. I even had to keep asking for water. If I had been able to get a refund on the Groupon I would've done so, but since it was already printed, it would have been a waste on my part. I will not give this place my business ever again, and I'm glad the little I did give them was for 50% off. There are plenty of other BBQ spots around that taste way better AND respect their patrons. 2 stars for decent food.
(2)
Diana G.
A friend of mine is a big fan of this place, so brought me here for lunch. I ordered the Fried catfish sandwich with mac & cheese. We also ordered a spare rib to split. Everything was delicious, including the BBQ sauces. The service was fast & friendly, too. I will definitely be back to try the pulled pork!
(4)
Sam O.
My favorite BBQ place in the Brighton area (though there's a strange shortage of BBQ places in the Boston area... there are a few but not as many as there should be!) I frequently get the fried cat fish and loooove it. Pulled pork sandwich is good. I've had the ribs and liked them. Mashed potatoes are good (not the best I've ever had but good). Baked beans are good and smokey/bacon-y. The corn bread is real tasty, also! I've only eaten in once and it was a good experience. I order here a lot, and sometimes it's really busy and takes a while, but it's really good and usually well worth the wait.
(5)
ancaruci C.
Great place, great environment. The BBQ is wonderful and they have maybe the best collard greens I have had in the US.
(5)
Joe U.
My go-to all-around BBQ in Boston. I don't know if any particular dish is the best (except the bbq baked beans which I could eat for dinner and dessert that's how awesome they are). Because it's a one-stop shop for 'cue, it gets my vote and my business. The ribs are meaty and tasty, if not Memphis. The brisket is smokey with good texture, if not Texas tender. The pulled pork was a bummer - dry. But the fried chicken is a hidden gem. If you're the type that likes KFC, there's nothing like it. But if you're the type that likes Popeye's, then you'll love Soul Fire's fried chicken. It's right up there with Coast Cafe in Cambridge and edges out Summer Shack. The sides are overall very good, including tasty cole slaw and great pickles.
(5)
Amy C.
I've moved down to the deep south from Boston, and I have yet to find a BBQ joint as good as Soul Fire. I sure miss this place.
(5)
Linda H.
Stopped by for dinner last night and ordered the sampler because we just couldn't decide what to get and that gave us a chance to have it all. We left the place happy, full and with a bag of leftovers, which we ate for dinner tonight. Everything still tasted good the next day. I do have to say that I wish we had more fried chicken, but we liked it so much that we ate it all while we were still at Soul Fire. That was definitely the highlight for me, but everything else was delicious too. Service was decent and the food was served pretty quickly. All in all a good experience.
(4)
Iska B.
Pros: - FAST! but then when I was there it was a slow night (Thursday) - Decent sized portions - Pulled pork was tasty - Nice choice of sauces - Pleasant, clean, nicely decorated - Cornbread was tasty - Decent prices (they had a special too that night B1G1 free pulled pork sandwich) Cons: - Pickles were GROSS. I love all sorts of pickles but these pickles were just NASTY. Tasted like old relish left in the fridge for five years. - Coleslaw was pretty bland and tasted like plain cabbage. - Cornbread was cold - I didn't like the BBQ potato chip crust on my mac and cheese though the mac and cheese itself was quite cheesy and good. Not a bad place overall but I've had better.
(3)
Heath A.
Plenty of fire but lacking some smoke on the brisket. I love BBQ and will travel near and far for top quality que. Soul Fire is a solid destination for a smoked meat treat. The place is spacious with a large projector screen playing ESPN in the main dining room. The seating is at the bar or at any of the many tables. We had the pulled pork sandwich, with slaw & fries and a Soul Fire Platter of two meats, two sides and cornbread. The platter was roasted chicken and brisket. The chicken was flavorful and moist. The brisket was tender and had a hint of a smoke ring but lacked any real smokey flavor and needed a good portion of sauce to make it tasty. The pulled pork was flavorful, moist and had larger pieces of tasty pig rather than just a shredded saucy mess. The sides were all outstanding. The collard greens were sweet and smoky, fries crispy and hot; the cole slaw was crisp, cold and had a vinegary bite that complimented the pulled pork perfectly. The standout though was the mac and cheese. This side was creamy to the extreme with the whimsical topping of crushed bbq potato chips. The platter, sandwich and basket of fries (you only get 1 side with a sandwich) along with beer and sweet tea set us back $40. Not cheap but a good value for quality BBQ. We'll be back to try to the ribs and fried chicken.
(4)
Morgan C.
The food is pretty good, the service is lacking. I went on a Friday night around 6 and it was definitely crowded. The seating situation was confusing. We didn't know if it was seat yourself because there was no hostess. We went up to the bar and asked and they put us on the wait list. After about a ten minute wait, we were seated at a table. Our waitress was very nice but totally absent. She quickly brought us water and took our order but we never really saw her again until she brought the check. A different waitress brought us our food, forgot my drink. I had to grab a random waitress later to ask for a drink because ours was nowhere to be found. For dinner, I got the brisket platter with mac and cheese and collard greens. The corn bread, pickles and mac were the best part. The brisket was a little too fatty for me. All the BBQ sauces were pretty good and it's nice to have a selection. Over all it was a pretty good meal, and the prices are fair. I might just get takeout next time I'm in the mood for BBQ to avoid the bad service.
(3)
Kevin H.
This place has a really groovy vibe to it. I would suggest coming in a group of 4 or more. Our waiter was super friendly and the service was prompt. We even had a pretty awesome conversation with our waiter about how the food was prepared. But on to the more important details--the food was MEH. I would say the whole experience was probably 3 stars, but the food alone was only a 2.5 for me. It left much to be desired and my pulled pork sandwich and chili looked lonely and small on the plate they gave me. The portions were a bit exaggerated by my friends and I actually had to order another side of wings before I was content. The sauces are pretty good, and can be quite spicy, but it seemed to be the highlight of the sandwich that seemed a bit boring without any on. The pork itself was a bit dry, and again....i'm a pretty tiny guy, and the portions seemed small to me. Seems like most of the favorable reviews seem to be for the all you can eat wings on monday or the platters, so I guess i'll have to try that next time. 2.5 stars for the sandwich, 4 stars for service. Left a bit underwhelmed by the hype but am willing to give it another shot and revise this review.
(2)
Mike M.
I've been coming here since 2010. For some reason I kept putting off the review, and I should apologize for this. Though in my opinion this place has not always been consistent with cleanliness, I have usually enjoyed the food. In the most recent visit, I learned that they removed some things from the menu that I used to order. When we came in to sit down, the table was dirty and no one bothered to clean it for us. I had to get up and look for napkins. The menus were covered in dirty fingerprints and were coming apart at the corners. My ribs were good. I always get them and they have always been pretty consistent. But, it doesn't feel like the same place anymore. If this place was cleaner, I would give it three stars. The service is one thing that's remained unchanged over the years. I really appreciate how polite people are that work here. But serving people food on dirty tables is not okay. Nonetheless, my girlfriend is the only reason that I ever went here, and the only reason she would go was for the pulled chicken. They don't have that on the menu anymore, so it is likely that we won't be coming back.
(2)
Matthew U.
Great Food Went there last week with 4 people We all ordered different stuff and ended up eating each others food Best App is the wings and ribs! Highly recommended place with great beers and great food!
(4)
Andrew B.
I'll keep it brief... Mac & Cheese: delicious Beans: damn good Beef Brisket: don't remember because... Fried Chicken: AMAZING!!!
(4)
Dani L.
I've been coming here for years, the food is always consistent and delicious! This past weekend I had the catfish dinner and it was the best I've ever had, I highly recommend it. The service is also pretty awesome, super helpful folks working there.
(4)
Gabe L.
Awesome food. And a bbq reuben which I'm fracking addicted to. No normal reuben will do it anymore. The soulfire bbq reuben with brisket and coleslaw instead of pastrami and sauerkraut is the only reuben for me. I shake my fist at them for getting me hooked and then reducing the delivery zone so they don't cover my area anymore. Soulfire, why do you play with my emotions so?????
(4)
Meg M.
Great corn bread, average mac n cheese and the ribs? Delicious. Its really a 3.5 star review.. but since thats not an option.. here we are at 4 stars. I have had a mix of service there. I usually sit at the bar and sometimes I find im chasing them down to get beers. I find its a bit expensive for what they give you. I think the potato salad is pretty lacking too. However, the corn bread is bomb and I gotta say I severly dig the BBQ chips on top of the mac n cheese. Is it the best BBQ in town? Not really.. but Cool atmosphere, nice vibe and solid food.. If they just stepped up the service and maybe had a full bar.. we'd be best friends.
(4)
J L.
Excellent sauces and baby back ribs and chicken wings are good!! Stay away from regular ribs too burnt.
(4)
David P.
Since the loss of Uncle Pete's, I've had just two go to places for barbecue in the area: Blue Ribbon for great burnt ends and pork ribs, and Redbones for the vibe, the beer, the convenience, great ownership and respectable beef ribs. After checking out some of the reviews on yelp and the rave on pigtrip.net (a great resource for barbecue joints in the Northeast), I decided to try Soul Fire in 2009. and have been back since for more great food. Soul Fire feels spacious, especially on week nights, when there aren't a lot of people there. There are high ceilings and a huge flat screen TV. Even on busier nights, service has been friendly, helpful and prompt. Pork ribs there have been as good as it as it gets in the Boston area. Spare ribs and baby backs are infused with a fine smoke flavor and the rub adds to it. The ribs needed no sauce, but I love to play around with sauces and even mix them up a bit. On on visit, the ribs were so good I couldn't bring myself to put sauce on them. The "pit boss" and "soul fire" sauces were great, the sweet sauce wasn't much on its own, but was nice blended in with the other sauces. The fiery sauce was a little hotter than I liked but blended with a little pit boss (or the sweet sauce) it was great. The fiery saucet has some mustard in it and is like a kicked up version of Blue Ribbons golden sauce. Fried Chicken, including the chicken wings was excellent - well worth ordering even if you love pork. Barbecue chicken and pulled chicken sandwiches are also great - tender and flavorful. The BBQ chicken is also great - I prefer the wings with the spicy honey barbecue, but if I'm getting a larger order I have them split it between the two sauces. Sides were good to great. The collards were really nicely prepared, but just a little too sweet for my liking the first time - but much better recently. Barbecue beans are also very good. Fries were nicely done. Mashed potatoes and rice and beans have been solid, but not standouts. Everything benefited from being served on large plates, so that things were kept separate - unlike Redbones and Blue Ribbon where everything runs a bit into everything else before you get a chance to chow down. Soul Fire has a decent selection of beers, some on tap and they serve decent wine as well - though the drinks are definitely not the highlight of a visit here. While Soul Fire lacks the life and the funkiness of Redbones, it also lacks the crowds and the noise. Soul Fire has definitely joined my list of top BBQ places in the area. Next to try: Blackstrap.
(5)
lizzie b.
I love BBQ, but I didn't love this place. The spare ribs were tough, I thought. I'm used to them falling off the bone. And the sauces were okay. I did like the mac & cheese, though, and the baked beans weren't bad. Corn bread delish. The cole slaw was kinda funky hmmmmm. Overall I don't think I'd come back, but it was a fun night out (and huge distracting tv.)
(3)
Theresa J.
I love this place. I have been to a few BBQ places in the area but i find this one to be the best. I always get the 2 Meat Combo. I like most of the sauces. Not too fond of the mustardy one or the vinegary one though. Their portions are huge and they have reasonable prices.
(4)
Roni E.
After a good afternoon run, Soul Fire caught our eyes as we were driving by. And so, we stopped to refuel our energy levels. As it appears, Soul Fire is in the midst of becoming a full service restaurant. While it may take longer for sit down than to just go up to the counter, we didn't mind. I had an Arnold Palmer for the first time, which apparently is just half lemonade and half iced tea? I just call that a half and half, who knew there was a proper name for it. At any rate, it was the perfect ratio of tea to lemonade as well as sweetness levels. In case you didn't know, they also have free refills, so make sure you order the smaller once instead. ;-) For my entree, I just couldn't decide, since I wanted everything. And so I ended up getting the combination meal which consisted of 2 BBQs meats, 2 sides, cornbread, and pickles. I chose the brisket and the spare ribs, with the collard greens and another side I can't remember. Personally for the price, I felt that the portions were a bit small. I could have definitely used a bit more brisket. They gave me 3 spare ribs. Now, while I took the rest of my food home, since I only ate a little because I had just ran, normally I would expect more food on my plate. Soul Fire definitely filled my BBQ craving. And they also have 4 sauces on the table that you can user. Personally I liked the Soul Fire one. There was another sauce I favored, but can't remember the name. So the verdict, I would rather go to Soul Fire than RedBones if I had to choose. At least Soul Fire has good ribs. Redbones is way too dry.
(4)
Lea C.
I think this place should be renamed FAIL BBQ. I LOVE bbq, and have eaten its native variety all around the world. I am the rib-off queen. I will admit that Memphis-style is my favorite, but that shouldn't have been a problem here. I'd say everything I tasted except the corn bread was bad to inedible. The baked beans were horrific and tasted of little other than smoke--I had to add 3 tbsp of my favorite bottle bbq sauce to make them edible. The coleslaw was inedible, and seemed to be just vinegar and cabbage. The pickles were so bad I had to spit them out. The babyback ribs were incredibly tough and tasteless, a waste of ribs. The pulled pork was dressed in what I believe is a North Carolina-style, vinegar-based sauce, which isn't in itself bad, but I was not a fan of the formulation. The corn bread was sweet and cake-like, and was the only good thing about the meal. I'm so sad to have psyched myself up for yummy bbq when I was presented with this crime against tastebuds. I feel like it was an assassination attempt against my tongue. Frankly, Uno makes better ribs.
(1)
Bret C.
Great little BBQ spot that is perfect for the area....It's clean and the staff is out-of-their-way-over-the-top friendly. Had a great meal and, according to one young lady, I was given "limited edition" mashed potatoes as one of my sides. Limited edition?!?! I will be back for more of the "Pit Boss" sauce...Don't even bother with anything else!
(3)
Tulsi D.
This restaurant seems to be very popular but I thought it was okay. I was expecting very tasty food, but I thought my pulled pork sandwich was soggy and not really flavorful. Compared to Sweet Cheeks in Fenway, I didn't think this restaurant was comparable.
(2)
A P.
I was really excited to try Soul Fire, but I was really disappointed when I finally did. I don't know if it's because it was a restaurant that looked clean for Harvard Avenue, or it was the bright red paint, or the cool sign out front, but I definitely had high expectations for Soul Fire that were not met. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Neither my beef brisket sandwich nor my boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich came with the barbecue sauce cooked into the meat- we had to add our own from bottles on the table, like ketchup on a burger. At that point, it's not particularly barbecue-y, though you did have the option of mixing and matching different flavors of barbecue sauce. The side dishes were disappointingly small and sad. At first, the price of the food seems like a great value, but once you see the size of the meal, it really isn't. The Mac and Cheese was dining-hall, supermarket-bought caliber, nothing special, and in a very small serving, though I did like their idea of crumbling barbecue chips on top. Like the barbecue sauce, it would have tasted better if they'd cooked it into the mac and cheese instead of adding it afterward. Most of the food I got arrived cold in places, and the restaurant itself was quite chilly. They did have Harpoon Homebrewed sodas, like Root Beer and Cream Soda, which is a major plus for me since I'm a microwbrewed root beer nerd.
(3)
ina U.
So I really hope this place is good because I've been waiting for over an hour and a half. Called at the hour mark and was told my order was half way done and I made it clear if it was going to take another 40 mins I would just cancel. Well, 30 mins later...still no food. Call at the 2 hour mark, different person oh your food is on it's way out th door. Sounds like my food being half way done was a lie. Ugh...Seriously being dishonest with your customers...is pretty low.
(1)
Brian G.
Quick easy T ride to Harvard Ave in a fun neighborhood. I enjoyed the pulled chicken and all of the sauces. I tried every single sauce and did however want to try even hotter but they didn't have any hotter, but thats okay because the 8 or so that I had were delicious! The mac and cheese with barbecue chips on top were cute and tasty. I was also really surprised with the mini pecan pie- it actually had a delicious tasting crust! I will return Soul Fire!
(4)
Amanda K.
The portions are enormous! A lot of the time I have to wrap it up to finish later. The service is also great, the second time I went the server remembered my name and what I had ordered-good stuff! Everyone on the staff is plucky, kind, and ready to help you in any capacity they can. The only things marking down the rating of the review are the quality of the meats and sauces, along with the price. Compared to other BBQ places I've been, the mac and cheese was just "meh." And I love me some mac and cheese. Also, the meats and sauces don't seem as fresh, or as original, as other places in the area. I still will go to Soul Fire as often as I can because of the amazing service I receive here. That alone has made me a patron for life! I just wish that the food was a little better.
(3)
Michael Y.
Kind server and delicious barbeque. Side dishes like corn bread and Cole slaw was delish
(4)
Rene K.
Got a Groupon to try out the BBQ I saw walking past the restuarant on my way to dinner. Ordered the Pitboss sampler for 2-3 and it was quite a lot of food! I wasn't sure what to expect but I was disappointed by how dry the ribs were and that there is an over all "too sweet" flavoring to the sauces and some of the sides. The ribs were tender and had a good smokiness to them but the dryness was just too much to ignore. The chicken wings (grilled and fried) were darn good, same with the potato salad (killer great), coleslaw (great balance of flavors). The greens were stringy and sweet,a first ever as I have eaten a lot of greens and usually the flavors tend towards sour (vinegar) if anything, but not sweet! The beans were sweet too, but I liked it, the husband thinks it is was too sweet. The corn bread was pure nirvana,as there was cream corn in there,all moist and full of corny goodness. Will we return? Maybe if we have another Groupon. Otherwise, the only items on the menu to order for us will be the chicken wings, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread.
(3)
Lady D.
hey, I had a bite to eat at this place and love BBQ. Really :) This place is amazing. Comfort food. Like going to heaven..... mac n cheese delicious Also they a have a variety of different BBQ sauces the make. I tried all the sauces and liked them all. Hot, spicy, sweet, and in between. The ribs are excellent :) Brisket is amazing and the cornbread sweet, moist and fresh. Our waitress was friendly and knew the menu well. Great beer selection :) :) Good value for your money and lots of take home :) Good portions. I would highly recommend this place for BBQ :)
(5)
Rosa S.
I went in yesterday for the first time. I ordered a Soulfire platter which comes with your choice of two meats, two sides, and cornbread. I got the spare ribs and the spicy honey wings. The ribs werent that special but I dressed them with their various barbecue sauces. They bring 4 different kinds to the table and 3 of them were damn good. The spicy honey wings were amazing. I would definitely reorder those. I got macaroni & cheese and collard greens for my sides. The greens were great. The macarioni & cheese were just ok. They were served with crumbled barbedue chips on top, which is different. Cornbread was very tasty. The Sweet Tea wasnt sweet enough but I guess I should lay off the sugar. Service was fast and good and my only complaint is that I left there with my hair smelling like a smoke pit.
(3)
Graham C.
I went to Soul Fire with the gf a few weeks ago. The place is apparently transitioning over to full table service, which I think helps. The decor was nice. Big TVs which are good for baseball I'd imagine. They also have Lone Star on tap, which all BBQ places should. Had the corn dogs which were good. For dinner, I got the St. Louis Ribs and pulled pork which were thick and huge. The beans and collard greens also. All of it very tasty. I also tried the coleslaw, which was like a palate cleanser. Overall, I like Blue Ribbon better. Their pulled pork has more flavor. But I would come back again. Probably not making a lot of extra trips as I'm in Somerville. However if you live in the area, it was cheap and good.
Very cool place to grab BBQ, definitely the best in Allston/Brighton. Great vibe in the restaurant and the food is delicious. My favorite combo is the pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast, with mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and cornbread. Friendly staff and great variety of choices for BBQ sauce.
(4)
Annabel J.
Came here for dinner around 7:30 one night with three friends. We were using a groupon and it was the last night before it expired so the place was packed (apparently everyone had waited till the last minute to redeem haha). We put our name in and then stood in the bar area drinking beers. We waited over half an hour but all the girls working were very friendly and kept checking in with us. Once we sat down, the waitress informed us that they had run out of bread so sandwiches were not an option. I was a little bummed because I wasn't sure i wanted to go for a whole platter, but this stuff happens when restaurants get slammed unexpectedly so you really can't blame them. Might have been a good idea for them to have sent someone to the grocery store for some emergency back-up rolls but whatever. I ended up getting the BBQ pulled pork platter with collard greens and cole slaw. The meat was to de for. The cornbread was sweet and moist. The cole slaw and collard greens we typical- they were absolutely fine but nothing special. They brought a selection of 4 different BBQ sauces that ranged from carolina vinegar-style to super sweet memphis-style to super spicy. Great sauce, great bbq, beer, and good blues music = solid 4 stars. I think they need to rethink the interior decor though-the screaming red and yellow grafitti-style murals are a bit harsh and garish. It makes me feel like I'm in an garage instead of a restaurant/bar. Just some toned down colors and some finishing details would do wonders. Fun raucous atmosphere; I'd go again in a heartbeat, especially on a night I wanted to watch sports.
(4)
Katie V.
Soul Fire is so good that it makes me nervous to live so nearby. As in, there is the potential for me to get really, really fat. When I went with a friend, I got an appetizer because I wasn't that hungry and it was the perfect amount of food -- it was the ribs/wings starter. Two BIG meaty ribs and two oversized chicken wings. The meat was tender and the sauces were phenomenal. I also got a piece of cornbread, which arrived hot and fluffy. Per our server's suggestion, my friend ordered the brisket reuben with a side of mac 'n cheese. They crumble spicy potato chips over the mac -- genius! And the sandwich was out of this world. The stuff that BBQ dreams are made of.
(5)
Amy R.
As a fan of BBQ, I'm always on the lookout for a truly good BBQ joint in Boston. So, when the Soul Fire Groupon coupon offer showed up, I immediately went for it. And there it was, sitting in my car when my BF & I drove over in his car the other night. Oh well, let's try it anyway... We bellied up to the bar and ordered two Lone Stars and two brisket sandwiches. Oh, what mouth-watering goodness..that was one of the tastiest, yummiest brisket sandwiches I've had the pleasure of knowing! Sweet and tender slabs of perfectly cooked, just fatty-enough brisket. So, I lobby for another trip down to Soul Fire a few nights later. With the coupon in hand this time, I'm totally psyched for round two BBQ! BF got crabby about the lack of parking, but luck smiled on us and we nabbed a spot around the corner - yay!! As we were trying to decide what tasty morsels to order this time, the manager strolled over to give us some help. We had almost chosen the sampler platter which he told us would be far too much food for the two of us and suggested some other options. Good call, Jason! Thanks!! I decided on baby back ribs and again, Jason suggested the collard green as a side. I was hesitant as I'm not usually a fan of bitter greens. He assured me I'd like them...and he was right again. They had none of the usual bitter flavor, just tender, sweet and delicious. The ribs were awesome, tasty tenderness on a bone. BF had the burnt ends, ribs, mac & cheese and collard greens. All of which ranked high on the taste-o-meter! This place knows BBQ. It'll be a regular pit stop for us in the future
(5)
Thena H.
Sweet collard greens, terrible potato salad, dry brisket, bland baked beans. My sis had the corn dogs that were okay, but what a waste of money.
(1)
Josh U.
Food 3/5 Decor 3/5 Service 3/5 Value 3/5 Came here on a Friday afternoon for some ribs that I have been hearing about. Ordered 2/3 rack of ribs with a side of French fried and rice + beans. The ribs were ok a bit bland and a bit dry. Proportions were nice and the pit boss sauce was incredibly good which saved Soul Fire from a 2 overall rating. French fries were very good which is always a plus for me. It also came with a few random small pickles that I didn't care too much for.
(3)
Victoria G.
i ordered food to go for a party, spoke to owner about the catering menu. the hot pulled chicken and hot pulled pork were outstanding!! really delicious, quality food, and fairly priced. the mac n cheese was incredible, loved the cole slaw!! i will definitely be back often, and i highly recommend ordering from here for any catered event. amazing!!
(5)
Brittany H.
Soooooooouullllfiiiiiiirrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Love this place. Such a fantastic alternative to Redbones. A little out of the way for me but absolutely worth it. Been here several times, often for wing night. My favorite things about Soulfire: - Seat yourself! I don't know about you, but I've been yelled at once or twice at Redbones so just being able to walk in and sit wherever is nice. - Sauce caddy at the table. A four-pack container of their four sauces in squirt bottles already waiting for you. You don't have to ask your server, you don't have to have magical pre-knowledge of what sauces they have, and you get a full squirt bottle, not a tiny cup full of whatever. - FREAKIN WING NIGHT. $8.99 for all you can eat. They just keep bringing you piles of wings until you say stop (They have awesome service by the way). Plus you get to choose from a variety of sauces like apple bourbon and spicy jalapeno I think it was. - Mac and cheese: they top theirs with crumbled bbq chips. Just one of those little details that just melted my heart and I fell in love. - FRIED mac and cheese. Don't knock it til you try it - I like their pulled pork better than Lester's and Redbones pulled pork (SORRY! I STILL LOVE YOU BOTH) - their brisket is also superb - Not a big sausage person, but I had theirs in the Pitboss sampler and loved it - Love their cornbread. Dense and kind of cake-like, with little corn kernels in it. Much better than Redbones and Blue Ribbon's cornbread. That stuff is a bbq staple, get it right and it makes all the difference - I usually don't care for collard greens, but I actually really liked theirs The only downsides of Soulfire: - Only a limited beer menu. This is where Redbones is the clear winner. - No fried pickles -- my buddies love those suckers, and sadly, they don't offer them here (but they do make up for it in fried mac and cheese and corndogs) - No corn fritters -- Redbones makes them, and they are my favorite app. Just remember, fried mac and cheese. - Kind of annoying to get to for me, being in Allston I have yet to try the dessert, since my stomach is not that big. Will someone let me know?
(4)
Alex G.
Best BBq I have had in Boston. I love the soulfire platter ( although they have been giving less and less meat over time). I have found the service usually fantastic. They are stingy about ID's (my 35 yr old sister was refused a beer, but I guess its understandable). Monday nights are all you can eat wings for 6.99, good deal.
(4)
Travis D.
Great food, huge portions and they have FRIED DOUGH for dessert! The best part is the meat is served AS IS and you get to decide which sauce you want to put on it and how much. I like to try them all, some taste better with certain meats then others. Good place to pig out and have some beers. Plus you will more then likely have leftovers for a light night snack or lunch the next day.
(4)
Dan M.
This is by far my favorite BBQ joint in Boston. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and its close to where I live. I'd go with their beef brisket which is awesome. The only downside is that their success means that its almost always packed for dinner. I guess waiting is the price I have to pay to eat some great BBQ.
(5)
Brady B.
I finally got to Soul Fire! Southern BBQ is one of my favorite types of food and these guys certainly have it. I do prefer Blue Ribbon I must say, bigger portions and a bit cheaper. However Soul Fire did not let me down as far as quality is concerned. I had the 2 meat combo platter which I selected yummy pulled pork and chopped brisket with collared greens and baked beans as sides. The greens weren't the best I've had, but not bad at all and the beans were wonderful. I agree with Ben G. that the brisket was good but I'm a huge fan of burnt ends myself. One of my friends had the spare ribs that looked awesome and she cleaned them up. Next time I will try those and the mac and cheese. I hope Soul Fire stays around for a while in this city that has very limited BBQ.
(4)
Chu C.
Soul Fire was born when the owner, a transplanted Southerner, lost his father and out of his ensuing personal struggles decided to open his own BBQ joint in Allston. He's a really nice guy. It's a no-nonsense joint where you seat yourself, place your order at the counter and pick it up on your own. Their clever tag line: "Serving all souls". Soul Fire does a really good job all-around, but they only do pork ribs, not beef. You should definitely get the spare ribs over the baby back ribs; they're just better. The fried chicken is oily and juicy perfection, and the roast chicken is also good. They have some good sides, including some pretty good collard greens and fried mac and cheese. The fried dough is overpriced, but pretty good slathered in butter and powdered sugar. Portions are pretty big, and I've never left anything but stuffed. Kid-friendly menu includes corn dogs, mac and cheese, and fried chicken. All very good. Soul Fire BBQ sauce is tangy and has a kick to it, and they also offer sweet and spicy versions from heated pumps, a nice touch. Dark and spare ambiance with a bar and two flat-screen TVs, with lots of seating for a place on Harvard St. As with all the places in this area, parking is pretty tough to come by, but try the hidden city lot across the street and behind the buildings.
(4)
Matt F.
Go here. Order a BBQ Rueban. All will be right in your world. That is all.
(5)
jade g.
OMG i tried the pecan pie i took home and it is GROSS, but also it isn't pecan pie. It's more of like an everything chocolate chip cookie with nuts, coconut perhaps and chocolate, very low on the pecan but very high on the underbaked egg batter crud. Do not get it.
(3)
Katherine D.
This review is for all-you-can-eat wings monday nights. I went in with a big group of friends, so I understand it probably was a little troubling for our server, but while th wings were good, and I really enjoyed the little sampler plate they provided (each weeks its spicy honey, pit boss BBQ, buffalo, and their weekly flavor, which was apple spice when i went), however, we were supposed to be able to get 6 wings at a time and they were definitely skimping on us, and deliberately trying to take a long time between wing rounds. I think i'll try again with a smaller crowd then hopefully I can enjoy my wing experience more.
(4)
David G.
I stopped in with a friend last night for the first time with no expectations. We were both craving BBQ and thought I'd give them a shot since we were in the area and there happened to be an open parking spot. Without a long story I'll say I wasn't particularly impressed. It was quiet inside and we had a friendly attentive waitress, but the food was a let down for reasons beyond taste. Out of all the BBQ places I've been to in Massachusetts this place has by far the smallest portion sizes I've seen. I found it amusing that a skinny guy like myself who doesn't eat too much ordered a "two selection" entree and an appetizer and was still quite hungry afterward. One little ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes, two little pieces of fish, and a piece of white bread with a small amount of (evenly spread) pulled chicken on top did not impress me. The food tasted fine, but is not what I would consider great BBQ. It wasn't bad or dry, but it wasn't very special and it lacked plavor. If the food isn't that great you had better not be stingy with it. On a side note: the beer selection was pretty boring and out of touch, but I won't penalize a BBQ place for that. Although, it would certainly add points to my opinion if they made an attempt. If an ultra casual tablecloth place like Redbones can offer decent beer the rest of you restaurants have no excuse. I've been to the Village Smokehouse, Redbones and Blue Ribbon and this place ranks well behind them. 3 stars for a nice waitress, and quick delivery of food, but I don't think I'll be back unless someone invites me. I left feeling like I just spent a lot of money and got little in return and that's not the feeling I want when I leave a BBQ restaurant.
(3)
Mimi H.
I just discovered that I friggn' love BBQ recently. They didn't have exactly what I was in the mood for but what I ate was very good. I had a salad with cold rotisary chicken on it. It was good but I wanted a salad with warm BBQ chicken. I mean it is a BBQ place. I also had a side of mac and cheese. It was bomb. The service was fast and very good. Waitress was very sweet two my two guy friends who were obviously smitten by her.
(3)
Ben G.
My experience at Soul Fire was somewhat limited. However i will say this. I had a chopped beef sandwich and it was pretty good. I mean it was no KC burnt ends but it was still pretty good. The cole slaw was pretty good and not overly dosed in mayo. My roommate got a pulled pork platter and he loved it. Like happier than a pig in shit. Oh that was a bad analogy given the topic, Anyhoo. I tasted his pulled pork with a variety of sauces and i was pleased. The corn bread was also good. Upon walking into this dead establishment, there is a bar to your left with counter service just past that. On the right is a ton of tables and chairs along with a giant projection screen for your viewing pleasure. It was clean and the staff was friendly. i also think it was pretty cheap compared to some of the other BBQ joints in the area. So I'm sure that appeals to the college community of Alston , Brighton.
(3)
Jennafir E.
So this place is a hit or miss on certain things. I REALLY like the ribs, they make me want more. Sooo god with their sauce took, I'm a fan of the sweet and pitboss. Yummy. It is perfect for grease and fattening goodness. The fries are astounding. Just the right amount of salt and crispiness. I have a feeling I will return for late night visits, just for the fries. The fried mac and cheese arn't that great. Not enough flavor in my opinion. You shouldn't have to add salt. The chili rocks. Just enough kick to not make your mouth burn, while the potato salad is lacking in flavor. Too much onion, not enough moisture, not enough taste. I've made better and I suck at potato salad. The corn dogs and lemonade are also decent choices. I only give it a 4, because I REALLY like the fries and because they have fried dough! MMMMM fried dough...... with a yummy maple butter.... my mouth is watering now. Otherwise most of the food is a 3.
(4)
Buggin O.
Skip the BBQ (mediocre) and go straight to their fried chicken platter. Nicely seasoned and fried chicken. Way better than any place I've had in the Boston area. Good fried chicken is not easy to make. You get half a chicken with two sides (which are so so) and corn bread for like $12. Unless you're a glutton, split the plate with your lady/man and call it a cheap Redbox date night.
(4)
Fabiola L.
Food is great, love the pulled chicken. The staff is always friendly..am so happy when my company gets Soul Fire for our weekly lunches...
(4)
Catherine P.
Soul Fire is in Allston, a down-on-it's-heels neighborhood with lots of ethnic mixes. Reminded me of Queens, NY. My husband had the pulled pork, which was really good but needed more sauce. Fortunately, they deliver a box with 4 different BBQ sauces: Sweet, Fiery, Soul Fire and .. Bourbon?, all very delicious. I had the sliced brisket, which was nothing special but tender and not dry. My daughter had the ribs, the star of the meal. Juicy, fleshy, not mushy. Perfectly cooked. The sides were excellent: sweet collard greens, fresh-baked corn bread and smoky beans. The mac n cheese was excellent. The potato salad and coleslaw were also very good. It all comes on a pizza tray with a red and white checked paper covering. The portions were on the small side, but that's just because Americans are used to being served giant meals. After a few minutes (and side dishes) we were full. The place itself is more saloon than restaurant, with a long bar and a giant tv. All in all, I would recommend this place for BBQ.
(3)
Jessica B.
Spicy BBQ sauce that actually has a bit of heat, tart pucker-your-mouth pickles, tender pulled pork, collards speckled with brisket. Quite lovely. Unlike many people, I am not put off by ordering at the counter and self-seating. In fact, I would say that this style of self-service is typical of most BBQ joints in the southern states (unless you go to Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, a yucky chain BBQ place where you get table service.) For some, counter service reeks of fast food, but for me it is authenticity. Also, this was the most artfully displayed tray of food I've ever seen for BBQ. And all for $7. Seems reasonable for a huge portion of pork and an adequate serving of collards. The draft beer was maybe a bit pricey, and I have to try the sweet tea before being totally convinced, but this will be my go-to BBQ.
(4)
Jin Z.
(Mouth literally watering as I write this) I may have grown up in Boston, but having been to KC, Texas, Memphis, Chapel Hill, and other places in my life, I have tried authentic barbecue from nearly every place that America offers it. It saddened me that Boston never had a place that could compare to those shrines of meat and grease in the South, where the smell of gently cooking meat and smoky sauce drew me like a moth to a flame. Until now. Soulfire has filled that little hole in my heart from years of not having good BBQ, and it did it not in little dabs and bits, but with the gargantuan beating-bat that they call the "Pitboss Sampler," which seems to have enough food to feed the average human for nearly a week-a heaping pile of spareribs, babybacks, brisket, fried wings, bbq wings, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and every side on the menu, including the absolutely unreal cornbread, the tangy and authentic collard greens, and the perfectly cooked baked beans. Tina (my friend) and I consumed until we were fit to burst, but we were still nowhere close to even finishing the food. The resulting leftovers fed me for three days. Keep in mind, I am a 220lb guy who regularly took challenges at Eagles. Pros: -Extremely friendly and timely service. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and actively suggested the best sauces to go with each meat. -The sauces. The Sweet was a bit too much with the honey, but the Soulfire and the Pitboss were the best sauces I've ever had, and the Fiery sauce had a kick to match its name. -Spareribs. Fuck babybacks, if I ever eat pork ribs again, this would be it. Tender, meaty, and cooked perfectly, they taste sooooo much better than some tiny little rack of babybacks. -Southern Fried Wings. If Soulfire ever went into the fried chicken business on a large scale, KFC and Popeyes can kiss their asses goodbye. Massive, juicy, and flavorful as hell. -The sides. Usually, good BBQ has maybe one or two good sides that go with the meat. At Soulfire, EVERYTHING is good. -The chili. Some places just use ground beef in chili. At Soulfire, you know what they use? They cut off the end pieces of babyback ribs and briskets and use those. It's unreal chili. Cons: -No parking. If you're from out of town-good luck. Allston is not known for being kind on areas to be. -Boneless meats are ok, but sometimes too dry and overcooked. -Babybacks are ok at times, too dry other times. -Lunch specials would be nice to have around. Overall, Soulfire feeds your BBQ-hungry soul with a perfect array of food. Now get your ass up and over there and get grubbin'!
(5)
Kate D.
This is the ultimate spot in Allston for total comfort food. On the days when it's cold/rainy/snowy and Sushi or Mexican just won't cut it, this place is great. The chili cheese fries are really tasty, with the perfect combo of cheese (not too much), bits of meat, and spices. The sides are all 1.99 (seriously), and I found myself thinking that this would be a great place to order a few sides and a beer for a $10 lunch. The mac n cheese & potato salad are awesome. My only complaints would be the limited selection of draft beers (I did get a bottle of Victory pilsner though), and the strange taste of the catfish (I'd never had catfish, but it tasted strangely metallic and needed a lot of lemon and tartar sauce to be edible). The waitstaff is your typical allston hipster crowd, but they must have been schooled in Southern hospitality-- I've never been greeted so warmly at a restaurant in Allston before! We will definitely come back here!
(4)
Zeb T.
The service was terrible and they treated me like a criminal. After taking a risk to buy a living social deal with SFBBQ my experience retreating my food was terrible. They wouldn't let me leave with the food so that I could pay the $1.80 sales tax over the phone. I asked if I could call back to pay the tax and they said NO. This exchange made me feel embarrassed and angry. I could understand this level of service if it was part of a big chain and they would get fired by a corporate manager for bending the rules, but this is a locally owned restaurant! WT-hell man! There are plenty of other places to eat in Allston so why eat somewhere that doesn't make an effort to deliver good service?
(1)
Gary M.
Come hungry and leave in a food coma. It's so good ! Pulled pork, sliced brisket, fried chicken, Ribs and some tasty sides are all just so good. I work real close and when I'm looking for s meal at work this is my go to spot. They don't disappoint!
(5)
Victoria P.
Came here with my boyfriend and had the pulled pork platter and the fried chicken platter. We're both from North Carolina so we're used to the best BBQ in the nation. Given this, we thought this place was mediocre. The fried chicken lacked flavor and the pulled pork was a bit bland. The mac and cheese tasted gritty and the collard greens were extremely sweet. My boyfriend liked the mashed potatoes and I thought the cornbread was good. Other than that our meal was just okay.
(3)
Adam B.
favorite bbq joint in boston... great cooks, though the servers were a little slow and disorganized.... highly recommend this place....i think the food is significantly better than sweet cheeks.... reasonably priced.... not sure why this place is not more crowded... the best pulled pork.... delicious mac n cheese, pickles, cole slaw.... 5 different sauces....
(5)
Michelle T.
Really enjoyed the food here, though the atmosphere was a little confusing to begin with. If you come here on a Friday night, you'll think you walked into a sports bar with creole art on the wall serving BBQ but with walls vibrating hip hop/top 40 beats. You'll then find out the beats are actually from the bar next door since they share a wall. Interesting. That is all I can say. Service, of the 2 times I've been here has always been consistently friendly and fast. Food: - BBQ chicken: Smokey, fall-off the bone delicious. I'd order this again in a heartbeat. - Baby back Ribs: They could do better. Flavors were alright, but the meat was almost tough. Was hoping for some melt-in-your-mouth meat that just falls off the bone and these ribs didn't really bring it. - Pulled pork sandwich: A-ok. Nothing special but not bad at all. Sides: - Cornbread is how I like it - sweet and moist, although I could do with it heated up a little more. - Collard greens were deliciously sweet and tender. Loved them! - Beans with pork were also very sweet (might do well with some more salt), but loved the porky bits in there. Yup, I'd recommend this place. Price is right, service is fast and friendly, food is decent and comes with 4 BBQ sauces (all you can eat/drink! haha) so...I wouldn't mind coming back again for more.
(4)
joe m.
Wow! Walked in as I was looking for a quick bite to eat on a Tuesday after work and man did I pick a good spot. Best pulled pork sandwich I have ever had, excellent selection of sauces. Did not finish large side of fries, and the cost was right on. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was very low key. I will be back soul fire and I am going to spread the word.
(4)
Leesha Z.
So I came here a bit skeptical. Why would there be good southern bbq in Allston of all places? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The boy and I came here around 7pm on a weeknight and snagged a seat at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender and given menus. We both immediately knew what we wanted - the pulled pork. I ordered the pulled pork platter, which came with cole slaw, corn bread and mac n cheese. My boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Shortly after, our food came out. First thing I noticed were the portion sizes. HUGE! I decided to dig right in to the main attraction - the pork! Wow was it delicious. Moist, flavorful. This was before I put any sauce on. It honestly was great without but I decided to try one of their 6 sauces on it and that made it even better. Cole slaw was perfect. Corn bread was fresh. Mac n cheese was good but I've had better. All in all it was a great experience. The best part is the platter was only $12. I couldn't believe everything I got and how good it tasted for such little money. Great service throughtout the dinner as well. Can't wait to go back!!!!!
(4)
Jen K.
We got the three meat combo! We got the pulled pork, baby back ribs and spare ribs. Pulled pork EH. Spare ribs EH. You know good ribs when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. The spare ribs was pretty chewy. The baby back ribs were good though they seemed to be a table favorite. The three meat combo is good for two people to share unless you have a big stomach and you can eat it all by yourself. We also got the fried Mac and cheese app! MMMMMMM so good! It's large fried cubes of Mac and cheese! We got the large which comes with 7 cubes!! Also we tried every side! The rest are EH but I recommend the collard greens and mashed potatoes with gravy! The mashed potatoes with gravy is a delicious perfect combination while eating all that meat! The cornbread is delicious as well. I would higher the rating if the thing they were known for their BBQ was amazing. However, I've had good BBQ in the Midwest so it's hard to compete with that. Our server was so accommodating there! She always attended to our needs! :) She was tall! Hopefully you guys can make her day!!
(3)
Paul L.
This is some smoky, solid ribs! The Mac & cheese was a bit bland, and the brisket lacked a significant smoke ring and could have been more flavorful. Service was prompt and friendly. Driving is a challenge since parking spots are hard to find.
(4)
Jarrett L.
More of a 3.5 The staff always seems nice, food is par. I really wish it had better food, I love bbq but it just feels like they are almost there, as if they don't put enough time into their cooking as they do down south. Perhaps I just have high standards. It is nice that they give a local business discount.
(3)
Matt L.
Their moist towelettes are very moist.
(5)
Alyssa W.
Been told by many friends to try this place out. Finally made the trip. This is a no frills place. They have all you can eat wings for $12.99, if you have a big appetite, this is a good deal for you. But I was in with my family and we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We got the southern fried chicken, YUM and a corn dog. for dinner, 4 Souls platter. it was more than enough, we had 5 people. Ribs, chicken, brisket and 2 sides, mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. Their seasoning is great, dry rubbed ribbed and a smoked chicken were so tasty. Brisket, juicy and not as fatty as other places, which made it a little less guilty haha Service is average, nothing spectacular. All in all, i'd return.
(3)
Kim V.
For a long time, I kept passing by this place and never seeing it. Not too surprising considering this is such a busy area, both in terms of number of restaurants and passerby-ers. Lucky for me, it finally caught my attention. Soul Fires's ambiance displays artwork depicting many soulful musicians and aside from the decor, they have affordable BBQ delights to please any meat eater. Depending on your appetite, you can get their monster sampler platter, which can easily stuff 2-3 people or you can get items off their appetizer or sides menu. This most recent visit consisted of a corn dog, collard greens and some cornbread. The corndog was a bit on the small side for my liking, but everything else was fine. Other times I've been here and have gotten the baby back ribs, yum! They have several BBQ sauce varieties, from tangy to somewhat spicy to sweet, depending on your tastes. I've also been here for wing night. The wings are good but I realized I can't personally eat enough to justify the cost. Not that it's all that expensive at $8-9 (can't remember exact price), but per wing I'm better off not going on the all you can eat route, my friends, on the other hand, were elated. Yes, they were boys. I've been here many times. Sometimes with one other person, sometimes with around 15 people. They are very accommodating, but if you have large groups, it's always beneficial to arrive early to stake out the big table in the back. They have a projector where they will show different games which can be fun with a big group. Parking can be tough, especially on Harvard itself. If it's late enough, Comm Ave should have some decent parking. Best bet it to take the T or bus. They are also on LevelUp, a smartphone app that allows you to pay via your phone. When you use it here, they also offer a small, but appreciated discount.
(4)
Jared H.
I had been here a couple of times and just recently went again after groupon had an offer for them. Their BBQ is pretty good, I like their ribs. I am not a big fan of their pulled pork but I do like their brisket. I went with a friend and we tried the fried mac and cheese to start which was really good. They have multiple BBQ sauces they keep on the table which are made in house. They have a regular, sweet, and spicy. All of which are good. I had a combo platter with the spare ribs and sliced brisket. As sides I got the mac & cheese and cornbread. The mac and cheese is great and an added bonus is they put chips on top of it for a great crunch. The cornbread is also very delicious. The only downside of the meal was the service was a little slow.
(4)
Daniel B.
I hope the food is actually good, as I just ordered delivery and have nothing yet, after 155 minutes. . .
(3)
Jessi R.
I love me some BBQ, so was happy when my boss' first choice for a pre-graduation lunch wasn't around anymore. I've heard great things about Soul Fire, but seeing as it's in Allston/Brighton and I am loathe to travel into that haven of hipsters. The server only batted one eye at my gluten-free colleague and helped her pick a meal she could eat. I have to say that it was disappointing they put so much BBQ sauce on my pulled brisket though, because it didn't allow me to try any of the 4 sauces they put on our table--what's the point in offering BBQ sauce if I can't have any? The sauce they gave me was fine, if a little hot, but I do prefer a place that lets ME pick.
(3)
Phil O.
I've ordered from here a couple times, and both times it's been a solid 4. What I've tried: fried catfish, brisket sandwich, pulled pork, fried macaroni and cheese, spinach What I've not yet tried: the ribs I still need to try the ribs!
(4)
Michele G.
Oh my holy sweet sauce jeebus. This place is unbelievably mouthwatering. I had a Groupon and everything was so cheap that we almost had a hard time getting to $30 with just the two of us! HOORAY! You walk in and the scent of the smoked meat and BBQ spices wafting through the air is intoxicating. So, so intoxicating, as if you could get drunk from the enticing aroma headed towards you from the kitchen. SoulFire, you will be warm, spicy, meaty oasis in winter. I don't mind that you turn me glutinous. Your pulled chicken platter is killer and your sauces are amazing. Hot DAMN! Thank you for existing here in the Northeast, where good bbq is much too hard to find.
(5)
Jessie C.
Good BBQ. Small portions GREAT fried chicken (although i don't eat it a lot, or ever - i had a few bites and I was pleased). Fantastic Corn Dogs! Any restaurant that serves corndogs is fantastic in my book! Delicious fried mac and cheese balls. Ordered pulled chicken platter. good - chicken was tasty, not a ton of food which was nice. Liked how it was served on metal pizza trays. OK beer selection for a bbq place.
(4)
Sam G.
One of my favorite lunch spots! Huge portions and high quality. Favorite thing would have to be the BBQ reuben with either Mac or Chili as a side. For a $10 lunch, you can never go wrong!
(5)
L K.
We ordered some dinner here for pick-up. After a long day of painting furniture and putting together our new apartment, the food from Soul Fire really hit the spot! -fries: not crispy enough, but plenty of potato-y goodness -collard greens: terrific smoky flavor but contains bacon so we didn't eat it. -fried chicken: 4/5... very good! -cole slaw: 5/5... I loved this.
(3)
Renee M.
Two words: so disappointing. I don't have much experience with BBQ food, the only other time I can recall eating it was in Texas and OMG it was SO GOOD there. So, to compare BBQ in Boston to BBQ in Texas may be unfair, but I am going to do it anyway. First of all, the service here is sssslllllloooooowwwwww. We were not greeted by a server and given water for a good 15 minutes after we sat down. Later on in the night I heard a waitress tell a table of unlucky people sitting next to us that there was an hour wait for food. um wtf? I ordered the Soulfire Platter, and I got spare ribs and brisket with sides of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribs were full of fat, as was the brisket. Both meats were tough and lacked flavor. The BBQ sauces were good though. The mashed potatoes and the mac n cheese were good but nothing special. It seemed like they had a good selection of beers, but I didn't order any. Sorry, but I will not be returning.
(2)
Sean M.
3.894 Stars It didn't suck, in fact it was pretty damn good. I like BBQ, a lot. I'm also pretty picky about it too. We ordered a large amount of food for two people which elicited this from the waitress: "Do you guys have a Groupon?" We did not. This was our first time and we wanted to get the essence in one go. Corn Dogs, Fried Catfish Sandwich, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Rice and Beans, Pickles, Potato Salad, Corn Bread, and Pecan Pie. And Beer. It was all good we ate most of it. We will be back. * One of the best BBQ places in Boston (or we hit it on a very good day). * Parking spot in front of the restaurant, it was pre-determined.
(4)
Kelsey A.
Yum! Sahil G. and I went last night for dinner. We had a Groupon (I paid $15 for $30 worth of food and drinks!), and I couldn't wait to go, based on all the awesome reviews. We got there around 7:45 and it was pretty full -- no open tables or seats at the bar. I think because of the Groupon deal, the restaurant was way more busy than the employees expected it to be, and the waitresses seemed a little frazzled. There was a nice waitress taking names, but she said we were more than welcome to sit at one of the longer, communal-style tables. We were STARVING, so we decided not to wait for a regular table. It took a little while to get menus -- turns out no waitress had been assigned to us. No big deal, the table had an app/drink menu on it, so when the waitress finally came over with dinner menus we were able to order our beers/app. I got a PBR -- on draft, for $2.50! -- and Sahil G. got a Lone Star. we also ordered the fried mac and cheese. The beers came out very quickly, and it was cute that the waitress brought the bottle cap with the Lone Star so that Sahil could see his riddle. My PBR was very cold and delicious, perfect for eating BBQ. The fried mac and cheese was awesome, but did not look how I expected! We got a "small" order, which was a basket with 5 fried cubes. It looks like fried tofu, but inside the very well-seasoned crust are a lot of hot, cheesy noodles. Yum! Sahil G and I both decided to get the Soulfire Platter with 2 meats. These platters are ENORMOUS -- if we were any less hungry we definitely could have (and should have) shared one. For $15.95, these platters are a great value -- you get two meats, two sides, corn bread, and pickles. A TON of food. I ordered pulled pork and fried chicken wings with cole slaw and potato salad; Sahil ordered sliced brisket and babyback ribs with mac and cheese and collard greens. When we go out to restaurants together, we always get completely different things so that we can maximize the variety of food that we get to try. We're cute, I know. The food came out really quickly -- the waitress told me my fried wings would be about 15 mins, but I can't say we waited longer than 10 for both platters, and these things are PACKED with food. The pulled pork was very tender, and so was the brisket. The ribs were also cooked perfectly, and had a great smoky flavor. However, the highlight for me, meat-wise, were the fried wings -- the breading was salty and delicious, and the meat was DRIPPING with juice/fat. AMAZING. The cornbread was really good, a perfect combo of sweet and savory, and very moist. The pickles were nice too, though I am not a huge fan of "bread-and-butter" style so I only had a couple. The cole slaw was good -- a little too much liquid, but perfectly seasoned, and not too sweet (I hate when cole slaw is too sweet, yuck!). I wasn't a huge fan of the collard greens, oh well. The two best sides, IMO, were the mac and cheese and the potato salad. The potato salad was made with red bliss, mustard, and pickles. AMAZING. And the mac and cheese was so cheesy, with some bbq chips crumbled on top. I highly recommend Soulfire. The beers are so cheap, and the food is very reasonably priced -- a great value, considering both the quantity and quality of the food you receive. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Saba N.
solid bbq. I really like it here. It's a take out favorite for me, I never really eat there though because parking is such a pain! Love the Pick 2 Combo deal.. I always go with pulled pork and cat fish. YUM. I will say though, that as far as bbq in MA... you gotta try red bones &blue ribbon. now THAT is good eatin!
(3)
Charles L.
I have been meaning to try this place ever since I read the review on Pigtrip.net (search for pigtrip soulfire). The true prize here are the St. Louis ribs. A+. Forget about getting them as takeout. I did, but I also sat down and ate 2 of them right away before going home. They were moist, succulent, flavorful, plenty of smoke. Some of the best ribs I've had. 5 star, right there. Fried chicken wings: 5 star also. They were like fried chicken should be: crisp, but not crunchy. The meat was plenty moist too. Honestly, I like a more traditional buffalo wing, but I also like fried chicken. So I'm torn. Brisket: pretty good. A-. In general, it was pretty moist, but a few pieces were slightly less than moist. Pulled pork: A. Yup, pretty darn good with plenty of the crusty exterior bits mixed in. I liked all of the sauces: Sweet, Soul Fire, Spicy, and Pit Master. Any of them go well on the meats. Health food, not. Good bbq, definitely.
(5)
Alyssa B.
The first time I went to Soul Fire it was years ago (circa 2005-06) and it was HORRIBLE. So I was a little dubious when our friends got a Groupon to head there (they have always been big fans). The food was terrific! So terrific that we've returned since as well. Perhaps our first visit was on an off day. My favorite is the pulled pork
(4)
Nik B.
A little bit of low-key, high flavor is a solid way to start a Friday night. Soul Fire BBQ is a nothing-fancy place and fits right into Allston. My friend recommended that I order the pulled pork sandwich ($6.95), so I did. The pork comes seasoned, but sauceless, on a light bun. Even without any sauce the meat was tender and flavorful. I tried all the different sauces, but I liked the house SoulFire sauce the most. It was a well rounded sauce that was both spicy and sweet; definitely my favorite of the four sauces. I got the collared greens as my side which were also delicious. They weren't too buttery and had a lot of flavor and kick. Soul Fire also has relatively good beer prices. I settled on the Harpoon IPA ($4.50) which paired very nicely with my sandwich.All in all a great barbecue join in Allston.
(4)
Brian B.
3 Stars Fits Just Right The one disclaimer I have here is that I've only ever ordered delivery from Soul Fire. I only ever order from this place when I'm feeling too lazy to get out to Blue Ribbon. In my opinion, this place will suffice when you just can't get out to West Newton or Arlington. It's been OK each time. Probably would get 4 stars if I were to dine in, because I'm sure the food would be that little bit hotter/fresher than by whatever time the delivery guy makes it to my place, which is all of .5 miles away haha.
(3)
Tiffany T.
Went back here to dine in during a Friday night. Food was still good but I recommend getting take out. Service was awful.... and immensely slow.
(3)
MEGAN L.
Love their food it's always delicious, BUT sadly my boyfriend ordered delivery for us before I had to go to work and they never showed up! Really guys?! They apologized and said it would be another 45min to an hour for our original hour 2 hrs prior to arrive....it's a shame they don't pride themselves on customer service and establishing customer loyalty as much as they pride themselves on their BBQ.
(3)
rosann s.
I don't generally get to the Allston/Brighton area and am always looking for fun, good places to eat, and this one was great! We had quick and easy service. The prices were very reasonable. The food was very good. We had the fried Mac N Cheese as an app, then pulled chicken sandwiches for dinner .. yummmm .. a couple of really nice sauces! Would definitely go back!!!
(4)
Gerrit B.
Fantastic food, but slow service Ordered catfish sandwich with baked beans. I also tried some spare ribs and macaroni and cheese. Everything was delicious! The pitboss sauce is definitely their best in my opinion. Our server was slow though. I'd go again and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.
(4)
Emily D.
I don't know dude - it's just so mediocre. And the service is consistently bad. I am a HUGE BBQ fan - my favorite cuisine. And every time I've come to Soul Fire I've wanted to like it, but I always leave a little disappointed. I ordered their pulled pork platter with mac & cheese, baked beans, and cornbread. Their pulled pork is all right - a little bland, but their homemade BBQ sauce makes it much better. Their mac & cheese is good mainly because they crumble BBQ chips on it. Their baked beans are WAY TOO sweet. And their cornbread is dry and crumbly. So, basically, as average as it gets. Now for the service - the few times I've been there, it's been BAD. They rarely check on you, and you end up having three different waiters by the end of the night just because you were trying to get a refill on your water. It definitely needs to be regulated a bit more. Besides that, they DO have really cheap beer so I'd say that's worth it... But I'm definitely still on the hunt for good BBQ in Boston!!!!
(3)
Andrea E.
Can you believe that I go to a BBQ place for their ONE vegetarian dish even though I'm not vegetarian? hahaha this has nothing to do with the quality of their meats though, I love their vegetarian rice and beans, wow, actually just thinking about it is making me hungry, it is so delish and the salsa they have is just spicy enough to enjoy oh so much! Another thing that I love but don't get to eat often (just because it must be about 1000 calories) is their fried dough...it is to die for! the honey butter sauce they put on tastes like heaven, not I'm afraid that I've gained a pound just by writing about it! Anyways, I recently started to try more things on the menu and I have come to also love the pulled chicken, it is so tender, juicy and delicious it is quite the experience. Now about the staff, I have not had anything but good things to say about them, they are always very nice and attentive so I always try to tip them very well. For first timers, beware that this is a BBQ place, not a bar (even though there is a bar inside the restaurant) and they will not serve you alcohol unless you order something to eat.
(4)
Angelina C.
This is one of those places I frequent but always forget to review. Soul Fire is so freaking good that there's no reason to go anywhere else in Boston for barbeque. My faves are the Southern fried wings, pulled pork with Soul Fire sauce, short ribs, their mac and cheese (and those bites!), collards. . .okay, everything. My fingers are still sticky from last night's Superbowl food fest. Soul Fire. It's not a bar. It's BBQ. And they deliver.
(4)
Em K.
The first experience I had with Soul Fire was via delivery. It was definitely one of those nights where you need home cooking and fast. Timing wise the food was prompt but after a few bites it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Fast forward about a month I had some friends visiting and they insisted on going, I was game. What a difference it makes going in! The wait staff was very nice, had a great attitude and very accommodating. After our food arrived, with incredibly portions and tasty sides, I realized that my first experience was off because there was no BBQ sauce! I forgot to request a specific type so it came without and of course that makes a difference. All of their sauces are spectacular and satisfy my need for spice, they have a great one that's wicked hot! The beer on tap is great and the atmosphere is truly unique, definitely recommend a trip in!
(4)
Ramzi B.
Quality comfort food on the cheap with excellent service to boot - Soulfire offers a crash course in all-American cuisine. Let's start with the food: I have been here about a dozen times and have literally eaten my way through 90% of the menu. I have yet to try something I didn't like. For appetizers, go with the CHILI CHEESE FRIES - an absolute must at $5.55 - made with skin-on french fries, a smoky, tangy BBQ chili, and liquid cheese. Other treats include the Fried Mac & Cheese (twisted, demented, and oh so delicious) and the Southern Fried Wings. If you're in a small group (under 4), try one of the following as your main - you won't regret it: [a] BBQ Reuben, [b] Pulled Pork Sandwich, [c] Fried Catfish Platter, [d] Spareribs. [e] Soulfire Platter (with 3 meats because you're sick like that). If you're with a larger party (both in number and in weight), I suggest the FEEDS FOUR SOULS combo. At $14 per person, you get an entire smoked chicken. 1 rack of spareribs, 1 pound of boneless meat, 4 cornbreads, and 2 pints worth of sides. It's a terrific deal! As for the service, I have only one word: awesome. What?! Need proof? A few weeks ago, after discovering that the chicken and ribs I ordered were missing from the delivery bag, I picked up the phone and talked to Anne, a delightful and apologetic employee. Within 20 minutes, I not only received TWO TIMES MORE food than was missing, but they also sent me a $25 gift certificate and the following note from the manager: Ramzi. Thanks so much for calling and letting us know what we missed. Truly, the only way to know how things go for deliveries is for you to tell us. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy some food on us next time with the enclosed gift card. Again sorry to keep you waiting for the good stuff and enjoy. :) Christine, Anne, and Soulfire The good stuff indeed. Just let your Soul Glo.
(5)
Leon F.
The reason I give Soul Fire 5 stars is because it is as good as it gets in Boston. I grew up in Memphis and will admit I'm a BBQ snob. I've tried several joints including Blue Ribbon and Redbones (yuck!). Soul Fire is by far the best BBQ joint in Boston. The pulled pork is great! It's not oily like Redbones. The spare ribs are also very delicious, the meat falls right off the bone. Another great thing about Soul Fire is the variety of sauces. No matter where you are from or your preference of vinegar or molasses based BBQ sauce, Soul Fire has it! Yesterday, I ate the fried chicken for the first time and was very impressed with the seasoning. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Lee M.
I wasn't disappointed with Soul Fire BBQ, but I also wasn't particularly impressed. The girl at the counter was very nice. I don't usually tip people for putting an order into a register, but she/they got one. The pulled pork barbecue was nothing special. It barely had any taste, so use sauce (but be wary...see below). They have four kinds of sauce. Three of them look like they just increase in spiciness (I didn't try any of these three) and the fourth is "North Carolina barbecue sauce" (the quotes are meant to mock it, not to say that this is exactly what the container says). They claim that it is a spicy vinegar sauce, but it seemed to me to be a vinegary Tabasco sauce - it was actually pretty bad. I was happy with the sides. Corn bread, slaw, and mac & cheese were all very good. And the sweet tea was good, but no free refills (?!?!). Sweet tea is like the one thing that you must have free refills for. It also seems a little overpriced to me. For the price I paid, I should have left stuffed, but I was just not hungry anymore. It was plenty of food for me, I just should have paid less for it. But will the complaints that I had, I'd go back if I was in the area and craving some barbecue...it's not worth any significant trip though.
(3)
chris p.
*This is essentially a fried chicken review* Since Popeye's has been closed *Is now open AGAIN!!* I was on a search to find great fried chicken in the boston area. Upon recommendation of a coworker I went to soulfire bbq.This was a mistake. My first visit, the chicken was slightly dry, but not too bad. The sides *you get 2 with the fried chicken platter* were mediocre at best. The collard greens were the only good thing about the meal. The mac n cheese was odd. Who puts lays BBQ chips on top of their mac n cheese as the topper?!??!? My second visit I got the same platter but changed the sides. The chicken was better but still had some dryness to it. The sides i went with double mac n cheese, and specifically told them not to put the lays bbq chips on top...... of course they did not listen, and screwed up my order. My third and Final visit I got the same platter, with double collard green sides. This was the final straw, the chicken was burnt, and dry all the way to the bone. I don't know who is cooking the chicken, but whoever it is does not know how long to fry it. The only saving grace was the sides of collard greens. If u want fried chicken go elsewhere. I gave soulfire three chances, but for some reason they dont know how to fry chicken. there are plenty of alternatives, and i suggest going to those places instead, because soulfire is mediocre at best.
(2)
Aaron K.
Bottom line is that this is very good BBQ, and they DELIVER! BBQ is great for both taking home and eating out in a great atmosphere, but to be able to have really great BBQ brought to one's door is just plain fantastic. I love tender ribs with a dry rub. These are very good, and they're not quite as fatty as some other places. The chopped brisket was good too. I'm just waiting for Soul Fire to start delivering beer and a roast pig.
(4)
Esther Y.
For all you Boston residents that haven't been here...you are missing out. This place is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. First, let me start off by saying that the staff here is AMAZING. Quite possibly the best service I've had. EVER. Christine was our server, and like we told her....an awesome server really makes your overall experience so much better. She was spot-on with her reccs, she was great at describing the food, and she was so good at her job, I felt like I wanted to eat more and more and more! Based off of Christine's recc we started off with the fried mac n cheese. Um can you say heaven? Seriously, if I worked/lived/was remotely anywhere near there, I would get that every time. EVERY TIME. It's so delicious I was tempted to eat more than my share and dig into my husband's b/c he was eating too slowly. Ha! Then, this is where more of Christine's awesomeness comes in, we tried some wings. Apparently we were there on "AYCE Wing Night" and because we were newbies, she let us try the flavors they were offering that night. I mean...I could've been completely satisfied eating wings for the rest of the night, but if you have read any of my previous reviews, you would know that that would've been impossible. Per usual, the hubs and I proceeded to order WAY too much food off the menu. We wanted to try as much as we could, and we were determined to leave there having tried their top picks. The Hubs and I both got the platters where we pick our two meats. I went with the fried chick and the ribs, and he went with the smoked chick and the brisket. The hubs and I LOVED everything. For our sides, he had the baked beans and potato salad, and I had the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Again, everything we had was sooooooo good. My mouth is watering thinking about it. For dessert, we had their fried dough. Um, WHAT?! Fried dough?! HOLY COW. I could eat this all day. It's this awesome fried dough with some homemade butter with honey and covered with powdered sugar. Wow. I mean, WOW. During dessert Mark (?) sorry, I'm terrible with names, came out from the kitchen and talked to us about the food. What I like is that he said he serves food the way he likes to eat it. So, if people think that the cornbread is a little too cakey, then sucks for you! You don't eat it or get it from somewhere else! LOL. I mean, how can you NOT love that? Honestly, you can tell that everyone that works here LOVES their job. They love making the food, they love seeing people enjoy the food, and they love talking/mingling with their guests. I haven't had as good of an experience like this in a long time, and it makes me want to tell EVERYONE. When I make my way back here, I'm definitely going back, again...and again...and again.
(5)
Jessica R.
I am completely in love with this place. I split the $40 sampler platter with a friend and it said it would feed 2 - 3 people but I would say it really feeds 3 - 4. They presented us with an insane amount of food. All of it was delicious and I ate so much I almost felt sick. It was one of those moments where you really have no room left in your stomach, but everything is so tasty that you find yourself continuing to pick at your plate anyway. Also, major bonus points for serving Lone Star beer. As a migrant from Texas I almost peed my pants with excitement when I saw it on the menu.
(5)
Michele H.
The smell of this place alone is intoxicating. Even for delivery--the smoky spicy scent wafts up the stairs with you as you cradle it knowing what you hold in your hands will be incredible and is probably too much for you to eat and probably will put you to sleep drooling. I'm not much of a barbeque person, but Soul Fire has won me over. Their chili is fantastic and has BRISKET in it! And you know what, I really hate ribs, but theirs are so good--without any sauce. The meat itself is immensely smoky, the the four sauces only further complement the already wildly delicious flavor. The catfish sandwich is also incredible, as is the mac and cheese. I'm sure a lot of vegetarians have walked into this place and made terrible, delicious life decisions.
(5)
Rebecca L.
This is my favorite place in the Boston area to get barbecue (and that's a lot from a Carolina girl!). Granted, I haven't tried all of the barbecue places in the area, but I've tried many of them and this one just does it for me. The food is always delicious and the portions are big. The coleslaw is pretty good (though I really wish there wasn't celery in it) and I'm picky about coleslaw. Everything I've had has been amazing and I truly appreciate the variety of sauces. To be clear, most North Carolina barbecue sauce is vinegar based, but this is mostly true of the eastern part of the state. Growing up in the western part of the state, I had a nice mixture of all kinds of sauces, particularly Memphis and North Carolina. I love that this place has a North Carolina sauce, but I love even more that I can mix it with the Pit Boss sauce for the absolute perfect combination for my tastes. In addition, the prices are reasonable and the beer selection is solid. The cornbread is a little sweet for my taste, but that's a complaint about New England cornbread, not about Soul Fire.
(5)
Ed P.
I like BBQ and all that goes with it and I'd been meaning to try this place for a long while. That said, I was mortified to read my friends yelp review of this establishment, about fifteen minutes AFTER the order was already placed. She gave it one star. Yikes! They had a 20% off first order coupon on Foodler so I placed a large order including a three meat plate, fried mac and cheese, rice and beans, collard greens and coleslaw. I opened one container and saw what had to be the fried mac and cheese. They resembled something the Borg might cook; squishy, dense, cubes of gelatinous material with all the charm and texture of cold, forlorn oatmeal left overnight in a bowl. F*cking dreadful. I had to peek back at the menu to see how they were described again. The first spare rib was no prize either. Yeah, it came off the bone and it was moist but damned if it had ANY flavor. Then I tried the coleslaw and found it both tasty and refreshing. I opened another container and discovered the goods...two huge pieces of moist cornbread and a sampler of three sauces. The cornbread was cake-like and awe inspiring. All three sauces were admirable. I really liked the pulled pork and the brisket, especially with the vinegar sauce. The rest of the ribs and the brisket were tender and well seasoned. Most of the other sides were tossed in the trash after a nimble or two.
(2)
Andrew K.
Worst Service Ever! I stopped by yesterday (Monday, November 7th) and had not one, but two of their staff treat myself and my friends poorly. They had a sign out saying, "please seat yourself, " So I did. Seconds after I sat down I was told that there was a list. I politely said, "Okay, well, you should probably take your 'Please Seat yourself' sign down." Again, polite straightforward tone, nothing rude or crass. Just after I went back to the front door, a hostess (or manager?) came over an angrily slammed the sign shut and said "CLEARLY IT'S NOT SEAT YOURSELF. THERE'S A WAITLIST. Would you like me to put you on the list?" She was brimming with sarcasm and attitude. I said, no we'll take our business elsewhere and she retorted, "SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY" and then something else to one of my friends that I didn't hear. I have enjoyed food here in the past, but until they fire and hire some new waitstaff, I won't be back. I understand that waiters and waitresses aren't treated well everywhere and that food service is difficult work, but you can't treat someone else like crap because of your own crappy day.
(1)
Laura C.
Very very very good, and not expensive at all, considering the portions and quality. I got the pulled chicken entree (epic) with mac n cheese (it comes with bbq chips crumbled on top) and coleslaw as sides, and as a self-proclaimed M&C connoisseur, it was tasty. Not an over the top amazing noodle epiphany, but delicious nevertheless. Boyfriend got a combo of ribs, chicken, and pulled pork- he was happy as a clam, seeing as how it was just a giant plate of delicious meats for $18. The fries are really crispy and soooooo good and I had a corndog for an appetizer- interesting! We left stuffed and pleased. Everything was better than I expected, and they have a good 'n' solid flavorful "pitboss" sauce that almost everything comes in- although upon sampling all of the options I prefer the "soulfire" sauce- it has a little more kick. Regardless, they're both super tasty, as well as fiery sauce and sweet. Our waitress was funny, kind, and accommodating. The ambiance is great, I loved the red with black trim inside. Good color choices. All in all, a very good choice!
(5)
Andrea C.
The BBQ here is absolutely AWESOME!!!! This place puts RedBones to shame. I love their description of how ribs should be cooked. They should come clean of the bone, and that is the way Soul Fire does it. We had the baby back and spare ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork. All were amazing. I love how there are four very different and tasty BBQ sauces to choose from. What is even more awesome are how solid their sides are. Each can definitely hold their own. Their baked beans are amazing with the smoked molasses taste. The mac and cheese are to die for especially with bbq chips to top. The potato salad is just right with not too much mayo, herb, or mustard. The coleslaw was tangy and not overly mayo-ee. The cornbread had the right mixture of flour and cornmeal, it was almost perfect if it was served warm. Note: food is served on big metal platters and tough there may seem to be a small portion of food when they serve you, it is deceiving and the portions are quite generous. Soul Fire is a place to drool over, we will be back more for some delicious grub.
(5)
Jimi R.
We stopped in here at an off hour of 3:30pm so the place was quiet and so the service was fast and very personal, as the waitress had plenty of time for us. I am someone who loves BBQ and has eaten it all up and down the east coast as well as the deep south, so I love trying places locally too.. I got a Groupon for this place as that helps me get out to try new places and this one is one of the best in Boston. I started with 2 single ribs and when the waitress put the plate down on the table, it reminded me of the opening of the Flinstones TV show, where Fred and Wilma are at a drive-in and when the waitress pops the ribs onto their car, the car tips over becausse of the size of the ribs.These ribs were huge and came with little to no sauce on them, which is the way I like em. The meat on the ribs almost fell off the bone and I was quite impressed with them too. Then my pulled pork platter with cole slaw and collard greens showed up and I realized at that point i was gonna need a take home box,as there was no way I could eat all that food..I am not a small guy, so I finish many a meal, but I knew it wasn't gonna happen today..The pork arrived like the ribs, with very little sauce, and this allows me to add some to suit my tastes. The collored greens were simply put, out of this world as was the pork too...Even the cole slaw was unlike most slaws I've eaten before and so even before I was halfway thru this meal, I went online and bought another Groupon for this place...This meal was 10 times more than I ever expected and when we were leaving, I made it a point to tell the manager how good it was and how the only way I could tell I wasn't in the deep south was that there's no writing on walls or table...I have another BBQ place close to this one that I frequent because of their food too and am now thrilled to have 2 BBQ places so close to home
(5)
Sira D.
We ordered delivery from Soul Fire and loved it! The man on the phone was flexible and helpful in working out how much we needed to order for 4 people, the delivery came less than 10 minutes from when we hung up the phone, and the food was marvellous! Perfect ribs, delicious sauce (and lots to spare!) and amazing sides (the collards were particularly good). They really nailed the whole delivery experience and I'm looking forward to going in to the restaurant and trying it out in person.
(4)
Cara B.
I lived in Georgia for 4 years and this is by far the best BBQ I've found up North. My bf and I saw them on Phantom Gourmet and had to make the trip! It was totally worth the 45minute journey. I wish they would open one at Patriot Place!!! We got the sampler and the chicken wings were delicious, I loved topping them with the Soulfire sauce. The pulled pork and the brisket was smokey and tender! The spare ribs also had a great flavor. I was impressed with the whole sampler, and the sweet tea!!!!!!!!!! MMMMM perfect amount of sugar! We got extra pulled pork to-go, and they have a BBQ sauce bar to take some home which was very convenient. The only thing that could make this place any better is Brunswick stew. Otherwise I just wish they were closer. Go there! Oh and our waitress was very fast and friendly.
(5)
Mel C.
So yelp pretty much has it all right in the review highlights section, so I'm not sure why another review would help. This is what I order every time I go to Soul Fire: -Southern Fried Chicken (pair this with the Fiery sauce) -Mac & Cheese side (tastes better than the fried mac and cheese) -Fried Dough -Sweet Tea I always leave with a huge food baby. I wish they served their sweet tea half and half (half sweet, half unsweet), but aside from that, no complaints! The "BBQ" actually isn't that great. I guess it's good for Boston, but if you've ever been to Texas/Tennessee/other Southern states, it's just not the same. With that said, the ribs and brisket are the more flavorful/tender options.
(5)
Lauren L.
Went for the bottomless wing deal, and while it was totally worth it, the line is EPIC. I have to say, we got really lucky - a group of nine, including myself, stole the table by the front window and then all the associated chairs at the window itself. Out waiter, though, was well and thoroughly harried thanks to the crowd the special draws. He brought us waters, took drink orders and disappeared except to bring us two rounds of wing platters. For bottomless, it certainly did end quickly, but I think he just forgot we were there in the rush to serve so many other tables, too. Overall the wings were satisfying and tasty, though there was really no difference between sauces. Many of the wings were also slightly pink in the center, a big let-down for a place that fries their chicken pieces. The macaroni and cheese squares were awesome, though. One of our party ordered them as her main instead of the bottomless wings, but shared a couple pieces in exchange for dodging the tab and still getting chicken. They were the best ones I've ever had, and most everyone else agreed they were spot on. Overall, I wouldn't pay for these wings again as a meal, and I wouldn't come back unless it was for the bottomless Monday thing. Not the best wings, not very good service, drinks are overpriced and they put the gratuity on there for you, but still ask for a tip on the side. Meh.
(3)
Rebecca C.
I absolutely love this place. The fried Mac n cheese is so good!!! My best friend and I order delivery here about twice a month. We always get the fried Mac n cheese, the amazing chili cheese fries that way the same amount as a small child, collard greens that are sweet with I presume molasses, mashed potatoes with gravy, and sometimes if we are drunk enough we will get the pulled pork sandwich that is so amazingly tender and addictive. If I had the funds and the metabolism, I would live here and eat here everyday. The staff is also always super friendly and always smiling. Great service, great food, why aren't you there yet?!?!
(5)
Lauretta L.
I want to give this place more stars but I just wasn't impressed by the BBQ. We came in with a Groupon (which they accepted w/o any problems) and got a platter of sliced brisket and a platter of spare ribs. The sides were great and in my view, better than the main meats! The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, and mac & cheese were all so friggin delicious. Especially the collard greens. Mmmmm mmm. I know I'll go back just for the sides. Now to the brisket...it was much too salty, and I am not afraid of salt. I love salt. Adding the Soul Fire sauce helped balance out the saltiness, but shouldn't it be good on its own? The spare ribs could have been more tender and juicy, but the sauce helped. Overall, service was fantastic. I'll come back to try the pulled pork sandwich and fried chicken.
(3)
Christina C.
So disappointing. My husband and I ordered delivery from Soul Fire regularly -at least once a week. The food is great, but the service is terrible. They have forgotten items, brought the wrong items and have taken over two hours to arrive (when we just had to cancel our order). We reluctantly had to give up ordering from Soul Fire.
(1)
Kate W.
Food was excellent, I got the fried chicken platter with mac and cheese and it was awesome. I did order through foodler and almost cried when I saw my delivery time was estimated at 2 hours and 20 minutes later. I called the restaurant and they said it should only be an hour and they didn't estimate right. The delivery did take a little over an hour but it was worth it, very good. It does seem like a really busy place. Next time I will get off my lazy rear and go pick up my food though, probably a lot quicker.
(4)
Sanjit A.
Didn't feel like cooking for a potluck dinner so got the fried mac n cheese as takeout. Was a big hit and I was pretty sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. Went there at an odd hour when it was empty, but seems like a pretty good spot, definitely would like to return.
(4)
Nicholas H.
The selection of four sauces at the table is very nice. That said, I quickly found my favorite and stuck with it. I had the pulled pork platter. The pork came served over a slice of white bread and I ordered the baked beans and collard greens as sides. The greens were delicious, but the beans were not as good (I still ate them all, they weren't bad either). I went on a Tuesday around 8 pm and it was pretty slow. Not crowded and not loud. Good soul food for a meal alone.
(4)
Sergiu P.
The ultimate BBQ heaven: brisket, ribs, wings, pulled pork. They smoke'em to perfection. All you can eat wings Mondays. Get the Reuben, get a beer, have a good time.
(5)
Dorothy C.
So much yummy food! Our faves were: corn dog, fried chicken (might be the best I've had since leaving the South), pulled pork BBQ (ditto), mashed potatoes & gravy, corn bread. Just okay, were: single beef rib & baby back beef ribs (both were fine, but dry), Mac 'n cheese (it's fine, but kinda dry and bland, though the sprinkling of crushed BBQ chips on top were fun), and the pickles (again, fine, but not as stellar as the mashed potatoes!) We liked the PitBoss sauce the best. (Firey mustard was way spicy hot and not sweet at all; it looked like honey mustard, but isn't). The Sweet sauce was a little too sweet. Um, we did take-out through foodler, and everything turned out well. Good portions.
(4)
Dan M.
Judging by all the good reviews maybe I picked an off night to hit Soul Fire. I was very surprised when I stopped in on a Sunday and found the ribs to be mediocre at best. No flavor unless I added my own sauce from the selection of 6 squirt bottles I was offered. My thought was why don't they pick one and slap it on my ribs? Another problem I had was the meat stuck to the bone like Chinese ribs. I just ate at a Fireflys stand on Saturday and the meat came right off the bone with great flavor. I will give soul fire another try because I loved the decor, music and atmosphere. Sorry I have to call it as I see it. Very bland and undercooked.
(3)
Ambrose C.
I recently went to this place on a Monday evening with some guy friends since they were offering this special where you can eat chicken wings in various flavors for only $8.99. When we got in, it was really crowded and we had to wait for a while to get a table. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, we finally got seated. We were given a various sampler plate that had four different chicken flavors. We had no idea which flavor was which just by looking at the chicken wings but all we knew was that some of the chicken wings either had a slightly sweet flavor, a slightly barbecue saucy flavor, or a buffalo-style spiced up flavor. We decided to get several platters mixed with those flavors. The bleu cheese was pretty good and sometimes made the chicken tastier. Celery sticks needed to be fresher though. As for the chicken itself, it was moist and tender, just how I like it. Service was decent, the server was nice, and we actually liked talking to her. Sometimes it took a while to wait for another platter of chicken, but I guess it was because this place busy with so many people. Overall, this is a good choice to eat a lot of tasty chicken wings doused in various sauces on a Monday night with friends. Be sure to have plenty of napkins.
(4)
Jason T.
Excellent food. I got the combo plate; the smoked turkey, pulled pork, and chopped brisket. She got the half rack of ribs. Sides were delicious, I absolutely love their chili. Spicy and amazing. Their assortment of BBQ sauces was broad enough to suit most folks. I like the "Soulfire", her the "Pitboss". Quick service and has a couple of TVs to watch the game. As a previous Yelper mentioned, this place is loud. Too loud, hence my 4 star review instead of 5. That and I felt the chopped brisket was just a bit blah for my liking, even with the BBQ sauce which came on it. That being said this is definitely a repeat visit for me. I want to try a few more items and also check out there wing night on Monday. Good stuff.
(4)
Kristin M.
This place needs to learn how to train their staff....we came in with a group of about 10 (yes I understand this can be frustrating) but the waiter was rude and quite incompetent. Finally, when we were almost finished, he stormed up to our table and demanded we all line up at the cash register and "confirm" what we had......and to top it off, he charged us all 20% tip....(the menu said it was 18%) i have waitressed and bartended for years so i'm not going to question someone on a few cents, but someone did ask him about it and he said it was because "he had to split the checks" ...and the fried mac and cheese was tasteless...this place was a joke
(1)
Anna M.
The fried chicken is amazing. Love the bbq potato chips on top of the mac & cheese. The portions are huge and it's pretty cheap. Great for a Sunday afternoon when you're still nursing a bit of a hangover from the weekend and want some comfort food.
(4)
Joel P.
Came here for all you can eat wing night on Monday's, so my review is based on that only. The wings are solid with a number of good sauce options. They are well-cooked and a decent size, so there is not much to complain about with an all you can eat night in regards to the wings themselves. Beer is decently priced. Service is solid and very nice. They do need to update their website because it says all you can eat wings are 8.99 per person, but my bill showed up at 12 bucks per person. I know, I know, not a big deal, but it's a total pet peeve of mine when places don't update their websites on specials or constant items. You should still come here for the wings. It's a good alternative to the yummy, moderately more expensive, and always full BonChon up the street.
(4)
Julia C.
Love Soul Fire! I highly recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, watching the game and getting the sampler plate, which will give you a nice spread of everything. You'll definitely want to order the sampler plate with a friend or two (and you'll still have leftovers). The one surprising part of this place is that it is never busy- maybe I have just gone at weird times, but I would expect a place like this to be packed all the time! The vibe is super relaxed, they have great beer selection, and offer BBQ sauces on the table to spice up your meal! Enjoy!
(5)
Kim H.
So first of, YOU CAN'T MAKE RESERVATIONS! which stinks ! and i came with a group of 13+ people. 10$ ALL YOU CAN EAT WINGS * but seriously after 10+ wings you would get sick of it. i was done at 8 wings. so 1$ per wing ! haha the wings were really good espescially the honey mustard ones! Buffalo? barely spicy, and i cant remember the other flavors. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE: was great they were really nice and friendly, but be aware they will give you paper ware cups and such. :) They don't split checks!
(4)
Kelley F.
Outstanding! Food was amazing, servings were just the right amount of food. I didn't feel bloated and gross when I left, and I had the fried chicken meal. The chicken was cooked to perfection, I usually don't eat skin on chicken, but I ate every last morsel! Dessert was fried dough like I've never had...divine! The carnival's got nothing on their fried dough! Sooooo good!
(5)
Laura B.
Sometimes you never know where love will hit you - and I suspected it the least on the day I went out for some simple BBQ and walked into a meat haven with...is that Stevie Wonder on the wall? Aretha Franklin? Am I listening to Earth Wind and Fire? Is this my own personal heaven?? Came in on a Sunday afternoon with a friend and ordered the Pitboss Sampler ($40), which is touted to feed 2-3 people but could comfortably feed up to 6 modest women. My friend and I being only 2 of the latter barely made a dent in it, and each took home leftovers that lasted us each for two more full meals. It's really a great way to get an idea of the total repertoire, and comes with an entire pizza pan full of meat, and one full of sides. Baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, pulled brisket (on Texas Toast), two types of chicken wings (fried and honey glazed), a hot link, cole slaw, mac n' cheese, baked beans, collard greens, potato salad, rice & beans and cornbread w/ butter really rounded everything out. I was a little shell-shocked upon having it brought to the table, but everything was delicious. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, though the pulled pork may be the overall winner for me. Being able to access a line of BBQ sauces at the table made sampling them all way too easy. The cole slaw, potato salad and mac and cheese stood out as excellent sides, while the collard greens (which I don't know if I like in any context), baked beans (a bit heavy on the molasses) and rice and beans (just too carby) I would forgo the next time I come around. The most gracious gentleman I have ever had as a server, he was attentive, had great timing, and a sense of humor. Everyone in the place was nice, even the group of 15 bros who decided the restaurant was the right place to hit after a pre-game kegger. The cheesecake ($6) is also incredible, and perfect to share. Coming back before I move home to California isn't a maybe, it's a must.
(5)
Tony N.
I am a huge fan after my first visit, (thank you Groupon). A quick negative....the beer selection is a tad meh. They definitely have some good selections but not what I was hoping for. Maybe the folks at Tasty Burger could lend a hand? Ok, to the food. I had a half rack of spare ribs. These things were monster! The rub is so damn good you don't even need to sauce them up. Of course it's hard no to throw a little sauce on your ribs because their special blends are so tasty. For me the best sauce was the would fire sauce. A perfect combo of hot and a hint of sweet. sides were equally delicious. The collard greens were some of the best I have had and the mac and cheese had that homemade taste and texture you look for, (though To be honest I have had better). I hardly had room for cornbread but the little bit I sampled was good. My wife ordered the turkey plate. Not sure how they make the bird but it had a nice smokey flavor to it...I assume it's smoked. Just like my ribs, the turkey came in a big portion. We also had the rice and beans as a side. Nothing to special but I did like the corn added in. The service was excellent. Waitstaff was very concerned with us having to wait for anything and came by just the right number of times to make sure we had everything we wanted. I can't wait to go back a d try some of their other offerings.
(4)
A L.
Tried Soul Fire for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because A, they don't have a full liquor license (just beer & wine), and B, the place is noisy as hell. They play the music way too loud so you can't have a good conversation with your friends. But the food was excellent... Any fried chicken order takes 20 minutes and we were starving so we started with the BBQ wings, which were delicious. I had the pulled pork platter with collard greens and coleslaw and each bite was better than the next. I tried my friend's brisket and that was excellent too. They also have four awesome sauces on the table for you to experiment with. Our favorite was the Pit Boss. So good! Definitely going back!
(4)
Jamie P.
Love Soulfire! Long overdue food review. Food is always consistent and always delicious! Brisket and baby back ribs are our go-to. Fried catfish is also light and nicely cooked. Collards are great, mac n cheese is good and has crushed BBQ chips on top, beans are a must-get, and the cornbread is moist and sweet. Wing night is also really good. They have 3-4 sauces to choose from and a "wing of the night". The way they serve them is great. The wings come 4 at a time so they are always hot and fresh. You avoid the wings at the bottom of the basket that get cold and stringy. Food is fast and delicious. Check this place out!
(5)
John E.
This was the first time our Yelp! account has led us wrong. We saw this place mentioned on TV and since it got good ratings we decided to give it a try. I am a Southerner and nothing about the food here reminded me of Southern BBQ. It was not good. There was only one waitress and she was terribly overworked; but she was very friendly and she is the reason that we gave 2 stars. The brisket was tough and chewy, and the sauce was terrible. The brisket was placed on top of a piece of bread and it wasn't fresh. The sides, particularly the cornbread, were also bad--undercooked and tasteless. The beans were bad as well and the rice/bean combination was like something out of a can. Sorry to all who likes Soul Fire BBQ. There has to be better.
(2)
Eve L.
Reviewed the wrong soul fire, but don't want to mess with the rating. Please discount this one. Never been here....
(5)
Kim K.
Good BBQ for location, price, and value. Chill vibe, decent service, clean dining area. Super cheap beers, huge menu, lots of options at all prices. My only gripe was portion size. BBQ should be BIG, Soul Fire left me wanting more. Big up to the cornbread, it was some of the moistest and most delicious I've had at any BBQ joint.
(4)
AD S.
Just... so damn good. Honestly, this is where I go if I want to know I'm going to have a great meal at a pretty good price. Fried mac and cheese cubes to start, fantastic BBQ sauces, great meats, great potato salad, baked beans, etc... Damn. Yes, my southern friend smugly remarked that it wasn't "real" barbeque meat, and he is correct. But guess what? It's completely irrelevant. I just feel so great every time I eat here that I can barely swig down my second pint of PBR. Then, I can kick back and enjoy the James Brown on the speakers and that great mural on the wall.
(5)
Stephen D.
I'm a real fan of BBQ, and having spent a lot of time in North Carolina my standards are pretty high. Soulfire doesn't even begin to disappoint, beginning with their friendly and excellent service. The place is very comfortable, and has a fantastic atmosphere. The music is good, not intrusive, and when you sit down it just feels good. It's not smoky, but you can smell the BBQ, and if that doesn't get your appetite in order, you may want to consider becoming vegan. Those good feelings are bound to increase when you consider your options for drinks, ranging from some really excellent beers, to lemonade that I cannot recommend enough. That lemonade is created by pressing the lemons, and combining with homemade simple syrup.. and they are truly, AGGRESSIVELY bottomless. I mean, when we were getting ready to go, our server asked if we'd like to have some lemonade to go. Still, this is a BBQ joint, so lets get down to it. We ordered the Pit Boss Sampler, which has something of EVERYTHING. Hoo boy, it was good. -Pulled pork is in the true Carolina style. -the Spare Ribs are... the best. The BEST spare ribs I've had above the Mason-Dixon line, period. -Baby Back Ribs are succulent, smoky, and off the bone in a heartbeat. -The Fried Chicken: EAT IT. Seriously, this is some of the best you can get, period. Unless you feel like making a pilgrimage down south, you will not find better. -The Hot Link is tasty as hell, meaty, and spicy without being overly aggressive. -The Sweet/Spicy Wings were just that, and really good. -The chopped brisket is good, beefy, but I've had some better, albiet not in this state. **Sidenote: The brisket and pork are placed on a slice of Texas toast, which soaks in the juice and fat.. and it's just... yum. The sides were (almost) universally the best I've had in a BBQ joint anywhere in our Northern lands. The exception was the rice and beans, which sadly just were not very engaging. -The cornbread: Oh god. Yes. So good. So. SO.. good. -The coleslaw: crunchy, fresh, tangy; it's what you want in colesalw. -The beans: Smokey, porky, and LOADED with molasses... so good. -The Mac & Cheese: Not a huge fan in general, but this was very nice, creamy, with a topping that adds great textural interest. -The Collards: I don't like collards, but I like these! A generous addition of mollasses cuts, but doesn't totally eliminate the bitterness. Most importantly, the green flavor is still there, and the greens have great texture; no sulphuric mush here. -The Potato Salad: Best there is... and I'm a deli fanatic. Really... REALLY special. -The Mashed Potatos: Fantastic, creamy, rich, with a fine gravy. The bottom line is that this is a place you can enjoy for the atmosphere, but above all this is truly great food. You can create your own platter from an essentially endless variety of choices, and the set menu is a winner. If you like BBQ, you'll LOVE Soulfire.
(5)
Paran Y.
Well slap mai britches and call me hog wash -- this place is awesome!! A gracious purchaser of a Groupon led me to this fine establishment. I was skeptical at first but the portions are hulk*smash large. Disclaimer: this place isn't for the faint-hearted. No non-meateaters or calorie-watchers are allowed. If you are going to this place, you're going ALL IN. Pulled Pork -- BLAM@#$%^. Do I need to say more? Ok I guess I do. succulent, dripping with oh-so-delicious sauce, and cradled by some beans and mac & cheese ( I think it got a little sexual in there). It's enough to inspire you to go for a 5 mile run the next day....or do some shots. Your call there... Not enough sauce? *scoff* Throw on one of their 4 awesomely delicious sauces (my favorite is fiery)
(4)
George M.
Me oh my. Yes, yes indeed. That's what my raging horngryness says as I saunter into this meat haven. This is officially one of my favorite restaurants on Earth. I think I love this place. Firstly, secondly, and thirdly, the food is fantastic each and every time. Fourthly, it is reasonably priced. Fifthly, they have all you can eat wings on Monday for $8.99. Sixthly, and MOST importantly, the wings come out as fast as they can manage. I had 27 wings this past Monday. And 27 the Monday before. No, these are not small wings, and yes, the waitress did hide her judgement sufficiently well. The whole staff is pretty awesome. Great selection of sauces (try the Devil's Relish if you want to teach yourself a lesson), good beer selection (try the Pork Slap cause that's just funny), and at times an innovative menu (try the BBQ Reuben). Were it a world where restaurant-monogamy was the societal norm, I would try to slide a ring around Soul Fire's ribs. I want their meat inside me.
(5)
William C.
One word to describe this place...Yummy! I cannot speak on behalf of the actual food in the place, but my family and friends have given it a 2 thumbs up. However, I go once in a while to their Monday night wings special (review based solely on this) and the place is usually packed. Typically wait can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on what time you go and if there are any good games on. I have never had a bad experience here at Soulfire as the waitstaff are very nice and attentive for the most part, constantly refilling wings and water quickly. As for the prices, I have seen them fluctuate over the years. Back then it would only cost about ~$10-11 (including tip) for all you can eat wings (no drink, just water). After a lot of variation in their prices over the years, the price tonight was ~$14 w/ tip (no drink requirement). The wings were decent sized and they typically offer 4 different flavors of wings every week. From what I have experienced over the years, they keep buffalo and PitBoss (sweet and spicy BBQ) and rotate the other two flavors. Personally, I do not enjoy the buffalo that they have. I don't know what it is about it, but apparently the majority of the people I know do not like their buffalo either. Tonight I had spicy teriyaki, spicy honey, buffalo, and PitBoss. I'm glad they keep PitBoss every week as it is by far my favorite. The waiters do provide you with a side of BBQ sauces, which include SoulFire, Sweet and Spicy, PitBoss, and Fiery. Remember that if you do not like a particular sauce with the initial 4 wing sampler, you can tell them to take out the flavors you do not like! If you don't they will just give you a full platter of all of the flavors. Also, you can order half platters if you're beginning to get full, but still want more wings! I gave it 4 stars because the atmosphere is lacking, it is dark and often very loud...making it hard to hold a conversation without raising my voice. Also, the waitstaff some times forgot to omit buffalo wings from the next platter of wings I ordered when I specifically told them multiple times I do NOT want it. Place isn't perfect, but is well worth it for a quality and satisfying eating experience! Finish it off with a froyo run to Mixx and prepare for a food coma like no other!
(4)
Rose F.
We have lived in Allston for 3 years now and really love having this place right around the corner. Personally, I am a sucker for the pulled pork sandwich and the baked beans. I get it pretty much every time I go and it is always exactly what I am craving: tender, juicy, and packed with slow cooked flavor. Of course, then I drench it in the soul fire or pit boss sauces (or both). The most recent time we went, we tried the fried Mac and cheese which was outrageously decadent, but very worth the calories. My boyfriend is very health conscious and often gets the smoked chicken salad (though he steals his fare share of my sandwich.) It's a very healthy option if you are trying to watch your weight but want that distinct smoked flavor. BBQ sauce makes for an excellent dressing as well. Want to know something else really rad about this place? You can wash down all that delicious smoky BBQ with a nice cold **$2.50** pint of PBR. This may be the cheapest price in the city, which is truly a special find in a place where happy hour Is outlawed. Truly a mecca for cheap beer lovers and BBQ alike. My only gripe with this place (though I continue to return anyways because the food is so darn good) is that service is always a bit spotty. Always friendly and well-meaning, but a bit absent-minded and confused. On three separate occasions, our waiter forgot one or two aspects of our order and had to put it in late after we did not receive it. Maybe we just happen to go when the new waiters are giving it their first go, but this is just a trend I have noticed. Still worth a trip for great BBQ!
(4)
Anne W.
I scored an awesome Guilt City deal... and was really excited since the reviews have been mostly positive of this spot. The price is much lower than Sweet Cheeks.. it lacks the hip ness of that spot.. but it makes up for it by the price.. and come on, it's Allston! There is only a beer menu and no specialty drinks. I did think this place was okay.. not great.. along the same lines as Red Bones. There are some really yum things... such as: Fried Chicken (omg.. so crispy and good) Mac & Cheese Mashed Potatoes The other things in the Pit Boss Sampler were middle of the road... I wasn't impressed with the rice and beans, potato salad, coleslaw, ribs, sausage, pork bits, etc. I did not try the pulled pork as it wasn't offered in the sampler. I am still more of a fan of Sweet Cheeks... but still a decent find.
(2)
Neal M.
I love love love this place. Awesome food. Great prices. The recently paired down the menu but all my favorites are still there. 1) the pork. Perfection. I like the pit boss sauce. 2) the mac n cheese with potato chip topping. How ingenious. No wonder I'm 195 lbs. 3) the spagetti western- mac n cheese covered with chili. I copied this for a family cookout and 7 lbs of it vanished. 4) the potato salad. I would kill for this mayo less recipe. 5) the homemade pickles! (They run out of these alot) Did I mention I love this place?
(5)
Karina L.
Get: - Baby back ribs - Mac and cheese Don't get: - Spare ribs - Pulled pork - Collard greens Got the soulfire platter (2 meats with 2 sides) with the wings, baby back ribs, baked beans, and mac & cheese. The great thing about this platter (you can also 3 meats for a couple of more bucks) is that they pretty much let you choose any meat from the menu. The baby back ribs were deliciously tender and fell off the bone. The taste itself is kind of bland, but I'm assuming that's on purpose so you can use their 4 awesome barbecue sauces freely. They range from sweet and tangy to fiery spicy, so there's a sauce for every kind of BBQ meat lover. Wings were alright. Mac and cheese was also delicious, but don't take my word for it because I love any kind of m&c (including those from the box and when I melt shredded cheese on top of pasta in the microwave). Baked beans weren't my style...too goopy and sweet. Boyfriend got the baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, and the collard greens as a side for fiber (HAH..........). He, too, loved the baby back ribs but the spare ribs and pulled were dry and oily. Overall, a mediocre BBQ experience. Not a terrible option to have, though, considering that they've had 2 groupon/google offers within the past 2 months.
(3)
Indhira B.
Good Mac n Cheese, good ribs, GREAT collard greens. Their fried chicken could Be better seasoned. Overall, good food. A bit over priced but worth it if you have a BBQ craving
(3)
Cameron W.
Disclaimer: this is New England. Good barbeque is just not something that you can find here. That being said, this place is about as close as you're gonna get to decent barbeque around here. I found out about SoulFire because a friend had their food catered at his wedding. I thought the food was great, so I decided to check out the restaurant in person. It's in Allston which means that you're going to be challenged with finding parking unless you took the T or cab to get here. It was early afternoon when we arrived, so we didn't have a problem with seating. The menu was very simple, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, and some red beans and rice. The sandwich was great. The meat was very tender and good, and the available sauces to try weren't bad either. The potato salad was excellent. The red beans and rice - more like swing and a miss. I've had red beans and rice the way that it's supposed to be made, and that wasn't it by a long shot. But I do give them bonus points for having real sweet tea available. Overall I like it and will probably return in the future. I liked the atmosphere and decor - the soul theme was perfect and fits the restaurant very well. The server was polite and meals came out fast. And everything was good. So why the 3 star rating? First, the red beans and rice wasn't good. But more importantly, when we got there, we weren't able to order any fried foods because they were prepping for a catering event and had the fryers at capacity.
(3)
Jeff L.
I'm not a BBQ expert by any means, but I travel a lot and I try BBQ all around the country. Soul Fire hold up to the best I've had anywhere. I live closer to a couple BBQ places, but prefer to make the trip here when I can.
(5)
David C.
YES: - Pulled chicken, pork, and catfish. The chicken and pork are tender and flavorful, almost rendering Soul Fire's impressive array of tableside BBQ sauces unnecessary, while the catfish is flaky and moist. Add tartar sauce and a little bit of lemon and you're good to go. - Portion size. The pick your meat platter is gargantuan, and easily enough to split between two people. Get it with the rib and wing appetizer and you can sample the majority of Soul Fire's meats without much damage to your wallet. - Living Social offered a $12 for $30 deal. Couldn't pass that up. - Fried Mac & Cheese. Enough said. NO: - Cornbread. Dry and flavorless. Huge disappointment. - Baked beans. Too sweet. They're good for a couple bites, but they become cloying fast. - Celery in the coleslaw. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO HAVE THIS HEINOUS VEGETABLE BANNED FROM RESTAURANTS??? MAYBE SO: - Service when I went was friendly, but extraordinarily slow. Did I go on an off night? - No wet naps?
(3)
Robert S.
I almost feel like rating one star, just to counter the other rave reviews that this place receives. I mean, come on! This barbecue joint is merely acceptable. Just try any of the meats by themselves, without smothering them in sauce. It'll be super bland, just like the greens, rice, and everything else this establishment has to offer. Not to mention that, on numerous occasions, my order has a) been screwed up, or b) items have been forgotten (namely the cornbread, more than once - also, by the way, quite bleh). I dare you to ask any honest, and well-reasoned Southerner what they think about Soul Fire. I can't imagine the opinion would be overly enthusiastic.
(2)
Josephine L.
Boston lacks some serious BBQ eats, so residents have to make do with the few joints that exist. It doesn't take long to frequent them all and having done so, I can definitely say Soul Fire is the best. The baby back ribs literally fall off the bone and melt in your mouth (and no, it's not because they're fatty cuts). The fried chicken is so juicy, crispy and pepper-y--3 things American fried chicken should always be. I don't know how they get the fried catfish to be so tender, but it really is perfectly breaded on the outside and moist on the inside. I was not a fan of the collard greens, though, as they were just too sweet. The cornbread wasn't bad but didn't hit me with flavor like I would have liked. Finally, the fries were fat, salty pieces of heaven. Gotta love the 4-pack of BBQ sauces they provide you. I liked them all, even the sweet one, and I normally don't like sweet BBQ sauces. Even though the place was pretty packed and we were warned they were backed up, service was very efficient, attentive and friendly. Prices are dirt cheap. The vibe is super casual/dive-y with food being served on giant pizza pan-like plates and napkin dispensers/utensils pre-placed on each table. If you're in the Allston area, craving meat and DON'T come here, you've failed at life.
(5)
bunny g.
delivery people beyond rude. wtf.
(1)
Shaina P.
sadly there is no dirty rice, but the Mac and cheese still has those chip crumbs on it. the fried catfish had a kickass crunch. platters are actual platters. the sauces are good (soulfire, that's the BBQ sauce duh; o'fiery, mustard colored, spicy but not even too spicy; pitboss, vinegary edge and my fave esp paired with o'fiery). gotta try the fried chicken next time. bam.
(3)
Kelsey C.
I came to Soul Fire because I thought it'd help curb my homesickness for the real tastes of the South until I went home to North Carolina for winter break. And just seeing barbeque on a menu helped, but the food tells me that maybe I should have just waited to go home. The Sweet Tea is about as real as a Gucci purse in Chinatown. They just dumped sugar into iced tea, which makes "sweet" an adjective, not a noun. We asked our server. They don't know how to make sweet tea. That's like drawing G's on a canvas bag with a sharpie and calling it Gucci. We ordered the Pitboss Sampler because it includes all the non-fish meat on the menu. Sadly, everything was not worth having. I didn't mind adding a little extra vinegar to the slightly-bland pulled pork, but I started getting irritated when I realized that the brisket and roast chicken didn't soak in any flavor. But I broke down when I read the menu disclaimer that the ribs were deliberately made to NOT fall off the bone because it "takes away the flavor". I bit into a rib and realized that the meat wasn't falling off the bone because it was flavorlessly dry rather than "flavorlessly" tender. I think I shed a tear. And I think the salt from my tear significantly improved the flavor of the fried chicken. The only sides/food items worth having was the Collard Greens and the Baked Beans. The beans are the reason we're called Beantown, and the collard greens were the best I've ever had. The greens were cooked but just cooked enough to retain some of the original veiny texture. A must-have if you come to Soul Fire. Although Soul Fire may rave about their 4 different barbeque sauces and NC vinegar, but good barbeque doesn't need a dipping sauce. If you never come to Soulfire, I can't say you'd miss much. There aren't a lot of southern BBQ places anywhere up north, but this is hardly worth the hike to the depths of Allston.
(3)
Allie B.
I live right around the corner so I had to try it at least once. My roommate and I bought the 2-3 person platter not realizing it could easily serve 4 people. It was kind of like a sampler so we were able to try just about everything. The pulled pork was my favorite and I'm kind of picky as my best friends family does national BBQ competitions. I have to add that I was happily surprised that when we left and forgot our chicken/one bag somehow... A worker/cook chased us down the road to make sure we weren't missing that part of our dinner :) thank you for that!!!
(4)
Allison R.
Oh, no! I started drafting this review the day after coming in to this place for a "couple's dinner" of all you can eat wings with my friend, her boyfriend, and my non-committal yet supposedly exclusive non-boyfriend. (Sadly, he totally sucks and we are no more, which shouldn't influence my review or your perception of the place. Just makes it sort of painful yet therapeutic to write this review.) We had a great time and enjoyed the wings (though the sauce is a bit heavy, so it's hard to eat a ton of them), and our spunky waitress was really nice. Service was a little slow (asking us if we'd like more drinks, bringing the bill, etc), but not a huge deal. Anyway, I liked the wings. I found parking right out front. The guy sucks. It'll be hard to go back because of the association, but you should give it a try.
(3)
Rosalie O.
My friend suggested this place after our run to get some chili to warm up. It was the second time she suggested it, so I figured it must be good. Service, however, was not so good. We sat at the bar, were given waters and menus, but it was ages before they came back to take our order. It wasn't busy at all, and there were two waitresses, so it shouldn't have been that hard for them to communicate with each other. We were ready to leave when the waitress finally came back. The food was FANTASTIC. Delicious! Hit the spot! Soooooo good that despite the bad service, I will absolutely consider eating there again. The stars are LITERALLY ONLY FOR THE FOOD. Also, there were kids running around, which I wasn't so happy about.
(3)
Emily R.
The place had a pretty cool atmosphere though it was strangely empty. My boyfriend and I shared chili cheese fries and the fried chicken platter with collared greens and Mac and cheese. Everything was soooo good and so rich that we took almost half of it to go. Definitely recommended for those who love comfort food!
(4)
Alex B.
Came here for Monday night wing night and let me tell you, the fact that you can indulge on wings for $9 until you reach the point of physical pain is such a great aspect of this place. The wings are tender and flavorful and you can choose between Pitboss, Fiery, and Soul Fire. Which are basically smoky peppery, hot, and honey hot. This place has a very relaxed atmosphere and seems to actually have character unlike many places in the boston area. You walk inside and find yourself surrounded by hipsters which can be expected in the allston area. I also love that they have a pretty good selection of beer. And we also tried the chili cheese fries which were very tasty. However the fries themselves were a little ordinary. I am taking off a star because they tooka while to get us seated when there were 4 open tables and when we asked which wings were which the guy was only able to identify one type on the sampler platter we received. Will definitely be back to try other delicious bbq menu items.
(4)
Joanna F.
When your first thought walking into a restaurant is "Wow, it smells like Memphis in here" you know it's going to be a decent barbecue experience. I loved the atmosphere - dark, warm and inviting. It definitely fits into the hipster vibe of Allston. My friend had a groupon and the two of us couldn't even spend the $35 because the prices were so reasonable. I was basically forced to order an entree instead of a sandwich to up the price of the meal. I got the brisket. I don't usually order brisket, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the meat was tender and I enjoyed trying their different bbq sauces on it. The sides of cole slaw and rice and beans were fine and the corn bread was awesome. My friend ordered a two meat combo - pulled pork and fried catfish. I have to say, the fried catfish stole the show. I would say that it was better than the catfish I had in Memphis. The service was fine and overall, the bbq was decent. Portions were more reasonable than other bbq joints (meaning smaller) which is why it's so cheap. I liked walking out of there not feeling disgusting from overeating though. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, but it's a good option in the Allston area.
(4)
Ms. S.
The pulled pork sandwich has an amazing texture. The meat isn't gross and mushy, but rather it has a delicious chew and substance to it. Yum. But the mac and cheese isn't that great and the cornbread is a little too sweet for my liking. However, the collards are fantastic!
(4)
Rachel D.
If you're in the mood for good barbecue head over to Soulfire! The pulled pork was soft and delicious. We went on a Monday night and low and behold it was all you can eat wing night! Our waiter was great and we were almost never out of wings. Good stuff!
(4)
Kristine R.
Damn good BBQ! My friend had a groupon here and we went to redeem it last Friday like everyone else, but it was worth the wait, plus with the groupon, the price was just right. (Though for the record, I would definitely come here again groupon or no groupon). My friend and I were seated on the counter space facing Harvard Ave (good for people watching as your licking your fingers from eating those bbq ribs). Anyway, we ordered the appetizer two chicken wings and two ribs. Both very good, but I do suggest adding one of their bbq sauces to the ribs as it was more flavorful that way. As for the main entrees, I had the beef brisket with mac and cheese and fries. My friend had the pulled pork with the mac and cheese and coleslaw. The meat is atop a piece of bread and the mac and cheese was a little helping, but enough and the fries were a generous amount. The mac and cheese was tasty with bits of bbq potatoes chips on top. I liked my brisket, but I took most of it home as the appetizer got me full. My friend liked the pulled pork and her coleslaw. She also took some of her food home. Service was good as our server was coming up to us periodically to see how we were doing. Prices aren't that expensive with the entrees going for $12-15 and the sandwiches for about $6-7. You can also share bbq platters if you want to sample all the meats. Great place! I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Alex A.
The worst thing I can say about this place is that there's no way to leave sober. On a more relevant note, this is probably one of the better BBQ joints in all of Boston, not that there are many around. The prices are quite reasonable, the selections are diverse and delicious across the board. Except the catfish, which sucks dong, but that's really not Soul Fire's fault; I mean, catfish is kind of a disgusting garbage-sucker to begin with. Not much you can do to improve on the fact that it eats poop all day, not even deep-frying it seems to do the trick. So do yourself a favor and don't get the catfish. But everything else is about as good as you would expect it to be. Cover that shit with one of their signature BBQ sauces, shovel it into your mouth, and you're good to go. Oh, and another thing: this place isn't ideal for large parties (i.e., 10 and more.) That isn't to say they won't accommodate them - in fact, when I showed up out of the blue with a group of fourteen individuals in tow, they very graciously found us two large adjoining tables, and even thanked us for our patience. Read that sentence again. A restaurant in Allston thanked its customers for being patient while they were getting ready to stuff delicious seasoned meat down out face holes. I mean, what the fuck is this country coming to? God damn liberals...
(4)
Eric F.
Yum! With Groupon in hand and the company of two other empty stomachs, my friends and I ordered the Pitboss Sampler and went to town. The Spare Ribs were delicious with much tenderness and a great dry rub providing soft spicy notes that settled in gradually and became evident towards the end of each bite. A close second, the Baby Back Ribs had nice smokey flavor though were slightly drier. I was pleased to see that the Pulled Pork was well-executed and held its own to that of Redbones - tender and juicy, 'nuff said. I liked the Chopped Brisket as well, but they were admittedly just solid and probably the least impressive of the meats. The surprise winner was actually the Southern Fried Wings! The batter was truly exceptional in that it excelled on all fronts - a sensationally delicate and crispy texture chock full of savory flavor, it needed no enhancement whatsoever. It gave way to unbelievably juicy meat within that made each mouthful an awesome one. I can't forget the Spicy Honey Wings which were also very tasty and made me seriously consider a return visit soon for the Monday unlimited wings special. What COULD be forgotten, however, were the Hot Links - dry and tough to swallow. From the selection of BBQ sauces, we enjoyed the Pitboss and SoulFire the most as they provided a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Spice lovers will undoubtedly enjoy the mustard-based Fiery sauce and as for the Sweet...meh. As for the plethora of sides, I enjoyed Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens the most. Nothing amazing, just good jobs on the classics. The interior's very spacious and service was great throughout our meal - regular check-ins, sincere apologies for having us wait out front for the place to open at noon and lots of smiles all around. Can't wait until my next BBQ feast =D
(4)
Mike Z.
I've been here a multitude of times since my first visit with the most recent visit being this past weekend. I've docked star because it seems like the food quality has gone down. The good: The lightly-breaded fried catfish is consistently crisp on the outside but ever so tender on the inside. The southern fried wings are SO good, as with the catfish, it's moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the out. The mac and cheese and potato salad are always tasty, though the cornbread is not as fluffy as before. The not-so-good: The BBQ "party" wings, they call it, was disappointing because the wings itself are considerably smaller than before, but the price hasn't changed. It's oversauced as well. The sliced beef briskets were very dry and tasteless. Now, the briskets here were never impressive, but it seems like it got worse. The baby back ribs went from fall-off-the-bone tender and succulent to dry, hard, and without much taste. Thumbs up also for the unchanged friendly staff, I have not seen one new employee since my first visit.
(3)
Patrick D.
Overall, good spot for some quick food. Cool atmosphere, old jazz posters on the walls, one huge television and a sweet mural behind the counter. Good, wholesome barbeque at a very reasonable price point. Two people ate here for less than $20. I got a turkey sandwich and my date (though I would not recommend this as a real date spot, just a quick little dinner) got the pulled pork sandwich, both of which were very good and simple. I had some of the mac & cheese too which had barbeque potato chips on it. Interesting, creative, not too bad. Decent spot for some quick grub with a friend or two.
(4)
Lauren V.
I'm a loyal Soul Fire customer. I live nearby and go often, especially for all-you-can-eat wing Mondays. The place isn't perfect, but in this price range... what is? The digs are just aiight. It's too dimly lit, and the red walls are a little overbearing (on the plus side, no creepy red lights like the Sunset Grill, so at least you won't feel like you're dining in the Lust scene from Se7en), but I'm not there to look at the walls, you know? Music tends to be pretty good - mostly old soul and funk. Good selection of local sports games playing on the TVs, and they have a huge projector on the main wall, so it's a fun place to watch a big game. The beer selection is decent and cheap - a lot of local selections, both canned and on tap. Tip #1: you will be required to order food of some kind if you order a drink - even if it's just cornbread (which is hit or miss, I've found - some days it's outstanding, and some days it's just mediocre). All-you-can-eat wing Mondays: THE BEST. These aren't your typical anemic bar wings, these are big, fat, meaty wings and drummies. There's a standard roster of three flavors: buffalo, Soul Fire sauce (their house sauce - a really solid spicy/sweet barbecue), and (I believe) their Pit Boss sauce, which is a rich, sweet barbecue. The fourth is a rotating flavor that changes every week - on various days, I've had bacon ranch (I died when I ate these, I'm actually writing this review from the grave), Thai green curry (delicious), golden barbecue (nice buttery barbecue), and coconut lime. The new(ish) chef is a whiz with soy-based sauces, so I expect a lot more Asian-inspired flavors in the future. Thank Jesus. Their normal menu is overall done right and priced right. A standout is the fried catfish - huge filets of flaky, moist deliciousness, and the spicy tartar sauce rules. Their fried chicken should also not be missed - it's unbelievably moist and tender with a crispy, mildly-spiced batter. Break away from the standard pulled pork and chicken (though both are good - especially when doused in the vinegary North Carolina sauce) and you'll find some real gems here. Tip #2: ask your server for the South Carolina sauce. It's a tangy, spicy mustard-based sauce that isn't on the menu, but it's the best of the bunch, in my opinion - especially on the fried chicken! Their sides are all slightly different takes on what you might expect from a southern barbecue joint - mac and cheese is creamy and delightful but not overly salty or gloppy, with crumbled barbecue chips on top. Both beans and collards are much sweeter than usual, and neither are cooked into mushy oblivion. The potato salad is as good as mom's, specifically my mom's. A large order of fried mac and cheese bites is easily a meal in itself - deep fried cubes of their normal mac and cheese, perfect for dipping into various sauces. Don't come here expecting the best barbecue you've ever had in your life (this is Boston, come on), but with a grain of salt and a little faith, you'll be more than satisfied.
(4)
TJ G.
Pretty good food. If you're looking for some fried food, you can't go wrong. Sauces made in house with some decent variety. Prices are good as well.
(3)
Michelle L.
it was 'okay.' service was a little slow (esp. for Saturday dinner). our food was barely luke-warm, so it was clearly sitting before it got to us. disappointed that "jumbo party wings" weren't jumbo by any means, and five measly half-wings cost $7!!! fries were tasty, though, and the collard greens that we got with the beef brisket platter were awesome (except no one told us there was bacon in them). i was really disappointed to hear the the iceberg wedge salad was identical to a house salad (as in NO BACON), and just instead of good lettuce, had wedge lettuce.... needless to say, we didn't order it. the sweet tea was very good. the brisket platter had six slices of COLD brisket (no sauce) on top of a piece of bread - came with two sides and was $13... again, a little pricey. all-in-all some goods, and some not-so-goods, so 3 stars. they really need to serve burnt ends.....
(3)
Jeremy F.
Absolutely awesome barbecue and far and away the best in the Boston area. Slades, Blue Ribbon and especially Redbones (blegh...overhyped) don't come close. They have 4 kinds of sauce to choose from and all of the meat is cooked to "pull off the bone" tenderness (vs. "fall off the bone" which is, technically, overcooked) and flavorful, so you can really do without sauce if you choose. Don't tell my grandmother or Godmother, from Arkansas and Kentucky respectively, but the greens are the best I've ever had. Also, everything is reasonably priced for the portions and quality and they're constantly spinning some kick *ss classic soul, funk and R&B tunes through the house speakers! If there were half stars, I'd give a 4.5 and the only reason I'm dropping from a 5 is because since my first visit in 2011, it seems the service has dropped off a bit and some of the food has become slightly inconsistent, a sentiment I see echoed here in other reviews, and I want them to keep their standards high. Still, their "C" level is well above most BBQ joint's A game. Long live Soul Fire!
(4)
A M.
Great deal with Groupon. But note that this place does offer a lot of relatively inexpensive items. Ordered two platters, one with pulled pork and baby back ribs, and the other with chopped brisket and spare ribs. All of the good was good. Personally I prefer bbq with sauces cooked on and carmelized. Here everything is smoked, so all of the meat was very dry, and you then have to add your own sauces. While I enjoyed my pulled pork and baby back ribs, I thought the spare ribs looked extremely fatty and I had no desire to try them. My boyfriend did like them. The chopped brisket was surprisingly good, and did not taste at all like what i expected. Note that they do not have a full bar, only beer and wine. If I lived in the area, I would probably go back, even without a groupon. However, since I do not, I would rather spend my money at Texas Roadhouse instead, since I think their bbq is a lot better. (plus margaritas!).
(3)
Jen S.
I've been meaning to do this update for a looong time. The fried chicken wings are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Takes a while because they are cooked to order, but 10000000% worth the wait. Had to add this to my previous review. So fried chicken wings + mac and cheese= best meal in Allston (next to shabushabu at ShabuZen) It's also a nice place to eat and hang out with friends (maybe a husband)- and a pretty good place to watch a game. If you want a nice flavorgasm (and have had a dryspell because you've had such bland food for a while), you're in for a BIG LONG ONE! :)
(5)
Frank J.
My favorite BBQ place in the area. Not the best BBQ I have ever had, but solid overall and no complaints about the meat. The ribs and brisket are great, fried chicken is standard, and catfish is done right. I always think the easiest way to judge BBQ is through their fried fish - the catfish here is moist with a delicate breading, not at all the hard deep fry breading that crappy places use (fish needs to be breaded differently). I should say that what I get most often is the sliced brisket sandwich - very delicious, competes with the best of the sliced brisket around. I recommend the sandwich instead of the platter. From my experience the platter doesn't come with more meat than the sandwiches. Also, the platters come with "texas toast," which is basically cheap white bread at the bottom of the plate that gets very soggy and gross. There is really no reason for this on the platters, there should be more meat instead. Another reason why I like this place is because I have used groupons (or equivilent) here before and unlike many other places they are actually very happy with the use of groupons. It is ridiculous that many places issue groupons and then have an attitude when you use them - it is supposed to be advertising and getting people to try the food, yet many places discourage you from coming back by giving you attitude for using them. Soul Fire does not do this - they are very friendly and happy to take them. There was an article on one of the sites a while back ( Boston.com maybe?) when groupons were in the early stages and the owner of Soul Fire talked about how great they were - and these statements are backed up when you use them here. I very much appreciate this and for this reason alone I am inclined to continue using Soul Fire as my default BBQ place. Also, I have only had take-out from here and have never had a problem. They generally give you a wait time of 15 min or so, and every time I have come in 15 min the food has been ready to go. The staff here is also very friendly with the take out. Some places care less about take-out patrons because of the out of sight, out of mind realty but not here - great staff (and owner - judging from the article I read he seems to care about the customers). Small complaint - I mentioned earlier that my favorite is the sliced brisket sandwich. This stands true, but some pieces can be half fat, although this is the nature of brisket. When I make brisket I slice off the obvious huge pieces of fat and that is not done here, so you can get a brisket sandwich that has very large solid fat portions. This is my personal preference though so this is not why I gave 4 stars insdead of 5, if they removed the fat there would be others complaining about it and that it ruined the flavor, etc. Doesn't matter but heads up - can be a slight roll of the dice with the sliced brisket, but still what I recommend. So the reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 (they would easily have 5 stars aside from this). They recently raised their prices (not a complaint, it happens and should be expected from time to time) but did not update the prices on their website (the sliced brisket sandwich went from $8 to $9). What happened is that I ordered a lot of food and went to pick it up and came very close to not having enough money to cover it. I understand price increases but you have to put your customers on notice by promptly updating your website - people rely on it. Soul Fire would otherwise have a glowing review but not updating a website considering how easy it is is just not excusible. Overall - great food, great people, my place for BBQ.
(4)
Jennifer T.
Went here with a Groupon, but def. reasonable prices even without it. The wait was about 30 mins on a Monday night, but perhaps because it was all-you-can-eat wings night. We got the "serves 4 souls" which came with a TON of food, we had plenty of left overs afterwards - i'd say it feeds more like 5+. It came with a rack of ribs, 1lb meat (you can choose from brisket or pulled pork), 4 halves of hickory chicken, cornbread, and 2 sides. The biggest disappointment was how small the 1lb of pulled pork turned out to be. Like others mentioned, its not cooked in any sauce, but the upside is that you can test all the different sauces they give you. Our group all though the Pitboss was the best - a bit tangy sweet with a bit of kick, and those who liked spicey, also liked the fiery. The ribs were AMAZING though, super tender and HUGE quantity. The chicken was good, but as with most BBQ, it just cant compare with the ribs and pulled pork. For our sides, we got the mashed potatoes and collard greens. The mashed potatoes were tasty and just the right amount of buttery and peppery goodness. The collard greens were also some of the best I've had, I liked that it had more molasses taste. The waitress was also very attentive and checked up on us often. As for the place itself, it was well lit, but rather loud, but not as noticeable once you're seated. A star was taken off for the small portion of pulled pork, and the waters and sodas were served in paper cups, making the beverage not as cold and refreshing, and also wasteful.
(4)
Vanessa C.
The food is excellent! Make sure you get an experienced server,though... well, even if you don't;the food is still very much worth the trouble. :)
(5)
Joe B.
Soul Fire saved me from culinary boredom. And I keep coming in to give thanks. Their waitstaff continues to be fantastic. Even though the place has gotten busier, I still get great personal service from everyone there. They keep the place clean, your water glasses full, and your drinks poured, and they really seem to enjoy being there. Happy staff equals happy customers, as evidenced by the many other people I see eating there frequently. I recently tried the catfish sandwich. I went into it with some trepidation, since I'd only ever had pulled pork, brisket, or wings from Soul Fire. But, it was a summer night, and I wanted something lighter, so a white fish was my answer. It was excellent! It tasted very fresh, and it had a nice breading on it that provided a little flavor. I'm not much of a tartar sauce person, but their homemade stuff added a nice hit of flavor to the sandwich. I continue to recommend the cornbread and the mac 'n' cheese that comes with BBQ potato chips crumbled on top. Definitely come hungry, and pace yourself. This place is more than worth your attention here in Allston.
(5)
Kevin T.
Good to mo betta BBQ! Great serving size, good meat, good beer, good overall experience. I particularly liked the the brisket tips. Gets a little loud though. Still worth it!
(4)
Cory B.
I really like this place. The food is great, the vibe is cool, and you would be hard-pressed not to walk out feeling completely full and satisfied. This is truly one of the best BBQ places around (and I've always been biased towards Redbones in Somerville) because it is different. It's comfortable and has that true soul vibe. The fried mac and cheese appetizer is amazing, the ribs are flavorful, and they give you a fantastic selection of BBQ Sauces to use. The only reason this isn't 5 stars for me is becuase I've gone a bunch of times for dinner and I feel like they could do a better job of making it feel like a lively joint. The music is low, and it tends to feel empty. I think that they could lower the lights, pump up the music a bit, and get the place feeling a little more fun. When it comes to the food though, go to Soul Fire.
(4)
Owen C.
I was looking for good BBQ in Boston/ Brookline area.... so far, this has hit my fix! I could spend an easy $40 eating up here, and boy does this place hit your BBQ needs I wouldn't say it is a 5 star BBQ in the realm of BBQ, but for New England, its wicked good. I have already gone 4 times.... in 2 weeks :) Coleslaw is amazing, corn bread is close to epic brisket is straight up wicked! Cheers
(5)
Amber K.
If this review were concerned solely with the quality of food, I'm not sure there are enough stars to express how delicious it is. I'm actually not the person you should listen to about food most of the time because I'm incredibly picky and prefer things that are bland, straightforward, and standard. I don't even use any of the four (apparently amazing) sauces that SoulFire offers at each table. That being said, SoulFire manages to cater to my depressing palate while pleasing every other person I've ever gone there with. The fried chicken, which is what I order without fail, is absolutely amazing. It is moist and juicy, flavorful, and worth waiting the 20 or so minutes it takes to prepare (if you say you've never been to SoulFire and you order this meal, they will warn you about a delay because it takes a while). I have also witnessed the enjoyment of the pulled pork, baby back ribs, spare ribs, and all of the various sides. Mac and cheese is a favorite (it has a little bit of BBQ potato chips crumbled on top!), and the gravy for the mashed potatoes could be sold wholesale for quite a profit. The cornbread has been a source of a fight or two when there is only one piece left. My fiance and I enjoy the food so much that we are having it served at our upcoming wedding. SoulFire does lose a star, however, on the staffing/service side of things. It's not bad, not necessarily even mediocre, but it's hit or miss. Sometimes the waitstaff can be inattentive or slow, but sometimes they're great. Sometimes, when the place is very busy and we've had to wait for a table, the staff seem slow to turn over tables and seat customers efficiently. It's not enough to make us stop going, not by a long shot, but I couldn't in good conscience give the place a perfect rating when I know that sometimes I walk out of there very full but not totally psyched.
(4)
Alex L.
I'm going to lower my previous rating based on their delivery service. I have NEVER had a problem until tonight and it was so horrendous I had to write about it. I used campusfood to place an order and I included a tip. Usually the delivery is very timely and right to my door, no problems. Tonight the delivery guy asked me to go downstairs to the street to meet him. I'm sorry but I included a tip for delivery, this isn't "meet you 1/2 way" service, this is delivery service. I'm utterly appalled not only because of that but by the way the driver was speaking to me on the phone. I told him that if I walked downstairs I'd call and have my tip removed from the order. He responded "is it that difficult for you to come down?" I said "no, it isn't, but it's not what I'm paying for." I could understand if there was nobody downstairs to let a driver in, that's not my beef. My beef is a driver sitting his ass in his car, outside on the street, that's too lazy and too rude to do his job and bring food to the door to the proper destination.
(2)
Angela M.
We brought my boyfriend's family here while they were visiting. It's a pretty cool place. The staff was very friendly, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Good place to go if you feel like eating lots of meat.
(4)
R G.
yummy! simple, no fuss food. we ordered the mac'n'cheese bites to start (good way to sample the bbq sauces), I got the fried chicken, and the bf got the pulled pork sandwich. the entrees come with your choice of several of the sides. the amounts are smallish, but you get to try a lot (the potato salad was good!). the chicken was fresh and tasty. the bf liked his pulled pork sandwich, and I thought the bite I had was good. I'm glad their bbq isn't overly saucey-- dowsing meat with gallons of sauce does not make good bbq! the atmosphere was relaxed and the waitress was nice. we'll be going back to try more!
(4)
Michael D.
Some of the better/best atmosphere and BBQ in the Boston area. Everything simply tasted fresh with good quality ingredients, and nothing seemed like it was reheated or old. It all tasted just very "homemade". The service was quick and nice, professional but still casual all of which added to the positive atmosphere. We also enjoyed the music selection. I would suggest giving it a serious try if you're in the area!
(5)
Garth S.
Soul Fire is clean, convenient, dark, usually quiet, and not too expensive. It is not, however, great BBQ. In fact, I'm not sure it really qualifies as BBQ. If pressed, I'd call it BBQ-influenced fast food. But for Allston, Soul Fire is pretty classy, and beats nearly everything along that crap-infested stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth and Brighton Avenues. I'm glad it's around but if I didn't live nearby, I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(3)
Deb K.
The couple of times I have been here, it has been mostly empty and the service was amazing (not sure how it goes when there are more people around). Any place that has a BBQ sauce condiment bar, is going to get a lot of stars in my book. The plates here are huge (even the sandwiches) and are reasonably priced. They've got beers on tap and a bar with vinyl covers (look it up on google if you forget what those look like) decorating the bar. The meat was tender, the mac and cheese had chips in it, and the pickles were fresh.
(4)
Drew V.
I'm really not sure what the big deal about this place is. I've been here a few times and my experiences have been below average. The brisket sandwich was dry but more tolerable when drowned with sauce. The portions of sides could have been bigger.(Is a spoonful and a half of mac and cheese considered a side?) On another occasion I ordered the fried chicken which looked/tasted to be a previously roasted thigh that was breaded and deep fried. It was a strange combination. The chicken was left too long in the fryer and was way too greasy for my taste. The place is clean though and they do have a big screen tv for watching whatever sporting event is on at the time.
(2)
s c.
Really 3 1/2 stars. 5 of us decided to try this BBQ joint on a Sun eve. It's all about the food, so here's our impression. For this type of BBQ, the one to beat is Blue Ribbon BBQ, which is superior to Redbones (ribs can be dry). We got the fried chicken wings for apps, since Yelpers liked the fried chicken (good). Ordered the sampler for 4 which was about $58 that came with ribs, chicken, and choice of brisket. Ribs - really meatiest I've ever had, not dry or overcooked, not too fatty. An A for ribs. Chicken was good too. Brisket was a mite dry. Mash potato was good, but they gave us only a serving for 1 or 2 persons. Collard greens tasted a little too sweet, maybe molasses. Corn bread was good - not as good as Blue Ribbon. For us the disappointment was the sauces - none of the flavors can match the sauces at Blue Ribbon. So while there's plenty of food (the meal for 4 can easily feed 7 or 8, but not enough mashed or collards), the sauces were a disappointment.
(4)
Pablo C.
Great brisket and pulled pork. Tender pulled chicken. All the meats were moist and tender and the choice of sauces is excellent. For $20 you can get a 3 meat platter that comes with two sides. The mac-n-cheese is a bit dry but tasty (I prefer dry) and the baked beens are very good with a little kick. Definitely would go back, I did take-out as parking in Brookline is a bit iffy. I parked on the dead end side street on the right just pass the restaraunt.
(4)
Jennifer B.
I went to Soul Fire last night, and am happy to report that they have gotten their beer/wine license. They had a good variety of beer, and even had some for really cheap - several under $3. Of course, they were Pabst, Schlitz, and High Life, but they also had better beers for not much more. I wasn't in an alcohol mood so I had a tasty glass of lemonade (not from concentrate). I was very happy with my Soul Fire platter - baby back ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, mac and cheese, white bread, corn bread, and pickles. It was a lot of food. Even though the serving of ribs seemed small (I think I got 4 ribs with my combo) I was extremely full by the end of the meal. The cornbread was tasty, the collards were excellent, with bits of onion and bacon mixed in, and the Mac and cheese was extra cheesy with BBQ potato chips sprinkled on top. I was a little confused by the counter ordering, but only because I was not aware that you had to go up to order. My friend was already seated when I arrived, and we waited around for a while before I finally realized that a waitress was not going to come to take our order. It would have been nicer if they had noticed us sitting, looking around confused, and come over to explain how it works there. Otherwise, it was good food, good portions, for a decent price.
(4)
Hailey T.
Pulled pork sandwich= delish! I'm pretty fond of the sweet bbq sauce. Fries were good. Just what I wanted. To top it off, I called in for delivery and they showed faster than they quoted me, they're on top of it and that's something I appreciate...since it can take a lot of other places ages to get the order to you. Solid place, will definitely try them again!
(5)
Steven F.
Awesome BBQ, they serve beer, the game's always on, courteous people, oh, and did I mention the BBQ is AWESOME? It's like our own little Red Bones right here in Allston. They also have a trendy atmosphere (definitely not fancy though) and they play really chill soul music all the time. A flat out great place to eat, see the game, have a drink, or kill time.
(5)
Leslie W.
I phoned in asking for BBQ chicken and was told they only offered smoked chicken and BBQ sauce on the side. So Although it wasn't exactly what i was looking for, i ordered a whole chicken. When I went to the restaurant to pick it up, the glass door and front windows were smeared with at least a week's worth of hand prints - maybe more - and the entryway had an unclean funky smell. I shutter to think about what the kitchen looks like. I asked the waitress if they ever clean the front door and windows and she seemed annoyed with me and said they hire a guy named Oscar to do it. The chicken was smoked and a bit too salty and otherwise unmemorable except for the strange dark brown color it had. It was also so scrawny that we had to look in the box to make sure it was our order, we didn't think a whole chicken was in there. I love chicken, but this was a major disappointment. Shouldn't a BBQ restaurant have great chicken? Methinks yes.
(1)
Fred K.
I had eaten here before and the food is actually quite good although the portions were a bit small. I went in last Sunday, by myself, to catch a bite before a show. It wasn't that busy, so I was able to sit down right away. The reason for my two star review was the service. I saw the waiter a grand total of three times. Once to take my order, once to drop off my food, and once to settle my tab. He never once stopped to check and see if my food was okay (it was) or to offer me more water (I did want more). Then when my check came ($12.50), I paid with a twenty. He brought me back $7 even. I didn't even bother complain, I left a small tip and left.
(2)
Jordan M.
Went to Soul Fire for an afternoon lunch with an old friend. Enjoyed a cold beer (Dale's Pale Ale no less) and some good barbecue. Started with the corn dog appetizer (best corn dog I can remember) and sampled some of the bbq sauces. I'd say the "fiery", "soul fire" and "pitboss" or some amalgamation of two of these sauces is the way to go. Being a big rueben fan I couldn't pass up the BBQ Reuben that comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and brisket substituted for pastrami. This is not an idea unique to Soul Fire and is rather popular in the south often called a "Rachel". For a side I had, and recommend, the mac and cheese that I believe was topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? Everything was great, $20 for a reasonable sized sandwich, side of mac and cheese, corn dog appetizer, and a cold Dale's Pale Ale. Its all tough to beat. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Brian K.
Comfort food city. The sandwiches are big and filling and a side of pickles surprisingly works wonders. The quality is delicious and spicy while the decor is as chic and sexy as a BBQ joint can get.
(4)
Min Y.
Good BBQ, but chilly atmosphere (not a lot of people). I think once they get a good flow of customers, it'd be a livelier place to go eat. They have a big flat screen TV and a projection screen. Would be great sports event hangout spot.
(3)
Jen J.
It's not Blue Ribbon, but it's pretty good. The brisket is tender and tasty, and although the first two times we got pulled pork it was fatty and gross, the most recent time it was delicious without a hunk of fat to be seen. The collards and rice and beans are great. The cornbread is mediocre, but much improved from when they first opened. Be sure to get plenty of the sauces, all of which I find delicious.
(4)
Aubrey G.
This place is amazing! Finger licking good! I did have overcooked ribs once, but the place kindly reimbursed me for them and I've gone back a few more times. Don't fill up too much or you'll have a tummy ache, but boy is it good going down! You must try all the different sauces and be sure to order an extra cornbread!
(5)
Samuel B.
so my friend had a groupon and we thought we would go, my self knowing personally that its nothing special, but we go and while being crouded they had a stand up sign saying "please seat yourself" so we see an open table in the back and start sitting down, a watress comes to us and very rudely said 'you know their is a line of names, get up" we go and point to the sign they displayed saying "please seat yourself" she and another waitress, said "dont you see these people waiting", knowing that they have a bar right their, offer take out, and have no organizational run of it she takes the sign, turns it around and made another rude remark. we dont stand for that treetment and on the way out she said "see you next monday and laughed" needless to say we went to their competetor a mile away, had an excellent meal, fantastic service, with some fantastic music. i highly recomend people stay away from this place, i will be twittering anf facebooking everyone i know to stay away
(1)
Will D.
Soul Fire catered an event I went to recently and I have to say it was fantastic. The food was delicious and I got to sample a nice wide variety. The pulled pork was probably my favorite with good flavor and delicious varities of sauce to try out. The chicken was delicious, tender and juicy. The ribs were excellent, very tender and the flavor was robust but you still could enjoy the meat without it being overpowering. It was so good I made sure to return to the restaurant location. It easily lived up to my earlier experience and the pricing can't be beat. I couldn't resist the pulled pork again and you get a nice compliment of sides and a decent beer selection. Had the delicious chicken wings too which were meaty with a great crunchy fried crust on them. Love this place and will certainly return.
(5)
Amanda S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My boyfriend and I were on our way to Sunset to order some boneless wings when he asked if I wanted to try Soulfire. I'm not a big meat eater, and everytime I've driven by this place it has seemed relatively empty, but we both really enjoyed our food. It was quick, cheap & tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of Boston baked beans, he has the pulled pork & a side of cole slaw. Portions were generous, sandwich with a side was only $6. Oh, and they serve beer here too, which is nice. The employee at the counter was knowledgable & patient (we took a long time to order b/c we had never been in there before). The pickles were nasty- very salty, & tasted like vinegar. Lots of BBQ sauce options. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)
Drew B.
What a disappointment. Based on my fellow yelper's reviews, we went to Soulfire after identifying a serious craving for BBQ. The 1/2 hickory roast chicken was dry and flavorless. The ribs were decent at best. The Fried Mac and Cheese bites were a major let down. The only somewhat redeeming food items were the Spicy Honey Wings (desirable for the sauce ONLY) and the cornbread, which was cold but surprisingly moist. Our experience at Soulfire, which was somewhere between BBQ fast food and low grade restaurant, made us question where the standards really lie for good Boston BBQ.
(1)
Cindy R.
This is good solid BBQ. The fried catfish is tasty and the roll is good (often a weak part of a restaurant sandwich). Everything is a little bit bland and processed-seeming (e.g., the corn bread has a bit of that over sugary, synthetic taste to it). It's very roomy though w/ nice stainless steel tables and good art on the walls. My kids really enjoyed it. Also, a bit overpriced for the amount and quality of food, but we'll be back.
(3)
Diana T.
YUM! Love the brisket and collard greens. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Go for the platters it you are like me and can't choose!
(5)
Sam M.
AMAZING! I was surprisingly impressed by this place - the menu has a great selection, loved all the options for sides. Portions are huge and the table is set to include 4 different types of sauces. We had Fried Chicken, Ribs, BBQ chicken wings, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and potato salad, and it was all fantastic. I have to say that I enjoyed this meal more than Redbones...and we'll definitely be returning for Monday night all you can eat wing night.
(5)
Ellen L.
leaves a lot to be desired. this place is ALWAYS empty... self - service restaurant with walk up ordering contribute to the ultra fast food / casual dining experience. Unfortunately, the place almost echoes because of the stark decor so it felt a bit akward. Very cheap food, and tender meat. I didn't think that the flavor was cooked into the meat, but rather, the sauce was added on as an afterthought. also, the cornbread was cold. the least they could have done was faked it w/ a microwave. veggie sides were lacking in taste.
(2)
Marcia F.
We really enjoyed the BBQ here. The brisket and pulled pork platter was tasty and plentiful. I had the baked beans (great) and potato salad (good) and my husband had the collards which he really liked. The corn bread was good too. We were a little confused by the ordering at the counter but not paying but the service was quick and helpful. The choice of sauces was nice and we tried different types to decide which we liked best. We will definitely go back when we want BBQ again.
(5)
Rave M.
I'm no BBQ connoisseur, but the food here is tasty and the sandwiches well-priced for the portions. Minus one star because so many of the menu items are made with meat/pork (even the collard greens) somewhere in the cooking process, limiting the number of choices veggies and non-pork-eaters have. Brownie points for carrying cream soda and for rolling so much deliciousness up into those Mac & Cheese bites. I always get take-out because something about the vastness of Soulfire makes it uninviting to eat there... but the tunes are always fun to listen to while I wait for my BBQ chicken sandwich.
(4)
MIke H.
Decent food, and nice open area with lots of places to sit. Prices are good as well
(4)
Rachel C.
Remember that scene in Pulp FIction where Vincent is telling Jules about how in Amersterdam you could order a beer at McDonald's with your meal? It sounded awesome! And made me wonder why we couldn't do that here. Well I found something even better! I had walked past SoulFire numerous times, but always wrote it off thinking I didn't have enough time to stop and eat there.My roommates and I were craving meat and BBQ sauce and without any other plans for the evening we decided to finally give it a try. From the rich wood and deep red walls the atmosphere was spot on with my expectations, but I was surprised that there was no table service. Everyone order's their food and drinks at the counter and then speedily picks up their order further on down the line, after the soda machine and the condiments. The set up works so well for them, and this way you have the option to stay and eat or take out. If you want, there is a bar to sit at where you can be waited on and served drinks. But if you are looking to just grab dinner and a drink and not linger (which is what most people seemed to be doing) you can order a beer from the person taking your meal order and ringing you up. Its like classy, casual, fast food. When we first arrived it did not look too busy and the waitress behind the counter did not seem to mind us taking a few minutes to figure out how the restaurant worked. We all ordered the same thing, pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese, which she joked would confuse the kitchen. I was not even done getting my water when our order was up. The kitchen staff teased us for having the the same meal, I guess they are used to more complicated meals at SoulFire. The food was pretty good, exactly what I had wanted when I walked in. The sandwich hit the spot and the meat was smoked perfectly. I also loved the mac and cheese with a generous amount of crushed bbq potato chips on top. And the pickles! I don't usually like sweet bread and butter type pickles, but there were homemade and were a wonderful combination of vinegar and sugar. I even wanted to go order half pints of these sides to take home and enjoy later, but I resisted the urge! One gripe I had was that I would have liked a better selection of sauces, especially since here you have to sauce your own meat. I ended up having to mix my own in order to get it just the way I like it. So on one hand that it good because you get the sauce the way you like, however it is not the same as having the meat mixed in with the sauce the way they do it at some places. If I were getting this to go (which I now know is very easy to do), I would prefer having the sauce already on there instead of having to get cups of my own. That said I will definitely be back soon, its a faster alternative to a sit down restaurant in the area, and priced pretty reasonably. The staff was very friendly, the waitress even yelled to us to have a good evening over the building crowd as we left. The food is quick and excellent, and I can even grab a beer with my quick meal. WHat more could I want?
(4)
a w.
I personally think this is some of the best bbq I've had in Boston. I had the pulled pork sandwich, collards, and fried mac and cheese balls. All were amazing!!! My cohort found a bit of mold on his bun and is a dedicated lover of Blue Ribbon so we were not on the same page. I would give this place five stars but there's nothing better than a beer with bbq...and of that there was none.
(4)
Claudia L.
i'm a big meat fan. i never met a BBQ joint i didn't like. how i was a vegetarian for seven years, i'll never know. thank god for anemia! i appreciate that soul fire has brought BBQ back to its roots, with all sauces on the side. do try them all, then find one you like and go crazy. for just over $10, you get a good amount of food and end up sticky, saucy and satisfied. it's indeed a bummer that they don't carry beer - what better to go with a giant plate of ribs? - but i'm going to go ahead and attribute this to the fact that they're relatively new and haven't gotten their paperwork in yet. hopefully they'll get right on that , so i can get back on the rib train. EDIT: beer! wheeeeeeee!
(4)
Joe S.
When it comes to BBQ, Soul Fire is the new kid in town. Located on Harvard Ave in Allston it has a great location to be the rib capital of the student ghetto. It is definitely a neat concept- order at the counter, wait for your dry rub bbq, and then go nuts at the sauce bar with sauces ranging from sweet to mustard and vinegar. The decor is funky with an a red and black interior highligted by a glass bar with classic soul lp covers under the glass. Bob and I arrived long before the rest of the party and thus had ample time to sample the sides. The potato salad has quite the kick and the mac and cheese is small bowl of gooey goodness topped with crushed potato chips. Unfortunately they didn't have their beer license yet so instead we drank some Harpoon soda (root beer and cream soda, good but nothing to write home about). All the BBQ is dry rub so you apply the sauces yourself. The chicken was superior, fall off the bone finger licking good. But the rack of ribs were very underwhelming, it seemed like they had been under a heating lap for most of the day. The sauces packed a wollop, all have some serious heat, even the sweet stuff. The spare ribs looked bigger than the half rack of ribs. For 15 dollars the soul fire platter is two meats, two sides, cornbread and a pickle. The meat portions are a little skimpier- for your best value go for the spare ribs (meatier than the rack of ribs) and the catfish. The catfish was probably my favorite menu item, at least what I could steal from my friend Melissa. Sides I forgot to mention were the greens (above average with flakes of bbq in it) and the cole slaw (again above average). Score- Long Single Soul Fire has a lot of things going for it (sauce bar, decor, sides) but the value and the ribs were both underwhelming. So I score it a long single, looks like a double but its only a single off the Monster. Soul Fire is just a few months old so hopeful it's portions and quality rib control will improve with time. And if it had beer perhaps I wouldn't have been so critical.
(3)
Laura A.
i'm giving this a five star review on behalf of the meat eaters i went here with, because after all this is a bbq place and for me to give it minimal stars for the shitty salad i had wouldn't be very fair. and they all LOVED it (the three boys had 2 sandwiches - my boyfriend said the pulled pork was even better than redbones!- and a soulfire platter between them.) however, i do think they need at least more veg side dishes or even just a veggie burger would be good. i feel like there are a fair amount of veg-friendly places in allston and this place should take the hint. i had a crappy iceburg salad and some pretty good mac & cheese, and that was pretty much all i could have ordered on the menu.
(5)
Eli G.
After driving by at least 50 times (I work down the street) I finally got a chance to try Soulfire before a show at Great Scott last night. I didn't really expect much, because generally the food in Allston gets 3 stars at best, but I was pleasantly surprised about my Soulfire experience. The menu is a little expensive for order-at-the-counter food, but it's ribs so I guess I understand. I was very happy with my dry rubbed spare ribs and even more happy with the wide selection of wonderful sauces (TRY THEM ALL), which were affectionately explained to me by non other then the chef himself. I was especially impressed by his friendliness and in fact the friendliness of the whole staff made me feel like I was at southern BBQ pit. Soulfire is a welcome edition to the Allston foodscape!
(5)
Jenny N.
Oh yeah, get your MEAT on here! This place is cleverly named, and the funky soul music will get you happy. I really enjoyed my platter of pulled pork piled on thick white bread and served with 2 sides (I chose collard greens and baked beans), as well as cornbread. The meats are served dry, so you can try the 3 different house sauces (which are kept nice and warm at the pickup counter) as you like. It was a very nice way to sample "BBQ cuisine." The place seems trendy, but not especially expensive given the amount of food you get. Very fast and friendly counter service. The high stainless steel table at the back with bar stools is great seating, but borders on blinding thanks to the lighting. The manager came around to ask about our meal, so that was a nice friendly touch. I only wish they served alcohol! A cold, crisp beer would go very well with this food. But Soulfire is a great alternative to RedBones, which is great too but so overcrowded and loud in comparison. RedBones is also too far from my abode. But if Soulfire is any indication, it appears that Allston/Brighton is cleaning up and getting a bit more polish!
(5)
Alana H.
I think there is a part of me that belongs in the South. I love southern food and I could get into calling people sir and ma'am. I got a living social deal for this place a while back and it was getting ready to expire so I came here while the bf was in town visiting. The place was pretty lively when we came on Saturday afternoon for lunch. The bf got a beer and I ordered an Arnold Palmer (half lemonade half ice tea) and it was really good. It wasn't too sweet but still really good. For our entrees I ordered the Fried Chicken Platter my sides were collard greens and rice beans. This was probably the best fried chicken I have ever had. The skin was crispy while the meat was juicy and the pieces were huge. I liked the collard greens they were smokey and yet sweet, the rice and beans were good but not memorable and while I liked the cake texture of the cornbread, it was cold and would have loved them to have warmed it up before serving. My bf the Soulfire Platter with Spare Ribs and Brisket. He definitely had a lot of food to tackle with this order, I tried both the brisket and the spare ribs and the meat was very tender and with any of the barbecue sauces they had on the table was delicious. We left the meal feeling very stuffed but satisfied. Even without the living social deal prices here are very reasonable for the amount of food that you get. I would absolutely recommend anyone craving real southern food.
(4)
Chris W.
We live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and saw this place on Groupon and thought we would get the Groupon and try it for some travel we had planned to Boston. We took the "T" from our hotel right to this place and got off on the Harvard stop. It is 100ft off the T. We had $30.00 to spend (alcohol not included). I got a Milk Stout (awesome) and my partner got some beer with a whales tail on it...(also awesome). They had a full bar....but we just got beer. We ordered a 3 meat sampler with brisket, pulled pork, and baby back ribs, potato salad and Boston baked beans and corn bread.....all I can say is that we have eaten BBQ through out the country.....and this place is my FAVORITE!!! I can not wait until we go back so I can eat there! Brisket is hard to master....theirs is incredible....and the baked beans looked and tasted homemade.....and you will never forget them they are so good...even the cornbread was good! They had 4 signature sauces...all good!! Our waiter was great....we took a Brisket sandwich w/baked beans back to our hotel and right when we were almost done with our meal he remembered to ask us if we were ready for him to put in the order for our to go sandwich. Great service!!
(5)
Jeff M.
Worst BBQ in Boston. I've had better BBQ in airports.
(1)
Mike H.
I love this place. I stop through as often as I can. The service is hit or miss but the food is consistently good.
(4)
Chad J.
I used to live around the corner from this place and was very thankful for it. I have roots in Texas where slow cooked BBQ is almost a religion but up here in the Northeast its not nearly as prevalent. I've tried a handful of BBQ places and Soul Fire is one of the best I have found. Their menu is straight forward, the ribs and brisket are slow cooked and always tender with just a bit of dry rub. They have several sauces for you to choose from so everyone can pick what they like which makes sharing the sampler plates much easier. Its also one of the only places I have found Lone Star beer for anyone who is at all nostalgic for that, lol.
(4)
Jules M.
Best Fried Chicken around!!! Finally, I found a place with great chicken and guess what? They deliver. Woohoo! I'm not usually one to dip fried chicken in any kind of sauce but their Pitboss BBQ Sauce makes it impossible not to. Mac-n-Cheese is pretty good. I like the crushed bbq chips on top. I may have to steal that idea. Collard Greens are very tasty. There is so much more I want to try here. Like I said, good thing they deliver!
(4)
James A.
Oh wow. Seriously. Head here with two friends... or just one if you're realllyyy hungry. Sit down in the raised chairs facing the window. Order the Pitboss Sampler. Then sit back and marvel at the mountain of delicious fried and smoked and pulled and baked food they bring out. And you know what? You won't be the only one marvelling at the quantities of food - you'll get to revel in the stares of all the people walking past. We actually saw a guy fall off his skateboard because he was amazed at our food; we pulled a couple of people into the restaurant; and we got a bunch of smiles and laughs from a lot of people walking past. Oh, and we left feeling very, very full. Great fun. Recommended!!
(5)
Carly K.
Tried it for the first time tonight and my boyfriend and I loved it! You can just tell its great barbecue, they definitely know what they're doing! The pulled pork was delicious, not a lot of fat which I appreciate and the sides were Great too - Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes made the Meal even better. My favorite part was def the cornbread though yum! Also - great selection of sauces for everyone, I'm so picky and loved a few of them! Def recommend
(4)
Frank B.
I'm glad I saw the Groupon in my email. I went to Soul Fire a few years ago and wasn't too impressed, kept wanting to give it another chance and this was the perfect excuse. Headed to Allston and bellied out to the bar for another try of their BBQ. Our bartender was great, got us set up right away with drinks and menus. I ordered the pulled pork,brisket, with collard greens and potato salad. My wife got fried chicken and beans and coleslaw. For me I was a happy camper from first bite and my wife is comparing other fried chicken to theirs. BBQ is like beer, everyone has their favorites, and likes. Soul Fire will put a smile on any BBQ fan and I'm not going to wait too long before I go back again...
(4)
Valerie V.
AMAZING. Pulled pork is light, savory, and a little spicy; the best I've ever had. Mac and cheese is topped with bbq chip crumbles for a unique twist. Catfish was fried with a light, flaky crust which was a welcomed change from traditional, tough corn meal. The mashed potatoes and gravy were so good I had 2 servings. Other highlights from the table included fried chicken tenders (real, fresh chicken- not the frozen tenders), and savory brisket! I love the variety of sauces, the friendliness of the staff, the quality of food, and the value for the price paid. So great that we come from Watertown to eat here and have received great host compliments when our picky eating guests from Texas fell in love with this place too.
(5)
Amber D.
I was going to give Soulfire 4 stars, because some of the items aren't THAT great. Then I remembered ordering the Pitboss Sampler platter, and all of those delicious meats and sides that come with it. I'm sure the catfish is good, but I'm not sure I'll ever get to try it, knowing that the pitboss option exists. Also the cornbread passes the moistness/flavour test (try pouring a bit of the sweet bbq sauce on it for that extra touch of flavour!) The atmosphere is pretty nice - a southern feel, without being too distanced from its Bostoniness. The metal plate/tray things with the red checkered paper is unique but in a good way. The utensil and BBQ holder made of recycled 6 pack cases adds to the kitchiness. Long story short, I've had better (being from the Midwest and traveling around the south), but for this area, between this place and Redbones, I can stop missing home quite as much.
(5)
John S.
I rounded up to three because of the bigscreen television. Thanks for that, Soul Fire. I've had better BBQ in town, to be sure, but I do appreciate what they're trying to do here in Allston. They're making hip BBQ for hipsters, for sure, clearly trying to fatten up the skinny jean and tight ironic t-shirt crowd with actual food instead of the Top Ramen and drinks from Great Scott they normally survive on. The pulled pork is adequate, the chopped brisket is a bit firm for my taste but technically sound, and the ribs are enormous and sport a good smoke ring. This is good American fare, and I'm happy these Soul Fire folks are cramming it into the Allston/Brighton crowd. They'll be better for it.
(3)
Sam J.
The best cornbread I've ever had in my life. I usually am not too fond of the stuff but at Soul Fire, they can't put enough of it in front of me to satisfy my desire for it. It is incredibly moist and fluffy. Monday is all you can eat wings for 9 dollars. It is a great deal if you come hungry. I do, however, opt for their delicious pulled pork on some Mondays. I have yet to have a side dish with the platter that I have not enjoyed. The mashed potatoes comes with a pool of savory gravy and the coleslaw is a refreshing pallet cleanser. Definitely come early if you have a large party as there is not too much seating.
(5)
Jeff J.
The meats are very tasty however they don't have candied yams and the cornbread tastes like it's store bought. The mac and cheese is edible but not spectacular. If they can pull all the pieces together, this place would be a real winner!
(3)
Big S.
Luckily I had a groupon for this place. We had to wait a while, one particular waitress was a bit slow and seemed to be screwing everything up, we somehow got to sit before people that had been waiting longer than us. Once we sat down, they brought out our food about 30 seconds after we ordered which is always a bit weird. The house arnold palmer was great. I had the baby back ribs which were quite fatty, cannot be compared to Blue Ribbon for BBQ in this area. Pulled chicken was good, my gf had the 1/2 roasted chicken and she liked that. Sides were ok, again just a bit odd that it comes out so quickly after ordering. Was it already waiting for us? Decent food, not the greatest service. They were busy but I think it was because they offer groupon and living social deals. If you want good BBQ, go to blue Ribbon asap
(3)
Danielle K.
My fiance and I have been to Soulfire BBQ a few times in the past and always enjoyed it. Tonight we stumbled upon the $8.99 all you can eat wings special (Monday after 5 PM) . I stuck to ordering my favorite, the delicious pulled pork sandwich, but my fiance opted for the wing special. For the wing special, they 1st bring you a sampler of 4 different types of wings. Then, you can order any amount of wings you want in any sauce. I recommend going with friends who will also order the wings so you don't feel awkward eating while your partner is all through. I got a basket of fries (very crunchy) to nurse while my fiance ate wings till his hearts content. You can easily share the basket of fries between two people, and I kinda wish I did right now because I'm a bit stuffed. The wings were pretty big and my fiance was quite pleased with the meal. If you're in the area on a Monday night, definitely check it out.
(5)
Evan R.
I went here twice... the first time I thought it was stupid, but the second time I sort of had it figured out. Soulfire is a bit unique for the area and I think it has a place in Allston. The BBQ I would only grade a B to B+ at best.... but if you consider the fact that you're in friggon Allston, that's pretty good. Of course you can wash your pulled pork sandwich down with a Shlitz.... because..... well, why not? The service is super friendly and the atmosphere is pretty cool, but both of my visits the place was a bit empty, which was a bit weird. By now I hope it has gotten more popular, and I hope to go back sometime soon.
(4)
Karen H.
My boyfriend and I walked by this place a million times scoffing at the bro dude crowd and at the presumably lack of pescetarian friendly eats. It took one Irish musician friend who was in town playing a show to inform us that they offer fried catfish. We've been ordering Soulfire through Grubhub every since. We used to get the catfish sandwich but after dining in one night, we fell for the catfish platter ($14 - comes with two sides of your choice, pickles and cornbread). Amazing deal, great barbeque sauces, and you'll leave with a happy belly. I can't speak for their bbq meats, but judging from the throngs of men and women chowing down on endless platters, it seems they are quite popular.
(4)
Jason J.
Its a tough call to decide who wins the BBQ battle between Soul Fire and my beloved Redbones, but each one has their merits. For one, I think the sauces and quality of the meats may be a bit better at SF than at RB. If you've never been here before and come with at least 2-3 people, definitely get the Pitboss Sampler. You'll be happy you did. Then again, if you come here by yourself and order that, we should be friends. Their fried mac and cheese makes me want to write sonnets, and their regular mac and cheese has BBQ chip crumbs on top. Its all about the details. Tasty tasty details. Also, and probably most importantly, they serve Narrogansett tallboys.
(4)
David V.
I recently went here for the famous "All You Can Eat Wings" on a Monday night, and I was not disappointed! The restaurant has a laid-back feel to it with plenty of tv screens and plenty of space. While I only sampled the delicious wings and fries, I was impressed by the look and smell of the other menu items as they passed by our table (on a platter, being carried by a server, the food was not just walking around, that would be weird). I hope to sample additional food here in the future!
(4)
Susan C.
Like the reviewer before me, I decided to try out Soul Fire because of its Groupon deal. I went with a friend for dinner and got there around 7:30pm-ish. The place wasn't too busy when we arrived and we decided to sit at the bar. In terms of food, I was not disappointed, but the service was lacking. I ordered an Arnold Palmer for my beverage, and the girl at the bar never refilled it. I'm pretty sure the menu said free refills, but when I finished my drink, she just took it away and never bothered to ask if I wanted another. I was never offered a refill on my water either. I'm subtracting a star for the service. For my meal, I ordered the Fried Chicken Plate with Potato Salad and Mac n Cheese. My friend got the combo with Pulled Pork and Spare Ribs. The fried chicken was crisp, juicy, and nicely seasoned. I decided to get it after eyeing some other folks at the bar who were eating it when we sat down. The potato salad was quite good as well, it was surprisingly light and was easy to eat up. The mac n cheese was also very tasty, the elbows were cooked to a nice consistency and the side was topped with some crumbled bbq chips. I stole a rib from my friend and it was tasty too. The meat was tender and easily came off the bone with a little pull. I tried out all the thick BBQ sauces with my meats (which is 4 sauces). I didn't fancy the sweet, it tasted like liquid brown sugar and that was about it, no smoke to it at all. The Soul Fire sauce was okay, it was smoky and had a nice bbq flavor to it. The Pit Boss was even better, smoky with some spice. My favorite, however, was their habenero bbq (I think that was the sauce's name, but am not sure because the label on the bottle was missing), it had nice bbq flavor and a great kick to it.
(4)
Aleeza L.
I've come here twice now. 1 - All you can eat Wings on Monday night. I should know by now that it's really not worth it for me to pay any fixed amount for wings. I can only eat 5-8 wings. Pointless, but that's my fault. Onto the food and service. It was a little bit confusing on how to order, but when we finally got s big platter, I honestly found that everything fell a bit flat of expectations. The wings were a good size and moist, but the flavors all seemed to taste the same. I wasn't so happy. I definitely prefer dry rubs or places like Wing-It or Wings Over. 2 - Friday night for some regular food with a fairly large group (6). It took forever to get a seat (45min) and another 30 minutes to get food. This was all around 8:30pm so i thought the dinner crowd had passed on, but I was wrong. Bad planning on my part. Most people seemed happy with their dish. I think the only disappointment was with the fried chicken because it was so greasy. The waitress wasn't very attentive. She never came to check on us after we got our food or refill our water; it was really busy but I don't think that should be an excuse. Overall, not bad - my friends and I had a good time, but there was just a lot of waiting. Not the best BBQ I've ever had (Dinosaur BBQ from Syracuse), but not bad for Boston.
(3)
Maya T.
Great BBQ! And good sweet tea.
(5)
Mahina K.
It's seat yourself but we came with a huge group so we had to wait for a table (8 or 9 people). We were okay because the wait was still shorter than what we did at Red Bones. I'm undecided which I like better yet. I think I like Red Bone's meat better. But I can't choose between the sauces. I like Red Bones Sweet sauce, but Soulfire's was too sweet, but Pitboss was just right. So basically, I can't choose, so don't make me. What really got me was our waitress. She was so nice! With a table this big she didn't have to be because there was instant gratuity added but she was still really nice. And I appreciate that. She really waited on us, making sure we had everything we needed or if we wanted to take anything (like our drinks) out with us. She was extremely attentive to what we needed. Overall I had a great time here and would go back.
(4)
Mike G.
If you haven't been here yet... stop what you're doing (apologize to your boss if you're at work) then get in your car, walk, or hitch a ride to Soul Fire and grab some lunch/dinner (depending on when you read this). The food is fantastic! So far, this is the best BBQ in Boston... honestly not the best I've ever had in general, but ranking top 5 overall and definitely ranking number 1 for the area. And being the Mississippi boy I am, that is quite the accomplishment. :-D Had a small group, so we ordered the Pit-boss BBQ Sampler, which was (1) smoked beef sausage, (2-3) fried chicken wings, (2) sweet and spicy wings, (2) bbq spare ribs, a half-rack of baby back ribs, a small portion of cubed beef, and a small portion of pulled pork. You also got little side samples, almost like dipping sauce cup sizes of the side - which included: beans, cole slaw, potato salad, mac-n-cheese, collard greens, and 2 good sized pieces of cornbread. I LOVED everything off the meat plate, and by plate I mean pizza dish with a cookie sheet on top of it (which is how all the plates are). My favorite being the spare ribs. They had a nice char on the outside, but were still good and tender. Nice dry rub coated on top of them, and you had a choice of sauces to poor over them as well, I went with the Pit-Boss bbq sauce, which is a spin on traditional (tomato based) BBQ sauce. It was perfection together. The fried chicken wings were fantastic, so I can only imagine the fried chicken platter (with full size chicken pieces - lol) is just as amazing. The pulled pork has a nice flavor, and was very tender. I couldn't decide between the pit-boss and the sweet sauce for the pulled pork, pitt-boss had a good flavor, but wasn't sweet enough to really highlight the pork... and the sweet was a bit tangy, so it kind or 'overwhelmed' the pork. I did a mix of both and it gave it a good flavor - but honestly the pork is good on its own too. My only complaint, really corrected itself. When we were first seated the lady promptly took our drink orders (but they had home made sweet tea - Fantastic!!). When she brought our drinks back she said our server would be right with us. We waited a few moments then another female came by to asked if we had put in our orders yet, we replied we were still waiting to order, and she informed us she would grab our server. A few minutes later... the same female who took our drink orders, came back for our food orders... and things finally got rolling and no more problems. Other then the initial delay for placing an order, service was great. Drinks were kept filled, she gave us BBQ recommendations and even which sauce paired best with what item. It doesn't matter if you going to sample bits and pieces of the menu, or order a platter/sandwich and dig in... this should definitely be your BBQ stop for the area!
(4)
FN G.
My first time...stumbled upon it waiting for my car to be serviced in the neighborhood. The Q in this place is amazing. Had the 1/3 rack spare rib plate. Got it with two cornbreads and the baked beans. Nothing disappoints here, and this includes the attentive and friendly service. Their sauces (they have four I think) are all very balanced and unique. I really enjoyed the sweet and pitboss ones the most, as I tend to avoid too much heat these days. But, my small sampling of the Fiery one impressed me as well. Check this place out if you are a RedBones (Somerville) fan. They can go toe to toe with RB all day long...plus I think these guys make better tasting sides than RB IMHO. Their baked beans have got complexity, which is so rare to find since it is typically a commodity side dish. I'm glad I found this place...too bad I live quite aways to make it an easy visit. I look forward to my next visit!
(5)
Noah C.
"Mmm." "..." "Mmmmm." "...yeah." "...oh. Yeah." No, it's not an indecent movie. It's the sounds you hear emanating from each table at Soul Fire. The accompanying noises aren't any better - fingers being lasciviously licked, lips being smacked, strange, wet noises echoing around. A colleague of mine that was attending the same conference I was tipped my group off to this place. We came, we saw, we made obscene noises. It always pains me to eat at restaurants on trips - you have to order carefully, because you never know when you'll be back, and if order the wrong thing, you may be left with years of regret. I'm pretty sure I made the right call at Soul Fire, though. I decided to go for the brisket platter, with collard greens and baked beans as my side. There was plenty of porky goodness in both the savory beans and tangy collard greens, and all the lovely pig fat added levels of deliciousness to each side. I also rampaged through my brisket. Tender, moist, delicious brisket. Served the right way, over a giant piece of white bread. As a personal eating challenge I also went for the all you can eat BBQ wings. Once I put the "Fire" sauce on them, they were heavenly, and I went through a ton of them in short order. I wasn't even that hungry when I got to Soul Fire, but I managed to eat like a freakin' pig the whole night. The only star I can dock is for the server, who seemed to not believe in my eating prowess when I ordered both the brisket and the wings. I mean, c'mon dude - it's not like it's gonna hurt the restaurant. He also took his sweet time bringing food and water, which irritates me to no end.
(4)
Andrew M.
We made the drive to Cambridge to use our Groupon at Soulfire and it was well worth the drive. We had 35 to spend and were able to get plenty of food to fill us and then some. We tried a combo 3 meat plate (Ribs, Chicken, and Pork) along with a variety of sides. All of it was good. The tables are loaded with different BBQ sauces for dipping and are amazing. The fried chicken wings are some of the best I've ever had and are not too greasy like KFC. The Pulled Pork is delicious and the ribs were good too (though not the best I've ever had). The place was pretty crowded and it seemed like they were a little under-staffed during that time so service was a little slow. All in al it was a great place to go and we'll surely be back. Parking can be tough, bring change for the meters.
(4)
Thomas I.
Soulfire is the best BBQ place I have found in Boston... and that means something. I am from the South. The pulled pork is awesome. They have great sauces. The chicken is really good. The sides are solid (I've had Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens). If you are looking for a good southern-style BBQ joint I would definitely check this place out. The only reason that I didn't give them 5 stars was that the sweet tea that I ordered wasn't very good. Other than that, I would highly recommend Soulfire to anyone!
(4)
Heather B.
The Q was mediocre AND the resto was dirty. A restaurant should be straight-up CLEAN every minute of every day no matter what they serve or how grungy the 'hood. There is no room for dinge in food service. Better BBQ can be found at Blue Ribbon or Sweet Cheeks. p.s. it was late lunch (3pm) and slow so no excuses.
(2)
Eric S.
The ribs were lacking in flavor, and the barbeque sauce tastes suspiciously of raisins. The MAc and cheese was ok, as was the corn bread. The chili that came with the full rack of ribs came in a little container that held less than 2 ounces (the kind that some places use to put sauce in for take-outs)
(3)
Erica C.
I recently went back here after not going for a few years. I live a few blocks away and had only come for lunch, but decided to try it out for dinner with friends. I thought the food was great, much better than Red Bones (which I think is very overrated), but I think the decor could use some work. I thought when this place was in its infancy, that the decor was a work in progress, but it hasn't really changed. The red walls are jarring, the lighting is off, and it is too spacious feeling. Almost cafeteria-like. It could really use either some room division or some kind of hanging lights (not spot lights/pot lights). All of my friends agreed when we ate there last week. You kind of want a BBQ place to feel homey and it just has an odd, unnerving quality. I have always liked the pulled pork here, but I tried some new things this time. (I will add that I love that they have North Carolina sauce. My husband is from NC and every time we go there, we love to get BBQ. Of course, it is much cheaper and much better than anything in Boston.) My husband and I shared a fried chicken plate and a half rack of baby back ribs. We both agreed that the chicken was delicious - juicy and the batter was well seasoned. The ribs weren't the greatest. You kind of had to gnaw the meat off the bone. (At red bones, I had to literally RIP it off the bone with my teeth though - not good.) I don't know why BBQ places here can't slow cook the ribs enough so that the meat falls off the bone. We make them at home and they are better than anything I have had in a restaurant. We also started the night out at the bar waiting for our friends and had a couple of corn dogs. Delicious, cheap, and yummy mustard sauce. I drank sweet tea since I am preggers and it was also great. Almost as good as NC sweet tea. I always enjoy the cornbread here. The baked beans were too sweet for everyone at our table's taste. The collards were yummy and the mac and cheese is pretty decent quality. I'll definitely be going back for the chicken and corn dogs. But owners, please make the place a tad more inviting. :) Oh, also, I am not a fan of the quasi "seat-yourself" policy here. Very confusing. Get a hostess please.
(3)
Sarah T.
It was a beautiful day in November, and my husband and I decided to go grab some barbecue before going to a concert. I will note that it was a little difficult to find Soulfire as there was no sign visible when looking down Harvard Avenue from the T stop. So we wandered a bit not sure which way to continue walking. We tried Soulfire based on the Yelp reviews (especially the fried mac and cheese recommendations). Well, our experience was a disappointment. This should have been foreshadowed based on there only being two other patrons indoors on a Friday; a little eerie. You would think that people would at least be there to drink. We started with the aforementioned appetizer. Although claiming to be "extra cheesy," the fried mac and cheese bites were anything but cheesy. At the least, I would question Soulfire's interpretation of the word "extra" nevermind "cheesy." They were most definitely dry, as if made with noodles and powdered cheese sans the milk and butter required. Disappointing. The sides were a mixed bag. The collard greens were too sweet for me, and it is noted that the menu claims as much. I would have preferred equal parts sweet and salty, though. The pickles were mediocre and nothing to remember or to crave at a later date. The potato salad was also on the sweet side, which is likely do to the use of red bliss potatoes and not enough salt. The one interesting and good side was the coleslaw. It is truly palate-cleansing as the menu states. Oddly, I kept craving more and more of it. For the main meal, I had the brisket platter, and my husband had the spare ribs. The brisket was the worst that I have ever had. It was so dry and brought to mind trying to chew shoe leather. I really could not believe how dry it was and how they were trying to pass it off as beef brisket. Again, this could be why I was continually eating the palate-cleansing coleslaw! Maybe not so odd, afterall. On a better note, my husband thought that the spare ribs were good, not great, but good nonetheless. Our waitress was extremely nice and sweet; too bad the sides matched her persona. Take it from two people who have lived in Texas: save your pennies and spend them elsewhere. This one's a dud!
(1)
Lauren C.
This place is awesome. Friendly service, good prices and really big portions. Between my friend and I, we ordered the pulled pork, brisket, collard greens (which I was worried would be mushy or bitter but they were AMAZING), cole slaw, baked beans and cornbread. Everything was fantastic. They bring you four different bbq sauces before your meal. All of them were great, and even better when you mix them together, which we had fun doing. And they have Dr. Pepper- added bonus. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Katie C.
Chili fries and pulled chicken were great. The cornbread was ok. Fried chicken, baked beans (way too much molasses and the bacon was burned) and potato salad (too much mustard) were not good. Homemade Arnold Palmer was good.
(3)
Jamie G.
Really I want to give this place a 4.5, but decided t round down because I just dont think it's a 5 star place. I came here because I had a groupon, and am I glad I did, because I will definitely be back. Had $35 to spend, we got tons of food (prices are very cheap here!) They kinda have a bad beer selection, not terrible, but not necessarily good either. I had a Harpoon UFO on draft and my friend had a Brooklyn lager. At least we had some decent options to choose from, but wish they had more! For food, we started with the chili cheese fries, which were delicious. Then we ordered the Pulled pork sandwich, with mac and cheese for a side, and a platter with Baby Back Ribs, slice brisket, Baked beans , mashed potatoes with gravy and Corn bread. The pulled pork was by far my favorite thing here, and perhaps my favorite pulled pork in Boston! It has South Carolina vinegar sauce on it and the meat was nice and juicy and the bread was nice and soggy. SOOO good!! The Ribs and Brisket were okay, but nothing special. Brisket way too fatty for me. The mac and cheese had potato chips crumbled on it, it was okay. The mashed potatoes and gravy were plain and nothing special, and the baked beans were DELICIOUS. The corn bread was also really good- with bits of corn in it, and very moist! For dessert, we had the chocolate pecan pie to go, and when we finally ate it at home, it was still delicious-- a little too sweet, but perfect to share with someone. They have BBQ sauces on the tables and set up in a station in the back for to-go orders. The sweet BBQ sauce is the best- the others were all very good too though!! So if I came back, I would get pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and side of corn bread. It's Cute inside, we had Decent service, and I was impressed by the huge portions and low prices. Definitely a solid BBQ place!!
(4)
Mehgan C.
Wings, wings wings and Brooklyn lager. No wait, pulled pork and lager. No wait Mac and cheese and cornbread!!Even the collard greens are fantastic. So monday nights are all you can eat wings night. Want to die and go to heaven? Then go monday evenings. Although they do tend to get REALLY busy and you may have to wait a bit for a table. But seriously worth it. Also on two separate occasions went here for a group dinner. Had the pulled pork and MAN are their sauces finger licking good! But seriously, how can you not go into a soulfood restaurant and NOT have cornbread (im addicted to) and mac and cheese. (also an addiction) Now being devout to cornbread and mac and cheese, Soulfire has my card. Simply heavenly!
(4)
Matt E.
3.5 stars...Nice place, not so great BBQ. The place is in a nice area, is big, clean, and pretty friendly with a good looking menu with lots of options. Prices are about average, nothing too overpriced. The bbq was pretty dissapointing (definitely no pitmasters working here). If I was in the area and wanted a quick bite of something BBQ-ish I'd go here but I wouldn't go out of my way if I wanted some true quality BBQ.
(3)
Laura C.
Disclaimer: I have only ever ordered delivery from here. Actually, I have only ever ordered here on Foodler. Aside from the delivery man, I have never had any contact with anyone who works here. With that said, I am extremely pleased with the food. The delivery is FAST (I live very close and I tend to order in the mid to late afternoon) and the food is hot. I love the pulled pork entree and sandwich. The mac and cheese is to die for. The corn bread is awesome! The baked beans are sweet! The pickles are home made! The sauces are flavorful! The half chicken is a half chicken! Downfall: no burnt ends. There's an $8 minimum delivery on Foodler, which is probably why I ordered from here in the first place. I really want to try the rice and beans, but I'm pretty sure that everything on the menu will immediately clog my arteries so I haven't ordered from here in a few weeks. Now---- if Blue Ribbon was an option I'd choose Blue Ribbon. But it's not, and Soul Fire is a very good alternative indeed. Addendum: My boyfriend won't order from here. He went once, and he said the place smelled too strongly like BBQ. If a strong BBQ smell bothers you, perhaps you shouldn't eat here.
(4)
Barron F.
I'm a bit of a BBQ snob. I come from North Carolina where the BBQ is plentiful. I have to say, Soul Fire fills a void that existed for the two years that I lived in New England without BBQ. Their pulled pork North Carolina style is delicious (although I do prefer chopped to pulled, personal preference) and the fries are killer. The best part is that they deliver...low minimum and benefits of foodler bucks make this one of my staples for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Erika G.
It's hard to dislike BBQ.. But I give three stars as a basis of comparison to better options in the area. I thought the mac and cheese balls were amazing. I also really enjoyed the variety of sauces and the juicy yet crispy wings...but the fact that they didn't have brisket early on a Sunday night? Inexcusable. For a menu with 5 staple items it should never happen. And the "alternative" chopped brisket was just ok. and by ok i mean pretty disappointing. If was in the area I might return... but I wouldn't consider it worth a trip across town.
(3)
Mike M.
Food: I got the BBQ wings and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were great. The best part though? The variety of BBQ sauces to try - each unique and very tasty. Atmosphere: Cool wall art and a generally appealing ambiance. Service: Our waitress was great. Very attentive and friendly. Price: Very reasonable prices. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Jay M.
Very friendly service and good music playing in the background (just loud enough, so we didn't have to shout to each other). We've been here twice now. The vegetarian entree is very good and the mac 'n cheese outstanding (although it's not hot enough), mash potatoes excellent with yummy gravy. The fried chicken, very good. One of us had a bbq beef sandwich, said it was good. The rice and beans, another standout, only again, not hot enough. We had a groupon and came away with a lot in the styro container to take home. Best of all : the delectable Choco-Pecan Pie....amazingly good, with whipped cream on the side. Loved the music (a rare Marvin Gaye was playing!) All around, a good one!
(3)
Sara M.
I think I found my new favorite place to get ribs and fried chicken. I was quite put out when Roadhouse changed their menu and I was unable to get my beef rib fix. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire and ordered up spare ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, and fries. My fiance got the smoked chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. I took one bite of that subtly spicy breading and fell in love with the fried chicken. I tend to review emotionally but it was delicious. The spare ribs were not beef but they were still finger licking good. I guess I am just not a fan of collard greens as they are too bitter and sweet at the same time. However, the mashed potatoes were garlicky and delightful. Next time, I am ordering fried chicken with mashed potatoes and allowing it to dive into the nirvana that is my stomach.
(4)
Rachel K.
I should start off by saying this review is based on multiple visits in 2010. I started off liking this place. My boyfriend is a big fan of BBQ so he dragged me here a bunch of times. Though I thought it was decent I would never suggest going here myself. Each visit seemed to get a little worse. The food seemed to get worse each time. The pork has no flavor and is gag-worthy. The chicken is ehh. The sides are all delicious--but I can't go here just to eat sides. The service is slow, and I have seen female bartenders cough and pick their nose (using their unwashed hands!!!) while pouring my beer. I couldn't even drink the beer I paid for, and was too polite to call them out. On a positive note, I do like the small but fairly unique beer selection. I overall do not get a clean vibe from this place. I feel like Soul FIre has the potential to be great, but lacks the ability to do so.
(2)
Mike M.
This place as almost as sloppy as Whiskey's. Yes I went there. Very poor attempt at Southern/Soul food. I had the spaghetti western, 3 meat sampler, and pecan pie. The spaghetti western really needed more chili and cheese to be honest. I'd have stuck with the fried mac and cheese, had I known that. The 3 meat sampler I had was comprised of pulled pork, brisket and catfish. The pulled pork was cooked far too long, lacked juice and seasoning, and didn't have the greatest portion. It sat on top of a slice of Texas wonderbread. The catfish was just okay; nothing out of the ordinary. Could have used cajun seasoning to be honest. The brisket was too fatty for my taste. The sides I ordered were collard greens and corn bread. The greens were acceptable and came with pot liquor, but the corn bread was completely stale. The pecan pie was pretty good I should say. It came with 2 scoops of whipped creams, loads of chocolate; however it lacked whole pecans. There are better BBQ spots in Boston at around the same price range. Soul fire just doesn't cut in this foodie's humble opinion.
This is a great place for BBQ. I'm catching up on writing reviews for BBQ joints around Boston that I've been to in the past couple of years, and this place gets my vote for #1 (if I were to suggest BBQ to someone, it would be here). It's probably tied for taste versus some of the other places, but it edges out a win in terms of value/portion size (because I'm still not a baller, despite being out of college for a few years already). First of all, we all know BBQ is all about the meat, but the sides can't be an afterthought for a true BBQ experience! This place has amazing sides. You have all the classics, done classically well. No surprises, in a good way. Awesome collard greens, awesome beans, awesome mac and cheese, etc. etc. etc. The sauce selection for your meats are the highlight. The sauces completely blows Red Bones' selection out of this world. Having lived in the south for a few years, I'd say the ribs aren't anything great (they wouldn't win any prizes in competition), but come on! This is BAHSTON! The ribs at soul fire get the job done if you're craving ribs (plus the awesome sides and epic portion sizes = good meal). I also love the location, having lived in Allston/Brighton for a super long time. Harvard Ave. is a great place to hang out. Lots of good food, entertainment... bubble tea places. BBQ and bubble tea after? Sweet.
(5)
Chronic C.
Please note this review comes from a guy in redbones and blue ribbon BBQ country. I was not impressed with soulfire. I wanted to like it and sampled enough to firmly say that it was sub par BBQ-wannabe. Beef ribs were super fatty and greasy. Black beans and rice, bland and stodgy. Pulled chicken sandwich, tasteless ad greasy as hell (chicken? Greasy? What?) Fries as "free" side but cost an extra 50 cents (because they were presumably special but not) tasted like diner fries that came from a fryolator that hasn't been cleaned in weeks. Until something better comes along I will stick with redbones. Staff is great so extra star for that.
(2)
keith l.
Starving? EAT HERE NOW. Delicious, moist BBQ with sauces on the side (try the Fiery). Mashed potatoes and white gravy after 5pm. Planning ahead? Eat here soon, good sir or madam. Standouts: fried catfish, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, fries. Not so good: pulled chicken (it's dry here, just like anywhere else), sometimes the portions are small, only one (delicious) vegetarian option - rice and beans with corn. Incredibly friendly service - they'll even ask if you want a free soda or Arnold Palmer refill to go. Ask for Stephanie, she's one of the best servers I've ever come across. Just fatting around Yelp because you're addicted to eating/reading about food? Eat here at some future date, greasy soulmate. I like to get the 2 (okay, sometimes 3) meat combo that comes with 2 sides and cornbread. Friends love the fried mac n cheese. The regular mac n cheese comes with BBQ potato chips on top. I haven't gone for all-you-can-eat wings night on Mondays yet, but I plan to soon - you get to choose from Pitboss sauce (their middle of the road sauce), Fiery+Honey, Buffalo or a surprise sauce that changes each week. The first time I was here the pat of butter was served under my wet nap, and i didn't see it until I'd already finished the moist, fluffy cornbread. That's sad. Don't do that again, future Keith/current day soulmate! There's a big projection TV and some cool wall art focused on music (think James Brown n stuff). The bathrooms here are clean, especially for an Allston joint.
(4)
Sarah G.
4 Stars for 4 Souls worth of food! Yes, that is what they call their meal combo to feed 4 people. And by 4 people they really mean like 6 people. Our party of 4 with two boys who love to overeat could barely handle this amount of food. You get a whole roasted chicken, a whole rack of spare ribs, a pound of pulled pork, buns for them too, and a pint of pickles, a pint of mac and cheese, and a pint of collard greens too! Won even ordered an extra side of mac and cheese because he loved it so much--it was pretty creamy and came topped with some crunchy goodness. The collard greens were pretty darn tasty too, I just wished the sides were a little bit bigger. The roasted bbq chicken was so moist and delicious though. And pairing that with some of their awesome cornbread and one of their 4 sauces they have on the table is just perfect. Their fiery sauce is hot the way I like it and their soulfire sauce would be my next fav. I think I ate way too much of their sauces because they were just that good. And those spare ribs kick the butt of the ribs at redbones by far. They were way way better. The pulled pork could have been a hair more flavorful, but second you put that addicting sauce on it, it becomes amazing almost instantly. Soulfire with your cool decor inside you are now my fav bbq spot that next time I visit I should wear expandable pants to. Oh and yay for $2.50 pints of PBR too :-)
(4)
Caroline C.
Four stars for their monday night special of unlimited wings for $7. There were 4 different flavors of wings. Honey bbq was my favorite. The lime flavored one was kinda weird. The wings aren't the best I've had, but couldn't complain about the price. I liked the spicy sauce (forget which one it was called). We also ordered the mac and cheese balls. I don't think they were that amazing. Potato puffs from Gregoire's in Berkeley, CA is better in my opinion.
(4)
John Jaewan C.
Wow, What a hidden gem in the heart of Allston. Great for large groups of friends to just chill over some succulent BBQ and FRIED CHICKEN. The wait is not so bad-we came in at a busy hour apparently.. but the interior was nice with two big screen TVs playing Bruins hockey and the overall ambience was very hip and modern. The entrees each come with two sides, and you choose from a variety of selections including collard greens, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn bread, to name a few. My entrees of choice were the rack of spare ribs and YOU MUST TRY THE FRIED CHICKEN. A lot of places serve fried chicken that tastes stale and dry but SoulFire chicken I swear has some kind of juice injected into it to retain maximum moisture and tenderness. You can't go wrong with the chicken. Try it with the Fiery sauce or the SoulFire sauce- those were my personal favorites. Would definitely come back for more and more and more
(4)
Mags R.
Been to this place a few times and is def one of my top BBQ places. I would kill for their fried Mac and cheese! OMG! I forgot all about it... I must go this weekend! The pull pork is also very good and the staff is really cool, lay back and friendly! Def recommend :-) Didn't give it 5 stars because the selection of sauces is on the weak size and I love spicy BBQ sauce and theirs is good but not so hot.
(4)
Nick M.
Great every time I've been here. Bartenders are always friendly, food is always good. Go here. Grab a beer and some meat add BBQ of choice. Enjoy.
(4)
Nicole S.
Okay so after I almost burnt down the house making pizza we had to get some take out. Long FUNNY story but the black pizza was not edible. We always order the same chinese or sushi so we decided that we would finally order from Soul Fire. We dusted off the menu that was stuffed into our mailbox ages ago and placed an order. I was impressed with how well the take out held up by the time it arrived. I ordered the pulled chicken plate and the boyfriend ordered the pulled pork plate. For my two sides I got mac and cheese and red beans and rice and boyfriend got mac and cheese and collard greens. The pulled meats were on a piece of thick white brad. Sadly by the time we got them the bread was really mushy. The red beans and rice was basic, the collard greens were sweet (as opposed to the vinegar taste we are used to) and the mac and cheese was great. Their was a bit of spice to it and the texture was great. The meats were tender and seasoned well. I give this place 3 stars just because we did not really experience service; the delivery guy called to say he was right outside and was down across the street. Ummm.. cant read numbers?
(3)
Bryant F.
Ok when we have a function at work we usually get SF. Everything is good except on 2 different occasions the fried chicken wings weren't cooked all the way through. 5 of us couldn't eat it. Who want to see red or pink in their chicken?! Other than that the rest of the food was good.
(3)
Sarah D.
I was drawn here last night with a promise of "The Best Wings in Boston". How could I pass that up, right? I am not a dummy, so I laced up my shoes and moseyed on over to Soulfire. As it turns out, I don't think these are, in fact, the best wings in Boston, but I do think that they are pretty darn good. First off, this is a BBQ joint, so the wings here are grilled, not fried. I tend to prefer fried wings, personally, but I think these suckers benefit from the alternate cooking method, specifically in that they don't dry out the way fried wings can sometimes tend to do. They are juicy and flavorful before you even put the sauce on them. But I am a sauce guy (saucy, if you will), so forget that noise. Saucewise, I wasn't impressed with the Buffalo, but I could dig on the BBQ varieties. The star of the show, at by my measure, was the Honey Hot, which was sweet and spicy and blah blah blah i liked it. The best part? The price. Monday is all you can eat wings for $8.99. If you, like me, can only put down 10 or 12, this is a decent price. Buuuut, if you are like some of my more accomplished wing-eating friends who can destroy 3 dozen of them, this is a steal. 2 people, endless wings and 4 PBR = $28 plus tax and tip. I think I can handle that.
(4)
Tom G.
Some things are good, some are over-smoked disasters. The good: Fried chicken. Actually, this is beyond good, it's amazing. Rice and beans. Cornbread. Mac and cheese (although this almost makes it to the bad category, it's pretty average). Beer selection. Prices (again, almost in the bad category but not horrible overall). Service if you eat in. The bad: Mostly everything else. The ribs are oversmoked. So is the brisket. It's a pretty good place overall. I enjoy eating here when I'm craving BBQ.
(3)
Brian P.
I lived in Allston/Brighton for over 6 years and am so sad this place didn't exist when I called the neighborhood home. I now live over 5,000 miles away and was happy to see this new addition to Harvard Ave on a trip back to Boston. I can't say this is the best southern style bbq I've had... but so what, this is Boston and to be honest, it is nice to have a non-noodle, non-pizza restaurant in Allston. I've come for the all you can eat wings once which was a great deal. The cranberry hot wings were a nice thanksgiving addition. We also got the greens, rice n beans, and mashed potatoes for sides. The greens and potatoes were very good. The rice and beans so so. I've also tried the brisket and pulled pork. Those were both pretty good as well. Corn bread was yummy. I loved all the tvs for sport game watching. Things I didn't like? The first time I came the service was pretty bad. We waited about 5 mins before someone came to greet/offer us a table. Once seated it took forever to order. The last time was a lot better but still had some problems flagging down our server to order more wings/beer. I guess this is expected as the place is always busy. I guess the only other negative is parking, but, this is life in Boston.
(4)
Alicia G.
I have been here a few times before and always enjoyed it. I almost forgot it existed since I'm not in the area much and then I got the Living Social deal and all the delicious memories came back in a rush. I scooped up the deal and dragged the husband to dinner. It used to be a counter place with a giant chalkboard menu, but it now has waiter service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We got fried mac & cheese appetizer and it was delicious with a hint of spice on the crust. I got the cubed brisket with mashed potatoes and mac & cheese. It was all delicious (especially the mashed potatoes!), but I wouldn't go for the cubes if I had to make the choice again. My husband got a kind of sampler plate with ribs and fried chicken. Holy crap, the fried chicken was amazing. I ended up filling up on his fried chicken instead of my own brisket. The corn bread is a bit different than I am used to with big cranberries in it. It was tasty, but I think I prefer plain cornbread. I would give it 5 stars, but it was a bit pricey even with no booze. UPDATE: Apparently the cranberries in the cornbread were just a holiday special for Thanksgiving.
(4)
Tim Y.
Awesome place for some BBQ! A good pulled pork sandwich plus a side for 8 bucks, and drizzle on your choice of the four BBQ sauces (soulfire, sweet, chili, and pitboss) they bring to your table. I personally like the sweet BBQ and pitboss, because the soulfire wasn't as strong and the chili/spicy tasted pretty much like hot sauce. P. S. Will be back for 9 dollar al you can wings on Monday nights
(4)
Erika M.
Do that to me one more time, Soul Fire. My husband's job has catered lunch from this place once a month or so. Every time he tells me, "Soul Fire Tuesday" I get a food boner. The only relief from this food boner is a bite (or 400) of their Mac and Cheese and their sexy brisket. Mouth climax. I think I'll roll over and get some sleep now.
(5)
Kelly O.
$8.99 all-you-can-eat delicious wings: YES. We'd been meaning to check out this deal, and last night finally got the chance to stop by SoulFire for the first time. The 3 of us cozied up to the bar around 6, ordered some cheapish beers from the friendly bartender ($2.50 PBR draft, $4.50 Sam draft), and waited for the onslaught to begin. For starters, they bring you a 4-piece wing sampler of the 4 types of sauces they have, 3 which are standard and 1 which rotates, so you can pick what you want to gorge on. The standard ones were all solid (2 were sort of spicy, 1 was typical BBQ), but the special sauce of the day Apple Bourbon was outstanding so we all decided to go with that. About 5 minutes later (these things are made to order so it's not instantaneous), a giant container of wings was set down in front of us and we went to town. These are no wimpy wings, we're talking big meaty drums and wings cooked to juicy perfection and slathered in amazing Apple Bourbon sauce. I'm sort of in love with that sauce, I probably could put that on just about everything I eat and be happy. I also ordered a side of baked beans ($1.99, nice and cheap) which I found delicious... the reviews are correct, they are very sweet and molassey, so if you're not into that don't get them. It just so happens that sweet/molassey + porkey is a flavor I love in my beans, so I was personally really pleased with them. Additionally, each table has a selection of 6 sauces you can add to whatever you order, ranging from sweet to standard BBQ to hot... I didn't mess with the Apple Bourbon perfection, but I could see this being great for a normal meal here. We did have to wait a few minutes in between each wing order, but understandably so since they were cooked to order and basically the entire restaurant was getting them. The atmosphere here is pretty casual, with paper wing containers and metal plates with a paper overlay for sides/mains. They even have paper bags at each table to throw your wings/bones away, a nice touch. The bartender/waiter serving us was really friendly, chill, and attentive, which I really appreciated during something like an all-you-can-eat when service can totally be in the crapper. I'd be willing to try SoulFire on a normal night given the food quality and service/atmosphere, but you can bet I'll definitely be back for Wing Monday.
(4)
Kevin D.
BBQ party wings are tiny and meatless. They recently switched from their signature jumbo party wings to these minuscule things. I asked the chef about the switch and he said it was a money issue. Too bad, the old wings were great.......
(4)
Rini G.
hmmmm..... ive been there for the all you can eat wings. Which I have to say are good. The wings are a good size and the sauces are all pretty delicious. I like that they bring you a tasting plate first, so you can decide which flavour of wings to pig out on. We also took out the 40 buck tasting menu home one night, and it was good. There were 7/8 sides, all of which were pretty tasty and lot of meat. Except for the short ribs, everything tastes good. The place gets 3 stars, because i really dont like the short ribs. I would definitely go back for all you can eat wings. Id actually give this place a 3.5 if I could.
(3)
Joanna C.
Was in the mood for BBQ, even though we had a fairly large lunch. No matter, I still dragged my heartburn plagued bf to a trip to Allston to sample some Soul Fire after perusing the Yelp reviews! We could not find parking for... multiple minutes/blocks/miles. Finally found a spot in a "permit only" area and decided a ticket was well worth it after circling and circling and circling around the mile radius of Soul Fire. A brisk walk through what lookeded like a mini-Koreatown, we finally got to our destination! And it was... empty. Seriously. We passed some hopping restaurants so seeing only one table occupied here was a serious red flag for me. But... once our food started to appear, HEAVEN. Started with the Honey Hot wings, which were giant, meaty, perfectly spiced and sauced. Mmmm. BF had the pulled chicken sandwich with baked beans, which he quickly devoured. I was hankering for ribs, so had the 1/3 rack of the Pork Spare Ribs with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a cornbread square. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Collard greens were slightly sweet and were highlighted by bits of bacon. Mac and cheese was CREAMY, CHEESY, and topped with the BBQ chips which made it PERFECT. Seriously. Reeeeally good mac and cheese. Ribs were MEATY and FATTY and DELICIOUS! I doused them in the Pitboss BBQ sauce, and went to town! And... couldn't finish! 1/3 rack = 4 meaty spare ribs. I was able to finish 3 of them and about half of my sides. I really cannot WAIT to eat my leftovers. Cannot believe how GOOD the BBQ was, and how empty the place was given how reeeeeeeeeally good the food was! But it looked like their delivery business was absolutely jamming. So... understood. If I lived within delivery distance I'd totally be ordering them up weekly! Solid 4 stars. Loved the quad of BBQ sauces available.
(4)
Christine B.
SO good! We had the pit boss sampler. Delicious. Great atmosphere and cheap beers! Service was excellent. Can't wait to go back
(5)
Lusi F.
Normally, I really like this place. This is the third time I've ordered food from there (first time take-out and next two eat-in), so why the one-star? I went there for lunch yesterday, and they served me what I'm pretty sure was day-old baby back ribs. The menu says these should "fall off the bone," and from having ordered it previously 2x (either by me or friends I was with), I KNOW that their ribs do not taste like what we got: cold, hard, definitely not fall off the bone/clean bones. The most embarrassing part, was that we had brought two friends with us raving about how good their ribs were. Well, let's just say none of the four of us commented on the ribs this time during lunch. Yes, the fried catfish and everything else was still excellent, but I think it's just really poor business practice to serve your customers day-old ribs.
(1)
Dessa R.
Based on my fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to have dinner here when I was having a particularly strong craving for mesquite/hickory/BBQ something or another. I love BBQ food, and have enjoyed it in a variety of contexts all over the country. Soul Fire was without a doubt the -worst- BBQ food I have ever had. The meats were dry, and straight up burnt (I enjoy some yummy charring as much as the next girl, but CMON). It had the feel of a trashy fast food joint, and the food was just terrible. Seriously- terrible. Probably my *worst* dining experience in Boston, just so you understand the gravity of my disdain. Shame on you, Soulfire!
(1)
Jen D.
If you like Texas style BBQ then this isn't the place for you. I grew up in the South and like a variety of styles of BBQ, but being a Texan I especially like what I grew up eating. Soul Fire is about as authentic as Olive Garden is to Italian. After reading reviews I was excited to try Soul Fire, but it was horribly disappointing. The sauces were so so which made the pulled the chicken sandwich I ordered rather lackluster seeing as it was covered in sauce. The fried mac and cheese was on the dry side and was tasteless. They only have sweet tea. Any BBQ place back home would offer homemade sweet and regular tea. My friend ordered a wedge salad with a side of pulled pork and the salad wasn't what one expects from a wedge salad. I tried a bite of the pork and it was ok. The "buttermilk ranch" dressing is dreadful! It tastes as if it came out of the most bottom shelf bottle of salad dressing. I'm giving Soul Fire two stars because the cole slaw was to my liking and the waiter was both friendly and cute. I might go back for the Monday night wing night otherwise I won't be eating here again.
(2)
Peg P.
A vegetarian being a fan of a BBQ place?? YOU BET! The side dishes and add ons at BBQ places are my favorite. Sour Fire had PLENTY to choose from - I could have had several meals here without repeating side dishes. They also had a vegetarian option of the menu, which was really great. I opted for the vegetarian plate which included: black beans and rice flour tortillas pickles cornbread salsa/sourcream/cheese It was excellent. Perfect portions and really great spicy flavors!! I will go back again and sample more of the side dishes. They had a good beer selection, the service was good, and the price was reasonable.
(4)
Peter K.
A great place to grab a casual meal. The BBQ may not be the best in the world, but it definitely hits the spot if you're craving some BBQ. The pulled pork sandwich was worth the price and the service was friendly.
(4)
Paul A.
Man do I like this place. I've sampled a lot of the menu but I always come back to their rib platter. The "Pit Boss" sauce is out of sight, but they've got a great assortment of other sauces as well. As much as I love ribs and cornbread, I'll show up just for the mac'n'cheese which has crumbled BBQ potato chips on top. That blew my mind!
(4)
Tom D.
My girlfriend and I just moved to Boston from Texas, and were really wanting to find some good bbq. We went to soul fire not knowing what to think and left totally impressed. The brisket my girlfriend ordered was great and the pulled pork I got was delicious. Not to mention the sides we got (potato salad mac n cheese, and baked beans) were unbelievable. I would recommend this place to anyone! Also, the restaurant has a very cool atmosphere as well, and portions are great!
(5)
Anne R.
Have you ever had a cramp from eating too much? Yeah, that was me on a Monday all-you-can-eat wing night. It started with an innocent sampling of four of the biggest wings I've ever seen and then didn't stop until I waved my white flag of surrender. Looking around the room, I wasn't the only one in a painful bliss of wing consumption as others were leaning back in their chairs with a pile of bones sucked dry in front of them. The sauces are all quite exceptional with complex flavors and marinade style texture that allows the meat to remain center stage. I also had a chance to sample some of the ribs, pulled pork, and corn bread- all were equally tasty. The atmosphere is more like a bar than a restaurant- the waitress is there to bring your food and bar beverages, but soda and water refills are up to you with a fountain at the back of the room. Overall a great place for BBQ!
(4)
Maria D.
Fried chicken platter? check. Baby back ribs platter? check. A variety of truly amazing sauces? check. This place is pretty sweet. Different vibe than Red Bones and definitely a go-to place for bbq. Came here with a groupon and used it up no problem and was NOT disappointed. Did I mention how delicious it is? Ambiance is very cool, and I definitely suggest sitting at the windows. We got to witness a 4 police car scooter chase to retrieve a man on a stolen scooter. And yes, it just so happened to occur right outside soulfire (the pull over, not the actual steal). Back to the food... Ribs were fall off the bone delicious. However, I was much more intrigued by the fried chicken platter. With such a variety of sauces, you really gotta take advantage and order something to douse in them (not like I didn't sauce up my ribs anyways). I will for sure be coming back.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Now first off, my 3 stars are only based on the fact that I didn't eat an entire meal here. And with that said, I really liked what I did eat. Before heading to the movies last night my boyfriend conned me into trying out this place. It was my first time, and he hadn't been there in years. Two words: Macaroni and cheese. Especially mixed with a cold beer and a decent atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and joked around with us which really helped with the fairly laid back atmosphere they had going on. Their cornbread was phenomenal. I almost couldn't stop eating it. I'm not much of a meat eater, but even the potato salad was pretty good. A little too onion-y for my tastes, but I can be a picky polly. Apparently their BBQ left such an impression that before heading back home at 10:30pm, my boyfriend ordered an obscene amount of take out. You know, to save for later.
(3)
Annette A.
First, I absolutely love the vibe of this place. It's warm, dim, and welcoming with hues of flaming red and orange all around. For my food, I had a Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of Mac and Cheese. The Pulled Pork was absolutely amazing, but it seemed like a pretty small sandwich. I'd suggest a slab of cornbread of fried chicken if you're looking for something to leave you aching for a nap.
Honestly not even sure where to begin. The cornbread? The fried mac n cheese balls (bar none the best around)? The brisket? The ribs? Maybe the pulled pork? The homemade sauces? I just don't know. I have no words. Everything was beyond delicious. Go with friends, order a platter, and try it all. You'll be glad you did.
(5)
Naji K.
I went to the Soul Fire BBQ restaurant in Allston excited about getting some serious bbq. Unfortunately, it didn't go as well as I had hoped. The restaurant was much more of a college scene than I had expected. Everything from the tables, chairs, silverware, and the service were all second rate. It was almost comical how the waitress had no interest in making sure we were comfortable. Once she took our order and dropped off our food we had to motion like we were hailing a cab to get her to notice us. The men's bathroom was disgustingly dirty. With that said, the food wasn't too bad and the prices were fair. But, it also wasn't anything special. They did have the biggest projection TV I've ever seen. So, if you're interested in a no-frills BBQ experience you have found the right place. Otherwise, I would try somewhere else.
(3)
Jonathan Y.
Just awesome food every time. The cornbread is perfect and with out a doubt some of the best sandwiches and ribs I've had in a long time. I never leave this place disappointed and we always order in from here while working. Just cant beat it. I also love the sauces they have.
(5)
Sean O.
Crazy good BBQ. Immediately apply the Soulfire sauce to your Southern Fried wings when they hit your table.
(5)
Coren D.
Barbecue in Boston? Such a contentious topic, many barbecue lovers would be tempted to say, "No way, not possible." True, we don't have our own regional style, like Memphis, Texas, Kansas City, or North Carolina. Frankly, I've never been to any of those places and tried the Q there. I only know what I like. Smokey, tender, moist, but not greasy, not too saucy, not too sweet. Enter Soulfire, which has rave reviews from it's fans, and mediocre reviews from others. Three Groupons later and my final verdict, 3 stars. Starting with the brisket, very flavorful, there was plenty of smoke, a crispy bark and the meat was juicy. However, it had a thick ring of dripping grey grease along the edge that had to be trimmed off before eating. The pork spare ribs are meaty, toothsome, and well seasoned with the dry rub, but again, too much fat. OK, so maybe you're saying, "Dude, it's barbecue, it's supposed to be greasy, get over it." In my opinion, well done barbecue has most of the fat rendered off during the smoking process without drying the meat out. Finding globs of white fat stuck to the meat means it wasn't smoked long enough and cooked at too high a temperature. For the rest of the menu, a great find was the fried catfish. Flaky but not oily, crisp on the outside, but not dry, the catfish filet pairs well with the house barbecue sauces. The fried chicken was good, but a tad too sweet. I think there must be a lot of sugar in the marinade and the breading, because it comes out of the fryer a deep dark brown, instead of a golden color. It also is soggy with grease instead of crispy and light. The sides are decent, but everything seems to be made with way too much sugar. The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, corn bread, and chili are cloyingly sweet, and not savory enough. So to summarize: too greasy, too sweet. Is there better bbq in Boston? Definitely, but not bad for Allston. Good news, $2.75 PBR and $3 Lone Star.
(3)
Jessica H.
Great food, just had the ribs and mac and cheese with BBQ chips for dinner and it was Awsome!
(5)
Scott S.
Soul fire has a decent offering of barbeque. I've had better, but it will definitely satisfy if you're craving BBQ. I've been there about 5 times, and everytime i go, the place is deserted. There's never anyone in there, and they also have a HUGE projector on the wall, always on espn. A great place to chill and watch some sports with friends, the sauces are awesome, but the food can sometimes be a little disappointing to big BBQ fans like myself.
(4)
M. R.
Soul Fire is crazy good! Their mac and cheese is some of the best I've ever had - topping it with barbecue flavored chips? Both genius and tasty! If you're on a diet you should probably avoid this place because they serve you tons of food for not that much money, and it is all greasy and delicious. I can't think of anything I've tried at this restaurant that wasn't totally fantastic. Plus their bartender (it's the same girl every time I go in) is really nice and friendly.
(5)
Sarah R.
Soul Fire was just what I needed on Saturday. Boy and I were running some errands in Allston and stopped in for a quick lunch that didn't come in a Styrofoam container and wasn't redolent of the microwave. I'd been meaning to go here for a while after walking by countless times. Apparently Saturday afternoon is the right time to go; we were the only customers in there and left just as a fair-sized group of BU kids were stumbling in. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with mac & cheese. Boy had the beef brisket sandwich with rice & beans, and also tried one of the bottles of Harpoon Root Beer (which turned out to be quite yummy). There's a nice little assortment of different types of BBQ sauces with which you can doctor up your food, but I found I didn't really need any. My sandwich was messy but delicious, and I tried my best to stretch out the eating experience so I could savor it more. I did this by pacing myself with the cheese-tastic mac & cheese, which was delightfully sprinkled with BBQ chips. Oh hai, LDL cholesterol! My only complaint regarding the food rests with the fact that they serve sweet pickle chips on the side. I maintain that sweet pickles were conceived of and brined by Satan himself. It speaks volumes that boy, who is a native Texan and thus has had more than his fair share of good BBQ, thinks this place serves good food. I think it's a step above Village Smokehouse, and I have yet to go to Redbones, but I'll definitely be returning here to get my BBQ on.
(4)
Robbie R.
I went to this fine establishment on Friday with my girlfriend and my two roommates. It was a cold night... one that makes you hold a loved one close and ponder just why it is that you choose to live in an environ in which such harsh winter conditions are the norm and public transportation is so habitually disappointing... I had originally thought to go to the Sunset Bar and Grill, as I had yet to go for a meal and had been told that it truly is much more than just a mediocre Eagles song. But the ladyfriend brought up Soul Fire... and am I glad she did. Located on Harvard Ave, and balls deep in Allston Village, this place is a breath of fresh air into the lungs of diners looking for somethign other than your typical pub-fare or fill-in-the-blank-with-an-asian-country cuisine. BBQ is the type of food that I almost never buy, yet absolutely love when someone makes it for me and hands it to me on a plate. Sushi is also the same deal. You just learned a few interesting tidbits about me... congrats. So anyway, when perusing the menu, I had to go with the pulled pork sammich. I also got a side of mac and cheese, and a side of potato salad. I couldn't help maself. Then we also got a side of cornbread as an appetizer... WHEN IN ROME!!! The cornbread was good, the pulled pork amazing, the mac and cheese amazing, and the potato salad was 'meh.' Roommate #1 got some mashed potatoes which were the bomb, and my better half got some baked beans which were also mighty good. Our waitress was dope and laid-back. She didn't mind splitting our bill between the 4 of us or handling 4 different cards. Forgot to bring our drinks before our meal... but we jogged her memory and there was no harm done. The meal was ready in 5 or 10 mins tops. We left satisfied and went off to watch The Silence of the Lambs and continue with our carnivorous cavorting.
(5)
Rachel L.
Not bad, for a BBQ place. Boyfriend took me here the other day, and we split a full rack of spare pork ribs, and it was pretty good, but there was tons of fat that I'd have to pull off before every other bite. It was good though, not too dry. They offer you four different sauces: sweet, soulfire, fiery, and I don't know what the other one was. I liked the soulfire sauce the best, and my bf liked the sweet sauce the best. We got potato salad and collard greens for sides. The potato salad was good, probably from a nearby grocery store. Collard greens were alright. The cornbread, I thought, was pretty good. It wasn't too processed, like Boston Market's cornbread or anything. They also had mac n' cheese, coleslaw, and a few more sides I can't remember right now. This place had apps like wings, chili, etc. They had three or four different salads, sandwiches, and ribs. Prices were ok, considering the amount of meat you're getting. I think the full rack of ribs was something like $23. The thing that impressed me the most was that we got our food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. Bathrooms were pretty clean, and decorated nicely. The interior was also decorated kinda nice, painted bright red, and music-related art hangin on the walls. There's also a big TV, always playing some sports game. But yeah, I recommend getting the ribs.
(4)
Brittany B.
Ordered delivery from this place... not a fan. They seemed very frustrated with me after writing down MY number wrong and stated that they "called and called" and I did not answer. Pardon me for not verifying that they had the correct number, I thought that was their job. After rectifying the situation, they then tried to say that they could not get into my building because the front door doesn't allow entry. However, I have received delivery many times without an issue. The catfish tastes like the batter is ordinary batter that one would fry shrimp in, the mac and cheese was cold and the collards were sub-par. If you really want TRUE BBQ, I would say go to Blue Ribbon and if you just want some good down home cooking, try Slade's. I won't be ordering from here again... perhaps I shouldn't have ordered delivery.
(2)
Nate B.
It took 10 minutes for the bartender to even give my friend and I the time of day. It was a Friday evening and we had eaten at Soul Fire once before, so we figured why not stop by for a drink. The bar had around 6-7 people at it, all happily munching on food and drink all while we sat waiting for the bartender to notice us. Finally I got the bartender's attention after angrily glaring at the other bartender who nervously tried to get our bartender to see us. Once I did manage to flag her down, she informed us that if we weren't getting food with our drink that their alcohol permit would not allow us to eat there. This information, after 10 minutes of waiting with out even offering us a menu. That aside, the food is filling, the sides are tasty, and the portions are decent. It's small, and has a warmth and vibrancy that comes from its deep red walls and album covers that decorate its bar. The pricing is 8-10 dollars for most entrees and options for side combinations. Service is inconsistent. Our first trip there a few months ago was fine, in fact our bar tender was extremely friendly and was bouncing with excitement as the Celtics won. This past trip was pretty awful, and it will be hard to get me to go back. I have a theory about why we weren't served, but I'll save that for any who wishes to message me in private. Enjoy, but make sure you get foodz with your booze...
(2)
Devon R.
I'm surprised at all the good reviews here, the food was dry and only tolerable when doused in sauce, but that shouldn't be necessary. the mac and cheese was not very cheesy and not very hot either. If you really want some BBQ head over to Red Bones or Blue Ribbon.
(2)
Jason B.
Service is terrible here. We called in an order and were told they were "too busy to accept take-out orders." Not delivery, just plain take out. I went down to find the staff outnumbered the customers, kitchen was quiet, and there were maybe six takeout bags waiting for pick-up. Ribs are good but a little lean, not the tastiest dry rub. Decent fries and corn-dogs. None of it is worth dealing with the bored, lazy hipsters behind the counter.
(1)
Kelsey A.
It pains me to give this one star. But what pains me more is the number of times my friends and I have given this place a shot and ended up with severe stomach illnesses. (I'll spare you the details). The first visit went well with no problems. The cornbread is good, the mac and cheese is good - but other than that, the food makes me sad. First, the collard greens are inedible. Second, we had "issues" 4 times after that initial visit. I hate to think it and I'm not saying it's fact - but I feel like there was something wrong with the meat when we ate there. I know you're thinking, "but if it made you sick, why did you keep going back?" I went back because I love the concept of the place and the service is quirky. The bbq doesn't taste terrible when you're eating it, it's just the aftermath that makes me go, "thanks, but no thanks." I feel like I can fairly give Soul Fire one star.
(1)
David E.
One word says it all: "eh". Some of the sauces are good but overall, it could be better on so many levels. The mac and cheese earned it 3 stars instead of 2. Highly recommended as a side.
(3)
Sheila S.
I was VERY pleased with this place. The deep fried macaroni is tasty. Our main was delicious. The beer selection and homemade lemonade get extra points. Just 1 star off for a pretty horrible dessert... don't get the fried dough.
(4)
J E.
Soul Fire is one of those places that will show up when researching a good place to get wings around the Allston area. You will find a decent selections of tasty sauces, yummy corn bread to cut the flavor, and cold beer to wash it all down. Depending on which night you visit, you may find yourself with the decision to impulsively get the all you can eat wings. *cough* Monday. And if you aren't up for stuffing your face, try the fried mac and cheese balls or the ribs. The restaurant does take orders for delivery, but I would advise agaisnt it. I fall into the catergory of people that blatently ignored the comments that maticulously pointed out that the delivery is painfully slow, and should never be done if it can be avoided. Needless to say it took about 2 hours to get my food, after several phone calls and the discovery that my order had never even be written down. Regardless, if you visit the restaurant, you don't need to worry about that.
(4)
Ashley M.
Went to The Roadhouse last week and thought it would be fun to search for a great BBQ place. This was definitely a good experience. There was plenty of seating and space, very accessible. We chose to sit table-style instead of the booth(tried to get away from the television distraction). Our waitress was very friendly but a little distant. The beer selection was limited but ok. Next time I want to try the Harpoon soda! I had the pulled pork platter while my boy had 1/2 rack spare ribs. The meat was plentiful and tasty, especially with the house sauce. The sides seemed skimpy but in the end they were just enough to complement the main dish. We tried the baked beans, mac and cheese, and potato salad. The beans were fantastic. The potato salad tasted just like how mom makes it (good thing :), and the mac and cheese, though cover with crumbled BBQ potato chips, lacked something. A little dry. There were plenty of left-overs and no room for their minute dessert selection (fried dough or lime squares). The price was very reasonable and if I was craving bbq I would definitely go back.
(4)
.amy E.
This was a crucial part of a friend's and my "GREAT MEAT ADVENTURE." That's right. We used that phrase multiple times, unaware of it's other meanings without context. Not really. We wanted BBQ, and since Blue Ribbon wasn't easily T-accessible, this jumped to the top of our list. I'd forgotten to write down the street address, so we wandered past it a few times on Harvard Ave while we looked for it, convinced that we would have smelled it or, you know, felt its righteousness in our hearts when we got close. It was only when we did that awkward-caving-and-calling-friends thing that we discovered we'd been standing right in front of it all along and surely that was guidance from the hand of fate, where "fate" = "411". We ate until we were full and then we kept eating because it was really damn tasty. It's not *real* Southern BBQ because we're in New England, but it was almost on par with it, and that worksforme. Also, the fried mac&cheese nuggets made my day. This is the kind of place that truly reminds me of how terrible I am for being an ex-vegetarian: while I would love to return to those roots, I am just too weak when there is BBQ like this out there.
(4)
Alex T.
This is probably the cleanest BBQ/Soul Food restaurant you will every come across. I havent been here much but I will say that their ribs are excellent. I ordered a plate with two sides, greens and mac & cheese. The greens was very basic and not as flavored as some other soul food places I've been to. You can really taste the biterness of the greens. The mac & cheese was just creamy with lots of melted cheese. Soul Fire is a very welcome addition to Allston eateries to me and brings yet another aspect of ethnic foods in this little area.
(3)
Gil F.
This place is awesome! It has an interesting decor and it is group friendly...the food is also what I crave when I want some good BBQ! I've been here a few times and it hasn't disappointed me.
(4)
Liza M.
OMG so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a groupon, which made it even more awesome. Love all the many sauce options. The fried mac n cheese bites were interesting! I had pulled pork, cooked to perfection. Baked beans and mashed potatoes on the side. Chris had the ribs, and he still raves about them months later. Cornbread was great too. Our waitress was super helpful and explanatory. We even scored a parking spot right across the street.
(5)
Vito M.
First and foremost, I feel like a distinction between "barbecue" food and "cook-out" food must be made. From what I've gathered after living in the south for a good number of years, a cook-out is anything that involves a grill and meat. Think hamburgers, hot dogs and the like. BBQ generally involves a brush and is characterized by slow cooking, rich flavorful sauces (of the tomato and vinegar based varieties), and varying intensity of smoky overtones. Soul fire is truly a gem of the New England BBQ scene. Start with their chicken "wings." Each wing is the entire drumstick-wing combo and they've got such a great subtle smoked flavor. The spicy/sweet sauce is fantastic! The brisket at Soul Fire reminds me a bit of Rudy's in Texas. It's expertly cooked and served on a flat piece of wax paper. Soul Fire's cornbread is stellar, too! The rub on the baby back ribs and the potato salad left a lot to be desired, however. This is a great place to start a night out... if you can find toothpicks on your way out the door!
(4)
Lauren M.
Love this place. Casual atmosphere, great food. I'm from Texas, but I'm not a huge fan of how sweet Texas sauce tends to be. Soulfire remedies this problem by letting you pick your own sauce! Briscuit is awesome, corn bread is legit, beer selection is good enough. I'm in!
(4)
Christopher M.
Really cool place with great food. I had baby back ribs and they were fantastic. Had baked beans and macaroni & cheese. My brother had fried fish and was a big fan! Place does a great job and the atmosphere was really cool too.
(4)
Ian M.
Great vibe and spectacular BBQ, the Brisket sandwich is top notch, and ribs are done right.
(5)
Gary G.
Not special. Wings too smoky, and southern fried wings need sauce, but sauces cater to people liking hot food. Salads big but not special. Service ok. This is not redbones.
(2)
Emily H.
My wife and I went to Soul Fire for the first time tonight. The chicken, bbq sauce, and cornbread were all amazing. I also really enjoyed the baked beans and collard greens. Unfortunately the mac and cheese was not nearly as good as I was expecting. Service was great. Prices were great.
(4)
Sweet T.
I enjoyed the pulled pork...meat was very tender. They had a good selection of different sauces to put on, but the meat was so good it didn't really need it. Cornbread came with the meal rather than before. Only real downside is that the meals didn't come on plates - they came on platters which looked pretty much like pizza pans. Not a huge fan of that. Sort of made me feel like a dog to get served food like that. Overall good food, but would've been better on decent plate.
(3)
Warren W.
Back again to Soul Fire with the girls and friends. We have lots of friends when dad's buying. Saturday night about 6:45 and we timed it just right. Wyeth, the owner, is behind the counter organizing sees us and immediately comes over to renew and talk about old times and the restaurant. It's come a long way and we can't wait to tear into friend chicken, and pulled this and that, and ribs. Youngest is late as usual as she is directionally challenged still after 5 months in Boston. Beers flow and I really like the wheat UFO on draft but screw the lemon. Out comes a sampling of his latest creation Buffalo wings in a creamy tart blue cheese and hot wing sauce. 7 to 8 on the hot scale for most and a freakin' 9 for me. Lips were numb for 90 minutes and a didn't know beer was touching my mouth until most of it poured down the front of my fleece. Onto the fried mac balls. Liz, the bride, ate so many I thought she wouldn't do the pulled chicken. She dips hers in ketchup!! Fried wings were beyond crispy and super golden brown and juicy. Everyone seems to have different tastes in corn bread this is my absolute favorite.....moist, sweet and corny. Out come my baby backs 1/3 portion and I could only eat two. They came with mashed which were creamy and with a nicely salted gravy. I love baked beans and the smokey taste and chocolate color just make these different among all others. We had more than enough to take home and I finished the corn bread for breakfast. Soul Fire got crowded about 7:30 and really filled up but I noticed the tables turn quick as the food comes out real fast and the service is efficient. On the service end, Wyeth has changed his approach from ordering at the register to table side servers. Much better and turns the crowd faster. So 5 stars, pain to park, I know a secret on this area of parking expertise but you do take a chance. Go there.
(5)
Amy L.
The service is lightning fast. Unbelievably fast. I almost always get the pulled pork sandwich, which is excellent. I like every side I've tried, especially the cornbread, which is sweet and has whole kernels of corn. The collard greens are good and never overcooked. The mac and cheese was a little bland. It also had crumbled potato chips on top, which I had never seen before and found a little unnerving. The only sauce I've tried is the North Carolina, which is nice and vinegary. And wow, the service is fast.
(4)
Nicole P.
eh... Had dinner here with my friend Jess G. last night and am not a huge fan. It's a counter service self-seat place that has a huge space but is not inviting. They could do so many cool things with such a large space; it's a shame. There are lots of tables- some high tops which are cool but the chairs are hard and there is just a lot of empty space. I dunno- they need to warm it up some how. The food was blah- I had some wings. They only have 1 flavor and it was ok. My gf has had the pulled chicken before and said it wasn't good either. I did like the cornbread and coleslaw and the mac n' cheese looks great. Jess G. said she liked her fried catfish but I noticed she didn't finish it... I think the menu needs more options and the food needs more flavor. The prices were cheap- maybe they should raise them and spend more money on the food. They *do* have beer. The service was great- very friendly staff. I say skip it and hit Blue Ribbon bbq! (My favorite bbq in MA)
(2)
Lauren T.
If you're going to steal your restaurant concept from Blue Ribbon, at least get it right. Soul Fire BBQ is acceptable if your in a pinch for cheap fast BBQ. Yes, they have good platter selections, yes they offer a variety of tasty southern sides. But there is NO CREATIVITY, QUALITY or TALENT! The wings were tender, but just dipped in sauce. The only flavor in the macaroni and cheese was the bonito type flakes shaken on top. The ribs were almost all fat. The bread was fresh on the Pulled Pork sandwich, but the meat was too dry, with not a hint of flavor. Soul Fire offers a BBQ sauce bar similar to Blue Ribbon, but without the variety of sauces. They keep the sauces heated which is a very nice touch, but does not help too much when the sauces are bland and atypical "Fiery", "Sweet" and "North Carolina". Soul fire offers a small but acceptable beer selection, but get something in a bottle until the employees master a good pour. The ambiance is mellow and cool with the soul background, but does not offer much to the "BBQ" joint feel. I would almost feel more comfortable ordering a martini in there instead of licking sauce off my fingers. Like I said, it's not a bad place if your in a pinch, but next time I will save my money and head to Blue Ribbon or Redbones
(3)
Raymond W.
Soul Fire definitely lost a step on my most recent visit. I arrived around 11:45 with the place empty and the restaurant stank of bleach for our entire meal, which was quiet off putting even though it meant that they had been cleaning. The brisket I got was decent, but not as hot as I would have liked and the cornbread was somewhat dry. The cole slaw and baked beans were both good, but it just wasn't as satisfying as it had been in the past.
(3)
Linda H.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this place got such great reviews. I went to Soulfire last night to quench a serious bbq craving. The place was EMPTY. The tables were sticky. Still, my friend and I each ordered the Soulfire Platter to try bits of everything. My friend got the pulled pork and baby back ribs with cole slaw and mashed potatoes. The best part of his meal was the cole slaw and cornbread. Everything else was pretty bland. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a box. I got the brisket, which was ok, with the roast chicken and sides of mac and cheese and beans. My sides were fine, nothing special. The pickles that came with the meals were sad, thin discs. We were expecting thick delicious spears of pickle! Last night was a huge disappointment, I won't be back.
(2)
Sofia H.
alright bbq, not the worst i've had in boston area but def nowhere near the best... what is quite nice is the price though and you get a decent size meal. I tried the pulled pork sandwich and it was good but the side of mac and cheese was really quite excellent. The locale itself is also really sparse and spacious... in somewhat of a negative way. I felt that there was too much empty space and when the place isn't packed (like it was when I went) it just seemed a little cold. an alright place to go grab food in allston if you don't feel like leaving the neighborhood
(3)
Jonathan C.
Just went here a couple hours ago. I wouldn't say its the best soul food around but very good for the area, no doubt. I had the chili fries. Mmmmmm very delightful. Pulled pork plate, which is juicy, tender, and the right amount of time cooked. Also I had the 1/2 rack of ribs, very high quality meat. They stand by there slogo ( coming right off the bone ) The ribs where almost perfect. For some odd reason I really couldn't taste much flavor in it, neither could my wife. But I'll tell you what, we ordered alot of food. All in all I give this place an A!
(4)
Jinny P.
Solid BBQ. Baby Back ribs were pretty darn good, as were the fries, pulled pork, and mashed potatoes. Beef Brisket is just ok. It's the type of place that has different sauces on the table. The waitress we had was super unattentive...had to get up to ask her for utensils, went missing for after our food was served and only reappeared when she wanted to go home (it was toward the end of the night). Other than that, it's not a bad place to come with a bunch of friends, especially during a Bruins game which was the case. Everybody was very jovial that night Bruins won.
(3)
Jamie C.
One of my favorite places in all of Allston. The food is real good and usually comes out quick, and the staff is super friendly. Try their Mac n Cheese side with the crushed BBQ potato chips on it.
(5)
Rich D.
So ridiculously good! The Pitboss BBQ sauce was about as good as it gets. I got the Pitboss Sampler because there were too many good options...and for the two of us it was a TON of food. I brought home enough for at least 2 more meals. The pulled pork is perfect for loading up with whatever BBQ sauce you like best. The BBQ wings and the Southern wings are both great. The Spare Ribs were kind of "eh."
(4)
Brian M.
The gf had heard good things about this place. I was a little wary, finding Barbeque often over-rated. She was jonesing for some red meat and it was mid-week quiet, so we gave it a try...Hallelujah! Mine eyes have seen the glory... This place is a meat-eaters heaven. We tried the ribs and the brisket, both divine - flavorful and not too dry. The sides were excellent also - I generally find American coleslaw to be a pale, inspid imitation of the hearty stuff we eat back home, but Soulfire's is great - tangy and just every so slightly crunchy. The mash potato was great as well, although I honestly could have done with a bigger portion. Particular praise also for the gravy - made me want to get some fries to pour it over (my fav comfort food). The BBQ sauce was also v good - just the right side of spicy - you get a tingle, but it doesn't zap your taste buds. The staff were very pleasant and friendly, although one thing to note is that there is no table service as such - you order and pay, then grab seating (or not) and then collect your food when its called. Bring on the meat sweats!
(5)
Sarah F.
Forget BBQ. If you like fried chicken (and who doesn't?) this is the place for you. Crispy, juicy, and flavorful. Mmm! Serve that up with some cornbread mac and cheese and baked beans and you're set. Delicious and nutritious! Well maybe not so much...
(4)
Andrew A.
Soul Fire BBQ sits in the heart of Brookline right next to wonderbar and therefore seems to have a revolving door of clientele from BU. My friends got the chili as a starter and loved it... I myself waited until I got my meal and OHHH what a meal it was... I had a full rack of Baby Back Ribs, Mac n' Cheese, French Fries and Cornbread. The Baby Back Ribs weren't fall off the bone (Soul Fire claims if it were slow cooked that much it would lose some of its flavor) but they were good and combined with Soul Fire's signature sauce were very tasty. The Cornbread was excellent, now I wouldn't say I'm any connoisseur of cornbread... But this was just the way I like it flavorful and moist. The Mac n' Cheese was by far the best I've had in a long time and the portion they served was just the right amount, enough to augment your meal well but not enough to have you bursting at the seems (the other stuff does that well enough on its own). As for the fries I have to say I was far from disappointed... The seasoning that Soul Fire uses on their fries makes them almost addictive, like crack cocaine or something... The service was pretty good, and although I called ahead and told them I'd like a table (they don't take formal reservation) we still got seated at a communal kind of table (the likes of which you might see only in Germany). Meanwhile when a table opened up and we asked to move to that table, they told us that it was reserved for a party of four who called ahead, not a night changer, but not in the win column for them. The wait staff here was also very friendly!
(4)
Rachel K.
I went back because my friend had a groupon so we thought we'd give it another chance. We got there early (5:30 pm) and that may have made the difference. Or we just had a better server. But the service was fine. The food was still very good. I'm still keeping them down to 3 based on past experience. But this is a definite improvement!
(3)
Edith W.
I like the place..food is great... I had chicken. That was the best chicked I have had in a long time.. Spared ribs were really good, maybe even better than their babyback ribs! (I'm a big baby back fan) The only thing is that the place is big and looks empty. It had AC on when it was only 65 degrees. My food got cold very fast..and the meat certainly didn't taste good when it was cold!!!
(4)
Xoxo, B.
Love this place, much better than Redbones in my opinion. Great food, great service and fair prices. My favorite.. Pulled chicken, mac and cheese.. And the pickles! Sauces are amazing too.
(5)
D.J. L.
I order a lot of food and eat out a lot but I never feel I must write a review for the places I go to. After eating Soul Fire, I felt the need to share. As one reviewer here said, the true test of a BBQ place is their ribs, and their ribs were excellent. They were dry, so you actually got to taste the ribs (not the sauce) and you were able to put the sauce on the ribs yourself. The spicy links were also delicious. They went very well with the ribs. For sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and the potato salad, and both had the flavor I believe they should have. They both taste absolutely authentic. I cannot recommend this place enough for anyone who loves BBQ food.
(5)
Tracy H.
Decent BBQ, good pulled pork and flavorful brisket, love love love the beans! Meh on the fried mac n cheese (kinda dry), i think i prob shoudl've stuck with the regular mac n cheese. Minus one star for the fried chicken (soggy, and small drumsticks/wings only). But that's on me, prob shouldn't have ordered fried chicken at a BBQ joint. Will definitely go back again.
(4)
Ryan E.
Disclaimer: This rating is based upon the take-out experience(s) I've had. I have never actually eaten in the establishment. Pulled anything is fantastic. Meat is tender and the rub is savory and delicious. My preferred sauce is the pitboss although it's completely subjective. The Sandwiches are a GREAT deal. Generously sized on a soft bun, they come with one of Soul Fire's quality sides...my favorite of which is the mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese is something the gf and I often order a quart of. It's topped with crushed bbq potato chips. If you're a fan of Siracha, try putting it on their mac and cheese---I can't ever go back. Southern Fried Wings on the app menu are big, crunchy outside, and juicy inside. They come with a spicy red pepper (I think?) creamy dipping sauce that is fantastic. I would get them more often if I knew I wasn't already going to be so full from the go-to sandwich and mac n' cheese. Ribs are decent but I think rival Red Bones has the edge here. Corn Bread is the best I've had in Boston--dense, sweet, with real corn kernels. Overall its on the top 5 places I routinely get takeout from and every time, in the middle of the meal, I think to myself "Damn, this was a great idea".
(4)
jake l.
Soulfire, Soulfire, oh Soulfire, oh how have I judged the shit out of you based on your geographical location and reviews. You have proved me wrong. Anyways, I had the 3 meat platter and I was very impressed. Pulled chicken, superb. Beef brisket, superb. Baby backs, superb. The meats all had just the right amount of smokiness from their obviously mixed combination of woods and none of the meats were dry. The sides of Mac, slaw, and cornbread were good as well. Check them out, this is a very fairly priced bbq meal around Boston. Under $20 for a 3 combo meal, which BTW is overloaded on the plate. Additionally, the gentleman preparing our meal (presumably the owner) shot the shit with me and poured me some SC bbq sauce that was not on the menu yet, so that's thumbs up for social interaction.
(4)
K C.
Only 4 stars because once I ordered delivery and they forgot my Spaghetti western, the dish I was craving the most! If you try it you'll understand! Super relaxed atmosphere, and really nice staff. There is so much I recommend trying, because everything I've tried... Which is a lot of food, has been so flavorful and delicious! BBQ jumbo wings- tender & juicy, Pulled pork sandwich or entree- top it with what ever sauce you like (the staff are willing to explain the flavors) a little messy, but the meat just melts in your mouth, mac & cheese is really yummy topped with bbq chips for a little crunch. If you like BBQ I recommend stopping here! Grab whatever you like, and I'm sure you'll enjoy.
(4)
Joe R.
Best cornbread ever. Most cornbread falls apart, or is just too fluffy for it's own good- Soul Fire's cornbread was moist, dense, and sweet. The mac and cheese was also very good; they crumble BBQ potato chips on top of it. The pulled pork was good, and their sweet BBQ sauce was delicious. I'll be back (and probably grabbing some extra cornbread for the road)!
(5)
Pete C.
Executive Summary: PORK IN THE VEGETARIAN RICE AND BEANS DISH. I don't know why a vegetarian would order from a soul food restaurant, but on last count I've ordered delivery from Soul Fire at least 39 times over the past year or two. Veggie entree + mac and cheese were both consistently tasty and convenient, but pricey. Delivery always claims to take 45 minutes when I order through foodler but more often than not takes an hour, 1:15, 1:30 sometimes, without phone calls or apologies. Previous orders have been also been screwed up/required redelivery, again without any apologies. Last Thursday was the last straw - main part of my order was forgotten, and when they redelivered it later I got partway through before tasting something "smokey" in the food... spit it out and realized I was chewing on a piece of pork. In my vegetarian rice and beans. Manager I talked to on the phone explained that it is very easy for the meat to accidentally get mixed in with the vegetarian rice and beans and offered to send me a gift card... presumably so I can order more vegetarian food with meat in it? Sarcasm aside, I've never really had any concessions like this before when orders took ages or things were left out or screwed up, so maybe this means they've at least stepped up their management game a fraction. Whatever. I'm done, will NEVER eat here again. And before meat eaters reply defending the place, I will fully admit that I'm an idiot for 1. being a vegetarian spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars at a soul food restaurant(?!!!), even if it is on a "vegetarian entree" 2. not complaining about this place a lot sooner Speaking of #1, if you're veg you'd have to be an idiot to risk eating at this place when there's tons of real veg options in Allston. You are not their target clientele, you are an afterthought which is why they are charging you 9 DOLLARS for rice and beans. As a last point, the night this happened the manager I talked to said she would be talking to the person in charge the next day and asked if she could call me back then. No calls back, presumably since there's nothing they can do about it. Nothing I can do about it either, except post this review and warn you guys.
(1)
Anna L.
I LOVE SOUL FIRE! This restaurant is undoubtedly one of my top restaurants. Where do I even start?! The pulled chicken sandwich is delicious, the rueben is amazing, the mac and cheese is to die for, and their corndogs (which come in a set of 4 mini dogs) takes the mother f-ing cake. Oh, and lets not forget the yummy lemonade to wash everything down with! I have no idea how anybody could possibly not like this place. Soul Fire always has great music playing in the background and a really awesome staff in addition to great food. The restaurant is kind of dark...but the tables are always clean!
(5)
Ryan C.
I found Soul Fire to be perfectly adequate barbecue. The restaurant was admirably clean, but the atmosphere is a little upscale for a barbecue joint - closer to a downtown club than a down home rib shack, which is fine. Flat-screen TV set to the Olympics was a decent background, but I generally dislike TV in restaurants. A couple friends and I split the "Pit Boss," enough food for four to five people, and were not disappointed. The chicken and cornbread were excellent, the ribs and pulled pork were pretty good, though the ribs were a touch dry. It's not cheap eats, but it's a good value for the money.
(4)
Susan M.
I have to admit that I have been to every bbq place in the city because of a certain young man's proclivity for the cuisine. So I speak from a place of authority I would say. Soulfire is pretty good: ribs, chicken, cornbread all quite good. A nice selection of good sauces and beer (plus larger beers available). Brisket was a bit fatty though. As for atmosphere, shrug... it was alright... nothing to write home about. The reason I will go back to this place despite the fact that I can get better ribs closer to my house is the fried mac n cheese balls. Holy hell they are fantastic! Delicious little balls of fat and happiness fried up and served to you in a red plastic basket. Wow.
(4)
Renee A.
Not impressed. Brisket and rib combo was blah. Small portion of brisket served was fatty and the ribs were tough and little meat. Cornbread, Mac and Cheese and rice and beans were dry. They must have been sitting out all day in the kitchen. Price not comparable to portion and quality. Not likely to return.
(1)
Ted P.
First off I have to put the disclaimer in that Im from Florida, and BBQ in New England definitely is not on par with what I am used to. As BBQ goes in New England SoulFire pretty good. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, but I didnt want to give them 3 stars either, so 4 stars it is. It is a true 4 stars for Boston BBQ spots though. The pulled pork is decent and the beef brisket is pretty good. The sauces are decent as well for(again,New England BBQ). The sweet tea is VERY hit or miss. Some days it horrible, some days it's the best I've had in Boston(note I said in Boston). Lately it has been bad though. Today it tastes like it was either left out too long, made with sugar in the raw, or something along those lines. It was slow(I was the only person in here) and I asked if instead of the bun they could butter some Texas toast and toss it on the flat top or grill for my pulled pork sandwich. I got my pulled pork on untoasted Texas toast with four or five pats of butter on the side. Not a big deal, but I found it pretty amusing! Overall I do like the place, it's the best BBQ I've had in Boston so far, and it's only a couple blocks from me! Score!
(4)
Nick M.
Soul Fire is the best place in Allston to get a plate of comfort food. The beef brisket sandwich is one of my favorite items to get, as the meat is always tender and cooked to perfection. For sides, try the mac and cheese - its delicious. Prices on food and drinks are reasonable. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner on a Friday or Saturday. They only serve alcohol to patrons who are ordering food, so the restaurant does not fill up with college students like the other bars in the area.
(4)
evan p.
the owners of this place have no idea what they are doing. inauthentic barbeque food at it's very worst. Everything here is a 'nice try', but nothing is made as it's intended. Seems like the owner had his heart in the right place, but no actual knowledge of how barbeque food should taste. Shame really, the staff is nice, Location is right on the walk to most of allston from the Harvard Ave train stop,.the decor is awesome, and the music is always great. But the food? Blech. for authentic boston area BBQ try Blue Ribbon in Newton.
(2)
luke b.
MMMM! Delicious! The sandwiches are fantastical and the mac and cheese has bbq chips crunched up on top. what could be better? the salad could use a little work... but the meats were meaty and the mac and cheese mac and cheesy. MEAT!
(4)
D. M.
Love this place. Great food, great atmosphere. Have tried their brisket numerous times and have never been disappointed. I usually get it with mac and cheese and cole slaw. Have also tried the ribs and wings appetizer. The ribs were tender, fall off the bone while the wings were nicely marinated and flavorful.
(5)
Jeffrey K.
This place really isn't on par with Blue Ribbon or Red Bones. There just wasn't anything special about it. I went there awhile ago and there really isn't much that's memorable to write. I think I remember liking the fried mac and cheese balls.
(3)
Ben C.
5 stars for being the only good bbq place within walking distance of brookline/allston. Kudos to the owners for creating a delicious, inexpensive real food restaurant in a sea of average pizza joints and blah takeout restaurants. Eat the fried macaroni and cheese balls and your life will be changed. I'm not a BBQ expert per say, but I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches/meals and it was excellent. The variety of bbq sauces is unique in allston and yes, I think the food tastes a lot better when doused in the sauce... so do it! I love this place
(5)
Ken M.
The waitress was bordering on clueless. I'm also unclear on if refills are free, because she pushed larges on us and then apologized that they only had enough iced tea for a small and then gave me an extra cup for soda, of which they were also out of diet. So the food came up fairly quickly, and it was alright. Nothing special. The sauces were pretty good, but they were also out of one of those. Really? Out of so much? I know it's 8:30 pm on Sunday, but come on! The macaroni and cheese was very good, I only wish I'd asked for a double serving because it was smallish (though probably an appropriate size for a side). The mashed potatoes were good but cool on the bottom for being place just on a metal plate with a thin piece of wax paper separating it from the cold steel. I have to wonder why on a "platter" my meat was still served on bread, as though I'd asked for a sandwich. The pickles were a little too tangy. The cornbread was pretty good. The place is clean but a bit too dark considering you order at the counter, it can't be considered romantic, just creepy dark.
(2)
Tarryn V.
um this is prollly the best bbq in boston in my opinion. smoken joes in Brighton is excellent as well, but I prefer the bbq sauce (and they have a selection of 4) and fried mac and cheese balls here. I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken more times than I can count, and both are always amazing. the chili cheese fries are decent but kinda soggy... I generally stick with the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese (without the doritos on top! they totally ruin it for me!) which are always top notch.
(5)
Beth M.
yum yum yum-- just tried this semi-newish BBQ joint this weekend for take-out after a looooong day of snowboarding. It was so super good--all of my tired and aching companions agreed. I got the pulled chicken sandwich with the house sauce, and for only $6 that came with a side and awesome dill/sweet pickles. I chose mac and cheese for my side, which was really great, and seemed to be mysteriously topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? i'll definitely be coming here again to sample the more involved dishes and drink a beer or two in situ. the place seemed relatively quiet on a sunday night, but with all the good reviews it's been getting i'm sure it is usually much more hoppin'. very tasty.
(5)
Gretchen M.
I got a half rack of BBQ baby-back ribs for about $14 bucks with corn bread, and two sides. It was delicious! My boyfriend got the full rack for about 21 bucks and it was more than enough. Everything is cooked very well and they offer an array of beers and wines. The atmosphere is chill. You can either sit at the bar or order at the register and then wait a bit for your number to be called. Only downfall: the hardcore food coma I had later that night!!! =)
(5)
Ken M.
Good place for some great southern BBQ. Not a big fan of the place as a bar. The selection is just ok and the tv situation is just ok as well. Love the pit boss as it gives you a taste of everything. The brisket and ribs are amazing and the different sauces help make the meal as well. I could drink their pit boss sauce and slather it in the ribs and brisket. They have great mac and cheese and corndogs as well. Food service. A little dark in there even on a sunny day. Overall great food and reasonable prices.
(4)
Michael G.
I declare this to be the best barbecue in Boston. If that's not enough to get you to go, then I don't know what is. This is the sort of barbecue that doesn't even need sauce, though spectacular options are provided. Sauce, as you may know, was invented to cover up the mistakes in barbecue anyway. Definitely try the fried mac and cheese bites and definitely try the ribs. The fried chicken is also really, really good, especially since it seems that the chicken gets a spice rub first before it's battered and fried. As for the wings, I'd prefer to go to nearby Wing-It, but they were definitely good. The only thing I want more out of this place is for it to be open later. 11:00 seems like an early closing time for a place with a bar. Then again, the place is nearly empty at that hour. Be warned that your food may take a while to be prepared. Good food takes time after all.
(5)
Dave M.
This is a really good BBQ place in a great location. Blue Ribbon is honestly a lot better, but it's a pain for me to get to. Still haven't gotten over to Red Bones so I can't compare it. The pulled pork sandwich here is great, just remember they don't add the BBQ sauce for you, so make sure to grab one of the many varieties they have and toss it on or it'll be a little dry. The mac and cheese here is also amazing, as are the ribs and pretty much any type of meat they have. For the guys: the owner here seems to have a great ability to hire really cute friendly college girls. Having pretty girls to flirt with while you're chomping away on delicious BBQ just adds something extra to the whole experience.
(4)
Zoe H.
I live right on Comm ave and Harvard, which is located really close to Soul Fire, and I have to say that I love this place. To barbecue connoisseurs, the food may be adequate to disappointing, but for the rest of us schlubs on a budget and in dire need of quick soul food, this is the place. Soul Fire is affordable, never crowded, and staffed by very friendly people. I love the food, sometimes the ribs are a little dry but the barbecued chicken is fantastic, not to mention they have an array of sides that I like a lot, specifically the potato salad and beans. They also, and this seems silly but it is maybe my favourite aspect of this particular eatery, have all their barbecue sauces out in the open and you can take as much as you want. I am an awkward person and I hate to have to ask for things, and i like that Soul Fire trusts me with my own sauces. Soul Fire is definitely not the be all end all of barbecue, but it'll do in a pinch and it isn't expensive.
(4)
Ambar B.
Amazing place, great compilation of sauces and excellent service. big fan.
(4)
Paul G.
Had heard great things about the food, but never got to try it. Went with a party of six on a Friday. We waited well over an hour for our food to come out, but it never did. Even though the restaurant was only 60% full the whole time, the waitress never stopped by, or mentioned the delay, not once. We flagged her down a couple times after ~45 minute mark, and got (1) brushed off, (2) told they were out of ribs, and asked to sub something else in (this after ~an hour). Finally we decided to pay for our drinks and leave, and were told "its not our fault fried chicken takes a long time to cook". We left not because of the delay (which was extreme), but because the service was so awful, in an hour and half at the restaurant, the waitress stopped by of her own volition once (when she took or order), and never seemed apologetic or helpful when we did manage to get her attention. Manager was also unapologetic.
(1)
Amanda L.
I had walked by Soul Fire for a very long time before actually venturing into it one day. I got the pulled chicken sandwich and a pulled pork for my BF, with sides of baked beans and mac and cheese. The pulled chicken and pork were fantastic. I like a lot of sauce on sandwiches, and the fact they had little pumps of different sauces make me dance a little. I love dunking =) Both sandwiches were juicy and scrumptious. The bread got a little soggy, but I was OK with it. I really liked the mac and cheese, not the best I've had, but probably top 10 at least. The beans were a little on the hard side, but I like my beans mushier, so that may just be a preference. You really can't beat the price for BBQ. The sandwiches I think were only $6.00 and that includes a side. I saw dinners for $12.00. I know I'll definitely be coming back here.
(4)
Cecilia L.
The pulled pork sandwich is good, the barbecue reuben is better. Mac and cheese is the obvious side, creamy and topped with crushed bbq potato chips, but then I didn't taste any others. Loved the four bbq sauces at the table that I used to squeeze a little artist's palette of goodness onto my plate. The place is spacious and the prices are good, with a sandwich and side at $7-9. I'd go back to try the ribs.
(3)
Meagan F.
Delicious! I love a good pulled pork sandwich, but I love even more a pulled pork sandwich slathered in whatever sauce I wish. This place is great, not only are the portions big, but it's not too terribly pricey (bbq joints tend to be pricey anyway). Plus, THEY SERVE BEER!!! How awesome is that? So check it out and grab a UFO while you're at it. This place is the best BBQ in Allston.
(4)
Meghan O.
We enjoyed the brisket sandwich, fried mac and cheese, and corn dogs. The place is fun and colorful and the waitstaff was very friendly.
(4)
Sarah S.
I love Soul Fire because they get the vinegary North Carolina sauce just right. Someone get me a vat of this stuff! Not to mention the other 21389712 kinds of sauces they have lined up for you. I really appreciate those, Soul Fire, I do; because everyone knows that BBQ varies regionally and you can get a taste of Memphis, Carolina, Texas or wherever right here in Allston. The portions are a little overwhelming, but the prices are so cheap, it's really a steal. I love the pulled pork sandwich with pickles on the side. Their potato salad has enough crunch, taste, and texture, without the usual cole slaw/potato salad faux-pas of mayonnaise overload!! My boyfriend gets a combo platter: ribs and chicken. Last time he swooned over how juicy and delicious the chicken was. I love the cornbread square and pat of butter, and no matter how full I am I always manage to devour my boyfriend's baked beans. One note: the macaroni and cheese struck me as a little Kraft-y. As in, the cheese was neon yellow and tasted 3 molecules away from plastic. The potato chips encrusting the top... I can see the appeal of that. However, it's not for me and didn't really add much flavor. Why not a delicious golden layer of extra cheese?
(4)
P'raka ..
Really yummy BBQ place. I usually stick to the pulled pork here. This place has been around for about a year now and the staff are still very happy & friendly. Business seems to have picked up once they got their liquor license. One-star off because I think they recently changed their mac & cheese "recipe". It used to be my favorite side or stand alone item. The last time I got it, it didn't taste quite right. I think they swapped the type of cheese and it ruined it for me.
(4)
Christina L.
I have been to Soul Fire at least three time in the last month - not only is their food delicious, but there are always vouchers on Groupon that compel me to go there frequently! The pulled pork is a must, as are the brisket and half-chicken meals. Their regular mac and cheese is great (not so much the fried mac and cheese, though, unfortunately). The corn bread is really moist, and the potato salad is tasty as well. The collard greens and baked beans are a bit sweet for my taste (too much brown sugar or something). The best part is the barbecue sauces - variety is great, and they are all really fresh and flavorful. I have yet to try their all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays, but judging from the amount of people there every Monday, it's probably a good deal. Overall, a great place with good prices and portions!
(4)
A M.
It was a monday night, and i was starving and i was passing by soul fire, so I decided to try it. and Wow what a surprise. they had an all you can eat wings night for only $8.99!!! I had 20 wings, and if it wasn't for my tiny stomach i would have continued inhaling those wings. they were literally the best wings I've had. I'm going for round 2 next monday. Oh yeah and i forgot to mention the amazing staff, awesome and friendly. they were engaging every customer with conversations, i felt i know them for years.
(5)
Matthew C.
My old neighborhood sure has changed. The familiar bums are gone (RIP, Mr. Butch.) It has been significantly Asianified (coming from SF, that's saying something.) And now there is an honest to God BBQ place. Boston has always had a distinct lack of decent Mexican restaurants, French Dip sandwiches, and BBQ. With respect to BBQ, there have been several pretenders (e.g. Rednecks, that place in Cambridge everybody talks about, etc), but Soul Fire is the real deal. They essentially copy the Famous Dave's menu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I had a pulled pork and brisket plate with collared greens and red beans and rice. Everything really was tasty. Even more so after experimenting with the 6 BBQ sauces at the table. Growing up where I did, I couldn't say this BBQ was phenomenal, but it is by far the best I have seen in Boston. Additionally, they serve Schlitz. Classy.
(4)
Kim L.
Eh. That's how this place made me feel. I went here once to try the ribs. The true test of a rib joint is the ribs. I'm not really a fan of dry rub ribs. They are....well...dry. I for one would rather have juicy mess-up-your-face sloppy ribs. Adding the sauce after kinda takes that away. The food was quick and the service good. But nothing really excited me. The pulled pork sangwiches looked alot better than what I ordered.....
(2)
Lisa N.
The wings were amazing. Jumbo wings with Sweet Hot Sauce- Delicious. The sides were delicious - corn bread with bits of corn, baked beans were legit, and cole slaw was a little watery. The downside-- the spare ribs were NOT good. IF you're looking for a rib place with fall off the bone meaty ribs -- do NOT go here. It was mushy and hard to eat. The sauce was good though. :/ I would go back for the wings.
(3)
Cari H.
Fried mac and cheese balls and good brisket... need I say more!?
(4)
Chris O.
Best Fried Chicken in Boston! Good Wait staff
(5)
Vanessa W.
I could probably throw Soul Fire another star, but I have high standards for soul food (look at my picture). The food was definitely good, the fried wings were good, greens pretty damn good, and the ribs were good too. I'm sorry but that potato salad was wack. I was surprised to find bbq chips crumbled on top of my mac and cheese. At first I was like wtf? Then I accepted it and found it quite tasty. Try all the sauces, it's really a matter of preference on those. Oh and no hard alc for all you allston alchys out there. But the beer was good, Harpoon UFO worked out for me.
(4)
Kaneisha G.
I don't expect great accolades for reviewing a place that's been reviewed over 100 times. However, I just wanted to have my say, because I am oh-so-pleased with Soul Fire's food but less than satisfied with some of their catering service. I catered a lunch today for 45 of my classmates, and Soul Fire BBQ was the first place I thought of. My very diverse group of classmates raved about the food (I ordered the $8/person lunch set that includes pulled chicken, brisket, mac n cheese, and collard greens) and it was the perfect accompaniment to our Black Cultural presentation we were putting on. It was an introduction to soul food for several of my classmates, and Soul Fire made me proud. One place of improvement is in their hosting--or whatever you call the person who talks to you when you are putting in a catering order. The woman I spoke with there to set up the catering didn't know the answers to several of my requests (which were advertised on the website, such as providing serving utensils for $7), and I was put on hold for awhile and could hear her talking to the other hostess about not knowing how to give me my discount. Also, when I called to make sure the driver was finding the place okay, I was told by the hostess that he would be fifteen minutes late because he was in a meeting. Obviously, I got very upset, and she didn't even call me back. It turns out that this piece of bad news was not meant for me, and the food arrived delicious and on time. I still would have appreciated a call to calm my heart though. Get it together, Soul Fire, because Harvard Business School wants to give you more of our money!
(3)
Anthony L.
went here for monday $8.99 all you can eat wings and it was awesome. they don't cheap out on the size of the wings either, they are full sized. good flavors, pretty fast service
(5)
Steven G.
I'm from Alabama and though this isn't the BBQ I'm used to it's still good stuff. The brisket is juicy and flavorful, the beer is cold, and the appetizers are great. I would recommend it and will definitely be going back... after I finish P90X. :(
(5)
Emily G.
Went to soul fire the other night since it was so close to home and never tried before. When we entered the place was REALLY empty - which typically should let you know right away that people just aren't into it. The service was great (because we were practically the only ones there) and the food is very reasonably priced - this would be the only reason I give it 3 stars. Otherwise - the food was NOTHING to right home about. I got a beef brisket sandwhich with mac n cheese side and my bf got a pulled pork platter. I sampled his corn bread and it was more bland the thing kind I've sometimes got at the supermarket. My brisket was ok- but sadly, I don't think it was at all worth being served at a restaurant. The Mac-n-cheese was also just eh- and left something more cheesy and gooey to be desired. I don't think I would come back to Soul Fire unless I really wanted a cheap meal and didn't care about what I was eating. So probably...not any time soon.
(3)
Seth M.
This place RULES! Great eats, super casual, very reasonably priced, totally friendly staff, and great decor. The album covers at the bar are fantastic - even more so because they are playing all that old school soul music while you eat. I had to stop singing during dinner so I wouldn't choke. ;-) Fried Mac and Cheese nuggets were carb-o-licious and full of all the comfort you'd expect from such a thing. Baby backs were served up sans sauce a la Redbones so you can dip 'em in whatever you like. They were very good. The roasted chicken was moist and delicious. DInner for two including two beers was just $42 plus a nice big tip. You can't beat that. Two big thumbs up from me!
(4)
Korri Leigh C.
Soulfire BBQ is the newest restaurant to open on the eclectic Allston scene. Soulfire's motto "Serving All Souls" certainly fits in with the diversity of its surroundings. While the restaurant was slow on the night I dined (it was 10 PM on a Thursday) the food was amazing. I had a pulled pork sandwich, the best I've ever had, and was fortunate to try a myriad of sides. The owner of Soulfire, Wyeth Lynch, has an equal passion for music as he does for food and the strains of Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers, Tower of Power, and the like certainly set a fun and festive mood. Once Soulfire works out its opening jitters I expect it be a hot spot in town. 5 stars for food, scene, and affordability. Definitely check it out!
(5)
Cynthia T.
great food, goood pricing, lots of on street parking if you can find a spot. Check your food if you are doing carry out though. got shorted once. other than that it is all good.
(4)
Rachel G.
$2.50 PBR drafts and unlimited BBQ sauce...nice. Knowledgeable, friendly servers too, especially appreciated in too-cool-for-school Allston. On my last visit, our waitress complimented me on my "healthy dinner," though I remember looking down at my half chicken, collards, baked beans, cornbread, AND butter and think--me?! Their pulled pork is also insanely tasty, and the mac-and-cheese with BBQ chips on top is just ridiculous. Whoever had that idea gets a high-five from me.
(4)
Jessica G.
Yes, I'm a vegetarian reviewing a barbecue restauarant. So obviously Soul Fire has more good stuff going on than enflamed meat: 1) Macaroni and cheese: An excellent veg. option. 2) Deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites: An excellent cholesterol-escalating option. 3) Deep red walls, lots of seating: I planned a game night here, there was tons of space, and the owner Wyeth was super accomodating. 4) Beer. Cold beer. 5) Nicer than fast food, less time consuming than a sit-down. 6) Location, location, location: Hop off the Harvard Ave. stop of the Green Line and follow the smell of wood smoke. Have I convinced you yet? Enjoy your carnivorous indulgences!
(5)
Kev H.
Ohh boy do I love wings, at 6.99 on monday nights, I'd down about 30, they jacked it up to 8.99 I believe, but it's still worth it. The place could have a bit more light..*just a bit*, The Best thing about this place would have to be its BBQ, Man that chicken sanwich is good.
(4)
R.A. C.
love the fried goodness, love the ribs, love the service... there is little for me to complain about, im no southern boy, and im no ribs afficianado, but i know i love bbq, and i know that on this side of the river, soul fire is the spot to be satisfied.
(4)
Michael R.
I've eaten at Soul Fire BBQ twice and have been more than satisfied both times. The first time my brother and I split a three-meat platter. Brisket was lean and so was the pulled pork, but the ribs were just a little tough. Sides were fine, corn bread was slightly dry. Skip it if you can. All of the sauces at Soul Fire are homemade and very good, though I recommend their Pit Boss and the Sweet Sauce. The next time ate there I ordered a pulled pork sandwich to go. I live in New York, so it was refreshing to get a sandwich with a side for $6.95. The sandwich was good and came with sauce on the side, though I would have preferred the sauce mixed in with the pork. Bread on the sandwich was fresh. It didn't completely fill me up, but Soul Fire still gets a four-star review because of its quality. Service is very good too. Check it out next time you get a chance. It will be totally worht your while.
(4)
Melissa M.
After 5 attempts of eating here, last night I finally stayed around. I'd always walk in and immediately get bummed at the smell of smoked hickory. I hate dining in places that have a smell to them because once you leave, you'll smell just like that. I went around 8pm spontaneously to meet my bf and 2 friends. I was already showered and happily on my macbook yelping at home (my ass was on the couch and I was comfy in my sweats). I was still hungry (even though an hour previous to the call to go to soul fire I had devoured an entire bag of Trader Joe's Pasta Italiano), but that's neither here nor there. Anywhoo, I put my sneaks on, grabbed my keys and wallet and headed into my chariot (my 01 Kia). I had no problem finding a parking space in the bustling metropolis of harvard ave. I got a lone star beer, some collards (very good) and some red bliss mashed potatoes (not bad considering using red bliss to make mashed potatoes is a slight abomination and sacrelig to my Irish heritage). The waitrees/bartender/busgirl/counterperson was cheerful. The place was dead. The grub was hot, the dining companions happy to be eating BBQ. I'll be back. And, I didn't smell leaving the joint either. That's a bonus for once!! Oh and the domestic beers are cheap, the imported beers are a bit more (5 bux). I would never get wine at a BBQ place but they have a bottle of sauvignon blanc for 20 bux, 6 for a glass and some cab sav and probably merlot, but I wasn't going to drink wine. I like me a beer with the BBQ. Check this place out. They had great music on too!!
(4)
Karie A.
Let me start by saying I am a displaced Southerner; daughter of a Southern father who keeps smoker in his backyard. My Dad makes the best BBQ in my book. No contest. But since he lives in Georgia, Soul Fire helps fill my pulled pork needs here in Allston. It isn't my Dad's but I think it is the best in the area. Sides are good too. The mac and cheese is tasty and they have great beans. There cornbread is sweet, which isn't how they make it down South, but I like it any way. Good eats, one of my favorite places in the neighborhood.
(4)
Jackie G.
I love this place!.The chicken and ribs are soooo goood, everything from here is quite tasty. I am obsessed with the soulfire sauce its f'n delicious. Entrees come with 2 sides and pickles yummm, get the mac n cheese its fantastic . The potato salad is pretty good too. This review is making me hungry. The atmosphere is laid back, the staff is really friendly, the portions are big and the food is great, what more can you ask for? Its definitely one of my favorite places to eat... period! This place is top notch and exactly how a bbq joint should be!!
(5)
Daniel K.
Good food, if I remember correctly this had something of a late night pull to it.
(3)
Hue L.
Fried chicken is absolutely delicious. Has to be my favorite fried chicken in Boston, slightly above Coast Cafe. Fried Mac n' cheese and Barbecue Reuben are also tremendous. Never really busy, so it is good for bringing big groups and their projector screen for sports is pretty sweet. Don't go to eat healthy though!
(5)
Evan G.
Soul Fire is a great addition to the amazing variety of cuisines in Allston Village. Their food is inexpensive and delicious. There is a wide variety of great food and amazing BBQ sauces that you can try. In particular, the baked beans were awesome. Definitely give this place a try, you won't regret it.
(4)
Brian C.
I was never much of a barbecue fan, until I went to UGA for 4 years and was exposed to Carolina-style bbq (vinegar-based sauce on a pulled pork sandwich). Having moved to Boston about a year ago, I've been on an informal hunt for this delicacy, along with its crucial companion, sweet tea. After being disappointed by Red Bones and having to settle for McDonald's sweet tea, I discovered Soul Fire. Excellent sandwich, perfect Carolina sauce, with just enough spice, and wonderful sweet tea. I got a side of collard greens which tasted very good dipped in the redder sauces they had available. The only thing preventing a perfect score is the lack of refills on the sweet tea. You can get refills on soft drinks, but not tea? I'm not sure what they're using that makes their tea so costly, but it is good, and I'll continue ordering it, but every time I do, I'll be reminded of how this would never be tolerated in the south.
(4)
alexis a.
i love this place! speaking as a north carolina native, they are the most truly authentic southern-style bbq place in the city (don't even bother with redbones or the roadhouse). the sauces are all great and spicy/flavorful. the ONLY place to do a NC vinegar sauce correctly. try the deep fried mac-n-cheese balls and jiffy-style cornbread. the collards are always hit or miss, either fantastic or funky. also, CHEAP harpoon beer! great music (soul, obvi) is always playing. the fried catfish and chicken are also totally solid.
(5)
Ryan B.
Don't think I like the new transition to sitdown ordering as much as the old style. Also, had a BBQ Pork sandwich again today, seemed like less food than last time. The meat tasted great, lots of smokey flavor, and the BBQ sauces were, as always, fantastic. The baked beans even had smoked meat in them, nice.
(4)
Andrew D.
I have only had delivery from Soul Fire, but I've had a LOT of delivery from Soul Fire. I am impressed. I'm not even a fan of everything I've ordered, but the stuff is mostly just SO good and a really good deal. I am also very impressed with the owner, because the first time I ordered it took a really long time, and when I called to check on the order the woman on the phone didn't even seem annoyed that I was calling (I've had a buy at Dominos yell at me just for making sure they got our online order.) A few days later, we got an email from the owner apologizing for the slow service, acknowledging that they were short staffed and didn't want people's first experience to be negative, and gave us a coupon. After some awful service from delivery places, I was floored at this excellent customer service. Anyway, the food... I love the reuban sandwich with brisket, and even all the sides seem homemade and good (the potato salad is awesome!). I could eat just the chili cheese fries for dinner. I love Soul Fire. The end.
(5)
Crystal J.
Very friendly staff, heaping portions, very affordable prices, REAL barbecue...which is odd b/c most of these Northerners don't know how to cook. My god, they even put Grippos on their mac n cheese. This place is amazing. My fiance got the ribs. The portion was GIGANTIC and it was only a half rack. Monday night they have all you can wings for $6.99 and these things aren't your typical little puny bar wings. They're huge, juicy and delicious. This place is highly recommended by this BBQ pro. Since, I've been here ,,,i've tried Redbones, I've tried Blue Ribbon...and they're ok. I really don't have a need to go anywhere else. Thsi place is tops! They even make their own pickles! Sooo fresh!!
(5)
Bebop Charlie A.
Wow! Delicious soulful BBQ in Boston! I went in for lunch with a buddy and we shared a brisket platter and a half rack of spare ribs and had plenty of sides. Collard greens, BBQ beans, slaw, and mac and cheese. EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious. I ordered another side of Mac n Cheese because it was so good. The brisket was full of flavor and nice and moist but not overly fatty. It was just right. The ribs were perfect. I liked trying the different sauces. If you like a little more spice, ask for the habanero relish. That'll make your face warm on a cold winter day. When I go and eat out, I go mainly for the food but this place had a nice selection of classic soul music playing on the sound system which made the experience even more fun for me.
(5)
Leslie W.
It may not be traditional southern BBQ but we're in Boston so I'll take what i can get. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here both times i went. I didnt expect much since my husband and I just moved here and stopped in at random but we both really enjoyed the food . I liked the decor and the people working there were friendly. The meats were good, the BBQ sauces tasty (with the added fun of mixing to perfection) and the prices reasonable. I really liked the various sides offered, except the pickles. They didn't taste very good to me but I'm picky about my pickles... I really liked their mac & cheese though. I'm really rooting for this place to do good business although every time i go past, they seem to be pretty empty. Its good stuff!
(4)
Ryan F.
cool place. great pulled pork sandwich, the bun is alright but the pork is awesome and the sauces are all great. have yet to try anything else on the menu because i just keep getting the pulled pork sandwich. Also the baked beans are awesome. i haven't tried blue ribbon yet but the pulled pork here is better than redbones. The other food looks good, and i will surely try some soon.
(4)
Loretta K.
The sauces here are pretty incredible. Wings are particularly spectacular and the fried catfish sandwich, fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes are delectable. I started out not liking barbeque and now I start to twitch if I don't have it often enough.. this establishment is pretty much entirely to thank. Love love love :)
(5)
Robert J.
This place is the shizz, I try to hit it up everytime i'm in Allston. Killer sause.
(4)
Emily R.
mm mm mm ! I had the fried chicken, collard greens, and mac n cheese with the soul fire sauce...It came with a lot of chicken...I had leftovers! so yummy. so happy.
(4)
Lyle H.
Two hours for delivery and they don't even come to your door? No thanks.
(1)
Brian P.
Delivery driver is rude, person who answered the phone offered to have a manager call me next day. Still haven't heard back. Not the only BBQ spot in town, my business will go elsewhere
(1)
Jackie P.
Corn bread is amazing, Ribs are great! Love all the different bbq sauces!
(4)
Susan M.
I have to admit that I have been to every bbq place in the city because of a certain young man's proclivity for the cuisine. So I speak from a place of authority I would say. Soulfire is pretty good: ribs, chicken, cornbread all quite good. A nice selection of good sauces and beer (plus larger beers available). Brisket was a bit fatty though. As for atmosphere, shrug... it was alright... nothing to write home about. The reason I will go back to this place despite the fact that I can get better ribs closer to my house is the fried mac n cheese balls. Holy hell they are fantastic! Delicious little balls of fat and happiness fried up and served to you in a red plastic basket. Wow.
(4)
Renee A.
Not impressed. Brisket and rib combo was blah. Small portion of brisket served was fatty and the ribs were tough and little meat. Cornbread, Mac and Cheese and rice and beans were dry. They must have been sitting out all day in the kitchen. Price not comparable to portion and quality. Not likely to return.
(1)
Daniel K.
Good food, if I remember correctly this had something of a late night pull to it.
(3)
Eric S.
The ribs were lacking in flavor, and the barbeque sauce tastes suspiciously of raisins. The MAc and cheese was ok, as was the corn bread. The chili that came with the full rack of ribs came in a little container that held less than 2 ounces (the kind that some places use to put sauce in for take-outs)
(3)
Cindy R.
This is good solid BBQ. The fried catfish is tasty and the roll is good (often a weak part of a restaurant sandwich). Everything is a little bit bland and processed-seeming (e.g., the corn bread has a bit of that over sugary, synthetic taste to it). It's very roomy though w/ nice stainless steel tables and good art on the walls. My kids really enjoyed it. Also, a bit overpriced for the amount and quality of food, but we'll be back.
(3)
Diana T.
YUM! Love the brisket and collard greens. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Go for the platters it you are like me and can't choose!
(5)
Sam M.
AMAZING! I was surprisingly impressed by this place - the menu has a great selection, loved all the options for sides. Portions are huge and the table is set to include 4 different types of sauces. We had Fried Chicken, Ribs, BBQ chicken wings, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and potato salad, and it was all fantastic. I have to say that I enjoyed this meal more than Redbones...and we'll definitely be returning for Monday night all you can eat wing night.
(5)
Devon R.
I'm surprised at all the good reviews here, the food was dry and only tolerable when doused in sauce, but that shouldn't be necessary. the mac and cheese was not very cheesy and not very hot either. If you really want some BBQ head over to Red Bones or Blue Ribbon.
(2)
Jason B.
Service is terrible here. We called in an order and were told they were "too busy to accept take-out orders." Not delivery, just plain take out. I went down to find the staff outnumbered the customers, kitchen was quiet, and there were maybe six takeout bags waiting for pick-up. Ribs are good but a little lean, not the tastiest dry rub. Decent fries and corn-dogs. None of it is worth dealing with the bored, lazy hipsters behind the counter.
(1)
Katie V.
Soul Fire is so good that it makes me nervous to live so nearby. As in, there is the potential for me to get really, really fat. When I went with a friend, I got an appetizer because I wasn't that hungry and it was the perfect amount of food -- it was the ribs/wings starter. Two BIG meaty ribs and two oversized chicken wings. The meat was tender and the sauces were phenomenal. I also got a piece of cornbread, which arrived hot and fluffy. Per our server's suggestion, my friend ordered the brisket reuben with a side of mac 'n cheese. They crumble spicy potato chips over the mac -- genius! And the sandwich was out of this world. The stuff that BBQ dreams are made of.
(5)
Sweet T.
I enjoyed the pulled pork...meat was very tender. They had a good selection of different sauces to put on, but the meat was so good it didn't really need it. Cornbread came with the meal rather than before. Only real downside is that the meals didn't come on plates - they came on platters which looked pretty much like pizza pans. Not a huge fan of that. Sort of made me feel like a dog to get served food like that. Overall good food, but would've been better on decent plate.
(3)
Eve L.
Reviewed the wrong soul fire, but don't want to mess with the rating. Please discount this one. Never been here....
(5)
L K.
We ordered some dinner here for pick-up. After a long day of painting furniture and putting together our new apartment, the food from Soul Fire really hit the spot! -fries: not crispy enough, but plenty of potato-y goodness -collard greens: terrific smoky flavor but contains bacon so we didn't eat it. -fried chicken: 4/5... very good! -cole slaw: 5/5... I loved this.
(3)
Mia C.
Portion is big. You get lots of meat for what you pay for. The chicken is very crispy. However the ribs are very disappointing. They are coasted with dry rub and...that's pretty much it. They are bland and don't taste like they come out of a BBQ smoker. Maybe they did come out of a BBQ smoker but they seriously need to stay there longer. Their ribs are basically just bland oven roasted ribs without much woody smoky BBQ flavor.
(3)
Samantha G.
OK...this place is AMAZING! Very pleasantly surprised. The salad is great (not crappy iceberg but mixed greens and veggies) and the pulled pork was fabulous! Comparable to the pulled pork I had in Atlanta and that's saying a lot! The sauces are excellent as well. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Lynn J.
I wanted to love this soul food, but left very disappointed instead. STAFF: OK, but not too happy. FOOD: French fries tasted flavorless & frozen. My fried catfish sandwich was bland too. I expected soul food seasoned breading. My friend likes the food there, so I gave an extra star. THE DEAL: My friend likes this place, and told me you can get all the sauces to go. She orders a big platter, then takes home half.
(3)
Rhen W.
The food's delicious, but after several visits with different servers each time, I have to conclude that the service leaves much to be desired. I spend a lot of time waving servers down to get their attention. Improve the service and this place will be an easy 5-star bbq joint.
(3)
Beck N.
Stopped in here for a quick beer & was surprised that they require you to purchase food (which the bartender kindly told me after I had ordered my beer). OK. Whatever. She suggests the cornbread or the fried mac & cheese bites (I got the mac 'n cheese). Not overwhelmingly delicious or cheesy - a bit dry, actually. But the atmosphere is totally chill, the beer selection is varied (only 4 on tap, but plenty of not-your-average bottles & cans). The staff is friendly & the food smells delicious. Will probably try back here for an actual meal, if I'm ever in the area again.
(3)
Fred B.
Baby back ribs are very good. Might check out the spareribs next time, just for giggles. Tried 3 of the 4 sauces and they were good as well. The signature sauce was clearly the best. Some things that would get them that extra star: - Better draft beer selection. Redbones has them beat here by a country mile. - Better bottled beer selection. This is really easy to do, unless you don't have the refrigeration/storage space. - Better fried chicken. My wife can do this better than Soul Fire...and she'd be happy to come down to explain how. - St. Louis ribs would be a nice 3rd option. - Mashed potatoes are kinda blah. Here's a great opportunity to do something creative with cheese or jalapenos or something. - Ditto on the potato salad. Nothing special here. - Double ditto on the cole slaw. Slaw in a ribs place has to be salty and celery-y. Boring slaw is a sin. - Real booze vs. beer/wine only. We're grown-ups here; we like our vodka. - A nice black bean side. The recipe on the side of the can will suffice. It was great to have good ribs again in the Boston/Camberville area. I cannot eat Redbones' ribs anymore, they're just awful. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, Soul Fire. PS The baked beans are homemade and wellmade.
(4)
Adam G.
I find their mandatory ordering food with a drink policy very very strange. I don't understand what the reason is but I don't care and I don't like it. OK, whatever I'll get something light. So I order fried Mac and Cheese bites and a Gansett. I really wasn't hungry but just needed a drink and maybe to use the bathroom. The atmosphere was okay. Service was decent, friendly enough and I didn't sense any hostility but I have to say that policy about the food really burns my ass. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm an adult and I don't like being told what to do or how to spend my money when I'm patronizing your establishment. So my deep fried mac and cheese comes and guess what? It sucks. I wasn't impressed. For $3 I didn't expect (nor did I get) a big portion but the noodles to cheese ratio was way out of whack. "Deep fried noodles and butter" would have been a more accurate description. Again, I wouldn't care so much about the crappy $3 appetizer if I wasn't forced to buy it in order to get a drink. It's the principle. If you're being forced to buy anything, chances are it sucks. So in all fairness I'm rating this on my experience, where I didn't get to really taste the barbecue, which is obviously what this place is known for. But I can say that as someone who was passing through and needed a quick drink and a rest that I didn't like it. I'm curious to try the barbecue as this place seems to be popular and I want to see what all the hubbub is about but I wouldn't come back here to drink and I would avoid the appetizers menu and get the Q.
(3)
Angela L.
Ok came back because I bought a gilt city $15 for $30 worth of food. I'm still obsessed with the Mac and cheese because it has crunched up barbecue chips on top. And I still love the corn bread here. But... The chicken tenders are so amazing. Can't believe I've never thought to get them here before. Perfectly juicy and FRIED. Also, the fried mac and cheese is pretty good too! After we got our chicken tenders, the brisket couldn't compare to how good the chicken was. YUM! Now I know where to go for good fried chicken tenders :)
(4)
Zhe W.
Definitely worth the price. But as for rib itself, I have to say it's not that delicate.
(3)
Amy X.
By far the best brisket I've had in Boston area. I've been trying different bbq for takeout for a while now and have tried from the likes of redbones, east coast grill, Tupelo etc and soul fires bbq have consistently lived up to the expectation! I've had some great bbq in other states/countries and the food here comes pretty close! The meat is flavorful, has great texture, and makes me crave them every couple of weeks. Their sauces are amazing and in my opinion make the difference. Try all of them! The spicy one is great if you can withstand the heat - otherwise the soul fire sauce is great for everything. The collard greens are the best as well. I always get an extra side of those when I order from them. Cornbread is meh (Tupelo has the best, which is expected from the owners of petsi pies!), but what's bbq without cornbread?? Their platter options are the best deal. Also the fish came out pretty good - wasn't expecting so from a bbq place, but pleasantly surprised!
(4)
Kevin L.
YES! Finally! Having experimented many different combinations off the menu, I now know what to get in order to have a superb meal. This time I ordered the 3 meat combo of catfish, fried chicken wings, and the brisket with sides of cornbread, rice, chili, and mac & cheese. I've come to the realization that everything that's fried here is amazing! The catfish and chicken wings had a delicious crisp batter and everything underneath it was so juicy and well spiced. I hear there chicken tenders are amazing too. The brisket, as I had suspected, was pretty dry....just like their ribs. The sides here are topnotch. I haven't had a bad side yet. My favorites in order are the mac and cheese, chili, rice, and cornbread. Can't wait to come back!
(4)
Ashley C.
Monday nights they have all you can eat wings for ~$10. Wings come in 4 flavors - buffalo, pitboss, honey mustard, and a special flavor. The problem I had with this is when they served the wings, the different flavors were all put in one tray and the waitress couldn't tell us which ones were which so we couldn't really tell her what we wanted for the second round. Eventually, all the "flavors" started blending and they all tasted the same. On top of that, I stopped eating at the second round because the chicken wasn't cooked all the way.... we even made a complaint to our waitress but the next round was also undercooked. I would've understood if the place was packed with people and they were in a rush, but at that point, it was only our group left for the remainder of the night. I would not come back here for their all you can eat wings. However, I am tempted to return to try their BBQ items on the menu, especially since other yelp reviews are raving about it.
(2)
Todd B.
I discovered Soul Fire BarBQ while taking a lunch break on my visit to the area for work. As a Tennessean and former Texan, I am skeptical when it comes to eating BBQ in the Northeast. This is less of a concern these days, with more options like this one popping up in NYC and Boston that are a good match for the real thing. I chose the brisket plate, and it was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't resist the lauded mac n' cheese either, and so glad that I didn't. It was cheesy and creamy as expected, but topped with corn flakes in a way that made it extraordinary. Most Austin BBQ fans would not sneer their nose at this BBQ -- it's on point, and I can't imagine anything else in Boston coming close. Well done. Pun intended.
(4)
Judy K.
This is one the better bbq places in Boston! If you like dry rub, then this is the place to come! I've had real BBQ from Texas and I can't say that Soul Fire is better or even remotely close, but it's definitely delicious. I couldn't stop eating the ribs! HIGHLIGHT: Baby back ribs and fried chicken! For the sides, nothing really stood out... the mac n' cheese and the rice and beans was not bad. I'm not a big fan of heavy dripping sauce so I didn't like the pulled pork, but the ribs and the fried chicken was yummy. The fiery sauce paired really well with the meat, but beware! It's definitely spicy... For the sides, I was surprised that the collard greens and baked beans were sweet. I didn't like it very much. The rice and beans is very dry, but it still has good flavor. I would go with the classics like mac n cheese, mashed potato or cole slaw. The cole slaw is heavy on the liquid mayo though... also, the corn bread comes out cold. Like what? CORN BREAD IS SUPPOSED TO BE WARM AND SOFT AND CRUMBLY. I would come back for the ribs alone, but don't expect fast service. When I went, it took forever to get our orders, get our food and clean up. There's a weird wall in the middle that cuts your view of the waiters so maybe that's why I couldn't get the attention of the waiters.
The other Yelpers were right - the service is awful. There were about 12 people in the whole place and we waited like 10 minutes just to be greeted. The food is not all that great either :( It is not bad, but there are much better options in and around the city of Boston. Definitely not worth the price and we won't be going back. Felt like I was in the first half of an episode of Restaurant Impossible.
(2)
Caitlin M.
I moved to Boston from Memphis 18 months ago and have been searching for great BBQ. Soul Fire not only provided great food, but at a Memphis price point. BBQ joints are not supposed to be fancy. I just want a pork plate and some sides, no real ambiance necessary. Soul Fire delivered I had a pork sandwich (comes with 1 side, $8) and cornbread (~$1.50) and a beer ($5). My husband had the pork plate (2 sides and cornbread, $12) and a beer ($5). Service was quick, though not necessarily chipper. I liked a mix of the sweet and pit boss sides. We got there at 6 on a Friday night. It was pretty empty but was filling up by the time we left.
(5)
Michelle D.
In a restaurant-heavy, hard-to-park mixed neighborhood like Allston Rock City, restaurants come and go and you can't predict what's going to succeed. Some of our favorite places didn't make it out of their first year. My husband and I lived in Upper Allston ten years ago when the bright red Soul Fire awning went up at 182 Harvard, and we frequented the place, hoping all the while for their success. We moved to Lower Allston five years ago and don't get there as often, but when we do, we find they're just getting better. That red awning has faded to a whitish pink, and Soul Fire has long since worked out its initial kinks, has expanded its menu, gotten its beer & wine license, and settled into its role as area favorite purveyor of great BBQ. I'm so happy to see them thriving. Soul Fire is spacious with lots of roomy tables. They've got a cool ambiance of red walls, dark woods and steel. Two TVs show silent sports (one of the TVs is massive). They have a number of pieces of artwork and a mural of soul artists. They play a steady soundtrack of soul and R&B, and the long bar is decoupaged with soul album covers. The kitchen is exposed, so you can see funky cooks preparing all those spare ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, catfish, smoked turkey and chicken. They offer a menu of sides that has grown over the years -- collards, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, beans & rice, baked beans, slaw, and have even expanded to offer a range of vegetarian choices, quite accommodating for a BBQ place, in my opinion. They still have the original four killer sauces and everyone has a different fave. They serve on checkered wax paper on flat, round platters. The menu is an accommodating mix & match affair. Order a salad and a single rib, a half rack, a rack, or order for a table with the "feeds 4 souls" combo. A meal (say a half rack) comes with two sides of your choice, and always includes their signature pickles and cornbread -- which is so moist and sweet that you should save it for last and eat it as dessert. Unless you want an actual dessert, which they didn't have back when they first opened but have since added...fried dough, pecan pie, cheesecake. Does anyone have room for dessert after a Soul Fire meal, though? My husband swears by the brisket or the catfish -- in both cases, either the sandwich or the platter. I'm partial to the half rack of baby back, and I always get the collard greens, which are tangy and a bit on the sweet side. The mac & cheese comes with potato chips crumbled on top, which at first turned me off but I've since grown to like. I have sat at the bar, and I've sat at a table -- many times over the last ten years -- and I've never experienced any poor wait service. Are we just lucky? Or are some Yelpers just impatient? I've always found the servers to be cheerful and competent. Again, it's Allston, so you roll the dice on finding parking, but Soul Fire is on the green line -- take the B-train to Harvard & Comm. Or the red line to Harvard Square, then the 66 bus practically to Soul Fire's front door.
(4)
Jenn S.
This is going to be weird but this review will have NOTHING to do with bbq-ed meat! I am a non-meat eater and when I go here with friends I usually order the wedge salad and a ton of sides. I have tried the Mac & Cheese, Cornbread, Pickles, Rice and Beans, Coleslaw... you name it! Overall I don't have much to complain about besides when they aren't busy everything is a little cold/plastic looking, especially the mac & cheese. But I continue to go over and over again so that says something :) The Soul Fire BBQ sauce is my favorite too!
(3)
Hannah P.
Amazing!!! So so happy I bought a gitcity voucher for this place. My husband and I went last weekend and loved it! I liked the rustic, very relaxed ambiance and it's easy to get to. Our waitress was delightful! Very friendly, upbeat, happy to be there. We ordered the pork ribs and chopped brisket with bbq sauce which were all fantastic!! Their mac and cheese with crushed bbq potato chips were unreal, best mac and cheese by a longshot. The cornbread was great as well, flavorful and not dry at all. The mashed potatoes were real and had savory skins in them and we would gladly order them again. My husband had the cheesecake with fresh blueberry compote and strangely enough, thought it was the best cheesecake he's ever had. This place is a diamond in the rough, we will return!
(4)
Joseph G.
TLDR: Food- 4 Service- 2 Atmosphere- 5 Overall- 4 Atmosphere- It's a roomy restaurant with plenty of seating and a bar. Two coworkers and myself sat at the woody bar with 6 sauces in front of us in a old cardboard six pack for beer. It feels like a old southern BBQ restaurant. Service - The service from our waitress was pure agony. She greeted the 3 of us after 10 minutes of sitting down. She took an eternity to place our orders on a tablet. While drinks and food came quickly, to place the orders was an antagonizing experience. To make matters worse, the restaurant was almost empty and gave no reason for such snail service. The service overall was ghostly and slow. Food- I ordered a 3 meat meal with braised beef, roasted chicken, and pulled bbq pork. The sides were Mac and cheese, cornbread, Cole slaw, and rice with beans. It all came on a silver circular platter with a picnic paper underneath. All the meats were flavorful and juicy and the tangy bbq sauces only added to my delight. The Mac and cheese was cheesy and soft as well as the beans. The cornbread was dry and I only took a bite, not very good. Overall the main course was well done but the sides could use more work. A filling experience was worth the wait.
(4)
Phil T.
This is place is awesome as a casual BBQ restaurant, with very spacious setting. Food is excellent. Best BBQ I've had around Boston. I've been here 3 times and every time the food has been great. They consistently produce great BBQ. My personal favorites are spare ribs, and half of a chicken. Their sides are also all excellent. My favorites for sides are collard greens, and their mac and cheese. Their cornbread which come with every plate is also delicious. I can't rave enough about their food. They also have a variety of BBQ sauces, for all the other sauce lovers like myself out there. Their service is adequate, but the food is the true star as it should be. I've always left this restaurant feeling full, content and satisfied.
(5)
Ching Y.
This is possibly one of the best bbq places in the Boston area accessible by the T. I've come here several times, and their ribs have been consistently good. Sure there's Red Bones in Somerville, though they are sometimes inconsistent, and Bison County in Waltham, which is harder to get to, but Soul Fire has been reliable every time so far. Their ribs are meaty, juicy, tender and smoky, the briskets are flavorful, and their fried chicken is really tender and crispy. There's just so many meats to choose from, and they offer a variety of hot sauces on the side, as do most reputable bbq restaurants. If you're in a group of 3 or more, you can always go for the platter, where you get a big selection of meats and bread rolls on the side. Get ready to eat up!
(5)
Emily C.
Came here for dinner tonight with a group of friends. We arrived around 7 PM and had no trouble getting a table. Our waitress was very nice and attentive The venue is very hip. There are large tables that can seat 4-5 people, as well as couple smaller tables and seats at the bar. The food was a truckload of smoky, meaty heaven. We ordered the "Serves 4 Souls" set which, as the name suggests, is meant to serve 4 people. Let me tell you that this could comfortably feed 5 hungry eaters! Three of us ended up bringing home leftovers. Not one of us left with even a millimeter of empty belly after that meal. The cornbread was probably my favorite part. However, for the diehard carnivores, the ribs and pulled pork were the winning meat selections of the evening. I thought the chicken was very tender, but nothing that special. I hate super-soft pasta in my Mac n' Cheese, so this one was pretty underwhelming. All of the sauces are mild except (of course) the Fiery sauce. That one left a distinct burn on the tongue for a few seconds. I love me some spicy food, so it was actually my favorite sauce. :)
(5)
Patrick L.
Nice bbq joint. Friendly, casual place. They don't have beef ribs which was a big letdown for me. Ordered the pulled pork, rack of baby back ribs, side salad, collard greens and mashed potatoes. Also had an Arnold Palmer and for desert we had the fried dough. Everything was the way it should be. Nothing fancy but solid southern bbq.
(4)
Melissa P.
I'm so not into this place. Our server was super sweet and the atmosphere was fine (casual, spacious, not too loud), but the food was just not good. The chicken and ribs were overcooked, the mac and cheese was bland (but there were chips on top, which was a plus), and the slaw was uninspired. Corn bread was the saving grace of the meal, but not enough so to bring me back. If you must come here, make sure it is with some sort of coupon, and a really good friend so at least the conversation and low price point will keep you happy.
(2)
Nicola Y.
I LOVE THIS PLACE. Soulfire does NOT get enough love, honestly. This place is a must-visit especially when my boyfriend comes to Boston. I love that it is never too crowded or at least I've never waited long to be seated. Ever. And the staff is lovely. Get the 2 combo or 3 combo. The southern fried tenders are great, and I always get the mac and cheese and beans for sides. SOOOOO GOOD. Try out all their sauces - I love the Soulfire and the Sweet sauce. Their cornbread is also perfection. I always douse my mac and cheese in the Soulfire sauce. Then, when I ask for a to-go box, I douse the takeout in more sauce. That way I can enjoy it later on at 2am, when I crawl out of bed to scavenge for a second dinner. My friends are fools who don't realize how great this place is (unless you are one of the lucky few I bring along to make the trek with me to Harvard Ave). That's fine by me because I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE ANYWAY. Soulfire is my little secret.
(5)
Venessa R.
Not really sure how this place has a 4 star review. Not impressed with their bbq at all. Their pulled pork was dry and unflavored. If you want good bbq go to sweet cheeks.
(2)
Khalid F.
I was in town to attend a party at the Wonder Bar, located next to Soul Fire. A fan of soul music and soul food I had to give Soul Fire a try. I ordered fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. I sat at the bar, the old soul album covers were a pleasant surprise. The decor and wall art was nice as well. On to the food, the fried chicken was good, fried just right and juicy. The macaroni and cheese wasn't the traditional Southern dish I'm accustomed to. Elbow noodles weren't used and the cheese sauce was lacking in the taste department. Soul Fire's twist on macaroni and cheese didn't satisfy my appetite. The collard greens were TOUGH and a tad bit too sweet. I couldn't get over the TOUGHNESS of the greens, they should have been cooked longer. Would I be willing to go back? Maybe.
(2)
Kim B.
Soul fire is a gem to Allston. Let me reword that, it is a gem to all of Boston. Walking by, the smell of BBQ food will entice you in and then after that you will never think twice about following your nose again. This time, it leads you to a great place. It has a funky, fresh alternative vibe that makes you tingle with excitement when you first walk in. The music is upbeat, and you start to feel it in your bones. Everything about the atmosphere just makes you feel like you have a little more soul then when you were a mere passerby just minutes before. The menu is big and unique. There's a lot of flavors that they throw around, but there are options for everyone. They have a great deal for a meal for chicken wings/fingers, fries, cornbread and 2 sides for $13. I don't ever ever like cornbread, but I loved it and wanted more. The staff is funny, friendly and interactive. You can really tell that they truly value the notion of soul and that it is not just the name of the restaurant. They put it into every aspect of their buisness, the presentation, the atmosphere, and most importantly into their food.
(5)
Kellen Y.
Split the sampler with a friend! So much food and so good! Definitely going again... Like tomorrow.
(5)
Adrienne P.
Been wanting to get in here for such a long time! I suggested it to a friend who was in town for a show, and it was just the right ambiance and price level. We split a platter and sides, and the food was pretty great. The pulled pork was fantastic, and the cornbread was so moist and delicious. The loved the mac and cheese (crushed doritos on top??? omg). Props for having a variety of sauces to try out as well. Wasn't a huge fan of the cole slaw or potato salad, for the same reason....way too much mayo. Taking a star off for the slow, unfriendly service. We were in there at a time when the restaurant was not very busy at all, and were the only people on our side of the restaurant. It was a good 15 minutes before we even got a menu, and even longer for the check at the end.
(4)
Helen L.
Good place to get some inexpensive southern food. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was seasoned pretty well. A little on the dry side but nothing their yummy side sauces, Pitboss and Soulfire, couldn't fix. I tried the ribs (wish there was more meat on the bones) and cat fish. Both were pretty good. I also got the fried Mac and cheese. This was not what I expected and it's probably something I wouldn't order again. For the outside I was expecting a breaded texture and the inside would ooze of the cheesy galore. Their version tasted more baked and there was nothing to encase the Mac. It was a bit dry and the outside was hard. Portions were filling, food arrived timely, and our waitress was friendly.
(3)
M L.
Absolutely delicious sliced briskets and spare ribs with sides of potato salad, cole slaw, fries, and cornbread. As soon as I took my first bite of the briskets, it was heaven in my mouth. I didn't want to dip it in sauce, which I LOVED because the meat itself was so juicy and flavorful. It had right amount of fatty layer in it with just perfectly cooked thickness of meat. Mm! Mmmm! MmmMmmm! Even the cornbread was amazing and I loved the potato salad too! Will definitely return!
(5)
Sarah C.
Ordered delivery last night, and I think this might be my new favorite BBQ place in the area! (Sweet Cheeks & Coast Cafe are close seconds). Every single thing we got was great, if not excellent. The spare ribs were awesome, and the half rack is huge. The fried catfish, also great, and shockingly survived the delivery process very well. The pulled pork and chopped brisket were SOOOO flavorful, I couldn't stop eating the stupid white bread that had soaked up all their juices. The sides are fantastic as well - mac n' cheese, baked beans, potato salad - all great. And the collard greens are the best and spiciest I've ever had! Oh and the CORNBREAD! Oh the cornbread... Great, great BBQ place, as far as BBQ in the North goes.
(5)
Ann J.
Being from the South, I know what good BBQ tastes like. Unfortunately, Soul Fire doesn't meet my high standards but being in Boston, i'll cut it some slack. I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. To be honest, the mac and cheese was kind of bland. However, the pulled pork was great so that made up for it. My friend ordered the brisket on a bun and was very impressed. She's from Texas so Soul Fire should take that as a HUGE compliment. Overall, Soul Fire is a cool Allston restaurant great for those nights you want to go somewhere that won't break the bank. They offer a wide variety of BBQ that can be ordered on a bun or on its own. Side note - their drink prices are great. The beer is cheap and pairs great with the food!
(4)
Guillermo M.
Very solid bbq place. The two meat combo is a great selection. We got the spare ribs and the fried wings. It comes with a cornbread, pickles and we got as a side the mashed potatoes and the mac and cheese. I loved to amount of space they have in this place and you can get good beers.
(4)
Emily A.
3 stars = A-OK for a fast food joint. Been here twice, once for table service and once for take out. There really is nothing too exciting about the food, (except for the fried chicken, that stuffs dank). The pulled pork is average. They serve it on a thick cut piece of white bread, which soaks up the sauce nicely. The brisket was slightly dry both times I've had it. What really is the big dissapointment here, is the fact that none of their many sauces stand out in particular for me. The sweet one is pretty good, but the three other ones just don't do it for me. One is really bitter, which I don't really understand. I ended up just putting some of my own BBQ sauce on my meat at home last time I ordered take out.
(3)
Eric B.
The food here was so awesome, it's a shame that the service wasn't that great when we were there. I would have given 5 stars if the server had been quicker and more attentive. The restaurant wasn't very crowded, so I'm not sure what the problem was. Anyway, we shared the three-meat platter between the two of us and ordered an extra side, which was more than enough food for us. The chicken was moist inside with a crispy fried coating, the pulled pork was seasoned perfectly, and the brisket was dry and flavorful. Seriously everything was absolutely delicious. Mmmmm!!! But the service wasn't delicious.
(4)
Arti P.
Awesome Harpoon beers plus Southern style BBQ wings ... Aah! I just loved it. The DOZEN varieties of BBQ sauces I seriously couldn't believe there can be these many varieties of BBQ if u r WINGS FAN Don't miss this place
(4)
Samantha B.
Come for flavorful sides and tender meats. Tucked into a sea of ethnic restaurants on Harvard Avenue in Allston and a short walk off the Green Line - B Branch (Harvard Ave.), the atmosphere is very casual with delivery and catering also available. Sandwiches and platters available with four BBQ sauces (Soulfire, Fiery, Pitboss, and Sweet). Fiery is the standout with strong elements of heat, pepper, and vinegar. Slightly reminiscent of a thicker and spicier eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce. The namesake sauce is less spicy with hints of tomato. Recommend mixing Fiery and Soulfire. The platters come with choice of two sides, corn bread, and pickles. The sandwiches come with one side and pickles. The brisket is thickly sliced atop a piece of white bread (a la Texas toast)? Sauce is not needed but recommended for added elements of zest. The pulled pork is juicy with some sauce already cooked into the meat and presented the same as the brisket. The sides are traditional and recommend many of them. The baked beans are smoky and saucy. Potato salad and cole slaw represent strong elements of the backyard barbecue and the collard greens (with bits of bacon) blend vinegar and sweetness evenly. The corn bread is extremely moist and very pleasant. Make sure to come on Monday night (5 to 11 PM) for all you can eat wings!
(3)
Amanda R.
Whoa. Southern fried chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese with crumbled bbq chips on top, and the table shared chili cheese fries. $2.50 PBRs. Just. whoa.
(5)
Joaquin X.
This place is great! I always wondered about it having seen the menu outside, looked good. But when I actually went inside I was totally excited. As a soul music lover, I have to say that walking in and hearing Joe Quarterman's music on the speaker and images of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, etc really roped me in before I ordered the food. I had a HUGE catfish sandwich that came with a side of mac n cheese with potato chips in it, which was a nice touch. All for only $9. I also tried some of the ghetto-fab baked mac n cheese squares. Everything was flavorful and fun. They definitely don't skimp on the servings. And there is plenty for vegetarians (beans use veggie stock, FYI). The beer selection was pretty good (had a Brooklyn Brown) and there is a bar with a TV for sports viewing. However, I am happy that the music played on. As a music expert and record collector, I could tell that the playlist was curated by someone and not a Pandora service. Best tunes: Quarterman, Betty Davis, Funkadelic, etc. And the mural above the bar looked like it had a painting of Betty Davis amongst the JB/Sly characters. The only (minor) quibble was that the (white) girl behind the counter seemed more interested in talking with a friend at the bar than serving us. Perhaps an afro-haired sister woulda given us better hospitality? Anyways, small minor complaint and it ain't no big thang. I will DEFINITELY be back here and I am telling my funky friends about it. (I wonder if they have soul/funk DJs in there?)
(5)
Quynh Nhu D.
This is literally across from my house so luckily I don't ever have to go far to satisfy my craving of delicious bbq. Spare ribs and the Baby Back Ribs are delicious. I guess the different between them is the Spare ribs are dryer and the BBR is much more juicier. Awesome sauces. Awesauce. So many variety. They have a sauce bar that you can fill as much as you like. Tried them all. Love: cornbread, mashed potatoes, and potato salad. Cole slaw are ok ~ Not a fan of the Chopped Brisket. Too dry, not that good compared to their ribs. They're on Grubhub so it's really great to order takeout and bring a combo home. Good dine-in experience, no complaints.
(4)
Kelsey M.
Such a hit or miss place when it comes to food. I've learned at both locations when it's best to leave just by looking at who's working there!
(3)
Alexandra M.
I'm a pescitarian and I liked this place a lot, so that should be saying something! First off: the sauces made everything perfect. I had the fried mac and cheese, french fries and fried dough (and didn't feel terrible after!). The mac and cheese was a bit dry at times, but the sauce helped with that--and to kick things up in the heat or sweet department. The fries were actually really good for being plain french fries--can't place my finger on why other than some had a seasoning on them and maybe if they all did it would have been too much. The fried dough came with honey butter sauce which was delicious. Almost couldn't finish but it was too good to not! Good size for 3, maybe a bit too much for 2. I also had the lemonade which I thought was supposed to be homemade but tasted a bit like Minute Maid... Service was great and very on top of everything we wanted--especially the all you can eat wings! Whenever someone was almost out she was asking what kind they wanted next. Good prices, other than the drinks which seemed a bit steep.
(4)
Emma A.
Anyone who talks trash about Soul Fire must have been having a really bad day or super hangry and just took it out on this fantastic establishment, because the only time I've ever NOT been happy in Soul Fire is before I get my Pulled Pork Platter. Sure, some the staff is a bit inexperienced -like dropping the check while I still have food in my mouth-but you're in hipster central and she probably had a show to get to at Great Scott. The food comes out fairly quick, no matter how many friends you brought. The sweet tea is AMAZING, and I've lived in the south. You get SO MANY WINGS on wing night, and you can take home with you after you've eaten so many that you might puke (because they're that good). Also, I will personally judge you if you don't go here and try the pulled pork and Mac n cheese because it's worth every calorie. I've even attached a picture, which means I sacrificed a moment of my bliss before devouring this just so you could see how good it was. You're welcome.
(5)
Matt J.
This place was absolutely fantastic. It surpassed my already-high expectations! We got a 3-Meat-Combo with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken. All were delicious, especially the chicken, and they pared particularly well with the Soulfire, Sweet, and Fiery sauces. The combo also comes with two sides (we chose mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy), pickles, and cornbread, which were all also excellent. I'd highly recommend this place, and I'll definitely be back soon!
(5)
Savannah S.
My happy memories of Soul Fire are too numerous to describe. The BBQ is authentic, affordable, and delicious. It's better than the overpriced Sweet Cheeks Q, and there is no rush from the staff. I recommend it to every ex-pat Southerner I know in Boston. I always get the pulled pork dinner plate so that I get more sides. Potato salad is flavorful without being stuffed with filler, the mac and cheese is creamy with crunch on top, and the cornbread is soft and moist. You'll have a variety of sauces to use on your meat, and I like to mix them for adventure. And of course, this is one of the few places I have had the pleasure to enjoy sweet tea in New England.
(5)
Greg P.
Soulfire: 2 parts good southern BBQ, 3 parts overhyped Located on Harvard Ave in Allston, Soulfire is easily accessible by T but not by car. Prepare to spend a while looking for street parking and definitely do not park in any of the side alleys because those are tow-zones. A mix of different southern BBQ styles, Soulfire does not have a strong regional identity and the result is very generic BBQ. They have all of the staples of southern BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. The pulled pork is not bad at all, moist, smoky, and flavorful. The brisket comes out dry. I have had it a few times and that observation is consistent. The ribs are not always that meaty and sometimes have too much fat. They have a tendency to get overcooked as well. The sides are pretty good at Soulfire. The mac&cheese balls are as good as people say they are. Overall, Soulfire is pretty good but nothing stands out from other local BBQ joints. By way of context, Village Smokehouse and Blue Ribbon are far superior in both options, taste, and quality.
(2)
Jennifer H.
I cannot believe I had never been to Soul Fire before last night. I guess I always headed out to Village Smokehouse, but Soul Fire is definitely on my list now. Overall, I have to say this place is a good bet for some standard BBQ; I have no complaints. I love the casual feel and later-night service here. You are free to seat yourself, and service is decent; our food came out quickly once it was ordered, but it took a little while for the waitress to take our order and to process the check. The pulled pork was pretty much perfect (for me): flavorful, moist, tender, and it didn't need additional sauce. I was impressed by the cole slaw because I am super picky, and Soul Fire's met the bar. The potato salad was good as well. I really wish they served the sweet, sliced pickles fried; that would just take the platter to the next level. The portion was just enough for me to feel satisfied but not stuffed (I was hungry going in), and I thought the price was reasonable. While this restaurant is incredibly T-accessible (take the green B line to Harvard St. and walk not even a half block west), the parking along this stretch of Harvard Avenue can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. I easily found a space within a block on a Tuesday night. A good place to catch the game as they have a couple TVs over the bar and a giant projection screen on one of the walls.
(3)
Ben S.
I'm so conflicted. I love the food here, but they give you so little of it, it's not worth the money more often than not. Boston only has a few good bbq spots, and though I value flavor over portion size, I have to draw the line somewhere. Barbecue and eating to excess are two concepts that will forever be entwined. All the more reason that the full-priced, appetizer-sized entrees make me cry.
(3)
Christian M.
I had the 4 souls and boy was it great!!!the full rack of spare ribs with the full oven roasted chicken was awesome. The pulled pork was amazing..everything was great!! DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!!! The staff was great, the kitchen is an open kitchen so you can see everything and the cooks were extremely nice
(5)
Shale O.
I have lived in the South and do know what good Soul food taste like. Soul Fire is just ok. It felt more like the fast food of Soul Food lol. I was actually going to give them 3 stars but downgraded based on service. It took 30 minutes for our orders to be taken after we sat down. I think our server might have been a tad clueless but I wouldn't know. I got Cat fish with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. The coleslaw was superb, the Cat fish was greasy; but what else was I expecting from fried food, the baked beans was the worst...The corn bread tasted really nice :) This is not the standard that I am used to but maybe it works for Boston
(2)
Chantel J.
Soul Fire is a hidden gem. Looks like a bar from the outside but is jammed packed with delicious food. I've had the catfish which is moist, no bones and sooo filling. The southern wings taste just like from down south and the sauces make it amazing. The pull pork is to die for, delicate but super filling. The ribs I mean how can you not try the ribs?? Amazing. You can buy a spare rib so try it as you salivate for your food. Try the Mac and cheese it will make all your bad days seem a little better.
(4)
Brad H.
Always on the lookout for good BBQ, I finally got around to checking out Soulfire one night. For an appetizer we got an order of the chili cheese fries. This heaping plate of fries that are completely smothered in gooey cheese and meaty chili does make quite a mess (definitely a fork worthy endeavor), but it's worth it since it's very tasty. However, if you're not packing a large appetite I would recommend a smaller app (or no app at all) since this carb blast might fill you up too much before your entree. The pulled pork was exactly as it should've been. Nothing more, nothing less. The baby back ribs (if I remember correctly I believe the only ribs they serve are baby back, no St. Louis ribs here) were cooked well. The meat came right off the bone with a minimal tug. The dry rub they used was average, nothing outstanding; and the ribs definitely benefited from some sauce. Offering 4 or 5 different sauces, I couldn't find one that really hit home for me. I did manage to hit the sweet spot though by combining the Pit Boss sauce with the Soulfire signature sauce. Doing this resulted in a sauce that I felt was more balanced in it's sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess. Surprisingly though, their BBQ isn't what stands out. What really shines at Soulfire is their fried chicken. This stuff is some if the best fried chicken I've ever eaten; it's perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. This has become my go-to place for the best fried chicken in Boston. The service was average as was the atmosphere. This place is pretty no frills when it comes to the layout and decor sporting murals on the walls, a big projection screen and some other tv's that usually have some sports game(s) on. But you shouldn't be visiting Soulfire for the decor, you should be coming by for the good BBQ and fantastic fried chicken.
(4)
Lillian C.
I was craving some BBQ and found this place on Yelp. It's pretty close to the T stop off Harvard and a couple of friends and I decided to give it a shot. When we first walked in we were a bit confused as to sit down somewhere, order first, or wait to be seated... After about 5 min a waitress told us just to sit anywhere. So we sat down and she brings us the menus. I ordered the two meat plate with brisket and baby back ribs with mac and cheese and cole slaw as my sides. The plate also comes with a piece of cornbread and some slices of pickled cucumbers. The brisket came on top of a thick slice of toast (not sure why) and it was SO GOOD! Very tasty and cooked perfectly. The ribs were also very nicely cooked and juicy. I only ate about half my food and saved the rest for another meal. For the price I think it's pretty darn worth it. I also had a bite of the spare ribs and that was really good too. I love that they also have about 6 different sauces. I liked mixing the pit boss and soulfire sauce. Delicious! I would def be back for more!
(4)
Simon L.
Giant spares that are sparsely trimmed create a nice crisp exterior from the reasonably heavy brown sugar that is part of the rub. The carmelization is chock full of flavorful spice and a bit of kick - chili pepper. Full rack of spares will never disappoint and comes with corn bread and two sides. Rib meat is pink to midway to the bone and explodes with juices. These are giant spare ribs that are tender and have a superb smoky flavor; sauce is completely unnecessary although multiple are available for sampling. My preference tends to the Pitboss. The fiery NC rendition is a decent second. Coleslaw is fresh and clean. Mac and cheese is served just warm. Corn bread is moist and not too sweet. Sit at the bar and enjoy a lone star or a gansett tall boy.
(5)
Nisreen G.
You set me soul on fire. Light my soul. Caress my belly with your crispy fried wings, fresh fried catfish, and creamy mac and cheese. What's that I see? A 3$ rib appetizer? Damn you sure know what I like. Soul Fire is delicious BBQ and perfectly priced. Food comes out crazy hot and the servers make sure to give you prior warning which is really nice. As a newbie I tried to take a bite out of my chicken and nearly burned my mouth off. It was well worth the pain though. Salty, crispy, perfectly marinated. I actually debated ordering another round but decided with catfish on the menu, i'd be crazy not to get an entree. I absolutely love the atmosphere of Soul Fire. It's pretty bright so I can see my food but doesn't feel like a fast food joint. The red and white checkered table cloths remind me of summer BBQ's but they don't throw too much BBQ theme in your face. Tons of famous jazz artists and musicians are plastered on the wall in black and white and it's pretty cool that they sometimes have live music.
(5)
Tammy T.
I use to come here everyyyyyyyy Monday for the wing special! They weren't anything to die for but I loved their variety of sauces! Always went out the door satisfied. It's always a great time to come with a big group of people to enjoy the big portions of wings each round. But the wait for a big group is quite long. One of my favorites is the macaroni squares! Soooo good! I haven't been here in a while but I hope the Asian waitress is no longer there because she was completely straight up rude. Don't be a server if you can't put on a fake smile and make your customers happy. Every time I came, she would always give attitude, roll her eyes and give dirty looks. Put that shit aside or don't work as a waitress at all. I had asked for a water one time and as I was sipping it I looked inside the cup to see a dirty napkin at the bottom... I kindly asked for another and she basically said I put it in there, rolled her eyes and left. Rude. I'm hoping to come back here soon with better improvements and more friendly servers.
(3)
Kimberly M.
AHHH!! 2 whole hours to deliver one meal ten minutes away?!? I called after it was 40 min later that quoted and the girl told me "he's leaving now!"....are you kidding me?? (I'm painfullllly hungry) I say okay thank you blah blah I'll see you soon, (also cravvvvving the can of pepsi I ordered) So 25 minutes later and still no sign of my food. Finally the driver arrives but low and behold...no pepsi. So bummed. So so bummed :( The food is just alright.
(1)
Iska B.
Pros: - FAST! but then when I was there it was a slow night (Thursday) - Decent sized portions - Pulled pork was tasty - Nice choice of sauces - Pleasant, clean, nicely decorated - Cornbread was tasty - Decent prices (they had a special too that night B1G1 free pulled pork sandwich) Cons: - Pickles were GROSS. I love all sorts of pickles but these pickles were just NASTY. Tasted like old relish left in the fridge for five years. - Coleslaw was pretty bland and tasted like plain cabbage. - Cornbread was cold - I didn't like the BBQ potato chip crust on my mac and cheese though the mac and cheese itself was quite cheesy and good. Not a bad place overall but I've had better.
(3)
Young J.
3.5 stars. Pros: great portions for cheap prices. All the sides were good (we tried the potato salad, coleslaw, mac n cheese and the baked beans) and I was in love with the cornbread. Chicken was nothing spectacular but brisket was pretty good. I liked how they give you four different sauces in a bottle, and this was a plus for me since I don't like my BBQ drenched in sauce. Cons: service needs to step it up. It was less than half full on a Saturday night around 8pm. I didn't know it was a "seat yourself" place so my bf and I stood around for several minutes before one of the waitress told us from where she was standing (didn't even bother coming up to us) to take a seat wherever we liked. We ordered a soda, but did not receive it until 15 minutes later. That was somewhat understandable. When our meals came out almost 25 minutes later, they got my bf's order wrong so we still had to wait around for a little while longer. Also, when I asked my waitress about the appetizer we ordered since it was nowhere to be seen even AFTER we received our meal, she seemed very confused that we ordered it. Either way, our appetizer (chili cheese fries- very good and huge portions!) came out immediately after I mentioned it but it kind of took away the meaning of "appetizer". I would visit this establishment again for the great food, portions and prices but I think service is a hit or miss. I would be more understanding if the place was packed with people but there were multiple waitresses just standing around chatting to one another and our waitress didn't even bother coming to our table and checking up on us.
(3)
Christina C.
I don't do this often, but not only did my food take an hour and a half to get here, but it was measly and cold. I asked for mashed with gravy and got cold potato salad and my sandwich was pathetic. I work nearby and frequent Soul Fire but this was awful. When I answered the door, the driver ACTUALLY ASKED ME: "Is this a joke?" because I have bad reception in my household for cell service (I stated this very specifically in my Foodler directions). I left a prop in the door and left my front door OPEN. If he could not figure out how to get my food, that I paid for, and idiotically tipped 20% for, to my face, then this man should be fired and sent on his way. The food usually redeems itself, but not tonight. I will not be coming into Soul Fire on meal breaks any more. What is going on over there?! Sorry! UPDATE: After writing this review, a manager promptly got in touch with me and apologized. Something like that has never happened to me, as I am not in the business of writing reviews to get something out of it. It was truly a surprise and it's refreshing to know that a local business is doing its best to do right by its customers. A+, guys and gals. Keep doing your best! I changed my 1-Star review to a 3 and I can only imagine it getting better.
(3)
joe m.
Wow! Walked in as I was looking for a quick bite to eat on a Tuesday after work and man did I pick a good spot. Best pulled pork sandwich I have ever had, excellent selection of sauces. Did not finish large side of fries, and the cost was right on. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was very low key. I will be back soul fire and I am going to spread the word.
(4)
David W.
I have to say that my experience with Soul Fire was anything but pleasant. I ordered food online, payed the delivery fee as well as a generous tip and when it came to delivering the food the delivery guy called me and asked me to come outside to pick up my food. It was raining and the reason he gave was that there was no parking on the street, but a look out of the window showed that there clearly were plenty of parking spots. The next excuse was that there was no legal parking, which is simply not true, as there is plenty of legal parking on the street and most businesses I've ordered from will deliver to my apartment door without any questions asked. This guy did not even ring my door bell. Since revving his engine would not draw me out he ended up driving off. Calling the restaurant and explaining the situation to Becca, the manager on deck, caused her to say she could get the food to me if I came down to pick it up. Now, to me, that is not what I really consider delivery... if I have to get the food it is not being delivered to me. Expressing this alongside with the suggestion to cancel the order was met with an OK and being hung up on right away. When calling them back in order get hold of her boss, she said he wasn't around but would share her opinion on this matter. From this I can only gather that Soul Fire does not value their customers or their business. The service and (frankly) manners displayed by this restaurant have convinced me to never ever order anything from them again, regardless of the fact that they do have good barbecue. But at this point, that doesn't even factor into the review. 0 Stars? Yes, if it was possible...
(1)
Andrew K.
Why has it taken me this long to try this place? I'm a southern boy. Grew up in the south, where we know bbq. I still call people, "Sir," which people like, and, "Ma'am," which people don't end up liking. Regardless, I digress. After going through some House of Cards in preparation for the new season, I got a hankering for some ribs. I don't mean those ribs from the chinese place. I wanted some real southern ribs. I decided to take on soulfire as a trial. Seriously. If you like southern food (real southern food) or bbq, try this place. You're missing out. Food: unbelievable. Couldn't give a better compliment. Ribs are top notch. Cornbread. Fries. Mac and cheese. Cole slaw. You can't go wrong. Service: no clue. I ordered delivery. But it came pretty quick (maybe 20-30 min?). Overall: amazing. Hands down the best southern joint up in the north. And also, for this price, you can't go wrong. For two people (let's be honest here, with these portions we could have served 3), for $30, I'm better off getting food here than from any other restaurants.
(5)
Trevor S.
I love BBQ. Like, I'd call my first child BBQ if I could. That's love. Soul Fire doesn't really return the feeling. This is the kind of place that puts the "meh" in mediocre. I mean... they try. The pulled pork is a pretty good vinegar style. But it goes down from there. The brisket is just sort of bland fatty meat that can occasionally be dry. The ribs seem coated with some rub that's just for show because there isn't any sort of spice to it. The sides just go downhill. I love collard greens. Soul Fire's are rubbery and cloyingly sweet. I love cole slaw. Soul Fire's is just a soupy droopy cup of yuck. We've been blessed with our fair share of BBQ in Boston. There's no reason to ever come here.
Went here for all you can eat wings and was not disappointing. I prepared myself accordingly. I didn't try anything besides the wings so I can't judge on anything else. They first brought us a demo dish with one flavor of each wing. After we were done, they asked us what flavor we wanted in our big plate. We opted for all 4 because they were all delicious. Because we were a party of 7, we got 2 very large plates of wings. I like how they didn't tip-toe the all you can eat by giving you a few wings at a time, they go straight for the kill. We demolished the wings and if I could eat until my stomach exploded I would have. Soul Fire satisfied my wing craving plus more. Will be back here again to get my filling of wings.
(5)
Steve B.
BEST BRISKET I"VE EVER HAD! I got the 1/2 chicken & brisket combo, both cooked perfectly! Good blend of smoke, flavor, and moisture. Got the close slaw (not bad) and baked beans (amazing) as sides but came with the best cornbread I've ever had. I got 6 pieces to go for the fam and we were all in AWW of how good it was. I will be back ASAP! I don't even know where to start! I'm a BBQ feen! I make it myself minimum once a week and get it whenever possible and I must say...this is definitely in my top 3.
(5)
John M.
Everything a good soul food place should be. Otis Reading on the juke box and great food. I had the fried chicken and it was delicious, as were the collard greens and the coleslaw. My companions had the ribs and the hickory chicken. All raved about it. The service was prompt and cheerful.
(4)
Jamie C.
I have been a regular at soul fire since they opened and have yet to find better BBQ in boston! Love this place, love the atmosphere, and most importantly love the food!!! I have also used the to cater a work event and it went awesome. This place is the best!
(5)
Kim H.
So first of, YOU CAN'T MAKE RESERVATIONS! which stinks ! and i came with a group of 13+ people. 10$ ALL YOU CAN EAT WINGS * but seriously after 10+ wings you would get sick of it. i was done at 8 wings. so 1$ per wing ! haha the wings were really good espescially the honey mustard ones! Buffalo? barely spicy, and i cant remember the other flavors. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE: was great they were really nice and friendly, but be aware they will give you paper ware cups and such. :) They don't split checks!
(4)
Shirleyanne A.
I really didn't like their coleslaw. I just threw away the whole thing because it was dry and all I can taste was the cabbage. It didn't smell too appealing either. Their collard greens were too sweet for my taste. The ribs were pretty good. They were moist and tender and fell off the bone easily but it was pretty greasy. I still like Blue Ribbon's ribs better. The barbecue sauce selection they had was pretty good. I tried all of them and I was pretty happy with all of them. I liked how some of the sauces were pre-warmed. Parking is difficult in this area so it's best to take public transportation. The people working here were cheerful and friendly and they packed my to go order neatly so that the contents don't jostle around during my drive home. I plan on trying their other items sometime in the future but until then, they get three stars from me.
(3)
Kyra M.
In the otherwise delivery deadzone that is Lower Allston, Soul Fire is our savior. This isn't just a spot that is "good food for Boston;" Soul Fire is legitimate BBQ. No need to narrow down your experience with the more than reasonably priced 3 meat combo, which easily feeds two hungry adults. Being able to order on GrubHub is a super bonus. At this point, we've had every meat on the menu. Here are my top 5 favorites from least favorite to most favorite (keeping in mind they are ALL favorites): 5. Sliced Brisket; my partner would disagree but I'm a fan. Sometimes he lets me order it or I sneak it in. It's less consistent than the other products, more variation with tenderness amongst orders, but still solid. 4. Hickory Smoked Chicken; it's exactly what it sounds like, and so juicy. 3. Fried Catfish flaky and delicious. Never greasy, always amazing. Tartar sauce FTW. 2. Pulled Pork; yes, please! Even without any sauce it's got that smoky meaty thang going on good on its own, on top of coleslaw, or wrapped up in a slice of white bread. 1. BABY BACK RIBS!!!! Skip the spare ribs (unless that's your thing), I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back.... So meaty and perfect. So very perfect. Love these ribs! As far as sides go, I find them less impressive than the meat. They'd be 5-Star if they could master the sides. We pretty much stick with the collard greens and coleslaw. Macaroni isn't as great as some reviews would have you think, at least in my opinion. Baked beans lack significant flavor. The corn bread is solid. Overall tasty food. We've dined in once and they have a small selection of beer and plentiful seating, but why leave the house when the delivery is just as good?
(4)
Robert F.
I was born and raised in the South and the DEEP South. I've eaten BBQ all my life. Soul Fire is pretty good,. I came to visit my daughter at BU and she was craving some Q. It was an unusually muggy night and the restaurant was a little too warm. Service was quick and friendly. The lighting was quite harsh. She got the pulled pork platter with beans and mac n cheese. I had the chopped brisket with beans and slaw. We each found our favorite sauce from the four offered. The pulled pork was pretty darn good as was the mac n cheese. Neither one of us cared for the beans because of the HEAVY molasses flavor. The chopped brisket was okay, though it is really diced/cubed and not chopped. The portion size was a little small. The slaw was good, but more of a vinegar base than a mayo based dressing. All in all we enjoyed the meal, though next time I'll get my Q fix back home, y'all!
(3)
Alyssa F.
My boyfriend is a Kansas native, so he knows good BBQ when he eats it. As such, we've been trying all the local places. This is as good as it gets on the East Coast. We both had the brisket platters--$13 for brisket on thick white bread with two sides, cornbread and pickles. Brisket was insane. There are 4 BBQ sauces on the table to choose from. I liked the sweet, he liked the fiery. We both got mac + cheese and baked beans, and agreed that the mac and cheese was delicious but the baked beans left something to be desired. I also had the mac and cheese bites as an app, and they were splendid. Not too heavy. All in all, it was a slam dunk. Can't wait to go back and try some more things!
(5)
Ali K.
SOUL FOOD at its finest!! If you want to try southern cuisine in Boston this is your spot. Clogged arteries and all it's so worth every bite, luckily for me it was down the street from where I was staying and I hadn't eaten all day so this would make everything even better. Place wasn't packed for a Wednesday night but that's to be expected usually on the weekends a ton of people are in there they said. Very spacious restaurant with pretty cool decor kind of a 70's vibe. Huge big screen TV's so you can watch whatever games and enjoy your food. I ended up getting the Fried Mac and Cheese, the Fried Chicken Platter with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and a Biscuit slathered in butter. Yeah pretty much if I had a heart attack that night I would have died happy. The Fried Mac and Cheese came in this cube shape and once you bit into it it was heaven on earth. The fried chicken platter was so flavorful, juicy, and crunchy it blew my mind. The mashed potatoes and gravy was unreal, I don't know if they put little bits of bacon in the mash potatoes or what but whatever they did, it added and extra hint of flavor to it for sure. The biscuit was not to be overlooked, it was amazing, like something out of your Grandma's kitchen. Definitely highly recommend this place, but you won't be eating for at least 6-7 hours after if you do it right.
(5)
Josh K.
Reasonably priced bbq. Nothing fancy and the food was alright. I wouldn't seek this place out but if you are looking to grab a quick bite with beers prior to hitting the bars in the area, it's worth a try. It's also the only "Southern" restaurant in Harv. Ave so you might run into some crowd on the weekends.
(3)
Mallory C.
We had a groupon for this place, and my boyfriend LOVES BBQ, so we had a date night. First of all, they get an A+++ for accessibility, as they have buttons that open their door for wheelchair users (very rare!!!), and are just super helpful. The food was delicious, and portions were huge! We are french fry connoisseurs and we could not finish their "basket of fries" even though they were so good! The rice and beans was also great! Our waitress was patient, friendly, and did not hurry us at any time. She got bonus points when we paid- we forgot to tell her about the groupon until after she ran our card, so she did it again with no complaint, AND she came back and told us, with the groupon we didn't even reach our price limit and could order something to go if we wanted! We ordered an order of wings that were out in record time! We will definitely be back here.
(4)
John R.
Just perfect. Wyatt the owner has made this place what it is. All of the food is great. The staff friendly, the beer cold, the music perfect. The sauces are awesome as is the sides.
(5)
Thuy L.
Came here around 8ish on a Monday night for the All You Can Eat Wings and some soul food with my little family. Once we arrived, the host said we can take a seat anywhere we liked. As we sat down, she gave the table another sprits to make sure the table is santized and clean. The waiteress then arrived to asked us what we liked to order. The menu was pretty simple and short. My husband did the all you can eat wings, and I did the "2 meat combo" with BBQ spare ribs and pulled Pork. The combo came with 2 sides, and I wanted Collard greens and Mac n' Cheese with an EXTRA side of baked beans (I was hungry.. And ordering with my eyes haha). It also came with sliced pickles and corn bread. As soon as we ordered,, she put it in right away and the food came out within 10 minutes!! Which is super fast. My plate looked full and I knew I was not able to finish it. There was only 3 spareribs, but they were pretty big.. I was only able to finish 2 ribs and had some of my sides and it filled me up!! The Mac n cheese was a little on the dry side tho, so I might opt that out next time and choose something else. I loved the collard greens, and the baked beans had this sweet taste to it which is a plus! The corn bread was perfect and super soft. The all you can eat wings were delicious! My husband was not able to go for another round once that first one came out. He liked 3 out of 4 flavors of the wings, so the waitress brought out 18 wings for the first round. It was a struggle because the wings were plumped!!! I think he would need to be SUPER starving in order to go for another round haha. Overall: Service was great and so was the food. The All you can eat wings are only on Monday nights from 5pm- Closing and it's $12 (not 8.99)!
(4)
Alyssa M.
I've been here twice and really enjoyed both the sandwiches I tried, the Pulled Pork and the BBQ Reuben. They hit the spot! And the prices are right for the sammies. I also liked the chili, the Mac n cheese, and the potato salad. I only like one of their 4 sauces, Soulfire, but I only need to like one. :) The atmosphere is casual and chill to the max. The beer selection is pretty good. Good music playing. Service is fair. I'll definitely be back to quench my BBQ cravings!
(4)
Ben M.
Hate to give this place two stars but two stars on yelp literally translates to "Meh. I've experienced better.", which stands true in my experience. My girlfriend and I were pretty excited to try this place because we both had a long day and were in desperate need of some solid BBQ and a cold beer. What we got was pretty dry with some stuff and things and sauces and yeah whatever just get it in my mouth I don't care, it's hard to be picky about BBQ in Boston. So we finish the meal and service was great but I noticed a small fruit fly in my beer with about two sips left. The fly wasn't that big of a deal in itself but my girlfriend didn't agree with me when I said it was gross and that I've seen enough episodes of bar rescue to know what I'm talking about. She claims it "flew in from the front door and landed in my drink in front of me". I think I'd know if anything flew into my beer sweetie. Who does she think she is? Then she goes on this rant about how she doesn't always have to agree with me...livid at this point. Arrived home and immediately farted on her toothbrush. The cornbread by the way was excellent.
(2)
Matt L.
I was excited to try Soul Fire after hearing about the place from a friend of mine. Service was fine, but the bbq was not. We tried the Pitboss sampler so that we could try all of the different meats they offer. The pulled pork was pretty good, but the ribs and brisket were not. First, they do not remove the silver skin on the bottom of the ribs. After taking a bite or two the silver skin would come loose and just hang there. Not very appetizing. The chopped brisket was also disappointing as they failed to render out the fat properly before chopping. So there were large hunks of fat mixed in with the chopped brisket. Again, not very appetizing. The best part of the meal was the wings. So if you're going to try Soul Fire BBQ, I'd suggest getting wings.
(2)
Abby R.
Pah-retty good. I've been here a bunch of times at this point since it's close to where I live and I'm comfortable here. I know what to order. I know what not to order. I've formed expectations. Do not expect the best barbeque of your life. Simple as that. The atmosphere is weirdly empty and too open, which is y'know, fine. Except when it's 10 degrees out and the door doesn't shut properly and the whole place is cold. Bring a jacket, kids. Or have some of the fire barbecue sauce. The way it works is you order a meat. They bring you the meat and you get to douse and/or sprinkle it with the bbq sauce of your choosing. Which is nice because I like 2 of the 4-5 sauces enough to want to eat them both. The best meat to order is the chicken. It's consistent, it's fraad, and it's moist and delicious. I really don't like the cubed brisket. It was tough and just looked like a whole bunch of steak dice. Somehow they were also really fatty too, which does not attract me. I've tried the shredded brisket twice. Once it was good, once it was fatty and chewy. I stick to the chicken. Do they have mac and cheese? Yes. And it has a little dusting of bbq chips, which is extra special, but I've never had it served to me more than lukewarm. Do they have potatoes? Yes and this chick likes her starches. And I like these starches. They have good starches here.
(3)
Melissa P.
Came here for dinner and was very disappointed. Despite the restaurant being empty, service was slow. Our waitress was very awkward and acted like it was a burden to be serving us. I tried the 1/2 hickory chicken platter w/ baked beans and collard greens and my boyfriend had a pulled pork sandwich. The beans had a strange taste, almost like they were burnt and the collard greens were overly sweet. The food was very average and something I could have made in my own kitchen. The only pros are the cornbread and prices.
(2)
Bean C.
Soul Fire has really upped its game. The spare ribs, fried chicken, Mac & cheese all excellent! If you like mustard for the fried chicken, request their mustard sauce. The side salad was v. fresh. Washed it down w. a Brooklyn Lager. Great attentive service.
(5)
sean m.
When I lived in Allston, we got delivery from here every couple of months. The service/delivery way always good/prompt and the food was pretty good. If you are looking for BBQ, it wasn't like being in Memphis, but it definitely hit the spot.
(4)
Christine G.
Came here tonight with high expectations having seen the great reviews. When we walked in, it smelled good so we were excited. We started off with the fried mac & cheese which was okay - not great, but not bad. My sister and I split a combo including 1/3 rack of baby back ribs and half a smoked chicken. When the plate arrived, the chicken still had its skin on it which is normally fine, but in this case the skin looked dry and green. The ribs were 2 different colors - the middle part was a dark brown/grey and the upper and lower parts were purple. Ribs tasted like sausage and tasted nothing like bbq and the chicken had a very strange aftertaste that lingered after each bite. the fries and cornbread were probably the only enjoyable things, but even that was cold. Besides the bad food, the service was terrible. We rarely saw our waitress and I had to walk up to the bar to ask for a glass of water after already having asked her. Very disappointed & will not return again.
Easily the best brisket in Boston. Fried chicken wings also very good. Go several times a year and never disappointed. They could use a better beer selection.
(4)
A A.
Lately everything has been excellent! Great rub, nice smoke. Much better !! Hope it continues to improve!
(5)
Alena G.
This place has good comfort food. The brisket is great, as are the ribs, and the catfish. Sides are also awesome - especially the mac'n cheese. Overall, a decent, consistent BBQ place in the middle of Allston. BONUS: fried dough.
(4)
Steven Y.
DELICIOUS. Great pulled pork and fried chicken. Need to come back to do a second more thorough review.
(5)
Ms. S.
The pulled pork sandwich has an amazing texture. The meat isn't gross and mushy, but rather it has a delicious chew and substance to it. Yum. But the mac and cheese isn't that great and the cornbread is a little too sweet for my liking. However, the collards are fantastic!
(4)
Rachel D.
If you're in the mood for good barbecue head over to Soulfire! The pulled pork was soft and delicious. We went on a Monday night and low and behold it was all you can eat wing night! Our waiter was great and we were almost never out of wings. Good stuff!
(4)
Myung P.
You are not going to get better BBQ around the Boston area than Soul Fire. I've had BBQ in many places including the Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Indy, and few other cities and states. I once drove 7 hours just to eat BBQ at a place where The Food Network said was the best BBQ in America. (I was impressed, but if that was the best BBQ in America, life is not worth living) I originally came to Soul Fire since I had a Groupon, but now I go back and pay regular price. It's that good. The meat is tender and juicy. The sauces options are good. The portions are great for the price. Make sure you don't order too much. I thought two full orders were enough for 3-4 people. The sides were great. I heard that Sweet Cheeks is considered the best BBQ in Boston. I've been there TWICE because my co-worker swore that my first try must've been an off-night. While it was not bad, overall, it was regular BBQ joint. So a 3-star and price was a bit on the high side. Soul Fire just trumps Sweet Cheeks. I feel that Soul Fire is less busy than Sweet Cheeks due to location and less hipsters live in Allston compared to Fenway.
(5)
Ariel P.
After 4 years of Carolina, I've made Allston my new home so naturally I went on the hunt for BBQ and found SoulFire. Quick Rundown: Great Service: came in by myself sat at the bar and was served immediately and often checked on (which sometimes isn't the case when it's just you at the bar). I was a finicky customer and asked for extra pickles with my sandwich and subbed in potato salad for fries after the ticket when in, and all my requests were taken care of. Solid Food: Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and a small order of those fried mac and cheese bites everyone keeps going on about. Liked the pork, it was definetly served Carolina style with tons of vinegar which I do like, I just wonder if you can ever get it differently so you can actually use one of the 6 sauces they put out. None which I explored because my pulled pork was already so saturated with that vinegar flavor. Pro tip: for cutting the spicy vinegary-taste there's nothing better than cold potato salad, and these folks do it right. Last I'm sad to say I was a bit let down by the fried mac and cheese bites, I expected a cheesey, gooey block of mac and cheese (to be fair my expectations were directly related to having had fried mac and cheese at the NC State Fair as well as the Raleigh Cheesecak Factory). I found these bites to be both a bit dry and almost too hot to eat. They came out with my sandwich and I had to wait for them to cool down til I was almost done with my sandwich to taste and cheesy flavor as opposed to just heat. Price: It's on par with area pricing and fair for what it is. If you order well or light here you can make off with a pretty cheap dinner, had I just gottent he sandwich and the magner's cider it would've been about $14 after tax. Location: Good location on Harvard Ave, space itself was inviting and neatly directed with soul records. Big space, not crowded. Verdict: Whenever I get that Carolina craving, I'll have to come back. Maybe I'll pass on the mac and cheese bites next time.
(4)
Fu D.
I have children and I don't usually speak in such a manner... but I want Soul Fire to Fuck My Face With Its Food... Thank you for making amazing barbecue. That is all.. Fu D.
(5)
Joan P.
Umm...I've been here many times. Ribs were good and prices are way better than Redbones. However, there were DEAD FLIES in my wine today. Waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill, but still...GROSS.
(1)
Amy D.
3.5 stars but rounding up to 4. Yikes! I thought I did my review for Soul Fire months ago when I actually ate there, but it got knocked off my pending reviews list.. In any case, there were a few BBQ spots in Boston to choose from while I was there for a vacation, but Soul Fire seemed to be the only one that was open late. We came in around 9pm, and the restaurant was still pretty full but we were able to grab one of the last tables right away. However, they were definitely understaffed, and it took a while for our server to come by. They had also been slammed with a huge order earlier, so our server warned us the food would take longer than usual. We ordered: -3 Meat Combo w/Spare Ribs, Chopped Brisket, Fried Chicken Wings, Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Pickles ($20 + $0.50 to substitute for a salad as a side, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! The fried chicken wings were amazing (and HUGE), and the brisket was pretty good as well. The spare ribs were just ok, and I liked that the least out of all the meats. This 3 meat combo platter could easily feed two normal serving sized eaters. -Single Spare Rib Order ($3, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Huge serving for a "single" spare rib order, and it was good, but nothing special. -Side of Potato Salad ($2) and Macaroni and Cheese ($2) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! Both were pretty good, but some of the potatoes in the potato salad could've been cooked longer. -Different BBQ Sauces ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): I tried all of the sauces, but unfortunately, can't remember which once I liked best. I think it was probably the SoulFire. Overall, Soul Fire is a solid BBQ joint in Boston, and if you're in the mood for BBQ late, this is the place to go! However, parking (and traffic) around this area can really suck, and service can be a little slow.
(4)
Nancy H.
Went back for some finger lickin' goodness. More catfish and fried chicken but this time tried the fried Mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad, fries, and mashed potatoes as sides. Boy were they soooo good. The collard greens were great but at one point tasted too sweet for the rest of my meal. Service was great, the place was clean, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
(4)
Mattie M.
So good! Try the macaroni. My Texan brother in law even approves this place! Their food is perfect for what they offer. I've brought tons of friends here and they all approved! Also, the service and range of beers on tap are both great!
(4)
Jason J.
Its a tough call to decide who wins the BBQ battle between Soul Fire and my beloved Redbones, but each one has their merits. For one, I think the sauces and quality of the meats may be a bit better at SF than at RB. If you've never been here before and come with at least 2-3 people, definitely get the Pitboss Sampler. You'll be happy you did. Then again, if you come here by yourself and order that, we should be friends. Their fried mac and cheese makes me want to write sonnets, and their regular mac and cheese has BBQ chip crumbs on top. Its all about the details. Tasty tasty details. Also, and probably most importantly, they serve Narrogansett tallboys.
(4)
Tanya Y.
When they say on the menu that the Pitboss Sampler feeds 2 to 3 people, they're lying! They give you much more to definitely cover an extra person. The group of 3 decided to come here on a whim after finding a Google Offer that allowed us to purchase $25 worth of food for only $12. Because of so many great sounding things on the menu, we thought it was a no-brainer to order the sampler. This comes with: 1/2 rack baby back ribs 2 spareribs (they gave us 3!) Pulled pork Chopped brisket (comes ontop of texas toast) Southern fried wings (there were 4) Spicy honey wings (we got 2) 1 hotlink And sides : Cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, beans, collard greens, corn bread, and rice w/beans. They also gave us mashed potatoes with gravy even though it wasn't on the menu, all for $40. Because we thought we were macho and could handle this platter, my friend ordered a corn dog ($1.95) for herself, and the table collectively thought it'd be brilliant to also order chilli cheese fries ($5.55), because c'mon - How could you pass this up?! All of the food came out on platters similar to what you'd see a New York style pizza on. I'm so thankful we got the sampler, because there were definitely things that were just OK/subpar, and some food that stood out from the rest. The spareribs peel off from the bone in a way similar to beef jerky, which is great because I love jerky. The "baby back ribs" weren't babies at all, rather it was as if these ribs were on steroids. They were huge, and a little difficult to eat. The meat barely fell of the bone with some tugging with a fork. The hotlink, pulled pork, and brisket was just ok. As long as you choose to douse these in one of the four BBQ sauces available (Soul Fire, Fiery, Sweet, and Pitboss), then it all tastes great. My favorite was the Sweet. The Southern Fried wings were a little too salty for my liking. The best parts of the entire meal were the potato salad (I swear they put crack in it), the spicy wings, and the corn bread. Ah, and of course the chilli cheese fries. The service was just ok and the ambiance super chill/casual. SoulFire also had a huge screen playing the Pats game, which was a plus. I also noted that they have an unlimited wing day (I think it's Mondays) all for one set price of $8.99. I left full, with so many left overs, and not too big of a dent in my wallet, thanks to Google Offers. I think I 'd only come back if I just want something small to eat/snack on, but my search for exceptionally good BBQ continues on. Anyone have any recommendations?!
(3)
Daniel B.
I hope the food is actually good, as I just ordered delivery and have nothing yet, after 155 minutes. . .
(3)
Jessi R.
I love me some BBQ, so was happy when my boss' first choice for a pre-graduation lunch wasn't around anymore. I've heard great things about Soul Fire, but seeing as it's in Allston/Brighton and I am loathe to travel into that haven of hipsters. The server only batted one eye at my gluten-free colleague and helped her pick a meal she could eat. I have to say that it was disappointing they put so much BBQ sauce on my pulled brisket though, because it didn't allow me to try any of the 4 sauces they put on our table--what's the point in offering BBQ sauce if I can't have any? The sauce they gave me was fine, if a little hot, but I do prefer a place that lets ME pick.
(3)
Phil O.
I've ordered from here a couple times, and both times it's been a solid 4. What I've tried: fried catfish, brisket sandwich, pulled pork, fried macaroni and cheese, spinach What I've not yet tried: the ribs I still need to try the ribs!
(4)
Kelsey A.
Yum! Sahil G. and I went last night for dinner. We had a Groupon (I paid $15 for $30 worth of food and drinks!), and I couldn't wait to go, based on all the awesome reviews. We got there around 7:45 and it was pretty full -- no open tables or seats at the bar. I think because of the Groupon deal, the restaurant was way more busy than the employees expected it to be, and the waitresses seemed a little frazzled. There was a nice waitress taking names, but she said we were more than welcome to sit at one of the longer, communal-style tables. We were STARVING, so we decided not to wait for a regular table. It took a little while to get menus -- turns out no waitress had been assigned to us. No big deal, the table had an app/drink menu on it, so when the waitress finally came over with dinner menus we were able to order our beers/app. I got a PBR -- on draft, for $2.50! -- and Sahil G. got a Lone Star. we also ordered the fried mac and cheese. The beers came out very quickly, and it was cute that the waitress brought the bottle cap with the Lone Star so that Sahil could see his riddle. My PBR was very cold and delicious, perfect for eating BBQ. The fried mac and cheese was awesome, but did not look how I expected! We got a "small" order, which was a basket with 5 fried cubes. It looks like fried tofu, but inside the very well-seasoned crust are a lot of hot, cheesy noodles. Yum! Sahil G and I both decided to get the Soulfire Platter with 2 meats. These platters are ENORMOUS -- if we were any less hungry we definitely could have (and should have) shared one. For $15.95, these platters are a great value -- you get two meats, two sides, corn bread, and pickles. A TON of food. I ordered pulled pork and fried chicken wings with cole slaw and potato salad; Sahil ordered sliced brisket and babyback ribs with mac and cheese and collard greens. When we go out to restaurants together, we always get completely different things so that we can maximize the variety of food that we get to try. We're cute, I know. The food came out really quickly -- the waitress told me my fried wings would be about 15 mins, but I can't say we waited longer than 10 for both platters, and these things are PACKED with food. The pulled pork was very tender, and so was the brisket. The ribs were also cooked perfectly, and had a great smoky flavor. However, the highlight for me, meat-wise, were the fried wings -- the breading was salty and delicious, and the meat was DRIPPING with juice/fat. AMAZING. The cornbread was really good, a perfect combo of sweet and savory, and very moist. The pickles were nice too, though I am not a huge fan of "bread-and-butter" style so I only had a couple. The cole slaw was good -- a little too much liquid, but perfectly seasoned, and not too sweet (I hate when cole slaw is too sweet, yuck!). I wasn't a huge fan of the collard greens, oh well. The two best sides, IMO, were the mac and cheese and the potato salad. The potato salad was made with red bliss, mustard, and pickles. AMAZING. And the mac and cheese was so cheesy, with some bbq chips crumbled on top. I highly recommend Soulfire. The beers are so cheap, and the food is very reasonably priced -- a great value, considering both the quantity and quality of the food you receive. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Saba N.
solid bbq. I really like it here. It's a take out favorite for me, I never really eat there though because parking is such a pain! Love the Pick 2 Combo deal.. I always go with pulled pork and cat fish. YUM. I will say though, that as far as bbq in MA... you gotta try red bones &blue ribbon. now THAT is good eatin!
(3)
Renee M.
Two words: so disappointing. I don't have much experience with BBQ food, the only other time I can recall eating it was in Texas and OMG it was SO GOOD there. So, to compare BBQ in Boston to BBQ in Texas may be unfair, but I am going to do it anyway. First of all, the service here is sssslllllloooooowwwwww. We were not greeted by a server and given water for a good 15 minutes after we sat down. Later on in the night I heard a waitress tell a table of unlucky people sitting next to us that there was an hour wait for food. um wtf? I ordered the Soulfire Platter, and I got spare ribs and brisket with sides of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribs were full of fat, as was the brisket. Both meats were tough and lacked flavor. The BBQ sauces were good though. The mashed potatoes and the mac n cheese were good but nothing special. It seemed like they had a good selection of beers, but I didn't order any. Sorry, but I will not be returning.
(2)
Sean M.
3.894 Stars It didn't suck, in fact it was pretty damn good. I like BBQ, a lot. I'm also pretty picky about it too. We ordered a large amount of food for two people which elicited this from the waitress: "Do you guys have a Groupon?" We did not. This was our first time and we wanted to get the essence in one go. Corn Dogs, Fried Catfish Sandwich, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Rice and Beans, Pickles, Potato Salad, Corn Bread, and Pecan Pie. And Beer. It was all good we ate most of it. We will be back. * One of the best BBQ places in Boston (or we hit it on a very good day). * Parking spot in front of the restaurant, it was pre-determined.
(4)
Charles L.
I have been meaning to try this place ever since I read the review on Pigtrip.net (search for pigtrip soulfire). The true prize here are the St. Louis ribs. A+. Forget about getting them as takeout. I did, but I also sat down and ate 2 of them right away before going home. They were moist, succulent, flavorful, plenty of smoke. Some of the best ribs I've had. 5 star, right there. Fried chicken wings: 5 star also. They were like fried chicken should be: crisp, but not crunchy. The meat was plenty moist too. Honestly, I like a more traditional buffalo wing, but I also like fried chicken. So I'm torn. Brisket: pretty good. A-. In general, it was pretty moist, but a few pieces were slightly less than moist. Pulled pork: A. Yup, pretty darn good with plenty of the crusty exterior bits mixed in. I liked all of the sauces: Sweet, Soul Fire, Spicy, and Pit Master. Any of them go well on the meats. Health food, not. Good bbq, definitely.
(5)
Alyssa B.
The first time I went to Soul Fire it was years ago (circa 2005-06) and it was HORRIBLE. So I was a little dubious when our friends got a Groupon to head there (they have always been big fans). The food was terrific! So terrific that we've returned since as well. Perhaps our first visit was on an off day. My favorite is the pulled pork
(4)
Nik B.
A little bit of low-key, high flavor is a solid way to start a Friday night. Soul Fire BBQ is a nothing-fancy place and fits right into Allston. My friend recommended that I order the pulled pork sandwich ($6.95), so I did. The pork comes seasoned, but sauceless, on a light bun. Even without any sauce the meat was tender and flavorful. I tried all the different sauces, but I liked the house SoulFire sauce the most. It was a well rounded sauce that was both spicy and sweet; definitely my favorite of the four sauces. I got the collared greens as my side which were also delicious. They weren't too buttery and had a lot of flavor and kick. Soul Fire also has relatively good beer prices. I settled on the Harpoon IPA ($4.50) which paired very nicely with my sandwich.All in all a great barbecue join in Allston.
(4)
Brian B.
3 Stars Fits Just Right The one disclaimer I have here is that I've only ever ordered delivery from Soul Fire. I only ever order from this place when I'm feeling too lazy to get out to Blue Ribbon. In my opinion, this place will suffice when you just can't get out to West Newton or Arlington. It's been OK each time. Probably would get 4 stars if I were to dine in, because I'm sure the food would be that little bit hotter/fresher than by whatever time the delivery guy makes it to my place, which is all of .5 miles away haha.
(3)
Tiffany T.
Went back here to dine in during a Friday night. Food was still good but I recommend getting take out. Service was awful.... and immensely slow.
(3)
MEGAN L.
Love their food it's always delicious, BUT sadly my boyfriend ordered delivery for us before I had to go to work and they never showed up! Really guys?! They apologized and said it would be another 45min to an hour for our original hour 2 hrs prior to arrive....it's a shame they don't pride themselves on customer service and establishing customer loyalty as much as they pride themselves on their BBQ.
(3)
rosann s.
I don't generally get to the Allston/Brighton area and am always looking for fun, good places to eat, and this one was great! We had quick and easy service. The prices were very reasonable. The food was very good. We had the fried Mac N Cheese as an app, then pulled chicken sandwiches for dinner .. yummmm .. a couple of really nice sauces! Would definitely go back!!!
(4)
Gerrit B.
Fantastic food, but slow service Ordered catfish sandwich with baked beans. I also tried some spare ribs and macaroni and cheese. Everything was delicious! The pitboss sauce is definitely their best in my opinion. Our server was slow though. I'd go again and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.
(4)
Emily D.
I don't know dude - it's just so mediocre. And the service is consistently bad. I am a HUGE BBQ fan - my favorite cuisine. And every time I've come to Soul Fire I've wanted to like it, but I always leave a little disappointed. I ordered their pulled pork platter with mac & cheese, baked beans, and cornbread. Their pulled pork is all right - a little bland, but their homemade BBQ sauce makes it much better. Their mac & cheese is good mainly because they crumble BBQ chips on it. Their baked beans are WAY TOO sweet. And their cornbread is dry and crumbly. So, basically, as average as it gets. Now for the service - the few times I've been there, it's been BAD. They rarely check on you, and you end up having three different waiters by the end of the night just because you were trying to get a refill on your water. It definitely needs to be regulated a bit more. Besides that, they DO have really cheap beer so I'd say that's worth it... But I'm definitely still on the hunt for good BBQ in Boston!!!!
(3)
Andrea E.
Can you believe that I go to a BBQ place for their ONE vegetarian dish even though I'm not vegetarian? hahaha this has nothing to do with the quality of their meats though, I love their vegetarian rice and beans, wow, actually just thinking about it is making me hungry, it is so delish and the salsa they have is just spicy enough to enjoy oh so much! Another thing that I love but don't get to eat often (just because it must be about 1000 calories) is their fried dough...it is to die for! the honey butter sauce they put on tastes like heaven, not I'm afraid that I've gained a pound just by writing about it! Anyways, I recently started to try more things on the menu and I have come to also love the pulled chicken, it is so tender, juicy and delicious it is quite the experience. Now about the staff, I have not had anything but good things to say about them, they are always very nice and attentive so I always try to tip them very well. For first timers, beware that this is a BBQ place, not a bar (even though there is a bar inside the restaurant) and they will not serve you alcohol unless you order something to eat.
(4)
Angelina C.
This is one of those places I frequent but always forget to review. Soul Fire is so freaking good that there's no reason to go anywhere else in Boston for barbeque. My faves are the Southern fried wings, pulled pork with Soul Fire sauce, short ribs, their mac and cheese (and those bites!), collards. . .okay, everything. My fingers are still sticky from last night's Superbowl food fest. Soul Fire. It's not a bar. It's BBQ. And they deliver.
(4)
Em K.
The first experience I had with Soul Fire was via delivery. It was definitely one of those nights where you need home cooking and fast. Timing wise the food was prompt but after a few bites it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Fast forward about a month I had some friends visiting and they insisted on going, I was game. What a difference it makes going in! The wait staff was very nice, had a great attitude and very accommodating. After our food arrived, with incredibly portions and tasty sides, I realized that my first experience was off because there was no BBQ sauce! I forgot to request a specific type so it came without and of course that makes a difference. All of their sauces are spectacular and satisfy my need for spice, they have a great one that's wicked hot! The beer on tap is great and the atmosphere is truly unique, definitely recommend a trip in!
(4)
Ramzi B.
Quality comfort food on the cheap with excellent service to boot - Soulfire offers a crash course in all-American cuisine. Let's start with the food: I have been here about a dozen times and have literally eaten my way through 90% of the menu. I have yet to try something I didn't like. For appetizers, go with the CHILI CHEESE FRIES - an absolute must at $5.55 - made with skin-on french fries, a smoky, tangy BBQ chili, and liquid cheese. Other treats include the Fried Mac & Cheese (twisted, demented, and oh so delicious) and the Southern Fried Wings. If you're in a small group (under 4), try one of the following as your main - you won't regret it: [a] BBQ Reuben, [b] Pulled Pork Sandwich, [c] Fried Catfish Platter, [d] Spareribs. [e] Soulfire Platter (with 3 meats because you're sick like that). If you're with a larger party (both in number and in weight), I suggest the FEEDS FOUR SOULS combo. At $14 per person, you get an entire smoked chicken. 1 rack of spareribs, 1 pound of boneless meat, 4 cornbreads, and 2 pints worth of sides. It's a terrific deal! As for the service, I have only one word: awesome. What?! Need proof? A few weeks ago, after discovering that the chicken and ribs I ordered were missing from the delivery bag, I picked up the phone and talked to Anne, a delightful and apologetic employee. Within 20 minutes, I not only received TWO TIMES MORE food than was missing, but they also sent me a $25 gift certificate and the following note from the manager: Ramzi. Thanks so much for calling and letting us know what we missed. Truly, the only way to know how things go for deliveries is for you to tell us. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy some food on us next time with the enclosed gift card. Again sorry to keep you waiting for the good stuff and enjoy. :) Christine, Anne, and Soulfire The good stuff indeed. Just let your Soul Glo.
(5)
Lee M.
I wasn't disappointed with Soul Fire BBQ, but I also wasn't particularly impressed. The girl at the counter was very nice. I don't usually tip people for putting an order into a register, but she/they got one. The pulled pork barbecue was nothing special. It barely had any taste, so use sauce (but be wary...see below). They have four kinds of sauce. Three of them look like they just increase in spiciness (I didn't try any of these three) and the fourth is "North Carolina barbecue sauce" (the quotes are meant to mock it, not to say that this is exactly what the container says). They claim that it is a spicy vinegar sauce, but it seemed to me to be a vinegary Tabasco sauce - it was actually pretty bad. I was happy with the sides. Corn bread, slaw, and mac & cheese were all very good. And the sweet tea was good, but no free refills (?!?!). Sweet tea is like the one thing that you must have free refills for. It also seems a little overpriced to me. For the price I paid, I should have left stuffed, but I was just not hungry anymore. It was plenty of food for me, I just should have paid less for it. But will the complaints that I had, I'd go back if I was in the area and craving some barbecue...it's not worth any significant trip though.
(3)
chris p.
*This is essentially a fried chicken review* Since Popeye's has been closed *Is now open AGAIN!!* I was on a search to find great fried chicken in the boston area. Upon recommendation of a coworker I went to soulfire bbq.This was a mistake. My first visit, the chicken was slightly dry, but not too bad. The sides *you get 2 with the fried chicken platter* were mediocre at best. The collard greens were the only good thing about the meal. The mac n cheese was odd. Who puts lays BBQ chips on top of their mac n cheese as the topper?!??!? My second visit I got the same platter but changed the sides. The chicken was better but still had some dryness to it. The sides i went with double mac n cheese, and specifically told them not to put the lays bbq chips on top...... of course they did not listen, and screwed up my order. My third and Final visit I got the same platter, with double collard green sides. This was the final straw, the chicken was burnt, and dry all the way to the bone. I don't know who is cooking the chicken, but whoever it is does not know how long to fry it. The only saving grace was the sides of collard greens. If u want fried chicken go elsewhere. I gave soulfire three chances, but for some reason they dont know how to fry chicken. there are plenty of alternatives, and i suggest going to those places instead, because soulfire is mediocre at best.
(2)
Aaron K.
Bottom line is that this is very good BBQ, and they DELIVER! BBQ is great for both taking home and eating out in a great atmosphere, but to be able to have really great BBQ brought to one's door is just plain fantastic. I love tender ribs with a dry rub. These are very good, and they're not quite as fatty as some other places. The chopped brisket was good too. I'm just waiting for Soul Fire to start delivering beer and a roast pig.
(4)
Leon F.
The reason I give Soul Fire 5 stars is because it is as good as it gets in Boston. I grew up in Memphis and will admit I'm a BBQ snob. I've tried several joints including Blue Ribbon and Redbones (yuck!). Soul Fire is by far the best BBQ joint in Boston. The pulled pork is great! It's not oily like Redbones. The spare ribs are also very delicious, the meat falls right off the bone. Another great thing about Soul Fire is the variety of sauces. No matter where you are from or your preference of vinegar or molasses based BBQ sauce, Soul Fire has it! Yesterday, I ate the fried chicken for the first time and was very impressed with the seasoning. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Erik O.
AWESOME BBQ food. i love this place. the vibe is cool, the food is superb, and beer selection is great. The side dishes are awesome. The wings, the ribs, the pulled pork, the brisket, they all rock. The BBQ rueben is amazing. They have a huge projection screen that shows live soul performances or sports games. the place is always playing some sort of soul/funk music Friggen place rules. nuff said.
(5)
Esther Y.
For all you Boston residents that haven't been here...you are missing out. This place is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. First, let me start off by saying that the staff here is AMAZING. Quite possibly the best service I've had. EVER. Christine was our server, and like we told her....an awesome server really makes your overall experience so much better. She was spot-on with her reccs, she was great at describing the food, and she was so good at her job, I felt like I wanted to eat more and more and more! Based off of Christine's recc we started off with the fried mac n cheese. Um can you say heaven? Seriously, if I worked/lived/was remotely anywhere near there, I would get that every time. EVERY TIME. It's so delicious I was tempted to eat more than my share and dig into my husband's b/c he was eating too slowly. Ha! Then, this is where more of Christine's awesomeness comes in, we tried some wings. Apparently we were there on "AYCE Wing Night" and because we were newbies, she let us try the flavors they were offering that night. I mean...I could've been completely satisfied eating wings for the rest of the night, but if you have read any of my previous reviews, you would know that that would've been impossible. Per usual, the hubs and I proceeded to order WAY too much food off the menu. We wanted to try as much as we could, and we were determined to leave there having tried their top picks. The Hubs and I both got the platters where we pick our two meats. I went with the fried chick and the ribs, and he went with the smoked chick and the brisket. The hubs and I LOVED everything. For our sides, he had the baked beans and potato salad, and I had the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Again, everything we had was sooooooo good. My mouth is watering thinking about it. For dessert, we had their fried dough. Um, WHAT?! Fried dough?! HOLY COW. I could eat this all day. It's this awesome fried dough with some homemade butter with honey and covered with powdered sugar. Wow. I mean, WOW. During dessert Mark (?) sorry, I'm terrible with names, came out from the kitchen and talked to us about the food. What I like is that he said he serves food the way he likes to eat it. So, if people think that the cornbread is a little too cakey, then sucks for you! You don't eat it or get it from somewhere else! LOL. I mean, how can you NOT love that? Honestly, you can tell that everyone that works here LOVES their job. They love making the food, they love seeing people enjoy the food, and they love talking/mingling with their guests. I haven't had as good of an experience like this in a long time, and it makes me want to tell EVERYONE. When I make my way back here, I'm definitely going back, again...and again...and again.
(5)
Jessica R.
I am completely in love with this place. I split the $40 sampler platter with a friend and it said it would feed 2 - 3 people but I would say it really feeds 3 - 4. They presented us with an insane amount of food. All of it was delicious and I ate so much I almost felt sick. It was one of those moments where you really have no room left in your stomach, but everything is so tasty that you find yourself continuing to pick at your plate anyway. Also, major bonus points for serving Lone Star beer. As a migrant from Texas I almost peed my pants with excitement when I saw it on the menu.
(5)
Michele H.
The smell of this place alone is intoxicating. Even for delivery--the smoky spicy scent wafts up the stairs with you as you cradle it knowing what you hold in your hands will be incredible and is probably too much for you to eat and probably will put you to sleep drooling. I'm not much of a barbeque person, but Soul Fire has won me over. Their chili is fantastic and has BRISKET in it! And you know what, I really hate ribs, but theirs are so good--without any sauce. The meat itself is immensely smoky, the the four sauces only further complement the already wildly delicious flavor. The catfish sandwich is also incredible, as is the mac and cheese. I'm sure a lot of vegetarians have walked into this place and made terrible, delicious life decisions.
(5)
Rebecca L.
This is my favorite place in the Boston area to get barbecue (and that's a lot from a Carolina girl!). Granted, I haven't tried all of the barbecue places in the area, but I've tried many of them and this one just does it for me. The food is always delicious and the portions are big. The coleslaw is pretty good (though I really wish there wasn't celery in it) and I'm picky about coleslaw. Everything I've had has been amazing and I truly appreciate the variety of sauces. To be clear, most North Carolina barbecue sauce is vinegar based, but this is mostly true of the eastern part of the state. Growing up in the western part of the state, I had a nice mixture of all kinds of sauces, particularly Memphis and North Carolina. I love that this place has a North Carolina sauce, but I love even more that I can mix it with the Pit Boss sauce for the absolute perfect combination for my tastes. In addition, the prices are reasonable and the beer selection is solid. The cornbread is a little sweet for my taste, but that's a complaint about New England cornbread, not about Soul Fire.
(5)
Ed P.
I like BBQ and all that goes with it and I'd been meaning to try this place for a long while. That said, I was mortified to read my friends yelp review of this establishment, about fifteen minutes AFTER the order was already placed. She gave it one star. Yikes! They had a 20% off first order coupon on Foodler so I placed a large order including a three meat plate, fried mac and cheese, rice and beans, collard greens and coleslaw. I opened one container and saw what had to be the fried mac and cheese. They resembled something the Borg might cook; squishy, dense, cubes of gelatinous material with all the charm and texture of cold, forlorn oatmeal left overnight in a bowl. F*cking dreadful. I had to peek back at the menu to see how they were described again. The first spare rib was no prize either. Yeah, it came off the bone and it was moist but damned if it had ANY flavor. Then I tried the coleslaw and found it both tasty and refreshing. I opened another container and discovered the goods...two huge pieces of moist cornbread and a sampler of three sauces. The cornbread was cake-like and awe inspiring. All three sauces were admirable. I really liked the pulled pork and the brisket, especially with the vinegar sauce. The rest of the ribs and the brisket were tender and well seasoned. Most of the other sides were tossed in the trash after a nimble or two.
(2)
Andrew K.
Worst Service Ever! I stopped by yesterday (Monday, November 7th) and had not one, but two of their staff treat myself and my friends poorly. They had a sign out saying, "please seat yourself, " So I did. Seconds after I sat down I was told that there was a list. I politely said, "Okay, well, you should probably take your 'Please Seat yourself' sign down." Again, polite straightforward tone, nothing rude or crass. Just after I went back to the front door, a hostess (or manager?) came over an angrily slammed the sign shut and said "CLEARLY IT'S NOT SEAT YOURSELF. THERE'S A WAITLIST. Would you like me to put you on the list?" She was brimming with sarcasm and attitude. I said, no we'll take our business elsewhere and she retorted, "SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY" and then something else to one of my friends that I didn't hear. I have enjoyed food here in the past, but until they fire and hire some new waitstaff, I won't be back. I understand that waiters and waitresses aren't treated well everywhere and that food service is difficult work, but you can't treat someone else like crap because of your own crappy day.
(1)
Laura C.
Very very very good, and not expensive at all, considering the portions and quality. I got the pulled chicken entree (epic) with mac n cheese (it comes with bbq chips crumbled on top) and coleslaw as sides, and as a self-proclaimed M&C connoisseur, it was tasty. Not an over the top amazing noodle epiphany, but delicious nevertheless. Boyfriend got a combo of ribs, chicken, and pulled pork- he was happy as a clam, seeing as how it was just a giant plate of delicious meats for $18. The fries are really crispy and soooooo good and I had a corndog for an appetizer- interesting! We left stuffed and pleased. Everything was better than I expected, and they have a good 'n' solid flavorful "pitboss" sauce that almost everything comes in- although upon sampling all of the options I prefer the "soulfire" sauce- it has a little more kick. Regardless, they're both super tasty, as well as fiery sauce and sweet. Our waitress was funny, kind, and accommodating. The ambiance is great, I loved the red with black trim inside. Good color choices. All in all, a very good choice!
(5)
Andrea C.
The BBQ here is absolutely AWESOME!!!! This place puts RedBones to shame. I love their description of how ribs should be cooked. They should come clean of the bone, and that is the way Soul Fire does it. We had the baby back and spare ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork. All were amazing. I love how there are four very different and tasty BBQ sauces to choose from. What is even more awesome are how solid their sides are. Each can definitely hold their own. Their baked beans are amazing with the smoked molasses taste. The mac and cheese are to die for especially with bbq chips to top. The potato salad is just right with not too much mayo, herb, or mustard. The coleslaw was tangy and not overly mayo-ee. The cornbread had the right mixture of flour and cornmeal, it was almost perfect if it was served warm. Note: food is served on big metal platters and tough there may seem to be a small portion of food when they serve you, it is deceiving and the portions are quite generous. Soul Fire is a place to drool over, we will be back more for some delicious grub.
(5)
Jimi R.
We stopped in here at an off hour of 3:30pm so the place was quiet and so the service was fast and very personal, as the waitress had plenty of time for us. I am someone who loves BBQ and has eaten it all up and down the east coast as well as the deep south, so I love trying places locally too.. I got a Groupon for this place as that helps me get out to try new places and this one is one of the best in Boston. I started with 2 single ribs and when the waitress put the plate down on the table, it reminded me of the opening of the Flinstones TV show, where Fred and Wilma are at a drive-in and when the waitress pops the ribs onto their car, the car tips over becausse of the size of the ribs.These ribs were huge and came with little to no sauce on them, which is the way I like em. The meat on the ribs almost fell off the bone and I was quite impressed with them too. Then my pulled pork platter with cole slaw and collard greens showed up and I realized at that point i was gonna need a take home box,as there was no way I could eat all that food..I am not a small guy, so I finish many a meal, but I knew it wasn't gonna happen today..The pork arrived like the ribs, with very little sauce, and this allows me to add some to suit my tastes. The collored greens were simply put, out of this world as was the pork too...Even the cole slaw was unlike most slaws I've eaten before and so even before I was halfway thru this meal, I went online and bought another Groupon for this place...This meal was 10 times more than I ever expected and when we were leaving, I made it a point to tell the manager how good it was and how the only way I could tell I wasn't in the deep south was that there's no writing on walls or table...I have another BBQ place close to this one that I frequent because of their food too and am now thrilled to have 2 BBQ places so close to home
(5)
Sira D.
We ordered delivery from Soul Fire and loved it! The man on the phone was flexible and helpful in working out how much we needed to order for 4 people, the delivery came less than 10 minutes from when we hung up the phone, and the food was marvellous! Perfect ribs, delicious sauce (and lots to spare!) and amazing sides (the collards were particularly good). They really nailed the whole delivery experience and I'm looking forward to going in to the restaurant and trying it out in person.
(4)
J K.
I've gone here with living social deals and have had great experiences. I really enjoy their medley of sauces and am impressed with their sides. I'm in love with BBQ and since I'm no longer near RedBones, I like SoulFire.
(3)
Matt E.
3.5 stars...Nice place, not so great BBQ. The place is in a nice area, is big, clean, and pretty friendly with a good looking menu with lots of options. Prices are about average, nothing too overpriced. The bbq was pretty dissapointing (definitely no pitmasters working here). If I was in the area and wanted a quick bite of something BBQ-ish I'd go here but I wouldn't go out of my way if I wanted some true quality BBQ.
(3)
Mike M.
I've been coming here since 2010. For some reason I kept putting off the review, and I should apologize for this. Though in my opinion this place has not always been consistent with cleanliness, I have usually enjoyed the food. In the most recent visit, I learned that they removed some things from the menu that I used to order. When we came in to sit down, the table was dirty and no one bothered to clean it for us. I had to get up and look for napkins. The menus were covered in dirty fingerprints and were coming apart at the corners. My ribs were good. I always get them and they have always been pretty consistent. But, it doesn't feel like the same place anymore. If this place was cleaner, I would give it three stars. The service is one thing that's remained unchanged over the years. I really appreciate how polite people are that work here. But serving people food on dirty tables is not okay. Nonetheless, my girlfriend is the only reason that I ever went here, and the only reason she would go was for the pulled chicken. They don't have that on the menu anymore, so it is likely that we won't be coming back.
(2)
Matthew U.
Great Food Went there last week with 4 people We all ordered different stuff and ended up eating each others food Best App is the wings and ribs! Highly recommended place with great beers and great food!
(4)
Andrew B.
I'll keep it brief... Mac & Cheese: delicious Beans: damn good Beef Brisket: don't remember because... Fried Chicken: AMAZING!!!
(4)
Dani L.
I've been coming here for years, the food is always consistent and delicious! This past weekend I had the catfish dinner and it was the best I've ever had, I highly recommend it. The service is also pretty awesome, super helpful folks working there.
(4)
Gabe L.
Awesome food. And a bbq reuben which I'm fracking addicted to. No normal reuben will do it anymore. The soulfire bbq reuben with brisket and coleslaw instead of pastrami and sauerkraut is the only reuben for me. I shake my fist at them for getting me hooked and then reducing the delivery zone so they don't cover my area anymore. Soulfire, why do you play with my emotions so?????
(4)
Meg M.
Great corn bread, average mac n cheese and the ribs? Delicious. Its really a 3.5 star review.. but since thats not an option.. here we are at 4 stars. I have had a mix of service there. I usually sit at the bar and sometimes I find im chasing them down to get beers. I find its a bit expensive for what they give you. I think the potato salad is pretty lacking too. However, the corn bread is bomb and I gotta say I severly dig the BBQ chips on top of the mac n cheese. Is it the best BBQ in town? Not really.. but Cool atmosphere, nice vibe and solid food.. If they just stepped up the service and maybe had a full bar.. we'd be best friends.
(4)
J L.
Excellent sauces and baby back ribs and chicken wings are good!! Stay away from regular ribs too burnt.
(4)
Brady B.
I finally got to Soul Fire! Southern BBQ is one of my favorite types of food and these guys certainly have it. I do prefer Blue Ribbon I must say, bigger portions and a bit cheaper. However Soul Fire did not let me down as far as quality is concerned. I had the 2 meat combo platter which I selected yummy pulled pork and chopped brisket with collared greens and baked beans as sides. The greens weren't the best I've had, but not bad at all and the beans were wonderful. I agree with Ben G. that the brisket was good but I'm a huge fan of burnt ends myself. One of my friends had the spare ribs that looked awesome and she cleaned them up. Next time I will try those and the mac and cheese. I hope Soul Fire stays around for a while in this city that has very limited BBQ.
(4)
Dan M.
This is by far my favorite BBQ joint in Boston. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and its close to where I live. I'd go with their beef brisket which is awesome. The only downside is that their success means that its almost always packed for dinner. I guess waiting is the price I have to pay to eat some great BBQ.
(5)
Brittany H.
Soooooooouullllfiiiiiiirrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Love this place. Such a fantastic alternative to Redbones. A little out of the way for me but absolutely worth it. Been here several times, often for wing night. My favorite things about Soulfire: - Seat yourself! I don't know about you, but I've been yelled at once or twice at Redbones so just being able to walk in and sit wherever is nice. - Sauce caddy at the table. A four-pack container of their four sauces in squirt bottles already waiting for you. You don't have to ask your server, you don't have to have magical pre-knowledge of what sauces they have, and you get a full squirt bottle, not a tiny cup full of whatever. - FREAKIN WING NIGHT. $8.99 for all you can eat. They just keep bringing you piles of wings until you say stop (They have awesome service by the way). Plus you get to choose from a variety of sauces like apple bourbon and spicy jalapeno I think it was. - Mac and cheese: they top theirs with crumbled bbq chips. Just one of those little details that just melted my heart and I fell in love. - FRIED mac and cheese. Don't knock it til you try it - I like their pulled pork better than Lester's and Redbones pulled pork (SORRY! I STILL LOVE YOU BOTH) - their brisket is also superb - Not a big sausage person, but I had theirs in the Pitboss sampler and loved it - Love their cornbread. Dense and kind of cake-like, with little corn kernels in it. Much better than Redbones and Blue Ribbon's cornbread. That stuff is a bbq staple, get it right and it makes all the difference - I usually don't care for collard greens, but I actually really liked theirs The only downsides of Soulfire: - Only a limited beer menu. This is where Redbones is the clear winner. - No fried pickles -- my buddies love those suckers, and sadly, they don't offer them here (but they do make up for it in fried mac and cheese and corndogs) - No corn fritters -- Redbones makes them, and they are my favorite app. Just remember, fried mac and cheese. - Kind of annoying to get to for me, being in Allston I have yet to try the dessert, since my stomach is not that big. Will someone let me know?
(4)
Alex G.
Best BBq I have had in Boston. I love the soulfire platter ( although they have been giving less and less meat over time). I have found the service usually fantastic. They are stingy about ID's (my 35 yr old sister was refused a beer, but I guess its understandable). Monday nights are all you can eat wings for 6.99, good deal.
(4)
Travis D.
Great food, huge portions and they have FRIED DOUGH for dessert! The best part is the meat is served AS IS and you get to decide which sauce you want to put on it and how much. I like to try them all, some taste better with certain meats then others. Good place to pig out and have some beers. Plus you will more then likely have leftovers for a light night snack or lunch the next day.
(4)
Jonathan C.
Just went here a couple hours ago. I wouldn't say its the best soul food around but very good for the area, no doubt. I had the chili fries. Mmmmmm very delightful. Pulled pork plate, which is juicy, tender, and the right amount of time cooked. Also I had the 1/2 rack of ribs, very high quality meat. They stand by there slogo ( coming right off the bone ) The ribs where almost perfect. For some odd reason I really couldn't taste much flavor in it, neither could my wife. But I'll tell you what, we ordered alot of food. All in all I give this place an A!
(4)
Chris L.
Very tasty BBQ in a busy locale in Allston/Brighton Rock City! Perfect carnivore hideout prior to a show at the Paradise or Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harper's Ferry). Pit Boss Sampler is perfect for 3 people and nicely priced at $39. Includes most every kind of meat they have and a dish of each side plus 2 corn bread squares. I tried most everything (oh me and my gluttonous ways). The meat - The ribs (spare and baby back) were smokey and delicious. The baby back were a little dry though and needed to be slathered with copious amounts of one of their 4 sauces. The chicken (fried and smoked) were moist as well. Loved the wings. Just the right amount of spice to 'em. Speaking of spicy, the sausage link on a stick had a nice fiery kick to it and the little cubes of brisket (I think) were morsels sent straight from BBQ heaven. The pulled pork was ok but once again, a little too dry. But like I said before, nothing a healthy dollop of BBQ sauce couldn't cure. Side dishes - Collard greens were tasty especially mixed with the molasses heavy baked beans. Mashers with gravy was standard but the cole slaw was superb and offset the heat of the spicier meat dishes. Mac & cheese looked good although I didn't have any. Rice and beans was a cajun BBQ mix of perfection with diced veggies thrown in for good measure. Potato salad also held it's own against the spicy BBQ sauces. Cornbread was very tasty with the kernals of corn bursting with flavor inside. Misc - Service was excellent. Sat down right away and Ian, our server, was constantly checking up on us for beer refills. Could have used a moist towelette for the cleanup though. Prices seemed reasonable. We only got one thing though so who knows. Beer selection seemed ok with a couple of micros and PBR on tap. In all, a solid dining experience and reasonably good BBQ in Allston area. They usually have some cool specials like all-you-eat-wings night on Mondays I think. Might like to try this out sometime in the future. Happy eating!
(4)
Jennifer D.
Being a Southerner, I know what good BBQ is. Unfortunately, good BBQ is one thing that Boston is severely lacking. Well, the North in general is lacking in this arena. With that said, i've had to greatly lower my standards when it comes to eating BBQ. I ordered the half chicken platter which was pretty decent. The chicken wasn't too bad, the potato salad was decent, the cornbread was good, and the baked beans were okay. The beans were way too sweet for my taste. My husband ordered the pulled pork platter. The pork was actually pretty good. Definitely better than Redbones. I also enjoyed their different sauces. Each one was pretty good. Overall, Soul Fire satisfied my BBQ craving. Not the best i've ever had, but it also wasn't terrible.
(3)
Brianca C.
I love this place. I think that they make THEIR BBQ with THEIR stamp on it and they do it the right way! Im from LA and am used to a certain type of BBQ-- it feels like Soulfire is a place that wants to stand out--- and stand out it does. They make everything the day of-- so nothing is sitting around waiting to be cooked. I appreciate the variety of BBQ sauces that they have ( my favorite is the Soulfire Sauce). The ribs are amazing, the chicken is amazing, and having a pulled pork sandwich is like heaven touching my mouth. HIghly recommend---this is NOT late night eating, you need to be able to remember and enjoy this. They also have Redstripe beer which for me, gives you 2 thumbs up. But man, this place is GOOD--- Mondays they have all you can eat wings foe $8.99.
(5)
Alan B.
Soulfire has some pretty damn good BBQ for Boston. With everybody living in close quarters, it's hard to get good BBQ when your neighbors won't let you have a smoker. That said, Soulfire does a great job. They also do a $9 all you can eat wing night on Mondays. They bring 4 wings, each a different flavor. You pick which you want, then they'll bring a full serving of that. I'm a big fan of the spicy honey and the pit boss wings. The beer selection is quite good, too. They have a diverse selection of some Belgians, some US micros, and Lone Star. Ohhh Lone Star. For those of you who don't know, Lone Star isn't really anything special on its own. It's an American lager that's best served near freezing. It's crisp, but not exploding with flavor or anything. But paired with some great BBQ, nothing's better.
(4)
Mikhaela K.
I go here during that time of the month because I'm not the kind of girl that always craves chocolate. Fried macaroni and cheese sprinkled with BBQ potato chips? Yes, please! Rib platter? Nom, nom, nom fall off the bone deliciousness. Wings? Gimme gimme! Their mac n cheese is something I daydream about: cheesy but not cloying with loads of flavor and those chips sprinkled on top are excellent. Their sides are great, especially the collard greens which come with cubed slab bacon bits. The ribs are generous and you can take out your dentures to eat them. I love this place but don't go here if you want to stick to your diet.
(4)
L W.
Not my favorite BBQ place in Boston, but it's the only one in this neighborhood and has respectable food, so I've come here a handful of times. Each time has been good, and it's enough to get me to come back, though admittedly, I've never had a "I HAVE to go to Soul Fire" moment, like I occasionally do with other BBQ places. One of my favorite surprises from our first trip here a few years back was that the sides were DELICIOUS. We got the pitboss sampler for two, and we were full by the end of the appetizer portion. The collard greens, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese were all amazing. It was especially surprising, since I normally don't enjoy bean, coleslaw, or mac n cheese. The platter was way too much food, so we've never ordered it since, especially because it was - in my opinion - too light on the "good" meats (like ribs) and too heavy on the "filler" meats (like chicken wings or sausage). Now, we place one order of ribs (e.g. the Soulfire platter with two kinds of ribs), plus a ton of delicious sides - more than enough for two. I have to say, though, I much preferred the "order at the counter" setup before. There was no dependence on waiters, plus it made the whole evening really low-key, which I enjoyed.
(3)
Alexis B.
Amazing BBQ. The waitstaff is super nice- I don't know where they found these ladies but they have always been so nice and very friendly. The ribs are off the hook! The mac and cheese has crushed BBQ potato chips on top. I know I know it sounds weird but it tastes awesome. I don't like brisket but it is still very tasty. I usually get the spare ribs though the baby back are good also. Fast service. Good food. Well priced. Amazing staff. How can you not try it now?
(4)
Joe M.
AWFUL!!! Terrible BBQ all around. My room mate and I went in for a late lunch today. The chilli cheese fries were sub par, I couldn't even tell if the cheese sauce was real cheese. The fries themselves were good though. The collection of sauces was awful, but they made up for it with big bottles of Frank's Red Hot, I put that $hit on everything. The pulled pork was awful. I was expecting a burst of flavour from some sort of special BBQ sauce on it, but no, it was plain and bland. I had a side of mac n' cheese and instead of putting some effort and adding real bread crumbs, they crushed up BBQ potato chips and sprinkled them on. The wild rice was fine. Luckily the corn bread and great bar man made up for the lack lustre food. Because of those two things I didn't give them one star, unfortunately they won't be having our business ever again. TIP: Bring in a new head chef that has some real BBQ experience. I could probably get better quality food at a soup kitchen and atleast get my food served on a plate, not a pizza pan...
(2)
Julia J.
I purchased a Living social deal at soul fire, and the price was reasonable. The fried chicken wings are tasty, and the pulled pork sandwich is a Ok but nothing special. You can get better sandwich elsewhere. Also tried the bbq ribs, but I don't particularly like it. I won't come back for this place, but doesn't hurt to try a new place
(3)
JJ G.
Love the housemade pickles Love the being served like it's fine dining when it's take out Love the BBQ Ruben Love the Lone Star!!!
(5)
Meghan M.
I'm a southerner, so I miss barbeque every now and then. This place is AMAZING, and the ONLY place in Boston I've found to have GOOD bbq:) I love the brisket sandwich, fried chicken (incredible) and I can't get enough of their mac 'n cheese. Ugh. SO good. Their sauces are hit or miss for me, I found one and stuck with it ever since (I think it was PitBoss, can't recall the name at the moment). I'm a darker beer drinker, but there's this Cider beer they serve that's really different - it's something you really should try! I love the wait staff here, they're attentive and really aim to please. Can't wait to go back!
(4)
Alexandra T.
This place is sooooooo good My boyfriend and I went to Allston to try it and I am so glad we did. For the appetizer we got the friend macaroni and cheese, which is nothing like I've ever had before. Delicious! We then each got a sandwich, the pulled pork and the pulled chicken. They were both so good, and you get 4 different BBQ sauces at your table to pick and choose from. For a side, I got corn bread, and I can honestly say that it's the best corn bread I've ever had in my life. It really really was. Not only that, the prices are great. If it was more expensive I would probably only give 3 stars. They even have beer if you want. I don't know if I would go all the way to Allston on the bus just for this place, but we have friends who live there, and the next time we're in the area I really hope we stop again!
(4)
Bill M.
Let me put this on a case by case basis. I ordered through Foodler, this is my results. Delivery: If you schedule a delivery, don't. If you don't mind waiting for your food and don't need it at a specific time, fine. Ordered at 11:46 AM for 1:30, got here at 1:52. Normally there is a 45 minute delivery wait. The food got here, in styrofoam wrapped in plastic. Actually that was a good thing because it kept the food warm, so I give it 2 stars. Catfish Sandwich with a side salad. Fried Catfish Sandwich. Was suppose to be "seasoned", didn't taste anything, barely could taste catfish. No dressing with side salad. Side Salad was put in one of the small cubbies of the thing with a BBQ sauce container taking up the other, 2 stars. Fried Chicken Wings - Disappointing. These were suppose to be season too and marinated for 24 hours. It tasted like unseasoned fried chicken. 2 Stars Chili Cheese Fries - These weren't too bad, they weren't the greatest, but i've had worse, 3 stars. Macaroni and Cheese - I actually like the BBQ Potatochip topper, it gave it a different zing. I'm going to do the same thing when I make it at home. Sadly, it's still no better then I make at home, but it's pretty good in itself. 3 stars. It averaged less then 3 stars, for the 2 star rating, and I really don't want to round up.
(2)
Jackie S.
Really bomb, that's what I have to say. We got the fried mac and cheese for an app and it was really good. 4 for 3$ is pretty good too. Then I got the beef brisket and it was so tasty and soft. The Soul Fire BBQ sauce was tasty on it. The cornbread was awesome, the mashed potatoes OK, and the rice was OK. The pickles added an extra treat to it. Really well presented and cheap. The service was great but the place was really loud, but I guess that's kind of to be expected. Def a go to for those who like BBQ type food.
(4)
J.J. B.
A terrific spot for cheap beer, great music and lip-smackin' BBQ. Awesome decor, a friendly staff and a killer soundtrack make this the best BBQ place in the city. Great variety of sauces to satisfy spicy and sweet teeth. Amazing value, you can get a huge meal (2 meats, cornbread and 2 sides) with a draft for under $20 bucks. And if you aren't me, you might have leftovers.
(4)
Jason F.
i love this place, i come here a lot. the first time was for the all you can eat wings night, i LOVE their wings. the last time i came i got the pulled pork sandwich with mashed potatoes, everything was really good. This is one of my go to spots, they give you a ton of food, and it's all pretty cheap.
(5)
Nancy P.
Crumbles of BBQ chips on top of the warm, gooey mac and cheese??? ummm...briliant and delicious! The cornbread...hello, sweet goodness! Hi little pickles on the side...you are tart little treasures. The side options and I get along well. Four sauce options and the Pit Boss is definitely boss! (does that sound ridiculous? yea, kinda.) The baby back ribs could do me a little more tender, but I am still mighty satisfied. The beef brisket sandwich could do with beefing up its bun. The delectable brisket is the star (as it obviously should be), but it could do with a little more support. The relaxed, casual atmosphere is a fitting setting. Friendly, helpful staff. Good stuff for BBQ in Allston.
(4)
Michael X.
The question to Life, the Universe, and Everything is: Soul Fire BBQ or Redbones? My dining partner seemed to think Redbones is better, but I disagree. Redbones is very good; Soul Fire was AMAZING. We got the Pitboss Sampler, which had quite large portions (when it says "feeds 2-3", I imagine they mean quarterbacks). I literally had a perfect meal. Everything was delicious, from the meats to the sauces all the way down to the collard greens. Prices weren't cheap but weren't expensive either. I can't think of anything about the food that I didn't like. My one gripe: they use circular metallic trays (think pizza dishes) to serve the food on and to act as plates. These tend to slip about annoyingly on the polished surface of the tables. My one warning: it will get very very messy. Do not bring someone here that you want to impress.
(5)
Mary L.
I was looking forward to eating at Soul Fire after seeing the rave reviews on Yelp, but my visit left me unimpressed and yearning for Dinosaur BBQ instead. There was no wait and the service was fine, but the food was mediocre. I had the wings for an appetizer and the 3 meat platter with fried catfish, pulled pork and baby back rib as an entree. The size of the platter was more than adequate, though not gargantuan as some other reviewers have described. The wings and ribs were relatively dry and the pulled pork was nothing to write home about. The highlight of the night? Fried catfish. Straight out of the fryer, the pieces were crispy, golden brown and delicious! There were several types of BBQ sauces to smother my food with - most of which were too sweet except the Pitboss . Overall impression? Great for college students in the area but not worth the twenty minute drive and hassle of looking for parking.
(3)
Liz B.
My favorite things at Soul Fire -- Chili and Pickles. I know, not standard BBQ fare but man are they good. The chili has just the right amount of heat and has a good bean to meat ratio. The meat is all the left over BBQ pieces... YUM! I love the high top counter facing Harvard St. It makes for great people watching to go with the yummy food. Good value, nice wait staff and most importantly great food. I love that they leave the sauces on the table so you can decide which one you want for every bite! The mac and cheese comes crusted in BBQ potato chips, pure genius if you ask me. Only complaint is that for $.50 extra you can have a salad as a side but the portion you get is really dinky compared to any of the other sides and not always the greatest quality -- wet and limp. Oh well, if that's my only real complaint we're doing great!
(4)
Sam O.
My favorite BBQ place in the Brighton area (though there's a strange shortage of BBQ places in the Boston area... there are a few but not as many as there should be!) I frequently get the fried cat fish and loooove it. Pulled pork sandwich is good. I've had the ribs and liked them. Mashed potatoes are good (not the best I've ever had but good). Baked beans are good and smokey/bacon-y. The corn bread is real tasty, also! I've only eaten in once and it was a good experience. I order here a lot, and sometimes it's really busy and takes a while, but it's really good and usually well worth the wait.
(5)
ancaruci C.
Great place, great environment. The BBQ is wonderful and they have maybe the best collard greens I have had in the US.
(5)
John J.
Gotta agree w/ all of the 5-star reviews. I was in there yesterday afternoon w/ a buddy and we had the place to ourselves. Our server was everything you want a server to be. Prompt, polite, attentive. Fairly attractive to boot. We sampled the BBQ wings and they were very good. Big, meaty & moist w/ that habanero BBQ sauce that was great. I got a full rack of Spare ribs w/ slaw & potato salad for my sides. Buddy had a 1/2-rack of Baby Backs w/ slaw & baked beans. Potato salad was tasty enough, but the slaw was outstanding. Creamy, tart & crunchy. Next time I'm there I'll get a pulled pork sandwich w/ some of that slaw on it and it'll surely be fantastic. Buddy's baked beans got a thumbs-up from him. As for the Q itself? Outstanding. My Spares were big, meaty, moist. I could see a great smoke ring & they smelled fantastic. The rub might need a little more flavor, but overall they were fantastic. The meat (properly) didn't fall off the bone, but w/ a little pull, the meat came off w/ little resistance. Unlike another reviewer, I don't believe using sauce is sacrilege. I had the Pitboss sauce and thought it complemented the meat very well - a bit tart, a bit of heat. Not too sweet. My leftovers today were finger-licking good. We will definitely be back for more.
(5)
Stacie J.
Delicious!! We got the baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwich, and loaded up on the sides too. We tried the corn bread, mac n' cheese, potato salad and pickles. Everything was very yummy! They load your table with various sauces from sweet to spicey. You are sure to find one that your taste buds will love. The prices are great too! The items above fed a family of 4 plus we had leftovers to take home. All of this for only $40 & that includes 2 beers. Enjoy! You'll be glad you stopped here!
(4)
Joe U.
My go-to all-around BBQ in Boston. I don't know if any particular dish is the best (except the bbq baked beans which I could eat for dinner and dessert that's how awesome they are). Because it's a one-stop shop for 'cue, it gets my vote and my business. The ribs are meaty and tasty, if not Memphis. The brisket is smokey with good texture, if not Texas tender. The pulled pork was a bummer - dry. But the fried chicken is a hidden gem. If you're the type that likes KFC, there's nothing like it. But if you're the type that likes Popeye's, then you'll love Soul Fire's fried chicken. It's right up there with Coast Cafe in Cambridge and edges out Summer Shack. The sides are overall very good, including tasty cole slaw and great pickles.
(5)
Amy C.
I've moved down to the deep south from Boston, and I have yet to find a BBQ joint as good as Soul Fire. I sure miss this place.
(5)
Linda H.
Stopped by for dinner last night and ordered the sampler because we just couldn't decide what to get and that gave us a chance to have it all. We left the place happy, full and with a bag of leftovers, which we ate for dinner tonight. Everything still tasted good the next day. I do have to say that I wish we had more fried chicken, but we liked it so much that we ate it all while we were still at Soul Fire. That was definitely the highlight for me, but everything else was delicious too. Service was decent and the food was served pretty quickly. All in all a good experience.
(4)
Sophie J.
I am in love. I love Soulfire. First, lets just get behind why this restaurant exists at all. The owner found a passion. And made food that you cannot replicate in your own kitchen. And loves soul music. That alone would bring me into any establishment. I love restaurants where the owner shares something they are really passionate about. Then, the food. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday so we got a ton of things to sample. We started with the country fried wings and then got a platter with 3 meats: chicken, sliced brisket, and spare ribs. The sides were the mac and cheese and the baked beans. It also came with cornbread and pickles. All of that, plus 4 sauces that are already on the table. It was the most glorious meat-filled feast. If there was a way to die happy, it would be death by Soulfire. The wings are great, super big and juicy with such a crunchy crust. You can eat them alone or with any of the 4 sauces they give you. The spare ribs are AMAZING! The meat dissolves in your mouth. The rub they use is incredible. We ended up with the rotisserie chicken (we meant to order pulled chicken, which we had had before but there was a bit of a mis-communication with our waitress, granted it was her first day). It was the best chicken I had ever had! The brisket was great as well, served atop a giant piece of Texas toast, ready to soak up any leftover sauce. I don't like mac and cheese, but my boyfriend loved it, especially with the bbq chips on top. The baked beans...oh, the baked beans! Hands-down my favorite part of the meal. I would bathe in them. They are home made, smokey, and amazing. You MUST order them. Even if you don't think you like baked beans, just give them a try. You are in Boston, after all! And these are unlike any baked beans you've ever tasted. So, in all, the meal was fab. And what I liked the most is that all of the meat is kind of DIY. They do amazing rubs and cooking, but they don't do an overkill with sauce. You get to pick your sauce and put it on yourself, so whether you like your ribs naked or loaded with sweetness or with a kick of spice, you get to choose! Which is especially awesome if you are sharing with a ton of people. Their wine is also great - not crap wine like some other small restaurants will offer, aka not out of a box. Oh, and did I mention the baked beans?!
(5)
Corey L.
You know, Soul Fire could be awesome, the food was really pretty good. I wouldn't go as far as to say they have the best BBQ around, its pretty watered down, even for Boston. I went with a Groupon, and I was having trouble pulling it up on my phone, so instead of just giving them the Groupon code (like 3 other restaurants have done), I had to get in my car and drive all the way back home to print one out. The waiter was cocky and rude. I even had to keep asking for water. If I had been able to get a refund on the Groupon I would've done so, but since it was already printed, it would have been a waste on my part. I will not give this place my business ever again, and I'm glad the little I did give them was for 50% off. There are plenty of other BBQ spots around that taste way better AND respect their patrons. 2 stars for decent food.
(2)
Diana G.
A friend of mine is a big fan of this place, so brought me here for lunch. I ordered the Fried catfish sandwich with mac & cheese. We also ordered a spare rib to split. Everything was delicious, including the BBQ sauces. The service was fast & friendly, too. I will definitely be back to try the pulled pork!
(4)
Heath A.
Plenty of fire but lacking some smoke on the brisket. I love BBQ and will travel near and far for top quality que. Soul Fire is a solid destination for a smoked meat treat. The place is spacious with a large projector screen playing ESPN in the main dining room. The seating is at the bar or at any of the many tables. We had the pulled pork sandwich, with slaw & fries and a Soul Fire Platter of two meats, two sides and cornbread. The platter was roasted chicken and brisket. The chicken was flavorful and moist. The brisket was tender and had a hint of a smoke ring but lacked any real smokey flavor and needed a good portion of sauce to make it tasty. The pulled pork was flavorful, moist and had larger pieces of tasty pig rather than just a shredded saucy mess. The sides were all outstanding. The collard greens were sweet and smoky, fries crispy and hot; the cole slaw was crisp, cold and had a vinegary bite that complimented the pulled pork perfectly. The standout though was the mac and cheese. This side was creamy to the extreme with the whimsical topping of crushed bbq potato chips. The platter, sandwich and basket of fries (you only get 1 side with a sandwich) along with beer and sweet tea set us back $40. Not cheap but a good value for quality BBQ. We'll be back to try to the ribs and fried chicken.
(4)
Morgan C.
The food is pretty good, the service is lacking. I went on a Friday night around 6 and it was definitely crowded. The seating situation was confusing. We didn't know if it was seat yourself because there was no hostess. We went up to the bar and asked and they put us on the wait list. After about a ten minute wait, we were seated at a table. Our waitress was very nice but totally absent. She quickly brought us water and took our order but we never really saw her again until she brought the check. A different waitress brought us our food, forgot my drink. I had to grab a random waitress later to ask for a drink because ours was nowhere to be found. For dinner, I got the brisket platter with mac and cheese and collard greens. The corn bread, pickles and mac were the best part. The brisket was a little too fatty for me. All the BBQ sauces were pretty good and it's nice to have a selection. Over all it was a pretty good meal, and the prices are fair. I might just get takeout next time I'm in the mood for BBQ to avoid the bad service.
(3)
Kevin H.
This place has a really groovy vibe to it. I would suggest coming in a group of 4 or more. Our waiter was super friendly and the service was prompt. We even had a pretty awesome conversation with our waiter about how the food was prepared. But on to the more important details--the food was MEH. I would say the whole experience was probably 3 stars, but the food alone was only a 2.5 for me. It left much to be desired and my pulled pork sandwich and chili looked lonely and small on the plate they gave me. The portions were a bit exaggerated by my friends and I actually had to order another side of wings before I was content. The sauces are pretty good, and can be quite spicy, but it seemed to be the highlight of the sandwich that seemed a bit boring without any on. The pork itself was a bit dry, and again....i'm a pretty tiny guy, and the portions seemed small to me. Seems like most of the favorable reviews seem to be for the all you can eat wings on monday or the platters, so I guess i'll have to try that next time. 2.5 stars for the sandwich, 4 stars for service. Left a bit underwhelmed by the hype but am willing to give it another shot and revise this review.
(2)
Rave M.
I'm no BBQ connoisseur, but the food here is tasty and the sandwiches well-priced for the portions. Minus one star because so many of the menu items are made with meat/pork (even the collard greens) somewhere in the cooking process, limiting the number of choices veggies and non-pork-eaters have. Brownie points for carrying cream soda and for rolling so much deliciousness up into those Mac & Cheese bites. I always get take-out because something about the vastness of Soulfire makes it uninviting to eat there... but the tunes are always fun to listen to while I wait for my BBQ chicken sandwich.
(4)
MIke H.
Decent food, and nice open area with lots of places to sit. Prices are good as well
(4)
AD S.
Just... so damn good. Honestly, this is where I go if I want to know I'm going to have a great meal at a pretty good price. Fried mac and cheese cubes to start, fantastic BBQ sauces, great meats, great potato salad, baked beans, etc... Damn. Yes, my southern friend smugly remarked that it wasn't "real" barbeque meat, and he is correct. But guess what? It's completely irrelevant. I just feel so great every time I eat here that I can barely swig down my second pint of PBR. Then, I can kick back and enjoy the James Brown on the speakers and that great mural on the wall.
(5)
Jamie C.
One of my favorite places in all of Allston. The food is real good and usually comes out quick, and the staff is super friendly. Try their Mac n Cheese side with the crushed BBQ potato chips on it.
(5)
Rich D.
So ridiculously good! The Pitboss BBQ sauce was about as good as it gets. I got the Pitboss Sampler because there were too many good options...and for the two of us it was a TON of food. I brought home enough for at least 2 more meals. The pulled pork is perfect for loading up with whatever BBQ sauce you like best. The BBQ wings and the Southern wings are both great. The Spare Ribs were kind of "eh."
(4)
Tom L.
Fried chicken was very good. The pit master BBQ sauce is really good, wasn't a fan of the other sauces. The slaw was grose (way too much mayo), but the mac&cheese and corn bread were really good. Good beer selection as well.
(4)
Christopher K.
Best BBQ in the Boston area. The sauces are fantastic. I found myself dipping the bones in my extra sauce just to taste more. The ribs were excellent. Perfectly slow-smoked. And the sides were unbelievable, from the potato salad to the mac-n-cheese with BBQ chips crumbled on top. Great atmosphere doesn't hurt too.
(5)
Carmen S.
I'm from the south and sometimes I want a little southern cookin. This place hits the spot every time. They have the best spare ribs and mac and cheese I've had this side of the Mason Dixon. Way better than Redbones.
(5)
Devon A.
I will only go here on $9 Buffet Mondays with friends. But whenever I go it's always a good time and a little competition is stirred, seeing who can eat the most at one time. Currently my record is 41 wings and I hope to go to 50 wings next time. I'm not a fan of buffalo so I'm a little sad when I see one of the plates come out as buffalo. Wings are a little on the small side but the fact that we get a plethora of wings coming in constantly for $9, what more can you ask for?
(4)
David P.
Since the loss of Uncle Pete's, I've had just two go to places for barbecue in the area: Blue Ribbon for great burnt ends and pork ribs, and Redbones for the vibe, the beer, the convenience, great ownership and respectable beef ribs. After checking out some of the reviews on yelp and the rave on pigtrip.net (a great resource for barbecue joints in the Northeast), I decided to try Soul Fire in 2009. and have been back since for more great food. Soul Fire feels spacious, especially on week nights, when there aren't a lot of people there. There are high ceilings and a huge flat screen TV. Even on busier nights, service has been friendly, helpful and prompt. Pork ribs there have been as good as it as it gets in the Boston area. Spare ribs and baby backs are infused with a fine smoke flavor and the rub adds to it. The ribs needed no sauce, but I love to play around with sauces and even mix them up a bit. On on visit, the ribs were so good I couldn't bring myself to put sauce on them. The "pit boss" and "soul fire" sauces were great, the sweet sauce wasn't much on its own, but was nice blended in with the other sauces. The fiery sauce was a little hotter than I liked but blended with a little pit boss (or the sweet sauce) it was great. The fiery saucet has some mustard in it and is like a kicked up version of Blue Ribbons golden sauce. Fried Chicken, including the chicken wings was excellent - well worth ordering even if you love pork. Barbecue chicken and pulled chicken sandwiches are also great - tender and flavorful. The BBQ chicken is also great - I prefer the wings with the spicy honey barbecue, but if I'm getting a larger order I have them split it between the two sauces. Sides were good to great. The collards were really nicely prepared, but just a little too sweet for my liking the first time - but much better recently. Barbecue beans are also very good. Fries were nicely done. Mashed potatoes and rice and beans have been solid, but not standouts. Everything benefited from being served on large plates, so that things were kept separate - unlike Redbones and Blue Ribbon where everything runs a bit into everything else before you get a chance to chow down. Soul Fire has a decent selection of beers, some on tap and they serve decent wine as well - though the drinks are definitely not the highlight of a visit here. While Soul Fire lacks the life and the funkiness of Redbones, it also lacks the crowds and the noise. Soul Fire has definitely joined my list of top BBQ places in the area. Next to try: Blackstrap.
(5)
Lauren M.
Love this place. Casual atmosphere, great food. I'm from Texas, but I'm not a huge fan of how sweet Texas sauce tends to be. Soulfire remedies this problem by letting you pick your own sauce! Briscuit is awesome, corn bread is legit, beer selection is good enough. I'm in!
(4)
Christopher M.
Really cool place with great food. I had baby back ribs and they were fantastic. Had baked beans and macaroni & cheese. My brother had fried fish and was a big fan! Place does a great job and the atmosphere was really cool too.
(4)
Ian M.
Great vibe and spectacular BBQ, the Brisket sandwich is top notch, and ribs are done right.
(5)
Gary G.
Not special. Wings too smoky, and southern fried wings need sauce, but sauces cater to people liking hot food. Salads big but not special. Service ok. This is not redbones.
(2)
Roni E.
After a good afternoon run, Soul Fire caught our eyes as we were driving by. And so, we stopped to refuel our energy levels. As it appears, Soul Fire is in the midst of becoming a full service restaurant. While it may take longer for sit down than to just go up to the counter, we didn't mind. I had an Arnold Palmer for the first time, which apparently is just half lemonade and half iced tea? I just call that a half and half, who knew there was a proper name for it. At any rate, it was the perfect ratio of tea to lemonade as well as sweetness levels. In case you didn't know, they also have free refills, so make sure you order the smaller once instead. ;-) For my entree, I just couldn't decide, since I wanted everything. And so I ended up getting the combination meal which consisted of 2 BBQs meats, 2 sides, cornbread, and pickles. I chose the brisket and the spare ribs, with the collard greens and another side I can't remember. Personally for the price, I felt that the portions were a bit small. I could have definitely used a bit more brisket. They gave me 3 spare ribs. Now, while I took the rest of my food home, since I only ate a little because I had just ran, normally I would expect more food on my plate. Soul Fire definitely filled my BBQ craving. And they also have 4 sauces on the table that you can user. Personally I liked the Soul Fire one. There was another sauce I favored, but can't remember the name. So the verdict, I would rather go to Soul Fire than RedBones if I had to choose. At least Soul Fire has good ribs. Redbones is way too dry.
(4)
Lea C.
I think this place should be renamed FAIL BBQ. I LOVE bbq, and have eaten its native variety all around the world. I am the rib-off queen. I will admit that Memphis-style is my favorite, but that shouldn't have been a problem here. I'd say everything I tasted except the corn bread was bad to inedible. The baked beans were horrific and tasted of little other than smoke--I had to add 3 tbsp of my favorite bottle bbq sauce to make them edible. The coleslaw was inedible, and seemed to be just vinegar and cabbage. The pickles were so bad I had to spit them out. The babyback ribs were incredibly tough and tasteless, a waste of ribs. The pulled pork was dressed in what I believe is a North Carolina-style, vinegar-based sauce, which isn't in itself bad, but I was not a fan of the formulation. The corn bread was sweet and cake-like, and was the only good thing about the meal. I'm so sad to have psyched myself up for yummy bbq when I was presented with this crime against tastebuds. I feel like it was an assassination attempt against my tongue. Frankly, Uno makes better ribs.
(1)
Bret C.
Great little BBQ spot that is perfect for the area....It's clean and the staff is out-of-their-way-over-the-top friendly. Had a great meal and, according to one young lady, I was given "limited edition" mashed potatoes as one of my sides. Limited edition?!?! I will be back for more of the "Pit Boss" sauce...Don't even bother with anything else!
(3)
Tulsi D.
This restaurant seems to be very popular but I thought it was okay. I was expecting very tasty food, but I thought my pulled pork sandwich was soggy and not really flavorful. Compared to Sweet Cheeks in Fenway, I didn't think this restaurant was comparable.
(2)
A P.
I was really excited to try Soul Fire, but I was really disappointed when I finally did. I don't know if it's because it was a restaurant that looked clean for Harvard Avenue, or it was the bright red paint, or the cool sign out front, but I definitely had high expectations for Soul Fire that were not met. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Neither my beef brisket sandwich nor my boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich came with the barbecue sauce cooked into the meat- we had to add our own from bottles on the table, like ketchup on a burger. At that point, it's not particularly barbecue-y, though you did have the option of mixing and matching different flavors of barbecue sauce. The side dishes were disappointingly small and sad. At first, the price of the food seems like a great value, but once you see the size of the meal, it really isn't. The Mac and Cheese was dining-hall, supermarket-bought caliber, nothing special, and in a very small serving, though I did like their idea of crumbling barbecue chips on top. Like the barbecue sauce, it would have tasted better if they'd cooked it into the mac and cheese instead of adding it afterward. Most of the food I got arrived cold in places, and the restaurant itself was quite chilly. They did have Harpoon Homebrewed sodas, like Root Beer and Cream Soda, which is a major plus for me since I'm a microwbrewed root beer nerd.
(3)
ina U.
So I really hope this place is good because I've been waiting for over an hour and a half. Called at the hour mark and was told my order was half way done and I made it clear if it was going to take another 40 mins I would just cancel. Well, 30 mins later...still no food. Call at the 2 hour mark, different person oh your food is on it's way out th door. Sounds like my food being half way done was a lie. Ugh...Seriously being dishonest with your customers...is pretty low.
(1)
Brian G.
Quick easy T ride to Harvard Ave in a fun neighborhood. I enjoyed the pulled chicken and all of the sauces. I tried every single sauce and did however want to try even hotter but they didn't have any hotter, but thats okay because the 8 or so that I had were delicious! The mac and cheese with barbecue chips on top were cute and tasty. I was also really surprised with the mini pecan pie- it actually had a delicious tasting crust! I will return Soul Fire!
(4)
Amanda K.
The portions are enormous! A lot of the time I have to wrap it up to finish later. The service is also great, the second time I went the server remembered my name and what I had ordered-good stuff! Everyone on the staff is plucky, kind, and ready to help you in any capacity they can. The only things marking down the rating of the review are the quality of the meats and sauces, along with the price. Compared to other BBQ places I've been, the mac and cheese was just "meh." And I love me some mac and cheese. Also, the meats and sauces don't seem as fresh, or as original, as other places in the area. I still will go to Soul Fire as often as I can because of the amazing service I receive here. That alone has made me a patron for life! I just wish that the food was a little better.
(3)
Michael Y.
Kind server and delicious barbeque. Side dishes like corn bread and Cole slaw was delish
(4)
Rene K.
Got a Groupon to try out the BBQ I saw walking past the restuarant on my way to dinner. Ordered the Pitboss sampler for 2-3 and it was quite a lot of food! I wasn't sure what to expect but I was disappointed by how dry the ribs were and that there is an over all "too sweet" flavoring to the sauces and some of the sides. The ribs were tender and had a good smokiness to them but the dryness was just too much to ignore. The chicken wings (grilled and fried) were darn good, same with the potato salad (killer great), coleslaw (great balance of flavors). The greens were stringy and sweet,a first ever as I have eaten a lot of greens and usually the flavors tend towards sour (vinegar) if anything, but not sweet! The beans were sweet too, but I liked it, the husband thinks it is was too sweet. The corn bread was pure nirvana,as there was cream corn in there,all moist and full of corny goodness. Will we return? Maybe if we have another Groupon. Otherwise, the only items on the menu to order for us will be the chicken wings, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread.
(3)
Lady D.
hey, I had a bite to eat at this place and love BBQ. Really :) This place is amazing. Comfort food. Like going to heaven..... mac n cheese delicious Also they a have a variety of different BBQ sauces the make. I tried all the sauces and liked them all. Hot, spicy, sweet, and in between. The ribs are excellent :) Brisket is amazing and the cornbread sweet, moist and fresh. Our waitress was friendly and knew the menu well. Great beer selection :) :) Good value for your money and lots of take home :) Good portions. I would highly recommend this place for BBQ :)
(5)
Rosa S.
I went in yesterday for the first time. I ordered a Soulfire platter which comes with your choice of two meats, two sides, and cornbread. I got the spare ribs and the spicy honey wings. The ribs werent that special but I dressed them with their various barbecue sauces. They bring 4 different kinds to the table and 3 of them were damn good. The spicy honey wings were amazing. I would definitely reorder those. I got macaroni & cheese and collard greens for my sides. The greens were great. The macarioni & cheese were just ok. They were served with crumbled barbedue chips on top, which is different. Cornbread was very tasty. The Sweet Tea wasnt sweet enough but I guess I should lay off the sugar. Service was fast and good and my only complaint is that I left there with my hair smelling like a smoke pit.
(3)
Graham C.
I went to Soul Fire with the gf a few weeks ago. The place is apparently transitioning over to full table service, which I think helps. The decor was nice. Big TVs which are good for baseball I'd imagine. They also have Lone Star on tap, which all BBQ places should. Had the corn dogs which were good. For dinner, I got the St. Louis Ribs and pulled pork which were thick and huge. The beans and collard greens also. All of it very tasty. I also tried the coleslaw, which was like a palate cleanser. Overall, I like Blue Ribbon better. Their pulled pork has more flavor. But I would come back again. Probably not making a lot of extra trips as I'm in Somerville. However if you live in the area, it was cheap and good.
Very cool place to grab BBQ, definitely the best in Allston/Brighton. Great vibe in the restaurant and the food is delicious. My favorite combo is the pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast, with mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and cornbread. Friendly staff and great variety of choices for BBQ sauce.
(4)
Annabel J.
Came here for dinner around 7:30 one night with three friends. We were using a groupon and it was the last night before it expired so the place was packed (apparently everyone had waited till the last minute to redeem haha). We put our name in and then stood in the bar area drinking beers. We waited over half an hour but all the girls working were very friendly and kept checking in with us. Once we sat down, the waitress informed us that they had run out of bread so sandwiches were not an option. I was a little bummed because I wasn't sure i wanted to go for a whole platter, but this stuff happens when restaurants get slammed unexpectedly so you really can't blame them. Might have been a good idea for them to have sent someone to the grocery store for some emergency back-up rolls but whatever. I ended up getting the BBQ pulled pork platter with collard greens and cole slaw. The meat was to de for. The cornbread was sweet and moist. The cole slaw and collard greens we typical- they were absolutely fine but nothing special. They brought a selection of 4 different BBQ sauces that ranged from carolina vinegar-style to super sweet memphis-style to super spicy. Great sauce, great bbq, beer, and good blues music = solid 4 stars. I think they need to rethink the interior decor though-the screaming red and yellow grafitti-style murals are a bit harsh and garish. It makes me feel like I'm in an garage instead of a restaurant/bar. Just some toned down colors and some finishing details would do wonders. Fun raucous atmosphere; I'd go again in a heartbeat, especially on a night I wanted to watch sports.
(4)
Amy R.
As a fan of BBQ, I'm always on the lookout for a truly good BBQ joint in Boston. So, when the Soul Fire Groupon coupon offer showed up, I immediately went for it. And there it was, sitting in my car when my BF & I drove over in his car the other night. Oh well, let's try it anyway... We bellied up to the bar and ordered two Lone Stars and two brisket sandwiches. Oh, what mouth-watering goodness..that was one of the tastiest, yummiest brisket sandwiches I've had the pleasure of knowing! Sweet and tender slabs of perfectly cooked, just fatty-enough brisket. So, I lobby for another trip down to Soul Fire a few nights later. With the coupon in hand this time, I'm totally psyched for round two BBQ! BF got crabby about the lack of parking, but luck smiled on us and we nabbed a spot around the corner - yay!! As we were trying to decide what tasty morsels to order this time, the manager strolled over to give us some help. We had almost chosen the sampler platter which he told us would be far too much food for the two of us and suggested some other options. Good call, Jason! Thanks!! I decided on baby back ribs and again, Jason suggested the collard green as a side. I was hesitant as I'm not usually a fan of bitter greens. He assured me I'd like them...and he was right again. They had none of the usual bitter flavor, just tender, sweet and delicious. The ribs were awesome, tasty tenderness on a bone. BF had the burnt ends, ribs, mac & cheese and collard greens. All of which ranked high on the taste-o-meter! This place knows BBQ. It'll be a regular pit stop for us in the future
(5)
Thena H.
Sweet collard greens, terrible potato salad, dry brisket, bland baked beans. My sis had the corn dogs that were okay, but what a waste of money.
(1)
Michele G.
Oh my holy sweet sauce jeebus. This place is unbelievably mouthwatering. I had a Groupon and everything was so cheap that we almost had a hard time getting to $30 with just the two of us! HOORAY! You walk in and the scent of the smoked meat and BBQ spices wafting through the air is intoxicating. So, so intoxicating, as if you could get drunk from the enticing aroma headed towards you from the kitchen. SoulFire, you will be warm, spicy, meaty oasis in winter. I don't mind that you turn me glutinous. Your pulled chicken platter is killer and your sauces are amazing. Hot DAMN! Thank you for existing here in the Northeast, where good bbq is much too hard to find.
(5)
Jessie C.
Good BBQ. Small portions GREAT fried chicken (although i don't eat it a lot, or ever - i had a few bites and I was pleased). Fantastic Corn Dogs! Any restaurant that serves corndogs is fantastic in my book! Delicious fried mac and cheese balls. Ordered pulled chicken platter. good - chicken was tasty, not a ton of food which was nice. Liked how it was served on metal pizza trays. OK beer selection for a bbq place.
(4)
Sam G.
One of my favorite lunch spots! Huge portions and high quality. Favorite thing would have to be the BBQ reuben with either Mac or Chili as a side. For a $10 lunch, you can never go wrong!
(5)
Justin C.
This place is great - 287 people think so, so I'll just say that the Pitboss Platter is a disgusting amount of delicious food for 2 people to eat, but me and my buddy gave it a good go tonight - loved every bit of it, really. Highlights were the ribs and baked beans, but everything was delicious. The service was super friendly and the food came out fast. We had a living social coupon, too, and the deal was great, and it will in fact make a repeat customer out of me. Bomb BBQ. Eat some.
(5)
J D.
Had a chance to check out Soul fire recently. Had a really good BBQ feed. First off, their prices are very reasonable for BBQ. They dont gyp you on the portions either, the platters come with the usual suspects, a nicely moist corn bread, some interesting collared greens that were cooked with a maple syrup component which, weirdly, worked, and baked beans. The baked beans were the weakest of the group, they have a strong molasses base, but not the best I've ever tasted. The star is the meat, as you would hope in a BBQ joint. I had the short ribs and they were on the money. Cooked just right with enough snap in the meat to make it true BBQ. They provide 4 BBQ sauces at each table and the soul fire sauce was excellent. The service was slow. You don't want to be in a hurry here. Servers were friendly, but were either understaffed or just really casual. I would go back for sure, but might opt for sitting at the bar for less down time during the meal.
(4)
lizzie b.
I love BBQ, but I didn't love this place. The spare ribs were tough, I thought. I'm used to them falling off the bone. And the sauces were okay. I did like the mac & cheese, though, and the baked beans weren't bad. Corn bread delish. The cole slaw was kinda funky hmmmmm. Overall I don't think I'd come back, but it was a fun night out (and huge distracting tv.)
(3)
Theresa J.
I love this place. I have been to a few BBQ places in the area but i find this one to be the best. I always get the 2 Meat Combo. I like most of the sauces. Not too fond of the mustardy one or the vinegary one though. Their portions are huge and they have reasonable prices.
(4)
Kristin M.
This place needs to learn how to train their staff....we came in with a group of about 10 (yes I understand this can be frustrating) but the waiter was rude and quite incompetent. Finally, when we were almost finished, he stormed up to our table and demanded we all line up at the cash register and "confirm" what we had......and to top it off, he charged us all 20% tip....(the menu said it was 18%) i have waitressed and bartended for years so i'm not going to question someone on a few cents, but someone did ask him about it and he said it was because "he had to split the checks" ...and the fried mac and cheese was tasteless...this place was a joke
(1)
Anna M.
The fried chicken is amazing. Love the bbq potato chips on top of the mac & cheese. The portions are huge and it's pretty cheap. Great for a Sunday afternoon when you're still nursing a bit of a hangover from the weekend and want some comfort food.
(4)
Sam J.
The best cornbread I've ever had in my life. I usually am not too fond of the stuff but at Soul Fire, they can't put enough of it in front of me to satisfy my desire for it. It is incredibly moist and fluffy. Monday is all you can eat wings for 9 dollars. It is a great deal if you come hungry. I do, however, opt for their delicious pulled pork on some Mondays. I have yet to have a side dish with the platter that I have not enjoyed. The mashed potatoes comes with a pool of savory gravy and the coleslaw is a refreshing pallet cleanser. Definitely come early if you have a large party as there is not too much seating.
(5)
Jeff J.
The meats are very tasty however they don't have candied yams and the cornbread tastes like it's store bought. The mac and cheese is edible but not spectacular. If they can pull all the pieces together, this place would be a real winner!
(3)
Chu C.
Soul Fire was born when the owner, a transplanted Southerner, lost his father and out of his ensuing personal struggles decided to open his own BBQ joint in Allston. He's a really nice guy. It's a no-nonsense joint where you seat yourself, place your order at the counter and pick it up on your own. Their clever tag line: "Serving all souls". Soul Fire does a really good job all-around, but they only do pork ribs, not beef. You should definitely get the spare ribs over the baby back ribs; they're just better. The fried chicken is oily and juicy perfection, and the roast chicken is also good. They have some good sides, including some pretty good collard greens and fried mac and cheese. The fried dough is overpriced, but pretty good slathered in butter and powdered sugar. Portions are pretty big, and I've never left anything but stuffed. Kid-friendly menu includes corn dogs, mac and cheese, and fried chicken. All very good. Soul Fire BBQ sauce is tangy and has a kick to it, and they also offer sweet and spicy versions from heated pumps, a nice touch. Dark and spare ambiance with a bar and two flat-screen TVs, with lots of seating for a place on Harvard St. As with all the places in this area, parking is pretty tough to come by, but try the hidden city lot across the street and behind the buildings.
(4)
Matt F.
Go here. Order a BBQ Rueban. All will be right in your world. That is all.
(5)
jade g.
OMG i tried the pecan pie i took home and it is GROSS, but also it isn't pecan pie. It's more of like an everything chocolate chip cookie with nuts, coconut perhaps and chocolate, very low on the pecan but very high on the underbaked egg batter crud. Do not get it.
(3)
Katherine D.
This review is for all-you-can-eat wings monday nights. I went in with a big group of friends, so I understand it probably was a little troubling for our server, but while th wings were good, and I really enjoyed the little sampler plate they provided (each weeks its spicy honey, pit boss BBQ, buffalo, and their weekly flavor, which was apple spice when i went), however, we were supposed to be able to get 6 wings at a time and they were definitely skimping on us, and deliberately trying to take a long time between wing rounds. I think i'll try again with a smaller crowd then hopefully I can enjoy my wing experience more.
(4)
Josh U.
Food 3/5 Decor 3/5 Service 3/5 Value 3/5 Came here on a Friday afternoon for some ribs that I have been hearing about. Ordered 2/3 rack of ribs with a side of French fried and rice + beans. The ribs were ok a bit bland and a bit dry. Proportions were nice and the pit boss sauce was incredibly good which saved Soul Fire from a 2 overall rating. French fries were very good which is always a plus for me. It also came with a few random small pickles that I didn't care too much for.
(3)
Victoria G.
i ordered food to go for a party, spoke to owner about the catering menu. the hot pulled chicken and hot pulled pork were outstanding!! really delicious, quality food, and fairly priced. the mac n cheese was incredible, loved the cole slaw!! i will definitely be back often, and i highly recommend ordering from here for any catered event. amazing!!
(5)
David G.
I stopped in with a friend last night for the first time with no expectations. We were both craving BBQ and thought I'd give them a shot since we were in the area and there happened to be an open parking spot. Without a long story I'll say I wasn't particularly impressed. It was quiet inside and we had a friendly attentive waitress, but the food was a let down for reasons beyond taste. Out of all the BBQ places I've been to in Massachusetts this place has by far the smallest portion sizes I've seen. I found it amusing that a skinny guy like myself who doesn't eat too much ordered a "two selection" entree and an appetizer and was still quite hungry afterward. One little ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes, two little pieces of fish, and a piece of white bread with a small amount of (evenly spread) pulled chicken on top did not impress me. The food tasted fine, but is not what I would consider great BBQ. It wasn't bad or dry, but it wasn't very special and it lacked plavor. If the food isn't that great you had better not be stingy with it. On a side note: the beer selection was pretty boring and out of touch, but I won't penalize a BBQ place for that. Although, it would certainly add points to my opinion if they made an attempt. If an ultra casual tablecloth place like Redbones can offer decent beer the rest of you restaurants have no excuse. I've been to the Village Smokehouse, Redbones and Blue Ribbon and this place ranks well behind them. 3 stars for a nice waitress, and quick delivery of food, but I don't think I'll be back unless someone invites me. I left feeling like I just spent a lot of money and got little in return and that's not the feeling I want when I leave a BBQ restaurant.
(3)
Mimi H.
I just discovered that I friggn' love BBQ recently. They didn't have exactly what I was in the mood for but what I ate was very good. I had a salad with cold rotisary chicken on it. It was good but I wanted a salad with warm BBQ chicken. I mean it is a BBQ place. I also had a side of mac and cheese. It was bomb. The service was fast and very good. Waitress was very sweet two my two guy friends who were obviously smitten by her.
(3)
Ben G.
My experience at Soul Fire was somewhat limited. However i will say this. I had a chopped beef sandwich and it was pretty good. I mean it was no KC burnt ends but it was still pretty good. The cole slaw was pretty good and not overly dosed in mayo. My roommate got a pulled pork platter and he loved it. Like happier than a pig in shit. Oh that was a bad analogy given the topic, Anyhoo. I tasted his pulled pork with a variety of sauces and i was pleased. The corn bread was also good. Upon walking into this dead establishment, there is a bar to your left with counter service just past that. On the right is a ton of tables and chairs along with a giant projection screen for your viewing pleasure. It was clean and the staff was friendly. i also think it was pretty cheap compared to some of the other BBQ joints in the area. So I'm sure that appeals to the college community of Alston , Brighton.
(3)
Jennafir E.
So this place is a hit or miss on certain things. I REALLY like the ribs, they make me want more. Sooo god with their sauce took, I'm a fan of the sweet and pitboss. Yummy. It is perfect for grease and fattening goodness. The fries are astounding. Just the right amount of salt and crispiness. I have a feeling I will return for late night visits, just for the fries. The fried mac and cheese arn't that great. Not enough flavor in my opinion. You shouldn't have to add salt. The chili rocks. Just enough kick to not make your mouth burn, while the potato salad is lacking in flavor. Too much onion, not enough moisture, not enough taste. I've made better and I suck at potato salad. The corn dogs and lemonade are also decent choices. I only give it a 4, because I REALLY like the fries and because they have fried dough! MMMMM fried dough...... with a yummy maple butter.... my mouth is watering now. Otherwise most of the food is a 3.
(4)
Buggin O.
Skip the BBQ (mediocre) and go straight to their fried chicken platter. Nicely seasoned and fried chicken. Way better than any place I've had in the Boston area. Good fried chicken is not easy to make. You get half a chicken with two sides (which are so so) and corn bread for like $12. Unless you're a glutton, split the plate with your lady/man and call it a cheap Redbox date night.
(4)
Fabiola L.
Food is great, love the pulled chicken. The staff is always friendly..am so happy when my company gets Soul Fire for our weekly lunches...
(4)
Catherine P.
Soul Fire is in Allston, a down-on-it's-heels neighborhood with lots of ethnic mixes. Reminded me of Queens, NY. My husband had the pulled pork, which was really good but needed more sauce. Fortunately, they deliver a box with 4 different BBQ sauces: Sweet, Fiery, Soul Fire and .. Bourbon?, all very delicious. I had the sliced brisket, which was nothing special but tender and not dry. My daughter had the ribs, the star of the meal. Juicy, fleshy, not mushy. Perfectly cooked. The sides were excellent: sweet collard greens, fresh-baked corn bread and smoky beans. The mac n cheese was excellent. The potato salad and coleslaw were also very good. It all comes on a pizza tray with a red and white checked paper covering. The portions were on the small side, but that's just because Americans are used to being served giant meals. After a few minutes (and side dishes) we were full. The place itself is more saloon than restaurant, with a long bar and a giant tv. All in all, I would recommend this place for BBQ.
(3)
Jessica B.
Spicy BBQ sauce that actually has a bit of heat, tart pucker-your-mouth pickles, tender pulled pork, collards speckled with brisket. Quite lovely. Unlike many people, I am not put off by ordering at the counter and self-seating. In fact, I would say that this style of self-service is typical of most BBQ joints in the southern states (unless you go to Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, a yucky chain BBQ place where you get table service.) For some, counter service reeks of fast food, but for me it is authenticity. Also, this was the most artfully displayed tray of food I've ever seen for BBQ. And all for $7. Seems reasonable for a huge portion of pork and an adequate serving of collards. The draft beer was maybe a bit pricey, and I have to try the sweet tea before being totally convinced, but this will be my go-to BBQ.
(4)
Jin Z.
(Mouth literally watering as I write this) I may have grown up in Boston, but having been to KC, Texas, Memphis, Chapel Hill, and other places in my life, I have tried authentic barbecue from nearly every place that America offers it. It saddened me that Boston never had a place that could compare to those shrines of meat and grease in the South, where the smell of gently cooking meat and smoky sauce drew me like a moth to a flame. Until now. Soulfire has filled that little hole in my heart from years of not having good BBQ, and it did it not in little dabs and bits, but with the gargantuan beating-bat that they call the "Pitboss Sampler," which seems to have enough food to feed the average human for nearly a week-a heaping pile of spareribs, babybacks, brisket, fried wings, bbq wings, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and every side on the menu, including the absolutely unreal cornbread, the tangy and authentic collard greens, and the perfectly cooked baked beans. Tina (my friend) and I consumed until we were fit to burst, but we were still nowhere close to even finishing the food. The resulting leftovers fed me for three days. Keep in mind, I am a 220lb guy who regularly took challenges at Eagles. Pros: -Extremely friendly and timely service. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and actively suggested the best sauces to go with each meat. -The sauces. The Sweet was a bit too much with the honey, but the Soulfire and the Pitboss were the best sauces I've ever had, and the Fiery sauce had a kick to match its name. -Spareribs. Fuck babybacks, if I ever eat pork ribs again, this would be it. Tender, meaty, and cooked perfectly, they taste sooooo much better than some tiny little rack of babybacks. -Southern Fried Wings. If Soulfire ever went into the fried chicken business on a large scale, KFC and Popeyes can kiss their asses goodbye. Massive, juicy, and flavorful as hell. -The sides. Usually, good BBQ has maybe one or two good sides that go with the meat. At Soulfire, EVERYTHING is good. -The chili. Some places just use ground beef in chili. At Soulfire, you know what they use? They cut off the end pieces of babyback ribs and briskets and use those. It's unreal chili. Cons: -No parking. If you're from out of town-good luck. Allston is not known for being kind on areas to be. -Boneless meats are ok, but sometimes too dry and overcooked. -Babybacks are ok at times, too dry other times. -Lunch specials would be nice to have around. Overall, Soulfire feeds your BBQ-hungry soul with a perfect array of food. Now get your ass up and over there and get grubbin'!
(5)
Kate D.
This is the ultimate spot in Allston for total comfort food. On the days when it's cold/rainy/snowy and Sushi or Mexican just won't cut it, this place is great. The chili cheese fries are really tasty, with the perfect combo of cheese (not too much), bits of meat, and spices. The sides are all 1.99 (seriously), and I found myself thinking that this would be a great place to order a few sides and a beer for a $10 lunch. The mac n cheese & potato salad are awesome. My only complaints would be the limited selection of draft beers (I did get a bottle of Victory pilsner though), and the strange taste of the catfish (I'd never had catfish, but it tasted strangely metallic and needed a lot of lemon and tartar sauce to be edible). The waitstaff is your typical allston hipster crowd, but they must have been schooled in Southern hospitality-- I've never been greeted so warmly at a restaurant in Allston before! We will definitely come back here!
(4)
Zeb T.
The service was terrible and they treated me like a criminal. After taking a risk to buy a living social deal with SFBBQ my experience retreating my food was terrible. They wouldn't let me leave with the food so that I could pay the $1.80 sales tax over the phone. I asked if I could call back to pay the tax and they said NO. This exchange made me feel embarrassed and angry. I could understand this level of service if it was part of a big chain and they would get fired by a corporate manager for bending the rules, but this is a locally owned restaurant! WT-hell man! There are plenty of other places to eat in Allston so why eat somewhere that doesn't make an effort to deliver good service?
(1)
Gary M.
Come hungry and leave in a food coma. It's so good ! Pulled pork, sliced brisket, fried chicken, Ribs and some tasty sides are all just so good. I work real close and when I'm looking for s meal at work this is my go to spot. They don't disappoint!
(5)
Victoria P.
Came here with my boyfriend and had the pulled pork platter and the fried chicken platter. We're both from North Carolina so we're used to the best BBQ in the nation. Given this, we thought this place was mediocre. The fried chicken lacked flavor and the pulled pork was a bit bland. The mac and cheese tasted gritty and the collard greens were extremely sweet. My boyfriend liked the mashed potatoes and I thought the cornbread was good. Other than that our meal was just okay.
(3)
Adam B.
favorite bbq joint in boston... great cooks, though the servers were a little slow and disorganized.... highly recommend this place....i think the food is significantly better than sweet cheeks.... reasonably priced.... not sure why this place is not more crowded... the best pulled pork.... delicious mac n cheese, pickles, cole slaw.... 5 different sauces....
(5)
Michelle T.
Really enjoyed the food here, though the atmosphere was a little confusing to begin with. If you come here on a Friday night, you'll think you walked into a sports bar with creole art on the wall serving BBQ but with walls vibrating hip hop/top 40 beats. You'll then find out the beats are actually from the bar next door since they share a wall. Interesting. That is all I can say. Service, of the 2 times I've been here has always been consistently friendly and fast. Food: - BBQ chicken: Smokey, fall-off the bone delicious. I'd order this again in a heartbeat. - Baby back Ribs: They could do better. Flavors were alright, but the meat was almost tough. Was hoping for some melt-in-your-mouth meat that just falls off the bone and these ribs didn't really bring it. - Pulled pork sandwich: A-ok. Nothing special but not bad at all. Sides: - Cornbread is how I like it - sweet and moist, although I could do with it heated up a little more. - Collard greens were deliciously sweet and tender. Loved them! - Beans with pork were also very sweet (might do well with some more salt), but loved the porky bits in there. Yup, I'd recommend this place. Price is right, service is fast and friendly, food is decent and comes with 4 BBQ sauces (all you can eat/drink! haha) so...I wouldn't mind coming back again for more.
(4)
Leesha Z.
So I came here a bit skeptical. Why would there be good southern bbq in Allston of all places? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The boy and I came here around 7pm on a weeknight and snagged a seat at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender and given menus. We both immediately knew what we wanted - the pulled pork. I ordered the pulled pork platter, which came with cole slaw, corn bread and mac n cheese. My boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Shortly after, our food came out. First thing I noticed were the portion sizes. HUGE! I decided to dig right in to the main attraction - the pork! Wow was it delicious. Moist, flavorful. This was before I put any sauce on. It honestly was great without but I decided to try one of their 6 sauces on it and that made it even better. Cole slaw was perfect. Corn bread was fresh. Mac n cheese was good but I've had better. All in all it was a great experience. The best part is the platter was only $12. I couldn't believe everything I got and how good it tasted for such little money. Great service throughtout the dinner as well. Can't wait to go back!!!!!
(4)
Jen K.
We got the three meat combo! We got the pulled pork, baby back ribs and spare ribs. Pulled pork EH. Spare ribs EH. You know good ribs when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. The spare ribs was pretty chewy. The baby back ribs were good though they seemed to be a table favorite. The three meat combo is good for two people to share unless you have a big stomach and you can eat it all by yourself. We also got the fried Mac and cheese app! MMMMMMM so good! It's large fried cubes of Mac and cheese! We got the large which comes with 7 cubes!! Also we tried every side! The rest are EH but I recommend the collard greens and mashed potatoes with gravy! The mashed potatoes with gravy is a delicious perfect combination while eating all that meat! The cornbread is delicious as well. I would higher the rating if the thing they were known for their BBQ was amazing. However, I've had good BBQ in the Midwest so it's hard to compete with that. Our server was so accommodating there! She always attended to our needs! :) She was tall! Hopefully you guys can make her day!!
(3)
Paul L.
This is some smoky, solid ribs! The Mac & cheese was a bit bland, and the brisket lacked a significant smoke ring and could have been more flavorful. Service was prompt and friendly. Driving is a challenge since parking spots are hard to find.
(4)
Jarrett L.
More of a 3.5 The staff always seems nice, food is par. I really wish it had better food, I love bbq but it just feels like they are almost there, as if they don't put enough time into their cooking as they do down south. Perhaps I just have high standards. It is nice that they give a local business discount.
(3)
Matt L.
Their moist towelettes are very moist.
(5)
Alyssa W.
Been told by many friends to try this place out. Finally made the trip. This is a no frills place. They have all you can eat wings for $12.99, if you have a big appetite, this is a good deal for you. But I was in with my family and we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We got the southern fried chicken, YUM and a corn dog. for dinner, 4 Souls platter. it was more than enough, we had 5 people. Ribs, chicken, brisket and 2 sides, mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. Their seasoning is great, dry rubbed ribbed and a smoked chicken were so tasty. Brisket, juicy and not as fatty as other places, which made it a little less guilty haha Service is average, nothing spectacular. All in all, i'd return.
(3)
Kim V.
For a long time, I kept passing by this place and never seeing it. Not too surprising considering this is such a busy area, both in terms of number of restaurants and passerby-ers. Lucky for me, it finally caught my attention. Soul Fires's ambiance displays artwork depicting many soulful musicians and aside from the decor, they have affordable BBQ delights to please any meat eater. Depending on your appetite, you can get their monster sampler platter, which can easily stuff 2-3 people or you can get items off their appetizer or sides menu. This most recent visit consisted of a corn dog, collard greens and some cornbread. The corndog was a bit on the small side for my liking, but everything else was fine. Other times I've been here and have gotten the baby back ribs, yum! They have several BBQ sauce varieties, from tangy to somewhat spicy to sweet, depending on your tastes. I've also been here for wing night. The wings are good but I realized I can't personally eat enough to justify the cost. Not that it's all that expensive at $8-9 (can't remember exact price), but per wing I'm better off not going on the all you can eat route, my friends, on the other hand, were elated. Yes, they were boys. I've been here many times. Sometimes with one other person, sometimes with around 15 people. They are very accommodating, but if you have large groups, it's always beneficial to arrive early to stake out the big table in the back. They have a projector where they will show different games which can be fun with a big group. Parking can be tough, especially on Harvard itself. If it's late enough, Comm Ave should have some decent parking. Best bet it to take the T or bus. They are also on LevelUp, a smartphone app that allows you to pay via your phone. When you use it here, they also offer a small, but appreciated discount.
(4)
Jared H.
I had been here a couple of times and just recently went again after groupon had an offer for them. Their BBQ is pretty good, I like their ribs. I am not a big fan of their pulled pork but I do like their brisket. I went with a friend and we tried the fried mac and cheese to start which was really good. They have multiple BBQ sauces they keep on the table which are made in house. They have a regular, sweet, and spicy. All of which are good. I had a combo platter with the spare ribs and sliced brisket. As sides I got the mac & cheese and cornbread. The mac and cheese is great and an added bonus is they put chips on top of it for a great crunch. The cornbread is also very delicious. The only downside of the meal was the service was a little slow.
(4)
Cara B.
I lived in Georgia for 4 years and this is by far the best BBQ I've found up North. My bf and I saw them on Phantom Gourmet and had to make the trip! It was totally worth the 45minute journey. I wish they would open one at Patriot Place!!! We got the sampler and the chicken wings were delicious, I loved topping them with the Soulfire sauce. The pulled pork and the brisket was smokey and tender! The spare ribs also had a great flavor. I was impressed with the whole sampler, and the sweet tea!!!!!!!!!! MMMMM perfect amount of sugar! We got extra pulled pork to-go, and they have a BBQ sauce bar to take some home which was very convenient. The only thing that could make this place any better is Brunswick stew. Otherwise I just wish they were closer. Go there! Oh and our waitress was very fast and friendly.
(5)
Mel C.
So yelp pretty much has it all right in the review highlights section, so I'm not sure why another review would help. This is what I order every time I go to Soul Fire: -Southern Fried Chicken (pair this with the Fiery sauce) -Mac & Cheese side (tastes better than the fried mac and cheese) -Fried Dough -Sweet Tea I always leave with a huge food baby. I wish they served their sweet tea half and half (half sweet, half unsweet), but aside from that, no complaints! The "BBQ" actually isn't that great. I guess it's good for Boston, but if you've ever been to Texas/Tennessee/other Southern states, it's just not the same. With that said, the ribs and brisket are the more flavorful/tender options.
(5)
Lauren L.
Went for the bottomless wing deal, and while it was totally worth it, the line is EPIC. I have to say, we got really lucky - a group of nine, including myself, stole the table by the front window and then all the associated chairs at the window itself. Out waiter, though, was well and thoroughly harried thanks to the crowd the special draws. He brought us waters, took drink orders and disappeared except to bring us two rounds of wing platters. For bottomless, it certainly did end quickly, but I think he just forgot we were there in the rush to serve so many other tables, too. Overall the wings were satisfying and tasty, though there was really no difference between sauces. Many of the wings were also slightly pink in the center, a big let-down for a place that fries their chicken pieces. The macaroni and cheese squares were awesome, though. One of our party ordered them as her main instead of the bottomless wings, but shared a couple pieces in exchange for dodging the tab and still getting chicken. They were the best ones I've ever had, and most everyone else agreed they were spot on. Overall, I wouldn't pay for these wings again as a meal, and I wouldn't come back unless it was for the bottomless Monday thing. Not the best wings, not very good service, drinks are overpriced and they put the gratuity on there for you, but still ask for a tip on the side. Meh.
(3)
Rebecca C.
I absolutely love this place. The fried Mac n cheese is so good!!! My best friend and I order delivery here about twice a month. We always get the fried Mac n cheese, the amazing chili cheese fries that way the same amount as a small child, collard greens that are sweet with I presume molasses, mashed potatoes with gravy, and sometimes if we are drunk enough we will get the pulled pork sandwich that is so amazingly tender and addictive. If I had the funds and the metabolism, I would live here and eat here everyday. The staff is also always super friendly and always smiling. Great service, great food, why aren't you there yet?!?!
(5)
Lauretta L.
I want to give this place more stars but I just wasn't impressed by the BBQ. We came in with a Groupon (which they accepted w/o any problems) and got a platter of sliced brisket and a platter of spare ribs. The sides were great and in my view, better than the main meats! The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, and mac & cheese were all so friggin delicious. Especially the collard greens. Mmmmm mmm. I know I'll go back just for the sides. Now to the brisket...it was much too salty, and I am not afraid of salt. I love salt. Adding the Soul Fire sauce helped balance out the saltiness, but shouldn't it be good on its own? The spare ribs could have been more tender and juicy, but the sauce helped. Overall, service was fantastic. I'll come back to try the pulled pork sandwich and fried chicken.
(3)
Christina C.
So disappointing. My husband and I ordered delivery from Soul Fire regularly -at least once a week. The food is great, but the service is terrible. They have forgotten items, brought the wrong items and have taken over two hours to arrive (when we just had to cancel our order). We reluctantly had to give up ordering from Soul Fire.
(1)
Kate W.
Food was excellent, I got the fried chicken platter with mac and cheese and it was awesome. I did order through foodler and almost cried when I saw my delivery time was estimated at 2 hours and 20 minutes later. I called the restaurant and they said it should only be an hour and they didn't estimate right. The delivery did take a little over an hour but it was worth it, very good. It does seem like a really busy place. Next time I will get off my lazy rear and go pick up my food though, probably a lot quicker.
(4)
Sanjit A.
Didn't feel like cooking for a potluck dinner so got the fried mac n cheese as takeout. Was a big hit and I was pretty sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. Went there at an odd hour when it was empty, but seems like a pretty good spot, definitely would like to return.
(4)
Nicholas H.
The selection of four sauces at the table is very nice. That said, I quickly found my favorite and stuck with it. I had the pulled pork platter. The pork came served over a slice of white bread and I ordered the baked beans and collard greens as sides. The greens were delicious, but the beans were not as good (I still ate them all, they weren't bad either). I went on a Tuesday around 8 pm and it was pretty slow. Not crowded and not loud. Good soul food for a meal alone.
(4)
Nick K.
We went here with a Groupon. The place was extra busy due to the additional business. There was some wait due to the amount of people. We had a mixed plate, and a fish plate. The meat portions were good, nothing to write home about but good. The fish was also good, but not great. The side of Macaroni, Coleslaw, Collard greens, and beans was good. I will say the Collard Greens were done better then most. We wanted mashed Potatoes, but they ran out. Portions were good, and the restaurant look was fine. However, for the money there are better options.
(3)
Emily E.
When I first started eating here like 3 years ago it was amazing. I ordered here like last week and I was not impressed. First off the ribs didnt seem done. And to top it off there was a F$@&#% hair laying on one of the ribs. Like wtf. And I'm pregnant so i was pissed. And I always tip nicely so I was hurt. The fish was really good but was scarce for a $20 plate. But I Won't eat here anymore #yuck
(3)
Kelley F.
Outstanding! Food was amazing, servings were just the right amount of food. I didn't feel bloated and gross when I left, and I had the fried chicken meal. The chicken was cooked to perfection, I usually don't eat skin on chicken, but I ate every last morsel! Dessert was fried dough like I've never had...divine! The carnival's got nothing on their fried dough! Sooooo good!
(5)
Kim K.
Good BBQ for location, price, and value. Chill vibe, decent service, clean dining area. Super cheap beers, huge menu, lots of options at all prices. My only gripe was portion size. BBQ should be BIG, Soul Fire left me wanting more. Big up to the cornbread, it was some of the moistest and most delicious I've had at any BBQ joint.
(4)
Jules M.
Best Fried Chicken around!!! Finally, I found a place with great chicken and guess what? They deliver. Woohoo! I'm not usually one to dip fried chicken in any kind of sauce but their Pitboss BBQ Sauce makes it impossible not to. Mac-n-Cheese is pretty good. I like the crushed bbq chips on top. I may have to steal that idea. Collard Greens are very tasty. There is so much more I want to try here. Like I said, good thing they deliver!
(4)
James A.
Oh wow. Seriously. Head here with two friends... or just one if you're realllyyy hungry. Sit down in the raised chairs facing the window. Order the Pitboss Sampler. Then sit back and marvel at the mountain of delicious fried and smoked and pulled and baked food they bring out. And you know what? You won't be the only one marvelling at the quantities of food - you'll get to revel in the stares of all the people walking past. We actually saw a guy fall off his skateboard because he was amazed at our food; we pulled a couple of people into the restaurant; and we got a bunch of smiles and laughs from a lot of people walking past. Oh, and we left feeling very, very full. Great fun. Recommended!!
(5)
Carly K.
Tried it for the first time tonight and my boyfriend and I loved it! You can just tell its great barbecue, they definitely know what they're doing! The pulled pork was delicious, not a lot of fat which I appreciate and the sides were Great too - Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes made the Meal even better. My favorite part was def the cornbread though yum! Also - great selection of sauces for everyone, I'm so picky and loved a few of them! Def recommend
(4)
David V.
I recently went here for the famous "All You Can Eat Wings" on a Monday night, and I was not disappointed! The restaurant has a laid-back feel to it with plenty of tv screens and plenty of space. While I only sampled the delicious wings and fries, I was impressed by the look and smell of the other menu items as they passed by our table (on a platter, being carried by a server, the food was not just walking around, that would be weird). I hope to sample additional food here in the future!
(4)
FN G.
My first time...stumbled upon it waiting for my car to be serviced in the neighborhood. The Q in this place is amazing. Had the 1/3 rack spare rib plate. Got it with two cornbreads and the baked beans. Nothing disappoints here, and this includes the attentive and friendly service. Their sauces (they have four I think) are all very balanced and unique. I really enjoyed the sweet and pitboss ones the most, as I tend to avoid too much heat these days. But, my small sampling of the Fiery one impressed me as well. Check this place out if you are a RedBones (Somerville) fan. They can go toe to toe with RB all day long...plus I think these guys make better tasting sides than RB IMHO. Their baked beans have got complexity, which is so rare to find since it is typically a commodity side dish. I'm glad I found this place...too bad I live quite aways to make it an easy visit. I look forward to my next visit!
(5)
Dessa R.
Based on my fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to have dinner here when I was having a particularly strong craving for mesquite/hickory/BBQ something or another. I love BBQ food, and have enjoyed it in a variety of contexts all over the country. Soul Fire was without a doubt the -worst- BBQ food I have ever had. The meats were dry, and straight up burnt (I enjoy some yummy charring as much as the next girl, but CMON). It had the feel of a trashy fast food joint, and the food was just terrible. Seriously- terrible. Probably my *worst* dining experience in Boston, just so you understand the gravity of my disdain. Shame on you, Soulfire!
(1)
Emily H.
My wife and I went to Soul Fire for the first time tonight. The chicken, bbq sauce, and cornbread were all amazing. I also really enjoyed the baked beans and collard greens. Unfortunately the mac and cheese was not nearly as good as I was expecting. Service was great. Prices were great.
(4)
Jinny P.
Solid BBQ. Baby Back ribs were pretty darn good, as were the fries, pulled pork, and mashed potatoes. Beef Brisket is just ok. It's the type of place that has different sauces on the table. The waitress we had was super unattentive...had to get up to ask her for utensils, went missing for after our food was served and only reappeared when she wanted to go home (it was toward the end of the night). Other than that, it's not a bad place to come with a bunch of friends, especially during a Bruins game which was the case. Everybody was very jovial that night Bruins won.
(3)
D.J. L.
I order a lot of food and eat out a lot but I never feel I must write a review for the places I go to. After eating Soul Fire, I felt the need to share. As one reviewer here said, the true test of a BBQ place is their ribs, and their ribs were excellent. They were dry, so you actually got to taste the ribs (not the sauce) and you were able to put the sauce on the ribs yourself. The spicy links were also delicious. They went very well with the ribs. For sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and the potato salad, and both had the flavor I believe they should have. They both taste absolutely authentic. I cannot recommend this place enough for anyone who loves BBQ food.
(5)
Tracy H.
Decent BBQ, good pulled pork and flavorful brisket, love love love the beans! Meh on the fried mac n cheese (kinda dry), i think i prob shoudl've stuck with the regular mac n cheese. Minus one star for the fried chicken (soggy, and small drumsticks/wings only). But that's on me, prob shouldn't have ordered fried chicken at a BBQ joint. Will definitely go back again.
(4)
Seth M.
This place RULES! Great eats, super casual, very reasonably priced, totally friendly staff, and great decor. The album covers at the bar are fantastic - even more so because they are playing all that old school soul music while you eat. I had to stop singing during dinner so I wouldn't choke. ;-) Fried Mac and Cheese nuggets were carb-o-licious and full of all the comfort you'd expect from such a thing. Baby backs were served up sans sauce a la Redbones so you can dip 'em in whatever you like. They were very good. The roasted chicken was moist and delicious. DInner for two including two beers was just $42 plus a nice big tip. You can't beat that. Two big thumbs up from me!
(4)
Aubrey G.
This place is amazing! Finger licking good! I did have overcooked ribs once, but the place kindly reimbursed me for them and I've gone back a few more times. Don't fill up too much or you'll have a tummy ache, but boy is it good going down! You must try all the different sauces and be sure to order an extra cornbread!
(5)
Marcia F.
We really enjoyed the BBQ here. The brisket and pulled pork platter was tasty and plentiful. I had the baked beans (great) and potato salad (good) and my husband had the collards which he really liked. The corn bread was good too. We were a little confused by the ordering at the counter but not paying but the service was quick and helpful. The choice of sauces was nice and we tried different types to decide which we liked best. We will definitely go back when we want BBQ again.
(5)
Sergiu P.
The ultimate BBQ heaven: brisket, ribs, wings, pulled pork. They smoke'em to perfection. All you can eat wings Mondays. Get the Reuben, get a beer, have a good time.
(5)
Dorothy C.
So much yummy food! Our faves were: corn dog, fried chicken (might be the best I've had since leaving the South), pulled pork BBQ (ditto), mashed potatoes & gravy, corn bread. Just okay, were: single beef rib & baby back beef ribs (both were fine, but dry), Mac 'n cheese (it's fine, but kinda dry and bland, though the sprinkling of crushed BBQ chips on top were fun), and the pickles (again, fine, but not as stellar as the mashed potatoes!) We liked the PitBoss sauce the best. (Firey mustard was way spicy hot and not sweet at all; it looked like honey mustard, but isn't). The Sweet sauce was a little too sweet. Um, we did take-out through foodler, and everything turned out well. Good portions.
(4)
Dan M.
Judging by all the good reviews maybe I picked an off night to hit Soul Fire. I was very surprised when I stopped in on a Sunday and found the ribs to be mediocre at best. No flavor unless I added my own sauce from the selection of 6 squirt bottles I was offered. My thought was why don't they pick one and slap it on my ribs? Another problem I had was the meat stuck to the bone like Chinese ribs. I just ate at a Fireflys stand on Saturday and the meat came right off the bone with great flavor. I will give soul fire another try because I loved the decor, music and atmosphere. Sorry I have to call it as I see it. Very bland and undercooked.
(3)
Ambrose C.
I recently went to this place on a Monday evening with some guy friends since they were offering this special where you can eat chicken wings in various flavors for only $8.99. When we got in, it was really crowded and we had to wait for a while to get a table. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, we finally got seated. We were given a various sampler plate that had four different chicken flavors. We had no idea which flavor was which just by looking at the chicken wings but all we knew was that some of the chicken wings either had a slightly sweet flavor, a slightly barbecue saucy flavor, or a buffalo-style spiced up flavor. We decided to get several platters mixed with those flavors. The bleu cheese was pretty good and sometimes made the chicken tastier. Celery sticks needed to be fresher though. As for the chicken itself, it was moist and tender, just how I like it. Service was decent, the server was nice, and we actually liked talking to her. Sometimes it took a while to wait for another platter of chicken, but I guess it was because this place busy with so many people. Overall, this is a good choice to eat a lot of tasty chicken wings doused in various sauces on a Monday night with friends. Be sure to have plenty of napkins.
(4)
Jason T.
Excellent food. I got the combo plate; the smoked turkey, pulled pork, and chopped brisket. She got the half rack of ribs. Sides were delicious, I absolutely love their chili. Spicy and amazing. Their assortment of BBQ sauces was broad enough to suit most folks. I like the "Soulfire", her the "Pitboss". Quick service and has a couple of TVs to watch the game. As a previous Yelper mentioned, this place is loud. Too loud, hence my 4 star review instead of 5. That and I felt the chopped brisket was just a bit blah for my liking, even with the BBQ sauce which came on it. That being said this is definitely a repeat visit for me. I want to try a few more items and also check out there wing night on Monday. Good stuff.
(4)
Joel P.
Came here for all you can eat wing night on Monday's, so my review is based on that only. The wings are solid with a number of good sauce options. They are well-cooked and a decent size, so there is not much to complain about with an all you can eat night in regards to the wings themselves. Beer is decently priced. Service is solid and very nice. They do need to update their website because it says all you can eat wings are 8.99 per person, but my bill showed up at 12 bucks per person. I know, I know, not a big deal, but it's a total pet peeve of mine when places don't update their websites on specials or constant items. You should still come here for the wings. It's a good alternative to the yummy, moderately more expensive, and always full BonChon up the street.
(4)
Julia C.
Love Soul Fire! I highly recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, watching the game and getting the sampler plate, which will give you a nice spread of everything. You'll definitely want to order the sampler plate with a friend or two (and you'll still have leftovers). The one surprising part of this place is that it is never busy- maybe I have just gone at weird times, but I would expect a place like this to be packed all the time! The vibe is super relaxed, they have great beer selection, and offer BBQ sauces on the table to spice up your meal! Enjoy!
(5)
Laura B.
Sometimes you never know where love will hit you - and I suspected it the least on the day I went out for some simple BBQ and walked into a meat haven with...is that Stevie Wonder on the wall? Aretha Franklin? Am I listening to Earth Wind and Fire? Is this my own personal heaven?? Came in on a Sunday afternoon with a friend and ordered the Pitboss Sampler ($40), which is touted to feed 2-3 people but could comfortably feed up to 6 modest women. My friend and I being only 2 of the latter barely made a dent in it, and each took home leftovers that lasted us each for two more full meals. It's really a great way to get an idea of the total repertoire, and comes with an entire pizza pan full of meat, and one full of sides. Baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, pulled brisket (on Texas Toast), two types of chicken wings (fried and honey glazed), a hot link, cole slaw, mac n' cheese, baked beans, collard greens, potato salad, rice & beans and cornbread w/ butter really rounded everything out. I was a little shell-shocked upon having it brought to the table, but everything was delicious. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, though the pulled pork may be the overall winner for me. Being able to access a line of BBQ sauces at the table made sampling them all way too easy. The cole slaw, potato salad and mac and cheese stood out as excellent sides, while the collard greens (which I don't know if I like in any context), baked beans (a bit heavy on the molasses) and rice and beans (just too carby) I would forgo the next time I come around. The most gracious gentleman I have ever had as a server, he was attentive, had great timing, and a sense of humor. Everyone in the place was nice, even the group of 15 bros who decided the restaurant was the right place to hit after a pre-game kegger. The cheesecake ($6) is also incredible, and perfect to share. Coming back before I move home to California isn't a maybe, it's a must.
(5)
Tony N.
I am a huge fan after my first visit, (thank you Groupon). A quick negative....the beer selection is a tad meh. They definitely have some good selections but not what I was hoping for. Maybe the folks at Tasty Burger could lend a hand? Ok, to the food. I had a half rack of spare ribs. These things were monster! The rub is so damn good you don't even need to sauce them up. Of course it's hard no to throw a little sauce on your ribs because their special blends are so tasty. For me the best sauce was the would fire sauce. A perfect combo of hot and a hint of sweet. sides were equally delicious. The collard greens were some of the best I have had and the mac and cheese had that homemade taste and texture you look for, (though To be honest I have had better). I hardly had room for cornbread but the little bit I sampled was good. My wife ordered the turkey plate. Not sure how they make the bird but it had a nice smokey flavor to it...I assume it's smoked. Just like my ribs, the turkey came in a big portion. We also had the rice and beans as a side. Nothing to special but I did like the corn added in. The service was excellent. Waitstaff was very concerned with us having to wait for anything and came by just the right number of times to make sure we had everything we wanted. I can't wait to go back a d try some of their other offerings.
(4)
A L.
Tried Soul Fire for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because A, they don't have a full liquor license (just beer & wine), and B, the place is noisy as hell. They play the music way too loud so you can't have a good conversation with your friends. But the food was excellent... Any fried chicken order takes 20 minutes and we were starving so we started with the BBQ wings, which were delicious. I had the pulled pork platter with collard greens and coleslaw and each bite was better than the next. I tried my friend's brisket and that was excellent too. They also have four awesome sauces on the table for you to experiment with. Our favorite was the Pit Boss. So good! Definitely going back!
(4)
Jamie P.
Love Soulfire! Long overdue food review. Food is always consistent and always delicious! Brisket and baby back ribs are our go-to. Fried catfish is also light and nicely cooked. Collards are great, mac n cheese is good and has crushed BBQ chips on top, beans are a must-get, and the cornbread is moist and sweet. Wing night is also really good. They have 3-4 sauces to choose from and a "wing of the night". The way they serve them is great. The wings come 4 at a time so they are always hot and fresh. You avoid the wings at the bottom of the basket that get cold and stringy. Food is fast and delicious. Check this place out!
(5)
John E.
This was the first time our Yelp! account has led us wrong. We saw this place mentioned on TV and since it got good ratings we decided to give it a try. I am a Southerner and nothing about the food here reminded me of Southern BBQ. It was not good. There was only one waitress and she was terribly overworked; but she was very friendly and she is the reason that we gave 2 stars. The brisket was tough and chewy, and the sauce was terrible. The brisket was placed on top of a piece of bread and it wasn't fresh. The sides, particularly the cornbread, were also bad--undercooked and tasteless. The beans were bad as well and the rice/bean combination was like something out of a can. Sorry to all who likes Soul Fire BBQ. There has to be better.
(2)
Stephen D.
I'm a real fan of BBQ, and having spent a lot of time in North Carolina my standards are pretty high. Soulfire doesn't even begin to disappoint, beginning with their friendly and excellent service. The place is very comfortable, and has a fantastic atmosphere. The music is good, not intrusive, and when you sit down it just feels good. It's not smoky, but you can smell the BBQ, and if that doesn't get your appetite in order, you may want to consider becoming vegan. Those good feelings are bound to increase when you consider your options for drinks, ranging from some really excellent beers, to lemonade that I cannot recommend enough. That lemonade is created by pressing the lemons, and combining with homemade simple syrup.. and they are truly, AGGRESSIVELY bottomless. I mean, when we were getting ready to go, our server asked if we'd like to have some lemonade to go. Still, this is a BBQ joint, so lets get down to it. We ordered the Pit Boss Sampler, which has something of EVERYTHING. Hoo boy, it was good. -Pulled pork is in the true Carolina style. -the Spare Ribs are... the best. The BEST spare ribs I've had above the Mason-Dixon line, period. -Baby Back Ribs are succulent, smoky, and off the bone in a heartbeat. -The Fried Chicken: EAT IT. Seriously, this is some of the best you can get, period. Unless you feel like making a pilgrimage down south, you will not find better. -The Hot Link is tasty as hell, meaty, and spicy without being overly aggressive. -The Sweet/Spicy Wings were just that, and really good. -The chopped brisket is good, beefy, but I've had some better, albiet not in this state. **Sidenote: The brisket and pork are placed on a slice of Texas toast, which soaks in the juice and fat.. and it's just... yum. The sides were (almost) universally the best I've had in a BBQ joint anywhere in our Northern lands. The exception was the rice and beans, which sadly just were not very engaging. -The cornbread: Oh god. Yes. So good. So. SO.. good. -The coleslaw: crunchy, fresh, tangy; it's what you want in colesalw. -The beans: Smokey, porky, and LOADED with molasses... so good. -The Mac & Cheese: Not a huge fan in general, but this was very nice, creamy, with a topping that adds great textural interest. -The Collards: I don't like collards, but I like these! A generous addition of mollasses cuts, but doesn't totally eliminate the bitterness. Most importantly, the green flavor is still there, and the greens have great texture; no sulphuric mush here. -The Potato Salad: Best there is... and I'm a deli fanatic. Really... REALLY special. -The Mashed Potatos: Fantastic, creamy, rich, with a fine gravy. The bottom line is that this is a place you can enjoy for the atmosphere, but above all this is truly great food. You can create your own platter from an essentially endless variety of choices, and the set menu is a winner. If you like BBQ, you'll LOVE Soulfire.
(5)
Paran Y.
Well slap mai britches and call me hog wash -- this place is awesome!! A gracious purchaser of a Groupon led me to this fine establishment. I was skeptical at first but the portions are hulk*smash large. Disclaimer: this place isn't for the faint-hearted. No non-meateaters or calorie-watchers are allowed. If you are going to this place, you're going ALL IN. Pulled Pork -- BLAM@#$%^. Do I need to say more? Ok I guess I do. succulent, dripping with oh-so-delicious sauce, and cradled by some beans and mac & cheese ( I think it got a little sexual in there). It's enough to inspire you to go for a 5 mile run the next day....or do some shots. Your call there... Not enough sauce? *scoff* Throw on one of their 4 awesomely delicious sauces (my favorite is fiery)
(4)
George M.
Me oh my. Yes, yes indeed. That's what my raging horngryness says as I saunter into this meat haven. This is officially one of my favorite restaurants on Earth. I think I love this place. Firstly, secondly, and thirdly, the food is fantastic each and every time. Fourthly, it is reasonably priced. Fifthly, they have all you can eat wings on Monday for $8.99. Sixthly, and MOST importantly, the wings come out as fast as they can manage. I had 27 wings this past Monday. And 27 the Monday before. No, these are not small wings, and yes, the waitress did hide her judgement sufficiently well. The whole staff is pretty awesome. Great selection of sauces (try the Devil's Relish if you want to teach yourself a lesson), good beer selection (try the Pork Slap cause that's just funny), and at times an innovative menu (try the BBQ Reuben). Were it a world where restaurant-monogamy was the societal norm, I would try to slide a ring around Soul Fire's ribs. I want their meat inside me.
(5)
William C.
One word to describe this place...Yummy! I cannot speak on behalf of the actual food in the place, but my family and friends have given it a 2 thumbs up. However, I go once in a while to their Monday night wings special (review based solely on this) and the place is usually packed. Typically wait can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on what time you go and if there are any good games on. I have never had a bad experience here at Soulfire as the waitstaff are very nice and attentive for the most part, constantly refilling wings and water quickly. As for the prices, I have seen them fluctuate over the years. Back then it would only cost about ~$10-11 (including tip) for all you can eat wings (no drink, just water). After a lot of variation in their prices over the years, the price tonight was ~$14 w/ tip (no drink requirement). The wings were decent sized and they typically offer 4 different flavors of wings every week. From what I have experienced over the years, they keep buffalo and PitBoss (sweet and spicy BBQ) and rotate the other two flavors. Personally, I do not enjoy the buffalo that they have. I don't know what it is about it, but apparently the majority of the people I know do not like their buffalo either. Tonight I had spicy teriyaki, spicy honey, buffalo, and PitBoss. I'm glad they keep PitBoss every week as it is by far my favorite. The waiters do provide you with a side of BBQ sauces, which include SoulFire, Sweet and Spicy, PitBoss, and Fiery. Remember that if you do not like a particular sauce with the initial 4 wing sampler, you can tell them to take out the flavors you do not like! If you don't they will just give you a full platter of all of the flavors. Also, you can order half platters if you're beginning to get full, but still want more wings! I gave it 4 stars because the atmosphere is lacking, it is dark and often very loud...making it hard to hold a conversation without raising my voice. Also, the waitstaff some times forgot to omit buffalo wings from the next platter of wings I ordered when I specifically told them multiple times I do NOT want it. Place isn't perfect, but is well worth it for a quality and satisfying eating experience! Finish it off with a froyo run to Mixx and prepare for a food coma like no other!
(4)
Rose F.
We have lived in Allston for 3 years now and really love having this place right around the corner. Personally, I am a sucker for the pulled pork sandwich and the baked beans. I get it pretty much every time I go and it is always exactly what I am craving: tender, juicy, and packed with slow cooked flavor. Of course, then I drench it in the soul fire or pit boss sauces (or both). The most recent time we went, we tried the fried Mac and cheese which was outrageously decadent, but very worth the calories. My boyfriend is very health conscious and often gets the smoked chicken salad (though he steals his fare share of my sandwich.) It's a very healthy option if you are trying to watch your weight but want that distinct smoked flavor. BBQ sauce makes for an excellent dressing as well. Want to know something else really rad about this place? You can wash down all that delicious smoky BBQ with a nice cold **$2.50** pint of PBR. This may be the cheapest price in the city, which is truly a special find in a place where happy hour Is outlawed. Truly a mecca for cheap beer lovers and BBQ alike. My only gripe with this place (though I continue to return anyways because the food is so darn good) is that service is always a bit spotty. Always friendly and well-meaning, but a bit absent-minded and confused. On three separate occasions, our waiter forgot one or two aspects of our order and had to put it in late after we did not receive it. Maybe we just happen to go when the new waiters are giving it their first go, but this is just a trend I have noticed. Still worth a trip for great BBQ!
(4)
Anne W.
I scored an awesome Guilt City deal... and was really excited since the reviews have been mostly positive of this spot. The price is much lower than Sweet Cheeks.. it lacks the hip ness of that spot.. but it makes up for it by the price.. and come on, it's Allston! There is only a beer menu and no specialty drinks. I did think this place was okay.. not great.. along the same lines as Red Bones. There are some really yum things... such as: Fried Chicken (omg.. so crispy and good) Mac & Cheese Mashed Potatoes The other things in the Pit Boss Sampler were middle of the road... I wasn't impressed with the rice and beans, potato salad, coleslaw, ribs, sausage, pork bits, etc. I did not try the pulled pork as it wasn't offered in the sampler. I am still more of a fan of Sweet Cheeks... but still a decent find.
(2)
Neal M.
I love love love this place. Awesome food. Great prices. The recently paired down the menu but all my favorites are still there. 1) the pork. Perfection. I like the pit boss sauce. 2) the mac n cheese with potato chip topping. How ingenious. No wonder I'm 195 lbs. 3) the spagetti western- mac n cheese covered with chili. I copied this for a family cookout and 7 lbs of it vanished. 4) the potato salad. I would kill for this mayo less recipe. 5) the homemade pickles! (They run out of these alot) Did I mention I love this place?
(5)
Karina L.
Get: - Baby back ribs - Mac and cheese Don't get: - Spare ribs - Pulled pork - Collard greens Got the soulfire platter (2 meats with 2 sides) with the wings, baby back ribs, baked beans, and mac & cheese. The great thing about this platter (you can also 3 meats for a couple of more bucks) is that they pretty much let you choose any meat from the menu. The baby back ribs were deliciously tender and fell off the bone. The taste itself is kind of bland, but I'm assuming that's on purpose so you can use their 4 awesome barbecue sauces freely. They range from sweet and tangy to fiery spicy, so there's a sauce for every kind of BBQ meat lover. Wings were alright. Mac and cheese was also delicious, but don't take my word for it because I love any kind of m&c (including those from the box and when I melt shredded cheese on top of pasta in the microwave). Baked beans weren't my style...too goopy and sweet. Boyfriend got the baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, and the collard greens as a side for fiber (HAH..........). He, too, loved the baby back ribs but the spare ribs and pulled were dry and oily. Overall, a mediocre BBQ experience. Not a terrible option to have, though, considering that they've had 2 groupon/google offers within the past 2 months.
(3)
Indhira B.
Good Mac n Cheese, good ribs, GREAT collard greens. Their fried chicken could Be better seasoned. Overall, good food. A bit over priced but worth it if you have a BBQ craving
(3)
Cameron W.
Disclaimer: this is New England. Good barbeque is just not something that you can find here. That being said, this place is about as close as you're gonna get to decent barbeque around here. I found out about SoulFire because a friend had their food catered at his wedding. I thought the food was great, so I decided to check out the restaurant in person. It's in Allston which means that you're going to be challenged with finding parking unless you took the T or cab to get here. It was early afternoon when we arrived, so we didn't have a problem with seating. The menu was very simple, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, and some red beans and rice. The sandwich was great. The meat was very tender and good, and the available sauces to try weren't bad either. The potato salad was excellent. The red beans and rice - more like swing and a miss. I've had red beans and rice the way that it's supposed to be made, and that wasn't it by a long shot. But I do give them bonus points for having real sweet tea available. Overall I like it and will probably return in the future. I liked the atmosphere and decor - the soul theme was perfect and fits the restaurant very well. The server was polite and meals came out fast. And everything was good. So why the 3 star rating? First, the red beans and rice wasn't good. But more importantly, when we got there, we weren't able to order any fried foods because they were prepping for a catering event and had the fryers at capacity.
(3)
Jeff L.
I'm not a BBQ expert by any means, but I travel a lot and I try BBQ all around the country. Soul Fire hold up to the best I've had anywhere. I live closer to a couple BBQ places, but prefer to make the trip here when I can.
(5)
David C.
YES: - Pulled chicken, pork, and catfish. The chicken and pork are tender and flavorful, almost rendering Soul Fire's impressive array of tableside BBQ sauces unnecessary, while the catfish is flaky and moist. Add tartar sauce and a little bit of lemon and you're good to go. - Portion size. The pick your meat platter is gargantuan, and easily enough to split between two people. Get it with the rib and wing appetizer and you can sample the majority of Soul Fire's meats without much damage to your wallet. - Living Social offered a $12 for $30 deal. Couldn't pass that up. - Fried Mac & Cheese. Enough said. NO: - Cornbread. Dry and flavorless. Huge disappointment. - Baked beans. Too sweet. They're good for a couple bites, but they become cloying fast. - Celery in the coleslaw. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO HAVE THIS HEINOUS VEGETABLE BANNED FROM RESTAURANTS??? MAYBE SO: - Service when I went was friendly, but extraordinarily slow. Did I go on an off night? - No wet naps?
(3)
Robert S.
I almost feel like rating one star, just to counter the other rave reviews that this place receives. I mean, come on! This barbecue joint is merely acceptable. Just try any of the meats by themselves, without smothering them in sauce. It'll be super bland, just like the greens, rice, and everything else this establishment has to offer. Not to mention that, on numerous occasions, my order has a) been screwed up, or b) items have been forgotten (namely the cornbread, more than once - also, by the way, quite bleh). I dare you to ask any honest, and well-reasoned Southerner what they think about Soul Fire. I can't imagine the opinion would be overly enthusiastic.
(2)
Josephine L.
Boston lacks some serious BBQ eats, so residents have to make do with the few joints that exist. It doesn't take long to frequent them all and having done so, I can definitely say Soul Fire is the best. The baby back ribs literally fall off the bone and melt in your mouth (and no, it's not because they're fatty cuts). The fried chicken is so juicy, crispy and pepper-y--3 things American fried chicken should always be. I don't know how they get the fried catfish to be so tender, but it really is perfectly breaded on the outside and moist on the inside. I was not a fan of the collard greens, though, as they were just too sweet. The cornbread wasn't bad but didn't hit me with flavor like I would have liked. Finally, the fries were fat, salty pieces of heaven. Gotta love the 4-pack of BBQ sauces they provide you. I liked them all, even the sweet one, and I normally don't like sweet BBQ sauces. Even though the place was pretty packed and we were warned they were backed up, service was very efficient, attentive and friendly. Prices are dirt cheap. The vibe is super casual/dive-y with food being served on giant pizza pan-like plates and napkin dispensers/utensils pre-placed on each table. If you're in the Allston area, craving meat and DON'T come here, you've failed at life.
(5)
bunny g.
delivery people beyond rude. wtf.
(1)
Shaina P.
sadly there is no dirty rice, but the Mac and cheese still has those chip crumbs on it. the fried catfish had a kickass crunch. platters are actual platters. the sauces are good (soulfire, that's the BBQ sauce duh; o'fiery, mustard colored, spicy but not even too spicy; pitboss, vinegary edge and my fave esp paired with o'fiery). gotta try the fried chicken next time. bam.
(3)
Kelsey C.
I came to Soul Fire because I thought it'd help curb my homesickness for the real tastes of the South until I went home to North Carolina for winter break. And just seeing barbeque on a menu helped, but the food tells me that maybe I should have just waited to go home. The Sweet Tea is about as real as a Gucci purse in Chinatown. They just dumped sugar into iced tea, which makes "sweet" an adjective, not a noun. We asked our server. They don't know how to make sweet tea. That's like drawing G's on a canvas bag with a sharpie and calling it Gucci. We ordered the Pitboss Sampler because it includes all the non-fish meat on the menu. Sadly, everything was not worth having. I didn't mind adding a little extra vinegar to the slightly-bland pulled pork, but I started getting irritated when I realized that the brisket and roast chicken didn't soak in any flavor. But I broke down when I read the menu disclaimer that the ribs were deliberately made to NOT fall off the bone because it "takes away the flavor". I bit into a rib and realized that the meat wasn't falling off the bone because it was flavorlessly dry rather than "flavorlessly" tender. I think I shed a tear. And I think the salt from my tear significantly improved the flavor of the fried chicken. The only sides/food items worth having was the Collard Greens and the Baked Beans. The beans are the reason we're called Beantown, and the collard greens were the best I've ever had. The greens were cooked but just cooked enough to retain some of the original veiny texture. A must-have if you come to Soul Fire. Although Soul Fire may rave about their 4 different barbeque sauces and NC vinegar, but good barbeque doesn't need a dipping sauce. If you never come to Soulfire, I can't say you'd miss much. There aren't a lot of southern BBQ places anywhere up north, but this is hardly worth the hike to the depths of Allston.
(3)
Allie B.
I live right around the corner so I had to try it at least once. My roommate and I bought the 2-3 person platter not realizing it could easily serve 4 people. It was kind of like a sampler so we were able to try just about everything. The pulled pork was my favorite and I'm kind of picky as my best friends family does national BBQ competitions. I have to add that I was happily surprised that when we left and forgot our chicken/one bag somehow... A worker/cook chased us down the road to make sure we weren't missing that part of our dinner :) thank you for that!!!
(4)
Allison R.
Oh, no! I started drafting this review the day after coming in to this place for a "couple's dinner" of all you can eat wings with my friend, her boyfriend, and my non-committal yet supposedly exclusive non-boyfriend. (Sadly, he totally sucks and we are no more, which shouldn't influence my review or your perception of the place. Just makes it sort of painful yet therapeutic to write this review.) We had a great time and enjoyed the wings (though the sauce is a bit heavy, so it's hard to eat a ton of them), and our spunky waitress was really nice. Service was a little slow (asking us if we'd like more drinks, bringing the bill, etc), but not a huge deal. Anyway, I liked the wings. I found parking right out front. The guy sucks. It'll be hard to go back because of the association, but you should give it a try.
(3)
Rosalie O.
My friend suggested this place after our run to get some chili to warm up. It was the second time she suggested it, so I figured it must be good. Service, however, was not so good. We sat at the bar, were given waters and menus, but it was ages before they came back to take our order. It wasn't busy at all, and there were two waitresses, so it shouldn't have been that hard for them to communicate with each other. We were ready to leave when the waitress finally came back. The food was FANTASTIC. Delicious! Hit the spot! Soooooo good that despite the bad service, I will absolutely consider eating there again. The stars are LITERALLY ONLY FOR THE FOOD. Also, there were kids running around, which I wasn't so happy about.
(3)
Emily R.
The place had a pretty cool atmosphere though it was strangely empty. My boyfriend and I shared chili cheese fries and the fried chicken platter with collared greens and Mac and cheese. Everything was soooo good and so rich that we took almost half of it to go. Definitely recommended for those who love comfort food!
(4)
Alex B.
Came here for Monday night wing night and let me tell you, the fact that you can indulge on wings for $9 until you reach the point of physical pain is such a great aspect of this place. The wings are tender and flavorful and you can choose between Pitboss, Fiery, and Soul Fire. Which are basically smoky peppery, hot, and honey hot. This place has a very relaxed atmosphere and seems to actually have character unlike many places in the boston area. You walk inside and find yourself surrounded by hipsters which can be expected in the allston area. I also love that they have a pretty good selection of beer. And we also tried the chili cheese fries which were very tasty. However the fries themselves were a little ordinary. I am taking off a star because they tooka while to get us seated when there were 4 open tables and when we asked which wings were which the guy was only able to identify one type on the sampler platter we received. Will definitely be back to try other delicious bbq menu items.
(4)
Joanna F.
When your first thought walking into a restaurant is "Wow, it smells like Memphis in here" you know it's going to be a decent barbecue experience. I loved the atmosphere - dark, warm and inviting. It definitely fits into the hipster vibe of Allston. My friend had a groupon and the two of us couldn't even spend the $35 because the prices were so reasonable. I was basically forced to order an entree instead of a sandwich to up the price of the meal. I got the brisket. I don't usually order brisket, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the meat was tender and I enjoyed trying their different bbq sauces on it. The sides of cole slaw and rice and beans were fine and the corn bread was awesome. My friend ordered a two meat combo - pulled pork and fried catfish. I have to say, the fried catfish stole the show. I would say that it was better than the catfish I had in Memphis. The service was fine and overall, the bbq was decent. Portions were more reasonable than other bbq joints (meaning smaller) which is why it's so cheap. I liked walking out of there not feeling disgusting from overeating though. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, but it's a good option in the Allston area.
(4)
Kristine R.
Damn good BBQ! My friend had a groupon here and we went to redeem it last Friday like everyone else, but it was worth the wait, plus with the groupon, the price was just right. (Though for the record, I would definitely come here again groupon or no groupon). My friend and I were seated on the counter space facing Harvard Ave (good for people watching as your licking your fingers from eating those bbq ribs). Anyway, we ordered the appetizer two chicken wings and two ribs. Both very good, but I do suggest adding one of their bbq sauces to the ribs as it was more flavorful that way. As for the main entrees, I had the beef brisket with mac and cheese and fries. My friend had the pulled pork with the mac and cheese and coleslaw. The meat is atop a piece of bread and the mac and cheese was a little helping, but enough and the fries were a generous amount. The mac and cheese was tasty with bits of bbq potatoes chips on top. I liked my brisket, but I took most of it home as the appetizer got me full. My friend liked the pulled pork and her coleslaw. She also took some of her food home. Service was good as our server was coming up to us periodically to see how we were doing. Prices aren't that expensive with the entrees going for $12-15 and the sandwiches for about $6-7. You can also share bbq platters if you want to sample all the meats. Great place! I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Alex A.
The worst thing I can say about this place is that there's no way to leave sober. On a more relevant note, this is probably one of the better BBQ joints in all of Boston, not that there are many around. The prices are quite reasonable, the selections are diverse and delicious across the board. Except the catfish, which sucks dong, but that's really not Soul Fire's fault; I mean, catfish is kind of a disgusting garbage-sucker to begin with. Not much you can do to improve on the fact that it eats poop all day, not even deep-frying it seems to do the trick. So do yourself a favor and don't get the catfish. But everything else is about as good as you would expect it to be. Cover that shit with one of their signature BBQ sauces, shovel it into your mouth, and you're good to go. Oh, and another thing: this place isn't ideal for large parties (i.e., 10 and more.) That isn't to say they won't accommodate them - in fact, when I showed up out of the blue with a group of fourteen individuals in tow, they very graciously found us two large adjoining tables, and even thanked us for our patience. Read that sentence again. A restaurant in Allston thanked its customers for being patient while they were getting ready to stuff delicious seasoned meat down out face holes. I mean, what the fuck is this country coming to? God damn liberals...
(4)
Patrick D.
Overall, good spot for some quick food. Cool atmosphere, old jazz posters on the walls, one huge television and a sweet mural behind the counter. Good, wholesome barbeque at a very reasonable price point. Two people ate here for less than $20. I got a turkey sandwich and my date (though I would not recommend this as a real date spot, just a quick little dinner) got the pulled pork sandwich, both of which were very good and simple. I had some of the mac & cheese too which had barbeque potato chips on it. Interesting, creative, not too bad. Decent spot for some quick grub with a friend or two.
(4)
Eric F.
Yum! With Groupon in hand and the company of two other empty stomachs, my friends and I ordered the Pitboss Sampler and went to town. The Spare Ribs were delicious with much tenderness and a great dry rub providing soft spicy notes that settled in gradually and became evident towards the end of each bite. A close second, the Baby Back Ribs had nice smokey flavor though were slightly drier. I was pleased to see that the Pulled Pork was well-executed and held its own to that of Redbones - tender and juicy, 'nuff said. I liked the Chopped Brisket as well, but they were admittedly just solid and probably the least impressive of the meats. The surprise winner was actually the Southern Fried Wings! The batter was truly exceptional in that it excelled on all fronts - a sensationally delicate and crispy texture chock full of savory flavor, it needed no enhancement whatsoever. It gave way to unbelievably juicy meat within that made each mouthful an awesome one. I can't forget the Spicy Honey Wings which were also very tasty and made me seriously consider a return visit soon for the Monday unlimited wings special. What COULD be forgotten, however, were the Hot Links - dry and tough to swallow. From the selection of BBQ sauces, we enjoyed the Pitboss and SoulFire the most as they provided a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Spice lovers will undoubtedly enjoy the mustard-based Fiery sauce and as for the Sweet...meh. As for the plethora of sides, I enjoyed Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens the most. Nothing amazing, just good jobs on the classics. The interior's very spacious and service was great throughout our meal - regular check-ins, sincere apologies for having us wait out front for the place to open at noon and lots of smiles all around. Can't wait until my next BBQ feast =D
(4)
Mike Z.
I've been here a multitude of times since my first visit with the most recent visit being this past weekend. I've docked star because it seems like the food quality has gone down. The good: The lightly-breaded fried catfish is consistently crisp on the outside but ever so tender on the inside. The southern fried wings are SO good, as with the catfish, it's moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the out. The mac and cheese and potato salad are always tasty, though the cornbread is not as fluffy as before. The not-so-good: The BBQ "party" wings, they call it, was disappointing because the wings itself are considerably smaller than before, but the price hasn't changed. It's oversauced as well. The sliced beef briskets were very dry and tasteless. Now, the briskets here were never impressive, but it seems like it got worse. The baby back ribs went from fall-off-the-bone tender and succulent to dry, hard, and without much taste. Thumbs up also for the unchanged friendly staff, I have not seen one new employee since my first visit.
(3)
Edith W.
I like the place..food is great... I had chicken. That was the best chicked I have had in a long time.. Spared ribs were really good, maybe even better than their babyback ribs! (I'm a big baby back fan) The only thing is that the place is big and looks empty. It had AC on when it was only 65 degrees. My food got cold very fast..and the meat certainly didn't taste good when it was cold!!!
(4)
Xoxo, B.
Love this place, much better than Redbones in my opinion. Great food, great service and fair prices. My favorite.. Pulled chicken, mac and cheese.. And the pickles! Sauces are amazing too.
(5)
Lauren V.
I'm a loyal Soul Fire customer. I live nearby and go often, especially for all-you-can-eat wing Mondays. The place isn't perfect, but in this price range... what is? The digs are just aiight. It's too dimly lit, and the red walls are a little overbearing (on the plus side, no creepy red lights like the Sunset Grill, so at least you won't feel like you're dining in the Lust scene from Se7en), but I'm not there to look at the walls, you know? Music tends to be pretty good - mostly old soul and funk. Good selection of local sports games playing on the TVs, and they have a huge projector on the main wall, so it's a fun place to watch a big game. The beer selection is decent and cheap - a lot of local selections, both canned and on tap. Tip #1: you will be required to order food of some kind if you order a drink - even if it's just cornbread (which is hit or miss, I've found - some days it's outstanding, and some days it's just mediocre). All-you-can-eat wing Mondays: THE BEST. These aren't your typical anemic bar wings, these are big, fat, meaty wings and drummies. There's a standard roster of three flavors: buffalo, Soul Fire sauce (their house sauce - a really solid spicy/sweet barbecue), and (I believe) their Pit Boss sauce, which is a rich, sweet barbecue. The fourth is a rotating flavor that changes every week - on various days, I've had bacon ranch (I died when I ate these, I'm actually writing this review from the grave), Thai green curry (delicious), golden barbecue (nice buttery barbecue), and coconut lime. The new(ish) chef is a whiz with soy-based sauces, so I expect a lot more Asian-inspired flavors in the future. Thank Jesus. Their normal menu is overall done right and priced right. A standout is the fried catfish - huge filets of flaky, moist deliciousness, and the spicy tartar sauce rules. Their fried chicken should also not be missed - it's unbelievably moist and tender with a crispy, mildly-spiced batter. Break away from the standard pulled pork and chicken (though both are good - especially when doused in the vinegary North Carolina sauce) and you'll find some real gems here. Tip #2: ask your server for the South Carolina sauce. It's a tangy, spicy mustard-based sauce that isn't on the menu, but it's the best of the bunch, in my opinion - especially on the fried chicken! Their sides are all slightly different takes on what you might expect from a southern barbecue joint - mac and cheese is creamy and delightful but not overly salty or gloppy, with crumbled barbecue chips on top. Both beans and collards are much sweeter than usual, and neither are cooked into mushy oblivion. The potato salad is as good as mom's, specifically my mom's. A large order of fried mac and cheese bites is easily a meal in itself - deep fried cubes of their normal mac and cheese, perfect for dipping into various sauces. Don't come here expecting the best barbecue you've ever had in your life (this is Boston, come on), but with a grain of salt and a little faith, you'll be more than satisfied.
(4)
TJ G.
Pretty good food. If you're looking for some fried food, you can't go wrong. Sauces made in house with some decent variety. Prices are good as well.
(3)
Michelle L.
it was 'okay.' service was a little slow (esp. for Saturday dinner). our food was barely luke-warm, so it was clearly sitting before it got to us. disappointed that "jumbo party wings" weren't jumbo by any means, and five measly half-wings cost $7!!! fries were tasty, though, and the collard greens that we got with the beef brisket platter were awesome (except no one told us there was bacon in them). i was really disappointed to hear the the iceberg wedge salad was identical to a house salad (as in NO BACON), and just instead of good lettuce, had wedge lettuce.... needless to say, we didn't order it. the sweet tea was very good. the brisket platter had six slices of COLD brisket (no sauce) on top of a piece of bread - came with two sides and was $13... again, a little pricey. all-in-all some goods, and some not-so-goods, so 3 stars. they really need to serve burnt ends.....
(3)
Jeremy F.
Absolutely awesome barbecue and far and away the best in the Boston area. Slades, Blue Ribbon and especially Redbones (blegh...overhyped) don't come close. They have 4 kinds of sauce to choose from and all of the meat is cooked to "pull off the bone" tenderness (vs. "fall off the bone" which is, technically, overcooked) and flavorful, so you can really do without sauce if you choose. Don't tell my grandmother or Godmother, from Arkansas and Kentucky respectively, but the greens are the best I've ever had. Also, everything is reasonably priced for the portions and quality and they're constantly spinning some kick *ss classic soul, funk and R&B tunes through the house speakers! If there were half stars, I'd give a 4.5 and the only reason I'm dropping from a 5 is because since my first visit in 2011, it seems the service has dropped off a bit and some of the food has become slightly inconsistent, a sentiment I see echoed here in other reviews, and I want them to keep their standards high. Still, their "C" level is well above most BBQ joint's A game. Long live Soul Fire!
(4)
A M.
Great deal with Groupon. But note that this place does offer a lot of relatively inexpensive items. Ordered two platters, one with pulled pork and baby back ribs, and the other with chopped brisket and spare ribs. All of the good was good. Personally I prefer bbq with sauces cooked on and carmelized. Here everything is smoked, so all of the meat was very dry, and you then have to add your own sauces. While I enjoyed my pulled pork and baby back ribs, I thought the spare ribs looked extremely fatty and I had no desire to try them. My boyfriend did like them. The chopped brisket was surprisingly good, and did not taste at all like what i expected. Note that they do not have a full bar, only beer and wine. If I lived in the area, I would probably go back, even without a groupon. However, since I do not, I would rather spend my money at Texas Roadhouse instead, since I think their bbq is a lot better. (plus margaritas!).
(3)
Jen S.
I've been meaning to do this update for a looong time. The fried chicken wings are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Takes a while because they are cooked to order, but 10000000% worth the wait. Had to add this to my previous review. So fried chicken wings + mac and cheese= best meal in Allston (next to shabushabu at ShabuZen) It's also a nice place to eat and hang out with friends (maybe a husband)- and a pretty good place to watch a game. If you want a nice flavorgasm (and have had a dryspell because you've had such bland food for a while), you're in for a BIG LONG ONE! :)
(5)
Frank J.
My favorite BBQ place in the area. Not the best BBQ I have ever had, but solid overall and no complaints about the meat. The ribs and brisket are great, fried chicken is standard, and catfish is done right. I always think the easiest way to judge BBQ is through their fried fish - the catfish here is moist with a delicate breading, not at all the hard deep fry breading that crappy places use (fish needs to be breaded differently). I should say that what I get most often is the sliced brisket sandwich - very delicious, competes with the best of the sliced brisket around. I recommend the sandwich instead of the platter. From my experience the platter doesn't come with more meat than the sandwiches. Also, the platters come with "texas toast," which is basically cheap white bread at the bottom of the plate that gets very soggy and gross. There is really no reason for this on the platters, there should be more meat instead. Another reason why I like this place is because I have used groupons (or equivilent) here before and unlike many other places they are actually very happy with the use of groupons. It is ridiculous that many places issue groupons and then have an attitude when you use them - it is supposed to be advertising and getting people to try the food, yet many places discourage you from coming back by giving you attitude for using them. Soul Fire does not do this - they are very friendly and happy to take them. There was an article on one of the sites a while back ( Boston.com maybe?) when groupons were in the early stages and the owner of Soul Fire talked about how great they were - and these statements are backed up when you use them here. I very much appreciate this and for this reason alone I am inclined to continue using Soul Fire as my default BBQ place. Also, I have only had take-out from here and have never had a problem. They generally give you a wait time of 15 min or so, and every time I have come in 15 min the food has been ready to go. The staff here is also very friendly with the take out. Some places care less about take-out patrons because of the out of sight, out of mind realty but not here - great staff (and owner - judging from the article I read he seems to care about the customers). Small complaint - I mentioned earlier that my favorite is the sliced brisket sandwich. This stands true, but some pieces can be half fat, although this is the nature of brisket. When I make brisket I slice off the obvious huge pieces of fat and that is not done here, so you can get a brisket sandwich that has very large solid fat portions. This is my personal preference though so this is not why I gave 4 stars insdead of 5, if they removed the fat there would be others complaining about it and that it ruined the flavor, etc. Doesn't matter but heads up - can be a slight roll of the dice with the sliced brisket, but still what I recommend. So the reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 (they would easily have 5 stars aside from this). They recently raised their prices (not a complaint, it happens and should be expected from time to time) but did not update the prices on their website (the sliced brisket sandwich went from $8 to $9). What happened is that I ordered a lot of food and went to pick it up and came very close to not having enough money to cover it. I understand price increases but you have to put your customers on notice by promptly updating your website - people rely on it. Soul Fire would otherwise have a glowing review but not updating a website considering how easy it is is just not excusible. Overall - great food, great people, my place for BBQ.
(4)
Jennifer T.
Went here with a Groupon, but def. reasonable prices even without it. The wait was about 30 mins on a Monday night, but perhaps because it was all-you-can-eat wings night. We got the "serves 4 souls" which came with a TON of food, we had plenty of left overs afterwards - i'd say it feeds more like 5+. It came with a rack of ribs, 1lb meat (you can choose from brisket or pulled pork), 4 halves of hickory chicken, cornbread, and 2 sides. The biggest disappointment was how small the 1lb of pulled pork turned out to be. Like others mentioned, its not cooked in any sauce, but the upside is that you can test all the different sauces they give you. Our group all though the Pitboss was the best - a bit tangy sweet with a bit of kick, and those who liked spicey, also liked the fiery. The ribs were AMAZING though, super tender and HUGE quantity. The chicken was good, but as with most BBQ, it just cant compare with the ribs and pulled pork. For our sides, we got the mashed potatoes and collard greens. The mashed potatoes were tasty and just the right amount of buttery and peppery goodness. The collard greens were also some of the best I've had, I liked that it had more molasses taste. The waitress was also very attentive and checked up on us often. As for the place itself, it was well lit, but rather loud, but not as noticeable once you're seated. A star was taken off for the small portion of pulled pork, and the waters and sodas were served in paper cups, making the beverage not as cold and refreshing, and also wasteful.
(4)
Vanessa C.
The food is excellent! Make sure you get an experienced server,though... well, even if you don't;the food is still very much worth the trouble. :)
(5)
Joe B.
Soul Fire saved me from culinary boredom. And I keep coming in to give thanks. Their waitstaff continues to be fantastic. Even though the place has gotten busier, I still get great personal service from everyone there. They keep the place clean, your water glasses full, and your drinks poured, and they really seem to enjoy being there. Happy staff equals happy customers, as evidenced by the many other people I see eating there frequently. I recently tried the catfish sandwich. I went into it with some trepidation, since I'd only ever had pulled pork, brisket, or wings from Soul Fire. But, it was a summer night, and I wanted something lighter, so a white fish was my answer. It was excellent! It tasted very fresh, and it had a nice breading on it that provided a little flavor. I'm not much of a tartar sauce person, but their homemade stuff added a nice hit of flavor to the sandwich. I continue to recommend the cornbread and the mac 'n' cheese that comes with BBQ potato chips crumbled on top. Definitely come hungry, and pace yourself. This place is more than worth your attention here in Allston.
(5)
Kevin T.
Good to mo betta BBQ! Great serving size, good meat, good beer, good overall experience. I particularly liked the the brisket tips. Gets a little loud though. Still worth it!
(4)
Cory B.
I really like this place. The food is great, the vibe is cool, and you would be hard-pressed not to walk out feeling completely full and satisfied. This is truly one of the best BBQ places around (and I've always been biased towards Redbones in Somerville) because it is different. It's comfortable and has that true soul vibe. The fried mac and cheese appetizer is amazing, the ribs are flavorful, and they give you a fantastic selection of BBQ Sauces to use. The only reason this isn't 5 stars for me is becuase I've gone a bunch of times for dinner and I feel like they could do a better job of making it feel like a lively joint. The music is low, and it tends to feel empty. I think that they could lower the lights, pump up the music a bit, and get the place feeling a little more fun. When it comes to the food though, go to Soul Fire.
(4)
Owen C.
I was looking for good BBQ in Boston/ Brookline area.... so far, this has hit my fix! I could spend an easy $40 eating up here, and boy does this place hit your BBQ needs I wouldn't say it is a 5 star BBQ in the realm of BBQ, but for New England, its wicked good. I have already gone 4 times.... in 2 weeks :) Coleslaw is amazing, corn bread is close to epic brisket is straight up wicked! Cheers
(5)
Amber K.
If this review were concerned solely with the quality of food, I'm not sure there are enough stars to express how delicious it is. I'm actually not the person you should listen to about food most of the time because I'm incredibly picky and prefer things that are bland, straightforward, and standard. I don't even use any of the four (apparently amazing) sauces that SoulFire offers at each table. That being said, SoulFire manages to cater to my depressing palate while pleasing every other person I've ever gone there with. The fried chicken, which is what I order without fail, is absolutely amazing. It is moist and juicy, flavorful, and worth waiting the 20 or so minutes it takes to prepare (if you say you've never been to SoulFire and you order this meal, they will warn you about a delay because it takes a while). I have also witnessed the enjoyment of the pulled pork, baby back ribs, spare ribs, and all of the various sides. Mac and cheese is a favorite (it has a little bit of BBQ potato chips crumbled on top!), and the gravy for the mashed potatoes could be sold wholesale for quite a profit. The cornbread has been a source of a fight or two when there is only one piece left. My fiance and I enjoy the food so much that we are having it served at our upcoming wedding. SoulFire does lose a star, however, on the staffing/service side of things. It's not bad, not necessarily even mediocre, but it's hit or miss. Sometimes the waitstaff can be inattentive or slow, but sometimes they're great. Sometimes, when the place is very busy and we've had to wait for a table, the staff seem slow to turn over tables and seat customers efficiently. It's not enough to make us stop going, not by a long shot, but I couldn't in good conscience give the place a perfect rating when I know that sometimes I walk out of there very full but not totally psyched.
(4)
Alana H.
I think there is a part of me that belongs in the South. I love southern food and I could get into calling people sir and ma'am. I got a living social deal for this place a while back and it was getting ready to expire so I came here while the bf was in town visiting. The place was pretty lively when we came on Saturday afternoon for lunch. The bf got a beer and I ordered an Arnold Palmer (half lemonade half ice tea) and it was really good. It wasn't too sweet but still really good. For our entrees I ordered the Fried Chicken Platter my sides were collard greens and rice beans. This was probably the best fried chicken I have ever had. The skin was crispy while the meat was juicy and the pieces were huge. I liked the collard greens they were smokey and yet sweet, the rice and beans were good but not memorable and while I liked the cake texture of the cornbread, it was cold and would have loved them to have warmed it up before serving. My bf the Soulfire Platter with Spare Ribs and Brisket. He definitely had a lot of food to tackle with this order, I tried both the brisket and the spare ribs and the meat was very tender and with any of the barbecue sauces they had on the table was delicious. We left the meal feeling very stuffed but satisfied. Even without the living social deal prices here are very reasonable for the amount of food that you get. I would absolutely recommend anyone craving real southern food.
(4)
Chris W.
We live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and saw this place on Groupon and thought we would get the Groupon and try it for some travel we had planned to Boston. We took the "T" from our hotel right to this place and got off on the Harvard stop. It is 100ft off the T. We had $30.00 to spend (alcohol not included). I got a Milk Stout (awesome) and my partner got some beer with a whales tail on it...(also awesome). They had a full bar....but we just got beer. We ordered a 3 meat sampler with brisket, pulled pork, and baby back ribs, potato salad and Boston baked beans and corn bread.....all I can say is that we have eaten BBQ through out the country.....and this place is my FAVORITE!!! I can not wait until we go back so I can eat there! Brisket is hard to master....theirs is incredible....and the baked beans looked and tasted homemade.....and you will never forget them they are so good...even the cornbread was good! They had 4 signature sauces...all good!! Our waiter was great....we took a Brisket sandwich w/baked beans back to our hotel and right when we were almost done with our meal he remembered to ask us if we were ready for him to put in the order for our to go sandwich. Great service!!
(5)
Jeff M.
Worst BBQ in Boston. I've had better BBQ in airports.
(1)
Mike H.
I love this place. I stop through as often as I can. The service is hit or miss but the food is consistently good.
(4)
Chad J.
I used to live around the corner from this place and was very thankful for it. I have roots in Texas where slow cooked BBQ is almost a religion but up here in the Northeast its not nearly as prevalent. I've tried a handful of BBQ places and Soul Fire is one of the best I have found. Their menu is straight forward, the ribs and brisket are slow cooked and always tender with just a bit of dry rub. They have several sauces for you to choose from so everyone can pick what they like which makes sharing the sampler plates much easier. Its also one of the only places I have found Lone Star beer for anyone who is at all nostalgic for that, lol.
(4)
Frank B.
I'm glad I saw the Groupon in my email. I went to Soul Fire a few years ago and wasn't too impressed, kept wanting to give it another chance and this was the perfect excuse. Headed to Allston and bellied out to the bar for another try of their BBQ. Our bartender was great, got us set up right away with drinks and menus. I ordered the pulled pork,brisket, with collard greens and potato salad. My wife got fried chicken and beans and coleslaw. For me I was a happy camper from first bite and my wife is comparing other fried chicken to theirs. BBQ is like beer, everyone has their favorites, and likes. Soul Fire will put a smile on any BBQ fan and I'm not going to wait too long before I go back again...
(4)
Valerie V.
AMAZING. Pulled pork is light, savory, and a little spicy; the best I've ever had. Mac and cheese is topped with bbq chip crumbles for a unique twist. Catfish was fried with a light, flaky crust which was a welcomed change from traditional, tough corn meal. The mashed potatoes and gravy were so good I had 2 servings. Other highlights from the table included fried chicken tenders (real, fresh chicken- not the frozen tenders), and savory brisket! I love the variety of sauces, the friendliness of the staff, the quality of food, and the value for the price paid. So great that we come from Watertown to eat here and have received great host compliments when our picky eating guests from Texas fell in love with this place too.
(5)
Amber D.
I was going to give Soulfire 4 stars, because some of the items aren't THAT great. Then I remembered ordering the Pitboss Sampler platter, and all of those delicious meats and sides that come with it. I'm sure the catfish is good, but I'm not sure I'll ever get to try it, knowing that the pitboss option exists. Also the cornbread passes the moistness/flavour test (try pouring a bit of the sweet bbq sauce on it for that extra touch of flavour!) The atmosphere is pretty nice - a southern feel, without being too distanced from its Bostoniness. The metal plate/tray things with the red checkered paper is unique but in a good way. The utensil and BBQ holder made of recycled 6 pack cases adds to the kitchiness. Long story short, I've had better (being from the Midwest and traveling around the south), but for this area, between this place and Redbones, I can stop missing home quite as much.
(5)
John S.
I rounded up to three because of the bigscreen television. Thanks for that, Soul Fire. I've had better BBQ in town, to be sure, but I do appreciate what they're trying to do here in Allston. They're making hip BBQ for hipsters, for sure, clearly trying to fatten up the skinny jean and tight ironic t-shirt crowd with actual food instead of the Top Ramen and drinks from Great Scott they normally survive on. The pulled pork is adequate, the chopped brisket is a bit firm for my taste but technically sound, and the ribs are enormous and sport a good smoke ring. This is good American fare, and I'm happy these Soul Fire folks are cramming it into the Allston/Brighton crowd. They'll be better for it.
(3)
Big S.
Luckily I had a groupon for this place. We had to wait a while, one particular waitress was a bit slow and seemed to be screwing everything up, we somehow got to sit before people that had been waiting longer than us. Once we sat down, they brought out our food about 30 seconds after we ordered which is always a bit weird. The house arnold palmer was great. I had the baby back ribs which were quite fatty, cannot be compared to Blue Ribbon for BBQ in this area. Pulled chicken was good, my gf had the 1/2 roasted chicken and she liked that. Sides were ok, again just a bit odd that it comes out so quickly after ordering. Was it already waiting for us? Decent food, not the greatest service. They were busy but I think it was because they offer groupon and living social deals. If you want good BBQ, go to blue Ribbon asap
(3)
Danielle K.
My fiance and I have been to Soulfire BBQ a few times in the past and always enjoyed it. Tonight we stumbled upon the $8.99 all you can eat wings special (Monday after 5 PM) . I stuck to ordering my favorite, the delicious pulled pork sandwich, but my fiance opted for the wing special. For the wing special, they 1st bring you a sampler of 4 different types of wings. Then, you can order any amount of wings you want in any sauce. I recommend going with friends who will also order the wings so you don't feel awkward eating while your partner is all through. I got a basket of fries (very crunchy) to nurse while my fiance ate wings till his hearts content. You can easily share the basket of fries between two people, and I kinda wish I did right now because I'm a bit stuffed. The wings were pretty big and my fiance was quite pleased with the meal. If you're in the area on a Monday night, definitely check it out.
(5)
Evan R.
I went here twice... the first time I thought it was stupid, but the second time I sort of had it figured out. Soulfire is a bit unique for the area and I think it has a place in Allston. The BBQ I would only grade a B to B+ at best.... but if you consider the fact that you're in friggon Allston, that's pretty good. Of course you can wash your pulled pork sandwich down with a Shlitz.... because..... well, why not? The service is super friendly and the atmosphere is pretty cool, but both of my visits the place was a bit empty, which was a bit weird. By now I hope it has gotten more popular, and I hope to go back sometime soon.
(4)
Karen H.
My boyfriend and I walked by this place a million times scoffing at the bro dude crowd and at the presumably lack of pescetarian friendly eats. It took one Irish musician friend who was in town playing a show to inform us that they offer fried catfish. We've been ordering Soulfire through Grubhub every since. We used to get the catfish sandwich but after dining in one night, we fell for the catfish platter ($14 - comes with two sides of your choice, pickles and cornbread). Amazing deal, great barbeque sauces, and you'll leave with a happy belly. I can't speak for their bbq meats, but judging from the throngs of men and women chowing down on endless platters, it seems they are quite popular.
(4)
Susan C.
Like the reviewer before me, I decided to try out Soul Fire because of its Groupon deal. I went with a friend for dinner and got there around 7:30pm-ish. The place wasn't too busy when we arrived and we decided to sit at the bar. In terms of food, I was not disappointed, but the service was lacking. I ordered an Arnold Palmer for my beverage, and the girl at the bar never refilled it. I'm pretty sure the menu said free refills, but when I finished my drink, she just took it away and never bothered to ask if I wanted another. I was never offered a refill on my water either. I'm subtracting a star for the service. For my meal, I ordered the Fried Chicken Plate with Potato Salad and Mac n Cheese. My friend got the combo with Pulled Pork and Spare Ribs. The fried chicken was crisp, juicy, and nicely seasoned. I decided to get it after eyeing some other folks at the bar who were eating it when we sat down. The potato salad was quite good as well, it was surprisingly light and was easy to eat up. The mac n cheese was also very tasty, the elbows were cooked to a nice consistency and the side was topped with some crumbled bbq chips. I stole a rib from my friend and it was tasty too. The meat was tender and easily came off the bone with a little pull. I tried out all the thick BBQ sauces with my meats (which is 4 sauces). I didn't fancy the sweet, it tasted like liquid brown sugar and that was about it, no smoke to it at all. The Soul Fire sauce was okay, it was smoky and had a nice bbq flavor to it. The Pit Boss was even better, smoky with some spice. My favorite, however, was their habenero bbq (I think that was the sauce's name, but am not sure because the label on the bottle was missing), it had nice bbq flavor and a great kick to it.
(4)
Aleeza L.
I've come here twice now. 1 - All you can eat Wings on Monday night. I should know by now that it's really not worth it for me to pay any fixed amount for wings. I can only eat 5-8 wings. Pointless, but that's my fault. Onto the food and service. It was a little bit confusing on how to order, but when we finally got s big platter, I honestly found that everything fell a bit flat of expectations. The wings were a good size and moist, but the flavors all seemed to taste the same. I wasn't so happy. I definitely prefer dry rubs or places like Wing-It or Wings Over. 2 - Friday night for some regular food with a fairly large group (6). It took forever to get a seat (45min) and another 30 minutes to get food. This was all around 8:30pm so i thought the dinner crowd had passed on, but I was wrong. Bad planning on my part. Most people seemed happy with their dish. I think the only disappointment was with the fried chicken because it was so greasy. The waitress wasn't very attentive. She never came to check on us after we got our food or refill our water; it was really busy but I don't think that should be an excuse. Overall, not bad - my friends and I had a good time, but there was just a lot of waiting. Not the best BBQ I've ever had (Dinosaur BBQ from Syracuse), but not bad for Boston.
(3)
Maya T.
Great BBQ! And good sweet tea.
(5)
Mahina K.
It's seat yourself but we came with a huge group so we had to wait for a table (8 or 9 people). We were okay because the wait was still shorter than what we did at Red Bones. I'm undecided which I like better yet. I think I like Red Bone's meat better. But I can't choose between the sauces. I like Red Bones Sweet sauce, but Soulfire's was too sweet, but Pitboss was just right. So basically, I can't choose, so don't make me. What really got me was our waitress. She was so nice! With a table this big she didn't have to be because there was instant gratuity added but she was still really nice. And I appreciate that. She really waited on us, making sure we had everything we needed or if we wanted to take anything (like our drinks) out with us. She was extremely attentive to what we needed. Overall I had a great time here and would go back.
(4)
Mike G.
If you haven't been here yet... stop what you're doing (apologize to your boss if you're at work) then get in your car, walk, or hitch a ride to Soul Fire and grab some lunch/dinner (depending on when you read this). The food is fantastic! So far, this is the best BBQ in Boston... honestly not the best I've ever had in general, but ranking top 5 overall and definitely ranking number 1 for the area. And being the Mississippi boy I am, that is quite the accomplishment. :-D Had a small group, so we ordered the Pit-boss BBQ Sampler, which was (1) smoked beef sausage, (2-3) fried chicken wings, (2) sweet and spicy wings, (2) bbq spare ribs, a half-rack of baby back ribs, a small portion of cubed beef, and a small portion of pulled pork. You also got little side samples, almost like dipping sauce cup sizes of the side - which included: beans, cole slaw, potato salad, mac-n-cheese, collard greens, and 2 good sized pieces of cornbread. I LOVED everything off the meat plate, and by plate I mean pizza dish with a cookie sheet on top of it (which is how all the plates are). My favorite being the spare ribs. They had a nice char on the outside, but were still good and tender. Nice dry rub coated on top of them, and you had a choice of sauces to poor over them as well, I went with the Pit-Boss bbq sauce, which is a spin on traditional (tomato based) BBQ sauce. It was perfection together. The fried chicken wings were fantastic, so I can only imagine the fried chicken platter (with full size chicken pieces - lol) is just as amazing. The pulled pork has a nice flavor, and was very tender. I couldn't decide between the pit-boss and the sweet sauce for the pulled pork, pitt-boss had a good flavor, but wasn't sweet enough to really highlight the pork... and the sweet was a bit tangy, so it kind or 'overwhelmed' the pork. I did a mix of both and it gave it a good flavor - but honestly the pork is good on its own too. My only complaint, really corrected itself. When we were first seated the lady promptly took our drink orders (but they had home made sweet tea - Fantastic!!). When she brought our drinks back she said our server would be right with us. We waited a few moments then another female came by to asked if we had put in our orders yet, we replied we were still waiting to order, and she informed us she would grab our server. A few minutes later... the same female who took our drink orders, came back for our food orders... and things finally got rolling and no more problems. Other then the initial delay for placing an order, service was great. Drinks were kept filled, she gave us BBQ recommendations and even which sauce paired best with what item. It doesn't matter if you going to sample bits and pieces of the menu, or order a platter/sandwich and dig in... this should definitely be your BBQ stop for the area!
(4)
Noah C.
"Mmm." "..." "Mmmmm." "...yeah." "...oh. Yeah." No, it's not an indecent movie. It's the sounds you hear emanating from each table at Soul Fire. The accompanying noises aren't any better - fingers being lasciviously licked, lips being smacked, strange, wet noises echoing around. A colleague of mine that was attending the same conference I was tipped my group off to this place. We came, we saw, we made obscene noises. It always pains me to eat at restaurants on trips - you have to order carefully, because you never know when you'll be back, and if order the wrong thing, you may be left with years of regret. I'm pretty sure I made the right call at Soul Fire, though. I decided to go for the brisket platter, with collard greens and baked beans as my side. There was plenty of porky goodness in both the savory beans and tangy collard greens, and all the lovely pig fat added levels of deliciousness to each side. I also rampaged through my brisket. Tender, moist, delicious brisket. Served the right way, over a giant piece of white bread. As a personal eating challenge I also went for the all you can eat BBQ wings. Once I put the "Fire" sauce on them, they were heavenly, and I went through a ton of them in short order. I wasn't even that hungry when I got to Soul Fire, but I managed to eat like a freakin' pig the whole night. The only star I can dock is for the server, who seemed to not believe in my eating prowess when I ordered both the brisket and the wings. I mean, c'mon dude - it's not like it's gonna hurt the restaurant. He also took his sweet time bringing food and water, which irritates me to no end.
(4)
Andrew M.
We made the drive to Cambridge to use our Groupon at Soulfire and it was well worth the drive. We had 35 to spend and were able to get plenty of food to fill us and then some. We tried a combo 3 meat plate (Ribs, Chicken, and Pork) along with a variety of sides. All of it was good. The tables are loaded with different BBQ sauces for dipping and are amazing. The fried chicken wings are some of the best I've ever had and are not too greasy like KFC. The Pulled Pork is delicious and the ribs were good too (though not the best I've ever had). The place was pretty crowded and it seemed like they were a little under-staffed during that time so service was a little slow. All in al it was a great place to go and we'll surely be back. Parking can be tough, bring change for the meters.
(4)
Thomas I.
Soulfire is the best BBQ place I have found in Boston... and that means something. I am from the South. The pulled pork is awesome. They have great sauces. The chicken is really good. The sides are solid (I've had Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens). If you are looking for a good southern-style BBQ joint I would definitely check this place out. The only reason that I didn't give them 5 stars was that the sweet tea that I ordered wasn't very good. Other than that, I would highly recommend Soulfire to anyone!
(4)
Heather B.
The Q was mediocre AND the resto was dirty. A restaurant should be straight-up CLEAN every minute of every day no matter what they serve or how grungy the 'hood. There is no room for dinge in food service. Better BBQ can be found at Blue Ribbon or Sweet Cheeks. p.s. it was late lunch (3pm) and slow so no excuses.
(2)
Erica C.
I recently went back here after not going for a few years. I live a few blocks away and had only come for lunch, but decided to try it out for dinner with friends. I thought the food was great, much better than Red Bones (which I think is very overrated), but I think the decor could use some work. I thought when this place was in its infancy, that the decor was a work in progress, but it hasn't really changed. The red walls are jarring, the lighting is off, and it is too spacious feeling. Almost cafeteria-like. It could really use either some room division or some kind of hanging lights (not spot lights/pot lights). All of my friends agreed when we ate there last week. You kind of want a BBQ place to feel homey and it just has an odd, unnerving quality. I have always liked the pulled pork here, but I tried some new things this time. (I will add that I love that they have North Carolina sauce. My husband is from NC and every time we go there, we love to get BBQ. Of course, it is much cheaper and much better than anything in Boston.) My husband and I shared a fried chicken plate and a half rack of baby back ribs. We both agreed that the chicken was delicious - juicy and the batter was well seasoned. The ribs weren't the greatest. You kind of had to gnaw the meat off the bone. (At red bones, I had to literally RIP it off the bone with my teeth though - not good.) I don't know why BBQ places here can't slow cook the ribs enough so that the meat falls off the bone. We make them at home and they are better than anything I have had in a restaurant. We also started the night out at the bar waiting for our friends and had a couple of corn dogs. Delicious, cheap, and yummy mustard sauce. I drank sweet tea since I am preggers and it was also great. Almost as good as NC sweet tea. I always enjoy the cornbread here. The baked beans were too sweet for everyone at our table's taste. The collards were yummy and the mac and cheese is pretty decent quality. I'll definitely be going back for the chicken and corn dogs. But owners, please make the place a tad more inviting. :) Oh, also, I am not a fan of the quasi "seat-yourself" policy here. Very confusing. Get a hostess please.
(3)
Ben C.
5 stars for being the only good bbq place within walking distance of brookline/allston. Kudos to the owners for creating a delicious, inexpensive real food restaurant in a sea of average pizza joints and blah takeout restaurants. Eat the fried macaroni and cheese balls and your life will be changed. I'm not a BBQ expert per say, but I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches/meals and it was excellent. The variety of bbq sauces is unique in allston and yes, I think the food tastes a lot better when doused in the sauce... so do it! I love this place
(5)
Vanessa W.
I could probably throw Soul Fire another star, but I have high standards for soul food (look at my picture). The food was definitely good, the fried wings were good, greens pretty damn good, and the ribs were good too. I'm sorry but that potato salad was wack. I was surprised to find bbq chips crumbled on top of my mac and cheese. At first I was like wtf? Then I accepted it and found it quite tasty. Try all the sauces, it's really a matter of preference on those. Oh and no hard alc for all you allston alchys out there. But the beer was good, Harpoon UFO worked out for me.
(4)
Sarah T.
It was a beautiful day in November, and my husband and I decided to go grab some barbecue before going to a concert. I will note that it was a little difficult to find Soulfire as there was no sign visible when looking down Harvard Avenue from the T stop. So we wandered a bit not sure which way to continue walking. We tried Soulfire based on the Yelp reviews (especially the fried mac and cheese recommendations). Well, our experience was a disappointment. This should have been foreshadowed based on there only being two other patrons indoors on a Friday; a little eerie. You would think that people would at least be there to drink. We started with the aforementioned appetizer. Although claiming to be "extra cheesy," the fried mac and cheese bites were anything but cheesy. At the least, I would question Soulfire's interpretation of the word "extra" nevermind "cheesy." They were most definitely dry, as if made with noodles and powdered cheese sans the milk and butter required. Disappointing. The sides were a mixed bag. The collard greens were too sweet for me, and it is noted that the menu claims as much. I would have preferred equal parts sweet and salty, though. The pickles were mediocre and nothing to remember or to crave at a later date. The potato salad was also on the sweet side, which is likely do to the use of red bliss potatoes and not enough salt. The one interesting and good side was the coleslaw. It is truly palate-cleansing as the menu states. Oddly, I kept craving more and more of it. For the main meal, I had the brisket platter, and my husband had the spare ribs. The brisket was the worst that I have ever had. It was so dry and brought to mind trying to chew shoe leather. I really could not believe how dry it was and how they were trying to pass it off as beef brisket. Again, this could be why I was continually eating the palate-cleansing coleslaw! Maybe not so odd, afterall. On a better note, my husband thought that the spare ribs were good, not great, but good nonetheless. Our waitress was extremely nice and sweet; too bad the sides matched her persona. Take it from two people who have lived in Texas: save your pennies and spend them elsewhere. This one's a dud!
(1)
Lauren C.
This place is awesome. Friendly service, good prices and really big portions. Between my friend and I, we ordered the pulled pork, brisket, collard greens (which I was worried would be mushy or bitter but they were AMAZING), cole slaw, baked beans and cornbread. Everything was fantastic. They bring you four different bbq sauces before your meal. All of them were great, and even better when you mix them together, which we had fun doing. And they have Dr. Pepper- added bonus. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Katie C.
Chili fries and pulled chicken were great. The cornbread was ok. Fried chicken, baked beans (way too much molasses and the bacon was burned) and potato salad (too much mustard) were not good. Homemade Arnold Palmer was good.
(3)
Jamie G.
Really I want to give this place a 4.5, but decided t round down because I just dont think it's a 5 star place. I came here because I had a groupon, and am I glad I did, because I will definitely be back. Had $35 to spend, we got tons of food (prices are very cheap here!) They kinda have a bad beer selection, not terrible, but not necessarily good either. I had a Harpoon UFO on draft and my friend had a Brooklyn lager. At least we had some decent options to choose from, but wish they had more! For food, we started with the chili cheese fries, which were delicious. Then we ordered the Pulled pork sandwich, with mac and cheese for a side, and a platter with Baby Back Ribs, slice brisket, Baked beans , mashed potatoes with gravy and Corn bread. The pulled pork was by far my favorite thing here, and perhaps my favorite pulled pork in Boston! It has South Carolina vinegar sauce on it and the meat was nice and juicy and the bread was nice and soggy. SOOO good!! The Ribs and Brisket were okay, but nothing special. Brisket way too fatty for me. The mac and cheese had potato chips crumbled on it, it was okay. The mashed potatoes and gravy were plain and nothing special, and the baked beans were DELICIOUS. The corn bread was also really good- with bits of corn in it, and very moist! For dessert, we had the chocolate pecan pie to go, and when we finally ate it at home, it was still delicious-- a little too sweet, but perfect to share with someone. They have BBQ sauces on the tables and set up in a station in the back for to-go orders. The sweet BBQ sauce is the best- the others were all very good too though!! So if I came back, I would get pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and side of corn bread. It's Cute inside, we had Decent service, and I was impressed by the huge portions and low prices. Definitely a solid BBQ place!!
(4)
Mehgan C.
Wings, wings wings and Brooklyn lager. No wait, pulled pork and lager. No wait Mac and cheese and cornbread!!Even the collard greens are fantastic. So monday nights are all you can eat wings night. Want to die and go to heaven? Then go monday evenings. Although they do tend to get REALLY busy and you may have to wait a bit for a table. But seriously worth it. Also on two separate occasions went here for a group dinner. Had the pulled pork and MAN are their sauces finger licking good! But seriously, how can you not go into a soulfood restaurant and NOT have cornbread (im addicted to) and mac and cheese. (also an addiction) Now being devout to cornbread and mac and cheese, Soulfire has my card. Simply heavenly!
Some things are good, some are over-smoked disasters. The good: Fried chicken. Actually, this is beyond good, it's amazing. Rice and beans. Cornbread. Mac and cheese (although this almost makes it to the bad category, it's pretty average). Beer selection. Prices (again, almost in the bad category but not horrible overall). Service if you eat in. The bad: Mostly everything else. The ribs are oversmoked. So is the brisket. It's a pretty good place overall. I enjoy eating here when I'm craving BBQ.
(3)
Laura C.
Disclaimer: I have only ever ordered delivery from here. Actually, I have only ever ordered here on Foodler. Aside from the delivery man, I have never had any contact with anyone who works here. With that said, I am extremely pleased with the food. The delivery is FAST (I live very close and I tend to order in the mid to late afternoon) and the food is hot. I love the pulled pork entree and sandwich. The mac and cheese is to die for. The corn bread is awesome! The baked beans are sweet! The pickles are home made! The sauces are flavorful! The half chicken is a half chicken! Downfall: no burnt ends. There's an $8 minimum delivery on Foodler, which is probably why I ordered from here in the first place. I really want to try the rice and beans, but I'm pretty sure that everything on the menu will immediately clog my arteries so I haven't ordered from here in a few weeks. Now---- if Blue Ribbon was an option I'd choose Blue Ribbon. But it's not, and Soul Fire is a very good alternative indeed. Addendum: My boyfriend won't order from here. He went once, and he said the place smelled too strongly like BBQ. If a strong BBQ smell bothers you, perhaps you shouldn't eat here.
(4)
Barron F.
I'm a bit of a BBQ snob. I come from North Carolina where the BBQ is plentiful. I have to say, Soul Fire fills a void that existed for the two years that I lived in New England without BBQ. Their pulled pork North Carolina style is delicious (although I do prefer chopped to pulled, personal preference) and the fries are killer. The best part is that they deliver...low minimum and benefits of foodler bucks make this one of my staples for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Erika G.
It's hard to dislike BBQ.. But I give three stars as a basis of comparison to better options in the area. I thought the mac and cheese balls were amazing. I also really enjoyed the variety of sauces and the juicy yet crispy wings...but the fact that they didn't have brisket early on a Sunday night? Inexcusable. For a menu with 5 staple items it should never happen. And the "alternative" chopped brisket was just ok. and by ok i mean pretty disappointing. If was in the area I might return... but I wouldn't consider it worth a trip across town.
(3)
Mike M.
Food: I got the BBQ wings and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were great. The best part though? The variety of BBQ sauces to try - each unique and very tasty. Atmosphere: Cool wall art and a generally appealing ambiance. Service: Our waitress was great. Very attentive and friendly. Price: Very reasonable prices. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Jay M.
Very friendly service and good music playing in the background (just loud enough, so we didn't have to shout to each other). We've been here twice now. The vegetarian entree is very good and the mac 'n cheese outstanding (although it's not hot enough), mash potatoes excellent with yummy gravy. The fried chicken, very good. One of us had a bbq beef sandwich, said it was good. The rice and beans, another standout, only again, not hot enough. We had a groupon and came away with a lot in the styro container to take home. Best of all : the delectable Choco-Pecan Pie....amazingly good, with whipped cream on the side. Loved the music (a rare Marvin Gaye was playing!) All around, a good one!
(3)
Sara M.
I think I found my new favorite place to get ribs and fried chicken. I was quite put out when Roadhouse changed their menu and I was unable to get my beef rib fix. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire and ordered up spare ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, and fries. My fiance got the smoked chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. I took one bite of that subtly spicy breading and fell in love with the fried chicken. I tend to review emotionally but it was delicious. The spare ribs were not beef but they were still finger licking good. I guess I am just not a fan of collard greens as they are too bitter and sweet at the same time. However, the mashed potatoes were garlicky and delightful. Next time, I am ordering fried chicken with mashed potatoes and allowing it to dive into the nirvana that is my stomach.
(4)
Rachel K.
I should start off by saying this review is based on multiple visits in 2010. I started off liking this place. My boyfriend is a big fan of BBQ so he dragged me here a bunch of times. Though I thought it was decent I would never suggest going here myself. Each visit seemed to get a little worse. The food seemed to get worse each time. The pork has no flavor and is gag-worthy. The chicken is ehh. The sides are all delicious--but I can't go here just to eat sides. The service is slow, and I have seen female bartenders cough and pick their nose (using their unwashed hands!!!) while pouring my beer. I couldn't even drink the beer I paid for, and was too polite to call them out. On a positive note, I do like the small but fairly unique beer selection. I overall do not get a clean vibe from this place. I feel like Soul FIre has the potential to be great, but lacks the ability to do so.
(2)
Mike M.
This place as almost as sloppy as Whiskey's. Yes I went there. Very poor attempt at Southern/Soul food. I had the spaghetti western, 3 meat sampler, and pecan pie. The spaghetti western really needed more chili and cheese to be honest. I'd have stuck with the fried mac and cheese, had I known that. The 3 meat sampler I had was comprised of pulled pork, brisket and catfish. The pulled pork was cooked far too long, lacked juice and seasoning, and didn't have the greatest portion. It sat on top of a slice of Texas wonderbread. The catfish was just okay; nothing out of the ordinary. Could have used cajun seasoning to be honest. The brisket was too fatty for my taste. The sides I ordered were collard greens and corn bread. The greens were acceptable and came with pot liquor, but the corn bread was completely stale. The pecan pie was pretty good I should say. It came with 2 scoops of whipped creams, loads of chocolate; however it lacked whole pecans. There are better BBQ spots in Boston at around the same price range. Soul fire just doesn't cut in this foodie's humble opinion.
(2)
Drew V.
I'm really not sure what the big deal about this place is. I've been here a few times and my experiences have been below average. The brisket sandwich was dry but more tolerable when drowned with sauce. The portions of sides could have been bigger.(Is a spoonful and a half of mac and cheese considered a side?) On another occasion I ordered the fried chicken which looked/tasted to be a previously roasted thigh that was breaded and deep fried. It was a strange combination. The chicken was left too long in the fryer and was way too greasy for my taste. The place is clean though and they do have a big screen tv for watching whatever sporting event is on at the time.
(2)
Alan T.
This is a great place for BBQ. I'm catching up on writing reviews for BBQ joints around Boston that I've been to in the past couple of years, and this place gets my vote for #1 (if I were to suggest BBQ to someone, it would be here). It's probably tied for taste versus some of the other places, but it edges out a win in terms of value/portion size (because I'm still not a baller, despite being out of college for a few years already). First of all, we all know BBQ is all about the meat, but the sides can't be an afterthought for a true BBQ experience! This place has amazing sides. You have all the classics, done classically well. No surprises, in a good way. Awesome collard greens, awesome beans, awesome mac and cheese, etc. etc. etc. The sauce selection for your meats are the highlight. The sauces completely blows Red Bones' selection out of this world. Having lived in the south for a few years, I'd say the ribs aren't anything great (they wouldn't win any prizes in competition), but come on! This is BAHSTON! The ribs at soul fire get the job done if you're craving ribs (plus the awesome sides and epic portion sizes = good meal). I also love the location, having lived in Allston/Brighton for a super long time. Harvard Ave. is a great place to hang out. Lots of good food, entertainment... bubble tea places. BBQ and bubble tea after? Sweet.
(5)
Chronic C.
Please note this review comes from a guy in redbones and blue ribbon BBQ country. I was not impressed with soulfire. I wanted to like it and sampled enough to firmly say that it was sub par BBQ-wannabe. Beef ribs were super fatty and greasy. Black beans and rice, bland and stodgy. Pulled chicken sandwich, tasteless ad greasy as hell (chicken? Greasy? What?) Fries as "free" side but cost an extra 50 cents (because they were presumably special but not) tasted like diner fries that came from a fryolator that hasn't been cleaned in weeks. Until something better comes along I will stick with redbones. Staff is great so extra star for that.
(2)
keith l.
Starving? EAT HERE NOW. Delicious, moist BBQ with sauces on the side (try the Fiery). Mashed potatoes and white gravy after 5pm. Planning ahead? Eat here soon, good sir or madam. Standouts: fried catfish, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, fries. Not so good: pulled chicken (it's dry here, just like anywhere else), sometimes the portions are small, only one (delicious) vegetarian option - rice and beans with corn. Incredibly friendly service - they'll even ask if you want a free soda or Arnold Palmer refill to go. Ask for Stephanie, she's one of the best servers I've ever come across. Just fatting around Yelp because you're addicted to eating/reading about food? Eat here at some future date, greasy soulmate. I like to get the 2 (okay, sometimes 3) meat combo that comes with 2 sides and cornbread. Friends love the fried mac n cheese. The regular mac n cheese comes with BBQ potato chips on top. I haven't gone for all-you-can-eat wings night on Mondays yet, but I plan to soon - you get to choose from Pitboss sauce (their middle of the road sauce), Fiery+Honey, Buffalo or a surprise sauce that changes each week. The first time I was here the pat of butter was served under my wet nap, and i didn't see it until I'd already finished the moist, fluffy cornbread. That's sad. Don't do that again, future Keith/current day soulmate! There's a big projection TV and some cool wall art focused on music (think James Brown n stuff). The bathrooms here are clean, especially for an Allston joint.
(4)
Sarah G.
4 Stars for 4 Souls worth of food! Yes, that is what they call their meal combo to feed 4 people. And by 4 people they really mean like 6 people. Our party of 4 with two boys who love to overeat could barely handle this amount of food. You get a whole roasted chicken, a whole rack of spare ribs, a pound of pulled pork, buns for them too, and a pint of pickles, a pint of mac and cheese, and a pint of collard greens too! Won even ordered an extra side of mac and cheese because he loved it so much--it was pretty creamy and came topped with some crunchy goodness. The collard greens were pretty darn tasty too, I just wished the sides were a little bit bigger. The roasted bbq chicken was so moist and delicious though. And pairing that with some of their awesome cornbread and one of their 4 sauces they have on the table is just perfect. Their fiery sauce is hot the way I like it and their soulfire sauce would be my next fav. I think I ate way too much of their sauces because they were just that good. And those spare ribs kick the butt of the ribs at redbones by far. They were way way better. The pulled pork could have been a hair more flavorful, but second you put that addicting sauce on it, it becomes amazing almost instantly. Soulfire with your cool decor inside you are now my fav bbq spot that next time I visit I should wear expandable pants to. Oh and yay for $2.50 pints of PBR too :-)
(4)
Caroline C.
Four stars for their monday night special of unlimited wings for $7. There were 4 different flavors of wings. Honey bbq was my favorite. The lime flavored one was kinda weird. The wings aren't the best I've had, but couldn't complain about the price. I liked the spicy sauce (forget which one it was called). We also ordered the mac and cheese balls. I don't think they were that amazing. Potato puffs from Gregoire's in Berkeley, CA is better in my opinion.
(4)
John Jaewan C.
Wow, What a hidden gem in the heart of Allston. Great for large groups of friends to just chill over some succulent BBQ and FRIED CHICKEN. The wait is not so bad-we came in at a busy hour apparently.. but the interior was nice with two big screen TVs playing Bruins hockey and the overall ambience was very hip and modern. The entrees each come with two sides, and you choose from a variety of selections including collard greens, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn bread, to name a few. My entrees of choice were the rack of spare ribs and YOU MUST TRY THE FRIED CHICKEN. A lot of places serve fried chicken that tastes stale and dry but SoulFire chicken I swear has some kind of juice injected into it to retain maximum moisture and tenderness. You can't go wrong with the chicken. Try it with the Fiery sauce or the SoulFire sauce- those were my personal favorites. Would definitely come back for more and more and more
(4)
Mags R.
Been to this place a few times and is def one of my top BBQ places. I would kill for their fried Mac and cheese! OMG! I forgot all about it... I must go this weekend! The pull pork is also very good and the staff is really cool, lay back and friendly! Def recommend :-) Didn't give it 5 stars because the selection of sauces is on the weak size and I love spicy BBQ sauce and theirs is good but not so hot.
(4)
Nick M.
Great every time I've been here. Bartenders are always friendly, food is always good. Go here. Grab a beer and some meat add BBQ of choice. Enjoy.
(4)
Nicole S.
Okay so after I almost burnt down the house making pizza we had to get some take out. Long FUNNY story but the black pizza was not edible. We always order the same chinese or sushi so we decided that we would finally order from Soul Fire. We dusted off the menu that was stuffed into our mailbox ages ago and placed an order. I was impressed with how well the take out held up by the time it arrived. I ordered the pulled chicken plate and the boyfriend ordered the pulled pork plate. For my two sides I got mac and cheese and red beans and rice and boyfriend got mac and cheese and collard greens. The pulled meats were on a piece of thick white brad. Sadly by the time we got them the bread was really mushy. The red beans and rice was basic, the collard greens were sweet (as opposed to the vinegar taste we are used to) and the mac and cheese was great. Their was a bit of spice to it and the texture was great. The meats were tender and seasoned well. I give this place 3 stars just because we did not really experience service; the delivery guy called to say he was right outside and was down across the street. Ummm.. cant read numbers?
(3)
Bryant F.
Ok when we have a function at work we usually get SF. Everything is good except on 2 different occasions the fried chicken wings weren't cooked all the way through. 5 of us couldn't eat it. Who want to see red or pink in their chicken?! Other than that the rest of the food was good.
(3)
Sarah D.
I was drawn here last night with a promise of "The Best Wings in Boston". How could I pass that up, right? I am not a dummy, so I laced up my shoes and moseyed on over to Soulfire. As it turns out, I don't think these are, in fact, the best wings in Boston, but I do think that they are pretty darn good. First off, this is a BBQ joint, so the wings here are grilled, not fried. I tend to prefer fried wings, personally, but I think these suckers benefit from the alternate cooking method, specifically in that they don't dry out the way fried wings can sometimes tend to do. They are juicy and flavorful before you even put the sauce on them. But I am a sauce guy (saucy, if you will), so forget that noise. Saucewise, I wasn't impressed with the Buffalo, but I could dig on the BBQ varieties. The star of the show, at by my measure, was the Honey Hot, which was sweet and spicy and blah blah blah i liked it. The best part? The price. Monday is all you can eat wings for $8.99. If you, like me, can only put down 10 or 12, this is a decent price. Buuuut, if you are like some of my more accomplished wing-eating friends who can destroy 3 dozen of them, this is a steal. 2 people, endless wings and 4 PBR = $28 plus tax and tip. I think I can handle that.
(4)
Ellen L.
leaves a lot to be desired. this place is ALWAYS empty... self - service restaurant with walk up ordering contribute to the ultra fast food / casual dining experience. Unfortunately, the place almost echoes because of the stark decor so it felt a bit akward. Very cheap food, and tender meat. I didn't think that the flavor was cooked into the meat, but rather, the sauce was added on as an afterthought. also, the cornbread was cold. the least they could have done was faked it w/ a microwave. veggie sides were lacking in taste.
(2)
Brian P.
I lived in Allston/Brighton for over 6 years and am so sad this place didn't exist when I called the neighborhood home. I now live over 5,000 miles away and was happy to see this new addition to Harvard Ave on a trip back to Boston. I can't say this is the best southern style bbq I've had... but so what, this is Boston and to be honest, it is nice to have a non-noodle, non-pizza restaurant in Allston. I've come for the all you can eat wings once which was a great deal. The cranberry hot wings were a nice thanksgiving addition. We also got the greens, rice n beans, and mashed potatoes for sides. The greens and potatoes were very good. The rice and beans so so. I've also tried the brisket and pulled pork. Those were both pretty good as well. Corn bread was yummy. I loved all the tvs for sport game watching. Things I didn't like? The first time I came the service was pretty bad. We waited about 5 mins before someone came to greet/offer us a table. Once seated it took forever to order. The last time was a lot better but still had some problems flagging down our server to order more wings/beer. I guess this is expected as the place is always busy. I guess the only other negative is parking, but, this is life in Boston.
(4)
Alicia G.
I have been here a few times before and always enjoyed it. I almost forgot it existed since I'm not in the area much and then I got the Living Social deal and all the delicious memories came back in a rush. I scooped up the deal and dragged the husband to dinner. It used to be a counter place with a giant chalkboard menu, but it now has waiter service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We got fried mac & cheese appetizer and it was delicious with a hint of spice on the crust. I got the cubed brisket with mashed potatoes and mac & cheese. It was all delicious (especially the mashed potatoes!), but I wouldn't go for the cubes if I had to make the choice again. My husband got a kind of sampler plate with ribs and fried chicken. Holy crap, the fried chicken was amazing. I ended up filling up on his fried chicken instead of my own brisket. The corn bread is a bit different than I am used to with big cranberries in it. It was tasty, but I think I prefer plain cornbread. I would give it 5 stars, but it was a bit pricey even with no booze. UPDATE: Apparently the cranberries in the cornbread were just a holiday special for Thanksgiving.
(4)
Tim Y.
Awesome place for some BBQ! A good pulled pork sandwich plus a side for 8 bucks, and drizzle on your choice of the four BBQ sauces (soulfire, sweet, chili, and pitboss) they bring to your table. I personally like the sweet BBQ and pitboss, because the soulfire wasn't as strong and the chili/spicy tasted pretty much like hot sauce. P. S. Will be back for 9 dollar al you can wings on Monday nights
(4)
Erika M.
Do that to me one more time, Soul Fire. My husband's job has catered lunch from this place once a month or so. Every time he tells me, "Soul Fire Tuesday" I get a food boner. The only relief from this food boner is a bite (or 400) of their Mac and Cheese and their sexy brisket. Mouth climax. I think I'll roll over and get some sleep now.
(5)
Kelly O.
$8.99 all-you-can-eat delicious wings: YES. We'd been meaning to check out this deal, and last night finally got the chance to stop by SoulFire for the first time. The 3 of us cozied up to the bar around 6, ordered some cheapish beers from the friendly bartender ($2.50 PBR draft, $4.50 Sam draft), and waited for the onslaught to begin. For starters, they bring you a 4-piece wing sampler of the 4 types of sauces they have, 3 which are standard and 1 which rotates, so you can pick what you want to gorge on. The standard ones were all solid (2 were sort of spicy, 1 was typical BBQ), but the special sauce of the day Apple Bourbon was outstanding so we all decided to go with that. About 5 minutes later (these things are made to order so it's not instantaneous), a giant container of wings was set down in front of us and we went to town. These are no wimpy wings, we're talking big meaty drums and wings cooked to juicy perfection and slathered in amazing Apple Bourbon sauce. I'm sort of in love with that sauce, I probably could put that on just about everything I eat and be happy. I also ordered a side of baked beans ($1.99, nice and cheap) which I found delicious... the reviews are correct, they are very sweet and molassey, so if you're not into that don't get them. It just so happens that sweet/molassey + porkey is a flavor I love in my beans, so I was personally really pleased with them. Additionally, each table has a selection of 6 sauces you can add to whatever you order, ranging from sweet to standard BBQ to hot... I didn't mess with the Apple Bourbon perfection, but I could see this being great for a normal meal here. We did have to wait a few minutes in between each wing order, but understandably so since they were cooked to order and basically the entire restaurant was getting them. The atmosphere here is pretty casual, with paper wing containers and metal plates with a paper overlay for sides/mains. They even have paper bags at each table to throw your wings/bones away, a nice touch. The bartender/waiter serving us was really friendly, chill, and attentive, which I really appreciated during something like an all-you-can-eat when service can totally be in the crapper. I'd be willing to try SoulFire on a normal night given the food quality and service/atmosphere, but you can bet I'll definitely be back for Wing Monday.
(4)
Kevin D.
BBQ party wings are tiny and meatless. They recently switched from their signature jumbo party wings to these minuscule things. I asked the chef about the switch and he said it was a money issue. Too bad, the old wings were great.......
(4)
Rini G.
hmmmm..... ive been there for the all you can eat wings. Which I have to say are good. The wings are a good size and the sauces are all pretty delicious. I like that they bring you a tasting plate first, so you can decide which flavour of wings to pig out on. We also took out the 40 buck tasting menu home one night, and it was good. There were 7/8 sides, all of which were pretty tasty and lot of meat. Except for the short ribs, everything tastes good. The place gets 3 stars, because i really dont like the short ribs. I would definitely go back for all you can eat wings. Id actually give this place a 3.5 if I could.
(3)
Joanna C.
Was in the mood for BBQ, even though we had a fairly large lunch. No matter, I still dragged my heartburn plagued bf to a trip to Allston to sample some Soul Fire after perusing the Yelp reviews! We could not find parking for... multiple minutes/blocks/miles. Finally found a spot in a "permit only" area and decided a ticket was well worth it after circling and circling and circling around the mile radius of Soul Fire. A brisk walk through what lookeded like a mini-Koreatown, we finally got to our destination! And it was... empty. Seriously. We passed some hopping restaurants so seeing only one table occupied here was a serious red flag for me. But... once our food started to appear, HEAVEN. Started with the Honey Hot wings, which were giant, meaty, perfectly spiced and sauced. Mmmm. BF had the pulled chicken sandwich with baked beans, which he quickly devoured. I was hankering for ribs, so had the 1/3 rack of the Pork Spare Ribs with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a cornbread square. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Collard greens were slightly sweet and were highlighted by bits of bacon. Mac and cheese was CREAMY, CHEESY, and topped with the BBQ chips which made it PERFECT. Seriously. Reeeeally good mac and cheese. Ribs were MEATY and FATTY and DELICIOUS! I doused them in the Pitboss BBQ sauce, and went to town! And... couldn't finish! 1/3 rack = 4 meaty spare ribs. I was able to finish 3 of them and about half of my sides. I really cannot WAIT to eat my leftovers. Cannot believe how GOOD the BBQ was, and how empty the place was given how reeeeeeeeeally good the food was! But it looked like their delivery business was absolutely jamming. So... understood. If I lived within delivery distance I'd totally be ordering them up weekly! Solid 4 stars. Loved the quad of BBQ sauces available.
(4)
Christine B.
SO good! We had the pit boss sampler. Delicious. Great atmosphere and cheap beers! Service was excellent. Can't wait to go back
(5)
Lusi F.
Normally, I really like this place. This is the third time I've ordered food from there (first time take-out and next two eat-in), so why the one-star? I went there for lunch yesterday, and they served me what I'm pretty sure was day-old baby back ribs. The menu says these should "fall off the bone," and from having ordered it previously 2x (either by me or friends I was with), I KNOW that their ribs do not taste like what we got: cold, hard, definitely not fall off the bone/clean bones. The most embarrassing part, was that we had brought two friends with us raving about how good their ribs were. Well, let's just say none of the four of us commented on the ribs this time during lunch. Yes, the fried catfish and everything else was still excellent, but I think it's just really poor business practice to serve your customers day-old ribs.
(1)
Jen D.
If you like Texas style BBQ then this isn't the place for you. I grew up in the South and like a variety of styles of BBQ, but being a Texan I especially like what I grew up eating. Soul Fire is about as authentic as Olive Garden is to Italian. After reading reviews I was excited to try Soul Fire, but it was horribly disappointing. The sauces were so so which made the pulled the chicken sandwich I ordered rather lackluster seeing as it was covered in sauce. The fried mac and cheese was on the dry side and was tasteless. They only have sweet tea. Any BBQ place back home would offer homemade sweet and regular tea. My friend ordered a wedge salad with a side of pulled pork and the salad wasn't what one expects from a wedge salad. I tried a bite of the pork and it was ok. The "buttermilk ranch" dressing is dreadful! It tastes as if it came out of the most bottom shelf bottle of salad dressing. I'm giving Soul Fire two stars because the cole slaw was to my liking and the waiter was both friendly and cute. I might go back for the Monday night wing night otherwise I won't be eating here again.
(2)
Peg P.
A vegetarian being a fan of a BBQ place?? YOU BET! The side dishes and add ons at BBQ places are my favorite. Sour Fire had PLENTY to choose from - I could have had several meals here without repeating side dishes. They also had a vegetarian option of the menu, which was really great. I opted for the vegetarian plate which included: black beans and rice flour tortillas pickles cornbread salsa/sourcream/cheese It was excellent. Perfect portions and really great spicy flavors!! I will go back again and sample more of the side dishes. They had a good beer selection, the service was good, and the price was reasonable.
(4)
Peter K.
A great place to grab a casual meal. The BBQ may not be the best in the world, but it definitely hits the spot if you're craving some BBQ. The pulled pork sandwich was worth the price and the service was friendly.
(4)
Paul A.
Man do I like this place. I've sampled a lot of the menu but I always come back to their rib platter. The "Pit Boss" sauce is out of sight, but they've got a great assortment of other sauces as well. As much as I love ribs and cornbread, I'll show up just for the mac'n'cheese which has crumbled BBQ potato chips on top. That blew my mind!
(4)
Tom D.
My girlfriend and I just moved to Boston from Texas, and were really wanting to find some good bbq. We went to soul fire not knowing what to think and left totally impressed. The brisket my girlfriend ordered was great and the pulled pork I got was delicious. Not to mention the sides we got (potato salad mac n cheese, and baked beans) were unbelievable. I would recommend this place to anyone! Also, the restaurant has a very cool atmosphere as well, and portions are great!
(5)
Anne R.
Have you ever had a cramp from eating too much? Yeah, that was me on a Monday all-you-can-eat wing night. It started with an innocent sampling of four of the biggest wings I've ever seen and then didn't stop until I waved my white flag of surrender. Looking around the room, I wasn't the only one in a painful bliss of wing consumption as others were leaning back in their chairs with a pile of bones sucked dry in front of them. The sauces are all quite exceptional with complex flavors and marinade style texture that allows the meat to remain center stage. I also had a chance to sample some of the ribs, pulled pork, and corn bread- all were equally tasty. The atmosphere is more like a bar than a restaurant- the waitress is there to bring your food and bar beverages, but soda and water refills are up to you with a fountain at the back of the room. Overall a great place for BBQ!
(4)
Maria D.
Fried chicken platter? check. Baby back ribs platter? check. A variety of truly amazing sauces? check. This place is pretty sweet. Different vibe than Red Bones and definitely a go-to place for bbq. Came here with a groupon and used it up no problem and was NOT disappointed. Did I mention how delicious it is? Ambiance is very cool, and I definitely suggest sitting at the windows. We got to witness a 4 police car scooter chase to retrieve a man on a stolen scooter. And yes, it just so happened to occur right outside soulfire (the pull over, not the actual steal). Back to the food... Ribs were fall off the bone delicious. However, I was much more intrigued by the fried chicken platter. With such a variety of sauces, you really gotta take advantage and order something to douse in them (not like I didn't sauce up my ribs anyways). I will for sure be coming back.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Now first off, my 3 stars are only based on the fact that I didn't eat an entire meal here. And with that said, I really liked what I did eat. Before heading to the movies last night my boyfriend conned me into trying out this place. It was my first time, and he hadn't been there in years. Two words: Macaroni and cheese. Especially mixed with a cold beer and a decent atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and joked around with us which really helped with the fairly laid back atmosphere they had going on. Their cornbread was phenomenal. I almost couldn't stop eating it. I'm not much of a meat eater, but even the potato salad was pretty good. A little too onion-y for my tastes, but I can be a picky polly. Apparently their BBQ left such an impression that before heading back home at 10:30pm, my boyfriend ordered an obscene amount of take out. You know, to save for later.
(3)
Annette A.
First, I absolutely love the vibe of this place. It's warm, dim, and welcoming with hues of flaming red and orange all around. For my food, I had a Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of Mac and Cheese. The Pulled Pork was absolutely amazing, but it seemed like a pretty small sandwich. I'd suggest a slab of cornbread of fried chicken if you're looking for something to leave you aching for a nap.
Honestly not even sure where to begin. The cornbread? The fried mac n cheese balls (bar none the best around)? The brisket? The ribs? Maybe the pulled pork? The homemade sauces? I just don't know. I have no words. Everything was beyond delicious. Go with friends, order a platter, and try it all. You'll be glad you did.
(5)
Naji K.
I went to the Soul Fire BBQ restaurant in Allston excited about getting some serious bbq. Unfortunately, it didn't go as well as I had hoped. The restaurant was much more of a college scene than I had expected. Everything from the tables, chairs, silverware, and the service were all second rate. It was almost comical how the waitress had no interest in making sure we were comfortable. Once she took our order and dropped off our food we had to motion like we were hailing a cab to get her to notice us. The men's bathroom was disgustingly dirty. With that said, the food wasn't too bad and the prices were fair. But, it also wasn't anything special. They did have the biggest projection TV I've ever seen. So, if you're interested in a no-frills BBQ experience you have found the right place. Otherwise, I would try somewhere else.
(3)
Jonathan Y.
Just awesome food every time. The cornbread is perfect and with out a doubt some of the best sandwiches and ribs I've had in a long time. I never leave this place disappointed and we always order in from here while working. Just cant beat it. I also love the sauces they have.
(5)
Sean O.
Crazy good BBQ. Immediately apply the Soulfire sauce to your Southern Fried wings when they hit your table.
(5)
Coren D.
Barbecue in Boston? Such a contentious topic, many barbecue lovers would be tempted to say, "No way, not possible." True, we don't have our own regional style, like Memphis, Texas, Kansas City, or North Carolina. Frankly, I've never been to any of those places and tried the Q there. I only know what I like. Smokey, tender, moist, but not greasy, not too saucy, not too sweet. Enter Soulfire, which has rave reviews from it's fans, and mediocre reviews from others. Three Groupons later and my final verdict, 3 stars. Starting with the brisket, very flavorful, there was plenty of smoke, a crispy bark and the meat was juicy. However, it had a thick ring of dripping grey grease along the edge that had to be trimmed off before eating. The pork spare ribs are meaty, toothsome, and well seasoned with the dry rub, but again, too much fat. OK, so maybe you're saying, "Dude, it's barbecue, it's supposed to be greasy, get over it." In my opinion, well done barbecue has most of the fat rendered off during the smoking process without drying the meat out. Finding globs of white fat stuck to the meat means it wasn't smoked long enough and cooked at too high a temperature. For the rest of the menu, a great find was the fried catfish. Flaky but not oily, crisp on the outside, but not dry, the catfish filet pairs well with the house barbecue sauces. The fried chicken was good, but a tad too sweet. I think there must be a lot of sugar in the marinade and the breading, because it comes out of the fryer a deep dark brown, instead of a golden color. It also is soggy with grease instead of crispy and light. The sides are decent, but everything seems to be made with way too much sugar. The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, corn bread, and chili are cloyingly sweet, and not savory enough. So to summarize: too greasy, too sweet. Is there better bbq in Boston? Definitely, but not bad for Allston. Good news, $2.75 PBR and $3 Lone Star.
(3)
Jessica H.
Great food, just had the ribs and mac and cheese with BBQ chips for dinner and it was Awsome!
(5)
Scott S.
Soul fire has a decent offering of barbeque. I've had better, but it will definitely satisfy if you're craving BBQ. I've been there about 5 times, and everytime i go, the place is deserted. There's never anyone in there, and they also have a HUGE projector on the wall, always on espn. A great place to chill and watch some sports with friends, the sauces are awesome, but the food can sometimes be a little disappointing to big BBQ fans like myself.
(4)
M. R.
Soul Fire is crazy good! Their mac and cheese is some of the best I've ever had - topping it with barbecue flavored chips? Both genius and tasty! If you're on a diet you should probably avoid this place because they serve you tons of food for not that much money, and it is all greasy and delicious. I can't think of anything I've tried at this restaurant that wasn't totally fantastic. Plus their bartender (it's the same girl every time I go in) is really nice and friendly.
(5)
Sarah R.
Soul Fire was just what I needed on Saturday. Boy and I were running some errands in Allston and stopped in for a quick lunch that didn't come in a Styrofoam container and wasn't redolent of the microwave. I'd been meaning to go here for a while after walking by countless times. Apparently Saturday afternoon is the right time to go; we were the only customers in there and left just as a fair-sized group of BU kids were stumbling in. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with mac & cheese. Boy had the beef brisket sandwich with rice & beans, and also tried one of the bottles of Harpoon Root Beer (which turned out to be quite yummy). There's a nice little assortment of different types of BBQ sauces with which you can doctor up your food, but I found I didn't really need any. My sandwich was messy but delicious, and I tried my best to stretch out the eating experience so I could savor it more. I did this by pacing myself with the cheese-tastic mac & cheese, which was delightfully sprinkled with BBQ chips. Oh hai, LDL cholesterol! My only complaint regarding the food rests with the fact that they serve sweet pickle chips on the side. I maintain that sweet pickles were conceived of and brined by Satan himself. It speaks volumes that boy, who is a native Texan and thus has had more than his fair share of good BBQ, thinks this place serves good food. I think it's a step above Village Smokehouse, and I have yet to go to Redbones, but I'll definitely be returning here to get my BBQ on.
(4)
Robbie R.
I went to this fine establishment on Friday with my girlfriend and my two roommates. It was a cold night... one that makes you hold a loved one close and ponder just why it is that you choose to live in an environ in which such harsh winter conditions are the norm and public transportation is so habitually disappointing... I had originally thought to go to the Sunset Bar and Grill, as I had yet to go for a meal and had been told that it truly is much more than just a mediocre Eagles song. But the ladyfriend brought up Soul Fire... and am I glad she did. Located on Harvard Ave, and balls deep in Allston Village, this place is a breath of fresh air into the lungs of diners looking for somethign other than your typical pub-fare or fill-in-the-blank-with-an-asian-country cuisine. BBQ is the type of food that I almost never buy, yet absolutely love when someone makes it for me and hands it to me on a plate. Sushi is also the same deal. You just learned a few interesting tidbits about me... congrats. So anyway, when perusing the menu, I had to go with the pulled pork sammich. I also got a side of mac and cheese, and a side of potato salad. I couldn't help maself. Then we also got a side of cornbread as an appetizer... WHEN IN ROME!!! The cornbread was good, the pulled pork amazing, the mac and cheese amazing, and the potato salad was 'meh.' Roommate #1 got some mashed potatoes which were the bomb, and my better half got some baked beans which were also mighty good. Our waitress was dope and laid-back. She didn't mind splitting our bill between the 4 of us or handling 4 different cards. Forgot to bring our drinks before our meal... but we jogged her memory and there was no harm done. The meal was ready in 5 or 10 mins tops. We left satisfied and went off to watch The Silence of the Lambs and continue with our carnivorous cavorting.
(5)
Rachel L.
Not bad, for a BBQ place. Boyfriend took me here the other day, and we split a full rack of spare pork ribs, and it was pretty good, but there was tons of fat that I'd have to pull off before every other bite. It was good though, not too dry. They offer you four different sauces: sweet, soulfire, fiery, and I don't know what the other one was. I liked the soulfire sauce the best, and my bf liked the sweet sauce the best. We got potato salad and collard greens for sides. The potato salad was good, probably from a nearby grocery store. Collard greens were alright. The cornbread, I thought, was pretty good. It wasn't too processed, like Boston Market's cornbread or anything. They also had mac n' cheese, coleslaw, and a few more sides I can't remember right now. This place had apps like wings, chili, etc. They had three or four different salads, sandwiches, and ribs. Prices were ok, considering the amount of meat you're getting. I think the full rack of ribs was something like $23. The thing that impressed me the most was that we got our food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. Bathrooms were pretty clean, and decorated nicely. The interior was also decorated kinda nice, painted bright red, and music-related art hangin on the walls. There's also a big TV, always playing some sports game. But yeah, I recommend getting the ribs.
(4)
Brittany B.
Ordered delivery from this place... not a fan. They seemed very frustrated with me after writing down MY number wrong and stated that they "called and called" and I did not answer. Pardon me for not verifying that they had the correct number, I thought that was their job. After rectifying the situation, they then tried to say that they could not get into my building because the front door doesn't allow entry. However, I have received delivery many times without an issue. The catfish tastes like the batter is ordinary batter that one would fry shrimp in, the mac and cheese was cold and the collards were sub-par. If you really want TRUE BBQ, I would say go to Blue Ribbon and if you just want some good down home cooking, try Slade's. I won't be ordering from here again... perhaps I shouldn't have ordered delivery.
(2)
Nate B.
It took 10 minutes for the bartender to even give my friend and I the time of day. It was a Friday evening and we had eaten at Soul Fire once before, so we figured why not stop by for a drink. The bar had around 6-7 people at it, all happily munching on food and drink all while we sat waiting for the bartender to notice us. Finally I got the bartender's attention after angrily glaring at the other bartender who nervously tried to get our bartender to see us. Once I did manage to flag her down, she informed us that if we weren't getting food with our drink that their alcohol permit would not allow us to eat there. This information, after 10 minutes of waiting with out even offering us a menu. That aside, the food is filling, the sides are tasty, and the portions are decent. It's small, and has a warmth and vibrancy that comes from its deep red walls and album covers that decorate its bar. The pricing is 8-10 dollars for most entrees and options for side combinations. Service is inconsistent. Our first trip there a few months ago was fine, in fact our bar tender was extremely friendly and was bouncing with excitement as the Celtics won. This past trip was pretty awful, and it will be hard to get me to go back. I have a theory about why we weren't served, but I'll save that for any who wishes to message me in private. Enjoy, but make sure you get foodz with your booze...
(2)
Kelsey A.
It pains me to give this one star. But what pains me more is the number of times my friends and I have given this place a shot and ended up with severe stomach illnesses. (I'll spare you the details). The first visit went well with no problems. The cornbread is good, the mac and cheese is good - but other than that, the food makes me sad. First, the collard greens are inedible. Second, we had "issues" 4 times after that initial visit. I hate to think it and I'm not saying it's fact - but I feel like there was something wrong with the meat when we ate there. I know you're thinking, "but if it made you sick, why did you keep going back?" I went back because I love the concept of the place and the service is quirky. The bbq doesn't taste terrible when you're eating it, it's just the aftermath that makes me go, "thanks, but no thanks." I feel like I can fairly give Soul Fire one star.
(1)
David E.
One word says it all: "eh". Some of the sauces are good but overall, it could be better on so many levels. The mac and cheese earned it 3 stars instead of 2. Highly recommended as a side.
(3)
Sheila S.
I was VERY pleased with this place. The deep fried macaroni is tasty. Our main was delicious. The beer selection and homemade lemonade get extra points. Just 1 star off for a pretty horrible dessert... don't get the fried dough.
(4)
J E.
Soul Fire is one of those places that will show up when researching a good place to get wings around the Allston area. You will find a decent selections of tasty sauces, yummy corn bread to cut the flavor, and cold beer to wash it all down. Depending on which night you visit, you may find yourself with the decision to impulsively get the all you can eat wings. *cough* Monday. And if you aren't up for stuffing your face, try the fried mac and cheese balls or the ribs. The restaurant does take orders for delivery, but I would advise agaisnt it. I fall into the catergory of people that blatently ignored the comments that maticulously pointed out that the delivery is painfully slow, and should never be done if it can be avoided. Needless to say it took about 2 hours to get my food, after several phone calls and the discovery that my order had never even be written down. Regardless, if you visit the restaurant, you don't need to worry about that.
(4)
Ashley M.
Went to The Roadhouse last week and thought it would be fun to search for a great BBQ place. This was definitely a good experience. There was plenty of seating and space, very accessible. We chose to sit table-style instead of the booth(tried to get away from the television distraction). Our waitress was very friendly but a little distant. The beer selection was limited but ok. Next time I want to try the Harpoon soda! I had the pulled pork platter while my boy had 1/2 rack spare ribs. The meat was plentiful and tasty, especially with the house sauce. The sides seemed skimpy but in the end they were just enough to complement the main dish. We tried the baked beans, mac and cheese, and potato salad. The beans were fantastic. The potato salad tasted just like how mom makes it (good thing :), and the mac and cheese, though cover with crumbled BBQ potato chips, lacked something. A little dry. There were plenty of left-overs and no room for their minute dessert selection (fried dough or lime squares). The price was very reasonable and if I was craving bbq I would definitely go back.
(4)
.amy E.
This was a crucial part of a friend's and my "GREAT MEAT ADVENTURE." That's right. We used that phrase multiple times, unaware of it's other meanings without context. Not really. We wanted BBQ, and since Blue Ribbon wasn't easily T-accessible, this jumped to the top of our list. I'd forgotten to write down the street address, so we wandered past it a few times on Harvard Ave while we looked for it, convinced that we would have smelled it or, you know, felt its righteousness in our hearts when we got close. It was only when we did that awkward-caving-and-calling-friends thing that we discovered we'd been standing right in front of it all along and surely that was guidance from the hand of fate, where "fate" = "411". We ate until we were full and then we kept eating because it was really damn tasty. It's not *real* Southern BBQ because we're in New England, but it was almost on par with it, and that worksforme. Also, the fried mac&cheese nuggets made my day. This is the kind of place that truly reminds me of how terrible I am for being an ex-vegetarian: while I would love to return to those roots, I am just too weak when there is BBQ like this out there.
(4)
Alex T.
This is probably the cleanest BBQ/Soul Food restaurant you will every come across. I havent been here much but I will say that their ribs are excellent. I ordered a plate with two sides, greens and mac & cheese. The greens was very basic and not as flavored as some other soul food places I've been to. You can really taste the biterness of the greens. The mac & cheese was just creamy with lots of melted cheese. Soul Fire is a very welcome addition to Allston eateries to me and brings yet another aspect of ethnic foods in this little area.
(3)
Gil F.
This place is awesome! It has an interesting decor and it is group friendly...the food is also what I crave when I want some good BBQ! I've been here a few times and it hasn't disappointed me.
(4)
Liza M.
OMG so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a groupon, which made it even more awesome. Love all the many sauce options. The fried mac n cheese bites were interesting! I had pulled pork, cooked to perfection. Baked beans and mashed potatoes on the side. Chris had the ribs, and he still raves about them months later. Cornbread was great too. Our waitress was super helpful and explanatory. We even scored a parking spot right across the street.
(5)
Vito M.
First and foremost, I feel like a distinction between "barbecue" food and "cook-out" food must be made. From what I've gathered after living in the south for a good number of years, a cook-out is anything that involves a grill and meat. Think hamburgers, hot dogs and the like. BBQ generally involves a brush and is characterized by slow cooking, rich flavorful sauces (of the tomato and vinegar based varieties), and varying intensity of smoky overtones. Soul fire is truly a gem of the New England BBQ scene. Start with their chicken "wings." Each wing is the entire drumstick-wing combo and they've got such a great subtle smoked flavor. The spicy/sweet sauce is fantastic! The brisket at Soul Fire reminds me a bit of Rudy's in Texas. It's expertly cooked and served on a flat piece of wax paper. Soul Fire's cornbread is stellar, too! The rub on the baby back ribs and the potato salad left a lot to be desired, however. This is a great place to start a night out... if you can find toothpicks on your way out the door!
(4)
Warren W.
Back again to Soul Fire with the girls and friends. We have lots of friends when dad's buying. Saturday night about 6:45 and we timed it just right. Wyeth, the owner, is behind the counter organizing sees us and immediately comes over to renew and talk about old times and the restaurant. It's come a long way and we can't wait to tear into friend chicken, and pulled this and that, and ribs. Youngest is late as usual as she is directionally challenged still after 5 months in Boston. Beers flow and I really like the wheat UFO on draft but screw the lemon. Out comes a sampling of his latest creation Buffalo wings in a creamy tart blue cheese and hot wing sauce. 7 to 8 on the hot scale for most and a freakin' 9 for me. Lips were numb for 90 minutes and a didn't know beer was touching my mouth until most of it poured down the front of my fleece. Onto the fried mac balls. Liz, the bride, ate so many I thought she wouldn't do the pulled chicken. She dips hers in ketchup!! Fried wings were beyond crispy and super golden brown and juicy. Everyone seems to have different tastes in corn bread this is my absolute favorite.....moist, sweet and corny. Out come my baby backs 1/3 portion and I could only eat two. They came with mashed which were creamy and with a nicely salted gravy. I love baked beans and the smokey taste and chocolate color just make these different among all others. We had more than enough to take home and I finished the corn bread for breakfast. Soul Fire got crowded about 7:30 and really filled up but I noticed the tables turn quick as the food comes out real fast and the service is efficient. On the service end, Wyeth has changed his approach from ordering at the register to table side servers. Much better and turns the crowd faster. So 5 stars, pain to park, I know a secret on this area of parking expertise but you do take a chance. Go there.
(5)
Amy L.
The service is lightning fast. Unbelievably fast. I almost always get the pulled pork sandwich, which is excellent. I like every side I've tried, especially the cornbread, which is sweet and has whole kernels of corn. The collard greens are good and never overcooked. The mac and cheese was a little bland. It also had crumbled potato chips on top, which I had never seen before and found a little unnerving. The only sauce I've tried is the North Carolina, which is nice and vinegary. And wow, the service is fast.
(4)
Nicole P.
eh... Had dinner here with my friend Jess G. last night and am not a huge fan. It's a counter service self-seat place that has a huge space but is not inviting. They could do so many cool things with such a large space; it's a shame. There are lots of tables- some high tops which are cool but the chairs are hard and there is just a lot of empty space. I dunno- they need to warm it up some how. The food was blah- I had some wings. They only have 1 flavor and it was ok. My gf has had the pulled chicken before and said it wasn't good either. I did like the cornbread and coleslaw and the mac n' cheese looks great. Jess G. said she liked her fried catfish but I noticed she didn't finish it... I think the menu needs more options and the food needs more flavor. The prices were cheap- maybe they should raise them and spend more money on the food. They *do* have beer. The service was great- very friendly staff. I say skip it and hit Blue Ribbon bbq! (My favorite bbq in MA)
(2)
Lauren T.
If you're going to steal your restaurant concept from Blue Ribbon, at least get it right. Soul Fire BBQ is acceptable if your in a pinch for cheap fast BBQ. Yes, they have good platter selections, yes they offer a variety of tasty southern sides. But there is NO CREATIVITY, QUALITY or TALENT! The wings were tender, but just dipped in sauce. The only flavor in the macaroni and cheese was the bonito type flakes shaken on top. The ribs were almost all fat. The bread was fresh on the Pulled Pork sandwich, but the meat was too dry, with not a hint of flavor. Soul Fire offers a BBQ sauce bar similar to Blue Ribbon, but without the variety of sauces. They keep the sauces heated which is a very nice touch, but does not help too much when the sauces are bland and atypical "Fiery", "Sweet" and "North Carolina". Soul fire offers a small but acceptable beer selection, but get something in a bottle until the employees master a good pour. The ambiance is mellow and cool with the soul background, but does not offer much to the "BBQ" joint feel. I would almost feel more comfortable ordering a martini in there instead of licking sauce off my fingers. Like I said, it's not a bad place if your in a pinch, but next time I will save my money and head to Blue Ribbon or Redbones
(3)
Raymond W.
Soul Fire definitely lost a step on my most recent visit. I arrived around 11:45 with the place empty and the restaurant stank of bleach for our entire meal, which was quiet off putting even though it meant that they had been cleaning. The brisket I got was decent, but not as hot as I would have liked and the cornbread was somewhat dry. The cole slaw and baked beans were both good, but it just wasn't as satisfying as it had been in the past.
(3)
Linda H.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this place got such great reviews. I went to Soulfire last night to quench a serious bbq craving. The place was EMPTY. The tables were sticky. Still, my friend and I each ordered the Soulfire Platter to try bits of everything. My friend got the pulled pork and baby back ribs with cole slaw and mashed potatoes. The best part of his meal was the cole slaw and cornbread. Everything else was pretty bland. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a box. I got the brisket, which was ok, with the roast chicken and sides of mac and cheese and beans. My sides were fine, nothing special. The pickles that came with the meals were sad, thin discs. We were expecting thick delicious spears of pickle! Last night was a huge disappointment, I won't be back.
(2)
Sofia H.
alright bbq, not the worst i've had in boston area but def nowhere near the best... what is quite nice is the price though and you get a decent size meal. I tried the pulled pork sandwich and it was good but the side of mac and cheese was really quite excellent. The locale itself is also really sparse and spacious... in somewhat of a negative way. I felt that there was too much empty space and when the place isn't packed (like it was when I went) it just seemed a little cold. an alright place to go grab food in allston if you don't feel like leaving the neighborhood
(3)
Brian M.
The gf had heard good things about this place. I was a little wary, finding Barbeque often over-rated. She was jonesing for some red meat and it was mid-week quiet, so we gave it a try...Hallelujah! Mine eyes have seen the glory... This place is a meat-eaters heaven. We tried the ribs and the brisket, both divine - flavorful and not too dry. The sides were excellent also - I generally find American coleslaw to be a pale, inspid imitation of the hearty stuff we eat back home, but Soulfire's is great - tangy and just every so slightly crunchy. The mash potato was great as well, although I honestly could have done with a bigger portion. Particular praise also for the gravy - made me want to get some fries to pour it over (my fav comfort food). The BBQ sauce was also v good - just the right side of spicy - you get a tingle, but it doesn't zap your taste buds. The staff were very pleasant and friendly, although one thing to note is that there is no table service as such - you order and pay, then grab seating (or not) and then collect your food when its called. Bring on the meat sweats!
(5)
Sarah F.
Forget BBQ. If you like fried chicken (and who doesn't?) this is the place for you. Crispy, juicy, and flavorful. Mmm! Serve that up with some cornbread mac and cheese and baked beans and you're set. Delicious and nutritious! Well maybe not so much...
(4)
Andrew A.
Soul Fire BBQ sits in the heart of Brookline right next to wonderbar and therefore seems to have a revolving door of clientele from BU. My friends got the chili as a starter and loved it... I myself waited until I got my meal and OHHH what a meal it was... I had a full rack of Baby Back Ribs, Mac n' Cheese, French Fries and Cornbread. The Baby Back Ribs weren't fall off the bone (Soul Fire claims if it were slow cooked that much it would lose some of its flavor) but they were good and combined with Soul Fire's signature sauce were very tasty. The Cornbread was excellent, now I wouldn't say I'm any connoisseur of cornbread... But this was just the way I like it flavorful and moist. The Mac n' Cheese was by far the best I've had in a long time and the portion they served was just the right amount, enough to augment your meal well but not enough to have you bursting at the seems (the other stuff does that well enough on its own). As for the fries I have to say I was far from disappointed... The seasoning that Soul Fire uses on their fries makes them almost addictive, like crack cocaine or something... The service was pretty good, and although I called ahead and told them I'd like a table (they don't take formal reservation) we still got seated at a communal kind of table (the likes of which you might see only in Germany). Meanwhile when a table opened up and we asked to move to that table, they told us that it was reserved for a party of four who called ahead, not a night changer, but not in the win column for them. The wait staff here was also very friendly!
(4)
Rachel K.
I went back because my friend had a groupon so we thought we'd give it another chance. We got there early (5:30 pm) and that may have made the difference. Or we just had a better server. But the service was fine. The food was still very good. I'm still keeping them down to 3 based on past experience. But this is a definite improvement!
(3)
Ryan E.
Disclaimer: This rating is based upon the take-out experience(s) I've had. I have never actually eaten in the establishment. Pulled anything is fantastic. Meat is tender and the rub is savory and delicious. My preferred sauce is the pitboss although it's completely subjective. The Sandwiches are a GREAT deal. Generously sized on a soft bun, they come with one of Soul Fire's quality sides...my favorite of which is the mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese is something the gf and I often order a quart of. It's topped with crushed bbq potato chips. If you're a fan of Siracha, try putting it on their mac and cheese---I can't ever go back. Southern Fried Wings on the app menu are big, crunchy outside, and juicy inside. They come with a spicy red pepper (I think?) creamy dipping sauce that is fantastic. I would get them more often if I knew I wasn't already going to be so full from the go-to sandwich and mac n' cheese. Ribs are decent but I think rival Red Bones has the edge here. Corn Bread is the best I've had in Boston--dense, sweet, with real corn kernels. Overall its on the top 5 places I routinely get takeout from and every time, in the middle of the meal, I think to myself "Damn, this was a great idea".
(4)
jake l.
Soulfire, Soulfire, oh Soulfire, oh how have I judged the shit out of you based on your geographical location and reviews. You have proved me wrong. Anyways, I had the 3 meat platter and I was very impressed. Pulled chicken, superb. Beef brisket, superb. Baby backs, superb. The meats all had just the right amount of smokiness from their obviously mixed combination of woods and none of the meats were dry. The sides of Mac, slaw, and cornbread were good as well. Check them out, this is a very fairly priced bbq meal around Boston. Under $20 for a 3 combo meal, which BTW is overloaded on the plate. Additionally, the gentleman preparing our meal (presumably the owner) shot the shit with me and poured me some SC bbq sauce that was not on the menu yet, so that's thumbs up for social interaction.
(4)
K C.
Only 4 stars because once I ordered delivery and they forgot my Spaghetti western, the dish I was craving the most! If you try it you'll understand! Super relaxed atmosphere, and really nice staff. There is so much I recommend trying, because everything I've tried... Which is a lot of food, has been so flavorful and delicious! BBQ jumbo wings- tender & juicy, Pulled pork sandwich or entree- top it with what ever sauce you like (the staff are willing to explain the flavors) a little messy, but the meat just melts in your mouth, mac & cheese is really yummy topped with bbq chips for a little crunch. If you like BBQ I recommend stopping here! Grab whatever you like, and I'm sure you'll enjoy.
(4)
Joe R.
Best cornbread ever. Most cornbread falls apart, or is just too fluffy for it's own good- Soul Fire's cornbread was moist, dense, and sweet. The mac and cheese was also very good; they crumble BBQ potato chips on top of it. The pulled pork was good, and their sweet BBQ sauce was delicious. I'll be back (and probably grabbing some extra cornbread for the road)!
(5)
Pete C.
Executive Summary: PORK IN THE VEGETARIAN RICE AND BEANS DISH. I don't know why a vegetarian would order from a soul food restaurant, but on last count I've ordered delivery from Soul Fire at least 39 times over the past year or two. Veggie entree + mac and cheese were both consistently tasty and convenient, but pricey. Delivery always claims to take 45 minutes when I order through foodler but more often than not takes an hour, 1:15, 1:30 sometimes, without phone calls or apologies. Previous orders have been also been screwed up/required redelivery, again without any apologies. Last Thursday was the last straw - main part of my order was forgotten, and when they redelivered it later I got partway through before tasting something "smokey" in the food... spit it out and realized I was chewing on a piece of pork. In my vegetarian rice and beans. Manager I talked to on the phone explained that it is very easy for the meat to accidentally get mixed in with the vegetarian rice and beans and offered to send me a gift card... presumably so I can order more vegetarian food with meat in it? Sarcasm aside, I've never really had any concessions like this before when orders took ages or things were left out or screwed up, so maybe this means they've at least stepped up their management game a fraction. Whatever. I'm done, will NEVER eat here again. And before meat eaters reply defending the place, I will fully admit that I'm an idiot for 1. being a vegetarian spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars at a soul food restaurant(?!!!), even if it is on a "vegetarian entree" 2. not complaining about this place a lot sooner Speaking of #1, if you're veg you'd have to be an idiot to risk eating at this place when there's tons of real veg options in Allston. You are not their target clientele, you are an afterthought which is why they are charging you 9 DOLLARS for rice and beans. As a last point, the night this happened the manager I talked to said she would be talking to the person in charge the next day and asked if she could call me back then. No calls back, presumably since there's nothing they can do about it. Nothing I can do about it either, except post this review and warn you guys.
(1)
Anna L.
I LOVE SOUL FIRE! This restaurant is undoubtedly one of my top restaurants. Where do I even start?! The pulled chicken sandwich is delicious, the rueben is amazing, the mac and cheese is to die for, and their corndogs (which come in a set of 4 mini dogs) takes the mother f-ing cake. Oh, and lets not forget the yummy lemonade to wash everything down with! I have no idea how anybody could possibly not like this place. Soul Fire always has great music playing in the background and a really awesome staff in addition to great food. The restaurant is kind of dark...but the tables are always clean!
(5)
Ryan C.
I found Soul Fire to be perfectly adequate barbecue. The restaurant was admirably clean, but the atmosphere is a little upscale for a barbecue joint - closer to a downtown club than a down home rib shack, which is fine. Flat-screen TV set to the Olympics was a decent background, but I generally dislike TV in restaurants. A couple friends and I split the "Pit Boss," enough food for four to five people, and were not disappointed. The chicken and cornbread were excellent, the ribs and pulled pork were pretty good, though the ribs were a touch dry. It's not cheap eats, but it's a good value for the money.
(4)
Ted P.
First off I have to put the disclaimer in that Im from Florida, and BBQ in New England definitely is not on par with what I am used to. As BBQ goes in New England SoulFire pretty good. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, but I didnt want to give them 3 stars either, so 4 stars it is. It is a true 4 stars for Boston BBQ spots though. The pulled pork is decent and the beef brisket is pretty good. The sauces are decent as well for(again,New England BBQ). The sweet tea is VERY hit or miss. Some days it horrible, some days it's the best I've had in Boston(note I said in Boston). Lately it has been bad though. Today it tastes like it was either left out too long, made with sugar in the raw, or something along those lines. It was slow(I was the only person in here) and I asked if instead of the bun they could butter some Texas toast and toss it on the flat top or grill for my pulled pork sandwich. I got my pulled pork on untoasted Texas toast with four or five pats of butter on the side. Not a big deal, but I found it pretty amusing! Overall I do like the place, it's the best BBQ I've had in Boston so far, and it's only a couple blocks from me! Score!
(4)
Nick M.
Soul Fire is the best place in Allston to get a plate of comfort food. The beef brisket sandwich is one of my favorite items to get, as the meat is always tender and cooked to perfection. For sides, try the mac and cheese - its delicious. Prices on food and drinks are reasonable. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner on a Friday or Saturday. They only serve alcohol to patrons who are ordering food, so the restaurant does not fill up with college students like the other bars in the area.
(4)
evan p.
the owners of this place have no idea what they are doing. inauthentic barbeque food at it's very worst. Everything here is a 'nice try', but nothing is made as it's intended. Seems like the owner had his heart in the right place, but no actual knowledge of how barbeque food should taste. Shame really, the staff is nice, Location is right on the walk to most of allston from the Harvard Ave train stop,.the decor is awesome, and the music is always great. But the food? Blech. for authentic boston area BBQ try Blue Ribbon in Newton.
(2)
luke b.
MMMM! Delicious! The sandwiches are fantastical and the mac and cheese has bbq chips crunched up on top. what could be better? the salad could use a little work... but the meats were meaty and the mac and cheese mac and cheesy. MEAT!
(4)
D. M.
Love this place. Great food, great atmosphere. Have tried their brisket numerous times and have never been disappointed. I usually get it with mac and cheese and cole slaw. Have also tried the ribs and wings appetizer. The ribs were tender, fall off the bone while the wings were nicely marinated and flavorful.
(5)
Jeffrey K.
This place really isn't on par with Blue Ribbon or Red Bones. There just wasn't anything special about it. I went there awhile ago and there really isn't much that's memorable to write. I think I remember liking the fried mac and cheese balls.
(3)
Ken M.
The waitress was bordering on clueless. I'm also unclear on if refills are free, because she pushed larges on us and then apologized that they only had enough iced tea for a small and then gave me an extra cup for soda, of which they were also out of diet. So the food came up fairly quickly, and it was alright. Nothing special. The sauces were pretty good, but they were also out of one of those. Really? Out of so much? I know it's 8:30 pm on Sunday, but come on! The macaroni and cheese was very good, I only wish I'd asked for a double serving because it was smallish (though probably an appropriate size for a side). The mashed potatoes were good but cool on the bottom for being place just on a metal plate with a thin piece of wax paper separating it from the cold steel. I have to wonder why on a "platter" my meat was still served on bread, as though I'd asked for a sandwich. The pickles were a little too tangy. The cornbread was pretty good. The place is clean but a bit too dark considering you order at the counter, it can't be considered romantic, just creepy dark.
(2)
Tarryn V.
um this is prollly the best bbq in boston in my opinion. smoken joes in Brighton is excellent as well, but I prefer the bbq sauce (and they have a selection of 4) and fried mac and cheese balls here. I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken more times than I can count, and both are always amazing. the chili cheese fries are decent but kinda soggy... I generally stick with the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese (without the doritos on top! they totally ruin it for me!) which are always top notch.
(5)
Beth M.
yum yum yum-- just tried this semi-newish BBQ joint this weekend for take-out after a looooong day of snowboarding. It was so super good--all of my tired and aching companions agreed. I got the pulled chicken sandwich with the house sauce, and for only $6 that came with a side and awesome dill/sweet pickles. I chose mac and cheese for my side, which was really great, and seemed to be mysteriously topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? i'll definitely be coming here again to sample the more involved dishes and drink a beer or two in situ. the place seemed relatively quiet on a sunday night, but with all the good reviews it's been getting i'm sure it is usually much more hoppin'. very tasty.
(5)
Gretchen M.
I got a half rack of BBQ baby-back ribs for about $14 bucks with corn bread, and two sides. It was delicious! My boyfriend got the full rack for about 21 bucks and it was more than enough. Everything is cooked very well and they offer an array of beers and wines. The atmosphere is chill. You can either sit at the bar or order at the register and then wait a bit for your number to be called. Only downfall: the hardcore food coma I had later that night!!! =)
(5)
Ken M.
Good place for some great southern BBQ. Not a big fan of the place as a bar. The selection is just ok and the tv situation is just ok as well. Love the pit boss as it gives you a taste of everything. The brisket and ribs are amazing and the different sauces help make the meal as well. I could drink their pit boss sauce and slather it in the ribs and brisket. They have great mac and cheese and corndogs as well. Food service. A little dark in there even on a sunny day. Overall great food and reasonable prices.
(4)
Michael G.
I declare this to be the best barbecue in Boston. If that's not enough to get you to go, then I don't know what is. This is the sort of barbecue that doesn't even need sauce, though spectacular options are provided. Sauce, as you may know, was invented to cover up the mistakes in barbecue anyway. Definitely try the fried mac and cheese bites and definitely try the ribs. The fried chicken is also really, really good, especially since it seems that the chicken gets a spice rub first before it's battered and fried. As for the wings, I'd prefer to go to nearby Wing-It, but they were definitely good. The only thing I want more out of this place is for it to be open later. 11:00 seems like an early closing time for a place with a bar. Then again, the place is nearly empty at that hour. Be warned that your food may take a while to be prepared. Good food takes time after all.
(5)
Dave M.
This is a really good BBQ place in a great location. Blue Ribbon is honestly a lot better, but it's a pain for me to get to. Still haven't gotten over to Red Bones so I can't compare it. The pulled pork sandwich here is great, just remember they don't add the BBQ sauce for you, so make sure to grab one of the many varieties they have and toss it on or it'll be a little dry. The mac and cheese here is also amazing, as are the ribs and pretty much any type of meat they have. For the guys: the owner here seems to have a great ability to hire really cute friendly college girls. Having pretty girls to flirt with while you're chomping away on delicious BBQ just adds something extra to the whole experience.
(4)
Zoe H.
I live right on Comm ave and Harvard, which is located really close to Soul Fire, and I have to say that I love this place. To barbecue connoisseurs, the food may be adequate to disappointing, but for the rest of us schlubs on a budget and in dire need of quick soul food, this is the place. Soul Fire is affordable, never crowded, and staffed by very friendly people. I love the food, sometimes the ribs are a little dry but the barbecued chicken is fantastic, not to mention they have an array of sides that I like a lot, specifically the potato salad and beans. They also, and this seems silly but it is maybe my favourite aspect of this particular eatery, have all their barbecue sauces out in the open and you can take as much as you want. I am an awkward person and I hate to have to ask for things, and i like that Soul Fire trusts me with my own sauces. Soul Fire is definitely not the be all end all of barbecue, but it'll do in a pinch and it isn't expensive.
(4)
Ambar B.
Amazing place, great compilation of sauces and excellent service. big fan.
(4)
Paul G.
Had heard great things about the food, but never got to try it. Went with a party of six on a Friday. We waited well over an hour for our food to come out, but it never did. Even though the restaurant was only 60% full the whole time, the waitress never stopped by, or mentioned the delay, not once. We flagged her down a couple times after ~45 minute mark, and got (1) brushed off, (2) told they were out of ribs, and asked to sub something else in (this after ~an hour). Finally we decided to pay for our drinks and leave, and were told "its not our fault fried chicken takes a long time to cook". We left not because of the delay (which was extreme), but because the service was so awful, in an hour and half at the restaurant, the waitress stopped by of her own volition once (when she took or order), and never seemed apologetic or helpful when we did manage to get her attention. Manager was also unapologetic.
(1)
Amanda L.
I had walked by Soul Fire for a very long time before actually venturing into it one day. I got the pulled chicken sandwich and a pulled pork for my BF, with sides of baked beans and mac and cheese. The pulled chicken and pork were fantastic. I like a lot of sauce on sandwiches, and the fact they had little pumps of different sauces make me dance a little. I love dunking =) Both sandwiches were juicy and scrumptious. The bread got a little soggy, but I was OK with it. I really liked the mac and cheese, not the best I've had, but probably top 10 at least. The beans were a little on the hard side, but I like my beans mushier, so that may just be a preference. You really can't beat the price for BBQ. The sandwiches I think were only $6.00 and that includes a side. I saw dinners for $12.00. I know I'll definitely be coming back here.
(4)
Cecilia L.
The pulled pork sandwich is good, the barbecue reuben is better. Mac and cheese is the obvious side, creamy and topped with crushed bbq potato chips, but then I didn't taste any others. Loved the four bbq sauces at the table that I used to squeeze a little artist's palette of goodness onto my plate. The place is spacious and the prices are good, with a sandwich and side at $7-9. I'd go back to try the ribs.
(3)
Meagan F.
Delicious! I love a good pulled pork sandwich, but I love even more a pulled pork sandwich slathered in whatever sauce I wish. This place is great, not only are the portions big, but it's not too terribly pricey (bbq joints tend to be pricey anyway). Plus, THEY SERVE BEER!!! How awesome is that? So check it out and grab a UFO while you're at it. This place is the best BBQ in Allston.
(4)
Meghan O.
We enjoyed the brisket sandwich, fried mac and cheese, and corn dogs. The place is fun and colorful and the waitstaff was very friendly.
(4)
Sarah S.
I love Soul Fire because they get the vinegary North Carolina sauce just right. Someone get me a vat of this stuff! Not to mention the other 21389712 kinds of sauces they have lined up for you. I really appreciate those, Soul Fire, I do; because everyone knows that BBQ varies regionally and you can get a taste of Memphis, Carolina, Texas or wherever right here in Allston. The portions are a little overwhelming, but the prices are so cheap, it's really a steal. I love the pulled pork sandwich with pickles on the side. Their potato salad has enough crunch, taste, and texture, without the usual cole slaw/potato salad faux-pas of mayonnaise overload!! My boyfriend gets a combo platter: ribs and chicken. Last time he swooned over how juicy and delicious the chicken was. I love the cornbread square and pat of butter, and no matter how full I am I always manage to devour my boyfriend's baked beans. One note: the macaroni and cheese struck me as a little Kraft-y. As in, the cheese was neon yellow and tasted 3 molecules away from plastic. The potato chips encrusting the top... I can see the appeal of that. However, it's not for me and didn't really add much flavor. Why not a delicious golden layer of extra cheese?
(4)
P'raka ..
Really yummy BBQ place. I usually stick to the pulled pork here. This place has been around for about a year now and the staff are still very happy & friendly. Business seems to have picked up once they got their liquor license. One-star off because I think they recently changed their mac & cheese "recipe". It used to be my favorite side or stand alone item. The last time I got it, it didn't taste quite right. I think they swapped the type of cheese and it ruined it for me.
(4)
Christina L.
I have been to Soul Fire at least three time in the last month - not only is their food delicious, but there are always vouchers on Groupon that compel me to go there frequently! The pulled pork is a must, as are the brisket and half-chicken meals. Their regular mac and cheese is great (not so much the fried mac and cheese, though, unfortunately). The corn bread is really moist, and the potato salad is tasty as well. The collard greens and baked beans are a bit sweet for my taste (too much brown sugar or something). The best part is the barbecue sauces - variety is great, and they are all really fresh and flavorful. I have yet to try their all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays, but judging from the amount of people there every Monday, it's probably a good deal. Overall, a great place with good prices and portions!
(4)
A M.
It was a monday night, and i was starving and i was passing by soul fire, so I decided to try it. and Wow what a surprise. they had an all you can eat wings night for only $8.99!!! I had 20 wings, and if it wasn't for my tiny stomach i would have continued inhaling those wings. they were literally the best wings I've had. I'm going for round 2 next monday. Oh yeah and i forgot to mention the amazing staff, awesome and friendly. they were engaging every customer with conversations, i felt i know them for years.
(5)
Matthew C.
My old neighborhood sure has changed. The familiar bums are gone (RIP, Mr. Butch.) It has been significantly Asianified (coming from SF, that's saying something.) And now there is an honest to God BBQ place. Boston has always had a distinct lack of decent Mexican restaurants, French Dip sandwiches, and BBQ. With respect to BBQ, there have been several pretenders (e.g. Rednecks, that place in Cambridge everybody talks about, etc), but Soul Fire is the real deal. They essentially copy the Famous Dave's menu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I had a pulled pork and brisket plate with collared greens and red beans and rice. Everything really was tasty. Even more so after experimenting with the 6 BBQ sauces at the table. Growing up where I did, I couldn't say this BBQ was phenomenal, but it is by far the best I have seen in Boston. Additionally, they serve Schlitz. Classy.
(4)
Kim L.
Eh. That's how this place made me feel. I went here once to try the ribs. The true test of a rib joint is the ribs. I'm not really a fan of dry rub ribs. They are....well...dry. I for one would rather have juicy mess-up-your-face sloppy ribs. Adding the sauce after kinda takes that away. The food was quick and the service good. But nothing really excited me. The pulled pork sangwiches looked alot better than what I ordered.....
(2)
Lisa N.
The wings were amazing. Jumbo wings with Sweet Hot Sauce- Delicious. The sides were delicious - corn bread with bits of corn, baked beans were legit, and cole slaw was a little watery. The downside-- the spare ribs were NOT good. IF you're looking for a rib place with fall off the bone meaty ribs -- do NOT go here. It was mushy and hard to eat. The sauce was good though. :/ I would go back for the wings.
(3)
Cari H.
Fried mac and cheese balls and good brisket... need I say more!?
(4)
Chris O.
Best Fried Chicken in Boston! Good Wait staff
(5)
Kaneisha G.
I don't expect great accolades for reviewing a place that's been reviewed over 100 times. However, I just wanted to have my say, because I am oh-so-pleased with Soul Fire's food but less than satisfied with some of their catering service. I catered a lunch today for 45 of my classmates, and Soul Fire BBQ was the first place I thought of. My very diverse group of classmates raved about the food (I ordered the $8/person lunch set that includes pulled chicken, brisket, mac n cheese, and collard greens) and it was the perfect accompaniment to our Black Cultural presentation we were putting on. It was an introduction to soul food for several of my classmates, and Soul Fire made me proud. One place of improvement is in their hosting--or whatever you call the person who talks to you when you are putting in a catering order. The woman I spoke with there to set up the catering didn't know the answers to several of my requests (which were advertised on the website, such as providing serving utensils for $7), and I was put on hold for awhile and could hear her talking to the other hostess about not knowing how to give me my discount. Also, when I called to make sure the driver was finding the place okay, I was told by the hostess that he would be fifteen minutes late because he was in a meeting. Obviously, I got very upset, and she didn't even call me back. It turns out that this piece of bad news was not meant for me, and the food arrived delicious and on time. I still would have appreciated a call to calm my heart though. Get it together, Soul Fire, because Harvard Business School wants to give you more of our money!
(3)
Anthony L.
went here for monday $8.99 all you can eat wings and it was awesome. they don't cheap out on the size of the wings either, they are full sized. good flavors, pretty fast service
(5)
Steven G.
I'm from Alabama and though this isn't the BBQ I'm used to it's still good stuff. The brisket is juicy and flavorful, the beer is cold, and the appetizers are great. I would recommend it and will definitely be going back... after I finish P90X. :(
(5)
Emily G.
Went to soul fire the other night since it was so close to home and never tried before. When we entered the place was REALLY empty - which typically should let you know right away that people just aren't into it. The service was great (because we were practically the only ones there) and the food is very reasonably priced - this would be the only reason I give it 3 stars. Otherwise - the food was NOTHING to right home about. I got a beef brisket sandwhich with mac n cheese side and my bf got a pulled pork platter. I sampled his corn bread and it was more bland the thing kind I've sometimes got at the supermarket. My brisket was ok- but sadly, I don't think it was at all worth being served at a restaurant. The Mac-n-cheese was also just eh- and left something more cheesy and gooey to be desired. I don't think I would come back to Soul Fire unless I really wanted a cheap meal and didn't care about what I was eating. So probably...not any time soon.
(3)
Korri Leigh C.
Soulfire BBQ is the newest restaurant to open on the eclectic Allston scene. Soulfire's motto "Serving All Souls" certainly fits in with the diversity of its surroundings. While the restaurant was slow on the night I dined (it was 10 PM on a Thursday) the food was amazing. I had a pulled pork sandwich, the best I've ever had, and was fortunate to try a myriad of sides. The owner of Soulfire, Wyeth Lynch, has an equal passion for music as he does for food and the strains of Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers, Tower of Power, and the like certainly set a fun and festive mood. Once Soulfire works out its opening jitters I expect it be a hot spot in town. 5 stars for food, scene, and affordability. Definitely check it out!
(5)
Cynthia T.
great food, goood pricing, lots of on street parking if you can find a spot. Check your food if you are doing carry out though. got shorted once. other than that it is all good.
(4)
Rachel G.
$2.50 PBR drafts and unlimited BBQ sauce...nice. Knowledgeable, friendly servers too, especially appreciated in too-cool-for-school Allston. On my last visit, our waitress complimented me on my "healthy dinner," though I remember looking down at my half chicken, collards, baked beans, cornbread, AND butter and think--me?! Their pulled pork is also insanely tasty, and the mac-and-cheese with BBQ chips on top is just ridiculous. Whoever had that idea gets a high-five from me.
(4)
Jessica G.
Yes, I'm a vegetarian reviewing a barbecue restauarant. So obviously Soul Fire has more good stuff going on than enflamed meat: 1) Macaroni and cheese: An excellent veg. option. 2) Deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites: An excellent cholesterol-escalating option. 3) Deep red walls, lots of seating: I planned a game night here, there was tons of space, and the owner Wyeth was super accomodating. 4) Beer. Cold beer. 5) Nicer than fast food, less time consuming than a sit-down. 6) Location, location, location: Hop off the Harvard Ave. stop of the Green Line and follow the smell of wood smoke. Have I convinced you yet? Enjoy your carnivorous indulgences!
(5)
Kev H.
Ohh boy do I love wings, at 6.99 on monday nights, I'd down about 30, they jacked it up to 8.99 I believe, but it's still worth it. The place could have a bit more light..*just a bit*, The Best thing about this place would have to be its BBQ, Man that chicken sanwich is good.
(4)
R.A. C.
love the fried goodness, love the ribs, love the service... there is little for me to complain about, im no southern boy, and im no ribs afficianado, but i know i love bbq, and i know that on this side of the river, soul fire is the spot to be satisfied.
(4)
Michael R.
I've eaten at Soul Fire BBQ twice and have been more than satisfied both times. The first time my brother and I split a three-meat platter. Brisket was lean and so was the pulled pork, but the ribs were just a little tough. Sides were fine, corn bread was slightly dry. Skip it if you can. All of the sauces at Soul Fire are homemade and very good, though I recommend their Pit Boss and the Sweet Sauce. The next time ate there I ordered a pulled pork sandwich to go. I live in New York, so it was refreshing to get a sandwich with a side for $6.95. The sandwich was good and came with sauce on the side, though I would have preferred the sauce mixed in with the pork. Bread on the sandwich was fresh. It didn't completely fill me up, but Soul Fire still gets a four-star review because of its quality. Service is very good too. Check it out next time you get a chance. It will be totally worht your while.
(4)
Melissa M.
After 5 attempts of eating here, last night I finally stayed around. I'd always walk in and immediately get bummed at the smell of smoked hickory. I hate dining in places that have a smell to them because once you leave, you'll smell just like that. I went around 8pm spontaneously to meet my bf and 2 friends. I was already showered and happily on my macbook yelping at home (my ass was on the couch and I was comfy in my sweats). I was still hungry (even though an hour previous to the call to go to soul fire I had devoured an entire bag of Trader Joe's Pasta Italiano), but that's neither here nor there. Anywhoo, I put my sneaks on, grabbed my keys and wallet and headed into my chariot (my 01 Kia). I had no problem finding a parking space in the bustling metropolis of harvard ave. I got a lone star beer, some collards (very good) and some red bliss mashed potatoes (not bad considering using red bliss to make mashed potatoes is a slight abomination and sacrelig to my Irish heritage). The waitrees/bartender/busgirl/counterperson was cheerful. The place was dead. The grub was hot, the dining companions happy to be eating BBQ. I'll be back. And, I didn't smell leaving the joint either. That's a bonus for once!! Oh and the domestic beers are cheap, the imported beers are a bit more (5 bux). I would never get wine at a BBQ place but they have a bottle of sauvignon blanc for 20 bux, 6 for a glass and some cab sav and probably merlot, but I wasn't going to drink wine. I like me a beer with the BBQ. Check this place out. They had great music on too!!
(4)
Karie A.
Let me start by saying I am a displaced Southerner; daughter of a Southern father who keeps smoker in his backyard. My Dad makes the best BBQ in my book. No contest. But since he lives in Georgia, Soul Fire helps fill my pulled pork needs here in Allston. It isn't my Dad's but I think it is the best in the area. Sides are good too. The mac and cheese is tasty and they have great beans. There cornbread is sweet, which isn't how they make it down South, but I like it any way. Good eats, one of my favorite places in the neighborhood.
(4)
Jackie G.
I love this place!.The chicken and ribs are soooo goood, everything from here is quite tasty. I am obsessed with the soulfire sauce its f'n delicious. Entrees come with 2 sides and pickles yummm, get the mac n cheese its fantastic . The potato salad is pretty good too. This review is making me hungry. The atmosphere is laid back, the staff is really friendly, the portions are big and the food is great, what more can you ask for? Its definitely one of my favorite places to eat... period! This place is top notch and exactly how a bbq joint should be!!
(5)
Alex L.
I'm going to lower my previous rating based on their delivery service. I have NEVER had a problem until tonight and it was so horrendous I had to write about it. I used campusfood to place an order and I included a tip. Usually the delivery is very timely and right to my door, no problems. Tonight the delivery guy asked me to go downstairs to the street to meet him. I'm sorry but I included a tip for delivery, this isn't "meet you 1/2 way" service, this is delivery service. I'm utterly appalled not only because of that but by the way the driver was speaking to me on the phone. I told him that if I walked downstairs I'd call and have my tip removed from the order. He responded "is it that difficult for you to come down?" I said "no, it isn't, but it's not what I'm paying for." I could understand if there was nobody downstairs to let a driver in, that's not my beef. My beef is a driver sitting his ass in his car, outside on the street, that's too lazy and too rude to do his job and bring food to the door to the proper destination.
(2)
Angela M.
We brought my boyfriend's family here while they were visiting. It's a pretty cool place. The staff was very friendly, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Good place to go if you feel like eating lots of meat.
(4)
R G.
yummy! simple, no fuss food. we ordered the mac'n'cheese bites to start (good way to sample the bbq sauces), I got the fried chicken, and the bf got the pulled pork sandwich. the entrees come with your choice of several of the sides. the amounts are smallish, but you get to try a lot (the potato salad was good!). the chicken was fresh and tasty. the bf liked his pulled pork sandwich, and I thought the bite I had was good. I'm glad their bbq isn't overly saucey-- dowsing meat with gallons of sauce does not make good bbq! the atmosphere was relaxed and the waitress was nice. we'll be going back to try more!
(4)
Michael D.
Some of the better/best atmosphere and BBQ in the Boston area. Everything simply tasted fresh with good quality ingredients, and nothing seemed like it was reheated or old. It all tasted just very "homemade". The service was quick and nice, professional but still casual all of which added to the positive atmosphere. We also enjoyed the music selection. I would suggest giving it a serious try if you're in the area!
(5)
Garth S.
Soul Fire is clean, convenient, dark, usually quiet, and not too expensive. It is not, however, great BBQ. In fact, I'm not sure it really qualifies as BBQ. If pressed, I'd call it BBQ-influenced fast food. But for Allston, Soul Fire is pretty classy, and beats nearly everything along that crap-infested stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth and Brighton Avenues. I'm glad it's around but if I didn't live nearby, I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(3)
Deb K.
The couple of times I have been here, it has been mostly empty and the service was amazing (not sure how it goes when there are more people around). Any place that has a BBQ sauce condiment bar, is going to get a lot of stars in my book. The plates here are huge (even the sandwiches) and are reasonably priced. They've got beers on tap and a bar with vinyl covers (look it up on google if you forget what those look like) decorating the bar. The meat was tender, the mac and cheese had chips in it, and the pickles were fresh.
(4)
s c.
Really 3 1/2 stars. 5 of us decided to try this BBQ joint on a Sun eve. It's all about the food, so here's our impression. For this type of BBQ, the one to beat is Blue Ribbon BBQ, which is superior to Redbones (ribs can be dry). We got the fried chicken wings for apps, since Yelpers liked the fried chicken (good). Ordered the sampler for 4 which was about $58 that came with ribs, chicken, and choice of brisket. Ribs - really meatiest I've ever had, not dry or overcooked, not too fatty. An A for ribs. Chicken was good too. Brisket was a mite dry. Mash potato was good, but they gave us only a serving for 1 or 2 persons. Collard greens tasted a little too sweet, maybe molasses. Corn bread was good - not as good as Blue Ribbon. For us the disappointment was the sauces - none of the flavors can match the sauces at Blue Ribbon. So while there's plenty of food (the meal for 4 can easily feed 7 or 8, but not enough mashed or collards), the sauces were a disappointment.
(4)
Pablo C.
Great brisket and pulled pork. Tender pulled chicken. All the meats were moist and tender and the choice of sauces is excellent. For $20 you can get a 3 meat platter that comes with two sides. The mac-n-cheese is a bit dry but tasty (I prefer dry) and the baked beens are very good with a little kick. Definitely would go back, I did take-out as parking in Brookline is a bit iffy. I parked on the dead end side street on the right just pass the restaraunt.
(4)
Jennifer B.
I went to Soul Fire last night, and am happy to report that they have gotten their beer/wine license. They had a good variety of beer, and even had some for really cheap - several under $3. Of course, they were Pabst, Schlitz, and High Life, but they also had better beers for not much more. I wasn't in an alcohol mood so I had a tasty glass of lemonade (not from concentrate). I was very happy with my Soul Fire platter - baby back ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, mac and cheese, white bread, corn bread, and pickles. It was a lot of food. Even though the serving of ribs seemed small (I think I got 4 ribs with my combo) I was extremely full by the end of the meal. The cornbread was tasty, the collards were excellent, with bits of onion and bacon mixed in, and the Mac and cheese was extra cheesy with BBQ potato chips sprinkled on top. I was a little confused by the counter ordering, but only because I was not aware that you had to go up to order. My friend was already seated when I arrived, and we waited around for a while before I finally realized that a waitress was not going to come to take our order. It would have been nicer if they had noticed us sitting, looking around confused, and come over to explain how it works there. Otherwise, it was good food, good portions, for a decent price.
(4)
Hailey T.
Pulled pork sandwich= delish! I'm pretty fond of the sweet bbq sauce. Fries were good. Just what I wanted. To top it off, I called in for delivery and they showed faster than they quoted me, they're on top of it and that's something I appreciate...since it can take a lot of other places ages to get the order to you. Solid place, will definitely try them again!
(5)
Steven F.
Awesome BBQ, they serve beer, the game's always on, courteous people, oh, and did I mention the BBQ is AWESOME? It's like our own little Red Bones right here in Allston. They also have a trendy atmosphere (definitely not fancy though) and they play really chill soul music all the time. A flat out great place to eat, see the game, have a drink, or kill time.
(5)
Leslie W.
I phoned in asking for BBQ chicken and was told they only offered smoked chicken and BBQ sauce on the side. So Although it wasn't exactly what i was looking for, i ordered a whole chicken. When I went to the restaurant to pick it up, the glass door and front windows were smeared with at least a week's worth of hand prints - maybe more - and the entryway had an unclean funky smell. I shutter to think about what the kitchen looks like. I asked the waitress if they ever clean the front door and windows and she seemed annoyed with me and said they hire a guy named Oscar to do it. The chicken was smoked and a bit too salty and otherwise unmemorable except for the strange dark brown color it had. It was also so scrawny that we had to look in the box to make sure it was our order, we didn't think a whole chicken was in there. I love chicken, but this was a major disappointment. Shouldn't a BBQ restaurant have great chicken? Methinks yes.
(1)
Fred K.
I had eaten here before and the food is actually quite good although the portions were a bit small. I went in last Sunday, by myself, to catch a bite before a show. It wasn't that busy, so I was able to sit down right away. The reason for my two star review was the service. I saw the waiter a grand total of three times. Once to take my order, once to drop off my food, and once to settle my tab. He never once stopped to check and see if my food was okay (it was) or to offer me more water (I did want more). Then when my check came ($12.50), I paid with a twenty. He brought me back $7 even. I didn't even bother complain, I left a small tip and left.
(2)
Jordan M.
Went to Soul Fire for an afternoon lunch with an old friend. Enjoyed a cold beer (Dale's Pale Ale no less) and some good barbecue. Started with the corn dog appetizer (best corn dog I can remember) and sampled some of the bbq sauces. I'd say the "fiery", "soul fire" and "pitboss" or some amalgamation of two of these sauces is the way to go. Being a big rueben fan I couldn't pass up the BBQ Reuben that comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and brisket substituted for pastrami. This is not an idea unique to Soul Fire and is rather popular in the south often called a "Rachel". For a side I had, and recommend, the mac and cheese that I believe was topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? Everything was great, $20 for a reasonable sized sandwich, side of mac and cheese, corn dog appetizer, and a cold Dale's Pale Ale. Its all tough to beat. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Brian K.
Comfort food city. The sandwiches are big and filling and a side of pickles surprisingly works wonders. The quality is delicious and spicy while the decor is as chic and sexy as a BBQ joint can get.
(4)
Min Y.
Good BBQ, but chilly atmosphere (not a lot of people). I think once they get a good flow of customers, it'd be a livelier place to go eat. They have a big flat screen TV and a projection screen. Would be great sports event hangout spot.
(3)
Jen J.
It's not Blue Ribbon, but it's pretty good. The brisket is tender and tasty, and although the first two times we got pulled pork it was fatty and gross, the most recent time it was delicious without a hunk of fat to be seen. The collards and rice and beans are great. The cornbread is mediocre, but much improved from when they first opened. Be sure to get plenty of the sauces, all of which I find delicious.
(4)
Samuel B.
so my friend had a groupon and we thought we would go, my self knowing personally that its nothing special, but we go and while being crouded they had a stand up sign saying "please seat yourself" so we see an open table in the back and start sitting down, a watress comes to us and very rudely said 'you know their is a line of names, get up" we go and point to the sign they displayed saying "please seat yourself" she and another waitress, said "dont you see these people waiting", knowing that they have a bar right their, offer take out, and have no organizational run of it she takes the sign, turns it around and made another rude remark. we dont stand for that treetment and on the way out she said "see you next monday and laughed" needless to say we went to their competetor a mile away, had an excellent meal, fantastic service, with some fantastic music. i highly recomend people stay away from this place, i will be twittering anf facebooking everyone i know to stay away
(1)
Will D.
Soul Fire catered an event I went to recently and I have to say it was fantastic. The food was delicious and I got to sample a nice wide variety. The pulled pork was probably my favorite with good flavor and delicious varities of sauce to try out. The chicken was delicious, tender and juicy. The ribs were excellent, very tender and the flavor was robust but you still could enjoy the meat without it being overpowering. It was so good I made sure to return to the restaurant location. It easily lived up to my earlier experience and the pricing can't be beat. I couldn't resist the pulled pork again and you get a nice compliment of sides and a decent beer selection. Had the delicious chicken wings too which were meaty with a great crunchy fried crust on them. Love this place and will certainly return.
(5)
Amanda S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My boyfriend and I were on our way to Sunset to order some boneless wings when he asked if I wanted to try Soulfire. I'm not a big meat eater, and everytime I've driven by this place it has seemed relatively empty, but we both really enjoyed our food. It was quick, cheap & tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of Boston baked beans, he has the pulled pork & a side of cole slaw. Portions were generous, sandwich with a side was only $6. Oh, and they serve beer here too, which is nice. The employee at the counter was knowledgable & patient (we took a long time to order b/c we had never been in there before). The pickles were nasty- very salty, & tasted like vinegar. Lots of BBQ sauce options. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)
Drew B.
What a disappointment. Based on my fellow yelper's reviews, we went to Soulfire after identifying a serious craving for BBQ. The 1/2 hickory roast chicken was dry and flavorless. The ribs were decent at best. The Fried Mac and Cheese bites were a major let down. The only somewhat redeeming food items were the Spicy Honey Wings (desirable for the sauce ONLY) and the cornbread, which was cold but surprisingly moist. Our experience at Soulfire, which was somewhere between BBQ fast food and low grade restaurant, made us question where the standards really lie for good Boston BBQ.
(1)
Rachel C.
Remember that scene in Pulp FIction where Vincent is telling Jules about how in Amersterdam you could order a beer at McDonald's with your meal? It sounded awesome! And made me wonder why we couldn't do that here. Well I found something even better! I had walked past SoulFire numerous times, but always wrote it off thinking I didn't have enough time to stop and eat there.My roommates and I were craving meat and BBQ sauce and without any other plans for the evening we decided to finally give it a try. From the rich wood and deep red walls the atmosphere was spot on with my expectations, but I was surprised that there was no table service. Everyone order's their food and drinks at the counter and then speedily picks up their order further on down the line, after the soda machine and the condiments. The set up works so well for them, and this way you have the option to stay and eat or take out. If you want, there is a bar to sit at where you can be waited on and served drinks. But if you are looking to just grab dinner and a drink and not linger (which is what most people seemed to be doing) you can order a beer from the person taking your meal order and ringing you up. Its like classy, casual, fast food. When we first arrived it did not look too busy and the waitress behind the counter did not seem to mind us taking a few minutes to figure out how the restaurant worked. We all ordered the same thing, pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese, which she joked would confuse the kitchen. I was not even done getting my water when our order was up. The kitchen staff teased us for having the the same meal, I guess they are used to more complicated meals at SoulFire. The food was pretty good, exactly what I had wanted when I walked in. The sandwich hit the spot and the meat was smoked perfectly. I also loved the mac and cheese with a generous amount of crushed bbq potato chips on top. And the pickles! I don't usually like sweet bread and butter type pickles, but there were homemade and were a wonderful combination of vinegar and sugar. I even wanted to go order half pints of these sides to take home and enjoy later, but I resisted the urge! One gripe I had was that I would have liked a better selection of sauces, especially since here you have to sauce your own meat. I ended up having to mix my own in order to get it just the way I like it. So on one hand that it good because you get the sauce the way you like, however it is not the same as having the meat mixed in with the sauce the way they do it at some places. If I were getting this to go (which I now know is very easy to do), I would prefer having the sauce already on there instead of having to get cups of my own. That said I will definitely be back soon, its a faster alternative to a sit down restaurant in the area, and priced pretty reasonably. The staff was very friendly, the waitress even yelled to us to have a good evening over the building crowd as we left. The food is quick and excellent, and I can even grab a beer with my quick meal. WHat more could I want?
(4)
a w.
I personally think this is some of the best bbq I've had in Boston. I had the pulled pork sandwich, collards, and fried mac and cheese balls. All were amazing!!! My cohort found a bit of mold on his bun and is a dedicated lover of Blue Ribbon so we were not on the same page. I would give this place five stars but there's nothing better than a beer with bbq...and of that there was none.
(4)
Claudia L.
i'm a big meat fan. i never met a BBQ joint i didn't like. how i was a vegetarian for seven years, i'll never know. thank god for anemia! i appreciate that soul fire has brought BBQ back to its roots, with all sauces on the side. do try them all, then find one you like and go crazy. for just over $10, you get a good amount of food and end up sticky, saucy and satisfied. it's indeed a bummer that they don't carry beer - what better to go with a giant plate of ribs? - but i'm going to go ahead and attribute this to the fact that they're relatively new and haven't gotten their paperwork in yet. hopefully they'll get right on that , so i can get back on the rib train. EDIT: beer! wheeeeeeee!
(4)
Joe S.
When it comes to BBQ, Soul Fire is the new kid in town. Located on Harvard Ave in Allston it has a great location to be the rib capital of the student ghetto. It is definitely a neat concept- order at the counter, wait for your dry rub bbq, and then go nuts at the sauce bar with sauces ranging from sweet to mustard and vinegar. The decor is funky with an a red and black interior highligted by a glass bar with classic soul lp covers under the glass. Bob and I arrived long before the rest of the party and thus had ample time to sample the sides. The potato salad has quite the kick and the mac and cheese is small bowl of gooey goodness topped with crushed potato chips. Unfortunately they didn't have their beer license yet so instead we drank some Harpoon soda (root beer and cream soda, good but nothing to write home about). All the BBQ is dry rub so you apply the sauces yourself. The chicken was superior, fall off the bone finger licking good. But the rack of ribs were very underwhelming, it seemed like they had been under a heating lap for most of the day. The sauces packed a wollop, all have some serious heat, even the sweet stuff. The spare ribs looked bigger than the half rack of ribs. For 15 dollars the soul fire platter is two meats, two sides, cornbread and a pickle. The meat portions are a little skimpier- for your best value go for the spare ribs (meatier than the rack of ribs) and the catfish. The catfish was probably my favorite menu item, at least what I could steal from my friend Melissa. Sides I forgot to mention were the greens (above average with flakes of bbq in it) and the cole slaw (again above average). Score- Long Single Soul Fire has a lot of things going for it (sauce bar, decor, sides) but the value and the ribs were both underwhelming. So I score it a long single, looks like a double but its only a single off the Monster. Soul Fire is just a few months old so hopeful it's portions and quality rib control will improve with time. And if it had beer perhaps I wouldn't have been so critical.
(3)
Laura A.
i'm giving this a five star review on behalf of the meat eaters i went here with, because after all this is a bbq place and for me to give it minimal stars for the shitty salad i had wouldn't be very fair. and they all LOVED it (the three boys had 2 sandwiches - my boyfriend said the pulled pork was even better than redbones!- and a soulfire platter between them.) however, i do think they need at least more veg side dishes or even just a veggie burger would be good. i feel like there are a fair amount of veg-friendly places in allston and this place should take the hint. i had a crappy iceburg salad and some pretty good mac & cheese, and that was pretty much all i could have ordered on the menu.
(5)
Eli G.
After driving by at least 50 times (I work down the street) I finally got a chance to try Soulfire before a show at Great Scott last night. I didn't really expect much, because generally the food in Allston gets 3 stars at best, but I was pleasantly surprised about my Soulfire experience. The menu is a little expensive for order-at-the-counter food, but it's ribs so I guess I understand. I was very happy with my dry rubbed spare ribs and even more happy with the wide selection of wonderful sauces (TRY THEM ALL), which were affectionately explained to me by non other then the chef himself. I was especially impressed by his friendliness and in fact the friendliness of the whole staff made me feel like I was at southern BBQ pit. Soulfire is a welcome edition to the Allston foodscape!
(5)
Jenny N.
Oh yeah, get your MEAT on here! This place is cleverly named, and the funky soul music will get you happy. I really enjoyed my platter of pulled pork piled on thick white bread and served with 2 sides (I chose collard greens and baked beans), as well as cornbread. The meats are served dry, so you can try the 3 different house sauces (which are kept nice and warm at the pickup counter) as you like. It was a very nice way to sample "BBQ cuisine." The place seems trendy, but not especially expensive given the amount of food you get. Very fast and friendly counter service. The high stainless steel table at the back with bar stools is great seating, but borders on blinding thanks to the lighting. The manager came around to ask about our meal, so that was a nice friendly touch. I only wish they served alcohol! A cold, crisp beer would go very well with this food. But Soulfire is a great alternative to RedBones, which is great too but so overcrowded and loud in comparison. RedBones is also too far from my abode. But if Soulfire is any indication, it appears that Allston/Brighton is cleaning up and getting a bit more polish!
(5)
Hue L.
Fried chicken is absolutely delicious. Has to be my favorite fried chicken in Boston, slightly above Coast Cafe. Fried Mac n' cheese and Barbecue Reuben are also tremendous. Never really busy, so it is good for bringing big groups and their projector screen for sports is pretty sweet. Don't go to eat healthy though!
(5)
Evan G.
Soul Fire is a great addition to the amazing variety of cuisines in Allston Village. Their food is inexpensive and delicious. There is a wide variety of great food and amazing BBQ sauces that you can try. In particular, the baked beans were awesome. Definitely give this place a try, you won't regret it.
(4)
Brian C.
I was never much of a barbecue fan, until I went to UGA for 4 years and was exposed to Carolina-style bbq (vinegar-based sauce on a pulled pork sandwich). Having moved to Boston about a year ago, I've been on an informal hunt for this delicacy, along with its crucial companion, sweet tea. After being disappointed by Red Bones and having to settle for McDonald's sweet tea, I discovered Soul Fire. Excellent sandwich, perfect Carolina sauce, with just enough spice, and wonderful sweet tea. I got a side of collard greens which tasted very good dipped in the redder sauces they had available. The only thing preventing a perfect score is the lack of refills on the sweet tea. You can get refills on soft drinks, but not tea? I'm not sure what they're using that makes their tea so costly, but it is good, and I'll continue ordering it, but every time I do, I'll be reminded of how this would never be tolerated in the south.
(4)
alexis a.
i love this place! speaking as a north carolina native, they are the most truly authentic southern-style bbq place in the city (don't even bother with redbones or the roadhouse). the sauces are all great and spicy/flavorful. the ONLY place to do a NC vinegar sauce correctly. try the deep fried mac-n-cheese balls and jiffy-style cornbread. the collards are always hit or miss, either fantastic or funky. also, CHEAP harpoon beer! great music (soul, obvi) is always playing. the fried catfish and chicken are also totally solid.
(5)
Ryan B.
Don't think I like the new transition to sitdown ordering as much as the old style. Also, had a BBQ Pork sandwich again today, seemed like less food than last time. The meat tasted great, lots of smokey flavor, and the BBQ sauces were, as always, fantastic. The baked beans even had smoked meat in them, nice.
(4)
Andrew D.
I have only had delivery from Soul Fire, but I've had a LOT of delivery from Soul Fire. I am impressed. I'm not even a fan of everything I've ordered, but the stuff is mostly just SO good and a really good deal. I am also very impressed with the owner, because the first time I ordered it took a really long time, and when I called to check on the order the woman on the phone didn't even seem annoyed that I was calling (I've had a buy at Dominos yell at me just for making sure they got our online order.) A few days later, we got an email from the owner apologizing for the slow service, acknowledging that they were short staffed and didn't want people's first experience to be negative, and gave us a coupon. After some awful service from delivery places, I was floored at this excellent customer service. Anyway, the food... I love the reuban sandwich with brisket, and even all the sides seem homemade and good (the potato salad is awesome!). I could eat just the chili cheese fries for dinner. I love Soul Fire. The end.
(5)
Crystal J.
Very friendly staff, heaping portions, very affordable prices, REAL barbecue...which is odd b/c most of these Northerners don't know how to cook. My god, they even put Grippos on their mac n cheese. This place is amazing. My fiance got the ribs. The portion was GIGANTIC and it was only a half rack. Monday night they have all you can wings for $6.99 and these things aren't your typical little puny bar wings. They're huge, juicy and delicious. This place is highly recommended by this BBQ pro. Since, I've been here ,,,i've tried Redbones, I've tried Blue Ribbon...and they're ok. I really don't have a need to go anywhere else. Thsi place is tops! They even make their own pickles! Sooo fresh!!
(5)
Bebop Charlie A.
Wow! Delicious soulful BBQ in Boston! I went in for lunch with a buddy and we shared a brisket platter and a half rack of spare ribs and had plenty of sides. Collard greens, BBQ beans, slaw, and mac and cheese. EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious. I ordered another side of Mac n Cheese because it was so good. The brisket was full of flavor and nice and moist but not overly fatty. It was just right. The ribs were perfect. I liked trying the different sauces. If you like a little more spice, ask for the habanero relish. That'll make your face warm on a cold winter day. When I go and eat out, I go mainly for the food but this place had a nice selection of classic soul music playing on the sound system which made the experience even more fun for me.
(5)
Leslie W.
It may not be traditional southern BBQ but we're in Boston so I'll take what i can get. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here both times i went. I didnt expect much since my husband and I just moved here and stopped in at random but we both really enjoyed the food . I liked the decor and the people working there were friendly. The meats were good, the BBQ sauces tasty (with the added fun of mixing to perfection) and the prices reasonable. I really liked the various sides offered, except the pickles. They didn't taste very good to me but I'm picky about my pickles... I really liked their mac & cheese though. I'm really rooting for this place to do good business although every time i go past, they seem to be pretty empty. Its good stuff!
(4)
Ryan F.
cool place. great pulled pork sandwich, the bun is alright but the pork is awesome and the sauces are all great. have yet to try anything else on the menu because i just keep getting the pulled pork sandwich. Also the baked beans are awesome. i haven't tried blue ribbon yet but the pulled pork here is better than redbones. The other food looks good, and i will surely try some soon.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Zhe W.
Definitely worth the price. But as for rib itself, I have to say it's not that delicate.
(3)Emily E.
When I first started eating here like 3 years ago it was amazing. I ordered here like last week and I was not impressed. First off the ribs didnt seem done. And to top it off there was a F$@&#% hair laying on one of the ribs. Like wtf. And I'm pregnant so i was pissed. And I always tip nicely so I was hurt. The fish was really good but was scarce for a $20 plate. But I Won't eat here anymore #yuck
(3)Angela L.
Ok came back because I bought a gilt city $15 for $30 worth of food. I'm still obsessed with the Mac and cheese because it has crunched up barbecue chips on top. And I still love the corn bread here. But... The chicken tenders are so amazing. Can't believe I've never thought to get them here before. Perfectly juicy and FRIED. Also, the fried mac and cheese is pretty good too! After we got our chicken tenders, the brisket couldn't compare to how good the chicken was. YUM! Now I know where to go for good fried chicken tenders :)
(4)Fred B.
Baby back ribs are very good. Might check out the spareribs next time, just for giggles. Tried 3 of the 4 sauces and they were good as well. The signature sauce was clearly the best. Some things that would get them that extra star: - Better draft beer selection. Redbones has them beat here by a country mile. - Better bottled beer selection. This is really easy to do, unless you don't have the refrigeration/storage space. - Better fried chicken. My wife can do this better than Soul Fire...and she'd be happy to come down to explain how. - St. Louis ribs would be a nice 3rd option. - Mashed potatoes are kinda blah. Here's a great opportunity to do something creative with cheese or jalapenos or something. - Ditto on the potato salad. Nothing special here. - Double ditto on the cole slaw. Slaw in a ribs place has to be salty and celery-y. Boring slaw is a sin. - Real booze vs. beer/wine only. We're grown-ups here; we like our vodka. - A nice black bean side. The recipe on the side of the can will suffice. It was great to have good ribs again in the Boston/Camberville area. I cannot eat Redbones' ribs anymore, they're just awful. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, Soul Fire. PS The baked beans are homemade and wellmade.
(4)Adam G.
I find their mandatory ordering food with a drink policy very very strange. I don't understand what the reason is but I don't care and I don't like it. OK, whatever I'll get something light. So I order fried Mac and Cheese bites and a Gansett. I really wasn't hungry but just needed a drink and maybe to use the bathroom. The atmosphere was okay. Service was decent, friendly enough and I didn't sense any hostility but I have to say that policy about the food really burns my ass. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm an adult and I don't like being told what to do or how to spend my money when I'm patronizing your establishment. So my deep fried mac and cheese comes and guess what? It sucks. I wasn't impressed. For $3 I didn't expect (nor did I get) a big portion but the noodles to cheese ratio was way out of whack. "Deep fried noodles and butter" would have been a more accurate description. Again, I wouldn't care so much about the crappy $3 appetizer if I wasn't forced to buy it in order to get a drink. It's the principle. If you're being forced to buy anything, chances are it sucks. So in all fairness I'm rating this on my experience, where I didn't get to really taste the barbecue, which is obviously what this place is known for. But I can say that as someone who was passing through and needed a quick drink and a rest that I didn't like it. I'm curious to try the barbecue as this place seems to be popular and I want to see what all the hubbub is about but I wouldn't come back here to drink and I would avoid the appetizers menu and get the Q.
(3)Mike S.
The other Yelpers were right - the service is awful. There were about 12 people in the whole place and we waited like 10 minutes just to be greeted. The food is not all that great either :( It is not bad, but there are much better options in and around the city of Boston. Definitely not worth the price and we won't be going back. Felt like I was in the first half of an episode of Restaurant Impossible.
(2)Amy X.
By far the best brisket I've had in Boston area. I've been trying different bbq for takeout for a while now and have tried from the likes of redbones, east coast grill, Tupelo etc and soul fires bbq have consistently lived up to the expectation! I've had some great bbq in other states/countries and the food here comes pretty close! The meat is flavorful, has great texture, and makes me crave them every couple of weeks. Their sauces are amazing and in my opinion make the difference. Try all of them! The spicy one is great if you can withstand the heat - otherwise the soul fire sauce is great for everything. The collard greens are the best as well. I always get an extra side of those when I order from them. Cornbread is meh (Tupelo has the best, which is expected from the owners of petsi pies!), but what's bbq without cornbread?? Their platter options are the best deal. Also the fish came out pretty good - wasn't expecting so from a bbq place, but pleasantly surprised!
(4)Kevin L.
YES! Finally! Having experimented many different combinations off the menu, I now know what to get in order to have a superb meal. This time I ordered the 3 meat combo of catfish, fried chicken wings, and the brisket with sides of cornbread, rice, chili, and mac & cheese. I've come to the realization that everything that's fried here is amazing! The catfish and chicken wings had a delicious crisp batter and everything underneath it was so juicy and well spiced. I hear there chicken tenders are amazing too. The brisket, as I had suspected, was pretty dry....just like their ribs. The sides here are topnotch. I haven't had a bad side yet. My favorites in order are the mac and cheese, chili, rice, and cornbread. Can't wait to come back!
(4)Ashley C.
Monday nights they have all you can eat wings for ~$10. Wings come in 4 flavors - buffalo, pitboss, honey mustard, and a special flavor. The problem I had with this is when they served the wings, the different flavors were all put in one tray and the waitress couldn't tell us which ones were which so we couldn't really tell her what we wanted for the second round. Eventually, all the "flavors" started blending and they all tasted the same. On top of that, I stopped eating at the second round because the chicken wasn't cooked all the way.... we even made a complaint to our waitress but the next round was also undercooked. I would've understood if the place was packed with people and they were in a rush, but at that point, it was only our group left for the remainder of the night. I would not come back here for their all you can eat wings. However, I am tempted to return to try their BBQ items on the menu, especially since other yelp reviews are raving about it.
(2)Todd B.
I discovered Soul Fire BarBQ while taking a lunch break on my visit to the area for work. As a Tennessean and former Texan, I am skeptical when it comes to eating BBQ in the Northeast. This is less of a concern these days, with more options like this one popping up in NYC and Boston that are a good match for the real thing. I chose the brisket plate, and it was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't resist the lauded mac n' cheese either, and so glad that I didn't. It was cheesy and creamy as expected, but topped with corn flakes in a way that made it extraordinary. Most Austin BBQ fans would not sneer their nose at this BBQ -- it's on point, and I can't imagine anything else in Boston coming close. Well done. Pun intended.
(4)Judy K.
This is one the better bbq places in Boston! If you like dry rub, then this is the place to come! I've had real BBQ from Texas and I can't say that Soul Fire is better or even remotely close, but it's definitely delicious. I couldn't stop eating the ribs! HIGHLIGHT: Baby back ribs and fried chicken! For the sides, nothing really stood out... the mac n' cheese and the rice and beans was not bad. I'm not a big fan of heavy dripping sauce so I didn't like the pulled pork, but the ribs and the fried chicken was yummy. The fiery sauce paired really well with the meat, but beware! It's definitely spicy... For the sides, I was surprised that the collard greens and baked beans were sweet. I didn't like it very much. The rice and beans is very dry, but it still has good flavor. I would go with the classics like mac n cheese, mashed potato or cole slaw. The cole slaw is heavy on the liquid mayo though... also, the corn bread comes out cold. Like what? CORN BREAD IS SUPPOSED TO BE WARM AND SOFT AND CRUMBLY. I would come back for the ribs alone, but don't expect fast service. When I went, it took forever to get our orders, get our food and clean up. There's a weird wall in the middle that cuts your view of the waiters so maybe that's why I couldn't get the attention of the waiters.
(4)Tucker H.
Soooo good. Easily the best BBQ I've had on the east coast. Started with the Mac and cheese bites, tried all the different sauces with them. Loved all the sauces. Sweet, soulfire, pit boss, and firey. All were so good. When it came to entrées the deal was sealed. I had the pulled pork, my girlfriend had the brisket and brother had the chopped brisket. Everything was outstanding. Even the salad was awesome, not just some iceberg lettuce in a bowl. Would definitely recommend his spot to anyone looking to fill up on not that expensive of a ticket. 10/10 will return!
(5)Caitlin M.
I moved to Boston from Memphis 18 months ago and have been searching for great BBQ. Soul Fire not only provided great food, but at a Memphis price point. BBQ joints are not supposed to be fancy. I just want a pork plate and some sides, no real ambiance necessary. Soul Fire delivered I had a pork sandwich (comes with 1 side, $8) and cornbread (~$1.50) and a beer ($5). My husband had the pork plate (2 sides and cornbread, $12) and a beer ($5). Service was quick, though not necessarily chipper. I liked a mix of the sweet and pit boss sides. We got there at 6 on a Friday night. It was pretty empty but was filling up by the time we left.
(5)Khalid F.
I was in town to attend a party at the Wonder Bar, located next to Soul Fire. A fan of soul music and soul food I had to give Soul Fire a try. I ordered fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. I sat at the bar, the old soul album covers were a pleasant surprise. The decor and wall art was nice as well. On to the food, the fried chicken was good, fried just right and juicy. The macaroni and cheese wasn't the traditional Southern dish I'm accustomed to. Elbow noodles weren't used and the cheese sauce was lacking in the taste department. Soul Fire's twist on macaroni and cheese didn't satisfy my appetite. The collard greens were TOUGH and a tad bit too sweet. I couldn't get over the TOUGHNESS of the greens, they should have been cooked longer. Would I be willing to go back? Maybe.
(2)Michelle D.
In a restaurant-heavy, hard-to-park mixed neighborhood like Allston Rock City, restaurants come and go and you can't predict what's going to succeed. Some of our favorite places didn't make it out of their first year. My husband and I lived in Upper Allston ten years ago when the bright red Soul Fire awning went up at 182 Harvard, and we frequented the place, hoping all the while for their success. We moved to Lower Allston five years ago and don't get there as often, but when we do, we find they're just getting better. That red awning has faded to a whitish pink, and Soul Fire has long since worked out its initial kinks, has expanded its menu, gotten its beer & wine license, and settled into its role as area favorite purveyor of great BBQ. I'm so happy to see them thriving. Soul Fire is spacious with lots of roomy tables. They've got a cool ambiance of red walls, dark woods and steel. Two TVs show silent sports (one of the TVs is massive). They have a number of pieces of artwork and a mural of soul artists. They play a steady soundtrack of soul and R&B, and the long bar is decoupaged with soul album covers. The kitchen is exposed, so you can see funky cooks preparing all those spare ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, catfish, smoked turkey and chicken. They offer a menu of sides that has grown over the years -- collards, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, beans & rice, baked beans, slaw, and have even expanded to offer a range of vegetarian choices, quite accommodating for a BBQ place, in my opinion. They still have the original four killer sauces and everyone has a different fave. They serve on checkered wax paper on flat, round platters. The menu is an accommodating mix & match affair. Order a salad and a single rib, a half rack, a rack, or order for a table with the "feeds 4 souls" combo. A meal (say a half rack) comes with two sides of your choice, and always includes their signature pickles and cornbread -- which is so moist and sweet that you should save it for last and eat it as dessert. Unless you want an actual dessert, which they didn't have back when they first opened but have since added...fried dough, pecan pie, cheesecake. Does anyone have room for dessert after a Soul Fire meal, though? My husband swears by the brisket or the catfish -- in both cases, either the sandwich or the platter. I'm partial to the half rack of baby back, and I always get the collard greens, which are tangy and a bit on the sweet side. The mac & cheese comes with potato chips crumbled on top, which at first turned me off but I've since grown to like. I have sat at the bar, and I've sat at a table -- many times over the last ten years -- and I've never experienced any poor wait service. Are we just lucky? Or are some Yelpers just impatient? I've always found the servers to be cheerful and competent. Again, it's Allston, so you roll the dice on finding parking, but Soul Fire is on the green line -- take the B-train to Harvard & Comm. Or the red line to Harvard Square, then the 66 bus practically to Soul Fire's front door.
(4)Jenn S.
This is going to be weird but this review will have NOTHING to do with bbq-ed meat! I am a non-meat eater and when I go here with friends I usually order the wedge salad and a ton of sides. I have tried the Mac & Cheese, Cornbread, Pickles, Rice and Beans, Coleslaw... you name it! Overall I don't have much to complain about besides when they aren't busy everything is a little cold/plastic looking, especially the mac & cheese. But I continue to go over and over again so that says something :) The Soul Fire BBQ sauce is my favorite too!
(3)Hannah P.
Amazing!!! So so happy I bought a gitcity voucher for this place. My husband and I went last weekend and loved it! I liked the rustic, very relaxed ambiance and it's easy to get to. Our waitress was delightful! Very friendly, upbeat, happy to be there. We ordered the pork ribs and chopped brisket with bbq sauce which were all fantastic!! Their mac and cheese with crushed bbq potato chips were unreal, best mac and cheese by a longshot. The cornbread was great as well, flavorful and not dry at all. The mashed potatoes were real and had savory skins in them and we would gladly order them again. My husband had the cheesecake with fresh blueberry compote and strangely enough, thought it was the best cheesecake he's ever had. This place is a diamond in the rough, we will return!
(4)Joseph G.
TLDR: Food- 4 Service- 2 Atmosphere- 5 Overall- 4 Atmosphere- It's a roomy restaurant with plenty of seating and a bar. Two coworkers and myself sat at the woody bar with 6 sauces in front of us in a old cardboard six pack for beer. It feels like a old southern BBQ restaurant. Service - The service from our waitress was pure agony. She greeted the 3 of us after 10 minutes of sitting down. She took an eternity to place our orders on a tablet. While drinks and food came quickly, to place the orders was an antagonizing experience. To make matters worse, the restaurant was almost empty and gave no reason for such snail service. The service overall was ghostly and slow. Food- I ordered a 3 meat meal with braised beef, roasted chicken, and pulled bbq pork. The sides were Mac and cheese, cornbread, Cole slaw, and rice with beans. It all came on a silver circular platter with a picnic paper underneath. All the meats were flavorful and juicy and the tangy bbq sauces only added to my delight. The Mac and cheese was cheesy and soft as well as the beans. The cornbread was dry and I only took a bite, not very good. Overall the main course was well done but the sides could use more work. A filling experience was worth the wait.
(4)Phil T.
This is place is awesome as a casual BBQ restaurant, with very spacious setting. Food is excellent. Best BBQ I've had around Boston. I've been here 3 times and every time the food has been great. They consistently produce great BBQ. My personal favorites are spare ribs, and half of a chicken. Their sides are also all excellent. My favorites for sides are collard greens, and their mac and cheese. Their cornbread which come with every plate is also delicious. I can't rave enough about their food. They also have a variety of BBQ sauces, for all the other sauce lovers like myself out there. Their service is adequate, but the food is the true star as it should be. I've always left this restaurant feeling full, content and satisfied.
(5)Ching Y.
This is possibly one of the best bbq places in the Boston area accessible by the T. I've come here several times, and their ribs have been consistently good. Sure there's Red Bones in Somerville, though they are sometimes inconsistent, and Bison County in Waltham, which is harder to get to, but Soul Fire has been reliable every time so far. Their ribs are meaty, juicy, tender and smoky, the briskets are flavorful, and their fried chicken is really tender and crispy. There's just so many meats to choose from, and they offer a variety of hot sauces on the side, as do most reputable bbq restaurants. If you're in a group of 3 or more, you can always go for the platter, where you get a big selection of meats and bread rolls on the side. Get ready to eat up!
(5)Emily C.
Came here for dinner tonight with a group of friends. We arrived around 7 PM and had no trouble getting a table. Our waitress was very nice and attentive The venue is very hip. There are large tables that can seat 4-5 people, as well as couple smaller tables and seats at the bar. The food was a truckload of smoky, meaty heaven. We ordered the "Serves 4 Souls" set which, as the name suggests, is meant to serve 4 people. Let me tell you that this could comfortably feed 5 hungry eaters! Three of us ended up bringing home leftovers. Not one of us left with even a millimeter of empty belly after that meal. The cornbread was probably my favorite part. However, for the diehard carnivores, the ribs and pulled pork were the winning meat selections of the evening. I thought the chicken was very tender, but nothing that special. I hate super-soft pasta in my Mac n' Cheese, so this one was pretty underwhelming. All of the sauces are mild except (of course) the Fiery sauce. That one left a distinct burn on the tongue for a few seconds. I love me some spicy food, so it was actually my favorite sauce. :)
(5)Patrick L.
Nice bbq joint. Friendly, casual place. They don't have beef ribs which was a big letdown for me. Ordered the pulled pork, rack of baby back ribs, side salad, collard greens and mashed potatoes. Also had an Arnold Palmer and for desert we had the fried dough. Everything was the way it should be. Nothing fancy but solid southern bbq.
(4)Melissa P.
I'm so not into this place. Our server was super sweet and the atmosphere was fine (casual, spacious, not too loud), but the food was just not good. The chicken and ribs were overcooked, the mac and cheese was bland (but there were chips on top, which was a plus), and the slaw was uninspired. Corn bread was the saving grace of the meal, but not enough so to bring me back. If you must come here, make sure it is with some sort of coupon, and a really good friend so at least the conversation and low price point will keep you happy.
(2)Nicola Y.
I LOVE THIS PLACE. Soulfire does NOT get enough love, honestly. This place is a must-visit especially when my boyfriend comes to Boston. I love that it is never too crowded or at least I've never waited long to be seated. Ever. And the staff is lovely. Get the 2 combo or 3 combo. The southern fried tenders are great, and I always get the mac and cheese and beans for sides. SOOOOO GOOD. Try out all their sauces - I love the Soulfire and the Sweet sauce. Their cornbread is also perfection. I always douse my mac and cheese in the Soulfire sauce. Then, when I ask for a to-go box, I douse the takeout in more sauce. That way I can enjoy it later on at 2am, when I crawl out of bed to scavenge for a second dinner. My friends are fools who don't realize how great this place is (unless you are one of the lucky few I bring along to make the trek with me to Harvard Ave). That's fine by me because I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE ANYWAY. Soulfire is my little secret.
(5)Venessa R.
Not really sure how this place has a 4 star review. Not impressed with their bbq at all. Their pulled pork was dry and unflavored. If you want good bbq go to sweet cheeks.
(2)Kim B.
Soul fire is a gem to Allston. Let me reword that, it is a gem to all of Boston. Walking by, the smell of BBQ food will entice you in and then after that you will never think twice about following your nose again. This time, it leads you to a great place. It has a funky, fresh alternative vibe that makes you tingle with excitement when you first walk in. The music is upbeat, and you start to feel it in your bones. Everything about the atmosphere just makes you feel like you have a little more soul then when you were a mere passerby just minutes before. The menu is big and unique. There's a lot of flavors that they throw around, but there are options for everyone. They have a great deal for a meal for chicken wings/fingers, fries, cornbread and 2 sides for $13. I don't ever ever like cornbread, but I loved it and wanted more. The staff is funny, friendly and interactive. You can really tell that they truly value the notion of soul and that it is not just the name of the restaurant. They put it into every aspect of their buisness, the presentation, the atmosphere, and most importantly into their food.
(5)Kellen Y.
Split the sampler with a friend! So much food and so good! Definitely going again... Like tomorrow.
(5)Adrienne P.
Been wanting to get in here for such a long time! I suggested it to a friend who was in town for a show, and it was just the right ambiance and price level. We split a platter and sides, and the food was pretty great. The pulled pork was fantastic, and the cornbread was so moist and delicious. The loved the mac and cheese (crushed doritos on top??? omg). Props for having a variety of sauces to try out as well. Wasn't a huge fan of the cole slaw or potato salad, for the same reason....way too much mayo. Taking a star off for the slow, unfriendly service. We were in there at a time when the restaurant was not very busy at all, and were the only people on our side of the restaurant. It was a good 15 minutes before we even got a menu, and even longer for the check at the end.
(4)Helen L.
Good place to get some inexpensive southern food. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was seasoned pretty well. A little on the dry side but nothing their yummy side sauces, Pitboss and Soulfire, couldn't fix. I tried the ribs (wish there was more meat on the bones) and cat fish. Both were pretty good. I also got the fried Mac and cheese. This was not what I expected and it's probably something I wouldn't order again. For the outside I was expecting a breaded texture and the inside would ooze of the cheesy galore. Their version tasted more baked and there was nothing to encase the Mac. It was a bit dry and the outside was hard. Portions were filling, food arrived timely, and our waitress was friendly.
(3)M L.
Absolutely delicious sliced briskets and spare ribs with sides of potato salad, cole slaw, fries, and cornbread. As soon as I took my first bite of the briskets, it was heaven in my mouth. I didn't want to dip it in sauce, which I LOVED because the meat itself was so juicy and flavorful. It had right amount of fatty layer in it with just perfectly cooked thickness of meat. Mm! Mmmm! MmmMmmm! Even the cornbread was amazing and I loved the potato salad too! Will definitely return!
(5)Sarah C.
Ordered delivery last night, and I think this might be my new favorite BBQ place in the area! (Sweet Cheeks & Coast Cafe are close seconds). Every single thing we got was great, if not excellent. The spare ribs were awesome, and the half rack is huge. The fried catfish, also great, and shockingly survived the delivery process very well. The pulled pork and chopped brisket were SOOOO flavorful, I couldn't stop eating the stupid white bread that had soaked up all their juices. The sides are fantastic as well - mac n' cheese, baked beans, potato salad - all great. And the collard greens are the best and spiciest I've ever had! Oh and the CORNBREAD! Oh the cornbread... Great, great BBQ place, as far as BBQ in the North goes.
(5)Ann J.
Being from the South, I know what good BBQ tastes like. Unfortunately, Soul Fire doesn't meet my high standards but being in Boston, i'll cut it some slack. I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. To be honest, the mac and cheese was kind of bland. However, the pulled pork was great so that made up for it. My friend ordered the brisket on a bun and was very impressed. She's from Texas so Soul Fire should take that as a HUGE compliment. Overall, Soul Fire is a cool Allston restaurant great for those nights you want to go somewhere that won't break the bank. They offer a wide variety of BBQ that can be ordered on a bun or on its own. Side note - their drink prices are great. The beer is cheap and pairs great with the food!
(4)Guillermo M.
Very solid bbq place. The two meat combo is a great selection. We got the spare ribs and the fried wings. It comes with a cornbread, pickles and we got as a side the mashed potatoes and the mac and cheese. I loved to amount of space they have in this place and you can get good beers.
(4)Emily A.
3 stars = A-OK for a fast food joint. Been here twice, once for table service and once for take out. There really is nothing too exciting about the food, (except for the fried chicken, that stuffs dank). The pulled pork is average. They serve it on a thick cut piece of white bread, which soaks up the sauce nicely. The brisket was slightly dry both times I've had it. What really is the big dissapointment here, is the fact that none of their many sauces stand out in particular for me. The sweet one is pretty good, but the three other ones just don't do it for me. One is really bitter, which I don't really understand. I ended up just putting some of my own BBQ sauce on my meat at home last time I ordered take out.
(3)Eric B.
The food here was so awesome, it's a shame that the service wasn't that great when we were there. I would have given 5 stars if the server had been quicker and more attentive. The restaurant wasn't very crowded, so I'm not sure what the problem was. Anyway, we shared the three-meat platter between the two of us and ordered an extra side, which was more than enough food for us. The chicken was moist inside with a crispy fried coating, the pulled pork was seasoned perfectly, and the brisket was dry and flavorful. Seriously everything was absolutely delicious. Mmmmm!!! But the service wasn't delicious.
(4)Arti P.
Awesome Harpoon beers plus Southern style BBQ wings ... Aah! I just loved it. The DOZEN varieties of BBQ sauces I seriously couldn't believe there can be these many varieties of BBQ if u r WINGS FAN Don't miss this place
(4)Samantha B.
Come for flavorful sides and tender meats. Tucked into a sea of ethnic restaurants on Harvard Avenue in Allston and a short walk off the Green Line - B Branch (Harvard Ave.), the atmosphere is very casual with delivery and catering also available. Sandwiches and platters available with four BBQ sauces (Soulfire, Fiery, Pitboss, and Sweet). Fiery is the standout with strong elements of heat, pepper, and vinegar. Slightly reminiscent of a thicker and spicier eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce. The namesake sauce is less spicy with hints of tomato. Recommend mixing Fiery and Soulfire. The platters come with choice of two sides, corn bread, and pickles. The sandwiches come with one side and pickles. The brisket is thickly sliced atop a piece of white bread (a la Texas toast)? Sauce is not needed but recommended for added elements of zest. The pulled pork is juicy with some sauce already cooked into the meat and presented the same as the brisket. The sides are traditional and recommend many of them. The baked beans are smoky and saucy. Potato salad and cole slaw represent strong elements of the backyard barbecue and the collard greens (with bits of bacon) blend vinegar and sweetness evenly. The corn bread is extremely moist and very pleasant. Make sure to come on Monday night (5 to 11 PM) for all you can eat wings!
(3)Amanda R.
Whoa. Southern fried chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese with crumbled bbq chips on top, and the table shared chili cheese fries. $2.50 PBRs. Just. whoa.
(5)Loretta K.
The sauces here are pretty incredible. Wings are particularly spectacular and the fried catfish sandwich, fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes are delectable. I started out not liking barbeque and now I start to twitch if I don't have it often enough.. this establishment is pretty much entirely to thank. Love love love :)
(5)Robert J.
This place is the shizz, I try to hit it up everytime i'm in Allston. Killer sause.
(4)Emily R.
mm mm mm ! I had the fried chicken, collard greens, and mac n cheese with the soul fire sauce...It came with a lot of chicken...I had leftovers! so yummy. so happy.
(4)Lyle H.
Two hours for delivery and they don't even come to your door? No thanks.
(1)Brian P.
Delivery driver is rude, person who answered the phone offered to have a manager call me next day. Still haven't heard back. Not the only BBQ spot in town, my business will go elsewhere
(1)Tom L.
Fried chicken was very good. The pit master BBQ sauce is really good, wasn't a fan of the other sauces. The slaw was grose (way too much mayo), but the mac&cheese and corn bread were really good. Good beer selection as well.
(4)Joaquin X.
This place is great! I always wondered about it having seen the menu outside, looked good. But when I actually went inside I was totally excited. As a soul music lover, I have to say that walking in and hearing Joe Quarterman's music on the speaker and images of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, etc really roped me in before I ordered the food. I had a HUGE catfish sandwich that came with a side of mac n cheese with potato chips in it, which was a nice touch. All for only $9. I also tried some of the ghetto-fab baked mac n cheese squares. Everything was flavorful and fun. They definitely don't skimp on the servings. And there is plenty for vegetarians (beans use veggie stock, FYI). The beer selection was pretty good (had a Brooklyn Brown) and there is a bar with a TV for sports viewing. However, I am happy that the music played on. As a music expert and record collector, I could tell that the playlist was curated by someone and not a Pandora service. Best tunes: Quarterman, Betty Davis, Funkadelic, etc. And the mural above the bar looked like it had a painting of Betty Davis amongst the JB/Sly characters. The only (minor) quibble was that the (white) girl behind the counter seemed more interested in talking with a friend at the bar than serving us. Perhaps an afro-haired sister woulda given us better hospitality? Anyways, small minor complaint and it ain't no big thang. I will DEFINITELY be back here and I am telling my funky friends about it. (I wonder if they have soul/funk DJs in there?)
(5)Quynh Nhu D.
This is literally across from my house so luckily I don't ever have to go far to satisfy my craving of delicious bbq. Spare ribs and the Baby Back Ribs are delicious. I guess the different between them is the Spare ribs are dryer and the BBR is much more juicier. Awesome sauces. Awesauce. So many variety. They have a sauce bar that you can fill as much as you like. Tried them all. Love: cornbread, mashed potatoes, and potato salad. Cole slaw are ok ~ Not a fan of the Chopped Brisket. Too dry, not that good compared to their ribs. They're on Grubhub so it's really great to order takeout and bring a combo home. Good dine-in experience, no complaints.
(4)Kelsey M.
Such a hit or miss place when it comes to food. I've learned at both locations when it's best to leave just by looking at who's working there!
(3)Alexandra M.
I'm a pescitarian and I liked this place a lot, so that should be saying something! First off: the sauces made everything perfect. I had the fried mac and cheese, french fries and fried dough (and didn't feel terrible after!). The mac and cheese was a bit dry at times, but the sauce helped with that--and to kick things up in the heat or sweet department. The fries were actually really good for being plain french fries--can't place my finger on why other than some had a seasoning on them and maybe if they all did it would have been too much. The fried dough came with honey butter sauce which was delicious. Almost couldn't finish but it was too good to not! Good size for 3, maybe a bit too much for 2. I also had the lemonade which I thought was supposed to be homemade but tasted a bit like Minute Maid... Service was great and very on top of everything we wanted--especially the all you can eat wings! Whenever someone was almost out she was asking what kind they wanted next. Good prices, other than the drinks which seemed a bit steep.
(4)Emma A.
Anyone who talks trash about Soul Fire must have been having a really bad day or super hangry and just took it out on this fantastic establishment, because the only time I've ever NOT been happy in Soul Fire is before I get my Pulled Pork Platter. Sure, some the staff is a bit inexperienced -like dropping the check while I still have food in my mouth-but you're in hipster central and she probably had a show to get to at Great Scott. The food comes out fairly quick, no matter how many friends you brought. The sweet tea is AMAZING, and I've lived in the south. You get SO MANY WINGS on wing night, and you can take home with you after you've eaten so many that you might puke (because they're that good). Also, I will personally judge you if you don't go here and try the pulled pork and Mac n cheese because it's worth every calorie. I've even attached a picture, which means I sacrificed a moment of my bliss before devouring this just so you could see how good it was. You're welcome.
(5)Matt J.
This place was absolutely fantastic. It surpassed my already-high expectations! We got a 3-Meat-Combo with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken. All were delicious, especially the chicken, and they pared particularly well with the Soulfire, Sweet, and Fiery sauces. The combo also comes with two sides (we chose mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy), pickles, and cornbread, which were all also excellent. I'd highly recommend this place, and I'll definitely be back soon!
(5)Savannah S.
My happy memories of Soul Fire are too numerous to describe. The BBQ is authentic, affordable, and delicious. It's better than the overpriced Sweet Cheeks Q, and there is no rush from the staff. I recommend it to every ex-pat Southerner I know in Boston. I always get the pulled pork dinner plate so that I get more sides. Potato salad is flavorful without being stuffed with filler, the mac and cheese is creamy with crunch on top, and the cornbread is soft and moist. You'll have a variety of sauces to use on your meat, and I like to mix them for adventure. And of course, this is one of the few places I have had the pleasure to enjoy sweet tea in New England.
(5)Greg P.
Soulfire: 2 parts good southern BBQ, 3 parts overhyped Located on Harvard Ave in Allston, Soulfire is easily accessible by T but not by car. Prepare to spend a while looking for street parking and definitely do not park in any of the side alleys because those are tow-zones. A mix of different southern BBQ styles, Soulfire does not have a strong regional identity and the result is very generic BBQ. They have all of the staples of southern BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. The pulled pork is not bad at all, moist, smoky, and flavorful. The brisket comes out dry. I have had it a few times and that observation is consistent. The ribs are not always that meaty and sometimes have too much fat. They have a tendency to get overcooked as well. The sides are pretty good at Soulfire. The mac&cheese balls are as good as people say they are. Overall, Soulfire is pretty good but nothing stands out from other local BBQ joints. By way of context, Village Smokehouse and Blue Ribbon are far superior in both options, taste, and quality.
(2)Jennifer H.
I cannot believe I had never been to Soul Fire before last night. I guess I always headed out to Village Smokehouse, but Soul Fire is definitely on my list now. Overall, I have to say this place is a good bet for some standard BBQ; I have no complaints. I love the casual feel and later-night service here. You are free to seat yourself, and service is decent; our food came out quickly once it was ordered, but it took a little while for the waitress to take our order and to process the check. The pulled pork was pretty much perfect (for me): flavorful, moist, tender, and it didn't need additional sauce. I was impressed by the cole slaw because I am super picky, and Soul Fire's met the bar. The potato salad was good as well. I really wish they served the sweet, sliced pickles fried; that would just take the platter to the next level. The portion was just enough for me to feel satisfied but not stuffed (I was hungry going in), and I thought the price was reasonable. While this restaurant is incredibly T-accessible (take the green B line to Harvard St. and walk not even a half block west), the parking along this stretch of Harvard Avenue can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. I easily found a space within a block on a Tuesday night. A good place to catch the game as they have a couple TVs over the bar and a giant projection screen on one of the walls.
(3)Ben S.
I'm so conflicted. I love the food here, but they give you so little of it, it's not worth the money more often than not. Boston only has a few good bbq spots, and though I value flavor over portion size, I have to draw the line somewhere. Barbecue and eating to excess are two concepts that will forever be entwined. All the more reason that the full-priced, appetizer-sized entrees make me cry.
(3)Christian M.
I had the 4 souls and boy was it great!!!the full rack of spare ribs with the full oven roasted chicken was awesome. The pulled pork was amazing..everything was great!! DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!!! The staff was great, the kitchen is an open kitchen so you can see everything and the cooks were extremely nice
(5)Shale O.
I have lived in the South and do know what good Soul food taste like. Soul Fire is just ok. It felt more like the fast food of Soul Food lol. I was actually going to give them 3 stars but downgraded based on service. It took 30 minutes for our orders to be taken after we sat down. I think our server might have been a tad clueless but I wouldn't know. I got Cat fish with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. The coleslaw was superb, the Cat fish was greasy; but what else was I expecting from fried food, the baked beans was the worst...The corn bread tasted really nice :) This is not the standard that I am used to but maybe it works for Boston
(2)Chantel J.
Soul Fire is a hidden gem. Looks like a bar from the outside but is jammed packed with delicious food. I've had the catfish which is moist, no bones and sooo filling. The southern wings taste just like from down south and the sauces make it amazing. The pull pork is to die for, delicate but super filling. The ribs I mean how can you not try the ribs?? Amazing. You can buy a spare rib so try it as you salivate for your food. Try the Mac and cheese it will make all your bad days seem a little better.
(4)Mia C.
Portion is big. You get lots of meat for what you pay for. The chicken is very crispy. However the ribs are very disappointing. They are coasted with dry rub and...that's pretty much it. They are bland and don't taste like they come out of a BBQ smoker. Maybe they did come out of a BBQ smoker but they seriously need to stay there longer. Their ribs are basically just bland oven roasted ribs without much woody smoky BBQ flavor.
(3)Brad H.
Always on the lookout for good BBQ, I finally got around to checking out Soulfire one night. For an appetizer we got an order of the chili cheese fries. This heaping plate of fries that are completely smothered in gooey cheese and meaty chili does make quite a mess (definitely a fork worthy endeavor), but it's worth it since it's very tasty. However, if you're not packing a large appetite I would recommend a smaller app (or no app at all) since this carb blast might fill you up too much before your entree. The pulled pork was exactly as it should've been. Nothing more, nothing less. The baby back ribs (if I remember correctly I believe the only ribs they serve are baby back, no St. Louis ribs here) were cooked well. The meat came right off the bone with a minimal tug. The dry rub they used was average, nothing outstanding; and the ribs definitely benefited from some sauce. Offering 4 or 5 different sauces, I couldn't find one that really hit home for me. I did manage to hit the sweet spot though by combining the Pit Boss sauce with the Soulfire signature sauce. Doing this resulted in a sauce that I felt was more balanced in it's sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess. Surprisingly though, their BBQ isn't what stands out. What really shines at Soulfire is their fried chicken. This stuff is some if the best fried chicken I've ever eaten; it's perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. This has become my go-to place for the best fried chicken in Boston. The service was average as was the atmosphere. This place is pretty no frills when it comes to the layout and decor sporting murals on the walls, a big projection screen and some other tv's that usually have some sports game(s) on. But you shouldn't be visiting Soulfire for the decor, you should be coming by for the good BBQ and fantastic fried chicken.
(4)Lillian C.
I was craving some BBQ and found this place on Yelp. It's pretty close to the T stop off Harvard and a couple of friends and I decided to give it a shot. When we first walked in we were a bit confused as to sit down somewhere, order first, or wait to be seated... After about 5 min a waitress told us just to sit anywhere. So we sat down and she brings us the menus. I ordered the two meat plate with brisket and baby back ribs with mac and cheese and cole slaw as my sides. The plate also comes with a piece of cornbread and some slices of pickled cucumbers. The brisket came on top of a thick slice of toast (not sure why) and it was SO GOOD! Very tasty and cooked perfectly. The ribs were also very nicely cooked and juicy. I only ate about half my food and saved the rest for another meal. For the price I think it's pretty darn worth it. I also had a bite of the spare ribs and that was really good too. I love that they also have about 6 different sauces. I liked mixing the pit boss and soulfire sauce. Delicious! I would def be back for more!
(4)Simon L.
Giant spares that are sparsely trimmed create a nice crisp exterior from the reasonably heavy brown sugar that is part of the rub. The carmelization is chock full of flavorful spice and a bit of kick - chili pepper. Full rack of spares will never disappoint and comes with corn bread and two sides. Rib meat is pink to midway to the bone and explodes with juices. These are giant spare ribs that are tender and have a superb smoky flavor; sauce is completely unnecessary although multiple are available for sampling. My preference tends to the Pitboss. The fiery NC rendition is a decent second. Coleslaw is fresh and clean. Mac and cheese is served just warm. Corn bread is moist and not too sweet. Sit at the bar and enjoy a lone star or a gansett tall boy.
(5)Christopher K.
Best BBQ in the Boston area. The sauces are fantastic. I found myself dipping the bones in my extra sauce just to taste more. The ribs were excellent. Perfectly slow-smoked. And the sides were unbelievable, from the potato salad to the mac-n-cheese with BBQ chips crumbled on top. Great atmosphere doesn't hurt too.
(5)Carmen S.
I'm from the south and sometimes I want a little southern cookin. This place hits the spot every time. They have the best spare ribs and mac and cheese I've had this side of the Mason Dixon. Way better than Redbones.
(5)Nisreen G.
You set me soul on fire. Light my soul. Caress my belly with your crispy fried wings, fresh fried catfish, and creamy mac and cheese. What's that I see? A 3$ rib appetizer? Damn you sure know what I like. Soul Fire is delicious BBQ and perfectly priced. Food comes out crazy hot and the servers make sure to give you prior warning which is really nice. As a newbie I tried to take a bite out of my chicken and nearly burned my mouth off. It was well worth the pain though. Salty, crispy, perfectly marinated. I actually debated ordering another round but decided with catfish on the menu, i'd be crazy not to get an entree. I absolutely love the atmosphere of Soul Fire. It's pretty bright so I can see my food but doesn't feel like a fast food joint. The red and white checkered table cloths remind me of summer BBQ's but they don't throw too much BBQ theme in your face. Tons of famous jazz artists and musicians are plastered on the wall in black and white and it's pretty cool that they sometimes have live music.
(5)Tammy T.
I use to come here everyyyyyyyy Monday for the wing special! They weren't anything to die for but I loved their variety of sauces! Always went out the door satisfied. It's always a great time to come with a big group of people to enjoy the big portions of wings each round. But the wait for a big group is quite long. One of my favorites is the macaroni squares! Soooo good! I haven't been here in a while but I hope the Asian waitress is no longer there because she was completely straight up rude. Don't be a server if you can't put on a fake smile and make your customers happy. Every time I came, she would always give attitude, roll her eyes and give dirty looks. Put that shit aside or don't work as a waitress at all. I had asked for a water one time and as I was sipping it I looked inside the cup to see a dirty napkin at the bottom... I kindly asked for another and she basically said I put it in there, rolled her eyes and left. Rude. I'm hoping to come back here soon with better improvements and more friendly servers.
(3)Kimberly M.
AHHH!! 2 whole hours to deliver one meal ten minutes away?!? I called after it was 40 min later that quoted and the girl told me "he's leaving now!"....are you kidding me?? (I'm painfullllly hungry) I say okay thank you blah blah I'll see you soon, (also cravvvvving the can of pepsi I ordered) So 25 minutes later and still no sign of my food. Finally the driver arrives but low and behold...no pepsi. So bummed. So so bummed :( The food is just alright.
(1)Young J.
3.5 stars. Pros: great portions for cheap prices. All the sides were good (we tried the potato salad, coleslaw, mac n cheese and the baked beans) and I was in love with the cornbread. Chicken was nothing spectacular but brisket was pretty good. I liked how they give you four different sauces in a bottle, and this was a plus for me since I don't like my BBQ drenched in sauce. Cons: service needs to step it up. It was less than half full on a Saturday night around 8pm. I didn't know it was a "seat yourself" place so my bf and I stood around for several minutes before one of the waitress told us from where she was standing (didn't even bother coming up to us) to take a seat wherever we liked. We ordered a soda, but did not receive it until 15 minutes later. That was somewhat understandable. When our meals came out almost 25 minutes later, they got my bf's order wrong so we still had to wait around for a little while longer. Also, when I asked my waitress about the appetizer we ordered since it was nowhere to be seen even AFTER we received our meal, she seemed very confused that we ordered it. Either way, our appetizer (chili cheese fries- very good and huge portions!) came out immediately after I mentioned it but it kind of took away the meaning of "appetizer". I would visit this establishment again for the great food, portions and prices but I think service is a hit or miss. I would be more understanding if the place was packed with people but there were multiple waitresses just standing around chatting to one another and our waitress didn't even bother coming to our table and checking up on us.
(3)Christina C.
I don't do this often, but not only did my food take an hour and a half to get here, but it was measly and cold. I asked for mashed with gravy and got cold potato salad and my sandwich was pathetic. I work nearby and frequent Soul Fire but this was awful. When I answered the door, the driver ACTUALLY ASKED ME: "Is this a joke?" because I have bad reception in my household for cell service (I stated this very specifically in my Foodler directions). I left a prop in the door and left my front door OPEN. If he could not figure out how to get my food, that I paid for, and idiotically tipped 20% for, to my face, then this man should be fired and sent on his way. The food usually redeems itself, but not tonight. I will not be coming into Soul Fire on meal breaks any more. What is going on over there?! Sorry! UPDATE: After writing this review, a manager promptly got in touch with me and apologized. Something like that has never happened to me, as I am not in the business of writing reviews to get something out of it. It was truly a surprise and it's refreshing to know that a local business is doing its best to do right by its customers. A+, guys and gals. Keep doing your best! I changed my 1-Star review to a 3 and I can only imagine it getting better.
(3)David W.
I have to say that my experience with Soul Fire was anything but pleasant. I ordered food online, payed the delivery fee as well as a generous tip and when it came to delivering the food the delivery guy called me and asked me to come outside to pick up my food. It was raining and the reason he gave was that there was no parking on the street, but a look out of the window showed that there clearly were plenty of parking spots. The next excuse was that there was no legal parking, which is simply not true, as there is plenty of legal parking on the street and most businesses I've ordered from will deliver to my apartment door without any questions asked. This guy did not even ring my door bell. Since revving his engine would not draw me out he ended up driving off. Calling the restaurant and explaining the situation to Becca, the manager on deck, caused her to say she could get the food to me if I came down to pick it up. Now, to me, that is not what I really consider delivery... if I have to get the food it is not being delivered to me. Expressing this alongside with the suggestion to cancel the order was met with an OK and being hung up on right away. When calling them back in order get hold of her boss, she said he wasn't around but would share her opinion on this matter. From this I can only gather that Soul Fire does not value their customers or their business. The service and (frankly) manners displayed by this restaurant have convinced me to never ever order anything from them again, regardless of the fact that they do have good barbecue. But at this point, that doesn't even factor into the review. 0 Stars? Yes, if it was possible...
(1)Andrew K.
Why has it taken me this long to try this place? I'm a southern boy. Grew up in the south, where we know bbq. I still call people, "Sir," which people like, and, "Ma'am," which people don't end up liking. Regardless, I digress. After going through some House of Cards in preparation for the new season, I got a hankering for some ribs. I don't mean those ribs from the chinese place. I wanted some real southern ribs. I decided to take on soulfire as a trial. Seriously. If you like southern food (real southern food) or bbq, try this place. You're missing out. Food: unbelievable. Couldn't give a better compliment. Ribs are top notch. Cornbread. Fries. Mac and cheese. Cole slaw. You can't go wrong. Service: no clue. I ordered delivery. But it came pretty quick (maybe 20-30 min?). Overall: amazing. Hands down the best southern joint up in the north. And also, for this price, you can't go wrong. For two people (let's be honest here, with these portions we could have served 3), for $30, I'm better off getting food here than from any other restaurants.
(5)Trevor S.
I love BBQ. Like, I'd call my first child BBQ if I could. That's love. Soul Fire doesn't really return the feeling. This is the kind of place that puts the "meh" in mediocre. I mean... they try. The pulled pork is a pretty good vinegar style. But it goes down from there. The brisket is just sort of bland fatty meat that can occasionally be dry. The ribs seem coated with some rub that's just for show because there isn't any sort of spice to it. The sides just go downhill. I love collard greens. Soul Fire's are rubbery and cloyingly sweet. I love cole slaw. Soul Fire's is just a soupy droopy cup of yuck. We've been blessed with our fair share of BBQ in Boston. There's no reason to ever come here.
(3)Garren O.
Ah Soulfire...my first BBQ in Boston. Even though my first visit was four years ago, my five star rating remains unwavering. Most times I go, the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fried Mac and cheese (amazing; you're a FOOL if you don't get this) are my go to items. However, I stepped outside my comfort zone for one of their all you can eat wing Mondays. And I may ne'er go back. Even though I'm not much of a spice guy, the hotness of these wings were more flavorful than pour-a-gallon-of-water-down-your-throat spicy. My hands down favorite though were the Golden Mustard wings. I had about 20 of those bad boys. I regret nothing. Finished off strong with some fried dough (topped with amazing house honey butter) and wet nap for my saucy fingertips. In short: I liked it, so I put a wing on it. (Beyoncé, I will see you in court)
(5)Nicholas U.
Went here for all you can eat wings and was not disappointing. I prepared myself accordingly. I didn't try anything besides the wings so I can't judge on anything else. They first brought us a demo dish with one flavor of each wing. After we were done, they asked us what flavor we wanted in our big plate. We opted for all 4 because they were all delicious. Because we were a party of 7, we got 2 very large plates of wings. I like how they didn't tip-toe the all you can eat by giving you a few wings at a time, they go straight for the kill. We demolished the wings and if I could eat until my stomach exploded I would have. Soul Fire satisfied my wing craving plus more. Will be back here again to get my filling of wings.
(5)Steve B.
BEST BRISKET I"VE EVER HAD! I got the 1/2 chicken & brisket combo, both cooked perfectly! Good blend of smoke, flavor, and moisture. Got the close slaw (not bad) and baked beans (amazing) as sides but came with the best cornbread I've ever had. I got 6 pieces to go for the fam and we were all in AWW of how good it was. I will be back ASAP! I don't even know where to start! I'm a BBQ feen! I make it myself minimum once a week and get it whenever possible and I must say...this is definitely in my top 3.
(5)John M.
Everything a good soul food place should be. Otis Reading on the juke box and great food. I had the fried chicken and it was delicious, as were the collard greens and the coleslaw. My companions had the ribs and the hickory chicken. All raved about it. The service was prompt and cheerful.
(4)Jamie C.
I have been a regular at soul fire since they opened and have yet to find better BBQ in boston! Love this place, love the atmosphere, and most importantly love the food!!! I have also used the to cater a work event and it went awesome. This place is the best!
(5)Lynn J.
I wanted to love this soul food, but left very disappointed instead. STAFF: OK, but not too happy. FOOD: French fries tasted flavorless & frozen. My fried catfish sandwich was bland too. I expected soul food seasoned breading. My friend likes the food there, so I gave an extra star. THE DEAL: My friend likes this place, and told me you can get all the sauces to go. She orders a big platter, then takes home half.
(3)Shirleyanne A.
I really didn't like their coleslaw. I just threw away the whole thing because it was dry and all I can taste was the cabbage. It didn't smell too appealing either. Their collard greens were too sweet for my taste. The ribs were pretty good. They were moist and tender and fell off the bone easily but it was pretty greasy. I still like Blue Ribbon's ribs better. The barbecue sauce selection they had was pretty good. I tried all of them and I was pretty happy with all of them. I liked how some of the sauces were pre-warmed. Parking is difficult in this area so it's best to take public transportation. The people working here were cheerful and friendly and they packed my to go order neatly so that the contents don't jostle around during my drive home. I plan on trying their other items sometime in the future but until then, they get three stars from me.
(3)Kyra M.
In the otherwise delivery deadzone that is Lower Allston, Soul Fire is our savior. This isn't just a spot that is "good food for Boston;" Soul Fire is legitimate BBQ. No need to narrow down your experience with the more than reasonably priced 3 meat combo, which easily feeds two hungry adults. Being able to order on GrubHub is a super bonus. At this point, we've had every meat on the menu. Here are my top 5 favorites from least favorite to most favorite (keeping in mind they are ALL favorites): 5. Sliced Brisket; my partner would disagree but I'm a fan. Sometimes he lets me order it or I sneak it in. It's less consistent than the other products, more variation with tenderness amongst orders, but still solid. 4. Hickory Smoked Chicken; it's exactly what it sounds like, and so juicy. 3. Fried Catfish flaky and delicious. Never greasy, always amazing. Tartar sauce FTW. 2. Pulled Pork; yes, please! Even without any sauce it's got that smoky meaty thang going on good on its own, on top of coleslaw, or wrapped up in a slice of white bread. 1. BABY BACK RIBS!!!! Skip the spare ribs (unless that's your thing), I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back.... So meaty and perfect. So very perfect. Love these ribs! As far as sides go, I find them less impressive than the meat. They'd be 5-Star if they could master the sides. We pretty much stick with the collard greens and coleslaw. Macaroni isn't as great as some reviews would have you think, at least in my opinion. Baked beans lack significant flavor. The corn bread is solid. Overall tasty food. We've dined in once and they have a small selection of beer and plentiful seating, but why leave the house when the delivery is just as good?
(4)Robert F.
I was born and raised in the South and the DEEP South. I've eaten BBQ all my life. Soul Fire is pretty good,. I came to visit my daughter at BU and she was craving some Q. It was an unusually muggy night and the restaurant was a little too warm. Service was quick and friendly. The lighting was quite harsh. She got the pulled pork platter with beans and mac n cheese. I had the chopped brisket with beans and slaw. We each found our favorite sauce from the four offered. The pulled pork was pretty darn good as was the mac n cheese. Neither one of us cared for the beans because of the HEAVY molasses flavor. The chopped brisket was okay, though it is really diced/cubed and not chopped. The portion size was a little small. The slaw was good, but more of a vinegar base than a mayo based dressing. All in all we enjoyed the meal, though next time I'll get my Q fix back home, y'all!
(3)Alyssa F.
My boyfriend is a Kansas native, so he knows good BBQ when he eats it. As such, we've been trying all the local places. This is as good as it gets on the East Coast. We both had the brisket platters--$13 for brisket on thick white bread with two sides, cornbread and pickles. Brisket was insane. There are 4 BBQ sauces on the table to choose from. I liked the sweet, he liked the fiery. We both got mac + cheese and baked beans, and agreed that the mac and cheese was delicious but the baked beans left something to be desired. I also had the mac and cheese bites as an app, and they were splendid. Not too heavy. All in all, it was a slam dunk. Can't wait to go back and try some more things!
(5)Ali K.
SOUL FOOD at its finest!! If you want to try southern cuisine in Boston this is your spot. Clogged arteries and all it's so worth every bite, luckily for me it was down the street from where I was staying and I hadn't eaten all day so this would make everything even better. Place wasn't packed for a Wednesday night but that's to be expected usually on the weekends a ton of people are in there they said. Very spacious restaurant with pretty cool decor kind of a 70's vibe. Huge big screen TV's so you can watch whatever games and enjoy your food. I ended up getting the Fried Mac and Cheese, the Fried Chicken Platter with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and a Biscuit slathered in butter. Yeah pretty much if I had a heart attack that night I would have died happy. The Fried Mac and Cheese came in this cube shape and once you bit into it it was heaven on earth. The fried chicken platter was so flavorful, juicy, and crunchy it blew my mind. The mashed potatoes and gravy was unreal, I don't know if they put little bits of bacon in the mash potatoes or what but whatever they did, it added and extra hint of flavor to it for sure. The biscuit was not to be overlooked, it was amazing, like something out of your Grandma's kitchen. Definitely highly recommend this place, but you won't be eating for at least 6-7 hours after if you do it right.
(5)Josh K.
Reasonably priced bbq. Nothing fancy and the food was alright. I wouldn't seek this place out but if you are looking to grab a quick bite with beers prior to hitting the bars in the area, it's worth a try. It's also the only "Southern" restaurant in Harv. Ave so you might run into some crowd on the weekends.
(3)Mallory C.
We had a groupon for this place, and my boyfriend LOVES BBQ, so we had a date night. First of all, they get an A+++ for accessibility, as they have buttons that open their door for wheelchair users (very rare!!!), and are just super helpful. The food was delicious, and portions were huge! We are french fry connoisseurs and we could not finish their "basket of fries" even though they were so good! The rice and beans was also great! Our waitress was patient, friendly, and did not hurry us at any time. She got bonus points when we paid- we forgot to tell her about the groupon until after she ran our card, so she did it again with no complaint, AND she came back and told us, with the groupon we didn't even reach our price limit and could order something to go if we wanted! We ordered an order of wings that were out in record time! We will definitely be back here.
(4)John R.
Just perfect. Wyatt the owner has made this place what it is. All of the food is great. The staff friendly, the beer cold, the music perfect. The sauces are awesome as is the sides.
(5)Thuy L.
Came here around 8ish on a Monday night for the All You Can Eat Wings and some soul food with my little family. Once we arrived, the host said we can take a seat anywhere we liked. As we sat down, she gave the table another sprits to make sure the table is santized and clean. The waiteress then arrived to asked us what we liked to order. The menu was pretty simple and short. My husband did the all you can eat wings, and I did the "2 meat combo" with BBQ spare ribs and pulled Pork. The combo came with 2 sides, and I wanted Collard greens and Mac n' Cheese with an EXTRA side of baked beans (I was hungry.. And ordering with my eyes haha). It also came with sliced pickles and corn bread. As soon as we ordered,, she put it in right away and the food came out within 10 minutes!! Which is super fast. My plate looked full and I knew I was not able to finish it. There was only 3 spareribs, but they were pretty big.. I was only able to finish 2 ribs and had some of my sides and it filled me up!! The Mac n cheese was a little on the dry side tho, so I might opt that out next time and choose something else. I loved the collard greens, and the baked beans had this sweet taste to it which is a plus! The corn bread was perfect and super soft. The all you can eat wings were delicious! My husband was not able to go for another round once that first one came out. He liked 3 out of 4 flavors of the wings, so the waitress brought out 18 wings for the first round. It was a struggle because the wings were plumped!!! I think he would need to be SUPER starving in order to go for another round haha. Overall: Service was great and so was the food. The All you can eat wings are only on Monday nights from 5pm- Closing and it's $12 (not 8.99)!
(4)Alyssa M.
I've been here twice and really enjoyed both the sandwiches I tried, the Pulled Pork and the BBQ Reuben. They hit the spot! And the prices are right for the sammies. I also liked the chili, the Mac n cheese, and the potato salad. I only like one of their 4 sauces, Soulfire, but I only need to like one. :) The atmosphere is casual and chill to the max. The beer selection is pretty good. Good music playing. Service is fair. I'll definitely be back to quench my BBQ cravings!
(4)Ben M.
Hate to give this place two stars but two stars on yelp literally translates to "Meh. I've experienced better.", which stands true in my experience. My girlfriend and I were pretty excited to try this place because we both had a long day and were in desperate need of some solid BBQ and a cold beer. What we got was pretty dry with some stuff and things and sauces and yeah whatever just get it in my mouth I don't care, it's hard to be picky about BBQ in Boston. So we finish the meal and service was great but I noticed a small fruit fly in my beer with about two sips left. The fly wasn't that big of a deal in itself but my girlfriend didn't agree with me when I said it was gross and that I've seen enough episodes of bar rescue to know what I'm talking about. She claims it "flew in from the front door and landed in my drink in front of me". I think I'd know if anything flew into my beer sweetie. Who does she think she is? Then she goes on this rant about how she doesn't always have to agree with me...livid at this point. Arrived home and immediately farted on her toothbrush. The cornbread by the way was excellent.
(2)Matt L.
I was excited to try Soul Fire after hearing about the place from a friend of mine. Service was fine, but the bbq was not. We tried the Pitboss sampler so that we could try all of the different meats they offer. The pulled pork was pretty good, but the ribs and brisket were not. First, they do not remove the silver skin on the bottom of the ribs. After taking a bite or two the silver skin would come loose and just hang there. Not very appetizing. The chopped brisket was also disappointing as they failed to render out the fat properly before chopping. So there were large hunks of fat mixed in with the chopped brisket. Again, not very appetizing. The best part of the meal was the wings. So if you're going to try Soul Fire BBQ, I'd suggest getting wings.
(2)Abby R.
Pah-retty good. I've been here a bunch of times at this point since it's close to where I live and I'm comfortable here. I know what to order. I know what not to order. I've formed expectations. Do not expect the best barbeque of your life. Simple as that. The atmosphere is weirdly empty and too open, which is y'know, fine. Except when it's 10 degrees out and the door doesn't shut properly and the whole place is cold. Bring a jacket, kids. Or have some of the fire barbecue sauce. The way it works is you order a meat. They bring you the meat and you get to douse and/or sprinkle it with the bbq sauce of your choosing. Which is nice because I like 2 of the 4-5 sauces enough to want to eat them both. The best meat to order is the chicken. It's consistent, it's fraad, and it's moist and delicious. I really don't like the cubed brisket. It was tough and just looked like a whole bunch of steak dice. Somehow they were also really fatty too, which does not attract me. I've tried the shredded brisket twice. Once it was good, once it was fatty and chewy. I stick to the chicken. Do they have mac and cheese? Yes. And it has a little dusting of bbq chips, which is extra special, but I've never had it served to me more than lukewarm. Do they have potatoes? Yes and this chick likes her starches. And I like these starches. They have good starches here.
(3)Melissa P.
Came here for dinner and was very disappointed. Despite the restaurant being empty, service was slow. Our waitress was very awkward and acted like it was a burden to be serving us. I tried the 1/2 hickory chicken platter w/ baked beans and collard greens and my boyfriend had a pulled pork sandwich. The beans had a strange taste, almost like they were burnt and the collard greens were overly sweet. The food was very average and something I could have made in my own kitchen. The only pros are the cornbread and prices.
(2)Rhen W.
The food's delicious, but after several visits with different servers each time, I have to conclude that the service leaves much to be desired. I spend a lot of time waving servers down to get their attention. Improve the service and this place will be an easy 5-star bbq joint.
(3)Jackie P.
Corn bread is amazing, Ribs are great! Love all the different bbq sauces!
(4)Christine G.
Came here tonight with high expectations having seen the great reviews. When we walked in, it smelled good so we were excited. We started off with the fried mac & cheese which was okay - not great, but not bad. My sister and I split a combo including 1/3 rack of baby back ribs and half a smoked chicken. When the plate arrived, the chicken still had its skin on it which is normally fine, but in this case the skin looked dry and green. The ribs were 2 different colors - the middle part was a dark brown/grey and the upper and lower parts were purple. Ribs tasted like sausage and tasted nothing like bbq and the chicken had a very strange aftertaste that lingered after each bite. the fries and cornbread were probably the only enjoyable things, but even that was cold. Besides the bad food, the service was terrible. We rarely saw our waitress and I had to walk up to the bar to ask for a glass of water after already having asked her. Very disappointed & will not return again.
(2)Danielle S.
Quality soul food is tough to come by in Boston, but Soul Fire represents very well! With a smooth décor and soulful tunes from Al Green playing in the background, Soul Fire is a chill eatery that has all of the delicious southern food staples such as fried chicken, spare and babyback ribs, and catfish alongside the necessary sides such as mac & cheese and collard greens. Restaurant features a couple of televisions, so you can always catch the game as well! Prices are very reasonable and portions will have you full. This place is a hidden gem.
(4)Shaun B.
Easily the best brisket in Boston. Fried chicken wings also very good. Go several times a year and never disappointed. They could use a better beer selection.
(4)A A.
Lately everything has been excellent! Great rub, nice smoke. Much better !! Hope it continues to improve!
(5)Alena G.
This place has good comfort food. The brisket is great, as are the ribs, and the catfish. Sides are also awesome - especially the mac'n cheese. Overall, a decent, consistent BBQ place in the middle of Allston. BONUS: fried dough.
(4)Steven Y.
DELICIOUS. Great pulled pork and fried chicken. Need to come back to do a second more thorough review.
(5)Bean C.
Soul Fire has really upped its game. The spare ribs, fried chicken, Mac & cheese all excellent! If you like mustard for the fried chicken, request their mustard sauce. The side salad was v. fresh. Washed it down w. a Brooklyn Lager. Great attentive service.
(5)sean m.
When I lived in Allston, we got delivery from here every couple of months. The service/delivery way always good/prompt and the food was pretty good. If you are looking for BBQ, it wasn't like being in Memphis, but it definitely hit the spot.
(4)Samantha G.
OK...this place is AMAZING! Very pleasantly surprised. The salad is great (not crappy iceberg but mixed greens and veggies) and the pulled pork was fabulous! Comparable to the pulled pork I had in Atlanta and that's saying a lot! The sauces are excellent as well. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Myung P.
You are not going to get better BBQ around the Boston area than Soul Fire. I've had BBQ in many places including the Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Indy, and few other cities and states. I once drove 7 hours just to eat BBQ at a place where The Food Network said was the best BBQ in America. (I was impressed, but if that was the best BBQ in America, life is not worth living) I originally came to Soul Fire since I had a Groupon, but now I go back and pay regular price. It's that good. The meat is tender and juicy. The sauces options are good. The portions are great for the price. Make sure you don't order too much. I thought two full orders were enough for 3-4 people. The sides were great. I heard that Sweet Cheeks is considered the best BBQ in Boston. I've been there TWICE because my co-worker swore that my first try must've been an off-night. While it was not bad, overall, it was regular BBQ joint. So a 3-star and price was a bit on the high side. Soul Fire just trumps Sweet Cheeks. I feel that Soul Fire is less busy than Sweet Cheeks due to location and less hipsters live in Allston compared to Fenway.
(5)Ariel P.
After 4 years of Carolina, I've made Allston my new home so naturally I went on the hunt for BBQ and found SoulFire. Quick Rundown: Great Service: came in by myself sat at the bar and was served immediately and often checked on (which sometimes isn't the case when it's just you at the bar). I was a finicky customer and asked for extra pickles with my sandwich and subbed in potato salad for fries after the ticket when in, and all my requests were taken care of. Solid Food: Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and a small order of those fried mac and cheese bites everyone keeps going on about. Liked the pork, it was definetly served Carolina style with tons of vinegar which I do like, I just wonder if you can ever get it differently so you can actually use one of the 6 sauces they put out. None which I explored because my pulled pork was already so saturated with that vinegar flavor. Pro tip: for cutting the spicy vinegary-taste there's nothing better than cold potato salad, and these folks do it right. Last I'm sad to say I was a bit let down by the fried mac and cheese bites, I expected a cheesey, gooey block of mac and cheese (to be fair my expectations were directly related to having had fried mac and cheese at the NC State Fair as well as the Raleigh Cheesecak Factory). I found these bites to be both a bit dry and almost too hot to eat. They came out with my sandwich and I had to wait for them to cool down til I was almost done with my sandwich to taste and cheesy flavor as opposed to just heat. Price: It's on par with area pricing and fair for what it is. If you order well or light here you can make off with a pretty cheap dinner, had I just gottent he sandwich and the magner's cider it would've been about $14 after tax. Location: Good location on Harvard Ave, space itself was inviting and neatly directed with soul records. Big space, not crowded. Verdict: Whenever I get that Carolina craving, I'll have to come back. Maybe I'll pass on the mac and cheese bites next time.
(4)Fu D.
I have children and I don't usually speak in such a manner... but I want Soul Fire to Fuck My Face With Its Food... Thank you for making amazing barbecue. That is all.. Fu D.
(5)Joan P.
Umm...I've been here many times. Ribs were good and prices are way better than Redbones. However, there were DEAD FLIES in my wine today. Waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill, but still...GROSS.
(1)Amy D.
3.5 stars but rounding up to 4. Yikes! I thought I did my review for Soul Fire months ago when I actually ate there, but it got knocked off my pending reviews list.. In any case, there were a few BBQ spots in Boston to choose from while I was there for a vacation, but Soul Fire seemed to be the only one that was open late. We came in around 9pm, and the restaurant was still pretty full but we were able to grab one of the last tables right away. However, they were definitely understaffed, and it took a while for our server to come by. They had also been slammed with a huge order earlier, so our server warned us the food would take longer than usual. We ordered: -3 Meat Combo w/Spare Ribs, Chopped Brisket, Fried Chicken Wings, Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Pickles ($20 + $0.50 to substitute for a salad as a side, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! The fried chicken wings were amazing (and HUGE), and the brisket was pretty good as well. The spare ribs were just ok, and I liked that the least out of all the meats. This 3 meat combo platter could easily feed two normal serving sized eaters. -Single Spare Rib Order ($3, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Huge serving for a "single" spare rib order, and it was good, but nothing special. -Side of Potato Salad ($2) and Macaroni and Cheese ($2) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! Both were pretty good, but some of the potatoes in the potato salad could've been cooked longer. -Different BBQ Sauces ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): I tried all of the sauces, but unfortunately, can't remember which once I liked best. I think it was probably the SoulFire. Overall, Soul Fire is a solid BBQ joint in Boston, and if you're in the mood for BBQ late, this is the place to go! However, parking (and traffic) around this area can really suck, and service can be a little slow.
(4)Nancy H.
Went back for some finger lickin' goodness. More catfish and fried chicken but this time tried the fried Mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad, fries, and mashed potatoes as sides. Boy were they soooo good. The collard greens were great but at one point tasted too sweet for the rest of my meal. Service was great, the place was clean, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
(4)Mattie M.
So good! Try the macaroni. My Texan brother in law even approves this place! Their food is perfect for what they offer. I've brought tons of friends here and they all approved! Also, the service and range of beers on tap are both great!
(4)Devon A.
I will only go here on $9 Buffet Mondays with friends. But whenever I go it's always a good time and a little competition is stirred, seeing who can eat the most at one time. Currently my record is 41 wings and I hope to go to 50 wings next time. I'm not a fan of buffalo so I'm a little sad when I see one of the plates come out as buffalo. Wings are a little on the small side but the fact that we get a plethora of wings coming in constantly for $9, what more can you ask for?
(4)Tanya Y.
When they say on the menu that the Pitboss Sampler feeds 2 to 3 people, they're lying! They give you much more to definitely cover an extra person. The group of 3 decided to come here on a whim after finding a Google Offer that allowed us to purchase $25 worth of food for only $12. Because of so many great sounding things on the menu, we thought it was a no-brainer to order the sampler. This comes with: 1/2 rack baby back ribs 2 spareribs (they gave us 3!) Pulled pork Chopped brisket (comes ontop of texas toast) Southern fried wings (there were 4) Spicy honey wings (we got 2) 1 hotlink And sides : Cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, beans, collard greens, corn bread, and rice w/beans. They also gave us mashed potatoes with gravy even though it wasn't on the menu, all for $40. Because we thought we were macho and could handle this platter, my friend ordered a corn dog ($1.95) for herself, and the table collectively thought it'd be brilliant to also order chilli cheese fries ($5.55), because c'mon - How could you pass this up?! All of the food came out on platters similar to what you'd see a New York style pizza on. I'm so thankful we got the sampler, because there were definitely things that were just OK/subpar, and some food that stood out from the rest. The spareribs peel off from the bone in a way similar to beef jerky, which is great because I love jerky. The "baby back ribs" weren't babies at all, rather it was as if these ribs were on steroids. They were huge, and a little difficult to eat. The meat barely fell of the bone with some tugging with a fork. The hotlink, pulled pork, and brisket was just ok. As long as you choose to douse these in one of the four BBQ sauces available (Soul Fire, Fiery, Sweet, and Pitboss), then it all tastes great. My favorite was the Sweet. The Southern Fried wings were a little too salty for my liking. The best parts of the entire meal were the potato salad (I swear they put crack in it), the spicy wings, and the corn bread. Ah, and of course the chilli cheese fries. The service was just ok and the ambiance super chill/casual. SoulFire also had a huge screen playing the Pats game, which was a plus. I also noted that they have an unlimited wing day (I think it's Mondays) all for one set price of $8.99. I left full, with so many left overs, and not too big of a dent in my wallet, thanks to Google Offers. I think I 'd only come back if I just want something small to eat/snack on, but my search for exceptionally good BBQ continues on. Anyone have any recommendations?!
(3)J K.
I've gone here with living social deals and have had great experiences. I really enjoy their medley of sauces and am impressed with their sides. I'm in love with BBQ and since I'm no longer near RedBones, I like SoulFire.
(3)Erik O.
AWESOME BBQ food. i love this place. the vibe is cool, the food is superb, and beer selection is great. The side dishes are awesome. The wings, the ribs, the pulled pork, the brisket, they all rock. The BBQ rueben is amazing. They have a huge projection screen that shows live soul performances or sports games. the place is always playing some sort of soul/funk music Friggen place rules. nuff said.
(5)Chris L.
Very tasty BBQ in a busy locale in Allston/Brighton Rock City! Perfect carnivore hideout prior to a show at the Paradise or Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harper's Ferry). Pit Boss Sampler is perfect for 3 people and nicely priced at $39. Includes most every kind of meat they have and a dish of each side plus 2 corn bread squares. I tried most everything (oh me and my gluttonous ways). The meat - The ribs (spare and baby back) were smokey and delicious. The baby back were a little dry though and needed to be slathered with copious amounts of one of their 4 sauces. The chicken (fried and smoked) were moist as well. Loved the wings. Just the right amount of spice to 'em. Speaking of spicy, the sausage link on a stick had a nice fiery kick to it and the little cubes of brisket (I think) were morsels sent straight from BBQ heaven. The pulled pork was ok but once again, a little too dry. But like I said before, nothing a healthy dollop of BBQ sauce couldn't cure. Side dishes - Collard greens were tasty especially mixed with the molasses heavy baked beans. Mashers with gravy was standard but the cole slaw was superb and offset the heat of the spicier meat dishes. Mac & cheese looked good although I didn't have any. Rice and beans was a cajun BBQ mix of perfection with diced veggies thrown in for good measure. Potato salad also held it's own against the spicy BBQ sauces. Cornbread was very tasty with the kernals of corn bursting with flavor inside. Misc - Service was excellent. Sat down right away and Ian, our server, was constantly checking up on us for beer refills. Could have used a moist towelette for the cleanup though. Prices seemed reasonable. We only got one thing though so who knows. Beer selection seemed ok with a couple of micros and PBR on tap. In all, a solid dining experience and reasonably good BBQ in Allston area. They usually have some cool specials like all-you-eat-wings night on Mondays I think. Might like to try this out sometime in the future. Happy eating!
(4)Jennifer D.
Being a Southerner, I know what good BBQ is. Unfortunately, good BBQ is one thing that Boston is severely lacking. Well, the North in general is lacking in this arena. With that said, i've had to greatly lower my standards when it comes to eating BBQ. I ordered the half chicken platter which was pretty decent. The chicken wasn't too bad, the potato salad was decent, the cornbread was good, and the baked beans were okay. The beans were way too sweet for my taste. My husband ordered the pulled pork platter. The pork was actually pretty good. Definitely better than Redbones. I also enjoyed their different sauces. Each one was pretty good. Overall, Soul Fire satisfied my BBQ craving. Not the best i've ever had, but it also wasn't terrible.
(3)Brianca C.
I love this place. I think that they make THEIR BBQ with THEIR stamp on it and they do it the right way! Im from LA and am used to a certain type of BBQ-- it feels like Soulfire is a place that wants to stand out--- and stand out it does. They make everything the day of-- so nothing is sitting around waiting to be cooked. I appreciate the variety of BBQ sauces that they have ( my favorite is the Soulfire Sauce). The ribs are amazing, the chicken is amazing, and having a pulled pork sandwich is like heaven touching my mouth. HIghly recommend---this is NOT late night eating, you need to be able to remember and enjoy this. They also have Redstripe beer which for me, gives you 2 thumbs up. But man, this place is GOOD--- Mondays they have all you can eat wings foe $8.99.
(5)Beck N.
Stopped in here for a quick beer & was surprised that they require you to purchase food (which the bartender kindly told me after I had ordered my beer). OK. Whatever. She suggests the cornbread or the fried mac & cheese bites (I got the mac 'n cheese). Not overwhelmingly delicious or cheesy - a bit dry, actually. But the atmosphere is totally chill, the beer selection is varied (only 4 on tap, but plenty of not-your-average bottles & cans). The staff is friendly & the food smells delicious. Will probably try back here for an actual meal, if I'm ever in the area again.
(3)Justin C.
This place is great - 287 people think so, so I'll just say that the Pitboss Platter is a disgusting amount of delicious food for 2 people to eat, but me and my buddy gave it a good go tonight - loved every bit of it, really. Highlights were the ribs and baked beans, but everything was delicious. The service was super friendly and the food came out fast. We had a living social coupon, too, and the deal was great, and it will in fact make a repeat customer out of me. Bomb BBQ. Eat some.
(5)J D.
Had a chance to check out Soul fire recently. Had a really good BBQ feed. First off, their prices are very reasonable for BBQ. They dont gyp you on the portions either, the platters come with the usual suspects, a nicely moist corn bread, some interesting collared greens that were cooked with a maple syrup component which, weirdly, worked, and baked beans. The baked beans were the weakest of the group, they have a strong molasses base, but not the best I've ever tasted. The star is the meat, as you would hope in a BBQ joint. I had the short ribs and they were on the money. Cooked just right with enough snap in the meat to make it true BBQ. They provide 4 BBQ sauces at each table and the soul fire sauce was excellent. The service was slow. You don't want to be in a hurry here. Servers were friendly, but were either understaffed or just really casual. I would go back for sure, but might opt for sitting at the bar for less down time during the meal.
(4)Nick K.
We went here with a Groupon. The place was extra busy due to the additional business. There was some wait due to the amount of people. We had a mixed plate, and a fish plate. The meat portions were good, nothing to write home about but good. The fish was also good, but not great. The side of Macaroni, Coleslaw, Collard greens, and beans was good. I will say the Collard Greens were done better then most. We wanted mashed Potatoes, but they ran out. Portions were good, and the restaurant look was fine. However, for the money there are better options.
(3)Alan B.
Soulfire has some pretty damn good BBQ for Boston. With everybody living in close quarters, it's hard to get good BBQ when your neighbors won't let you have a smoker. That said, Soulfire does a great job. They also do a $9 all you can eat wing night on Mondays. They bring 4 wings, each a different flavor. You pick which you want, then they'll bring a full serving of that. I'm a big fan of the spicy honey and the pit boss wings. The beer selection is quite good, too. They have a diverse selection of some Belgians, some US micros, and Lone Star. Ohhh Lone Star. For those of you who don't know, Lone Star isn't really anything special on its own. It's an American lager that's best served near freezing. It's crisp, but not exploding with flavor or anything. But paired with some great BBQ, nothing's better.
(4)Mikhaela K.
I go here during that time of the month because I'm not the kind of girl that always craves chocolate. Fried macaroni and cheese sprinkled with BBQ potato chips? Yes, please! Rib platter? Nom, nom, nom fall off the bone deliciousness. Wings? Gimme gimme! Their mac n cheese is something I daydream about: cheesy but not cloying with loads of flavor and those chips sprinkled on top are excellent. Their sides are great, especially the collard greens which come with cubed slab bacon bits. The ribs are generous and you can take out your dentures to eat them. I love this place but don't go here if you want to stick to your diet.
(4)L W.
Not my favorite BBQ place in Boston, but it's the only one in this neighborhood and has respectable food, so I've come here a handful of times. Each time has been good, and it's enough to get me to come back, though admittedly, I've never had a "I HAVE to go to Soul Fire" moment, like I occasionally do with other BBQ places. One of my favorite surprises from our first trip here a few years back was that the sides were DELICIOUS. We got the pitboss sampler for two, and we were full by the end of the appetizer portion. The collard greens, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese were all amazing. It was especially surprising, since I normally don't enjoy bean, coleslaw, or mac n cheese. The platter was way too much food, so we've never ordered it since, especially because it was - in my opinion - too light on the "good" meats (like ribs) and too heavy on the "filler" meats (like chicken wings or sausage). Now, we place one order of ribs (e.g. the Soulfire platter with two kinds of ribs), plus a ton of delicious sides - more than enough for two. I have to say, though, I much preferred the "order at the counter" setup before. There was no dependence on waiters, plus it made the whole evening really low-key, which I enjoyed.
(3)Joe M.
AWFUL!!! Terrible BBQ all around. My room mate and I went in for a late lunch today. The chilli cheese fries were sub par, I couldn't even tell if the cheese sauce was real cheese. The fries themselves were good though. The collection of sauces was awful, but they made up for it with big bottles of Frank's Red Hot, I put that $hit on everything. The pulled pork was awful. I was expecting a burst of flavour from some sort of special BBQ sauce on it, but no, it was plain and bland. I had a side of mac n' cheese and instead of putting some effort and adding real bread crumbs, they crushed up BBQ potato chips and sprinkled them on. The wild rice was fine. Luckily the corn bread and great bar man made up for the lack lustre food. Because of those two things I didn't give them one star, unfortunately they won't be having our business ever again. TIP: Bring in a new head chef that has some real BBQ experience. I could probably get better quality food at a soup kitchen and atleast get my food served on a plate, not a pizza pan...
(2)Julia J.
I purchased a Living social deal at soul fire, and the price was reasonable. The fried chicken wings are tasty, and the pulled pork sandwich is a Ok but nothing special. You can get better sandwich elsewhere. Also tried the bbq ribs, but I don't particularly like it. I won't come back for this place, but doesn't hurt to try a new place
(3)JJ G.
Love the housemade pickles Love the being served like it's fine dining when it's take out Love the BBQ Ruben Love the Lone Star!!!
(5)Meghan M.
I'm a southerner, so I miss barbeque every now and then. This place is AMAZING, and the ONLY place in Boston I've found to have GOOD bbq:) I love the brisket sandwich, fried chicken (incredible) and I can't get enough of their mac 'n cheese. Ugh. SO good. Their sauces are hit or miss for me, I found one and stuck with it ever since (I think it was PitBoss, can't recall the name at the moment). I'm a darker beer drinker, but there's this Cider beer they serve that's really different - it's something you really should try! I love the wait staff here, they're attentive and really aim to please. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Alexandra T.
This place is sooooooo good My boyfriend and I went to Allston to try it and I am so glad we did. For the appetizer we got the friend macaroni and cheese, which is nothing like I've ever had before. Delicious! We then each got a sandwich, the pulled pork and the pulled chicken. They were both so good, and you get 4 different BBQ sauces at your table to pick and choose from. For a side, I got corn bread, and I can honestly say that it's the best corn bread I've ever had in my life. It really really was. Not only that, the prices are great. If it was more expensive I would probably only give 3 stars. They even have beer if you want. I don't know if I would go all the way to Allston on the bus just for this place, but we have friends who live there, and the next time we're in the area I really hope we stop again!
(4)Alexis B.
Amazing BBQ. The waitstaff is super nice- I don't know where they found these ladies but they have always been so nice and very friendly. The ribs are off the hook! The mac and cheese has crushed BBQ potato chips on top. I know I know it sounds weird but it tastes awesome. I don't like brisket but it is still very tasty. I usually get the spare ribs though the baby back are good also. Fast service. Good food. Well priced. Amazing staff. How can you not try it now?
(4)Bill M.
Let me put this on a case by case basis. I ordered through Foodler, this is my results. Delivery: If you schedule a delivery, don't. If you don't mind waiting for your food and don't need it at a specific time, fine. Ordered at 11:46 AM for 1:30, got here at 1:52. Normally there is a 45 minute delivery wait. The food got here, in styrofoam wrapped in plastic. Actually that was a good thing because it kept the food warm, so I give it 2 stars. Catfish Sandwich with a side salad. Fried Catfish Sandwich. Was suppose to be "seasoned", didn't taste anything, barely could taste catfish. No dressing with side salad. Side Salad was put in one of the small cubbies of the thing with a BBQ sauce container taking up the other, 2 stars. Fried Chicken Wings - Disappointing. These were suppose to be season too and marinated for 24 hours. It tasted like unseasoned fried chicken. 2 Stars Chili Cheese Fries - These weren't too bad, they weren't the greatest, but i've had worse, 3 stars. Macaroni and Cheese - I actually like the BBQ Potatochip topper, it gave it a different zing. I'm going to do the same thing when I make it at home. Sadly, it's still no better then I make at home, but it's pretty good in itself. 3 stars. It averaged less then 3 stars, for the 2 star rating, and I really don't want to round up.
(2)Jackie S.
Really bomb, that's what I have to say. We got the fried mac and cheese for an app and it was really good. 4 for 3$ is pretty good too. Then I got the beef brisket and it was so tasty and soft. The Soul Fire BBQ sauce was tasty on it. The cornbread was awesome, the mashed potatoes OK, and the rice was OK. The pickles added an extra treat to it. Really well presented and cheap. The service was great but the place was really loud, but I guess that's kind of to be expected. Def a go to for those who like BBQ type food.
(4)J.J. B.
A terrific spot for cheap beer, great music and lip-smackin' BBQ. Awesome decor, a friendly staff and a killer soundtrack make this the best BBQ place in the city. Great variety of sauces to satisfy spicy and sweet teeth. Amazing value, you can get a huge meal (2 meats, cornbread and 2 sides) with a draft for under $20 bucks. And if you aren't me, you might have leftovers.
(4)Jason F.
i love this place, i come here a lot. the first time was for the all you can eat wings night, i LOVE their wings. the last time i came i got the pulled pork sandwich with mashed potatoes, everything was really good. This is one of my go to spots, they give you a ton of food, and it's all pretty cheap.
(5)Nancy P.
Crumbles of BBQ chips on top of the warm, gooey mac and cheese??? ummm...briliant and delicious! The cornbread...hello, sweet goodness! Hi little pickles on the side...you are tart little treasures. The side options and I get along well. Four sauce options and the Pit Boss is definitely boss! (does that sound ridiculous? yea, kinda.) The baby back ribs could do me a little more tender, but I am still mighty satisfied. The beef brisket sandwich could do with beefing up its bun. The delectable brisket is the star (as it obviously should be), but it could do with a little more support. The relaxed, casual atmosphere is a fitting setting. Friendly, helpful staff. Good stuff for BBQ in Allston.
(4)Michael X.
The question to Life, the Universe, and Everything is: Soul Fire BBQ or Redbones? My dining partner seemed to think Redbones is better, but I disagree. Redbones is very good; Soul Fire was AMAZING. We got the Pitboss Sampler, which had quite large portions (when it says "feeds 2-3", I imagine they mean quarterbacks). I literally had a perfect meal. Everything was delicious, from the meats to the sauces all the way down to the collard greens. Prices weren't cheap but weren't expensive either. I can't think of anything about the food that I didn't like. My one gripe: they use circular metallic trays (think pizza dishes) to serve the food on and to act as plates. These tend to slip about annoyingly on the polished surface of the tables. My one warning: it will get very very messy. Do not bring someone here that you want to impress.
(5)Mary L.
I was looking forward to eating at Soul Fire after seeing the rave reviews on Yelp, but my visit left me unimpressed and yearning for Dinosaur BBQ instead. There was no wait and the service was fine, but the food was mediocre. I had the wings for an appetizer and the 3 meat platter with fried catfish, pulled pork and baby back rib as an entree. The size of the platter was more than adequate, though not gargantuan as some other reviewers have described. The wings and ribs were relatively dry and the pulled pork was nothing to write home about. The highlight of the night? Fried catfish. Straight out of the fryer, the pieces were crispy, golden brown and delicious! There were several types of BBQ sauces to smother my food with - most of which were too sweet except the Pitboss . Overall impression? Great for college students in the area but not worth the twenty minute drive and hassle of looking for parking.
(3)Liz B.
My favorite things at Soul Fire -- Chili and Pickles. I know, not standard BBQ fare but man are they good. The chili has just the right amount of heat and has a good bean to meat ratio. The meat is all the left over BBQ pieces... YUM! I love the high top counter facing Harvard St. It makes for great people watching to go with the yummy food. Good value, nice wait staff and most importantly great food. I love that they leave the sauces on the table so you can decide which one you want for every bite! The mac and cheese comes crusted in BBQ potato chips, pure genius if you ask me. Only complaint is that for $.50 extra you can have a salad as a side but the portion you get is really dinky compared to any of the other sides and not always the greatest quality -- wet and limp. Oh well, if that's my only real complaint we're doing great!
(4)John J.
Gotta agree w/ all of the 5-star reviews. I was in there yesterday afternoon w/ a buddy and we had the place to ourselves. Our server was everything you want a server to be. Prompt, polite, attentive. Fairly attractive to boot. We sampled the BBQ wings and they were very good. Big, meaty & moist w/ that habanero BBQ sauce that was great. I got a full rack of Spare ribs w/ slaw & potato salad for my sides. Buddy had a 1/2-rack of Baby Backs w/ slaw & baked beans. Potato salad was tasty enough, but the slaw was outstanding. Creamy, tart & crunchy. Next time I'm there I'll get a pulled pork sandwich w/ some of that slaw on it and it'll surely be fantastic. Buddy's baked beans got a thumbs-up from him. As for the Q itself? Outstanding. My Spares were big, meaty, moist. I could see a great smoke ring & they smelled fantastic. The rub might need a little more flavor, but overall they were fantastic. The meat (properly) didn't fall off the bone, but w/ a little pull, the meat came off w/ little resistance. Unlike another reviewer, I don't believe using sauce is sacrilege. I had the Pitboss sauce and thought it complemented the meat very well - a bit tart, a bit of heat. Not too sweet. My leftovers today were finger-licking good. We will definitely be back for more.
(5)Stacie J.
Delicious!! We got the baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwich, and loaded up on the sides too. We tried the corn bread, mac n' cheese, potato salad and pickles. Everything was very yummy! They load your table with various sauces from sweet to spicey. You are sure to find one that your taste buds will love. The prices are great too! The items above fed a family of 4 plus we had leftovers to take home. All of this for only $40 & that includes 2 beers. Enjoy! You'll be glad you stopped here!
(4)Sophie J.
I am in love. I love Soulfire. First, lets just get behind why this restaurant exists at all. The owner found a passion. And made food that you cannot replicate in your own kitchen. And loves soul music. That alone would bring me into any establishment. I love restaurants where the owner shares something they are really passionate about. Then, the food. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday so we got a ton of things to sample. We started with the country fried wings and then got a platter with 3 meats: chicken, sliced brisket, and spare ribs. The sides were the mac and cheese and the baked beans. It also came with cornbread and pickles. All of that, plus 4 sauces that are already on the table. It was the most glorious meat-filled feast. If there was a way to die happy, it would be death by Soulfire. The wings are great, super big and juicy with such a crunchy crust. You can eat them alone or with any of the 4 sauces they give you. The spare ribs are AMAZING! The meat dissolves in your mouth. The rub they use is incredible. We ended up with the rotisserie chicken (we meant to order pulled chicken, which we had had before but there was a bit of a mis-communication with our waitress, granted it was her first day). It was the best chicken I had ever had! The brisket was great as well, served atop a giant piece of Texas toast, ready to soak up any leftover sauce. I don't like mac and cheese, but my boyfriend loved it, especially with the bbq chips on top. The baked beans...oh, the baked beans! Hands-down my favorite part of the meal. I would bathe in them. They are home made, smokey, and amazing. You MUST order them. Even if you don't think you like baked beans, just give them a try. You are in Boston, after all! And these are unlike any baked beans you've ever tasted. So, in all, the meal was fab. And what I liked the most is that all of the meat is kind of DIY. They do amazing rubs and cooking, but they don't do an overkill with sauce. You get to pick your sauce and put it on yourself, so whether you like your ribs naked or loaded with sweetness or with a kick of spice, you get to choose! Which is especially awesome if you are sharing with a ton of people. Their wine is also great - not crap wine like some other small restaurants will offer, aka not out of a box. Oh, and did I mention the baked beans?!
(5)Corey L.
You know, Soul Fire could be awesome, the food was really pretty good. I wouldn't go as far as to say they have the best BBQ around, its pretty watered down, even for Boston. I went with a Groupon, and I was having trouble pulling it up on my phone, so instead of just giving them the Groupon code (like 3 other restaurants have done), I had to get in my car and drive all the way back home to print one out. The waiter was cocky and rude. I even had to keep asking for water. If I had been able to get a refund on the Groupon I would've done so, but since it was already printed, it would have been a waste on my part. I will not give this place my business ever again, and I'm glad the little I did give them was for 50% off. There are plenty of other BBQ spots around that taste way better AND respect their patrons. 2 stars for decent food.
(2)Diana G.
A friend of mine is a big fan of this place, so brought me here for lunch. I ordered the Fried catfish sandwich with mac & cheese. We also ordered a spare rib to split. Everything was delicious, including the BBQ sauces. The service was fast & friendly, too. I will definitely be back to try the pulled pork!
(4)Sam O.
My favorite BBQ place in the Brighton area (though there's a strange shortage of BBQ places in the Boston area... there are a few but not as many as there should be!) I frequently get the fried cat fish and loooove it. Pulled pork sandwich is good. I've had the ribs and liked them. Mashed potatoes are good (not the best I've ever had but good). Baked beans are good and smokey/bacon-y. The corn bread is real tasty, also! I've only eaten in once and it was a good experience. I order here a lot, and sometimes it's really busy and takes a while, but it's really good and usually well worth the wait.
(5)ancaruci C.
Great place, great environment. The BBQ is wonderful and they have maybe the best collard greens I have had in the US.
(5)Joe U.
My go-to all-around BBQ in Boston. I don't know if any particular dish is the best (except the bbq baked beans which I could eat for dinner and dessert that's how awesome they are). Because it's a one-stop shop for 'cue, it gets my vote and my business. The ribs are meaty and tasty, if not Memphis. The brisket is smokey with good texture, if not Texas tender. The pulled pork was a bummer - dry. But the fried chicken is a hidden gem. If you're the type that likes KFC, there's nothing like it. But if you're the type that likes Popeye's, then you'll love Soul Fire's fried chicken. It's right up there with Coast Cafe in Cambridge and edges out Summer Shack. The sides are overall very good, including tasty cole slaw and great pickles.
(5)Amy C.
I've moved down to the deep south from Boston, and I have yet to find a BBQ joint as good as Soul Fire. I sure miss this place.
(5)Linda H.
Stopped by for dinner last night and ordered the sampler because we just couldn't decide what to get and that gave us a chance to have it all. We left the place happy, full and with a bag of leftovers, which we ate for dinner tonight. Everything still tasted good the next day. I do have to say that I wish we had more fried chicken, but we liked it so much that we ate it all while we were still at Soul Fire. That was definitely the highlight for me, but everything else was delicious too. Service was decent and the food was served pretty quickly. All in all a good experience.
(4)Iska B.
Pros: - FAST! but then when I was there it was a slow night (Thursday) - Decent sized portions - Pulled pork was tasty - Nice choice of sauces - Pleasant, clean, nicely decorated - Cornbread was tasty - Decent prices (they had a special too that night B1G1 free pulled pork sandwich) Cons: - Pickles were GROSS. I love all sorts of pickles but these pickles were just NASTY. Tasted like old relish left in the fridge for five years. - Coleslaw was pretty bland and tasted like plain cabbage. - Cornbread was cold - I didn't like the BBQ potato chip crust on my mac and cheese though the mac and cheese itself was quite cheesy and good. Not a bad place overall but I've had better.
(3)Heath A.
Plenty of fire but lacking some smoke on the brisket. I love BBQ and will travel near and far for top quality que. Soul Fire is a solid destination for a smoked meat treat. The place is spacious with a large projector screen playing ESPN in the main dining room. The seating is at the bar or at any of the many tables. We had the pulled pork sandwich, with slaw & fries and a Soul Fire Platter of two meats, two sides and cornbread. The platter was roasted chicken and brisket. The chicken was flavorful and moist. The brisket was tender and had a hint of a smoke ring but lacked any real smokey flavor and needed a good portion of sauce to make it tasty. The pulled pork was flavorful, moist and had larger pieces of tasty pig rather than just a shredded saucy mess. The sides were all outstanding. The collard greens were sweet and smoky, fries crispy and hot; the cole slaw was crisp, cold and had a vinegary bite that complimented the pulled pork perfectly. The standout though was the mac and cheese. This side was creamy to the extreme with the whimsical topping of crushed bbq potato chips. The platter, sandwich and basket of fries (you only get 1 side with a sandwich) along with beer and sweet tea set us back $40. Not cheap but a good value for quality BBQ. We'll be back to try to the ribs and fried chicken.
(4)Morgan C.
The food is pretty good, the service is lacking. I went on a Friday night around 6 and it was definitely crowded. The seating situation was confusing. We didn't know if it was seat yourself because there was no hostess. We went up to the bar and asked and they put us on the wait list. After about a ten minute wait, we were seated at a table. Our waitress was very nice but totally absent. She quickly brought us water and took our order but we never really saw her again until she brought the check. A different waitress brought us our food, forgot my drink. I had to grab a random waitress later to ask for a drink because ours was nowhere to be found. For dinner, I got the brisket platter with mac and cheese and collard greens. The corn bread, pickles and mac were the best part. The brisket was a little too fatty for me. All the BBQ sauces were pretty good and it's nice to have a selection. Over all it was a pretty good meal, and the prices are fair. I might just get takeout next time I'm in the mood for BBQ to avoid the bad service.
(3)Kevin H.
This place has a really groovy vibe to it. I would suggest coming in a group of 4 or more. Our waiter was super friendly and the service was prompt. We even had a pretty awesome conversation with our waiter about how the food was prepared. But on to the more important details--the food was MEH. I would say the whole experience was probably 3 stars, but the food alone was only a 2.5 for me. It left much to be desired and my pulled pork sandwich and chili looked lonely and small on the plate they gave me. The portions were a bit exaggerated by my friends and I actually had to order another side of wings before I was content. The sauces are pretty good, and can be quite spicy, but it seemed to be the highlight of the sandwich that seemed a bit boring without any on. The pork itself was a bit dry, and again....i'm a pretty tiny guy, and the portions seemed small to me. Seems like most of the favorable reviews seem to be for the all you can eat wings on monday or the platters, so I guess i'll have to try that next time. 2.5 stars for the sandwich, 4 stars for service. Left a bit underwhelmed by the hype but am willing to give it another shot and revise this review.
(2)Mike M.
I've been coming here since 2010. For some reason I kept putting off the review, and I should apologize for this. Though in my opinion this place has not always been consistent with cleanliness, I have usually enjoyed the food. In the most recent visit, I learned that they removed some things from the menu that I used to order. When we came in to sit down, the table was dirty and no one bothered to clean it for us. I had to get up and look for napkins. The menus were covered in dirty fingerprints and were coming apart at the corners. My ribs were good. I always get them and they have always been pretty consistent. But, it doesn't feel like the same place anymore. If this place was cleaner, I would give it three stars. The service is one thing that's remained unchanged over the years. I really appreciate how polite people are that work here. But serving people food on dirty tables is not okay. Nonetheless, my girlfriend is the only reason that I ever went here, and the only reason she would go was for the pulled chicken. They don't have that on the menu anymore, so it is likely that we won't be coming back.
(2)Matthew U.
Great Food Went there last week with 4 people We all ordered different stuff and ended up eating each others food Best App is the wings and ribs! Highly recommended place with great beers and great food!
(4)Andrew B.
I'll keep it brief... Mac & Cheese: delicious Beans: damn good Beef Brisket: don't remember because... Fried Chicken: AMAZING!!!
(4)Dani L.
I've been coming here for years, the food is always consistent and delicious! This past weekend I had the catfish dinner and it was the best I've ever had, I highly recommend it. The service is also pretty awesome, super helpful folks working there.
(4)Gabe L.
Awesome food. And a bbq reuben which I'm fracking addicted to. No normal reuben will do it anymore. The soulfire bbq reuben with brisket and coleslaw instead of pastrami and sauerkraut is the only reuben for me. I shake my fist at them for getting me hooked and then reducing the delivery zone so they don't cover my area anymore. Soulfire, why do you play with my emotions so?????
(4)Meg M.
Great corn bread, average mac n cheese and the ribs? Delicious. Its really a 3.5 star review.. but since thats not an option.. here we are at 4 stars. I have had a mix of service there. I usually sit at the bar and sometimes I find im chasing them down to get beers. I find its a bit expensive for what they give you. I think the potato salad is pretty lacking too. However, the corn bread is bomb and I gotta say I severly dig the BBQ chips on top of the mac n cheese. Is it the best BBQ in town? Not really.. but Cool atmosphere, nice vibe and solid food.. If they just stepped up the service and maybe had a full bar.. we'd be best friends.
(4)J L.
Excellent sauces and baby back ribs and chicken wings are good!! Stay away from regular ribs too burnt.
(4)David P.
Since the loss of Uncle Pete's, I've had just two go to places for barbecue in the area: Blue Ribbon for great burnt ends and pork ribs, and Redbones for the vibe, the beer, the convenience, great ownership and respectable beef ribs. After checking out some of the reviews on yelp and the rave on pigtrip.net (a great resource for barbecue joints in the Northeast), I decided to try Soul Fire in 2009. and have been back since for more great food. Soul Fire feels spacious, especially on week nights, when there aren't a lot of people there. There are high ceilings and a huge flat screen TV. Even on busier nights, service has been friendly, helpful and prompt. Pork ribs there have been as good as it as it gets in the Boston area. Spare ribs and baby backs are infused with a fine smoke flavor and the rub adds to it. The ribs needed no sauce, but I love to play around with sauces and even mix them up a bit. On on visit, the ribs were so good I couldn't bring myself to put sauce on them. The "pit boss" and "soul fire" sauces were great, the sweet sauce wasn't much on its own, but was nice blended in with the other sauces. The fiery sauce was a little hotter than I liked but blended with a little pit boss (or the sweet sauce) it was great. The fiery saucet has some mustard in it and is like a kicked up version of Blue Ribbons golden sauce. Fried Chicken, including the chicken wings was excellent - well worth ordering even if you love pork. Barbecue chicken and pulled chicken sandwiches are also great - tender and flavorful. The BBQ chicken is also great - I prefer the wings with the spicy honey barbecue, but if I'm getting a larger order I have them split it between the two sauces. Sides were good to great. The collards were really nicely prepared, but just a little too sweet for my liking the first time - but much better recently. Barbecue beans are also very good. Fries were nicely done. Mashed potatoes and rice and beans have been solid, but not standouts. Everything benefited from being served on large plates, so that things were kept separate - unlike Redbones and Blue Ribbon where everything runs a bit into everything else before you get a chance to chow down. Soul Fire has a decent selection of beers, some on tap and they serve decent wine as well - though the drinks are definitely not the highlight of a visit here. While Soul Fire lacks the life and the funkiness of Redbones, it also lacks the crowds and the noise. Soul Fire has definitely joined my list of top BBQ places in the area. Next to try: Blackstrap.
(5)lizzie b.
I love BBQ, but I didn't love this place. The spare ribs were tough, I thought. I'm used to them falling off the bone. And the sauces were okay. I did like the mac & cheese, though, and the baked beans weren't bad. Corn bread delish. The cole slaw was kinda funky hmmmmm. Overall I don't think I'd come back, but it was a fun night out (and huge distracting tv.)
(3)Theresa J.
I love this place. I have been to a few BBQ places in the area but i find this one to be the best. I always get the 2 Meat Combo. I like most of the sauces. Not too fond of the mustardy one or the vinegary one though. Their portions are huge and they have reasonable prices.
(4)Roni E.
After a good afternoon run, Soul Fire caught our eyes as we were driving by. And so, we stopped to refuel our energy levels. As it appears, Soul Fire is in the midst of becoming a full service restaurant. While it may take longer for sit down than to just go up to the counter, we didn't mind. I had an Arnold Palmer for the first time, which apparently is just half lemonade and half iced tea? I just call that a half and half, who knew there was a proper name for it. At any rate, it was the perfect ratio of tea to lemonade as well as sweetness levels. In case you didn't know, they also have free refills, so make sure you order the smaller once instead. ;-) For my entree, I just couldn't decide, since I wanted everything. And so I ended up getting the combination meal which consisted of 2 BBQs meats, 2 sides, cornbread, and pickles. I chose the brisket and the spare ribs, with the collard greens and another side I can't remember. Personally for the price, I felt that the portions were a bit small. I could have definitely used a bit more brisket. They gave me 3 spare ribs. Now, while I took the rest of my food home, since I only ate a little because I had just ran, normally I would expect more food on my plate. Soul Fire definitely filled my BBQ craving. And they also have 4 sauces on the table that you can user. Personally I liked the Soul Fire one. There was another sauce I favored, but can't remember the name. So the verdict, I would rather go to Soul Fire than RedBones if I had to choose. At least Soul Fire has good ribs. Redbones is way too dry.
(4)Lea C.
I think this place should be renamed FAIL BBQ. I LOVE bbq, and have eaten its native variety all around the world. I am the rib-off queen. I will admit that Memphis-style is my favorite, but that shouldn't have been a problem here. I'd say everything I tasted except the corn bread was bad to inedible. The baked beans were horrific and tasted of little other than smoke--I had to add 3 tbsp of my favorite bottle bbq sauce to make them edible. The coleslaw was inedible, and seemed to be just vinegar and cabbage. The pickles were so bad I had to spit them out. The babyback ribs were incredibly tough and tasteless, a waste of ribs. The pulled pork was dressed in what I believe is a North Carolina-style, vinegar-based sauce, which isn't in itself bad, but I was not a fan of the formulation. The corn bread was sweet and cake-like, and was the only good thing about the meal. I'm so sad to have psyched myself up for yummy bbq when I was presented with this crime against tastebuds. I feel like it was an assassination attempt against my tongue. Frankly, Uno makes better ribs.
(1)Bret C.
Great little BBQ spot that is perfect for the area....It's clean and the staff is out-of-their-way-over-the-top friendly. Had a great meal and, according to one young lady, I was given "limited edition" mashed potatoes as one of my sides. Limited edition?!?! I will be back for more of the "Pit Boss" sauce...Don't even bother with anything else!
(3)Tulsi D.
This restaurant seems to be very popular but I thought it was okay. I was expecting very tasty food, but I thought my pulled pork sandwich was soggy and not really flavorful. Compared to Sweet Cheeks in Fenway, I didn't think this restaurant was comparable.
(2)A P.
I was really excited to try Soul Fire, but I was really disappointed when I finally did. I don't know if it's because it was a restaurant that looked clean for Harvard Avenue, or it was the bright red paint, or the cool sign out front, but I definitely had high expectations for Soul Fire that were not met. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Neither my beef brisket sandwich nor my boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich came with the barbecue sauce cooked into the meat- we had to add our own from bottles on the table, like ketchup on a burger. At that point, it's not particularly barbecue-y, though you did have the option of mixing and matching different flavors of barbecue sauce. The side dishes were disappointingly small and sad. At first, the price of the food seems like a great value, but once you see the size of the meal, it really isn't. The Mac and Cheese was dining-hall, supermarket-bought caliber, nothing special, and in a very small serving, though I did like their idea of crumbling barbecue chips on top. Like the barbecue sauce, it would have tasted better if they'd cooked it into the mac and cheese instead of adding it afterward. Most of the food I got arrived cold in places, and the restaurant itself was quite chilly. They did have Harpoon Homebrewed sodas, like Root Beer and Cream Soda, which is a major plus for me since I'm a microwbrewed root beer nerd.
(3)ina U.
So I really hope this place is good because I've been waiting for over an hour and a half. Called at the hour mark and was told my order was half way done and I made it clear if it was going to take another 40 mins I would just cancel. Well, 30 mins later...still no food. Call at the 2 hour mark, different person oh your food is on it's way out th door. Sounds like my food being half way done was a lie. Ugh...Seriously being dishonest with your customers...is pretty low.
(1)Brian G.
Quick easy T ride to Harvard Ave in a fun neighborhood. I enjoyed the pulled chicken and all of the sauces. I tried every single sauce and did however want to try even hotter but they didn't have any hotter, but thats okay because the 8 or so that I had were delicious! The mac and cheese with barbecue chips on top were cute and tasty. I was also really surprised with the mini pecan pie- it actually had a delicious tasting crust! I will return Soul Fire!
(4)Amanda K.
The portions are enormous! A lot of the time I have to wrap it up to finish later. The service is also great, the second time I went the server remembered my name and what I had ordered-good stuff! Everyone on the staff is plucky, kind, and ready to help you in any capacity they can. The only things marking down the rating of the review are the quality of the meats and sauces, along with the price. Compared to other BBQ places I've been, the mac and cheese was just "meh." And I love me some mac and cheese. Also, the meats and sauces don't seem as fresh, or as original, as other places in the area. I still will go to Soul Fire as often as I can because of the amazing service I receive here. That alone has made me a patron for life! I just wish that the food was a little better.
(3)Michael Y.
Kind server and delicious barbeque. Side dishes like corn bread and Cole slaw was delish
(4)Rene K.
Got a Groupon to try out the BBQ I saw walking past the restuarant on my way to dinner. Ordered the Pitboss sampler for 2-3 and it was quite a lot of food! I wasn't sure what to expect but I was disappointed by how dry the ribs were and that there is an over all "too sweet" flavoring to the sauces and some of the sides. The ribs were tender and had a good smokiness to them but the dryness was just too much to ignore. The chicken wings (grilled and fried) were darn good, same with the potato salad (killer great), coleslaw (great balance of flavors). The greens were stringy and sweet,a first ever as I have eaten a lot of greens and usually the flavors tend towards sour (vinegar) if anything, but not sweet! The beans were sweet too, but I liked it, the husband thinks it is was too sweet. The corn bread was pure nirvana,as there was cream corn in there,all moist and full of corny goodness. Will we return? Maybe if we have another Groupon. Otherwise, the only items on the menu to order for us will be the chicken wings, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread.
(3)Lady D.
hey, I had a bite to eat at this place and love BBQ. Really :) This place is amazing. Comfort food. Like going to heaven..... mac n cheese delicious Also they a have a variety of different BBQ sauces the make. I tried all the sauces and liked them all. Hot, spicy, sweet, and in between. The ribs are excellent :) Brisket is amazing and the cornbread sweet, moist and fresh. Our waitress was friendly and knew the menu well. Great beer selection :) :) Good value for your money and lots of take home :) Good portions. I would highly recommend this place for BBQ :)
(5)Rosa S.
I went in yesterday for the first time. I ordered a Soulfire platter which comes with your choice of two meats, two sides, and cornbread. I got the spare ribs and the spicy honey wings. The ribs werent that special but I dressed them with their various barbecue sauces. They bring 4 different kinds to the table and 3 of them were damn good. The spicy honey wings were amazing. I would definitely reorder those. I got macaroni & cheese and collard greens for my sides. The greens were great. The macarioni & cheese were just ok. They were served with crumbled barbedue chips on top, which is different. Cornbread was very tasty. The Sweet Tea wasnt sweet enough but I guess I should lay off the sugar. Service was fast and good and my only complaint is that I left there with my hair smelling like a smoke pit.
(3)Graham C.
I went to Soul Fire with the gf a few weeks ago. The place is apparently transitioning over to full table service, which I think helps. The decor was nice. Big TVs which are good for baseball I'd imagine. They also have Lone Star on tap, which all BBQ places should. Had the corn dogs which were good. For dinner, I got the St. Louis Ribs and pulled pork which were thick and huge. The beans and collard greens also. All of it very tasty. I also tried the coleslaw, which was like a palate cleanser. Overall, I like Blue Ribbon better. Their pulled pork has more flavor. But I would come back again. Probably not making a lot of extra trips as I'm in Somerville. However if you live in the area, it was cheap and good.
(4)James S.
Living in San Francisco and Boston, I have come to accept the fact that a few things will never be great in either place - weather, cost of living, buffalo wings and barbeque. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire, and while it won't make you forget Memphis or Austin, I can safely say it's the best BBQ I've had within driving range of Boston. Interior décor goes for some sort of retro-70s style on the walls with some massive murals but the furniture, lighting, etc. don't really match up with it. This place is not known for its ambiance. Service was attentive and quick, though fairly unremarkable. Prices are very reasonable, particularly if you're with 2-3 other hungry meatatarians and decide to split some of their sampler platters. They also carry PBR on draft and Narragansett in the tall boy cans, so you can wash down your greasy meals with the perfect cheap beer. By far the best dish I tasted was the short ribs. Huge and super-succulent, I was almost unwilling to share them. Dip them in some of the fiery sauce and you'll be licking your fingers after every bite. Pulled pork was also delicious and the baby back ribs did not disappoint either. Sadly I was disappointed by the hot links (just too dry and bland) and the chicken was just solid - juicy but flavor was missing. Did not try the brisket so can't comment there. The restaurant also has a big projection TV they place on one of the walls as well as a few other LCDs, so if you're looking for some good, greasy, relatively cheap food during a sports day, give Soul Fire a try.
(3)Dave U.
Very cool place to grab BBQ, definitely the best in Allston/Brighton. Great vibe in the restaurant and the food is delicious. My favorite combo is the pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast, with mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and cornbread. Friendly staff and great variety of choices for BBQ sauce.
(4)Annabel J.
Came here for dinner around 7:30 one night with three friends. We were using a groupon and it was the last night before it expired so the place was packed (apparently everyone had waited till the last minute to redeem haha). We put our name in and then stood in the bar area drinking beers. We waited over half an hour but all the girls working were very friendly and kept checking in with us. Once we sat down, the waitress informed us that they had run out of bread so sandwiches were not an option. I was a little bummed because I wasn't sure i wanted to go for a whole platter, but this stuff happens when restaurants get slammed unexpectedly so you really can't blame them. Might have been a good idea for them to have sent someone to the grocery store for some emergency back-up rolls but whatever. I ended up getting the BBQ pulled pork platter with collard greens and cole slaw. The meat was to de for. The cornbread was sweet and moist. The cole slaw and collard greens we typical- they were absolutely fine but nothing special. They brought a selection of 4 different BBQ sauces that ranged from carolina vinegar-style to super sweet memphis-style to super spicy. Great sauce, great bbq, beer, and good blues music = solid 4 stars. I think they need to rethink the interior decor though-the screaming red and yellow grafitti-style murals are a bit harsh and garish. It makes me feel like I'm in an garage instead of a restaurant/bar. Just some toned down colors and some finishing details would do wonders. Fun raucous atmosphere; I'd go again in a heartbeat, especially on a night I wanted to watch sports.
(4)Katie V.
Soul Fire is so good that it makes me nervous to live so nearby. As in, there is the potential for me to get really, really fat. When I went with a friend, I got an appetizer because I wasn't that hungry and it was the perfect amount of food -- it was the ribs/wings starter. Two BIG meaty ribs and two oversized chicken wings. The meat was tender and the sauces were phenomenal. I also got a piece of cornbread, which arrived hot and fluffy. Per our server's suggestion, my friend ordered the brisket reuben with a side of mac 'n cheese. They crumble spicy potato chips over the mac -- genius! And the sandwich was out of this world. The stuff that BBQ dreams are made of.
(5)Amy R.
As a fan of BBQ, I'm always on the lookout for a truly good BBQ joint in Boston. So, when the Soul Fire Groupon coupon offer showed up, I immediately went for it. And there it was, sitting in my car when my BF & I drove over in his car the other night. Oh well, let's try it anyway... We bellied up to the bar and ordered two Lone Stars and two brisket sandwiches. Oh, what mouth-watering goodness..that was one of the tastiest, yummiest brisket sandwiches I've had the pleasure of knowing! Sweet and tender slabs of perfectly cooked, just fatty-enough brisket. So, I lobby for another trip down to Soul Fire a few nights later. With the coupon in hand this time, I'm totally psyched for round two BBQ! BF got crabby about the lack of parking, but luck smiled on us and we nabbed a spot around the corner - yay!! As we were trying to decide what tasty morsels to order this time, the manager strolled over to give us some help. We had almost chosen the sampler platter which he told us would be far too much food for the two of us and suggested some other options. Good call, Jason! Thanks!! I decided on baby back ribs and again, Jason suggested the collard green as a side. I was hesitant as I'm not usually a fan of bitter greens. He assured me I'd like them...and he was right again. They had none of the usual bitter flavor, just tender, sweet and delicious. The ribs were awesome, tasty tenderness on a bone. BF had the burnt ends, ribs, mac & cheese and collard greens. All of which ranked high on the taste-o-meter! This place knows BBQ. It'll be a regular pit stop for us in the future
(5)Thena H.
Sweet collard greens, terrible potato salad, dry brisket, bland baked beans. My sis had the corn dogs that were okay, but what a waste of money.
(1)Josh U.
Food 3/5 Decor 3/5 Service 3/5 Value 3/5 Came here on a Friday afternoon for some ribs that I have been hearing about. Ordered 2/3 rack of ribs with a side of French fried and rice + beans. The ribs were ok a bit bland and a bit dry. Proportions were nice and the pit boss sauce was incredibly good which saved Soul Fire from a 2 overall rating. French fries were very good which is always a plus for me. It also came with a few random small pickles that I didn't care too much for.
(3)Victoria G.
i ordered food to go for a party, spoke to owner about the catering menu. the hot pulled chicken and hot pulled pork were outstanding!! really delicious, quality food, and fairly priced. the mac n cheese was incredible, loved the cole slaw!! i will definitely be back often, and i highly recommend ordering from here for any catered event. amazing!!
(5)Brittany H.
Soooooooouullllfiiiiiiirrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Love this place. Such a fantastic alternative to Redbones. A little out of the way for me but absolutely worth it. Been here several times, often for wing night. My favorite things about Soulfire: - Seat yourself! I don't know about you, but I've been yelled at once or twice at Redbones so just being able to walk in and sit wherever is nice. - Sauce caddy at the table. A four-pack container of their four sauces in squirt bottles already waiting for you. You don't have to ask your server, you don't have to have magical pre-knowledge of what sauces they have, and you get a full squirt bottle, not a tiny cup full of whatever. - FREAKIN WING NIGHT. $8.99 for all you can eat. They just keep bringing you piles of wings until you say stop (They have awesome service by the way). Plus you get to choose from a variety of sauces like apple bourbon and spicy jalapeno I think it was. - Mac and cheese: they top theirs with crumbled bbq chips. Just one of those little details that just melted my heart and I fell in love. - FRIED mac and cheese. Don't knock it til you try it - I like their pulled pork better than Lester's and Redbones pulled pork (SORRY! I STILL LOVE YOU BOTH) - their brisket is also superb - Not a big sausage person, but I had theirs in the Pitboss sampler and loved it - Love their cornbread. Dense and kind of cake-like, with little corn kernels in it. Much better than Redbones and Blue Ribbon's cornbread. That stuff is a bbq staple, get it right and it makes all the difference - I usually don't care for collard greens, but I actually really liked theirs The only downsides of Soulfire: - Only a limited beer menu. This is where Redbones is the clear winner. - No fried pickles -- my buddies love those suckers, and sadly, they don't offer them here (but they do make up for it in fried mac and cheese and corndogs) - No corn fritters -- Redbones makes them, and they are my favorite app. Just remember, fried mac and cheese. - Kind of annoying to get to for me, being in Allston I have yet to try the dessert, since my stomach is not that big. Will someone let me know?
(4)Alex G.
Best BBq I have had in Boston. I love the soulfire platter ( although they have been giving less and less meat over time). I have found the service usually fantastic. They are stingy about ID's (my 35 yr old sister was refused a beer, but I guess its understandable). Monday nights are all you can eat wings for 6.99, good deal.
(4)Travis D.
Great food, huge portions and they have FRIED DOUGH for dessert! The best part is the meat is served AS IS and you get to decide which sauce you want to put on it and how much. I like to try them all, some taste better with certain meats then others. Good place to pig out and have some beers. Plus you will more then likely have leftovers for a light night snack or lunch the next day.
(4)Dan M.
This is by far my favorite BBQ joint in Boston. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and its close to where I live. I'd go with their beef brisket which is awesome. The only downside is that their success means that its almost always packed for dinner. I guess waiting is the price I have to pay to eat some great BBQ.
(5)Brady B.
I finally got to Soul Fire! Southern BBQ is one of my favorite types of food and these guys certainly have it. I do prefer Blue Ribbon I must say, bigger portions and a bit cheaper. However Soul Fire did not let me down as far as quality is concerned. I had the 2 meat combo platter which I selected yummy pulled pork and chopped brisket with collared greens and baked beans as sides. The greens weren't the best I've had, but not bad at all and the beans were wonderful. I agree with Ben G. that the brisket was good but I'm a huge fan of burnt ends myself. One of my friends had the spare ribs that looked awesome and she cleaned them up. Next time I will try those and the mac and cheese. I hope Soul Fire stays around for a while in this city that has very limited BBQ.
(4)Chu C.
Soul Fire was born when the owner, a transplanted Southerner, lost his father and out of his ensuing personal struggles decided to open his own BBQ joint in Allston. He's a really nice guy. It's a no-nonsense joint where you seat yourself, place your order at the counter and pick it up on your own. Their clever tag line: "Serving all souls". Soul Fire does a really good job all-around, but they only do pork ribs, not beef. You should definitely get the spare ribs over the baby back ribs; they're just better. The fried chicken is oily and juicy perfection, and the roast chicken is also good. They have some good sides, including some pretty good collard greens and fried mac and cheese. The fried dough is overpriced, but pretty good slathered in butter and powdered sugar. Portions are pretty big, and I've never left anything but stuffed. Kid-friendly menu includes corn dogs, mac and cheese, and fried chicken. All very good. Soul Fire BBQ sauce is tangy and has a kick to it, and they also offer sweet and spicy versions from heated pumps, a nice touch. Dark and spare ambiance with a bar and two flat-screen TVs, with lots of seating for a place on Harvard St. As with all the places in this area, parking is pretty tough to come by, but try the hidden city lot across the street and behind the buildings.
(4)Matt F.
Go here. Order a BBQ Rueban. All will be right in your world. That is all.
(5)jade g.
OMG i tried the pecan pie i took home and it is GROSS, but also it isn't pecan pie. It's more of like an everything chocolate chip cookie with nuts, coconut perhaps and chocolate, very low on the pecan but very high on the underbaked egg batter crud. Do not get it.
(3)Katherine D.
This review is for all-you-can-eat wings monday nights. I went in with a big group of friends, so I understand it probably was a little troubling for our server, but while th wings were good, and I really enjoyed the little sampler plate they provided (each weeks its spicy honey, pit boss BBQ, buffalo, and their weekly flavor, which was apple spice when i went), however, we were supposed to be able to get 6 wings at a time and they were definitely skimping on us, and deliberately trying to take a long time between wing rounds. I think i'll try again with a smaller crowd then hopefully I can enjoy my wing experience more.
(4)David G.
I stopped in with a friend last night for the first time with no expectations. We were both craving BBQ and thought I'd give them a shot since we were in the area and there happened to be an open parking spot. Without a long story I'll say I wasn't particularly impressed. It was quiet inside and we had a friendly attentive waitress, but the food was a let down for reasons beyond taste. Out of all the BBQ places I've been to in Massachusetts this place has by far the smallest portion sizes I've seen. I found it amusing that a skinny guy like myself who doesn't eat too much ordered a "two selection" entree and an appetizer and was still quite hungry afterward. One little ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes, two little pieces of fish, and a piece of white bread with a small amount of (evenly spread) pulled chicken on top did not impress me. The food tasted fine, but is not what I would consider great BBQ. It wasn't bad or dry, but it wasn't very special and it lacked plavor. If the food isn't that great you had better not be stingy with it. On a side note: the beer selection was pretty boring and out of touch, but I won't penalize a BBQ place for that. Although, it would certainly add points to my opinion if they made an attempt. If an ultra casual tablecloth place like Redbones can offer decent beer the rest of you restaurants have no excuse. I've been to the Village Smokehouse, Redbones and Blue Ribbon and this place ranks well behind them. 3 stars for a nice waitress, and quick delivery of food, but I don't think I'll be back unless someone invites me. I left feeling like I just spent a lot of money and got little in return and that's not the feeling I want when I leave a BBQ restaurant.
(3)Mimi H.
I just discovered that I friggn' love BBQ recently. They didn't have exactly what I was in the mood for but what I ate was very good. I had a salad with cold rotisary chicken on it. It was good but I wanted a salad with warm BBQ chicken. I mean it is a BBQ place. I also had a side of mac and cheese. It was bomb. The service was fast and very good. Waitress was very sweet two my two guy friends who were obviously smitten by her.
(3)Ben G.
My experience at Soul Fire was somewhat limited. However i will say this. I had a chopped beef sandwich and it was pretty good. I mean it was no KC burnt ends but it was still pretty good. The cole slaw was pretty good and not overly dosed in mayo. My roommate got a pulled pork platter and he loved it. Like happier than a pig in shit. Oh that was a bad analogy given the topic, Anyhoo. I tasted his pulled pork with a variety of sauces and i was pleased. The corn bread was also good. Upon walking into this dead establishment, there is a bar to your left with counter service just past that. On the right is a ton of tables and chairs along with a giant projection screen for your viewing pleasure. It was clean and the staff was friendly. i also think it was pretty cheap compared to some of the other BBQ joints in the area. So I'm sure that appeals to the college community of Alston , Brighton.
(3)Jennafir E.
So this place is a hit or miss on certain things. I REALLY like the ribs, they make me want more. Sooo god with their sauce took, I'm a fan of the sweet and pitboss. Yummy. It is perfect for grease and fattening goodness. The fries are astounding. Just the right amount of salt and crispiness. I have a feeling I will return for late night visits, just for the fries. The fried mac and cheese arn't that great. Not enough flavor in my opinion. You shouldn't have to add salt. The chili rocks. Just enough kick to not make your mouth burn, while the potato salad is lacking in flavor. Too much onion, not enough moisture, not enough taste. I've made better and I suck at potato salad. The corn dogs and lemonade are also decent choices. I only give it a 4, because I REALLY like the fries and because they have fried dough! MMMMM fried dough...... with a yummy maple butter.... my mouth is watering now. Otherwise most of the food is a 3.
(4)Buggin O.
Skip the BBQ (mediocre) and go straight to their fried chicken platter. Nicely seasoned and fried chicken. Way better than any place I've had in the Boston area. Good fried chicken is not easy to make. You get half a chicken with two sides (which are so so) and corn bread for like $12. Unless you're a glutton, split the plate with your lady/man and call it a cheap Redbox date night.
(4)Fabiola L.
Food is great, love the pulled chicken. The staff is always friendly..am so happy when my company gets Soul Fire for our weekly lunches...
(4)Catherine P.
Soul Fire is in Allston, a down-on-it's-heels neighborhood with lots of ethnic mixes. Reminded me of Queens, NY. My husband had the pulled pork, which was really good but needed more sauce. Fortunately, they deliver a box with 4 different BBQ sauces: Sweet, Fiery, Soul Fire and .. Bourbon?, all very delicious. I had the sliced brisket, which was nothing special but tender and not dry. My daughter had the ribs, the star of the meal. Juicy, fleshy, not mushy. Perfectly cooked. The sides were excellent: sweet collard greens, fresh-baked corn bread and smoky beans. The mac n cheese was excellent. The potato salad and coleslaw were also very good. It all comes on a pizza tray with a red and white checked paper covering. The portions were on the small side, but that's just because Americans are used to being served giant meals. After a few minutes (and side dishes) we were full. The place itself is more saloon than restaurant, with a long bar and a giant tv. All in all, I would recommend this place for BBQ.
(3)Jessica B.
Spicy BBQ sauce that actually has a bit of heat, tart pucker-your-mouth pickles, tender pulled pork, collards speckled with brisket. Quite lovely. Unlike many people, I am not put off by ordering at the counter and self-seating. In fact, I would say that this style of self-service is typical of most BBQ joints in the southern states (unless you go to Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, a yucky chain BBQ place where you get table service.) For some, counter service reeks of fast food, but for me it is authenticity. Also, this was the most artfully displayed tray of food I've ever seen for BBQ. And all for $7. Seems reasonable for a huge portion of pork and an adequate serving of collards. The draft beer was maybe a bit pricey, and I have to try the sweet tea before being totally convinced, but this will be my go-to BBQ.
(4)Jin Z.
(Mouth literally watering as I write this) I may have grown up in Boston, but having been to KC, Texas, Memphis, Chapel Hill, and other places in my life, I have tried authentic barbecue from nearly every place that America offers it. It saddened me that Boston never had a place that could compare to those shrines of meat and grease in the South, where the smell of gently cooking meat and smoky sauce drew me like a moth to a flame. Until now. Soulfire has filled that little hole in my heart from years of not having good BBQ, and it did it not in little dabs and bits, but with the gargantuan beating-bat that they call the "Pitboss Sampler," which seems to have enough food to feed the average human for nearly a week-a heaping pile of spareribs, babybacks, brisket, fried wings, bbq wings, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and every side on the menu, including the absolutely unreal cornbread, the tangy and authentic collard greens, and the perfectly cooked baked beans. Tina (my friend) and I consumed until we were fit to burst, but we were still nowhere close to even finishing the food. The resulting leftovers fed me for three days. Keep in mind, I am a 220lb guy who regularly took challenges at Eagles. Pros: -Extremely friendly and timely service. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and actively suggested the best sauces to go with each meat. -The sauces. The Sweet was a bit too much with the honey, but the Soulfire and the Pitboss were the best sauces I've ever had, and the Fiery sauce had a kick to match its name. -Spareribs. Fuck babybacks, if I ever eat pork ribs again, this would be it. Tender, meaty, and cooked perfectly, they taste sooooo much better than some tiny little rack of babybacks. -Southern Fried Wings. If Soulfire ever went into the fried chicken business on a large scale, KFC and Popeyes can kiss their asses goodbye. Massive, juicy, and flavorful as hell. -The sides. Usually, good BBQ has maybe one or two good sides that go with the meat. At Soulfire, EVERYTHING is good. -The chili. Some places just use ground beef in chili. At Soulfire, you know what they use? They cut off the end pieces of babyback ribs and briskets and use those. It's unreal chili. Cons: -No parking. If you're from out of town-good luck. Allston is not known for being kind on areas to be. -Boneless meats are ok, but sometimes too dry and overcooked. -Babybacks are ok at times, too dry other times. -Lunch specials would be nice to have around. Overall, Soulfire feeds your BBQ-hungry soul with a perfect array of food. Now get your ass up and over there and get grubbin'!
(5)Kate D.
This is the ultimate spot in Allston for total comfort food. On the days when it's cold/rainy/snowy and Sushi or Mexican just won't cut it, this place is great. The chili cheese fries are really tasty, with the perfect combo of cheese (not too much), bits of meat, and spices. The sides are all 1.99 (seriously), and I found myself thinking that this would be a great place to order a few sides and a beer for a $10 lunch. The mac n cheese & potato salad are awesome. My only complaints would be the limited selection of draft beers (I did get a bottle of Victory pilsner though), and the strange taste of the catfish (I'd never had catfish, but it tasted strangely metallic and needed a lot of lemon and tartar sauce to be edible). The waitstaff is your typical allston hipster crowd, but they must have been schooled in Southern hospitality-- I've never been greeted so warmly at a restaurant in Allston before! We will definitely come back here!
(4)Zeb T.
The service was terrible and they treated me like a criminal. After taking a risk to buy a living social deal with SFBBQ my experience retreating my food was terrible. They wouldn't let me leave with the food so that I could pay the $1.80 sales tax over the phone. I asked if I could call back to pay the tax and they said NO. This exchange made me feel embarrassed and angry. I could understand this level of service if it was part of a big chain and they would get fired by a corporate manager for bending the rules, but this is a locally owned restaurant! WT-hell man! There are plenty of other places to eat in Allston so why eat somewhere that doesn't make an effort to deliver good service?
(1)Gary M.
Come hungry and leave in a food coma. It's so good ! Pulled pork, sliced brisket, fried chicken, Ribs and some tasty sides are all just so good. I work real close and when I'm looking for s meal at work this is my go to spot. They don't disappoint!
(5)Victoria P.
Came here with my boyfriend and had the pulled pork platter and the fried chicken platter. We're both from North Carolina so we're used to the best BBQ in the nation. Given this, we thought this place was mediocre. The fried chicken lacked flavor and the pulled pork was a bit bland. The mac and cheese tasted gritty and the collard greens were extremely sweet. My boyfriend liked the mashed potatoes and I thought the cornbread was good. Other than that our meal was just okay.
(3)Adam B.
favorite bbq joint in boston... great cooks, though the servers were a little slow and disorganized.... highly recommend this place....i think the food is significantly better than sweet cheeks.... reasonably priced.... not sure why this place is not more crowded... the best pulled pork.... delicious mac n cheese, pickles, cole slaw.... 5 different sauces....
(5)Michelle T.
Really enjoyed the food here, though the atmosphere was a little confusing to begin with. If you come here on a Friday night, you'll think you walked into a sports bar with creole art on the wall serving BBQ but with walls vibrating hip hop/top 40 beats. You'll then find out the beats are actually from the bar next door since they share a wall. Interesting. That is all I can say. Service, of the 2 times I've been here has always been consistently friendly and fast. Food: - BBQ chicken: Smokey, fall-off the bone delicious. I'd order this again in a heartbeat. - Baby back Ribs: They could do better. Flavors were alright, but the meat was almost tough. Was hoping for some melt-in-your-mouth meat that just falls off the bone and these ribs didn't really bring it. - Pulled pork sandwich: A-ok. Nothing special but not bad at all. Sides: - Cornbread is how I like it - sweet and moist, although I could do with it heated up a little more. - Collard greens were deliciously sweet and tender. Loved them! - Beans with pork were also very sweet (might do well with some more salt), but loved the porky bits in there. Yup, I'd recommend this place. Price is right, service is fast and friendly, food is decent and comes with 4 BBQ sauces (all you can eat/drink! haha) so...I wouldn't mind coming back again for more.
(4)joe m.
Wow! Walked in as I was looking for a quick bite to eat on a Tuesday after work and man did I pick a good spot. Best pulled pork sandwich I have ever had, excellent selection of sauces. Did not finish large side of fries, and the cost was right on. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was very low key. I will be back soul fire and I am going to spread the word.
(4)Leesha Z.
So I came here a bit skeptical. Why would there be good southern bbq in Allston of all places? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The boy and I came here around 7pm on a weeknight and snagged a seat at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender and given menus. We both immediately knew what we wanted - the pulled pork. I ordered the pulled pork platter, which came with cole slaw, corn bread and mac n cheese. My boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Shortly after, our food came out. First thing I noticed were the portion sizes. HUGE! I decided to dig right in to the main attraction - the pork! Wow was it delicious. Moist, flavorful. This was before I put any sauce on. It honestly was great without but I decided to try one of their 6 sauces on it and that made it even better. Cole slaw was perfect. Corn bread was fresh. Mac n cheese was good but I've had better. All in all it was a great experience. The best part is the platter was only $12. I couldn't believe everything I got and how good it tasted for such little money. Great service throughtout the dinner as well. Can't wait to go back!!!!!
(4)Jen K.
We got the three meat combo! We got the pulled pork, baby back ribs and spare ribs. Pulled pork EH. Spare ribs EH. You know good ribs when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. The spare ribs was pretty chewy. The baby back ribs were good though they seemed to be a table favorite. The three meat combo is good for two people to share unless you have a big stomach and you can eat it all by yourself. We also got the fried Mac and cheese app! MMMMMMM so good! It's large fried cubes of Mac and cheese! We got the large which comes with 7 cubes!! Also we tried every side! The rest are EH but I recommend the collard greens and mashed potatoes with gravy! The mashed potatoes with gravy is a delicious perfect combination while eating all that meat! The cornbread is delicious as well. I would higher the rating if the thing they were known for their BBQ was amazing. However, I've had good BBQ in the Midwest so it's hard to compete with that. Our server was so accommodating there! She always attended to our needs! :) She was tall! Hopefully you guys can make her day!!
(3)Paul L.
This is some smoky, solid ribs! The Mac & cheese was a bit bland, and the brisket lacked a significant smoke ring and could have been more flavorful. Service was prompt and friendly. Driving is a challenge since parking spots are hard to find.
(4)Jarrett L.
More of a 3.5 The staff always seems nice, food is par. I really wish it had better food, I love bbq but it just feels like they are almost there, as if they don't put enough time into their cooking as they do down south. Perhaps I just have high standards. It is nice that they give a local business discount.
(3)Matt L.
Their moist towelettes are very moist.
(5)Alyssa W.
Been told by many friends to try this place out. Finally made the trip. This is a no frills place. They have all you can eat wings for $12.99, if you have a big appetite, this is a good deal for you. But I was in with my family and we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We got the southern fried chicken, YUM and a corn dog. for dinner, 4 Souls platter. it was more than enough, we had 5 people. Ribs, chicken, brisket and 2 sides, mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. Their seasoning is great, dry rubbed ribbed and a smoked chicken were so tasty. Brisket, juicy and not as fatty as other places, which made it a little less guilty haha Service is average, nothing spectacular. All in all, i'd return.
(3)Kim V.
For a long time, I kept passing by this place and never seeing it. Not too surprising considering this is such a busy area, both in terms of number of restaurants and passerby-ers. Lucky for me, it finally caught my attention. Soul Fires's ambiance displays artwork depicting many soulful musicians and aside from the decor, they have affordable BBQ delights to please any meat eater. Depending on your appetite, you can get their monster sampler platter, which can easily stuff 2-3 people or you can get items off their appetizer or sides menu. This most recent visit consisted of a corn dog, collard greens and some cornbread. The corndog was a bit on the small side for my liking, but everything else was fine. Other times I've been here and have gotten the baby back ribs, yum! They have several BBQ sauce varieties, from tangy to somewhat spicy to sweet, depending on your tastes. I've also been here for wing night. The wings are good but I realized I can't personally eat enough to justify the cost. Not that it's all that expensive at $8-9 (can't remember exact price), but per wing I'm better off not going on the all you can eat route, my friends, on the other hand, were elated. Yes, they were boys. I've been here many times. Sometimes with one other person, sometimes with around 15 people. They are very accommodating, but if you have large groups, it's always beneficial to arrive early to stake out the big table in the back. They have a projector where they will show different games which can be fun with a big group. Parking can be tough, especially on Harvard itself. If it's late enough, Comm Ave should have some decent parking. Best bet it to take the T or bus. They are also on LevelUp, a smartphone app that allows you to pay via your phone. When you use it here, they also offer a small, but appreciated discount.
(4)Jared H.
I had been here a couple of times and just recently went again after groupon had an offer for them. Their BBQ is pretty good, I like their ribs. I am not a big fan of their pulled pork but I do like their brisket. I went with a friend and we tried the fried mac and cheese to start which was really good. They have multiple BBQ sauces they keep on the table which are made in house. They have a regular, sweet, and spicy. All of which are good. I had a combo platter with the spare ribs and sliced brisket. As sides I got the mac & cheese and cornbread. The mac and cheese is great and an added bonus is they put chips on top of it for a great crunch. The cornbread is also very delicious. The only downside of the meal was the service was a little slow.
(4)Daniel B.
I hope the food is actually good, as I just ordered delivery and have nothing yet, after 155 minutes. . .
(3)Jessi R.
I love me some BBQ, so was happy when my boss' first choice for a pre-graduation lunch wasn't around anymore. I've heard great things about Soul Fire, but seeing as it's in Allston/Brighton and I am loathe to travel into that haven of hipsters. The server only batted one eye at my gluten-free colleague and helped her pick a meal she could eat. I have to say that it was disappointing they put so much BBQ sauce on my pulled brisket though, because it didn't allow me to try any of the 4 sauces they put on our table--what's the point in offering BBQ sauce if I can't have any? The sauce they gave me was fine, if a little hot, but I do prefer a place that lets ME pick.
(3)Phil O.
I've ordered from here a couple times, and both times it's been a solid 4. What I've tried: fried catfish, brisket sandwich, pulled pork, fried macaroni and cheese, spinach What I've not yet tried: the ribs I still need to try the ribs!
(4)Michele G.
Oh my holy sweet sauce jeebus. This place is unbelievably mouthwatering. I had a Groupon and everything was so cheap that we almost had a hard time getting to $30 with just the two of us! HOORAY! You walk in and the scent of the smoked meat and BBQ spices wafting through the air is intoxicating. So, so intoxicating, as if you could get drunk from the enticing aroma headed towards you from the kitchen. SoulFire, you will be warm, spicy, meaty oasis in winter. I don't mind that you turn me glutinous. Your pulled chicken platter is killer and your sauces are amazing. Hot DAMN! Thank you for existing here in the Northeast, where good bbq is much too hard to find.
(5)Jessie C.
Good BBQ. Small portions GREAT fried chicken (although i don't eat it a lot, or ever - i had a few bites and I was pleased). Fantastic Corn Dogs! Any restaurant that serves corndogs is fantastic in my book! Delicious fried mac and cheese balls. Ordered pulled chicken platter. good - chicken was tasty, not a ton of food which was nice. Liked how it was served on metal pizza trays. OK beer selection for a bbq place.
(4)Sam G.
One of my favorite lunch spots! Huge portions and high quality. Favorite thing would have to be the BBQ reuben with either Mac or Chili as a side. For a $10 lunch, you can never go wrong!
(5)L K.
We ordered some dinner here for pick-up. After a long day of painting furniture and putting together our new apartment, the food from Soul Fire really hit the spot! -fries: not crispy enough, but plenty of potato-y goodness -collard greens: terrific smoky flavor but contains bacon so we didn't eat it. -fried chicken: 4/5... very good! -cole slaw: 5/5... I loved this.
(3)Renee M.
Two words: so disappointing. I don't have much experience with BBQ food, the only other time I can recall eating it was in Texas and OMG it was SO GOOD there. So, to compare BBQ in Boston to BBQ in Texas may be unfair, but I am going to do it anyway. First of all, the service here is sssslllllloooooowwwwww. We were not greeted by a server and given water for a good 15 minutes after we sat down. Later on in the night I heard a waitress tell a table of unlucky people sitting next to us that there was an hour wait for food. um wtf? I ordered the Soulfire Platter, and I got spare ribs and brisket with sides of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribs were full of fat, as was the brisket. Both meats were tough and lacked flavor. The BBQ sauces were good though. The mashed potatoes and the mac n cheese were good but nothing special. It seemed like they had a good selection of beers, but I didn't order any. Sorry, but I will not be returning.
(2)Sean M.
3.894 Stars It didn't suck, in fact it was pretty damn good. I like BBQ, a lot. I'm also pretty picky about it too. We ordered a large amount of food for two people which elicited this from the waitress: "Do you guys have a Groupon?" We did not. This was our first time and we wanted to get the essence in one go. Corn Dogs, Fried Catfish Sandwich, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Rice and Beans, Pickles, Potato Salad, Corn Bread, and Pecan Pie. And Beer. It was all good we ate most of it. We will be back. * One of the best BBQ places in Boston (or we hit it on a very good day). * Parking spot in front of the restaurant, it was pre-determined.
(4)Kelsey A.
Yum! Sahil G. and I went last night for dinner. We had a Groupon (I paid $15 for $30 worth of food and drinks!), and I couldn't wait to go, based on all the awesome reviews. We got there around 7:45 and it was pretty full -- no open tables or seats at the bar. I think because of the Groupon deal, the restaurant was way more busy than the employees expected it to be, and the waitresses seemed a little frazzled. There was a nice waitress taking names, but she said we were more than welcome to sit at one of the longer, communal-style tables. We were STARVING, so we decided not to wait for a regular table. It took a little while to get menus -- turns out no waitress had been assigned to us. No big deal, the table had an app/drink menu on it, so when the waitress finally came over with dinner menus we were able to order our beers/app. I got a PBR -- on draft, for $2.50! -- and Sahil G. got a Lone Star. we also ordered the fried mac and cheese. The beers came out very quickly, and it was cute that the waitress brought the bottle cap with the Lone Star so that Sahil could see his riddle. My PBR was very cold and delicious, perfect for eating BBQ. The fried mac and cheese was awesome, but did not look how I expected! We got a "small" order, which was a basket with 5 fried cubes. It looks like fried tofu, but inside the very well-seasoned crust are a lot of hot, cheesy noodles. Yum! Sahil G and I both decided to get the Soulfire Platter with 2 meats. These platters are ENORMOUS -- if we were any less hungry we definitely could have (and should have) shared one. For $15.95, these platters are a great value -- you get two meats, two sides, corn bread, and pickles. A TON of food. I ordered pulled pork and fried chicken wings with cole slaw and potato salad; Sahil ordered sliced brisket and babyback ribs with mac and cheese and collard greens. When we go out to restaurants together, we always get completely different things so that we can maximize the variety of food that we get to try. We're cute, I know. The food came out really quickly -- the waitress told me my fried wings would be about 15 mins, but I can't say we waited longer than 10 for both platters, and these things are PACKED with food. The pulled pork was very tender, and so was the brisket. The ribs were also cooked perfectly, and had a great smoky flavor. However, the highlight for me, meat-wise, were the fried wings -- the breading was salty and delicious, and the meat was DRIPPING with juice/fat. AMAZING. The cornbread was really good, a perfect combo of sweet and savory, and very moist. The pickles were nice too, though I am not a huge fan of "bread-and-butter" style so I only had a couple. The cole slaw was good -- a little too much liquid, but perfectly seasoned, and not too sweet (I hate when cole slaw is too sweet, yuck!). I wasn't a huge fan of the collard greens, oh well. The two best sides, IMO, were the mac and cheese and the potato salad. The potato salad was made with red bliss, mustard, and pickles. AMAZING. And the mac and cheese was so cheesy, with some bbq chips crumbled on top. I highly recommend Soulfire. The beers are so cheap, and the food is very reasonably priced -- a great value, considering both the quantity and quality of the food you receive. We will definitely be back!
(4)Saba N.
solid bbq. I really like it here. It's a take out favorite for me, I never really eat there though because parking is such a pain! Love the Pick 2 Combo deal.. I always go with pulled pork and cat fish. YUM. I will say though, that as far as bbq in MA... you gotta try red bones &blue ribbon. now THAT is good eatin!
(3)Charles L.
I have been meaning to try this place ever since I read the review on Pigtrip.net (search for pigtrip soulfire). The true prize here are the St. Louis ribs. A+. Forget about getting them as takeout. I did, but I also sat down and ate 2 of them right away before going home. They were moist, succulent, flavorful, plenty of smoke. Some of the best ribs I've had. 5 star, right there. Fried chicken wings: 5 star also. They were like fried chicken should be: crisp, but not crunchy. The meat was plenty moist too. Honestly, I like a more traditional buffalo wing, but I also like fried chicken. So I'm torn. Brisket: pretty good. A-. In general, it was pretty moist, but a few pieces were slightly less than moist. Pulled pork: A. Yup, pretty darn good with plenty of the crusty exterior bits mixed in. I liked all of the sauces: Sweet, Soul Fire, Spicy, and Pit Master. Any of them go well on the meats. Health food, not. Good bbq, definitely.
(5)Alyssa B.
The first time I went to Soul Fire it was years ago (circa 2005-06) and it was HORRIBLE. So I was a little dubious when our friends got a Groupon to head there (they have always been big fans). The food was terrific! So terrific that we've returned since as well. Perhaps our first visit was on an off day. My favorite is the pulled pork
(4)Nik B.
A little bit of low-key, high flavor is a solid way to start a Friday night. Soul Fire BBQ is a nothing-fancy place and fits right into Allston. My friend recommended that I order the pulled pork sandwich ($6.95), so I did. The pork comes seasoned, but sauceless, on a light bun. Even without any sauce the meat was tender and flavorful. I tried all the different sauces, but I liked the house SoulFire sauce the most. It was a well rounded sauce that was both spicy and sweet; definitely my favorite of the four sauces. I got the collared greens as my side which were also delicious. They weren't too buttery and had a lot of flavor and kick. Soul Fire also has relatively good beer prices. I settled on the Harpoon IPA ($4.50) which paired very nicely with my sandwich.All in all a great barbecue join in Allston.
(4)Brian B.
3 Stars Fits Just Right The one disclaimer I have here is that I've only ever ordered delivery from Soul Fire. I only ever order from this place when I'm feeling too lazy to get out to Blue Ribbon. In my opinion, this place will suffice when you just can't get out to West Newton or Arlington. It's been OK each time. Probably would get 4 stars if I were to dine in, because I'm sure the food would be that little bit hotter/fresher than by whatever time the delivery guy makes it to my place, which is all of .5 miles away haha.
(3)Tiffany T.
Went back here to dine in during a Friday night. Food was still good but I recommend getting take out. Service was awful.... and immensely slow.
(3)MEGAN L.
Love their food it's always delicious, BUT sadly my boyfriend ordered delivery for us before I had to go to work and they never showed up! Really guys?! They apologized and said it would be another 45min to an hour for our original hour 2 hrs prior to arrive....it's a shame they don't pride themselves on customer service and establishing customer loyalty as much as they pride themselves on their BBQ.
(3)rosann s.
I don't generally get to the Allston/Brighton area and am always looking for fun, good places to eat, and this one was great! We had quick and easy service. The prices were very reasonable. The food was very good. We had the fried Mac N Cheese as an app, then pulled chicken sandwiches for dinner .. yummmm .. a couple of really nice sauces! Would definitely go back!!!
(4)Gerrit B.
Fantastic food, but slow service Ordered catfish sandwich with baked beans. I also tried some spare ribs and macaroni and cheese. Everything was delicious! The pitboss sauce is definitely their best in my opinion. Our server was slow though. I'd go again and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.
(4)Emily D.
I don't know dude - it's just so mediocre. And the service is consistently bad. I am a HUGE BBQ fan - my favorite cuisine. And every time I've come to Soul Fire I've wanted to like it, but I always leave a little disappointed. I ordered their pulled pork platter with mac & cheese, baked beans, and cornbread. Their pulled pork is all right - a little bland, but their homemade BBQ sauce makes it much better. Their mac & cheese is good mainly because they crumble BBQ chips on it. Their baked beans are WAY TOO sweet. And their cornbread is dry and crumbly. So, basically, as average as it gets. Now for the service - the few times I've been there, it's been BAD. They rarely check on you, and you end up having three different waiters by the end of the night just because you were trying to get a refill on your water. It definitely needs to be regulated a bit more. Besides that, they DO have really cheap beer so I'd say that's worth it... But I'm definitely still on the hunt for good BBQ in Boston!!!!
(3)Andrea E.
Can you believe that I go to a BBQ place for their ONE vegetarian dish even though I'm not vegetarian? hahaha this has nothing to do with the quality of their meats though, I love their vegetarian rice and beans, wow, actually just thinking about it is making me hungry, it is so delish and the salsa they have is just spicy enough to enjoy oh so much! Another thing that I love but don't get to eat often (just because it must be about 1000 calories) is their fried dough...it is to die for! the honey butter sauce they put on tastes like heaven, not I'm afraid that I've gained a pound just by writing about it! Anyways, I recently started to try more things on the menu and I have come to also love the pulled chicken, it is so tender, juicy and delicious it is quite the experience. Now about the staff, I have not had anything but good things to say about them, they are always very nice and attentive so I always try to tip them very well. For first timers, beware that this is a BBQ place, not a bar (even though there is a bar inside the restaurant) and they will not serve you alcohol unless you order something to eat.
(4)Angelina C.
This is one of those places I frequent but always forget to review. Soul Fire is so freaking good that there's no reason to go anywhere else in Boston for barbeque. My faves are the Southern fried wings, pulled pork with Soul Fire sauce, short ribs, their mac and cheese (and those bites!), collards. . .okay, everything. My fingers are still sticky from last night's Superbowl food fest. Soul Fire. It's not a bar. It's BBQ. And they deliver.
(4)Em K.
The first experience I had with Soul Fire was via delivery. It was definitely one of those nights where you need home cooking and fast. Timing wise the food was prompt but after a few bites it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Fast forward about a month I had some friends visiting and they insisted on going, I was game. What a difference it makes going in! The wait staff was very nice, had a great attitude and very accommodating. After our food arrived, with incredibly portions and tasty sides, I realized that my first experience was off because there was no BBQ sauce! I forgot to request a specific type so it came without and of course that makes a difference. All of their sauces are spectacular and satisfy my need for spice, they have a great one that's wicked hot! The beer on tap is great and the atmosphere is truly unique, definitely recommend a trip in!
(4)Ramzi B.
Quality comfort food on the cheap with excellent service to boot - Soulfire offers a crash course in all-American cuisine. Let's start with the food: I have been here about a dozen times and have literally eaten my way through 90% of the menu. I have yet to try something I didn't like. For appetizers, go with the CHILI CHEESE FRIES - an absolute must at $5.55 - made with skin-on french fries, a smoky, tangy BBQ chili, and liquid cheese. Other treats include the Fried Mac & Cheese (twisted, demented, and oh so delicious) and the Southern Fried Wings. If you're in a small group (under 4), try one of the following as your main - you won't regret it: [a] BBQ Reuben, [b] Pulled Pork Sandwich, [c] Fried Catfish Platter, [d] Spareribs. [e] Soulfire Platter (with 3 meats because you're sick like that). If you're with a larger party (both in number and in weight), I suggest the FEEDS FOUR SOULS combo. At $14 per person, you get an entire smoked chicken. 1 rack of spareribs, 1 pound of boneless meat, 4 cornbreads, and 2 pints worth of sides. It's a terrific deal! As for the service, I have only one word: awesome. What?! Need proof? A few weeks ago, after discovering that the chicken and ribs I ordered were missing from the delivery bag, I picked up the phone and talked to Anne, a delightful and apologetic employee. Within 20 minutes, I not only received TWO TIMES MORE food than was missing, but they also sent me a $25 gift certificate and the following note from the manager: Ramzi. Thanks so much for calling and letting us know what we missed. Truly, the only way to know how things go for deliveries is for you to tell us. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy some food on us next time with the enclosed gift card. Again sorry to keep you waiting for the good stuff and enjoy. :) Christine, Anne, and Soulfire The good stuff indeed. Just let your Soul Glo.
(5)Leon F.
The reason I give Soul Fire 5 stars is because it is as good as it gets in Boston. I grew up in Memphis and will admit I'm a BBQ snob. I've tried several joints including Blue Ribbon and Redbones (yuck!). Soul Fire is by far the best BBQ joint in Boston. The pulled pork is great! It's not oily like Redbones. The spare ribs are also very delicious, the meat falls right off the bone. Another great thing about Soul Fire is the variety of sauces. No matter where you are from or your preference of vinegar or molasses based BBQ sauce, Soul Fire has it! Yesterday, I ate the fried chicken for the first time and was very impressed with the seasoning. I highly recommend this place!
(5)Lee M.
I wasn't disappointed with Soul Fire BBQ, but I also wasn't particularly impressed. The girl at the counter was very nice. I don't usually tip people for putting an order into a register, but she/they got one. The pulled pork barbecue was nothing special. It barely had any taste, so use sauce (but be wary...see below). They have four kinds of sauce. Three of them look like they just increase in spiciness (I didn't try any of these three) and the fourth is "North Carolina barbecue sauce" (the quotes are meant to mock it, not to say that this is exactly what the container says). They claim that it is a spicy vinegar sauce, but it seemed to me to be a vinegary Tabasco sauce - it was actually pretty bad. I was happy with the sides. Corn bread, slaw, and mac & cheese were all very good. And the sweet tea was good, but no free refills (?!?!). Sweet tea is like the one thing that you must have free refills for. It also seems a little overpriced to me. For the price I paid, I should have left stuffed, but I was just not hungry anymore. It was plenty of food for me, I just should have paid less for it. But will the complaints that I had, I'd go back if I was in the area and craving some barbecue...it's not worth any significant trip though.
(3)chris p.
*This is essentially a fried chicken review* Since Popeye's has been closed *Is now open AGAIN!!* I was on a search to find great fried chicken in the boston area. Upon recommendation of a coworker I went to soulfire bbq.This was a mistake. My first visit, the chicken was slightly dry, but not too bad. The sides *you get 2 with the fried chicken platter* were mediocre at best. The collard greens were the only good thing about the meal. The mac n cheese was odd. Who puts lays BBQ chips on top of their mac n cheese as the topper?!??!? My second visit I got the same platter but changed the sides. The chicken was better but still had some dryness to it. The sides i went with double mac n cheese, and specifically told them not to put the lays bbq chips on top...... of course they did not listen, and screwed up my order. My third and Final visit I got the same platter, with double collard green sides. This was the final straw, the chicken was burnt, and dry all the way to the bone. I don't know who is cooking the chicken, but whoever it is does not know how long to fry it. The only saving grace was the sides of collard greens. If u want fried chicken go elsewhere. I gave soulfire three chances, but for some reason they dont know how to fry chicken. there are plenty of alternatives, and i suggest going to those places instead, because soulfire is mediocre at best.
(2)Aaron K.
Bottom line is that this is very good BBQ, and they DELIVER! BBQ is great for both taking home and eating out in a great atmosphere, but to be able to have really great BBQ brought to one's door is just plain fantastic. I love tender ribs with a dry rub. These are very good, and they're not quite as fatty as some other places. The chopped brisket was good too. I'm just waiting for Soul Fire to start delivering beer and a roast pig.
(4)Esther Y.
For all you Boston residents that haven't been here...you are missing out. This place is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. First, let me start off by saying that the staff here is AMAZING. Quite possibly the best service I've had. EVER. Christine was our server, and like we told her....an awesome server really makes your overall experience so much better. She was spot-on with her reccs, she was great at describing the food, and she was so good at her job, I felt like I wanted to eat more and more and more! Based off of Christine's recc we started off with the fried mac n cheese. Um can you say heaven? Seriously, if I worked/lived/was remotely anywhere near there, I would get that every time. EVERY TIME. It's so delicious I was tempted to eat more than my share and dig into my husband's b/c he was eating too slowly. Ha! Then, this is where more of Christine's awesomeness comes in, we tried some wings. Apparently we were there on "AYCE Wing Night" and because we were newbies, she let us try the flavors they were offering that night. I mean...I could've been completely satisfied eating wings for the rest of the night, but if you have read any of my previous reviews, you would know that that would've been impossible. Per usual, the hubs and I proceeded to order WAY too much food off the menu. We wanted to try as much as we could, and we were determined to leave there having tried their top picks. The Hubs and I both got the platters where we pick our two meats. I went with the fried chick and the ribs, and he went with the smoked chick and the brisket. The hubs and I LOVED everything. For our sides, he had the baked beans and potato salad, and I had the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Again, everything we had was sooooooo good. My mouth is watering thinking about it. For dessert, we had their fried dough. Um, WHAT?! Fried dough?! HOLY COW. I could eat this all day. It's this awesome fried dough with some homemade butter with honey and covered with powdered sugar. Wow. I mean, WOW. During dessert Mark (?) sorry, I'm terrible with names, came out from the kitchen and talked to us about the food. What I like is that he said he serves food the way he likes to eat it. So, if people think that the cornbread is a little too cakey, then sucks for you! You don't eat it or get it from somewhere else! LOL. I mean, how can you NOT love that? Honestly, you can tell that everyone that works here LOVES their job. They love making the food, they love seeing people enjoy the food, and they love talking/mingling with their guests. I haven't had as good of an experience like this in a long time, and it makes me want to tell EVERYONE. When I make my way back here, I'm definitely going back, again...and again...and again.
(5)Jessica R.
I am completely in love with this place. I split the $40 sampler platter with a friend and it said it would feed 2 - 3 people but I would say it really feeds 3 - 4. They presented us with an insane amount of food. All of it was delicious and I ate so much I almost felt sick. It was one of those moments where you really have no room left in your stomach, but everything is so tasty that you find yourself continuing to pick at your plate anyway. Also, major bonus points for serving Lone Star beer. As a migrant from Texas I almost peed my pants with excitement when I saw it on the menu.
(5)Michele H.
The smell of this place alone is intoxicating. Even for delivery--the smoky spicy scent wafts up the stairs with you as you cradle it knowing what you hold in your hands will be incredible and is probably too much for you to eat and probably will put you to sleep drooling. I'm not much of a barbeque person, but Soul Fire has won me over. Their chili is fantastic and has BRISKET in it! And you know what, I really hate ribs, but theirs are so good--without any sauce. The meat itself is immensely smoky, the the four sauces only further complement the already wildly delicious flavor. The catfish sandwich is also incredible, as is the mac and cheese. I'm sure a lot of vegetarians have walked into this place and made terrible, delicious life decisions.
(5)Rebecca L.
This is my favorite place in the Boston area to get barbecue (and that's a lot from a Carolina girl!). Granted, I haven't tried all of the barbecue places in the area, but I've tried many of them and this one just does it for me. The food is always delicious and the portions are big. The coleslaw is pretty good (though I really wish there wasn't celery in it) and I'm picky about coleslaw. Everything I've had has been amazing and I truly appreciate the variety of sauces. To be clear, most North Carolina barbecue sauce is vinegar based, but this is mostly true of the eastern part of the state. Growing up in the western part of the state, I had a nice mixture of all kinds of sauces, particularly Memphis and North Carolina. I love that this place has a North Carolina sauce, but I love even more that I can mix it with the Pit Boss sauce for the absolute perfect combination for my tastes. In addition, the prices are reasonable and the beer selection is solid. The cornbread is a little sweet for my taste, but that's a complaint about New England cornbread, not about Soul Fire.
(5)Ed P.
I like BBQ and all that goes with it and I'd been meaning to try this place for a long while. That said, I was mortified to read my friends yelp review of this establishment, about fifteen minutes AFTER the order was already placed. She gave it one star. Yikes! They had a 20% off first order coupon on Foodler so I placed a large order including a three meat plate, fried mac and cheese, rice and beans, collard greens and coleslaw. I opened one container and saw what had to be the fried mac and cheese. They resembled something the Borg might cook; squishy, dense, cubes of gelatinous material with all the charm and texture of cold, forlorn oatmeal left overnight in a bowl. F*cking dreadful. I had to peek back at the menu to see how they were described again. The first spare rib was no prize either. Yeah, it came off the bone and it was moist but damned if it had ANY flavor. Then I tried the coleslaw and found it both tasty and refreshing. I opened another container and discovered the goods...two huge pieces of moist cornbread and a sampler of three sauces. The cornbread was cake-like and awe inspiring. All three sauces were admirable. I really liked the pulled pork and the brisket, especially with the vinegar sauce. The rest of the ribs and the brisket were tender and well seasoned. Most of the other sides were tossed in the trash after a nimble or two.
(2)Andrew K.
Worst Service Ever! I stopped by yesterday (Monday, November 7th) and had not one, but two of their staff treat myself and my friends poorly. They had a sign out saying, "please seat yourself, " So I did. Seconds after I sat down I was told that there was a list. I politely said, "Okay, well, you should probably take your 'Please Seat yourself' sign down." Again, polite straightforward tone, nothing rude or crass. Just after I went back to the front door, a hostess (or manager?) came over an angrily slammed the sign shut and said "CLEARLY IT'S NOT SEAT YOURSELF. THERE'S A WAITLIST. Would you like me to put you on the list?" She was brimming with sarcasm and attitude. I said, no we'll take our business elsewhere and she retorted, "SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY" and then something else to one of my friends that I didn't hear. I have enjoyed food here in the past, but until they fire and hire some new waitstaff, I won't be back. I understand that waiters and waitresses aren't treated well everywhere and that food service is difficult work, but you can't treat someone else like crap because of your own crappy day.
(1)Laura C.
Very very very good, and not expensive at all, considering the portions and quality. I got the pulled chicken entree (epic) with mac n cheese (it comes with bbq chips crumbled on top) and coleslaw as sides, and as a self-proclaimed M&C connoisseur, it was tasty. Not an over the top amazing noodle epiphany, but delicious nevertheless. Boyfriend got a combo of ribs, chicken, and pulled pork- he was happy as a clam, seeing as how it was just a giant plate of delicious meats for $18. The fries are really crispy and soooooo good and I had a corndog for an appetizer- interesting! We left stuffed and pleased. Everything was better than I expected, and they have a good 'n' solid flavorful "pitboss" sauce that almost everything comes in- although upon sampling all of the options I prefer the "soulfire" sauce- it has a little more kick. Regardless, they're both super tasty, as well as fiery sauce and sweet. Our waitress was funny, kind, and accommodating. The ambiance is great, I loved the red with black trim inside. Good color choices. All in all, a very good choice!
(5)Andrea C.
The BBQ here is absolutely AWESOME!!!! This place puts RedBones to shame. I love their description of how ribs should be cooked. They should come clean of the bone, and that is the way Soul Fire does it. We had the baby back and spare ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork. All were amazing. I love how there are four very different and tasty BBQ sauces to choose from. What is even more awesome are how solid their sides are. Each can definitely hold their own. Their baked beans are amazing with the smoked molasses taste. The mac and cheese are to die for especially with bbq chips to top. The potato salad is just right with not too much mayo, herb, or mustard. The coleslaw was tangy and not overly mayo-ee. The cornbread had the right mixture of flour and cornmeal, it was almost perfect if it was served warm. Note: food is served on big metal platters and tough there may seem to be a small portion of food when they serve you, it is deceiving and the portions are quite generous. Soul Fire is a place to drool over, we will be back more for some delicious grub.
(5)Jimi R.
We stopped in here at an off hour of 3:30pm so the place was quiet and so the service was fast and very personal, as the waitress had plenty of time for us. I am someone who loves BBQ and has eaten it all up and down the east coast as well as the deep south, so I love trying places locally too.. I got a Groupon for this place as that helps me get out to try new places and this one is one of the best in Boston. I started with 2 single ribs and when the waitress put the plate down on the table, it reminded me of the opening of the Flinstones TV show, where Fred and Wilma are at a drive-in and when the waitress pops the ribs onto their car, the car tips over becausse of the size of the ribs.These ribs were huge and came with little to no sauce on them, which is the way I like em. The meat on the ribs almost fell off the bone and I was quite impressed with them too. Then my pulled pork platter with cole slaw and collard greens showed up and I realized at that point i was gonna need a take home box,as there was no way I could eat all that food..I am not a small guy, so I finish many a meal, but I knew it wasn't gonna happen today..The pork arrived like the ribs, with very little sauce, and this allows me to add some to suit my tastes. The collored greens were simply put, out of this world as was the pork too...Even the cole slaw was unlike most slaws I've eaten before and so even before I was halfway thru this meal, I went online and bought another Groupon for this place...This meal was 10 times more than I ever expected and when we were leaving, I made it a point to tell the manager how good it was and how the only way I could tell I wasn't in the deep south was that there's no writing on walls or table...I have another BBQ place close to this one that I frequent because of their food too and am now thrilled to have 2 BBQ places so close to home
(5)Sira D.
We ordered delivery from Soul Fire and loved it! The man on the phone was flexible and helpful in working out how much we needed to order for 4 people, the delivery came less than 10 minutes from when we hung up the phone, and the food was marvellous! Perfect ribs, delicious sauce (and lots to spare!) and amazing sides (the collards were particularly good). They really nailed the whole delivery experience and I'm looking forward to going in to the restaurant and trying it out in person.
(4)Cara B.
I lived in Georgia for 4 years and this is by far the best BBQ I've found up North. My bf and I saw them on Phantom Gourmet and had to make the trip! It was totally worth the 45minute journey. I wish they would open one at Patriot Place!!! We got the sampler and the chicken wings were delicious, I loved topping them with the Soulfire sauce. The pulled pork and the brisket was smokey and tender! The spare ribs also had a great flavor. I was impressed with the whole sampler, and the sweet tea!!!!!!!!!! MMMMM perfect amount of sugar! We got extra pulled pork to-go, and they have a BBQ sauce bar to take some home which was very convenient. The only thing that could make this place any better is Brunswick stew. Otherwise I just wish they were closer. Go there! Oh and our waitress was very fast and friendly.
(5)Mel C.
So yelp pretty much has it all right in the review highlights section, so I'm not sure why another review would help. This is what I order every time I go to Soul Fire: -Southern Fried Chicken (pair this with the Fiery sauce) -Mac & Cheese side (tastes better than the fried mac and cheese) -Fried Dough -Sweet Tea I always leave with a huge food baby. I wish they served their sweet tea half and half (half sweet, half unsweet), but aside from that, no complaints! The "BBQ" actually isn't that great. I guess it's good for Boston, but if you've ever been to Texas/Tennessee/other Southern states, it's just not the same. With that said, the ribs and brisket are the more flavorful/tender options.
(5)Lauren L.
Went for the bottomless wing deal, and while it was totally worth it, the line is EPIC. I have to say, we got really lucky - a group of nine, including myself, stole the table by the front window and then all the associated chairs at the window itself. Out waiter, though, was well and thoroughly harried thanks to the crowd the special draws. He brought us waters, took drink orders and disappeared except to bring us two rounds of wing platters. For bottomless, it certainly did end quickly, but I think he just forgot we were there in the rush to serve so many other tables, too. Overall the wings were satisfying and tasty, though there was really no difference between sauces. Many of the wings were also slightly pink in the center, a big let-down for a place that fries their chicken pieces. The macaroni and cheese squares were awesome, though. One of our party ordered them as her main instead of the bottomless wings, but shared a couple pieces in exchange for dodging the tab and still getting chicken. They were the best ones I've ever had, and most everyone else agreed they were spot on. Overall, I wouldn't pay for these wings again as a meal, and I wouldn't come back unless it was for the bottomless Monday thing. Not the best wings, not very good service, drinks are overpriced and they put the gratuity on there for you, but still ask for a tip on the side. Meh.
(3)Rebecca C.
I absolutely love this place. The fried Mac n cheese is so good!!! My best friend and I order delivery here about twice a month. We always get the fried Mac n cheese, the amazing chili cheese fries that way the same amount as a small child, collard greens that are sweet with I presume molasses, mashed potatoes with gravy, and sometimes if we are drunk enough we will get the pulled pork sandwich that is so amazingly tender and addictive. If I had the funds and the metabolism, I would live here and eat here everyday. The staff is also always super friendly and always smiling. Great service, great food, why aren't you there yet?!?!
(5)Lauretta L.
I want to give this place more stars but I just wasn't impressed by the BBQ. We came in with a Groupon (which they accepted w/o any problems) and got a platter of sliced brisket and a platter of spare ribs. The sides were great and in my view, better than the main meats! The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, and mac & cheese were all so friggin delicious. Especially the collard greens. Mmmmm mmm. I know I'll go back just for the sides. Now to the brisket...it was much too salty, and I am not afraid of salt. I love salt. Adding the Soul Fire sauce helped balance out the saltiness, but shouldn't it be good on its own? The spare ribs could have been more tender and juicy, but the sauce helped. Overall, service was fantastic. I'll come back to try the pulled pork sandwich and fried chicken.
(3)Christina C.
So disappointing. My husband and I ordered delivery from Soul Fire regularly -at least once a week. The food is great, but the service is terrible. They have forgotten items, brought the wrong items and have taken over two hours to arrive (when we just had to cancel our order). We reluctantly had to give up ordering from Soul Fire.
(1)Kate W.
Food was excellent, I got the fried chicken platter with mac and cheese and it was awesome. I did order through foodler and almost cried when I saw my delivery time was estimated at 2 hours and 20 minutes later. I called the restaurant and they said it should only be an hour and they didn't estimate right. The delivery did take a little over an hour but it was worth it, very good. It does seem like a really busy place. Next time I will get off my lazy rear and go pick up my food though, probably a lot quicker.
(4)Sanjit A.
Didn't feel like cooking for a potluck dinner so got the fried mac n cheese as takeout. Was a big hit and I was pretty sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. Went there at an odd hour when it was empty, but seems like a pretty good spot, definitely would like to return.
(4)Nicholas H.
The selection of four sauces at the table is very nice. That said, I quickly found my favorite and stuck with it. I had the pulled pork platter. The pork came served over a slice of white bread and I ordered the baked beans and collard greens as sides. The greens were delicious, but the beans were not as good (I still ate them all, they weren't bad either). I went on a Tuesday around 8 pm and it was pretty slow. Not crowded and not loud. Good soul food for a meal alone.
(4)Sergiu P.
The ultimate BBQ heaven: brisket, ribs, wings, pulled pork. They smoke'em to perfection. All you can eat wings Mondays. Get the Reuben, get a beer, have a good time.
(5)Dorothy C.
So much yummy food! Our faves were: corn dog, fried chicken (might be the best I've had since leaving the South), pulled pork BBQ (ditto), mashed potatoes & gravy, corn bread. Just okay, were: single beef rib & baby back beef ribs (both were fine, but dry), Mac 'n cheese (it's fine, but kinda dry and bland, though the sprinkling of crushed BBQ chips on top were fun), and the pickles (again, fine, but not as stellar as the mashed potatoes!) We liked the PitBoss sauce the best. (Firey mustard was way spicy hot and not sweet at all; it looked like honey mustard, but isn't). The Sweet sauce was a little too sweet. Um, we did take-out through foodler, and everything turned out well. Good portions.
(4)Dan M.
Judging by all the good reviews maybe I picked an off night to hit Soul Fire. I was very surprised when I stopped in on a Sunday and found the ribs to be mediocre at best. No flavor unless I added my own sauce from the selection of 6 squirt bottles I was offered. My thought was why don't they pick one and slap it on my ribs? Another problem I had was the meat stuck to the bone like Chinese ribs. I just ate at a Fireflys stand on Saturday and the meat came right off the bone with great flavor. I will give soul fire another try because I loved the decor, music and atmosphere. Sorry I have to call it as I see it. Very bland and undercooked.
(3)Ambrose C.
I recently went to this place on a Monday evening with some guy friends since they were offering this special where you can eat chicken wings in various flavors for only $8.99. When we got in, it was really crowded and we had to wait for a while to get a table. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, we finally got seated. We were given a various sampler plate that had four different chicken flavors. We had no idea which flavor was which just by looking at the chicken wings but all we knew was that some of the chicken wings either had a slightly sweet flavor, a slightly barbecue saucy flavor, or a buffalo-style spiced up flavor. We decided to get several platters mixed with those flavors. The bleu cheese was pretty good and sometimes made the chicken tastier. Celery sticks needed to be fresher though. As for the chicken itself, it was moist and tender, just how I like it. Service was decent, the server was nice, and we actually liked talking to her. Sometimes it took a while to wait for another platter of chicken, but I guess it was because this place busy with so many people. Overall, this is a good choice to eat a lot of tasty chicken wings doused in various sauces on a Monday night with friends. Be sure to have plenty of napkins.
(4)Jason T.
Excellent food. I got the combo plate; the smoked turkey, pulled pork, and chopped brisket. She got the half rack of ribs. Sides were delicious, I absolutely love their chili. Spicy and amazing. Their assortment of BBQ sauces was broad enough to suit most folks. I like the "Soulfire", her the "Pitboss". Quick service and has a couple of TVs to watch the game. As a previous Yelper mentioned, this place is loud. Too loud, hence my 4 star review instead of 5. That and I felt the chopped brisket was just a bit blah for my liking, even with the BBQ sauce which came on it. That being said this is definitely a repeat visit for me. I want to try a few more items and also check out there wing night on Monday. Good stuff.
(4)Kristin M.
This place needs to learn how to train their staff....we came in with a group of about 10 (yes I understand this can be frustrating) but the waiter was rude and quite incompetent. Finally, when we were almost finished, he stormed up to our table and demanded we all line up at the cash register and "confirm" what we had......and to top it off, he charged us all 20% tip....(the menu said it was 18%) i have waitressed and bartended for years so i'm not going to question someone on a few cents, but someone did ask him about it and he said it was because "he had to split the checks" ...and the fried mac and cheese was tasteless...this place was a joke
(1)Anna M.
The fried chicken is amazing. Love the bbq potato chips on top of the mac & cheese. The portions are huge and it's pretty cheap. Great for a Sunday afternoon when you're still nursing a bit of a hangover from the weekend and want some comfort food.
(4)Joel P.
Came here for all you can eat wing night on Monday's, so my review is based on that only. The wings are solid with a number of good sauce options. They are well-cooked and a decent size, so there is not much to complain about with an all you can eat night in regards to the wings themselves. Beer is decently priced. Service is solid and very nice. They do need to update their website because it says all you can eat wings are 8.99 per person, but my bill showed up at 12 bucks per person. I know, I know, not a big deal, but it's a total pet peeve of mine when places don't update their websites on specials or constant items. You should still come here for the wings. It's a good alternative to the yummy, moderately more expensive, and always full BonChon up the street.
(4)Julia C.
Love Soul Fire! I highly recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, watching the game and getting the sampler plate, which will give you a nice spread of everything. You'll definitely want to order the sampler plate with a friend or two (and you'll still have leftovers). The one surprising part of this place is that it is never busy- maybe I have just gone at weird times, but I would expect a place like this to be packed all the time! The vibe is super relaxed, they have great beer selection, and offer BBQ sauces on the table to spice up your meal! Enjoy!
(5)Kim H.
So first of, YOU CAN'T MAKE RESERVATIONS! which stinks ! and i came with a group of 13+ people. 10$ ALL YOU CAN EAT WINGS * but seriously after 10+ wings you would get sick of it. i was done at 8 wings. so 1$ per wing ! haha the wings were really good espescially the honey mustard ones! Buffalo? barely spicy, and i cant remember the other flavors. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE: was great they were really nice and friendly, but be aware they will give you paper ware cups and such. :) They don't split checks!
(4)Kelley F.
Outstanding! Food was amazing, servings were just the right amount of food. I didn't feel bloated and gross when I left, and I had the fried chicken meal. The chicken was cooked to perfection, I usually don't eat skin on chicken, but I ate every last morsel! Dessert was fried dough like I've never had...divine! The carnival's got nothing on their fried dough! Sooooo good!
(5)Laura B.
Sometimes you never know where love will hit you - and I suspected it the least on the day I went out for some simple BBQ and walked into a meat haven with...is that Stevie Wonder on the wall? Aretha Franklin? Am I listening to Earth Wind and Fire? Is this my own personal heaven?? Came in on a Sunday afternoon with a friend and ordered the Pitboss Sampler ($40), which is touted to feed 2-3 people but could comfortably feed up to 6 modest women. My friend and I being only 2 of the latter barely made a dent in it, and each took home leftovers that lasted us each for two more full meals. It's really a great way to get an idea of the total repertoire, and comes with an entire pizza pan full of meat, and one full of sides. Baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, pulled brisket (on Texas Toast), two types of chicken wings (fried and honey glazed), a hot link, cole slaw, mac n' cheese, baked beans, collard greens, potato salad, rice & beans and cornbread w/ butter really rounded everything out. I was a little shell-shocked upon having it brought to the table, but everything was delicious. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, though the pulled pork may be the overall winner for me. Being able to access a line of BBQ sauces at the table made sampling them all way too easy. The cole slaw, potato salad and mac and cheese stood out as excellent sides, while the collard greens (which I don't know if I like in any context), baked beans (a bit heavy on the molasses) and rice and beans (just too carby) I would forgo the next time I come around. The most gracious gentleman I have ever had as a server, he was attentive, had great timing, and a sense of humor. Everyone in the place was nice, even the group of 15 bros who decided the restaurant was the right place to hit after a pre-game kegger. The cheesecake ($6) is also incredible, and perfect to share. Coming back before I move home to California isn't a maybe, it's a must.
(5)Tony N.
I am a huge fan after my first visit, (thank you Groupon). A quick negative....the beer selection is a tad meh. They definitely have some good selections but not what I was hoping for. Maybe the folks at Tasty Burger could lend a hand? Ok, to the food. I had a half rack of spare ribs. These things were monster! The rub is so damn good you don't even need to sauce them up. Of course it's hard no to throw a little sauce on your ribs because their special blends are so tasty. For me the best sauce was the would fire sauce. A perfect combo of hot and a hint of sweet. sides were equally delicious. The collard greens were some of the best I have had and the mac and cheese had that homemade taste and texture you look for, (though To be honest I have had better). I hardly had room for cornbread but the little bit I sampled was good. My wife ordered the turkey plate. Not sure how they make the bird but it had a nice smokey flavor to it...I assume it's smoked. Just like my ribs, the turkey came in a big portion. We also had the rice and beans as a side. Nothing to special but I did like the corn added in. The service was excellent. Waitstaff was very concerned with us having to wait for anything and came by just the right number of times to make sure we had everything we wanted. I can't wait to go back a d try some of their other offerings.
(4)A L.
Tried Soul Fire for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because A, they don't have a full liquor license (just beer & wine), and B, the place is noisy as hell. They play the music way too loud so you can't have a good conversation with your friends. But the food was excellent... Any fried chicken order takes 20 minutes and we were starving so we started with the BBQ wings, which were delicious. I had the pulled pork platter with collard greens and coleslaw and each bite was better than the next. I tried my friend's brisket and that was excellent too. They also have four awesome sauces on the table for you to experiment with. Our favorite was the Pit Boss. So good! Definitely going back!
(4)Jamie P.
Love Soulfire! Long overdue food review. Food is always consistent and always delicious! Brisket and baby back ribs are our go-to. Fried catfish is also light and nicely cooked. Collards are great, mac n cheese is good and has crushed BBQ chips on top, beans are a must-get, and the cornbread is moist and sweet. Wing night is also really good. They have 3-4 sauces to choose from and a "wing of the night". The way they serve them is great. The wings come 4 at a time so they are always hot and fresh. You avoid the wings at the bottom of the basket that get cold and stringy. Food is fast and delicious. Check this place out!
(5)John E.
This was the first time our Yelp! account has led us wrong. We saw this place mentioned on TV and since it got good ratings we decided to give it a try. I am a Southerner and nothing about the food here reminded me of Southern BBQ. It was not good. There was only one waitress and she was terribly overworked; but she was very friendly and she is the reason that we gave 2 stars. The brisket was tough and chewy, and the sauce was terrible. The brisket was placed on top of a piece of bread and it wasn't fresh. The sides, particularly the cornbread, were also bad--undercooked and tasteless. The beans were bad as well and the rice/bean combination was like something out of a can. Sorry to all who likes Soul Fire BBQ. There has to be better.
(2)Eve L.
Reviewed the wrong soul fire, but don't want to mess with the rating. Please discount this one. Never been here....
(5)Kim K.
Good BBQ for location, price, and value. Chill vibe, decent service, clean dining area. Super cheap beers, huge menu, lots of options at all prices. My only gripe was portion size. BBQ should be BIG, Soul Fire left me wanting more. Big up to the cornbread, it was some of the moistest and most delicious I've had at any BBQ joint.
(4)AD S.
Just... so damn good. Honestly, this is where I go if I want to know I'm going to have a great meal at a pretty good price. Fried mac and cheese cubes to start, fantastic BBQ sauces, great meats, great potato salad, baked beans, etc... Damn. Yes, my southern friend smugly remarked that it wasn't "real" barbeque meat, and he is correct. But guess what? It's completely irrelevant. I just feel so great every time I eat here that I can barely swig down my second pint of PBR. Then, I can kick back and enjoy the James Brown on the speakers and that great mural on the wall.
(5)Stephen D.
I'm a real fan of BBQ, and having spent a lot of time in North Carolina my standards are pretty high. Soulfire doesn't even begin to disappoint, beginning with their friendly and excellent service. The place is very comfortable, and has a fantastic atmosphere. The music is good, not intrusive, and when you sit down it just feels good. It's not smoky, but you can smell the BBQ, and if that doesn't get your appetite in order, you may want to consider becoming vegan. Those good feelings are bound to increase when you consider your options for drinks, ranging from some really excellent beers, to lemonade that I cannot recommend enough. That lemonade is created by pressing the lemons, and combining with homemade simple syrup.. and they are truly, AGGRESSIVELY bottomless. I mean, when we were getting ready to go, our server asked if we'd like to have some lemonade to go. Still, this is a BBQ joint, so lets get down to it. We ordered the Pit Boss Sampler, which has something of EVERYTHING. Hoo boy, it was good. -Pulled pork is in the true Carolina style. -the Spare Ribs are... the best. The BEST spare ribs I've had above the Mason-Dixon line, period. -Baby Back Ribs are succulent, smoky, and off the bone in a heartbeat. -The Fried Chicken: EAT IT. Seriously, this is some of the best you can get, period. Unless you feel like making a pilgrimage down south, you will not find better. -The Hot Link is tasty as hell, meaty, and spicy without being overly aggressive. -The Sweet/Spicy Wings were just that, and really good. -The chopped brisket is good, beefy, but I've had some better, albiet not in this state. **Sidenote: The brisket and pork are placed on a slice of Texas toast, which soaks in the juice and fat.. and it's just... yum. The sides were (almost) universally the best I've had in a BBQ joint anywhere in our Northern lands. The exception was the rice and beans, which sadly just were not very engaging. -The cornbread: Oh god. Yes. So good. So. SO.. good. -The coleslaw: crunchy, fresh, tangy; it's what you want in colesalw. -The beans: Smokey, porky, and LOADED with molasses... so good. -The Mac & Cheese: Not a huge fan in general, but this was very nice, creamy, with a topping that adds great textural interest. -The Collards: I don't like collards, but I like these! A generous addition of mollasses cuts, but doesn't totally eliminate the bitterness. Most importantly, the green flavor is still there, and the greens have great texture; no sulphuric mush here. -The Potato Salad: Best there is... and I'm a deli fanatic. Really... REALLY special. -The Mashed Potatos: Fantastic, creamy, rich, with a fine gravy. The bottom line is that this is a place you can enjoy for the atmosphere, but above all this is truly great food. You can create your own platter from an essentially endless variety of choices, and the set menu is a winner. If you like BBQ, you'll LOVE Soulfire.
(5)Paran Y.
Well slap mai britches and call me hog wash -- this place is awesome!! A gracious purchaser of a Groupon led me to this fine establishment. I was skeptical at first but the portions are hulk*smash large. Disclaimer: this place isn't for the faint-hearted. No non-meateaters or calorie-watchers are allowed. If you are going to this place, you're going ALL IN. Pulled Pork -- BLAM@#$%^. Do I need to say more? Ok I guess I do. succulent, dripping with oh-so-delicious sauce, and cradled by some beans and mac & cheese ( I think it got a little sexual in there). It's enough to inspire you to go for a 5 mile run the next day....or do some shots. Your call there... Not enough sauce? *scoff* Throw on one of their 4 awesomely delicious sauces (my favorite is fiery)
(4)George M.
Me oh my. Yes, yes indeed. That's what my raging horngryness says as I saunter into this meat haven. This is officially one of my favorite restaurants on Earth. I think I love this place. Firstly, secondly, and thirdly, the food is fantastic each and every time. Fourthly, it is reasonably priced. Fifthly, they have all you can eat wings on Monday for $8.99. Sixthly, and MOST importantly, the wings come out as fast as they can manage. I had 27 wings this past Monday. And 27 the Monday before. No, these are not small wings, and yes, the waitress did hide her judgement sufficiently well. The whole staff is pretty awesome. Great selection of sauces (try the Devil's Relish if you want to teach yourself a lesson), good beer selection (try the Pork Slap cause that's just funny), and at times an innovative menu (try the BBQ Reuben). Were it a world where restaurant-monogamy was the societal norm, I would try to slide a ring around Soul Fire's ribs. I want their meat inside me.
(5)William C.
One word to describe this place...Yummy! I cannot speak on behalf of the actual food in the place, but my family and friends have given it a 2 thumbs up. However, I go once in a while to their Monday night wings special (review based solely on this) and the place is usually packed. Typically wait can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on what time you go and if there are any good games on. I have never had a bad experience here at Soulfire as the waitstaff are very nice and attentive for the most part, constantly refilling wings and water quickly. As for the prices, I have seen them fluctuate over the years. Back then it would only cost about ~$10-11 (including tip) for all you can eat wings (no drink, just water). After a lot of variation in their prices over the years, the price tonight was ~$14 w/ tip (no drink requirement). The wings were decent sized and they typically offer 4 different flavors of wings every week. From what I have experienced over the years, they keep buffalo and PitBoss (sweet and spicy BBQ) and rotate the other two flavors. Personally, I do not enjoy the buffalo that they have. I don't know what it is about it, but apparently the majority of the people I know do not like their buffalo either. Tonight I had spicy teriyaki, spicy honey, buffalo, and PitBoss. I'm glad they keep PitBoss every week as it is by far my favorite. The waiters do provide you with a side of BBQ sauces, which include SoulFire, Sweet and Spicy, PitBoss, and Fiery. Remember that if you do not like a particular sauce with the initial 4 wing sampler, you can tell them to take out the flavors you do not like! If you don't they will just give you a full platter of all of the flavors. Also, you can order half platters if you're beginning to get full, but still want more wings! I gave it 4 stars because the atmosphere is lacking, it is dark and often very loud...making it hard to hold a conversation without raising my voice. Also, the waitstaff some times forgot to omit buffalo wings from the next platter of wings I ordered when I specifically told them multiple times I do NOT want it. Place isn't perfect, but is well worth it for a quality and satisfying eating experience! Finish it off with a froyo run to Mixx and prepare for a food coma like no other!
(4)Rose F.
We have lived in Allston for 3 years now and really love having this place right around the corner. Personally, I am a sucker for the pulled pork sandwich and the baked beans. I get it pretty much every time I go and it is always exactly what I am craving: tender, juicy, and packed with slow cooked flavor. Of course, then I drench it in the soul fire or pit boss sauces (or both). The most recent time we went, we tried the fried Mac and cheese which was outrageously decadent, but very worth the calories. My boyfriend is very health conscious and often gets the smoked chicken salad (though he steals his fare share of my sandwich.) It's a very healthy option if you are trying to watch your weight but want that distinct smoked flavor. BBQ sauce makes for an excellent dressing as well. Want to know something else really rad about this place? You can wash down all that delicious smoky BBQ with a nice cold **$2.50** pint of PBR. This may be the cheapest price in the city, which is truly a special find in a place where happy hour Is outlawed. Truly a mecca for cheap beer lovers and BBQ alike. My only gripe with this place (though I continue to return anyways because the food is so darn good) is that service is always a bit spotty. Always friendly and well-meaning, but a bit absent-minded and confused. On three separate occasions, our waiter forgot one or two aspects of our order and had to put it in late after we did not receive it. Maybe we just happen to go when the new waiters are giving it their first go, but this is just a trend I have noticed. Still worth a trip for great BBQ!
(4)Anne W.
I scored an awesome Guilt City deal... and was really excited since the reviews have been mostly positive of this spot. The price is much lower than Sweet Cheeks.. it lacks the hip ness of that spot.. but it makes up for it by the price.. and come on, it's Allston! There is only a beer menu and no specialty drinks. I did think this place was okay.. not great.. along the same lines as Red Bones. There are some really yum things... such as: Fried Chicken (omg.. so crispy and good) Mac & Cheese Mashed Potatoes The other things in the Pit Boss Sampler were middle of the road... I wasn't impressed with the rice and beans, potato salad, coleslaw, ribs, sausage, pork bits, etc. I did not try the pulled pork as it wasn't offered in the sampler. I am still more of a fan of Sweet Cheeks... but still a decent find.
(2)Neal M.
I love love love this place. Awesome food. Great prices. The recently paired down the menu but all my favorites are still there. 1) the pork. Perfection. I like the pit boss sauce. 2) the mac n cheese with potato chip topping. How ingenious. No wonder I'm 195 lbs. 3) the spagetti western- mac n cheese covered with chili. I copied this for a family cookout and 7 lbs of it vanished. 4) the potato salad. I would kill for this mayo less recipe. 5) the homemade pickles! (They run out of these alot) Did I mention I love this place?
(5)Karina L.
Get: - Baby back ribs - Mac and cheese Don't get: - Spare ribs - Pulled pork - Collard greens Got the soulfire platter (2 meats with 2 sides) with the wings, baby back ribs, baked beans, and mac & cheese. The great thing about this platter (you can also 3 meats for a couple of more bucks) is that they pretty much let you choose any meat from the menu. The baby back ribs were deliciously tender and fell off the bone. The taste itself is kind of bland, but I'm assuming that's on purpose so you can use their 4 awesome barbecue sauces freely. They range from sweet and tangy to fiery spicy, so there's a sauce for every kind of BBQ meat lover. Wings were alright. Mac and cheese was also delicious, but don't take my word for it because I love any kind of m&c (including those from the box and when I melt shredded cheese on top of pasta in the microwave). Baked beans weren't my style...too goopy and sweet. Boyfriend got the baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, and the collard greens as a side for fiber (HAH..........). He, too, loved the baby back ribs but the spare ribs and pulled were dry and oily. Overall, a mediocre BBQ experience. Not a terrible option to have, though, considering that they've had 2 groupon/google offers within the past 2 months.
(3)Indhira B.
Good Mac n Cheese, good ribs, GREAT collard greens. Their fried chicken could Be better seasoned. Overall, good food. A bit over priced but worth it if you have a BBQ craving
(3)Cameron W.
Disclaimer: this is New England. Good barbeque is just not something that you can find here. That being said, this place is about as close as you're gonna get to decent barbeque around here. I found out about SoulFire because a friend had their food catered at his wedding. I thought the food was great, so I decided to check out the restaurant in person. It's in Allston which means that you're going to be challenged with finding parking unless you took the T or cab to get here. It was early afternoon when we arrived, so we didn't have a problem with seating. The menu was very simple, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, and some red beans and rice. The sandwich was great. The meat was very tender and good, and the available sauces to try weren't bad either. The potato salad was excellent. The red beans and rice - more like swing and a miss. I've had red beans and rice the way that it's supposed to be made, and that wasn't it by a long shot. But I do give them bonus points for having real sweet tea available. Overall I like it and will probably return in the future. I liked the atmosphere and decor - the soul theme was perfect and fits the restaurant very well. The server was polite and meals came out fast. And everything was good. So why the 3 star rating? First, the red beans and rice wasn't good. But more importantly, when we got there, we weren't able to order any fried foods because they were prepping for a catering event and had the fryers at capacity.
(3)Jeff L.
I'm not a BBQ expert by any means, but I travel a lot and I try BBQ all around the country. Soul Fire hold up to the best I've had anywhere. I live closer to a couple BBQ places, but prefer to make the trip here when I can.
(5)David C.
YES: - Pulled chicken, pork, and catfish. The chicken and pork are tender and flavorful, almost rendering Soul Fire's impressive array of tableside BBQ sauces unnecessary, while the catfish is flaky and moist. Add tartar sauce and a little bit of lemon and you're good to go. - Portion size. The pick your meat platter is gargantuan, and easily enough to split between two people. Get it with the rib and wing appetizer and you can sample the majority of Soul Fire's meats without much damage to your wallet. - Living Social offered a $12 for $30 deal. Couldn't pass that up. - Fried Mac & Cheese. Enough said. NO: - Cornbread. Dry and flavorless. Huge disappointment. - Baked beans. Too sweet. They're good for a couple bites, but they become cloying fast. - Celery in the coleslaw. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO HAVE THIS HEINOUS VEGETABLE BANNED FROM RESTAURANTS??? MAYBE SO: - Service when I went was friendly, but extraordinarily slow. Did I go on an off night? - No wet naps?
(3)Robert S.
I almost feel like rating one star, just to counter the other rave reviews that this place receives. I mean, come on! This barbecue joint is merely acceptable. Just try any of the meats by themselves, without smothering them in sauce. It'll be super bland, just like the greens, rice, and everything else this establishment has to offer. Not to mention that, on numerous occasions, my order has a) been screwed up, or b) items have been forgotten (namely the cornbread, more than once - also, by the way, quite bleh). I dare you to ask any honest, and well-reasoned Southerner what they think about Soul Fire. I can't imagine the opinion would be overly enthusiastic.
(2)Josephine L.
Boston lacks some serious BBQ eats, so residents have to make do with the few joints that exist. It doesn't take long to frequent them all and having done so, I can definitely say Soul Fire is the best. The baby back ribs literally fall off the bone and melt in your mouth (and no, it's not because they're fatty cuts). The fried chicken is so juicy, crispy and pepper-y--3 things American fried chicken should always be. I don't know how they get the fried catfish to be so tender, but it really is perfectly breaded on the outside and moist on the inside. I was not a fan of the collard greens, though, as they were just too sweet. The cornbread wasn't bad but didn't hit me with flavor like I would have liked. Finally, the fries were fat, salty pieces of heaven. Gotta love the 4-pack of BBQ sauces they provide you. I liked them all, even the sweet one, and I normally don't like sweet BBQ sauces. Even though the place was pretty packed and we were warned they were backed up, service was very efficient, attentive and friendly. Prices are dirt cheap. The vibe is super casual/dive-y with food being served on giant pizza pan-like plates and napkin dispensers/utensils pre-placed on each table. If you're in the Allston area, craving meat and DON'T come here, you've failed at life.
(5)bunny g.
delivery people beyond rude. wtf.
(1)Shaina P.
sadly there is no dirty rice, but the Mac and cheese still has those chip crumbs on it. the fried catfish had a kickass crunch. platters are actual platters. the sauces are good (soulfire, that's the BBQ sauce duh; o'fiery, mustard colored, spicy but not even too spicy; pitboss, vinegary edge and my fave esp paired with o'fiery). gotta try the fried chicken next time. bam.
(3)Kelsey C.
I came to Soul Fire because I thought it'd help curb my homesickness for the real tastes of the South until I went home to North Carolina for winter break. And just seeing barbeque on a menu helped, but the food tells me that maybe I should have just waited to go home. The Sweet Tea is about as real as a Gucci purse in Chinatown. They just dumped sugar into iced tea, which makes "sweet" an adjective, not a noun. We asked our server. They don't know how to make sweet tea. That's like drawing G's on a canvas bag with a sharpie and calling it Gucci. We ordered the Pitboss Sampler because it includes all the non-fish meat on the menu. Sadly, everything was not worth having. I didn't mind adding a little extra vinegar to the slightly-bland pulled pork, but I started getting irritated when I realized that the brisket and roast chicken didn't soak in any flavor. But I broke down when I read the menu disclaimer that the ribs were deliberately made to NOT fall off the bone because it "takes away the flavor". I bit into a rib and realized that the meat wasn't falling off the bone because it was flavorlessly dry rather than "flavorlessly" tender. I think I shed a tear. And I think the salt from my tear significantly improved the flavor of the fried chicken. The only sides/food items worth having was the Collard Greens and the Baked Beans. The beans are the reason we're called Beantown, and the collard greens were the best I've ever had. The greens were cooked but just cooked enough to retain some of the original veiny texture. A must-have if you come to Soul Fire. Although Soul Fire may rave about their 4 different barbeque sauces and NC vinegar, but good barbeque doesn't need a dipping sauce. If you never come to Soulfire, I can't say you'd miss much. There aren't a lot of southern BBQ places anywhere up north, but this is hardly worth the hike to the depths of Allston.
(3)Allie B.
I live right around the corner so I had to try it at least once. My roommate and I bought the 2-3 person platter not realizing it could easily serve 4 people. It was kind of like a sampler so we were able to try just about everything. The pulled pork was my favorite and I'm kind of picky as my best friends family does national BBQ competitions. I have to add that I was happily surprised that when we left and forgot our chicken/one bag somehow... A worker/cook chased us down the road to make sure we weren't missing that part of our dinner :) thank you for that!!!
(4)Allison R.
Oh, no! I started drafting this review the day after coming in to this place for a "couple's dinner" of all you can eat wings with my friend, her boyfriend, and my non-committal yet supposedly exclusive non-boyfriend. (Sadly, he totally sucks and we are no more, which shouldn't influence my review or your perception of the place. Just makes it sort of painful yet therapeutic to write this review.) We had a great time and enjoyed the wings (though the sauce is a bit heavy, so it's hard to eat a ton of them), and our spunky waitress was really nice. Service was a little slow (asking us if we'd like more drinks, bringing the bill, etc), but not a huge deal. Anyway, I liked the wings. I found parking right out front. The guy sucks. It'll be hard to go back because of the association, but you should give it a try.
(3)Rosalie O.
My friend suggested this place after our run to get some chili to warm up. It was the second time she suggested it, so I figured it must be good. Service, however, was not so good. We sat at the bar, were given waters and menus, but it was ages before they came back to take our order. It wasn't busy at all, and there were two waitresses, so it shouldn't have been that hard for them to communicate with each other. We were ready to leave when the waitress finally came back. The food was FANTASTIC. Delicious! Hit the spot! Soooooo good that despite the bad service, I will absolutely consider eating there again. The stars are LITERALLY ONLY FOR THE FOOD. Also, there were kids running around, which I wasn't so happy about.
(3)Emily R.
The place had a pretty cool atmosphere though it was strangely empty. My boyfriend and I shared chili cheese fries and the fried chicken platter with collared greens and Mac and cheese. Everything was soooo good and so rich that we took almost half of it to go. Definitely recommended for those who love comfort food!
(4)Alex B.
Came here for Monday night wing night and let me tell you, the fact that you can indulge on wings for $9 until you reach the point of physical pain is such a great aspect of this place. The wings are tender and flavorful and you can choose between Pitboss, Fiery, and Soul Fire. Which are basically smoky peppery, hot, and honey hot. This place has a very relaxed atmosphere and seems to actually have character unlike many places in the boston area. You walk inside and find yourself surrounded by hipsters which can be expected in the allston area. I also love that they have a pretty good selection of beer. And we also tried the chili cheese fries which were very tasty. However the fries themselves were a little ordinary. I am taking off a star because they tooka while to get us seated when there were 4 open tables and when we asked which wings were which the guy was only able to identify one type on the sampler platter we received. Will definitely be back to try other delicious bbq menu items.
(4)Joanna F.
When your first thought walking into a restaurant is "Wow, it smells like Memphis in here" you know it's going to be a decent barbecue experience. I loved the atmosphere - dark, warm and inviting. It definitely fits into the hipster vibe of Allston. My friend had a groupon and the two of us couldn't even spend the $35 because the prices were so reasonable. I was basically forced to order an entree instead of a sandwich to up the price of the meal. I got the brisket. I don't usually order brisket, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the meat was tender and I enjoyed trying their different bbq sauces on it. The sides of cole slaw and rice and beans were fine and the corn bread was awesome. My friend ordered a two meat combo - pulled pork and fried catfish. I have to say, the fried catfish stole the show. I would say that it was better than the catfish I had in Memphis. The service was fine and overall, the bbq was decent. Portions were more reasonable than other bbq joints (meaning smaller) which is why it's so cheap. I liked walking out of there not feeling disgusting from overeating though. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, but it's a good option in the Allston area.
(4)Ms. S.
The pulled pork sandwich has an amazing texture. The meat isn't gross and mushy, but rather it has a delicious chew and substance to it. Yum. But the mac and cheese isn't that great and the cornbread is a little too sweet for my liking. However, the collards are fantastic!
(4)Rachel D.
If you're in the mood for good barbecue head over to Soulfire! The pulled pork was soft and delicious. We went on a Monday night and low and behold it was all you can eat wing night! Our waiter was great and we were almost never out of wings. Good stuff!
(4)Kristine R.
Damn good BBQ! My friend had a groupon here and we went to redeem it last Friday like everyone else, but it was worth the wait, plus with the groupon, the price was just right. (Though for the record, I would definitely come here again groupon or no groupon). My friend and I were seated on the counter space facing Harvard Ave (good for people watching as your licking your fingers from eating those bbq ribs). Anyway, we ordered the appetizer two chicken wings and two ribs. Both very good, but I do suggest adding one of their bbq sauces to the ribs as it was more flavorful that way. As for the main entrees, I had the beef brisket with mac and cheese and fries. My friend had the pulled pork with the mac and cheese and coleslaw. The meat is atop a piece of bread and the mac and cheese was a little helping, but enough and the fries were a generous amount. The mac and cheese was tasty with bits of bbq potatoes chips on top. I liked my brisket, but I took most of it home as the appetizer got me full. My friend liked the pulled pork and her coleslaw. She also took some of her food home. Service was good as our server was coming up to us periodically to see how we were doing. Prices aren't that expensive with the entrees going for $12-15 and the sandwiches for about $6-7. You can also share bbq platters if you want to sample all the meats. Great place! I'll definitely be back!
(4)Alex A.
The worst thing I can say about this place is that there's no way to leave sober. On a more relevant note, this is probably one of the better BBQ joints in all of Boston, not that there are many around. The prices are quite reasonable, the selections are diverse and delicious across the board. Except the catfish, which sucks dong, but that's really not Soul Fire's fault; I mean, catfish is kind of a disgusting garbage-sucker to begin with. Not much you can do to improve on the fact that it eats poop all day, not even deep-frying it seems to do the trick. So do yourself a favor and don't get the catfish. But everything else is about as good as you would expect it to be. Cover that shit with one of their signature BBQ sauces, shovel it into your mouth, and you're good to go. Oh, and another thing: this place isn't ideal for large parties (i.e., 10 and more.) That isn't to say they won't accommodate them - in fact, when I showed up out of the blue with a group of fourteen individuals in tow, they very graciously found us two large adjoining tables, and even thanked us for our patience. Read that sentence again. A restaurant in Allston thanked its customers for being patient while they were getting ready to stuff delicious seasoned meat down out face holes. I mean, what the fuck is this country coming to? God damn liberals...
(4)Eric F.
Yum! With Groupon in hand and the company of two other empty stomachs, my friends and I ordered the Pitboss Sampler and went to town. The Spare Ribs were delicious with much tenderness and a great dry rub providing soft spicy notes that settled in gradually and became evident towards the end of each bite. A close second, the Baby Back Ribs had nice smokey flavor though were slightly drier. I was pleased to see that the Pulled Pork was well-executed and held its own to that of Redbones - tender and juicy, 'nuff said. I liked the Chopped Brisket as well, but they were admittedly just solid and probably the least impressive of the meats. The surprise winner was actually the Southern Fried Wings! The batter was truly exceptional in that it excelled on all fronts - a sensationally delicate and crispy texture chock full of savory flavor, it needed no enhancement whatsoever. It gave way to unbelievably juicy meat within that made each mouthful an awesome one. I can't forget the Spicy Honey Wings which were also very tasty and made me seriously consider a return visit soon for the Monday unlimited wings special. What COULD be forgotten, however, were the Hot Links - dry and tough to swallow. From the selection of BBQ sauces, we enjoyed the Pitboss and SoulFire the most as they provided a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Spice lovers will undoubtedly enjoy the mustard-based Fiery sauce and as for the Sweet...meh. As for the plethora of sides, I enjoyed Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens the most. Nothing amazing, just good jobs on the classics. The interior's very spacious and service was great throughout our meal - regular check-ins, sincere apologies for having us wait out front for the place to open at noon and lots of smiles all around. Can't wait until my next BBQ feast =D
(4)Mike Z.
I've been here a multitude of times since my first visit with the most recent visit being this past weekend. I've docked star because it seems like the food quality has gone down. The good: The lightly-breaded fried catfish is consistently crisp on the outside but ever so tender on the inside. The southern fried wings are SO good, as with the catfish, it's moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the out. The mac and cheese and potato salad are always tasty, though the cornbread is not as fluffy as before. The not-so-good: The BBQ "party" wings, they call it, was disappointing because the wings itself are considerably smaller than before, but the price hasn't changed. It's oversauced as well. The sliced beef briskets were very dry and tasteless. Now, the briskets here were never impressive, but it seems like it got worse. The baby back ribs went from fall-off-the-bone tender and succulent to dry, hard, and without much taste. Thumbs up also for the unchanged friendly staff, I have not seen one new employee since my first visit.
(3)Patrick D.
Overall, good spot for some quick food. Cool atmosphere, old jazz posters on the walls, one huge television and a sweet mural behind the counter. Good, wholesome barbeque at a very reasonable price point. Two people ate here for less than $20. I got a turkey sandwich and my date (though I would not recommend this as a real date spot, just a quick little dinner) got the pulled pork sandwich, both of which were very good and simple. I had some of the mac & cheese too which had barbeque potato chips on it. Interesting, creative, not too bad. Decent spot for some quick grub with a friend or two.
(4)Lauren V.
I'm a loyal Soul Fire customer. I live nearby and go often, especially for all-you-can-eat wing Mondays. The place isn't perfect, but in this price range... what is? The digs are just aiight. It's too dimly lit, and the red walls are a little overbearing (on the plus side, no creepy red lights like the Sunset Grill, so at least you won't feel like you're dining in the Lust scene from Se7en), but I'm not there to look at the walls, you know? Music tends to be pretty good - mostly old soul and funk. Good selection of local sports games playing on the TVs, and they have a huge projector on the main wall, so it's a fun place to watch a big game. The beer selection is decent and cheap - a lot of local selections, both canned and on tap. Tip #1: you will be required to order food of some kind if you order a drink - even if it's just cornbread (which is hit or miss, I've found - some days it's outstanding, and some days it's just mediocre). All-you-can-eat wing Mondays: THE BEST. These aren't your typical anemic bar wings, these are big, fat, meaty wings and drummies. There's a standard roster of three flavors: buffalo, Soul Fire sauce (their house sauce - a really solid spicy/sweet barbecue), and (I believe) their Pit Boss sauce, which is a rich, sweet barbecue. The fourth is a rotating flavor that changes every week - on various days, I've had bacon ranch (I died when I ate these, I'm actually writing this review from the grave), Thai green curry (delicious), golden barbecue (nice buttery barbecue), and coconut lime. The new(ish) chef is a whiz with soy-based sauces, so I expect a lot more Asian-inspired flavors in the future. Thank Jesus. Their normal menu is overall done right and priced right. A standout is the fried catfish - huge filets of flaky, moist deliciousness, and the spicy tartar sauce rules. Their fried chicken should also not be missed - it's unbelievably moist and tender with a crispy, mildly-spiced batter. Break away from the standard pulled pork and chicken (though both are good - especially when doused in the vinegary North Carolina sauce) and you'll find some real gems here. Tip #2: ask your server for the South Carolina sauce. It's a tangy, spicy mustard-based sauce that isn't on the menu, but it's the best of the bunch, in my opinion - especially on the fried chicken! Their sides are all slightly different takes on what you might expect from a southern barbecue joint - mac and cheese is creamy and delightful but not overly salty or gloppy, with crumbled barbecue chips on top. Both beans and collards are much sweeter than usual, and neither are cooked into mushy oblivion. The potato salad is as good as mom's, specifically my mom's. A large order of fried mac and cheese bites is easily a meal in itself - deep fried cubes of their normal mac and cheese, perfect for dipping into various sauces. Don't come here expecting the best barbecue you've ever had in your life (this is Boston, come on), but with a grain of salt and a little faith, you'll be more than satisfied.
(4)TJ G.
Pretty good food. If you're looking for some fried food, you can't go wrong. Sauces made in house with some decent variety. Prices are good as well.
(3)Michelle L.
it was 'okay.' service was a little slow (esp. for Saturday dinner). our food was barely luke-warm, so it was clearly sitting before it got to us. disappointed that "jumbo party wings" weren't jumbo by any means, and five measly half-wings cost $7!!! fries were tasty, though, and the collard greens that we got with the beef brisket platter were awesome (except no one told us there was bacon in them). i was really disappointed to hear the the iceberg wedge salad was identical to a house salad (as in NO BACON), and just instead of good lettuce, had wedge lettuce.... needless to say, we didn't order it. the sweet tea was very good. the brisket platter had six slices of COLD brisket (no sauce) on top of a piece of bread - came with two sides and was $13... again, a little pricey. all-in-all some goods, and some not-so-goods, so 3 stars. they really need to serve burnt ends.....
(3)Jeremy F.
Absolutely awesome barbecue and far and away the best in the Boston area. Slades, Blue Ribbon and especially Redbones (blegh...overhyped) don't come close. They have 4 kinds of sauce to choose from and all of the meat is cooked to "pull off the bone" tenderness (vs. "fall off the bone" which is, technically, overcooked) and flavorful, so you can really do without sauce if you choose. Don't tell my grandmother or Godmother, from Arkansas and Kentucky respectively, but the greens are the best I've ever had. Also, everything is reasonably priced for the portions and quality and they're constantly spinning some kick *ss classic soul, funk and R&B tunes through the house speakers! If there were half stars, I'd give a 4.5 and the only reason I'm dropping from a 5 is because since my first visit in 2011, it seems the service has dropped off a bit and some of the food has become slightly inconsistent, a sentiment I see echoed here in other reviews, and I want them to keep their standards high. Still, their "C" level is well above most BBQ joint's A game. Long live Soul Fire!
(4)A M.
Great deal with Groupon. But note that this place does offer a lot of relatively inexpensive items. Ordered two platters, one with pulled pork and baby back ribs, and the other with chopped brisket and spare ribs. All of the good was good. Personally I prefer bbq with sauces cooked on and carmelized. Here everything is smoked, so all of the meat was very dry, and you then have to add your own sauces. While I enjoyed my pulled pork and baby back ribs, I thought the spare ribs looked extremely fatty and I had no desire to try them. My boyfriend did like them. The chopped brisket was surprisingly good, and did not taste at all like what i expected. Note that they do not have a full bar, only beer and wine. If I lived in the area, I would probably go back, even without a groupon. However, since I do not, I would rather spend my money at Texas Roadhouse instead, since I think their bbq is a lot better. (plus margaritas!).
(3)Jen S.
I've been meaning to do this update for a looong time. The fried chicken wings are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Takes a while because they are cooked to order, but 10000000% worth the wait. Had to add this to my previous review. So fried chicken wings + mac and cheese= best meal in Allston (next to shabushabu at ShabuZen) It's also a nice place to eat and hang out with friends (maybe a husband)- and a pretty good place to watch a game. If you want a nice flavorgasm (and have had a dryspell because you've had such bland food for a while), you're in for a BIG LONG ONE! :)
(5)Frank J.
My favorite BBQ place in the area. Not the best BBQ I have ever had, but solid overall and no complaints about the meat. The ribs and brisket are great, fried chicken is standard, and catfish is done right. I always think the easiest way to judge BBQ is through their fried fish - the catfish here is moist with a delicate breading, not at all the hard deep fry breading that crappy places use (fish needs to be breaded differently). I should say that what I get most often is the sliced brisket sandwich - very delicious, competes with the best of the sliced brisket around. I recommend the sandwich instead of the platter. From my experience the platter doesn't come with more meat than the sandwiches. Also, the platters come with "texas toast," which is basically cheap white bread at the bottom of the plate that gets very soggy and gross. There is really no reason for this on the platters, there should be more meat instead. Another reason why I like this place is because I have used groupons (or equivilent) here before and unlike many other places they are actually very happy with the use of groupons. It is ridiculous that many places issue groupons and then have an attitude when you use them - it is supposed to be advertising and getting people to try the food, yet many places discourage you from coming back by giving you attitude for using them. Soul Fire does not do this - they are very friendly and happy to take them. There was an article on one of the sites a while back ( Boston.com maybe?) when groupons were in the early stages and the owner of Soul Fire talked about how great they were - and these statements are backed up when you use them here. I very much appreciate this and for this reason alone I am inclined to continue using Soul Fire as my default BBQ place. Also, I have only had take-out from here and have never had a problem. They generally give you a wait time of 15 min or so, and every time I have come in 15 min the food has been ready to go. The staff here is also very friendly with the take out. Some places care less about take-out patrons because of the out of sight, out of mind realty but not here - great staff (and owner - judging from the article I read he seems to care about the customers). Small complaint - I mentioned earlier that my favorite is the sliced brisket sandwich. This stands true, but some pieces can be half fat, although this is the nature of brisket. When I make brisket I slice off the obvious huge pieces of fat and that is not done here, so you can get a brisket sandwich that has very large solid fat portions. This is my personal preference though so this is not why I gave 4 stars insdead of 5, if they removed the fat there would be others complaining about it and that it ruined the flavor, etc. Doesn't matter but heads up - can be a slight roll of the dice with the sliced brisket, but still what I recommend. So the reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 (they would easily have 5 stars aside from this). They recently raised their prices (not a complaint, it happens and should be expected from time to time) but did not update the prices on their website (the sliced brisket sandwich went from $8 to $9). What happened is that I ordered a lot of food and went to pick it up and came very close to not having enough money to cover it. I understand price increases but you have to put your customers on notice by promptly updating your website - people rely on it. Soul Fire would otherwise have a glowing review but not updating a website considering how easy it is is just not excusible. Overall - great food, great people, my place for BBQ.
(4)Jennifer T.
Went here with a Groupon, but def. reasonable prices even without it. The wait was about 30 mins on a Monday night, but perhaps because it was all-you-can-eat wings night. We got the "serves 4 souls" which came with a TON of food, we had plenty of left overs afterwards - i'd say it feeds more like 5+. It came with a rack of ribs, 1lb meat (you can choose from brisket or pulled pork), 4 halves of hickory chicken, cornbread, and 2 sides. The biggest disappointment was how small the 1lb of pulled pork turned out to be. Like others mentioned, its not cooked in any sauce, but the upside is that you can test all the different sauces they give you. Our group all though the Pitboss was the best - a bit tangy sweet with a bit of kick, and those who liked spicey, also liked the fiery. The ribs were AMAZING though, super tender and HUGE quantity. The chicken was good, but as with most BBQ, it just cant compare with the ribs and pulled pork. For our sides, we got the mashed potatoes and collard greens. The mashed potatoes were tasty and just the right amount of buttery and peppery goodness. The collard greens were also some of the best I've had, I liked that it had more molasses taste. The waitress was also very attentive and checked up on us often. As for the place itself, it was well lit, but rather loud, but not as noticeable once you're seated. A star was taken off for the small portion of pulled pork, and the waters and sodas were served in paper cups, making the beverage not as cold and refreshing, and also wasteful.
(4)Vanessa C.
The food is excellent! Make sure you get an experienced server,though... well, even if you don't;the food is still very much worth the trouble. :)
(5)Joe B.
Soul Fire saved me from culinary boredom. And I keep coming in to give thanks. Their waitstaff continues to be fantastic. Even though the place has gotten busier, I still get great personal service from everyone there. They keep the place clean, your water glasses full, and your drinks poured, and they really seem to enjoy being there. Happy staff equals happy customers, as evidenced by the many other people I see eating there frequently. I recently tried the catfish sandwich. I went into it with some trepidation, since I'd only ever had pulled pork, brisket, or wings from Soul Fire. But, it was a summer night, and I wanted something lighter, so a white fish was my answer. It was excellent! It tasted very fresh, and it had a nice breading on it that provided a little flavor. I'm not much of a tartar sauce person, but their homemade stuff added a nice hit of flavor to the sandwich. I continue to recommend the cornbread and the mac 'n' cheese that comes with BBQ potato chips crumbled on top. Definitely come hungry, and pace yourself. This place is more than worth your attention here in Allston.
(5)Kevin T.
Good to mo betta BBQ! Great serving size, good meat, good beer, good overall experience. I particularly liked the the brisket tips. Gets a little loud though. Still worth it!
(4)Cory B.
I really like this place. The food is great, the vibe is cool, and you would be hard-pressed not to walk out feeling completely full and satisfied. This is truly one of the best BBQ places around (and I've always been biased towards Redbones in Somerville) because it is different. It's comfortable and has that true soul vibe. The fried mac and cheese appetizer is amazing, the ribs are flavorful, and they give you a fantastic selection of BBQ Sauces to use. The only reason this isn't 5 stars for me is becuase I've gone a bunch of times for dinner and I feel like they could do a better job of making it feel like a lively joint. The music is low, and it tends to feel empty. I think that they could lower the lights, pump up the music a bit, and get the place feeling a little more fun. When it comes to the food though, go to Soul Fire.
(4)Owen C.
I was looking for good BBQ in Boston/ Brookline area.... so far, this has hit my fix! I could spend an easy $40 eating up here, and boy does this place hit your BBQ needs I wouldn't say it is a 5 star BBQ in the realm of BBQ, but for New England, its wicked good. I have already gone 4 times.... in 2 weeks :) Coleslaw is amazing, corn bread is close to epic brisket is straight up wicked! Cheers
(5)Amber K.
If this review were concerned solely with the quality of food, I'm not sure there are enough stars to express how delicious it is. I'm actually not the person you should listen to about food most of the time because I'm incredibly picky and prefer things that are bland, straightforward, and standard. I don't even use any of the four (apparently amazing) sauces that SoulFire offers at each table. That being said, SoulFire manages to cater to my depressing palate while pleasing every other person I've ever gone there with. The fried chicken, which is what I order without fail, is absolutely amazing. It is moist and juicy, flavorful, and worth waiting the 20 or so minutes it takes to prepare (if you say you've never been to SoulFire and you order this meal, they will warn you about a delay because it takes a while). I have also witnessed the enjoyment of the pulled pork, baby back ribs, spare ribs, and all of the various sides. Mac and cheese is a favorite (it has a little bit of BBQ potato chips crumbled on top!), and the gravy for the mashed potatoes could be sold wholesale for quite a profit. The cornbread has been a source of a fight or two when there is only one piece left. My fiance and I enjoy the food so much that we are having it served at our upcoming wedding. SoulFire does lose a star, however, on the staffing/service side of things. It's not bad, not necessarily even mediocre, but it's hit or miss. Sometimes the waitstaff can be inattentive or slow, but sometimes they're great. Sometimes, when the place is very busy and we've had to wait for a table, the staff seem slow to turn over tables and seat customers efficiently. It's not enough to make us stop going, not by a long shot, but I couldn't in good conscience give the place a perfect rating when I know that sometimes I walk out of there very full but not totally psyched.
(4)Alex L.
I'm going to lower my previous rating based on their delivery service. I have NEVER had a problem until tonight and it was so horrendous I had to write about it. I used campusfood to place an order and I included a tip. Usually the delivery is very timely and right to my door, no problems. Tonight the delivery guy asked me to go downstairs to the street to meet him. I'm sorry but I included a tip for delivery, this isn't "meet you 1/2 way" service, this is delivery service. I'm utterly appalled not only because of that but by the way the driver was speaking to me on the phone. I told him that if I walked downstairs I'd call and have my tip removed from the order. He responded "is it that difficult for you to come down?" I said "no, it isn't, but it's not what I'm paying for." I could understand if there was nobody downstairs to let a driver in, that's not my beef. My beef is a driver sitting his ass in his car, outside on the street, that's too lazy and too rude to do his job and bring food to the door to the proper destination.
(2)Angela M.
We brought my boyfriend's family here while they were visiting. It's a pretty cool place. The staff was very friendly, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Good place to go if you feel like eating lots of meat.
(4)R G.
yummy! simple, no fuss food. we ordered the mac'n'cheese bites to start (good way to sample the bbq sauces), I got the fried chicken, and the bf got the pulled pork sandwich. the entrees come with your choice of several of the sides. the amounts are smallish, but you get to try a lot (the potato salad was good!). the chicken was fresh and tasty. the bf liked his pulled pork sandwich, and I thought the bite I had was good. I'm glad their bbq isn't overly saucey-- dowsing meat with gallons of sauce does not make good bbq! the atmosphere was relaxed and the waitress was nice. we'll be going back to try more!
(4)Michael D.
Some of the better/best atmosphere and BBQ in the Boston area. Everything simply tasted fresh with good quality ingredients, and nothing seemed like it was reheated or old. It all tasted just very "homemade". The service was quick and nice, professional but still casual all of which added to the positive atmosphere. We also enjoyed the music selection. I would suggest giving it a serious try if you're in the area!
(5)Garth S.
Soul Fire is clean, convenient, dark, usually quiet, and not too expensive. It is not, however, great BBQ. In fact, I'm not sure it really qualifies as BBQ. If pressed, I'd call it BBQ-influenced fast food. But for Allston, Soul Fire is pretty classy, and beats nearly everything along that crap-infested stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth and Brighton Avenues. I'm glad it's around but if I didn't live nearby, I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(3)Deb K.
The couple of times I have been here, it has been mostly empty and the service was amazing (not sure how it goes when there are more people around). Any place that has a BBQ sauce condiment bar, is going to get a lot of stars in my book. The plates here are huge (even the sandwiches) and are reasonably priced. They've got beers on tap and a bar with vinyl covers (look it up on google if you forget what those look like) decorating the bar. The meat was tender, the mac and cheese had chips in it, and the pickles were fresh.
(4)Drew V.
I'm really not sure what the big deal about this place is. I've been here a few times and my experiences have been below average. The brisket sandwich was dry but more tolerable when drowned with sauce. The portions of sides could have been bigger.(Is a spoonful and a half of mac and cheese considered a side?) On another occasion I ordered the fried chicken which looked/tasted to be a previously roasted thigh that was breaded and deep fried. It was a strange combination. The chicken was left too long in the fryer and was way too greasy for my taste. The place is clean though and they do have a big screen tv for watching whatever sporting event is on at the time.
(2)s c.
Really 3 1/2 stars. 5 of us decided to try this BBQ joint on a Sun eve. It's all about the food, so here's our impression. For this type of BBQ, the one to beat is Blue Ribbon BBQ, which is superior to Redbones (ribs can be dry). We got the fried chicken wings for apps, since Yelpers liked the fried chicken (good). Ordered the sampler for 4 which was about $58 that came with ribs, chicken, and choice of brisket. Ribs - really meatiest I've ever had, not dry or overcooked, not too fatty. An A for ribs. Chicken was good too. Brisket was a mite dry. Mash potato was good, but they gave us only a serving for 1 or 2 persons. Collard greens tasted a little too sweet, maybe molasses. Corn bread was good - not as good as Blue Ribbon. For us the disappointment was the sauces - none of the flavors can match the sauces at Blue Ribbon. So while there's plenty of food (the meal for 4 can easily feed 7 or 8, but not enough mashed or collards), the sauces were a disappointment.
(4)Pablo C.
Great brisket and pulled pork. Tender pulled chicken. All the meats were moist and tender and the choice of sauces is excellent. For $20 you can get a 3 meat platter that comes with two sides. The mac-n-cheese is a bit dry but tasty (I prefer dry) and the baked beens are very good with a little kick. Definitely would go back, I did take-out as parking in Brookline is a bit iffy. I parked on the dead end side street on the right just pass the restaraunt.
(4)Jennifer B.
I went to Soul Fire last night, and am happy to report that they have gotten their beer/wine license. They had a good variety of beer, and even had some for really cheap - several under $3. Of course, they were Pabst, Schlitz, and High Life, but they also had better beers for not much more. I wasn't in an alcohol mood so I had a tasty glass of lemonade (not from concentrate). I was very happy with my Soul Fire platter - baby back ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, mac and cheese, white bread, corn bread, and pickles. It was a lot of food. Even though the serving of ribs seemed small (I think I got 4 ribs with my combo) I was extremely full by the end of the meal. The cornbread was tasty, the collards were excellent, with bits of onion and bacon mixed in, and the Mac and cheese was extra cheesy with BBQ potato chips sprinkled on top. I was a little confused by the counter ordering, but only because I was not aware that you had to go up to order. My friend was already seated when I arrived, and we waited around for a while before I finally realized that a waitress was not going to come to take our order. It would have been nicer if they had noticed us sitting, looking around confused, and come over to explain how it works there. Otherwise, it was good food, good portions, for a decent price.
(4)Hailey T.
Pulled pork sandwich= delish! I'm pretty fond of the sweet bbq sauce. Fries were good. Just what I wanted. To top it off, I called in for delivery and they showed faster than they quoted me, they're on top of it and that's something I appreciate...since it can take a lot of other places ages to get the order to you. Solid place, will definitely try them again!
(5)Steven F.
Awesome BBQ, they serve beer, the game's always on, courteous people, oh, and did I mention the BBQ is AWESOME? It's like our own little Red Bones right here in Allston. They also have a trendy atmosphere (definitely not fancy though) and they play really chill soul music all the time. A flat out great place to eat, see the game, have a drink, or kill time.
(5)Leslie W.
I phoned in asking for BBQ chicken and was told they only offered smoked chicken and BBQ sauce on the side. So Although it wasn't exactly what i was looking for, i ordered a whole chicken. When I went to the restaurant to pick it up, the glass door and front windows were smeared with at least a week's worth of hand prints - maybe more - and the entryway had an unclean funky smell. I shutter to think about what the kitchen looks like. I asked the waitress if they ever clean the front door and windows and she seemed annoyed with me and said they hire a guy named Oscar to do it. The chicken was smoked and a bit too salty and otherwise unmemorable except for the strange dark brown color it had. It was also so scrawny that we had to look in the box to make sure it was our order, we didn't think a whole chicken was in there. I love chicken, but this was a major disappointment. Shouldn't a BBQ restaurant have great chicken? Methinks yes.
(1)Fred K.
I had eaten here before and the food is actually quite good although the portions were a bit small. I went in last Sunday, by myself, to catch a bite before a show. It wasn't that busy, so I was able to sit down right away. The reason for my two star review was the service. I saw the waiter a grand total of three times. Once to take my order, once to drop off my food, and once to settle my tab. He never once stopped to check and see if my food was okay (it was) or to offer me more water (I did want more). Then when my check came ($12.50), I paid with a twenty. He brought me back $7 even. I didn't even bother complain, I left a small tip and left.
(2)Jordan M.
Went to Soul Fire for an afternoon lunch with an old friend. Enjoyed a cold beer (Dale's Pale Ale no less) and some good barbecue. Started with the corn dog appetizer (best corn dog I can remember) and sampled some of the bbq sauces. I'd say the "fiery", "soul fire" and "pitboss" or some amalgamation of two of these sauces is the way to go. Being a big rueben fan I couldn't pass up the BBQ Reuben that comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and brisket substituted for pastrami. This is not an idea unique to Soul Fire and is rather popular in the south often called a "Rachel". For a side I had, and recommend, the mac and cheese that I believe was topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? Everything was great, $20 for a reasonable sized sandwich, side of mac and cheese, corn dog appetizer, and a cold Dale's Pale Ale. Its all tough to beat. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Brian K.
Comfort food city. The sandwiches are big and filling and a side of pickles surprisingly works wonders. The quality is delicious and spicy while the decor is as chic and sexy as a BBQ joint can get.
(4)Min Y.
Good BBQ, but chilly atmosphere (not a lot of people). I think once they get a good flow of customers, it'd be a livelier place to go eat. They have a big flat screen TV and a projection screen. Would be great sports event hangout spot.
(3)Jen J.
It's not Blue Ribbon, but it's pretty good. The brisket is tender and tasty, and although the first two times we got pulled pork it was fatty and gross, the most recent time it was delicious without a hunk of fat to be seen. The collards and rice and beans are great. The cornbread is mediocre, but much improved from when they first opened. Be sure to get plenty of the sauces, all of which I find delicious.
(4)Aubrey G.
This place is amazing! Finger licking good! I did have overcooked ribs once, but the place kindly reimbursed me for them and I've gone back a few more times. Don't fill up too much or you'll have a tummy ache, but boy is it good going down! You must try all the different sauces and be sure to order an extra cornbread!
(5)Samuel B.
so my friend had a groupon and we thought we would go, my self knowing personally that its nothing special, but we go and while being crouded they had a stand up sign saying "please seat yourself" so we see an open table in the back and start sitting down, a watress comes to us and very rudely said 'you know their is a line of names, get up" we go and point to the sign they displayed saying "please seat yourself" she and another waitress, said "dont you see these people waiting", knowing that they have a bar right their, offer take out, and have no organizational run of it she takes the sign, turns it around and made another rude remark. we dont stand for that treetment and on the way out she said "see you next monday and laughed" needless to say we went to their competetor a mile away, had an excellent meal, fantastic service, with some fantastic music. i highly recomend people stay away from this place, i will be twittering anf facebooking everyone i know to stay away
(1)Will D.
Soul Fire catered an event I went to recently and I have to say it was fantastic. The food was delicious and I got to sample a nice wide variety. The pulled pork was probably my favorite with good flavor and delicious varities of sauce to try out. The chicken was delicious, tender and juicy. The ribs were excellent, very tender and the flavor was robust but you still could enjoy the meat without it being overpowering. It was so good I made sure to return to the restaurant location. It easily lived up to my earlier experience and the pricing can't be beat. I couldn't resist the pulled pork again and you get a nice compliment of sides and a decent beer selection. Had the delicious chicken wings too which were meaty with a great crunchy fried crust on them. Love this place and will certainly return.
(5)Amanda S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My boyfriend and I were on our way to Sunset to order some boneless wings when he asked if I wanted to try Soulfire. I'm not a big meat eater, and everytime I've driven by this place it has seemed relatively empty, but we both really enjoyed our food. It was quick, cheap & tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of Boston baked beans, he has the pulled pork & a side of cole slaw. Portions were generous, sandwich with a side was only $6. Oh, and they serve beer here too, which is nice. The employee at the counter was knowledgable & patient (we took a long time to order b/c we had never been in there before). The pickles were nasty- very salty, & tasted like vinegar. Lots of BBQ sauce options. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)Drew B.
What a disappointment. Based on my fellow yelper's reviews, we went to Soulfire after identifying a serious craving for BBQ. The 1/2 hickory roast chicken was dry and flavorless. The ribs were decent at best. The Fried Mac and Cheese bites were a major let down. The only somewhat redeeming food items were the Spicy Honey Wings (desirable for the sauce ONLY) and the cornbread, which was cold but surprisingly moist. Our experience at Soulfire, which was somewhere between BBQ fast food and low grade restaurant, made us question where the standards really lie for good Boston BBQ.
(1)Cindy R.
This is good solid BBQ. The fried catfish is tasty and the roll is good (often a weak part of a restaurant sandwich). Everything is a little bit bland and processed-seeming (e.g., the corn bread has a bit of that over sugary, synthetic taste to it). It's very roomy though w/ nice stainless steel tables and good art on the walls. My kids really enjoyed it. Also, a bit overpriced for the amount and quality of food, but we'll be back.
(3)Diana T.
YUM! Love the brisket and collard greens. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Go for the platters it you are like me and can't choose!
(5)Sam M.
AMAZING! I was surprisingly impressed by this place - the menu has a great selection, loved all the options for sides. Portions are huge and the table is set to include 4 different types of sauces. We had Fried Chicken, Ribs, BBQ chicken wings, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and potato salad, and it was all fantastic. I have to say that I enjoyed this meal more than Redbones...and we'll definitely be returning for Monday night all you can eat wing night.
(5)Ellen L.
leaves a lot to be desired. this place is ALWAYS empty... self - service restaurant with walk up ordering contribute to the ultra fast food / casual dining experience. Unfortunately, the place almost echoes because of the stark decor so it felt a bit akward. Very cheap food, and tender meat. I didn't think that the flavor was cooked into the meat, but rather, the sauce was added on as an afterthought. also, the cornbread was cold. the least they could have done was faked it w/ a microwave. veggie sides were lacking in taste.
(2)Marcia F.
We really enjoyed the BBQ here. The brisket and pulled pork platter was tasty and plentiful. I had the baked beans (great) and potato salad (good) and my husband had the collards which he really liked. The corn bread was good too. We were a little confused by the ordering at the counter but not paying but the service was quick and helpful. The choice of sauces was nice and we tried different types to decide which we liked best. We will definitely go back when we want BBQ again.
(5)Rave M.
I'm no BBQ connoisseur, but the food here is tasty and the sandwiches well-priced for the portions. Minus one star because so many of the menu items are made with meat/pork (even the collard greens) somewhere in the cooking process, limiting the number of choices veggies and non-pork-eaters have. Brownie points for carrying cream soda and for rolling so much deliciousness up into those Mac & Cheese bites. I always get take-out because something about the vastness of Soulfire makes it uninviting to eat there... but the tunes are always fun to listen to while I wait for my BBQ chicken sandwich.
(4)MIke H.
Decent food, and nice open area with lots of places to sit. Prices are good as well
(4)Rachel C.
Remember that scene in Pulp FIction where Vincent is telling Jules about how in Amersterdam you could order a beer at McDonald's with your meal? It sounded awesome! And made me wonder why we couldn't do that here. Well I found something even better! I had walked past SoulFire numerous times, but always wrote it off thinking I didn't have enough time to stop and eat there.My roommates and I were craving meat and BBQ sauce and without any other plans for the evening we decided to finally give it a try. From the rich wood and deep red walls the atmosphere was spot on with my expectations, but I was surprised that there was no table service. Everyone order's their food and drinks at the counter and then speedily picks up their order further on down the line, after the soda machine and the condiments. The set up works so well for them, and this way you have the option to stay and eat or take out. If you want, there is a bar to sit at where you can be waited on and served drinks. But if you are looking to just grab dinner and a drink and not linger (which is what most people seemed to be doing) you can order a beer from the person taking your meal order and ringing you up. Its like classy, casual, fast food. When we first arrived it did not look too busy and the waitress behind the counter did not seem to mind us taking a few minutes to figure out how the restaurant worked. We all ordered the same thing, pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese, which she joked would confuse the kitchen. I was not even done getting my water when our order was up. The kitchen staff teased us for having the the same meal, I guess they are used to more complicated meals at SoulFire. The food was pretty good, exactly what I had wanted when I walked in. The sandwich hit the spot and the meat was smoked perfectly. I also loved the mac and cheese with a generous amount of crushed bbq potato chips on top. And the pickles! I don't usually like sweet bread and butter type pickles, but there were homemade and were a wonderful combination of vinegar and sugar. I even wanted to go order half pints of these sides to take home and enjoy later, but I resisted the urge! One gripe I had was that I would have liked a better selection of sauces, especially since here you have to sauce your own meat. I ended up having to mix my own in order to get it just the way I like it. So on one hand that it good because you get the sauce the way you like, however it is not the same as having the meat mixed in with the sauce the way they do it at some places. If I were getting this to go (which I now know is very easy to do), I would prefer having the sauce already on there instead of having to get cups of my own. That said I will definitely be back soon, its a faster alternative to a sit down restaurant in the area, and priced pretty reasonably. The staff was very friendly, the waitress even yelled to us to have a good evening over the building crowd as we left. The food is quick and excellent, and I can even grab a beer with my quick meal. WHat more could I want?
(4)a w.
I personally think this is some of the best bbq I've had in Boston. I had the pulled pork sandwich, collards, and fried mac and cheese balls. All were amazing!!! My cohort found a bit of mold on his bun and is a dedicated lover of Blue Ribbon so we were not on the same page. I would give this place five stars but there's nothing better than a beer with bbq...and of that there was none.
(4)Claudia L.
i'm a big meat fan. i never met a BBQ joint i didn't like. how i was a vegetarian for seven years, i'll never know. thank god for anemia! i appreciate that soul fire has brought BBQ back to its roots, with all sauces on the side. do try them all, then find one you like and go crazy. for just over $10, you get a good amount of food and end up sticky, saucy and satisfied. it's indeed a bummer that they don't carry beer - what better to go with a giant plate of ribs? - but i'm going to go ahead and attribute this to the fact that they're relatively new and haven't gotten their paperwork in yet. hopefully they'll get right on that , so i can get back on the rib train. EDIT: beer! wheeeeeeee!
(4)Joe S.
When it comes to BBQ, Soul Fire is the new kid in town. Located on Harvard Ave in Allston it has a great location to be the rib capital of the student ghetto. It is definitely a neat concept- order at the counter, wait for your dry rub bbq, and then go nuts at the sauce bar with sauces ranging from sweet to mustard and vinegar. The decor is funky with an a red and black interior highligted by a glass bar with classic soul lp covers under the glass. Bob and I arrived long before the rest of the party and thus had ample time to sample the sides. The potato salad has quite the kick and the mac and cheese is small bowl of gooey goodness topped with crushed potato chips. Unfortunately they didn't have their beer license yet so instead we drank some Harpoon soda (root beer and cream soda, good but nothing to write home about). All the BBQ is dry rub so you apply the sauces yourself. The chicken was superior, fall off the bone finger licking good. But the rack of ribs were very underwhelming, it seemed like they had been under a heating lap for most of the day. The sauces packed a wollop, all have some serious heat, even the sweet stuff. The spare ribs looked bigger than the half rack of ribs. For 15 dollars the soul fire platter is two meats, two sides, cornbread and a pickle. The meat portions are a little skimpier- for your best value go for the spare ribs (meatier than the rack of ribs) and the catfish. The catfish was probably my favorite menu item, at least what I could steal from my friend Melissa. Sides I forgot to mention were the greens (above average with flakes of bbq in it) and the cole slaw (again above average). Score- Long Single Soul Fire has a lot of things going for it (sauce bar, decor, sides) but the value and the ribs were both underwhelming. So I score it a long single, looks like a double but its only a single off the Monster. Soul Fire is just a few months old so hopeful it's portions and quality rib control will improve with time. And if it had beer perhaps I wouldn't have been so critical.
(3)Laura A.
i'm giving this a five star review on behalf of the meat eaters i went here with, because after all this is a bbq place and for me to give it minimal stars for the shitty salad i had wouldn't be very fair. and they all LOVED it (the three boys had 2 sandwiches - my boyfriend said the pulled pork was even better than redbones!- and a soulfire platter between them.) however, i do think they need at least more veg side dishes or even just a veggie burger would be good. i feel like there are a fair amount of veg-friendly places in allston and this place should take the hint. i had a crappy iceburg salad and some pretty good mac & cheese, and that was pretty much all i could have ordered on the menu.
(5)Eli G.
After driving by at least 50 times (I work down the street) I finally got a chance to try Soulfire before a show at Great Scott last night. I didn't really expect much, because generally the food in Allston gets 3 stars at best, but I was pleasantly surprised about my Soulfire experience. The menu is a little expensive for order-at-the-counter food, but it's ribs so I guess I understand. I was very happy with my dry rubbed spare ribs and even more happy with the wide selection of wonderful sauces (TRY THEM ALL), which were affectionately explained to me by non other then the chef himself. I was especially impressed by his friendliness and in fact the friendliness of the whole staff made me feel like I was at southern BBQ pit. Soulfire is a welcome edition to the Allston foodscape!
(5)Jenny N.
Oh yeah, get your MEAT on here! This place is cleverly named, and the funky soul music will get you happy. I really enjoyed my platter of pulled pork piled on thick white bread and served with 2 sides (I chose collard greens and baked beans), as well as cornbread. The meats are served dry, so you can try the 3 different house sauces (which are kept nice and warm at the pickup counter) as you like. It was a very nice way to sample "BBQ cuisine." The place seems trendy, but not especially expensive given the amount of food you get. Very fast and friendly counter service. The high stainless steel table at the back with bar stools is great seating, but borders on blinding thanks to the lighting. The manager came around to ask about our meal, so that was a nice friendly touch. I only wish they served alcohol! A cold, crisp beer would go very well with this food. But Soulfire is a great alternative to RedBones, which is great too but so overcrowded and loud in comparison. RedBones is also too far from my abode. But if Soulfire is any indication, it appears that Allston/Brighton is cleaning up and getting a bit more polish!
(5)Alana H.
I think there is a part of me that belongs in the South. I love southern food and I could get into calling people sir and ma'am. I got a living social deal for this place a while back and it was getting ready to expire so I came here while the bf was in town visiting. The place was pretty lively when we came on Saturday afternoon for lunch. The bf got a beer and I ordered an Arnold Palmer (half lemonade half ice tea) and it was really good. It wasn't too sweet but still really good. For our entrees I ordered the Fried Chicken Platter my sides were collard greens and rice beans. This was probably the best fried chicken I have ever had. The skin was crispy while the meat was juicy and the pieces were huge. I liked the collard greens they were smokey and yet sweet, the rice and beans were good but not memorable and while I liked the cake texture of the cornbread, it was cold and would have loved them to have warmed it up before serving. My bf the Soulfire Platter with Spare Ribs and Brisket. He definitely had a lot of food to tackle with this order, I tried both the brisket and the spare ribs and the meat was very tender and with any of the barbecue sauces they had on the table was delicious. We left the meal feeling very stuffed but satisfied. Even without the living social deal prices here are very reasonable for the amount of food that you get. I would absolutely recommend anyone craving real southern food.
(4)Chris W.
We live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and saw this place on Groupon and thought we would get the Groupon and try it for some travel we had planned to Boston. We took the "T" from our hotel right to this place and got off on the Harvard stop. It is 100ft off the T. We had $30.00 to spend (alcohol not included). I got a Milk Stout (awesome) and my partner got some beer with a whales tail on it...(also awesome). They had a full bar....but we just got beer. We ordered a 3 meat sampler with brisket, pulled pork, and baby back ribs, potato salad and Boston baked beans and corn bread.....all I can say is that we have eaten BBQ through out the country.....and this place is my FAVORITE!!! I can not wait until we go back so I can eat there! Brisket is hard to master....theirs is incredible....and the baked beans looked and tasted homemade.....and you will never forget them they are so good...even the cornbread was good! They had 4 signature sauces...all good!! Our waiter was great....we took a Brisket sandwich w/baked beans back to our hotel and right when we were almost done with our meal he remembered to ask us if we were ready for him to put in the order for our to go sandwich. Great service!!
(5)Jeff M.
Worst BBQ in Boston. I've had better BBQ in airports.
(1)Mike H.
I love this place. I stop through as often as I can. The service is hit or miss but the food is consistently good.
(4)Chad J.
I used to live around the corner from this place and was very thankful for it. I have roots in Texas where slow cooked BBQ is almost a religion but up here in the Northeast its not nearly as prevalent. I've tried a handful of BBQ places and Soul Fire is one of the best I have found. Their menu is straight forward, the ribs and brisket are slow cooked and always tender with just a bit of dry rub. They have several sauces for you to choose from so everyone can pick what they like which makes sharing the sampler plates much easier. Its also one of the only places I have found Lone Star beer for anyone who is at all nostalgic for that, lol.
(4)Jules M.
Best Fried Chicken around!!! Finally, I found a place with great chicken and guess what? They deliver. Woohoo! I'm not usually one to dip fried chicken in any kind of sauce but their Pitboss BBQ Sauce makes it impossible not to. Mac-n-Cheese is pretty good. I like the crushed bbq chips on top. I may have to steal that idea. Collard Greens are very tasty. There is so much more I want to try here. Like I said, good thing they deliver!
(4)James A.
Oh wow. Seriously. Head here with two friends... or just one if you're realllyyy hungry. Sit down in the raised chairs facing the window. Order the Pitboss Sampler. Then sit back and marvel at the mountain of delicious fried and smoked and pulled and baked food they bring out. And you know what? You won't be the only one marvelling at the quantities of food - you'll get to revel in the stares of all the people walking past. We actually saw a guy fall off his skateboard because he was amazed at our food; we pulled a couple of people into the restaurant; and we got a bunch of smiles and laughs from a lot of people walking past. Oh, and we left feeling very, very full. Great fun. Recommended!!
(5)Carly K.
Tried it for the first time tonight and my boyfriend and I loved it! You can just tell its great barbecue, they definitely know what they're doing! The pulled pork was delicious, not a lot of fat which I appreciate and the sides were Great too - Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes made the Meal even better. My favorite part was def the cornbread though yum! Also - great selection of sauces for everyone, I'm so picky and loved a few of them! Def recommend
(4)Frank B.
I'm glad I saw the Groupon in my email. I went to Soul Fire a few years ago and wasn't too impressed, kept wanting to give it another chance and this was the perfect excuse. Headed to Allston and bellied out to the bar for another try of their BBQ. Our bartender was great, got us set up right away with drinks and menus. I ordered the pulled pork,brisket, with collard greens and potato salad. My wife got fried chicken and beans and coleslaw. For me I was a happy camper from first bite and my wife is comparing other fried chicken to theirs. BBQ is like beer, everyone has their favorites, and likes. Soul Fire will put a smile on any BBQ fan and I'm not going to wait too long before I go back again...
(4)Valerie V.
AMAZING. Pulled pork is light, savory, and a little spicy; the best I've ever had. Mac and cheese is topped with bbq chip crumbles for a unique twist. Catfish was fried with a light, flaky crust which was a welcomed change from traditional, tough corn meal. The mashed potatoes and gravy were so good I had 2 servings. Other highlights from the table included fried chicken tenders (real, fresh chicken- not the frozen tenders), and savory brisket! I love the variety of sauces, the friendliness of the staff, the quality of food, and the value for the price paid. So great that we come from Watertown to eat here and have received great host compliments when our picky eating guests from Texas fell in love with this place too.
(5)Amber D.
I was going to give Soulfire 4 stars, because some of the items aren't THAT great. Then I remembered ordering the Pitboss Sampler platter, and all of those delicious meats and sides that come with it. I'm sure the catfish is good, but I'm not sure I'll ever get to try it, knowing that the pitboss option exists. Also the cornbread passes the moistness/flavour test (try pouring a bit of the sweet bbq sauce on it for that extra touch of flavour!) The atmosphere is pretty nice - a southern feel, without being too distanced from its Bostoniness. The metal plate/tray things with the red checkered paper is unique but in a good way. The utensil and BBQ holder made of recycled 6 pack cases adds to the kitchiness. Long story short, I've had better (being from the Midwest and traveling around the south), but for this area, between this place and Redbones, I can stop missing home quite as much.
(5)John S.
I rounded up to three because of the bigscreen television. Thanks for that, Soul Fire. I've had better BBQ in town, to be sure, but I do appreciate what they're trying to do here in Allston. They're making hip BBQ for hipsters, for sure, clearly trying to fatten up the skinny jean and tight ironic t-shirt crowd with actual food instead of the Top Ramen and drinks from Great Scott they normally survive on. The pulled pork is adequate, the chopped brisket is a bit firm for my taste but technically sound, and the ribs are enormous and sport a good smoke ring. This is good American fare, and I'm happy these Soul Fire folks are cramming it into the Allston/Brighton crowd. They'll be better for it.
(3)Sam J.
The best cornbread I've ever had in my life. I usually am not too fond of the stuff but at Soul Fire, they can't put enough of it in front of me to satisfy my desire for it. It is incredibly moist and fluffy. Monday is all you can eat wings for 9 dollars. It is a great deal if you come hungry. I do, however, opt for their delicious pulled pork on some Mondays. I have yet to have a side dish with the platter that I have not enjoyed. The mashed potatoes comes with a pool of savory gravy and the coleslaw is a refreshing pallet cleanser. Definitely come early if you have a large party as there is not too much seating.
(5)Jeff J.
The meats are very tasty however they don't have candied yams and the cornbread tastes like it's store bought. The mac and cheese is edible but not spectacular. If they can pull all the pieces together, this place would be a real winner!
(3)Big S.
Luckily I had a groupon for this place. We had to wait a while, one particular waitress was a bit slow and seemed to be screwing everything up, we somehow got to sit before people that had been waiting longer than us. Once we sat down, they brought out our food about 30 seconds after we ordered which is always a bit weird. The house arnold palmer was great. I had the baby back ribs which were quite fatty, cannot be compared to Blue Ribbon for BBQ in this area. Pulled chicken was good, my gf had the 1/2 roasted chicken and she liked that. Sides were ok, again just a bit odd that it comes out so quickly after ordering. Was it already waiting for us? Decent food, not the greatest service. They were busy but I think it was because they offer groupon and living social deals. If you want good BBQ, go to blue Ribbon asap
(3)Danielle K.
My fiance and I have been to Soulfire BBQ a few times in the past and always enjoyed it. Tonight we stumbled upon the $8.99 all you can eat wings special (Monday after 5 PM) . I stuck to ordering my favorite, the delicious pulled pork sandwich, but my fiance opted for the wing special. For the wing special, they 1st bring you a sampler of 4 different types of wings. Then, you can order any amount of wings you want in any sauce. I recommend going with friends who will also order the wings so you don't feel awkward eating while your partner is all through. I got a basket of fries (very crunchy) to nurse while my fiance ate wings till his hearts content. You can easily share the basket of fries between two people, and I kinda wish I did right now because I'm a bit stuffed. The wings were pretty big and my fiance was quite pleased with the meal. If you're in the area on a Monday night, definitely check it out.
(5)Evan R.
I went here twice... the first time I thought it was stupid, but the second time I sort of had it figured out. Soulfire is a bit unique for the area and I think it has a place in Allston. The BBQ I would only grade a B to B+ at best.... but if you consider the fact that you're in friggon Allston, that's pretty good. Of course you can wash your pulled pork sandwich down with a Shlitz.... because..... well, why not? The service is super friendly and the atmosphere is pretty cool, but both of my visits the place was a bit empty, which was a bit weird. By now I hope it has gotten more popular, and I hope to go back sometime soon.
(4)Karen H.
My boyfriend and I walked by this place a million times scoffing at the bro dude crowd and at the presumably lack of pescetarian friendly eats. It took one Irish musician friend who was in town playing a show to inform us that they offer fried catfish. We've been ordering Soulfire through Grubhub every since. We used to get the catfish sandwich but after dining in one night, we fell for the catfish platter ($14 - comes with two sides of your choice, pickles and cornbread). Amazing deal, great barbeque sauces, and you'll leave with a happy belly. I can't speak for their bbq meats, but judging from the throngs of men and women chowing down on endless platters, it seems they are quite popular.
(4)Jason J.
Its a tough call to decide who wins the BBQ battle between Soul Fire and my beloved Redbones, but each one has their merits. For one, I think the sauces and quality of the meats may be a bit better at SF than at RB. If you've never been here before and come with at least 2-3 people, definitely get the Pitboss Sampler. You'll be happy you did. Then again, if you come here by yourself and order that, we should be friends. Their fried mac and cheese makes me want to write sonnets, and their regular mac and cheese has BBQ chip crumbs on top. Its all about the details. Tasty tasty details. Also, and probably most importantly, they serve Narrogansett tallboys.
(4)David V.
I recently went here for the famous "All You Can Eat Wings" on a Monday night, and I was not disappointed! The restaurant has a laid-back feel to it with plenty of tv screens and plenty of space. While I only sampled the delicious wings and fries, I was impressed by the look and smell of the other menu items as they passed by our table (on a platter, being carried by a server, the food was not just walking around, that would be weird). I hope to sample additional food here in the future!
(4)Susan C.
Like the reviewer before me, I decided to try out Soul Fire because of its Groupon deal. I went with a friend for dinner and got there around 7:30pm-ish. The place wasn't too busy when we arrived and we decided to sit at the bar. In terms of food, I was not disappointed, but the service was lacking. I ordered an Arnold Palmer for my beverage, and the girl at the bar never refilled it. I'm pretty sure the menu said free refills, but when I finished my drink, she just took it away and never bothered to ask if I wanted another. I was never offered a refill on my water either. I'm subtracting a star for the service. For my meal, I ordered the Fried Chicken Plate with Potato Salad and Mac n Cheese. My friend got the combo with Pulled Pork and Spare Ribs. The fried chicken was crisp, juicy, and nicely seasoned. I decided to get it after eyeing some other folks at the bar who were eating it when we sat down. The potato salad was quite good as well, it was surprisingly light and was easy to eat up. The mac n cheese was also very tasty, the elbows were cooked to a nice consistency and the side was topped with some crumbled bbq chips. I stole a rib from my friend and it was tasty too. The meat was tender and easily came off the bone with a little pull. I tried out all the thick BBQ sauces with my meats (which is 4 sauces). I didn't fancy the sweet, it tasted like liquid brown sugar and that was about it, no smoke to it at all. The Soul Fire sauce was okay, it was smoky and had a nice bbq flavor to it. The Pit Boss was even better, smoky with some spice. My favorite, however, was their habenero bbq (I think that was the sauce's name, but am not sure because the label on the bottle was missing), it had nice bbq flavor and a great kick to it.
(4)Aleeza L.
I've come here twice now. 1 - All you can eat Wings on Monday night. I should know by now that it's really not worth it for me to pay any fixed amount for wings. I can only eat 5-8 wings. Pointless, but that's my fault. Onto the food and service. It was a little bit confusing on how to order, but when we finally got s big platter, I honestly found that everything fell a bit flat of expectations. The wings were a good size and moist, but the flavors all seemed to taste the same. I wasn't so happy. I definitely prefer dry rubs or places like Wing-It or Wings Over. 2 - Friday night for some regular food with a fairly large group (6). It took forever to get a seat (45min) and another 30 minutes to get food. This was all around 8:30pm so i thought the dinner crowd had passed on, but I was wrong. Bad planning on my part. Most people seemed happy with their dish. I think the only disappointment was with the fried chicken because it was so greasy. The waitress wasn't very attentive. She never came to check on us after we got our food or refill our water; it was really busy but I don't think that should be an excuse. Overall, not bad - my friends and I had a good time, but there was just a lot of waiting. Not the best BBQ I've ever had (Dinosaur BBQ from Syracuse), but not bad for Boston.
(3)Maya T.
Great BBQ! And good sweet tea.
(5)Mahina K.
It's seat yourself but we came with a huge group so we had to wait for a table (8 or 9 people). We were okay because the wait was still shorter than what we did at Red Bones. I'm undecided which I like better yet. I think I like Red Bone's meat better. But I can't choose between the sauces. I like Red Bones Sweet sauce, but Soulfire's was too sweet, but Pitboss was just right. So basically, I can't choose, so don't make me. What really got me was our waitress. She was so nice! With a table this big she didn't have to be because there was instant gratuity added but she was still really nice. And I appreciate that. She really waited on us, making sure we had everything we needed or if we wanted to take anything (like our drinks) out with us. She was extremely attentive to what we needed. Overall I had a great time here and would go back.
(4)Mike G.
If you haven't been here yet... stop what you're doing (apologize to your boss if you're at work) then get in your car, walk, or hitch a ride to Soul Fire and grab some lunch/dinner (depending on when you read this). The food is fantastic! So far, this is the best BBQ in Boston... honestly not the best I've ever had in general, but ranking top 5 overall and definitely ranking number 1 for the area. And being the Mississippi boy I am, that is quite the accomplishment. :-D Had a small group, so we ordered the Pit-boss BBQ Sampler, which was (1) smoked beef sausage, (2-3) fried chicken wings, (2) sweet and spicy wings, (2) bbq spare ribs, a half-rack of baby back ribs, a small portion of cubed beef, and a small portion of pulled pork. You also got little side samples, almost like dipping sauce cup sizes of the side - which included: beans, cole slaw, potato salad, mac-n-cheese, collard greens, and 2 good sized pieces of cornbread. I LOVED everything off the meat plate, and by plate I mean pizza dish with a cookie sheet on top of it (which is how all the plates are). My favorite being the spare ribs. They had a nice char on the outside, but were still good and tender. Nice dry rub coated on top of them, and you had a choice of sauces to poor over them as well, I went with the Pit-Boss bbq sauce, which is a spin on traditional (tomato based) BBQ sauce. It was perfection together. The fried chicken wings were fantastic, so I can only imagine the fried chicken platter (with full size chicken pieces - lol) is just as amazing. The pulled pork has a nice flavor, and was very tender. I couldn't decide between the pit-boss and the sweet sauce for the pulled pork, pitt-boss had a good flavor, but wasn't sweet enough to really highlight the pork... and the sweet was a bit tangy, so it kind or 'overwhelmed' the pork. I did a mix of both and it gave it a good flavor - but honestly the pork is good on its own too. My only complaint, really corrected itself. When we were first seated the lady promptly took our drink orders (but they had home made sweet tea - Fantastic!!). When she brought our drinks back she said our server would be right with us. We waited a few moments then another female came by to asked if we had put in our orders yet, we replied we were still waiting to order, and she informed us she would grab our server. A few minutes later... the same female who took our drink orders, came back for our food orders... and things finally got rolling and no more problems. Other then the initial delay for placing an order, service was great. Drinks were kept filled, she gave us BBQ recommendations and even which sauce paired best with what item. It doesn't matter if you going to sample bits and pieces of the menu, or order a platter/sandwich and dig in... this should definitely be your BBQ stop for the area!
(4)FN G.
My first time...stumbled upon it waiting for my car to be serviced in the neighborhood. The Q in this place is amazing. Had the 1/3 rack spare rib plate. Got it with two cornbreads and the baked beans. Nothing disappoints here, and this includes the attentive and friendly service. Their sauces (they have four I think) are all very balanced and unique. I really enjoyed the sweet and pitboss ones the most, as I tend to avoid too much heat these days. But, my small sampling of the Fiery one impressed me as well. Check this place out if you are a RedBones (Somerville) fan. They can go toe to toe with RB all day long...plus I think these guys make better tasting sides than RB IMHO. Their baked beans have got complexity, which is so rare to find since it is typically a commodity side dish. I'm glad I found this place...too bad I live quite aways to make it an easy visit. I look forward to my next visit!
(5)Noah C.
"Mmm." "..." "Mmmmm." "...yeah." "...oh. Yeah." No, it's not an indecent movie. It's the sounds you hear emanating from each table at Soul Fire. The accompanying noises aren't any better - fingers being lasciviously licked, lips being smacked, strange, wet noises echoing around. A colleague of mine that was attending the same conference I was tipped my group off to this place. We came, we saw, we made obscene noises. It always pains me to eat at restaurants on trips - you have to order carefully, because you never know when you'll be back, and if order the wrong thing, you may be left with years of regret. I'm pretty sure I made the right call at Soul Fire, though. I decided to go for the brisket platter, with collard greens and baked beans as my side. There was plenty of porky goodness in both the savory beans and tangy collard greens, and all the lovely pig fat added levels of deliciousness to each side. I also rampaged through my brisket. Tender, moist, delicious brisket. Served the right way, over a giant piece of white bread. As a personal eating challenge I also went for the all you can eat BBQ wings. Once I put the "Fire" sauce on them, they were heavenly, and I went through a ton of them in short order. I wasn't even that hungry when I got to Soul Fire, but I managed to eat like a freakin' pig the whole night. The only star I can dock is for the server, who seemed to not believe in my eating prowess when I ordered both the brisket and the wings. I mean, c'mon dude - it's not like it's gonna hurt the restaurant. He also took his sweet time bringing food and water, which irritates me to no end.
(4)Andrew M.
We made the drive to Cambridge to use our Groupon at Soulfire and it was well worth the drive. We had 35 to spend and were able to get plenty of food to fill us and then some. We tried a combo 3 meat plate (Ribs, Chicken, and Pork) along with a variety of sides. All of it was good. The tables are loaded with different BBQ sauces for dipping and are amazing. The fried chicken wings are some of the best I've ever had and are not too greasy like KFC. The Pulled Pork is delicious and the ribs were good too (though not the best I've ever had). The place was pretty crowded and it seemed like they were a little under-staffed during that time so service was a little slow. All in al it was a great place to go and we'll surely be back. Parking can be tough, bring change for the meters.
(4)Thomas I.
Soulfire is the best BBQ place I have found in Boston... and that means something. I am from the South. The pulled pork is awesome. They have great sauces. The chicken is really good. The sides are solid (I've had Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens). If you are looking for a good southern-style BBQ joint I would definitely check this place out. The only reason that I didn't give them 5 stars was that the sweet tea that I ordered wasn't very good. Other than that, I would highly recommend Soulfire to anyone!
(4)Heather B.
The Q was mediocre AND the resto was dirty. A restaurant should be straight-up CLEAN every minute of every day no matter what they serve or how grungy the 'hood. There is no room for dinge in food service. Better BBQ can be found at Blue Ribbon or Sweet Cheeks. p.s. it was late lunch (3pm) and slow so no excuses.
(2)Eric S.
The ribs were lacking in flavor, and the barbeque sauce tastes suspiciously of raisins. The MAc and cheese was ok, as was the corn bread. The chili that came with the full rack of ribs came in a little container that held less than 2 ounces (the kind that some places use to put sauce in for take-outs)
(3)Erica C.
I recently went back here after not going for a few years. I live a few blocks away and had only come for lunch, but decided to try it out for dinner with friends. I thought the food was great, much better than Red Bones (which I think is very overrated), but I think the decor could use some work. I thought when this place was in its infancy, that the decor was a work in progress, but it hasn't really changed. The red walls are jarring, the lighting is off, and it is too spacious feeling. Almost cafeteria-like. It could really use either some room division or some kind of hanging lights (not spot lights/pot lights). All of my friends agreed when we ate there last week. You kind of want a BBQ place to feel homey and it just has an odd, unnerving quality. I have always liked the pulled pork here, but I tried some new things this time. (I will add that I love that they have North Carolina sauce. My husband is from NC and every time we go there, we love to get BBQ. Of course, it is much cheaper and much better than anything in Boston.) My husband and I shared a fried chicken plate and a half rack of baby back ribs. We both agreed that the chicken was delicious - juicy and the batter was well seasoned. The ribs weren't the greatest. You kind of had to gnaw the meat off the bone. (At red bones, I had to literally RIP it off the bone with my teeth though - not good.) I don't know why BBQ places here can't slow cook the ribs enough so that the meat falls off the bone. We make them at home and they are better than anything I have had in a restaurant. We also started the night out at the bar waiting for our friends and had a couple of corn dogs. Delicious, cheap, and yummy mustard sauce. I drank sweet tea since I am preggers and it was also great. Almost as good as NC sweet tea. I always enjoy the cornbread here. The baked beans were too sweet for everyone at our table's taste. The collards were yummy and the mac and cheese is pretty decent quality. I'll definitely be going back for the chicken and corn dogs. But owners, please make the place a tad more inviting. :) Oh, also, I am not a fan of the quasi "seat-yourself" policy here. Very confusing. Get a hostess please.
(3)Sarah T.
It was a beautiful day in November, and my husband and I decided to go grab some barbecue before going to a concert. I will note that it was a little difficult to find Soulfire as there was no sign visible when looking down Harvard Avenue from the T stop. So we wandered a bit not sure which way to continue walking. We tried Soulfire based on the Yelp reviews (especially the fried mac and cheese recommendations). Well, our experience was a disappointment. This should have been foreshadowed based on there only being two other patrons indoors on a Friday; a little eerie. You would think that people would at least be there to drink. We started with the aforementioned appetizer. Although claiming to be "extra cheesy," the fried mac and cheese bites were anything but cheesy. At the least, I would question Soulfire's interpretation of the word "extra" nevermind "cheesy." They were most definitely dry, as if made with noodles and powdered cheese sans the milk and butter required. Disappointing. The sides were a mixed bag. The collard greens were too sweet for me, and it is noted that the menu claims as much. I would have preferred equal parts sweet and salty, though. The pickles were mediocre and nothing to remember or to crave at a later date. The potato salad was also on the sweet side, which is likely do to the use of red bliss potatoes and not enough salt. The one interesting and good side was the coleslaw. It is truly palate-cleansing as the menu states. Oddly, I kept craving more and more of it. For the main meal, I had the brisket platter, and my husband had the spare ribs. The brisket was the worst that I have ever had. It was so dry and brought to mind trying to chew shoe leather. I really could not believe how dry it was and how they were trying to pass it off as beef brisket. Again, this could be why I was continually eating the palate-cleansing coleslaw! Maybe not so odd, afterall. On a better note, my husband thought that the spare ribs were good, not great, but good nonetheless. Our waitress was extremely nice and sweet; too bad the sides matched her persona. Take it from two people who have lived in Texas: save your pennies and spend them elsewhere. This one's a dud!
(1)Lauren C.
This place is awesome. Friendly service, good prices and really big portions. Between my friend and I, we ordered the pulled pork, brisket, collard greens (which I was worried would be mushy or bitter but they were AMAZING), cole slaw, baked beans and cornbread. Everything was fantastic. They bring you four different bbq sauces before your meal. All of them were great, and even better when you mix them together, which we had fun doing. And they have Dr. Pepper- added bonus. I will definitely be back!
(5)Katie C.
Chili fries and pulled chicken were great. The cornbread was ok. Fried chicken, baked beans (way too much molasses and the bacon was burned) and potato salad (too much mustard) were not good. Homemade Arnold Palmer was good.
(3)Jamie G.
Really I want to give this place a 4.5, but decided t round down because I just dont think it's a 5 star place. I came here because I had a groupon, and am I glad I did, because I will definitely be back. Had $35 to spend, we got tons of food (prices are very cheap here!) They kinda have a bad beer selection, not terrible, but not necessarily good either. I had a Harpoon UFO on draft and my friend had a Brooklyn lager. At least we had some decent options to choose from, but wish they had more! For food, we started with the chili cheese fries, which were delicious. Then we ordered the Pulled pork sandwich, with mac and cheese for a side, and a platter with Baby Back Ribs, slice brisket, Baked beans , mashed potatoes with gravy and Corn bread. The pulled pork was by far my favorite thing here, and perhaps my favorite pulled pork in Boston! It has South Carolina vinegar sauce on it and the meat was nice and juicy and the bread was nice and soggy. SOOO good!! The Ribs and Brisket were okay, but nothing special. Brisket way too fatty for me. The mac and cheese had potato chips crumbled on it, it was okay. The mashed potatoes and gravy were plain and nothing special, and the baked beans were DELICIOUS. The corn bread was also really good- with bits of corn in it, and very moist! For dessert, we had the chocolate pecan pie to go, and when we finally ate it at home, it was still delicious-- a little too sweet, but perfect to share with someone. They have BBQ sauces on the tables and set up in a station in the back for to-go orders. The sweet BBQ sauce is the best- the others were all very good too though!! So if I came back, I would get pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and side of corn bread. It's Cute inside, we had Decent service, and I was impressed by the huge portions and low prices. Definitely a solid BBQ place!!
(4)Mehgan C.
Wings, wings wings and Brooklyn lager. No wait, pulled pork and lager. No wait Mac and cheese and cornbread!!Even the collard greens are fantastic. So monday nights are all you can eat wings night. Want to die and go to heaven? Then go monday evenings. Although they do tend to get REALLY busy and you may have to wait a bit for a table. But seriously worth it. Also on two separate occasions went here for a group dinner. Had the pulled pork and MAN are their sauces finger licking good! But seriously, how can you not go into a soulfood restaurant and NOT have cornbread (im addicted to) and mac and cheese. (also an addiction) Now being devout to cornbread and mac and cheese, Soulfire has my card. Simply heavenly!
(4)Matt E.
3.5 stars...Nice place, not so great BBQ. The place is in a nice area, is big, clean, and pretty friendly with a good looking menu with lots of options. Prices are about average, nothing too overpriced. The bbq was pretty dissapointing (definitely no pitmasters working here). If I was in the area and wanted a quick bite of something BBQ-ish I'd go here but I wouldn't go out of my way if I wanted some true quality BBQ.
(3)Laura C.
Disclaimer: I have only ever ordered delivery from here. Actually, I have only ever ordered here on Foodler. Aside from the delivery man, I have never had any contact with anyone who works here. With that said, I am extremely pleased with the food. The delivery is FAST (I live very close and I tend to order in the mid to late afternoon) and the food is hot. I love the pulled pork entree and sandwich. The mac and cheese is to die for. The corn bread is awesome! The baked beans are sweet! The pickles are home made! The sauces are flavorful! The half chicken is a half chicken! Downfall: no burnt ends. There's an $8 minimum delivery on Foodler, which is probably why I ordered from here in the first place. I really want to try the rice and beans, but I'm pretty sure that everything on the menu will immediately clog my arteries so I haven't ordered from here in a few weeks. Now---- if Blue Ribbon was an option I'd choose Blue Ribbon. But it's not, and Soul Fire is a very good alternative indeed. Addendum: My boyfriend won't order from here. He went once, and he said the place smelled too strongly like BBQ. If a strong BBQ smell bothers you, perhaps you shouldn't eat here.
(4)Barron F.
I'm a bit of a BBQ snob. I come from North Carolina where the BBQ is plentiful. I have to say, Soul Fire fills a void that existed for the two years that I lived in New England without BBQ. Their pulled pork North Carolina style is delicious (although I do prefer chopped to pulled, personal preference) and the fries are killer. The best part is that they deliver...low minimum and benefits of foodler bucks make this one of my staples for lunch or dinner.
(4)Erika G.
It's hard to dislike BBQ.. But I give three stars as a basis of comparison to better options in the area. I thought the mac and cheese balls were amazing. I also really enjoyed the variety of sauces and the juicy yet crispy wings...but the fact that they didn't have brisket early on a Sunday night? Inexcusable. For a menu with 5 staple items it should never happen. And the "alternative" chopped brisket was just ok. and by ok i mean pretty disappointing. If was in the area I might return... but I wouldn't consider it worth a trip across town.
(3)Mike M.
Food: I got the BBQ wings and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were great. The best part though? The variety of BBQ sauces to try - each unique and very tasty. Atmosphere: Cool wall art and a generally appealing ambiance. Service: Our waitress was great. Very attentive and friendly. Price: Very reasonable prices. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Jay M.
Very friendly service and good music playing in the background (just loud enough, so we didn't have to shout to each other). We've been here twice now. The vegetarian entree is very good and the mac 'n cheese outstanding (although it's not hot enough), mash potatoes excellent with yummy gravy. The fried chicken, very good. One of us had a bbq beef sandwich, said it was good. The rice and beans, another standout, only again, not hot enough. We had a groupon and came away with a lot in the styro container to take home. Best of all : the delectable Choco-Pecan Pie....amazingly good, with whipped cream on the side. Loved the music (a rare Marvin Gaye was playing!) All around, a good one!
(3)Sara M.
I think I found my new favorite place to get ribs and fried chicken. I was quite put out when Roadhouse changed their menu and I was unable to get my beef rib fix. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire and ordered up spare ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, and fries. My fiance got the smoked chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. I took one bite of that subtly spicy breading and fell in love with the fried chicken. I tend to review emotionally but it was delicious. The spare ribs were not beef but they were still finger licking good. I guess I am just not a fan of collard greens as they are too bitter and sweet at the same time. However, the mashed potatoes were garlicky and delightful. Next time, I am ordering fried chicken with mashed potatoes and allowing it to dive into the nirvana that is my stomach.
(4)Rachel K.
I should start off by saying this review is based on multiple visits in 2010. I started off liking this place. My boyfriend is a big fan of BBQ so he dragged me here a bunch of times. Though I thought it was decent I would never suggest going here myself. Each visit seemed to get a little worse. The food seemed to get worse each time. The pork has no flavor and is gag-worthy. The chicken is ehh. The sides are all delicious--but I can't go here just to eat sides. The service is slow, and I have seen female bartenders cough and pick their nose (using their unwashed hands!!!) while pouring my beer. I couldn't even drink the beer I paid for, and was too polite to call them out. On a positive note, I do like the small but fairly unique beer selection. I overall do not get a clean vibe from this place. I feel like Soul FIre has the potential to be great, but lacks the ability to do so.
(2)Mike M.
This place as almost as sloppy as Whiskey's. Yes I went there. Very poor attempt at Southern/Soul food. I had the spaghetti western, 3 meat sampler, and pecan pie. The spaghetti western really needed more chili and cheese to be honest. I'd have stuck with the fried mac and cheese, had I known that. The 3 meat sampler I had was comprised of pulled pork, brisket and catfish. The pulled pork was cooked far too long, lacked juice and seasoning, and didn't have the greatest portion. It sat on top of a slice of Texas wonderbread. The catfish was just okay; nothing out of the ordinary. Could have used cajun seasoning to be honest. The brisket was too fatty for my taste. The sides I ordered were collard greens and corn bread. The greens were acceptable and came with pot liquor, but the corn bread was completely stale. The pecan pie was pretty good I should say. It came with 2 scoops of whipped creams, loads of chocolate; however it lacked whole pecans. There are better BBQ spots in Boston at around the same price range. Soul fire just doesn't cut in this foodie's humble opinion.
(2)Shane C.
southern fried chicken wings: 5 stars beef brisket: 3 stars mac n cheese: 4 stars coleslaw: 2 stars corn bread: 4 stars bbq sauces: 4.5 stars
(4)Alan T.
This is a great place for BBQ. I'm catching up on writing reviews for BBQ joints around Boston that I've been to in the past couple of years, and this place gets my vote for #1 (if I were to suggest BBQ to someone, it would be here). It's probably tied for taste versus some of the other places, but it edges out a win in terms of value/portion size (because I'm still not a baller, despite being out of college for a few years already). First of all, we all know BBQ is all about the meat, but the sides can't be an afterthought for a true BBQ experience! This place has amazing sides. You have all the classics, done classically well. No surprises, in a good way. Awesome collard greens, awesome beans, awesome mac and cheese, etc. etc. etc. The sauce selection for your meats are the highlight. The sauces completely blows Red Bones' selection out of this world. Having lived in the south for a few years, I'd say the ribs aren't anything great (they wouldn't win any prizes in competition), but come on! This is BAHSTON! The ribs at soul fire get the job done if you're craving ribs (plus the awesome sides and epic portion sizes = good meal). I also love the location, having lived in Allston/Brighton for a super long time. Harvard Ave. is a great place to hang out. Lots of good food, entertainment... bubble tea places. BBQ and bubble tea after? Sweet.
(5)Chronic C.
Please note this review comes from a guy in redbones and blue ribbon BBQ country. I was not impressed with soulfire. I wanted to like it and sampled enough to firmly say that it was sub par BBQ-wannabe. Beef ribs were super fatty and greasy. Black beans and rice, bland and stodgy. Pulled chicken sandwich, tasteless ad greasy as hell (chicken? Greasy? What?) Fries as "free" side but cost an extra 50 cents (because they were presumably special but not) tasted like diner fries that came from a fryolator that hasn't been cleaned in weeks. Until something better comes along I will stick with redbones. Staff is great so extra star for that.
(2)keith l.
Starving? EAT HERE NOW. Delicious, moist BBQ with sauces on the side (try the Fiery). Mashed potatoes and white gravy after 5pm. Planning ahead? Eat here soon, good sir or madam. Standouts: fried catfish, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, fries. Not so good: pulled chicken (it's dry here, just like anywhere else), sometimes the portions are small, only one (delicious) vegetarian option - rice and beans with corn. Incredibly friendly service - they'll even ask if you want a free soda or Arnold Palmer refill to go. Ask for Stephanie, she's one of the best servers I've ever come across. Just fatting around Yelp because you're addicted to eating/reading about food? Eat here at some future date, greasy soulmate. I like to get the 2 (okay, sometimes 3) meat combo that comes with 2 sides and cornbread. Friends love the fried mac n cheese. The regular mac n cheese comes with BBQ potato chips on top. I haven't gone for all-you-can-eat wings night on Mondays yet, but I plan to soon - you get to choose from Pitboss sauce (their middle of the road sauce), Fiery+Honey, Buffalo or a surprise sauce that changes each week. The first time I was here the pat of butter was served under my wet nap, and i didn't see it until I'd already finished the moist, fluffy cornbread. That's sad. Don't do that again, future Keith/current day soulmate! There's a big projection TV and some cool wall art focused on music (think James Brown n stuff). The bathrooms here are clean, especially for an Allston joint.
(4)Sarah G.
4 Stars for 4 Souls worth of food! Yes, that is what they call their meal combo to feed 4 people. And by 4 people they really mean like 6 people. Our party of 4 with two boys who love to overeat could barely handle this amount of food. You get a whole roasted chicken, a whole rack of spare ribs, a pound of pulled pork, buns for them too, and a pint of pickles, a pint of mac and cheese, and a pint of collard greens too! Won even ordered an extra side of mac and cheese because he loved it so much--it was pretty creamy and came topped with some crunchy goodness. The collard greens were pretty darn tasty too, I just wished the sides were a little bit bigger. The roasted bbq chicken was so moist and delicious though. And pairing that with some of their awesome cornbread and one of their 4 sauces they have on the table is just perfect. Their fiery sauce is hot the way I like it and their soulfire sauce would be my next fav. I think I ate way too much of their sauces because they were just that good. And those spare ribs kick the butt of the ribs at redbones by far. They were way way better. The pulled pork could have been a hair more flavorful, but second you put that addicting sauce on it, it becomes amazing almost instantly. Soulfire with your cool decor inside you are now my fav bbq spot that next time I visit I should wear expandable pants to. Oh and yay for $2.50 pints of PBR too :-)
(4)Caroline C.
Four stars for their monday night special of unlimited wings for $7. There were 4 different flavors of wings. Honey bbq was my favorite. The lime flavored one was kinda weird. The wings aren't the best I've had, but couldn't complain about the price. I liked the spicy sauce (forget which one it was called). We also ordered the mac and cheese balls. I don't think they were that amazing. Potato puffs from Gregoire's in Berkeley, CA is better in my opinion.
(4)John Jaewan C.
Wow, What a hidden gem in the heart of Allston. Great for large groups of friends to just chill over some succulent BBQ and FRIED CHICKEN. The wait is not so bad-we came in at a busy hour apparently.. but the interior was nice with two big screen TVs playing Bruins hockey and the overall ambience was very hip and modern. The entrees each come with two sides, and you choose from a variety of selections including collard greens, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn bread, to name a few. My entrees of choice were the rack of spare ribs and YOU MUST TRY THE FRIED CHICKEN. A lot of places serve fried chicken that tastes stale and dry but SoulFire chicken I swear has some kind of juice injected into it to retain maximum moisture and tenderness. You can't go wrong with the chicken. Try it with the Fiery sauce or the SoulFire sauce- those were my personal favorites. Would definitely come back for more and more and more
(4)Mags R.
Been to this place a few times and is def one of my top BBQ places. I would kill for their fried Mac and cheese! OMG! I forgot all about it... I must go this weekend! The pull pork is also very good and the staff is really cool, lay back and friendly! Def recommend :-) Didn't give it 5 stars because the selection of sauces is on the weak size and I love spicy BBQ sauce and theirs is good but not so hot.
(4)Nick M.
Great every time I've been here. Bartenders are always friendly, food is always good. Go here. Grab a beer and some meat add BBQ of choice. Enjoy.
(4)Nicole S.
Okay so after I almost burnt down the house making pizza we had to get some take out. Long FUNNY story but the black pizza was not edible. We always order the same chinese or sushi so we decided that we would finally order from Soul Fire. We dusted off the menu that was stuffed into our mailbox ages ago and placed an order. I was impressed with how well the take out held up by the time it arrived. I ordered the pulled chicken plate and the boyfriend ordered the pulled pork plate. For my two sides I got mac and cheese and red beans and rice and boyfriend got mac and cheese and collard greens. The pulled meats were on a piece of thick white brad. Sadly by the time we got them the bread was really mushy. The red beans and rice was basic, the collard greens were sweet (as opposed to the vinegar taste we are used to) and the mac and cheese was great. Their was a bit of spice to it and the texture was great. The meats were tender and seasoned well. I give this place 3 stars just because we did not really experience service; the delivery guy called to say he was right outside and was down across the street. Ummm.. cant read numbers?
(3)Bryant F.
Ok when we have a function at work we usually get SF. Everything is good except on 2 different occasions the fried chicken wings weren't cooked all the way through. 5 of us couldn't eat it. Who want to see red or pink in their chicken?! Other than that the rest of the food was good.
(3)Sarah D.
I was drawn here last night with a promise of "The Best Wings in Boston". How could I pass that up, right? I am not a dummy, so I laced up my shoes and moseyed on over to Soulfire. As it turns out, I don't think these are, in fact, the best wings in Boston, but I do think that they are pretty darn good. First off, this is a BBQ joint, so the wings here are grilled, not fried. I tend to prefer fried wings, personally, but I think these suckers benefit from the alternate cooking method, specifically in that they don't dry out the way fried wings can sometimes tend to do. They are juicy and flavorful before you even put the sauce on them. But I am a sauce guy (saucy, if you will), so forget that noise. Saucewise, I wasn't impressed with the Buffalo, but I could dig on the BBQ varieties. The star of the show, at by my measure, was the Honey Hot, which was sweet and spicy and blah blah blah i liked it. The best part? The price. Monday is all you can eat wings for $8.99. If you, like me, can only put down 10 or 12, this is a decent price. Buuuut, if you are like some of my more accomplished wing-eating friends who can destroy 3 dozen of them, this is a steal. 2 people, endless wings and 4 PBR = $28 plus tax and tip. I think I can handle that.
(4)Tom G.
Some things are good, some are over-smoked disasters. The good: Fried chicken. Actually, this is beyond good, it's amazing. Rice and beans. Cornbread. Mac and cheese (although this almost makes it to the bad category, it's pretty average). Beer selection. Prices (again, almost in the bad category but not horrible overall). Service if you eat in. The bad: Mostly everything else. The ribs are oversmoked. So is the brisket. It's a pretty good place overall. I enjoy eating here when I'm craving BBQ.
(3)Brian P.
I lived in Allston/Brighton for over 6 years and am so sad this place didn't exist when I called the neighborhood home. I now live over 5,000 miles away and was happy to see this new addition to Harvard Ave on a trip back to Boston. I can't say this is the best southern style bbq I've had... but so what, this is Boston and to be honest, it is nice to have a non-noodle, non-pizza restaurant in Allston. I've come for the all you can eat wings once which was a great deal. The cranberry hot wings were a nice thanksgiving addition. We also got the greens, rice n beans, and mashed potatoes for sides. The greens and potatoes were very good. The rice and beans so so. I've also tried the brisket and pulled pork. Those were both pretty good as well. Corn bread was yummy. I loved all the tvs for sport game watching. Things I didn't like? The first time I came the service was pretty bad. We waited about 5 mins before someone came to greet/offer us a table. Once seated it took forever to order. The last time was a lot better but still had some problems flagging down our server to order more wings/beer. I guess this is expected as the place is always busy. I guess the only other negative is parking, but, this is life in Boston.
(4)Alicia G.
I have been here a few times before and always enjoyed it. I almost forgot it existed since I'm not in the area much and then I got the Living Social deal and all the delicious memories came back in a rush. I scooped up the deal and dragged the husband to dinner. It used to be a counter place with a giant chalkboard menu, but it now has waiter service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We got fried mac & cheese appetizer and it was delicious with a hint of spice on the crust. I got the cubed brisket with mashed potatoes and mac & cheese. It was all delicious (especially the mashed potatoes!), but I wouldn't go for the cubes if I had to make the choice again. My husband got a kind of sampler plate with ribs and fried chicken. Holy crap, the fried chicken was amazing. I ended up filling up on his fried chicken instead of my own brisket. The corn bread is a bit different than I am used to with big cranberries in it. It was tasty, but I think I prefer plain cornbread. I would give it 5 stars, but it was a bit pricey even with no booze. UPDATE: Apparently the cranberries in the cornbread were just a holiday special for Thanksgiving.
(4)Tim Y.
Awesome place for some BBQ! A good pulled pork sandwich plus a side for 8 bucks, and drizzle on your choice of the four BBQ sauces (soulfire, sweet, chili, and pitboss) they bring to your table. I personally like the sweet BBQ and pitboss, because the soulfire wasn't as strong and the chili/spicy tasted pretty much like hot sauce. P. S. Will be back for 9 dollar al you can wings on Monday nights
(4)Erika M.
Do that to me one more time, Soul Fire. My husband's job has catered lunch from this place once a month or so. Every time he tells me, "Soul Fire Tuesday" I get a food boner. The only relief from this food boner is a bite (or 400) of their Mac and Cheese and their sexy brisket. Mouth climax. I think I'll roll over and get some sleep now.
(5)Kelly O.
$8.99 all-you-can-eat delicious wings: YES. We'd been meaning to check out this deal, and last night finally got the chance to stop by SoulFire for the first time. The 3 of us cozied up to the bar around 6, ordered some cheapish beers from the friendly bartender ($2.50 PBR draft, $4.50 Sam draft), and waited for the onslaught to begin. For starters, they bring you a 4-piece wing sampler of the 4 types of sauces they have, 3 which are standard and 1 which rotates, so you can pick what you want to gorge on. The standard ones were all solid (2 were sort of spicy, 1 was typical BBQ), but the special sauce of the day Apple Bourbon was outstanding so we all decided to go with that. About 5 minutes later (these things are made to order so it's not instantaneous), a giant container of wings was set down in front of us and we went to town. These are no wimpy wings, we're talking big meaty drums and wings cooked to juicy perfection and slathered in amazing Apple Bourbon sauce. I'm sort of in love with that sauce, I probably could put that on just about everything I eat and be happy. I also ordered a side of baked beans ($1.99, nice and cheap) which I found delicious... the reviews are correct, they are very sweet and molassey, so if you're not into that don't get them. It just so happens that sweet/molassey + porkey is a flavor I love in my beans, so I was personally really pleased with them. Additionally, each table has a selection of 6 sauces you can add to whatever you order, ranging from sweet to standard BBQ to hot... I didn't mess with the Apple Bourbon perfection, but I could see this being great for a normal meal here. We did have to wait a few minutes in between each wing order, but understandably so since they were cooked to order and basically the entire restaurant was getting them. The atmosphere here is pretty casual, with paper wing containers and metal plates with a paper overlay for sides/mains. They even have paper bags at each table to throw your wings/bones away, a nice touch. The bartender/waiter serving us was really friendly, chill, and attentive, which I really appreciated during something like an all-you-can-eat when service can totally be in the crapper. I'd be willing to try SoulFire on a normal night given the food quality and service/atmosphere, but you can bet I'll definitely be back for Wing Monday.
(4)Kevin D.
BBQ party wings are tiny and meatless. They recently switched from their signature jumbo party wings to these minuscule things. I asked the chef about the switch and he said it was a money issue. Too bad, the old wings were great.......
(4)Rini G.
hmmmm..... ive been there for the all you can eat wings. Which I have to say are good. The wings are a good size and the sauces are all pretty delicious. I like that they bring you a tasting plate first, so you can decide which flavour of wings to pig out on. We also took out the 40 buck tasting menu home one night, and it was good. There were 7/8 sides, all of which were pretty tasty and lot of meat. Except for the short ribs, everything tastes good. The place gets 3 stars, because i really dont like the short ribs. I would definitely go back for all you can eat wings. Id actually give this place a 3.5 if I could.
(3)Joanna C.
Was in the mood for BBQ, even though we had a fairly large lunch. No matter, I still dragged my heartburn plagued bf to a trip to Allston to sample some Soul Fire after perusing the Yelp reviews! We could not find parking for... multiple minutes/blocks/miles. Finally found a spot in a "permit only" area and decided a ticket was well worth it after circling and circling and circling around the mile radius of Soul Fire. A brisk walk through what lookeded like a mini-Koreatown, we finally got to our destination! And it was... empty. Seriously. We passed some hopping restaurants so seeing only one table occupied here was a serious red flag for me. But... once our food started to appear, HEAVEN. Started with the Honey Hot wings, which were giant, meaty, perfectly spiced and sauced. Mmmm. BF had the pulled chicken sandwich with baked beans, which he quickly devoured. I was hankering for ribs, so had the 1/3 rack of the Pork Spare Ribs with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a cornbread square. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Collard greens were slightly sweet and were highlighted by bits of bacon. Mac and cheese was CREAMY, CHEESY, and topped with the BBQ chips which made it PERFECT. Seriously. Reeeeally good mac and cheese. Ribs were MEATY and FATTY and DELICIOUS! I doused them in the Pitboss BBQ sauce, and went to town! And... couldn't finish! 1/3 rack = 4 meaty spare ribs. I was able to finish 3 of them and about half of my sides. I really cannot WAIT to eat my leftovers. Cannot believe how GOOD the BBQ was, and how empty the place was given how reeeeeeeeeally good the food was! But it looked like their delivery business was absolutely jamming. So... understood. If I lived within delivery distance I'd totally be ordering them up weekly! Solid 4 stars. Loved the quad of BBQ sauces available.
(4)Christine B.
SO good! We had the pit boss sampler. Delicious. Great atmosphere and cheap beers! Service was excellent. Can't wait to go back
(5)Lusi F.
Normally, I really like this place. This is the third time I've ordered food from there (first time take-out and next two eat-in), so why the one-star? I went there for lunch yesterday, and they served me what I'm pretty sure was day-old baby back ribs. The menu says these should "fall off the bone," and from having ordered it previously 2x (either by me or friends I was with), I KNOW that their ribs do not taste like what we got: cold, hard, definitely not fall off the bone/clean bones. The most embarrassing part, was that we had brought two friends with us raving about how good their ribs were. Well, let's just say none of the four of us commented on the ribs this time during lunch. Yes, the fried catfish and everything else was still excellent, but I think it's just really poor business practice to serve your customers day-old ribs.
(1)Dessa R.
Based on my fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to have dinner here when I was having a particularly strong craving for mesquite/hickory/BBQ something or another. I love BBQ food, and have enjoyed it in a variety of contexts all over the country. Soul Fire was without a doubt the -worst- BBQ food I have ever had. The meats were dry, and straight up burnt (I enjoy some yummy charring as much as the next girl, but CMON). It had the feel of a trashy fast food joint, and the food was just terrible. Seriously- terrible. Probably my *worst* dining experience in Boston, just so you understand the gravity of my disdain. Shame on you, Soulfire!
(1)Jen D.
If you like Texas style BBQ then this isn't the place for you. I grew up in the South and like a variety of styles of BBQ, but being a Texan I especially like what I grew up eating. Soul Fire is about as authentic as Olive Garden is to Italian. After reading reviews I was excited to try Soul Fire, but it was horribly disappointing. The sauces were so so which made the pulled the chicken sandwich I ordered rather lackluster seeing as it was covered in sauce. The fried mac and cheese was on the dry side and was tasteless. They only have sweet tea. Any BBQ place back home would offer homemade sweet and regular tea. My friend ordered a wedge salad with a side of pulled pork and the salad wasn't what one expects from a wedge salad. I tried a bite of the pork and it was ok. The "buttermilk ranch" dressing is dreadful! It tastes as if it came out of the most bottom shelf bottle of salad dressing. I'm giving Soul Fire two stars because the cole slaw was to my liking and the waiter was both friendly and cute. I might go back for the Monday night wing night otherwise I won't be eating here again.
(2)Peg P.
A vegetarian being a fan of a BBQ place?? YOU BET! The side dishes and add ons at BBQ places are my favorite. Sour Fire had PLENTY to choose from - I could have had several meals here without repeating side dishes. They also had a vegetarian option of the menu, which was really great. I opted for the vegetarian plate which included: black beans and rice flour tortillas pickles cornbread salsa/sourcream/cheese It was excellent. Perfect portions and really great spicy flavors!! I will go back again and sample more of the side dishes. They had a good beer selection, the service was good, and the price was reasonable.
(4)Peter K.
A great place to grab a casual meal. The BBQ may not be the best in the world, but it definitely hits the spot if you're craving some BBQ. The pulled pork sandwich was worth the price and the service was friendly.
(4)Paul A.
Man do I like this place. I've sampled a lot of the menu but I always come back to their rib platter. The "Pit Boss" sauce is out of sight, but they've got a great assortment of other sauces as well. As much as I love ribs and cornbread, I'll show up just for the mac'n'cheese which has crumbled BBQ potato chips on top. That blew my mind!
(4)Tom D.
My girlfriend and I just moved to Boston from Texas, and were really wanting to find some good bbq. We went to soul fire not knowing what to think and left totally impressed. The brisket my girlfriend ordered was great and the pulled pork I got was delicious. Not to mention the sides we got (potato salad mac n cheese, and baked beans) were unbelievable. I would recommend this place to anyone! Also, the restaurant has a very cool atmosphere as well, and portions are great!
(5)Anne R.
Have you ever had a cramp from eating too much? Yeah, that was me on a Monday all-you-can-eat wing night. It started with an innocent sampling of four of the biggest wings I've ever seen and then didn't stop until I waved my white flag of surrender. Looking around the room, I wasn't the only one in a painful bliss of wing consumption as others were leaning back in their chairs with a pile of bones sucked dry in front of them. The sauces are all quite exceptional with complex flavors and marinade style texture that allows the meat to remain center stage. I also had a chance to sample some of the ribs, pulled pork, and corn bread- all were equally tasty. The atmosphere is more like a bar than a restaurant- the waitress is there to bring your food and bar beverages, but soda and water refills are up to you with a fountain at the back of the room. Overall a great place for BBQ!
(4)Maria D.
Fried chicken platter? check. Baby back ribs platter? check. A variety of truly amazing sauces? check. This place is pretty sweet. Different vibe than Red Bones and definitely a go-to place for bbq. Came here with a groupon and used it up no problem and was NOT disappointed. Did I mention how delicious it is? Ambiance is very cool, and I definitely suggest sitting at the windows. We got to witness a 4 police car scooter chase to retrieve a man on a stolen scooter. And yes, it just so happened to occur right outside soulfire (the pull over, not the actual steal). Back to the food... Ribs were fall off the bone delicious. However, I was much more intrigued by the fried chicken platter. With such a variety of sauces, you really gotta take advantage and order something to douse in them (not like I didn't sauce up my ribs anyways). I will for sure be coming back.
(4)Stephanie M.
Now first off, my 3 stars are only based on the fact that I didn't eat an entire meal here. And with that said, I really liked what I did eat. Before heading to the movies last night my boyfriend conned me into trying out this place. It was my first time, and he hadn't been there in years. Two words: Macaroni and cheese. Especially mixed with a cold beer and a decent atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and joked around with us which really helped with the fairly laid back atmosphere they had going on. Their cornbread was phenomenal. I almost couldn't stop eating it. I'm not much of a meat eater, but even the potato salad was pretty good. A little too onion-y for my tastes, but I can be a picky polly. Apparently their BBQ left such an impression that before heading back home at 10:30pm, my boyfriend ordered an obscene amount of take out. You know, to save for later.
(3)Annette A.
First, I absolutely love the vibe of this place. It's warm, dim, and welcoming with hues of flaming red and orange all around. For my food, I had a Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of Mac and Cheese. The Pulled Pork was absolutely amazing, but it seemed like a pretty small sandwich. I'd suggest a slab of cornbread of fried chicken if you're looking for something to leave you aching for a nap.
(4)Dorian G.
I always enjoy a good BBQ feed, so after a friend of mine reviewed this place here, I decided I had to try it. I had the burnt ends, which were good, but I wasn't crazy about the sauce they were in, and I wasn't too crazy about the indigestion I had a few hours later. The rice & beans was delicious, with plenty of spices to keep you interested. The mac & cheese was good with nice tortilla (?) bits to give it some crunch. Cornbread was tasty as well; I wish I had some right now! A friend of mine got the 3-meat entrée, and the ribs looked delicious! The portions hurt my eyes a little, but they were served on a big pizza pan-type tray, so it could have been an optical illusion. I left feeling satisfied, so that was enough, but for what they were charging I thought there should have been more. I had a daily special, so perhaps those are a lighter portion. Soul Fire has a nicegreasy BBQ joint feel, silverware and sause served in a cardboard 6-pack box. Plenty of suds on the menu to keep the whistle whet, and for those with an insatiable thirst, soda pop is free refills (that's worth a star right there). Bathroom was fairly clean, plenty of literature adorning the walls to keep you occupied while you're busy, normally that would be a demerit but in a place like this it just seems to give it character. Server was very friendly & attentive. Our drinks were never empty and she even drew a little picture for us on our tab! A buddy remarked how they "needed" more tvs, but one above the bar and the big 72"+ projector on the wall was more than enough if you ask me. Relatively easy to find, parking may or not be an issue if you're on four wheels, but if you're on two feet its easy to get to. Tasty food, good beverage selection, free refills nice atmosphere, friendly service. I would definitely return!
(3)Matt C.
Honestly not even sure where to begin. The cornbread? The fried mac n cheese balls (bar none the best around)? The brisket? The ribs? Maybe the pulled pork? The homemade sauces? I just don't know. I have no words. Everything was beyond delicious. Go with friends, order a platter, and try it all. You'll be glad you did.
(5)Naji K.
I went to the Soul Fire BBQ restaurant in Allston excited about getting some serious bbq. Unfortunately, it didn't go as well as I had hoped. The restaurant was much more of a college scene than I had expected. Everything from the tables, chairs, silverware, and the service were all second rate. It was almost comical how the waitress had no interest in making sure we were comfortable. Once she took our order and dropped off our food we had to motion like we were hailing a cab to get her to notice us. The men's bathroom was disgustingly dirty. With that said, the food wasn't too bad and the prices were fair. But, it also wasn't anything special. They did have the biggest projection TV I've ever seen. So, if you're interested in a no-frills BBQ experience you have found the right place. Otherwise, I would try somewhere else.
(3)Jonathan Y.
Just awesome food every time. The cornbread is perfect and with out a doubt some of the best sandwiches and ribs I've had in a long time. I never leave this place disappointed and we always order in from here while working. Just cant beat it. I also love the sauces they have.
(5)Sean O.
Crazy good BBQ. Immediately apply the Soulfire sauce to your Southern Fried wings when they hit your table.
(5)Coren D.
Barbecue in Boston? Such a contentious topic, many barbecue lovers would be tempted to say, "No way, not possible." True, we don't have our own regional style, like Memphis, Texas, Kansas City, or North Carolina. Frankly, I've never been to any of those places and tried the Q there. I only know what I like. Smokey, tender, moist, but not greasy, not too saucy, not too sweet. Enter Soulfire, which has rave reviews from it's fans, and mediocre reviews from others. Three Groupons later and my final verdict, 3 stars. Starting with the brisket, very flavorful, there was plenty of smoke, a crispy bark and the meat was juicy. However, it had a thick ring of dripping grey grease along the edge that had to be trimmed off before eating. The pork spare ribs are meaty, toothsome, and well seasoned with the dry rub, but again, too much fat. OK, so maybe you're saying, "Dude, it's barbecue, it's supposed to be greasy, get over it." In my opinion, well done barbecue has most of the fat rendered off during the smoking process without drying the meat out. Finding globs of white fat stuck to the meat means it wasn't smoked long enough and cooked at too high a temperature. For the rest of the menu, a great find was the fried catfish. Flaky but not oily, crisp on the outside, but not dry, the catfish filet pairs well with the house barbecue sauces. The fried chicken was good, but a tad too sweet. I think there must be a lot of sugar in the marinade and the breading, because it comes out of the fryer a deep dark brown, instead of a golden color. It also is soggy with grease instead of crispy and light. The sides are decent, but everything seems to be made with way too much sugar. The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, corn bread, and chili are cloyingly sweet, and not savory enough. So to summarize: too greasy, too sweet. Is there better bbq in Boston? Definitely, but not bad for Allston. Good news, $2.75 PBR and $3 Lone Star.
(3)Jessica H.
Great food, just had the ribs and mac and cheese with BBQ chips for dinner and it was Awsome!
(5)Scott S.
Soul fire has a decent offering of barbeque. I've had better, but it will definitely satisfy if you're craving BBQ. I've been there about 5 times, and everytime i go, the place is deserted. There's never anyone in there, and they also have a HUGE projector on the wall, always on espn. A great place to chill and watch some sports with friends, the sauces are awesome, but the food can sometimes be a little disappointing to big BBQ fans like myself.
(4)M. R.
Soul Fire is crazy good! Their mac and cheese is some of the best I've ever had - topping it with barbecue flavored chips? Both genius and tasty! If you're on a diet you should probably avoid this place because they serve you tons of food for not that much money, and it is all greasy and delicious. I can't think of anything I've tried at this restaurant that wasn't totally fantastic. Plus their bartender (it's the same girl every time I go in) is really nice and friendly.
(5)Sarah R.
Soul Fire was just what I needed on Saturday. Boy and I were running some errands in Allston and stopped in for a quick lunch that didn't come in a Styrofoam container and wasn't redolent of the microwave. I'd been meaning to go here for a while after walking by countless times. Apparently Saturday afternoon is the right time to go; we were the only customers in there and left just as a fair-sized group of BU kids were stumbling in. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with mac & cheese. Boy had the beef brisket sandwich with rice & beans, and also tried one of the bottles of Harpoon Root Beer (which turned out to be quite yummy). There's a nice little assortment of different types of BBQ sauces with which you can doctor up your food, but I found I didn't really need any. My sandwich was messy but delicious, and I tried my best to stretch out the eating experience so I could savor it more. I did this by pacing myself with the cheese-tastic mac & cheese, which was delightfully sprinkled with BBQ chips. Oh hai, LDL cholesterol! My only complaint regarding the food rests with the fact that they serve sweet pickle chips on the side. I maintain that sweet pickles were conceived of and brined by Satan himself. It speaks volumes that boy, who is a native Texan and thus has had more than his fair share of good BBQ, thinks this place serves good food. I think it's a step above Village Smokehouse, and I have yet to go to Redbones, but I'll definitely be returning here to get my BBQ on.
(4)Robbie R.
I went to this fine establishment on Friday with my girlfriend and my two roommates. It was a cold night... one that makes you hold a loved one close and ponder just why it is that you choose to live in an environ in which such harsh winter conditions are the norm and public transportation is so habitually disappointing... I had originally thought to go to the Sunset Bar and Grill, as I had yet to go for a meal and had been told that it truly is much more than just a mediocre Eagles song. But the ladyfriend brought up Soul Fire... and am I glad she did. Located on Harvard Ave, and balls deep in Allston Village, this place is a breath of fresh air into the lungs of diners looking for somethign other than your typical pub-fare or fill-in-the-blank-with-an-asian-country cuisine. BBQ is the type of food that I almost never buy, yet absolutely love when someone makes it for me and hands it to me on a plate. Sushi is also the same deal. You just learned a few interesting tidbits about me... congrats. So anyway, when perusing the menu, I had to go with the pulled pork sammich. I also got a side of mac and cheese, and a side of potato salad. I couldn't help maself. Then we also got a side of cornbread as an appetizer... WHEN IN ROME!!! The cornbread was good, the pulled pork amazing, the mac and cheese amazing, and the potato salad was 'meh.' Roommate #1 got some mashed potatoes which were the bomb, and my better half got some baked beans which were also mighty good. Our waitress was dope and laid-back. She didn't mind splitting our bill between the 4 of us or handling 4 different cards. Forgot to bring our drinks before our meal... but we jogged her memory and there was no harm done. The meal was ready in 5 or 10 mins tops. We left satisfied and went off to watch The Silence of the Lambs and continue with our carnivorous cavorting.
(5)Rachel L.
Not bad, for a BBQ place. Boyfriend took me here the other day, and we split a full rack of spare pork ribs, and it was pretty good, but there was tons of fat that I'd have to pull off before every other bite. It was good though, not too dry. They offer you four different sauces: sweet, soulfire, fiery, and I don't know what the other one was. I liked the soulfire sauce the best, and my bf liked the sweet sauce the best. We got potato salad and collard greens for sides. The potato salad was good, probably from a nearby grocery store. Collard greens were alright. The cornbread, I thought, was pretty good. It wasn't too processed, like Boston Market's cornbread or anything. They also had mac n' cheese, coleslaw, and a few more sides I can't remember right now. This place had apps like wings, chili, etc. They had three or four different salads, sandwiches, and ribs. Prices were ok, considering the amount of meat you're getting. I think the full rack of ribs was something like $23. The thing that impressed me the most was that we got our food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. Bathrooms were pretty clean, and decorated nicely. The interior was also decorated kinda nice, painted bright red, and music-related art hangin on the walls. There's also a big TV, always playing some sports game. But yeah, I recommend getting the ribs.
(4)Brittany B.
Ordered delivery from this place... not a fan. They seemed very frustrated with me after writing down MY number wrong and stated that they "called and called" and I did not answer. Pardon me for not verifying that they had the correct number, I thought that was their job. After rectifying the situation, they then tried to say that they could not get into my building because the front door doesn't allow entry. However, I have received delivery many times without an issue. The catfish tastes like the batter is ordinary batter that one would fry shrimp in, the mac and cheese was cold and the collards were sub-par. If you really want TRUE BBQ, I would say go to Blue Ribbon and if you just want some good down home cooking, try Slade's. I won't be ordering from here again... perhaps I shouldn't have ordered delivery.
(2)Nate B.
It took 10 minutes for the bartender to even give my friend and I the time of day. It was a Friday evening and we had eaten at Soul Fire once before, so we figured why not stop by for a drink. The bar had around 6-7 people at it, all happily munching on food and drink all while we sat waiting for the bartender to notice us. Finally I got the bartender's attention after angrily glaring at the other bartender who nervously tried to get our bartender to see us. Once I did manage to flag her down, she informed us that if we weren't getting food with our drink that their alcohol permit would not allow us to eat there. This information, after 10 minutes of waiting with out even offering us a menu. That aside, the food is filling, the sides are tasty, and the portions are decent. It's small, and has a warmth and vibrancy that comes from its deep red walls and album covers that decorate its bar. The pricing is 8-10 dollars for most entrees and options for side combinations. Service is inconsistent. Our first trip there a few months ago was fine, in fact our bar tender was extremely friendly and was bouncing with excitement as the Celtics won. This past trip was pretty awful, and it will be hard to get me to go back. I have a theory about why we weren't served, but I'll save that for any who wishes to message me in private. Enjoy, but make sure you get foodz with your booze...
(2)Devon R.
I'm surprised at all the good reviews here, the food was dry and only tolerable when doused in sauce, but that shouldn't be necessary. the mac and cheese was not very cheesy and not very hot either. If you really want some BBQ head over to Red Bones or Blue Ribbon.
(2)Jason B.
Service is terrible here. We called in an order and were told they were "too busy to accept take-out orders." Not delivery, just plain take out. I went down to find the staff outnumbered the customers, kitchen was quiet, and there were maybe six takeout bags waiting for pick-up. Ribs are good but a little lean, not the tastiest dry rub. Decent fries and corn-dogs. None of it is worth dealing with the bored, lazy hipsters behind the counter.
(1)Kelsey A.
It pains me to give this one star. But what pains me more is the number of times my friends and I have given this place a shot and ended up with severe stomach illnesses. (I'll spare you the details). The first visit went well with no problems. The cornbread is good, the mac and cheese is good - but other than that, the food makes me sad. First, the collard greens are inedible. Second, we had "issues" 4 times after that initial visit. I hate to think it and I'm not saying it's fact - but I feel like there was something wrong with the meat when we ate there. I know you're thinking, "but if it made you sick, why did you keep going back?" I went back because I love the concept of the place and the service is quirky. The bbq doesn't taste terrible when you're eating it, it's just the aftermath that makes me go, "thanks, but no thanks." I feel like I can fairly give Soul Fire one star.
(1)David E.
One word says it all: "eh". Some of the sauces are good but overall, it could be better on so many levels. The mac and cheese earned it 3 stars instead of 2. Highly recommended as a side.
(3)Sheila S.
I was VERY pleased with this place. The deep fried macaroni is tasty. Our main was delicious. The beer selection and homemade lemonade get extra points. Just 1 star off for a pretty horrible dessert... don't get the fried dough.
(4)J E.
Soul Fire is one of those places that will show up when researching a good place to get wings around the Allston area. You will find a decent selections of tasty sauces, yummy corn bread to cut the flavor, and cold beer to wash it all down. Depending on which night you visit, you may find yourself with the decision to impulsively get the all you can eat wings. *cough* Monday. And if you aren't up for stuffing your face, try the fried mac and cheese balls or the ribs. The restaurant does take orders for delivery, but I would advise agaisnt it. I fall into the catergory of people that blatently ignored the comments that maticulously pointed out that the delivery is painfully slow, and should never be done if it can be avoided. Needless to say it took about 2 hours to get my food, after several phone calls and the discovery that my order had never even be written down. Regardless, if you visit the restaurant, you don't need to worry about that.
(4)Ashley M.
Went to The Roadhouse last week and thought it would be fun to search for a great BBQ place. This was definitely a good experience. There was plenty of seating and space, very accessible. We chose to sit table-style instead of the booth(tried to get away from the television distraction). Our waitress was very friendly but a little distant. The beer selection was limited but ok. Next time I want to try the Harpoon soda! I had the pulled pork platter while my boy had 1/2 rack spare ribs. The meat was plentiful and tasty, especially with the house sauce. The sides seemed skimpy but in the end they were just enough to complement the main dish. We tried the baked beans, mac and cheese, and potato salad. The beans were fantastic. The potato salad tasted just like how mom makes it (good thing :), and the mac and cheese, though cover with crumbled BBQ potato chips, lacked something. A little dry. There were plenty of left-overs and no room for their minute dessert selection (fried dough or lime squares). The price was very reasonable and if I was craving bbq I would definitely go back.
(4).amy E.
This was a crucial part of a friend's and my "GREAT MEAT ADVENTURE." That's right. We used that phrase multiple times, unaware of it's other meanings without context. Not really. We wanted BBQ, and since Blue Ribbon wasn't easily T-accessible, this jumped to the top of our list. I'd forgotten to write down the street address, so we wandered past it a few times on Harvard Ave while we looked for it, convinced that we would have smelled it or, you know, felt its righteousness in our hearts when we got close. It was only when we did that awkward-caving-and-calling-friends thing that we discovered we'd been standing right in front of it all along and surely that was guidance from the hand of fate, where "fate" = "411". We ate until we were full and then we kept eating because it was really damn tasty. It's not *real* Southern BBQ because we're in New England, but it was almost on par with it, and that worksforme. Also, the fried mac&cheese nuggets made my day. This is the kind of place that truly reminds me of how terrible I am for being an ex-vegetarian: while I would love to return to those roots, I am just too weak when there is BBQ like this out there.
(4)Alex T.
This is probably the cleanest BBQ/Soul Food restaurant you will every come across. I havent been here much but I will say that their ribs are excellent. I ordered a plate with two sides, greens and mac & cheese. The greens was very basic and not as flavored as some other soul food places I've been to. You can really taste the biterness of the greens. The mac & cheese was just creamy with lots of melted cheese. Soul Fire is a very welcome addition to Allston eateries to me and brings yet another aspect of ethnic foods in this little area.
(3)Gil F.
This place is awesome! It has an interesting decor and it is group friendly...the food is also what I crave when I want some good BBQ! I've been here a few times and it hasn't disappointed me.
(4)Liza M.
OMG so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a groupon, which made it even more awesome. Love all the many sauce options. The fried mac n cheese bites were interesting! I had pulled pork, cooked to perfection. Baked beans and mashed potatoes on the side. Chris had the ribs, and he still raves about them months later. Cornbread was great too. Our waitress was super helpful and explanatory. We even scored a parking spot right across the street.
(5)Vito M.
First and foremost, I feel like a distinction between "barbecue" food and "cook-out" food must be made. From what I've gathered after living in the south for a good number of years, a cook-out is anything that involves a grill and meat. Think hamburgers, hot dogs and the like. BBQ generally involves a brush and is characterized by slow cooking, rich flavorful sauces (of the tomato and vinegar based varieties), and varying intensity of smoky overtones. Soul fire is truly a gem of the New England BBQ scene. Start with their chicken "wings." Each wing is the entire drumstick-wing combo and they've got such a great subtle smoked flavor. The spicy/sweet sauce is fantastic! The brisket at Soul Fire reminds me a bit of Rudy's in Texas. It's expertly cooked and served on a flat piece of wax paper. Soul Fire's cornbread is stellar, too! The rub on the baby back ribs and the potato salad left a lot to be desired, however. This is a great place to start a night out... if you can find toothpicks on your way out the door!
(4)Lauren M.
Love this place. Casual atmosphere, great food. I'm from Texas, but I'm not a huge fan of how sweet Texas sauce tends to be. Soulfire remedies this problem by letting you pick your own sauce! Briscuit is awesome, corn bread is legit, beer selection is good enough. I'm in!
(4)Christopher M.
Really cool place with great food. I had baby back ribs and they were fantastic. Had baked beans and macaroni & cheese. My brother had fried fish and was a big fan! Place does a great job and the atmosphere was really cool too.
(4)Ian M.
Great vibe and spectacular BBQ, the Brisket sandwich is top notch, and ribs are done right.
(5)Gary G.
Not special. Wings too smoky, and southern fried wings need sauce, but sauces cater to people liking hot food. Salads big but not special. Service ok. This is not redbones.
(2)Emily H.
My wife and I went to Soul Fire for the first time tonight. The chicken, bbq sauce, and cornbread were all amazing. I also really enjoyed the baked beans and collard greens. Unfortunately the mac and cheese was not nearly as good as I was expecting. Service was great. Prices were great.
(4)Sweet T.
I enjoyed the pulled pork...meat was very tender. They had a good selection of different sauces to put on, but the meat was so good it didn't really need it. Cornbread came with the meal rather than before. Only real downside is that the meals didn't come on plates - they came on platters which looked pretty much like pizza pans. Not a huge fan of that. Sort of made me feel like a dog to get served food like that. Overall good food, but would've been better on decent plate.
(3)Warren W.
Back again to Soul Fire with the girls and friends. We have lots of friends when dad's buying. Saturday night about 6:45 and we timed it just right. Wyeth, the owner, is behind the counter organizing sees us and immediately comes over to renew and talk about old times and the restaurant. It's come a long way and we can't wait to tear into friend chicken, and pulled this and that, and ribs. Youngest is late as usual as she is directionally challenged still after 5 months in Boston. Beers flow and I really like the wheat UFO on draft but screw the lemon. Out comes a sampling of his latest creation Buffalo wings in a creamy tart blue cheese and hot wing sauce. 7 to 8 on the hot scale for most and a freakin' 9 for me. Lips were numb for 90 minutes and a didn't know beer was touching my mouth until most of it poured down the front of my fleece. Onto the fried mac balls. Liz, the bride, ate so many I thought she wouldn't do the pulled chicken. She dips hers in ketchup!! Fried wings were beyond crispy and super golden brown and juicy. Everyone seems to have different tastes in corn bread this is my absolute favorite.....moist, sweet and corny. Out come my baby backs 1/3 portion and I could only eat two. They came with mashed which were creamy and with a nicely salted gravy. I love baked beans and the smokey taste and chocolate color just make these different among all others. We had more than enough to take home and I finished the corn bread for breakfast. Soul Fire got crowded about 7:30 and really filled up but I noticed the tables turn quick as the food comes out real fast and the service is efficient. On the service end, Wyeth has changed his approach from ordering at the register to table side servers. Much better and turns the crowd faster. So 5 stars, pain to park, I know a secret on this area of parking expertise but you do take a chance. Go there.
(5)Amy L.
The service is lightning fast. Unbelievably fast. I almost always get the pulled pork sandwich, which is excellent. I like every side I've tried, especially the cornbread, which is sweet and has whole kernels of corn. The collard greens are good and never overcooked. The mac and cheese was a little bland. It also had crumbled potato chips on top, which I had never seen before and found a little unnerving. The only sauce I've tried is the North Carolina, which is nice and vinegary. And wow, the service is fast.
(4)Nicole P.
eh... Had dinner here with my friend Jess G. last night and am not a huge fan. It's a counter service self-seat place that has a huge space but is not inviting. They could do so many cool things with such a large space; it's a shame. There are lots of tables- some high tops which are cool but the chairs are hard and there is just a lot of empty space. I dunno- they need to warm it up some how. The food was blah- I had some wings. They only have 1 flavor and it was ok. My gf has had the pulled chicken before and said it wasn't good either. I did like the cornbread and coleslaw and the mac n' cheese looks great. Jess G. said she liked her fried catfish but I noticed she didn't finish it... I think the menu needs more options and the food needs more flavor. The prices were cheap- maybe they should raise them and spend more money on the food. They *do* have beer. The service was great- very friendly staff. I say skip it and hit Blue Ribbon bbq! (My favorite bbq in MA)
(2)Lauren T.
If you're going to steal your restaurant concept from Blue Ribbon, at least get it right. Soul Fire BBQ is acceptable if your in a pinch for cheap fast BBQ. Yes, they have good platter selections, yes they offer a variety of tasty southern sides. But there is NO CREATIVITY, QUALITY or TALENT! The wings were tender, but just dipped in sauce. The only flavor in the macaroni and cheese was the bonito type flakes shaken on top. The ribs were almost all fat. The bread was fresh on the Pulled Pork sandwich, but the meat was too dry, with not a hint of flavor. Soul Fire offers a BBQ sauce bar similar to Blue Ribbon, but without the variety of sauces. They keep the sauces heated which is a very nice touch, but does not help too much when the sauces are bland and atypical "Fiery", "Sweet" and "North Carolina". Soul fire offers a small but acceptable beer selection, but get something in a bottle until the employees master a good pour. The ambiance is mellow and cool with the soul background, but does not offer much to the "BBQ" joint feel. I would almost feel more comfortable ordering a martini in there instead of licking sauce off my fingers. Like I said, it's not a bad place if your in a pinch, but next time I will save my money and head to Blue Ribbon or Redbones
(3)Raymond W.
Soul Fire definitely lost a step on my most recent visit. I arrived around 11:45 with the place empty and the restaurant stank of bleach for our entire meal, which was quiet off putting even though it meant that they had been cleaning. The brisket I got was decent, but not as hot as I would have liked and the cornbread was somewhat dry. The cole slaw and baked beans were both good, but it just wasn't as satisfying as it had been in the past.
(3)Linda H.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this place got such great reviews. I went to Soulfire last night to quench a serious bbq craving. The place was EMPTY. The tables were sticky. Still, my friend and I each ordered the Soulfire Platter to try bits of everything. My friend got the pulled pork and baby back ribs with cole slaw and mashed potatoes. The best part of his meal was the cole slaw and cornbread. Everything else was pretty bland. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a box. I got the brisket, which was ok, with the roast chicken and sides of mac and cheese and beans. My sides were fine, nothing special. The pickles that came with the meals were sad, thin discs. We were expecting thick delicious spears of pickle! Last night was a huge disappointment, I won't be back.
(2)Sofia H.
alright bbq, not the worst i've had in boston area but def nowhere near the best... what is quite nice is the price though and you get a decent size meal. I tried the pulled pork sandwich and it was good but the side of mac and cheese was really quite excellent. The locale itself is also really sparse and spacious... in somewhat of a negative way. I felt that there was too much empty space and when the place isn't packed (like it was when I went) it just seemed a little cold. an alright place to go grab food in allston if you don't feel like leaving the neighborhood
(3)Jonathan C.
Just went here a couple hours ago. I wouldn't say its the best soul food around but very good for the area, no doubt. I had the chili fries. Mmmmmm very delightful. Pulled pork plate, which is juicy, tender, and the right amount of time cooked. Also I had the 1/2 rack of ribs, very high quality meat. They stand by there slogo ( coming right off the bone ) The ribs where almost perfect. For some odd reason I really couldn't taste much flavor in it, neither could my wife. But I'll tell you what, we ordered alot of food. All in all I give this place an A!
(4)Jinny P.
Solid BBQ. Baby Back ribs were pretty darn good, as were the fries, pulled pork, and mashed potatoes. Beef Brisket is just ok. It's the type of place that has different sauces on the table. The waitress we had was super unattentive...had to get up to ask her for utensils, went missing for after our food was served and only reappeared when she wanted to go home (it was toward the end of the night). Other than that, it's not a bad place to come with a bunch of friends, especially during a Bruins game which was the case. Everybody was very jovial that night Bruins won.
(3)Jamie C.
One of my favorite places in all of Allston. The food is real good and usually comes out quick, and the staff is super friendly. Try their Mac n Cheese side with the crushed BBQ potato chips on it.
(5)Rich D.
So ridiculously good! The Pitboss BBQ sauce was about as good as it gets. I got the Pitboss Sampler because there were too many good options...and for the two of us it was a TON of food. I brought home enough for at least 2 more meals. The pulled pork is perfect for loading up with whatever BBQ sauce you like best. The BBQ wings and the Southern wings are both great. The Spare Ribs were kind of "eh."
(4)Brian M.
The gf had heard good things about this place. I was a little wary, finding Barbeque often over-rated. She was jonesing for some red meat and it was mid-week quiet, so we gave it a try...Hallelujah! Mine eyes have seen the glory... This place is a meat-eaters heaven. We tried the ribs and the brisket, both divine - flavorful and not too dry. The sides were excellent also - I generally find American coleslaw to be a pale, inspid imitation of the hearty stuff we eat back home, but Soulfire's is great - tangy and just every so slightly crunchy. The mash potato was great as well, although I honestly could have done with a bigger portion. Particular praise also for the gravy - made me want to get some fries to pour it over (my fav comfort food). The BBQ sauce was also v good - just the right side of spicy - you get a tingle, but it doesn't zap your taste buds. The staff were very pleasant and friendly, although one thing to note is that there is no table service as such - you order and pay, then grab seating (or not) and then collect your food when its called. Bring on the meat sweats!
(5)Sarah F.
Forget BBQ. If you like fried chicken (and who doesn't?) this is the place for you. Crispy, juicy, and flavorful. Mmm! Serve that up with some cornbread mac and cheese and baked beans and you're set. Delicious and nutritious! Well maybe not so much...
(4)Andrew A.
Soul Fire BBQ sits in the heart of Brookline right next to wonderbar and therefore seems to have a revolving door of clientele from BU. My friends got the chili as a starter and loved it... I myself waited until I got my meal and OHHH what a meal it was... I had a full rack of Baby Back Ribs, Mac n' Cheese, French Fries and Cornbread. The Baby Back Ribs weren't fall off the bone (Soul Fire claims if it were slow cooked that much it would lose some of its flavor) but they were good and combined with Soul Fire's signature sauce were very tasty. The Cornbread was excellent, now I wouldn't say I'm any connoisseur of cornbread... But this was just the way I like it flavorful and moist. The Mac n' Cheese was by far the best I've had in a long time and the portion they served was just the right amount, enough to augment your meal well but not enough to have you bursting at the seems (the other stuff does that well enough on its own). As for the fries I have to say I was far from disappointed... The seasoning that Soul Fire uses on their fries makes them almost addictive, like crack cocaine or something... The service was pretty good, and although I called ahead and told them I'd like a table (they don't take formal reservation) we still got seated at a communal kind of table (the likes of which you might see only in Germany). Meanwhile when a table opened up and we asked to move to that table, they told us that it was reserved for a party of four who called ahead, not a night changer, but not in the win column for them. The wait staff here was also very friendly!
(4)Rachel K.
I went back because my friend had a groupon so we thought we'd give it another chance. We got there early (5:30 pm) and that may have made the difference. Or we just had a better server. But the service was fine. The food was still very good. I'm still keeping them down to 3 based on past experience. But this is a definite improvement!
(3)Edith W.
I like the place..food is great... I had chicken. That was the best chicked I have had in a long time.. Spared ribs were really good, maybe even better than their babyback ribs! (I'm a big baby back fan) The only thing is that the place is big and looks empty. It had AC on when it was only 65 degrees. My food got cold very fast..and the meat certainly didn't taste good when it was cold!!!
(4)Xoxo, B.
Love this place, much better than Redbones in my opinion. Great food, great service and fair prices. My favorite.. Pulled chicken, mac and cheese.. And the pickles! Sauces are amazing too.
(5)D.J. L.
I order a lot of food and eat out a lot but I never feel I must write a review for the places I go to. After eating Soul Fire, I felt the need to share. As one reviewer here said, the true test of a BBQ place is their ribs, and their ribs were excellent. They were dry, so you actually got to taste the ribs (not the sauce) and you were able to put the sauce on the ribs yourself. The spicy links were also delicious. They went very well with the ribs. For sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and the potato salad, and both had the flavor I believe they should have. They both taste absolutely authentic. I cannot recommend this place enough for anyone who loves BBQ food.
(5)Tracy H.
Decent BBQ, good pulled pork and flavorful brisket, love love love the beans! Meh on the fried mac n cheese (kinda dry), i think i prob shoudl've stuck with the regular mac n cheese. Minus one star for the fried chicken (soggy, and small drumsticks/wings only). But that's on me, prob shouldn't have ordered fried chicken at a BBQ joint. Will definitely go back again.
(4)Ryan E.
Disclaimer: This rating is based upon the take-out experience(s) I've had. I have never actually eaten in the establishment. Pulled anything is fantastic. Meat is tender and the rub is savory and delicious. My preferred sauce is the pitboss although it's completely subjective. The Sandwiches are a GREAT deal. Generously sized on a soft bun, they come with one of Soul Fire's quality sides...my favorite of which is the mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese is something the gf and I often order a quart of. It's topped with crushed bbq potato chips. If you're a fan of Siracha, try putting it on their mac and cheese---I can't ever go back. Southern Fried Wings on the app menu are big, crunchy outside, and juicy inside. They come with a spicy red pepper (I think?) creamy dipping sauce that is fantastic. I would get them more often if I knew I wasn't already going to be so full from the go-to sandwich and mac n' cheese. Ribs are decent but I think rival Red Bones has the edge here. Corn Bread is the best I've had in Boston--dense, sweet, with real corn kernels. Overall its on the top 5 places I routinely get takeout from and every time, in the middle of the meal, I think to myself "Damn, this was a great idea".
(4)jake l.
Soulfire, Soulfire, oh Soulfire, oh how have I judged the shit out of you based on your geographical location and reviews. You have proved me wrong. Anyways, I had the 3 meat platter and I was very impressed. Pulled chicken, superb. Beef brisket, superb. Baby backs, superb. The meats all had just the right amount of smokiness from their obviously mixed combination of woods and none of the meats were dry. The sides of Mac, slaw, and cornbread were good as well. Check them out, this is a very fairly priced bbq meal around Boston. Under $20 for a 3 combo meal, which BTW is overloaded on the plate. Additionally, the gentleman preparing our meal (presumably the owner) shot the shit with me and poured me some SC bbq sauce that was not on the menu yet, so that's thumbs up for social interaction.
(4)K C.
Only 4 stars because once I ordered delivery and they forgot my Spaghetti western, the dish I was craving the most! If you try it you'll understand! Super relaxed atmosphere, and really nice staff. There is so much I recommend trying, because everything I've tried... Which is a lot of food, has been so flavorful and delicious! BBQ jumbo wings- tender & juicy, Pulled pork sandwich or entree- top it with what ever sauce you like (the staff are willing to explain the flavors) a little messy, but the meat just melts in your mouth, mac & cheese is really yummy topped with bbq chips for a little crunch. If you like BBQ I recommend stopping here! Grab whatever you like, and I'm sure you'll enjoy.
(4)Joe R.
Best cornbread ever. Most cornbread falls apart, or is just too fluffy for it's own good- Soul Fire's cornbread was moist, dense, and sweet. The mac and cheese was also very good; they crumble BBQ potato chips on top of it. The pulled pork was good, and their sweet BBQ sauce was delicious. I'll be back (and probably grabbing some extra cornbread for the road)!
(5)Pete C.
Executive Summary: PORK IN THE VEGETARIAN RICE AND BEANS DISH. I don't know why a vegetarian would order from a soul food restaurant, but on last count I've ordered delivery from Soul Fire at least 39 times over the past year or two. Veggie entree + mac and cheese were both consistently tasty and convenient, but pricey. Delivery always claims to take 45 minutes when I order through foodler but more often than not takes an hour, 1:15, 1:30 sometimes, without phone calls or apologies. Previous orders have been also been screwed up/required redelivery, again without any apologies. Last Thursday was the last straw - main part of my order was forgotten, and when they redelivered it later I got partway through before tasting something "smokey" in the food... spit it out and realized I was chewing on a piece of pork. In my vegetarian rice and beans. Manager I talked to on the phone explained that it is very easy for the meat to accidentally get mixed in with the vegetarian rice and beans and offered to send me a gift card... presumably so I can order more vegetarian food with meat in it? Sarcasm aside, I've never really had any concessions like this before when orders took ages or things were left out or screwed up, so maybe this means they've at least stepped up their management game a fraction. Whatever. I'm done, will NEVER eat here again. And before meat eaters reply defending the place, I will fully admit that I'm an idiot for 1. being a vegetarian spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars at a soul food restaurant(?!!!), even if it is on a "vegetarian entree" 2. not complaining about this place a lot sooner Speaking of #1, if you're veg you'd have to be an idiot to risk eating at this place when there's tons of real veg options in Allston. You are not their target clientele, you are an afterthought which is why they are charging you 9 DOLLARS for rice and beans. As a last point, the night this happened the manager I talked to said she would be talking to the person in charge the next day and asked if she could call me back then. No calls back, presumably since there's nothing they can do about it. Nothing I can do about it either, except post this review and warn you guys.
(1)Anna L.
I LOVE SOUL FIRE! This restaurant is undoubtedly one of my top restaurants. Where do I even start?! The pulled chicken sandwich is delicious, the rueben is amazing, the mac and cheese is to die for, and their corndogs (which come in a set of 4 mini dogs) takes the mother f-ing cake. Oh, and lets not forget the yummy lemonade to wash everything down with! I have no idea how anybody could possibly not like this place. Soul Fire always has great music playing in the background and a really awesome staff in addition to great food. The restaurant is kind of dark...but the tables are always clean!
(5)Ryan C.
I found Soul Fire to be perfectly adequate barbecue. The restaurant was admirably clean, but the atmosphere is a little upscale for a barbecue joint - closer to a downtown club than a down home rib shack, which is fine. Flat-screen TV set to the Olympics was a decent background, but I generally dislike TV in restaurants. A couple friends and I split the "Pit Boss," enough food for four to five people, and were not disappointed. The chicken and cornbread were excellent, the ribs and pulled pork were pretty good, though the ribs were a touch dry. It's not cheap eats, but it's a good value for the money.
(4)Susan M.
I have to admit that I have been to every bbq place in the city because of a certain young man's proclivity for the cuisine. So I speak from a place of authority I would say. Soulfire is pretty good: ribs, chicken, cornbread all quite good. A nice selection of good sauces and beer (plus larger beers available). Brisket was a bit fatty though. As for atmosphere, shrug... it was alright... nothing to write home about. The reason I will go back to this place despite the fact that I can get better ribs closer to my house is the fried mac n cheese balls. Holy hell they are fantastic! Delicious little balls of fat and happiness fried up and served to you in a red plastic basket. Wow.
(4)Renee A.
Not impressed. Brisket and rib combo was blah. Small portion of brisket served was fatty and the ribs were tough and little meat. Cornbread, Mac and Cheese and rice and beans were dry. They must have been sitting out all day in the kitchen. Price not comparable to portion and quality. Not likely to return.
(1)Ted P.
First off I have to put the disclaimer in that Im from Florida, and BBQ in New England definitely is not on par with what I am used to. As BBQ goes in New England SoulFire pretty good. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, but I didnt want to give them 3 stars either, so 4 stars it is. It is a true 4 stars for Boston BBQ spots though. The pulled pork is decent and the beef brisket is pretty good. The sauces are decent as well for(again,New England BBQ). The sweet tea is VERY hit or miss. Some days it horrible, some days it's the best I've had in Boston(note I said in Boston). Lately it has been bad though. Today it tastes like it was either left out too long, made with sugar in the raw, or something along those lines. It was slow(I was the only person in here) and I asked if instead of the bun they could butter some Texas toast and toss it on the flat top or grill for my pulled pork sandwich. I got my pulled pork on untoasted Texas toast with four or five pats of butter on the side. Not a big deal, but I found it pretty amusing! Overall I do like the place, it's the best BBQ I've had in Boston so far, and it's only a couple blocks from me! Score!
(4)Nick M.
Soul Fire is the best place in Allston to get a plate of comfort food. The beef brisket sandwich is one of my favorite items to get, as the meat is always tender and cooked to perfection. For sides, try the mac and cheese - its delicious. Prices on food and drinks are reasonable. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner on a Friday or Saturday. They only serve alcohol to patrons who are ordering food, so the restaurant does not fill up with college students like the other bars in the area.
(4)evan p.
the owners of this place have no idea what they are doing. inauthentic barbeque food at it's very worst. Everything here is a 'nice try', but nothing is made as it's intended. Seems like the owner had his heart in the right place, but no actual knowledge of how barbeque food should taste. Shame really, the staff is nice, Location is right on the walk to most of allston from the Harvard Ave train stop,.the decor is awesome, and the music is always great. But the food? Blech. for authentic boston area BBQ try Blue Ribbon in Newton.
(2)luke b.
MMMM! Delicious! The sandwiches are fantastical and the mac and cheese has bbq chips crunched up on top. what could be better? the salad could use a little work... but the meats were meaty and the mac and cheese mac and cheesy. MEAT!
(4)D. M.
Love this place. Great food, great atmosphere. Have tried their brisket numerous times and have never been disappointed. I usually get it with mac and cheese and cole slaw. Have also tried the ribs and wings appetizer. The ribs were tender, fall off the bone while the wings were nicely marinated and flavorful.
(5)Jeffrey K.
This place really isn't on par with Blue Ribbon or Red Bones. There just wasn't anything special about it. I went there awhile ago and there really isn't much that's memorable to write. I think I remember liking the fried mac and cheese balls.
(3)Ben C.
5 stars for being the only good bbq place within walking distance of brookline/allston. Kudos to the owners for creating a delicious, inexpensive real food restaurant in a sea of average pizza joints and blah takeout restaurants. Eat the fried macaroni and cheese balls and your life will be changed. I'm not a BBQ expert per say, but I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches/meals and it was excellent. The variety of bbq sauces is unique in allston and yes, I think the food tastes a lot better when doused in the sauce... so do it! I love this place
(5)Ken M.
The waitress was bordering on clueless. I'm also unclear on if refills are free, because she pushed larges on us and then apologized that they only had enough iced tea for a small and then gave me an extra cup for soda, of which they were also out of diet. So the food came up fairly quickly, and it was alright. Nothing special. The sauces were pretty good, but they were also out of one of those. Really? Out of so much? I know it's 8:30 pm on Sunday, but come on! The macaroni and cheese was very good, I only wish I'd asked for a double serving because it was smallish (though probably an appropriate size for a side). The mashed potatoes were good but cool on the bottom for being place just on a metal plate with a thin piece of wax paper separating it from the cold steel. I have to wonder why on a "platter" my meat was still served on bread, as though I'd asked for a sandwich. The pickles were a little too tangy. The cornbread was pretty good. The place is clean but a bit too dark considering you order at the counter, it can't be considered romantic, just creepy dark.
(2)Tarryn V.
um this is prollly the best bbq in boston in my opinion. smoken joes in Brighton is excellent as well, but I prefer the bbq sauce (and they have a selection of 4) and fried mac and cheese balls here. I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken more times than I can count, and both are always amazing. the chili cheese fries are decent but kinda soggy... I generally stick with the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese (without the doritos on top! they totally ruin it for me!) which are always top notch.
(5)Beth M.
yum yum yum-- just tried this semi-newish BBQ joint this weekend for take-out after a looooong day of snowboarding. It was so super good--all of my tired and aching companions agreed. I got the pulled chicken sandwich with the house sauce, and for only $6 that came with a side and awesome dill/sweet pickles. I chose mac and cheese for my side, which was really great, and seemed to be mysteriously topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? i'll definitely be coming here again to sample the more involved dishes and drink a beer or two in situ. the place seemed relatively quiet on a sunday night, but with all the good reviews it's been getting i'm sure it is usually much more hoppin'. very tasty.
(5)Gretchen M.
I got a half rack of BBQ baby-back ribs for about $14 bucks with corn bread, and two sides. It was delicious! My boyfriend got the full rack for about 21 bucks and it was more than enough. Everything is cooked very well and they offer an array of beers and wines. The atmosphere is chill. You can either sit at the bar or order at the register and then wait a bit for your number to be called. Only downfall: the hardcore food coma I had later that night!!! =)
(5)Ken M.
Good place for some great southern BBQ. Not a big fan of the place as a bar. The selection is just ok and the tv situation is just ok as well. Love the pit boss as it gives you a taste of everything. The brisket and ribs are amazing and the different sauces help make the meal as well. I could drink their pit boss sauce and slather it in the ribs and brisket. They have great mac and cheese and corndogs as well. Food service. A little dark in there even on a sunny day. Overall great food and reasonable prices.
(4)Michael G.
I declare this to be the best barbecue in Boston. If that's not enough to get you to go, then I don't know what is. This is the sort of barbecue that doesn't even need sauce, though spectacular options are provided. Sauce, as you may know, was invented to cover up the mistakes in barbecue anyway. Definitely try the fried mac and cheese bites and definitely try the ribs. The fried chicken is also really, really good, especially since it seems that the chicken gets a spice rub first before it's battered and fried. As for the wings, I'd prefer to go to nearby Wing-It, but they were definitely good. The only thing I want more out of this place is for it to be open later. 11:00 seems like an early closing time for a place with a bar. Then again, the place is nearly empty at that hour. Be warned that your food may take a while to be prepared. Good food takes time after all.
(5)Dave M.
This is a really good BBQ place in a great location. Blue Ribbon is honestly a lot better, but it's a pain for me to get to. Still haven't gotten over to Red Bones so I can't compare it. The pulled pork sandwich here is great, just remember they don't add the BBQ sauce for you, so make sure to grab one of the many varieties they have and toss it on or it'll be a little dry. The mac and cheese here is also amazing, as are the ribs and pretty much any type of meat they have. For the guys: the owner here seems to have a great ability to hire really cute friendly college girls. Having pretty girls to flirt with while you're chomping away on delicious BBQ just adds something extra to the whole experience.
(4)Zoe H.
I live right on Comm ave and Harvard, which is located really close to Soul Fire, and I have to say that I love this place. To barbecue connoisseurs, the food may be adequate to disappointing, but for the rest of us schlubs on a budget and in dire need of quick soul food, this is the place. Soul Fire is affordable, never crowded, and staffed by very friendly people. I love the food, sometimes the ribs are a little dry but the barbecued chicken is fantastic, not to mention they have an array of sides that I like a lot, specifically the potato salad and beans. They also, and this seems silly but it is maybe my favourite aspect of this particular eatery, have all their barbecue sauces out in the open and you can take as much as you want. I am an awkward person and I hate to have to ask for things, and i like that Soul Fire trusts me with my own sauces. Soul Fire is definitely not the be all end all of barbecue, but it'll do in a pinch and it isn't expensive.
(4)Ambar B.
Amazing place, great compilation of sauces and excellent service. big fan.
(4)Paul G.
Had heard great things about the food, but never got to try it. Went with a party of six on a Friday. We waited well over an hour for our food to come out, but it never did. Even though the restaurant was only 60% full the whole time, the waitress never stopped by, or mentioned the delay, not once. We flagged her down a couple times after ~45 minute mark, and got (1) brushed off, (2) told they were out of ribs, and asked to sub something else in (this after ~an hour). Finally we decided to pay for our drinks and leave, and were told "its not our fault fried chicken takes a long time to cook". We left not because of the delay (which was extreme), but because the service was so awful, in an hour and half at the restaurant, the waitress stopped by of her own volition once (when she took or order), and never seemed apologetic or helpful when we did manage to get her attention. Manager was also unapologetic.
(1)Amanda L.
I had walked by Soul Fire for a very long time before actually venturing into it one day. I got the pulled chicken sandwich and a pulled pork for my BF, with sides of baked beans and mac and cheese. The pulled chicken and pork were fantastic. I like a lot of sauce on sandwiches, and the fact they had little pumps of different sauces make me dance a little. I love dunking =) Both sandwiches were juicy and scrumptious. The bread got a little soggy, but I was OK with it. I really liked the mac and cheese, not the best I've had, but probably top 10 at least. The beans were a little on the hard side, but I like my beans mushier, so that may just be a preference. You really can't beat the price for BBQ. The sandwiches I think were only $6.00 and that includes a side. I saw dinners for $12.00. I know I'll definitely be coming back here.
(4)Cecilia L.
The pulled pork sandwich is good, the barbecue reuben is better. Mac and cheese is the obvious side, creamy and topped with crushed bbq potato chips, but then I didn't taste any others. Loved the four bbq sauces at the table that I used to squeeze a little artist's palette of goodness onto my plate. The place is spacious and the prices are good, with a sandwich and side at $7-9. I'd go back to try the ribs.
(3)Meagan F.
Delicious! I love a good pulled pork sandwich, but I love even more a pulled pork sandwich slathered in whatever sauce I wish. This place is great, not only are the portions big, but it's not too terribly pricey (bbq joints tend to be pricey anyway). Plus, THEY SERVE BEER!!! How awesome is that? So check it out and grab a UFO while you're at it. This place is the best BBQ in Allston.
(4)Meghan O.
We enjoyed the brisket sandwich, fried mac and cheese, and corn dogs. The place is fun and colorful and the waitstaff was very friendly.
(4)Sarah S.
I love Soul Fire because they get the vinegary North Carolina sauce just right. Someone get me a vat of this stuff! Not to mention the other 21389712 kinds of sauces they have lined up for you. I really appreciate those, Soul Fire, I do; because everyone knows that BBQ varies regionally and you can get a taste of Memphis, Carolina, Texas or wherever right here in Allston. The portions are a little overwhelming, but the prices are so cheap, it's really a steal. I love the pulled pork sandwich with pickles on the side. Their potato salad has enough crunch, taste, and texture, without the usual cole slaw/potato salad faux-pas of mayonnaise overload!! My boyfriend gets a combo platter: ribs and chicken. Last time he swooned over how juicy and delicious the chicken was. I love the cornbread square and pat of butter, and no matter how full I am I always manage to devour my boyfriend's baked beans. One note: the macaroni and cheese struck me as a little Kraft-y. As in, the cheese was neon yellow and tasted 3 molecules away from plastic. The potato chips encrusting the top... I can see the appeal of that. However, it's not for me and didn't really add much flavor. Why not a delicious golden layer of extra cheese?
(4)P'raka ..
Really yummy BBQ place. I usually stick to the pulled pork here. This place has been around for about a year now and the staff are still very happy & friendly. Business seems to have picked up once they got their liquor license. One-star off because I think they recently changed their mac & cheese "recipe". It used to be my favorite side or stand alone item. The last time I got it, it didn't taste quite right. I think they swapped the type of cheese and it ruined it for me.
(4)Christina L.
I have been to Soul Fire at least three time in the last month - not only is their food delicious, but there are always vouchers on Groupon that compel me to go there frequently! The pulled pork is a must, as are the brisket and half-chicken meals. Their regular mac and cheese is great (not so much the fried mac and cheese, though, unfortunately). The corn bread is really moist, and the potato salad is tasty as well. The collard greens and baked beans are a bit sweet for my taste (too much brown sugar or something). The best part is the barbecue sauces - variety is great, and they are all really fresh and flavorful. I have yet to try their all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays, but judging from the amount of people there every Monday, it's probably a good deal. Overall, a great place with good prices and portions!
(4)A M.
It was a monday night, and i was starving and i was passing by soul fire, so I decided to try it. and Wow what a surprise. they had an all you can eat wings night for only $8.99!!! I had 20 wings, and if it wasn't for my tiny stomach i would have continued inhaling those wings. they were literally the best wings I've had. I'm going for round 2 next monday. Oh yeah and i forgot to mention the amazing staff, awesome and friendly. they were engaging every customer with conversations, i felt i know them for years.
(5)Matthew C.
My old neighborhood sure has changed. The familiar bums are gone (RIP, Mr. Butch.) It has been significantly Asianified (coming from SF, that's saying something.) And now there is an honest to God BBQ place. Boston has always had a distinct lack of decent Mexican restaurants, French Dip sandwiches, and BBQ. With respect to BBQ, there have been several pretenders (e.g. Rednecks, that place in Cambridge everybody talks about, etc), but Soul Fire is the real deal. They essentially copy the Famous Dave's menu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I had a pulled pork and brisket plate with collared greens and red beans and rice. Everything really was tasty. Even more so after experimenting with the 6 BBQ sauces at the table. Growing up where I did, I couldn't say this BBQ was phenomenal, but it is by far the best I have seen in Boston. Additionally, they serve Schlitz. Classy.
(4)Kim L.
Eh. That's how this place made me feel. I went here once to try the ribs. The true test of a rib joint is the ribs. I'm not really a fan of dry rub ribs. They are....well...dry. I for one would rather have juicy mess-up-your-face sloppy ribs. Adding the sauce after kinda takes that away. The food was quick and the service good. But nothing really excited me. The pulled pork sangwiches looked alot better than what I ordered.....
(2)Lisa N.
The wings were amazing. Jumbo wings with Sweet Hot Sauce- Delicious. The sides were delicious - corn bread with bits of corn, baked beans were legit, and cole slaw was a little watery. The downside-- the spare ribs were NOT good. IF you're looking for a rib place with fall off the bone meaty ribs -- do NOT go here. It was mushy and hard to eat. The sauce was good though. :/ I would go back for the wings.
(3)Cari H.
Fried mac and cheese balls and good brisket... need I say more!?
(4)Chris O.
Best Fried Chicken in Boston! Good Wait staff
(5)Vanessa W.
I could probably throw Soul Fire another star, but I have high standards for soul food (look at my picture). The food was definitely good, the fried wings were good, greens pretty damn good, and the ribs were good too. I'm sorry but that potato salad was wack. I was surprised to find bbq chips crumbled on top of my mac and cheese. At first I was like wtf? Then I accepted it and found it quite tasty. Try all the sauces, it's really a matter of preference on those. Oh and no hard alc for all you allston alchys out there. But the beer was good, Harpoon UFO worked out for me.
(4)Kaneisha G.
I don't expect great accolades for reviewing a place that's been reviewed over 100 times. However, I just wanted to have my say, because I am oh-so-pleased with Soul Fire's food but less than satisfied with some of their catering service. I catered a lunch today for 45 of my classmates, and Soul Fire BBQ was the first place I thought of. My very diverse group of classmates raved about the food (I ordered the $8/person lunch set that includes pulled chicken, brisket, mac n cheese, and collard greens) and it was the perfect accompaniment to our Black Cultural presentation we were putting on. It was an introduction to soul food for several of my classmates, and Soul Fire made me proud. One place of improvement is in their hosting--or whatever you call the person who talks to you when you are putting in a catering order. The woman I spoke with there to set up the catering didn't know the answers to several of my requests (which were advertised on the website, such as providing serving utensils for $7), and I was put on hold for awhile and could hear her talking to the other hostess about not knowing how to give me my discount. Also, when I called to make sure the driver was finding the place okay, I was told by the hostess that he would be fifteen minutes late because he was in a meeting. Obviously, I got very upset, and she didn't even call me back. It turns out that this piece of bad news was not meant for me, and the food arrived delicious and on time. I still would have appreciated a call to calm my heart though. Get it together, Soul Fire, because Harvard Business School wants to give you more of our money!
(3)Anthony L.
went here for monday $8.99 all you can eat wings and it was awesome. they don't cheap out on the size of the wings either, they are full sized. good flavors, pretty fast service
(5)Steven G.
I'm from Alabama and though this isn't the BBQ I'm used to it's still good stuff. The brisket is juicy and flavorful, the beer is cold, and the appetizers are great. I would recommend it and will definitely be going back... after I finish P90X. :(
(5)Emily G.
Went to soul fire the other night since it was so close to home and never tried before. When we entered the place was REALLY empty - which typically should let you know right away that people just aren't into it. The service was great (because we were practically the only ones there) and the food is very reasonably priced - this would be the only reason I give it 3 stars. Otherwise - the food was NOTHING to right home about. I got a beef brisket sandwhich with mac n cheese side and my bf got a pulled pork platter. I sampled his corn bread and it was more bland the thing kind I've sometimes got at the supermarket. My brisket was ok- but sadly, I don't think it was at all worth being served at a restaurant. The Mac-n-cheese was also just eh- and left something more cheesy and gooey to be desired. I don't think I would come back to Soul Fire unless I really wanted a cheap meal and didn't care about what I was eating. So probably...not any time soon.
(3)Seth M.
This place RULES! Great eats, super casual, very reasonably priced, totally friendly staff, and great decor. The album covers at the bar are fantastic - even more so because they are playing all that old school soul music while you eat. I had to stop singing during dinner so I wouldn't choke. ;-) Fried Mac and Cheese nuggets were carb-o-licious and full of all the comfort you'd expect from such a thing. Baby backs were served up sans sauce a la Redbones so you can dip 'em in whatever you like. They were very good. The roasted chicken was moist and delicious. DInner for two including two beers was just $42 plus a nice big tip. You can't beat that. Two big thumbs up from me!
(4)Korri Leigh C.
Soulfire BBQ is the newest restaurant to open on the eclectic Allston scene. Soulfire's motto "Serving All Souls" certainly fits in with the diversity of its surroundings. While the restaurant was slow on the night I dined (it was 10 PM on a Thursday) the food was amazing. I had a pulled pork sandwich, the best I've ever had, and was fortunate to try a myriad of sides. The owner of Soulfire, Wyeth Lynch, has an equal passion for music as he does for food and the strains of Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers, Tower of Power, and the like certainly set a fun and festive mood. Once Soulfire works out its opening jitters I expect it be a hot spot in town. 5 stars for food, scene, and affordability. Definitely check it out!
(5)Cynthia T.
great food, goood pricing, lots of on street parking if you can find a spot. Check your food if you are doing carry out though. got shorted once. other than that it is all good.
(4)Rachel G.
$2.50 PBR drafts and unlimited BBQ sauce...nice. Knowledgeable, friendly servers too, especially appreciated in too-cool-for-school Allston. On my last visit, our waitress complimented me on my "healthy dinner," though I remember looking down at my half chicken, collards, baked beans, cornbread, AND butter and think--me?! Their pulled pork is also insanely tasty, and the mac-and-cheese with BBQ chips on top is just ridiculous. Whoever had that idea gets a high-five from me.
(4)Jessica G.
Yes, I'm a vegetarian reviewing a barbecue restauarant. So obviously Soul Fire has more good stuff going on than enflamed meat: 1) Macaroni and cheese: An excellent veg. option. 2) Deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites: An excellent cholesterol-escalating option. 3) Deep red walls, lots of seating: I planned a game night here, there was tons of space, and the owner Wyeth was super accomodating. 4) Beer. Cold beer. 5) Nicer than fast food, less time consuming than a sit-down. 6) Location, location, location: Hop off the Harvard Ave. stop of the Green Line and follow the smell of wood smoke. Have I convinced you yet? Enjoy your carnivorous indulgences!
(5)Kev H.
Ohh boy do I love wings, at 6.99 on monday nights, I'd down about 30, they jacked it up to 8.99 I believe, but it's still worth it. The place could have a bit more light..*just a bit*, The Best thing about this place would have to be its BBQ, Man that chicken sanwich is good.
(4)R.A. C.
love the fried goodness, love the ribs, love the service... there is little for me to complain about, im no southern boy, and im no ribs afficianado, but i know i love bbq, and i know that on this side of the river, soul fire is the spot to be satisfied.
(4)Michael R.
I've eaten at Soul Fire BBQ twice and have been more than satisfied both times. The first time my brother and I split a three-meat platter. Brisket was lean and so was the pulled pork, but the ribs were just a little tough. Sides were fine, corn bread was slightly dry. Skip it if you can. All of the sauces at Soul Fire are homemade and very good, though I recommend their Pit Boss and the Sweet Sauce. The next time ate there I ordered a pulled pork sandwich to go. I live in New York, so it was refreshing to get a sandwich with a side for $6.95. The sandwich was good and came with sauce on the side, though I would have preferred the sauce mixed in with the pork. Bread on the sandwich was fresh. It didn't completely fill me up, but Soul Fire still gets a four-star review because of its quality. Service is very good too. Check it out next time you get a chance. It will be totally worht your while.
(4)Melissa M.
After 5 attempts of eating here, last night I finally stayed around. I'd always walk in and immediately get bummed at the smell of smoked hickory. I hate dining in places that have a smell to them because once you leave, you'll smell just like that. I went around 8pm spontaneously to meet my bf and 2 friends. I was already showered and happily on my macbook yelping at home (my ass was on the couch and I was comfy in my sweats). I was still hungry (even though an hour previous to the call to go to soul fire I had devoured an entire bag of Trader Joe's Pasta Italiano), but that's neither here nor there. Anywhoo, I put my sneaks on, grabbed my keys and wallet and headed into my chariot (my 01 Kia). I had no problem finding a parking space in the bustling metropolis of harvard ave. I got a lone star beer, some collards (very good) and some red bliss mashed potatoes (not bad considering using red bliss to make mashed potatoes is a slight abomination and sacrelig to my Irish heritage). The waitrees/bartender/busgirl/counterperson was cheerful. The place was dead. The grub was hot, the dining companions happy to be eating BBQ. I'll be back. And, I didn't smell leaving the joint either. That's a bonus for once!! Oh and the domestic beers are cheap, the imported beers are a bit more (5 bux). I would never get wine at a BBQ place but they have a bottle of sauvignon blanc for 20 bux, 6 for a glass and some cab sav and probably merlot, but I wasn't going to drink wine. I like me a beer with the BBQ. Check this place out. They had great music on too!!
(4)Karie A.
Let me start by saying I am a displaced Southerner; daughter of a Southern father who keeps smoker in his backyard. My Dad makes the best BBQ in my book. No contest. But since he lives in Georgia, Soul Fire helps fill my pulled pork needs here in Allston. It isn't my Dad's but I think it is the best in the area. Sides are good too. The mac and cheese is tasty and they have great beans. There cornbread is sweet, which isn't how they make it down South, but I like it any way. Good eats, one of my favorite places in the neighborhood.
(4)Jackie G.
I love this place!.The chicken and ribs are soooo goood, everything from here is quite tasty. I am obsessed with the soulfire sauce its f'n delicious. Entrees come with 2 sides and pickles yummm, get the mac n cheese its fantastic . The potato salad is pretty good too. This review is making me hungry. The atmosphere is laid back, the staff is really friendly, the portions are big and the food is great, what more can you ask for? Its definitely one of my favorite places to eat... period! This place is top notch and exactly how a bbq joint should be!!
(5)Daniel K.
Good food, if I remember correctly this had something of a late night pull to it.
(3)Hue L.
Fried chicken is absolutely delicious. Has to be my favorite fried chicken in Boston, slightly above Coast Cafe. Fried Mac n' cheese and Barbecue Reuben are also tremendous. Never really busy, so it is good for bringing big groups and their projector screen for sports is pretty sweet. Don't go to eat healthy though!
(5)Evan G.
Soul Fire is a great addition to the amazing variety of cuisines in Allston Village. Their food is inexpensive and delicious. There is a wide variety of great food and amazing BBQ sauces that you can try. In particular, the baked beans were awesome. Definitely give this place a try, you won't regret it.
(4)Brian C.
I was never much of a barbecue fan, until I went to UGA for 4 years and was exposed to Carolina-style bbq (vinegar-based sauce on a pulled pork sandwich). Having moved to Boston about a year ago, I've been on an informal hunt for this delicacy, along with its crucial companion, sweet tea. After being disappointed by Red Bones and having to settle for McDonald's sweet tea, I discovered Soul Fire. Excellent sandwich, perfect Carolina sauce, with just enough spice, and wonderful sweet tea. I got a side of collard greens which tasted very good dipped in the redder sauces they had available. The only thing preventing a perfect score is the lack of refills on the sweet tea. You can get refills on soft drinks, but not tea? I'm not sure what they're using that makes their tea so costly, but it is good, and I'll continue ordering it, but every time I do, I'll be reminded of how this would never be tolerated in the south.
(4)alexis a.
i love this place! speaking as a north carolina native, they are the most truly authentic southern-style bbq place in the city (don't even bother with redbones or the roadhouse). the sauces are all great and spicy/flavorful. the ONLY place to do a NC vinegar sauce correctly. try the deep fried mac-n-cheese balls and jiffy-style cornbread. the collards are always hit or miss, either fantastic or funky. also, CHEAP harpoon beer! great music (soul, obvi) is always playing. the fried catfish and chicken are also totally solid.
(5)Ryan B.
Don't think I like the new transition to sitdown ordering as much as the old style. Also, had a BBQ Pork sandwich again today, seemed like less food than last time. The meat tasted great, lots of smokey flavor, and the BBQ sauces were, as always, fantastic. The baked beans even had smoked meat in them, nice.
(4)Andrew D.
I have only had delivery from Soul Fire, but I've had a LOT of delivery from Soul Fire. I am impressed. I'm not even a fan of everything I've ordered, but the stuff is mostly just SO good and a really good deal. I am also very impressed with the owner, because the first time I ordered it took a really long time, and when I called to check on the order the woman on the phone didn't even seem annoyed that I was calling (I've had a buy at Dominos yell at me just for making sure they got our online order.) A few days later, we got an email from the owner apologizing for the slow service, acknowledging that they were short staffed and didn't want people's first experience to be negative, and gave us a coupon. After some awful service from delivery places, I was floored at this excellent customer service. Anyway, the food... I love the reuban sandwich with brisket, and even all the sides seem homemade and good (the potato salad is awesome!). I could eat just the chili cheese fries for dinner. I love Soul Fire. The end.
(5)Crystal J.
Very friendly staff, heaping portions, very affordable prices, REAL barbecue...which is odd b/c most of these Northerners don't know how to cook. My god, they even put Grippos on their mac n cheese. This place is amazing. My fiance got the ribs. The portion was GIGANTIC and it was only a half rack. Monday night they have all you can wings for $6.99 and these things aren't your typical little puny bar wings. They're huge, juicy and delicious. This place is highly recommended by this BBQ pro. Since, I've been here ,,,i've tried Redbones, I've tried Blue Ribbon...and they're ok. I really don't have a need to go anywhere else. Thsi place is tops! They even make their own pickles! Sooo fresh!!
(5)Bebop Charlie A.
Wow! Delicious soulful BBQ in Boston! I went in for lunch with a buddy and we shared a brisket platter and a half rack of spare ribs and had plenty of sides. Collard greens, BBQ beans, slaw, and mac and cheese. EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious. I ordered another side of Mac n Cheese because it was so good. The brisket was full of flavor and nice and moist but not overly fatty. It was just right. The ribs were perfect. I liked trying the different sauces. If you like a little more spice, ask for the habanero relish. That'll make your face warm on a cold winter day. When I go and eat out, I go mainly for the food but this place had a nice selection of classic soul music playing on the sound system which made the experience even more fun for me.
(5)Leslie W.
It may not be traditional southern BBQ but we're in Boston so I'll take what i can get. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here both times i went. I didnt expect much since my husband and I just moved here and stopped in at random but we both really enjoyed the food . I liked the decor and the people working there were friendly. The meats were good, the BBQ sauces tasty (with the added fun of mixing to perfection) and the prices reasonable. I really liked the various sides offered, except the pickles. They didn't taste very good to me but I'm picky about my pickles... I really liked their mac & cheese though. I'm really rooting for this place to do good business although every time i go past, they seem to be pretty empty. Its good stuff!
(4)Ryan F.
cool place. great pulled pork sandwich, the bun is alright but the pork is awesome and the sauces are all great. have yet to try anything else on the menu because i just keep getting the pulled pork sandwich. Also the baked beans are awesome. i haven't tried blue ribbon yet but the pulled pork here is better than redbones. The other food looks good, and i will surely try some soon.
(4)Loretta K.
The sauces here are pretty incredible. Wings are particularly spectacular and the fried catfish sandwich, fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes are delectable. I started out not liking barbeque and now I start to twitch if I don't have it often enough.. this establishment is pretty much entirely to thank. Love love love :)
(5)Robert J.
This place is the shizz, I try to hit it up everytime i'm in Allston. Killer sause.
(4)Emily R.
mm mm mm ! I had the fried chicken, collard greens, and mac n cheese with the soul fire sauce...It came with a lot of chicken...I had leftovers! so yummy. so happy.
(4)Lyle H.
Two hours for delivery and they don't even come to your door? No thanks.
(1)Brian P.
Delivery driver is rude, person who answered the phone offered to have a manager call me next day. Still haven't heard back. Not the only BBQ spot in town, my business will go elsewhere
(1)Jackie P.
Corn bread is amazing, Ribs are great! Love all the different bbq sauces!
(4)Susan M.
I have to admit that I have been to every bbq place in the city because of a certain young man's proclivity for the cuisine. So I speak from a place of authority I would say. Soulfire is pretty good: ribs, chicken, cornbread all quite good. A nice selection of good sauces and beer (plus larger beers available). Brisket was a bit fatty though. As for atmosphere, shrug... it was alright... nothing to write home about. The reason I will go back to this place despite the fact that I can get better ribs closer to my house is the fried mac n cheese balls. Holy hell they are fantastic! Delicious little balls of fat and happiness fried up and served to you in a red plastic basket. Wow.
(4)Renee A.
Not impressed. Brisket and rib combo was blah. Small portion of brisket served was fatty and the ribs were tough and little meat. Cornbread, Mac and Cheese and rice and beans were dry. They must have been sitting out all day in the kitchen. Price not comparable to portion and quality. Not likely to return.
(1)Daniel K.
Good food, if I remember correctly this had something of a late night pull to it.
(3)Eric S.
The ribs were lacking in flavor, and the barbeque sauce tastes suspiciously of raisins. The MAc and cheese was ok, as was the corn bread. The chili that came with the full rack of ribs came in a little container that held less than 2 ounces (the kind that some places use to put sauce in for take-outs)
(3)Cindy R.
This is good solid BBQ. The fried catfish is tasty and the roll is good (often a weak part of a restaurant sandwich). Everything is a little bit bland and processed-seeming (e.g., the corn bread has a bit of that over sugary, synthetic taste to it). It's very roomy though w/ nice stainless steel tables and good art on the walls. My kids really enjoyed it. Also, a bit overpriced for the amount and quality of food, but we'll be back.
(3)Diana T.
YUM! Love the brisket and collard greens. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Go for the platters it you are like me and can't choose!
(5)Sam M.
AMAZING! I was surprisingly impressed by this place - the menu has a great selection, loved all the options for sides. Portions are huge and the table is set to include 4 different types of sauces. We had Fried Chicken, Ribs, BBQ chicken wings, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and potato salad, and it was all fantastic. I have to say that I enjoyed this meal more than Redbones...and we'll definitely be returning for Monday night all you can eat wing night.
(5)Devon R.
I'm surprised at all the good reviews here, the food was dry and only tolerable when doused in sauce, but that shouldn't be necessary. the mac and cheese was not very cheesy and not very hot either. If you really want some BBQ head over to Red Bones or Blue Ribbon.
(2)Jason B.
Service is terrible here. We called in an order and were told they were "too busy to accept take-out orders." Not delivery, just plain take out. I went down to find the staff outnumbered the customers, kitchen was quiet, and there were maybe six takeout bags waiting for pick-up. Ribs are good but a little lean, not the tastiest dry rub. Decent fries and corn-dogs. None of it is worth dealing with the bored, lazy hipsters behind the counter.
(1)Katie V.
Soul Fire is so good that it makes me nervous to live so nearby. As in, there is the potential for me to get really, really fat. When I went with a friend, I got an appetizer because I wasn't that hungry and it was the perfect amount of food -- it was the ribs/wings starter. Two BIG meaty ribs and two oversized chicken wings. The meat was tender and the sauces were phenomenal. I also got a piece of cornbread, which arrived hot and fluffy. Per our server's suggestion, my friend ordered the brisket reuben with a side of mac 'n cheese. They crumble spicy potato chips over the mac -- genius! And the sandwich was out of this world. The stuff that BBQ dreams are made of.
(5)Sweet T.
I enjoyed the pulled pork...meat was very tender. They had a good selection of different sauces to put on, but the meat was so good it didn't really need it. Cornbread came with the meal rather than before. Only real downside is that the meals didn't come on plates - they came on platters which looked pretty much like pizza pans. Not a huge fan of that. Sort of made me feel like a dog to get served food like that. Overall good food, but would've been better on decent plate.
(3)Eve L.
Reviewed the wrong soul fire, but don't want to mess with the rating. Please discount this one. Never been here....
(5)L K.
We ordered some dinner here for pick-up. After a long day of painting furniture and putting together our new apartment, the food from Soul Fire really hit the spot! -fries: not crispy enough, but plenty of potato-y goodness -collard greens: terrific smoky flavor but contains bacon so we didn't eat it. -fried chicken: 4/5... very good! -cole slaw: 5/5... I loved this.
(3)Mia C.
Portion is big. You get lots of meat for what you pay for. The chicken is very crispy. However the ribs are very disappointing. They are coasted with dry rub and...that's pretty much it. They are bland and don't taste like they come out of a BBQ smoker. Maybe they did come out of a BBQ smoker but they seriously need to stay there longer. Their ribs are basically just bland oven roasted ribs without much woody smoky BBQ flavor.
(3)Samantha G.
OK...this place is AMAZING! Very pleasantly surprised. The salad is great (not crappy iceberg but mixed greens and veggies) and the pulled pork was fabulous! Comparable to the pulled pork I had in Atlanta and that's saying a lot! The sauces are excellent as well. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Lynn J.
I wanted to love this soul food, but left very disappointed instead. STAFF: OK, but not too happy. FOOD: French fries tasted flavorless & frozen. My fried catfish sandwich was bland too. I expected soul food seasoned breading. My friend likes the food there, so I gave an extra star. THE DEAL: My friend likes this place, and told me you can get all the sauces to go. She orders a big platter, then takes home half.
(3)Rhen W.
The food's delicious, but after several visits with different servers each time, I have to conclude that the service leaves much to be desired. I spend a lot of time waving servers down to get their attention. Improve the service and this place will be an easy 5-star bbq joint.
(3)Beck N.
Stopped in here for a quick beer & was surprised that they require you to purchase food (which the bartender kindly told me after I had ordered my beer). OK. Whatever. She suggests the cornbread or the fried mac & cheese bites (I got the mac 'n cheese). Not overwhelmingly delicious or cheesy - a bit dry, actually. But the atmosphere is totally chill, the beer selection is varied (only 4 on tap, but plenty of not-your-average bottles & cans). The staff is friendly & the food smells delicious. Will probably try back here for an actual meal, if I'm ever in the area again.
(3)Fred B.
Baby back ribs are very good. Might check out the spareribs next time, just for giggles. Tried 3 of the 4 sauces and they were good as well. The signature sauce was clearly the best. Some things that would get them that extra star: - Better draft beer selection. Redbones has them beat here by a country mile. - Better bottled beer selection. This is really easy to do, unless you don't have the refrigeration/storage space. - Better fried chicken. My wife can do this better than Soul Fire...and she'd be happy to come down to explain how. - St. Louis ribs would be a nice 3rd option. - Mashed potatoes are kinda blah. Here's a great opportunity to do something creative with cheese or jalapenos or something. - Ditto on the potato salad. Nothing special here. - Double ditto on the cole slaw. Slaw in a ribs place has to be salty and celery-y. Boring slaw is a sin. - Real booze vs. beer/wine only. We're grown-ups here; we like our vodka. - A nice black bean side. The recipe on the side of the can will suffice. It was great to have good ribs again in the Boston/Camberville area. I cannot eat Redbones' ribs anymore, they're just awful. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, Soul Fire. PS The baked beans are homemade and wellmade.
(4)Adam G.
I find their mandatory ordering food with a drink policy very very strange. I don't understand what the reason is but I don't care and I don't like it. OK, whatever I'll get something light. So I order fried Mac and Cheese bites and a Gansett. I really wasn't hungry but just needed a drink and maybe to use the bathroom. The atmosphere was okay. Service was decent, friendly enough and I didn't sense any hostility but I have to say that policy about the food really burns my ass. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm an adult and I don't like being told what to do or how to spend my money when I'm patronizing your establishment. So my deep fried mac and cheese comes and guess what? It sucks. I wasn't impressed. For $3 I didn't expect (nor did I get) a big portion but the noodles to cheese ratio was way out of whack. "Deep fried noodles and butter" would have been a more accurate description. Again, I wouldn't care so much about the crappy $3 appetizer if I wasn't forced to buy it in order to get a drink. It's the principle. If you're being forced to buy anything, chances are it sucks. So in all fairness I'm rating this on my experience, where I didn't get to really taste the barbecue, which is obviously what this place is known for. But I can say that as someone who was passing through and needed a quick drink and a rest that I didn't like it. I'm curious to try the barbecue as this place seems to be popular and I want to see what all the hubbub is about but I wouldn't come back here to drink and I would avoid the appetizers menu and get the Q.
(3)Angela L.
Ok came back because I bought a gilt city $15 for $30 worth of food. I'm still obsessed with the Mac and cheese because it has crunched up barbecue chips on top. And I still love the corn bread here. But... The chicken tenders are so amazing. Can't believe I've never thought to get them here before. Perfectly juicy and FRIED. Also, the fried mac and cheese is pretty good too! After we got our chicken tenders, the brisket couldn't compare to how good the chicken was. YUM! Now I know where to go for good fried chicken tenders :)
(4)Zhe W.
Definitely worth the price. But as for rib itself, I have to say it's not that delicate.
(3)Amy X.
By far the best brisket I've had in Boston area. I've been trying different bbq for takeout for a while now and have tried from the likes of redbones, east coast grill, Tupelo etc and soul fires bbq have consistently lived up to the expectation! I've had some great bbq in other states/countries and the food here comes pretty close! The meat is flavorful, has great texture, and makes me crave them every couple of weeks. Their sauces are amazing and in my opinion make the difference. Try all of them! The spicy one is great if you can withstand the heat - otherwise the soul fire sauce is great for everything. The collard greens are the best as well. I always get an extra side of those when I order from them. Cornbread is meh (Tupelo has the best, which is expected from the owners of petsi pies!), but what's bbq without cornbread?? Their platter options are the best deal. Also the fish came out pretty good - wasn't expecting so from a bbq place, but pleasantly surprised!
(4)Kevin L.
YES! Finally! Having experimented many different combinations off the menu, I now know what to get in order to have a superb meal. This time I ordered the 3 meat combo of catfish, fried chicken wings, and the brisket with sides of cornbread, rice, chili, and mac & cheese. I've come to the realization that everything that's fried here is amazing! The catfish and chicken wings had a delicious crisp batter and everything underneath it was so juicy and well spiced. I hear there chicken tenders are amazing too. The brisket, as I had suspected, was pretty dry....just like their ribs. The sides here are topnotch. I haven't had a bad side yet. My favorites in order are the mac and cheese, chili, rice, and cornbread. Can't wait to come back!
(4)Ashley C.
Monday nights they have all you can eat wings for ~$10. Wings come in 4 flavors - buffalo, pitboss, honey mustard, and a special flavor. The problem I had with this is when they served the wings, the different flavors were all put in one tray and the waitress couldn't tell us which ones were which so we couldn't really tell her what we wanted for the second round. Eventually, all the "flavors" started blending and they all tasted the same. On top of that, I stopped eating at the second round because the chicken wasn't cooked all the way.... we even made a complaint to our waitress but the next round was also undercooked. I would've understood if the place was packed with people and they were in a rush, but at that point, it was only our group left for the remainder of the night. I would not come back here for their all you can eat wings. However, I am tempted to return to try their BBQ items on the menu, especially since other yelp reviews are raving about it.
(2)Todd B.
I discovered Soul Fire BarBQ while taking a lunch break on my visit to the area for work. As a Tennessean and former Texan, I am skeptical when it comes to eating BBQ in the Northeast. This is less of a concern these days, with more options like this one popping up in NYC and Boston that are a good match for the real thing. I chose the brisket plate, and it was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't resist the lauded mac n' cheese either, and so glad that I didn't. It was cheesy and creamy as expected, but topped with corn flakes in a way that made it extraordinary. Most Austin BBQ fans would not sneer their nose at this BBQ -- it's on point, and I can't imagine anything else in Boston coming close. Well done. Pun intended.
(4)Judy K.
This is one the better bbq places in Boston! If you like dry rub, then this is the place to come! I've had real BBQ from Texas and I can't say that Soul Fire is better or even remotely close, but it's definitely delicious. I couldn't stop eating the ribs! HIGHLIGHT: Baby back ribs and fried chicken! For the sides, nothing really stood out... the mac n' cheese and the rice and beans was not bad. I'm not a big fan of heavy dripping sauce so I didn't like the pulled pork, but the ribs and the fried chicken was yummy. The fiery sauce paired really well with the meat, but beware! It's definitely spicy... For the sides, I was surprised that the collard greens and baked beans were sweet. I didn't like it very much. The rice and beans is very dry, but it still has good flavor. I would go with the classics like mac n cheese, mashed potato or cole slaw. The cole slaw is heavy on the liquid mayo though... also, the corn bread comes out cold. Like what? CORN BREAD IS SUPPOSED TO BE WARM AND SOFT AND CRUMBLY. I would come back for the ribs alone, but don't expect fast service. When I went, it took forever to get our orders, get our food and clean up. There's a weird wall in the middle that cuts your view of the waiters so maybe that's why I couldn't get the attention of the waiters.
(4)Tucker H.
Soooo good. Easily the best BBQ I've had on the east coast. Started with the Mac and cheese bites, tried all the different sauces with them. Loved all the sauces. Sweet, soulfire, pit boss, and firey. All were so good. When it came to entrées the deal was sealed. I had the pulled pork, my girlfriend had the brisket and brother had the chopped brisket. Everything was outstanding. Even the salad was awesome, not just some iceberg lettuce in a bowl. Would definitely recommend his spot to anyone looking to fill up on not that expensive of a ticket. 10/10 will return!
(5)Mike S.
The other Yelpers were right - the service is awful. There were about 12 people in the whole place and we waited like 10 minutes just to be greeted. The food is not all that great either :( It is not bad, but there are much better options in and around the city of Boston. Definitely not worth the price and we won't be going back. Felt like I was in the first half of an episode of Restaurant Impossible.
(2)Caitlin M.
I moved to Boston from Memphis 18 months ago and have been searching for great BBQ. Soul Fire not only provided great food, but at a Memphis price point. BBQ joints are not supposed to be fancy. I just want a pork plate and some sides, no real ambiance necessary. Soul Fire delivered I had a pork sandwich (comes with 1 side, $8) and cornbread (~$1.50) and a beer ($5). My husband had the pork plate (2 sides and cornbread, $12) and a beer ($5). Service was quick, though not necessarily chipper. I liked a mix of the sweet and pit boss sides. We got there at 6 on a Friday night. It was pretty empty but was filling up by the time we left.
(5)Michelle D.
In a restaurant-heavy, hard-to-park mixed neighborhood like Allston Rock City, restaurants come and go and you can't predict what's going to succeed. Some of our favorite places didn't make it out of their first year. My husband and I lived in Upper Allston ten years ago when the bright red Soul Fire awning went up at 182 Harvard, and we frequented the place, hoping all the while for their success. We moved to Lower Allston five years ago and don't get there as often, but when we do, we find they're just getting better. That red awning has faded to a whitish pink, and Soul Fire has long since worked out its initial kinks, has expanded its menu, gotten its beer & wine license, and settled into its role as area favorite purveyor of great BBQ. I'm so happy to see them thriving. Soul Fire is spacious with lots of roomy tables. They've got a cool ambiance of red walls, dark woods and steel. Two TVs show silent sports (one of the TVs is massive). They have a number of pieces of artwork and a mural of soul artists. They play a steady soundtrack of soul and R&B, and the long bar is decoupaged with soul album covers. The kitchen is exposed, so you can see funky cooks preparing all those spare ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, catfish, smoked turkey and chicken. They offer a menu of sides that has grown over the years -- collards, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, beans & rice, baked beans, slaw, and have even expanded to offer a range of vegetarian choices, quite accommodating for a BBQ place, in my opinion. They still have the original four killer sauces and everyone has a different fave. They serve on checkered wax paper on flat, round platters. The menu is an accommodating mix & match affair. Order a salad and a single rib, a half rack, a rack, or order for a table with the "feeds 4 souls" combo. A meal (say a half rack) comes with two sides of your choice, and always includes their signature pickles and cornbread -- which is so moist and sweet that you should save it for last and eat it as dessert. Unless you want an actual dessert, which they didn't have back when they first opened but have since added...fried dough, pecan pie, cheesecake. Does anyone have room for dessert after a Soul Fire meal, though? My husband swears by the brisket or the catfish -- in both cases, either the sandwich or the platter. I'm partial to the half rack of baby back, and I always get the collard greens, which are tangy and a bit on the sweet side. The mac & cheese comes with potato chips crumbled on top, which at first turned me off but I've since grown to like. I have sat at the bar, and I've sat at a table -- many times over the last ten years -- and I've never experienced any poor wait service. Are we just lucky? Or are some Yelpers just impatient? I've always found the servers to be cheerful and competent. Again, it's Allston, so you roll the dice on finding parking, but Soul Fire is on the green line -- take the B-train to Harvard & Comm. Or the red line to Harvard Square, then the 66 bus practically to Soul Fire's front door.
(4)Jenn S.
This is going to be weird but this review will have NOTHING to do with bbq-ed meat! I am a non-meat eater and when I go here with friends I usually order the wedge salad and a ton of sides. I have tried the Mac & Cheese, Cornbread, Pickles, Rice and Beans, Coleslaw... you name it! Overall I don't have much to complain about besides when they aren't busy everything is a little cold/plastic looking, especially the mac & cheese. But I continue to go over and over again so that says something :) The Soul Fire BBQ sauce is my favorite too!
(3)Hannah P.
Amazing!!! So so happy I bought a gitcity voucher for this place. My husband and I went last weekend and loved it! I liked the rustic, very relaxed ambiance and it's easy to get to. Our waitress was delightful! Very friendly, upbeat, happy to be there. We ordered the pork ribs and chopped brisket with bbq sauce which were all fantastic!! Their mac and cheese with crushed bbq potato chips were unreal, best mac and cheese by a longshot. The cornbread was great as well, flavorful and not dry at all. The mashed potatoes were real and had savory skins in them and we would gladly order them again. My husband had the cheesecake with fresh blueberry compote and strangely enough, thought it was the best cheesecake he's ever had. This place is a diamond in the rough, we will return!
(4)Joseph G.
TLDR: Food- 4 Service- 2 Atmosphere- 5 Overall- 4 Atmosphere- It's a roomy restaurant with plenty of seating and a bar. Two coworkers and myself sat at the woody bar with 6 sauces in front of us in a old cardboard six pack for beer. It feels like a old southern BBQ restaurant. Service - The service from our waitress was pure agony. She greeted the 3 of us after 10 minutes of sitting down. She took an eternity to place our orders on a tablet. While drinks and food came quickly, to place the orders was an antagonizing experience. To make matters worse, the restaurant was almost empty and gave no reason for such snail service. The service overall was ghostly and slow. Food- I ordered a 3 meat meal with braised beef, roasted chicken, and pulled bbq pork. The sides were Mac and cheese, cornbread, Cole slaw, and rice with beans. It all came on a silver circular platter with a picnic paper underneath. All the meats were flavorful and juicy and the tangy bbq sauces only added to my delight. The Mac and cheese was cheesy and soft as well as the beans. The cornbread was dry and I only took a bite, not very good. Overall the main course was well done but the sides could use more work. A filling experience was worth the wait.
(4)Phil T.
This is place is awesome as a casual BBQ restaurant, with very spacious setting. Food is excellent. Best BBQ I've had around Boston. I've been here 3 times and every time the food has been great. They consistently produce great BBQ. My personal favorites are spare ribs, and half of a chicken. Their sides are also all excellent. My favorites for sides are collard greens, and their mac and cheese. Their cornbread which come with every plate is also delicious. I can't rave enough about their food. They also have a variety of BBQ sauces, for all the other sauce lovers like myself out there. Their service is adequate, but the food is the true star as it should be. I've always left this restaurant feeling full, content and satisfied.
(5)Ching Y.
This is possibly one of the best bbq places in the Boston area accessible by the T. I've come here several times, and their ribs have been consistently good. Sure there's Red Bones in Somerville, though they are sometimes inconsistent, and Bison County in Waltham, which is harder to get to, but Soul Fire has been reliable every time so far. Their ribs are meaty, juicy, tender and smoky, the briskets are flavorful, and their fried chicken is really tender and crispy. There's just so many meats to choose from, and they offer a variety of hot sauces on the side, as do most reputable bbq restaurants. If you're in a group of 3 or more, you can always go for the platter, where you get a big selection of meats and bread rolls on the side. Get ready to eat up!
(5)Emily C.
Came here for dinner tonight with a group of friends. We arrived around 7 PM and had no trouble getting a table. Our waitress was very nice and attentive The venue is very hip. There are large tables that can seat 4-5 people, as well as couple smaller tables and seats at the bar. The food was a truckload of smoky, meaty heaven. We ordered the "Serves 4 Souls" set which, as the name suggests, is meant to serve 4 people. Let me tell you that this could comfortably feed 5 hungry eaters! Three of us ended up bringing home leftovers. Not one of us left with even a millimeter of empty belly after that meal. The cornbread was probably my favorite part. However, for the diehard carnivores, the ribs and pulled pork were the winning meat selections of the evening. I thought the chicken was very tender, but nothing that special. I hate super-soft pasta in my Mac n' Cheese, so this one was pretty underwhelming. All of the sauces are mild except (of course) the Fiery sauce. That one left a distinct burn on the tongue for a few seconds. I love me some spicy food, so it was actually my favorite sauce. :)
(5)Patrick L.
Nice bbq joint. Friendly, casual place. They don't have beef ribs which was a big letdown for me. Ordered the pulled pork, rack of baby back ribs, side salad, collard greens and mashed potatoes. Also had an Arnold Palmer and for desert we had the fried dough. Everything was the way it should be. Nothing fancy but solid southern bbq.
(4)Melissa P.
I'm so not into this place. Our server was super sweet and the atmosphere was fine (casual, spacious, not too loud), but the food was just not good. The chicken and ribs were overcooked, the mac and cheese was bland (but there were chips on top, which was a plus), and the slaw was uninspired. Corn bread was the saving grace of the meal, but not enough so to bring me back. If you must come here, make sure it is with some sort of coupon, and a really good friend so at least the conversation and low price point will keep you happy.
(2)Nicola Y.
I LOVE THIS PLACE. Soulfire does NOT get enough love, honestly. This place is a must-visit especially when my boyfriend comes to Boston. I love that it is never too crowded or at least I've never waited long to be seated. Ever. And the staff is lovely. Get the 2 combo or 3 combo. The southern fried tenders are great, and I always get the mac and cheese and beans for sides. SOOOOO GOOD. Try out all their sauces - I love the Soulfire and the Sweet sauce. Their cornbread is also perfection. I always douse my mac and cheese in the Soulfire sauce. Then, when I ask for a to-go box, I douse the takeout in more sauce. That way I can enjoy it later on at 2am, when I crawl out of bed to scavenge for a second dinner. My friends are fools who don't realize how great this place is (unless you are one of the lucky few I bring along to make the trek with me to Harvard Ave). That's fine by me because I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE ANYWAY. Soulfire is my little secret.
(5)Venessa R.
Not really sure how this place has a 4 star review. Not impressed with their bbq at all. Their pulled pork was dry and unflavored. If you want good bbq go to sweet cheeks.
(2)Khalid F.
I was in town to attend a party at the Wonder Bar, located next to Soul Fire. A fan of soul music and soul food I had to give Soul Fire a try. I ordered fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. I sat at the bar, the old soul album covers were a pleasant surprise. The decor and wall art was nice as well. On to the food, the fried chicken was good, fried just right and juicy. The macaroni and cheese wasn't the traditional Southern dish I'm accustomed to. Elbow noodles weren't used and the cheese sauce was lacking in the taste department. Soul Fire's twist on macaroni and cheese didn't satisfy my appetite. The collard greens were TOUGH and a tad bit too sweet. I couldn't get over the TOUGHNESS of the greens, they should have been cooked longer. Would I be willing to go back? Maybe.
(2)Kim B.
Soul fire is a gem to Allston. Let me reword that, it is a gem to all of Boston. Walking by, the smell of BBQ food will entice you in and then after that you will never think twice about following your nose again. This time, it leads you to a great place. It has a funky, fresh alternative vibe that makes you tingle with excitement when you first walk in. The music is upbeat, and you start to feel it in your bones. Everything about the atmosphere just makes you feel like you have a little more soul then when you were a mere passerby just minutes before. The menu is big and unique. There's a lot of flavors that they throw around, but there are options for everyone. They have a great deal for a meal for chicken wings/fingers, fries, cornbread and 2 sides for $13. I don't ever ever like cornbread, but I loved it and wanted more. The staff is funny, friendly and interactive. You can really tell that they truly value the notion of soul and that it is not just the name of the restaurant. They put it into every aspect of their buisness, the presentation, the atmosphere, and most importantly into their food.
(5)Kellen Y.
Split the sampler with a friend! So much food and so good! Definitely going again... Like tomorrow.
(5)Adrienne P.
Been wanting to get in here for such a long time! I suggested it to a friend who was in town for a show, and it was just the right ambiance and price level. We split a platter and sides, and the food was pretty great. The pulled pork was fantastic, and the cornbread was so moist and delicious. The loved the mac and cheese (crushed doritos on top??? omg). Props for having a variety of sauces to try out as well. Wasn't a huge fan of the cole slaw or potato salad, for the same reason....way too much mayo. Taking a star off for the slow, unfriendly service. We were in there at a time when the restaurant was not very busy at all, and were the only people on our side of the restaurant. It was a good 15 minutes before we even got a menu, and even longer for the check at the end.
(4)Helen L.
Good place to get some inexpensive southern food. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was seasoned pretty well. A little on the dry side but nothing their yummy side sauces, Pitboss and Soulfire, couldn't fix. I tried the ribs (wish there was more meat on the bones) and cat fish. Both were pretty good. I also got the fried Mac and cheese. This was not what I expected and it's probably something I wouldn't order again. For the outside I was expecting a breaded texture and the inside would ooze of the cheesy galore. Their version tasted more baked and there was nothing to encase the Mac. It was a bit dry and the outside was hard. Portions were filling, food arrived timely, and our waitress was friendly.
(3)M L.
Absolutely delicious sliced briskets and spare ribs with sides of potato salad, cole slaw, fries, and cornbread. As soon as I took my first bite of the briskets, it was heaven in my mouth. I didn't want to dip it in sauce, which I LOVED because the meat itself was so juicy and flavorful. It had right amount of fatty layer in it with just perfectly cooked thickness of meat. Mm! Mmmm! MmmMmmm! Even the cornbread was amazing and I loved the potato salad too! Will definitely return!
(5)Sarah C.
Ordered delivery last night, and I think this might be my new favorite BBQ place in the area! (Sweet Cheeks & Coast Cafe are close seconds). Every single thing we got was great, if not excellent. The spare ribs were awesome, and the half rack is huge. The fried catfish, also great, and shockingly survived the delivery process very well. The pulled pork and chopped brisket were SOOOO flavorful, I couldn't stop eating the stupid white bread that had soaked up all their juices. The sides are fantastic as well - mac n' cheese, baked beans, potato salad - all great. And the collard greens are the best and spiciest I've ever had! Oh and the CORNBREAD! Oh the cornbread... Great, great BBQ place, as far as BBQ in the North goes.
(5)Ann J.
Being from the South, I know what good BBQ tastes like. Unfortunately, Soul Fire doesn't meet my high standards but being in Boston, i'll cut it some slack. I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. To be honest, the mac and cheese was kind of bland. However, the pulled pork was great so that made up for it. My friend ordered the brisket on a bun and was very impressed. She's from Texas so Soul Fire should take that as a HUGE compliment. Overall, Soul Fire is a cool Allston restaurant great for those nights you want to go somewhere that won't break the bank. They offer a wide variety of BBQ that can be ordered on a bun or on its own. Side note - their drink prices are great. The beer is cheap and pairs great with the food!
(4)Guillermo M.
Very solid bbq place. The two meat combo is a great selection. We got the spare ribs and the fried wings. It comes with a cornbread, pickles and we got as a side the mashed potatoes and the mac and cheese. I loved to amount of space they have in this place and you can get good beers.
(4)Emily A.
3 stars = A-OK for a fast food joint. Been here twice, once for table service and once for take out. There really is nothing too exciting about the food, (except for the fried chicken, that stuffs dank). The pulled pork is average. They serve it on a thick cut piece of white bread, which soaks up the sauce nicely. The brisket was slightly dry both times I've had it. What really is the big dissapointment here, is the fact that none of their many sauces stand out in particular for me. The sweet one is pretty good, but the three other ones just don't do it for me. One is really bitter, which I don't really understand. I ended up just putting some of my own BBQ sauce on my meat at home last time I ordered take out.
(3)Eric B.
The food here was so awesome, it's a shame that the service wasn't that great when we were there. I would have given 5 stars if the server had been quicker and more attentive. The restaurant wasn't very crowded, so I'm not sure what the problem was. Anyway, we shared the three-meat platter between the two of us and ordered an extra side, which was more than enough food for us. The chicken was moist inside with a crispy fried coating, the pulled pork was seasoned perfectly, and the brisket was dry and flavorful. Seriously everything was absolutely delicious. Mmmmm!!! But the service wasn't delicious.
(4)Arti P.
Awesome Harpoon beers plus Southern style BBQ wings ... Aah! I just loved it. The DOZEN varieties of BBQ sauces I seriously couldn't believe there can be these many varieties of BBQ if u r WINGS FAN Don't miss this place
(4)Samantha B.
Come for flavorful sides and tender meats. Tucked into a sea of ethnic restaurants on Harvard Avenue in Allston and a short walk off the Green Line - B Branch (Harvard Ave.), the atmosphere is very casual with delivery and catering also available. Sandwiches and platters available with four BBQ sauces (Soulfire, Fiery, Pitboss, and Sweet). Fiery is the standout with strong elements of heat, pepper, and vinegar. Slightly reminiscent of a thicker and spicier eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce. The namesake sauce is less spicy with hints of tomato. Recommend mixing Fiery and Soulfire. The platters come with choice of two sides, corn bread, and pickles. The sandwiches come with one side and pickles. The brisket is thickly sliced atop a piece of white bread (a la Texas toast)? Sauce is not needed but recommended for added elements of zest. The pulled pork is juicy with some sauce already cooked into the meat and presented the same as the brisket. The sides are traditional and recommend many of them. The baked beans are smoky and saucy. Potato salad and cole slaw represent strong elements of the backyard barbecue and the collard greens (with bits of bacon) blend vinegar and sweetness evenly. The corn bread is extremely moist and very pleasant. Make sure to come on Monday night (5 to 11 PM) for all you can eat wings!
(3)Amanda R.
Whoa. Southern fried chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese with crumbled bbq chips on top, and the table shared chili cheese fries. $2.50 PBRs. Just. whoa.
(5)Joaquin X.
This place is great! I always wondered about it having seen the menu outside, looked good. But when I actually went inside I was totally excited. As a soul music lover, I have to say that walking in and hearing Joe Quarterman's music on the speaker and images of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, etc really roped me in before I ordered the food. I had a HUGE catfish sandwich that came with a side of mac n cheese with potato chips in it, which was a nice touch. All for only $9. I also tried some of the ghetto-fab baked mac n cheese squares. Everything was flavorful and fun. They definitely don't skimp on the servings. And there is plenty for vegetarians (beans use veggie stock, FYI). The beer selection was pretty good (had a Brooklyn Brown) and there is a bar with a TV for sports viewing. However, I am happy that the music played on. As a music expert and record collector, I could tell that the playlist was curated by someone and not a Pandora service. Best tunes: Quarterman, Betty Davis, Funkadelic, etc. And the mural above the bar looked like it had a painting of Betty Davis amongst the JB/Sly characters. The only (minor) quibble was that the (white) girl behind the counter seemed more interested in talking with a friend at the bar than serving us. Perhaps an afro-haired sister woulda given us better hospitality? Anyways, small minor complaint and it ain't no big thang. I will DEFINITELY be back here and I am telling my funky friends about it. (I wonder if they have soul/funk DJs in there?)
(5)Quynh Nhu D.
This is literally across from my house so luckily I don't ever have to go far to satisfy my craving of delicious bbq. Spare ribs and the Baby Back Ribs are delicious. I guess the different between them is the Spare ribs are dryer and the BBR is much more juicier. Awesome sauces. Awesauce. So many variety. They have a sauce bar that you can fill as much as you like. Tried them all. Love: cornbread, mashed potatoes, and potato salad. Cole slaw are ok ~ Not a fan of the Chopped Brisket. Too dry, not that good compared to their ribs. They're on Grubhub so it's really great to order takeout and bring a combo home. Good dine-in experience, no complaints.
(4)Kelsey M.
Such a hit or miss place when it comes to food. I've learned at both locations when it's best to leave just by looking at who's working there!
(3)Alexandra M.
I'm a pescitarian and I liked this place a lot, so that should be saying something! First off: the sauces made everything perfect. I had the fried mac and cheese, french fries and fried dough (and didn't feel terrible after!). The mac and cheese was a bit dry at times, but the sauce helped with that--and to kick things up in the heat or sweet department. The fries were actually really good for being plain french fries--can't place my finger on why other than some had a seasoning on them and maybe if they all did it would have been too much. The fried dough came with honey butter sauce which was delicious. Almost couldn't finish but it was too good to not! Good size for 3, maybe a bit too much for 2. I also had the lemonade which I thought was supposed to be homemade but tasted a bit like Minute Maid... Service was great and very on top of everything we wanted--especially the all you can eat wings! Whenever someone was almost out she was asking what kind they wanted next. Good prices, other than the drinks which seemed a bit steep.
(4)Emma A.
Anyone who talks trash about Soul Fire must have been having a really bad day or super hangry and just took it out on this fantastic establishment, because the only time I've ever NOT been happy in Soul Fire is before I get my Pulled Pork Platter. Sure, some the staff is a bit inexperienced -like dropping the check while I still have food in my mouth-but you're in hipster central and she probably had a show to get to at Great Scott. The food comes out fairly quick, no matter how many friends you brought. The sweet tea is AMAZING, and I've lived in the south. You get SO MANY WINGS on wing night, and you can take home with you after you've eaten so many that you might puke (because they're that good). Also, I will personally judge you if you don't go here and try the pulled pork and Mac n cheese because it's worth every calorie. I've even attached a picture, which means I sacrificed a moment of my bliss before devouring this just so you could see how good it was. You're welcome.
(5)Matt J.
This place was absolutely fantastic. It surpassed my already-high expectations! We got a 3-Meat-Combo with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken. All were delicious, especially the chicken, and they pared particularly well with the Soulfire, Sweet, and Fiery sauces. The combo also comes with two sides (we chose mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy), pickles, and cornbread, which were all also excellent. I'd highly recommend this place, and I'll definitely be back soon!
(5)Savannah S.
My happy memories of Soul Fire are too numerous to describe. The BBQ is authentic, affordable, and delicious. It's better than the overpriced Sweet Cheeks Q, and there is no rush from the staff. I recommend it to every ex-pat Southerner I know in Boston. I always get the pulled pork dinner plate so that I get more sides. Potato salad is flavorful without being stuffed with filler, the mac and cheese is creamy with crunch on top, and the cornbread is soft and moist. You'll have a variety of sauces to use on your meat, and I like to mix them for adventure. And of course, this is one of the few places I have had the pleasure to enjoy sweet tea in New England.
(5)Greg P.
Soulfire: 2 parts good southern BBQ, 3 parts overhyped Located on Harvard Ave in Allston, Soulfire is easily accessible by T but not by car. Prepare to spend a while looking for street parking and definitely do not park in any of the side alleys because those are tow-zones. A mix of different southern BBQ styles, Soulfire does not have a strong regional identity and the result is very generic BBQ. They have all of the staples of southern BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. The pulled pork is not bad at all, moist, smoky, and flavorful. The brisket comes out dry. I have had it a few times and that observation is consistent. The ribs are not always that meaty and sometimes have too much fat. They have a tendency to get overcooked as well. The sides are pretty good at Soulfire. The mac&cheese balls are as good as people say they are. Overall, Soulfire is pretty good but nothing stands out from other local BBQ joints. By way of context, Village Smokehouse and Blue Ribbon are far superior in both options, taste, and quality.
(2)Jennifer H.
I cannot believe I had never been to Soul Fire before last night. I guess I always headed out to Village Smokehouse, but Soul Fire is definitely on my list now. Overall, I have to say this place is a good bet for some standard BBQ; I have no complaints. I love the casual feel and later-night service here. You are free to seat yourself, and service is decent; our food came out quickly once it was ordered, but it took a little while for the waitress to take our order and to process the check. The pulled pork was pretty much perfect (for me): flavorful, moist, tender, and it didn't need additional sauce. I was impressed by the cole slaw because I am super picky, and Soul Fire's met the bar. The potato salad was good as well. I really wish they served the sweet, sliced pickles fried; that would just take the platter to the next level. The portion was just enough for me to feel satisfied but not stuffed (I was hungry going in), and I thought the price was reasonable. While this restaurant is incredibly T-accessible (take the green B line to Harvard St. and walk not even a half block west), the parking along this stretch of Harvard Avenue can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. I easily found a space within a block on a Tuesday night. A good place to catch the game as they have a couple TVs over the bar and a giant projection screen on one of the walls.
(3)Ben S.
I'm so conflicted. I love the food here, but they give you so little of it, it's not worth the money more often than not. Boston only has a few good bbq spots, and though I value flavor over portion size, I have to draw the line somewhere. Barbecue and eating to excess are two concepts that will forever be entwined. All the more reason that the full-priced, appetizer-sized entrees make me cry.
(3)Christian M.
I had the 4 souls and boy was it great!!!the full rack of spare ribs with the full oven roasted chicken was awesome. The pulled pork was amazing..everything was great!! DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!!! The staff was great, the kitchen is an open kitchen so you can see everything and the cooks were extremely nice
(5)Shale O.
I have lived in the South and do know what good Soul food taste like. Soul Fire is just ok. It felt more like the fast food of Soul Food lol. I was actually going to give them 3 stars but downgraded based on service. It took 30 minutes for our orders to be taken after we sat down. I think our server might have been a tad clueless but I wouldn't know. I got Cat fish with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. The coleslaw was superb, the Cat fish was greasy; but what else was I expecting from fried food, the baked beans was the worst...The corn bread tasted really nice :) This is not the standard that I am used to but maybe it works for Boston
(2)Chantel J.
Soul Fire is a hidden gem. Looks like a bar from the outside but is jammed packed with delicious food. I've had the catfish which is moist, no bones and sooo filling. The southern wings taste just like from down south and the sauces make it amazing. The pull pork is to die for, delicate but super filling. The ribs I mean how can you not try the ribs?? Amazing. You can buy a spare rib so try it as you salivate for your food. Try the Mac and cheese it will make all your bad days seem a little better.
(4)Brad H.
Always on the lookout for good BBQ, I finally got around to checking out Soulfire one night. For an appetizer we got an order of the chili cheese fries. This heaping plate of fries that are completely smothered in gooey cheese and meaty chili does make quite a mess (definitely a fork worthy endeavor), but it's worth it since it's very tasty. However, if you're not packing a large appetite I would recommend a smaller app (or no app at all) since this carb blast might fill you up too much before your entree. The pulled pork was exactly as it should've been. Nothing more, nothing less. The baby back ribs (if I remember correctly I believe the only ribs they serve are baby back, no St. Louis ribs here) were cooked well. The meat came right off the bone with a minimal tug. The dry rub they used was average, nothing outstanding; and the ribs definitely benefited from some sauce. Offering 4 or 5 different sauces, I couldn't find one that really hit home for me. I did manage to hit the sweet spot though by combining the Pit Boss sauce with the Soulfire signature sauce. Doing this resulted in a sauce that I felt was more balanced in it's sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess. Surprisingly though, their BBQ isn't what stands out. What really shines at Soulfire is their fried chicken. This stuff is some if the best fried chicken I've ever eaten; it's perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. This has become my go-to place for the best fried chicken in Boston. The service was average as was the atmosphere. This place is pretty no frills when it comes to the layout and decor sporting murals on the walls, a big projection screen and some other tv's that usually have some sports game(s) on. But you shouldn't be visiting Soulfire for the decor, you should be coming by for the good BBQ and fantastic fried chicken.
(4)Lillian C.
I was craving some BBQ and found this place on Yelp. It's pretty close to the T stop off Harvard and a couple of friends and I decided to give it a shot. When we first walked in we were a bit confused as to sit down somewhere, order first, or wait to be seated... After about 5 min a waitress told us just to sit anywhere. So we sat down and she brings us the menus. I ordered the two meat plate with brisket and baby back ribs with mac and cheese and cole slaw as my sides. The plate also comes with a piece of cornbread and some slices of pickled cucumbers. The brisket came on top of a thick slice of toast (not sure why) and it was SO GOOD! Very tasty and cooked perfectly. The ribs were also very nicely cooked and juicy. I only ate about half my food and saved the rest for another meal. For the price I think it's pretty darn worth it. I also had a bite of the spare ribs and that was really good too. I love that they also have about 6 different sauces. I liked mixing the pit boss and soulfire sauce. Delicious! I would def be back for more!
(4)Simon L.
Giant spares that are sparsely trimmed create a nice crisp exterior from the reasonably heavy brown sugar that is part of the rub. The carmelization is chock full of flavorful spice and a bit of kick - chili pepper. Full rack of spares will never disappoint and comes with corn bread and two sides. Rib meat is pink to midway to the bone and explodes with juices. These are giant spare ribs that are tender and have a superb smoky flavor; sauce is completely unnecessary although multiple are available for sampling. My preference tends to the Pitboss. The fiery NC rendition is a decent second. Coleslaw is fresh and clean. Mac and cheese is served just warm. Corn bread is moist and not too sweet. Sit at the bar and enjoy a lone star or a gansett tall boy.
(5)Nisreen G.
You set me soul on fire. Light my soul. Caress my belly with your crispy fried wings, fresh fried catfish, and creamy mac and cheese. What's that I see? A 3$ rib appetizer? Damn you sure know what I like. Soul Fire is delicious BBQ and perfectly priced. Food comes out crazy hot and the servers make sure to give you prior warning which is really nice. As a newbie I tried to take a bite out of my chicken and nearly burned my mouth off. It was well worth the pain though. Salty, crispy, perfectly marinated. I actually debated ordering another round but decided with catfish on the menu, i'd be crazy not to get an entree. I absolutely love the atmosphere of Soul Fire. It's pretty bright so I can see my food but doesn't feel like a fast food joint. The red and white checkered table cloths remind me of summer BBQ's but they don't throw too much BBQ theme in your face. Tons of famous jazz artists and musicians are plastered on the wall in black and white and it's pretty cool that they sometimes have live music.
(5)Tammy T.
I use to come here everyyyyyyyy Monday for the wing special! They weren't anything to die for but I loved their variety of sauces! Always went out the door satisfied. It's always a great time to come with a big group of people to enjoy the big portions of wings each round. But the wait for a big group is quite long. One of my favorites is the macaroni squares! Soooo good! I haven't been here in a while but I hope the Asian waitress is no longer there because she was completely straight up rude. Don't be a server if you can't put on a fake smile and make your customers happy. Every time I came, she would always give attitude, roll her eyes and give dirty looks. Put that shit aside or don't work as a waitress at all. I had asked for a water one time and as I was sipping it I looked inside the cup to see a dirty napkin at the bottom... I kindly asked for another and she basically said I put it in there, rolled her eyes and left. Rude. I'm hoping to come back here soon with better improvements and more friendly servers.
(3)Kimberly M.
AHHH!! 2 whole hours to deliver one meal ten minutes away?!? I called after it was 40 min later that quoted and the girl told me "he's leaving now!"....are you kidding me?? (I'm painfullllly hungry) I say okay thank you blah blah I'll see you soon, (also cravvvvving the can of pepsi I ordered) So 25 minutes later and still no sign of my food. Finally the driver arrives but low and behold...no pepsi. So bummed. So so bummed :( The food is just alright.
(1)Iska B.
Pros: - FAST! but then when I was there it was a slow night (Thursday) - Decent sized portions - Pulled pork was tasty - Nice choice of sauces - Pleasant, clean, nicely decorated - Cornbread was tasty - Decent prices (they had a special too that night B1G1 free pulled pork sandwich) Cons: - Pickles were GROSS. I love all sorts of pickles but these pickles were just NASTY. Tasted like old relish left in the fridge for five years. - Coleslaw was pretty bland and tasted like plain cabbage. - Cornbread was cold - I didn't like the BBQ potato chip crust on my mac and cheese though the mac and cheese itself was quite cheesy and good. Not a bad place overall but I've had better.
(3)Young J.
3.5 stars. Pros: great portions for cheap prices. All the sides were good (we tried the potato salad, coleslaw, mac n cheese and the baked beans) and I was in love with the cornbread. Chicken was nothing spectacular but brisket was pretty good. I liked how they give you four different sauces in a bottle, and this was a plus for me since I don't like my BBQ drenched in sauce. Cons: service needs to step it up. It was less than half full on a Saturday night around 8pm. I didn't know it was a "seat yourself" place so my bf and I stood around for several minutes before one of the waitress told us from where she was standing (didn't even bother coming up to us) to take a seat wherever we liked. We ordered a soda, but did not receive it until 15 minutes later. That was somewhat understandable. When our meals came out almost 25 minutes later, they got my bf's order wrong so we still had to wait around for a little while longer. Also, when I asked my waitress about the appetizer we ordered since it was nowhere to be seen even AFTER we received our meal, she seemed very confused that we ordered it. Either way, our appetizer (chili cheese fries- very good and huge portions!) came out immediately after I mentioned it but it kind of took away the meaning of "appetizer". I would visit this establishment again for the great food, portions and prices but I think service is a hit or miss. I would be more understanding if the place was packed with people but there were multiple waitresses just standing around chatting to one another and our waitress didn't even bother coming to our table and checking up on us.
(3)Christina C.
I don't do this often, but not only did my food take an hour and a half to get here, but it was measly and cold. I asked for mashed with gravy and got cold potato salad and my sandwich was pathetic. I work nearby and frequent Soul Fire but this was awful. When I answered the door, the driver ACTUALLY ASKED ME: "Is this a joke?" because I have bad reception in my household for cell service (I stated this very specifically in my Foodler directions). I left a prop in the door and left my front door OPEN. If he could not figure out how to get my food, that I paid for, and idiotically tipped 20% for, to my face, then this man should be fired and sent on his way. The food usually redeems itself, but not tonight. I will not be coming into Soul Fire on meal breaks any more. What is going on over there?! Sorry! UPDATE: After writing this review, a manager promptly got in touch with me and apologized. Something like that has never happened to me, as I am not in the business of writing reviews to get something out of it. It was truly a surprise and it's refreshing to know that a local business is doing its best to do right by its customers. A+, guys and gals. Keep doing your best! I changed my 1-Star review to a 3 and I can only imagine it getting better.
(3)joe m.
Wow! Walked in as I was looking for a quick bite to eat on a Tuesday after work and man did I pick a good spot. Best pulled pork sandwich I have ever had, excellent selection of sauces. Did not finish large side of fries, and the cost was right on. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was very low key. I will be back soul fire and I am going to spread the word.
(4)David W.
I have to say that my experience with Soul Fire was anything but pleasant. I ordered food online, payed the delivery fee as well as a generous tip and when it came to delivering the food the delivery guy called me and asked me to come outside to pick up my food. It was raining and the reason he gave was that there was no parking on the street, but a look out of the window showed that there clearly were plenty of parking spots. The next excuse was that there was no legal parking, which is simply not true, as there is plenty of legal parking on the street and most businesses I've ordered from will deliver to my apartment door without any questions asked. This guy did not even ring my door bell. Since revving his engine would not draw me out he ended up driving off. Calling the restaurant and explaining the situation to Becca, the manager on deck, caused her to say she could get the food to me if I came down to pick it up. Now, to me, that is not what I really consider delivery... if I have to get the food it is not being delivered to me. Expressing this alongside with the suggestion to cancel the order was met with an OK and being hung up on right away. When calling them back in order get hold of her boss, she said he wasn't around but would share her opinion on this matter. From this I can only gather that Soul Fire does not value their customers or their business. The service and (frankly) manners displayed by this restaurant have convinced me to never ever order anything from them again, regardless of the fact that they do have good barbecue. But at this point, that doesn't even factor into the review. 0 Stars? Yes, if it was possible...
(1)Andrew K.
Why has it taken me this long to try this place? I'm a southern boy. Grew up in the south, where we know bbq. I still call people, "Sir," which people like, and, "Ma'am," which people don't end up liking. Regardless, I digress. After going through some House of Cards in preparation for the new season, I got a hankering for some ribs. I don't mean those ribs from the chinese place. I wanted some real southern ribs. I decided to take on soulfire as a trial. Seriously. If you like southern food (real southern food) or bbq, try this place. You're missing out. Food: unbelievable. Couldn't give a better compliment. Ribs are top notch. Cornbread. Fries. Mac and cheese. Cole slaw. You can't go wrong. Service: no clue. I ordered delivery. But it came pretty quick (maybe 20-30 min?). Overall: amazing. Hands down the best southern joint up in the north. And also, for this price, you can't go wrong. For two people (let's be honest here, with these portions we could have served 3), for $30, I'm better off getting food here than from any other restaurants.
(5)Trevor S.
I love BBQ. Like, I'd call my first child BBQ if I could. That's love. Soul Fire doesn't really return the feeling. This is the kind of place that puts the "meh" in mediocre. I mean... they try. The pulled pork is a pretty good vinegar style. But it goes down from there. The brisket is just sort of bland fatty meat that can occasionally be dry. The ribs seem coated with some rub that's just for show because there isn't any sort of spice to it. The sides just go downhill. I love collard greens. Soul Fire's are rubbery and cloyingly sweet. I love cole slaw. Soul Fire's is just a soupy droopy cup of yuck. We've been blessed with our fair share of BBQ in Boston. There's no reason to ever come here.
(3)Garren O.
Ah Soulfire...my first BBQ in Boston. Even though my first visit was four years ago, my five star rating remains unwavering. Most times I go, the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fried Mac and cheese (amazing; you're a FOOL if you don't get this) are my go to items. However, I stepped outside my comfort zone for one of their all you can eat wing Mondays. And I may ne'er go back. Even though I'm not much of a spice guy, the hotness of these wings were more flavorful than pour-a-gallon-of-water-down-your-throat spicy. My hands down favorite though were the Golden Mustard wings. I had about 20 of those bad boys. I regret nothing. Finished off strong with some fried dough (topped with amazing house honey butter) and wet nap for my saucy fingertips. In short: I liked it, so I put a wing on it. (Beyoncé, I will see you in court)
(5)Nicholas U.
Went here for all you can eat wings and was not disappointing. I prepared myself accordingly. I didn't try anything besides the wings so I can't judge on anything else. They first brought us a demo dish with one flavor of each wing. After we were done, they asked us what flavor we wanted in our big plate. We opted for all 4 because they were all delicious. Because we were a party of 7, we got 2 very large plates of wings. I like how they didn't tip-toe the all you can eat by giving you a few wings at a time, they go straight for the kill. We demolished the wings and if I could eat until my stomach exploded I would have. Soul Fire satisfied my wing craving plus more. Will be back here again to get my filling of wings.
(5)Steve B.
BEST BRISKET I"VE EVER HAD! I got the 1/2 chicken & brisket combo, both cooked perfectly! Good blend of smoke, flavor, and moisture. Got the close slaw (not bad) and baked beans (amazing) as sides but came with the best cornbread I've ever had. I got 6 pieces to go for the fam and we were all in AWW of how good it was. I will be back ASAP! I don't even know where to start! I'm a BBQ feen! I make it myself minimum once a week and get it whenever possible and I must say...this is definitely in my top 3.
(5)John M.
Everything a good soul food place should be. Otis Reading on the juke box and great food. I had the fried chicken and it was delicious, as were the collard greens and the coleslaw. My companions had the ribs and the hickory chicken. All raved about it. The service was prompt and cheerful.
(4)Jamie C.
I have been a regular at soul fire since they opened and have yet to find better BBQ in boston! Love this place, love the atmosphere, and most importantly love the food!!! I have also used the to cater a work event and it went awesome. This place is the best!
(5)Kim H.
So first of, YOU CAN'T MAKE RESERVATIONS! which stinks ! and i came with a group of 13+ people. 10$ ALL YOU CAN EAT WINGS * but seriously after 10+ wings you would get sick of it. i was done at 8 wings. so 1$ per wing ! haha the wings were really good espescially the honey mustard ones! Buffalo? barely spicy, and i cant remember the other flavors. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE: was great they were really nice and friendly, but be aware they will give you paper ware cups and such. :) They don't split checks!
(4)Shirleyanne A.
I really didn't like their coleslaw. I just threw away the whole thing because it was dry and all I can taste was the cabbage. It didn't smell too appealing either. Their collard greens were too sweet for my taste. The ribs were pretty good. They were moist and tender and fell off the bone easily but it was pretty greasy. I still like Blue Ribbon's ribs better. The barbecue sauce selection they had was pretty good. I tried all of them and I was pretty happy with all of them. I liked how some of the sauces were pre-warmed. Parking is difficult in this area so it's best to take public transportation. The people working here were cheerful and friendly and they packed my to go order neatly so that the contents don't jostle around during my drive home. I plan on trying their other items sometime in the future but until then, they get three stars from me.
(3)Kyra M.
In the otherwise delivery deadzone that is Lower Allston, Soul Fire is our savior. This isn't just a spot that is "good food for Boston;" Soul Fire is legitimate BBQ. No need to narrow down your experience with the more than reasonably priced 3 meat combo, which easily feeds two hungry adults. Being able to order on GrubHub is a super bonus. At this point, we've had every meat on the menu. Here are my top 5 favorites from least favorite to most favorite (keeping in mind they are ALL favorites): 5. Sliced Brisket; my partner would disagree but I'm a fan. Sometimes he lets me order it or I sneak it in. It's less consistent than the other products, more variation with tenderness amongst orders, but still solid. 4. Hickory Smoked Chicken; it's exactly what it sounds like, and so juicy. 3. Fried Catfish flaky and delicious. Never greasy, always amazing. Tartar sauce FTW. 2. Pulled Pork; yes, please! Even without any sauce it's got that smoky meaty thang going on good on its own, on top of coleslaw, or wrapped up in a slice of white bread. 1. BABY BACK RIBS!!!! Skip the spare ribs (unless that's your thing), I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back.... So meaty and perfect. So very perfect. Love these ribs! As far as sides go, I find them less impressive than the meat. They'd be 5-Star if they could master the sides. We pretty much stick with the collard greens and coleslaw. Macaroni isn't as great as some reviews would have you think, at least in my opinion. Baked beans lack significant flavor. The corn bread is solid. Overall tasty food. We've dined in once and they have a small selection of beer and plentiful seating, but why leave the house when the delivery is just as good?
(4)Robert F.
I was born and raised in the South and the DEEP South. I've eaten BBQ all my life. Soul Fire is pretty good,. I came to visit my daughter at BU and she was craving some Q. It was an unusually muggy night and the restaurant was a little too warm. Service was quick and friendly. The lighting was quite harsh. She got the pulled pork platter with beans and mac n cheese. I had the chopped brisket with beans and slaw. We each found our favorite sauce from the four offered. The pulled pork was pretty darn good as was the mac n cheese. Neither one of us cared for the beans because of the HEAVY molasses flavor. The chopped brisket was okay, though it is really diced/cubed and not chopped. The portion size was a little small. The slaw was good, but more of a vinegar base than a mayo based dressing. All in all we enjoyed the meal, though next time I'll get my Q fix back home, y'all!
(3)Alyssa F.
My boyfriend is a Kansas native, so he knows good BBQ when he eats it. As such, we've been trying all the local places. This is as good as it gets on the East Coast. We both had the brisket platters--$13 for brisket on thick white bread with two sides, cornbread and pickles. Brisket was insane. There are 4 BBQ sauces on the table to choose from. I liked the sweet, he liked the fiery. We both got mac + cheese and baked beans, and agreed that the mac and cheese was delicious but the baked beans left something to be desired. I also had the mac and cheese bites as an app, and they were splendid. Not too heavy. All in all, it was a slam dunk. Can't wait to go back and try some more things!
(5)Ali K.
SOUL FOOD at its finest!! If you want to try southern cuisine in Boston this is your spot. Clogged arteries and all it's so worth every bite, luckily for me it was down the street from where I was staying and I hadn't eaten all day so this would make everything even better. Place wasn't packed for a Wednesday night but that's to be expected usually on the weekends a ton of people are in there they said. Very spacious restaurant with pretty cool decor kind of a 70's vibe. Huge big screen TV's so you can watch whatever games and enjoy your food. I ended up getting the Fried Mac and Cheese, the Fried Chicken Platter with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and a Biscuit slathered in butter. Yeah pretty much if I had a heart attack that night I would have died happy. The Fried Mac and Cheese came in this cube shape and once you bit into it it was heaven on earth. The fried chicken platter was so flavorful, juicy, and crunchy it blew my mind. The mashed potatoes and gravy was unreal, I don't know if they put little bits of bacon in the mash potatoes or what but whatever they did, it added and extra hint of flavor to it for sure. The biscuit was not to be overlooked, it was amazing, like something out of your Grandma's kitchen. Definitely highly recommend this place, but you won't be eating for at least 6-7 hours after if you do it right.
(5)Josh K.
Reasonably priced bbq. Nothing fancy and the food was alright. I wouldn't seek this place out but if you are looking to grab a quick bite with beers prior to hitting the bars in the area, it's worth a try. It's also the only "Southern" restaurant in Harv. Ave so you might run into some crowd on the weekends.
(3)Mallory C.
We had a groupon for this place, and my boyfriend LOVES BBQ, so we had a date night. First of all, they get an A+++ for accessibility, as they have buttons that open their door for wheelchair users (very rare!!!), and are just super helpful. The food was delicious, and portions were huge! We are french fry connoisseurs and we could not finish their "basket of fries" even though they were so good! The rice and beans was also great! Our waitress was patient, friendly, and did not hurry us at any time. She got bonus points when we paid- we forgot to tell her about the groupon until after she ran our card, so she did it again with no complaint, AND she came back and told us, with the groupon we didn't even reach our price limit and could order something to go if we wanted! We ordered an order of wings that were out in record time! We will definitely be back here.
(4)John R.
Just perfect. Wyatt the owner has made this place what it is. All of the food is great. The staff friendly, the beer cold, the music perfect. The sauces are awesome as is the sides.
(5)Thuy L.
Came here around 8ish on a Monday night for the All You Can Eat Wings and some soul food with my little family. Once we arrived, the host said we can take a seat anywhere we liked. As we sat down, she gave the table another sprits to make sure the table is santized and clean. The waiteress then arrived to asked us what we liked to order. The menu was pretty simple and short. My husband did the all you can eat wings, and I did the "2 meat combo" with BBQ spare ribs and pulled Pork. The combo came with 2 sides, and I wanted Collard greens and Mac n' Cheese with an EXTRA side of baked beans (I was hungry.. And ordering with my eyes haha). It also came with sliced pickles and corn bread. As soon as we ordered,, she put it in right away and the food came out within 10 minutes!! Which is super fast. My plate looked full and I knew I was not able to finish it. There was only 3 spareribs, but they were pretty big.. I was only able to finish 2 ribs and had some of my sides and it filled me up!! The Mac n cheese was a little on the dry side tho, so I might opt that out next time and choose something else. I loved the collard greens, and the baked beans had this sweet taste to it which is a plus! The corn bread was perfect and super soft. The all you can eat wings were delicious! My husband was not able to go for another round once that first one came out. He liked 3 out of 4 flavors of the wings, so the waitress brought out 18 wings for the first round. It was a struggle because the wings were plumped!!! I think he would need to be SUPER starving in order to go for another round haha. Overall: Service was great and so was the food. The All you can eat wings are only on Monday nights from 5pm- Closing and it's $12 (not 8.99)!
(4)Alyssa M.
I've been here twice and really enjoyed both the sandwiches I tried, the Pulled Pork and the BBQ Reuben. They hit the spot! And the prices are right for the sammies. I also liked the chili, the Mac n cheese, and the potato salad. I only like one of their 4 sauces, Soulfire, but I only need to like one. :) The atmosphere is casual and chill to the max. The beer selection is pretty good. Good music playing. Service is fair. I'll definitely be back to quench my BBQ cravings!
(4)Ben M.
Hate to give this place two stars but two stars on yelp literally translates to "Meh. I've experienced better.", which stands true in my experience. My girlfriend and I were pretty excited to try this place because we both had a long day and were in desperate need of some solid BBQ and a cold beer. What we got was pretty dry with some stuff and things and sauces and yeah whatever just get it in my mouth I don't care, it's hard to be picky about BBQ in Boston. So we finish the meal and service was great but I noticed a small fruit fly in my beer with about two sips left. The fly wasn't that big of a deal in itself but my girlfriend didn't agree with me when I said it was gross and that I've seen enough episodes of bar rescue to know what I'm talking about. She claims it "flew in from the front door and landed in my drink in front of me". I think I'd know if anything flew into my beer sweetie. Who does she think she is? Then she goes on this rant about how she doesn't always have to agree with me...livid at this point. Arrived home and immediately farted on her toothbrush. The cornbread by the way was excellent.
(2)Matt L.
I was excited to try Soul Fire after hearing about the place from a friend of mine. Service was fine, but the bbq was not. We tried the Pitboss sampler so that we could try all of the different meats they offer. The pulled pork was pretty good, but the ribs and brisket were not. First, they do not remove the silver skin on the bottom of the ribs. After taking a bite or two the silver skin would come loose and just hang there. Not very appetizing. The chopped brisket was also disappointing as they failed to render out the fat properly before chopping. So there were large hunks of fat mixed in with the chopped brisket. Again, not very appetizing. The best part of the meal was the wings. So if you're going to try Soul Fire BBQ, I'd suggest getting wings.
(2)Abby R.
Pah-retty good. I've been here a bunch of times at this point since it's close to where I live and I'm comfortable here. I know what to order. I know what not to order. I've formed expectations. Do not expect the best barbeque of your life. Simple as that. The atmosphere is weirdly empty and too open, which is y'know, fine. Except when it's 10 degrees out and the door doesn't shut properly and the whole place is cold. Bring a jacket, kids. Or have some of the fire barbecue sauce. The way it works is you order a meat. They bring you the meat and you get to douse and/or sprinkle it with the bbq sauce of your choosing. Which is nice because I like 2 of the 4-5 sauces enough to want to eat them both. The best meat to order is the chicken. It's consistent, it's fraad, and it's moist and delicious. I really don't like the cubed brisket. It was tough and just looked like a whole bunch of steak dice. Somehow they were also really fatty too, which does not attract me. I've tried the shredded brisket twice. Once it was good, once it was fatty and chewy. I stick to the chicken. Do they have mac and cheese? Yes. And it has a little dusting of bbq chips, which is extra special, but I've never had it served to me more than lukewarm. Do they have potatoes? Yes and this chick likes her starches. And I like these starches. They have good starches here.
(3)Melissa P.
Came here for dinner and was very disappointed. Despite the restaurant being empty, service was slow. Our waitress was very awkward and acted like it was a burden to be serving us. I tried the 1/2 hickory chicken platter w/ baked beans and collard greens and my boyfriend had a pulled pork sandwich. The beans had a strange taste, almost like they were burnt and the collard greens were overly sweet. The food was very average and something I could have made in my own kitchen. The only pros are the cornbread and prices.
(2)Bean C.
Soul Fire has really upped its game. The spare ribs, fried chicken, Mac & cheese all excellent! If you like mustard for the fried chicken, request their mustard sauce. The side salad was v. fresh. Washed it down w. a Brooklyn Lager. Great attentive service.
(5)sean m.
When I lived in Allston, we got delivery from here every couple of months. The service/delivery way always good/prompt and the food was pretty good. If you are looking for BBQ, it wasn't like being in Memphis, but it definitely hit the spot.
(4)Christine G.
Came here tonight with high expectations having seen the great reviews. When we walked in, it smelled good so we were excited. We started off with the fried mac & cheese which was okay - not great, but not bad. My sister and I split a combo including 1/3 rack of baby back ribs and half a smoked chicken. When the plate arrived, the chicken still had its skin on it which is normally fine, but in this case the skin looked dry and green. The ribs were 2 different colors - the middle part was a dark brown/grey and the upper and lower parts were purple. Ribs tasted like sausage and tasted nothing like bbq and the chicken had a very strange aftertaste that lingered after each bite. the fries and cornbread were probably the only enjoyable things, but even that was cold. Besides the bad food, the service was terrible. We rarely saw our waitress and I had to walk up to the bar to ask for a glass of water after already having asked her. Very disappointed & will not return again.
(2)Danielle S.
Quality soul food is tough to come by in Boston, but Soul Fire represents very well! With a smooth décor and soulful tunes from Al Green playing in the background, Soul Fire is a chill eatery that has all of the delicious southern food staples such as fried chicken, spare and babyback ribs, and catfish alongside the necessary sides such as mac & cheese and collard greens. Restaurant features a couple of televisions, so you can always catch the game as well! Prices are very reasonable and portions will have you full. This place is a hidden gem.
(4)Shaun B.
Easily the best brisket in Boston. Fried chicken wings also very good. Go several times a year and never disappointed. They could use a better beer selection.
(4)A A.
Lately everything has been excellent! Great rub, nice smoke. Much better !! Hope it continues to improve!
(5)Alena G.
This place has good comfort food. The brisket is great, as are the ribs, and the catfish. Sides are also awesome - especially the mac'n cheese. Overall, a decent, consistent BBQ place in the middle of Allston. BONUS: fried dough.
(4)Steven Y.
DELICIOUS. Great pulled pork and fried chicken. Need to come back to do a second more thorough review.
(5)Ms. S.
The pulled pork sandwich has an amazing texture. The meat isn't gross and mushy, but rather it has a delicious chew and substance to it. Yum. But the mac and cheese isn't that great and the cornbread is a little too sweet for my liking. However, the collards are fantastic!
(4)Rachel D.
If you're in the mood for good barbecue head over to Soulfire! The pulled pork was soft and delicious. We went on a Monday night and low and behold it was all you can eat wing night! Our waiter was great and we were almost never out of wings. Good stuff!
(4)Myung P.
You are not going to get better BBQ around the Boston area than Soul Fire. I've had BBQ in many places including the Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Indy, and few other cities and states. I once drove 7 hours just to eat BBQ at a place where The Food Network said was the best BBQ in America. (I was impressed, but if that was the best BBQ in America, life is not worth living) I originally came to Soul Fire since I had a Groupon, but now I go back and pay regular price. It's that good. The meat is tender and juicy. The sauces options are good. The portions are great for the price. Make sure you don't order too much. I thought two full orders were enough for 3-4 people. The sides were great. I heard that Sweet Cheeks is considered the best BBQ in Boston. I've been there TWICE because my co-worker swore that my first try must've been an off-night. While it was not bad, overall, it was regular BBQ joint. So a 3-star and price was a bit on the high side. Soul Fire just trumps Sweet Cheeks. I feel that Soul Fire is less busy than Sweet Cheeks due to location and less hipsters live in Allston compared to Fenway.
(5)Ariel P.
After 4 years of Carolina, I've made Allston my new home so naturally I went on the hunt for BBQ and found SoulFire. Quick Rundown: Great Service: came in by myself sat at the bar and was served immediately and often checked on (which sometimes isn't the case when it's just you at the bar). I was a finicky customer and asked for extra pickles with my sandwich and subbed in potato salad for fries after the ticket when in, and all my requests were taken care of. Solid Food: Ordered the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and a small order of those fried mac and cheese bites everyone keeps going on about. Liked the pork, it was definetly served Carolina style with tons of vinegar which I do like, I just wonder if you can ever get it differently so you can actually use one of the 6 sauces they put out. None which I explored because my pulled pork was already so saturated with that vinegar flavor. Pro tip: for cutting the spicy vinegary-taste there's nothing better than cold potato salad, and these folks do it right. Last I'm sad to say I was a bit let down by the fried mac and cheese bites, I expected a cheesey, gooey block of mac and cheese (to be fair my expectations were directly related to having had fried mac and cheese at the NC State Fair as well as the Raleigh Cheesecak Factory). I found these bites to be both a bit dry and almost too hot to eat. They came out with my sandwich and I had to wait for them to cool down til I was almost done with my sandwich to taste and cheesy flavor as opposed to just heat. Price: It's on par with area pricing and fair for what it is. If you order well or light here you can make off with a pretty cheap dinner, had I just gottent he sandwich and the magner's cider it would've been about $14 after tax. Location: Good location on Harvard Ave, space itself was inviting and neatly directed with soul records. Big space, not crowded. Verdict: Whenever I get that Carolina craving, I'll have to come back. Maybe I'll pass on the mac and cheese bites next time.
(4)Fu D.
I have children and I don't usually speak in such a manner... but I want Soul Fire to Fuck My Face With Its Food... Thank you for making amazing barbecue. That is all.. Fu D.
(5)Joan P.
Umm...I've been here many times. Ribs were good and prices are way better than Redbones. However, there were DEAD FLIES in my wine today. Waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill, but still...GROSS.
(1)Amy D.
3.5 stars but rounding up to 4. Yikes! I thought I did my review for Soul Fire months ago when I actually ate there, but it got knocked off my pending reviews list.. In any case, there were a few BBQ spots in Boston to choose from while I was there for a vacation, but Soul Fire seemed to be the only one that was open late. We came in around 9pm, and the restaurant was still pretty full but we were able to grab one of the last tables right away. However, they were definitely understaffed, and it took a while for our server to come by. They had also been slammed with a huge order earlier, so our server warned us the food would take longer than usual. We ordered: -3 Meat Combo w/Spare Ribs, Chopped Brisket, Fried Chicken Wings, Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Pickles ($20 + $0.50 to substitute for a salad as a side, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! The fried chicken wings were amazing (and HUGE), and the brisket was pretty good as well. The spare ribs were just ok, and I liked that the least out of all the meats. This 3 meat combo platter could easily feed two normal serving sized eaters. -Single Spare Rib Order ($3, yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Huge serving for a "single" spare rib order, and it was good, but nothing special. -Side of Potato Salad ($2) and Macaroni and Cheese ($2) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): Yum! Both were pretty good, but some of the potatoes in the potato salad could've been cooked longer. -Different BBQ Sauces ( yelp.com/biz_photos/soul… ): I tried all of the sauces, but unfortunately, can't remember which once I liked best. I think it was probably the SoulFire. Overall, Soul Fire is a solid BBQ joint in Boston, and if you're in the mood for BBQ late, this is the place to go! However, parking (and traffic) around this area can really suck, and service can be a little slow.
(4)Nancy H.
Went back for some finger lickin' goodness. More catfish and fried chicken but this time tried the fried Mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad, fries, and mashed potatoes as sides. Boy were they soooo good. The collard greens were great but at one point tasted too sweet for the rest of my meal. Service was great, the place was clean, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
(4)Mattie M.
So good! Try the macaroni. My Texan brother in law even approves this place! Their food is perfect for what they offer. I've brought tons of friends here and they all approved! Also, the service and range of beers on tap are both great!
(4)Jason J.
Its a tough call to decide who wins the BBQ battle between Soul Fire and my beloved Redbones, but each one has their merits. For one, I think the sauces and quality of the meats may be a bit better at SF than at RB. If you've never been here before and come with at least 2-3 people, definitely get the Pitboss Sampler. You'll be happy you did. Then again, if you come here by yourself and order that, we should be friends. Their fried mac and cheese makes me want to write sonnets, and their regular mac and cheese has BBQ chip crumbs on top. Its all about the details. Tasty tasty details. Also, and probably most importantly, they serve Narrogansett tallboys.
(4)Tanya Y.
When they say on the menu that the Pitboss Sampler feeds 2 to 3 people, they're lying! They give you much more to definitely cover an extra person. The group of 3 decided to come here on a whim after finding a Google Offer that allowed us to purchase $25 worth of food for only $12. Because of so many great sounding things on the menu, we thought it was a no-brainer to order the sampler. This comes with: 1/2 rack baby back ribs 2 spareribs (they gave us 3!) Pulled pork Chopped brisket (comes ontop of texas toast) Southern fried wings (there were 4) Spicy honey wings (we got 2) 1 hotlink And sides : Cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, beans, collard greens, corn bread, and rice w/beans. They also gave us mashed potatoes with gravy even though it wasn't on the menu, all for $40. Because we thought we were macho and could handle this platter, my friend ordered a corn dog ($1.95) for herself, and the table collectively thought it'd be brilliant to also order chilli cheese fries ($5.55), because c'mon - How could you pass this up?! All of the food came out on platters similar to what you'd see a New York style pizza on. I'm so thankful we got the sampler, because there were definitely things that were just OK/subpar, and some food that stood out from the rest. The spareribs peel off from the bone in a way similar to beef jerky, which is great because I love jerky. The "baby back ribs" weren't babies at all, rather it was as if these ribs were on steroids. They were huge, and a little difficult to eat. The meat barely fell of the bone with some tugging with a fork. The hotlink, pulled pork, and brisket was just ok. As long as you choose to douse these in one of the four BBQ sauces available (Soul Fire, Fiery, Sweet, and Pitboss), then it all tastes great. My favorite was the Sweet. The Southern Fried wings were a little too salty for my liking. The best parts of the entire meal were the potato salad (I swear they put crack in it), the spicy wings, and the corn bread. Ah, and of course the chilli cheese fries. The service was just ok and the ambiance super chill/casual. SoulFire also had a huge screen playing the Pats game, which was a plus. I also noted that they have an unlimited wing day (I think it's Mondays) all for one set price of $8.99. I left full, with so many left overs, and not too big of a dent in my wallet, thanks to Google Offers. I think I 'd only come back if I just want something small to eat/snack on, but my search for exceptionally good BBQ continues on. Anyone have any recommendations?!
(3)Daniel B.
I hope the food is actually good, as I just ordered delivery and have nothing yet, after 155 minutes. . .
(3)Jessi R.
I love me some BBQ, so was happy when my boss' first choice for a pre-graduation lunch wasn't around anymore. I've heard great things about Soul Fire, but seeing as it's in Allston/Brighton and I am loathe to travel into that haven of hipsters. The server only batted one eye at my gluten-free colleague and helped her pick a meal she could eat. I have to say that it was disappointing they put so much BBQ sauce on my pulled brisket though, because it didn't allow me to try any of the 4 sauces they put on our table--what's the point in offering BBQ sauce if I can't have any? The sauce they gave me was fine, if a little hot, but I do prefer a place that lets ME pick.
(3)Phil O.
I've ordered from here a couple times, and both times it's been a solid 4. What I've tried: fried catfish, brisket sandwich, pulled pork, fried macaroni and cheese, spinach What I've not yet tried: the ribs I still need to try the ribs!
(4)Kelsey A.
Yum! Sahil G. and I went last night for dinner. We had a Groupon (I paid $15 for $30 worth of food and drinks!), and I couldn't wait to go, based on all the awesome reviews. We got there around 7:45 and it was pretty full -- no open tables or seats at the bar. I think because of the Groupon deal, the restaurant was way more busy than the employees expected it to be, and the waitresses seemed a little frazzled. There was a nice waitress taking names, but she said we were more than welcome to sit at one of the longer, communal-style tables. We were STARVING, so we decided not to wait for a regular table. It took a little while to get menus -- turns out no waitress had been assigned to us. No big deal, the table had an app/drink menu on it, so when the waitress finally came over with dinner menus we were able to order our beers/app. I got a PBR -- on draft, for $2.50! -- and Sahil G. got a Lone Star. we also ordered the fried mac and cheese. The beers came out very quickly, and it was cute that the waitress brought the bottle cap with the Lone Star so that Sahil could see his riddle. My PBR was very cold and delicious, perfect for eating BBQ. The fried mac and cheese was awesome, but did not look how I expected! We got a "small" order, which was a basket with 5 fried cubes. It looks like fried tofu, but inside the very well-seasoned crust are a lot of hot, cheesy noodles. Yum! Sahil G and I both decided to get the Soulfire Platter with 2 meats. These platters are ENORMOUS -- if we were any less hungry we definitely could have (and should have) shared one. For $15.95, these platters are a great value -- you get two meats, two sides, corn bread, and pickles. A TON of food. I ordered pulled pork and fried chicken wings with cole slaw and potato salad; Sahil ordered sliced brisket and babyback ribs with mac and cheese and collard greens. When we go out to restaurants together, we always get completely different things so that we can maximize the variety of food that we get to try. We're cute, I know. The food came out really quickly -- the waitress told me my fried wings would be about 15 mins, but I can't say we waited longer than 10 for both platters, and these things are PACKED with food. The pulled pork was very tender, and so was the brisket. The ribs were also cooked perfectly, and had a great smoky flavor. However, the highlight for me, meat-wise, were the fried wings -- the breading was salty and delicious, and the meat was DRIPPING with juice/fat. AMAZING. The cornbread was really good, a perfect combo of sweet and savory, and very moist. The pickles were nice too, though I am not a huge fan of "bread-and-butter" style so I only had a couple. The cole slaw was good -- a little too much liquid, but perfectly seasoned, and not too sweet (I hate when cole slaw is too sweet, yuck!). I wasn't a huge fan of the collard greens, oh well. The two best sides, IMO, were the mac and cheese and the potato salad. The potato salad was made with red bliss, mustard, and pickles. AMAZING. And the mac and cheese was so cheesy, with some bbq chips crumbled on top. I highly recommend Soulfire. The beers are so cheap, and the food is very reasonably priced -- a great value, considering both the quantity and quality of the food you receive. We will definitely be back!
(4)Saba N.
solid bbq. I really like it here. It's a take out favorite for me, I never really eat there though because parking is such a pain! Love the Pick 2 Combo deal.. I always go with pulled pork and cat fish. YUM. I will say though, that as far as bbq in MA... you gotta try red bones &blue ribbon. now THAT is good eatin!
(3)Renee M.
Two words: so disappointing. I don't have much experience with BBQ food, the only other time I can recall eating it was in Texas and OMG it was SO GOOD there. So, to compare BBQ in Boston to BBQ in Texas may be unfair, but I am going to do it anyway. First of all, the service here is sssslllllloooooowwwwww. We were not greeted by a server and given water for a good 15 minutes after we sat down. Later on in the night I heard a waitress tell a table of unlucky people sitting next to us that there was an hour wait for food. um wtf? I ordered the Soulfire Platter, and I got spare ribs and brisket with sides of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribs were full of fat, as was the brisket. Both meats were tough and lacked flavor. The BBQ sauces were good though. The mashed potatoes and the mac n cheese were good but nothing special. It seemed like they had a good selection of beers, but I didn't order any. Sorry, but I will not be returning.
(2)Sean M.
3.894 Stars It didn't suck, in fact it was pretty damn good. I like BBQ, a lot. I'm also pretty picky about it too. We ordered a large amount of food for two people which elicited this from the waitress: "Do you guys have a Groupon?" We did not. This was our first time and we wanted to get the essence in one go. Corn Dogs, Fried Catfish Sandwich, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Rice and Beans, Pickles, Potato Salad, Corn Bread, and Pecan Pie. And Beer. It was all good we ate most of it. We will be back. * One of the best BBQ places in Boston (or we hit it on a very good day). * Parking spot in front of the restaurant, it was pre-determined.
(4)Charles L.
I have been meaning to try this place ever since I read the review on Pigtrip.net (search for pigtrip soulfire). The true prize here are the St. Louis ribs. A+. Forget about getting them as takeout. I did, but I also sat down and ate 2 of them right away before going home. They were moist, succulent, flavorful, plenty of smoke. Some of the best ribs I've had. 5 star, right there. Fried chicken wings: 5 star also. They were like fried chicken should be: crisp, but not crunchy. The meat was plenty moist too. Honestly, I like a more traditional buffalo wing, but I also like fried chicken. So I'm torn. Brisket: pretty good. A-. In general, it was pretty moist, but a few pieces were slightly less than moist. Pulled pork: A. Yup, pretty darn good with plenty of the crusty exterior bits mixed in. I liked all of the sauces: Sweet, Soul Fire, Spicy, and Pit Master. Any of them go well on the meats. Health food, not. Good bbq, definitely.
(5)Alyssa B.
The first time I went to Soul Fire it was years ago (circa 2005-06) and it was HORRIBLE. So I was a little dubious when our friends got a Groupon to head there (they have always been big fans). The food was terrific! So terrific that we've returned since as well. Perhaps our first visit was on an off day. My favorite is the pulled pork
(4)Nik B.
A little bit of low-key, high flavor is a solid way to start a Friday night. Soul Fire BBQ is a nothing-fancy place and fits right into Allston. My friend recommended that I order the pulled pork sandwich ($6.95), so I did. The pork comes seasoned, but sauceless, on a light bun. Even without any sauce the meat was tender and flavorful. I tried all the different sauces, but I liked the house SoulFire sauce the most. It was a well rounded sauce that was both spicy and sweet; definitely my favorite of the four sauces. I got the collared greens as my side which were also delicious. They weren't too buttery and had a lot of flavor and kick. Soul Fire also has relatively good beer prices. I settled on the Harpoon IPA ($4.50) which paired very nicely with my sandwich.All in all a great barbecue join in Allston.
(4)Brian B.
3 Stars Fits Just Right The one disclaimer I have here is that I've only ever ordered delivery from Soul Fire. I only ever order from this place when I'm feeling too lazy to get out to Blue Ribbon. In my opinion, this place will suffice when you just can't get out to West Newton or Arlington. It's been OK each time. Probably would get 4 stars if I were to dine in, because I'm sure the food would be that little bit hotter/fresher than by whatever time the delivery guy makes it to my place, which is all of .5 miles away haha.
(3)Tiffany T.
Went back here to dine in during a Friday night. Food was still good but I recommend getting take out. Service was awful.... and immensely slow.
(3)MEGAN L.
Love their food it's always delicious, BUT sadly my boyfriend ordered delivery for us before I had to go to work and they never showed up! Really guys?! They apologized and said it would be another 45min to an hour for our original hour 2 hrs prior to arrive....it's a shame they don't pride themselves on customer service and establishing customer loyalty as much as they pride themselves on their BBQ.
(3)rosann s.
I don't generally get to the Allston/Brighton area and am always looking for fun, good places to eat, and this one was great! We had quick and easy service. The prices were very reasonable. The food was very good. We had the fried Mac N Cheese as an app, then pulled chicken sandwiches for dinner .. yummmm .. a couple of really nice sauces! Would definitely go back!!!
(4)Gerrit B.
Fantastic food, but slow service Ordered catfish sandwich with baked beans. I also tried some spare ribs and macaroni and cheese. Everything was delicious! The pitboss sauce is definitely their best in my opinion. Our server was slow though. I'd go again and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.
(4)Emily D.
I don't know dude - it's just so mediocre. And the service is consistently bad. I am a HUGE BBQ fan - my favorite cuisine. And every time I've come to Soul Fire I've wanted to like it, but I always leave a little disappointed. I ordered their pulled pork platter with mac & cheese, baked beans, and cornbread. Their pulled pork is all right - a little bland, but their homemade BBQ sauce makes it much better. Their mac & cheese is good mainly because they crumble BBQ chips on it. Their baked beans are WAY TOO sweet. And their cornbread is dry and crumbly. So, basically, as average as it gets. Now for the service - the few times I've been there, it's been BAD. They rarely check on you, and you end up having three different waiters by the end of the night just because you were trying to get a refill on your water. It definitely needs to be regulated a bit more. Besides that, they DO have really cheap beer so I'd say that's worth it... But I'm definitely still on the hunt for good BBQ in Boston!!!!
(3)Andrea E.
Can you believe that I go to a BBQ place for their ONE vegetarian dish even though I'm not vegetarian? hahaha this has nothing to do with the quality of their meats though, I love their vegetarian rice and beans, wow, actually just thinking about it is making me hungry, it is so delish and the salsa they have is just spicy enough to enjoy oh so much! Another thing that I love but don't get to eat often (just because it must be about 1000 calories) is their fried dough...it is to die for! the honey butter sauce they put on tastes like heaven, not I'm afraid that I've gained a pound just by writing about it! Anyways, I recently started to try more things on the menu and I have come to also love the pulled chicken, it is so tender, juicy and delicious it is quite the experience. Now about the staff, I have not had anything but good things to say about them, they are always very nice and attentive so I always try to tip them very well. For first timers, beware that this is a BBQ place, not a bar (even though there is a bar inside the restaurant) and they will not serve you alcohol unless you order something to eat.
(4)Angelina C.
This is one of those places I frequent but always forget to review. Soul Fire is so freaking good that there's no reason to go anywhere else in Boston for barbeque. My faves are the Southern fried wings, pulled pork with Soul Fire sauce, short ribs, their mac and cheese (and those bites!), collards. . .okay, everything. My fingers are still sticky from last night's Superbowl food fest. Soul Fire. It's not a bar. It's BBQ. And they deliver.
(4)Em K.
The first experience I had with Soul Fire was via delivery. It was definitely one of those nights where you need home cooking and fast. Timing wise the food was prompt but after a few bites it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Fast forward about a month I had some friends visiting and they insisted on going, I was game. What a difference it makes going in! The wait staff was very nice, had a great attitude and very accommodating. After our food arrived, with incredibly portions and tasty sides, I realized that my first experience was off because there was no BBQ sauce! I forgot to request a specific type so it came without and of course that makes a difference. All of their sauces are spectacular and satisfy my need for spice, they have a great one that's wicked hot! The beer on tap is great and the atmosphere is truly unique, definitely recommend a trip in!
(4)Ramzi B.
Quality comfort food on the cheap with excellent service to boot - Soulfire offers a crash course in all-American cuisine. Let's start with the food: I have been here about a dozen times and have literally eaten my way through 90% of the menu. I have yet to try something I didn't like. For appetizers, go with the CHILI CHEESE FRIES - an absolute must at $5.55 - made with skin-on french fries, a smoky, tangy BBQ chili, and liquid cheese. Other treats include the Fried Mac & Cheese (twisted, demented, and oh so delicious) and the Southern Fried Wings. If you're in a small group (under 4), try one of the following as your main - you won't regret it: [a] BBQ Reuben, [b] Pulled Pork Sandwich, [c] Fried Catfish Platter, [d] Spareribs. [e] Soulfire Platter (with 3 meats because you're sick like that). If you're with a larger party (both in number and in weight), I suggest the FEEDS FOUR SOULS combo. At $14 per person, you get an entire smoked chicken. 1 rack of spareribs, 1 pound of boneless meat, 4 cornbreads, and 2 pints worth of sides. It's a terrific deal! As for the service, I have only one word: awesome. What?! Need proof? A few weeks ago, after discovering that the chicken and ribs I ordered were missing from the delivery bag, I picked up the phone and talked to Anne, a delightful and apologetic employee. Within 20 minutes, I not only received TWO TIMES MORE food than was missing, but they also sent me a $25 gift certificate and the following note from the manager: Ramzi. Thanks so much for calling and letting us know what we missed. Truly, the only way to know how things go for deliveries is for you to tell us. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy some food on us next time with the enclosed gift card. Again sorry to keep you waiting for the good stuff and enjoy. :) Christine, Anne, and Soulfire The good stuff indeed. Just let your Soul Glo.
(5)Lee M.
I wasn't disappointed with Soul Fire BBQ, but I also wasn't particularly impressed. The girl at the counter was very nice. I don't usually tip people for putting an order into a register, but she/they got one. The pulled pork barbecue was nothing special. It barely had any taste, so use sauce (but be wary...see below). They have four kinds of sauce. Three of them look like they just increase in spiciness (I didn't try any of these three) and the fourth is "North Carolina barbecue sauce" (the quotes are meant to mock it, not to say that this is exactly what the container says). They claim that it is a spicy vinegar sauce, but it seemed to me to be a vinegary Tabasco sauce - it was actually pretty bad. I was happy with the sides. Corn bread, slaw, and mac & cheese were all very good. And the sweet tea was good, but no free refills (?!?!). Sweet tea is like the one thing that you must have free refills for. It also seems a little overpriced to me. For the price I paid, I should have left stuffed, but I was just not hungry anymore. It was plenty of food for me, I just should have paid less for it. But will the complaints that I had, I'd go back if I was in the area and craving some barbecue...it's not worth any significant trip though.
(3)chris p.
*This is essentially a fried chicken review* Since Popeye's has been closed *Is now open AGAIN!!* I was on a search to find great fried chicken in the boston area. Upon recommendation of a coworker I went to soulfire bbq.This was a mistake. My first visit, the chicken was slightly dry, but not too bad. The sides *you get 2 with the fried chicken platter* were mediocre at best. The collard greens were the only good thing about the meal. The mac n cheese was odd. Who puts lays BBQ chips on top of their mac n cheese as the topper?!??!? My second visit I got the same platter but changed the sides. The chicken was better but still had some dryness to it. The sides i went with double mac n cheese, and specifically told them not to put the lays bbq chips on top...... of course they did not listen, and screwed up my order. My third and Final visit I got the same platter, with double collard green sides. This was the final straw, the chicken was burnt, and dry all the way to the bone. I don't know who is cooking the chicken, but whoever it is does not know how long to fry it. The only saving grace was the sides of collard greens. If u want fried chicken go elsewhere. I gave soulfire three chances, but for some reason they dont know how to fry chicken. there are plenty of alternatives, and i suggest going to those places instead, because soulfire is mediocre at best.
(2)Aaron K.
Bottom line is that this is very good BBQ, and they DELIVER! BBQ is great for both taking home and eating out in a great atmosphere, but to be able to have really great BBQ brought to one's door is just plain fantastic. I love tender ribs with a dry rub. These are very good, and they're not quite as fatty as some other places. The chopped brisket was good too. I'm just waiting for Soul Fire to start delivering beer and a roast pig.
(4)Leon F.
The reason I give Soul Fire 5 stars is because it is as good as it gets in Boston. I grew up in Memphis and will admit I'm a BBQ snob. I've tried several joints including Blue Ribbon and Redbones (yuck!). Soul Fire is by far the best BBQ joint in Boston. The pulled pork is great! It's not oily like Redbones. The spare ribs are also very delicious, the meat falls right off the bone. Another great thing about Soul Fire is the variety of sauces. No matter where you are from or your preference of vinegar or molasses based BBQ sauce, Soul Fire has it! Yesterday, I ate the fried chicken for the first time and was very impressed with the seasoning. I highly recommend this place!
(5)Erik O.
AWESOME BBQ food. i love this place. the vibe is cool, the food is superb, and beer selection is great. The side dishes are awesome. The wings, the ribs, the pulled pork, the brisket, they all rock. The BBQ rueben is amazing. They have a huge projection screen that shows live soul performances or sports games. the place is always playing some sort of soul/funk music Friggen place rules. nuff said.
(5)Esther Y.
For all you Boston residents that haven't been here...you are missing out. This place is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. First, let me start off by saying that the staff here is AMAZING. Quite possibly the best service I've had. EVER. Christine was our server, and like we told her....an awesome server really makes your overall experience so much better. She was spot-on with her reccs, she was great at describing the food, and she was so good at her job, I felt like I wanted to eat more and more and more! Based off of Christine's recc we started off with the fried mac n cheese. Um can you say heaven? Seriously, if I worked/lived/was remotely anywhere near there, I would get that every time. EVERY TIME. It's so delicious I was tempted to eat more than my share and dig into my husband's b/c he was eating too slowly. Ha! Then, this is where more of Christine's awesomeness comes in, we tried some wings. Apparently we were there on "AYCE Wing Night" and because we were newbies, she let us try the flavors they were offering that night. I mean...I could've been completely satisfied eating wings for the rest of the night, but if you have read any of my previous reviews, you would know that that would've been impossible. Per usual, the hubs and I proceeded to order WAY too much food off the menu. We wanted to try as much as we could, and we were determined to leave there having tried their top picks. The Hubs and I both got the platters where we pick our two meats. I went with the fried chick and the ribs, and he went with the smoked chick and the brisket. The hubs and I LOVED everything. For our sides, he had the baked beans and potato salad, and I had the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Again, everything we had was sooooooo good. My mouth is watering thinking about it. For dessert, we had their fried dough. Um, WHAT?! Fried dough?! HOLY COW. I could eat this all day. It's this awesome fried dough with some homemade butter with honey and covered with powdered sugar. Wow. I mean, WOW. During dessert Mark (?) sorry, I'm terrible with names, came out from the kitchen and talked to us about the food. What I like is that he said he serves food the way he likes to eat it. So, if people think that the cornbread is a little too cakey, then sucks for you! You don't eat it or get it from somewhere else! LOL. I mean, how can you NOT love that? Honestly, you can tell that everyone that works here LOVES their job. They love making the food, they love seeing people enjoy the food, and they love talking/mingling with their guests. I haven't had as good of an experience like this in a long time, and it makes me want to tell EVERYONE. When I make my way back here, I'm definitely going back, again...and again...and again.
(5)Jessica R.
I am completely in love with this place. I split the $40 sampler platter with a friend and it said it would feed 2 - 3 people but I would say it really feeds 3 - 4. They presented us with an insane amount of food. All of it was delicious and I ate so much I almost felt sick. It was one of those moments where you really have no room left in your stomach, but everything is so tasty that you find yourself continuing to pick at your plate anyway. Also, major bonus points for serving Lone Star beer. As a migrant from Texas I almost peed my pants with excitement when I saw it on the menu.
(5)Michele H.
The smell of this place alone is intoxicating. Even for delivery--the smoky spicy scent wafts up the stairs with you as you cradle it knowing what you hold in your hands will be incredible and is probably too much for you to eat and probably will put you to sleep drooling. I'm not much of a barbeque person, but Soul Fire has won me over. Their chili is fantastic and has BRISKET in it! And you know what, I really hate ribs, but theirs are so good--without any sauce. The meat itself is immensely smoky, the the four sauces only further complement the already wildly delicious flavor. The catfish sandwich is also incredible, as is the mac and cheese. I'm sure a lot of vegetarians have walked into this place and made terrible, delicious life decisions.
(5)Rebecca L.
This is my favorite place in the Boston area to get barbecue (and that's a lot from a Carolina girl!). Granted, I haven't tried all of the barbecue places in the area, but I've tried many of them and this one just does it for me. The food is always delicious and the portions are big. The coleslaw is pretty good (though I really wish there wasn't celery in it) and I'm picky about coleslaw. Everything I've had has been amazing and I truly appreciate the variety of sauces. To be clear, most North Carolina barbecue sauce is vinegar based, but this is mostly true of the eastern part of the state. Growing up in the western part of the state, I had a nice mixture of all kinds of sauces, particularly Memphis and North Carolina. I love that this place has a North Carolina sauce, but I love even more that I can mix it with the Pit Boss sauce for the absolute perfect combination for my tastes. In addition, the prices are reasonable and the beer selection is solid. The cornbread is a little sweet for my taste, but that's a complaint about New England cornbread, not about Soul Fire.
(5)Ed P.
I like BBQ and all that goes with it and I'd been meaning to try this place for a long while. That said, I was mortified to read my friends yelp review of this establishment, about fifteen minutes AFTER the order was already placed. She gave it one star. Yikes! They had a 20% off first order coupon on Foodler so I placed a large order including a three meat plate, fried mac and cheese, rice and beans, collard greens and coleslaw. I opened one container and saw what had to be the fried mac and cheese. They resembled something the Borg might cook; squishy, dense, cubes of gelatinous material with all the charm and texture of cold, forlorn oatmeal left overnight in a bowl. F*cking dreadful. I had to peek back at the menu to see how they were described again. The first spare rib was no prize either. Yeah, it came off the bone and it was moist but damned if it had ANY flavor. Then I tried the coleslaw and found it both tasty and refreshing. I opened another container and discovered the goods...two huge pieces of moist cornbread and a sampler of three sauces. The cornbread was cake-like and awe inspiring. All three sauces were admirable. I really liked the pulled pork and the brisket, especially with the vinegar sauce. The rest of the ribs and the brisket were tender and well seasoned. Most of the other sides were tossed in the trash after a nimble or two.
(2)Andrew K.
Worst Service Ever! I stopped by yesterday (Monday, November 7th) and had not one, but two of their staff treat myself and my friends poorly. They had a sign out saying, "please seat yourself, " So I did. Seconds after I sat down I was told that there was a list. I politely said, "Okay, well, you should probably take your 'Please Seat yourself' sign down." Again, polite straightforward tone, nothing rude or crass. Just after I went back to the front door, a hostess (or manager?) came over an angrily slammed the sign shut and said "CLEARLY IT'S NOT SEAT YOURSELF. THERE'S A WAITLIST. Would you like me to put you on the list?" She was brimming with sarcasm and attitude. I said, no we'll take our business elsewhere and she retorted, "SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY" and then something else to one of my friends that I didn't hear. I have enjoyed food here in the past, but until they fire and hire some new waitstaff, I won't be back. I understand that waiters and waitresses aren't treated well everywhere and that food service is difficult work, but you can't treat someone else like crap because of your own crappy day.
(1)Laura C.
Very very very good, and not expensive at all, considering the portions and quality. I got the pulled chicken entree (epic) with mac n cheese (it comes with bbq chips crumbled on top) and coleslaw as sides, and as a self-proclaimed M&C connoisseur, it was tasty. Not an over the top amazing noodle epiphany, but delicious nevertheless. Boyfriend got a combo of ribs, chicken, and pulled pork- he was happy as a clam, seeing as how it was just a giant plate of delicious meats for $18. The fries are really crispy and soooooo good and I had a corndog for an appetizer- interesting! We left stuffed and pleased. Everything was better than I expected, and they have a good 'n' solid flavorful "pitboss" sauce that almost everything comes in- although upon sampling all of the options I prefer the "soulfire" sauce- it has a little more kick. Regardless, they're both super tasty, as well as fiery sauce and sweet. Our waitress was funny, kind, and accommodating. The ambiance is great, I loved the red with black trim inside. Good color choices. All in all, a very good choice!
(5)Andrea C.
The BBQ here is absolutely AWESOME!!!! This place puts RedBones to shame. I love their description of how ribs should be cooked. They should come clean of the bone, and that is the way Soul Fire does it. We had the baby back and spare ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork. All were amazing. I love how there are four very different and tasty BBQ sauces to choose from. What is even more awesome are how solid their sides are. Each can definitely hold their own. Their baked beans are amazing with the smoked molasses taste. The mac and cheese are to die for especially with bbq chips to top. The potato salad is just right with not too much mayo, herb, or mustard. The coleslaw was tangy and not overly mayo-ee. The cornbread had the right mixture of flour and cornmeal, it was almost perfect if it was served warm. Note: food is served on big metal platters and tough there may seem to be a small portion of food when they serve you, it is deceiving and the portions are quite generous. Soul Fire is a place to drool over, we will be back more for some delicious grub.
(5)Jimi R.
We stopped in here at an off hour of 3:30pm so the place was quiet and so the service was fast and very personal, as the waitress had plenty of time for us. I am someone who loves BBQ and has eaten it all up and down the east coast as well as the deep south, so I love trying places locally too.. I got a Groupon for this place as that helps me get out to try new places and this one is one of the best in Boston. I started with 2 single ribs and when the waitress put the plate down on the table, it reminded me of the opening of the Flinstones TV show, where Fred and Wilma are at a drive-in and when the waitress pops the ribs onto their car, the car tips over becausse of the size of the ribs.These ribs were huge and came with little to no sauce on them, which is the way I like em. The meat on the ribs almost fell off the bone and I was quite impressed with them too. Then my pulled pork platter with cole slaw and collard greens showed up and I realized at that point i was gonna need a take home box,as there was no way I could eat all that food..I am not a small guy, so I finish many a meal, but I knew it wasn't gonna happen today..The pork arrived like the ribs, with very little sauce, and this allows me to add some to suit my tastes. The collored greens were simply put, out of this world as was the pork too...Even the cole slaw was unlike most slaws I've eaten before and so even before I was halfway thru this meal, I went online and bought another Groupon for this place...This meal was 10 times more than I ever expected and when we were leaving, I made it a point to tell the manager how good it was and how the only way I could tell I wasn't in the deep south was that there's no writing on walls or table...I have another BBQ place close to this one that I frequent because of their food too and am now thrilled to have 2 BBQ places so close to home
(5)Sira D.
We ordered delivery from Soul Fire and loved it! The man on the phone was flexible and helpful in working out how much we needed to order for 4 people, the delivery came less than 10 minutes from when we hung up the phone, and the food was marvellous! Perfect ribs, delicious sauce (and lots to spare!) and amazing sides (the collards were particularly good). They really nailed the whole delivery experience and I'm looking forward to going in to the restaurant and trying it out in person.
(4)J K.
I've gone here with living social deals and have had great experiences. I really enjoy their medley of sauces and am impressed with their sides. I'm in love with BBQ and since I'm no longer near RedBones, I like SoulFire.
(3)Matt E.
3.5 stars...Nice place, not so great BBQ. The place is in a nice area, is big, clean, and pretty friendly with a good looking menu with lots of options. Prices are about average, nothing too overpriced. The bbq was pretty dissapointing (definitely no pitmasters working here). If I was in the area and wanted a quick bite of something BBQ-ish I'd go here but I wouldn't go out of my way if I wanted some true quality BBQ.
(3)Mike M.
I've been coming here since 2010. For some reason I kept putting off the review, and I should apologize for this. Though in my opinion this place has not always been consistent with cleanliness, I have usually enjoyed the food. In the most recent visit, I learned that they removed some things from the menu that I used to order. When we came in to sit down, the table was dirty and no one bothered to clean it for us. I had to get up and look for napkins. The menus were covered in dirty fingerprints and were coming apart at the corners. My ribs were good. I always get them and they have always been pretty consistent. But, it doesn't feel like the same place anymore. If this place was cleaner, I would give it three stars. The service is one thing that's remained unchanged over the years. I really appreciate how polite people are that work here. But serving people food on dirty tables is not okay. Nonetheless, my girlfriend is the only reason that I ever went here, and the only reason she would go was for the pulled chicken. They don't have that on the menu anymore, so it is likely that we won't be coming back.
(2)Matthew U.
Great Food Went there last week with 4 people We all ordered different stuff and ended up eating each others food Best App is the wings and ribs! Highly recommended place with great beers and great food!
(4)Andrew B.
I'll keep it brief... Mac & Cheese: delicious Beans: damn good Beef Brisket: don't remember because... Fried Chicken: AMAZING!!!
(4)Dani L.
I've been coming here for years, the food is always consistent and delicious! This past weekend I had the catfish dinner and it was the best I've ever had, I highly recommend it. The service is also pretty awesome, super helpful folks working there.
(4)Gabe L.
Awesome food. And a bbq reuben which I'm fracking addicted to. No normal reuben will do it anymore. The soulfire bbq reuben with brisket and coleslaw instead of pastrami and sauerkraut is the only reuben for me. I shake my fist at them for getting me hooked and then reducing the delivery zone so they don't cover my area anymore. Soulfire, why do you play with my emotions so?????
(4)Meg M.
Great corn bread, average mac n cheese and the ribs? Delicious. Its really a 3.5 star review.. but since thats not an option.. here we are at 4 stars. I have had a mix of service there. I usually sit at the bar and sometimes I find im chasing them down to get beers. I find its a bit expensive for what they give you. I think the potato salad is pretty lacking too. However, the corn bread is bomb and I gotta say I severly dig the BBQ chips on top of the mac n cheese. Is it the best BBQ in town? Not really.. but Cool atmosphere, nice vibe and solid food.. If they just stepped up the service and maybe had a full bar.. we'd be best friends.
(4)J L.
Excellent sauces and baby back ribs and chicken wings are good!! Stay away from regular ribs too burnt.
(4)Brady B.
I finally got to Soul Fire! Southern BBQ is one of my favorite types of food and these guys certainly have it. I do prefer Blue Ribbon I must say, bigger portions and a bit cheaper. However Soul Fire did not let me down as far as quality is concerned. I had the 2 meat combo platter which I selected yummy pulled pork and chopped brisket with collared greens and baked beans as sides. The greens weren't the best I've had, but not bad at all and the beans were wonderful. I agree with Ben G. that the brisket was good but I'm a huge fan of burnt ends myself. One of my friends had the spare ribs that looked awesome and she cleaned them up. Next time I will try those and the mac and cheese. I hope Soul Fire stays around for a while in this city that has very limited BBQ.
(4)Dan M.
This is by far my favorite BBQ joint in Boston. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and its close to where I live. I'd go with their beef brisket which is awesome. The only downside is that their success means that its almost always packed for dinner. I guess waiting is the price I have to pay to eat some great BBQ.
(5)Brittany H.
Soooooooouullllfiiiiiiirrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Love this place. Such a fantastic alternative to Redbones. A little out of the way for me but absolutely worth it. Been here several times, often for wing night. My favorite things about Soulfire: - Seat yourself! I don't know about you, but I've been yelled at once or twice at Redbones so just being able to walk in and sit wherever is nice. - Sauce caddy at the table. A four-pack container of their four sauces in squirt bottles already waiting for you. You don't have to ask your server, you don't have to have magical pre-knowledge of what sauces they have, and you get a full squirt bottle, not a tiny cup full of whatever. - FREAKIN WING NIGHT. $8.99 for all you can eat. They just keep bringing you piles of wings until you say stop (They have awesome service by the way). Plus you get to choose from a variety of sauces like apple bourbon and spicy jalapeno I think it was. - Mac and cheese: they top theirs with crumbled bbq chips. Just one of those little details that just melted my heart and I fell in love. - FRIED mac and cheese. Don't knock it til you try it - I like their pulled pork better than Lester's and Redbones pulled pork (SORRY! I STILL LOVE YOU BOTH) - their brisket is also superb - Not a big sausage person, but I had theirs in the Pitboss sampler and loved it - Love their cornbread. Dense and kind of cake-like, with little corn kernels in it. Much better than Redbones and Blue Ribbon's cornbread. That stuff is a bbq staple, get it right and it makes all the difference - I usually don't care for collard greens, but I actually really liked theirs The only downsides of Soulfire: - Only a limited beer menu. This is where Redbones is the clear winner. - No fried pickles -- my buddies love those suckers, and sadly, they don't offer them here (but they do make up for it in fried mac and cheese and corndogs) - No corn fritters -- Redbones makes them, and they are my favorite app. Just remember, fried mac and cheese. - Kind of annoying to get to for me, being in Allston I have yet to try the dessert, since my stomach is not that big. Will someone let me know?
(4)Alex G.
Best BBq I have had in Boston. I love the soulfire platter ( although they have been giving less and less meat over time). I have found the service usually fantastic. They are stingy about ID's (my 35 yr old sister was refused a beer, but I guess its understandable). Monday nights are all you can eat wings for 6.99, good deal.
(4)Travis D.
Great food, huge portions and they have FRIED DOUGH for dessert! The best part is the meat is served AS IS and you get to decide which sauce you want to put on it and how much. I like to try them all, some taste better with certain meats then others. Good place to pig out and have some beers. Plus you will more then likely have leftovers for a light night snack or lunch the next day.
(4)Jonathan C.
Just went here a couple hours ago. I wouldn't say its the best soul food around but very good for the area, no doubt. I had the chili fries. Mmmmmm very delightful. Pulled pork plate, which is juicy, tender, and the right amount of time cooked. Also I had the 1/2 rack of ribs, very high quality meat. They stand by there slogo ( coming right off the bone ) The ribs where almost perfect. For some odd reason I really couldn't taste much flavor in it, neither could my wife. But I'll tell you what, we ordered alot of food. All in all I give this place an A!
(4)Chris L.
Very tasty BBQ in a busy locale in Allston/Brighton Rock City! Perfect carnivore hideout prior to a show at the Paradise or Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harper's Ferry). Pit Boss Sampler is perfect for 3 people and nicely priced at $39. Includes most every kind of meat they have and a dish of each side plus 2 corn bread squares. I tried most everything (oh me and my gluttonous ways). The meat - The ribs (spare and baby back) were smokey and delicious. The baby back were a little dry though and needed to be slathered with copious amounts of one of their 4 sauces. The chicken (fried and smoked) were moist as well. Loved the wings. Just the right amount of spice to 'em. Speaking of spicy, the sausage link on a stick had a nice fiery kick to it and the little cubes of brisket (I think) were morsels sent straight from BBQ heaven. The pulled pork was ok but once again, a little too dry. But like I said before, nothing a healthy dollop of BBQ sauce couldn't cure. Side dishes - Collard greens were tasty especially mixed with the molasses heavy baked beans. Mashers with gravy was standard but the cole slaw was superb and offset the heat of the spicier meat dishes. Mac & cheese looked good although I didn't have any. Rice and beans was a cajun BBQ mix of perfection with diced veggies thrown in for good measure. Potato salad also held it's own against the spicy BBQ sauces. Cornbread was very tasty with the kernals of corn bursting with flavor inside. Misc - Service was excellent. Sat down right away and Ian, our server, was constantly checking up on us for beer refills. Could have used a moist towelette for the cleanup though. Prices seemed reasonable. We only got one thing though so who knows. Beer selection seemed ok with a couple of micros and PBR on tap. In all, a solid dining experience and reasonably good BBQ in Allston area. They usually have some cool specials like all-you-eat-wings night on Mondays I think. Might like to try this out sometime in the future. Happy eating!
(4)Jennifer D.
Being a Southerner, I know what good BBQ is. Unfortunately, good BBQ is one thing that Boston is severely lacking. Well, the North in general is lacking in this arena. With that said, i've had to greatly lower my standards when it comes to eating BBQ. I ordered the half chicken platter which was pretty decent. The chicken wasn't too bad, the potato salad was decent, the cornbread was good, and the baked beans were okay. The beans were way too sweet for my taste. My husband ordered the pulled pork platter. The pork was actually pretty good. Definitely better than Redbones. I also enjoyed their different sauces. Each one was pretty good. Overall, Soul Fire satisfied my BBQ craving. Not the best i've ever had, but it also wasn't terrible.
(3)Brianca C.
I love this place. I think that they make THEIR BBQ with THEIR stamp on it and they do it the right way! Im from LA and am used to a certain type of BBQ-- it feels like Soulfire is a place that wants to stand out--- and stand out it does. They make everything the day of-- so nothing is sitting around waiting to be cooked. I appreciate the variety of BBQ sauces that they have ( my favorite is the Soulfire Sauce). The ribs are amazing, the chicken is amazing, and having a pulled pork sandwich is like heaven touching my mouth. HIghly recommend---this is NOT late night eating, you need to be able to remember and enjoy this. They also have Redstripe beer which for me, gives you 2 thumbs up. But man, this place is GOOD--- Mondays they have all you can eat wings foe $8.99.
(5)Alan B.
Soulfire has some pretty damn good BBQ for Boston. With everybody living in close quarters, it's hard to get good BBQ when your neighbors won't let you have a smoker. That said, Soulfire does a great job. They also do a $9 all you can eat wing night on Mondays. They bring 4 wings, each a different flavor. You pick which you want, then they'll bring a full serving of that. I'm a big fan of the spicy honey and the pit boss wings. The beer selection is quite good, too. They have a diverse selection of some Belgians, some US micros, and Lone Star. Ohhh Lone Star. For those of you who don't know, Lone Star isn't really anything special on its own. It's an American lager that's best served near freezing. It's crisp, but not exploding with flavor or anything. But paired with some great BBQ, nothing's better.
(4)Mikhaela K.
I go here during that time of the month because I'm not the kind of girl that always craves chocolate. Fried macaroni and cheese sprinkled with BBQ potato chips? Yes, please! Rib platter? Nom, nom, nom fall off the bone deliciousness. Wings? Gimme gimme! Their mac n cheese is something I daydream about: cheesy but not cloying with loads of flavor and those chips sprinkled on top are excellent. Their sides are great, especially the collard greens which come with cubed slab bacon bits. The ribs are generous and you can take out your dentures to eat them. I love this place but don't go here if you want to stick to your diet.
(4)L W.
Not my favorite BBQ place in Boston, but it's the only one in this neighborhood and has respectable food, so I've come here a handful of times. Each time has been good, and it's enough to get me to come back, though admittedly, I've never had a "I HAVE to go to Soul Fire" moment, like I occasionally do with other BBQ places. One of my favorite surprises from our first trip here a few years back was that the sides were DELICIOUS. We got the pitboss sampler for two, and we were full by the end of the appetizer portion. The collard greens, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese were all amazing. It was especially surprising, since I normally don't enjoy bean, coleslaw, or mac n cheese. The platter was way too much food, so we've never ordered it since, especially because it was - in my opinion - too light on the "good" meats (like ribs) and too heavy on the "filler" meats (like chicken wings or sausage). Now, we place one order of ribs (e.g. the Soulfire platter with two kinds of ribs), plus a ton of delicious sides - more than enough for two. I have to say, though, I much preferred the "order at the counter" setup before. There was no dependence on waiters, plus it made the whole evening really low-key, which I enjoyed.
(3)Alexis B.
Amazing BBQ. The waitstaff is super nice- I don't know where they found these ladies but they have always been so nice and very friendly. The ribs are off the hook! The mac and cheese has crushed BBQ potato chips on top. I know I know it sounds weird but it tastes awesome. I don't like brisket but it is still very tasty. I usually get the spare ribs though the baby back are good also. Fast service. Good food. Well priced. Amazing staff. How can you not try it now?
(4)Joe M.
AWFUL!!! Terrible BBQ all around. My room mate and I went in for a late lunch today. The chilli cheese fries were sub par, I couldn't even tell if the cheese sauce was real cheese. The fries themselves were good though. The collection of sauces was awful, but they made up for it with big bottles of Frank's Red Hot, I put that $hit on everything. The pulled pork was awful. I was expecting a burst of flavour from some sort of special BBQ sauce on it, but no, it was plain and bland. I had a side of mac n' cheese and instead of putting some effort and adding real bread crumbs, they crushed up BBQ potato chips and sprinkled them on. The wild rice was fine. Luckily the corn bread and great bar man made up for the lack lustre food. Because of those two things I didn't give them one star, unfortunately they won't be having our business ever again. TIP: Bring in a new head chef that has some real BBQ experience. I could probably get better quality food at a soup kitchen and atleast get my food served on a plate, not a pizza pan...
(2)Julia J.
I purchased a Living social deal at soul fire, and the price was reasonable. The fried chicken wings are tasty, and the pulled pork sandwich is a Ok but nothing special. You can get better sandwich elsewhere. Also tried the bbq ribs, but I don't particularly like it. I won't come back for this place, but doesn't hurt to try a new place
(3)JJ G.
Love the housemade pickles Love the being served like it's fine dining when it's take out Love the BBQ Ruben Love the Lone Star!!!
(5)Meghan M.
I'm a southerner, so I miss barbeque every now and then. This place is AMAZING, and the ONLY place in Boston I've found to have GOOD bbq:) I love the brisket sandwich, fried chicken (incredible) and I can't get enough of their mac 'n cheese. Ugh. SO good. Their sauces are hit or miss for me, I found one and stuck with it ever since (I think it was PitBoss, can't recall the name at the moment). I'm a darker beer drinker, but there's this Cider beer they serve that's really different - it's something you really should try! I love the wait staff here, they're attentive and really aim to please. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Alexandra T.
This place is sooooooo good My boyfriend and I went to Allston to try it and I am so glad we did. For the appetizer we got the friend macaroni and cheese, which is nothing like I've ever had before. Delicious! We then each got a sandwich, the pulled pork and the pulled chicken. They were both so good, and you get 4 different BBQ sauces at your table to pick and choose from. For a side, I got corn bread, and I can honestly say that it's the best corn bread I've ever had in my life. It really really was. Not only that, the prices are great. If it was more expensive I would probably only give 3 stars. They even have beer if you want. I don't know if I would go all the way to Allston on the bus just for this place, but we have friends who live there, and the next time we're in the area I really hope we stop again!
(4)Bill M.
Let me put this on a case by case basis. I ordered through Foodler, this is my results. Delivery: If you schedule a delivery, don't. If you don't mind waiting for your food and don't need it at a specific time, fine. Ordered at 11:46 AM for 1:30, got here at 1:52. Normally there is a 45 minute delivery wait. The food got here, in styrofoam wrapped in plastic. Actually that was a good thing because it kept the food warm, so I give it 2 stars. Catfish Sandwich with a side salad. Fried Catfish Sandwich. Was suppose to be "seasoned", didn't taste anything, barely could taste catfish. No dressing with side salad. Side Salad was put in one of the small cubbies of the thing with a BBQ sauce container taking up the other, 2 stars. Fried Chicken Wings - Disappointing. These were suppose to be season too and marinated for 24 hours. It tasted like unseasoned fried chicken. 2 Stars Chili Cheese Fries - These weren't too bad, they weren't the greatest, but i've had worse, 3 stars. Macaroni and Cheese - I actually like the BBQ Potatochip topper, it gave it a different zing. I'm going to do the same thing when I make it at home. Sadly, it's still no better then I make at home, but it's pretty good in itself. 3 stars. It averaged less then 3 stars, for the 2 star rating, and I really don't want to round up.
(2)Jackie S.
Really bomb, that's what I have to say. We got the fried mac and cheese for an app and it was really good. 4 for 3$ is pretty good too. Then I got the beef brisket and it was so tasty and soft. The Soul Fire BBQ sauce was tasty on it. The cornbread was awesome, the mashed potatoes OK, and the rice was OK. The pickles added an extra treat to it. Really well presented and cheap. The service was great but the place was really loud, but I guess that's kind of to be expected. Def a go to for those who like BBQ type food.
(4)J.J. B.
A terrific spot for cheap beer, great music and lip-smackin' BBQ. Awesome decor, a friendly staff and a killer soundtrack make this the best BBQ place in the city. Great variety of sauces to satisfy spicy and sweet teeth. Amazing value, you can get a huge meal (2 meats, cornbread and 2 sides) with a draft for under $20 bucks. And if you aren't me, you might have leftovers.
(4)Jason F.
i love this place, i come here a lot. the first time was for the all you can eat wings night, i LOVE their wings. the last time i came i got the pulled pork sandwich with mashed potatoes, everything was really good. This is one of my go to spots, they give you a ton of food, and it's all pretty cheap.
(5)Nancy P.
Crumbles of BBQ chips on top of the warm, gooey mac and cheese??? ummm...briliant and delicious! The cornbread...hello, sweet goodness! Hi little pickles on the side...you are tart little treasures. The side options and I get along well. Four sauce options and the Pit Boss is definitely boss! (does that sound ridiculous? yea, kinda.) The baby back ribs could do me a little more tender, but I am still mighty satisfied. The beef brisket sandwich could do with beefing up its bun. The delectable brisket is the star (as it obviously should be), but it could do with a little more support. The relaxed, casual atmosphere is a fitting setting. Friendly, helpful staff. Good stuff for BBQ in Allston.
(4)Michael X.
The question to Life, the Universe, and Everything is: Soul Fire BBQ or Redbones? My dining partner seemed to think Redbones is better, but I disagree. Redbones is very good; Soul Fire was AMAZING. We got the Pitboss Sampler, which had quite large portions (when it says "feeds 2-3", I imagine they mean quarterbacks). I literally had a perfect meal. Everything was delicious, from the meats to the sauces all the way down to the collard greens. Prices weren't cheap but weren't expensive either. I can't think of anything about the food that I didn't like. My one gripe: they use circular metallic trays (think pizza dishes) to serve the food on and to act as plates. These tend to slip about annoyingly on the polished surface of the tables. My one warning: it will get very very messy. Do not bring someone here that you want to impress.
(5)Mary L.
I was looking forward to eating at Soul Fire after seeing the rave reviews on Yelp, but my visit left me unimpressed and yearning for Dinosaur BBQ instead. There was no wait and the service was fine, but the food was mediocre. I had the wings for an appetizer and the 3 meat platter with fried catfish, pulled pork and baby back rib as an entree. The size of the platter was more than adequate, though not gargantuan as some other reviewers have described. The wings and ribs were relatively dry and the pulled pork was nothing to write home about. The highlight of the night? Fried catfish. Straight out of the fryer, the pieces were crispy, golden brown and delicious! There were several types of BBQ sauces to smother my food with - most of which were too sweet except the Pitboss . Overall impression? Great for college students in the area but not worth the twenty minute drive and hassle of looking for parking.
(3)Liz B.
My favorite things at Soul Fire -- Chili and Pickles. I know, not standard BBQ fare but man are they good. The chili has just the right amount of heat and has a good bean to meat ratio. The meat is all the left over BBQ pieces... YUM! I love the high top counter facing Harvard St. It makes for great people watching to go with the yummy food. Good value, nice wait staff and most importantly great food. I love that they leave the sauces on the table so you can decide which one you want for every bite! The mac and cheese comes crusted in BBQ potato chips, pure genius if you ask me. Only complaint is that for $.50 extra you can have a salad as a side but the portion you get is really dinky compared to any of the other sides and not always the greatest quality -- wet and limp. Oh well, if that's my only real complaint we're doing great!
(4)Sam O.
My favorite BBQ place in the Brighton area (though there's a strange shortage of BBQ places in the Boston area... there are a few but not as many as there should be!) I frequently get the fried cat fish and loooove it. Pulled pork sandwich is good. I've had the ribs and liked them. Mashed potatoes are good (not the best I've ever had but good). Baked beans are good and smokey/bacon-y. The corn bread is real tasty, also! I've only eaten in once and it was a good experience. I order here a lot, and sometimes it's really busy and takes a while, but it's really good and usually well worth the wait.
(5)ancaruci C.
Great place, great environment. The BBQ is wonderful and they have maybe the best collard greens I have had in the US.
(5)John J.
Gotta agree w/ all of the 5-star reviews. I was in there yesterday afternoon w/ a buddy and we had the place to ourselves. Our server was everything you want a server to be. Prompt, polite, attentive. Fairly attractive to boot. We sampled the BBQ wings and they were very good. Big, meaty & moist w/ that habanero BBQ sauce that was great. I got a full rack of Spare ribs w/ slaw & potato salad for my sides. Buddy had a 1/2-rack of Baby Backs w/ slaw & baked beans. Potato salad was tasty enough, but the slaw was outstanding. Creamy, tart & crunchy. Next time I'm there I'll get a pulled pork sandwich w/ some of that slaw on it and it'll surely be fantastic. Buddy's baked beans got a thumbs-up from him. As for the Q itself? Outstanding. My Spares were big, meaty, moist. I could see a great smoke ring & they smelled fantastic. The rub might need a little more flavor, but overall they were fantastic. The meat (properly) didn't fall off the bone, but w/ a little pull, the meat came off w/ little resistance. Unlike another reviewer, I don't believe using sauce is sacrilege. I had the Pitboss sauce and thought it complemented the meat very well - a bit tart, a bit of heat. Not too sweet. My leftovers today were finger-licking good. We will definitely be back for more.
(5)Stacie J.
Delicious!! We got the baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwich, and loaded up on the sides too. We tried the corn bread, mac n' cheese, potato salad and pickles. Everything was very yummy! They load your table with various sauces from sweet to spicey. You are sure to find one that your taste buds will love. The prices are great too! The items above fed a family of 4 plus we had leftovers to take home. All of this for only $40 & that includes 2 beers. Enjoy! You'll be glad you stopped here!
(4)Joe U.
My go-to all-around BBQ in Boston. I don't know if any particular dish is the best (except the bbq baked beans which I could eat for dinner and dessert that's how awesome they are). Because it's a one-stop shop for 'cue, it gets my vote and my business. The ribs are meaty and tasty, if not Memphis. The brisket is smokey with good texture, if not Texas tender. The pulled pork was a bummer - dry. But the fried chicken is a hidden gem. If you're the type that likes KFC, there's nothing like it. But if you're the type that likes Popeye's, then you'll love Soul Fire's fried chicken. It's right up there with Coast Cafe in Cambridge and edges out Summer Shack. The sides are overall very good, including tasty cole slaw and great pickles.
(5)Amy C.
I've moved down to the deep south from Boston, and I have yet to find a BBQ joint as good as Soul Fire. I sure miss this place.
(5)Linda H.
Stopped by for dinner last night and ordered the sampler because we just couldn't decide what to get and that gave us a chance to have it all. We left the place happy, full and with a bag of leftovers, which we ate for dinner tonight. Everything still tasted good the next day. I do have to say that I wish we had more fried chicken, but we liked it so much that we ate it all while we were still at Soul Fire. That was definitely the highlight for me, but everything else was delicious too. Service was decent and the food was served pretty quickly. All in all a good experience.
(4)Sophie J.
I am in love. I love Soulfire. First, lets just get behind why this restaurant exists at all. The owner found a passion. And made food that you cannot replicate in your own kitchen. And loves soul music. That alone would bring me into any establishment. I love restaurants where the owner shares something they are really passionate about. Then, the food. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday so we got a ton of things to sample. We started with the country fried wings and then got a platter with 3 meats: chicken, sliced brisket, and spare ribs. The sides were the mac and cheese and the baked beans. It also came with cornbread and pickles. All of that, plus 4 sauces that are already on the table. It was the most glorious meat-filled feast. If there was a way to die happy, it would be death by Soulfire. The wings are great, super big and juicy with such a crunchy crust. You can eat them alone or with any of the 4 sauces they give you. The spare ribs are AMAZING! The meat dissolves in your mouth. The rub they use is incredible. We ended up with the rotisserie chicken (we meant to order pulled chicken, which we had had before but there was a bit of a mis-communication with our waitress, granted it was her first day). It was the best chicken I had ever had! The brisket was great as well, served atop a giant piece of Texas toast, ready to soak up any leftover sauce. I don't like mac and cheese, but my boyfriend loved it, especially with the bbq chips on top. The baked beans...oh, the baked beans! Hands-down my favorite part of the meal. I would bathe in them. They are home made, smokey, and amazing. You MUST order them. Even if you don't think you like baked beans, just give them a try. You are in Boston, after all! And these are unlike any baked beans you've ever tasted. So, in all, the meal was fab. And what I liked the most is that all of the meat is kind of DIY. They do amazing rubs and cooking, but they don't do an overkill with sauce. You get to pick your sauce and put it on yourself, so whether you like your ribs naked or loaded with sweetness or with a kick of spice, you get to choose! Which is especially awesome if you are sharing with a ton of people. Their wine is also great - not crap wine like some other small restaurants will offer, aka not out of a box. Oh, and did I mention the baked beans?!
(5)Corey L.
You know, Soul Fire could be awesome, the food was really pretty good. I wouldn't go as far as to say they have the best BBQ around, its pretty watered down, even for Boston. I went with a Groupon, and I was having trouble pulling it up on my phone, so instead of just giving them the Groupon code (like 3 other restaurants have done), I had to get in my car and drive all the way back home to print one out. The waiter was cocky and rude. I even had to keep asking for water. If I had been able to get a refund on the Groupon I would've done so, but since it was already printed, it would have been a waste on my part. I will not give this place my business ever again, and I'm glad the little I did give them was for 50% off. There are plenty of other BBQ spots around that taste way better AND respect their patrons. 2 stars for decent food.
(2)Diana G.
A friend of mine is a big fan of this place, so brought me here for lunch. I ordered the Fried catfish sandwich with mac & cheese. We also ordered a spare rib to split. Everything was delicious, including the BBQ sauces. The service was fast & friendly, too. I will definitely be back to try the pulled pork!
(4)Heath A.
Plenty of fire but lacking some smoke on the brisket. I love BBQ and will travel near and far for top quality que. Soul Fire is a solid destination for a smoked meat treat. The place is spacious with a large projector screen playing ESPN in the main dining room. The seating is at the bar or at any of the many tables. We had the pulled pork sandwich, with slaw & fries and a Soul Fire Platter of two meats, two sides and cornbread. The platter was roasted chicken and brisket. The chicken was flavorful and moist. The brisket was tender and had a hint of a smoke ring but lacked any real smokey flavor and needed a good portion of sauce to make it tasty. The pulled pork was flavorful, moist and had larger pieces of tasty pig rather than just a shredded saucy mess. The sides were all outstanding. The collard greens were sweet and smoky, fries crispy and hot; the cole slaw was crisp, cold and had a vinegary bite that complimented the pulled pork perfectly. The standout though was the mac and cheese. This side was creamy to the extreme with the whimsical topping of crushed bbq potato chips. The platter, sandwich and basket of fries (you only get 1 side with a sandwich) along with beer and sweet tea set us back $40. Not cheap but a good value for quality BBQ. We'll be back to try to the ribs and fried chicken.
(4)Morgan C.
The food is pretty good, the service is lacking. I went on a Friday night around 6 and it was definitely crowded. The seating situation was confusing. We didn't know if it was seat yourself because there was no hostess. We went up to the bar and asked and they put us on the wait list. After about a ten minute wait, we were seated at a table. Our waitress was very nice but totally absent. She quickly brought us water and took our order but we never really saw her again until she brought the check. A different waitress brought us our food, forgot my drink. I had to grab a random waitress later to ask for a drink because ours was nowhere to be found. For dinner, I got the brisket platter with mac and cheese and collard greens. The corn bread, pickles and mac were the best part. The brisket was a little too fatty for me. All the BBQ sauces were pretty good and it's nice to have a selection. Over all it was a pretty good meal, and the prices are fair. I might just get takeout next time I'm in the mood for BBQ to avoid the bad service.
(3)Kevin H.
This place has a really groovy vibe to it. I would suggest coming in a group of 4 or more. Our waiter was super friendly and the service was prompt. We even had a pretty awesome conversation with our waiter about how the food was prepared. But on to the more important details--the food was MEH. I would say the whole experience was probably 3 stars, but the food alone was only a 2.5 for me. It left much to be desired and my pulled pork sandwich and chili looked lonely and small on the plate they gave me. The portions were a bit exaggerated by my friends and I actually had to order another side of wings before I was content. The sauces are pretty good, and can be quite spicy, but it seemed to be the highlight of the sandwich that seemed a bit boring without any on. The pork itself was a bit dry, and again....i'm a pretty tiny guy, and the portions seemed small to me. Seems like most of the favorable reviews seem to be for the all you can eat wings on monday or the platters, so I guess i'll have to try that next time. 2.5 stars for the sandwich, 4 stars for service. Left a bit underwhelmed by the hype but am willing to give it another shot and revise this review.
(2)Rave M.
I'm no BBQ connoisseur, but the food here is tasty and the sandwiches well-priced for the portions. Minus one star because so many of the menu items are made with meat/pork (even the collard greens) somewhere in the cooking process, limiting the number of choices veggies and non-pork-eaters have. Brownie points for carrying cream soda and for rolling so much deliciousness up into those Mac & Cheese bites. I always get take-out because something about the vastness of Soulfire makes it uninviting to eat there... but the tunes are always fun to listen to while I wait for my BBQ chicken sandwich.
(4)MIke H.
Decent food, and nice open area with lots of places to sit. Prices are good as well
(4)AD S.
Just... so damn good. Honestly, this is where I go if I want to know I'm going to have a great meal at a pretty good price. Fried mac and cheese cubes to start, fantastic BBQ sauces, great meats, great potato salad, baked beans, etc... Damn. Yes, my southern friend smugly remarked that it wasn't "real" barbeque meat, and he is correct. But guess what? It's completely irrelevant. I just feel so great every time I eat here that I can barely swig down my second pint of PBR. Then, I can kick back and enjoy the James Brown on the speakers and that great mural on the wall.
(5)Jamie C.
One of my favorite places in all of Allston. The food is real good and usually comes out quick, and the staff is super friendly. Try their Mac n Cheese side with the crushed BBQ potato chips on it.
(5)Rich D.
So ridiculously good! The Pitboss BBQ sauce was about as good as it gets. I got the Pitboss Sampler because there were too many good options...and for the two of us it was a TON of food. I brought home enough for at least 2 more meals. The pulled pork is perfect for loading up with whatever BBQ sauce you like best. The BBQ wings and the Southern wings are both great. The Spare Ribs were kind of "eh."
(4)Tom L.
Fried chicken was very good. The pit master BBQ sauce is really good, wasn't a fan of the other sauces. The slaw was grose (way too much mayo), but the mac&cheese and corn bread were really good. Good beer selection as well.
(4)Christopher K.
Best BBQ in the Boston area. The sauces are fantastic. I found myself dipping the bones in my extra sauce just to taste more. The ribs were excellent. Perfectly slow-smoked. And the sides were unbelievable, from the potato salad to the mac-n-cheese with BBQ chips crumbled on top. Great atmosphere doesn't hurt too.
(5)Carmen S.
I'm from the south and sometimes I want a little southern cookin. This place hits the spot every time. They have the best spare ribs and mac and cheese I've had this side of the Mason Dixon. Way better than Redbones.
(5)Devon A.
I will only go here on $9 Buffet Mondays with friends. But whenever I go it's always a good time and a little competition is stirred, seeing who can eat the most at one time. Currently my record is 41 wings and I hope to go to 50 wings next time. I'm not a fan of buffalo so I'm a little sad when I see one of the plates come out as buffalo. Wings are a little on the small side but the fact that we get a plethora of wings coming in constantly for $9, what more can you ask for?
(4)David P.
Since the loss of Uncle Pete's, I've had just two go to places for barbecue in the area: Blue Ribbon for great burnt ends and pork ribs, and Redbones for the vibe, the beer, the convenience, great ownership and respectable beef ribs. After checking out some of the reviews on yelp and the rave on pigtrip.net (a great resource for barbecue joints in the Northeast), I decided to try Soul Fire in 2009. and have been back since for more great food. Soul Fire feels spacious, especially on week nights, when there aren't a lot of people there. There are high ceilings and a huge flat screen TV. Even on busier nights, service has been friendly, helpful and prompt. Pork ribs there have been as good as it as it gets in the Boston area. Spare ribs and baby backs are infused with a fine smoke flavor and the rub adds to it. The ribs needed no sauce, but I love to play around with sauces and even mix them up a bit. On on visit, the ribs were so good I couldn't bring myself to put sauce on them. The "pit boss" and "soul fire" sauces were great, the sweet sauce wasn't much on its own, but was nice blended in with the other sauces. The fiery sauce was a little hotter than I liked but blended with a little pit boss (or the sweet sauce) it was great. The fiery saucet has some mustard in it and is like a kicked up version of Blue Ribbons golden sauce. Fried Chicken, including the chicken wings was excellent - well worth ordering even if you love pork. Barbecue chicken and pulled chicken sandwiches are also great - tender and flavorful. The BBQ chicken is also great - I prefer the wings with the spicy honey barbecue, but if I'm getting a larger order I have them split it between the two sauces. Sides were good to great. The collards were really nicely prepared, but just a little too sweet for my liking the first time - but much better recently. Barbecue beans are also very good. Fries were nicely done. Mashed potatoes and rice and beans have been solid, but not standouts. Everything benefited from being served on large plates, so that things were kept separate - unlike Redbones and Blue Ribbon where everything runs a bit into everything else before you get a chance to chow down. Soul Fire has a decent selection of beers, some on tap and they serve decent wine as well - though the drinks are definitely not the highlight of a visit here. While Soul Fire lacks the life and the funkiness of Redbones, it also lacks the crowds and the noise. Soul Fire has definitely joined my list of top BBQ places in the area. Next to try: Blackstrap.
(5)Lauren M.
Love this place. Casual atmosphere, great food. I'm from Texas, but I'm not a huge fan of how sweet Texas sauce tends to be. Soulfire remedies this problem by letting you pick your own sauce! Briscuit is awesome, corn bread is legit, beer selection is good enough. I'm in!
(4)Christopher M.
Really cool place with great food. I had baby back ribs and they were fantastic. Had baked beans and macaroni & cheese. My brother had fried fish and was a big fan! Place does a great job and the atmosphere was really cool too.
(4)Ian M.
Great vibe and spectacular BBQ, the Brisket sandwich is top notch, and ribs are done right.
(5)Gary G.
Not special. Wings too smoky, and southern fried wings need sauce, but sauces cater to people liking hot food. Salads big but not special. Service ok. This is not redbones.
(2)Roni E.
After a good afternoon run, Soul Fire caught our eyes as we were driving by. And so, we stopped to refuel our energy levels. As it appears, Soul Fire is in the midst of becoming a full service restaurant. While it may take longer for sit down than to just go up to the counter, we didn't mind. I had an Arnold Palmer for the first time, which apparently is just half lemonade and half iced tea? I just call that a half and half, who knew there was a proper name for it. At any rate, it was the perfect ratio of tea to lemonade as well as sweetness levels. In case you didn't know, they also have free refills, so make sure you order the smaller once instead. ;-) For my entree, I just couldn't decide, since I wanted everything. And so I ended up getting the combination meal which consisted of 2 BBQs meats, 2 sides, cornbread, and pickles. I chose the brisket and the spare ribs, with the collard greens and another side I can't remember. Personally for the price, I felt that the portions were a bit small. I could have definitely used a bit more brisket. They gave me 3 spare ribs. Now, while I took the rest of my food home, since I only ate a little because I had just ran, normally I would expect more food on my plate. Soul Fire definitely filled my BBQ craving. And they also have 4 sauces on the table that you can user. Personally I liked the Soul Fire one. There was another sauce I favored, but can't remember the name. So the verdict, I would rather go to Soul Fire than RedBones if I had to choose. At least Soul Fire has good ribs. Redbones is way too dry.
(4)Lea C.
I think this place should be renamed FAIL BBQ. I LOVE bbq, and have eaten its native variety all around the world. I am the rib-off queen. I will admit that Memphis-style is my favorite, but that shouldn't have been a problem here. I'd say everything I tasted except the corn bread was bad to inedible. The baked beans were horrific and tasted of little other than smoke--I had to add 3 tbsp of my favorite bottle bbq sauce to make them edible. The coleslaw was inedible, and seemed to be just vinegar and cabbage. The pickles were so bad I had to spit them out. The babyback ribs were incredibly tough and tasteless, a waste of ribs. The pulled pork was dressed in what I believe is a North Carolina-style, vinegar-based sauce, which isn't in itself bad, but I was not a fan of the formulation. The corn bread was sweet and cake-like, and was the only good thing about the meal. I'm so sad to have psyched myself up for yummy bbq when I was presented with this crime against tastebuds. I feel like it was an assassination attempt against my tongue. Frankly, Uno makes better ribs.
(1)Bret C.
Great little BBQ spot that is perfect for the area....It's clean and the staff is out-of-their-way-over-the-top friendly. Had a great meal and, according to one young lady, I was given "limited edition" mashed potatoes as one of my sides. Limited edition?!?! I will be back for more of the "Pit Boss" sauce...Don't even bother with anything else!
(3)Tulsi D.
This restaurant seems to be very popular but I thought it was okay. I was expecting very tasty food, but I thought my pulled pork sandwich was soggy and not really flavorful. Compared to Sweet Cheeks in Fenway, I didn't think this restaurant was comparable.
(2)A P.
I was really excited to try Soul Fire, but I was really disappointed when I finally did. I don't know if it's because it was a restaurant that looked clean for Harvard Avenue, or it was the bright red paint, or the cool sign out front, but I definitely had high expectations for Soul Fire that were not met. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Neither my beef brisket sandwich nor my boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich came with the barbecue sauce cooked into the meat- we had to add our own from bottles on the table, like ketchup on a burger. At that point, it's not particularly barbecue-y, though you did have the option of mixing and matching different flavors of barbecue sauce. The side dishes were disappointingly small and sad. At first, the price of the food seems like a great value, but once you see the size of the meal, it really isn't. The Mac and Cheese was dining-hall, supermarket-bought caliber, nothing special, and in a very small serving, though I did like their idea of crumbling barbecue chips on top. Like the barbecue sauce, it would have tasted better if they'd cooked it into the mac and cheese instead of adding it afterward. Most of the food I got arrived cold in places, and the restaurant itself was quite chilly. They did have Harpoon Homebrewed sodas, like Root Beer and Cream Soda, which is a major plus for me since I'm a microwbrewed root beer nerd.
(3)ina U.
So I really hope this place is good because I've been waiting for over an hour and a half. Called at the hour mark and was told my order was half way done and I made it clear if it was going to take another 40 mins I would just cancel. Well, 30 mins later...still no food. Call at the 2 hour mark, different person oh your food is on it's way out th door. Sounds like my food being half way done was a lie. Ugh...Seriously being dishonest with your customers...is pretty low.
(1)Brian G.
Quick easy T ride to Harvard Ave in a fun neighborhood. I enjoyed the pulled chicken and all of the sauces. I tried every single sauce and did however want to try even hotter but they didn't have any hotter, but thats okay because the 8 or so that I had were delicious! The mac and cheese with barbecue chips on top were cute and tasty. I was also really surprised with the mini pecan pie- it actually had a delicious tasting crust! I will return Soul Fire!
(4)Amanda K.
The portions are enormous! A lot of the time I have to wrap it up to finish later. The service is also great, the second time I went the server remembered my name and what I had ordered-good stuff! Everyone on the staff is plucky, kind, and ready to help you in any capacity they can. The only things marking down the rating of the review are the quality of the meats and sauces, along with the price. Compared to other BBQ places I've been, the mac and cheese was just "meh." And I love me some mac and cheese. Also, the meats and sauces don't seem as fresh, or as original, as other places in the area. I still will go to Soul Fire as often as I can because of the amazing service I receive here. That alone has made me a patron for life! I just wish that the food was a little better.
(3)Michael Y.
Kind server and delicious barbeque. Side dishes like corn bread and Cole slaw was delish
(4)Rene K.
Got a Groupon to try out the BBQ I saw walking past the restuarant on my way to dinner. Ordered the Pitboss sampler for 2-3 and it was quite a lot of food! I wasn't sure what to expect but I was disappointed by how dry the ribs were and that there is an over all "too sweet" flavoring to the sauces and some of the sides. The ribs were tender and had a good smokiness to them but the dryness was just too much to ignore. The chicken wings (grilled and fried) were darn good, same with the potato salad (killer great), coleslaw (great balance of flavors). The greens were stringy and sweet,a first ever as I have eaten a lot of greens and usually the flavors tend towards sour (vinegar) if anything, but not sweet! The beans were sweet too, but I liked it, the husband thinks it is was too sweet. The corn bread was pure nirvana,as there was cream corn in there,all moist and full of corny goodness. Will we return? Maybe if we have another Groupon. Otherwise, the only items on the menu to order for us will be the chicken wings, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread.
(3)Lady D.
hey, I had a bite to eat at this place and love BBQ. Really :) This place is amazing. Comfort food. Like going to heaven..... mac n cheese delicious Also they a have a variety of different BBQ sauces the make. I tried all the sauces and liked them all. Hot, spicy, sweet, and in between. The ribs are excellent :) Brisket is amazing and the cornbread sweet, moist and fresh. Our waitress was friendly and knew the menu well. Great beer selection :) :) Good value for your money and lots of take home :) Good portions. I would highly recommend this place for BBQ :)
(5)Rosa S.
I went in yesterday for the first time. I ordered a Soulfire platter which comes with your choice of two meats, two sides, and cornbread. I got the spare ribs and the spicy honey wings. The ribs werent that special but I dressed them with their various barbecue sauces. They bring 4 different kinds to the table and 3 of them were damn good. The spicy honey wings were amazing. I would definitely reorder those. I got macaroni & cheese and collard greens for my sides. The greens were great. The macarioni & cheese were just ok. They were served with crumbled barbedue chips on top, which is different. Cornbread was very tasty. The Sweet Tea wasnt sweet enough but I guess I should lay off the sugar. Service was fast and good and my only complaint is that I left there with my hair smelling like a smoke pit.
(3)Graham C.
I went to Soul Fire with the gf a few weeks ago. The place is apparently transitioning over to full table service, which I think helps. The decor was nice. Big TVs which are good for baseball I'd imagine. They also have Lone Star on tap, which all BBQ places should. Had the corn dogs which were good. For dinner, I got the St. Louis Ribs and pulled pork which were thick and huge. The beans and collard greens also. All of it very tasty. I also tried the coleslaw, which was like a palate cleanser. Overall, I like Blue Ribbon better. Their pulled pork has more flavor. But I would come back again. Probably not making a lot of extra trips as I'm in Somerville. However if you live in the area, it was cheap and good.
(4)James S.
Living in San Francisco and Boston, I have come to accept the fact that a few things will never be great in either place - weather, cost of living, buffalo wings and barbeque. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire, and while it won't make you forget Memphis or Austin, I can safely say it's the best BBQ I've had within driving range of Boston. Interior décor goes for some sort of retro-70s style on the walls with some massive murals but the furniture, lighting, etc. don't really match up with it. This place is not known for its ambiance. Service was attentive and quick, though fairly unremarkable. Prices are very reasonable, particularly if you're with 2-3 other hungry meatatarians and decide to split some of their sampler platters. They also carry PBR on draft and Narragansett in the tall boy cans, so you can wash down your greasy meals with the perfect cheap beer. By far the best dish I tasted was the short ribs. Huge and super-succulent, I was almost unwilling to share them. Dip them in some of the fiery sauce and you'll be licking your fingers after every bite. Pulled pork was also delicious and the baby back ribs did not disappoint either. Sadly I was disappointed by the hot links (just too dry and bland) and the chicken was just solid - juicy but flavor was missing. Did not try the brisket so can't comment there. The restaurant also has a big projection TV they place on one of the walls as well as a few other LCDs, so if you're looking for some good, greasy, relatively cheap food during a sports day, give Soul Fire a try.
(3)Dave U.
Very cool place to grab BBQ, definitely the best in Allston/Brighton. Great vibe in the restaurant and the food is delicious. My favorite combo is the pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast, with mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and cornbread. Friendly staff and great variety of choices for BBQ sauce.
(4)Annabel J.
Came here for dinner around 7:30 one night with three friends. We were using a groupon and it was the last night before it expired so the place was packed (apparently everyone had waited till the last minute to redeem haha). We put our name in and then stood in the bar area drinking beers. We waited over half an hour but all the girls working were very friendly and kept checking in with us. Once we sat down, the waitress informed us that they had run out of bread so sandwiches were not an option. I was a little bummed because I wasn't sure i wanted to go for a whole platter, but this stuff happens when restaurants get slammed unexpectedly so you really can't blame them. Might have been a good idea for them to have sent someone to the grocery store for some emergency back-up rolls but whatever. I ended up getting the BBQ pulled pork platter with collard greens and cole slaw. The meat was to de for. The cornbread was sweet and moist. The cole slaw and collard greens we typical- they were absolutely fine but nothing special. They brought a selection of 4 different BBQ sauces that ranged from carolina vinegar-style to super sweet memphis-style to super spicy. Great sauce, great bbq, beer, and good blues music = solid 4 stars. I think they need to rethink the interior decor though-the screaming red and yellow grafitti-style murals are a bit harsh and garish. It makes me feel like I'm in an garage instead of a restaurant/bar. Just some toned down colors and some finishing details would do wonders. Fun raucous atmosphere; I'd go again in a heartbeat, especially on a night I wanted to watch sports.
(4)Amy R.
As a fan of BBQ, I'm always on the lookout for a truly good BBQ joint in Boston. So, when the Soul Fire Groupon coupon offer showed up, I immediately went for it. And there it was, sitting in my car when my BF & I drove over in his car the other night. Oh well, let's try it anyway... We bellied up to the bar and ordered two Lone Stars and two brisket sandwiches. Oh, what mouth-watering goodness..that was one of the tastiest, yummiest brisket sandwiches I've had the pleasure of knowing! Sweet and tender slabs of perfectly cooked, just fatty-enough brisket. So, I lobby for another trip down to Soul Fire a few nights later. With the coupon in hand this time, I'm totally psyched for round two BBQ! BF got crabby about the lack of parking, but luck smiled on us and we nabbed a spot around the corner - yay!! As we were trying to decide what tasty morsels to order this time, the manager strolled over to give us some help. We had almost chosen the sampler platter which he told us would be far too much food for the two of us and suggested some other options. Good call, Jason! Thanks!! I decided on baby back ribs and again, Jason suggested the collard green as a side. I was hesitant as I'm not usually a fan of bitter greens. He assured me I'd like them...and he was right again. They had none of the usual bitter flavor, just tender, sweet and delicious. The ribs were awesome, tasty tenderness on a bone. BF had the burnt ends, ribs, mac & cheese and collard greens. All of which ranked high on the taste-o-meter! This place knows BBQ. It'll be a regular pit stop for us in the future
(5)Thena H.
Sweet collard greens, terrible potato salad, dry brisket, bland baked beans. My sis had the corn dogs that were okay, but what a waste of money.
(1)Michele G.
Oh my holy sweet sauce jeebus. This place is unbelievably mouthwatering. I had a Groupon and everything was so cheap that we almost had a hard time getting to $30 with just the two of us! HOORAY! You walk in and the scent of the smoked meat and BBQ spices wafting through the air is intoxicating. So, so intoxicating, as if you could get drunk from the enticing aroma headed towards you from the kitchen. SoulFire, you will be warm, spicy, meaty oasis in winter. I don't mind that you turn me glutinous. Your pulled chicken platter is killer and your sauces are amazing. Hot DAMN! Thank you for existing here in the Northeast, where good bbq is much too hard to find.
(5)Jessie C.
Good BBQ. Small portions GREAT fried chicken (although i don't eat it a lot, or ever - i had a few bites and I was pleased). Fantastic Corn Dogs! Any restaurant that serves corndogs is fantastic in my book! Delicious fried mac and cheese balls. Ordered pulled chicken platter. good - chicken was tasty, not a ton of food which was nice. Liked how it was served on metal pizza trays. OK beer selection for a bbq place.
(4)Sam G.
One of my favorite lunch spots! Huge portions and high quality. Favorite thing would have to be the BBQ reuben with either Mac or Chili as a side. For a $10 lunch, you can never go wrong!
(5)Justin C.
This place is great - 287 people think so, so I'll just say that the Pitboss Platter is a disgusting amount of delicious food for 2 people to eat, but me and my buddy gave it a good go tonight - loved every bit of it, really. Highlights were the ribs and baked beans, but everything was delicious. The service was super friendly and the food came out fast. We had a living social coupon, too, and the deal was great, and it will in fact make a repeat customer out of me. Bomb BBQ. Eat some.
(5)J D.
Had a chance to check out Soul fire recently. Had a really good BBQ feed. First off, their prices are very reasonable for BBQ. They dont gyp you on the portions either, the platters come with the usual suspects, a nicely moist corn bread, some interesting collared greens that were cooked with a maple syrup component which, weirdly, worked, and baked beans. The baked beans were the weakest of the group, they have a strong molasses base, but not the best I've ever tasted. The star is the meat, as you would hope in a BBQ joint. I had the short ribs and they were on the money. Cooked just right with enough snap in the meat to make it true BBQ. They provide 4 BBQ sauces at each table and the soul fire sauce was excellent. The service was slow. You don't want to be in a hurry here. Servers were friendly, but were either understaffed or just really casual. I would go back for sure, but might opt for sitting at the bar for less down time during the meal.
(4)lizzie b.
I love BBQ, but I didn't love this place. The spare ribs were tough, I thought. I'm used to them falling off the bone. And the sauces were okay. I did like the mac & cheese, though, and the baked beans weren't bad. Corn bread delish. The cole slaw was kinda funky hmmmmm. Overall I don't think I'd come back, but it was a fun night out (and huge distracting tv.)
(3)Theresa J.
I love this place. I have been to a few BBQ places in the area but i find this one to be the best. I always get the 2 Meat Combo. I like most of the sauces. Not too fond of the mustardy one or the vinegary one though. Their portions are huge and they have reasonable prices.
(4)Kristin M.
This place needs to learn how to train their staff....we came in with a group of about 10 (yes I understand this can be frustrating) but the waiter was rude and quite incompetent. Finally, when we were almost finished, he stormed up to our table and demanded we all line up at the cash register and "confirm" what we had......and to top it off, he charged us all 20% tip....(the menu said it was 18%) i have waitressed and bartended for years so i'm not going to question someone on a few cents, but someone did ask him about it and he said it was because "he had to split the checks" ...and the fried mac and cheese was tasteless...this place was a joke
(1)Anna M.
The fried chicken is amazing. Love the bbq potato chips on top of the mac & cheese. The portions are huge and it's pretty cheap. Great for a Sunday afternoon when you're still nursing a bit of a hangover from the weekend and want some comfort food.
(4)Sam J.
The best cornbread I've ever had in my life. I usually am not too fond of the stuff but at Soul Fire, they can't put enough of it in front of me to satisfy my desire for it. It is incredibly moist and fluffy. Monday is all you can eat wings for 9 dollars. It is a great deal if you come hungry. I do, however, opt for their delicious pulled pork on some Mondays. I have yet to have a side dish with the platter that I have not enjoyed. The mashed potatoes comes with a pool of savory gravy and the coleslaw is a refreshing pallet cleanser. Definitely come early if you have a large party as there is not too much seating.
(5)Jeff J.
The meats are very tasty however they don't have candied yams and the cornbread tastes like it's store bought. The mac and cheese is edible but not spectacular. If they can pull all the pieces together, this place would be a real winner!
(3)Chu C.
Soul Fire was born when the owner, a transplanted Southerner, lost his father and out of his ensuing personal struggles decided to open his own BBQ joint in Allston. He's a really nice guy. It's a no-nonsense joint where you seat yourself, place your order at the counter and pick it up on your own. Their clever tag line: "Serving all souls". Soul Fire does a really good job all-around, but they only do pork ribs, not beef. You should definitely get the spare ribs over the baby back ribs; they're just better. The fried chicken is oily and juicy perfection, and the roast chicken is also good. They have some good sides, including some pretty good collard greens and fried mac and cheese. The fried dough is overpriced, but pretty good slathered in butter and powdered sugar. Portions are pretty big, and I've never left anything but stuffed. Kid-friendly menu includes corn dogs, mac and cheese, and fried chicken. All very good. Soul Fire BBQ sauce is tangy and has a kick to it, and they also offer sweet and spicy versions from heated pumps, a nice touch. Dark and spare ambiance with a bar and two flat-screen TVs, with lots of seating for a place on Harvard St. As with all the places in this area, parking is pretty tough to come by, but try the hidden city lot across the street and behind the buildings.
(4)Matt F.
Go here. Order a BBQ Rueban. All will be right in your world. That is all.
(5)jade g.
OMG i tried the pecan pie i took home and it is GROSS, but also it isn't pecan pie. It's more of like an everything chocolate chip cookie with nuts, coconut perhaps and chocolate, very low on the pecan but very high on the underbaked egg batter crud. Do not get it.
(3)Katherine D.
This review is for all-you-can-eat wings monday nights. I went in with a big group of friends, so I understand it probably was a little troubling for our server, but while th wings were good, and I really enjoyed the little sampler plate they provided (each weeks its spicy honey, pit boss BBQ, buffalo, and their weekly flavor, which was apple spice when i went), however, we were supposed to be able to get 6 wings at a time and they were definitely skimping on us, and deliberately trying to take a long time between wing rounds. I think i'll try again with a smaller crowd then hopefully I can enjoy my wing experience more.
(4)Josh U.
Food 3/5 Decor 3/5 Service 3/5 Value 3/5 Came here on a Friday afternoon for some ribs that I have been hearing about. Ordered 2/3 rack of ribs with a side of French fried and rice + beans. The ribs were ok a bit bland and a bit dry. Proportions were nice and the pit boss sauce was incredibly good which saved Soul Fire from a 2 overall rating. French fries were very good which is always a plus for me. It also came with a few random small pickles that I didn't care too much for.
(3)Victoria G.
i ordered food to go for a party, spoke to owner about the catering menu. the hot pulled chicken and hot pulled pork were outstanding!! really delicious, quality food, and fairly priced. the mac n cheese was incredible, loved the cole slaw!! i will definitely be back often, and i highly recommend ordering from here for any catered event. amazing!!
(5)David G.
I stopped in with a friend last night for the first time with no expectations. We were both craving BBQ and thought I'd give them a shot since we were in the area and there happened to be an open parking spot. Without a long story I'll say I wasn't particularly impressed. It was quiet inside and we had a friendly attentive waitress, but the food was a let down for reasons beyond taste. Out of all the BBQ places I've been to in Massachusetts this place has by far the smallest portion sizes I've seen. I found it amusing that a skinny guy like myself who doesn't eat too much ordered a "two selection" entree and an appetizer and was still quite hungry afterward. One little ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes, two little pieces of fish, and a piece of white bread with a small amount of (evenly spread) pulled chicken on top did not impress me. The food tasted fine, but is not what I would consider great BBQ. It wasn't bad or dry, but it wasn't very special and it lacked plavor. If the food isn't that great you had better not be stingy with it. On a side note: the beer selection was pretty boring and out of touch, but I won't penalize a BBQ place for that. Although, it would certainly add points to my opinion if they made an attempt. If an ultra casual tablecloth place like Redbones can offer decent beer the rest of you restaurants have no excuse. I've been to the Village Smokehouse, Redbones and Blue Ribbon and this place ranks well behind them. 3 stars for a nice waitress, and quick delivery of food, but I don't think I'll be back unless someone invites me. I left feeling like I just spent a lot of money and got little in return and that's not the feeling I want when I leave a BBQ restaurant.
(3)Mimi H.
I just discovered that I friggn' love BBQ recently. They didn't have exactly what I was in the mood for but what I ate was very good. I had a salad with cold rotisary chicken on it. It was good but I wanted a salad with warm BBQ chicken. I mean it is a BBQ place. I also had a side of mac and cheese. It was bomb. The service was fast and very good. Waitress was very sweet two my two guy friends who were obviously smitten by her.
(3)Ben G.
My experience at Soul Fire was somewhat limited. However i will say this. I had a chopped beef sandwich and it was pretty good. I mean it was no KC burnt ends but it was still pretty good. The cole slaw was pretty good and not overly dosed in mayo. My roommate got a pulled pork platter and he loved it. Like happier than a pig in shit. Oh that was a bad analogy given the topic, Anyhoo. I tasted his pulled pork with a variety of sauces and i was pleased. The corn bread was also good. Upon walking into this dead establishment, there is a bar to your left with counter service just past that. On the right is a ton of tables and chairs along with a giant projection screen for your viewing pleasure. It was clean and the staff was friendly. i also think it was pretty cheap compared to some of the other BBQ joints in the area. So I'm sure that appeals to the college community of Alston , Brighton.
(3)Jennafir E.
So this place is a hit or miss on certain things. I REALLY like the ribs, they make me want more. Sooo god with their sauce took, I'm a fan of the sweet and pitboss. Yummy. It is perfect for grease and fattening goodness. The fries are astounding. Just the right amount of salt and crispiness. I have a feeling I will return for late night visits, just for the fries. The fried mac and cheese arn't that great. Not enough flavor in my opinion. You shouldn't have to add salt. The chili rocks. Just enough kick to not make your mouth burn, while the potato salad is lacking in flavor. Too much onion, not enough moisture, not enough taste. I've made better and I suck at potato salad. The corn dogs and lemonade are also decent choices. I only give it a 4, because I REALLY like the fries and because they have fried dough! MMMMM fried dough...... with a yummy maple butter.... my mouth is watering now. Otherwise most of the food is a 3.
(4)Buggin O.
Skip the BBQ (mediocre) and go straight to their fried chicken platter. Nicely seasoned and fried chicken. Way better than any place I've had in the Boston area. Good fried chicken is not easy to make. You get half a chicken with two sides (which are so so) and corn bread for like $12. Unless you're a glutton, split the plate with your lady/man and call it a cheap Redbox date night.
(4)Fabiola L.
Food is great, love the pulled chicken. The staff is always friendly..am so happy when my company gets Soul Fire for our weekly lunches...
(4)Catherine P.
Soul Fire is in Allston, a down-on-it's-heels neighborhood with lots of ethnic mixes. Reminded me of Queens, NY. My husband had the pulled pork, which was really good but needed more sauce. Fortunately, they deliver a box with 4 different BBQ sauces: Sweet, Fiery, Soul Fire and .. Bourbon?, all very delicious. I had the sliced brisket, which was nothing special but tender and not dry. My daughter had the ribs, the star of the meal. Juicy, fleshy, not mushy. Perfectly cooked. The sides were excellent: sweet collard greens, fresh-baked corn bread and smoky beans. The mac n cheese was excellent. The potato salad and coleslaw were also very good. It all comes on a pizza tray with a red and white checked paper covering. The portions were on the small side, but that's just because Americans are used to being served giant meals. After a few minutes (and side dishes) we were full. The place itself is more saloon than restaurant, with a long bar and a giant tv. All in all, I would recommend this place for BBQ.
(3)Jessica B.
Spicy BBQ sauce that actually has a bit of heat, tart pucker-your-mouth pickles, tender pulled pork, collards speckled with brisket. Quite lovely. Unlike many people, I am not put off by ordering at the counter and self-seating. In fact, I would say that this style of self-service is typical of most BBQ joints in the southern states (unless you go to Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, a yucky chain BBQ place where you get table service.) For some, counter service reeks of fast food, but for me it is authenticity. Also, this was the most artfully displayed tray of food I've ever seen for BBQ. And all for $7. Seems reasonable for a huge portion of pork and an adequate serving of collards. The draft beer was maybe a bit pricey, and I have to try the sweet tea before being totally convinced, but this will be my go-to BBQ.
(4)Jin Z.
(Mouth literally watering as I write this) I may have grown up in Boston, but having been to KC, Texas, Memphis, Chapel Hill, and other places in my life, I have tried authentic barbecue from nearly every place that America offers it. It saddened me that Boston never had a place that could compare to those shrines of meat and grease in the South, where the smell of gently cooking meat and smoky sauce drew me like a moth to a flame. Until now. Soulfire has filled that little hole in my heart from years of not having good BBQ, and it did it not in little dabs and bits, but with the gargantuan beating-bat that they call the "Pitboss Sampler," which seems to have enough food to feed the average human for nearly a week-a heaping pile of spareribs, babybacks, brisket, fried wings, bbq wings, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and every side on the menu, including the absolutely unreal cornbread, the tangy and authentic collard greens, and the perfectly cooked baked beans. Tina (my friend) and I consumed until we were fit to burst, but we were still nowhere close to even finishing the food. The resulting leftovers fed me for three days. Keep in mind, I am a 220lb guy who regularly took challenges at Eagles. Pros: -Extremely friendly and timely service. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and actively suggested the best sauces to go with each meat. -The sauces. The Sweet was a bit too much with the honey, but the Soulfire and the Pitboss were the best sauces I've ever had, and the Fiery sauce had a kick to match its name. -Spareribs. Fuck babybacks, if I ever eat pork ribs again, this would be it. Tender, meaty, and cooked perfectly, they taste sooooo much better than some tiny little rack of babybacks. -Southern Fried Wings. If Soulfire ever went into the fried chicken business on a large scale, KFC and Popeyes can kiss their asses goodbye. Massive, juicy, and flavorful as hell. -The sides. Usually, good BBQ has maybe one or two good sides that go with the meat. At Soulfire, EVERYTHING is good. -The chili. Some places just use ground beef in chili. At Soulfire, you know what they use? They cut off the end pieces of babyback ribs and briskets and use those. It's unreal chili. Cons: -No parking. If you're from out of town-good luck. Allston is not known for being kind on areas to be. -Boneless meats are ok, but sometimes too dry and overcooked. -Babybacks are ok at times, too dry other times. -Lunch specials would be nice to have around. Overall, Soulfire feeds your BBQ-hungry soul with a perfect array of food. Now get your ass up and over there and get grubbin'!
(5)Kate D.
This is the ultimate spot in Allston for total comfort food. On the days when it's cold/rainy/snowy and Sushi or Mexican just won't cut it, this place is great. The chili cheese fries are really tasty, with the perfect combo of cheese (not too much), bits of meat, and spices. The sides are all 1.99 (seriously), and I found myself thinking that this would be a great place to order a few sides and a beer for a $10 lunch. The mac n cheese & potato salad are awesome. My only complaints would be the limited selection of draft beers (I did get a bottle of Victory pilsner though), and the strange taste of the catfish (I'd never had catfish, but it tasted strangely metallic and needed a lot of lemon and tartar sauce to be edible). The waitstaff is your typical allston hipster crowd, but they must have been schooled in Southern hospitality-- I've never been greeted so warmly at a restaurant in Allston before! We will definitely come back here!
(4)Zeb T.
The service was terrible and they treated me like a criminal. After taking a risk to buy a living social deal with SFBBQ my experience retreating my food was terrible. They wouldn't let me leave with the food so that I could pay the $1.80 sales tax over the phone. I asked if I could call back to pay the tax and they said NO. This exchange made me feel embarrassed and angry. I could understand this level of service if it was part of a big chain and they would get fired by a corporate manager for bending the rules, but this is a locally owned restaurant! WT-hell man! There are plenty of other places to eat in Allston so why eat somewhere that doesn't make an effort to deliver good service?
(1)Gary M.
Come hungry and leave in a food coma. It's so good ! Pulled pork, sliced brisket, fried chicken, Ribs and some tasty sides are all just so good. I work real close and when I'm looking for s meal at work this is my go to spot. They don't disappoint!
(5)Victoria P.
Came here with my boyfriend and had the pulled pork platter and the fried chicken platter. We're both from North Carolina so we're used to the best BBQ in the nation. Given this, we thought this place was mediocre. The fried chicken lacked flavor and the pulled pork was a bit bland. The mac and cheese tasted gritty and the collard greens were extremely sweet. My boyfriend liked the mashed potatoes and I thought the cornbread was good. Other than that our meal was just okay.
(3)Adam B.
favorite bbq joint in boston... great cooks, though the servers were a little slow and disorganized.... highly recommend this place....i think the food is significantly better than sweet cheeks.... reasonably priced.... not sure why this place is not more crowded... the best pulled pork.... delicious mac n cheese, pickles, cole slaw.... 5 different sauces....
(5)Michelle T.
Really enjoyed the food here, though the atmosphere was a little confusing to begin with. If you come here on a Friday night, you'll think you walked into a sports bar with creole art on the wall serving BBQ but with walls vibrating hip hop/top 40 beats. You'll then find out the beats are actually from the bar next door since they share a wall. Interesting. That is all I can say. Service, of the 2 times I've been here has always been consistently friendly and fast. Food: - BBQ chicken: Smokey, fall-off the bone delicious. I'd order this again in a heartbeat. - Baby back Ribs: They could do better. Flavors were alright, but the meat was almost tough. Was hoping for some melt-in-your-mouth meat that just falls off the bone and these ribs didn't really bring it. - Pulled pork sandwich: A-ok. Nothing special but not bad at all. Sides: - Cornbread is how I like it - sweet and moist, although I could do with it heated up a little more. - Collard greens were deliciously sweet and tender. Loved them! - Beans with pork were also very sweet (might do well with some more salt), but loved the porky bits in there. Yup, I'd recommend this place. Price is right, service is fast and friendly, food is decent and comes with 4 BBQ sauces (all you can eat/drink! haha) so...I wouldn't mind coming back again for more.
(4)Leesha Z.
So I came here a bit skeptical. Why would there be good southern bbq in Allston of all places? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The boy and I came here around 7pm on a weeknight and snagged a seat at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender and given menus. We both immediately knew what we wanted - the pulled pork. I ordered the pulled pork platter, which came with cole slaw, corn bread and mac n cheese. My boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Shortly after, our food came out. First thing I noticed were the portion sizes. HUGE! I decided to dig right in to the main attraction - the pork! Wow was it delicious. Moist, flavorful. This was before I put any sauce on. It honestly was great without but I decided to try one of their 6 sauces on it and that made it even better. Cole slaw was perfect. Corn bread was fresh. Mac n cheese was good but I've had better. All in all it was a great experience. The best part is the platter was only $12. I couldn't believe everything I got and how good it tasted for such little money. Great service throughtout the dinner as well. Can't wait to go back!!!!!
(4)Jen K.
We got the three meat combo! We got the pulled pork, baby back ribs and spare ribs. Pulled pork EH. Spare ribs EH. You know good ribs when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. The spare ribs was pretty chewy. The baby back ribs were good though they seemed to be a table favorite. The three meat combo is good for two people to share unless you have a big stomach and you can eat it all by yourself. We also got the fried Mac and cheese app! MMMMMMM so good! It's large fried cubes of Mac and cheese! We got the large which comes with 7 cubes!! Also we tried every side! The rest are EH but I recommend the collard greens and mashed potatoes with gravy! The mashed potatoes with gravy is a delicious perfect combination while eating all that meat! The cornbread is delicious as well. I would higher the rating if the thing they were known for their BBQ was amazing. However, I've had good BBQ in the Midwest so it's hard to compete with that. Our server was so accommodating there! She always attended to our needs! :) She was tall! Hopefully you guys can make her day!!
(3)Paul L.
This is some smoky, solid ribs! The Mac & cheese was a bit bland, and the brisket lacked a significant smoke ring and could have been more flavorful. Service was prompt and friendly. Driving is a challenge since parking spots are hard to find.
(4)Jarrett L.
More of a 3.5 The staff always seems nice, food is par. I really wish it had better food, I love bbq but it just feels like they are almost there, as if they don't put enough time into their cooking as they do down south. Perhaps I just have high standards. It is nice that they give a local business discount.
(3)Matt L.
Their moist towelettes are very moist.
(5)Alyssa W.
Been told by many friends to try this place out. Finally made the trip. This is a no frills place. They have all you can eat wings for $12.99, if you have a big appetite, this is a good deal for you. But I was in with my family and we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We got the southern fried chicken, YUM and a corn dog. for dinner, 4 Souls platter. it was more than enough, we had 5 people. Ribs, chicken, brisket and 2 sides, mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. Their seasoning is great, dry rubbed ribbed and a smoked chicken were so tasty. Brisket, juicy and not as fatty as other places, which made it a little less guilty haha Service is average, nothing spectacular. All in all, i'd return.
(3)Kim V.
For a long time, I kept passing by this place and never seeing it. Not too surprising considering this is such a busy area, both in terms of number of restaurants and passerby-ers. Lucky for me, it finally caught my attention. Soul Fires's ambiance displays artwork depicting many soulful musicians and aside from the decor, they have affordable BBQ delights to please any meat eater. Depending on your appetite, you can get their monster sampler platter, which can easily stuff 2-3 people or you can get items off their appetizer or sides menu. This most recent visit consisted of a corn dog, collard greens and some cornbread. The corndog was a bit on the small side for my liking, but everything else was fine. Other times I've been here and have gotten the baby back ribs, yum! They have several BBQ sauce varieties, from tangy to somewhat spicy to sweet, depending on your tastes. I've also been here for wing night. The wings are good but I realized I can't personally eat enough to justify the cost. Not that it's all that expensive at $8-9 (can't remember exact price), but per wing I'm better off not going on the all you can eat route, my friends, on the other hand, were elated. Yes, they were boys. I've been here many times. Sometimes with one other person, sometimes with around 15 people. They are very accommodating, but if you have large groups, it's always beneficial to arrive early to stake out the big table in the back. They have a projector where they will show different games which can be fun with a big group. Parking can be tough, especially on Harvard itself. If it's late enough, Comm Ave should have some decent parking. Best bet it to take the T or bus. They are also on LevelUp, a smartphone app that allows you to pay via your phone. When you use it here, they also offer a small, but appreciated discount.
(4)Jared H.
I had been here a couple of times and just recently went again after groupon had an offer for them. Their BBQ is pretty good, I like their ribs. I am not a big fan of their pulled pork but I do like their brisket. I went with a friend and we tried the fried mac and cheese to start which was really good. They have multiple BBQ sauces they keep on the table which are made in house. They have a regular, sweet, and spicy. All of which are good. I had a combo platter with the spare ribs and sliced brisket. As sides I got the mac & cheese and cornbread. The mac and cheese is great and an added bonus is they put chips on top of it for a great crunch. The cornbread is also very delicious. The only downside of the meal was the service was a little slow.
(4)Cara B.
I lived in Georgia for 4 years and this is by far the best BBQ I've found up North. My bf and I saw them on Phantom Gourmet and had to make the trip! It was totally worth the 45minute journey. I wish they would open one at Patriot Place!!! We got the sampler and the chicken wings were delicious, I loved topping them with the Soulfire sauce. The pulled pork and the brisket was smokey and tender! The spare ribs also had a great flavor. I was impressed with the whole sampler, and the sweet tea!!!!!!!!!! MMMMM perfect amount of sugar! We got extra pulled pork to-go, and they have a BBQ sauce bar to take some home which was very convenient. The only thing that could make this place any better is Brunswick stew. Otherwise I just wish they were closer. Go there! Oh and our waitress was very fast and friendly.
(5)Mel C.
So yelp pretty much has it all right in the review highlights section, so I'm not sure why another review would help. This is what I order every time I go to Soul Fire: -Southern Fried Chicken (pair this with the Fiery sauce) -Mac & Cheese side (tastes better than the fried mac and cheese) -Fried Dough -Sweet Tea I always leave with a huge food baby. I wish they served their sweet tea half and half (half sweet, half unsweet), but aside from that, no complaints! The "BBQ" actually isn't that great. I guess it's good for Boston, but if you've ever been to Texas/Tennessee/other Southern states, it's just not the same. With that said, the ribs and brisket are the more flavorful/tender options.
(5)Lauren L.
Went for the bottomless wing deal, and while it was totally worth it, the line is EPIC. I have to say, we got really lucky - a group of nine, including myself, stole the table by the front window and then all the associated chairs at the window itself. Out waiter, though, was well and thoroughly harried thanks to the crowd the special draws. He brought us waters, took drink orders and disappeared except to bring us two rounds of wing platters. For bottomless, it certainly did end quickly, but I think he just forgot we were there in the rush to serve so many other tables, too. Overall the wings were satisfying and tasty, though there was really no difference between sauces. Many of the wings were also slightly pink in the center, a big let-down for a place that fries their chicken pieces. The macaroni and cheese squares were awesome, though. One of our party ordered them as her main instead of the bottomless wings, but shared a couple pieces in exchange for dodging the tab and still getting chicken. They were the best ones I've ever had, and most everyone else agreed they were spot on. Overall, I wouldn't pay for these wings again as a meal, and I wouldn't come back unless it was for the bottomless Monday thing. Not the best wings, not very good service, drinks are overpriced and they put the gratuity on there for you, but still ask for a tip on the side. Meh.
(3)Rebecca C.
I absolutely love this place. The fried Mac n cheese is so good!!! My best friend and I order delivery here about twice a month. We always get the fried Mac n cheese, the amazing chili cheese fries that way the same amount as a small child, collard greens that are sweet with I presume molasses, mashed potatoes with gravy, and sometimes if we are drunk enough we will get the pulled pork sandwich that is so amazingly tender and addictive. If I had the funds and the metabolism, I would live here and eat here everyday. The staff is also always super friendly and always smiling. Great service, great food, why aren't you there yet?!?!
(5)Lauretta L.
I want to give this place more stars but I just wasn't impressed by the BBQ. We came in with a Groupon (which they accepted w/o any problems) and got a platter of sliced brisket and a platter of spare ribs. The sides were great and in my view, better than the main meats! The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, and mac & cheese were all so friggin delicious. Especially the collard greens. Mmmmm mmm. I know I'll go back just for the sides. Now to the brisket...it was much too salty, and I am not afraid of salt. I love salt. Adding the Soul Fire sauce helped balance out the saltiness, but shouldn't it be good on its own? The spare ribs could have been more tender and juicy, but the sauce helped. Overall, service was fantastic. I'll come back to try the pulled pork sandwich and fried chicken.
(3)Christina C.
So disappointing. My husband and I ordered delivery from Soul Fire regularly -at least once a week. The food is great, but the service is terrible. They have forgotten items, brought the wrong items and have taken over two hours to arrive (when we just had to cancel our order). We reluctantly had to give up ordering from Soul Fire.
(1)Kate W.
Food was excellent, I got the fried chicken platter with mac and cheese and it was awesome. I did order through foodler and almost cried when I saw my delivery time was estimated at 2 hours and 20 minutes later. I called the restaurant and they said it should only be an hour and they didn't estimate right. The delivery did take a little over an hour but it was worth it, very good. It does seem like a really busy place. Next time I will get off my lazy rear and go pick up my food though, probably a lot quicker.
(4)Sanjit A.
Didn't feel like cooking for a potluck dinner so got the fried mac n cheese as takeout. Was a big hit and I was pretty sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. Went there at an odd hour when it was empty, but seems like a pretty good spot, definitely would like to return.
(4)Nicholas H.
The selection of four sauces at the table is very nice. That said, I quickly found my favorite and stuck with it. I had the pulled pork platter. The pork came served over a slice of white bread and I ordered the baked beans and collard greens as sides. The greens were delicious, but the beans were not as good (I still ate them all, they weren't bad either). I went on a Tuesday around 8 pm and it was pretty slow. Not crowded and not loud. Good soul food for a meal alone.
(4)Nick K.
We went here with a Groupon. The place was extra busy due to the additional business. There was some wait due to the amount of people. We had a mixed plate, and a fish plate. The meat portions were good, nothing to write home about but good. The fish was also good, but not great. The side of Macaroni, Coleslaw, Collard greens, and beans was good. I will say the Collard Greens were done better then most. We wanted mashed Potatoes, but they ran out. Portions were good, and the restaurant look was fine. However, for the money there are better options.
(3)Emily E.
When I first started eating here like 3 years ago it was amazing. I ordered here like last week and I was not impressed. First off the ribs didnt seem done. And to top it off there was a F$@&#% hair laying on one of the ribs. Like wtf. And I'm pregnant so i was pissed. And I always tip nicely so I was hurt. The fish was really good but was scarce for a $20 plate. But I Won't eat here anymore #yuck
(3)Kelley F.
Outstanding! Food was amazing, servings were just the right amount of food. I didn't feel bloated and gross when I left, and I had the fried chicken meal. The chicken was cooked to perfection, I usually don't eat skin on chicken, but I ate every last morsel! Dessert was fried dough like I've never had...divine! The carnival's got nothing on their fried dough! Sooooo good!
(5)Kim K.
Good BBQ for location, price, and value. Chill vibe, decent service, clean dining area. Super cheap beers, huge menu, lots of options at all prices. My only gripe was portion size. BBQ should be BIG, Soul Fire left me wanting more. Big up to the cornbread, it was some of the moistest and most delicious I've had at any BBQ joint.
(4)Jules M.
Best Fried Chicken around!!! Finally, I found a place with great chicken and guess what? They deliver. Woohoo! I'm not usually one to dip fried chicken in any kind of sauce but their Pitboss BBQ Sauce makes it impossible not to. Mac-n-Cheese is pretty good. I like the crushed bbq chips on top. I may have to steal that idea. Collard Greens are very tasty. There is so much more I want to try here. Like I said, good thing they deliver!
(4)James A.
Oh wow. Seriously. Head here with two friends... or just one if you're realllyyy hungry. Sit down in the raised chairs facing the window. Order the Pitboss Sampler. Then sit back and marvel at the mountain of delicious fried and smoked and pulled and baked food they bring out. And you know what? You won't be the only one marvelling at the quantities of food - you'll get to revel in the stares of all the people walking past. We actually saw a guy fall off his skateboard because he was amazed at our food; we pulled a couple of people into the restaurant; and we got a bunch of smiles and laughs from a lot of people walking past. Oh, and we left feeling very, very full. Great fun. Recommended!!
(5)Carly K.
Tried it for the first time tonight and my boyfriend and I loved it! You can just tell its great barbecue, they definitely know what they're doing! The pulled pork was delicious, not a lot of fat which I appreciate and the sides were Great too - Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes made the Meal even better. My favorite part was def the cornbread though yum! Also - great selection of sauces for everyone, I'm so picky and loved a few of them! Def recommend
(4)David V.
I recently went here for the famous "All You Can Eat Wings" on a Monday night, and I was not disappointed! The restaurant has a laid-back feel to it with plenty of tv screens and plenty of space. While I only sampled the delicious wings and fries, I was impressed by the look and smell of the other menu items as they passed by our table (on a platter, being carried by a server, the food was not just walking around, that would be weird). I hope to sample additional food here in the future!
(4)FN G.
My first time...stumbled upon it waiting for my car to be serviced in the neighborhood. The Q in this place is amazing. Had the 1/3 rack spare rib plate. Got it with two cornbreads and the baked beans. Nothing disappoints here, and this includes the attentive and friendly service. Their sauces (they have four I think) are all very balanced and unique. I really enjoyed the sweet and pitboss ones the most, as I tend to avoid too much heat these days. But, my small sampling of the Fiery one impressed me as well. Check this place out if you are a RedBones (Somerville) fan. They can go toe to toe with RB all day long...plus I think these guys make better tasting sides than RB IMHO. Their baked beans have got complexity, which is so rare to find since it is typically a commodity side dish. I'm glad I found this place...too bad I live quite aways to make it an easy visit. I look forward to my next visit!
(5)Dessa R.
Based on my fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to have dinner here when I was having a particularly strong craving for mesquite/hickory/BBQ something or another. I love BBQ food, and have enjoyed it in a variety of contexts all over the country. Soul Fire was without a doubt the -worst- BBQ food I have ever had. The meats were dry, and straight up burnt (I enjoy some yummy charring as much as the next girl, but CMON). It had the feel of a trashy fast food joint, and the food was just terrible. Seriously- terrible. Probably my *worst* dining experience in Boston, just so you understand the gravity of my disdain. Shame on you, Soulfire!
(1)Emily H.
My wife and I went to Soul Fire for the first time tonight. The chicken, bbq sauce, and cornbread were all amazing. I also really enjoyed the baked beans and collard greens. Unfortunately the mac and cheese was not nearly as good as I was expecting. Service was great. Prices were great.
(4)Jinny P.
Solid BBQ. Baby Back ribs were pretty darn good, as were the fries, pulled pork, and mashed potatoes. Beef Brisket is just ok. It's the type of place that has different sauces on the table. The waitress we had was super unattentive...had to get up to ask her for utensils, went missing for after our food was served and only reappeared when she wanted to go home (it was toward the end of the night). Other than that, it's not a bad place to come with a bunch of friends, especially during a Bruins game which was the case. Everybody was very jovial that night Bruins won.
(3)D.J. L.
I order a lot of food and eat out a lot but I never feel I must write a review for the places I go to. After eating Soul Fire, I felt the need to share. As one reviewer here said, the true test of a BBQ place is their ribs, and their ribs were excellent. They were dry, so you actually got to taste the ribs (not the sauce) and you were able to put the sauce on the ribs yourself. The spicy links were also delicious. They went very well with the ribs. For sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and the potato salad, and both had the flavor I believe they should have. They both taste absolutely authentic. I cannot recommend this place enough for anyone who loves BBQ food.
(5)Tracy H.
Decent BBQ, good pulled pork and flavorful brisket, love love love the beans! Meh on the fried mac n cheese (kinda dry), i think i prob shoudl've stuck with the regular mac n cheese. Minus one star for the fried chicken (soggy, and small drumsticks/wings only). But that's on me, prob shouldn't have ordered fried chicken at a BBQ joint. Will definitely go back again.
(4)Seth M.
This place RULES! Great eats, super casual, very reasonably priced, totally friendly staff, and great decor. The album covers at the bar are fantastic - even more so because they are playing all that old school soul music while you eat. I had to stop singing during dinner so I wouldn't choke. ;-) Fried Mac and Cheese nuggets were carb-o-licious and full of all the comfort you'd expect from such a thing. Baby backs were served up sans sauce a la Redbones so you can dip 'em in whatever you like. They were very good. The roasted chicken was moist and delicious. DInner for two including two beers was just $42 plus a nice big tip. You can't beat that. Two big thumbs up from me!
(4)Aubrey G.
This place is amazing! Finger licking good! I did have overcooked ribs once, but the place kindly reimbursed me for them and I've gone back a few more times. Don't fill up too much or you'll have a tummy ache, but boy is it good going down! You must try all the different sauces and be sure to order an extra cornbread!
(5)Marcia F.
We really enjoyed the BBQ here. The brisket and pulled pork platter was tasty and plentiful. I had the baked beans (great) and potato salad (good) and my husband had the collards which he really liked. The corn bread was good too. We were a little confused by the ordering at the counter but not paying but the service was quick and helpful. The choice of sauces was nice and we tried different types to decide which we liked best. We will definitely go back when we want BBQ again.
(5)Sergiu P.
The ultimate BBQ heaven: brisket, ribs, wings, pulled pork. They smoke'em to perfection. All you can eat wings Mondays. Get the Reuben, get a beer, have a good time.
(5)Dorothy C.
So much yummy food! Our faves were: corn dog, fried chicken (might be the best I've had since leaving the South), pulled pork BBQ (ditto), mashed potatoes & gravy, corn bread. Just okay, were: single beef rib & baby back beef ribs (both were fine, but dry), Mac 'n cheese (it's fine, but kinda dry and bland, though the sprinkling of crushed BBQ chips on top were fun), and the pickles (again, fine, but not as stellar as the mashed potatoes!) We liked the PitBoss sauce the best. (Firey mustard was way spicy hot and not sweet at all; it looked like honey mustard, but isn't). The Sweet sauce was a little too sweet. Um, we did take-out through foodler, and everything turned out well. Good portions.
(4)Dan M.
Judging by all the good reviews maybe I picked an off night to hit Soul Fire. I was very surprised when I stopped in on a Sunday and found the ribs to be mediocre at best. No flavor unless I added my own sauce from the selection of 6 squirt bottles I was offered. My thought was why don't they pick one and slap it on my ribs? Another problem I had was the meat stuck to the bone like Chinese ribs. I just ate at a Fireflys stand on Saturday and the meat came right off the bone with great flavor. I will give soul fire another try because I loved the decor, music and atmosphere. Sorry I have to call it as I see it. Very bland and undercooked.
(3)Ambrose C.
I recently went to this place on a Monday evening with some guy friends since they were offering this special where you can eat chicken wings in various flavors for only $8.99. When we got in, it was really crowded and we had to wait for a while to get a table. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, we finally got seated. We were given a various sampler plate that had four different chicken flavors. We had no idea which flavor was which just by looking at the chicken wings but all we knew was that some of the chicken wings either had a slightly sweet flavor, a slightly barbecue saucy flavor, or a buffalo-style spiced up flavor. We decided to get several platters mixed with those flavors. The bleu cheese was pretty good and sometimes made the chicken tastier. Celery sticks needed to be fresher though. As for the chicken itself, it was moist and tender, just how I like it. Service was decent, the server was nice, and we actually liked talking to her. Sometimes it took a while to wait for another platter of chicken, but I guess it was because this place busy with so many people. Overall, this is a good choice to eat a lot of tasty chicken wings doused in various sauces on a Monday night with friends. Be sure to have plenty of napkins.
(4)Jason T.
Excellent food. I got the combo plate; the smoked turkey, pulled pork, and chopped brisket. She got the half rack of ribs. Sides were delicious, I absolutely love their chili. Spicy and amazing. Their assortment of BBQ sauces was broad enough to suit most folks. I like the "Soulfire", her the "Pitboss". Quick service and has a couple of TVs to watch the game. As a previous Yelper mentioned, this place is loud. Too loud, hence my 4 star review instead of 5. That and I felt the chopped brisket was just a bit blah for my liking, even with the BBQ sauce which came on it. That being said this is definitely a repeat visit for me. I want to try a few more items and also check out there wing night on Monday. Good stuff.
(4)Joel P.
Came here for all you can eat wing night on Monday's, so my review is based on that only. The wings are solid with a number of good sauce options. They are well-cooked and a decent size, so there is not much to complain about with an all you can eat night in regards to the wings themselves. Beer is decently priced. Service is solid and very nice. They do need to update their website because it says all you can eat wings are 8.99 per person, but my bill showed up at 12 bucks per person. I know, I know, not a big deal, but it's a total pet peeve of mine when places don't update their websites on specials or constant items. You should still come here for the wings. It's a good alternative to the yummy, moderately more expensive, and always full BonChon up the street.
(4)Julia C.
Love Soul Fire! I highly recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, watching the game and getting the sampler plate, which will give you a nice spread of everything. You'll definitely want to order the sampler plate with a friend or two (and you'll still have leftovers). The one surprising part of this place is that it is never busy- maybe I have just gone at weird times, but I would expect a place like this to be packed all the time! The vibe is super relaxed, they have great beer selection, and offer BBQ sauces on the table to spice up your meal! Enjoy!
(5)Laura B.
Sometimes you never know where love will hit you - and I suspected it the least on the day I went out for some simple BBQ and walked into a meat haven with...is that Stevie Wonder on the wall? Aretha Franklin? Am I listening to Earth Wind and Fire? Is this my own personal heaven?? Came in on a Sunday afternoon with a friend and ordered the Pitboss Sampler ($40), which is touted to feed 2-3 people but could comfortably feed up to 6 modest women. My friend and I being only 2 of the latter barely made a dent in it, and each took home leftovers that lasted us each for two more full meals. It's really a great way to get an idea of the total repertoire, and comes with an entire pizza pan full of meat, and one full of sides. Baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, pulled brisket (on Texas Toast), two types of chicken wings (fried and honey glazed), a hot link, cole slaw, mac n' cheese, baked beans, collard greens, potato salad, rice & beans and cornbread w/ butter really rounded everything out. I was a little shell-shocked upon having it brought to the table, but everything was delicious. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, though the pulled pork may be the overall winner for me. Being able to access a line of BBQ sauces at the table made sampling them all way too easy. The cole slaw, potato salad and mac and cheese stood out as excellent sides, while the collard greens (which I don't know if I like in any context), baked beans (a bit heavy on the molasses) and rice and beans (just too carby) I would forgo the next time I come around. The most gracious gentleman I have ever had as a server, he was attentive, had great timing, and a sense of humor. Everyone in the place was nice, even the group of 15 bros who decided the restaurant was the right place to hit after a pre-game kegger. The cheesecake ($6) is also incredible, and perfect to share. Coming back before I move home to California isn't a maybe, it's a must.
(5)Tony N.
I am a huge fan after my first visit, (thank you Groupon). A quick negative....the beer selection is a tad meh. They definitely have some good selections but not what I was hoping for. Maybe the folks at Tasty Burger could lend a hand? Ok, to the food. I had a half rack of spare ribs. These things were monster! The rub is so damn good you don't even need to sauce them up. Of course it's hard no to throw a little sauce on your ribs because their special blends are so tasty. For me the best sauce was the would fire sauce. A perfect combo of hot and a hint of sweet. sides were equally delicious. The collard greens were some of the best I have had and the mac and cheese had that homemade taste and texture you look for, (though To be honest I have had better). I hardly had room for cornbread but the little bit I sampled was good. My wife ordered the turkey plate. Not sure how they make the bird but it had a nice smokey flavor to it...I assume it's smoked. Just like my ribs, the turkey came in a big portion. We also had the rice and beans as a side. Nothing to special but I did like the corn added in. The service was excellent. Waitstaff was very concerned with us having to wait for anything and came by just the right number of times to make sure we had everything we wanted. I can't wait to go back a d try some of their other offerings.
(4)A L.
Tried Soul Fire for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because A, they don't have a full liquor license (just beer & wine), and B, the place is noisy as hell. They play the music way too loud so you can't have a good conversation with your friends. But the food was excellent... Any fried chicken order takes 20 minutes and we were starving so we started with the BBQ wings, which were delicious. I had the pulled pork platter with collard greens and coleslaw and each bite was better than the next. I tried my friend's brisket and that was excellent too. They also have four awesome sauces on the table for you to experiment with. Our favorite was the Pit Boss. So good! Definitely going back!
(4)Jamie P.
Love Soulfire! Long overdue food review. Food is always consistent and always delicious! Brisket and baby back ribs are our go-to. Fried catfish is also light and nicely cooked. Collards are great, mac n cheese is good and has crushed BBQ chips on top, beans are a must-get, and the cornbread is moist and sweet. Wing night is also really good. They have 3-4 sauces to choose from and a "wing of the night". The way they serve them is great. The wings come 4 at a time so they are always hot and fresh. You avoid the wings at the bottom of the basket that get cold and stringy. Food is fast and delicious. Check this place out!
(5)John E.
This was the first time our Yelp! account has led us wrong. We saw this place mentioned on TV and since it got good ratings we decided to give it a try. I am a Southerner and nothing about the food here reminded me of Southern BBQ. It was not good. There was only one waitress and she was terribly overworked; but she was very friendly and she is the reason that we gave 2 stars. The brisket was tough and chewy, and the sauce was terrible. The brisket was placed on top of a piece of bread and it wasn't fresh. The sides, particularly the cornbread, were also bad--undercooked and tasteless. The beans were bad as well and the rice/bean combination was like something out of a can. Sorry to all who likes Soul Fire BBQ. There has to be better.
(2)Stephen D.
I'm a real fan of BBQ, and having spent a lot of time in North Carolina my standards are pretty high. Soulfire doesn't even begin to disappoint, beginning with their friendly and excellent service. The place is very comfortable, and has a fantastic atmosphere. The music is good, not intrusive, and when you sit down it just feels good. It's not smoky, but you can smell the BBQ, and if that doesn't get your appetite in order, you may want to consider becoming vegan. Those good feelings are bound to increase when you consider your options for drinks, ranging from some really excellent beers, to lemonade that I cannot recommend enough. That lemonade is created by pressing the lemons, and combining with homemade simple syrup.. and they are truly, AGGRESSIVELY bottomless. I mean, when we were getting ready to go, our server asked if we'd like to have some lemonade to go. Still, this is a BBQ joint, so lets get down to it. We ordered the Pit Boss Sampler, which has something of EVERYTHING. Hoo boy, it was good. -Pulled pork is in the true Carolina style. -the Spare Ribs are... the best. The BEST spare ribs I've had above the Mason-Dixon line, period. -Baby Back Ribs are succulent, smoky, and off the bone in a heartbeat. -The Fried Chicken: EAT IT. Seriously, this is some of the best you can get, period. Unless you feel like making a pilgrimage down south, you will not find better. -The Hot Link is tasty as hell, meaty, and spicy without being overly aggressive. -The Sweet/Spicy Wings were just that, and really good. -The chopped brisket is good, beefy, but I've had some better, albiet not in this state. **Sidenote: The brisket and pork are placed on a slice of Texas toast, which soaks in the juice and fat.. and it's just... yum. The sides were (almost) universally the best I've had in a BBQ joint anywhere in our Northern lands. The exception was the rice and beans, which sadly just were not very engaging. -The cornbread: Oh god. Yes. So good. So. SO.. good. -The coleslaw: crunchy, fresh, tangy; it's what you want in colesalw. -The beans: Smokey, porky, and LOADED with molasses... so good. -The Mac & Cheese: Not a huge fan in general, but this was very nice, creamy, with a topping that adds great textural interest. -The Collards: I don't like collards, but I like these! A generous addition of mollasses cuts, but doesn't totally eliminate the bitterness. Most importantly, the green flavor is still there, and the greens have great texture; no sulphuric mush here. -The Potato Salad: Best there is... and I'm a deli fanatic. Really... REALLY special. -The Mashed Potatos: Fantastic, creamy, rich, with a fine gravy. The bottom line is that this is a place you can enjoy for the atmosphere, but above all this is truly great food. You can create your own platter from an essentially endless variety of choices, and the set menu is a winner. If you like BBQ, you'll LOVE Soulfire.
(5)Paran Y.
Well slap mai britches and call me hog wash -- this place is awesome!! A gracious purchaser of a Groupon led me to this fine establishment. I was skeptical at first but the portions are hulk*smash large. Disclaimer: this place isn't for the faint-hearted. No non-meateaters or calorie-watchers are allowed. If you are going to this place, you're going ALL IN. Pulled Pork -- BLAM@#$%^. Do I need to say more? Ok I guess I do. succulent, dripping with oh-so-delicious sauce, and cradled by some beans and mac & cheese ( I think it got a little sexual in there). It's enough to inspire you to go for a 5 mile run the next day....or do some shots. Your call there... Not enough sauce? *scoff* Throw on one of their 4 awesomely delicious sauces (my favorite is fiery)
(4)George M.
Me oh my. Yes, yes indeed. That's what my raging horngryness says as I saunter into this meat haven. This is officially one of my favorite restaurants on Earth. I think I love this place. Firstly, secondly, and thirdly, the food is fantastic each and every time. Fourthly, it is reasonably priced. Fifthly, they have all you can eat wings on Monday for $8.99. Sixthly, and MOST importantly, the wings come out as fast as they can manage. I had 27 wings this past Monday. And 27 the Monday before. No, these are not small wings, and yes, the waitress did hide her judgement sufficiently well. The whole staff is pretty awesome. Great selection of sauces (try the Devil's Relish if you want to teach yourself a lesson), good beer selection (try the Pork Slap cause that's just funny), and at times an innovative menu (try the BBQ Reuben). Were it a world where restaurant-monogamy was the societal norm, I would try to slide a ring around Soul Fire's ribs. I want their meat inside me.
(5)William C.
One word to describe this place...Yummy! I cannot speak on behalf of the actual food in the place, but my family and friends have given it a 2 thumbs up. However, I go once in a while to their Monday night wings special (review based solely on this) and the place is usually packed. Typically wait can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on what time you go and if there are any good games on. I have never had a bad experience here at Soulfire as the waitstaff are very nice and attentive for the most part, constantly refilling wings and water quickly. As for the prices, I have seen them fluctuate over the years. Back then it would only cost about ~$10-11 (including tip) for all you can eat wings (no drink, just water). After a lot of variation in their prices over the years, the price tonight was ~$14 w/ tip (no drink requirement). The wings were decent sized and they typically offer 4 different flavors of wings every week. From what I have experienced over the years, they keep buffalo and PitBoss (sweet and spicy BBQ) and rotate the other two flavors. Personally, I do not enjoy the buffalo that they have. I don't know what it is about it, but apparently the majority of the people I know do not like their buffalo either. Tonight I had spicy teriyaki, spicy honey, buffalo, and PitBoss. I'm glad they keep PitBoss every week as it is by far my favorite. The waiters do provide you with a side of BBQ sauces, which include SoulFire, Sweet and Spicy, PitBoss, and Fiery. Remember that if you do not like a particular sauce with the initial 4 wing sampler, you can tell them to take out the flavors you do not like! If you don't they will just give you a full platter of all of the flavors. Also, you can order half platters if you're beginning to get full, but still want more wings! I gave it 4 stars because the atmosphere is lacking, it is dark and often very loud...making it hard to hold a conversation without raising my voice. Also, the waitstaff some times forgot to omit buffalo wings from the next platter of wings I ordered when I specifically told them multiple times I do NOT want it. Place isn't perfect, but is well worth it for a quality and satisfying eating experience! Finish it off with a froyo run to Mixx and prepare for a food coma like no other!
(4)Rose F.
We have lived in Allston for 3 years now and really love having this place right around the corner. Personally, I am a sucker for the pulled pork sandwich and the baked beans. I get it pretty much every time I go and it is always exactly what I am craving: tender, juicy, and packed with slow cooked flavor. Of course, then I drench it in the soul fire or pit boss sauces (or both). The most recent time we went, we tried the fried Mac and cheese which was outrageously decadent, but very worth the calories. My boyfriend is very health conscious and often gets the smoked chicken salad (though he steals his fare share of my sandwich.) It's a very healthy option if you are trying to watch your weight but want that distinct smoked flavor. BBQ sauce makes for an excellent dressing as well. Want to know something else really rad about this place? You can wash down all that delicious smoky BBQ with a nice cold **$2.50** pint of PBR. This may be the cheapest price in the city, which is truly a special find in a place where happy hour Is outlawed. Truly a mecca for cheap beer lovers and BBQ alike. My only gripe with this place (though I continue to return anyways because the food is so darn good) is that service is always a bit spotty. Always friendly and well-meaning, but a bit absent-minded and confused. On three separate occasions, our waiter forgot one or two aspects of our order and had to put it in late after we did not receive it. Maybe we just happen to go when the new waiters are giving it their first go, but this is just a trend I have noticed. Still worth a trip for great BBQ!
(4)Anne W.
I scored an awesome Guilt City deal... and was really excited since the reviews have been mostly positive of this spot. The price is much lower than Sweet Cheeks.. it lacks the hip ness of that spot.. but it makes up for it by the price.. and come on, it's Allston! There is only a beer menu and no specialty drinks. I did think this place was okay.. not great.. along the same lines as Red Bones. There are some really yum things... such as: Fried Chicken (omg.. so crispy and good) Mac & Cheese Mashed Potatoes The other things in the Pit Boss Sampler were middle of the road... I wasn't impressed with the rice and beans, potato salad, coleslaw, ribs, sausage, pork bits, etc. I did not try the pulled pork as it wasn't offered in the sampler. I am still more of a fan of Sweet Cheeks... but still a decent find.
(2)Neal M.
I love love love this place. Awesome food. Great prices. The recently paired down the menu but all my favorites are still there. 1) the pork. Perfection. I like the pit boss sauce. 2) the mac n cheese with potato chip topping. How ingenious. No wonder I'm 195 lbs. 3) the spagetti western- mac n cheese covered with chili. I copied this for a family cookout and 7 lbs of it vanished. 4) the potato salad. I would kill for this mayo less recipe. 5) the homemade pickles! (They run out of these alot) Did I mention I love this place?
(5)Karina L.
Get: - Baby back ribs - Mac and cheese Don't get: - Spare ribs - Pulled pork - Collard greens Got the soulfire platter (2 meats with 2 sides) with the wings, baby back ribs, baked beans, and mac & cheese. The great thing about this platter (you can also 3 meats for a couple of more bucks) is that they pretty much let you choose any meat from the menu. The baby back ribs were deliciously tender and fell off the bone. The taste itself is kind of bland, but I'm assuming that's on purpose so you can use their 4 awesome barbecue sauces freely. They range from sweet and tangy to fiery spicy, so there's a sauce for every kind of BBQ meat lover. Wings were alright. Mac and cheese was also delicious, but don't take my word for it because I love any kind of m&c (including those from the box and when I melt shredded cheese on top of pasta in the microwave). Baked beans weren't my style...too goopy and sweet. Boyfriend got the baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, and the collard greens as a side for fiber (HAH..........). He, too, loved the baby back ribs but the spare ribs and pulled were dry and oily. Overall, a mediocre BBQ experience. Not a terrible option to have, though, considering that they've had 2 groupon/google offers within the past 2 months.
(3)Indhira B.
Good Mac n Cheese, good ribs, GREAT collard greens. Their fried chicken could Be better seasoned. Overall, good food. A bit over priced but worth it if you have a BBQ craving
(3)Cameron W.
Disclaimer: this is New England. Good barbeque is just not something that you can find here. That being said, this place is about as close as you're gonna get to decent barbeque around here. I found out about SoulFire because a friend had their food catered at his wedding. I thought the food was great, so I decided to check out the restaurant in person. It's in Allston which means that you're going to be challenged with finding parking unless you took the T or cab to get here. It was early afternoon when we arrived, so we didn't have a problem with seating. The menu was very simple, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, and some red beans and rice. The sandwich was great. The meat was very tender and good, and the available sauces to try weren't bad either. The potato salad was excellent. The red beans and rice - more like swing and a miss. I've had red beans and rice the way that it's supposed to be made, and that wasn't it by a long shot. But I do give them bonus points for having real sweet tea available. Overall I like it and will probably return in the future. I liked the atmosphere and decor - the soul theme was perfect and fits the restaurant very well. The server was polite and meals came out fast. And everything was good. So why the 3 star rating? First, the red beans and rice wasn't good. But more importantly, when we got there, we weren't able to order any fried foods because they were prepping for a catering event and had the fryers at capacity.
(3)Jeff L.
I'm not a BBQ expert by any means, but I travel a lot and I try BBQ all around the country. Soul Fire hold up to the best I've had anywhere. I live closer to a couple BBQ places, but prefer to make the trip here when I can.
(5)David C.
YES: - Pulled chicken, pork, and catfish. The chicken and pork are tender and flavorful, almost rendering Soul Fire's impressive array of tableside BBQ sauces unnecessary, while the catfish is flaky and moist. Add tartar sauce and a little bit of lemon and you're good to go. - Portion size. The pick your meat platter is gargantuan, and easily enough to split between two people. Get it with the rib and wing appetizer and you can sample the majority of Soul Fire's meats without much damage to your wallet. - Living Social offered a $12 for $30 deal. Couldn't pass that up. - Fried Mac & Cheese. Enough said. NO: - Cornbread. Dry and flavorless. Huge disappointment. - Baked beans. Too sweet. They're good for a couple bites, but they become cloying fast. - Celery in the coleslaw. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO HAVE THIS HEINOUS VEGETABLE BANNED FROM RESTAURANTS??? MAYBE SO: - Service when I went was friendly, but extraordinarily slow. Did I go on an off night? - No wet naps?
(3)Robert S.
I almost feel like rating one star, just to counter the other rave reviews that this place receives. I mean, come on! This barbecue joint is merely acceptable. Just try any of the meats by themselves, without smothering them in sauce. It'll be super bland, just like the greens, rice, and everything else this establishment has to offer. Not to mention that, on numerous occasions, my order has a) been screwed up, or b) items have been forgotten (namely the cornbread, more than once - also, by the way, quite bleh). I dare you to ask any honest, and well-reasoned Southerner what they think about Soul Fire. I can't imagine the opinion would be overly enthusiastic.
(2)Josephine L.
Boston lacks some serious BBQ eats, so residents have to make do with the few joints that exist. It doesn't take long to frequent them all and having done so, I can definitely say Soul Fire is the best. The baby back ribs literally fall off the bone and melt in your mouth (and no, it's not because they're fatty cuts). The fried chicken is so juicy, crispy and pepper-y--3 things American fried chicken should always be. I don't know how they get the fried catfish to be so tender, but it really is perfectly breaded on the outside and moist on the inside. I was not a fan of the collard greens, though, as they were just too sweet. The cornbread wasn't bad but didn't hit me with flavor like I would have liked. Finally, the fries were fat, salty pieces of heaven. Gotta love the 4-pack of BBQ sauces they provide you. I liked them all, even the sweet one, and I normally don't like sweet BBQ sauces. Even though the place was pretty packed and we were warned they were backed up, service was very efficient, attentive and friendly. Prices are dirt cheap. The vibe is super casual/dive-y with food being served on giant pizza pan-like plates and napkin dispensers/utensils pre-placed on each table. If you're in the Allston area, craving meat and DON'T come here, you've failed at life.
(5)bunny g.
delivery people beyond rude. wtf.
(1)Shaina P.
sadly there is no dirty rice, but the Mac and cheese still has those chip crumbs on it. the fried catfish had a kickass crunch. platters are actual platters. the sauces are good (soulfire, that's the BBQ sauce duh; o'fiery, mustard colored, spicy but not even too spicy; pitboss, vinegary edge and my fave esp paired with o'fiery). gotta try the fried chicken next time. bam.
(3)Kelsey C.
I came to Soul Fire because I thought it'd help curb my homesickness for the real tastes of the South until I went home to North Carolina for winter break. And just seeing barbeque on a menu helped, but the food tells me that maybe I should have just waited to go home. The Sweet Tea is about as real as a Gucci purse in Chinatown. They just dumped sugar into iced tea, which makes "sweet" an adjective, not a noun. We asked our server. They don't know how to make sweet tea. That's like drawing G's on a canvas bag with a sharpie and calling it Gucci. We ordered the Pitboss Sampler because it includes all the non-fish meat on the menu. Sadly, everything was not worth having. I didn't mind adding a little extra vinegar to the slightly-bland pulled pork, but I started getting irritated when I realized that the brisket and roast chicken didn't soak in any flavor. But I broke down when I read the menu disclaimer that the ribs were deliberately made to NOT fall off the bone because it "takes away the flavor". I bit into a rib and realized that the meat wasn't falling off the bone because it was flavorlessly dry rather than "flavorlessly" tender. I think I shed a tear. And I think the salt from my tear significantly improved the flavor of the fried chicken. The only sides/food items worth having was the Collard Greens and the Baked Beans. The beans are the reason we're called Beantown, and the collard greens were the best I've ever had. The greens were cooked but just cooked enough to retain some of the original veiny texture. A must-have if you come to Soul Fire. Although Soul Fire may rave about their 4 different barbeque sauces and NC vinegar, but good barbeque doesn't need a dipping sauce. If you never come to Soulfire, I can't say you'd miss much. There aren't a lot of southern BBQ places anywhere up north, but this is hardly worth the hike to the depths of Allston.
(3)Allie B.
I live right around the corner so I had to try it at least once. My roommate and I bought the 2-3 person platter not realizing it could easily serve 4 people. It was kind of like a sampler so we were able to try just about everything. The pulled pork was my favorite and I'm kind of picky as my best friends family does national BBQ competitions. I have to add that I was happily surprised that when we left and forgot our chicken/one bag somehow... A worker/cook chased us down the road to make sure we weren't missing that part of our dinner :) thank you for that!!!
(4)Allison R.
Oh, no! I started drafting this review the day after coming in to this place for a "couple's dinner" of all you can eat wings with my friend, her boyfriend, and my non-committal yet supposedly exclusive non-boyfriend. (Sadly, he totally sucks and we are no more, which shouldn't influence my review or your perception of the place. Just makes it sort of painful yet therapeutic to write this review.) We had a great time and enjoyed the wings (though the sauce is a bit heavy, so it's hard to eat a ton of them), and our spunky waitress was really nice. Service was a little slow (asking us if we'd like more drinks, bringing the bill, etc), but not a huge deal. Anyway, I liked the wings. I found parking right out front. The guy sucks. It'll be hard to go back because of the association, but you should give it a try.
(3)Rosalie O.
My friend suggested this place after our run to get some chili to warm up. It was the second time she suggested it, so I figured it must be good. Service, however, was not so good. We sat at the bar, were given waters and menus, but it was ages before they came back to take our order. It wasn't busy at all, and there were two waitresses, so it shouldn't have been that hard for them to communicate with each other. We were ready to leave when the waitress finally came back. The food was FANTASTIC. Delicious! Hit the spot! Soooooo good that despite the bad service, I will absolutely consider eating there again. The stars are LITERALLY ONLY FOR THE FOOD. Also, there were kids running around, which I wasn't so happy about.
(3)Emily R.
The place had a pretty cool atmosphere though it was strangely empty. My boyfriend and I shared chili cheese fries and the fried chicken platter with collared greens and Mac and cheese. Everything was soooo good and so rich that we took almost half of it to go. Definitely recommended for those who love comfort food!
(4)Alex B.
Came here for Monday night wing night and let me tell you, the fact that you can indulge on wings for $9 until you reach the point of physical pain is such a great aspect of this place. The wings are tender and flavorful and you can choose between Pitboss, Fiery, and Soul Fire. Which are basically smoky peppery, hot, and honey hot. This place has a very relaxed atmosphere and seems to actually have character unlike many places in the boston area. You walk inside and find yourself surrounded by hipsters which can be expected in the allston area. I also love that they have a pretty good selection of beer. And we also tried the chili cheese fries which were very tasty. However the fries themselves were a little ordinary. I am taking off a star because they tooka while to get us seated when there were 4 open tables and when we asked which wings were which the guy was only able to identify one type on the sampler platter we received. Will definitely be back to try other delicious bbq menu items.
(4)Joanna F.
When your first thought walking into a restaurant is "Wow, it smells like Memphis in here" you know it's going to be a decent barbecue experience. I loved the atmosphere - dark, warm and inviting. It definitely fits into the hipster vibe of Allston. My friend had a groupon and the two of us couldn't even spend the $35 because the prices were so reasonable. I was basically forced to order an entree instead of a sandwich to up the price of the meal. I got the brisket. I don't usually order brisket, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the meat was tender and I enjoyed trying their different bbq sauces on it. The sides of cole slaw and rice and beans were fine and the corn bread was awesome. My friend ordered a two meat combo - pulled pork and fried catfish. I have to say, the fried catfish stole the show. I would say that it was better than the catfish I had in Memphis. The service was fine and overall, the bbq was decent. Portions were more reasonable than other bbq joints (meaning smaller) which is why it's so cheap. I liked walking out of there not feeling disgusting from overeating though. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, but it's a good option in the Allston area.
(4)Kristine R.
Damn good BBQ! My friend had a groupon here and we went to redeem it last Friday like everyone else, but it was worth the wait, plus with the groupon, the price was just right. (Though for the record, I would definitely come here again groupon or no groupon). My friend and I were seated on the counter space facing Harvard Ave (good for people watching as your licking your fingers from eating those bbq ribs). Anyway, we ordered the appetizer two chicken wings and two ribs. Both very good, but I do suggest adding one of their bbq sauces to the ribs as it was more flavorful that way. As for the main entrees, I had the beef brisket with mac and cheese and fries. My friend had the pulled pork with the mac and cheese and coleslaw. The meat is atop a piece of bread and the mac and cheese was a little helping, but enough and the fries were a generous amount. The mac and cheese was tasty with bits of bbq potatoes chips on top. I liked my brisket, but I took most of it home as the appetizer got me full. My friend liked the pulled pork and her coleslaw. She also took some of her food home. Service was good as our server was coming up to us periodically to see how we were doing. Prices aren't that expensive with the entrees going for $12-15 and the sandwiches for about $6-7. You can also share bbq platters if you want to sample all the meats. Great place! I'll definitely be back!
(4)Alex A.
The worst thing I can say about this place is that there's no way to leave sober. On a more relevant note, this is probably one of the better BBQ joints in all of Boston, not that there are many around. The prices are quite reasonable, the selections are diverse and delicious across the board. Except the catfish, which sucks dong, but that's really not Soul Fire's fault; I mean, catfish is kind of a disgusting garbage-sucker to begin with. Not much you can do to improve on the fact that it eats poop all day, not even deep-frying it seems to do the trick. So do yourself a favor and don't get the catfish. But everything else is about as good as you would expect it to be. Cover that shit with one of their signature BBQ sauces, shovel it into your mouth, and you're good to go. Oh, and another thing: this place isn't ideal for large parties (i.e., 10 and more.) That isn't to say they won't accommodate them - in fact, when I showed up out of the blue with a group of fourteen individuals in tow, they very graciously found us two large adjoining tables, and even thanked us for our patience. Read that sentence again. A restaurant in Allston thanked its customers for being patient while they were getting ready to stuff delicious seasoned meat down out face holes. I mean, what the fuck is this country coming to? God damn liberals...
(4)Patrick D.
Overall, good spot for some quick food. Cool atmosphere, old jazz posters on the walls, one huge television and a sweet mural behind the counter. Good, wholesome barbeque at a very reasonable price point. Two people ate here for less than $20. I got a turkey sandwich and my date (though I would not recommend this as a real date spot, just a quick little dinner) got the pulled pork sandwich, both of which were very good and simple. I had some of the mac & cheese too which had barbeque potato chips on it. Interesting, creative, not too bad. Decent spot for some quick grub with a friend or two.
(4)Eric F.
Yum! With Groupon in hand and the company of two other empty stomachs, my friends and I ordered the Pitboss Sampler and went to town. The Spare Ribs were delicious with much tenderness and a great dry rub providing soft spicy notes that settled in gradually and became evident towards the end of each bite. A close second, the Baby Back Ribs had nice smokey flavor though were slightly drier. I was pleased to see that the Pulled Pork was well-executed and held its own to that of Redbones - tender and juicy, 'nuff said. I liked the Chopped Brisket as well, but they were admittedly just solid and probably the least impressive of the meats. The surprise winner was actually the Southern Fried Wings! The batter was truly exceptional in that it excelled on all fronts - a sensationally delicate and crispy texture chock full of savory flavor, it needed no enhancement whatsoever. It gave way to unbelievably juicy meat within that made each mouthful an awesome one. I can't forget the Spicy Honey Wings which were also very tasty and made me seriously consider a return visit soon for the Monday unlimited wings special. What COULD be forgotten, however, were the Hot Links - dry and tough to swallow. From the selection of BBQ sauces, we enjoyed the Pitboss and SoulFire the most as they provided a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Spice lovers will undoubtedly enjoy the mustard-based Fiery sauce and as for the Sweet...meh. As for the plethora of sides, I enjoyed Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens the most. Nothing amazing, just good jobs on the classics. The interior's very spacious and service was great throughout our meal - regular check-ins, sincere apologies for having us wait out front for the place to open at noon and lots of smiles all around. Can't wait until my next BBQ feast =D
(4)Mike Z.
I've been here a multitude of times since my first visit with the most recent visit being this past weekend. I've docked star because it seems like the food quality has gone down. The good: The lightly-breaded fried catfish is consistently crisp on the outside but ever so tender on the inside. The southern fried wings are SO good, as with the catfish, it's moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the out. The mac and cheese and potato salad are always tasty, though the cornbread is not as fluffy as before. The not-so-good: The BBQ "party" wings, they call it, was disappointing because the wings itself are considerably smaller than before, but the price hasn't changed. It's oversauced as well. The sliced beef briskets were very dry and tasteless. Now, the briskets here were never impressive, but it seems like it got worse. The baby back ribs went from fall-off-the-bone tender and succulent to dry, hard, and without much taste. Thumbs up also for the unchanged friendly staff, I have not seen one new employee since my first visit.
(3)Edith W.
I like the place..food is great... I had chicken. That was the best chicked I have had in a long time.. Spared ribs were really good, maybe even better than their babyback ribs! (I'm a big baby back fan) The only thing is that the place is big and looks empty. It had AC on when it was only 65 degrees. My food got cold very fast..and the meat certainly didn't taste good when it was cold!!!
(4)Xoxo, B.
Love this place, much better than Redbones in my opinion. Great food, great service and fair prices. My favorite.. Pulled chicken, mac and cheese.. And the pickles! Sauces are amazing too.
(5)Lauren V.
I'm a loyal Soul Fire customer. I live nearby and go often, especially for all-you-can-eat wing Mondays. The place isn't perfect, but in this price range... what is? The digs are just aiight. It's too dimly lit, and the red walls are a little overbearing (on the plus side, no creepy red lights like the Sunset Grill, so at least you won't feel like you're dining in the Lust scene from Se7en), but I'm not there to look at the walls, you know? Music tends to be pretty good - mostly old soul and funk. Good selection of local sports games playing on the TVs, and they have a huge projector on the main wall, so it's a fun place to watch a big game. The beer selection is decent and cheap - a lot of local selections, both canned and on tap. Tip #1: you will be required to order food of some kind if you order a drink - even if it's just cornbread (which is hit or miss, I've found - some days it's outstanding, and some days it's just mediocre). All-you-can-eat wing Mondays: THE BEST. These aren't your typical anemic bar wings, these are big, fat, meaty wings and drummies. There's a standard roster of three flavors: buffalo, Soul Fire sauce (their house sauce - a really solid spicy/sweet barbecue), and (I believe) their Pit Boss sauce, which is a rich, sweet barbecue. The fourth is a rotating flavor that changes every week - on various days, I've had bacon ranch (I died when I ate these, I'm actually writing this review from the grave), Thai green curry (delicious), golden barbecue (nice buttery barbecue), and coconut lime. The new(ish) chef is a whiz with soy-based sauces, so I expect a lot more Asian-inspired flavors in the future. Thank Jesus. Their normal menu is overall done right and priced right. A standout is the fried catfish - huge filets of flaky, moist deliciousness, and the spicy tartar sauce rules. Their fried chicken should also not be missed - it's unbelievably moist and tender with a crispy, mildly-spiced batter. Break away from the standard pulled pork and chicken (though both are good - especially when doused in the vinegary North Carolina sauce) and you'll find some real gems here. Tip #2: ask your server for the South Carolina sauce. It's a tangy, spicy mustard-based sauce that isn't on the menu, but it's the best of the bunch, in my opinion - especially on the fried chicken! Their sides are all slightly different takes on what you might expect from a southern barbecue joint - mac and cheese is creamy and delightful but not overly salty or gloppy, with crumbled barbecue chips on top. Both beans and collards are much sweeter than usual, and neither are cooked into mushy oblivion. The potato salad is as good as mom's, specifically my mom's. A large order of fried mac and cheese bites is easily a meal in itself - deep fried cubes of their normal mac and cheese, perfect for dipping into various sauces. Don't come here expecting the best barbecue you've ever had in your life (this is Boston, come on), but with a grain of salt and a little faith, you'll be more than satisfied.
(4)TJ G.
Pretty good food. If you're looking for some fried food, you can't go wrong. Sauces made in house with some decent variety. Prices are good as well.
(3)Michelle L.
it was 'okay.' service was a little slow (esp. for Saturday dinner). our food was barely luke-warm, so it was clearly sitting before it got to us. disappointed that "jumbo party wings" weren't jumbo by any means, and five measly half-wings cost $7!!! fries were tasty, though, and the collard greens that we got with the beef brisket platter were awesome (except no one told us there was bacon in them). i was really disappointed to hear the the iceberg wedge salad was identical to a house salad (as in NO BACON), and just instead of good lettuce, had wedge lettuce.... needless to say, we didn't order it. the sweet tea was very good. the brisket platter had six slices of COLD brisket (no sauce) on top of a piece of bread - came with two sides and was $13... again, a little pricey. all-in-all some goods, and some not-so-goods, so 3 stars. they really need to serve burnt ends.....
(3)Jeremy F.
Absolutely awesome barbecue and far and away the best in the Boston area. Slades, Blue Ribbon and especially Redbones (blegh...overhyped) don't come close. They have 4 kinds of sauce to choose from and all of the meat is cooked to "pull off the bone" tenderness (vs. "fall off the bone" which is, technically, overcooked) and flavorful, so you can really do without sauce if you choose. Don't tell my grandmother or Godmother, from Arkansas and Kentucky respectively, but the greens are the best I've ever had. Also, everything is reasonably priced for the portions and quality and they're constantly spinning some kick *ss classic soul, funk and R&B tunes through the house speakers! If there were half stars, I'd give a 4.5 and the only reason I'm dropping from a 5 is because since my first visit in 2011, it seems the service has dropped off a bit and some of the food has become slightly inconsistent, a sentiment I see echoed here in other reviews, and I want them to keep their standards high. Still, their "C" level is well above most BBQ joint's A game. Long live Soul Fire!
(4)A M.
Great deal with Groupon. But note that this place does offer a lot of relatively inexpensive items. Ordered two platters, one with pulled pork and baby back ribs, and the other with chopped brisket and spare ribs. All of the good was good. Personally I prefer bbq with sauces cooked on and carmelized. Here everything is smoked, so all of the meat was very dry, and you then have to add your own sauces. While I enjoyed my pulled pork and baby back ribs, I thought the spare ribs looked extremely fatty and I had no desire to try them. My boyfriend did like them. The chopped brisket was surprisingly good, and did not taste at all like what i expected. Note that they do not have a full bar, only beer and wine. If I lived in the area, I would probably go back, even without a groupon. However, since I do not, I would rather spend my money at Texas Roadhouse instead, since I think their bbq is a lot better. (plus margaritas!).
(3)Jen S.
I've been meaning to do this update for a looong time. The fried chicken wings are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Takes a while because they are cooked to order, but 10000000% worth the wait. Had to add this to my previous review. So fried chicken wings + mac and cheese= best meal in Allston (next to shabushabu at ShabuZen) It's also a nice place to eat and hang out with friends (maybe a husband)- and a pretty good place to watch a game. If you want a nice flavorgasm (and have had a dryspell because you've had such bland food for a while), you're in for a BIG LONG ONE! :)
(5)Frank J.
My favorite BBQ place in the area. Not the best BBQ I have ever had, but solid overall and no complaints about the meat. The ribs and brisket are great, fried chicken is standard, and catfish is done right. I always think the easiest way to judge BBQ is through their fried fish - the catfish here is moist with a delicate breading, not at all the hard deep fry breading that crappy places use (fish needs to be breaded differently). I should say that what I get most often is the sliced brisket sandwich - very delicious, competes with the best of the sliced brisket around. I recommend the sandwich instead of the platter. From my experience the platter doesn't come with more meat than the sandwiches. Also, the platters come with "texas toast," which is basically cheap white bread at the bottom of the plate that gets very soggy and gross. There is really no reason for this on the platters, there should be more meat instead. Another reason why I like this place is because I have used groupons (or equivilent) here before and unlike many other places they are actually very happy with the use of groupons. It is ridiculous that many places issue groupons and then have an attitude when you use them - it is supposed to be advertising and getting people to try the food, yet many places discourage you from coming back by giving you attitude for using them. Soul Fire does not do this - they are very friendly and happy to take them. There was an article on one of the sites a while back ( Boston.com maybe?) when groupons were in the early stages and the owner of Soul Fire talked about how great they were - and these statements are backed up when you use them here. I very much appreciate this and for this reason alone I am inclined to continue using Soul Fire as my default BBQ place. Also, I have only had take-out from here and have never had a problem. They generally give you a wait time of 15 min or so, and every time I have come in 15 min the food has been ready to go. The staff here is also very friendly with the take out. Some places care less about take-out patrons because of the out of sight, out of mind realty but not here - great staff (and owner - judging from the article I read he seems to care about the customers). Small complaint - I mentioned earlier that my favorite is the sliced brisket sandwich. This stands true, but some pieces can be half fat, although this is the nature of brisket. When I make brisket I slice off the obvious huge pieces of fat and that is not done here, so you can get a brisket sandwich that has very large solid fat portions. This is my personal preference though so this is not why I gave 4 stars insdead of 5, if they removed the fat there would be others complaining about it and that it ruined the flavor, etc. Doesn't matter but heads up - can be a slight roll of the dice with the sliced brisket, but still what I recommend. So the reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 (they would easily have 5 stars aside from this). They recently raised their prices (not a complaint, it happens and should be expected from time to time) but did not update the prices on their website (the sliced brisket sandwich went from $8 to $9). What happened is that I ordered a lot of food and went to pick it up and came very close to not having enough money to cover it. I understand price increases but you have to put your customers on notice by promptly updating your website - people rely on it. Soul Fire would otherwise have a glowing review but not updating a website considering how easy it is is just not excusible. Overall - great food, great people, my place for BBQ.
(4)Jennifer T.
Went here with a Groupon, but def. reasonable prices even without it. The wait was about 30 mins on a Monday night, but perhaps because it was all-you-can-eat wings night. We got the "serves 4 souls" which came with a TON of food, we had plenty of left overs afterwards - i'd say it feeds more like 5+. It came with a rack of ribs, 1lb meat (you can choose from brisket or pulled pork), 4 halves of hickory chicken, cornbread, and 2 sides. The biggest disappointment was how small the 1lb of pulled pork turned out to be. Like others mentioned, its not cooked in any sauce, but the upside is that you can test all the different sauces they give you. Our group all though the Pitboss was the best - a bit tangy sweet with a bit of kick, and those who liked spicey, also liked the fiery. The ribs were AMAZING though, super tender and HUGE quantity. The chicken was good, but as with most BBQ, it just cant compare with the ribs and pulled pork. For our sides, we got the mashed potatoes and collard greens. The mashed potatoes were tasty and just the right amount of buttery and peppery goodness. The collard greens were also some of the best I've had, I liked that it had more molasses taste. The waitress was also very attentive and checked up on us often. As for the place itself, it was well lit, but rather loud, but not as noticeable once you're seated. A star was taken off for the small portion of pulled pork, and the waters and sodas were served in paper cups, making the beverage not as cold and refreshing, and also wasteful.
(4)Vanessa C.
The food is excellent! Make sure you get an experienced server,though... well, even if you don't;the food is still very much worth the trouble. :)
(5)Joe B.
Soul Fire saved me from culinary boredom. And I keep coming in to give thanks. Their waitstaff continues to be fantastic. Even though the place has gotten busier, I still get great personal service from everyone there. They keep the place clean, your water glasses full, and your drinks poured, and they really seem to enjoy being there. Happy staff equals happy customers, as evidenced by the many other people I see eating there frequently. I recently tried the catfish sandwich. I went into it with some trepidation, since I'd only ever had pulled pork, brisket, or wings from Soul Fire. But, it was a summer night, and I wanted something lighter, so a white fish was my answer. It was excellent! It tasted very fresh, and it had a nice breading on it that provided a little flavor. I'm not much of a tartar sauce person, but their homemade stuff added a nice hit of flavor to the sandwich. I continue to recommend the cornbread and the mac 'n' cheese that comes with BBQ potato chips crumbled on top. Definitely come hungry, and pace yourself. This place is more than worth your attention here in Allston.
(5)Kevin T.
Good to mo betta BBQ! Great serving size, good meat, good beer, good overall experience. I particularly liked the the brisket tips. Gets a little loud though. Still worth it!
(4)Cory B.
I really like this place. The food is great, the vibe is cool, and you would be hard-pressed not to walk out feeling completely full and satisfied. This is truly one of the best BBQ places around (and I've always been biased towards Redbones in Somerville) because it is different. It's comfortable and has that true soul vibe. The fried mac and cheese appetizer is amazing, the ribs are flavorful, and they give you a fantastic selection of BBQ Sauces to use. The only reason this isn't 5 stars for me is becuase I've gone a bunch of times for dinner and I feel like they could do a better job of making it feel like a lively joint. The music is low, and it tends to feel empty. I think that they could lower the lights, pump up the music a bit, and get the place feeling a little more fun. When it comes to the food though, go to Soul Fire.
(4)Owen C.
I was looking for good BBQ in Boston/ Brookline area.... so far, this has hit my fix! I could spend an easy $40 eating up here, and boy does this place hit your BBQ needs I wouldn't say it is a 5 star BBQ in the realm of BBQ, but for New England, its wicked good. I have already gone 4 times.... in 2 weeks :) Coleslaw is amazing, corn bread is close to epic brisket is straight up wicked! Cheers
(5)Amber K.
If this review were concerned solely with the quality of food, I'm not sure there are enough stars to express how delicious it is. I'm actually not the person you should listen to about food most of the time because I'm incredibly picky and prefer things that are bland, straightforward, and standard. I don't even use any of the four (apparently amazing) sauces that SoulFire offers at each table. That being said, SoulFire manages to cater to my depressing palate while pleasing every other person I've ever gone there with. The fried chicken, which is what I order without fail, is absolutely amazing. It is moist and juicy, flavorful, and worth waiting the 20 or so minutes it takes to prepare (if you say you've never been to SoulFire and you order this meal, they will warn you about a delay because it takes a while). I have also witnessed the enjoyment of the pulled pork, baby back ribs, spare ribs, and all of the various sides. Mac and cheese is a favorite (it has a little bit of BBQ potato chips crumbled on top!), and the gravy for the mashed potatoes could be sold wholesale for quite a profit. The cornbread has been a source of a fight or two when there is only one piece left. My fiance and I enjoy the food so much that we are having it served at our upcoming wedding. SoulFire does lose a star, however, on the staffing/service side of things. It's not bad, not necessarily even mediocre, but it's hit or miss. Sometimes the waitstaff can be inattentive or slow, but sometimes they're great. Sometimes, when the place is very busy and we've had to wait for a table, the staff seem slow to turn over tables and seat customers efficiently. It's not enough to make us stop going, not by a long shot, but I couldn't in good conscience give the place a perfect rating when I know that sometimes I walk out of there very full but not totally psyched.
(4)Alana H.
I think there is a part of me that belongs in the South. I love southern food and I could get into calling people sir and ma'am. I got a living social deal for this place a while back and it was getting ready to expire so I came here while the bf was in town visiting. The place was pretty lively when we came on Saturday afternoon for lunch. The bf got a beer and I ordered an Arnold Palmer (half lemonade half ice tea) and it was really good. It wasn't too sweet but still really good. For our entrees I ordered the Fried Chicken Platter my sides were collard greens and rice beans. This was probably the best fried chicken I have ever had. The skin was crispy while the meat was juicy and the pieces were huge. I liked the collard greens they were smokey and yet sweet, the rice and beans were good but not memorable and while I liked the cake texture of the cornbread, it was cold and would have loved them to have warmed it up before serving. My bf the Soulfire Platter with Spare Ribs and Brisket. He definitely had a lot of food to tackle with this order, I tried both the brisket and the spare ribs and the meat was very tender and with any of the barbecue sauces they had on the table was delicious. We left the meal feeling very stuffed but satisfied. Even without the living social deal prices here are very reasonable for the amount of food that you get. I would absolutely recommend anyone craving real southern food.
(4)Chris W.
We live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and saw this place on Groupon and thought we would get the Groupon and try it for some travel we had planned to Boston. We took the "T" from our hotel right to this place and got off on the Harvard stop. It is 100ft off the T. We had $30.00 to spend (alcohol not included). I got a Milk Stout (awesome) and my partner got some beer with a whales tail on it...(also awesome). They had a full bar....but we just got beer. We ordered a 3 meat sampler with brisket, pulled pork, and baby back ribs, potato salad and Boston baked beans and corn bread.....all I can say is that we have eaten BBQ through out the country.....and this place is my FAVORITE!!! I can not wait until we go back so I can eat there! Brisket is hard to master....theirs is incredible....and the baked beans looked and tasted homemade.....and you will never forget them they are so good...even the cornbread was good! They had 4 signature sauces...all good!! Our waiter was great....we took a Brisket sandwich w/baked beans back to our hotel and right when we were almost done with our meal he remembered to ask us if we were ready for him to put in the order for our to go sandwich. Great service!!
(5)Jeff M.
Worst BBQ in Boston. I've had better BBQ in airports.
(1)Mike H.
I love this place. I stop through as often as I can. The service is hit or miss but the food is consistently good.
(4)Chad J.
I used to live around the corner from this place and was very thankful for it. I have roots in Texas where slow cooked BBQ is almost a religion but up here in the Northeast its not nearly as prevalent. I've tried a handful of BBQ places and Soul Fire is one of the best I have found. Their menu is straight forward, the ribs and brisket are slow cooked and always tender with just a bit of dry rub. They have several sauces for you to choose from so everyone can pick what they like which makes sharing the sampler plates much easier. Its also one of the only places I have found Lone Star beer for anyone who is at all nostalgic for that, lol.
(4)Frank B.
I'm glad I saw the Groupon in my email. I went to Soul Fire a few years ago and wasn't too impressed, kept wanting to give it another chance and this was the perfect excuse. Headed to Allston and bellied out to the bar for another try of their BBQ. Our bartender was great, got us set up right away with drinks and menus. I ordered the pulled pork,brisket, with collard greens and potato salad. My wife got fried chicken and beans and coleslaw. For me I was a happy camper from first bite and my wife is comparing other fried chicken to theirs. BBQ is like beer, everyone has their favorites, and likes. Soul Fire will put a smile on any BBQ fan and I'm not going to wait too long before I go back again...
(4)Valerie V.
AMAZING. Pulled pork is light, savory, and a little spicy; the best I've ever had. Mac and cheese is topped with bbq chip crumbles for a unique twist. Catfish was fried with a light, flaky crust which was a welcomed change from traditional, tough corn meal. The mashed potatoes and gravy were so good I had 2 servings. Other highlights from the table included fried chicken tenders (real, fresh chicken- not the frozen tenders), and savory brisket! I love the variety of sauces, the friendliness of the staff, the quality of food, and the value for the price paid. So great that we come from Watertown to eat here and have received great host compliments when our picky eating guests from Texas fell in love with this place too.
(5)Amber D.
I was going to give Soulfire 4 stars, because some of the items aren't THAT great. Then I remembered ordering the Pitboss Sampler platter, and all of those delicious meats and sides that come with it. I'm sure the catfish is good, but I'm not sure I'll ever get to try it, knowing that the pitboss option exists. Also the cornbread passes the moistness/flavour test (try pouring a bit of the sweet bbq sauce on it for that extra touch of flavour!) The atmosphere is pretty nice - a southern feel, without being too distanced from its Bostoniness. The metal plate/tray things with the red checkered paper is unique but in a good way. The utensil and BBQ holder made of recycled 6 pack cases adds to the kitchiness. Long story short, I've had better (being from the Midwest and traveling around the south), but for this area, between this place and Redbones, I can stop missing home quite as much.
(5)John S.
I rounded up to three because of the bigscreen television. Thanks for that, Soul Fire. I've had better BBQ in town, to be sure, but I do appreciate what they're trying to do here in Allston. They're making hip BBQ for hipsters, for sure, clearly trying to fatten up the skinny jean and tight ironic t-shirt crowd with actual food instead of the Top Ramen and drinks from Great Scott they normally survive on. The pulled pork is adequate, the chopped brisket is a bit firm for my taste but technically sound, and the ribs are enormous and sport a good smoke ring. This is good American fare, and I'm happy these Soul Fire folks are cramming it into the Allston/Brighton crowd. They'll be better for it.
(3)Big S.
Luckily I had a groupon for this place. We had to wait a while, one particular waitress was a bit slow and seemed to be screwing everything up, we somehow got to sit before people that had been waiting longer than us. Once we sat down, they brought out our food about 30 seconds after we ordered which is always a bit weird. The house arnold palmer was great. I had the baby back ribs which were quite fatty, cannot be compared to Blue Ribbon for BBQ in this area. Pulled chicken was good, my gf had the 1/2 roasted chicken and she liked that. Sides were ok, again just a bit odd that it comes out so quickly after ordering. Was it already waiting for us? Decent food, not the greatest service. They were busy but I think it was because they offer groupon and living social deals. If you want good BBQ, go to blue Ribbon asap
(3)Danielle K.
My fiance and I have been to Soulfire BBQ a few times in the past and always enjoyed it. Tonight we stumbled upon the $8.99 all you can eat wings special (Monday after 5 PM) . I stuck to ordering my favorite, the delicious pulled pork sandwich, but my fiance opted for the wing special. For the wing special, they 1st bring you a sampler of 4 different types of wings. Then, you can order any amount of wings you want in any sauce. I recommend going with friends who will also order the wings so you don't feel awkward eating while your partner is all through. I got a basket of fries (very crunchy) to nurse while my fiance ate wings till his hearts content. You can easily share the basket of fries between two people, and I kinda wish I did right now because I'm a bit stuffed. The wings were pretty big and my fiance was quite pleased with the meal. If you're in the area on a Monday night, definitely check it out.
(5)Evan R.
I went here twice... the first time I thought it was stupid, but the second time I sort of had it figured out. Soulfire is a bit unique for the area and I think it has a place in Allston. The BBQ I would only grade a B to B+ at best.... but if you consider the fact that you're in friggon Allston, that's pretty good. Of course you can wash your pulled pork sandwich down with a Shlitz.... because..... well, why not? The service is super friendly and the atmosphere is pretty cool, but both of my visits the place was a bit empty, which was a bit weird. By now I hope it has gotten more popular, and I hope to go back sometime soon.
(4)Karen H.
My boyfriend and I walked by this place a million times scoffing at the bro dude crowd and at the presumably lack of pescetarian friendly eats. It took one Irish musician friend who was in town playing a show to inform us that they offer fried catfish. We've been ordering Soulfire through Grubhub every since. We used to get the catfish sandwich but after dining in one night, we fell for the catfish platter ($14 - comes with two sides of your choice, pickles and cornbread). Amazing deal, great barbeque sauces, and you'll leave with a happy belly. I can't speak for their bbq meats, but judging from the throngs of men and women chowing down on endless platters, it seems they are quite popular.
(4)Susan C.
Like the reviewer before me, I decided to try out Soul Fire because of its Groupon deal. I went with a friend for dinner and got there around 7:30pm-ish. The place wasn't too busy when we arrived and we decided to sit at the bar. In terms of food, I was not disappointed, but the service was lacking. I ordered an Arnold Palmer for my beverage, and the girl at the bar never refilled it. I'm pretty sure the menu said free refills, but when I finished my drink, she just took it away and never bothered to ask if I wanted another. I was never offered a refill on my water either. I'm subtracting a star for the service. For my meal, I ordered the Fried Chicken Plate with Potato Salad and Mac n Cheese. My friend got the combo with Pulled Pork and Spare Ribs. The fried chicken was crisp, juicy, and nicely seasoned. I decided to get it after eyeing some other folks at the bar who were eating it when we sat down. The potato salad was quite good as well, it was surprisingly light and was easy to eat up. The mac n cheese was also very tasty, the elbows were cooked to a nice consistency and the side was topped with some crumbled bbq chips. I stole a rib from my friend and it was tasty too. The meat was tender and easily came off the bone with a little pull. I tried out all the thick BBQ sauces with my meats (which is 4 sauces). I didn't fancy the sweet, it tasted like liquid brown sugar and that was about it, no smoke to it at all. The Soul Fire sauce was okay, it was smoky and had a nice bbq flavor to it. The Pit Boss was even better, smoky with some spice. My favorite, however, was their habenero bbq (I think that was the sauce's name, but am not sure because the label on the bottle was missing), it had nice bbq flavor and a great kick to it.
(4)Aleeza L.
I've come here twice now. 1 - All you can eat Wings on Monday night. I should know by now that it's really not worth it for me to pay any fixed amount for wings. I can only eat 5-8 wings. Pointless, but that's my fault. Onto the food and service. It was a little bit confusing on how to order, but when we finally got s big platter, I honestly found that everything fell a bit flat of expectations. The wings were a good size and moist, but the flavors all seemed to taste the same. I wasn't so happy. I definitely prefer dry rubs or places like Wing-It or Wings Over. 2 - Friday night for some regular food with a fairly large group (6). It took forever to get a seat (45min) and another 30 minutes to get food. This was all around 8:30pm so i thought the dinner crowd had passed on, but I was wrong. Bad planning on my part. Most people seemed happy with their dish. I think the only disappointment was with the fried chicken because it was so greasy. The waitress wasn't very attentive. She never came to check on us after we got our food or refill our water; it was really busy but I don't think that should be an excuse. Overall, not bad - my friends and I had a good time, but there was just a lot of waiting. Not the best BBQ I've ever had (Dinosaur BBQ from Syracuse), but not bad for Boston.
(3)Maya T.
Great BBQ! And good sweet tea.
(5)Mahina K.
It's seat yourself but we came with a huge group so we had to wait for a table (8 or 9 people). We were okay because the wait was still shorter than what we did at Red Bones. I'm undecided which I like better yet. I think I like Red Bone's meat better. But I can't choose between the sauces. I like Red Bones Sweet sauce, but Soulfire's was too sweet, but Pitboss was just right. So basically, I can't choose, so don't make me. What really got me was our waitress. She was so nice! With a table this big she didn't have to be because there was instant gratuity added but she was still really nice. And I appreciate that. She really waited on us, making sure we had everything we needed or if we wanted to take anything (like our drinks) out with us. She was extremely attentive to what we needed. Overall I had a great time here and would go back.
(4)Mike G.
If you haven't been here yet... stop what you're doing (apologize to your boss if you're at work) then get in your car, walk, or hitch a ride to Soul Fire and grab some lunch/dinner (depending on when you read this). The food is fantastic! So far, this is the best BBQ in Boston... honestly not the best I've ever had in general, but ranking top 5 overall and definitely ranking number 1 for the area. And being the Mississippi boy I am, that is quite the accomplishment. :-D Had a small group, so we ordered the Pit-boss BBQ Sampler, which was (1) smoked beef sausage, (2-3) fried chicken wings, (2) sweet and spicy wings, (2) bbq spare ribs, a half-rack of baby back ribs, a small portion of cubed beef, and a small portion of pulled pork. You also got little side samples, almost like dipping sauce cup sizes of the side - which included: beans, cole slaw, potato salad, mac-n-cheese, collard greens, and 2 good sized pieces of cornbread. I LOVED everything off the meat plate, and by plate I mean pizza dish with a cookie sheet on top of it (which is how all the plates are). My favorite being the spare ribs. They had a nice char on the outside, but were still good and tender. Nice dry rub coated on top of them, and you had a choice of sauces to poor over them as well, I went with the Pit-Boss bbq sauce, which is a spin on traditional (tomato based) BBQ sauce. It was perfection together. The fried chicken wings were fantastic, so I can only imagine the fried chicken platter (with full size chicken pieces - lol) is just as amazing. The pulled pork has a nice flavor, and was very tender. I couldn't decide between the pit-boss and the sweet sauce for the pulled pork, pitt-boss had a good flavor, but wasn't sweet enough to really highlight the pork... and the sweet was a bit tangy, so it kind or 'overwhelmed' the pork. I did a mix of both and it gave it a good flavor - but honestly the pork is good on its own too. My only complaint, really corrected itself. When we were first seated the lady promptly took our drink orders (but they had home made sweet tea - Fantastic!!). When she brought our drinks back she said our server would be right with us. We waited a few moments then another female came by to asked if we had put in our orders yet, we replied we were still waiting to order, and she informed us she would grab our server. A few minutes later... the same female who took our drink orders, came back for our food orders... and things finally got rolling and no more problems. Other then the initial delay for placing an order, service was great. Drinks were kept filled, she gave us BBQ recommendations and even which sauce paired best with what item. It doesn't matter if you going to sample bits and pieces of the menu, or order a platter/sandwich and dig in... this should definitely be your BBQ stop for the area!
(4)Noah C.
"Mmm." "..." "Mmmmm." "...yeah." "...oh. Yeah." No, it's not an indecent movie. It's the sounds you hear emanating from each table at Soul Fire. The accompanying noises aren't any better - fingers being lasciviously licked, lips being smacked, strange, wet noises echoing around. A colleague of mine that was attending the same conference I was tipped my group off to this place. We came, we saw, we made obscene noises. It always pains me to eat at restaurants on trips - you have to order carefully, because you never know when you'll be back, and if order the wrong thing, you may be left with years of regret. I'm pretty sure I made the right call at Soul Fire, though. I decided to go for the brisket platter, with collard greens and baked beans as my side. There was plenty of porky goodness in both the savory beans and tangy collard greens, and all the lovely pig fat added levels of deliciousness to each side. I also rampaged through my brisket. Tender, moist, delicious brisket. Served the right way, over a giant piece of white bread. As a personal eating challenge I also went for the all you can eat BBQ wings. Once I put the "Fire" sauce on them, they were heavenly, and I went through a ton of them in short order. I wasn't even that hungry when I got to Soul Fire, but I managed to eat like a freakin' pig the whole night. The only star I can dock is for the server, who seemed to not believe in my eating prowess when I ordered both the brisket and the wings. I mean, c'mon dude - it's not like it's gonna hurt the restaurant. He also took his sweet time bringing food and water, which irritates me to no end.
(4)Andrew M.
We made the drive to Cambridge to use our Groupon at Soulfire and it was well worth the drive. We had 35 to spend and were able to get plenty of food to fill us and then some. We tried a combo 3 meat plate (Ribs, Chicken, and Pork) along with a variety of sides. All of it was good. The tables are loaded with different BBQ sauces for dipping and are amazing. The fried chicken wings are some of the best I've ever had and are not too greasy like KFC. The Pulled Pork is delicious and the ribs were good too (though not the best I've ever had). The place was pretty crowded and it seemed like they were a little under-staffed during that time so service was a little slow. All in al it was a great place to go and we'll surely be back. Parking can be tough, bring change for the meters.
(4)Thomas I.
Soulfire is the best BBQ place I have found in Boston... and that means something. I am from the South. The pulled pork is awesome. They have great sauces. The chicken is really good. The sides are solid (I've had Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens). If you are looking for a good southern-style BBQ joint I would definitely check this place out. The only reason that I didn't give them 5 stars was that the sweet tea that I ordered wasn't very good. Other than that, I would highly recommend Soulfire to anyone!
(4)Heather B.
The Q was mediocre AND the resto was dirty. A restaurant should be straight-up CLEAN every minute of every day no matter what they serve or how grungy the 'hood. There is no room for dinge in food service. Better BBQ can be found at Blue Ribbon or Sweet Cheeks. p.s. it was late lunch (3pm) and slow so no excuses.
(2)Erica C.
I recently went back here after not going for a few years. I live a few blocks away and had only come for lunch, but decided to try it out for dinner with friends. I thought the food was great, much better than Red Bones (which I think is very overrated), but I think the decor could use some work. I thought when this place was in its infancy, that the decor was a work in progress, but it hasn't really changed. The red walls are jarring, the lighting is off, and it is too spacious feeling. Almost cafeteria-like. It could really use either some room division or some kind of hanging lights (not spot lights/pot lights). All of my friends agreed when we ate there last week. You kind of want a BBQ place to feel homey and it just has an odd, unnerving quality. I have always liked the pulled pork here, but I tried some new things this time. (I will add that I love that they have North Carolina sauce. My husband is from NC and every time we go there, we love to get BBQ. Of course, it is much cheaper and much better than anything in Boston.) My husband and I shared a fried chicken plate and a half rack of baby back ribs. We both agreed that the chicken was delicious - juicy and the batter was well seasoned. The ribs weren't the greatest. You kind of had to gnaw the meat off the bone. (At red bones, I had to literally RIP it off the bone with my teeth though - not good.) I don't know why BBQ places here can't slow cook the ribs enough so that the meat falls off the bone. We make them at home and they are better than anything I have had in a restaurant. We also started the night out at the bar waiting for our friends and had a couple of corn dogs. Delicious, cheap, and yummy mustard sauce. I drank sweet tea since I am preggers and it was also great. Almost as good as NC sweet tea. I always enjoy the cornbread here. The baked beans were too sweet for everyone at our table's taste. The collards were yummy and the mac and cheese is pretty decent quality. I'll definitely be going back for the chicken and corn dogs. But owners, please make the place a tad more inviting. :) Oh, also, I am not a fan of the quasi "seat-yourself" policy here. Very confusing. Get a hostess please.
(3)Ben C.
5 stars for being the only good bbq place within walking distance of brookline/allston. Kudos to the owners for creating a delicious, inexpensive real food restaurant in a sea of average pizza joints and blah takeout restaurants. Eat the fried macaroni and cheese balls and your life will be changed. I'm not a BBQ expert per say, but I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches/meals and it was excellent. The variety of bbq sauces is unique in allston and yes, I think the food tastes a lot better when doused in the sauce... so do it! I love this place
(5)Vanessa W.
I could probably throw Soul Fire another star, but I have high standards for soul food (look at my picture). The food was definitely good, the fried wings were good, greens pretty damn good, and the ribs were good too. I'm sorry but that potato salad was wack. I was surprised to find bbq chips crumbled on top of my mac and cheese. At first I was like wtf? Then I accepted it and found it quite tasty. Try all the sauces, it's really a matter of preference on those. Oh and no hard alc for all you allston alchys out there. But the beer was good, Harpoon UFO worked out for me.
(4)Sarah T.
It was a beautiful day in November, and my husband and I decided to go grab some barbecue before going to a concert. I will note that it was a little difficult to find Soulfire as there was no sign visible when looking down Harvard Avenue from the T stop. So we wandered a bit not sure which way to continue walking. We tried Soulfire based on the Yelp reviews (especially the fried mac and cheese recommendations). Well, our experience was a disappointment. This should have been foreshadowed based on there only being two other patrons indoors on a Friday; a little eerie. You would think that people would at least be there to drink. We started with the aforementioned appetizer. Although claiming to be "extra cheesy," the fried mac and cheese bites were anything but cheesy. At the least, I would question Soulfire's interpretation of the word "extra" nevermind "cheesy." They were most definitely dry, as if made with noodles and powdered cheese sans the milk and butter required. Disappointing. The sides were a mixed bag. The collard greens were too sweet for me, and it is noted that the menu claims as much. I would have preferred equal parts sweet and salty, though. The pickles were mediocre and nothing to remember or to crave at a later date. The potato salad was also on the sweet side, which is likely do to the use of red bliss potatoes and not enough salt. The one interesting and good side was the coleslaw. It is truly palate-cleansing as the menu states. Oddly, I kept craving more and more of it. For the main meal, I had the brisket platter, and my husband had the spare ribs. The brisket was the worst that I have ever had. It was so dry and brought to mind trying to chew shoe leather. I really could not believe how dry it was and how they were trying to pass it off as beef brisket. Again, this could be why I was continually eating the palate-cleansing coleslaw! Maybe not so odd, afterall. On a better note, my husband thought that the spare ribs were good, not great, but good nonetheless. Our waitress was extremely nice and sweet; too bad the sides matched her persona. Take it from two people who have lived in Texas: save your pennies and spend them elsewhere. This one's a dud!
(1)Lauren C.
This place is awesome. Friendly service, good prices and really big portions. Between my friend and I, we ordered the pulled pork, brisket, collard greens (which I was worried would be mushy or bitter but they were AMAZING), cole slaw, baked beans and cornbread. Everything was fantastic. They bring you four different bbq sauces before your meal. All of them were great, and even better when you mix them together, which we had fun doing. And they have Dr. Pepper- added bonus. I will definitely be back!
(5)Katie C.
Chili fries and pulled chicken were great. The cornbread was ok. Fried chicken, baked beans (way too much molasses and the bacon was burned) and potato salad (too much mustard) were not good. Homemade Arnold Palmer was good.
(3)Jamie G.
Really I want to give this place a 4.5, but decided t round down because I just dont think it's a 5 star place. I came here because I had a groupon, and am I glad I did, because I will definitely be back. Had $35 to spend, we got tons of food (prices are very cheap here!) They kinda have a bad beer selection, not terrible, but not necessarily good either. I had a Harpoon UFO on draft and my friend had a Brooklyn lager. At least we had some decent options to choose from, but wish they had more! For food, we started with the chili cheese fries, which were delicious. Then we ordered the Pulled pork sandwich, with mac and cheese for a side, and a platter with Baby Back Ribs, slice brisket, Baked beans , mashed potatoes with gravy and Corn bread. The pulled pork was by far my favorite thing here, and perhaps my favorite pulled pork in Boston! It has South Carolina vinegar sauce on it and the meat was nice and juicy and the bread was nice and soggy. SOOO good!! The Ribs and Brisket were okay, but nothing special. Brisket way too fatty for me. The mac and cheese had potato chips crumbled on it, it was okay. The mashed potatoes and gravy were plain and nothing special, and the baked beans were DELICIOUS. The corn bread was also really good- with bits of corn in it, and very moist! For dessert, we had the chocolate pecan pie to go, and when we finally ate it at home, it was still delicious-- a little too sweet, but perfect to share with someone. They have BBQ sauces on the tables and set up in a station in the back for to-go orders. The sweet BBQ sauce is the best- the others were all very good too though!! So if I came back, I would get pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and side of corn bread. It's Cute inside, we had Decent service, and I was impressed by the huge portions and low prices. Definitely a solid BBQ place!!
(4)Mehgan C.
Wings, wings wings and Brooklyn lager. No wait, pulled pork and lager. No wait Mac and cheese and cornbread!!Even the collard greens are fantastic. So monday nights are all you can eat wings night. Want to die and go to heaven? Then go monday evenings. Although they do tend to get REALLY busy and you may have to wait a bit for a table. But seriously worth it. Also on two separate occasions went here for a group dinner. Had the pulled pork and MAN are their sauces finger licking good! But seriously, how can you not go into a soulfood restaurant and NOT have cornbread (im addicted to) and mac and cheese. (also an addiction) Now being devout to cornbread and mac and cheese, Soulfire has my card. Simply heavenly!
(4)Shane C.
southern fried chicken wings: 5 stars beef brisket: 3 stars mac n cheese: 4 stars coleslaw: 2 stars corn bread: 4 stars bbq sauces: 4.5 stars
(4)Tom G.
Some things are good, some are over-smoked disasters. The good: Fried chicken. Actually, this is beyond good, it's amazing. Rice and beans. Cornbread. Mac and cheese (although this almost makes it to the bad category, it's pretty average). Beer selection. Prices (again, almost in the bad category but not horrible overall). Service if you eat in. The bad: Mostly everything else. The ribs are oversmoked. So is the brisket. It's a pretty good place overall. I enjoy eating here when I'm craving BBQ.
(3)Laura C.
Disclaimer: I have only ever ordered delivery from here. Actually, I have only ever ordered here on Foodler. Aside from the delivery man, I have never had any contact with anyone who works here. With that said, I am extremely pleased with the food. The delivery is FAST (I live very close and I tend to order in the mid to late afternoon) and the food is hot. I love the pulled pork entree and sandwich. The mac and cheese is to die for. The corn bread is awesome! The baked beans are sweet! The pickles are home made! The sauces are flavorful! The half chicken is a half chicken! Downfall: no burnt ends. There's an $8 minimum delivery on Foodler, which is probably why I ordered from here in the first place. I really want to try the rice and beans, but I'm pretty sure that everything on the menu will immediately clog my arteries so I haven't ordered from here in a few weeks. Now---- if Blue Ribbon was an option I'd choose Blue Ribbon. But it's not, and Soul Fire is a very good alternative indeed. Addendum: My boyfriend won't order from here. He went once, and he said the place smelled too strongly like BBQ. If a strong BBQ smell bothers you, perhaps you shouldn't eat here.
(4)Barron F.
I'm a bit of a BBQ snob. I come from North Carolina where the BBQ is plentiful. I have to say, Soul Fire fills a void that existed for the two years that I lived in New England without BBQ. Their pulled pork North Carolina style is delicious (although I do prefer chopped to pulled, personal preference) and the fries are killer. The best part is that they deliver...low minimum and benefits of foodler bucks make this one of my staples for lunch or dinner.
(4)Erika G.
It's hard to dislike BBQ.. But I give three stars as a basis of comparison to better options in the area. I thought the mac and cheese balls were amazing. I also really enjoyed the variety of sauces and the juicy yet crispy wings...but the fact that they didn't have brisket early on a Sunday night? Inexcusable. For a menu with 5 staple items it should never happen. And the "alternative" chopped brisket was just ok. and by ok i mean pretty disappointing. If was in the area I might return... but I wouldn't consider it worth a trip across town.
(3)Mike M.
Food: I got the BBQ wings and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were great. The best part though? The variety of BBQ sauces to try - each unique and very tasty. Atmosphere: Cool wall art and a generally appealing ambiance. Service: Our waitress was great. Very attentive and friendly. Price: Very reasonable prices. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Jay M.
Very friendly service and good music playing in the background (just loud enough, so we didn't have to shout to each other). We've been here twice now. The vegetarian entree is very good and the mac 'n cheese outstanding (although it's not hot enough), mash potatoes excellent with yummy gravy. The fried chicken, very good. One of us had a bbq beef sandwich, said it was good. The rice and beans, another standout, only again, not hot enough. We had a groupon and came away with a lot in the styro container to take home. Best of all : the delectable Choco-Pecan Pie....amazingly good, with whipped cream on the side. Loved the music (a rare Marvin Gaye was playing!) All around, a good one!
(3)Sara M.
I think I found my new favorite place to get ribs and fried chicken. I was quite put out when Roadhouse changed their menu and I was unable to get my beef rib fix. Thankfully, I found Soul Fire and ordered up spare ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, and fries. My fiance got the smoked chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. I took one bite of that subtly spicy breading and fell in love with the fried chicken. I tend to review emotionally but it was delicious. The spare ribs were not beef but they were still finger licking good. I guess I am just not a fan of collard greens as they are too bitter and sweet at the same time. However, the mashed potatoes were garlicky and delightful. Next time, I am ordering fried chicken with mashed potatoes and allowing it to dive into the nirvana that is my stomach.
(4)Rachel K.
I should start off by saying this review is based on multiple visits in 2010. I started off liking this place. My boyfriend is a big fan of BBQ so he dragged me here a bunch of times. Though I thought it was decent I would never suggest going here myself. Each visit seemed to get a little worse. The food seemed to get worse each time. The pork has no flavor and is gag-worthy. The chicken is ehh. The sides are all delicious--but I can't go here just to eat sides. The service is slow, and I have seen female bartenders cough and pick their nose (using their unwashed hands!!!) while pouring my beer. I couldn't even drink the beer I paid for, and was too polite to call them out. On a positive note, I do like the small but fairly unique beer selection. I overall do not get a clean vibe from this place. I feel like Soul FIre has the potential to be great, but lacks the ability to do so.
(2)Mike M.
This place as almost as sloppy as Whiskey's. Yes I went there. Very poor attempt at Southern/Soul food. I had the spaghetti western, 3 meat sampler, and pecan pie. The spaghetti western really needed more chili and cheese to be honest. I'd have stuck with the fried mac and cheese, had I known that. The 3 meat sampler I had was comprised of pulled pork, brisket and catfish. The pulled pork was cooked far too long, lacked juice and seasoning, and didn't have the greatest portion. It sat on top of a slice of Texas wonderbread. The catfish was just okay; nothing out of the ordinary. Could have used cajun seasoning to be honest. The brisket was too fatty for my taste. The sides I ordered were collard greens and corn bread. The greens were acceptable and came with pot liquor, but the corn bread was completely stale. The pecan pie was pretty good I should say. It came with 2 scoops of whipped creams, loads of chocolate; however it lacked whole pecans. There are better BBQ spots in Boston at around the same price range. Soul fire just doesn't cut in this foodie's humble opinion.
(2)Drew V.
I'm really not sure what the big deal about this place is. I've been here a few times and my experiences have been below average. The brisket sandwich was dry but more tolerable when drowned with sauce. The portions of sides could have been bigger.(Is a spoonful and a half of mac and cheese considered a side?) On another occasion I ordered the fried chicken which looked/tasted to be a previously roasted thigh that was breaded and deep fried. It was a strange combination. The chicken was left too long in the fryer and was way too greasy for my taste. The place is clean though and they do have a big screen tv for watching whatever sporting event is on at the time.
(2)Alan T.
This is a great place for BBQ. I'm catching up on writing reviews for BBQ joints around Boston that I've been to in the past couple of years, and this place gets my vote for #1 (if I were to suggest BBQ to someone, it would be here). It's probably tied for taste versus some of the other places, but it edges out a win in terms of value/portion size (because I'm still not a baller, despite being out of college for a few years already). First of all, we all know BBQ is all about the meat, but the sides can't be an afterthought for a true BBQ experience! This place has amazing sides. You have all the classics, done classically well. No surprises, in a good way. Awesome collard greens, awesome beans, awesome mac and cheese, etc. etc. etc. The sauce selection for your meats are the highlight. The sauces completely blows Red Bones' selection out of this world. Having lived in the south for a few years, I'd say the ribs aren't anything great (they wouldn't win any prizes in competition), but come on! This is BAHSTON! The ribs at soul fire get the job done if you're craving ribs (plus the awesome sides and epic portion sizes = good meal). I also love the location, having lived in Allston/Brighton for a super long time. Harvard Ave. is a great place to hang out. Lots of good food, entertainment... bubble tea places. BBQ and bubble tea after? Sweet.
(5)Chronic C.
Please note this review comes from a guy in redbones and blue ribbon BBQ country. I was not impressed with soulfire. I wanted to like it and sampled enough to firmly say that it was sub par BBQ-wannabe. Beef ribs were super fatty and greasy. Black beans and rice, bland and stodgy. Pulled chicken sandwich, tasteless ad greasy as hell (chicken? Greasy? What?) Fries as "free" side but cost an extra 50 cents (because they were presumably special but not) tasted like diner fries that came from a fryolator that hasn't been cleaned in weeks. Until something better comes along I will stick with redbones. Staff is great so extra star for that.
(2)keith l.
Starving? EAT HERE NOW. Delicious, moist BBQ with sauces on the side (try the Fiery). Mashed potatoes and white gravy after 5pm. Planning ahead? Eat here soon, good sir or madam. Standouts: fried catfish, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, fries. Not so good: pulled chicken (it's dry here, just like anywhere else), sometimes the portions are small, only one (delicious) vegetarian option - rice and beans with corn. Incredibly friendly service - they'll even ask if you want a free soda or Arnold Palmer refill to go. Ask for Stephanie, she's one of the best servers I've ever come across. Just fatting around Yelp because you're addicted to eating/reading about food? Eat here at some future date, greasy soulmate. I like to get the 2 (okay, sometimes 3) meat combo that comes with 2 sides and cornbread. Friends love the fried mac n cheese. The regular mac n cheese comes with BBQ potato chips on top. I haven't gone for all-you-can-eat wings night on Mondays yet, but I plan to soon - you get to choose from Pitboss sauce (their middle of the road sauce), Fiery+Honey, Buffalo or a surprise sauce that changes each week. The first time I was here the pat of butter was served under my wet nap, and i didn't see it until I'd already finished the moist, fluffy cornbread. That's sad. Don't do that again, future Keith/current day soulmate! There's a big projection TV and some cool wall art focused on music (think James Brown n stuff). The bathrooms here are clean, especially for an Allston joint.
(4)Sarah G.
4 Stars for 4 Souls worth of food! Yes, that is what they call their meal combo to feed 4 people. And by 4 people they really mean like 6 people. Our party of 4 with two boys who love to overeat could barely handle this amount of food. You get a whole roasted chicken, a whole rack of spare ribs, a pound of pulled pork, buns for them too, and a pint of pickles, a pint of mac and cheese, and a pint of collard greens too! Won even ordered an extra side of mac and cheese because he loved it so much--it was pretty creamy and came topped with some crunchy goodness. The collard greens were pretty darn tasty too, I just wished the sides were a little bit bigger. The roasted bbq chicken was so moist and delicious though. And pairing that with some of their awesome cornbread and one of their 4 sauces they have on the table is just perfect. Their fiery sauce is hot the way I like it and their soulfire sauce would be my next fav. I think I ate way too much of their sauces because they were just that good. And those spare ribs kick the butt of the ribs at redbones by far. They were way way better. The pulled pork could have been a hair more flavorful, but second you put that addicting sauce on it, it becomes amazing almost instantly. Soulfire with your cool decor inside you are now my fav bbq spot that next time I visit I should wear expandable pants to. Oh and yay for $2.50 pints of PBR too :-)
(4)Caroline C.
Four stars for their monday night special of unlimited wings for $7. There were 4 different flavors of wings. Honey bbq was my favorite. The lime flavored one was kinda weird. The wings aren't the best I've had, but couldn't complain about the price. I liked the spicy sauce (forget which one it was called). We also ordered the mac and cheese balls. I don't think they were that amazing. Potato puffs from Gregoire's in Berkeley, CA is better in my opinion.
(4)John Jaewan C.
Wow, What a hidden gem in the heart of Allston. Great for large groups of friends to just chill over some succulent BBQ and FRIED CHICKEN. The wait is not so bad-we came in at a busy hour apparently.. but the interior was nice with two big screen TVs playing Bruins hockey and the overall ambience was very hip and modern. The entrees each come with two sides, and you choose from a variety of selections including collard greens, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn bread, to name a few. My entrees of choice were the rack of spare ribs and YOU MUST TRY THE FRIED CHICKEN. A lot of places serve fried chicken that tastes stale and dry but SoulFire chicken I swear has some kind of juice injected into it to retain maximum moisture and tenderness. You can't go wrong with the chicken. Try it with the Fiery sauce or the SoulFire sauce- those were my personal favorites. Would definitely come back for more and more and more
(4)Mags R.
Been to this place a few times and is def one of my top BBQ places. I would kill for their fried Mac and cheese! OMG! I forgot all about it... I must go this weekend! The pull pork is also very good and the staff is really cool, lay back and friendly! Def recommend :-) Didn't give it 5 stars because the selection of sauces is on the weak size and I love spicy BBQ sauce and theirs is good but not so hot.
(4)Nick M.
Great every time I've been here. Bartenders are always friendly, food is always good. Go here. Grab a beer and some meat add BBQ of choice. Enjoy.
(4)Nicole S.
Okay so after I almost burnt down the house making pizza we had to get some take out. Long FUNNY story but the black pizza was not edible. We always order the same chinese or sushi so we decided that we would finally order from Soul Fire. We dusted off the menu that was stuffed into our mailbox ages ago and placed an order. I was impressed with how well the take out held up by the time it arrived. I ordered the pulled chicken plate and the boyfriend ordered the pulled pork plate. For my two sides I got mac and cheese and red beans and rice and boyfriend got mac and cheese and collard greens. The pulled meats were on a piece of thick white brad. Sadly by the time we got them the bread was really mushy. The red beans and rice was basic, the collard greens were sweet (as opposed to the vinegar taste we are used to) and the mac and cheese was great. Their was a bit of spice to it and the texture was great. The meats were tender and seasoned well. I give this place 3 stars just because we did not really experience service; the delivery guy called to say he was right outside and was down across the street. Ummm.. cant read numbers?
(3)Bryant F.
Ok when we have a function at work we usually get SF. Everything is good except on 2 different occasions the fried chicken wings weren't cooked all the way through. 5 of us couldn't eat it. Who want to see red or pink in their chicken?! Other than that the rest of the food was good.
(3)Sarah D.
I was drawn here last night with a promise of "The Best Wings in Boston". How could I pass that up, right? I am not a dummy, so I laced up my shoes and moseyed on over to Soulfire. As it turns out, I don't think these are, in fact, the best wings in Boston, but I do think that they are pretty darn good. First off, this is a BBQ joint, so the wings here are grilled, not fried. I tend to prefer fried wings, personally, but I think these suckers benefit from the alternate cooking method, specifically in that they don't dry out the way fried wings can sometimes tend to do. They are juicy and flavorful before you even put the sauce on them. But I am a sauce guy (saucy, if you will), so forget that noise. Saucewise, I wasn't impressed with the Buffalo, but I could dig on the BBQ varieties. The star of the show, at by my measure, was the Honey Hot, which was sweet and spicy and blah blah blah i liked it. The best part? The price. Monday is all you can eat wings for $8.99. If you, like me, can only put down 10 or 12, this is a decent price. Buuuut, if you are like some of my more accomplished wing-eating friends who can destroy 3 dozen of them, this is a steal. 2 people, endless wings and 4 PBR = $28 plus tax and tip. I think I can handle that.
(4)Ellen L.
leaves a lot to be desired. this place is ALWAYS empty... self - service restaurant with walk up ordering contribute to the ultra fast food / casual dining experience. Unfortunately, the place almost echoes because of the stark decor so it felt a bit akward. Very cheap food, and tender meat. I didn't think that the flavor was cooked into the meat, but rather, the sauce was added on as an afterthought. also, the cornbread was cold. the least they could have done was faked it w/ a microwave. veggie sides were lacking in taste.
(2)Brian P.
I lived in Allston/Brighton for over 6 years and am so sad this place didn't exist when I called the neighborhood home. I now live over 5,000 miles away and was happy to see this new addition to Harvard Ave on a trip back to Boston. I can't say this is the best southern style bbq I've had... but so what, this is Boston and to be honest, it is nice to have a non-noodle, non-pizza restaurant in Allston. I've come for the all you can eat wings once which was a great deal. The cranberry hot wings were a nice thanksgiving addition. We also got the greens, rice n beans, and mashed potatoes for sides. The greens and potatoes were very good. The rice and beans so so. I've also tried the brisket and pulled pork. Those were both pretty good as well. Corn bread was yummy. I loved all the tvs for sport game watching. Things I didn't like? The first time I came the service was pretty bad. We waited about 5 mins before someone came to greet/offer us a table. Once seated it took forever to order. The last time was a lot better but still had some problems flagging down our server to order more wings/beer. I guess this is expected as the place is always busy. I guess the only other negative is parking, but, this is life in Boston.
(4)Alicia G.
I have been here a few times before and always enjoyed it. I almost forgot it existed since I'm not in the area much and then I got the Living Social deal and all the delicious memories came back in a rush. I scooped up the deal and dragged the husband to dinner. It used to be a counter place with a giant chalkboard menu, but it now has waiter service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We got fried mac & cheese appetizer and it was delicious with a hint of spice on the crust. I got the cubed brisket with mashed potatoes and mac & cheese. It was all delicious (especially the mashed potatoes!), but I wouldn't go for the cubes if I had to make the choice again. My husband got a kind of sampler plate with ribs and fried chicken. Holy crap, the fried chicken was amazing. I ended up filling up on his fried chicken instead of my own brisket. The corn bread is a bit different than I am used to with big cranberries in it. It was tasty, but I think I prefer plain cornbread. I would give it 5 stars, but it was a bit pricey even with no booze. UPDATE: Apparently the cranberries in the cornbread were just a holiday special for Thanksgiving.
(4)Tim Y.
Awesome place for some BBQ! A good pulled pork sandwich plus a side for 8 bucks, and drizzle on your choice of the four BBQ sauces (soulfire, sweet, chili, and pitboss) they bring to your table. I personally like the sweet BBQ and pitboss, because the soulfire wasn't as strong and the chili/spicy tasted pretty much like hot sauce. P. S. Will be back for 9 dollar al you can wings on Monday nights
(4)Erika M.
Do that to me one more time, Soul Fire. My husband's job has catered lunch from this place once a month or so. Every time he tells me, "Soul Fire Tuesday" I get a food boner. The only relief from this food boner is a bite (or 400) of their Mac and Cheese and their sexy brisket. Mouth climax. I think I'll roll over and get some sleep now.
(5)Kelly O.
$8.99 all-you-can-eat delicious wings: YES. We'd been meaning to check out this deal, and last night finally got the chance to stop by SoulFire for the first time. The 3 of us cozied up to the bar around 6, ordered some cheapish beers from the friendly bartender ($2.50 PBR draft, $4.50 Sam draft), and waited for the onslaught to begin. For starters, they bring you a 4-piece wing sampler of the 4 types of sauces they have, 3 which are standard and 1 which rotates, so you can pick what you want to gorge on. The standard ones were all solid (2 were sort of spicy, 1 was typical BBQ), but the special sauce of the day Apple Bourbon was outstanding so we all decided to go with that. About 5 minutes later (these things are made to order so it's not instantaneous), a giant container of wings was set down in front of us and we went to town. These are no wimpy wings, we're talking big meaty drums and wings cooked to juicy perfection and slathered in amazing Apple Bourbon sauce. I'm sort of in love with that sauce, I probably could put that on just about everything I eat and be happy. I also ordered a side of baked beans ($1.99, nice and cheap) which I found delicious... the reviews are correct, they are very sweet and molassey, so if you're not into that don't get them. It just so happens that sweet/molassey + porkey is a flavor I love in my beans, so I was personally really pleased with them. Additionally, each table has a selection of 6 sauces you can add to whatever you order, ranging from sweet to standard BBQ to hot... I didn't mess with the Apple Bourbon perfection, but I could see this being great for a normal meal here. We did have to wait a few minutes in between each wing order, but understandably so since they were cooked to order and basically the entire restaurant was getting them. The atmosphere here is pretty casual, with paper wing containers and metal plates with a paper overlay for sides/mains. They even have paper bags at each table to throw your wings/bones away, a nice touch. The bartender/waiter serving us was really friendly, chill, and attentive, which I really appreciated during something like an all-you-can-eat when service can totally be in the crapper. I'd be willing to try SoulFire on a normal night given the food quality and service/atmosphere, but you can bet I'll definitely be back for Wing Monday.
(4)Kevin D.
BBQ party wings are tiny and meatless. They recently switched from their signature jumbo party wings to these minuscule things. I asked the chef about the switch and he said it was a money issue. Too bad, the old wings were great.......
(4)Rini G.
hmmmm..... ive been there for the all you can eat wings. Which I have to say are good. The wings are a good size and the sauces are all pretty delicious. I like that they bring you a tasting plate first, so you can decide which flavour of wings to pig out on. We also took out the 40 buck tasting menu home one night, and it was good. There were 7/8 sides, all of which were pretty tasty and lot of meat. Except for the short ribs, everything tastes good. The place gets 3 stars, because i really dont like the short ribs. I would definitely go back for all you can eat wings. Id actually give this place a 3.5 if I could.
(3)Joanna C.
Was in the mood for BBQ, even though we had a fairly large lunch. No matter, I still dragged my heartburn plagued bf to a trip to Allston to sample some Soul Fire after perusing the Yelp reviews! We could not find parking for... multiple minutes/blocks/miles. Finally found a spot in a "permit only" area and decided a ticket was well worth it after circling and circling and circling around the mile radius of Soul Fire. A brisk walk through what lookeded like a mini-Koreatown, we finally got to our destination! And it was... empty. Seriously. We passed some hopping restaurants so seeing only one table occupied here was a serious red flag for me. But... once our food started to appear, HEAVEN. Started with the Honey Hot wings, which were giant, meaty, perfectly spiced and sauced. Mmmm. BF had the pulled chicken sandwich with baked beans, which he quickly devoured. I was hankering for ribs, so had the 1/3 rack of the Pork Spare Ribs with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a cornbread square. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Collard greens were slightly sweet and were highlighted by bits of bacon. Mac and cheese was CREAMY, CHEESY, and topped with the BBQ chips which made it PERFECT. Seriously. Reeeeally good mac and cheese. Ribs were MEATY and FATTY and DELICIOUS! I doused them in the Pitboss BBQ sauce, and went to town! And... couldn't finish! 1/3 rack = 4 meaty spare ribs. I was able to finish 3 of them and about half of my sides. I really cannot WAIT to eat my leftovers. Cannot believe how GOOD the BBQ was, and how empty the place was given how reeeeeeeeeally good the food was! But it looked like their delivery business was absolutely jamming. So... understood. If I lived within delivery distance I'd totally be ordering them up weekly! Solid 4 stars. Loved the quad of BBQ sauces available.
(4)Christine B.
SO good! We had the pit boss sampler. Delicious. Great atmosphere and cheap beers! Service was excellent. Can't wait to go back
(5)Lusi F.
Normally, I really like this place. This is the third time I've ordered food from there (first time take-out and next two eat-in), so why the one-star? I went there for lunch yesterday, and they served me what I'm pretty sure was day-old baby back ribs. The menu says these should "fall off the bone," and from having ordered it previously 2x (either by me or friends I was with), I KNOW that their ribs do not taste like what we got: cold, hard, definitely not fall off the bone/clean bones. The most embarrassing part, was that we had brought two friends with us raving about how good their ribs were. Well, let's just say none of the four of us commented on the ribs this time during lunch. Yes, the fried catfish and everything else was still excellent, but I think it's just really poor business practice to serve your customers day-old ribs.
(1)Jen D.
If you like Texas style BBQ then this isn't the place for you. I grew up in the South and like a variety of styles of BBQ, but being a Texan I especially like what I grew up eating. Soul Fire is about as authentic as Olive Garden is to Italian. After reading reviews I was excited to try Soul Fire, but it was horribly disappointing. The sauces were so so which made the pulled the chicken sandwich I ordered rather lackluster seeing as it was covered in sauce. The fried mac and cheese was on the dry side and was tasteless. They only have sweet tea. Any BBQ place back home would offer homemade sweet and regular tea. My friend ordered a wedge salad with a side of pulled pork and the salad wasn't what one expects from a wedge salad. I tried a bite of the pork and it was ok. The "buttermilk ranch" dressing is dreadful! It tastes as if it came out of the most bottom shelf bottle of salad dressing. I'm giving Soul Fire two stars because the cole slaw was to my liking and the waiter was both friendly and cute. I might go back for the Monday night wing night otherwise I won't be eating here again.
(2)Peg P.
A vegetarian being a fan of a BBQ place?? YOU BET! The side dishes and add ons at BBQ places are my favorite. Sour Fire had PLENTY to choose from - I could have had several meals here without repeating side dishes. They also had a vegetarian option of the menu, which was really great. I opted for the vegetarian plate which included: black beans and rice flour tortillas pickles cornbread salsa/sourcream/cheese It was excellent. Perfect portions and really great spicy flavors!! I will go back again and sample more of the side dishes. They had a good beer selection, the service was good, and the price was reasonable.
(4)Peter K.
A great place to grab a casual meal. The BBQ may not be the best in the world, but it definitely hits the spot if you're craving some BBQ. The pulled pork sandwich was worth the price and the service was friendly.
(4)Paul A.
Man do I like this place. I've sampled a lot of the menu but I always come back to their rib platter. The "Pit Boss" sauce is out of sight, but they've got a great assortment of other sauces as well. As much as I love ribs and cornbread, I'll show up just for the mac'n'cheese which has crumbled BBQ potato chips on top. That blew my mind!
(4)Tom D.
My girlfriend and I just moved to Boston from Texas, and were really wanting to find some good bbq. We went to soul fire not knowing what to think and left totally impressed. The brisket my girlfriend ordered was great and the pulled pork I got was delicious. Not to mention the sides we got (potato salad mac n cheese, and baked beans) were unbelievable. I would recommend this place to anyone! Also, the restaurant has a very cool atmosphere as well, and portions are great!
(5)Anne R.
Have you ever had a cramp from eating too much? Yeah, that was me on a Monday all-you-can-eat wing night. It started with an innocent sampling of four of the biggest wings I've ever seen and then didn't stop until I waved my white flag of surrender. Looking around the room, I wasn't the only one in a painful bliss of wing consumption as others were leaning back in their chairs with a pile of bones sucked dry in front of them. The sauces are all quite exceptional with complex flavors and marinade style texture that allows the meat to remain center stage. I also had a chance to sample some of the ribs, pulled pork, and corn bread- all were equally tasty. The atmosphere is more like a bar than a restaurant- the waitress is there to bring your food and bar beverages, but soda and water refills are up to you with a fountain at the back of the room. Overall a great place for BBQ!
(4)Maria D.
Fried chicken platter? check. Baby back ribs platter? check. A variety of truly amazing sauces? check. This place is pretty sweet. Different vibe than Red Bones and definitely a go-to place for bbq. Came here with a groupon and used it up no problem and was NOT disappointed. Did I mention how delicious it is? Ambiance is very cool, and I definitely suggest sitting at the windows. We got to witness a 4 police car scooter chase to retrieve a man on a stolen scooter. And yes, it just so happened to occur right outside soulfire (the pull over, not the actual steal). Back to the food... Ribs were fall off the bone delicious. However, I was much more intrigued by the fried chicken platter. With such a variety of sauces, you really gotta take advantage and order something to douse in them (not like I didn't sauce up my ribs anyways). I will for sure be coming back.
(4)Stephanie M.
Now first off, my 3 stars are only based on the fact that I didn't eat an entire meal here. And with that said, I really liked what I did eat. Before heading to the movies last night my boyfriend conned me into trying out this place. It was my first time, and he hadn't been there in years. Two words: Macaroni and cheese. Especially mixed with a cold beer and a decent atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and joked around with us which really helped with the fairly laid back atmosphere they had going on. Their cornbread was phenomenal. I almost couldn't stop eating it. I'm not much of a meat eater, but even the potato salad was pretty good. A little too onion-y for my tastes, but I can be a picky polly. Apparently their BBQ left such an impression that before heading back home at 10:30pm, my boyfriend ordered an obscene amount of take out. You know, to save for later.
(3)Annette A.
First, I absolutely love the vibe of this place. It's warm, dim, and welcoming with hues of flaming red and orange all around. For my food, I had a Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of Mac and Cheese. The Pulled Pork was absolutely amazing, but it seemed like a pretty small sandwich. I'd suggest a slab of cornbread of fried chicken if you're looking for something to leave you aching for a nap.
(4)Dorian G.
I always enjoy a good BBQ feed, so after a friend of mine reviewed this place here, I decided I had to try it. I had the burnt ends, which were good, but I wasn't crazy about the sauce they were in, and I wasn't too crazy about the indigestion I had a few hours later. The rice & beans was delicious, with plenty of spices to keep you interested. The mac & cheese was good with nice tortilla (?) bits to give it some crunch. Cornbread was tasty as well; I wish I had some right now! A friend of mine got the 3-meat entrée, and the ribs looked delicious! The portions hurt my eyes a little, but they were served on a big pizza pan-type tray, so it could have been an optical illusion. I left feeling satisfied, so that was enough, but for what they were charging I thought there should have been more. I had a daily special, so perhaps those are a lighter portion. Soul Fire has a nicegreasy BBQ joint feel, silverware and sause served in a cardboard 6-pack box. Plenty of suds on the menu to keep the whistle whet, and for those with an insatiable thirst, soda pop is free refills (that's worth a star right there). Bathroom was fairly clean, plenty of literature adorning the walls to keep you occupied while you're busy, normally that would be a demerit but in a place like this it just seems to give it character. Server was very friendly & attentive. Our drinks were never empty and she even drew a little picture for us on our tab! A buddy remarked how they "needed" more tvs, but one above the bar and the big 72"+ projector on the wall was more than enough if you ask me. Relatively easy to find, parking may or not be an issue if you're on four wheels, but if you're on two feet its easy to get to. Tasty food, good beverage selection, free refills nice atmosphere, friendly service. I would definitely return!
(3)Matt C.
Honestly not even sure where to begin. The cornbread? The fried mac n cheese balls (bar none the best around)? The brisket? The ribs? Maybe the pulled pork? The homemade sauces? I just don't know. I have no words. Everything was beyond delicious. Go with friends, order a platter, and try it all. You'll be glad you did.
(5)Naji K.
I went to the Soul Fire BBQ restaurant in Allston excited about getting some serious bbq. Unfortunately, it didn't go as well as I had hoped. The restaurant was much more of a college scene than I had expected. Everything from the tables, chairs, silverware, and the service were all second rate. It was almost comical how the waitress had no interest in making sure we were comfortable. Once she took our order and dropped off our food we had to motion like we were hailing a cab to get her to notice us. The men's bathroom was disgustingly dirty. With that said, the food wasn't too bad and the prices were fair. But, it also wasn't anything special. They did have the biggest projection TV I've ever seen. So, if you're interested in a no-frills BBQ experience you have found the right place. Otherwise, I would try somewhere else.
(3)Jonathan Y.
Just awesome food every time. The cornbread is perfect and with out a doubt some of the best sandwiches and ribs I've had in a long time. I never leave this place disappointed and we always order in from here while working. Just cant beat it. I also love the sauces they have.
(5)Sean O.
Crazy good BBQ. Immediately apply the Soulfire sauce to your Southern Fried wings when they hit your table.
(5)Coren D.
Barbecue in Boston? Such a contentious topic, many barbecue lovers would be tempted to say, "No way, not possible." True, we don't have our own regional style, like Memphis, Texas, Kansas City, or North Carolina. Frankly, I've never been to any of those places and tried the Q there. I only know what I like. Smokey, tender, moist, but not greasy, not too saucy, not too sweet. Enter Soulfire, which has rave reviews from it's fans, and mediocre reviews from others. Three Groupons later and my final verdict, 3 stars. Starting with the brisket, very flavorful, there was plenty of smoke, a crispy bark and the meat was juicy. However, it had a thick ring of dripping grey grease along the edge that had to be trimmed off before eating. The pork spare ribs are meaty, toothsome, and well seasoned with the dry rub, but again, too much fat. OK, so maybe you're saying, "Dude, it's barbecue, it's supposed to be greasy, get over it." In my opinion, well done barbecue has most of the fat rendered off during the smoking process without drying the meat out. Finding globs of white fat stuck to the meat means it wasn't smoked long enough and cooked at too high a temperature. For the rest of the menu, a great find was the fried catfish. Flaky but not oily, crisp on the outside, but not dry, the catfish filet pairs well with the house barbecue sauces. The fried chicken was good, but a tad too sweet. I think there must be a lot of sugar in the marinade and the breading, because it comes out of the fryer a deep dark brown, instead of a golden color. It also is soggy with grease instead of crispy and light. The sides are decent, but everything seems to be made with way too much sugar. The baked beans, collard greens, cole slaw, corn bread, and chili are cloyingly sweet, and not savory enough. So to summarize: too greasy, too sweet. Is there better bbq in Boston? Definitely, but not bad for Allston. Good news, $2.75 PBR and $3 Lone Star.
(3)Jessica H.
Great food, just had the ribs and mac and cheese with BBQ chips for dinner and it was Awsome!
(5)Scott S.
Soul fire has a decent offering of barbeque. I've had better, but it will definitely satisfy if you're craving BBQ. I've been there about 5 times, and everytime i go, the place is deserted. There's never anyone in there, and they also have a HUGE projector on the wall, always on espn. A great place to chill and watch some sports with friends, the sauces are awesome, but the food can sometimes be a little disappointing to big BBQ fans like myself.
(4)M. R.
Soul Fire is crazy good! Their mac and cheese is some of the best I've ever had - topping it with barbecue flavored chips? Both genius and tasty! If you're on a diet you should probably avoid this place because they serve you tons of food for not that much money, and it is all greasy and delicious. I can't think of anything I've tried at this restaurant that wasn't totally fantastic. Plus their bartender (it's the same girl every time I go in) is really nice and friendly.
(5)Sarah R.
Soul Fire was just what I needed on Saturday. Boy and I were running some errands in Allston and stopped in for a quick lunch that didn't come in a Styrofoam container and wasn't redolent of the microwave. I'd been meaning to go here for a while after walking by countless times. Apparently Saturday afternoon is the right time to go; we were the only customers in there and left just as a fair-sized group of BU kids were stumbling in. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with mac & cheese. Boy had the beef brisket sandwich with rice & beans, and also tried one of the bottles of Harpoon Root Beer (which turned out to be quite yummy). There's a nice little assortment of different types of BBQ sauces with which you can doctor up your food, but I found I didn't really need any. My sandwich was messy but delicious, and I tried my best to stretch out the eating experience so I could savor it more. I did this by pacing myself with the cheese-tastic mac & cheese, which was delightfully sprinkled with BBQ chips. Oh hai, LDL cholesterol! My only complaint regarding the food rests with the fact that they serve sweet pickle chips on the side. I maintain that sweet pickles were conceived of and brined by Satan himself. It speaks volumes that boy, who is a native Texan and thus has had more than his fair share of good BBQ, thinks this place serves good food. I think it's a step above Village Smokehouse, and I have yet to go to Redbones, but I'll definitely be returning here to get my BBQ on.
(4)Robbie R.
I went to this fine establishment on Friday with my girlfriend and my two roommates. It was a cold night... one that makes you hold a loved one close and ponder just why it is that you choose to live in an environ in which such harsh winter conditions are the norm and public transportation is so habitually disappointing... I had originally thought to go to the Sunset Bar and Grill, as I had yet to go for a meal and had been told that it truly is much more than just a mediocre Eagles song. But the ladyfriend brought up Soul Fire... and am I glad she did. Located on Harvard Ave, and balls deep in Allston Village, this place is a breath of fresh air into the lungs of diners looking for somethign other than your typical pub-fare or fill-in-the-blank-with-an-asian-country cuisine. BBQ is the type of food that I almost never buy, yet absolutely love when someone makes it for me and hands it to me on a plate. Sushi is also the same deal. You just learned a few interesting tidbits about me... congrats. So anyway, when perusing the menu, I had to go with the pulled pork sammich. I also got a side of mac and cheese, and a side of potato salad. I couldn't help maself. Then we also got a side of cornbread as an appetizer... WHEN IN ROME!!! The cornbread was good, the pulled pork amazing, the mac and cheese amazing, and the potato salad was 'meh.' Roommate #1 got some mashed potatoes which were the bomb, and my better half got some baked beans which were also mighty good. Our waitress was dope and laid-back. She didn't mind splitting our bill between the 4 of us or handling 4 different cards. Forgot to bring our drinks before our meal... but we jogged her memory and there was no harm done. The meal was ready in 5 or 10 mins tops. We left satisfied and went off to watch The Silence of the Lambs and continue with our carnivorous cavorting.
(5)Rachel L.
Not bad, for a BBQ place. Boyfriend took me here the other day, and we split a full rack of spare pork ribs, and it was pretty good, but there was tons of fat that I'd have to pull off before every other bite. It was good though, not too dry. They offer you four different sauces: sweet, soulfire, fiery, and I don't know what the other one was. I liked the soulfire sauce the best, and my bf liked the sweet sauce the best. We got potato salad and collard greens for sides. The potato salad was good, probably from a nearby grocery store. Collard greens were alright. The cornbread, I thought, was pretty good. It wasn't too processed, like Boston Market's cornbread or anything. They also had mac n' cheese, coleslaw, and a few more sides I can't remember right now. This place had apps like wings, chili, etc. They had three or four different salads, sandwiches, and ribs. Prices were ok, considering the amount of meat you're getting. I think the full rack of ribs was something like $23. The thing that impressed me the most was that we got our food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. Bathrooms were pretty clean, and decorated nicely. The interior was also decorated kinda nice, painted bright red, and music-related art hangin on the walls. There's also a big TV, always playing some sports game. But yeah, I recommend getting the ribs.
(4)Brittany B.
Ordered delivery from this place... not a fan. They seemed very frustrated with me after writing down MY number wrong and stated that they "called and called" and I did not answer. Pardon me for not verifying that they had the correct number, I thought that was their job. After rectifying the situation, they then tried to say that they could not get into my building because the front door doesn't allow entry. However, I have received delivery many times without an issue. The catfish tastes like the batter is ordinary batter that one would fry shrimp in, the mac and cheese was cold and the collards were sub-par. If you really want TRUE BBQ, I would say go to Blue Ribbon and if you just want some good down home cooking, try Slade's. I won't be ordering from here again... perhaps I shouldn't have ordered delivery.
(2)Nate B.
It took 10 minutes for the bartender to even give my friend and I the time of day. It was a Friday evening and we had eaten at Soul Fire once before, so we figured why not stop by for a drink. The bar had around 6-7 people at it, all happily munching on food and drink all while we sat waiting for the bartender to notice us. Finally I got the bartender's attention after angrily glaring at the other bartender who nervously tried to get our bartender to see us. Once I did manage to flag her down, she informed us that if we weren't getting food with our drink that their alcohol permit would not allow us to eat there. This information, after 10 minutes of waiting with out even offering us a menu. That aside, the food is filling, the sides are tasty, and the portions are decent. It's small, and has a warmth and vibrancy that comes from its deep red walls and album covers that decorate its bar. The pricing is 8-10 dollars for most entrees and options for side combinations. Service is inconsistent. Our first trip there a few months ago was fine, in fact our bar tender was extremely friendly and was bouncing with excitement as the Celtics won. This past trip was pretty awful, and it will be hard to get me to go back. I have a theory about why we weren't served, but I'll save that for any who wishes to message me in private. Enjoy, but make sure you get foodz with your booze...
(2)Kelsey A.
It pains me to give this one star. But what pains me more is the number of times my friends and I have given this place a shot and ended up with severe stomach illnesses. (I'll spare you the details). The first visit went well with no problems. The cornbread is good, the mac and cheese is good - but other than that, the food makes me sad. First, the collard greens are inedible. Second, we had "issues" 4 times after that initial visit. I hate to think it and I'm not saying it's fact - but I feel like there was something wrong with the meat when we ate there. I know you're thinking, "but if it made you sick, why did you keep going back?" I went back because I love the concept of the place and the service is quirky. The bbq doesn't taste terrible when you're eating it, it's just the aftermath that makes me go, "thanks, but no thanks." I feel like I can fairly give Soul Fire one star.
(1)David E.
One word says it all: "eh". Some of the sauces are good but overall, it could be better on so many levels. The mac and cheese earned it 3 stars instead of 2. Highly recommended as a side.
(3)Sheila S.
I was VERY pleased with this place. The deep fried macaroni is tasty. Our main was delicious. The beer selection and homemade lemonade get extra points. Just 1 star off for a pretty horrible dessert... don't get the fried dough.
(4)J E.
Soul Fire is one of those places that will show up when researching a good place to get wings around the Allston area. You will find a decent selections of tasty sauces, yummy corn bread to cut the flavor, and cold beer to wash it all down. Depending on which night you visit, you may find yourself with the decision to impulsively get the all you can eat wings. *cough* Monday. And if you aren't up for stuffing your face, try the fried mac and cheese balls or the ribs. The restaurant does take orders for delivery, but I would advise agaisnt it. I fall into the catergory of people that blatently ignored the comments that maticulously pointed out that the delivery is painfully slow, and should never be done if it can be avoided. Needless to say it took about 2 hours to get my food, after several phone calls and the discovery that my order had never even be written down. Regardless, if you visit the restaurant, you don't need to worry about that.
(4)Ashley M.
Went to The Roadhouse last week and thought it would be fun to search for a great BBQ place. This was definitely a good experience. There was plenty of seating and space, very accessible. We chose to sit table-style instead of the booth(tried to get away from the television distraction). Our waitress was very friendly but a little distant. The beer selection was limited but ok. Next time I want to try the Harpoon soda! I had the pulled pork platter while my boy had 1/2 rack spare ribs. The meat was plentiful and tasty, especially with the house sauce. The sides seemed skimpy but in the end they were just enough to complement the main dish. We tried the baked beans, mac and cheese, and potato salad. The beans were fantastic. The potato salad tasted just like how mom makes it (good thing :), and the mac and cheese, though cover with crumbled BBQ potato chips, lacked something. A little dry. There were plenty of left-overs and no room for their minute dessert selection (fried dough or lime squares). The price was very reasonable and if I was craving bbq I would definitely go back.
(4).amy E.
This was a crucial part of a friend's and my "GREAT MEAT ADVENTURE." That's right. We used that phrase multiple times, unaware of it's other meanings without context. Not really. We wanted BBQ, and since Blue Ribbon wasn't easily T-accessible, this jumped to the top of our list. I'd forgotten to write down the street address, so we wandered past it a few times on Harvard Ave while we looked for it, convinced that we would have smelled it or, you know, felt its righteousness in our hearts when we got close. It was only when we did that awkward-caving-and-calling-friends thing that we discovered we'd been standing right in front of it all along and surely that was guidance from the hand of fate, where "fate" = "411". We ate until we were full and then we kept eating because it was really damn tasty. It's not *real* Southern BBQ because we're in New England, but it was almost on par with it, and that worksforme. Also, the fried mac&cheese nuggets made my day. This is the kind of place that truly reminds me of how terrible I am for being an ex-vegetarian: while I would love to return to those roots, I am just too weak when there is BBQ like this out there.
(4)Alex T.
This is probably the cleanest BBQ/Soul Food restaurant you will every come across. I havent been here much but I will say that their ribs are excellent. I ordered a plate with two sides, greens and mac & cheese. The greens was very basic and not as flavored as some other soul food places I've been to. You can really taste the biterness of the greens. The mac & cheese was just creamy with lots of melted cheese. Soul Fire is a very welcome addition to Allston eateries to me and brings yet another aspect of ethnic foods in this little area.
(3)Gil F.
This place is awesome! It has an interesting decor and it is group friendly...the food is also what I crave when I want some good BBQ! I've been here a few times and it hasn't disappointed me.
(4)Liza M.
OMG so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a groupon, which made it even more awesome. Love all the many sauce options. The fried mac n cheese bites were interesting! I had pulled pork, cooked to perfection. Baked beans and mashed potatoes on the side. Chris had the ribs, and he still raves about them months later. Cornbread was great too. Our waitress was super helpful and explanatory. We even scored a parking spot right across the street.
(5)Vito M.
First and foremost, I feel like a distinction between "barbecue" food and "cook-out" food must be made. From what I've gathered after living in the south for a good number of years, a cook-out is anything that involves a grill and meat. Think hamburgers, hot dogs and the like. BBQ generally involves a brush and is characterized by slow cooking, rich flavorful sauces (of the tomato and vinegar based varieties), and varying intensity of smoky overtones. Soul fire is truly a gem of the New England BBQ scene. Start with their chicken "wings." Each wing is the entire drumstick-wing combo and they've got such a great subtle smoked flavor. The spicy/sweet sauce is fantastic! The brisket at Soul Fire reminds me a bit of Rudy's in Texas. It's expertly cooked and served on a flat piece of wax paper. Soul Fire's cornbread is stellar, too! The rub on the baby back ribs and the potato salad left a lot to be desired, however. This is a great place to start a night out... if you can find toothpicks on your way out the door!
(4)Warren W.
Back again to Soul Fire with the girls and friends. We have lots of friends when dad's buying. Saturday night about 6:45 and we timed it just right. Wyeth, the owner, is behind the counter organizing sees us and immediately comes over to renew and talk about old times and the restaurant. It's come a long way and we can't wait to tear into friend chicken, and pulled this and that, and ribs. Youngest is late as usual as she is directionally challenged still after 5 months in Boston. Beers flow and I really like the wheat UFO on draft but screw the lemon. Out comes a sampling of his latest creation Buffalo wings in a creamy tart blue cheese and hot wing sauce. 7 to 8 on the hot scale for most and a freakin' 9 for me. Lips were numb for 90 minutes and a didn't know beer was touching my mouth until most of it poured down the front of my fleece. Onto the fried mac balls. Liz, the bride, ate so many I thought she wouldn't do the pulled chicken. She dips hers in ketchup!! Fried wings were beyond crispy and super golden brown and juicy. Everyone seems to have different tastes in corn bread this is my absolute favorite.....moist, sweet and corny. Out come my baby backs 1/3 portion and I could only eat two. They came with mashed which were creamy and with a nicely salted gravy. I love baked beans and the smokey taste and chocolate color just make these different among all others. We had more than enough to take home and I finished the corn bread for breakfast. Soul Fire got crowded about 7:30 and really filled up but I noticed the tables turn quick as the food comes out real fast and the service is efficient. On the service end, Wyeth has changed his approach from ordering at the register to table side servers. Much better and turns the crowd faster. So 5 stars, pain to park, I know a secret on this area of parking expertise but you do take a chance. Go there.
(5)Amy L.
The service is lightning fast. Unbelievably fast. I almost always get the pulled pork sandwich, which is excellent. I like every side I've tried, especially the cornbread, which is sweet and has whole kernels of corn. The collard greens are good and never overcooked. The mac and cheese was a little bland. It also had crumbled potato chips on top, which I had never seen before and found a little unnerving. The only sauce I've tried is the North Carolina, which is nice and vinegary. And wow, the service is fast.
(4)Nicole P.
eh... Had dinner here with my friend Jess G. last night and am not a huge fan. It's a counter service self-seat place that has a huge space but is not inviting. They could do so many cool things with such a large space; it's a shame. There are lots of tables- some high tops which are cool but the chairs are hard and there is just a lot of empty space. I dunno- they need to warm it up some how. The food was blah- I had some wings. They only have 1 flavor and it was ok. My gf has had the pulled chicken before and said it wasn't good either. I did like the cornbread and coleslaw and the mac n' cheese looks great. Jess G. said she liked her fried catfish but I noticed she didn't finish it... I think the menu needs more options and the food needs more flavor. The prices were cheap- maybe they should raise them and spend more money on the food. They *do* have beer. The service was great- very friendly staff. I say skip it and hit Blue Ribbon bbq! (My favorite bbq in MA)
(2)Lauren T.
If you're going to steal your restaurant concept from Blue Ribbon, at least get it right. Soul Fire BBQ is acceptable if your in a pinch for cheap fast BBQ. Yes, they have good platter selections, yes they offer a variety of tasty southern sides. But there is NO CREATIVITY, QUALITY or TALENT! The wings were tender, but just dipped in sauce. The only flavor in the macaroni and cheese was the bonito type flakes shaken on top. The ribs were almost all fat. The bread was fresh on the Pulled Pork sandwich, but the meat was too dry, with not a hint of flavor. Soul Fire offers a BBQ sauce bar similar to Blue Ribbon, but without the variety of sauces. They keep the sauces heated which is a very nice touch, but does not help too much when the sauces are bland and atypical "Fiery", "Sweet" and "North Carolina". Soul fire offers a small but acceptable beer selection, but get something in a bottle until the employees master a good pour. The ambiance is mellow and cool with the soul background, but does not offer much to the "BBQ" joint feel. I would almost feel more comfortable ordering a martini in there instead of licking sauce off my fingers. Like I said, it's not a bad place if your in a pinch, but next time I will save my money and head to Blue Ribbon or Redbones
(3)Raymond W.
Soul Fire definitely lost a step on my most recent visit. I arrived around 11:45 with the place empty and the restaurant stank of bleach for our entire meal, which was quiet off putting even though it meant that they had been cleaning. The brisket I got was decent, but not as hot as I would have liked and the cornbread was somewhat dry. The cole slaw and baked beans were both good, but it just wasn't as satisfying as it had been in the past.
(3)Linda H.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this place got such great reviews. I went to Soulfire last night to quench a serious bbq craving. The place was EMPTY. The tables were sticky. Still, my friend and I each ordered the Soulfire Platter to try bits of everything. My friend got the pulled pork and baby back ribs with cole slaw and mashed potatoes. The best part of his meal was the cole slaw and cornbread. Everything else was pretty bland. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a box. I got the brisket, which was ok, with the roast chicken and sides of mac and cheese and beans. My sides were fine, nothing special. The pickles that came with the meals were sad, thin discs. We were expecting thick delicious spears of pickle! Last night was a huge disappointment, I won't be back.
(2)Sofia H.
alright bbq, not the worst i've had in boston area but def nowhere near the best... what is quite nice is the price though and you get a decent size meal. I tried the pulled pork sandwich and it was good but the side of mac and cheese was really quite excellent. The locale itself is also really sparse and spacious... in somewhat of a negative way. I felt that there was too much empty space and when the place isn't packed (like it was when I went) it just seemed a little cold. an alright place to go grab food in allston if you don't feel like leaving the neighborhood
(3)Brian M.
The gf had heard good things about this place. I was a little wary, finding Barbeque often over-rated. She was jonesing for some red meat and it was mid-week quiet, so we gave it a try...Hallelujah! Mine eyes have seen the glory... This place is a meat-eaters heaven. We tried the ribs and the brisket, both divine - flavorful and not too dry. The sides were excellent also - I generally find American coleslaw to be a pale, inspid imitation of the hearty stuff we eat back home, but Soulfire's is great - tangy and just every so slightly crunchy. The mash potato was great as well, although I honestly could have done with a bigger portion. Particular praise also for the gravy - made me want to get some fries to pour it over (my fav comfort food). The BBQ sauce was also v good - just the right side of spicy - you get a tingle, but it doesn't zap your taste buds. The staff were very pleasant and friendly, although one thing to note is that there is no table service as such - you order and pay, then grab seating (or not) and then collect your food when its called. Bring on the meat sweats!
(5)Sarah F.
Forget BBQ. If you like fried chicken (and who doesn't?) this is the place for you. Crispy, juicy, and flavorful. Mmm! Serve that up with some cornbread mac and cheese and baked beans and you're set. Delicious and nutritious! Well maybe not so much...
(4)Andrew A.
Soul Fire BBQ sits in the heart of Brookline right next to wonderbar and therefore seems to have a revolving door of clientele from BU. My friends got the chili as a starter and loved it... I myself waited until I got my meal and OHHH what a meal it was... I had a full rack of Baby Back Ribs, Mac n' Cheese, French Fries and Cornbread. The Baby Back Ribs weren't fall off the bone (Soul Fire claims if it were slow cooked that much it would lose some of its flavor) but they were good and combined with Soul Fire's signature sauce were very tasty. The Cornbread was excellent, now I wouldn't say I'm any connoisseur of cornbread... But this was just the way I like it flavorful and moist. The Mac n' Cheese was by far the best I've had in a long time and the portion they served was just the right amount, enough to augment your meal well but not enough to have you bursting at the seems (the other stuff does that well enough on its own). As for the fries I have to say I was far from disappointed... The seasoning that Soul Fire uses on their fries makes them almost addictive, like crack cocaine or something... The service was pretty good, and although I called ahead and told them I'd like a table (they don't take formal reservation) we still got seated at a communal kind of table (the likes of which you might see only in Germany). Meanwhile when a table opened up and we asked to move to that table, they told us that it was reserved for a party of four who called ahead, not a night changer, but not in the win column for them. The wait staff here was also very friendly!
(4)Rachel K.
I went back because my friend had a groupon so we thought we'd give it another chance. We got there early (5:30 pm) and that may have made the difference. Or we just had a better server. But the service was fine. The food was still very good. I'm still keeping them down to 3 based on past experience. But this is a definite improvement!
(3)Ryan E.
Disclaimer: This rating is based upon the take-out experience(s) I've had. I have never actually eaten in the establishment. Pulled anything is fantastic. Meat is tender and the rub is savory and delicious. My preferred sauce is the pitboss although it's completely subjective. The Sandwiches are a GREAT deal. Generously sized on a soft bun, they come with one of Soul Fire's quality sides...my favorite of which is the mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese is something the gf and I often order a quart of. It's topped with crushed bbq potato chips. If you're a fan of Siracha, try putting it on their mac and cheese---I can't ever go back. Southern Fried Wings on the app menu are big, crunchy outside, and juicy inside. They come with a spicy red pepper (I think?) creamy dipping sauce that is fantastic. I would get them more often if I knew I wasn't already going to be so full from the go-to sandwich and mac n' cheese. Ribs are decent but I think rival Red Bones has the edge here. Corn Bread is the best I've had in Boston--dense, sweet, with real corn kernels. Overall its on the top 5 places I routinely get takeout from and every time, in the middle of the meal, I think to myself "Damn, this was a great idea".
(4)jake l.
Soulfire, Soulfire, oh Soulfire, oh how have I judged the shit out of you based on your geographical location and reviews. You have proved me wrong. Anyways, I had the 3 meat platter and I was very impressed. Pulled chicken, superb. Beef brisket, superb. Baby backs, superb. The meats all had just the right amount of smokiness from their obviously mixed combination of woods and none of the meats were dry. The sides of Mac, slaw, and cornbread were good as well. Check them out, this is a very fairly priced bbq meal around Boston. Under $20 for a 3 combo meal, which BTW is overloaded on the plate. Additionally, the gentleman preparing our meal (presumably the owner) shot the shit with me and poured me some SC bbq sauce that was not on the menu yet, so that's thumbs up for social interaction.
(4)K C.
Only 4 stars because once I ordered delivery and they forgot my Spaghetti western, the dish I was craving the most! If you try it you'll understand! Super relaxed atmosphere, and really nice staff. There is so much I recommend trying, because everything I've tried... Which is a lot of food, has been so flavorful and delicious! BBQ jumbo wings- tender & juicy, Pulled pork sandwich or entree- top it with what ever sauce you like (the staff are willing to explain the flavors) a little messy, but the meat just melts in your mouth, mac & cheese is really yummy topped with bbq chips for a little crunch. If you like BBQ I recommend stopping here! Grab whatever you like, and I'm sure you'll enjoy.
(4)Joe R.
Best cornbread ever. Most cornbread falls apart, or is just too fluffy for it's own good- Soul Fire's cornbread was moist, dense, and sweet. The mac and cheese was also very good; they crumble BBQ potato chips on top of it. The pulled pork was good, and their sweet BBQ sauce was delicious. I'll be back (and probably grabbing some extra cornbread for the road)!
(5)Pete C.
Executive Summary: PORK IN THE VEGETARIAN RICE AND BEANS DISH. I don't know why a vegetarian would order from a soul food restaurant, but on last count I've ordered delivery from Soul Fire at least 39 times over the past year or two. Veggie entree + mac and cheese were both consistently tasty and convenient, but pricey. Delivery always claims to take 45 minutes when I order through foodler but more often than not takes an hour, 1:15, 1:30 sometimes, without phone calls or apologies. Previous orders have been also been screwed up/required redelivery, again without any apologies. Last Thursday was the last straw - main part of my order was forgotten, and when they redelivered it later I got partway through before tasting something "smokey" in the food... spit it out and realized I was chewing on a piece of pork. In my vegetarian rice and beans. Manager I talked to on the phone explained that it is very easy for the meat to accidentally get mixed in with the vegetarian rice and beans and offered to send me a gift card... presumably so I can order more vegetarian food with meat in it? Sarcasm aside, I've never really had any concessions like this before when orders took ages or things were left out or screwed up, so maybe this means they've at least stepped up their management game a fraction. Whatever. I'm done, will NEVER eat here again. And before meat eaters reply defending the place, I will fully admit that I'm an idiot for 1. being a vegetarian spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars at a soul food restaurant(?!!!), even if it is on a "vegetarian entree" 2. not complaining about this place a lot sooner Speaking of #1, if you're veg you'd have to be an idiot to risk eating at this place when there's tons of real veg options in Allston. You are not their target clientele, you are an afterthought which is why they are charging you 9 DOLLARS for rice and beans. As a last point, the night this happened the manager I talked to said she would be talking to the person in charge the next day and asked if she could call me back then. No calls back, presumably since there's nothing they can do about it. Nothing I can do about it either, except post this review and warn you guys.
(1)Anna L.
I LOVE SOUL FIRE! This restaurant is undoubtedly one of my top restaurants. Where do I even start?! The pulled chicken sandwich is delicious, the rueben is amazing, the mac and cheese is to die for, and their corndogs (which come in a set of 4 mini dogs) takes the mother f-ing cake. Oh, and lets not forget the yummy lemonade to wash everything down with! I have no idea how anybody could possibly not like this place. Soul Fire always has great music playing in the background and a really awesome staff in addition to great food. The restaurant is kind of dark...but the tables are always clean!
(5)Ryan C.
I found Soul Fire to be perfectly adequate barbecue. The restaurant was admirably clean, but the atmosphere is a little upscale for a barbecue joint - closer to a downtown club than a down home rib shack, which is fine. Flat-screen TV set to the Olympics was a decent background, but I generally dislike TV in restaurants. A couple friends and I split the "Pit Boss," enough food for four to five people, and were not disappointed. The chicken and cornbread were excellent, the ribs and pulled pork were pretty good, though the ribs were a touch dry. It's not cheap eats, but it's a good value for the money.
(4)Ted P.
First off I have to put the disclaimer in that Im from Florida, and BBQ in New England definitely is not on par with what I am used to. As BBQ goes in New England SoulFire pretty good. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, but I didnt want to give them 3 stars either, so 4 stars it is. It is a true 4 stars for Boston BBQ spots though. The pulled pork is decent and the beef brisket is pretty good. The sauces are decent as well for(again,New England BBQ). The sweet tea is VERY hit or miss. Some days it horrible, some days it's the best I've had in Boston(note I said in Boston). Lately it has been bad though. Today it tastes like it was either left out too long, made with sugar in the raw, or something along those lines. It was slow(I was the only person in here) and I asked if instead of the bun they could butter some Texas toast and toss it on the flat top or grill for my pulled pork sandwich. I got my pulled pork on untoasted Texas toast with four or five pats of butter on the side. Not a big deal, but I found it pretty amusing! Overall I do like the place, it's the best BBQ I've had in Boston so far, and it's only a couple blocks from me! Score!
(4)Nick M.
Soul Fire is the best place in Allston to get a plate of comfort food. The beef brisket sandwich is one of my favorite items to get, as the meat is always tender and cooked to perfection. For sides, try the mac and cheese - its delicious. Prices on food and drinks are reasonable. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner on a Friday or Saturday. They only serve alcohol to patrons who are ordering food, so the restaurant does not fill up with college students like the other bars in the area.
(4)evan p.
the owners of this place have no idea what they are doing. inauthentic barbeque food at it's very worst. Everything here is a 'nice try', but nothing is made as it's intended. Seems like the owner had his heart in the right place, but no actual knowledge of how barbeque food should taste. Shame really, the staff is nice, Location is right on the walk to most of allston from the Harvard Ave train stop,.the decor is awesome, and the music is always great. But the food? Blech. for authentic boston area BBQ try Blue Ribbon in Newton.
(2)luke b.
MMMM! Delicious! The sandwiches are fantastical and the mac and cheese has bbq chips crunched up on top. what could be better? the salad could use a little work... but the meats were meaty and the mac and cheese mac and cheesy. MEAT!
(4)D. M.
Love this place. Great food, great atmosphere. Have tried their brisket numerous times and have never been disappointed. I usually get it with mac and cheese and cole slaw. Have also tried the ribs and wings appetizer. The ribs were tender, fall off the bone while the wings were nicely marinated and flavorful.
(5)Jeffrey K.
This place really isn't on par with Blue Ribbon or Red Bones. There just wasn't anything special about it. I went there awhile ago and there really isn't much that's memorable to write. I think I remember liking the fried mac and cheese balls.
(3)Ken M.
The waitress was bordering on clueless. I'm also unclear on if refills are free, because she pushed larges on us and then apologized that they only had enough iced tea for a small and then gave me an extra cup for soda, of which they were also out of diet. So the food came up fairly quickly, and it was alright. Nothing special. The sauces were pretty good, but they were also out of one of those. Really? Out of so much? I know it's 8:30 pm on Sunday, but come on! The macaroni and cheese was very good, I only wish I'd asked for a double serving because it was smallish (though probably an appropriate size for a side). The mashed potatoes were good but cool on the bottom for being place just on a metal plate with a thin piece of wax paper separating it from the cold steel. I have to wonder why on a "platter" my meat was still served on bread, as though I'd asked for a sandwich. The pickles were a little too tangy. The cornbread was pretty good. The place is clean but a bit too dark considering you order at the counter, it can't be considered romantic, just creepy dark.
(2)Tarryn V.
um this is prollly the best bbq in boston in my opinion. smoken joes in Brighton is excellent as well, but I prefer the bbq sauce (and they have a selection of 4) and fried mac and cheese balls here. I've had the pulled pork and pulled chicken more times than I can count, and both are always amazing. the chili cheese fries are decent but kinda soggy... I generally stick with the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese (without the doritos on top! they totally ruin it for me!) which are always top notch.
(5)Beth M.
yum yum yum-- just tried this semi-newish BBQ joint this weekend for take-out after a looooong day of snowboarding. It was so super good--all of my tired and aching companions agreed. I got the pulled chicken sandwich with the house sauce, and for only $6 that came with a side and awesome dill/sweet pickles. I chose mac and cheese for my side, which was really great, and seemed to be mysteriously topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? i'll definitely be coming here again to sample the more involved dishes and drink a beer or two in situ. the place seemed relatively quiet on a sunday night, but with all the good reviews it's been getting i'm sure it is usually much more hoppin'. very tasty.
(5)Gretchen M.
I got a half rack of BBQ baby-back ribs for about $14 bucks with corn bread, and two sides. It was delicious! My boyfriend got the full rack for about 21 bucks and it was more than enough. Everything is cooked very well and they offer an array of beers and wines. The atmosphere is chill. You can either sit at the bar or order at the register and then wait a bit for your number to be called. Only downfall: the hardcore food coma I had later that night!!! =)
(5)Ken M.
Good place for some great southern BBQ. Not a big fan of the place as a bar. The selection is just ok and the tv situation is just ok as well. Love the pit boss as it gives you a taste of everything. The brisket and ribs are amazing and the different sauces help make the meal as well. I could drink their pit boss sauce and slather it in the ribs and brisket. They have great mac and cheese and corndogs as well. Food service. A little dark in there even on a sunny day. Overall great food and reasonable prices.
(4)Michael G.
I declare this to be the best barbecue in Boston. If that's not enough to get you to go, then I don't know what is. This is the sort of barbecue that doesn't even need sauce, though spectacular options are provided. Sauce, as you may know, was invented to cover up the mistakes in barbecue anyway. Definitely try the fried mac and cheese bites and definitely try the ribs. The fried chicken is also really, really good, especially since it seems that the chicken gets a spice rub first before it's battered and fried. As for the wings, I'd prefer to go to nearby Wing-It, but they were definitely good. The only thing I want more out of this place is for it to be open later. 11:00 seems like an early closing time for a place with a bar. Then again, the place is nearly empty at that hour. Be warned that your food may take a while to be prepared. Good food takes time after all.
(5)Dave M.
This is a really good BBQ place in a great location. Blue Ribbon is honestly a lot better, but it's a pain for me to get to. Still haven't gotten over to Red Bones so I can't compare it. The pulled pork sandwich here is great, just remember they don't add the BBQ sauce for you, so make sure to grab one of the many varieties they have and toss it on or it'll be a little dry. The mac and cheese here is also amazing, as are the ribs and pretty much any type of meat they have. For the guys: the owner here seems to have a great ability to hire really cute friendly college girls. Having pretty girls to flirt with while you're chomping away on delicious BBQ just adds something extra to the whole experience.
(4)Zoe H.
I live right on Comm ave and Harvard, which is located really close to Soul Fire, and I have to say that I love this place. To barbecue connoisseurs, the food may be adequate to disappointing, but for the rest of us schlubs on a budget and in dire need of quick soul food, this is the place. Soul Fire is affordable, never crowded, and staffed by very friendly people. I love the food, sometimes the ribs are a little dry but the barbecued chicken is fantastic, not to mention they have an array of sides that I like a lot, specifically the potato salad and beans. They also, and this seems silly but it is maybe my favourite aspect of this particular eatery, have all their barbecue sauces out in the open and you can take as much as you want. I am an awkward person and I hate to have to ask for things, and i like that Soul Fire trusts me with my own sauces. Soul Fire is definitely not the be all end all of barbecue, but it'll do in a pinch and it isn't expensive.
(4)Ambar B.
Amazing place, great compilation of sauces and excellent service. big fan.
(4)Paul G.
Had heard great things about the food, but never got to try it. Went with a party of six on a Friday. We waited well over an hour for our food to come out, but it never did. Even though the restaurant was only 60% full the whole time, the waitress never stopped by, or mentioned the delay, not once. We flagged her down a couple times after ~45 minute mark, and got (1) brushed off, (2) told they were out of ribs, and asked to sub something else in (this after ~an hour). Finally we decided to pay for our drinks and leave, and were told "its not our fault fried chicken takes a long time to cook". We left not because of the delay (which was extreme), but because the service was so awful, in an hour and half at the restaurant, the waitress stopped by of her own volition once (when she took or order), and never seemed apologetic or helpful when we did manage to get her attention. Manager was also unapologetic.
(1)Amanda L.
I had walked by Soul Fire for a very long time before actually venturing into it one day. I got the pulled chicken sandwich and a pulled pork for my BF, with sides of baked beans and mac and cheese. The pulled chicken and pork were fantastic. I like a lot of sauce on sandwiches, and the fact they had little pumps of different sauces make me dance a little. I love dunking =) Both sandwiches were juicy and scrumptious. The bread got a little soggy, but I was OK with it. I really liked the mac and cheese, not the best I've had, but probably top 10 at least. The beans were a little on the hard side, but I like my beans mushier, so that may just be a preference. You really can't beat the price for BBQ. The sandwiches I think were only $6.00 and that includes a side. I saw dinners for $12.00. I know I'll definitely be coming back here.
(4)Cecilia L.
The pulled pork sandwich is good, the barbecue reuben is better. Mac and cheese is the obvious side, creamy and topped with crushed bbq potato chips, but then I didn't taste any others. Loved the four bbq sauces at the table that I used to squeeze a little artist's palette of goodness onto my plate. The place is spacious and the prices are good, with a sandwich and side at $7-9. I'd go back to try the ribs.
(3)Meagan F.
Delicious! I love a good pulled pork sandwich, but I love even more a pulled pork sandwich slathered in whatever sauce I wish. This place is great, not only are the portions big, but it's not too terribly pricey (bbq joints tend to be pricey anyway). Plus, THEY SERVE BEER!!! How awesome is that? So check it out and grab a UFO while you're at it. This place is the best BBQ in Allston.
(4)Meghan O.
We enjoyed the brisket sandwich, fried mac and cheese, and corn dogs. The place is fun and colorful and the waitstaff was very friendly.
(4)Sarah S.
I love Soul Fire because they get the vinegary North Carolina sauce just right. Someone get me a vat of this stuff! Not to mention the other 21389712 kinds of sauces they have lined up for you. I really appreciate those, Soul Fire, I do; because everyone knows that BBQ varies regionally and you can get a taste of Memphis, Carolina, Texas or wherever right here in Allston. The portions are a little overwhelming, but the prices are so cheap, it's really a steal. I love the pulled pork sandwich with pickles on the side. Their potato salad has enough crunch, taste, and texture, without the usual cole slaw/potato salad faux-pas of mayonnaise overload!! My boyfriend gets a combo platter: ribs and chicken. Last time he swooned over how juicy and delicious the chicken was. I love the cornbread square and pat of butter, and no matter how full I am I always manage to devour my boyfriend's baked beans. One note: the macaroni and cheese struck me as a little Kraft-y. As in, the cheese was neon yellow and tasted 3 molecules away from plastic. The potato chips encrusting the top... I can see the appeal of that. However, it's not for me and didn't really add much flavor. Why not a delicious golden layer of extra cheese?
(4)P'raka ..
Really yummy BBQ place. I usually stick to the pulled pork here. This place has been around for about a year now and the staff are still very happy & friendly. Business seems to have picked up once they got their liquor license. One-star off because I think they recently changed their mac & cheese "recipe". It used to be my favorite side or stand alone item. The last time I got it, it didn't taste quite right. I think they swapped the type of cheese and it ruined it for me.
(4)Christina L.
I have been to Soul Fire at least three time in the last month - not only is their food delicious, but there are always vouchers on Groupon that compel me to go there frequently! The pulled pork is a must, as are the brisket and half-chicken meals. Their regular mac and cheese is great (not so much the fried mac and cheese, though, unfortunately). The corn bread is really moist, and the potato salad is tasty as well. The collard greens and baked beans are a bit sweet for my taste (too much brown sugar or something). The best part is the barbecue sauces - variety is great, and they are all really fresh and flavorful. I have yet to try their all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays, but judging from the amount of people there every Monday, it's probably a good deal. Overall, a great place with good prices and portions!
(4)A M.
It was a monday night, and i was starving and i was passing by soul fire, so I decided to try it. and Wow what a surprise. they had an all you can eat wings night for only $8.99!!! I had 20 wings, and if it wasn't for my tiny stomach i would have continued inhaling those wings. they were literally the best wings I've had. I'm going for round 2 next monday. Oh yeah and i forgot to mention the amazing staff, awesome and friendly. they were engaging every customer with conversations, i felt i know them for years.
(5)Matthew C.
My old neighborhood sure has changed. The familiar bums are gone (RIP, Mr. Butch.) It has been significantly Asianified (coming from SF, that's saying something.) And now there is an honest to God BBQ place. Boston has always had a distinct lack of decent Mexican restaurants, French Dip sandwiches, and BBQ. With respect to BBQ, there have been several pretenders (e.g. Rednecks, that place in Cambridge everybody talks about, etc), but Soul Fire is the real deal. They essentially copy the Famous Dave's menu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I had a pulled pork and brisket plate with collared greens and red beans and rice. Everything really was tasty. Even more so after experimenting with the 6 BBQ sauces at the table. Growing up where I did, I couldn't say this BBQ was phenomenal, but it is by far the best I have seen in Boston. Additionally, they serve Schlitz. Classy.
(4)Kim L.
Eh. That's how this place made me feel. I went here once to try the ribs. The true test of a rib joint is the ribs. I'm not really a fan of dry rub ribs. They are....well...dry. I for one would rather have juicy mess-up-your-face sloppy ribs. Adding the sauce after kinda takes that away. The food was quick and the service good. But nothing really excited me. The pulled pork sangwiches looked alot better than what I ordered.....
(2)Lisa N.
The wings were amazing. Jumbo wings with Sweet Hot Sauce- Delicious. The sides were delicious - corn bread with bits of corn, baked beans were legit, and cole slaw was a little watery. The downside-- the spare ribs were NOT good. IF you're looking for a rib place with fall off the bone meaty ribs -- do NOT go here. It was mushy and hard to eat. The sauce was good though. :/ I would go back for the wings.
(3)Cari H.
Fried mac and cheese balls and good brisket... need I say more!?
(4)Chris O.
Best Fried Chicken in Boston! Good Wait staff
(5)Kaneisha G.
I don't expect great accolades for reviewing a place that's been reviewed over 100 times. However, I just wanted to have my say, because I am oh-so-pleased with Soul Fire's food but less than satisfied with some of their catering service. I catered a lunch today for 45 of my classmates, and Soul Fire BBQ was the first place I thought of. My very diverse group of classmates raved about the food (I ordered the $8/person lunch set that includes pulled chicken, brisket, mac n cheese, and collard greens) and it was the perfect accompaniment to our Black Cultural presentation we were putting on. It was an introduction to soul food for several of my classmates, and Soul Fire made me proud. One place of improvement is in their hosting--or whatever you call the person who talks to you when you are putting in a catering order. The woman I spoke with there to set up the catering didn't know the answers to several of my requests (which were advertised on the website, such as providing serving utensils for $7), and I was put on hold for awhile and could hear her talking to the other hostess about not knowing how to give me my discount. Also, when I called to make sure the driver was finding the place okay, I was told by the hostess that he would be fifteen minutes late because he was in a meeting. Obviously, I got very upset, and she didn't even call me back. It turns out that this piece of bad news was not meant for me, and the food arrived delicious and on time. I still would have appreciated a call to calm my heart though. Get it together, Soul Fire, because Harvard Business School wants to give you more of our money!
(3)Anthony L.
went here for monday $8.99 all you can eat wings and it was awesome. they don't cheap out on the size of the wings either, they are full sized. good flavors, pretty fast service
(5)Steven G.
I'm from Alabama and though this isn't the BBQ I'm used to it's still good stuff. The brisket is juicy and flavorful, the beer is cold, and the appetizers are great. I would recommend it and will definitely be going back... after I finish P90X. :(
(5)Emily G.
Went to soul fire the other night since it was so close to home and never tried before. When we entered the place was REALLY empty - which typically should let you know right away that people just aren't into it. The service was great (because we were practically the only ones there) and the food is very reasonably priced - this would be the only reason I give it 3 stars. Otherwise - the food was NOTHING to right home about. I got a beef brisket sandwhich with mac n cheese side and my bf got a pulled pork platter. I sampled his corn bread and it was more bland the thing kind I've sometimes got at the supermarket. My brisket was ok- but sadly, I don't think it was at all worth being served at a restaurant. The Mac-n-cheese was also just eh- and left something more cheesy and gooey to be desired. I don't think I would come back to Soul Fire unless I really wanted a cheap meal and didn't care about what I was eating. So probably...not any time soon.
(3)Korri Leigh C.
Soulfire BBQ is the newest restaurant to open on the eclectic Allston scene. Soulfire's motto "Serving All Souls" certainly fits in with the diversity of its surroundings. While the restaurant was slow on the night I dined (it was 10 PM on a Thursday) the food was amazing. I had a pulled pork sandwich, the best I've ever had, and was fortunate to try a myriad of sides. The owner of Soulfire, Wyeth Lynch, has an equal passion for music as he does for food and the strains of Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers, Tower of Power, and the like certainly set a fun and festive mood. Once Soulfire works out its opening jitters I expect it be a hot spot in town. 5 stars for food, scene, and affordability. Definitely check it out!
(5)Cynthia T.
great food, goood pricing, lots of on street parking if you can find a spot. Check your food if you are doing carry out though. got shorted once. other than that it is all good.
(4)Rachel G.
$2.50 PBR drafts and unlimited BBQ sauce...nice. Knowledgeable, friendly servers too, especially appreciated in too-cool-for-school Allston. On my last visit, our waitress complimented me on my "healthy dinner," though I remember looking down at my half chicken, collards, baked beans, cornbread, AND butter and think--me?! Their pulled pork is also insanely tasty, and the mac-and-cheese with BBQ chips on top is just ridiculous. Whoever had that idea gets a high-five from me.
(4)Jessica G.
Yes, I'm a vegetarian reviewing a barbecue restauarant. So obviously Soul Fire has more good stuff going on than enflamed meat: 1) Macaroni and cheese: An excellent veg. option. 2) Deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites: An excellent cholesterol-escalating option. 3) Deep red walls, lots of seating: I planned a game night here, there was tons of space, and the owner Wyeth was super accomodating. 4) Beer. Cold beer. 5) Nicer than fast food, less time consuming than a sit-down. 6) Location, location, location: Hop off the Harvard Ave. stop of the Green Line and follow the smell of wood smoke. Have I convinced you yet? Enjoy your carnivorous indulgences!
(5)Kev H.
Ohh boy do I love wings, at 6.99 on monday nights, I'd down about 30, they jacked it up to 8.99 I believe, but it's still worth it. The place could have a bit more light..*just a bit*, The Best thing about this place would have to be its BBQ, Man that chicken sanwich is good.
(4)R.A. C.
love the fried goodness, love the ribs, love the service... there is little for me to complain about, im no southern boy, and im no ribs afficianado, but i know i love bbq, and i know that on this side of the river, soul fire is the spot to be satisfied.
(4)Michael R.
I've eaten at Soul Fire BBQ twice and have been more than satisfied both times. The first time my brother and I split a three-meat platter. Brisket was lean and so was the pulled pork, but the ribs were just a little tough. Sides were fine, corn bread was slightly dry. Skip it if you can. All of the sauces at Soul Fire are homemade and very good, though I recommend their Pit Boss and the Sweet Sauce. The next time ate there I ordered a pulled pork sandwich to go. I live in New York, so it was refreshing to get a sandwich with a side for $6.95. The sandwich was good and came with sauce on the side, though I would have preferred the sauce mixed in with the pork. Bread on the sandwich was fresh. It didn't completely fill me up, but Soul Fire still gets a four-star review because of its quality. Service is very good too. Check it out next time you get a chance. It will be totally worht your while.
(4)Melissa M.
After 5 attempts of eating here, last night I finally stayed around. I'd always walk in and immediately get bummed at the smell of smoked hickory. I hate dining in places that have a smell to them because once you leave, you'll smell just like that. I went around 8pm spontaneously to meet my bf and 2 friends. I was already showered and happily on my macbook yelping at home (my ass was on the couch and I was comfy in my sweats). I was still hungry (even though an hour previous to the call to go to soul fire I had devoured an entire bag of Trader Joe's Pasta Italiano), but that's neither here nor there. Anywhoo, I put my sneaks on, grabbed my keys and wallet and headed into my chariot (my 01 Kia). I had no problem finding a parking space in the bustling metropolis of harvard ave. I got a lone star beer, some collards (very good) and some red bliss mashed potatoes (not bad considering using red bliss to make mashed potatoes is a slight abomination and sacrelig to my Irish heritage). The waitrees/bartender/busgirl/counterperson was cheerful. The place was dead. The grub was hot, the dining companions happy to be eating BBQ. I'll be back. And, I didn't smell leaving the joint either. That's a bonus for once!! Oh and the domestic beers are cheap, the imported beers are a bit more (5 bux). I would never get wine at a BBQ place but they have a bottle of sauvignon blanc for 20 bux, 6 for a glass and some cab sav and probably merlot, but I wasn't going to drink wine. I like me a beer with the BBQ. Check this place out. They had great music on too!!
(4)Karie A.
Let me start by saying I am a displaced Southerner; daughter of a Southern father who keeps smoker in his backyard. My Dad makes the best BBQ in my book. No contest. But since he lives in Georgia, Soul Fire helps fill my pulled pork needs here in Allston. It isn't my Dad's but I think it is the best in the area. Sides are good too. The mac and cheese is tasty and they have great beans. There cornbread is sweet, which isn't how they make it down South, but I like it any way. Good eats, one of my favorite places in the neighborhood.
(4)Jackie G.
I love this place!.The chicken and ribs are soooo goood, everything from here is quite tasty. I am obsessed with the soulfire sauce its f'n delicious. Entrees come with 2 sides and pickles yummm, get the mac n cheese its fantastic . The potato salad is pretty good too. This review is making me hungry. The atmosphere is laid back, the staff is really friendly, the portions are big and the food is great, what more can you ask for? Its definitely one of my favorite places to eat... period! This place is top notch and exactly how a bbq joint should be!!
(5)Alex L.
I'm going to lower my previous rating based on their delivery service. I have NEVER had a problem until tonight and it was so horrendous I had to write about it. I used campusfood to place an order and I included a tip. Usually the delivery is very timely and right to my door, no problems. Tonight the delivery guy asked me to go downstairs to the street to meet him. I'm sorry but I included a tip for delivery, this isn't "meet you 1/2 way" service, this is delivery service. I'm utterly appalled not only because of that but by the way the driver was speaking to me on the phone. I told him that if I walked downstairs I'd call and have my tip removed from the order. He responded "is it that difficult for you to come down?" I said "no, it isn't, but it's not what I'm paying for." I could understand if there was nobody downstairs to let a driver in, that's not my beef. My beef is a driver sitting his ass in his car, outside on the street, that's too lazy and too rude to do his job and bring food to the door to the proper destination.
(2)Angela M.
We brought my boyfriend's family here while they were visiting. It's a pretty cool place. The staff was very friendly, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Good place to go if you feel like eating lots of meat.
(4)R G.
yummy! simple, no fuss food. we ordered the mac'n'cheese bites to start (good way to sample the bbq sauces), I got the fried chicken, and the bf got the pulled pork sandwich. the entrees come with your choice of several of the sides. the amounts are smallish, but you get to try a lot (the potato salad was good!). the chicken was fresh and tasty. the bf liked his pulled pork sandwich, and I thought the bite I had was good. I'm glad their bbq isn't overly saucey-- dowsing meat with gallons of sauce does not make good bbq! the atmosphere was relaxed and the waitress was nice. we'll be going back to try more!
(4)Michael D.
Some of the better/best atmosphere and BBQ in the Boston area. Everything simply tasted fresh with good quality ingredients, and nothing seemed like it was reheated or old. It all tasted just very "homemade". The service was quick and nice, professional but still casual all of which added to the positive atmosphere. We also enjoyed the music selection. I would suggest giving it a serious try if you're in the area!
(5)Garth S.
Soul Fire is clean, convenient, dark, usually quiet, and not too expensive. It is not, however, great BBQ. In fact, I'm not sure it really qualifies as BBQ. If pressed, I'd call it BBQ-influenced fast food. But for Allston, Soul Fire is pretty classy, and beats nearly everything along that crap-infested stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth and Brighton Avenues. I'm glad it's around but if I didn't live nearby, I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(3)Deb K.
The couple of times I have been here, it has been mostly empty and the service was amazing (not sure how it goes when there are more people around). Any place that has a BBQ sauce condiment bar, is going to get a lot of stars in my book. The plates here are huge (even the sandwiches) and are reasonably priced. They've got beers on tap and a bar with vinyl covers (look it up on google if you forget what those look like) decorating the bar. The meat was tender, the mac and cheese had chips in it, and the pickles were fresh.
(4)s c.
Really 3 1/2 stars. 5 of us decided to try this BBQ joint on a Sun eve. It's all about the food, so here's our impression. For this type of BBQ, the one to beat is Blue Ribbon BBQ, which is superior to Redbones (ribs can be dry). We got the fried chicken wings for apps, since Yelpers liked the fried chicken (good). Ordered the sampler for 4 which was about $58 that came with ribs, chicken, and choice of brisket. Ribs - really meatiest I've ever had, not dry or overcooked, not too fatty. An A for ribs. Chicken was good too. Brisket was a mite dry. Mash potato was good, but they gave us only a serving for 1 or 2 persons. Collard greens tasted a little too sweet, maybe molasses. Corn bread was good - not as good as Blue Ribbon. For us the disappointment was the sauces - none of the flavors can match the sauces at Blue Ribbon. So while there's plenty of food (the meal for 4 can easily feed 7 or 8, but not enough mashed or collards), the sauces were a disappointment.
(4)Pablo C.
Great brisket and pulled pork. Tender pulled chicken. All the meats were moist and tender and the choice of sauces is excellent. For $20 you can get a 3 meat platter that comes with two sides. The mac-n-cheese is a bit dry but tasty (I prefer dry) and the baked beens are very good with a little kick. Definitely would go back, I did take-out as parking in Brookline is a bit iffy. I parked on the dead end side street on the right just pass the restaraunt.
(4)Jennifer B.
I went to Soul Fire last night, and am happy to report that they have gotten their beer/wine license. They had a good variety of beer, and even had some for really cheap - several under $3. Of course, they were Pabst, Schlitz, and High Life, but they also had better beers for not much more. I wasn't in an alcohol mood so I had a tasty glass of lemonade (not from concentrate). I was very happy with my Soul Fire platter - baby back ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, mac and cheese, white bread, corn bread, and pickles. It was a lot of food. Even though the serving of ribs seemed small (I think I got 4 ribs with my combo) I was extremely full by the end of the meal. The cornbread was tasty, the collards were excellent, with bits of onion and bacon mixed in, and the Mac and cheese was extra cheesy with BBQ potato chips sprinkled on top. I was a little confused by the counter ordering, but only because I was not aware that you had to go up to order. My friend was already seated when I arrived, and we waited around for a while before I finally realized that a waitress was not going to come to take our order. It would have been nicer if they had noticed us sitting, looking around confused, and come over to explain how it works there. Otherwise, it was good food, good portions, for a decent price.
(4)Hailey T.
Pulled pork sandwich= delish! I'm pretty fond of the sweet bbq sauce. Fries were good. Just what I wanted. To top it off, I called in for delivery and they showed faster than they quoted me, they're on top of it and that's something I appreciate...since it can take a lot of other places ages to get the order to you. Solid place, will definitely try them again!
(5)Steven F.
Awesome BBQ, they serve beer, the game's always on, courteous people, oh, and did I mention the BBQ is AWESOME? It's like our own little Red Bones right here in Allston. They also have a trendy atmosphere (definitely not fancy though) and they play really chill soul music all the time. A flat out great place to eat, see the game, have a drink, or kill time.
(5)Leslie W.
I phoned in asking for BBQ chicken and was told they only offered smoked chicken and BBQ sauce on the side. So Although it wasn't exactly what i was looking for, i ordered a whole chicken. When I went to the restaurant to pick it up, the glass door and front windows were smeared with at least a week's worth of hand prints - maybe more - and the entryway had an unclean funky smell. I shutter to think about what the kitchen looks like. I asked the waitress if they ever clean the front door and windows and she seemed annoyed with me and said they hire a guy named Oscar to do it. The chicken was smoked and a bit too salty and otherwise unmemorable except for the strange dark brown color it had. It was also so scrawny that we had to look in the box to make sure it was our order, we didn't think a whole chicken was in there. I love chicken, but this was a major disappointment. Shouldn't a BBQ restaurant have great chicken? Methinks yes.
(1)Fred K.
I had eaten here before and the food is actually quite good although the portions were a bit small. I went in last Sunday, by myself, to catch a bite before a show. It wasn't that busy, so I was able to sit down right away. The reason for my two star review was the service. I saw the waiter a grand total of three times. Once to take my order, once to drop off my food, and once to settle my tab. He never once stopped to check and see if my food was okay (it was) or to offer me more water (I did want more). Then when my check came ($12.50), I paid with a twenty. He brought me back $7 even. I didn't even bother complain, I left a small tip and left.
(2)Jordan M.
Went to Soul Fire for an afternoon lunch with an old friend. Enjoyed a cold beer (Dale's Pale Ale no less) and some good barbecue. Started with the corn dog appetizer (best corn dog I can remember) and sampled some of the bbq sauces. I'd say the "fiery", "soul fire" and "pitboss" or some amalgamation of two of these sauces is the way to go. Being a big rueben fan I couldn't pass up the BBQ Reuben that comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and brisket substituted for pastrami. This is not an idea unique to Soul Fire and is rather popular in the south often called a "Rachel". For a side I had, and recommend, the mac and cheese that I believe was topped with crumbled BBQ flavored potato chips? Everything was great, $20 for a reasonable sized sandwich, side of mac and cheese, corn dog appetizer, and a cold Dale's Pale Ale. Its all tough to beat. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Brian K.
Comfort food city. The sandwiches are big and filling and a side of pickles surprisingly works wonders. The quality is delicious and spicy while the decor is as chic and sexy as a BBQ joint can get.
(4)Min Y.
Good BBQ, but chilly atmosphere (not a lot of people). I think once they get a good flow of customers, it'd be a livelier place to go eat. They have a big flat screen TV and a projection screen. Would be great sports event hangout spot.
(3)Jen J.
It's not Blue Ribbon, but it's pretty good. The brisket is tender and tasty, and although the first two times we got pulled pork it was fatty and gross, the most recent time it was delicious without a hunk of fat to be seen. The collards and rice and beans are great. The cornbread is mediocre, but much improved from when they first opened. Be sure to get plenty of the sauces, all of which I find delicious.
(4)Samuel B.
so my friend had a groupon and we thought we would go, my self knowing personally that its nothing special, but we go and while being crouded they had a stand up sign saying "please seat yourself" so we see an open table in the back and start sitting down, a watress comes to us and very rudely said 'you know their is a line of names, get up" we go and point to the sign they displayed saying "please seat yourself" she and another waitress, said "dont you see these people waiting", knowing that they have a bar right their, offer take out, and have no organizational run of it she takes the sign, turns it around and made another rude remark. we dont stand for that treetment and on the way out she said "see you next monday and laughed" needless to say we went to their competetor a mile away, had an excellent meal, fantastic service, with some fantastic music. i highly recomend people stay away from this place, i will be twittering anf facebooking everyone i know to stay away
(1)Will D.
Soul Fire catered an event I went to recently and I have to say it was fantastic. The food was delicious and I got to sample a nice wide variety. The pulled pork was probably my favorite with good flavor and delicious varities of sauce to try out. The chicken was delicious, tender and juicy. The ribs were excellent, very tender and the flavor was robust but you still could enjoy the meat without it being overpowering. It was so good I made sure to return to the restaurant location. It easily lived up to my earlier experience and the pricing can't be beat. I couldn't resist the pulled pork again and you get a nice compliment of sides and a decent beer selection. Had the delicious chicken wings too which were meaty with a great crunchy fried crust on them. Love this place and will certainly return.
(5)Amanda S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My boyfriend and I were on our way to Sunset to order some boneless wings when he asked if I wanted to try Soulfire. I'm not a big meat eater, and everytime I've driven by this place it has seemed relatively empty, but we both really enjoyed our food. It was quick, cheap & tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of Boston baked beans, he has the pulled pork & a side of cole slaw. Portions were generous, sandwich with a side was only $6. Oh, and they serve beer here too, which is nice. The employee at the counter was knowledgable & patient (we took a long time to order b/c we had never been in there before). The pickles were nasty- very salty, & tasted like vinegar. Lots of BBQ sauce options. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)Drew B.
What a disappointment. Based on my fellow yelper's reviews, we went to Soulfire after identifying a serious craving for BBQ. The 1/2 hickory roast chicken was dry and flavorless. The ribs were decent at best. The Fried Mac and Cheese bites were a major let down. The only somewhat redeeming food items were the Spicy Honey Wings (desirable for the sauce ONLY) and the cornbread, which was cold but surprisingly moist. Our experience at Soulfire, which was somewhere between BBQ fast food and low grade restaurant, made us question where the standards really lie for good Boston BBQ.
(1)Rachel C.
Remember that scene in Pulp FIction where Vincent is telling Jules about how in Amersterdam you could order a beer at McDonald's with your meal? It sounded awesome! And made me wonder why we couldn't do that here. Well I found something even better! I had walked past SoulFire numerous times, but always wrote it off thinking I didn't have enough time to stop and eat there.My roommates and I were craving meat and BBQ sauce and without any other plans for the evening we decided to finally give it a try. From the rich wood and deep red walls the atmosphere was spot on with my expectations, but I was surprised that there was no table service. Everyone order's their food and drinks at the counter and then speedily picks up their order further on down the line, after the soda machine and the condiments. The set up works so well for them, and this way you have the option to stay and eat or take out. If you want, there is a bar to sit at where you can be waited on and served drinks. But if you are looking to just grab dinner and a drink and not linger (which is what most people seemed to be doing) you can order a beer from the person taking your meal order and ringing you up. Its like classy, casual, fast food. When we first arrived it did not look too busy and the waitress behind the counter did not seem to mind us taking a few minutes to figure out how the restaurant worked. We all ordered the same thing, pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese, which she joked would confuse the kitchen. I was not even done getting my water when our order was up. The kitchen staff teased us for having the the same meal, I guess they are used to more complicated meals at SoulFire. The food was pretty good, exactly what I had wanted when I walked in. The sandwich hit the spot and the meat was smoked perfectly. I also loved the mac and cheese with a generous amount of crushed bbq potato chips on top. And the pickles! I don't usually like sweet bread and butter type pickles, but there were homemade and were a wonderful combination of vinegar and sugar. I even wanted to go order half pints of these sides to take home and enjoy later, but I resisted the urge! One gripe I had was that I would have liked a better selection of sauces, especially since here you have to sauce your own meat. I ended up having to mix my own in order to get it just the way I like it. So on one hand that it good because you get the sauce the way you like, however it is not the same as having the meat mixed in with the sauce the way they do it at some places. If I were getting this to go (which I now know is very easy to do), I would prefer having the sauce already on there instead of having to get cups of my own. That said I will definitely be back soon, its a faster alternative to a sit down restaurant in the area, and priced pretty reasonably. The staff was very friendly, the waitress even yelled to us to have a good evening over the building crowd as we left. The food is quick and excellent, and I can even grab a beer with my quick meal. WHat more could I want?
(4)a w.
I personally think this is some of the best bbq I've had in Boston. I had the pulled pork sandwich, collards, and fried mac and cheese balls. All were amazing!!! My cohort found a bit of mold on his bun and is a dedicated lover of Blue Ribbon so we were not on the same page. I would give this place five stars but there's nothing better than a beer with bbq...and of that there was none.
(4)Claudia L.
i'm a big meat fan. i never met a BBQ joint i didn't like. how i was a vegetarian for seven years, i'll never know. thank god for anemia! i appreciate that soul fire has brought BBQ back to its roots, with all sauces on the side. do try them all, then find one you like and go crazy. for just over $10, you get a good amount of food and end up sticky, saucy and satisfied. it's indeed a bummer that they don't carry beer - what better to go with a giant plate of ribs? - but i'm going to go ahead and attribute this to the fact that they're relatively new and haven't gotten their paperwork in yet. hopefully they'll get right on that , so i can get back on the rib train. EDIT: beer! wheeeeeeee!
(4)Joe S.
When it comes to BBQ, Soul Fire is the new kid in town. Located on Harvard Ave in Allston it has a great location to be the rib capital of the student ghetto. It is definitely a neat concept- order at the counter, wait for your dry rub bbq, and then go nuts at the sauce bar with sauces ranging from sweet to mustard and vinegar. The decor is funky with an a red and black interior highligted by a glass bar with classic soul lp covers under the glass. Bob and I arrived long before the rest of the party and thus had ample time to sample the sides. The potato salad has quite the kick and the mac and cheese is small bowl of gooey goodness topped with crushed potato chips. Unfortunately they didn't have their beer license yet so instead we drank some Harpoon soda (root beer and cream soda, good but nothing to write home about). All the BBQ is dry rub so you apply the sauces yourself. The chicken was superior, fall off the bone finger licking good. But the rack of ribs were very underwhelming, it seemed like they had been under a heating lap for most of the day. The sauces packed a wollop, all have some serious heat, even the sweet stuff. The spare ribs looked bigger than the half rack of ribs. For 15 dollars the soul fire platter is two meats, two sides, cornbread and a pickle. The meat portions are a little skimpier- for your best value go for the spare ribs (meatier than the rack of ribs) and the catfish. The catfish was probably my favorite menu item, at least what I could steal from my friend Melissa. Sides I forgot to mention were the greens (above average with flakes of bbq in it) and the cole slaw (again above average). Score- Long Single Soul Fire has a lot of things going for it (sauce bar, decor, sides) but the value and the ribs were both underwhelming. So I score it a long single, looks like a double but its only a single off the Monster. Soul Fire is just a few months old so hopeful it's portions and quality rib control will improve with time. And if it had beer perhaps I wouldn't have been so critical.
(3)Laura A.
i'm giving this a five star review on behalf of the meat eaters i went here with, because after all this is a bbq place and for me to give it minimal stars for the shitty salad i had wouldn't be very fair. and they all LOVED it (the three boys had 2 sandwiches - my boyfriend said the pulled pork was even better than redbones!- and a soulfire platter between them.) however, i do think they need at least more veg side dishes or even just a veggie burger would be good. i feel like there are a fair amount of veg-friendly places in allston and this place should take the hint. i had a crappy iceburg salad and some pretty good mac & cheese, and that was pretty much all i could have ordered on the menu.
(5)Eli G.
After driving by at least 50 times (I work down the street) I finally got a chance to try Soulfire before a show at Great Scott last night. I didn't really expect much, because generally the food in Allston gets 3 stars at best, but I was pleasantly surprised about my Soulfire experience. The menu is a little expensive for order-at-the-counter food, but it's ribs so I guess I understand. I was very happy with my dry rubbed spare ribs and even more happy with the wide selection of wonderful sauces (TRY THEM ALL), which were affectionately explained to me by non other then the chef himself. I was especially impressed by his friendliness and in fact the friendliness of the whole staff made me feel like I was at southern BBQ pit. Soulfire is a welcome edition to the Allston foodscape!
(5)Jenny N.
Oh yeah, get your MEAT on here! This place is cleverly named, and the funky soul music will get you happy. I really enjoyed my platter of pulled pork piled on thick white bread and served with 2 sides (I chose collard greens and baked beans), as well as cornbread. The meats are served dry, so you can try the 3 different house sauces (which are kept nice and warm at the pickup counter) as you like. It was a very nice way to sample "BBQ cuisine." The place seems trendy, but not especially expensive given the amount of food you get. Very fast and friendly counter service. The high stainless steel table at the back with bar stools is great seating, but borders on blinding thanks to the lighting. The manager came around to ask about our meal, so that was a nice friendly touch. I only wish they served alcohol! A cold, crisp beer would go very well with this food. But Soulfire is a great alternative to RedBones, which is great too but so overcrowded and loud in comparison. RedBones is also too far from my abode. But if Soulfire is any indication, it appears that Allston/Brighton is cleaning up and getting a bit more polish!
(5)Hue L.
Fried chicken is absolutely delicious. Has to be my favorite fried chicken in Boston, slightly above Coast Cafe. Fried Mac n' cheese and Barbecue Reuben are also tremendous. Never really busy, so it is good for bringing big groups and their projector screen for sports is pretty sweet. Don't go to eat healthy though!
(5)Evan G.
Soul Fire is a great addition to the amazing variety of cuisines in Allston Village. Their food is inexpensive and delicious. There is a wide variety of great food and amazing BBQ sauces that you can try. In particular, the baked beans were awesome. Definitely give this place a try, you won't regret it.
(4)Brian C.
I was never much of a barbecue fan, until I went to UGA for 4 years and was exposed to Carolina-style bbq (vinegar-based sauce on a pulled pork sandwich). Having moved to Boston about a year ago, I've been on an informal hunt for this delicacy, along with its crucial companion, sweet tea. After being disappointed by Red Bones and having to settle for McDonald's sweet tea, I discovered Soul Fire. Excellent sandwich, perfect Carolina sauce, with just enough spice, and wonderful sweet tea. I got a side of collard greens which tasted very good dipped in the redder sauces they had available. The only thing preventing a perfect score is the lack of refills on the sweet tea. You can get refills on soft drinks, but not tea? I'm not sure what they're using that makes their tea so costly, but it is good, and I'll continue ordering it, but every time I do, I'll be reminded of how this would never be tolerated in the south.
(4)alexis a.
i love this place! speaking as a north carolina native, they are the most truly authentic southern-style bbq place in the city (don't even bother with redbones or the roadhouse). the sauces are all great and spicy/flavorful. the ONLY place to do a NC vinegar sauce correctly. try the deep fried mac-n-cheese balls and jiffy-style cornbread. the collards are always hit or miss, either fantastic or funky. also, CHEAP harpoon beer! great music (soul, obvi) is always playing. the fried catfish and chicken are also totally solid.
(5)Ryan B.
Don't think I like the new transition to sitdown ordering as much as the old style. Also, had a BBQ Pork sandwich again today, seemed like less food than last time. The meat tasted great, lots of smokey flavor, and the BBQ sauces were, as always, fantastic. The baked beans even had smoked meat in them, nice.
(4)Andrew D.
I have only had delivery from Soul Fire, but I've had a LOT of delivery from Soul Fire. I am impressed. I'm not even a fan of everything I've ordered, but the stuff is mostly just SO good and a really good deal. I am also very impressed with the owner, because the first time I ordered it took a really long time, and when I called to check on the order the woman on the phone didn't even seem annoyed that I was calling (I've had a buy at Dominos yell at me just for making sure they got our online order.) A few days later, we got an email from the owner apologizing for the slow service, acknowledging that they were short staffed and didn't want people's first experience to be negative, and gave us a coupon. After some awful service from delivery places, I was floored at this excellent customer service. Anyway, the food... I love the reuban sandwich with brisket, and even all the sides seem homemade and good (the potato salad is awesome!). I could eat just the chili cheese fries for dinner. I love Soul Fire. The end.
(5)Crystal J.
Very friendly staff, heaping portions, very affordable prices, REAL barbecue...which is odd b/c most of these Northerners don't know how to cook. My god, they even put Grippos on their mac n cheese. This place is amazing. My fiance got the ribs. The portion was GIGANTIC and it was only a half rack. Monday night they have all you can wings for $6.99 and these things aren't your typical little puny bar wings. They're huge, juicy and delicious. This place is highly recommended by this BBQ pro. Since, I've been here ,,,i've tried Redbones, I've tried Blue Ribbon...and they're ok. I really don't have a need to go anywhere else. Thsi place is tops! They even make their own pickles! Sooo fresh!!
(5)Bebop Charlie A.
Wow! Delicious soulful BBQ in Boston! I went in for lunch with a buddy and we shared a brisket platter and a half rack of spare ribs and had plenty of sides. Collard greens, BBQ beans, slaw, and mac and cheese. EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious. I ordered another side of Mac n Cheese because it was so good. The brisket was full of flavor and nice and moist but not overly fatty. It was just right. The ribs were perfect. I liked trying the different sauces. If you like a little more spice, ask for the habanero relish. That'll make your face warm on a cold winter day. When I go and eat out, I go mainly for the food but this place had a nice selection of classic soul music playing on the sound system which made the experience even more fun for me.
(5)Leslie W.
It may not be traditional southern BBQ but we're in Boston so I'll take what i can get. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here both times i went. I didnt expect much since my husband and I just moved here and stopped in at random but we both really enjoyed the food . I liked the decor and the people working there were friendly. The meats were good, the BBQ sauces tasty (with the added fun of mixing to perfection) and the prices reasonable. I really liked the various sides offered, except the pickles. They didn't taste very good to me but I'm picky about my pickles... I really liked their mac & cheese though. I'm really rooting for this place to do good business although every time i go past, they seem to be pretty empty. Its good stuff!
(4)Ryan F.
cool place. great pulled pork sandwich, the bun is alright but the pork is awesome and the sauces are all great. have yet to try anything else on the menu because i just keep getting the pulled pork sandwich. Also the baked beans are awesome. i haven't tried blue ribbon yet but the pulled pork here is better than redbones. The other food looks good, and i will surely try some soon.
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