The Rib House by Chef Extraordinare
1335 Broadway, Boulder, CO, 80302
The Rib House by Chef Extraordinare Menu
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Address :
1335 Broadway
Boulder, CO, 80302 - Phone (303) 442-7427
- Website https://www.theribhouse.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
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 : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
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Peter I.
First of all, this is Kansas City style BBQ so if you like your ribs in a pool of BBQ sauce, you'll need to do that yourself. I spend a good deal of time each year in Texas and that happens to be my favorite style of BBQ but Kansas City style is still a-ok in my book. I had a combo that included the illegal ribs. If you like KC BBQ, you'll like the illegal ribs...the rub is great and they're cooked just right. There's also enough of a selection of BBQ sauces to find something you will probably like, if you're big on sauce. The drawbacks come once you get away from the ribs. I had brisket, which is pretty hard to screw up with all the fat content, but somehow it came out a little dry. Conversely, the smoked sausage was super moist, like grilled sausage, but didn't have a lot of great smokehouse flavor. The side were also a little on the small side but, given the amount of food, it didn't really bother me. I'm not going to rush back here without checking out the other local BBQ options but, overall, I think this is a pretty solid take on the KC tradition.
(3)Lee T.
My husband and I ate at The Rib House yesterday. We both came away from the experience unhappy with both the food and the cost. We both ordered the JP chicken sandwich. He had the side beans and I the side corn bake. And for drinks, a sweet tea and a coca-cola. The sandwiches were small, the meat very dry and the sides tiny. Also, the cubed chicken was off-putting in a BBQ sandwich. The bill was pretty outrageous for the quality and quantity of food. The ice tea and coca-cola were a whopping $2.50 a piece. Ridiculous. The BBQ "revisited" me all day which tasted of hot dogs. Gross. Growing up in the south, I know what BBQ should taste like. We will NOT return to The Rib House. Nope.
(1)Derek K.
Tracy's illegal ribs are very good. Flavor wise they are well smoked and not overpowered by a strong rub or marinade. They are tender but not mushy - basically the meat falls off the bone and is a pure joy to eat. The fire sauce is also delicious and complements the ribs and pulled pork well. They are, imho, the best ribs in Boulder. Unfortunately that's where the goodness ends. The side dishes all seem to be somewhat lacking. The potatoes were alright, the beans were way too spicy and the flavor not so wonderful. Don't ask me about the fried mac and cheese or the wilted salad we got. The pizza for kids was horrible too. The desserts are purchased from an outside vendor and always seem dry and old. Another big negative is the constant poor service we have gotten here. We have had a series of bad waiters here who got our orders wrong, one girl was openly rude and others were very inattentive. Would highly recommend using Restaurant Runners.
(3)Tracy A.
Reliably good meats. Side dishes are an afterthought. When I go for BBQ I prefer to go someplace where the people live and breathe the whole BBQ experience, where the sides are as well-prepared as the brisket. Here, I was served rolls on the side that were appallingly stale and low-rate. Where is the thick-cut white bread to dip in the sauce? Where are the beans that aren't just a side of basic beans, but something cooked with lots of drippings and other good stuff? Nice location in downtown Boulder. The atmosphere is okay, not great -- could use more warmth, but the place is spread out somewhat strangely.
(3)Leonard E.
Best ribs in Colorado(maybe the West). Great food, great environment, and a great staff equals a winning combination. This BBQ joint looks like a gourmet place. Even the owner is super nice and informative. Check them out.
(5)James W.
Tried this place last night after their Grand or Soft opening this weekend; it was pretty quiet on this nice Tuesday night. After all these years, it's ridiculous I never made it to the original Prospect "house", but hell, here they are now just off the Pearl St Mall Downtown! Two of us split a basic $5 salad, a (really big) half-rack pork ribs and 3 sides. So the meat is tasty, soft, fall-off-the-bone, with good flavor. Knowing this is Kansas City style Q, maybe I prefer a bit more bite or toothiness in my BBQ ribs - more char, stronger flavors and maybe even a bit dryness on the edges. But I cant say this shit dont taste good, cause it does. We were stuffed. Thought the "medium" sauce was too plain tomato/tangy for our tastes, preferring the XXX or even the next level up on heat. They're decent and I might prefer a thicker, browner type of sauce, which may not be "Kansas-City Style". Sides were nice, I really liked their red-skin mashed, though I like my slaw with more tangy flavor. Some might think it's pricier than a rib place should be, but hey, they're paying primo downtown Boulder rent and this is a pretty big restaurant. There are not many options around here for a sit-down meal of quality smoked meats. I'd like to go back to try pulled pork, some more sides/starters and desserts, but the tasty ribs are a little rich for me to eat much more than once a month!
(4)Aaron G.
The location is closed.
(1)Margaret C.
3.5 and rounding UP. I truly don't want to confuse anyone, but rather wish to provide some clarity. These other 47 reviews that are here right now as I am writing this review are for the other Boulder location of Rib House by Chef Extraordinare, which was located at Walnut and 13th Street in downtown Boulder. Several months ago that location closed down, and this new location opened in the Hill business district near C.U. ---just reviewed by Boulder Weekly-- boulderweekly.com/articl… This new location is quite different from the downtown location. This is more of an informal, order-at-the-counter location with a new, different menu. Same good-tasting food, though. It is all more geared toward the college students who primarily populate this neighborhood. This new location does have a small parking lot on the north side of the building that can be accessed from University Ave. I'm happy to say they do still have okra on the menu. Yay! I'm not much of a meat-eater but I still really like this place.
(4)trolley S.
what happened? The location on the hill looks like it shut down as there's a sign that a Salvaggio's is opening soon. I feel bad. MY son loves their BBQ sauce. Maybe we should have gone there more often. But a family of 3 couldn't keep this place opened. I do think the location was odd.
(5)Judy T.
We are new to the area so we've been trying out different BBQ places specifically for ribs. This is our favorite place so far. We ordered 2 full racks of ribs, and two side dishes (pints) of coleslaw and mashed potatoes for a family of 4. Let's just say we had almost a full rack to take home along with the mashed potatoes. The ribs themselves have quite a bit of flavor due to a dry rub, but the sauces are good too. I've had better sauces though. The ambiance is not that great for the Boulder location - but perhaps most people get take out? We went there on a snow flurry day and we were almost the only ones there. The owner Tracy was there and was very friendly and helpful - brought my husband more of the spicy sauce and also sent him home with some. I'm sure we'll be back!
(4)Phil H.
Maybe I just haven't had enough ribs, but I think the rib house's ribs are top notch. The bones literally slide right out of the meat, they are so awesomely tender. This was my first visit to the Boulder location (I had been to the longmont one years ago) and was served by one of the owners (I recognized her from the picture on the sauce bottles). She was very friendly, although a bit busy with the lunch rush, and ended up forgetting my beer. Not only did she give me extra beer, but she also threw in a brisket on a stick! No complaining, completely above and beyond what I expected. Now that is what I call customer service. I have strongly recommended the rib house in the past and will continue to do so. Try mixing the medium and hot bbq sauces for something really special :)
(5)Matt H.
If you're from Kansas City, you'll know good barbecue when you smell it. But you're probably also looking for something from your past: Burnt Ends. Well, they have burnt ends. They call it "brisket on a stick," because it is, and because people in Colorado hear "burnt" and think "the food has been overcooked to the point that it is burned up" rather than "what a weird thing to call a Perfectly cooked piece of meat." The owner is awesome, and the desserts look amazing. When I went, the ribs I had seemed to have cooked so long all the fat rendered out of them...so they were a little bland and dry. The brisket on a stick more than made up for it though. 4.5 stars rounded down because it Feels expensive, particularly given the decor, although it may be good value for the portion. I'll update next time I'm in Boulder, because I'll definitely be back.
(4)Stewart L.
The Rib House is a great eatery. My wife and I enjoyed our meal, particularly the smoked sausage, and the owner Tracy was personable, made sure that we enjoyed our meal, and we talked with him for a good 45 minutes afterwords. I highly recommend checking them out.
(5)Brian G.
I'm a fan of BBQ, but mostly my own in my smoker. I can't say that I carry high expectations whenever I go anywhere, but I enjoy the convenience of being able to have bbq at the last moment without having to operate my smoker(which is anything but quick). With that, I was very pleased with the ribs. Good flavor, good flavor without bbq sauce. Meat was tender, flavor was good, I was pleased for the price. Brisket was shredded, which I don't really care for, but for those who like to add sauce it would be good. Pulled pork was shredded a little more thin than I care for, but for those who like to add sauce it would be good. Side dishes were all good. The corn is a great topper for the potatoes. Environment was good, service was quick. I'll be back.
(3)Lori G.
We stopped at The Rib House for a few appetizers and a beer after perusing the farmers market. + Dog friendly patio + All day happy hour on the weekends + Server was friendly and efficient
(3)Peter G.
I haven't eaten at the new hill location so this is a review of the downtown location. I always liked their ribs but think they're outrageously over priced for what you get. First off you pay $24 for a full rack and you get ZERO sides..wait I forgot they give you an onion ring as a garnish. What really pisses me off is I've ordered to go ribs and they're so cheap they don't give you the onion ring!.(even when I specifically ask for it) You get a small side of one bbq sauce and if you want more you will be charged. I've spent a lot of money over the years and won't be going back. I don't see this place lasting on the hill especially when student body goes on Xmas/summer break. 2 stars for their OVERPRICED ribs..
(2)Peter C.
This is a review of Rib House happy hour. So, I had planned to watch what sadly turned out to be the last game of the World Cup for USA somewhere on Pearl St. After arriving on the scene about 10 minutes after the match had started, all the places we had planned to go to watch were packed; standing room only. Brilliantly, my friend recalled that the Rib House had some TVs and never appeared to be crowded. We were thus able to score what were probably the last two bar seats in all of Boulder to watch World Cup. We were pleased to see that it was happy hour, and so I ordered the taste of the ribs and sweet potato fries. The ribs were so tender they fell off the bone. By appearance and taste it was clear that these babies were chilling in the smoker for quite a while. The sauce wasn't bad either. Most importantly, the portion, 4 meaty ribs, was really generous considering the price (4.25!). The sweet potato fries were fine, a tad sweet from a honey sauce that was slicked on, and blazing hot (temperature wise) when they arrived. My happy hour 23 oz Dale's Pale Ale was only 3.50! In summary, one of the best value happy hours I have had in Boulder.
(4)Hannah E.
Despite being from the Midwest, I don't fancy myself any sort of rib aficionado - big hunks of meat just aren't my dining thing. However, I am capable of being swept away by reeeeeeally good ribs, and these aren't it. We ordered a full rack of Illegal Ribs. They were slightly overcooked overall - better in the middle, but on the ends there was char everywhere. At one point I asked Dan, who was trying to cut into something on his plate, "is that bone or meat?" Never a question you want to have to ask at a BBQ place. To me, sauce is very important unless you have the tastiest dry rub on the planet (I have yet to try a dry rub that's tasty enough for the ribs to be eaten sans sauce). Luckily, the Rib House knows that and offers four different sauces on the side. We decided to get a plate with all four of them. Unfortunately, the sauces were all pretty lackluster. The mild was actually my favorite because it had the most flavor - sweet and with a little kick. This surprised me because usually I like spicy things. But the spicier sauces relied solely on hot peppers to get their point across without even bothering with other flavors. Plus, neither the spicy or the 'fire' was very hot. Dan, who is wimpy about hot peppers, could slather his ribs top and bottom with spoonfuls of 'fire' sauce without blinking an eye. We had the fried okra on the side, which was pretty fantastic. I love okra, and I wish it were more mainstream so I could just buy it in the store whenever I wanted and drop it in the deep fryer, like it was served here. Speaking of sides, though... all right. Here comes the patented Hannah Price Rant. Full slab of ribs = $22. Wouldn't you think if you spent $22 on lunch, sides would come with it? It's like going to get a hamburger, paying $12 for it, and then not getting fries with it. It's like going to get enchiladas for $20, and then not getting beans and rice on the side. That's just crazy. Sides don't come with your ridiculously expensive slab of overcooked ribs, so plan your bill accordingly and don't fall out of your chair like I did when the total came to $40 for a shared slab of ribs, a side of okra, and a slice of pie. Next time I crave ribs, I will be happy to wait until I visit Chicago again and eat at Ribs 'n' Bibs - whose $17 full slab comes with fries, slaw, and bread - and whose ribs taste AMAZING every time.
(2)Max R.
I have not been impressed with BBQ in CO ... probably because I have eaten it in the south. I ordered 1/4 lb of pork and 1/4 lb of brisket with medium sauce. Neither meat was moist, had very little smoke flavor or smell and the medium sauce was too sweet and diluted ... not very tangy nor was it served hot. I will try something else the next time I eat here.
(2)Melissa H.
If you're looking for ribs where 100% of the meat falls off the bone when you pick it up & a place to have Boulevard Wheat on-tap then look no further. These were excellent ribs ... and I'm not even a rib fan. It was our first visit to The Rib House so we got one of the sampler platters which came with 3 meats and 3 sides. We chose the ribs, brisket, and spicy sausage with the medium & xxx hot tangy sauce. The xxx hot was not all that hot and honestly, the meat didn't need any sauce even added to it unless you're eating it on a bun. The sides were tasty ... good coleslaw (I don't like creamy sweet coleslaws), chipotle potato salad, and cheesy corn bake topped off the meal.
(4)Bonnie G.
We were pleasantly surprised by our meals at the Rib House. I don't eat red meat or pork but I was outvoted by my husband and friend who both wanted BBQ. Oh, ok... Our server was delightful and completely honest about the food there. I ordered the chicken sandwich and she encouraged me to order the turkey instead as it was moister than the chicken. My sandwich was delicious. My friend ordered ribs which looked like the fell off the bone. My husband enjoyed his brisket. Good stop for BBQ if you are in Boulder.
(4)Lindsay R.
Maybe it was because the owners were wandering around being wonderfully attentive and sociable on this not-too-busy Thursday evening, or maybe it was the aware but unobtrusive bartender, either way I found the service to be top notch. I didn't try the ribs, or even the BBQ sauce. I'm a vegetarian but it looked like a friendly enough place, so i stopped in to see what they had to offer. Not too many meatless options (as you'd probably expect) but the one I did try- the Portabello Mushroom Sandwich- was SO GOOD. Even if you eat meat, skip the ribs one trip and try it. I've tried similar sandwiches all over Boulder, and being a veggie-friendly town, most are excellent... but this one put them all to shame. They also had quite a few bottled beers, some good draft options, and a good sized wine list. All things considered this place has way more to offer than most raved-about Boulder establishments and between the decent price, good portions and genuine person-to-person service, it's definitely worth giving a chance.
(5)Kristaleigh S.
I love the rib house. I always get their Bob sampler platter. Yes, it is true. Ribs, pulled pork, and hot links with 2 sides of coleslaw and 1side of cheesy corn bake. Their coleslaw grows on you. It has poppy seeds and an interesting taste that gets better the more you eat of it. Their cheesy corn bake is to die for. The meat is juicy and leaves your mouth tasting like smoke. They have good service and a great patio. Parking can be tricky. I park in the garage by the Chase bank. They validate parking.
(5)Leslie W.
We had a bigger group and so were looking for an easy place to sit down quickly. The Rib House was pretty empty and we were hungry so we went in. The lack of customers should have clued us in. The place's atmosphere is awful. Bad yellow stuccoed walls, bright lights and no music. Bad vibe. Staff was friendly in getting a couple of tables set up but then took forever to get drink orders. Fried appetizer platter was okay but seemed just like frozen stuff. On the sweet potato fries they lather them with honey or something, which ruins them. The ribs were okay. Little bit of a smokey flavor but the sauces were off. Not tasty. My sister got a side sald for extra and it was piddly wilted iceberg with some sliced tomatoes and cumbers. The cheesy corn bake was like a soup of velveta with corn. blagh.... And to ad insult to injury, this place is WAY overpriced for what it is. What a disappointment. I give this place 6 months.
(1)Spencer K.
I came here to try out these famous illegal ribs and they were honestly the tenderest ribs I've ever had. I'm from Los Angeles, and there's a healthy selection of BBQ places, but I've never experienced ribs like this. The ribs had a nice smokey flavor to them and the rub was awesome. The meat really just fell right off the bone. CLEAN! The sauce was tasty, sweet, and tangy. I tried their corn in blended cheddar cheese sauce. The best was to describe that would be creamed corn, but instead of cream, replace it with cheese. It tasted a little like a heart attack in a little cup. Still, it managed to disappear right in front of me. My waitress, Natalie, was extremely attentive and brought everything that I needed very quickly. Tracy even came out to see if I was enjoying everything. There aren't that many places where the chef will actually come out and greet you. I'm going to add The Rib House to places that I need to visit when I'm out in Boulder. Fully stuffed, I think I'm going to go close my eyes for a bit.
(5)Alissa S.
Wow, this is definitely the best tasting BBQ in Boulder. But only if you like your BBQ deliciously inundated with smoke flavor. Otherwise, you'll just want to go to some place that serves bland, boring, regular food. I thought K.T.'s was good, but after eating a pulled pork sandwich at The Rib House, I'm completely sold. The sides weren't half bad, but the coleslaw could use a little boost.
(4)Lisa H.
I decided to give the Rib House a try for dinner based on a recommendation. However, even though the recommendation came from a fellow meat lover, I was a little skeptical -- right off the bat, the Rib House had two strikes against it. First, Boulder, Colorado is not widely known as a carnivore's Mecca and it contains about as many fruits and nuts per capita as the Bay Area. Second, every time I've gone by it, the place has been just about empty. Regardless, I was hungry so I took the plunge. I ordered the Illegal Ribs and Boneless Ribs platter, with the hot bbq sauce (they offer mild, medium, hot, and "flaming" or something like that). Yes, the ribs fell off the bone, because they were legit hardwood smoked and had none of the chalkiness or mealiness that can betray time spent steaming in an oven. This meat had some of the nicest smoky outer crust (or bark) that I've experienced. There was no excess gristle or fat on either cut of meat. Truly tender, not a hint of stringiness. Succulent. Quality meat. Although the meat could easily stand on its own, the sauce that accompanies it is equally well done. The hot was delicious, a little tomatoey and a little spicy, and bold enough to step to the meat. I also had cole slaw, which was homemade, crisp, and bright, providing a welcome contrast with the meat/sauce pair; and the fried okra, perfectly breaded and fried and served with ranch dressing. My dining companion had ribs, brisket, and pork. I tried the brisket and pork, and while it was decent enough, there's probably a reason this place is called RIB House. My only bone to pick with this place was the stale white rolls they served with the meat. Those rolls were shameful and I don't know where they even find them. What's stopping these guys from getting a load of Wonderbread or Texas Toast, KC style, every couple days instead? Some nice, soft, chewy bread to soak up some sauce and grease would have been the fifth star on this review. Bottom line here, I've spent a good chunk of time in KC for work and I'd venture that Rib House has what it takes to go toe-to-toe with that whole scene.
(4)Rachel W.
Service = terrible Wait = awful Food = dissatisfying Price = Way too expensive Ambiance = Poor
(1)Kate Marie G.
I wasn't expecting a lot from this place (it's in that Boulder restaurant zone where some new yuppie place opens every other week and then dies a year later), but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't get the ribs, but I the sausage was spicy and the pork tender. I thought the sauce was great (I liked the Medium), though they don't bring you quite enough. All the sides I had were also tasty--good sweet potato fries and beans. All the sauces were gluten-free, which is a HUGE plus for me, and I appreciated that they had vegetarian offerings (portabellos, I believe). I can't say if it was truly authentic like the owner claimed, since I haven't spent much time in Kansas City, but I think this is pretty good BBQ for Boulder. Much better than I expected, at any rate! I'll go again. I wish Yelp would let me give it another half star.
(3)C F.
1) The food and drinks here are consistent. 2) The owner is clearly passionate about great service and ensuring return customers. 3) They will validate your parking in the garage near them. 4) Clean. Always. 5) I'm a vegetarian and even though there aren't many options for me on the menu, the above items MAKE this place. Goes to show you what actually caring about your business can do for a restaurant in Boulder.
(4)Rhiannon W.
I went here for lunch and could NOT believe how good the ribs were. They easily hold their own with the ribs in KC (i travel there for work) and might even be better. Here's why - not only do they fall RIGHT off the bone, the meat is tender, tasty, well-seasoned, and has no gristle. You can tell the meat quality must be the best, and the slow cooking renders everything down beautifully. You can also choose the heat you want in your sauce - I got medium and it had a nice kick, glad I didn't get hot because I just wanted the flavor of that meat, mostly! Got the cheesy corn and baked beans for sides - those beans are pretty spicy, i would not recommend if you aren't into hot stuff, but I liked them! Maybe the owner is moody, but he was super nice to me when i stopped in for lunch! he came out, asked if we enjoyed our food, said thank you when i complimented him, and that was it! This is not a typically trendy yuppy place. This food is GOOD. These ribs are the best i've had in Colorado. Must try if you are serious about ribs!
(5)Jeff S.
Best ribs in the world - period! The owner was super friendly. The waiter was attentive but not overbearing. The meat is the specialty - so I don't pay much attention to the sides or the vegetable options :-) The ribs are so moist they fall off the bone without any effort. All you need is a fork to seperate the meat from the bone. The sauce is served on the side in 4 different varieties from mild to super hot.
(5)AJ A.
Came here after not knowing where to get any bbq food in boulder. Pretty disapointed with the food. Anyone could put kc masterpieces sause on pork and call it home made bbq. 2 stars because my drink was at least ok
(2)James G.
Ridiculously NOT Kansas City style ribs, dry & overpriced, with anorexic portions, but a bulimic bill. Wow I can't believe the this chain is spreading, maybe cancer of the Q??
(1)Kim K.
I was disappointed with this place. It sounded awesome and has a decent Yelp score but it didn't live up to my expectations. The fried mac-n-cheese was ok, but it seemed like they just took some Kraft and battered it up. When I think of fried mac-n-cheese it's the dense, super-cheesy kind, not the kind from the box. But it tasted good, so. I ate it. Then the mains. The brisket sandwich was huge but kind of dry. The ribs were overpowered by the smoke flavor. It was too strong for the mild flavors of the sauces they offered. We tried the mild and the hot-n-spicy one (at the suggestion of the waiter, after mentioning the blandness of the first one) and neither one really tasted all that great. The spicy one had a kick, but it was just heat, not flavor. As far as the sides went the cole slaw was just ok. DH said the beans were awesome. The sweet tea was kind of weird. DH said it tasted like sugar water mixed with a little bit of tea, and I thought it tasted like sweet wheat bread (I don't know). We had no problems with the service. Our waiter was great. All in all it wasn't bad, exactly, but it wasn't good enough for us to go back.
(3)Kate R.
My boyfriend and I got delivery ordered in tonight and after looking forward to trying something new, getting a simple meal of chicken and mashed potatoes, I seriously cannot express enough how disappointed I am with this place. The rolls were kaiser rolls from safeway (safeway brand too) that came in a ziploc bag. Absolutely disgusting. When you can't even get bread right, there's an issue. second, we ordered a side of fried mac-n-cheese. This consisted of 4 triangles of fried kraft macaroni n cheese. HORRIBLE. The chicken was so dry I absolutely could not believe it. To moisten it, BBQ sauce came on the side that was straight ketchup and vinegar, heavy on the vinegar. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. absolutely awful food. EXTREMELY overpriced.
(1)Mike W.
Their food is 4 star BBQ (for Boulder at least). Their atmosphere and decor are 2 star recycled Italian restaurant. All of their meats are quite good and they have a delightful array of BBQ sauces. Their side dishes are a mixed bag. If you like Q and can get past the decidedly un-BBQ joint vibe of the place, it's definitely worth your while. I like it better than most of the other BBQ places around town.
(4)Robert S.
Better than no ribs at all, but these bones are nothing special. Like most BBQ places around here, and apparently most of their customers, the preferred style is "fall off the bone" which means mushy, wet ribs. Sorry folks but ribs should bite back a little bit. It's ok if you have to pick them up to eat them. Boring sauce (not enough vinegar), boring flavor (not enough spice in the rub), boring sides. Boring.
(3)Shane B.
If you are expecting Carolina or Texas BBQ you will be very disappointed. If you are a fan of Memphis or St. Louis dry rub then you might want to disregard this review because I have discovered that I am not. The meat had a weird flavor that even the spicy fire sauce couldn't dampen. It tasted like it sat next to the oven for two days and rotted/cooked. The texture was black burned outside and fatty soft inside. We got a punch of hard egg roll/hamburger buns as a side. The beans were actually the highlight of the meal. Service was understaffed but cordial and did regular table visits. You could do better at home with a $5 jar of decent bbq sauce.
(1)A J.
So... My girl and I tried this place today on a visit to Boulder, and it's weird, but it's one of the few times we've had completely different opinions. She wanted to give it 4 stars, I wanted to give it 2, so as you see, we settled upon 3. Let me start off by saying our service was good. We sat at the bar, which wasn't huge, but big enough. There were 3 crystal clear TV's, one of them fairly large and great for catching a game. The bartender and his replacement were both attentive and friendly. We started off with an appetizer, the fried mac n' cheese squares with ranch dressing. For reasons I'm not sure of, I've never had these. They were quite good. For lunch my girl had the pulled pork combo lunch with potato salad and baked beans. I went for the 1/3lb of ribs with mashed potatoes and cheesy corn. She liked hers a lot. I thought the ribs were dry and tasted like they'd been basted or rubbed with nothing. They were definitely overcooked though and so too I thought was the pulled pork she had. Like I said, she thought it was good. My potatoes were great and the cheesy corn was better than the cheesy corn I had at Big Hoss. For dessert we had a slice of Italian Cream cake. This was good...obviously refrigerated, so no telling if it was made today or a week ago, but it was a gigantic piece...and by gigantic i mean big as f*ck. We had to eat half and the cut it in half just to fit it into a to go container. All in all, not a bad stop. I'd definitely be willing to give this place another shot. I'll update when we visit again.
(3)John B.
We went here with a friend who had been to the Longmont location but hadn't tried the Boulder location yet. We were greeted by Tracy, the owner, who was very friendly and took the time to answer any questions that we had. We're pretty big BBQ fans, but my wife really likes mustard based sauces. Unfortunately, they didn't have any. The sauces they did have came in 4 flavors, all with varying heat levels. Out of the three we tried, I only really liked one of them. Of course, one is all you really need, so that's OK. We tried a few different meats, including the baby-back ribs, smoked turkey and beef brisket. All three were delicious! They didn't even need sauce. The ribs did fall off the bone (I effortlessly ate mine with a fork), the turkey wasn't too dry and the brisket was just a tasty pile of meat. The sides were decent. The potato salad was OK, but not the best I've ever had. The corn stuff was alright. I can't really remember the beans. Now, for the best part of the meal... dessert! Although we were stuffed, I had to try the carrot cake. Tracy that it was the best and I'd have to agree. I haven't had carrot cake that good in a long time! We got it to go and the piece was big enough for my wife and I to have some when we got home and still have enough left over for a large breakfast. The lid on the full-sized takeout container wouldn't even close without smashing the edge of the cake! I'd go back for the meat and the cake, but the sauces and sides were only so-so. Nevertheless, if I was in Boulder (or Longmont) and someone wanted BBQ, I'd take them to The Rib House!
(4)Willie B.
we had bobs special for the second time and again we were satisfied. not the best sauce i have had ,but its edible.
(2)Devin R.
We first visited with a group of 25 for a birthday. We had two waiters to our two large tables. We started off asking about separate checks (which seemed like a foreign concept) which then began with writing down our orders separately, then were greeted at the end of the night with "the computer only lets us split it 4 ways". Whoops, bait and switch. The service took far too long for what it should have been. The food was tasty and everyone around seemed to enjoy it. But it's BBQ, it's not that hard to cook some meat and add sauce. Arguably, the sides seemed more appealing than the entrees. Worth noting, the décor is leftover from the previous (italian) restaurant (paint, pictures, lamps, etc.) and looks hardly like a rib house. A sign that, hey, maybe it won't be around long enough and isn't worth redecorating..
(2)Mike E.
Outstanding ribs. Melt-in your mouth like no others I've had. Desserts are supposedly amazing too, but haven't tried them. Everything else is so-so. The downside - very high prices for barbecue. It's more than I like to pay for barbecue. If you go, get the ribs.
(3)kari b.
Wow, for BBQ, even in Boulder, this is really pricey! I think it is really strange that you have to pay extra if you want BBQ sauce, not just for an extra side of BBQ sauce, if you want BBQ sauce period you have to pay for it. I was happy to see I was not charged extra for ketchup and salt too! Now to the food itself, I was not that impressed, bummer I love BBQ. The meat was actually too smokey tasting, and had a mealy texture. Overall not a great experience.
(2)Ef R.
With all of Boulder's veggie-friendly food offerings, I was delighted and surprised to find a new bbq place doing so well downtown. The Rib House serves up all the usual bbq fare in a decidedly un-bbq space. The place (which used to house Prima Ristorante) hasn't done much to change the interior, creating a pretty amusing fanciness for a rib place. However, I think that's a good thing. If they had filled the inside of the Rib House with license plates, mounted taxidermy and other Americana, I probably would have walked right out. The food is awesome and the bbq sauces are all tasty, though I haven't tried the super hot one (I have a delicate stomach - like fine china). If you go, I encourage you to eat hearty. Mashed potatoes, deep fried mac & cheese, etc. The Rib House is serious business.
(4)Jen A.
I've only been for HH, where they have "tastes" of their famous ribs, other assorted food items and discounted beers. Their ribs are delicious and tender, they come with a side of sauce ranging from mild - "fire." They also have 25oz beers (Dales and others) for $4.50 during HH. Nice. We've sat at the bar on a few occasions and the service is great. They do have one oddball server who was hanging out at the bar the last time we were there (it was a slow night) and he basically just hung out at the bar/food counter and proceeded to annoy the bartender and other servers. This kid needs to be canned stat. Will write more when we've had more off the menu.
(4)Pablo B.
Ordered pickup at work. The rack of ribs itself was $23 (a little pricy but understandable for Boulder and I was splitting with a coworker anyway). 4 buns were $1 (a little lame that they were not complimentary). 2 sides were $1.60 each and I mistook them for salad dressing on the side because they were so small. the ribs were dry, chalky, and stringy. The meat was not tender or marbled to give a good, meaty, fatty consistency. Will never go back.
(1)SHN H.
We ordered Rib House take-out on a recommendation from friends. We tried three main courses and three sides. Overall the experience was disappointing. I don't know anything about their cooking methods, but from eating at many BBQ places in my day, I can take some guesses. The meats were smoked. To me this is usually a good thing, but the Rib House smoking process seems a little off...I can't quite put my finger on what is wrong...maybe it is the type of wood, maybe it is the smoker, maybe they don't smoke for the entire cooking process, but something was not right and it was consistently not right for all three meats we tried. The flavor was TOO TOO SMOKY...the crust was minimal except for the boneless beef ribs, where it was more of a burn than a char (there is a difference). We ordered Tracy's Famous Illegal Baby Back Ribs: these were not good. No carmelization or crust on the ribs. They were tender, but there was still a lot of nasty connective tissue between the bones which caused me to question whether they smoke for a short period of time and use some other quick tenderization method like pressure cooking to do most of the cooking (which will not disintegrate the connective tissue like the traditional low and slow 24 hour smoking method will). It there was a rub on the ribs it was not prominent. We tried Mike's Turkey Leg: my wife loves turkey legs, so we had high hopes for this. It was actually TOO TENDER. She grabbed the leg and it fell completely off the bone. Like the ribs, the bone was white and there was still a lot of tough connective tissue in the meat, suggesting pressure cooking or boiling was involved in the preparation. The leg was really smoky. Again, too smoky and not in a good way. The skin was not crispy. Bummer. The Boneless Beef Ribs were probably the best of the three meats, but also not good. Burned to a crisp on top, too smoky, adequately tender. Not much else to say about these. The sauces were ho-hum. We had the XXX and the medium. The medium had no tang. The XXX was not very hot. For sides, the house made chips were fantastic. They were the highlight of the meal. We tried the bbq beans. They were also great. The cheesy corn bake was another story...it was a really funky concoction and I can not recommend it. I am not sure we will try this again.
(2)Mike B.
Rack of ribs, Sweet potato fries, and a $12 pitcher of Stella. Sounds like a Sunday. Simple and Sweet.
(4)Anne R.
There is only one word to describe this place...horrible. We were wandering around Pearl St. trying to find a place to eat, and the Rib House was the only place that could seat us immediately. We waited for about 10-15 minutes before the waiter strolled over and took our drink order. Then it took him another 10 minutes to bring it to us (it wasn't even alcohol). He said he'd be back in a few seconds to take our food order, but he didn't come back for about another 5 minutes. The place smelled great, so we were anticipating the food. Literally, we ordered at 7:30 and the food didn't come out until 8:07. We ordered one of the meat platters (which had the spicy sausage, brisket, and chicken), some ribs, and a turkey leg. I didn't think it was possible, but everything on our table was dry. I had to spit out the chicken after chewing it a few times because it was starting to choke me. The ribs had to be eaten with sips of water because it was hard to swallow too. The turkey leg tasted dried out and flavorless. It was a huge disappointment. We told the waiter who came by a very minimal amount of times, and he informed us that turkey legs are always dry. Really? Instead of saying that, he should have offered to change the order or remake the leg. Then the manager came around, so we informed him that the meat was extremely dry. The turkey leg only had a few bites taken out of it, and the rest of the food was practically untouched. The manager said he was sorry and informed us that he'll take some things off the check. That was after informing us that ribs are never dry and the meat shouldn't have been dry either. Do you want to take a bite of it and see how long it takes you before you have to take a swig of water or spit it out?! It's like he didn't even believe us. 10 dollars. 10 dollars was all he took off. That turkey leg alone was 10 dollars. We didn't want to get a free meal. We didn't even eat the meal or pack it up to go. The service and quality of the food was a huge disappointment. I will never go there again, and after reading this review, I hope you fellow yelpers avoid this place as well.
(1)Silvia C.
Went to Boulder with my boyfriend, and when I go out west, I always want some GOOD BBQ!!! Found it in Kansas, found it in AZ, and now, I have also found it in CO. We were visiting one of his friends that live out there, who when I asked where was a good BBQ spot to hit, it was then I found out he was vegetarian...! Ooops... I some how found it on my GPS and thought with a name like Rib House, how could we go wrong...and I was RIGHT!!! We got some carry out, as we had been on the road all day, but made it in time to catch some ribs for appetizer at the bar while we waited. I took one bite, AMAZING. I don't know what anyone else is talking about when they say other wise, maybe they went on an off day? Possible, but I definitely went on a GOOD day, as they were exactly what I had been looking for. THANK YOU TERRY!! The owner was there, and was super nice, staff was super nice, bartenders were great, etc. Next time I go to Boulder, I am hitting that place at least twice....could be a bit better with their vegetarian menu, however, as it seems salads and a portabello mushroom sandwich was the only selection. But if you are a meat eater, and like good BBQ, you won't go wrong. :)
(5)Susi H.
I had the ribs and they were excellent and the portions were spot on. The sauces were ok. More like ketchup with spices and not that smokey bbq flavor I, as a Texas girl, am used to. The service was horrible. We had to get up and go to the bar to get water refils, the food took forever to get to us, and we had to hunt someone down to get our check. This is another typical downtown Boulder restaurant run by college kids who don't have a clue how to treat adults and continue to give beer and wine recommendations when they are only 21. I would go back for the food but if the service doesn't improve then I'll move on.
(3)