Food is great. Went to a party and the room is small but inviting. I'll always will go there.

City Rub Smokehouse used to be one of my favorite spots, but after my most recent visit, I won't be returning. The restaurant wasn't busy, yet the food arrived cold, unseasoned, and completely disappointing, especially for a bill totaling $110. After waiting 20 minutes, our server returned to tell us there was no pulled pork... at 5 PM... during dinner service. How does a smokehouse run out of pulled pork before the evening rush? It didn't stop there. We ordered corn on the cob, but was served cornbread instead. When I asked about it, I was told the cooks "it'll take to much time," so we substituted mac and cheese for an extra $2. What arrived was flavorless, watery, and honestly it was embarrassing for a place that used to pride itself on BBQ. Between the cold plates, missing menu items, lack of flavor, and the overall indifference from the kitchen, this visit felt like a complete waste of money and time. But wait it gets better! After receiving the check, it displayed happy hour! Happy hour? We weren't informed upon entry, as we exited I told my partner I wanted to inquire about happy hour. Would have changed our dine-in experience. I'm sad to say it, but after this experience, I won't be coming back. read more

its freakin closed. no notifications anywhere wtf? oh closes on monday but no one lists that!!!

So today June 29 I took my family there for the very first time. We were the only people there besides a women @ the bar not sure if she was a customer or worked there. Either or we ordered food an everything was COLD. Well the Mac N cheese was watm but that's it. Sent everything back for it only to comeback luke warm. I was know one else there an they still can't get it right Just iimagine a busy night. I asked for boxes a got out of there. $99 dollars later. I left exact change a told the waiter they should either fire cook or switch him to bartender since he can make cold drinks. First N Last time read more

I live in the area and have come here a few times. The food is pricey. I will say that. But the star for me is smoked turkey. It's so flavorful and juicy. The drinks were good as well. I'd go back read more

Food and drinks are pretty good here and they have a nice happy hour. The location is a little rough but the inside very nice, rustic gaslight farmhouse kind of feel. Bartenders are cool here. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Love it! Hidden gem! I spotted it while getting on the highway! Great location close To airport and airport hotels. I sat inside (been outside all day) . Beautiful out door dining area. The interior has Fantastic rustic look . I ordered the city combo so goood. Pork ribs/ brisket and pulled pork. With wedge potatoes and the brisket beans.. not a fan of the beans but everything else was 2 thumbs up! The bartender was very friendly and explained the menu. I'd say it's a Brazilian Tex mex fusion. I love Brazilian food! read more

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Place is pretty cool. Have not tried the food yet but I'm hearing good things. Hopefully one day I will give it a try. Bartenders were really friendly. Decent selection of drinks. Wasn't super busy, so they were on top of it. No complaints here. read more

Went here on Sunday and the vibes didn't disappoint. From the food, drinks, and live band-- the experience was great. The staff are attentive, and accommodating, and everyone that comes here is friendly and open. read more

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A friend and I have been going on a motorcycle bbq tour through out new jersey from the start of this spring. City rub was number 7 on our tour and I gotta say it was my favorite thus far. The brisket and ribs were smoked to perfection and the female bartender that was working on a Tuesday afternoon was smoking as well. Top notch decor and bbq vibe inside. Can't wait to go back on a weekend read more

Honestly, this rating is the highest I could give and that's strictly because of the service & the atmosphere. we got deviled eggs as an appetizer. seems like they just added mayo to the yolk and let the toppings do their thing 1/10. the sides were trash. we initially got the mac & cheese 2.5/10 and smoked potato salad -15/10. the mac was soupy and bland. the potato salad was dry and bland. plus the potatoes were cut too large. I replaced the potato salad with baked beans and they weren't sweet enough (but an improvement from the p. salad). the meat was .. okay. best thing out of the experience, honestly. some tender brisket (also bland) paired with good bbq sauce (that's what saved it) and the jalapeno sausages (that weren't even spicy). If I go back, it'll be for the drinks & the vibes, not the food. if you're into sports, they have big a*s TV's playing nothing but sports. read more

The restaurant is really good, but the customer service needs improvement. When I called to ask about the party package prices, the person who answered was very rude and just told me to check the website instead of politely helping me. Then, when I went to the website to look for the prices and make a reservation, it redirected me to a gaming site. Great food, but they really need to work on their customer service. read more

After walking into an almost empty restaurant on Friday night and having serious doubts, my friends and I were shocked at how good everything was. Best barbecue I ever had. Try the bacon wrapped scallops. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - City Rub Combo - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

First of all I'm giving one star had a birthday dinner last week there my reservation was for 20 people but end up having like 16 people but whoo hoo I told them when I arrived that we would do three bills they said fine We start ordering orders came back wrong and mixed up. Upon addressing various issues like double orders , old looking meat , doubled charged and sassy men messing up the orders and arguing with the customers when there wrong. However the 3 meat combo came out dry and old they wouldn't replaced ,the beef rib was order that was old and dry and hard for 59$ but ok not worth it , my steak tacos was fatty ,garnish was old and soggy. The turkey was over cooked & dry. Side orders are nasty and over priced. Been trying to contact the Owner since Last Sunday no one has called back or responded the same sassy men answering I guess I will stop in there. Bad Experience Never spending money there again.Bill came to 938.00 after a break down of the bill it came to 811.00 gotta watch them guys . read more

Blown away by the new airport location Minority-owned/operated and the visiting product owner type from their partner company (Roman) is here getting his hands dirty and expediting everything while educating / supporting the staff. This is peak operational excellence. F&B was phenomenal. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Great place. Came here for the first time last month and loved the food. Its like an American smokehouse with the Brazilian taste. Soo good. Staff is great, professional and friendly. Nice outdoor seating. Will definitely be back. Great date-night place. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Picanha dish with rice and feijão troperiro - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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It was the first time my hubby and I visited and we were not disappointed; we will definitely be back. The server Josh was extremely friendly and bubbly; great personality. He was attentive and took our drink orders and answered all questions we had about the food menu. The hubby had a beer and a shot of Hennessy and and I had the passion sangria which was freshly made and was a 20 out of 10!!!! Our meal was even more amazing. I had the crab cake sandwich with sweet potato fries and my hubby had the city rub wings with mixed fresh vegetables and sweet potato fries. Everything was savory and packed with flavor not to mention fresh. We left very full by not an uncomfortable full feeling. The ambiance was very nice, relaxing and welcoming. We will definitely be returning in the very near future. read more

Okay..food wasn't terrible however, LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE REVIEWS. Service is garbage. It's like two servers compared to the 5 bartenders, but it did take us our entire meal to get one BOTTLED coors light. All of our meals came except one, and she didn't get her meal until the rest of us were finished. A good 35 mins passed by the time we got it. Manager really didn't do much. We even has to remind them to take it off the bill. Also the manager waited until AFTER we paid to offer us a "free round" - but why wait 30 minutes for basic drinks for free before you need to go a game. 20% gratuity was already added to our bill, so we couldn't tip the way we genuinely wanted which takes away the incentive to provide good service. I will not return unless I'm desperate - and I ain't THAT desperate. read more

Nice ambiance, music outside was a bit too loud, server was kind about lowering the volume. They are accommodating, and patient. I switched seats twice. My spouse and I shared the calamari which was tender and crisp, sat atop a bed of some edible dehumidifier. Lol The Memphis pork ribs with the dry rub and bbq sauce was flavorful and meaty, would love just a tad more sauce. Veggies were greasy but the subtle garlic and salt flavor was nice. Love the rice, Brazilians make the best white rice! Smoked beef rib. Risotto was salty, meat was tender, and texture of the grain was al dente. Staff should be advised to inform patrons of kitchen closing time, especially if it is fast approaching. Would love to have had a dessert. read more

The food at this place was truly fantastic... Service was a little lacking there no host to see choose you kind of have to just pick your own table. but honestly if that's my only complaint, that's not a bad time for me ha ha. I started out by ordering the deviled egg appetizer which were the perfect size for one person. I was super hungry so then I ordered the three meats and the three sides;my server was accommodating and let me mix and match brisket ribs and chicken and then for my three sides I picked mac & cheese asparagus and potato wedges. my server josh was super friendly and attentive, brought me refills promptly and was so sweet, definitely will be back !! read more

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We were staying at the Home 2 Suites and needed to find a place to eat. What a great choice. The food was excellent! read more

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10/10 by far my favorite place to come too!!! The drinks I've attached to my reviews are super delicious!!! When I say I had more then one I sure did enjoy these amazing drinks! Tamarind-Fall in was fantastic.. beyond 10/10 it has a perfect amount of sweet to this drink.. my taste buds were blown with this one! Pinejo was so different and delicious!!! 9/10 The spicy Thai shrimp is soooooooo flavorful and juicy!!! This is a must have! 10/10 Brisket my goodness what is there not to say but WOW super soft and tasty and still super simple with the creamy amazing mac n cheese.. literally to die for 10/10 Calamari super tasty and crunchy which is great because some places make it soggy! This was perfect... 9/10 Trio Sausages were spot on crisp on the outside and super juicy on the inside!!!! 10/10 The Ribeye cooked to perfection on mediums well.. I know I know there are a lot of people who eat the steak differently.. I love my Meat with some red in it haha and this steak was bomb and had this with the white rice.. 9/10 The vibe is super comfy, fun, rustic, and exciting!! I love this place so much that I am here almost every Friday haha.. There is live music a couple days of our the week and TVs around the Resturant.. If there is a place you want to unwind this is a great place to go! The staff are amazing amazing.. they are all so attentive and make sure they check on you constantly.. they are so polite and know how to treat customers.. Please if you haven't gone you need to try it!! Cant wait for my next visit read more

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My mom and I decided to venture out to Newark today and wanted to try somewhere new. We stumbled upon City Rub around 11:30ish but had such a hard time finding the parking lot. Apparently, I was told to park in the lot in front of the liquor store and not sure if it's allowed or not so double check if you visit. As we walked to the restaurant, it looked pretty nice on the exterior and even better on the inside. We stood at the hostess desk for a while before being greeted and mind you the restaurant only had one table present. As soon as we sat, we waited again (about 10 minutes) for water and a menu. The service was extremely slow and it kind of bothered me especially for a restaurant like this. After waiting some more, our waiter finally gave us water and we placed our orders. We ordered their smoked wings, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, mashed potatoes, & Mac and cheese. The wings were amazing and would highly recommend it. On the other hand, the brisket wasn't good at all. I don't want to speculate but it didn't look nor tasted fresh. It had a very off color, extremely fatty, and kind of rubbery. We attempted to eat it but didn't like it one bit. Honestly, I'd skip their brisket entirely as it wasn't worth the money. Following that, we tried their pork ribs which were ok but nothing amazing. It didn't taste like much so we ended up drowning it in sauce to give it some flavor. The pulled pork was good for the most part and was packed with flavor. The mashed potatoes were pretty basic in my opinion. The mac & cheese was probably my second favorite as it was flavorful, cheesy, and overall delicious. To be honest with you, City Rub food was just ok and nothing really to rave about. I'm pretty familiar with bbq food as I'm a blogger and didn't really enjoy the food as much as I would've expected or at least from the raving reviews. My overall experience was probably a 6/10 mostly because of the smoked wings and the pulled pork. I should also mention that our waiter forgot about us numerous times and we had to ask another waitress for assistance (she wore red this afternoon). For the amount of money we spent, I expected an amazing experience but it kind of fell short. read more

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The food was absolutely terrible they didn't have color greens instead they substituted french fries I'm not sure how that makes sense the brisket I ordered was just that brisket no bread no nothing. I didn't get my water until I was done with my meal by the time that was it was at least an hour because it took that long to even get the food. There is so many other restaurants that are just right around there I should have just got up and left but I didn't hoping that the food would be worth the wait I was sadly disappointed read more

Such a nice place , decoration is great , vibe is cool and the Flavor was good until I found a bug in my plate felt disgusted, Nobody apologized or nothing about it Server took my plate back to the kitchen and brought it back in 2 minutes. Makes me think They just removed the bug and send my plate back to my table . Definitely never coming back . read more

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I came here for the coconut mojitos during happy hour and it did not disappoint. Their happy hour is fantastic w a large selection of food and drinks all under $10. We ordered tacos, beet salad, wings and a quesadilla and it was all good! I think the food was maybe a 7.5/10 (salad could use more dressing and quesadilla was basic but not bad) but the drinks were 10/10. The portions are huge as well! The restaurant is in a random part of Newark, close to the airport and flanked by truck parking lots and the liquor store they operate next door but the restaurant is very nice and spacious inside. I knocked off a star for service because even though our server was nice it was very slow and there were only two or three tables including us. Also, they ran out of lime? When the drink menu is half lime based?? So we couldn't get more caipirinhas or mojitos after our first round so we followed up with guava margs that were good and STRONG. I'll definitely be back especially for happy hour! read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Wings Chicken quesadilla Beet salad - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Walked in for a dinner and was pleasantly surprised with how great it was. Everything was delicious! Lots of outdoor seating and very chill vibe. It is near a busy road so it can get a little noisy. They also have their own parking which is a plus. For appatizers we got the Fried Calamari and baked clams, both were very good. The pulled pork was full of flavor and my favorite part of the meal. The ribs are pretty big and could be shared in my opinion. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Pulled pork and ribs! - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Service today and food was below standard. I come all the time but tonight WAS AWEFUL. VERY DISAPPOINTED read more

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So disappointed on this place I don't even know how to start, first we get there and they have a big sign that says wait to be seated oh pls !! we was waiting 10 min and we said lets seat anywhere if they don't see us after that we older some drinks 30 min waiting and we ask where is our drinks the guy said oh the bartender make one of them wrong so he bring of the drinks and I have to wait 20 min for mines on top of that the food was terrible we can't even eat it we just eat the entrance but the citycombo We can't I feel like wasted money and wasted time ! read more

I ordered an egg and cheese sandwich. their menu suggests it comes with a fruit cup but then they told me the fruit cup was an extra $8 which wasn't listed anywhere. I got on the airplane to eat my sandwich and it was covered in meat (again, I ordered an egg and cheese). I am vegetarian so unfortunately i paid $11 for something I can't eat and have to throw away. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Waited an hour for our drinks then 40 for food :( food is very good but waitstaff hangs out behind the bar instead of working!! ALL THE REVIEWS ARE RIGHT!! Ambiance 4/5 very pretty outdoor seating there is parking. This place just needs better management read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Ribs cornbread + Mac chz - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Went there for lunch I bought the brisket salt and pepper Rub, it came with rice and mixed vegetables and mixed vegetables were excellent the rice was oily and clumpy and the brisket was dry. sometimes it's hit and miss with city rub. It's a good place to meet and gather and to have drinks. they are not that consistent with their food specially anything that smoked. read more

The ambiance was cute and laid back. The food was amazing at the least worth the pretty penny. The drinks was pretty good it came mason cups somewhat. It was that whole "Old Time" bar feel still alright at the end of the day. Except the devil eggs, there was no seasoning at all 2/10 but it was still good. The bacon topping is was saved it. I suggest mixing 2 sauces together (Hot and Honey I think). read more

I think this restaurant is the most misunderstood place in Newark! There are a good mixture of good and bad reviews and from my experience I think the bad reviews were actually very unfair. The bad reviews came from people who either called ahead and did not listen to the fact that there is live music every night and then complained about it or, came at a very busy times when the place was packed and complained about slow service. This week I was overnight in Newark for business and found this place on yelp and went there and sat at the bar to eat by myself knowing it was a casual environment and a sports pub style restaurant. I found the bartenders were extremely friendly and very helpful and I ordered the city salad and had the salad in front of me in probably 5 to 7 minutes. I also ordered as an entrée - the salt and pepper rubbed brisket - and it was in front of me again within 10 to 15 minutes with a great presentation. And I have to say, the taste of the brisket was exceptional and matched the presentation. It came with a bowl of aromatic rice and I ordered baked beans as a side which were beans in what was clearly a homemade sauce with chunks of meat in it and was delicious. now I have to warn you some of the negative reviews said the place turns into a nightclub. On my arrival there was a small band there warming up and when I asked the bartender the scoop she explained that every night they do have live music. I didn't stick around for the music but in the 90 minutes I was there the parking lot went from three cars including mine to 25 cars with two valets and was filling up fast and I'm sure for a good reason. The restaurant sits in the middle of a very heavy Brazilian and Portuguese neighborhood and I happen to be half Portuguese. All the bartenders are probably mid 20s and are all absolutely gorgeous. Someone walking in off the street may mistake place for a strip club LOL but I can assure you it was not! All of the young women were very professional and of course were very easy on the eyes. The wait staff for the tables were all mail and so if you're sitting in a table and away from the bar it is a very different environment. At the end I asked for the manager who came out and talked to me for a good 10 to 15 minutes and was absolutely lovely and extremely professional and we discussed the good reviews and the bad and she enlightened me as to what triggered the bad reviews and not being worth her while to respond. She also informed me that when she's used open door more recently she's had far better experiences and far more strong positive feedback about the restaurant and from my experience I think she's right. I only get to the Newark area once or twice a year but I would absolutely go back to the restaurant because of the food the environment and what I can tell you is a great and dedicated staff. read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Salt and Pepper Brisket - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Beatriz was our server and she was very short and condescending towards us. I guess because we had more than 6 in our party she could treat us that way . Auto 20% The food was good except for Mac & cheese. read more

The star lost was for service. very nice, but verrry slow, and restaurant was dead. Only one other table. We were a table of 6 and they include gratuity on the bill. We had... Drinks- very pretty and were really good! Apps-beet salad, wings, shrimp wrapped in bacon and deviled eggs. We loved them all. I like they offer 3 different sauces on the table and blue cheese. Dinner-Brisket, pulled pork, burger, and a special of brisket quesadilla. If you need a place close to Newark airport...worth it! Like $60 each all in. read more

Those who follow my reviews know I am a big fan of BBQ. Yesterday, my wife and I had an event in Newark and had time to kill so we figured we'd go to Ironbound for a Spanish meal. Going to our favorite restaurant, we passed City Rub Smokehouse and decided on a change in plans. We're we ever happy we did. It's been tough post Covid finding good BBQ. We did not find it here. We found GREAT BBQ. I looked at the specials which were a little pricey and decided on basic barbecue. I ordered a sweet tea and smoked turkey. That came with one side. The turkey was moist and juicy with a nice rub. Delicious. The corn on the cob was equally delicious. We also split a side of corn bread. Best I ever had. (Even brought more home). It was more like a cake than bread My wife had pulled pork with cole slaw. The pulled pork was one of the best and was served with pickled cucumbers. It was heavenly. My wife enjoyed the slaw without giving me a taste. Equally impressive was we met a woman who was sweeping the floor and moving the tables for a big party. I asked if she was the manager, and Olivia told me she was the owner. Imagine an owner who cares about her restaurant as well as her customers. Can't wait to go back. We'll worth the trip read more

City Rub Smokehouse - Pulled pork - Southern Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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This was not our first time having dinner at City Rub. We had a waiter" Jorman" who was awesome. We love this restaurant and would highly recommend it. City Rub thank you. read more

The ambiance was great. Food amazing and flavorful. Except the Mac n cheese..it was mediocre. Service was quick. The loud music however was too loud and made it impossible to have dinner conversation. I will definitely return though. read more

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This restaurant was a five star on my list! When ever I travel to Jersey this restaurant was a must on my to do list. My recent visit to the restaurant was a huge disappointment. The ribs was to salty and dry. The corn bread was horrible! I gave it three stars on past experiences... The staff was awesome and attentive! Hope this was just one bad plate and they're standards Are back to the high bar,which,I sooooo confidently brag about! read more