I've had barbecue in many different states, including some of the best in Kansas City, Nashville and Texas. Obviously Dinosaur barbecue does its own thing and they do a very good job of it. I was thoroughly impressed with the flavor and smoke profile of the ribs and wings I got. The restaurant is also pretty big in terms of room and has very inviting interior decor. I tried the rack of ribs and a side of chicken wings with Korean bbq sauce. The ribs are St. Louis styles, and being from St. Louis I would say they're pretty close. They don't fall off the ribs but still tender and full of smoky flavor slathered in a tasty dry rub. The chicken wings are really good here. Tons of flavor but so think the korean bbq flavor was just a little too salty for me. They have a variety of side choices, more than your average bbq establishment. I tried the mashed potatoes and corn which were above average in my opinion. I got all this food as takeout, so the food probably tastes better when you dine in, but overall I was very satisfied! It lacks the 2% that the south has but it's a great bbq place in NY. read more

All good best fried green tomatoes and cornbread, music is good. Can be very loud near the band

Always love going to to Dino BBQ. I highly recommend the brisket. Melt in your mouth!

Had dinner for five tonight at this establishment. Food was great and service was outstanding. It's an iconic BBG joint and with really good entrees and sides that are a small meal on their own. Highly recommend this restaurant. Always consistently good. I had this brisket, bacon and Swiss sandwich with Mac and cheese. read more

Location and Ambience is really good. Expected a lot but was disappointing. Ordered hot chicken wings: they were neither hot nor flavourful. There were just charred up. The rack of ribs was okayish although my friends enjoyed it. read more

Parents of kids with Allergies: heed my call! This place rocks, in the sense that they listen to you and have a system in place that is affective for allergies. Upon being seated during their lunch rush in August 2018, my wife and I prepare ourselves to give our server the deluge of information over our son's allergies. After she received the barrage of information, she wrote it all down and asked to be excused. She went to enter my son's allergies and later we learned that one chef was tasked to prepare my son's meal and it's placed on a different colored plate to indicate a food allergy client (bright red). My son had a wonderful dining experience and we slowly released our grips on our epi and benadryl bottle and let out a collective sigh of relief....whew . Sorry . I know this is supposed to be about their food, but the tension that usually comes with eating out for a parent with a child with allergies is Huuuuge! Ticking time bomb and one wire to cut with 0:08 seconds remaining huge. But, to appease the public, I will allow the following: Fried green tomatoes: more like fried green crack! Can get enough, cuz I gotta save space for the main event! Syracuse salt potatoes: Slather me in butter baby. Love to smash these things in that golden goodness of butter sauce. My cardiologist says no, but my mouth says yaaaaaas! Nanananananana.....Brisket! So fatty, so meaty, love on a plate that requires no dressing. Ribs: you've heard it all before. "It's fall apart" "the smoke comes through". Here's my take: if once you've cleaned the bones of any meat, you can chew those damn things and they're not dry, with enough smoky marrow coming through, you've hit the jackpot! And that's what you find here! Also, if you plan on inviting me here and someone needs to be impressed, don't.....I'm a hot mess and my family accepts me as I am...sorta. In the end: thanks Dinosaur BBQ for helping us with our son, keep up the good work! read more

I was in town with my son for a visit to U of R. I had recommendations to try this place. Great food, great view. We got to sit overlooking the dam. This was a Sunday around 2:30 on a snowy day. The place was packed. I had the sampler with pork, ribs and brisket. Mac and cheese side and mashed potatoes. All were supurb. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Nick at the dinosaur bbq after a visit to University of Rochester. - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

This place has the best bbq in Rochester. The beef brisket and pork shoulder are amazing. They also have really good ribs. The restaurant is on a beautiful spot right next the river downtown too. It's one of my favorite places in Rochester. read more

Pork was decent, a bit on the dry side. Mashed potato was tasty, but colder than I'd like. Same goes with the Mac and cheese. Overall, fairly tasty. Not spectacular though. read more

Always great bbq for those who like smoky flavors. Never had a bad meal. Can get noisy on nights with music. Also good for takeout

This is hands-down my favorite BBQ place in town (sorry, Sticky Lips BBQ). I have got take-away from it so many times before I actually went to dine at the restaurant. Known as a food snob that turn down party invites for lack of interest in the food, I have never said no to any party when I found out we plan to get Dino BBQ. My favorite has always been for the ribs. It is very well seasoned, crispy on the outside and juicy inside. The meat is so well cooked and it just easily fell off the bones at the touch of your teeth. I don't know the social norms here but I would not hesitate getting my fingers greasy when I'm at it. I am less enthusiastic about their chicken (not their fault, roast chicken can easily be too dry for and not appealing), but their chicken leg and chicken wings are really good (personal preference, I'm not a white meat person). Brisket also ranks high on my list but a bit overshadowed by the ribs (can't say enough good things about their ribs). After so many takeaways, I finally went there when a guest was visiting. And it didn't let me down. It has all the vibe you expect and want for a bbq joint. Wooden interior, cool selection of beer (and bourbon, surprisingly they serve wine too). Live performance if you time it. It gets really busy during dinner hours and it is not easy to park around there (hence why we more often just do takeaway). wait, did I mention how good their ribs are? read more

Just did a dinner here for work, everyone is awesome, the food is awesome. Nothing but great things to say. Absolutely blown away. Fantastic job. read more

Classic BBQ. They are highly rated because the food is excellent served fresh and hot. Many choices, numerous sides that are beautifully prepared. Slaw is fresh and crisp. There is a great ambiance about the place. I have had about 2/3 of the menu. It is all good. read more

First time to Dinosaur BBQ. Really cool atmosphere... almost like a speak easy meets a biker bar meets a BBQ shack! There are pictures all over the walls, there was plenty of seating, and it was crazy busy for a Tuesday night (usually a good sign). Server was really friendly and very prompt, they had a great a beer selection too (went with Bells 2-hearted ale). I ordered the 3 meat sampler with Ribs, Sausage, and Brisket. The ribs were pretty good, I liked the rub and flavor, there were a touch dry and therefore did not fall right off the bone. The brisket was really good, again great flavor and nice outer crust. Lastly the sausage was very good too. It wasn't the best I've ever had but it was good. Sides I had fries and Mac n cheese. Both were pretty dang good so no complaints there at all. Overall, it was a good all around experience and I could see myself going back if I'm back in the area. I would recommend giving it a shot. read more

They are slipping a little. They don't cook with the same passion they once had. They might need a new pit master in the back!! The meat is dry and over cooked sometimes! read more

I have come here with my parents many times. We all love the fall-off-the-bone ribs. The mac and cheese is also delicious. The food comes very quickly since all of the food is made in big batches ahead of time. Once you order, the food comes on a cafeteria tray. My favorite menu item is the Bleu Cheese Burger platter with double mac and cheese. Other delicious sides are the beans and the cornbread. If you're hungry for dessert, I recommend hitting up one of Rochester's many other spots. The pie's (peanut butter pie, key lime, chocolate pie ) leave much to be desired and remind me of those Edward's Frozen Cream Pies they sell at Walmart for a fraction of the price. But what really makes this location is the breathtaking view. You get to look at the beautiful waterfall overlooking the Genesee River. In the summer, you can sit outside and catch the cool breeze coming off of the water and watch the seagulls congregate. read more

My wife and I were looking forward to some good BBQ from Dinosaur tonight delivered through GrubHub! I placed our order at 5:45 and the app told me the order would be delivered between 7:00-7:15, not unreasonable, but wait ,5 minutes later a message from Grub Hub tells us Dinosaur cancelled our order due to a "schedule change" . Was that code for don't want to bother with this cause we are too busy? If an establishment can't fulfill orders on a busy night make it known before customers order! Why bother using a service if you decide not to fulfill orders placed on that service? Dinosaur probably doesn't care about our skimpy little $55 dollar order but now they have lost a customer for the foreseeable future! read more

I could smell the smoker from a block away, and it smelled awesome. I ordered the brisket and ribs with Mac n cheese and greens. The problem arose when the food arrived. The brisket was tough, but had a great sauce. The greens were very good. The Mac n cheese had a wonderful flavor, but it was cold. The reason I did not give it less stars was because the ribs were terrific. They had a tremendous flavor and just melt in your mouth. In short, get the ribs. They taste as good as you would think they would from the smell of the smoker outside. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Ribs, brisket, greens and Mac n Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Flavor explosion in my mouth! Don't pass this place up. Get the brisket plate--you won't be disappointed!

Good tastes amazing however the portion sizes are tiny for the price you're paying. Not just saying that cause I'm American, but this place is easily the best in the North besides the sizing. read more

Everyone says this is the best barbecue in town, they certainly have a point!!! I personally am not a fan is their famous ribs but wow the steaks and brisket are AMAZING!!! So juicy and flavorful - and of course huge portion which is exactly what I need;) read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Ribs and brisket combo - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

I had the trio plate that has brisket, rib and something else I don't remember. They were cooked nicely to my liking. Potion was enough to bring some back home. The place is huge but seems to have multiple spaces instead of having all into one. It was busy on a Saturday afternoon. Service was quick despite the number of customers. The nearby parking lot was available for the public. read more

Pretty solid. After trying the 2 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que locations in New York City, we had an idea of what we were getting into with this Rochester location. I really liked that we were able to secure a table for 6 easily on OpenTable the day of. Street parking can be a little difficult to find, but there are a couple garages nearby. When we were entering, there was a fairly large biker gang parked outside, which was interesting. As we we entered, the place looked quite large, which is probably why there was plenty of reservation space left online. The place has a comfortable, sort of dive-y feel, meant for large group dining. Anyways, after spending the day at Niagara Falls, we were pretty hungry so we went with the family platter, as well as some deviled eggs for the table. What we got in the Family Stylin' BBQ: - 1 Chicken - 1 Rack of ribs - 1 lb. of brisket - 3 side dishes - Cornbread (ain't nothin' wrong with that) I wasn't sure if it was going to be enough food, as we did have a few guys (myself included) with incredible appetites, but it was more than enough for 6 people. Highlights were definitely the ribs and the brisket, which had a perfect juicy texture and weren't overly smoked or salty. Cornbread was a little dry, but you just had to eat it with some of the meat, so it worked out pretty well. Service was quick, efficient, and friendly. If you have a large group, I highly recommend family stylin', because we only paid about $25 per person, including tip and drinks. Not too shabby. Would definitely recommend for some decent barbecue in the area, comfortable for large groups. Glad to see that the quality at Dinosaur BBQ remains the same across locations, and even across the state. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - family stylin' platter - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Really good barbecue! The brisket, ribs, and chicken were barbecued just right. It was tender, well-seasoned, and had that bbq grill taste. There were multiple barbecue sauce options which was good because everybody doesn't like the same barbecue sauce. The sides were just average. I had the baked beans which were very soupy. It was more sauce than there were beans. The mac and cheese was ok. Kinda salty and not cheesy enough for me. The cornbread was ok . Overall they have good barbecue but the sides need a little help. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

We recently had our rehearsal dinner upstairs and it was amazing! Service: was amazing the day of rehearsal. The Resturant was easy to work with just. Needed to keep following up, that could definitely have been better. Space: great private area that fits up to 50 people. Food: AMAZING! Everyone was very happy with the food. No one left hungry! Recommend: YES! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Satisfied family and friends for rehearsal dinner! Thank you Dinosaur BBQ! - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

The food here has usually been excellent. This is the second time recently that the waitress seemed indifferent, even irritated, by the customers and her job. She acted like she would rather be doing anything else! We won't be rushing back. read more

Had a great time Friday, August 19th at Dinosaur, with a great band that was able to "blues it up" even to 50s songs like "Runaway Sue ". The smoked wings hit the spot with deliciousness, and the beers-a-kept-on-flowin' read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Dino BBQ before brother's wedding day - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Very impressed! I was skeptical a to whether or not this place would live up to the hype, but it certainly did. Even though they were busy, we were able to put our name down and then walk around a little bit and look at the river right outside the restaurant. After a few minutes they sent us a text that our table was ready. We were quickly served drinks by a friendly waitress, and decided on our meals. She even helped me choose which kind of wings to get. I have tried a few different sauces and spice rubs on their smoked chicken wings (I was pleasantly surprised that they let me get six one way and six another-- many places make you choose just one flavor). The smoked wings were so tender and delicious, I will definitely be back for more. None were too spicy, but the wango tango habanero ones were just out of this world with amazing flavor. Highly recommend. read more

The Rochester Dinosaur has some of the best roadhouse atmosphere available anywhere. The staff is on point, and the menu is awesome. If you didn't want to buy a Harley and spend a few months on the road when you walked in, you will before you walk out. read more

All my visits here have been pleasant. Never disappointed. I am not fond of all items on the menu so I am happy to say there are so many I do enjoy and have ordered many times. A definite favorite .. the fried green tomatoes!! read more

This place is the best! Came in on a late afternoon, seated immediately. Waitress was such a sweetheart even sitting in our booth to take our order. Had the 2 meat 2 side meal and it was amazing. Pulled pork and brisket were so tasty and melted in your mouth. Mac and cheese was unbelievable, cornbread is always delicious and cucumber salad had a great amount of dressing. Highly recommend if ever in the area! If you have time following, check out Roc Brewing down the street for a beer. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Pulled pork + brisket + cornbread + Mac and cheese + cucumber salad mmmmm!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

I have a friend named Dino. When I brought him here, he ran out halfway through the meal, screaming. He never spoke to me again. I have no idea what Dino Saw, but whatever it was, it must have been scarier than Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill making out in a Raptor Cage. I'm not a fan of Dinosaur. I had a good experience at the Syracuse location because of friends, but I think the food is more "okay" than "amazing compared to all my fave BBQ places. I also think it's pricy, and very very loud. I love live music, but we're talking headache when I come to eat here on a weekend evening, however I'm not going to deduct points for that because it makes it unique and cool. The Syracuse location was always even louder. It's just that with the okay-and-sort-of-good BBQ combined with the super high prices and super massive popularity, it's always going to rub me the wrong way. I prefer the food at Sticky Lips, or at Suzy Q's and Kentucky Greg's over in the 716. I'm sorry Dino. read more

This is a wonderful place with inside and outside seating. The outside bar has a limited menu but it's perfect. It's a great place to have a beer while you're waiting for a table. This place is a landmark and if you're in Rochester it is a must to stop here. The BBQ was awesome. I had pulled pork and brisket with beans, cornbread and cucumber salad. It could not have been better. The pork, brisket and ribs are their top sellers. It was a beautiful nigh so we ate outside. We had a lot of fun! There is some construction going on near by but there is plenty of street parking and it's free after 6 pm. We left about 8:30 and there was a band setting up. I wish I had more time as I am sure the band would have taken the restaurant to another already awesome atmosphere. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Rochester NY it is okay for restaurant BBQ. I have eaten at Dinosaur about two or three times, because my in-law likes it. I have tried their pork ribs,:ask for no sauce or on the side because they cover the ribs with way to much sauce, unless you like it that way. The brisket is dry with little flavor (no bark or smoke flavor), they cut it to thin (should be the width of a #2 pencil) and they don't ask if you like it from the point or flat. Their sides are mediocre at best. My review is that their meat are average, sides are average to below average...if you have to drench your meat in sauce what are you hiding? The meat's should stand alone in taste (good smoke flavor but not over powering), color (nice smoke ring), tenderness (where the meat should be melt in your mouth tender), and the sauce should be a afterthought to a true BBQ lover, that is what make BBQ great read more

I have been a customer of Dino BBQ forever. Sure I've had some negative experiences with delivery, parking, being harassed on my way to my car after pick up but the food has always been worth it and I've never held it against the restaurant. The pros tonight: it was edible, mostly. I have to say for a 2 combo meal, 2 Cuban sandwiches and 2 kids meals it was $97.00. The combo meal choices were pulled pork and 1/4 chicken. The 1/4 chicken was more like a Cornish hen. It was pathetic. The pulled pork was really good but again the portion was nothing like you would get served in house. It was like a snack - not one of the main attractions. The Cubans were tasty and that was appreciated. I got the mac salad. I wasn't a huge fan, but having never ordered it before it's not for me and I'm not holding that against them. Let's talk about the kids meals. 1 was a 3 BBQ wing with 2 sides of Mac and cheese and the other a 3 piece chicken tender meal with Mac and cheese. $7.95 each ok no problem. No one would eat the Mac and cheese- so much pepper! Ugh just disappointing food- disappointing portions. I get take out costs more with containers and bags and silverware but at least give us good portions- it's like we all got mini meals for $100... won't be doing this again read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - 2 combo meal - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Everyone obsesses over Dino BBQ... it's where everyone from out of town goes for ribs, pork and everything in between. I guess I'm an outlier, but I don't love Dino as much as the rest of the world. I tend to think their ribs are dry since I usually prefer my ribs overly basted with sauce. Here they're served plain and you add the sauce of your choice. While, they're not terrible, it's just not my fave spot for ribs. And, their cornbread is always dry. That kills me! However they do have some shining spots that you should consider when coming here. I think they have a great pulled pork sandwich - douse to your liking with Dino's homemade BBQ sauces (lots to choose from & they sell 'em!) - with macaroni salad or mac & cheese and fries on the side. In addition, I HIGHLY recommend you get their Wango Tango wings - these babies are the BOMB. Literally, one of the best things on their menu and Dino deserves some love for that. Crispy skin, tender meat, great size wings and messy sauce all over. Delish! The other great aspect of Dino is their music. It's loud, be prepared for that as it is a music venue, but you will have a great time. Fill your belly with wings and beer and get up to dance! Summertime is definitely my favorite time to visit Dino. It just feels right. The patio is big and open, and is right on the Genesee River. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - 1/4 rack with fries & Mac salad plus The Big Shot Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Customer service was excellent and friendly. The food was tasty, fairly priced and big portions. Would definitely come back when in town.

Awesome bbq, live music. Great service. Parking is awful though. Take an Uber. Near the Blue Cross Arena. read more

I don't think I've ever had a bad meal here. Everything is amazing! Such a fun atmosphere, fun wait staff and great food. We started with the creole deviled eggs. They are amazing. Fresh and they have a perfect kick at the end. My husband then had wango tango wings which are outstanding! Perfectly charred. I got the Big Ass Pork Plate with Cajun corn. Amazing! Enough for 3 meals. Our son got the the kids chicken fingers and French fries. He must have approved because there was not a drop left on his plate. read more

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Let me start off by saying I'm not a big fan of BBQ sauce on my ribs and brisket. Central Texas BBQ is what I crave when I'm having BBQ. I want to taste the smoke and the meat. However, I'm game to try new BBQ joints. For me, the BBQ sauce on the meats at this establishment were an unfortunate distraction. I felt like they were more interested in showcasing their sauces on the ribs and brisket rather than the meat itself. I have no idea if the ribs were smoked with oak, or cheery wood or hit with some apple juice. I felt like I mostly ate BBQ sauce. It's really a shame. The brisket was moist and had a nice smoke ring. The ribs were cooked perfectly. If someone wants sauce, they already have the squeeze bottles on the tables. In my opinion, the meat would have been elevated without it. . For sides I had the BBQ baked beans and the collared greens. I would get the greens again. They had some local beers including Three Heads Brewing. Great vibe in the place. Lots of potential. read more

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