Great place to stop for beer and bbq. Once order was placed, service was quick and food fresh. Will be back.

Service was not good, food was just ok, missing the chili sauce they used to serve. Been coming here for years and are disappointed - probably won't stop again. read more

It's always sad to go back to one of your childhood favorite restaurants and realize that it has dropped significantly in quality. Growing up nearby in Clinton County, my family and I would often go to Tail O'the Pup after hiking. After not eating here for years, my brother and I decided to dine here after a hiking while visiting home over Fourth of July Weekend. Unfortunately, the nostalgia of childhood bliss was wiped away by a horrible experience here. After arriving, we were told there would be a 30 minute wait, which is understandable given that it was the Friday after Fourth of July. After we finally got our tables and placed our order, it took almost an hour to get our food. When we did get it, we were extremely disappointed. Our basket cheese curds were pitiable, and honestly didn't even taste that cheesy. Our brisket also came in a small portion relative to what you would expect from an outdoor bbq joint. In addition it was extremely dry and tough. Literally some pieces were so over cooked that you couldn't chew it and had to spit it out. The ribs were the best item we ordered, and honestly they were just mediocre. Average ribs, not very tender or flavorful but at least they didn't have a jerky-like consistency. Our subpar experience has forever tainted our childhood nostalgia. My dad mentioned that he read in a local paper that the place recently came under new management, so if that is true then the new management has really run the once family friendly have to the ground. Sadly, I don't think I will ever come back. read more

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The live music was amazing! However, that is where it ends. Although the people are friendly, the food was horrible.

Not bad for BBQ up in the mountains.. a little salty but the corn did it justice.. friendly staff and pet friendly was a plus.. definitely would go back!!! read more

I ordered the Barbecued Half Chicken and Potato Salad for Takeout for $18.00 on Saturday evening, July 6, 2024. Surprisingly, there were not many customers eating at the tables despite a band playing outside. The order arrived in 5 minutes. The potato salad was very good, but the main attraction, the barbecued half chicken, was the smallest scrawniest half chicken I've ever had. I would have been better off to go to a local market and purchase a rotisserie chicken with barbecue sauce on it. The chicken didn't have a smoky flavor, only the barbecue sauce had flavor. read more

Under new management it was the same still good barbecue fast and good. Everything is closed Mondays in the area they are open so was great choice read more

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Classic spot in the 'Daks, great bbq and music. Must visit in you're anywhere nearby.

Just want to start off by saying we know restaurants and businesses are doing their best during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were greeted in a reasonable amount of time and once seated were asked about drinks. After drinks arrived we were asked for our order. The menu has been drastically scaled down due to COVID and they aren't offering any desserts. There's a rib and chicken combo and my husband asked if there was a chicken and pulled pork offering and we were told Sorry. This struck me Funny because all of the bbq options are offered and it didn't seem like a stretch to make that swap given pork butt is cheaper than ribs but that's just me. Food arrived quickly and looked wonderful. Husband said chicken and ribs were good despite being lukewarm. My sons chicken tenders were awesome and I usually have nothing good to say about them. I went with a Rio Grande salad which is bbq chicken with a salsa ranch dressing for $11.99 . I was immediately disappointed with the 7 infant bite size pieces of chicken, also lukewarm. It was maybe 2 handfuls of greens and the menu listed toppings ( except the crispy tortilla strips). I ate my entree salad before everyone was done and was still ravenous. Service was prompt, but could have made a huge difference in our experience by making the substitute it at least offering it for an additional charge at least to address it. My salad was tasty and fresh despite being ridiculously small portioned- if an entree salad costs $11.99 you should not be hungry afterwards. They had no waffle fries which is listed on the menu and we were looking forward to them. Instead they served steak fries and didn't mention this to give us an alternative side. I would go there again and hope they survive this pandemic. Our server did ask how things were and I did mention the salad was light- again no apologies or otherwise. Overall it was a good experience but could have been much better with a little more consideration. read more

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My husband and I had lunch here and were very pleased that masks were required until you got seated at your table. My husband had the ribs and I had the barbecue chicken salad. Both were delicious and fresh. We saw staff sanitizing tables and we felt very safe there. read more

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Love this place and always will. Servers are entertaining. Music and outdoor dining. Parking can be a pain when it's crowded. I have never had a bad meal here no matter how divey the place looks. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Half rack and lobster dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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Food was pretty average. Fried pickles were okay, lobster was overcooked and the clams went unseasoned. We also walked into the middle of a staff crisis. We were greeting by one server who said our regular server would be with us shortly. When the transition finally happened, our new server stated that there was "drama" going on between the staff that was on and said our first server is the one that pulled the team together. It was definitely awkward, but they seemed to recover by the end. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

DELICIOUS! Yep! Do not drive by without stopping. Freshly smoked ribs & chicken, fresh seafood, and beverages. Look for the red and white striped tents and baby cabins and you are in the right spot. This old fashioned set up serves amazing food while making you feel like you are at the county fair or enjoying your camping adventure. We ordered and shared a sample platter that had scrumptiously smoked wings, smoked ribs, mozzarella sticks. The wings had a choice of various toppings. We chose brown mustard horseradish which was fabulous, as I love both of those things. We also ordered fried fish (perfectly cooked and seasoned cod) and chips (waffle fries)! It came with cold slaw cornbread and blue cheese for dipping. Yes, definitely stop by and or make this a destination on a nice drive! So so delicious! read more

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We've driven past this place for years as we spend a weeks vacation in the area and always wanted to try it. We finally did last Friday and we're very happy. First with the manager and staff as they sought options to seat our group of 12. Next the man on stage playing music was outstanding. He made a fun place even more so. The BBQ was very good and what topped it off was the price for the food was quite reasonable. Don't be intimidated by it's appearance. Check it out! read more

There's about 6 beers on tap, and it was served at about 50 degrees, it was hard to drink. Very warm. Beer very average at best. no other options for drinks alcohol-wise. Food was good. Service was poor. Some workers were pleasant but others seemed confused or didn't know the answer to questions. Prices are high for everything except the atmosphere which is nice. Too bad, it looks fun. read more

Went to Tail last night (Saturday Night) There was live music by John (he was awesome) the food came out fast and HOT!!! Thanks Mark and Chef you guys are the best!!!!! read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

We have been coming here for years and have made it a tradition. Gonna need a new tradition. When we ordered, half of the items they were "out of", mozzarella triangles, French fries, root beer, Shirley temples, sprite, coke. My husband has never left pulled pork on his plate... until today, it was cold a mushy. The seafood chowder was tasteless. Corn on the cob was cold, the lobster was not as "fresh" as they claim. They only had 4 beers on tap (at least that was all that was told to us by the waiter who kept apologizing for the shortcomings) my husband finished his Diet Coke before I got my glass of white wine. Additionally, there was no kids menu. Very sad to let a tradition die... read more

Great little BBQ joint between Lake Placid and Saranac late- chili, chowder and wings were fabulous! Cute too read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

Won't come back! People are nice, atmosphere is great but the food was terrible. Everything we got was bad. Nachos where made with potato chips, not tortilla chips and was covered in onions. Cheese just on top and potato chips where in clumps underneath. Ribs were boiled and fell right off the bone (not my cup of tea). They had no taste and came out cold. read more

Tail O'the Pup - "Nachos" - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

Not worth even a quarter of the price they charged. I feel robbed and was close to asking for a refund. The ribs were gummy, tough and globbed with way too much BBQ sauce. The meat was far too fatty and streaked with unrendered fat and gristle. Our waffle fries were unseasoned but edible. Our cole slaw was good, but it's not that hard to get that right! Our server was cheerful, attentive and helpful, and was the one positive note in an otherwise abysmal dining experience. read more

This restaurant has taken a serious dive! The clams were barely edible and the lobster roll was completely inedible! We sent the roll back and they refused to take it off the bill . They said it was against their policy . The manager was obnoxious and only said they would make another one . If they knew how to make one that wasn't mostly mayo and relish they should have made it in the first place. Oh... and a rat ran under our table. We will never go there again!! read more

We have tried to eat here for years. It is never open when we try. We made it a mission this year to try it and it wasn't open again. Their website and online info said it was open so we thought we were golden this time. When we arrived it looked like a run down shack. There was a bonfire lit for the people staying in the cabins and not a soul in sight. We looked across the street and there was a a place called Ray Brook Brewhouse. We parked and went in. Had an amazing dinner and beers. Will never attempt to eat here again. read more

Dry and awful. Dont waste your money. Total tourist trap. The wings were so dry, they were nearly hollow. Really gross.

This place is very disappointing. It starts with the repulsive smell of toilet water and septic. The service was unacceptable. When one of my friends ordered a burger she didn't even ask how he wanted it cooked. We weren't given our utensils until a few minutes after the food was brought out. The smoked shrimp tasted like it was coated in sand. Beef brisket was the equivalent of egg beef. It was dry and flavorless. The mac and cheese, somehow at a bbq place, was grainy and wet and had the same consistency of mashed potatoes. Our waitress wouldn't let us order a rack of ribs to go because the kitchen was backed up. The waitress gave herself a 20% tip, despite her lack of effort. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

Went there after grandson's baseball game. Haven't been there in a few years but was pleasantly surprised. The service was outstanding! Younger group of waiters and waitresses, very polite and fast. First thing our waitress did was shake hands with my husband and thanked him for his service (Viet Nam vet). Everything was served just as we ordered, hot, and within fifteen minutes. Wish it was closer to us we would go more often. If you hadn't been there stop in it's worth it. read more

Absolute and complete tourist trap. It LOOKS super fun, it PROMISES great BBQ...and guess what? Okay music played way too loud and food that can best be described as "meh." And the prices? Ridiculous. It's pretty difficult to kill pork to the point that a pulled pork sandwich is dry, but they pulled it off. And while I know I'm particular about my ribs, any average person would have tasted this overly charred creation and wondered how pork ribs could end up so dry. I didn't have to wonder - I tasted it. I will give their fries credit though...they were good. The service? Nice people - but maybe they just don't care because they're living on reputation? We had to chase the waitress down for a drink refill - and the place wasn't even busy. And then there's the prices. $15 for a basic burger? $20 for a half chicken? Give me a break. If the taste was stellar, I could hear it (I guess), but after years of driving by the place and finally trying it? Total disappointment. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor - skip it. read more

If you like grease that hasn't been changed in a while you'll like Tail O' the Pup.

Been here once before but most times packed with waiting line. Friendly service, cold oatmeal stout..fush fries and wings. Huge portion with seasoned waffle fries...demonstrates covid 19 precautions, will visit agaim Be careful busy traffic on rt 86! read more

Tail O'the Pup - Inside direction, - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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Don't go to this restaurant!!! Very disappointed with our meal. Appetizers came out after main entrees and only when we asked about them. Little neck clams had two that we couldn't eat because of broken shells stuck to them. Burger was like a hockey puck. Over cooked. Brisket was dry and tasteless. On top of all that, they did NOT accept coupon from Ironman race even though it was on the website. read more

Been to Tail O'the Pup a few times now, we always seem to stop whenever we're in the Adirondack region of the Great State of New York. However, our latest visit seemed to be out of a movie and left a very bad taste in my mouth. We were staying at the KOA in Lake Placid/Whiteface and knew we had to show my brother Tail O'the Pup so we made the 35/40 minute drive over. Well low and behold, everything in Lake Placid and the surrounding areas were without power due to a "flash flood." The rain had stopped by the time we got there but apparently the power had yet to go back on. We were pretty desperate and the waiter we spoke to told us to check with his manager to see if they were still serving people. Maybe the desperation was evident on our faces and that was the reason they welcomed us in or maybe it's because they wanted to rip us off. Either way, at the end of the day, I kind of wish they just turned us away! Obviously with no power the menu was very limited. In fact, we weren't even given a menu to see. Rather we were offered pulled pork sandwiches or brisket sandwiches. My dad, brother, and me all ordered the pulled pork sandwich and my foodie brother also ordered a brisket sandwich. Dad and I also each ordered a dozen steamed clams (yes, we're just a family of foodies). The food was pretty decent. I was confused why some people got coleslaw and others didn't even though we ordered the same thing? Weird. Whatever, the food was the best part. Insert our waiter, Charles, who had quite the negative attitude. We get it Charles, you just experienced a flash flood and don't want to be at work. But, your manager invited us in and it's your job to deal with it - my hopes were standard, that you would deal with us with a bit of friendly customer service. Oh Charles, I hope your summer serving at Tail O'the Pup affords you the resources to move back to Alaska. However, with your attitude of "that table just left me a $20 tip, I didn't care if you guys stayed or not" leaves such a sour taste in my mouth I'm not sure I'll ever be back to this restaurant. It's too bad because it really is a neat place with decent food. However decent our no-electricity-required food was this time around, we're still wondering if we got shafted by dear ol Charles. How did four sandwiches and two dozen clams rob my dad of $100? Did Charles have two checks going? Were the sandwiches really that much? We may never know since we weren't offered a menu at any point during our stay. Three stars would be overall, a culmination of all my visits here but it's more likely this last visit was one/two star worthy. Cheer up, Charles, everything will be ok. read more

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Good food great atmosphere and cold beer! Don't listen to the bad reviews, we had a great time here!

Outdoor BBQ, clam-bake, corn on the cob, live music, etc. I love this place. Lobster excellent, clams good, beans good, slaw good. Ribs? So-so. Excellent, attentive and friendly wait-staff. Elastic waistbands highly recommended! read more

How Fun! Day 3 of camping in the Adirondacks, getting ready to head home but not before getting some grub. My friends, my pup and I had just gotten off the Rail Explorers experience ending in Saranac Lake and worked up an appetite. After speaking with one of the guides he recommended we head toward Lake Placid however due to having the puppy in tow our options are limited. Especially after a not so perfect experience at a different restaurant. The big red lobster caught our eyes as well as the signs about the food. After passing the location and turning back we had a bit of a question since they had a "Sorry No Dogs...." Sign however when asked it meant the playground. I was able to settle Avenger into a spot under the table as long as we remained along the edge near the grass. After sitting down our eyes turned wide, thirsty and starving we needed food. We were a little confused at first, not sure if based upon the setup this was table service or cafeteria style however a waitress soon came over to table to take our orders. For my lunch I had a chocolate milkshake, a bbq pulled pork sandwich; North Caroline style and a side of sweet potato fries. My observations are it would be nice for the sandwiches to come with something more than "pickles" which meant two small slices, not spears. Since I got my bbq pulled pork "North Carolina" style my coleslaw was layered on top of my sandwich, not on the side in turn making my basket appear pretty empty. I enjoyed the pulled pork itself, it didn't appear to be nor taste too fatty however in my experience most southern styles are dry rub, not sauced so just adding the coleslaw on top wasn't too special. Also I was disappointed in the bbq sauce due to having no flavor! I may be a bit spoiled having done some traveling for work and some great bbq places in Buffalo, NY. To me the bbq sauce just didn't do it. There was no depth, no complexity, no mixing or playing of flavors and only one option. The overall experience was great, if in the area again I'd love to come down for the lobster boil. The experience itself was fun and makes you feel like you're on a boardwalk even though you're surrounded by mountains. read more

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Food was good. Service was extremely slow for us this time. We sat there while others around us got their food. Some were seated after us. It was disappointing bc we come here often whenever we visit Placid. Servers kept saying it's coming. By the time our food came, we had lost our appetite but had to eat quick and leave because it was late already/ past our kiddos bed time. Music entertained us though, but not for too long. This place is cute. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

I am from LA, but was visiting Lake Placid with my folks. We decided to stop into TOP for some lunch. I am a huge BBQ fan, so I was pretty excited to get my BBQ on. It was mid-October, so the outdoor seating that is the big draw here was out of play. I had the brisket and some ribs, a couple of sides and my parents did the same. We all came to the same consensus: the BBQ was plentiful and everything was "pretty good." There is nothing to write home about which is cool, because my parents were with me, so i could just tell them that on the spot. Service was friendly. I will say that the decor is kitch and cool and since there isn't much else around, this place probably gets a lot of default business. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Interior. Red. Love it. - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

This place was AMAZING!!!! I had the waffle fry nachos, one of the best things I've ever eaten. The beef brisket was great, so was the fresh corn and corn muffins. I loved this place, only complaint I have was the wait time. they weren't very busy when I was there in Sept. yet it took my waiter nearly 20 mins to take my order after being seated. Luckily, I wasn't in a big hurry and the food turned out to be worth the wait. It's such a cool looking place too, like being at a fair. read more

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We love BBQ so we saw this on our way into the area and made a point to stop by on out week vacation. Tuesday night, great weather, live music that was being played at a pleasant level. We were seated right away and allowed to move our seats to get a good spot for our 1 year old. Since it was the end of the season the crowd was not that significant. However they seemed to not learn how to pace their customers when it's not too busy. I felt a bit rushed and we had no reason to be. The ribs were really good. They had good smoke flavor and the BBQ sauce on top was nice and caremelized. They left the silver skin on the bottle of their baby backs. I don't mind it but some people swear by removing it. You make the choice here whether it's a good or bad thing. The sides were pretty generic. They served little side dishes of (choice of 2) Baked Beans, salad, coleslaw, potato salad, mac salad, mac and cheese, etc... I had baked beans and cornbread. They were both good. My son enjoyed eating them with me. While the meal was good I would say it's a small step up from a place like Chili's or TGI Fridays. The environment is their strength. It was really nice to sit on picnic benches outside with live music. My advice would be to let the customer enjoy that experience by putting the food out in intervals, allowing one to notice the difference betweek getting your drink, followed by course one, and then course two after the first course is complete and cleared from the table. Perhaps even take a second drink order before the main course comes out. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

We have traveled to this area for years and always avoided this place because of the bad reviews. Our experience was very pleasurable with great service and Ice cold beers. Most of food that we ordered was delicious. We did not order a huge dinner but just some apps. The riblets on the sampler platter were amazing , the meat was and fell of the bone smoky with a standard BBQ sauce. The wings were smoked and also of the bone with different sauces. The chicken tenders were different , white meat chicken with what appears to be a light coating of something. They were a split decision with some liking them and some not. We will defiantly go back to try the full dinner menu for this unique experience. read more

Having read a blurb about Tail O' the Pup, I had the restaurant on my radar as we traveled through the Lake Placid area. As we drove past the place, it was clear that we needed to stop and see what it was all about. ToP has been in constant operation since the 1920's, though under different names and ownership. The current version of ToP has lots going on, from indoor and outdoor seating, a gift shop, a small arcade, a bar, a playground, and about a dozen little cottages. We were unaware, but it seems that you can actually stay on the grounds in one of those cottages and they looked really cute. There seem to be two types of cuisine that ToP are known for and that is their BBQ and seafood. I saw a lot of people ordering lobster and this was recommended to us by our waitress. Ultimately, I opted for a half rack of ribs. The ribs were done well, drawing most of the flavor from their smoking process. This came with two sides and I went for the corn on the cob and cole slaw. Both were fine. My wife ordered a shredded chicken BBQ sandwich, which she thought was okay, but nothing special. I thought the prices were a little high, but about what I expected at such a destination during the summer season. This is a great location if you enjoy the kitsch of a quality tourist destination. Between the old hand-painted signs, the outdated arcade games, and giant red lobster statue in the parking lot, you'll love wandering around the grounds if you're into that sort of thing like we are. Tail O' the pup is unpretentious and as real as it gets. If you are looking for a bistro, modern cuisine, or something more private, you should look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for a quick bite to eat, the opportunity to people watch, and soaking up the best kitsch in the area, ToP is your spot. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Half Rack of Ribs, Corn, Cole Slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

If I could give this place a 0 I would. This "barbecue" dining experience ruined barbecue for me, to the point where I was mad. The food is disgraceful and throwing mud in it wouldn't change the taste or quality. If you want to keep interest in barbecue food and savor all the good experiences you've had with it, do not go here. Not only was the food terrible but the wait was at least and hour, to get a table and get the food was at least 2. Im writing this so no one else feels sick for a month. read more