The Yummiest Barbeque in Philadelphia

Nine Ting

★★★★☆ 4 (1320) • $$$

"I've been here a handful of times for hot pot and each time a member of the group has been celebrating a birthday as the birthday person enjoys a free meal! The service is pretty standard, not overly attentive but if you need something a server is around to assist. The portions of the food brought to the table are very reasonable and the produce has always been fresh - I love the fried tofu! The highlight is the sauce bar - they do have a little guide to help you make something you'll enjoy but if you're like me you'll make a few mistakes until you find a combination you enjoy. I love that each meal has ended with a little ice cream and fresh fruit. It's a good place for a 4-6 person group! Just remember it's a BYOB!"

Sang Kee Peking Duck House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1101) • $$

"Solid but not the best I've had. The duck was on the dryer side and quite bland, needing hoisin sauce for flavor. While the skin was crispy, they should balance the crispness without overcooking the meat. The service was nice and friendly. The pancake was standard. I tried some pieces immediately after picking it up to taste it at its peak, but finished the rest later. There are better spots I've been to for about the same price."

DuBu

★★★★★ 4.5 (685) • $$

"What a hidden gem! This is my all time favorite Korean restaurant. The name DuBu actually translate to "tofu" so this place specializes in tofu dishes. I'm a sucker for tofu so I got so excited when I saw all these options that included tofu. Usually at Korean restaurants I either go for the spicy squid, tofu soup, or the galbi ribs. I can't believe they have the spicy squid with tofu option. That's like two of my favorite protein in one dish, of course I cannot resist! We ended up ordering the spicy squid tofu and my partner got the spicy pork kimchi tofu. I like how the sauces are different in both of the dishes. They lean towards of a sweet and savory type of sauce combo. I definitely like the squid one better. It is also not spicy which is good because we're not the best with hot spicy. Okay let's talk about the bonchon. They are unbelievably generous with the complimentary side dishes they serve. They came out with marinated short ribs, fried fish, broccoli, side salad, and kimchi! You can also ask for unlimited refills on any of the dishes and the staffs are so friendly and nonjudgmental. Although items like the salad and broccoli are kind of a strange Korean bonchon, we still enjoyed those vegetables. The short ribs were so good my partner couldn't stop talking about it. The entree portion sizes are huge! You can easily share one of those entree with two people. We ended up taking half of it to go which was the perfect amount for another meal. Some of the bonchon we didn't finish so we also packed that to go as well.Side note on the water they serve - it's infused with barley tea. That's why is has an ashy taste! (Barley tea is healthy for you and good for digestion) This place is located right next to the HMart so if you're ever shopping for your Asian grocery, this is a place you can't miss! I can't wait to go back again."

Rai Rai Ramen & Hawaiian BBQ

★★★★★ 4.6 (352) • $$

"I recommend this place! While I wish the broth was richer, it was still good. They offer a student discount if you show your ID, regardless of the school you go to. Nice spacious indoor seating. Nice people. Will be coming back again soon!"

Jack's Firehouse

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (674)

"Came here after visiting the Fireman's Museum in Old City and let me tell you if I had any decision power to veto coming to this place ahead of time I would invoke it.I studied the menu intensely trying to find an item that I would enjoy for lunch that would not cost an arm and a leg while also filling me up (sandwiches were out of the question as I didn't want a very bready item and their sandwiches look like they're mostly bread). My choices were basically soup or an entree priced over twenty dollars. After sucking it up and ordering a $27.95 crab cake entree I waited for the meal.We had a very large group I want to say over twenty. The server brought out the tiniest corn muffins I have ever seen complimentary which was appreciated, they were edible but many were left over as one was sufficient. On to the crab cakes, these were good, I kinda wish they didn't pour the sauce over the crab cakes as some patrons may want to eat their crab cakes plain but so far so good. Now here is the hiccup, it comes with southern spiced vegetable cous cous with garlic aioli sauce, imo it is very hard to flavor cous cous, there was ample cous cous but it was very plain tasting. The amount of vegetables plated was small however I see what they are trying to accomplish (spread veggies throughout the cous cous versus have a side of vegetables that would make the cost per meal produced more money perhaps as this would mean the addition of an extra side item accompanying the meal). I feel that Jack's Firehouse can reinvent their menu if they want and offer other options (for starters how bout a BBQ share platter that isn't $42.95), let's say a sample BBQ platter for one? Pretty sure this would bring in more clientele.The server was very good, I will give the establishment credit where credit is due. He brought out small baked pecan chocolate cookies complimentary at the end of the meal and these were warm and freaking delicious.Jack's Firehouse is directly across the street from the Eastern State Penitentiary which makes it prime real estate if you are visiting the Fairmount area. If you like the menu, and don't mind the price points then by all means go for it : )As always people SYOY!!!"

Seorabol Center City

★★★★☆ 4.2 (285) • $$

"Absolutely love Seorabol!This is the only traditional good Korean food in center city. I love southgate but most dishes are fusion there. Chinatown has a few places but Seorabol blows them out of the park. Excellent ban Chan! Authentic dduk gook, japchae, and pajun! Have liked everything I've ordered from the menu. (Service could be better but I come here for the food)Will be back often and soon!!"

Pocha Street

★★★★☆ 4.2 (255) • $$$

"We had the set special A with galbi, finger rib, inner ribeye, and spinallis. The finger rib was really good - flavoring is great and the meat is tender and juicy. Galbi is cut off the bone and is softer than what I expected. The other rib cultus were also good but not flavored so I preferred the finger rib and galbi. We also had the soy garlic Korean chicken wings and they were excellent as well. We didn't order any sides and I would say that we probably could have added another item, maybe more chicken wings or some more meat. Ambience is very cute. Each table is set off with clear curtains so it feels like you're in a little pod. Service is great. They also help you get started with the cooking. The restaurant has its own parking lot so parking is easy. Overall food is very good. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for Korean bbq in the PA area."

Big Daddy'z BBQ & Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 (207) • $$

"Big Daddy'z has earned a spot on my takeout rotation for sure. My bff and I get lunch takeout from here about once a month and we always look forward to the event. So far some of my favorites have been the brisket, kielbasa, and most definitely the corn nugget appetizer. While the dishes usually come with whatever sauce they suggest, for a few cents you can try other sauces and flavors as well. I've tried quite a few and my favorite sauce has to be the black cherry habanero. Very unique and definitely worth a try. One can get sandwiches, platters, or little create your own combos. I usually opt for the latter and load that jawn up with jalapeño corn bread and macaroni and cheese, both of which are fantastic. My only suggestion would be to have more sides, preferably an unadulterated vegetable like collard greens or green beans. Baked beans, coleslaw, or corn is pretty much the closest you can get to a vegetable here but I feel like green beans in particular should be offered, as they are on the menu but never available. Also for the love of god please clean the bathroom there. That was a horrific experience which mercifully came after I was done eating, as it surely would have ruined my appetite if it was before. But for take out bbq in my estimation this is by far the best around!"

Franky Bradley's

★★★★☆ 4 (242) • $$

"Go down an alley and then another alley and head on in. It was a Friday night, 10 bucks cover charge. We grabbed a drink at the main bar. Dark, loud, and a good mix of clientele. My SIL saw an upstairs sign and we went to check that out to find the dance floor. Pretty sure we were the oldest ones up there but it was a ton of fun. Buying drinks with a credit card and they add 20% tip, per all the signs we saw. They had high noons not in sight but they do carry them (white claws give me a headache). Bartender seemed like she could care less about smiling but she was quick."

Corinne's Place

★★★★☆ 4.3 (170) • $$

"To my mind, this is the only valid soul food place in Philly... and it's in Jersey. But I tried and tried and tried to find someplace in the city and nothing met the standards. So over the bridge I had to go. Corinne's is basically a "meat and two" type place. All of the mains that I've had have been great, except for the salmon croquettes, which were just okay. All of the sides are delicious. Standouts include the greens, yams, and mac. Cornbread used to be included, but now it's an add on (maybe $1.50). The cake slices are most definitely made from box mix, but they put that jello pudding in there, so they're moist and delicious. The peach cobbler is just alright. Closed on Mondays. And closed a little to early almost every day. Definitely call before you come if you're taking out -- the wait can be up to 45 minutes if they're busy."

Surah

★★★★☆ 3.7 (186) • $$$

"My family and I came here for my dad's 70th birthday. At the VERY last minute they accommodated us with a private room. I highly recommend asking to reserve a private room when you book, if it's a large and/or special party occasion. The service was excellent. The servers kept helping us change out the grills and bringing more and varied meats. There was something for the whole family here, from toddler to adult. The only thing I can possibly think of that's negative is that my clothes and hair smelled so strongly of meat afterwards - but that's temporary."

Tradesman's

★★★☆☆ 3 (250) • $$

"I checked out Trademan's because I was in Center City for an event! I don't get to Center City too often these days (Apocalyptic Pandemic Reasons..Lol) so I wanted to get a place with a varied menu!The menu features BBQ items and a robust beer/draft menu!Me & my friends decided to sample a few items...cheesesteak egg rolls; smoked wings and a burger!The food was Meh ...the beer menu and service is why we gave it the extra star! Our server was fantastic! The space is wide open and I appreciate openness!Would I return..Yes..Happy Hour for sure!"

Bomb Bomb

★★★★☆ 4 (132)

"Finally got to check out Bomb Bomb, this place was recommended by my boyfriend's family and we'd never been. Best way I can describe it is if EPCOT had a South Philly attraction, this would be it. This is an Italian bar/restaurant frozen in the 90s with great food and service. We ordered the chicken parm, linguine and clams, and the icebox cake. There was also bread and butter plus olive oil on the house. Everything was delicious, and I love that the cake came in a beer glass with 2 long spoons. Portions are filling, save some bread to mop up the sauce! Will be back to try their famous ribs. There were plenty of tables the weekend after Thanksgiving and no issues parking either."

Rochester's Barbecue & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (151)

"Great food - everything our party had was loved by everyone, even my picky nephew. The family running were great too!"

Sophie's BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.2 (115) • $$

"Really good bbq place!! Came here for dinner. Was able to make a reservation online. We ordered a shareable of the sweet potato hush puppies. Holy cow. Biggest hush puppies ever! These things are giant. My daughter and I shared the bbq platter. We got the chicken. It was delicious. Very tender. The cornbread that came with it was so good! Our two sides were baked beans and mac and cheese. Daughter loved the mac and cheese. I didn't love the baked beans. I would not get those again. Overall a great experience. I would come here again."

Momoyama Ramen & Hawaiian BBQ II

★★★★★ 4.7 (75) • $$

"Highly recommend! It looked a little sad at 1PM on a Thursday afternoon, there was only one other car in the parking lot. We've seen good reviews so decided to try it out anyways and we're so glad we did. We told the waitress that we'd be splitting our dishes and she brought two extra bowls and two extra plates for each of the dishes. We ordered the barbecue short ribs and the pork curry Ramen. Both dishes were good, it wasn't my favorite Ramen flavor profile, but that's personal preference. The pork in the Ramen was unbelievably delicious; soft and fatty. Absolutely scrumptious. The barbecue short ribs were perfectly done with a wonderful grilled taste of them. my spouse said that this place is his new favorite in the burbs. Check it out!"

Glick’s Rib Shack

★★★★☆ 4.4 (81)

"I gotta be honest and say I expected very little from the Rib Stand. Putting a rib in my mouth and experiencing the fall off the bone well flavored meat though was much much more than anticipated.I got a half pound of their spare ribs ($9.29/lb or about 5 bucks for the half pound) which translates to about 4 rib bones. Again, the meat fell off the bone and was tender, well seasoned, and received the respect of my taste buds!Like so many other locations in Reading Terminal, there's no seating to be had here, and you probably wouldn't want seating considering the large crowds here, but there is seating to be found all over in Reading.Operated by Amish, they seem to know their ribs well and if ribs are part of your regular eats, you owe it to yourself to hit the Rib Stand!I'll be back!!"

Mahalo Hawaiian BBQ

★★★★★ 4.6 (61) • $$

"Mahalo is a welcome addition to the Philly Food Scene. Like Hawaii itself, Mahalo offers laid back, simple yet amazingly tasty food that you truly enjoy. I brought a friend and between the Kalua Pork and BBQ Chicken Combo Meal, the BBQ Short Ribs, the BBQ Beef and the can of nostalgia that I had (Hawaiian Sun Fruit Punch), I was brought back to those simple comforting meals I'd had years ago on Kauai. (BTW the Macaroni Salad was "just right..." not too sweet like some places.My compliments to the friendly staff and especially the chef! Mahalo (thanks) is DEFINITELY the word I want to use!"

Dienner's Bar-B-Q Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.4 (64)

"Yes, I know, I'm an idiot for coming here on an extremely busy Saturday, early afternoon. What were we thinking? There was a special event we wanted to attend, but once we got here, it turned out to be a bust so that was our excuse to run out and find something to eat.I am a huge fan of Dienner's, whether it's their Amish buffet in Ronks, PA or here. I went for their fried wings this time and asked for six (PRO TIP - the meat is priced per pound, but you can ask for a specific number of wings instead of pounds - it's amazing how many people don't know that.)So dang juicy. I'm in love."

Angry Deekin Ribs

★★★★☆ 4.1 (73)

"I was looking to support a black owned business and came across Angry Deekin Ribs. I placed a delivery order of a spare rib platter with baked beans and greens, with an extra side of cornbread. The ribs were falling off the bone, juicy, and covered in a delectable BBQ sauce. They were so delicious! I only got a little bit of baked beans. Maybe they were running low. I did enjoy what I had. The greens were the weak link. I wouldnt order that as a side again. The cornbread was a large piece and tasty. I was so glad I was able to split it and have it for two days. The platter also comes with 2 slices of bread, which was a welcome add on.I almost forgot to mention I order pulled pork to save for dinner the next day. The pork was pulled really really thin, which is not how I prefer. But that Angry Deekin BBQ sauce is on point so I was still happy with it.I'm looking forward to restaurants reopening so I can visit Angry Deekin in person."

Luther ribs

★★★★☆ 3.6 (94)

"Been a while..........I love ribs and Ribs R Us did not disappoint me. They were very tender and juicy, but I found the sauce to be a little bit too watery for my taste.I got good value for my money, ordering a half slab of ribs, a side of collard greens, candied yams and large side of potato salad, all for around $18 bucks. I ate off the delicious food platter all day long.Service wasn't the greatest, but having called my order in enabled me to get in and out real quickly. I have eaten from here a few times and I found Ribs R us to be very consistent."

Nagwon Garden

★★★★☆ 3.7 (79)

"Came here for a birthday dinner. The old couple that runs the restaurant is sooo sweet. The woman took our order and did everything - I thought she was actually cooking the food in the kitchen too (she might have been) until I saw a man come out of the kitchen after we had finished our meal and they were sharing a hard-boiled egg together. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen.I took off a star just because I felt like the experience was good, but not amazing. We came on a Saturday night and for the 2.5 hours we were in the restaurant, only one other person came in to have a meal alone. There was no music playing in the restaurant and it was a little eerily quiet. Other tables that weren't occupied by customers had lots of papers on them and clearly weren't for customer seating even though they were in the middle of the restaurant.It was my birthday so we showed up with a cake and the woman was very kind to let us put the cake in their fridge until we were ready for dessert. We ordered 3 meats for Korean BBQ: pork, seafood, and beef. They were all marinated well and were tender and flavorful. We also got the kimchi pancakes, steamed dumplings, and japchae noodles. All the food was delicious!"

ZIG ZAG BBQ

★★★★★ 4.8 (45)

"It was a hot day, so heaps of meat weren't what I thought I wanted. So yes, I went to a BBQ joint and ordered a salad. First: The salad, a kale caesar, was delicious and satisfying. I have no regrets.Second: the meat is also excellent, and it's the reason to come here. My table also had pork belly nuggets. I had a bite, and they were delicious--meaty, chewy, a little sweet and a little tangy. The brisket was possibly my favorite brisket ever. I had one bite with the tangy, vinegar-y sauce and vowed to come back another time to eat a LOT of it! My companion enjoyed the queso mac and cheese with cheetos.Just go. It's so, so delicious."

Dibbs BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (52)

"Bottom line: If this isn't the best barbecue in Philadelphia, then I want to find the place that's better. These ribs are dancing with flavor. From the smoke to the rub and the sauce (which you won't need but have it anyway), everything is a new flavor experience.And the sweet potato cornbread... I guarantee you've never had anything like it. Just get it. I have a new favorite barbecue spot in Philly. No question about it."

Frank's Alot

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (88) • $

"I was working at a conference right across from Reading Market and when I saw Frank's had pierogis, I knew I had to try them!!Pierogis are one of my favorite foods since my family would make them every Christmas growing up. While I'd never expect a place to have them as good as our family's homemade recipe, I really enjoyed the pierogis here!They have an eclectic variety of food like wings, Mac n cheese, cornbreads with different fruits, and more. I got the pierogis that were 4 for $6, along with q side of sour cream. They tasted really good and I enjoyed them for lunch. All their food looked tasty, and I was very happy with my lunch here!"

Tanglewood Fire and Smoke

★★★★★ 4.6 (39)

"Today my husband and I were in the mood for chicken cheesesteaks, but we didn't feel like driving up norf for Maxx's. We searched Grubhub and stumbled upon Tanglewood Fire and Smoke of Folsom, PA. My husband was intrigued by a barbecue place that makes cheesesteaks and once we noticed that they smoke their chicken for the chicken cheesesteak, we were committed to try them out.We each ordered the Smoked Chicken Cheesesteak. It consisted of smoked, pulled chicken and a footlong roll with roasted tomato relish and chipotle queso, topped with fried chicken cracklins (fried chicken skins) and a side of house made pickles and chips. We also order two sides, my husband ordered the Buffalo Pig Bites which were crispy pork belly nuggets tossed in Buffalo sauce with a side of goat cheese ranch. I ordered a small Chipotle Mac & Cheese with the seasoned pork rinds on the side. We both agreed that the Smoked Chicken Cheesesteaks were pretty good. I was looking for the chicken to be a little more like chopped breast meat though I know that it was pulled meat but it was still very tasty. My husband was fond of the smokiness of the chicken and was glad it was not not overshadowed by the queso. I found the queso to be very rich and felt that it overshadowed the tomato relish till the point where the relish wasn't necessary. Overall just a solid cheesesteak. My husband thought the Buffalo Pork Bites were tasty and the goat cheese ranch sauce was a great complement. I thought the Mac & Cheese was just okay."

Deke's Roadhouse BBQ

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (64) • $$

"Did I go Deke's BBQ twice in one week for happy hour? Mind your business. The brisket is top tier, full stop. Both the brisket cheesesteak (wiz with) and the brisket nachos both were amazingly good. Bbq sauce is divine, meat so tender. I'd give the baby back ribs a solid 7/10, but they just can't compare to that brisket babyyyy. BOGO margs are strong! Exercise caution"

The Tattooed Pig - Media

★★★★★ 4.7 (30)

"Different cheesesteak #1105 in the last five years. Special Wednesday addition of drinks and cheesesteaks with Amigo Dan. We got the Broad St Bully and took it to Ship Bottom Brewing in Swarthmore. I am surprised how small this cheesesteak looks in the pictures because it had some very good weight to it. This cheesesteak comes with cherry peppers and chipotle sauce so you pretty much have to drink beer with it. I like Tattooed Pigs' creativity and am very proud of myself for avoiding their desserts. Ship Bottom Brewing has been a wonderful addition to Swarthmore."

Off the Hook Seafood & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (73)

"The reviews for this place are all over the place but I took a chance and I'm glad I did. A lot of ppl recommended the alfredo and it did not disappoint. The Alfredo was creamy, cheesy and well seasoned. I also got a crab platter which was decent, it was what I expected steamed crab legs and old bay. I'm from Houston so I needed a little kick and added crab boil and the crab meat was perfect. The butter is not butter so beware. Portions were good and matched the price. This turned out to be a good choice. I ordered on their website and the delivery arrived timely. I'd eat here again for sure."

Food From The Heart

★★★★☆ 3.8 (34)

"I was in Philly and wanted some real food and support a Black Owned business. I goes straight to YELP to check out what was near me, and this spot came up and had decent reviews, so off I go to try it out. I ordered the fried fish and shrimp platter with cabbage and greens, a catfish sandwich, and corn on the cob. I'm so disappointed that I spent $42.66 and the food was TRASH!!! The whiting was old and dried out, the shrimp were fried hard on the outside and chewy on the inside, corn was overcooked and very difficult to bite into. My guy sad the catfish wasn't bad but the greens , tasteless and same for the cabbage. My biggest regret is that I didn't take pictures before trashing it!"

Accu Pizza

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (71) • $

"I may be a little bias since I have been eating here since at least the early 90's and I love it! This review is based off delivery (Order inside there is a bit of a tude) I have ordered here three times for delivery (EAT 24) during they holiday season, Thanksgiving through today, New Years Eve. All three times my food has been delish, hot, and quickly delivered and on scheduled via EAT 24. We normally don't switch up so our typical order is: Veggie Stromboli (the bomb), fries: they have a nice crisp on the outside and soft inside and have a seasoning on them, and wings: which are large, I was told "the skin is crispy and a good meaty taste and not too hard or soft" (lol)High recommended! Thank you Accu for being consistent and reliable! Xoxo"

Jamillah Garden

★★★★☆ 3.5 (37)

"The fish fried rice from Garden of Bilal is legendary in these Uptown streets. They had a location that closed on Wadsworth Ave., so I'm happy they brought it back. Ion care whose name is on the awning..LOL. The review from JL Jupiter is worth ALL the hype: https://youtu.be/op00zFJ5-70?si=fsYfFYXsZUdN63DS"

Long Shot BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.8 (30)

"They know how to do BBQ Brisket!I got their Brisket Fries yesterday (BOGO on Uber Eats!) and I had to order them again today! You get so much meat for only $7 ($8.50 on Uber Eats), and their fries are nice and have flavor! (I've had places where their fries actually taste like cardboard, there's a big difference)The brisket on it- it's so good. Like, seriously, so good. The spices on the edge of the meat is so flavorful and slightly peppery and just so great. And the meat isn't dry, it's juicy and fatty and so just... *amazing*.And their BBQ sauce- I got mild, and it's so delicious! Slightly Sweet, Smokey, Savory, just a *hint* of peppery... Oh! And, you can just *Tell* it's homemade. It's thick, not runny, and you can see the spices in it. I'd bet my left foot they make it from scratch. Definitely ordering from here again, I don't even care that the prices are a little higher on Uber eats than the menus they give with the order. It's worth the difference."

Surah

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (36) • $$

"The place is small and parking is difficult... the price is pretty high for the all you can eat Korean BBQ...If I were comparing this to LA BBQ I would have to give it 1 star... if I were to compare it to NY, GA or even VA K-BBQ then it would get 2 stars.But if you are just judging things from Philly proper... I can give it 3 1/2 stars for the attentiveness of the staff and making sure that all the different meats are available and brought quickly.I just really think for the price, the quality of the meat should be much better. I don't know if people are eating too much and the restaurant needs to compensate for it, but some of the meats were cut too thick and the steak tasted a bit older.The best part of the meal were the 2 stews on the side. They were well seasoned and tasted great! I'll be back to try it again and see if there are any improvements."

Dwight's Southern Bar-B-Que

★★★☆☆ 3 (46)

"Easily some of the best BEEF ribs and bbq chicken you can get in Philadelphia, but don't expect soul food with a smile!!!! They're not the friendliest bunch, but who CARES? It's takeout only, so get your grub and go!!!!Their mac and cheese and collard greens are DIVINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Call your order in, because the place gets pretty crowded on the weekend. Expensive, but worth every penny."