Butcher Bar
“If you haven't tried the burnt ends aka meat candy your taste buds should be filing for divorce.”
“Just as good is the staff, especially Paul who made sure me and my dining companion were good throughout the meal.”
“With the family in tow, we ordered everything from a skewered special to the pblt (pork belly lettuce + tomato).”
Butcher Bar
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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GET THE BURNT ENDS.
My boyfriend and I were in the area and decided to get some brunch. On a Sunday around 12:30, there was no wait! We were seated pretty much immediately outside (though they had a good amount of seats inside as well), and our server followed up right after with our waters. She was friendly and quick to get our food, orders in and the check.
We got the burnt ends (obviously) which came with a mimosa, salad, roasted potatoes, toast, and scrambled eggs. It was huge portion, and we still got the creamy mac and cheese and brisket hash. It was all very solid – the burnt ends were definitely my favorite part of the meal. It all came with sauces on the side (original and hot), which I appreciate. The salad was a bit overdressed for me and the mac and cheese was just alright for me but other than that I'd say it was a pretty good meal.
Pretty solid BBQ joint in Astoria – good choice if you're around the area. However, definitely not the best BBQ in NYC.
I came here to redeem a Groupon which included 2 beers, 2 sandwiches/burgers, and 2 apple crumb cakes. The place was pretty packed for Sunday night around 6pm.. I'm not sure if it's cause everyone is redeeming their Groupon. Around 6:30pm or so, there were maybe 5 people waiting in line to get a seat.
Here's what we got:
– "Meat Candy" burnt ends $14: Good, but I think my friend would've liked more meat in the sandwich
– "The Monster" 50/50 brisket & pulled pork combo $15: This was humongous and I'm surprised I was able to stuff everything in my mouth (heh heh). But with the soft buns and lavishly drizzled BBQ sauce, nothing is impossible.
– Mac and cheese side: Very well made. It was cheesy yet milky at the same time, making it actually pretty substantial.
– Sauteed bacon & onion string beans: They said it was one of their specialties but honestly, I didn't think it was anything special.
Original BBQ and Sweet & Spicy BBQ sauce are already on the table (they're delicious). You can ask for Habanero sauce but BEWARE it's actually REALLY REALLY hot and numbing (and I love spicy). Coleslaw, pickles and cornbread already come on the side with your sandwich.
Yelp check-in for a free side! Though they didn't let us use it with the Groupon 🙁
Bathroom rating: 9/10 – very spacious and clean, but I think there's only 2 bathrooms total (1 male, 1 female).
Ugh. My fiance is going to slaughter me for this review because he really thinks it deserves 6 out of 5 stars. I initially gave this a 3 out of 5 but after some time has passed I reconsidered and the fact that I'm willing to come back again to try it out tells me something good at least. He raved about this place, I didn't. I will update my review next time I go.
So I will say the drinks were great. But the service was a bit slow and the food was just eh. I ordered the chili hamburger. I don't know what I was thinking to be honest, wanted to try something different. My burger was so rare I couldn't eat it. I think I could still hear it moo-ing. My fiancé is happy with anything they serve at this joint so it tells me to give it another try.
With so many BBQ spots popping up throughout the boroughs, it's nice to see one pop up in a hoppin' area of Astoria. It's definitely easier for me to get out to that part of the city than Williamsburg or Red Hook, that's for sure.
We went on a Saturday evening for my beau's little bro's birthday. Arriving around 8:15 p.m., we were given a 15 minute wait, but about three minutes later, we were called right back in, a table ready. We were given menus, but had a hard time deciding with so many wonderful choices. Eventually, they went for the Philly Cheesesteak and the Monster, respectively. I went the lighter route…relatively speaking…and ordered a 1/4 pound of brisket (a la carte), plus a side of mac and cheese and a side of the green salad. I got to steal a bite of each of their sandwiches, and both were so delicious; they melted in my mouth. My mac and cheese was absolutely on point. My salad was crisp and the ranch dressing was perfect. The beau ordered some of their cornbread with honey butter, and I could have eaten his entire basket of it! Wow!
I suppose the item I liked the least was my brisket! Go figure. I didn't hate it, but I found it to be a little on the dry and flavorless side, though their excellent BBQ sauce did help. I was a little bit bummed, admittedly. The Philly Cheesesteak had brisket on it, and *that* brisket was much better than my brisket.
Also, I kind of wish I got a drink that night, because the guys ordered the Hard Pink Lemonade and the Full Moon Rising, and DAMN. They were both delicious and potent. *phew* It's fine. I enjoyed my icy glass of water. Haha!
Though I was a tad bummed about my bite of brisket, this is a really awesome BBQ spot! I look forward to coming here again and trying some more items on the menu, and I'd certainly give the brisket another shot. Next time, I'll definitely be getting a cocktail (or two!), too.
I truly believe that New York City has some of the best foods in the world. But unfortunately when you think New York City, you don't exactly think barbecue. I randomly came across Butcher Bar the other day on Yelp and bookmarked it for future food adventures – and that day, was this past Saturday.
I arrived to the restaurant with my husband at 6:30pm expecting a wait. Surprisingly, it was pretty empty at the time and we were seated immediately at the corner booth. Our waitress was Kaitlyn who was an absolute delight, a very sweet girl. We ordered the chili cheese fries as an appetizer and the butcher's platter to share, which comes with a choice of three meats, two sides, as well as house slaw, pickles, and corn cakes. I utilized the Yelp check-in offer and got a free side as well – we chose the corn on the cob. Yes, that is a ton of food for two people!
The chili cheese fries were a huge portion. It probably isn't a good idea to order this if you are there with only one other person, but hey you can always take it to go afterwards right? It was very good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps if I ever come back, I'd order something more original and cannot get anywhere else like the butcher's bowl.
For the choice of three meats we chose the burnt ends, beef brisket, and pork belly. Of the three, I liked the burnt ends (aka "meat candy") the most, followed by the pork belly. While the burnt ends were tasty, I was expecting to be blown away from all the reviews I've read but no. Perhaps it was because we got the last bit of it since I heard our waitress telling the couple who were seated 15-20 minutes after us that the burnt ends were sold out for the night? It could've used a little more moisture and some crisped fat – that, is what sounds like heaven. The pork belly had a nice crisp to it with just the right amount of fat. I did not care too much for the beef brisket as I found it to be too dry. However after dousing the brisket with their original barbecue sauce to rehydrate it, it was mmMm good.
For the two sides, we chose the creamy mac & cheese and the sautéed bacon & onion string beans. The mac & cheese was okay, I really enjoyed the cayenne pepper sprinkled on top. The string beans were somewhat overcooked and did not have much bacon flavor. Sad to say, my favorite of all the sides was the corn on the cob which is basically just boiled corn. The corn cake was dry. Maybe the baked beans would've been a better option.
Overall, the food was just okay. I really enjoyed the ambience as it is very different and fun. Service was good.
Oh yes. The burnt ends are the best! My place for BBQ in Astoria. I was there when it was first a butcher shop and a restaurant second and then expanded and turned into a full restaurant. Nice decor and friendly staff.
My husband and I are on a mission to try as many BBQ joints in NYC as possible. This is a relatively difficult task because we usually run to Dinosaur whenever we crave BBQ. Although no other place has even come close to Dino, it has been nice to sample of the other joints.
Butcher Bar is a solid 4 stars. We came on a Friday night, and there was NO wait – woohoo! We ordered the wings to start ….. not a great way to start but we tried to stay positive. For the main, we split the porky's platter and subbed pulled chicken for the pork belly. Unfortunately, it was super dry. My husband did enjoy the ribs and pulled pork though…they were solid. The baked beans were pretty sweet, but the mac n cheese was delish! Same for the sweet, but tasty corn bread (ask for a side of honey butter).
A total plus about this place was the service – our waitress was the sweetest person ever, and most definitely not from NY.
We ended up paying $100 but only because we spent half of that on drinks. Otherwise, the food was decently priced.
So I live up the block from Butcher Bar and they've been on my "to eat" list for quite some time now. As far as stars go I'm between 4 and 4.5 – but I'm not ready to bump it up to 5 until I go back and check out their "Meat Candy" Beef Burnt Ends and their "Butcher Bowl" (mashed potatoes, fresh corn & jack cheese topped w/your choice of Smoked Pork or BBQ Chicken.)
Last Saturday I came here for dinner with my fiancé after a fun filled day in Brooklyn. We were planning on going to one of my favorite Italian food restaurants but the MTA had different plans for us so we decided to go here. He had been here for cocktails and I had been here…never – although I truly, truly, truly regret not checking them out back when they were BYOB – (RIP because now they sell booze themselves).
As my entree I ordered their Half Baked Mac & Cheese off of their appetizer menu. They describe it as being their famous creamy mac & cheese, oven baked in a cast iron skillet topped w/ grass fed beef chili, bacon bits & jack cheese. I asked for the chili on the side because I worried that if it was too spicy then it would ruin the meal for me.
The waiter asked me if we were sharing it and I responded back that I was gonna treat this cheesy sucker as my main meal. He was concerned that I wouldn't be able finish it all on my own. He also stressed that this was a serving for two and that I would not be able to handle it all on my own…yeahhhh…he clearly doesn't know me, lol. I stood firm in my order.
My sweetheart ordered their Smoked Ribs. There are two options here – House Dry Rubbed and Fall Off The Bone Sauced and he opted for the latter. On BB's menu they are described as being "smoked til they fall off the bone" and "sauced just right". He gave me a rib and I've gotta say, IT TOTALLY FELL OFF THE BONE aaaaaaand WAS SAUCED JUST RIGHT!! Lol. These ribs are easily in the top 3 ribs I've ever had at a restaurant. Yes, they were that good.
My mac and cheese was delightfully creamy and I'm happy to report that while the beef chili had a little bit of kick, it was totally fine for me! Trust, my tolerance for spicy anything isn't great and their chili was super flavorful and generously meaty. The mac also came with crispy bacon bits (of kind of thick cut bacon…sooooooo not complaining here!) and was really good without being overpowering.
We also shared sides of mashed potatoes and their french fries (go hard or go home, amirite?). The mashed potatoes were really delicious and made chunky with the skins on – just the way I like em'. The fries were unbearably salty for me. I could barely get through 4 or 5 before throwing in the french fry towel. I did like that they were clearly hand cut, with the skin on and rather thick. Just a little less salt tossed in next time would make me a happier camper.
Both my fiancé and I really enjoyed our meal here. Even though it was like a 20 minute wait to get a table – it was a Saturday around 7ish – so totally understandable. Everyone was great from the hostess, to the bartender, to our really attentive and personable waiter. Great service, great food and located in a fantastic location. Anyone giving Butcher Bar 2 stars and a place like Dallas BBQs 4 needs a palette readjustment because it's like comparing Morton's Steakhouse to Burger King (*sips her tea* just my opinion, lol).
I love you Butcher Bar and I can't wait to be back! 🙂