John Brown BBQ

"John Brown BBQ may advertise itself as a Kansas City-style pork paradise, but the best thing on the menu at this smokehouse in Long Island City is the brisket burnt ends. They’re chewy yet tender, sticky, and somehow infinitely more delicious than the actual brisket, which skews a little dry. This is a spot for Kansas City purists, both in terms of barbecue sliced to order and city pride—there are several shrines to Chiefs’ legends, like Patrick Mahomes and Tony Gonzales. The ribs come in a sweet, but not overpowering glaze, and the pork belly leaves an oil slick on the butcher paper that would make any mechanic upset. It's a quiet neighborhood spot six months out of the year. But the great selection of beer and contingent of TVs make the LIC restaurant rowdy and fun on football Sundays, provided that your team isn’t playing Kansas City. And if the weather cooperates, hang out in the backyard with a couple of pale ales and Midwest transplants. Food Rundown photo credit: Will Hartman Brisket Burnt Ends The thing to order here. Thick with bark yet tender on the inside, these are an excellent representation of what Kansas City-style BBQ is all about. They tend to sell out. But if you see them available, make sure to contribute to someone being saddened later in the day (sorry to those future guests). A half pound for every three or so people will be more than enough. Pork Ribs Rosy pink and tender, these come glazed and on the bone, and are cooked perfectly. Your teeth will leave a bite mark, as opposed to ripping the meat clean off the bone. photo credit: Will Hartman Brisket Despite being cooked until tender, this brisket lacks some of that quintessential smoke factor. It’s not bad, but if you aren’t here with a lot of people and getting a whole spread, your money is better spent elsewhere. photo credit: Will Hartman Rib Tips With more cartilage comes more flavor, and these rib tips prove it. They require slightly more work to eat than their meaty counterparts do, but it’s worth the reward. Pastrami Unfortunately, our pastrami experiences here have been dry and stringy. The flavor is good, and John Brown’s platters do come with the basic building blocks for a sandwich: white bread, pickles, and mustard (standard operating procedure for any self-respecting barbecue platter) but look elsewhere for hot pastrami in New York City." - Will Hartman