Blue Ribbon BBQ

Not even sure where to start. The pulled chicken was just a spanish style shredded chicken. The brisket was very dry and the burnt ends were just chopped brisket. Cornbread was burnt and dry and the macaroni salad had a starchy texture/taste it. Definitely wouldn't recommend for anything other than a soda.

Having spent seven years in North Carolina, I’ve developed a pretty high bar for barbecue—especially when it comes to brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. Since moving to Boston last year, I’ve been exploring the local barbecue scene and came across several positive reviews for Blue Ribbon BBQ. Curious, I decided to give it a try. I ordered takeout—enough food for a family of four, planning to enjoy leftovers later. Unfortunately, I was pretty underwhelmed. The ribs were dry and lacked flavor, missing that juicy, tender quality I expect. The brisket was also dry and somewhat tough. The pulled pork leaned too far into the fatty side for my taste. To be fair, it may have just been an off day—but the quality I experienced didn’t give me a reason to return. Since then, I’ve been going to The Smoke Shop BBQ at Assembly Row, and I’ve consistently had a better experience there. The brisket and ribs are far superior in both texture and taste, at least in my opinion. If you’re someone who enjoys The Smoke Shop BBQ, you might find Blue Ribbon underwhelming, as I did. But if you’ve tried Blue Ribbon and liked it, then perhaps your tastes align better with their style. This is just my personal, one-time experience—but I hope it helps others who are searching for good barbecue in the Boston area.

Ordered the half chicken with greens, baked beans, and cornbread. The price was good for the amount of food. The taste was acceptable and the service was very fast. Perhaps this buried the lead, but the hair in my food was unfortunate. It’s a local restaurant and that is important, but so is public health. I am sure they will address this issue.

We ordered catering from Blue Ribbon for a graduation party and honestly I could not have been more thrilled. The food came hot and ready to go on time. It was delicious, plenty for everyone, fresh, and included all the utensils and paper goods as well as dressing and sauce. Honestly, I would definitely use them again. TopShelf food and service.

Great place with reasonably priced barbecue options! As someone who has lived in Texas, i must say they are authentic and their beef brisket tasted amazing, tender and flavorful! They have three types of sauces to choose from: sweet BBQ, golden BBQ (basically with mustard) and hot BBQ. All are great and you should mix them for better flavors. Their pork ribs St. Louis ribs were great too. Dirty rice was also yummy. Will definitely be back for more!

Best Kansas style BBQ in Boston! Love the vibe and the food!

Collard greens with Kansas City burnt ends are delicious. True southern comfort cuisine at its finest. As we stepped out of the restaurant after our meal, we could still smell the distinct aroma of charcoal and BBQ on our clothing and outerwear.

Only 20$ . Enough food to feed 5 villages . Best food I ever had . Must get

We have been to Blue Ribbon a handful of times and enjoy the food. Stopped in on a Saturday after a soccer game, wasn't sure if it would be a long wait at 6:15pm or if we could get a spot to sit - less than 20 minute wait for food and most people in there were just getting takeout, so we had a place to sit. My son and I both had the brisket platter which was great. We got pulled pork to take home but tried some and it was delicious.

So disappointed. I used to love this place. Ordered the Side Dish Platter and asked for Baked Beans, but got Green Beans. Coleslaw didn't taste like anything. The only thing that was still good were the Mashed Potatoes. Also ordered the Big Green Salad with Pulled Chicken. I could not believe how little chicken I received. I know prices have gone up, but the container was the same size as the salad dressing container. Also, the Caesar salad dressing was runny and flavorless. Threw most of it away. So sad.

Super excellent barbecue in a cool environment. Nice inside and outside tables and super quick service made this an awesome lunch.

Full slab of 12 ribs ($30) comes with choice of sauce (sweet BBQ, hot or gold). Ribs are nicely done and still tender.

My family loves Blue Ribbon. The food is usually excellent, but it is annoying that when getting takeout, more often than not, they forget to include an item we ordered. Why they don't check a checklist while they're packing our order is beyond me. And the staff gets offended or looks annoyed when I try to check the order while picking it up. Who likes to pay for something they don't receive?

Best BBQ in the area. Consistently good food with good service. Their brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and pulled chicken are all amazing. The cornbread is dense but still moist, the rice cooked just right. The three BBQ sauces are the icing on the cake. Or maybe that's their delicious pies... There are only a few tables, so I generally get takeout. Online ordering makes it easy. The only hard part is getting back home before digging in. Give them a try if you're in the area.

I've eaten here for years and the food is always perfectly cooked, abundant, and delicious. Their sauces are fantastic as well. The ribs are my go-to, but I've also tried the jerk chicken and pulled pork and loved them all. Recommended!

The 2-meat platter for ~$20 gives you a LOT of meat. I was amazed how many meals I got out of it. The burnt ends and ribs are not the best I've had, but pretty satisfying for being up north. I'd advise wrapping to-go orders in extra foil. When they handed me the heavy container in a brown paper bag, I could see oil stains already soaking it. By the time I got home, the extra foil is wrapped around the paper bag had captured quite a bit of dried grease.

Good but its no rusty can. Worth driving out to byfield for the better food. Decent BBQ that won't blow you away if you have spent any significant time down south.

I was looking for BBQ that would deliver to the Boston area and came across this place. I had a really great first impression! I ordered a barbecue trio platter ($21.99) with burnt ends (+$1), ribs, and jerk chicken. For sides I got the dirty rice with gravy and potato salad. I sometimes find BBQ to be too salty but all the meats here were perfectly seasoned! The meat was marinated very well and didn't even need sauce (although the gold sauce was great too). The meats were tender without being too dry. The ribs fell off the bone! I thought the jerk chicken could be more spicy (it tasted more BBQ and less jerk to me). The sides were great! The potato salad had a nice balance between soft-but-not-mushy-potato and crunch from celery and onions. The dirty rice with gravy had a lot of umami flavor. Like others have mentioned, the cornbread was very crumbly but it soaked up all the sauces and meat juices. The prices here are super reasonable and I'd much rather order from here than some of the more popular (and pricier) spots in Boston.

Always great food and it comes out quickly. Never had a bad meal at there place in Arlington

They do meat right--gotta give them that. But, sadly, that's the only thing that tastes good here. Part of the gimmick is the variety of sauces you can try and they were all very disappointing. Vinegary North Carolina sauce is usually my favorite but theirs was way too sweet, like salad dressing, with only a faint hint of sourness. Actually, every single one of their sauces had that same sweet salad dressing note overpowering any other flavor. The collards were overcooked to a mush with no flavor--I get that that might be the southern way, though.

Blue Ribbon is the best BBQ I've had on the East coast. Granted, I only tried one of their meats: pulled pork. And although I only tasted one meat, unlike other BBQ spots I try, I regret nothing. Best BBQ pulled pork sando EVER!!! For those of you who don't know, I always base my reviews on my easy-as-ABC rating system that covers the three main pillars of excellent dining (or drinking) experiences: 1) Ambiance, 2) Business, and last but not least, 3) Cuisine (or Cocktails)! With my easy-as-ABC rating system you are sure to get a good rec (recommendation) every time! So, without further ado, let's get into the review! Ambiance: *** There really isn't much to report in the way of ambiance. In all honesty, because it was a counter-spot, I was not very critical about the ambiance and eat-in dining experience. A lot of the other patrons that came in were picking up takeout so the dining area was rather empty. There were a few families and there was light music playing overhead. The noise level was pretty low and we were able to carry on conversations at normal volume and found that to be just perfect given we were there to have a bite and carry on with our explorations! Business: **** The establishment was clean throughout, the staff was courteous, other diners were kind, the food was out quick, and the prices were reasonable. As previously stated, because this was a counter-spot, I was not very critical about the ambiance and eat-in dining experience. Meal: pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw topper and extra sauce, no side, and a water. Cuisine: ***** BEST pulled pork sando EVER!!! The pulled pork here was sweet and tangy, yet rich and a little spicy. I absolutely loved the sweet and tangy and the rich and spicy was a nice kick that was quickly counteracted by the cool and creamy coleslaw topper. The toasted bread was crispy and perfect - without being overly crispy or burnt. I asked for extra sauce - and extra sauce I receieved! So drippy, so sloppy, so happy. I love sauce, not on world-class BBq, but on a pulled pork sandwich? Heck yeah! All-in-all, I highly suggest you roll into Blue Ribbon BBQ if you ever find yourself in the western Boston suburbs. Come here if you're looking for a great counter-spot to grab a few delicious BBQ bites before checking out the Beantown sights. Final Rating: 4.0

Blue Ribbon has gone somewhat downhill over the past few years. I had it pre-pandemic and thought it was the best I could expect from the Boston area. Now the brisket is dry, the burnt ends are dry, the pulled pork is flavorless, the pulled chicken is even worse. Everything needs to be drowned in sauce in order to have any flavor. Their sauces are pretty good, but I'm looking for the meat to speak for itself. The portion sizes are still really good, but the quality of the meats just isn't there. I haven't had their ribs recently so I can't comment on those.

Really delicious bbq! My favorite is the kansas city burnt ends - the beef falls apart and is perfectly flavored. Top it with the gold and hot sauce and it is pure perfection. Portions are generous. Plenty of sides to choose from. This is a real crowd pleaser and they offer bulk options of everything - perfect for hosting! They offer delivery within a certain radius or pick up is easy with parking right outside.

5 stars here everyday! Great food, great staff. One of the best BBQ places in MA hands down!!!

Worst BBQ I've possibly ever had. Soggy bun, flavorless meat, sides were OK... And I'm being generous.

yummy bbq and generous portions! whenever i get the platter, i always have enough for leftovers. not a lot of seating options but i don't always see people dining in! such a sweet local spot!

Smoked pulled pork is the best and very friendly staff. Great place for lunch and dinner.

Oof, I can see why the prices are so low. You really get what you pay for. Got the triple sliders so I could try a few meats. Pulled pork was flavorless, they claim there's a Carolina vinegar sauce in it but I couldn't taste it. Pulled chicken, also devoid of taste, which could be fine, if it was a vehicle for sauce, but that department is also lacking. Their sweet BBQ sauce tasted very tomato forward and acidic, and their Carolina gold sauce was so mustard heavy it felt like I just squirted some French's on my meat. Maybe take a lesson from Smoke Shop guys. The real insult was the "burnt ends," I couldn't see a hint of bark in there, and it too was flavorless, which is shocking, how do you make burnt ends flavorless!? Also the slider buns were so soggy they fell apart in my hands and I lost half the pulled pork before I just started eating with a fork. The sides were the only saving grace, the potato salad was a solid B, not as good as Redbones potato salad used to be but I'm desperate since they stopped making it. The rice and beans were a C, could have been good if they knew what seasoning was. My wife tried some of the "Texas" hot links (made from pork as we all know how known for pork Texas is!). They smelled like they had gone off, but tasted like nothing, no heat, no flavor. And for the hell of it we got a piece of cornbread that would make Popeyes biscuits seem moist in comparison. As someone who spent quite a few years down south, this is just embarrassing, it's exactly what southerners think all BBQ is north of the Mason Dixon. Slop.

It's ok. Obviously does not compare to BBQ down south (a bit on the dry side, rather than juicy/tender), but is certainly better than the BBQ you'd get at say, a Whole Foods. Not as overpriced as I expected, actually. Would I come here again? Sure, why not. But not in any particular hurry to do so, when I can find Brazilian BBQ that tastes better and actually costs less, all over Somerville and Medford. Service is nice just not particularly fast. They have outdoor tables which are handy when the weather's nice, and the location is convenient.

Best BBQ in the area!!! I never thought I would find good bbq in the Boston area, but I was wrong. Small spot, with limited seating, but worth the tight squeeze. Bbq is out of this world, the sides are great and the cornbread is the best I've ever had.

Great BBQ for delivery or takeout. Very few tables so not the best place for eat-in, but the food is fabulous. Will get very backed up during peak periods.

So good!! We got ribs. The plate was big and enough for two meals. I would order again.

After having a bad experience at another BBQ establishment and leaving without ordering, we decided to hit up Blue Ribbon. We got takeout from here before and I remember it being pretty good. Anyway, it's certainly geared towards takeout but there are a few tables if you want to eat in. Friendly and very quick service, reasonable prices and delicious food with huge portions. Definitely adding this to the restaurant rotation.

This may be the best BBQ joint in New England - I just haven't tried them all (yet). The suggestion by another poster, to get the boxes instead of the dinners, was a great idea. We got one of each this time, a pint of the KC Burnt Ends, and St. Louis Ribs 1/2 slab dinner plate. The total was enough for two dinners. Each was superb. The sides were underwhelming, but the dinners made up for it. Next time we'll get only the bulk meats. (And no mac-n-cheese????) But why did I rate this 4 stars and not 5? Because they used "STYROFOAM" (expanded polystyrene) containers. These can emit TOXIC styrene, a known carcinogen, especially if microwaved. They are not recyclable. These containers are illegal in a growing number of cities, states, and countries. There are so many healthy alternatives, why on earth would any restaurant use carcinogenic takeout containers?

The cashier has a hat pulled down over his eyes, doesn't see you, then you have to go "ahem" louder and louder until he looks up, then gives a look that you've just annoyed him. However the food is great!

Anyone who wants soul food... this is a great place Pulled pork and chicken with choices of sauces yum

Brisket platter broke the Styrofoam plate. Because there was so much meat on it!! And it was delicious!! And a great price.

Excellent food, great service! I love their pulled pork! It is easy to order the food in person and online.

Always delicious, try the burrito it's under rated. Been coming here for years!!!!!!!!!!!

Fresh flavorful and always a heaping helping of food! Great service, easy to order in person and online.

It's not good at all very disappointed won't go there again . Was happy at all we were looking for real pull pork for northcarolina.

Really good! Get the burnt ends. Tangy slightly sweet sauce, deliciously cooked beef. Got the platter with 2 sides. My favorite side was the mashed potatoes. Also came with a crumbly cornbread, which I enjoyed paired with everything.

Grabbed an order of take out for a lunch date with my best friend. She is always all about the meat! We both got lunch platters. I am not a huge fan of chicken but her jerk chicken was moist, tender with a great bite of flavor. I may need to order it next time. She got 2 sides of collards and a piece of corn bread. I got the pulled pork with a side of baked beans, collards, and a piece of corn bread. All of it had a bite to it. A few mouthfuls made us teary eyed so be forewarned if you don't like spice. I didn't grab any additional sauces to go but it didn't really need it as it wasn't dry. There were a number of different kind of sauces to pick from from spicy to mild. The portion was a good size leaving another plate for another day. There wasn't front street parking at this Arlington location. I ordered via phone. I've placed catering orders from Blue Ribbon in the past and they have always delivered the best food and service. Their mac and cheese is so delic!

I personally do not like the Barbecue Sauce or the sides here. I've never returned, although it's popular with many.

Seriously good BBQ. I just came back from getting mediocre BBQ in Dallas wishing I had Blue Ribbon instead. Everything (burnt ends, ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket) is smoked to perfection and the sauces are great. Sides are also delicious. Can't wait for my next order!

I pick up fairly often from this place and every. single. time. the juices leak through the bag onto the seat of my car. The bag rips and my whole car smells horrible. Its obviously not a one time thing so im assuming it happens to other people and they have done nothing to fix it. The food is also low quality and the taste gets old quickly.

I should've gone with my first gut when I put "BARBECUE AND BOSTON" together.. A very charming place with quick service and obvious neighborhood popularity. I think this is a great spot in a great location but due to the hype of the reviews of this place and the pictures, never judge a book by its cover. I will be the 1st to say I am very unimpressed with the food. Ordered the Kansas City burnt ends and St. Louis ribs. I was hoping it would blow me out of the water, but the both of the meats were dry and did not fall off the bone, it was just terrible. I bought a full rack of the ribs and 1/2 pint of the burnt ends in expectation of how good this place would be by reviews but both the meat is much tougher it is hard for me to look past, plus it tasted bad. Service was nice and quick, just wish the food would be better seriously. Ordered a variety of platters but was very disappointed with everything. The potato salad was extremely salty, collard greens lacked flavor and pulled pork was so oily it was inedible. On top of that the corn bread was burnt to a crisp. Don't waste your money on this mediocre to below bbq. Before you come here, just say to yourself, "barbecue and Boston", and think about it for a minute.

Texas sausage had good flavors and unique flavors. Would get it again. Good for any occasion

So, I'm no BBQ connoisseur, but I found the pulled pork to be very low on flavor, though the meat was certainly tender and well-textured. I ended up throwing some BBQ sauce on it myself. However, the dirty rice was delicious and flavorful, and cornbread was moist and a great accompaniment. Overall everything here was very low-priced and a good deal, I just found the meat quite bland.

We got there when the doors opened, put the order in and received the food quickly. There was a little confusion about the gift certificate on a phone app gift card so we bypassed that payment method. I got the pulled pork, chicken, cole slaw and potato salad but they made a mistake and brought out collard greens and mashed potatoes but they let me keep it and brought out what I had originally ordered right away which I thought was very nice. Now for the food; on a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 10 hands down. The greens were perfect, the pork was tender and the chicken was excellent. The slaw was tangy and succulent. This is a great spot that I would highly recommend to BBQ lovers.

Just discovered Blue Ribbon via Uber Eats and am at a loss for words...the price was fair, portions were huge, the flavors were the best I've found in the greater Boston area. Simply incredible.

Awesome BBQ. Looking forward to renewing my friendship without burn ends and pulled pork

Please listen and not go there their brisket are like cardboard and their ribs are not juicy.

Great place to get BBQ for larger events or even bulk items for dinners w/ a bunch of friends. The portions are hearty, the prices are very reasonable, and the BBQ is tasty. I especially love the burnt ends, potato salad and collards.

Sadly, we will not be returning to Blue Ribbon BBQ after a third experience of waiting over an hour past when our order was promised. Tonight we ordered our usual family style meal for 6:30 pm. We arrived at 6:25 and saw many people waiting around for their orders which was a bad sign. We had to wait an hour past when our order should have been ready which is unacceptable! This has happened on two other occasions and we swore that we would not go back because of the inconvenience. We gave Blue Ribbon another try, hoping that they would have worked out the kinks in their system. Sadly, they haven't and we will not be returning. If they are unable to hire more help, I suggest they fix their online ordering system so that the promise times are adjusted to more accurately reflect the timeframe they are able to provide food.

Another of my fan favorites. Love their specials every day. But I always have to get the pulled pork and burnt ends. Big Yumm.

Ordered this for our office and it was as mentioned in other reviews, the better BarbQ around Boston. The shredded pork and brisquet were delicious and full of smoked flavor and so tender, they fell apart. The cornbread was great too and the prices were not too bad for the amount of food we ordered. Plus the leftovers the next day were also delicious and kept well. I would highly recommend this spot as it beats out any other places in the city.