Blue Ribbon BBQ

Blue Ribbon BBQ has been a go-to for us over the years, and for good reason—it’s become an institution in the Boston area, and when it comes to barbecue, nothing else quite stacks up. If you’re looking for a takeout option, the 3-meat combo with two sides is an absolute winner, perfect for sharing with someone and an incredible value for the quality. Starting with the sides: the coleslaw is exactly what you’d want—crunchy, not overly creamy, with just the right amount of seasoning. It’s refreshing and adds a nice balance to the richness of the meat. Then there are the mashed potatoes with gravy, which might actually exceed any expectations you have. Think rich, buttery, smooth potatoes paired with a velvety gravy that’s just out of this world. As for the meat, the brisket is a standout. It’s tender with beautifully crisp smoke lines and just the right amount of fat, practically begging to be dunked in the golden barbecue sauce. Then there’s the pulled pork, Melissa’s absolute favorite. Smoky, juicy, and perfect with any sauce you choose, but especially good with the hot sauce for that extra kick. The cornbread is simple and serviceable—crumbly and light, exactly what you’d expect as a sidekick to all the main players. Don’t sleep in the specials or the wraps. The Buffalo chicken wrap and the burrito really hit the spot if you’re looking for something you can eat on the go! All in all, Blue Ribbon BBQ has something truly special. It’s a place that makes you want to come back time and again, knowing every bite will live up to the memory of the last.

Make sure your food is all there. I ordered a duo-meat plate for around 23$ and only received pulled pork when i ordered ribs as well. The food is really good but i mainly wanted to try the ribs and drove about 30 minutes each way. I hate to give 2 stars but I have to considering I drove a decent amount of time for the ribs and lost money not getting them. Next time I hope I get all my food and can give this place 5 stars.

Big portion of food, reasonable price and fast service, but the taste was a bit questionable compared to its rating. Me and my company ordered one rib platter with coleslaw and mashed potato, and one chicken bbq platter with corn and baked beans. Starting with the rib platter, I could tell it was smoke roasted by just having one bite. However, some of ribs were overcooked that it was more chewy than jerky. BBQ chicken was too salty and it was just disappointing. If I were to recommend a menu or two, it’d be the ribs and cornbread, but nothing else. One last thing, they only have about 10-15 seats(not tables but seats), so it may be hard to find seats.

I’m putting my Texan card on the table. I wasn’t expecting Pit Room or Franklin’s-level quality, but had hoped it would be better than Famous Dave’s; it was, only slightly. Positive first: friendly folks, pleasant atmosphere, and more than ample portions (seriously, you can feed two on one meal). They are also generous with price. Up the quality, up the price and lower the portion. And…… let’s start with brisket 101, smoke. That was lacking. In fact, I put my nose to the air while approaching the restaurant sniffing for that ever-loving smell of mesquite and hickory. Not even post oak. It was not in the air; perhaps they smoke off site. If so, you need more wood! Next, no bark on the meat and it is void of that tell tale sign of black pepper and salt. I watched a full packer brought to the carving table. It wasn’t appropriately trimmed and shaped pre-smoke. Let aerodynamics be your friend. I had asked for moist at the register. Perhaps that was simply a north-south translation error. Moist in BBQ joints means the point, not the flat. They gave me all flat. That would be fine I suppose, except it was pretty evident the cut is USDA Choice. It makes the meat cost effective, but at the sacrifice of fat. The meat was over cooked. It should pull apart, not fall apart. It should also stand on its own without sauce. Sides: great potato salad. 8 out of 10. Slaw wasn’t worth a second bite and the corn bread could break windows if thrown. Sweet tea was pleasantly not too sweet. Sauce was fine. Nothing noteworthy.

A glad surprise when we were just driving by. Looking for somewhere to have dinner, we found this place, which has an appealing front. Prices were fair and we got our orders quickly, which were very tasty. Size is good for almost 2 people and sides are just as good as mains. Will definitely come back some time to try the brisket

Dont think you’ll find better barbecue north of NY City. Service is respectful. Not overly friendly but also not rude, which nowadays it’s a plus. Absolutely worth the trip within an one hr drive from anywhere. Portion can feed 2-3 people (if you’re small eater like myself) definitely single portion for the big boys. Will keep coming back. Oh, did I mention their corn bread it outrageous?

Delicious BBQ. Daily specials. Fast service. Service: Unless it is very busy, it is very fast to place an order and get your food here because everything is already cooked and just needs to be served as far as I know. Food: I usually order the platters or the sandwiches. Both come with two sides. The platters also come with a piece of cornbread. The platters come with so much food, I always have leftovers. The sandwiches are also plentiful and leave me extremely full. My favorite meats are the brisket and burnt ends. Both are tender, moist, and not too fat. They both come with sweet bbq sauce mixed in by default, but you can ask for a different sauce, like hot sauce instead. My favorite regular side is the collard greens, which have some spicy heat to them and are seasoned with garlic cloves. The green beans are also a tad bit spicy and include some sliced sausages. The green beans are a bit overcooked though. They also have a few special dishes, like wings or tacos. There are also special sides each day, like mac and cheese or pickled beets salad. The cornbread is sweet and crumbly without being too dry. There are five different sauces to try: sweet, hot, xxx hot, gold, and North Carolina Vinegar BBQ sauces. Seating: There are only about 12 bar seats along the window, wall, and counter, so there isn't much space.

Going downhill - quality and freshness are lacking and they don't seem to care enough to respond to direct feedback. We've Been eating at Blue Ribbon since they opened. However, over the past 6 months items in our orders have been dried out, cold or in a couple of instances inedible. I wrote directly to them but more than a week later, no response. Bummer....

So much delicious flavorful food!!! Huge portions and genuinely the best bbq around. Super friendly staff and great with allergies. We did takeout so can't speak to ambiance but highly recommend

Tender brisket, pork ribs are tender and meaty often need their sauce to be as juicy as I like. Great for local BBQ.

We ordered from here because , they had a special buy something get something free . We actually got it delivered it was terrible. The only thing good was the corn bread . The price was the reason we ordered . The portion size was good .

I've eaten at Blue Ribbon for years and think their food is fantastic. So I placed a catering order through their catering website on a Thursday for a 10 person Sunday evening dinner. They cancelled the order on Sunday evening one hour before delivery. It was a mad scramble to figure out how to get food delivered for our little event. It felt very unprofessional and I wouldn't recommend catering with them for this reason.

As a southerner, I'm particular about BBQ, and I am pleased to say that I'll be back to Blue Ribbon. When we walked in, I saw the tea and lemonade dispensers (good sign and free refills!), and the sauce dispensers (another good sign). I ordered the sliced brisket platter with mashed potatoes and dirty rice & gravy. It also came with cornbread. The brisket was VERY tender and while it had a decent amount of fat on it, it was only on the edges and was really good overall. The dirty rice with gravy was solid, and I wouldn't knock the mashed potatoes either. Is the sweet tea really sweet tea? No, but remember we're in Massachusetts. The portion sizes were more generous than other BBQ places in the area, and all things considered, I would be happy to come back here again.

This place is a classic and I have been coming here for more than 20 Years and it never disappoints. What most people may not know, is that the word Barbecue, came from the original "barbacoa" and the origins of this type of cooking came from the Caribbean by local indigenous people or "Taino " who cooked meat over wood fire. When I walk into this place, it just brings me back home to my native Venezuela, but also to the South that is now famous for it's BBQ, aroma and flavors. You get all of it, as soon as you walk into the door! The windows are usually misty with all the heat from the kitchen, especially during Winter, when I visited it last time. The place just never stops and while this is mostly a takeout place, they do have diner style seating for about 10+ people, where most people, like me, just cannot wait to eat and take it home (which is why I forgot to take pictures of the food). I usually order the burnt ends and choose between 7-8 different selections of BBQ Sauce that they have and sell as well, including all the cool merchandise celebrating this place. In the past, I have ordered the baby back ribs and they are always falling off the bone and melting in your mouth. Around the sauces, you can have tangy, sweet, spicy and many other combinations. If you order the plates, like I do, you can order two sides like slaw, baked beans (my favorite), mashed potatoes, rice and beans and it always come with the traditional corn bread. I am usually coming from the Boston Area to Metrowest, where I live. You can get off the MassPike and be at this place in less than a minute and get one the pike or other highways, just as quickly. This is the main reason why every time I have a craving for BBQ and driving home, this is the spot that I go to. You will not be disappointed, try this place out! Cheers!

Food was awesome, looking forward to them having the tables setup outside. I had my family with me, we bought two platters and it was more food than 4 of us could eat. Will definitely go back.

Disgusting! I ordered beef brisket and burnt ends. I got this slop! Made me sick just to look at it. Worst bbq ever.

I ordered the catfish sandwich it comes with two sides and cornbread. The catfish on the sandwich was really skimpy there was no queso sauce and two much lettuce . The rice and beans was not appealing or tasty. I did not get my cornbread. Needless to say I am very disappointed with this visit.

I give this place 4 stars solely because of the potato salad. It is my favorite potato salad. Otherwise, it'd be a 3. The brisket is average. The coleslaw and cornbread are decent. Huge servings are a plus. Take out spot but we ate at the counter area.

I just stopped in here quickly to grab something on my way home thinking this is gonna be absolutely delicious. Well I was wrong. I got a brisket sandwich that had absolutely zero flavor. It tasted like the brisket was boiled not barbecued. I'm so disappointed that I spent $20 on a brisket sandwich That tasted like absolutely nothing and tons of fat. Also, when I walked into the store, there were four employees and not one of them picked their head up to even say hello. I had to say hi I'd like to place an order please every employee was sitting on their phone. Very disappointed hopefully the owner reaches back. I would love to have a different experience.

We used Blue Ribbon catering for a 60-person event this weekend. I really have no words except to say OMG!!! The service from the first call to the timely delivery of hot, fresh food, right through the eating of EVERY LAST BITE we were not disappointed. More than generous amounts of food, and expert guidance in what to order and what not to order. The burnt ends were moist and tender. Blue Ribbon provided generous amounts of extra sauce to your liking which put everything over the top. We're from CT but will definitely visit Blue Ribbon when we're in the area.

I usually don't leave reviews because I know places can have off days, but this experience was so bad, and it reinforced other negative experiences. First off, they didn't include the sauce in our take out order, so after getting home and watching a bit of football, I was disappointed to find that I'd be eating my pulled pork sandwich dry. And yes, I could gone back and driven 15 minutes each way, but who wants to do that? Unfortunately, sauce was definitely needed because it was not only extremely dry, but also completed over salted. They need to pay attention to the measurements in their dry rub, because it was almost inedible. Also, the cornbread was ridiculously dry, which is not unusual. It's always dry. Again, my fault for continuing to go there, I guess. We won't be going back. On the upside, the sandwich is very large, so it's a good value - if you could eat it.

when I ordered a barbecue rib sandwich, it was very dry. I had questions about why the rib sandwich was between two pieces of white bread, but I didn't mind. But when they had the bones inside the ribs. Every other barbecue place that I've been has always removed the bones from the ribs they've given you a sandwich. It felt like they were doing this on purpose. I try to reach out but ignored. The barbecue ribs also didn't come with any barbecue sauce or any condiments or anything like that even on the side. And while I was eating all the stuff did was just stare at me. Very uncomfortable.

As noted before, BRB has been on our reg takeout rotation for years. Sadly the quality consistency has really slipped. Yesterday we received corn bread that was SPOILED! It was mushy and smelled bad - as in rotten! How on earth could this have happened?! Had to drive back in the rain to retrieve substitutes. Very disappointed.

Blue Ribbon catered our high school reunion. Showed up five minutes early with absolutely fresh and delicious barbecue ribs and pulled pork, vegetarian burritos, awesome mac & cheese, salad (not just iceberg!) and cole slaw -- even the pickles were terrific. Would order from Blue Ribbon again! Heartily recommend.

The charred corn pinto bean succotash is so hearty! Which is also a sentence I'll write only once in my lifetime. Fan of Blue Ribbon Arlington and the West Newton outpost does the brand justice: a heavy handful of burnt ends on a pillowy (yet stable) deli roll, with my choice of their scintillating sauces to splash on pretty much everything. If you trust me, and you should, there isn't a meat or side that wouldn't level up from a splash of their Carolina sauce (ACV, pepper flakes and a bit of sweetener). Lunches here will cure what ails you for under $15. Strong recommend.

Staple BBQ place the Boston area. Really want this place to be good. Unfortunately it feels like it on auto pilot, no one caring for the food. Corn bread dry/ ordinary - sun pat- non one looking at the food Chicken on bone- dry, not exciting Brisket- ok, I'm mean it's brisket. Again not cared for, Sausage - house made but very amateur. Grind was corse, sausage casting irregularly filled. Signs of no one in charge. Collards- very good Coleslaw- served warmish. Not crisp and cold- uninspired. Cashier sat down most of the time, and his engagement and his presentation matched the food.

Was at an event catered by Blue Ribbon. The food was tasty but not five star. I have patronized the Newton location over a period of years although not for a while so I was looking forward to this. Everything was good but not great. Would I eat this again definitely but something was missing. Perhaps in the catering situation it was not as hot as it should have been.

Was driving by and decided to grab a couple ribs. Order 2 ribs.... 3.00 each. Both dry and not much meat. Never asked if eating there or to go. She put 2 ribs in cardboard tray, tin foil, then wrapped in paper wrap and put in bag with barbecue sauce. I said eating there. A lot of green environmental waste.

Sorry Blue Ribbon BBQ in West Newton but I will NEVER be back. 2nd time in a row I have had a terrible meal. Ribs with barely any meat, Mac & Cheese the tasted like it had melted plastic in it, baked beans that didn't taste much better, and a soggy hunk of cornbread that smelled moldy. I'm done. You used to be a regular "go to" for me. Never again.

The brisket was appallingly not to standards. Somebody got lazy I guess.. We ordered a double platter of brisket and we received 3 little lean pieces and a whole chunk of fatty matter. It literally ruined our mood for the night! So unexpected as these guys are usually the best around. The collards were also not as good as last time. Will give them another chance but they better serve something good next time, or that's it from me.

Every time my wife gave birth at Newton-Wellesley Family Physicians. I would pick up at least one meal and a few days that we spent there. Great tradition great barbecue.

Probably the worst BBQ I have ever had. Got the brisket family meal with 2 sides. The brisket was dry as the desert. The mashed was flavorless as can be. And the BBQ beans was best thing in the meal. I really wish they were better but every time I go I get disappointed.

My whole entire family is from North Carolina and I thought the food sucked. I went to the one in Newton and the guy that took my order was heavy set with a long black beard he was very racist. The food was not good at all the sauce was runny, the brisket was very fatty and dry I think he gave me the ends. Also, the pork ribs tasted dry like they were a day old and the greens were terrible the corn bread was dry as hell. I will never go back there again. They can keep that trashy food. I don know what they won a blue ribbon in because I know it wasn't food I think Tennessee bbq is better.

Delicious. Best in the area. I love their pulled pork, brisket, sausage, corned bread, etc etc. I've been going here for years, and that's not going to stop anytime soon.

We had a fantastic experience here! Blue Ribbon has some great BBQ and even better hot sauce! We split the Duo Combo which consisted of: 1.) 1/4 Jerk Chicken (5 stars) 2.) Pulled Chicken (4 stars) 3.) Collard Greens (4 stars) 4.) Mashed Potatoes (5 stars) 5.) Corn Bread (4 stars) The total bill was $17.11 and it was so worth it! The Duo Combo was definitely enough for two people. We left feeling very full with happy bellies. I would say my favorite chicken was the jerk chicken. It was seasoned beautifully and came sauced with the Blue Ribbon Gold Medal hot sauce. My favorite side was hands down the creamy mashed potatoes. You can't beat those mashed potatoes. You just can't. I wish I had some right now! We will definitely be back for more!

Ribs were very dry and had no flavor. The Jerk chicken was also dry and overdone...and certainly does NOT meet the standard to be called jerk chicken. In addition, the Texas hot sausage is NOT hot/spicy at all. The best thing in my order was the collard greens. This is NOT good BBQ by any means and certainly nowhere close to blue-ribbon anything! NOT recommended.

We had the ribs, pulled pork, sausage, salmon sandwich, and brisket. Of note- we visited at lunch time on a weekday. We had dirty rice, mashed potatoes, and Mac and cheese. The dirty rice wasn't dirty. It was good just not dirty rice like we know dirty rice to look and taste. The Mac and cheese is the creamy type using white cheddar cheese and not baked. I did order sausage for my triple meat plate and was expecting the hot links not smoked kielbasa but that's my fault for not being specific enough - I didn't realize there are two different types of sausage. We enjoyed it all and be back to try it again.

Huge servings of every kind of bbq you can imagine. Pulled pork and chicken is legit. Brisket as well. And occasionally we get into the burnt ends. They are able to get the food to your table super quick, which sometimes sleeves me out. But it's bbq, all the leg work is already done. Their max and cheese and coleslaw are good. And get a side of corn bread!

West Newton square. A+ if you like burrito's and barbecue. They deliver as well. We have had them deliver 2 years in a row down to the Kells Beer Company in Natick. Yes, their food goes great with beer . Update: Awesome takeout during the shutdown. Ribs were perfect, pulled pork burritos, pulled chicken, coleslaw, burnt ends and buns for sandwiches. Perfect takeout on a rainy day. Thank you for being open.

The person handling takeout orders was rude and feigned a southern accent to try to give this WASPy, flavorless excuse for "barbeque" some color. The chicken was dry and the pulled pork made mayonnaise seem spicy. A true testament of cultural appropriation, I'm embarrassed that this place received an award

I've been a blue ribbon fan for over 30 years but sadly won't be returning due to the recent west Newton meal experience. One order just wrong ( pulled pork not burnt ends) ; food dried out tasteless and cold. Really sorry - used to be a go to

This place was an impulse however it wasn't a bad decision I got the brisket and greens and dirty rice and corn bread it was very filling and I have left for home my co worker got the trio and she gives it a 3.5 out of 5 due to the sauce leaked all over however the mashed potatoes were delicious and the dirty rice could use a spice kick and there were no wet napkins. And it should have been due to its BBQ! And extra napkins would have been appreciated however, we are going to try this place again however mac & cheese would be a great addition to the menu.

My boyfriend and I recently tried this place for the first time because they were part of an amazing deal on Uber Eats that we couldn't pass up, but also because I had really been craving brisket for a while! It was amazing! We got a pulled chicken and a pulled pork sandwich, both of which came with two sides and a piece of cornbread. We got cole slaw and dirty rice w/gravy with one sandwich and potato salad and mashed potato with the other. Then, because of the deal, we got the trio meal which comes with three meat choices (we got burnt ends, brisket and roast chicken) that also came w/two sides. We got green beans and corn with that. Everything was SO good and we had leftovers for three days! I will definitely be ordering again very soon, deal or no deal!

Yummy takeout dinner from Blue Ribbon BBQ, West Newton! We love to support our local businesses. Three of us ordered a whole slab of ribs, which was super moist, delicious, and packed with a lot of meat (and not so much fat)! We also got three pint-size containers of rice & beans, collard greens, and mashed potatoes as well as corn bread. All were delicious and more than enough for us so we had leftovers. Blue Ribbon packed their sweet sauce, gold sauce, and hot sauce in little bottles so we got to try them all, which was great. We liked them all. So our ribs and sides were great, but your whole jerk chicken was bland and not jerk tasting enough! Please, please flavor your jerk chicken better as we had this problem in the past. It seems like this has been a chronic problem. Your chicken could have been great, as it came super moist and not dried (yay!), had the taste lived up to your description. We used your bbq sauces to add more flavor to the chicken the next day but that shouldn't have been necessary if your chicken was flavored fully. Lastly, can you find another vendor for your pecan pie? For the price charged, you should be offering a great-tasting pie to finish off what was a great -tasting bbq rib dinner! We'll be back with hopes that improvements can be made on your jerk chicken and pecan pie. You really want your loyal (& local) customers to keep coming back & not go searching elsewhere for a good meal. Thank you too to Jonathan for your help with our order last night!

We ordered a rack of rids and they was no meat on them just a lot of fat very disappointed

I got a 3 meat combo and the meats were super dry and sour and much worse than other BBQs ive had. Ive normally gone to the smoke shop and i suggest doing yourself a favor and going there instead of this place. This was super disappointing. They dont even have mac and cheese as a side which is very strange for a BBQ place.

Smells better than it tastes - had some of the basic ribs. They weren't exactly fall-off-the-bone ribs that you expect from a rib place. The gold sauce was okay - could pack a bit more heat and more complexity. Same can be said for the dirty rice - more complexity in flavor profile would definitely have helped the taste.

Decent but a bit on the dry side. My favorites were the ribs and cornbread. I think it might've been because I ordered the last hour before closing.

I love blue Ribbon. Everything is top notch and I could smother my world in Gold sauce.

Continuing on my search for good BBQ in Boston, Blue Ribbon has been the best so far! We ordered (group of 4) 1 pint of brisket, 1 pint of hot links, 1 pint of pulled pork, and 1/3 slab of ribs. For sides, we ordered cole slaw, baked beans, collard greens, and dirty rice. It was the perfect amount for 4 hungry people and was great. The meats were delicious, as were the sides. The brisket was soft and flavorful, pulled pork deliciously vinegary. Ribs and hot links were very good as well, but less of a standout to me personally (may also be more of personal preference than a comment on the restaurant). The meats also come with a choice of bbq sauce on the side, and they came with small bottles - I was expecting just a small condiment container! Super cute and great value. I will definitely return as the food was delicious!

We always get our barbeque ribs for our tailgate at Boston College football games. The ribs are full of meat with plenty of flavor. We usually get the ribs with sides of cole slaw and macaroni and cheese. They are conveniently located right out the mass pike on West Newton.

Everything is cooked professionally but lacking in depth of flavor stand outs are the potato sides mashed and salad. Collard greens were lacking smoked meat were they vegan ? Corn and black eyed beans seemed straight out of a can. The ribs cooked perfectly in the slow and low method so they are pretty bland as there is no salt in the rub so its like a hollow smoky taste. But perfectly cooked they were. Bbq sauce too watery. Meh.

I love blue ribbon barbecue. I go to the one on Mass Ave., Arlington, MA. I have been going there since they opened right through the pandemic and the other side. Consistently great barbecue with the location in West Newton as well. Highly highly recommended.

Got to try the pulled pork at an event catered by Blue Ribbon. I found the pulled pork to be somewhat dry and tough rather than tender. It was alright once the provided BBQ sauce was added to the meat. I would order something different if I got a chance to try their restaurant.

Excellent food, very well prepared. Fair prices and large portions. Will definitely come back and take more :) Highly recommend

I know most folks love BBQ because of the meat(s), but my cravings lean toward how good the sides are. This place rocks for their baked beans, slaw, dirty rice, etc. I always order extra sides to pile on along with the delicious meats.

Who doesn't crave for BBQ once in a while? When I do, Blue Ribbon is a great choice, partly because it's close to my home and I can do takeout, but primarily because their brisket and their ribs are so flavorful, tender, and smoky! I've also had their chicken, which was good, but not comparable to the other stuff they have. I'm not the biggest fan of their sides, corn bread, mashed potatoes and beans, as I usually just get the meat and make a salad at home to pair with them. They are always very generous with the sauce and give you a whole bottle of BBQ sauce of your choice to go (sweet, spicy, or golden flavor). The main downside is that the meal could get pricy.. take out brisket, ribs, and sausage for my bf and I could be as much as $60 (well, my bf eats a lot I guess). $30 per person dinner is just not particularly cheap. In any case, a nice BBQ dinner and some red is a great way to celebrate the nice summer weather, so it's all worth it! Cheers!