The Ultimate Ranking Of Chain Restaurant Ribs, According To Yelp
Ribs can be amazingly delicious. At their best, they're tender and succulent, perfectly glazed with a slight char, and with a touch of fragrant smokiness. When things go wrong though, ribs can be practically inedible. Overcooking ribs can result in tough meat that's hard to chew, and leaving them a little too long on the grill can burn them into a scorched mess. Cooking ribs properly isn't necessarily difficult, but it's not quite as simple as grilling a burger either. Preparing ribs ready for cooking can also be a bit time-consuming and labor-intensive. It's no wonder that so many of us often prefer to hit up a restaurant to get our rib fix.
Even though ribs are on the menu at plenty of restaurants, the quality of each restaurant's ribs can vastly differ from chain to chain. Varying portions, meat quality, and even just the flavor of glazes available are just a few of the fluctuating factors at play. We've had our fair share of ribs at many of these restaurants, but we've also consulted the consensus at Yelp to help steer you in the right direction. If you're on the prowl for the low-down on chain restaurant ribs, you're in the right place.
15. Tony Roma's
Right off the bat, Tony Roma's sets up some high expectations. The company touts its ribs as "The Best Ribs in America" — an accolade it won in a national competition, but nonetheless a lofty title in a land teeming with world-famous barbecue. The restaurant started out focusing on the quality of its ribs but diversified its menu over the years to include other items like burgers, pasta, and barbecue chicken. Judging by customer comments on Yelp, the kitchen seems to struggle with pumping out the quality of ribs that diners expect from Tony Roma's.
One recurring problem here seems to be that the ribs are so overcooked that they become mushy. Of course, tenderness is ideal — but total mushiness isn't exactly appetizing. The texture of ribs should strike a balance: Tender enough to fall off the bone, yet not so overdone that they've been reduced to mush. Ribs with an unpleasant texture like this may be the result of over-marinating the meat or simply overheating during cooking — or a calamitous combination of both. Regardless of the cause, the end result is obviously less than stellar. Bottom line: The hype surrounding Tony Roma's ribs often doesn't line up with the reality of the end product on the plate, leading to disappointment.
14. Dickey's Barbecue Pit
Dickey's Barbecue Pit is a chain restaurant that opened its first location in Dallas, Texas in 1941. The company gradually expanded over the years, and now operates more than 650 restaurants in 44 states. The menu at Dickey's includes items like smoked chicken wings, brisket, pulled pork, jalapeno cheddar sausage, and loaded baked potato casserole. Dickey's also sells pork ribs that can be purchased as a half-rack, full rack, or in a combo.
Glancing over the pictures on Dickey's menu seems promising at first, but combing through customer reviews online reveals a different story. A common complaint here is that the ribs are burnt and mostly just skin. Because ribs tend to be fairly pricey, customers expect to get some bang for their buck. When the meat on the ribs is scarce and the meal is basically reduced to charred flaps of sauced-slathered skin, it's hard to feel like you're getting a good deal. The hit-or-miss nature of Dickey's ribs lands it on the lower end of the spectrum in our ranking.
13. City Barbecue
Credit where it's due: City Barbecue smokes all of its meats on-site using local hickory wood. The restaurant also features five different sauces and each has its own distinct flavor profile. There's a classic barbecue sauce, one with a touch of heat, another made with mustard, a barbecue sauce that's on the sweeter side, and one that's fruity and heavy on the vinegar. The meats at City Barbecue don't come slathered in sauce. By taking this approach, the restaurant allows customers to taste the natural flavors in the smoked meat, while encouraging diners to customize the flavor themselves, with its various barbecue sauces.
Once again, the issue here seems to be that City Barbecue has a bad habit of serving burnt ribs to customers. It's great that the company smokes all of its meats at each of its locations and offers a variety of barbecue sauce, but none of that really matters if the meat itself gets burned to a crisp. We aren't sure if this is a problem that's happening during the smoking process or if the ribs are being grilled too long right before getting plated, but it seems like an easy fix that just requires a little more caution in the kitchen.
12. Chili's
Thanks to the catchy jingle that the company has become famous for, Chili's is synonymous with baby back ribs. In fact, in an effort to resurrect its iconic jingle for a new generation, Chili's recently hired R&B legends Boyz II Men to record a new version of it. But does the restaurant's soul-inspired tune reflect a truly praiseworthy dish that's worthy of so much cultural prevalence? According to many customers on Yelp, the answer is no.
Some customers complain that the ribs here don't taste fresh, suggesting the possibility that the kitchen simply reheats leftovers. Whatever the reason, the truth is that no amount of barbecue sauce can hide subpar texture and flavor. That said, other customers have said the ribs are decent, but why settle for mediocrity? At the end of the day, the reality is that we wouldn't ever go out of our way to eat ribs at Chili's. Despite Chili's being famous for its baby back ribs, thanks to that notorious jingle, we're far more likely to order fajitas or burgers here than the restaurant's ribs. There are definitely other restaurant chains with better ribs to offer.
11. TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays has a comparable vibe to Chili's — both restaurants offer similar menus and feature plenty of drink specials in a bar-like atmosphere. In general, though, we find the food at Fridays a little bit more appealing, and that includes the ribs. The ribs at Fridays seem a little meatier and we also like the company's whiskey barbecue sauce better than the barbecue sauce at Chili's. Customers on Yelp also tend to give Fridays' ribs high ratings quite consistently.
At the same time, the company admits that part of the cooking process for its ribs involves using a microwave. While it's true that microwaves are often involved in the cooking process at a lot of other big chain restaurants, it's still a bit off-putting when it comes to ribs. Considering that TGI Fridays is such an enormous operation that serves large volumes of food at each of its locations, we can speculate that the ribs are probably baked first in big batches, then reheated in the microwave to order before hitting the grill. But what really matters most is the taste, and while the ribs at Fridays aren't special or mindblowing in any way, they'll get the job done when hunger strikes without too much to complain about.
10. Sonny's BBQ
In 1968, Sonny's BBQ first opened its doors for business in Gainesville, Florida. Since then, the restaurant has expanded throughout the Southeast in states that also include Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina. For a fairly large chain, Sonny's does a solid job of consistently capturing the flavors of a home-cooked meal, landing it a higher spot compared to the chains lower in our ranking.
The menu at Sonny's is focused on classic BBQ dishes. The company serves oak-smoked meat several hours in the making. The bulk of Sonny's menu centers around smoked chicken, lean and marbled brisket, sliced and pulled pork, barbecue sandwiches, and various combo platters along with sides and desserts. Sonny's also offers an all-you-can-eat option for diners.
While the flavor of Sonny's baby back ribs is on point, some diners complain about the lack of meat on them. To be fair, part of this has to do with the unavoidable nature of how baby back ribs are cut. They come from the top portion of the rib cage, which tends to be smaller and contains less meat than spare ribs. Spare ribs (also called St.-Louis-style ribs) are located at the bottom of the rib cage and tend to be meatier and more flavorful. It's good for diners to keep these distinctions in mind when ordering, so they have appropriate expectations.
9. Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse is owned by Bloomin Brands, which also owns other chains such as Carrabba's Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, and Bonefish Grill. Outback's menu is perhaps best known for its Bloomin Onion, which is a massive onion cut into wedges, then battered and deep fried until golden brown. As expected, the restaurant also offers several cuts of beef, including ribeye, filet mignon, prime rib, and porterhouse. Outback also serves baby back ribs that are smoked, grilled, and brushed with barbecue sauce.
Customers have reported that the ribs at Outback Steakhouse are flavorful, but once again, a little lacking in the meat department. The barbecue sauce is skillfully applied, providing a light brush of tanginess without being totally smothered. There are visible marks on the meat from being lightly charred on the grill, which adds some extra texture. Outback Steakhouse lands a bit ahead of several of its competitors because it doesn't have an upsetting pattern of committing the cardinal sin of burning ribs into oblivion. Instead, the chain manages to meet expectations more often than not.
8. Smokey Bones
The menu at Smokey Bones focuses on barbecue, but also fuses those flavors with other popular dishes like nachos, smoked wings, and sandwiches. Brisket-stuffed grilled cheese, cheeseburgers smothered in pulled pork, fried pickles, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce are just a couple examples of the restaurant's indulgent approach to meal making. Unlike some of its competitors, Smokey Bones manages to offer affordable deals that feel like great value while also delivering exciting flavors on the plate.
For only about 15 bucks, Smokey Bones sells a half-rack of ribs that comes with two sides, garlic bread, and a drink. Customers at Smokey Bones often happily report on Yelp about leaving the restaurant feeling full and satisfied for a reasonable price, though some found their ribs a little dry. It's getting harder and harder to find good deals (especially on something hearty like ribs), but Smokey Bones is making it happen — all while executing the food well in the kitchen. The ribs are nicely glazed, the meat is tender without being overcooked, and none of it breaks the bank. Still, when it comes to flavor, there are better options on the table at other chains.
7. Soulman's Bar-B-Que
Soulman's Bar-B-Que has several locations scattered around North and East Texas. The menu offers classic barbecue staples like hickory-smoked pulled pork, chopped beef, sausage, smoked whole chicken, and pecan pie. Soulman's also sells slabs of St.-Louis-style pork spare ribs.
Many of the menu items at Soulman's are prepared on-site with recipes that haven't changed for generations. Even though some customers have complained about the brisket and sausage being bland, many diners still agree that the ribs at Soulman's are on point. The ribs here might cost a few dollars more than some of the other bigger chains in our ranking, but sometimes you get what you pay for. And in this case, it's worth it. The texture of the ribs is soft and tender — all it takes is a gentle tug with the teeth to easily pull the meat off the bone. The ribs are also quite large and meaty, so Soulman's gets some bonus points for extra heartiness.
6. LongHorn Steakhouse
Known primarily for its steaks, LongHorn Steakhouse often doesn't get enough credit for other areas of its menu. And it's an excellent menu, offering everything from half-pound cheeseburgers and fried chicken sandwiches to grilled shrimp and baby back ribs. What nudges LongHorn above many of its competitors in this ranking is the kitchen's expertise. The seasoning and flavor of the food are executed with care and precision. The baby back ribs are slow-cooked, seasoned, then flame-licked on the grill and basted in barbecue sauce.
The flavor of LongHorn's ribs is mostly sweet from the barbecue sauce, which is also made in-house, giving it an extra level of freshness and a vibrant taste. For a big restaurant chain, there's no doubt that LongHorn is one of the better options on the scene. Still, these ribs could use a little more smokiness to give them more flavor complexity. The meatiness of the ribs, the portion size, and the consistency with which they are grilled is still worthy of praise.
5. Texas Roadhouse
Compared to many other large restaurant chains, Texas Roadhouse has a higher standard of freshness. The restaurant makes much of its food from scratch, down to its croutons, bacon bits, and salad dressings. Steaks are hand-cut by an in-house butcher. It also bakes a fresh batch of rolls every five minutes that are served with a delicious spread of honey cinnamon butter. It's little touches like these that go a long way and push Texas Roadhouse out of mediocrity and into the realm of greatness.
Diners on Yelp often report that the ribs at Texas Roadhouse are luxuriously tender, with one diner noting that they're excellent even if not "true" slow-cooked fare. Texas Roadhouse seasons and slow-cooks its ribs, then adds some of the restaurant's signature barbecue sauce. The quality of its ribs in combination with the restaurant's sides that are made from scratch make Texas Roadhouse an excellent dining option. We also like that Texas Roadhouse offers a smaller portion of ribs on its side menu, which makes having a smaller portion of them possible.
4. Woody's Bar-B-Q
Woody's Bar-B-Que has more than a dozen locations in Florida, with a handful of expansions in development along with a spot in Pennsylvania. The menu at Woody's blends classic American barbecue with southern staples like fried catfish, pork rinds, and crispy corn nuggets. But according to diners on Yelp, one of the main events at Woody's Bar-B-Que is definitely the ribs.
What's great about Woody's is that the restaurant offers different styles of ribs on the menu. There are baby back ribs, Memphis-style ribs, and smoked spare ribs. The baby back ribs cooked in a marinade then grilled and basted in more sauce. Memphis-style ribs are dry-rubbed in spices and then grilled, which brings out the natural flavors of the meat instead of smothering it in sauce. The smoked spare ribs are slow-smoked for hours and then gently basted for a little extra flavor. Woody's more expansive rib options elevate it towards the top of our ranking, since the menu caters to diners with different taste preferences.
3. 4 Rivers
What started as a humble operation in 2009 has bloomed into a thriving barbecue chain with several locations throughout the state of Florida. The company has become a well-respected player in the barbecue scene, offering delicious grub like housemade sausage and cheddar cheese jalapeno cornbread. The company also offers some interesting and delicious fusions, such as its barbecue twist on a Cuban sandwich, which is made with ingredients like smoked pork, ham, pickles, onion rings, provolone, and barbecue sauce. That said, the company might be best known for its brisket, which is wet-aged for 30 days, then seasoned and smoked for 18 hours before getting hand-sliced to order.
Despite the popularity of 4 Rivers' sandwiches and brisket, diners would be remiss to skip over the ribs. The ribs at 4 Rivers are St.-Louis-style pork ribs that are seasoned with the company's all-purpose rub, then smoked and finished on the grill with honey barbecue sauce. The honey barbecue sauce adds a touch of sweetness that compliments the smokiness of the grill. What really makes the ribs here shine is the house-made barbecue sauce. There are also several different barbecue sauces to choose from in the dining room. The ribs here are delightfully sticky and smoky, striking a tasty balance that's truly mouthwatering. At the same time, some other restaurants go the extra mile.
2. Corky's Ribs & BBQ
Corky's Ribs & BBQ is a small chain of restaurants with locations in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Customers often rave about the ribs here, especially the flavor of the dry rub. What also makes the ribs at Corky's exceptional is the fact that ribs can be customized so that half the rack is dry-rubbed and the other half is sauced. This allows diners to experience two different flavors and textures all on the same rack. The taste and texture of Corky's ribs is phenomenal. As one happy customer puts it on Yelp, "The ribs were excellent. They required little work because the rib meat fell off the bone. The barbecue sauce was smoky and tangy. The meat was yummy and surprisingly moist." The restaurant also offers various rib combos, which makes it easy for customers to enjoy ribs alongside other meats.
There are rib combos at Corky's that are paired with smoked brisket, chicken, pulled pork, fried catfish, and smoked sausage. The restaurant also sells many of its meats by the pound, including its ribs, so it's easy to score a bulk of barbecue. On top of having excellent ribs, Corky's also has some killer peach cobbler, which is a great way to finish up the meal.
1. Black's Barbecue
Black's Barbecue is a regional chain with a handful of locations in Central Texas. The restaurant started in 1932 and has been operated by the same family ever since. One of the stars of the menu is the giant beef rib. Each rib is about nine inches long, weighs about one pound, and contains layers of scrumptiously flavorful, succulently marbled beef. Black's also serves pork spare ribs.
The giant beef ribs are truly massive, but their greatness goes above and beyond the impressive proportions. Diners on Yelp report that they're absolutely delicious, earning the restaurant plenty of perfect five-star ratings. The giant beef ribs are not only enormous but also teeming with juicy flavor. If you've ever wanted to feel like Fred Flintstone and tear meat off a colossal rib bone, Black's is the best chain restaurant to get your fix. Sure, it isn't exactly cheap, but when you consider how special and tasty the food is, it feels like an amazing deal. Black's Barbecue is a reminder that some experiences are worth the price of admission.