The Rib Cage Bar & Grill

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  Hubby and I decided to try this out after we read the reviews and he needed a good BBQ fix.  We were not disappointed! The pulled pork and brisket were wonderful and very juicy.  Their sides were clearly made from scratch, some of the best baked beans, mac & cheese and corn bread we've had.  Can't wait to go back and sample the apps and dessert!

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  Posted on 04.26.13 Rean H.

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  Excellent BBQ.
  
  My boyfriend and I moved to Cleveland from Missouri, and he's a major BBQ critic. I'm so happy that we finally found a place in our neighborhood where he can get his fix! The main dishes were well done, but let's not forget the sides. Every side that I sampled was fantastic. Of those I tried, the greens with smoked turkey was by far my favorite.

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  Posted on 04.17.13 Melissa A.

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  I've been to the Rib Cage at least four times now, as it's the closest thing to real goddamn BBQ outside of Kansas City I've had in FOUR years.  It's not Oklahoma Joe's, but it serves tender slow cooked meat with abundance of flavors.  Further, it has plenty of options for those who believe it's about the sauce (I'm from KC, what can I say) as well as more vinegar based sauces that let the meat shine.  There's something for everyone.  
  
  I have now sampled the Pulled Pork sandwich with the Carolina style sauce, the Brisket sandwich with the Spicy BBQ sauce, the Turkey-beer-cheese soup, the Blackened Catfish, the Parmesan Garlic Tilapia, the hushpuppies, the Bourbon-maple-bacon beans, the seasoned fries, collard greens, and some eggnog-vodka-schnapps Christmas cocktail that was like a boozy Christmas morning with sprinkles and whipped cream. (I regret nothing.)  
  
  First, the Pulled Pork has been the most consistent with its juicy, oh so tender goodness that only comes from pork.  It's very, very, very good and never disappoints.  The Brisket was to die for tender and moist the first time, but the second time it was too dry and mediocre.  The Blackened Cafish was moist, cooked perfectly, fresh and was spicy enough that I may have had 4 glasses of water while dining.  
  
  The surprising standouts are the non-obvious choices.  The beans have real flavor and serious depth. They have truly elevated baked beans to a must-have side dish, which I didn't know was possible.  Don't get me wrong, I love the crispy well seasoned fries, but the beans!  The Turkey-Beer soup is a knock out, too.  As a KC raised girl, I never thought I'd ever tell someone "Hey you should go to this BBQ place and have the soup." WTF, but it's true. Have the satisfying, filling, cheesy goodness of that soup.
  
  This will continue to be my standby for BBQ cravings in the CLE. You should check it out, and some of you will appreciate the proprietor's use of locally sourced meats and ingredients.

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  Posted on 04.09.13 Angela T.

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  I didn't know what to expect of this place before going, but was surprised by the cleanliness of the place. I am a fan of the cardboard paper that covers all the tables - inviting patrons to get messy. The service we received was great. However, the food was only mediocre. We tried the St Louis style ribs as recommended by others online, and I was not impressed. The flavor was just okay, the meat didn't fall off the bone, and there was a lot of fat. I do recommend trying the fried green tomatoes. Also I thought the menu items were priced too high (I.e. $6 draft beer). Overall, not a terrible place, but one could easily find a better place to dine.

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  Posted on 03.19.13 Devin C.

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  Great dinner, pulled pork, bbq beans, fresh cut fries. So good! Good beer selection. Only regret - they were out of peanut butter pie with pretzel and oreo crust. Will be back.

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  Posted on 03.15.13 Kim W.

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  I like the food here and I like that this place is just around the corner from my apartment. The only entree I've tried is the pulled pork sandwich, but it's very tasty. Last time we also had the "stupid fries" with pork and brisket. They were delicious though they completely ruined our appetite for our entrees. It also was kind of odd for us (even though we knew we'd ordered "stupid fries") to have the waiter deliver them and say, "here are your stupid fries." (hey now, is that how you treat your customers?... oh wait.) It probably didn't help that he seemed to be the only waiter there on a fairly busy Friday night. He definitely seemed harried. We ordered salads with our entrees and he forgot them. It took a very long time to get our salads, which, after the "stupid fries," were really all we wanted to eat. It became an annoying experience. The previous time I was here, we had no problems with the service, so I'm hoping that this was an off night.
  I'd recommend this as an option on Lee Rd, and I'm sure I'll be happy to return.

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  Posted on 03.15.13 Eleanor C.

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  Came here to drink and was super pleased.  The bartender (and owner?) was extremely pleasant, knowledgeable (without being smug), and makes some mighty fine drinks.  It felt like how a great neighborhood bar should be with a nice cosy intimate atmosphere (not posh, not dive). They also have a wonderful selection of beers and whiskey.  What a great addition to the neighborhood!
  
  After reading the reviews here, I obviously have to try the food.

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  Posted on 03.05.13 Janice S.

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  Highly recommend checking out this quaint little spot. Great selection of Scratch Made BBQ.  If your also a bourbon Fan, this place should be on your list too. Beer selection is great for the size of establishment. I'll be a returning customer!

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  Posted on 02.27.13 Bryan P.

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  For some people going out to eat means selecting the right tie or jewelry to match their attire but for me it means grabbing a favorite skully and a comfortable pair of jeans.The Rib Cage is my kind of place.It doesn't make any effort to be anything it isn't but makes every effort to be exactly what it is ,a rib joint.This isn't just any rib joint though and I knew that from the moment my food arrived.The bartender Steve did an excellent job and was very attentive to all of those killing their thirst with a cold one sitting at the bar.I ordered the pulled pork and enjoyed a cold Left Hand Milk Stout while I waited for my order to be prepared.My hunger was rewarded rather quickly after a badass plate of BBQ goodness arrived in about five minutes or so.The pulled pork sandwich was great with a Carolina BBQ sauce that had the right amount of zip to it ,coleslaw and fries.I also ordered a small portion of the 3 cheese Mac which I really enjoyed as well but the sandwich was definitely the item that stood out as would be expected.Quite honestly the sauce is one of the best I've ever had in a restaurant or someone's home or backyard BBQ.The only reason this spot doesn't get a full five stars is because they were out Red Stripe which was what I really wanted to accompany this meal.To sum this up I'd say that perhaps instead of rubbing elbows with Royalty at the trendiest spot next time you might just want to enjoy the chance to grab that comfortable sweatshirt you never wear out of the house with a comfortable pair of jeans and enjoy a beer and some awesome BBQ at a bar where you might just be sitting by the guy who put a new alternator in somebody's Honda Accord earlier that day.You might be surprised at how pleasantly rewarded you are for doing so.

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  Posted on 02.19.13 Timothy S.

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  Really solid BBQ.  The place is small, nothing special about the interior.  Kind of an "L" shape with a long, narrow bar and then a small back room.  The backroom had zero character but the bar had cool music and a cool vibe.  
  
  The food was wonderful.  We started with the onion rings, and then moved on to ribs and pulled pork.  All were great with the Carolina sauce.  The fries were nicely seasoned, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.  And the slaw, simply the best I've had.  Ever.  Anywhere.  
  
  We'll be back.

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  Posted on 02.08.13 J W.

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  We enjoyed the BBQ. Will be back.

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  Posted on 01.10.13 Adam F.

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  This place is absolutely delicious. By far one of my favorite bars / restaurants.

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  Posted on 12.30.12 Jerry L.

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  Read all the reviews and was eager to try. Decided on take out and while the bartender was pleasant enough, I really, really hate being called honey, dearest and sweetheart which he called me over and over. Got the beef ribs with Carolina sauce, chicken, sweet potato pie, greens, Mac/cheese. Ribs were tough and could not be eaten off the bone because the tough fascia stuck to the meat. The Carolina sauce tastes like Heinz 57 steak sauce and is strong. The chicken, which apparently was the last one, was dry. The greens were meh but no one makes greens like my mom. Sweet potato pie was good but needed more crust. Mac /cheese a bit bland.  I threw away my half of the ribs and picked over half the chicken leaving the other half of the meat and corn for my son. The next morning it was all still on the table, picked over. I threw it out. He said it was awful. I felt validated.

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  Posted on 12.22.12 Dorothy B.

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  Finally got my husband to try this with me last night and he and our friend were delighted - as was I! I've spent more time than I care to admit in this building when it was Dough Boys so I wondered if it would feel strange in this new iteration, but it did not.  The food was wonderful - my husband and I had the pulled pork and my friend had the beef brisket.  My favorite part had to be the greens which were even better than Mama Joyce's - my former favorite greens in the Heights.  My friends praised the mac and cheese (and inhaled it within seconds of its arrival) and the fresh cut fries sprinkled with seasoning were great.  The Carolina Mustard Sauce and Herb Buffalo wings were also great.  A word of warning - I was initially taken aback but the texture of the pulled pork.  Then I realized my barbecue life is so bare - I've never had pulled pork from anything but a crock pot.  If you're like me, don't expect it to be disintegrating on your plate like you're used to.  But the meat was tender and delicious and I'd eat it again in a heart beat.  They had fancy sodas too and while it seemed a bit silly to have indie Diet Coke, it tasted as good as diet coke so no complaints here.  The restaurant filled up quite a bit while we were there and the one server who was also the bartender did seem to get "too" busy, but honestly he was so nice and we didn't wait more than 10 minutes more than we wanted to, and he was pretty hilarious and charming so this is less a complaint and more a warning for the impatient.  Be patient, the service is great!

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  Posted on 12.20.12 Kristen M.

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  Went here because of good reviews on yelp. The food was tasty, bartender was nice, great selection of bourbon. Beer selection could be better. I would definitely go back again. Thumbs up from both me and my girlfriend.

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  Posted on 11.27.12 Alex N.

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  I cannot say enough good things about this place. LOVE their food. Pulled pork sandwich has been my favorite. Tuesday is Taco night - $2 pulled pork tacos with coleslaw. YUM.

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  Posted on 11.20.12 Courtney M.

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  Be sure to get a dessert cuz they're the real deal southern dishes

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  Posted on 11.03.12 Harry A.

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  I grew up in Texas (home of the best beef BBQ on the planet) and went to school in Virginia where I was introduced to genuine Carolina pork BBQ, and I've found nothing that rivals authentic southern BBQ - until now. I cannot rave enough about the quality of their BBQ. Slow cooked so it simply falls apart, and with a sampling of assorted BBQ sauces that enhance but don't overwhelm the meat. I always take my girlfriend so we can order both beef and pork and I can leave totally sated. The service has also been uniformly excellent and it's become a regular in our rotation.

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  Posted on 10.12.12 John H.

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  Walked into the bar and got an extensive lesson on Cleveland nightlife history, all about whiskey/scotch, and comparisons to New York City. Love the place, the manager is pretty awesome. I ate very light; had the turkey and cheddar soup. I will be there again with a more hearty appetite, as the location is close to home.

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  Posted on 10.01.12 Vrere B.

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  What's drunk, white, and red all over?  Me after drinking some bourbon and eating some BBQ ribs at this joint.  It well worth the money too.  Do you want some inexpensive, yet quality drinks, and some really delicious BBQ?  If you don't, then you probably hate America (or you just don't like BBQ).  But if you do like BBQ, then your money to The Rib Cage and get your BBQ fill.  This place is a solid choice for beer, brown liquor, and BBQ anything.
  
  The place isn't big and it looks kind of divy.  It's a BBQ joint and it looks exactly like it should.  It's clean, smells good, and the tables are covered with brown paper sheets.  The bar looks like a bar.  There's nothing special here, but it does have some nice modern touches of here and there.  I'm happy with it.  5/5 for appearance.
  
  The bartender was also the server for the night.  It wasn't busy, but he still had a number of patrons at the bar.  He handled our table of four and all the bar patrons together without issue.  He was a really great guy and fun to talk with after the place slowed down.  Service gets a 5/5.
  
  The food was amazing.  My wife and I had rib tips, fried green tomatoes, and wings.  Our friends had ribs, fries, corn bread, brisket sandwich, and the turkey cheddar & beer soup.  The ribs and rib tips were in the standard BBQ sauce and we also go the Carolina mustard sauce on the side.  Both sauces were awesome on their own, but the two mixed together was heaven.  Next time, I'll have them just slather both sauces on my ribs.  Between the two, the Carolina was the best--it has a good tang.  
  
  Everything was smoked to perfection.  I was told they smoke things from 15 to 20 hours.  I would normally think that's too long, but they didn't taste over-smoked at all.  The meat was perfectly tender and they had just the right amount of smoke flavor.   This goes for the brisket and the ribs.  The wings didn't taste smoked, but they were equally tasty.  We tried a few sauces for the wings and all were great.
  
  The sides and the fried green tomatoes were good.  There's not a whole lot to say about fries--these worked and I was happy.  The cornbread was solid--moist and a little sweet.  It wasn't too gritty at all.  The tomatoes were the star side dish for me.  The tomatoes tasted incredibly fresh and the panko fry was perfect.  I could eat them all the time.  
  
  The food isn't special in terms of menu creativity... it's just BBQ.  But in terms of BBQ, this place is top notch.  There are better BBQ joints in some in the south that exist well off the main drags of various cities.  This place is not quite that good, but it's close.  Food gets a 5/5
  
  For desert we had the blackberry & peach cobbler and the bourbon sweet potato pie.  All deserts are served with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.  They do not make these in house--I can't recall who they said made the deserts.  What I do recall is that this was one of the best sweet potato pies I've had in a long time.  It was spiced just right and the texture was good.  I usually like to have a bit more of a thicker pie filling, but this thing stood all on its own.  The cobbler was more of a deconstructed cobbler. But it still tasted fresh and delicious.  The fruit wasn't over-sweetened and it let the fresh fruit flavor shine through.  All the deserts felt very home-made, but with a good level of technical skill still present.  Deserts get a 5/5.
  
  Booze gets the final 5/5 score.  They had a massive selection of beers and they have a good collection of about 8 high-quality single-barrel bourbons.  They also have some special bourbon cocktails too.  There prices of the bourbons and beers were quite good and allowed us to avoid bottom shelf swill.  this is a bar where your dollar goes a little farther.
  
  Actually, the entire cost of the food was lower than most other restaurants.  The massive full rack rib dinner was only $14, for example.  Go here, eat cheap, and fill up on good drinks and food.  It's highly worth it.

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  Posted on 09.19.12 Eric C.

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  Holy *insert your favorite expletive here*!  I like good food and I love an establishment that cares about what they serve. The Rib Cage more than delivered both. We were served enthusiastically by the General Manager. That man makes one mean Old Fashioned, let me tell you. They have a nice selection of good micro brews and small batch bourbon, but let's get to the really good stuff - the food.
  
  The meat. Good God, the meat.  Slow smoked - man, does that smoke make sweet, sweet love to all that delectable meat. They offer ribs, pulled pork, brisket, turkey and chicken so there's a meat for all occasions.  They have a few sauces but I don't think I'll make it past their Carolina sauce. Their baked beans were flavorful and the beans were the right consistency.  The cole slaw was creamy without being gloopy. Thats a technical term for "swimming in mayo".  Dessert - since I was already mere moments away from being the gluttony victim from Seven, what thr heck - let usmeat cake! They have a local baker who makes 3 signature desserts. We opted for the red velvet cake with white chocolate icing. Loved the icing, liked the cake though it could have been a bit more moist.
  
  Go, go, a thousand times go to The Rib Cage.  Im so happy about having another good eatery in the Heights!

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  Posted on 09.18.12 Heather U.

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  Delicious food at a fabulous price.

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  Posted on 09.04.12 Shawn Paul G.

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